Prismark10 Reviews

Cribbins: Episode #2.4 (1970) Season 2, Episode 4

Episode 4

[5/10 · 13 May 2024]

Once again Robin Hood is struck with an arrow as he receives a message that may not be so important.

Down at the police station a drunken man turns up, celebrating the anniversary of his wife leaving him. He expects the police to give a lift home.

A man goes to see his doctor as he has bees in his underpants. The doctor has problems of his own and it stings.

The song Bernard sings is Gossip Calypso written by Trevor Peacock.

Bernard plays an injured butler who is showed no sympathy by his master. Eventually the butler loses his temper.

Bernard pretends to be the first Englishman to land on the Moon. His worried wife tries to tempt him to stay. Which is just what the husband was hoping for.

Sheila Steafel plays an amorous Traffic Warden who has the hots for the driver illegally parked. He gets more than he bargained for.

There are a good variety of sketches but I found it more miss than hit. Adrian Bogworthy is good value.

Breathtaking: Mitigation (2024) Season 1, Episode 3

Mitigation

[6/10 · 13 May 2024]

The series jumps towards Christmas and the run up to the second lockdown.

By this time there was a winter surge. The government wanted to remove Covid restrictions for Christmas. Only there was a winter surge.

Also the government's shortcomings throughout all this.. It lack of preparedness for the pandemic when it was emerging westwards from China. Then there was the ministers own breaches of the rules that eventually became public. Boris Johnson was a serial offender and has shown no genuine remorse.

The rampant death toll in care homes because people with Covid were sent back. Then spread it to others.

It was a messy conclusion. Maybe they should had gone the polemic route and given both barrels to Boris Johnson and his cronies. That includes the press who were in effect Johnson's fan club at the time. Just check all those 'Brave Boris' headlines when he himself would not comply with the rules his government introduced.

The government gave a lot of money to newspapers in the form of advertising. Keeping them going as no one was buying them during lockdown.

I did like the anti Covid people being shown as idiotic. I think in 2021, every other person I met was a Covid sceptic. All seemed to have gone to the same conspiracy websites and thought they were clever.

Some even going to bereaved families and telling them their loved ones died of something else and it was not Covid.

The Karate Kid (1984)

The Karate Kid

[7/10 · 13 May 2024]

The Karate Kid was a sleeper hit in the summer of 1984 in the USA and Australia. Elsewhere it managed to get traction on the video rental market.

Director John G Avildsen hit Oscar paydirt with Rocky, managed to assemble another underdog story. So much so, 40 years after the release of this movie. The Karate Kid saga continues in the streaming television series Cobra Kai with some of the original actors.

Daniel (Ralph Macchio) is a soccer loving kid who has moved with his mother from New Jersey to Los Angeles. He is not happy, at school he is bullied by Johnny (William Zabka) and his karate loving chums.

All because Daniel got friendly with Ali (Elisabeth Shue.) She is Johnny's ex girlfriend.

Mr Miyagi (Pat Morita) the janitor at Daniel's apartment building agrees to train Daniel in karate. He also manages to get Kreese, the head of Johnny's dojo to call off the bullying. They agree to have it out at a karate tournament where Johnny is the defending champion.

Only Mr Miyagi has an unorthodox way of training. He gets Daniel to do various chores like cleaning cars, painting the fence and sanding the floor. Only Daniel never realises that he is learning basic karate skills.

There is an element of John Hughes teenager movies about the Karate Kid. Daniel is the poor kid with his mum driving a crummy car. Ali comes from a well to do family, her parents like Johnny.

It was noticeable even Johnny and some of his goons were not out and out baddies. Relevant to the story carried over to Cobra Kai.

When it comes to the tournament it is Kreese, an ex Vietnam vet who wants his students to fight dirty. Johnny and a few others are reluctant. It is just Dutch who truly hates Daniel.

It really is a story of friendship between Daniel and Mr Miyagi who teaches the teenager a philosophy of life and the crane karate move. Morita a journeyman actor was Oscar nominated for the role.

The film has an abrupt ending. All the signs that they ran out of money.

Passenger: Episode #1.6 (2024) Season 1, Episode 6

Episode 6

[3/10 · 13 May 2024]

Writer Andrew Buchan must had been confident of a second series of Passengers. It ends in a kind of a cliffhanger.

If you want to be uncharitable. The previous five episodes were a prelude. The show only kicked off in the final episode.

If there was a plot then it came about in the final fifteen minutes. When Ali and Nish find a hidden room inside the bread factory.

There is a video game that enticed the teenagers of Chadder Vale. A game where the challenges turn deadly. (I like the assumption that only teenagers can be gamers!)

By this time I was thinking of the amount of movies and television shows where teenagers are trapped inside a deadly game or gaming app. Then there are those people watching them online. Red Rose on BBC3 comes to mind.

So the story is not that original.

Screen One: Hancock (1991) Season 3, Episode 1

Hancock

[8/10 · 12 May 2024]

In 1989 Alfred Molina played pianist John Ogdon in the BBC Screen Two film, Virtuoso.

The writer and director reunited with Molina for this BBC Screen One film about Tony Hancock.

By this time Molina had already played several real life characters. He was Kenneth Halliwell in Prick up your ears.

Hancock was a much loved British comedy actor. With acclaimed writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, he had a hit show with Hancock's Half Hour.

Only he felt he could achieve a lot more such as movie success and maybe become a big star in America. That proved elusive as he drank too much. Although obliquely noted in this movie. Hancock had trouble remembering his lines. In later seasons of Hancock, he had the help of cue cards.

Molina gives an astonishing performance as Hancock. He physically resembles Hancock. The film concentrates in the last years of his life, after his hit BBC comedy show finished. Where he had veered away from his regular script writers.

Only Hancock hit a downward spiral in his career fueled with booze and bitterness. A movie in American failed to come off. His stage show was his usual comedy routines, not the new reinvention he promised the press.

While recording a show in Australia. Hancock committed suicide in 1968, he was only 44 years old. He looked much older when he did Hancock's Half Hour.

It is a shame that Hancock never realised how popular he was with the British public. The movie gives an insight as to some of his demons.

If there was a bum note. The actor playing John le Mesurier never convinced me.

Crime Story: Wallpaper Warrior (1992) Season 1, Episode 2

Wallpaper Warrior

[5/10 · 12 May 2024]

If the first episode of Crime Story was highly dramatised. Wallpaper Warrior very much keeps towards the truth.

It looks like what took place in the story happened in real life. The sad fact is very little is shown about the victim, DC Jim Porter who was gunned down in Bishop Auckland.

The story is about Eddie Horner, a young not too bright man. Dismissed from his job at a wallpaper factory after it introduced a new bonus scheme which resulted in a pay cut. He was one of fourteen men who went out on strike and were sacked.

Horner had befriended Paul Standen, another unhinged young man who came in as a flying picket. Both talked about revolution and creating a Worker's Party.

Standen fed Horner some tall stories and seemed to have radicalised Horner. It led to both of them going on a crime spree with a third man as a getaway driver.

Featuring a most unlikely lookalike of Michael Foot played by Jack Watling (whose son Giles Watling went on to become a Tory MP.) This was a slice of early 1980s industrial strife.

A febrile ground for extreme left wingers who seem to provide no real answer to the industrial decline. Actually they still can't provide one even 40 years after the events took place.

It really is a matter of fact drama of some not very bright loners. Horner thought himself as a political prisoner who thought come the revolution. He will be freed from his life sentence.

The effect on the dead policeman's colleagues and families is absent.

Murder, She Wrote: Reflections of the Mind (1985) Season 2, Episode 6

Reflections of the Mind

[5/10 · 12 May 2024]

Madness could be all in the mind, maybe according to Dr Victor March. He has been treating Francesca Lodge (Ann Blyth) an old friend of Jessica Fletcher.

She was a widow who later married a much younger man Scott Lodge (Ben Murphy) who is now cheating on her.

Only Francesca believes that her first husband's spirit is haunting her. Has he come back to life somehow?

Jessica investigates while Dr March decides whether Francesca needs to be hospitalised. Especially after Scott dies in an accident.

Any show that has Wings Hauser has a guest star does not need to look too far who the culprit could be.

There was more than a touch of Agatha Christie about the solution. My wife was very pleased to work out the likely suspect.

Red Eye: Episode #1.3 (2024) Season 1, Episode 3

Episode 3

[6/10 · 12 May 2024]

By this point you would think the plane would have made an emergency landing. If the bodycount continues, it would had to be landed by autopilot. Assuming that has not been tampered with.

There are flashbacks to Dr Matthew Nolan's last days at the health conference in China. He was introduced to Shen Zhao, the woman Nolan has been accused of killing.

She interacted others who are also returning to China on the plane. Maybe Shen told one of them something important or maybe slipped something vital.

Nolan found himself drugged and in trouble as he dealt with his injuries. He quickly made his way back to Britain.

DC Hana Li now finds that one more person has died and another has disappeared. While her sister Jess is the only journalist in Britain following this story up.

It is good that Nolan's backstory has been covered. There is a suspicion that he might be a little shifty and hiding something. At least the tension has been ramped up.

I also noticed the camera lingering just a little too much on one plane crew member here and there. Indicating they could be the murderer.

Dixon of Dock Green: Sounds (1974) Season 20, Episode 16

Sounds

[6/10 · 12 May 2024]

By this time the era of the all filmed episodes was over. We are back to the police station scenes in Dock Green. All the interior scenes are shot in video.

The exterior scenes are on 16mm film. Video cameras were still too cumbersome for outdoor location shooting.

The return of the police station scenes might have been due to budget cuts. Also to accommodate Jack Warner's age and health.

The police receive an urgent phone call. A small girl tells them that her mother has had an accident and she then puts the phone down.

Sergeant Dixon is sure that the child might be in danger and her mother has been attacked. Without a phone trace. They only have got the background noise to pinpoint the location.

A sound expert is brought in. They could hear a ship's horn and later the noise of a printing machine.

The story is reminiscent of these weekly American cop shows. The story where the police need to find a place solely in the background sounds and it is a race against time.

Although this story morphs into the issue of domestic violence. The injured woman was avoiding her husband. That too goes to the roots of Dixon of Dock Green under creator Ted Willis. Where it would often deal with social issues.

77 Sunset Strip: Casualty (1958) Season 1, Episode 4

Casualty

[6/10 · 11 May 2024]

Mrs Dolan catches her husband coming out of a shop. Only he died a year ago. So she goes to see Jeff Spencer of the detective agency.

He is reluctant at first to take on the case. Maybe it was a close relative of her husband. Some bereaved wives often claim to see someone who resembles their husband.

As Jeff looks into the case further. He comes across what looks like a clever insurance scam. Mrs Dolan's husband has often assumed another identity, later died for relative low amounts of life insurance. So the companies never look into it that much.

So Jeff also teams up with the life insurance company concerned. There has to be other people involved in the scam, such as a funeral company supplying and burying a body.

A good story that should be harder to do these days. Repeatedly fake your death. It's a lucrative scam that Mr Dolan got involved in.

Jeff is willing to place himself in danger to crack the case. Stuart Bailey only makes a brief appearance. There is a nice cameo from Nancy Kulp as the nosy, sexually starved landlady.

Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Baker Street Bachelors (1955) Season 1, Episode 33

The Case of the Baker Street Bachelors

[4/10 · 11 May 2024]

A would be politician finds himself being blackmailed. So he consults Sherlock Holmes.

He went to see a marriage broker. As the man has good prospects, he was matched up with a suitable bride. Only later to find himself embroiled in a potential scandal and now he faces blackmail demands.

So Sherlock Holmes takes Dr Watson along to the same marriage broker. Holmes makes out he is a man of means and they are immediately introduced to ladies.

On a later date at a tea rooms. A man walks in claiming that he is the husband of one of the ladies and that Holmes is trying to break up the marriage.

Holmes is arrested and the overzealous Inspector Mason will not let him out of jail. Despite protests that he is on an important case.

So it is up to Dr Watson and Inspector Lestrade to break up the blackmailing scammers.

An interesting story goes downhill very quickly. It gets silly and Inspector Mason has no idea the importance of Sherlock Holmes. Or that the marriage bureau is a sham. There is a race against time to clear the would be politician's name.

The Adventures of Robin Hood: Too Many Earls (1957) Season 2, Episode 31

Too Many Earls

[6/10 · 11 May 2024]

It is winter and business is slack for outlaws. They may have to work just a little harder to track down the rich.

So Maid Marian has an idea. For Robin to take part in an archery contest. Her uncle is the birdwatching, animal loving vegetarian Earl of Rochdale.

He has been in dispute over boundary rights with the Earl of Northgate. The contest with settle the argument once and for all as well as 500 gold sovereigns.

As Robin Hood is an outlaw, he needs a letter of safe conduct signed by the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Rochdale is aghast to learn that Robin is an outlaw and wants nothing to do with the plan. Robin Hood sends an actor to pretend to be Rochdale, who the Sheriff has never met before.

This was a fun romp but a weak story. An Earl who does not know of Robin Hood. He has never met the Sheriff, a greedy man who likes to get to know the wealthy aristocracy.

There is a good cast here that includes Clive Revill and Nigel Davenport.

Doctor Who: Space Babies (2024) Season 1, Episode 1

Space Babies

[7/10 · 11 May 2024]

New Doctor Who from 2005 is now so old. It makes the classic incarnation of the show even more classic.

The return of the Russell T Davies has led to the great renumbering. Welcome to the era of New New Doctor Who.

It is series one, Space Babies has the Doctor explaining the basic concept of the show to the new Disney viewers. While BBC viewers find they can stream the show on the stroke of midnight.

One thing is for sure. RTD likes to make his first episode to be a romp. A children's story coming to life in a space station. Babies being abandoned but they can speak. A literal bogeyman and the space station is falling apart.

If the episode Rose had a burping bin. This one has enough poo from dirty nappies to fire the space station to a safe planet.

The Doctor and Ruby make for a promising team and there was even a brief glimpse of a dinosaur. Kids would love it.

The Doctor is intrigued about Ruby though. Just what is in her DNA makeup?

Doctor Who: The Devil's Chord (2024) Season 1, Episode 2

The Devil's Chord

[9/10 · 11 May 2024]

Also known as the Beatles episode. Only the Beatles look too old and nothing like Paul and John.

Ruby wants to see the Beatles record their first album back in 1963. The Doctor thinks it is a brilliant idea.

Only this is a world where music has disappeared. Britain of 1963 lacks colour, tunes and a zest for life. The Beatles can't sing for toffee.

It is all the fault of the Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon) who feeds off the music that has not been created. Only this majestic maestro is not the Master. Something even more sinister. The giggle is a giveaway.

The music is the thing in this story. It is a kind of episode that Doctor Who has not done before in its 60 years. There is even a fantastic dance number at the end.

We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

We Need to Talk About Kevin

[8/10 · 10 May 2024]

Adapted from Lionel Shriver's acclaimed book. Director Lynne Ramsay has to deal with a difficult subject matter. A story of an evil unrepentant teenager.

Kevin (Ezra Miller) is a 15 year old high school, student. He was born with a psychological hatred of his mother Eva Khatchadourian (Tilda Swinton.) He cried all day and night. He deliberately pooped in his pants. He is cruel to his younger sister Celia. Even allowing her to be disfigured.

Only his father Franklin (John C Reilly) has a warm relationship with Kevin, teaching him archery. Only Franklin is oblivious just what a wicked child Kevin is. That he is being played by his son.

Ramsay directs the film in different timelines with an assured touch. The audience is aware that something bad has happened. Eva was a successful author living in a large house.

Now she is doing menial tasks as a secretary. Lives in a crummy house which constantly gets daubed with red paint. Her life has gone on a downward spiral. Eva has hit rock bottom.

The film takes the audience to the events that led to a barbaric act and how it affected Eva.

It is an intense performance from Swinton. Her hairstyle changes in the different timelines. Miller too matches her as the monstrous son. Ironically his career went on a tailspin in real life.

This is a difficult watch, a tough subject matter. We Need to Talk About Kevin. If only Eva and Franklin did. Realised that he needed psychological help early on.

The Upper Hand: Welcome Home (1990) Season 1, Episode 9

Welcome Home

[4/10 · 10 May 2024]

It's winter and it is snowing but things could be heating up at the Wheatley household.

Caroline's estranged husband Michael has returned from the jungle with a snake as a gift for his son Tom. Michael is a documentary filmmaker and has been away for some months.

So he is surprised to be served divorce papers and find that Charlie is staying in the house. Michael has not been told that Caroline has got a male live in housekeeper.

While Laura insists that Caroline gets Micheal to sign the divorce papers. She does not like her son in law. Michael manages to warm Caroline's heart. Maybe she will give her marriage another go.

It is the first of a two part episode to push the will they/won't they angle between Caroline and Charlie.

There is jealousy and rivalry with the two alpha males. Michael concedes that Charlie is a good housekeeper. Only there is not going to be a room for him if Michael moves in.

The Bill: This Little Pig (1985) Season 2, Episode 6

This Little Pig

[5/10 · 10 May 2024]

It looks like this could be a comedy episode when it starts. Roger Philpot is a farmer who has lost a couple of pigs. PC Edwards has to give chase.

He seems to have acquired a reputation for being lazy. Edwards keeps disappearing for long lunches at the cafe. Now he stinks of pig manure.

Animal rights protestors are causing a commotion outside a shop selling furs. Once arrested the police have to find vegan food.

There are a spate of burglaries where a person gets in hiding inside a wardrobe. Then claiming it was being delivered to the wrong address.

A busy day for the cops in Sun Hill including doing an immigration raid. Galloway discovers that Chief Superintendent Brownlow is not going to authorise any overtime. No wonder a few of the coppers want to moonlight to make ends meet.

There was no big central story in this episode. Despite a few familiar faces in the guest cast. It simmered rather than come to a boil. Looked like a filler to me.

Sorry!: Bottom of the Class (1982) Season 3, Episode 3

Bottom of the Class

[6/10 · 10 May 2024]

Timothy might be on top of things for a change. His relationship is going well with Freddie.

With a bug going around. Frank gives Timothy a role playing Bottom in the dramatic society's production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.'

Only Timothy has trouble learning the lines. He also takes it ever too seriously, working on a country accent. He sounds like a cross between Dr David Bellamy and Pam Ayres.

Just Freddie's teenage son Jason is troublesome. He keeps calling Timothy a wally. So Timothy decides to get Jason round.

It does mean Timothy skipping rehearsals and going to see Freddie's estranged husband.

Well Timothy is a hit in the play. Only because his Bottom gets involved in a lot of mishaps. He also inadvertently manages to reunite Freddie with her husband.

There was a look at unruly youths of the early 1980s in this episode. Jason is rude and along with other kids, damages the stage for the play.

The episode had a nice opening with Timothy's parents in the kitchen. Mrs Lumsden talking down her mother in law. She never cleaned her windows. Mr Lumsden retorted that his mother never wanted anyone to look in.

Up Pompeii!: The Love Potion (1970) Season 1, Episode 7

The Love Potion

[6/10 · 10 May 2024]

In his prologue Lurcio mentions people only get married in Pompeii to swap partners.

Suddenly everyone in the Sextus household wants Lurcio to be out for the evening. They even pay him money.

Lurcio finds its strange as everyone has made plans for the evening, but they do not want him to be home alone.

Still Lurcio has plans of his own. Too woo a pretty new neighbour who has moved in. He will pretend to be Senator Sextus as she wants to talk to the head of the house.

To trick her into falling for Lurcio. He gets some love portions from the apothecary to put in the wine.

The taker of the love portion will fall for the first person they land eyes on. Unfortunately Lurcio goes out when the pretty neighbour takes the portion The first person she sees is Nausius.

The first series of Up Pompeii ends with a saucy romp. It has a well known cast with Lynda Baron and Mollie Sugden. I could never understand why Lurcio keep popping out when someone took the portion.

Lurcio can't help feeling that the household are trying to get rid of him, news of a pretty visitor leads to ideas of trickery, and a bit of something in the wine results in a lot of something in the air.

Velma: The Candy (Wo)man (2023) Season 1, Episode 2

The Candy (Wo)man

[4/10 · 10 May 2024]

Once you ignore the sex, violence, bad language and nudity. You take this Scooby Doo spin off on its own terms.

Even then it is difficult. Velma goes to ask Daphne for her help. To ger Velma's mom cold case files. Daphne would give it to her for $500 but it soon becomes clear that they have the hots for each other.

Daphne certainly would not have the hots for Fred. Accused of murder and taking out women's brains. Velma's dad will defend him.

Fred is infantilised both in body and brain. He is too stupid to kill anyone. Much to his father's disgust. He is too stupid to run a successful clothing company as well.

Still the humour is too hit and miss. There was some nice touches. A 21 Jump Street riff with undercover teenage cops looking for the candy man.. Well there is too much drug dealing in that school.

Law of the Plainsman: The Rawhiders (1960) Season 1, Episode 18

The Rawhiders

[5/10 · 9 May 2024]

Rawhiders are regarded as outcasts. Kind of gypsies but they have come to town for a picnic outside Deputy Nick Forbes office.

All because one of them is in jail for murder. John Wesley leads the pack and his son Elijah is accused of stabbing a wealthy rancher.

It looks to be an easy case to prove. The dead man's business partner Cooper wants swift justice.

Deputy Marshal Sam Buckhart has his doubts and he ends up defending Elijah at court. Putting his Harvard education to good use.

Proving Elijah's innocence is not easy. Sam has a novel plan and it is not found in any legal textbook.

Not sure Sam could had got away with his legal trickery in real life. It works for television but is still rather silly.

The Goodies: Alternative Roots (1977) Season 7, Episode 1

Alternative Roots

[7/10 · 9 May 2024]

Alternative Roots is another political outing from The Goodies. It is about slavery and racism.

It's targets are The Black and White Minstrel shows which had become increasingly outdated on primetime BBC.

It was also a parody of the blockbuster American series Roots which was broadcast on the BBC. The Tourmaster (Bryan Pringle) rounds up the Goodies ancestors. Graeme Garden's ancestor was Celtic Kilty from the porridge loving highlands. Tim's was County Cutie, upper crust sheep rustlers. Bill's was Kinda Kinky, a country yokel from Cornwall.

Rounded up they were taken to the BBC by the Tourmaster to be auctioned off for light entertainment shows.

Unfortunately no one wants the Goodies so they end up as the Black and White Minstrels. Tim seems to enjoy being one and even gets used to the patter.

It does become messy and unstructured. I found the parody of Roots funnier. The parody of the minstrels went on for too long. The point had been made by then.

Jade (2024)

Jade

[4/10 · 9 May 2024]

Londoner Shaina West has an interesting backstory. After getting injured in a motorcycle accident, finding life at a low ebb. She turned it around by taking up martial arts and became a stuntwoman.

Jade is an attempt to showcase Shaina West as an action star. The film is directed by James Bamford, himself a former stuntman and stunt coordinator.

The anime style opening credits really riffs on West's nickname as The Samurider. She plays the titled character Jade whose afro wig is bigger than her waist.

Jade sports a cockney accent and is abducted by some goons sent by gangster Tork (Mickey Rourke.) He wants a hard drive and has already killed Jade's brother.

She will be next but Jade manages to escape after a Brad Pitt lookalike gets careless.

The story is a third rate low budget Robert Rodriguez/Tarantino noirish Sin City type of action thriller, with some cartoonish humour.

It benefits from plenty of action scenes. Unfortunately some of them are badly staged with too many gimmicks. Why does Jade shoot a baddie repeatedly when she could had sliced him in half with a Samurai sword?

The ending makes little sense. It leads to a big boss fight but then leaves the villain intact with some redundant twists.

There is scope for more Jade movies but it will need to be better directed. West also needs to become a stronger actress.

Resident Alien: The Upper Hand (2024) Season 3, Episode 2

The Upper Hand

[7/10 · 9 May 2024]

It looks like better writers might have the upper hand in the third series. The writing is sharper and funnier.

Joseph Rainier has taken Asta out on a date. While Harry and D'Arcy snoop into his house but it is a trap.

At least Asta gets to tell Joseph everything but it is the plot for Mork and Mindy.

Max now without Sahar. Proclaims himself as the alien tracker and found a few friends that he tells Harry is an alien.

It all leads to a confrontation between Harry and Joseph. Somehow a dull refrigerator man comes into the mix.

At least Harry might have made a breakthrough as to what the Grey aliens want.

The refrigerator guy was a neat touch as Harry and Joseph went all (Robert Downey jr) Sherlock Holmes movies style confrontation.

Asta's dad had the best line. 'You can't swing a cat in this town without hitting an alien.'

Sheriff Mike Thompson beat them all with the look in his face when he woke up.

Star Trek: Discovery: Erigah (2024) Season 5, Episode 7

Erigah

[6/10 · 9 May 2024]

Commander Rayner really hates the Breen. What is the reason for this hatred that the Federation never knew about, even has he made it to Captain of a spaceship.

The Breen conquered his home planet and Rayner managed to keep it a secret all this years!

Moll and L'ak are captured and in custody on Discovery and you can just guess that security is lax. While Dr Culber tries to treat the injured L'ak but he does not know enough about Breen biology.

While the Breen enter Federation space as they want Bonnie & Clyde and are prepared to go to war over them. L'ak is someone important.

So Dr Culber better keep him alive despite his lack of knowledge about the Breen even if they have that all knowing Zora on the ship.

Very much shades of Star Trek 6. I think they borrowed some lines from the movie as well.

At least this was better than the last few episodes but Discovery has set a low bar in its final season.