The Reveille 7-17-19

Vo lum e 130 · N o. 7

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We d ne s d ay, Ju ly 17, 2 019

VAMOS AA LA LA PLAYA PLAYA VAMOS Playa Bowls is bringing a taste of the beach to Arlington Marketplace in September, page 2

NEWS

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Prosecution concludes, defense begins in trial of former LSU student involved in Max Gruver death.

SPORTS

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Coach Ed Orgeron discusses plans, expectations for upcoming football season at SEC Media Days.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Rev Rank: “It’s basically a guaranteed success, I just wish there was at least a little bit of shock left.”

L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le

page 2 COVER STORY

New eatery Playa Bowls hopes to welcome customers to ‘pineappleland’ on Sept. 1

BY LIA SALIME @liasalime Playa Bowls will occupy the space in Arlington Marketplace, on 636 Arlington Creek Centre Blvd., between MID Tap and Orange Theory. Construction began in June and is projected to finish in time for a Sept. 1 opening date. Brothers, business partners and Northshore natives Jordan and Beau VanGeffen are excited to bring to Louisiana the first franchise of the New Jersey-based business.

Playa Bowls specializes in customizable acai bowls. The menu will feature more than 35 bowls across seven different bases, including acai, pitaya, coconut, kale, chia, banana and steel-cut oatmeal. Customers can top off their bowls with fruit toppings or a drizzle of honey, almond butter,

peanut butter or Nutella.

Bowls will contain 70% of the acai pulp, compared to 30-40% from other companies, according to Dig BR. The fresh fruit will be delivered daily with no sugar additives to the acai base.

“We’ve been kind of looking for a unique, healthy concept to bring to Louisiana, specifically Baton Rouge,” Jordan said. “We stumbled upon Playa Bowls and fell in love with the brand. When you go in there, it’s not like the regular smoothie store — it feels like you’re at a beach.”

The shop’s beach vibes will derive not only from the Brazilian berry-based bowls, but from reclaimed wood from old barns, surf boards that will hang from the ceiling, large murals of waves and other decor widely associated with coastal beach towns.

Playa Bowls was originally

founded by Robert Giuliani and Abby Taylor, two Jersey Shore natives and surfers. Inspired by surf trips throughout Central and South America, where the surf towns offered its own version of an acai or pitaya bowl, Giuliani and Taylor decided to bring that taste with them to the Jersey Shore.

Giuliani and Taylor struck a deal with the owner of a pizza shop above where they lived at the time and set up a stand on the sidewalk in front of the building. As more people learned of the benefits of the antioxidant-rich acai berry, more people stood in line to try Playa Bowls. The surfers have since led Playa Bowls to expanding with more than 65 stores nationwide. “‘Playa’ is Spanish for beach,” Jordan said. “Any time you travel in Central and South America,

you always see Playa Tamarindo and Playa Mangrove and it’s like ‘hey, this is a beach!’ [Robert and Abby] would always notice these restaurants selling these delicious bowls with fresh fruits, fresh ingredients. It was kind of perfect for an after-beach snack and a very healthy alternative.”

The Arlington Marketplace location will be the first one in the state of Louisiana. Jordan said they plan to be involved with the University, accepting TigerCash and hosting contests and giveaways.

“The cool thing about Playa Bowls is that you can make it as healthy as you want,” Jordan said. “We’re healthy, we come off as a health food restaurant — but it’s also fun. It’s a place where you can go, relax and hang out with good vibes, good music and cool artwork on the walls.”

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsureveille.com.

ABOUT THE REVEILLE

photos courtesy of PLAYA BOWLS

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free. To purchase additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall. The Reveille is published weekly during the fall, spring, and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. Second-class copies postage paid at Baton Rouge, LA, 70803.

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NEWS SEEING BOTH SIDES

page 3

WEATHER

LSU returns to normal schedule after closing for Hurricane Barry

BY STAFF REPORTS @lsureveille

Prosecution rests, defense begins in negligent homicide trial for ex-LSU student in Gruver hazing case

BY LYNNE BUNCH @lynnebunch11 The prosecution rested Tuesday afternoon in the trial of former LSU student Matthew Naquin, 21, who is undergoing trial for negligent homicide in Maxwell Gruver hazing-related death. The defense began putting on its case shortly after, according to The Advocate.

Gruver died on Sept. 14, 2017, following a Phi Delta Theta hazing ritual called “Bible study,” in which pledges were

required to chug hard liquor if they gave wrong answers to questions about the fraternity.

His blood-alcohol level was 0.495 percent, which is more than six times the legal limit to drive in Louisiana. An autopsy also detected THC, a chemical found in marijuana, in his system.

East Baton Rouge Parish prosecutors Morgan Johnson and Adam Kwentua called more than 40 witnesses over five days. Several witnesses have testified that Naquin appeared

to target Gruver that ill-fated night and was central to the hazing event, according to The Advocate. Stovall also testified that an examination of Naquin’s phone showed that a Google search for Everclear was performed on Aug. 24, 2017, about three weeks before Gruver’s alcohol-related death.

Everclear is a 190-proof liquor, meaning it is more than twice as strong as other hard liquors like vodka or whiskey. Many of Gruver’s former pledge brothers who attended

see HAZING, page 5

The University reopened Monday after closing Friday through Sunday for potential flooding from Hurricane Barry.

Barry made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 1 hurricane Saturday afternoon, but quickly weakened to a tropical storm and continued to lose intensity as it moved through the state.

Baton Rouge made it through the storm with no major flooding or damage around campus.

Because of the high Mississippi River water levels and the storm’s expected heavy rainfall, the University warned students to be careful around campus during Barry. Some parking lots are in low-lying areas and have a history of flooding, so large storms can affect students living on campus. LSU Residential Life urged students to utilize higher level areas and avoid parking on the ground near Nicholson Gateway Apartments.

The Mississippi River has been slowly receding in recent weeks after several rounds of torrential rain and melting snow

see BARRY, page 5

GREEK LIFE

Kappa Kappa Gamma house demolished to rebuild new property

BY STAFF REPORTS @lsureveille One of Sorority Row’s landmark mansions has been demolished.

The Kappa Kappa Gamma house was torn down earlier this month to make way for a new house that will be built on the same site. The total cost of the project is expected to be approximately $9.7 million, which will be paid for entirely by the KKG organization, according to minutes from the April 2019 LSU Board of Supervisors meeting.

The new house, projected to open in fall 2020, will be more than 25% larger than the old house that was built in the mid-1960s when most of the houses along Sorority Row were constructed.

The old house no longer suited the needs of the local chapter, according to the April 2019 Board of Supervisors agenda. The new building will house the same number of in-house residents, but will have significantly more common area spaces where members can study and meet.

The KKG house will be the second new home on Sorority Row in less than five years. Alpha Phi colonized a new LSU chapter in 2014 and in 2015 built a $4.5 million, 18,000-square-foot house on a vacant lot adjacent to the Zeta Tau Alpha house.

During the estimated 14-month construction, the KKG chapter will use the Lambda Chi Alpha house on Fraternity Row for meetings and gatherings, including the upcoming fall recruitment, commonly known

as rush week. KKG members will not live in the house, which has been vacant after Lambda Chi was removed campus several years ago.

The national Lambda Chi chapter decided to permanently shut down LSU’s chapter in 2017 following a hazing investigation.

The fraternity in late 2015 was saccused of forcing pledges to stay the night at a tailgate spot on campus and drink alcohol.

The University’s Greek system as a whole came under fire in recent years, primarily because of hazing and alcohol-related incidents, including the 2017 hazing death of Phi Delta Theta pledge Max Gruver.

More than one-third of LSU’s fraternities are currently on probation or have been

see KAPPA, page 5

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority members anticipate potential new members on sorority row on Aug. 22, 2015. The KKG house was torn down earlier this month to make way for a new house that will be built on the same site. The total cost of the project is expected to be approximately $9.7 million.

SPORTS

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LOOKING AHEAD Ed Orgeron speaks with confidence, certainty about LSU at SEC Media Days

BY BRANDON ADAM @badam___

LSU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE HOME

AWAY

AUGUST 31 | GEORGIA SOUTHERN | 6:30 P.M. SEPTEMBER 7 | TEXAS | 6:30 P.M. SEPTEMBER 14 | NORTHWESTERN ST. | 6:30 P.M. SEPTEMBER 21 | VANDERBILT | TBA OCTOBER 5 | UTAH ST. | TBA OCTOBER 12 | FLORIDA | TBA OCTOBER 19 | MISSISSIPPI ST. | TBA OCTOBER 26 | AUBURN | TBA NOVEMBER 9 | ALABAMA | TBA NOVEMBER 16 | OLE MISS | TBA NOVEMBER 23 | ARKANSAS | TBA NOVEMBER 30 | TEXAS A&M | TBA

E

d Orgeron may preach to his players about “blocking out the noise,” but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t hear it or isn’t aware of it.

He most certainly is.

“Last year there was negativity.

People didn’t know what type of football team we were going to have,” said Orgeron at Southeastern Conference Media Days in Hoover, Alabama, on Monday.

“Now this year they say we’re going to have a really good football team, and I do believe we’re going to have a really good football team, but we have to get back to work. We have to get back to the true grit, the fundamentals it takes at camp and block out the noise. I know our team’s going do that with tremendous leadership.”

The noise is definitely surrounding Orgeron and his LSU team this year. The Tigers are considered favorites in 11 of their 12 regular season games with the only exception being Alabama, and most analytics services like ESPN’s FPI and Bill Connelly’s S&P+ have LSU as a top 10 team.

LSU is coming off a strong season, winning its first New Year’s Six Bowl since the format began in 2014 and finishing inside the top 10 for the first time since 2011. However, there were times LSU felt they left things on the table.

“First of all, last year I felt we had a good season,” Orgeron said. “We were two players away from being 12-1. We’ve got to expound on that this year. We cannot make the mistakes we made against Florida. We had opportunities to win the game at Texas A&M. Those are the two things we need to look at.”

Despite the tough losses to Florida and Texas A&M by a combined 10 points, LSU took some

surprising steps forward. It had wins over Miami, Auburn, Georgia and UCF, but LSU’s season always boils down to one game — Alabama.

The Tigers were throttled 29-0, and nothing went right for the then-No. 3-ranked Tigers.

After years of being stuck in neutral, LSU finally seemed to be taking steps forward last season, and Orgeron believes he has a contender in Baton Rouge.

There’s a resounding confidence stemming from the coaching staff and players. It’s based around an expected high-flying offense with senior quarterback Joe Burrow at the helm, a deep and talented group of receivers and a trio of talented running backs. There’s still questions about the offensive line, but Orgeron remains confident in four returning starters.

Then there’s the defense. Orgeron made it clear he thinks junior safety Grant Delpit is the best defensive player in college football, and LSU’s defensive backs are the best he’s coached.

And lastly, Orgeron’s confidence in himself has become validated.

He’s no longer viewed as the guy who failed tremendously at Ole Miss or the fun uncle who comes and saves things but isn’t the guy you want around in the long run.

He’s established himself as a big-time coach with a strong coaching staff and a wildly talented roster behind him.

“I’m much more comfortable being head coach of LSU,” Orgeron said. “I do believe we have our players in. I believe last year was a pivotal year. We’ve proven we can win.

“Having a ten-win season is good.

It is not great. It puts us in position to take the next step at LSU, for what LSU deserves.”

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

page 5

KAPPA, from page 5 suspended or permanently kicked off campus. A former Phi Delta Theta member is currently on trial in connection with Gruver’s haz-

HAZING, from page 3 ing death. Phi Delta Theta was suspended from the University until at least 2033 as a result of the incident.

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

The former Lambda Chi Alpha house sits on 10 West Fraternity Lane.

BARRY, from page 3 caused widespread flooding, according to AccuWeather. However, the river rose above flood stage on Jan. 6 and has not dropped below that mark since.

Baton Rouge broke the record for the number of days the Mississippi River has remained at flood stage, which hasn’t been reached since 1927.

According to the National Weather Service, once the Mississippi River’s flood stage reaches 35 feet, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine building and its surrounding area “become soggy.” After nearly 200 consecutive days of being over the 35-foot flood level, standing water has been seep-

ARE YOU

ing in through the floors and eliminating parking spots for employees.

School of Veterinary Medicine communications manager Ginger Guttner said that when the Mississippi River rises, water seeps through the floor of a surgery training room for students. Parking spots also become unusable due to slippery moss buildup on the surface of flood water, causing employees to park across the street.

Forecasts predict the river will remain above the 35-foot flood stage through the end of July, forecasted to be 37.8 feet on July 30.

the “Bible study” have testified that Naquin and other Phi Delta Theta members instructed Gruver and other pledges to drink 190-proof Everclear that night.

Federal agents also testified that Naquin deleted nearly 700 files from his cellphone after learning that a search warrant had been issued for the phone.

Naquin deleted the files using a CCleaner app, leaving the FBI unable to recover the deleted files. Naquin was charged with obstruction of justice on July 3 and will face trial after the negligent homicide trial is over.

According to The Advocate, FBI agent Michael Karaty told the jury at Naquin’s trial that a state judge signed a search warrant for Naquin’s phone on Nov. 8, 2017, following Gruver’s death on Sept. 14. Naquin had been arrested in October 2017 but was not formally charged with negligent homicide until early 2018.

Karaty said he called Naquin’s attorney, John McLindon, the afternoon of Nov. 8, 2017, and then emailed the warrant to him at 3:16 p.m. FBI digital forensic examiner Nikilia Stovall testified that Karaty’s call to McLindon began at 3:13 p.m. and lasted seven minutes.

At 3:59 p.m., she said, almost 700 files were deleted from

Courtesy of EAST B.R. PARISH PRISON

Ex-LSU student Matthew Naquin was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, which was suppended at LSU until 2033 after freshman pledge Maxwell Gruver died in a hazing-related incident.

Naquin’s phone. East Baton Rouge Parish prosecutors said they have no information to suggest wrongdoing on McLindon’s part.

The defense began presenting its case late Tuesday afternoon, calling to the stand Gruver’s former LSU roommate and Phi Delta Theta pledge James Patrick Canter, who said Gruver had been frequenting bars, missing classes and was

sober at their dormitory only five nights during the 28 days Gruver was on the University’s campus. Canter said Gruver also smoked marijuana.

Phi Delta Theta has been banned from LSU until 2033 following Gruver’s death. Eight fraternity members and two former students in total were arrested in Gruver’s death, Naquin being the only indicted on negligent homicide.

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ENTERTAINMENT

page 6

REV R ANKS

‘Pose’ stuns with dramatic catwalks, little-known ‘80s culture

BY WHITNEY HICKS @whitchicks “Pose” is, in a nutshell, another absolutely revolutionary TV series gifted to us by none other than Ryan Murphy himself.

“Pose” tells the story of a community that doesn’t often get represented on camera — the transgender community and ball scene in the 1980s.

The story focuses on Blanca (Mj Rodriguez) as she breaks away from Elektra’s (Dominique Jackson) house, the House of Abundance, and creates her own house, the House of Evangelista.

She goes out rescuing young LGBTQ people in need and seeks to challenge the House of Abundance at every turn.

In this series, a house is not only a team that competes on and off the catwalk but also a family.

The houses are full of LGBTQ

men and women who have been cast out by their actual families.

They find the love and unconditional support of a family within their house.

Though all characters are tied to their respective houses, the series dives into each character’s past and personal life throughout the series.

Angel (Indya Moore), a young transgender woman, is picked up by a young up-and-coming businessman named Stan (Evan Peters) and begins a passionate but frowned-upon romance. Stan toys with not only Angel’s emotions, but his own sexuality as well.

The series also presents us the story of Damon (Ryan Jamaal Swain), a 17-year-old black gay man who is violently rebuked by his parents when they find out his sexuality. Damon’s subplot is among one of the most heartwarming subplots as Blanca takes

him off the streets and does everything in her power to get him into a prestigious dance school.

The real star of the series is Pray Tell (Billy Porter), the emcee for all of the balls. His tell-it-likeit-is attitude and sassy remarks make him one of the most entertaining characters to watch on the show. While these emcee characters can often get away with not having a backstory, Pray Tell’s story is an important one to tell.

Pray Tell is often seen going to the local hospital to visit a man he had been romantically involved with who is now bedridden with AIDS. The series does not try to paint a pretty picture over the horrible treatment of AIDS patients in the ‘80s. The entire floor is desolate and nurses are shown just leaving meals outside the doors of hospital rooms.

The series never hesitates to point out the tough parts of

courtesy of FX

life for the transgender community. A part of the series that shocked me by seeing it on camera was Blanca, a transgender woman, being violently threatened and thrown out of a gay bar inhabited mostly by straight-passing white men. This was and is still a prevalent divide in the LGBTQ community, and I’m glad Murphy didn’t shy away

from including this in the series.

Overall, I believe “Pose” tells a story that has never been widely told before. This culture in the ‘80s influenced so much of today’s pop culture and yet we know nothing about it because it has been attempted to be erased from history. I believe telling these stories is an important step towards inclusivity in today’s world.

Miley Cyrus’ ‘SHE IS COMING’ falls flat with unoriginal tracks

BY MASIE O’TOOLE @masieotoole From covering herself in glitter and dipping her toes into the rap game to abandoning hiphop entirely and frolicking on a beach makeup-free, Miley Cyrus is no stranger to the extreme.

In her mercurial swinging from genre to genre, she has no doubt experienced criticism from all sides, and not always without reason. This time, however, she is trying something new — staying in the middle.

After the soft-rock and country inspired “Younger Now,” many were quick to point out that “old Miley” was back. The beloved childhood star was finally returning to her roots, cleaning up and turning her back on her wild past. “SHE IS COMING”

proves that the assumptions were not entirely true.

Cyrus’ newest EP finally puts the artist in neutral ground, combining influences from a handful of genres to create something deeply unoffensive. The six songs pull from every artist on the radio right now to create a backing track so predictable it sounds familiar.

On top of the stew of Drake, Charli XCX and Marshmello, Cyrus is hell-bent on convincing you that she is indeed still wild.

Every single track has the same message. To save you a listen, she still likes sex, drugs and freedom.

They’re all pre-packaged guaranteed radio hits.

The EP begins on an almost promising note. “Mother’s Daughter” is the first introduction to the dead horse, so it’s a nice song

about choice and power. There’s a lot of pop, some hip-hop, but mostly repetition.

Next, we really step into the theme of the album. “Unholy” begins with Miley stating , “I’m a little drunk, I know it.” The whole point is that yes, she likes drugs and alcohol, and yes, so does everyone else. It’s not difficult in the slightest to imagine this song blaring through the walls of every house party for the next six months, only to be dethroned by something with a similar theme.

Next, you guessed it, is another song about partying, this time featuring a rapper. “D.R.E.A.M.” is an idea borrowed directly from Wu-Tang Clan’s “CREAM” and dunked directly in a swimming pool to drown out any of the power it once had. It’s deeply anti-climactic in the worst kind

of way, and Ghostface Killah’s verse tacked on at the end literally had me thinking I accidentally skipped songs.

Continuing down the line, there’s “Cattitude,” a song about being a freak in which RuPaul gets into the nitty gritty and Cyrus says “me too.” Next, “Party Up The Street.” Mike WiLL MadeIt and Swae Lee are there. It’s about a party up the street. They mention the lack of parking to add some variety.

Finally, there’s “The Most,” a seemingly misplaced song in which Miley asks an unnamed person (husband Liam Hemsworth) why he still loves her even though she’s crazy. It’s a little more folksy than the rest, and in direct opposition to the title it really doesn’t do much.

In summary, “SHE IS COMING”

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Lynne Bunch Ha-Vy Nguyen

Editor in Chief Managing Editor

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

courtesy of RCA

was not very good, but it also wasn’t horrible enough to make a mark. This era marks new foray into the bland for Cyrus, which is shocking in and of itself, but that’s where the surprise ends.

Quote of the Week “No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you.”

Althea Gibson

American Tennis Player Aug. 25, 1927 — Sept. 28, 2003

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Wednesday, July 17, 2019

REV R ANKS

‘Stranger Things’ still brilliant, but needs some deviation

BY MASIE O’TOOLE @masieotoole

After a tu- Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) invesmultuous first tigate some troubling rat behavtwo seasons iors, El (Millie Bobby Brown) filled with death, destruction and and Max (Sadie Sink) start on a copious amounts of ‘80s nostal- missing persons case and Joyce gia, the children of Hawkins are (Winona Ryder) and Hopper (David Harbour) attempt to solve the back — now, as teenagers.

The eight-episode season be- mystery of the falling magnets. gins as formulaically as the first Step three is where it gets intwo. Step one — the teens have teresting. Everything is connectsome minor drama. After last sea- ed, and the teams are all forced son’s Snow Ball dance, to work together to everyone is coupled fight a greater evil It’s basically a up, too concerned while reconciling with their girlfriends guaranteed success, their differences I just wish there along the way. to spend much time hanging out. The sinwas a little bit of The last two epigle Will Byers (Noah sodes cover a big shock left.

Schnapp) feels left battle. Evil is defeated, and everyout. Tensions come to a head, and before you know it, one is safe. The end.

There’s an obvious formula the group is in pieces.

Step two — something goes each season, no doubt about that, wrong. Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) but without it there would be no intercepts a Russian radio broad- balance between light teen drama cast, Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and and world-ending, inter-dimen-

sional monster attacks. The shock value is gone, but eight episodes of straight thriller is a little much for most people to handle.

With that being said, the storyline within the predetermined structure is fantastic. It weaves in and out between each group, creating a complex but easy-tounderstand web.

On top of everything, the writing and acting is fantastic. The younger characters have some of the most heartbreakingly realistic expressions of pain and fear, and the adults seem to have a “God, this again?” look that you’d expect to find after three years of monster hunting.

All of this ultimately results in a show that everyone can enjoy.

It’s a sci-fi thriller, coming-of-age mystery dripping in nostalgia and delivered straight to your nearest electronic device. It’s basically a guaranteed success, I just wish

courtesy of NETFLIX

there was at least a little bit of shock left.

Every lead the characters find seems to drop them right in the middle of the action, setting them on the perfect path to save the day. In real life, things go wrong

— maybe the teens investigate the wrong person, or a strange happening just ends up being a coincidence. A couple red herrings would complicate the plot, but they would break the show out of the mold it’s been stuck in.

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