What we know about Stranger Things 5 is limited, but the final entry of episodes will be released in three different blocks, rather than all at once. The same can also be said for Wednesday Season 2, half of which is out now and the other half will arrive September 3rd. There are a few reasons why I prefer this over getting the whole thing at once.

Slowing down the release results in water cooler talk.

Since Stranger Things and Wednesday are so popular, that means there's a ton of folks watching as new episodes drop on Netflix. While binge-watching is a solitary pastime, releasing batches of episodes allows fans to take in the story at a uniform pace. That makes it feel like more of a community-driven experience.

Water cooler television is typically associated with weekly releases, and it's something that seems to be diminishing since the streaming age. I'm not saying binge-watching is ruining TV, but I love being able to talk with friends and fellow fans about what's happening in my shows. So splitting up new seasons for Netflix juggernauts like Wednesday works for me.

Splitting seasons also helps me really enjoy it.

I have to admit, when Stranger Things Season 4 began splitting up the season, I had my doubts. But while it was hard to wait in the month that passed between parts one and two, it allowed the first seven episodes to really have their time and emotional impact. When the final two were finally released, the rest of the fans and I were especially hyped to see how The Duffer Brothers were wrapping up the story.

Stranger Things 5's release schedule is further complicated, as it'll be in three parts across two full months. While this has garnered some eye rolls from fans, I think it'll allow me to enjoy the final batch of this beloved series.

Wednesday Season 2 was a long time coming, and fans were treated to the first four episodes on August 6th. The season is being split literally in half, with the latter four arriving next month. Only time will tell how this affects the overall storytelling, but I'm totally down for this particular release schedule... even if that's a hot take.

The second half of Wednesday will arrive on September 3rd, and Stranger Things 5 will bring the first batch of episodes on November 26th.

Count My Lies features a liar who works her way up to filling the role of nanny for Violet (Lindsay Lohan) and Jay Lockhart, but the role won't be a dream for the scammer. The household is full of secrets, and even without knowing the novel of the same name (penned by Sophie Stava), I feel comfortable predicting that there will be some sky-high stakes. According to Variety, Count My Lies has scored a series order from Hulu and Shailene Woodley of Big Little Lies will play the liar, named Sloane Caraway.

Lohan and Woodley make for an interesting pair of co-leads. Woodley has had multiple major TV roles over the past decade, and will be part of Paradise Season 2 alongside Sterling K. Brown on Hulu. In contrast, Lohan has never had a lead role in a scripted drama series despite a long list of film credits. Both actresses will also serve as executive producers on Count My Lies.

While no premiere date has been announced for when Count My Lies will be available with a Hulu subscription, there's a winning team behind the scenes of the drama. Former This Is Us showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger are on board as showrunners, writers, and executive producers. In a fun twist, there were already only a few degrees of separation between the new series and Shailene Woodley even before the casting was announced.

Woodley's arrival on Paradise teams her up with This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman as well as former star Sterling K. Brown, both of whom of course worked with Aptaker and Berger during the NBC hit's years in primetime. In addition to Big Little Lies (for which she earned her Emmy nomination) and upcoming role in Paradise Season 2, Woodley has had other main roles in shows including Secret Life of the American Teenager and Three Women. Longtime O.C. viewers may also remember her as the first actress to play Kaitlin Cooper, before then-future Arrow star Willa Holland took over the role.

As for Lindsay Lohan, coming to TV for a lead drama role for the first time isn't the only way that Count My Lies will take her in a different direction. Despite ranking as a rom-com queen and still holding a special place in the hearts of millennials everywhere for Mean Girls, Lohan shared how "nice" it will be to do a project where the culmination of the plot isn't a big kiss at the end.

Count My Lies is being billed as a limited series, so Lohan's first lead TV role isn't going to be an ongoing gig beyond a first season. Still, it should be interesting to see her flexing her acting muscles after many rom-coms and returning to the Freaky Friday world for the sequel opposite Jamie Lee Curtis.

For now, we can only wait for more updates on the rest of the cast of Count My Lies and when the limited series might be ready to premiere on Hulu. In the meantime, you can find plenty of other upcoming viewing options on our 2025 TV schedule.

We, of course, did learn some things about what's going to be available for the Star Trek franchise with our Paramount+ subscription in the future, but it wasn't until recently that it hit me there was another takeaway I completely ignored at the time. This year feels different from previous years, and it's because we don't have a ton to look forward to on the Trek front. For reasons readers might guess, I have some concerns about that.

Star Trek Ended San Diego Comic-Con Without Any Announcements About New Shows Or Updates On Its Movies

I only just got around to reflecting on my time at San Diego Comic-Con, specifically Star Trek's Hall H panel. For those who might've missed the major headlines from that, we learned that there will be a "puppet episode" in Strange New Worlds Season 4, we heard a trailer for the Khan podcast series, and the official trailer for Starfleet Academy dropped.

Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled about the upcoming Star Trek shows, but it's more appropriate to say "show." Strange New Worlds officially has an ending date, so really, we're just waiting on the premiere of Starfleet Academy. For the first time in many years, there aren't multiple Trek shows in the works, or at least that we know of.

Star Trek Las Vegas Featured Stories From Stars About Pitched Shows That Never Came To Be

Star Trek Las Vegas isn't typically known for earth-shattering reveals about shows on the way, but this year did yield a few surprises. Picard showrunner Terry Matalas revealed he wrote a manuscript for what his follow-up series would be, and Scott Bakula revealed he even pitched an Enterprise follow-up to Paramount. Tawny Newsome also said she's finished writing her live-action comedy series, which we've heard a bit about in recent years, and that she's waiting to hear from Paramount about it.

The common thread among all of these is that they are not currently in development and are still just pitches awaiting Paramount's interest. I think it's safe to say the days of pitching to streamers and getting a series order almost immediately are long gone. But it's also hard not to notice we're not seeing as much activity in the franchise, and it doesn't feel like a coincidence given one major event on the horizon.

Why 2026 Could Signal A Changing Of The Guard For The Franchise

There's some definite caution to how Paramount is proceeding with Star Trek, and there are likely a few reasons for that across the board. We are all aware of the merger with Skydance, which was held up for quite a while due to an ongoing lawsuit with President Donald Trump. The merger prevented money from flowing, so it just made sense that new shows weren't being announced.

Then, as the merger was nearing completion, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was canceled. There was an allegation that the cancellation was made as a way of making amends to the President of the United States, as Colbert has frequently poked fun at him and his policies in his programming. It's all speculative, of course, and one might argue that South Park being continually antagonistic toward the President, all whilst being under the Paramount umbrella, could buck that narrative.

Still, it's hard to wonder what this could mean for Star Trek. This franchise is rooted in IDIC (Infinite Diversity Infinite Combinations). When Skydance announced it would cease all DEI initiatives in place at Paramount, one can't help but worry about how important promoting diversity will be to those in charge in the future. Franchise veteran Robert Picardo has said he's not worried about the franchise changing its roots under new ownership, but can he make that call?

Then there's the elephant in the room that Alex Kurtzman's contract with CBS Studios is set to expire in 2026. His contract was extended back in 2021, but there are only a few months left in 2025, and we haven't heard whether he'll still be the person overseeing Star Trek.

The fact that we've heard nothing about new projects and nothing about Kurtzman's contract being renewed has me wondering if Star Trek will soon be guided under new leadership. This has happened before, but as a fan who has seen more activity in the franchise the past ten years than we've seen in quite a while, I can't help but be nervous about the change. Why would Paramount and Skydance want to move away from a person who has helped the franchise flourish with fresh new shows?

Skydance's CEO Has A History With Star Trek

It is worth noting that Skydance CEO David Ellison has a history with Star Trek. The internet promotes him as a fan of the franchise, and Skydance was a producer on the Kelvin movies Into Darkness and Beyond. Simon Pegg recently said that Ellison is a fan of that franchise, and it sounds as though he's invested in helping the fourth installment finally happen (via TrekMovie.com).

That's great for the Kelvin films, and I would love it if Ellison could make happen what Paramount has been unable to do for nearly a decade in getting a fourth movie off the ground. It doesn't speak to his plans for television, however, and I would argue that as entertaining as the Kelvin movies are, they skew more toward prioritizing action and adventure than any moral message or scientific discovery.

We don't know what it means to hear that Ellison is a Star Trek fan, nor what that means for the franchise at large. The optimist in me wants to believe that this means Star Trek will proceed as it has for the past decade, and we'll get a lot more shows to enjoy and talk about for years to come. Do I know that's going to happen? Certainly not, and that's what has me so worried about the significant changes that could be coming to my favorite franchise.

Here's hoping for some answers on Star Trek in the coming months. Until then, we have new episodes of Strange New Worlds on Paramount+ airing Thursdays, so be sure to tune in and enjoy what has been a great season thus far.

During the sprawling two-hour New Heights episode, which even includes her sharing more about getting her masters back and the secrets behind the orange door, Taylor Swift showed the cover art, track list, and release date of her new 12th studio album – which officially drops on October 3. Kelce could not contain his joy over the songs to come. In his words:

Kelce's comments came after Taylor Swift shared the official cover of The Life Of A Showgirl along with the names of all twelve songs (with the last featuring Sabrina Carpenter)! Check out the cover below:

Swift said the color orange, which brands have already run away with this week, feels "energetically" how her life has been lately before sharing that the album is about "what was going on behind the scenes" in her "inner life" during the Eras Tour.

During the announcement, Taylor Swift made it clear that there will only be twelve songs in The Life Of A Showgirl – which is a change of pace from her history of having bonus tracks upon bonus tracks, or even bonus albums. Along with calling it the record she's been "wanting to make for a very long time," Swift also had this to say about the upcoming release:

As a longtime Taylor Swift fan that has literally been following her from the beginning, this truly feels like the right direction for the artist after the black-and-white grunge of her previous record. For The Tortured Poets Department, Swift put out 31 tracks in a much more cathartic lyric-driven record. This one sounds like it's going to have us dancing!! During the podcast, Swift said she worked with Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback, who were her main collaborators on Red and with whom she wrote a lot on 1989 and Reputation as well.

My favorite point of hers is that she wanted to be as proud of this album as she is of The Eras Tour, which was full of so many epic moments, and wow, does that get me excited for what's to come.

A New Dan Levy Comedy Just Started Filming

The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Dan Levy is currently in New Jersey filming a new comedy series for Netflix called Big Mistakes, and I’m so here for it. Levy created the series alongside another very funny and talented name in comedy these days, Rachel Sennott, and Levy also serves as its showrunner. The series will star Dan Levy alongside Taylor Ortega, Jack Innanen, Boran Kuzum and Abby Quinn, who are serving as series regulars, as well as Elizabeth Perkins, Jacob Gutierrez, Joe Barbara, Josh Fadem and Mark Ivanir, who have recurring roles.

The report made me aware of a TV deal Levy currently has with Netflix, which was made back in 2021, and led to Good Grief. But it’s the premise that really has me eyeing the next Dan Levy project.

Why It Has Me Hooked As A Schitt’s Creek Fan

The upcoming series, which I wouldn’t expect to be on the 2025 TV schedule, is centered around siblings who are described as “deeply incapable” as they are blackmailed into “the world of organized crime.” Of course, my mind went straight to Levy and Annie Murphy’s Schitt’s Creek characters, who one could describe similarly.

While I don’t expect Big Mistakes to necessarily be like Schitt’s Creek exactly by any means, I do think Levy knows how to write hilarious sibling relationships and fish-out-of-water storylines, and this sounds like that, except this time the stakes sound much higher than a well-off family being forced to live in a small town. I imagine Levy and Ortega (who is playing the sister in the series) will have to be dodging literal bullets and trying to come out of things alive.

Since the end of Schitt’s Creek back in 2020, Levy has definitely been busy. He had a stint on Sex Education, along with writing/directing and starring in the Netflix movie, Good Grief. He also hosted the 76th Emmy Awards with his dad, Eugene Levy, last year and has had credits in movies like Haunted Mansion, Unfrosted, Smurfs and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

I’m definitely excited to see Dan Levy return to the TV comedy space, and it sounds like a premise that could lend itself to a following from Schitt’s Creek fans like myself, along with multiple seasons. I would imagine we can look forward to the show in 2026, but there’s no release date. For now, we know the show’s in the middle of production, and that incites a reaction that’s the opposite of “Ew, David!”

If you’re a longtime fan of The Big Bang Theory, you may recall Kevin Can Wait’s Ryan Cartwright and Silicon Valley’s Josh Brener making guest appearances. The former appeared in a Season 6 episode as Penny’s community college classmate, and the latter appeared in two episodes across Seasons 5 and 6 as Dale, who worked at Stuart’s comic book store. Well, for Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, Cartwright will instead play Kyle, who is reportedly a comic book nerd and regular customer of the comic book store run by Kevin Sussman’s Stuart. Brener is reportedly playing someone named Trevor, but no details about him were revealed.

Additionally, Deadline has heard that Tommy Walker from the Nickelodeon series Danger Force will appear in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe as Gary, the “handsome” boyfriend of Lauren Lapkus’ Denise. Although Walker never appeared on The Big Bang Theory or any of the other spinoffs, he did cross paths with creator Chuck Lorre when he guest starred on the Netflix series The Kominsky Method. Cartwright, Brener and Walker will all recur on Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, while Sussman and Lapkus are joined in the main cast by Brian Posehn and John Ross Bowie, who are respectively reprising Bert and Barry Kripke.

It was first reported in 2023 that another Big Bang Theory offshoot was in the works, and by March 2025, the series’ title was unveiled. Then last month, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe officially scored a series order, and we learned that it will follow Start attempting to fix the universe after damaging it with a device created by Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper. This will trigger what’s described as a “multiverse armageddon,” and it’s been teased that this will pave the way for alternate versions of TBBT characters to appear.

In Ryan Cartwright, Josh Brener and Tommy Walker’s case, however, they’re now back in the franchise to play different roles, so we’ll have to wait and see how they mesh with these fan-favorites. It hasn’t been announced yet when Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, which Chuck Lorre co-created with The Avengers’ Zak Penn, will be released, but you’re always welcome to revisit The Big Bang Theory proper on HBO Max while we wait for that information and more updates.

What we know about Stranger Things 5 is limited, but anticipation couldn't be higher for the impending finale. All eyes are on the future, but Ryder is also looking back and reflecting on how the show began. During an interview with Elle, the actress revealed the words she offered young stars like Millie Bobby Brown, saying:

How sweet is that? The Stranger Things cast became famous overnight, and at a very young age. So Winona tried to instill the importance of the work itself, rather than how big the show became. Given how long she's been a star of TV and film, she definitely has a unique perspective on this subject.

Aside from making sure that her young co-stars appreciate the work of acting, she also tried to offer another important piece of advice: self-worth. In the same interview she spoke about raising the cast up, saying:

She's not wrong. The cast was key to selling Stranger Things, especially back in Season 1 when they were so young. They quickly became household names, especially Millie Bobby Brown. And the show simply wouldn't have captured the hearts of so many fans without their specific contributions as actors.

Stranger Things Season 5 has been delayed a number of times, resulting in over three years passing since Season 4's finale aired in July of 2022. But that hasn't stopped fans like me from patiently counting the days until we get new footage. Stranger Things 5 is splitting its episodes releases into three separate dates, rather than giving us the full season at once. And that should ensure that the fandom experiences the series finale at the same pace.

Stranger Things 5 will air its first four episodes November 26th as part of the 2025 TV premiere schedule. Then we'll get three more episodes December 25th before the series finale is released December 31st. I know what my holiday plans are going to be now.

It wasn’t a stunt for a movie that Chris Hemsworth reveals he wasn’t allowed to do recently. He tells THR that for the new season of Limitless: Live Better Now, available with a Disney+ subscription, there had been plans for him to attempt to surf a 40 foot wave. Unfortunately, it seems the powers that be decided such a thing was too risky. Hemsworth said…

Ironically the episode of Limitless where the wave stunt would have occurred is entitled “Risk.” Clearly the episode needed to let Hemsworth put himself at some amount of risk, but the wave was seen as too risky, while climbing a dam was apparently fine.

One of the major reasons stuntpeople are used in movies isn’t that stars are unwilling to put themselves art risk, it’s that the studio and/or the insurance company won’t let them. If a major film lead gets injured, it can delay movies, costing everybody involved money. Tom Cruise once fired an insurance company for not letting perform a Mission: Impossible stunt.

But the issue for Chris Hemsworth wasn’t simply that if something went wrong it would cause problems for the Disney+ series. He says it was higher ups at Disney that killed the idea, because getting hurt on Limitless could have jeopardised a his next marvel movie, a film, with a lot riding on it. Hemsworth continued…

We know Chris Hemsworth is part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast, and that movie is so important to Disney it’s honestly a shock any of the cast is let out in public where they might trip and hurt themselves. While Hemsworth recently confirmed a viral video was not part of an announcement he was walking away from Thor, if the actor ever wants to surf a 40 foot wave, he might need to be done with Thor before anybody will let him.

The side-by-side image comes from Netflix Nordic’s Instagram, and it highlights a handful of differences for both Pugsley and Wednesday. While both have different-ish hairstyles (Wednesday's bangs have a starker silhouette, for example) and lost kid-like features in their face, Ordonez’s growth spurt is the most undeniable change. Especially when posed next to the 2022 still, it's abundantly obvious he’s grown at least a couple of inches. Check it out:

The comparison is jaw-dropping, but Isaac Ordonez was just around 13 during Season 1, and he’s now 16. So, the dramatic growth spurt makes sense. He honestly almost looks like two different actors as he is so much shorter than Ortega in one and towers over her in the other. As is the case for many series that feature a young cast (like Percy Jackson), it's always a bit shocking when teenage actors return for more work and have grown up.

Naturally, the three-year gap between seasons wasn’t lost on many like me. Commenters were all over Ordonez’s transformation and had some creative takes that aligned with the iconic family. Some were a bit sentimental, while others were more Wednesday-coded. Take a look for yourself:

• The man GREW. This wasn't supposed to happen - becca_becca_05
• They grow up so fast ❤️- faerierebel
• She put him on The Wrack to stretch him out for fun one too many times, didn’t she?😅- sophiemlpink
• He grew that much over summer break? - finiank801
• He went from Pugsley to Lurch - zakmarrinan

Many were quick to comment on the timeframe, along with the tween to teen’s looks, noting that it was hard to imagine such a dramatic growth spurt over one summer. However, many were sweet about the Netflix series' return after three years.

Ordonez wasn’t the only one to change. The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star grew up, too, even if it wasn’t as apparent onscreen. Jenna Ortega's fashion premiere looks have been the real tell that she’s entering young adulthood. She’s no longer the Season 1 Wednesday dancing her heart out, but she is still having fun running alongside the chaos.

With the changes known, these actors, and specifically Ordonez, now join ranks with a slew of young stars who’ve aged faster than their characters. This happening, of course, is nothing new in the age of streaming. And one of the most famous instances is in regard to the Netflix original Stranger Things and its cast aging. Now, it’ll be interesting to see how much Wednesday we’ll get and how much Jenna Ortega and Isaac Ordonez may change during the course of it.

However, for now, you can stream Wednesday Season 2, Part 1 with a Netflix subscription and make sure to tune in for Part 2 on September 3.

For all the fun I had seeing Hank and Peggy return to Arlen after time abroad in Saudi Arabia, nothing can compare to seeing the modern world through Luanne's unique perspective. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it's currently in the cards for that to happen, but I'm ready to argue that it absolutely should for a couple of reasons.

Luanne And Lucky Are Missing In The King Of The Hill Return

King of the Hill brought back many beloved characters, but there's a pretty glaring omission when it comes to Hank and Peggy's niece, Luanne Platter. Luanne lived with the Hills throughout a chunk of the original run of the series before getting married to her husband Elroy "Lucky" Kleinschmidt. They went on to have a baby, Gracie, and set out on their own, but still kept in touch with their family.

Well, that's my assumption anyway, because King of the Hill's first ten episodes of the return do not make mention of Luanne, Lucky, or their child Gracie in any way. It might catch some viewers by surprise for sure, especially with cameos from more obscure characters like Hank's half-brother Junichiro and the now-grown Good Hank, but it should be mentioned that those paying attention had the heads up that they wouldn't be featured.

Why King Of The Hill's Showrunner Didn't Bring Them Back

As mentioned, King of the Hill's showrunner Saladin Patterson was quick to bring up that Luanne and Lucky would not be featured in the first batch of episodes when the series returned. In fact, there are no current plans to bring them back at all, because he felt it wasn't right given the passing of voice actors for the characters, Brittany Murphy and singer Tom Petty:

As mentioned, Luanne and Lucky are not referenced in the first ten episodes, so hopefully Saladin Patterson was backwards-hinting that future episodes could pay homage somehow. As exciting as any tribute to the characters would be, I can't help but be disappointed and continually express how I still think they need to be part of the show.

Even With Bobby Becoming An Adult, Luanne Should Remain Part Of The Story

I think one thing that's clear in King of the Hill is that Bobby has slid into the space in storylines that Luanne previously held. It's a compelling story, with Bobby opting out of college to pursue his dream of owning and operating a Japanese and German fusion restaurant. The first ten episodes only whetted my appetite for more Bobby adventures, so I'm not advocating that his screentime be diminished for more of Luanne.

At the same time, one of the biggest compliments I can give this series is that each character feels as though they've been living their lives the entire time they've been offscreen since King of the Hill first ended. Wouldn't it be great to see what Luanne and Lucky are like down the road, and if they got their lives together? There's nothing I'd like to see more, and I think even if Bobby is occupying that twenty-something storyline the show typically held for Luanne, there's still plenty of time for her to pop up here and there.

I Don't See Recasting Luanne And Lucky As A Major Issue, Considering Other Changes Made

I can understand Saladin Patterson's mind in wanting to "retire" the characters of Luanne and Lucky, especially in the context of it being an honor to their legacies after death. At the same time, King of the Hill tragically lost Dale's voice actor Johnny Hardwick while making the revival and recast him with former Kahn voice actor Toby Huss.

King of the Hill also has to address the death of Jonathan Joss, who had finished his voice work as John Redcorn in the ten episodes before his untimely death. The character was featured a solid amount as Nancy's business partner, and doing his usual schtick of trying to get closer to Joseph Gribble without raising too many red flags that he's his real father. It seems like the show still has stories to tell with the character, so it feels like he would get a new voice actor as well.

Obviously, the team at King of the Hill didn't know they were going to lose two key actors to the series in the midst of making it and waiting for it to release. Now that it's happened, however, I think it's worth considering that if there's reason enough to bring in replacement actors for Dale and potentially John Redcorn, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the show could find people to do the voices of Luanne and Lucky for at least an episode or two.

I think about what Pamela Adlon and Saladin Patterson told CinemaBlend at San Diego Comic-Con about why they decided not to change Bobby's voice as an adult. Ultimately, it came down to deciding what it was that fans wanted to hear the most, and after some back and forth, they ultimately realized people would want to hear Bobby as they remember him.

I could be off base here, but I think a lot of King of the Hill fans who watched the original liked Luanne and would love to see her back. The same goes for Lucky, and I would love to see at least one more story revolving around the two after seeing just how well Mike Judge and company brought these characters into the year 2025. I need to know how she's doing in the modern era, and better yet, if she became the great mother I knew she'd ultimately be to her child.

Watch the new episodes of King of the Hill with a Hulu subscription. As a big fan of the original series, I flew through the new episodes, and am already ready for more episodes as soon as they can hit the platform.

It’s a good time to be a Swiftie because not only is Taylor Swift appearing on the New Heights podcast alongside its hosts, her boyfriend Travis Kelce and his brother Jason Kelce, but she has officially announced her new album, The Life of a Showgirl. Aside from the title and color theme, not much is known about it, but there are already loads of brand tie-ins. However, TS 12 has long been speculated, and now eagle-eyed fans have spotted an Easter egg that suggests the pop star has been teasing it for a while.

Of course, any Swiftie knows that Easter eggs are Swift’s thing. Even if you don’t realize there’s an Easter egg or think that it was a long shot, it could very well wind up being a clue, making her song “Mastermind” as accurate as ever. Even though the album was just announced, fans are already going back to previous albums and interviews to see what hints she’s dropped. X user auniverseaway13 pointed out an outfit that she wore in the “Bejeweled” music video that is like a showgirl outfit, and even though it was almost three years ago, I'm convinced that this was a wink to TS 12:

Even if the only significance of the outfit was that it was bejeweled in reference to the Midnights'song, as some fans are pointing out, you can’t help but think that there was at least some planning behind it. While I personally don’t take the time to look at everything that Swift has released and try to figure out if this or that was an Easter egg, I do love hearing theories and seeing what the hardcore fans are able to uncover, regardless of whether something was meant to be an Easter egg or not.

It's also not surprising that fans are going back to the Midnights era when it comes to Easter eggs for Showgirl, as people have been guessing for a while that the “Bejeweled” video hinted at what’s to come due to the different colored elevator buttons. It may not exactly match up with what’s been released, but it is pretty close.

The potential Easter eggs for Taylor Swift's latest project don't stop there either. There’s the orange and green outfits she wore on The Eras Tour, which have also been presumed to be Easter eggs. The orange door has had people guessing for ages. And let's not forget the showgirl-themed staging for "I Can Do It With A Broken Heart."

Also, as the quote in the tweet above alludes to, we know Swift loves to tease us like this. On The Tonight Show, she talked about her adoration for Easter eggs and straight-up asked if it was possible to hint at something three years in advance. So, I wouldn't be shocked if she really has been giving us Showgirl Easter eggs since Midnights, which, I'll have you note, came out three years ago.

So, whether or not Taylor Swift has truly been planning The Life of a Showgirl for at least three years, I’m just excited that there’s finally a new album to look forward to. A release date has not yet been announced, but that should be coming soon. In the meantime, look out for Easter eggs...because she's proven time and time again that they really could be anywhere.

During Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking trial, prosecutors summoned various witnesses, including a few notable celebrities, to take the stand. For example, Combs’ ex, Cassie Ventura, testified, with the singer sharing claims about her relationship with him. Another hip hop icon, Kid Cudi, testified as well due to his connection to two alleged situations involving Diddy. Now, months after that legal matter, Cudi is opening up about what it was like being in the court room and having to be in proximity to Combs himself.

Kid Cudi – whose real name is Scott Mescudi – was called upon to testify against Sean Combs in late May 2025. Years ago, Mescudi was apparently involved in a brief romantic relationship with the aforementioned Cassie. With that, Cudi purportedly became the target of two separate attacks that were supposedly orchestrated by Combs. Mescudi spoke to CBS Mornings (as shared to X) about his day in court, and he explained to the news outlet that the process wasn’t easy for him:

Cassie and Diddy dated off and on between 2007 and 2018 though, the former briefly became involved with Kid Cudi in 2011. It was also in 2011 that Cudi reportedly had his home broken into, with that situation apparently coming on the heels of a contentious discussion between Diddy and Cassie. In early 2012, there was another situation involving a car exploding in front of Cudi’s house, with the belief being that it was an act of arson. Cudi testified in regard to both matters while on the stand.

While the “Day 'n' Nite” performer apparently wasn’t keen on testifying, he ultimately “just wanted to be there for [Cassie]” and to “help her out.” Amid his CBS interview, Cudi went on to discuss the experience of sharing space with Combs. Cudi explained why it was “weird” but also shared why he currently has no regrets about his time in the courtroom:

Shortly after Scott Mescudi provided his testimony, he was chided by another rapper – Kanye West. Via a social media post, West stated that he wished “Cudi hadn’t testified against Puff.” It was West’s belief that African Americans should “need to not be locked in white systems.” From there, West (whose official name is Ye) extended prayers to Diddy and his family. Those sentiments matched up with comments that West shared prior in which he compared himself to Diddy. Also, even before that, Ye phoned Diddy while he was in prison to show his support for him amid his legal woes.

When it comes to those issues, Sean Combs is now facing prison time after receiving a mixed verdict. The man formerly known as Puff Daddy was convicted on two counts of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs did, however, avoid charges related to sex-trafficking and racketeering (RICO). Now, the “Bad Boy for Life” performer is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn ahead of his sentencing on October 3. As for Kid Cudi, he’s seemingly moving on after testifying.

The truth is, I can’t get enough of the “Milk Man,” his comedic timing, the way he handles himself in a fight and vehicular combat, and pretty much everything else about Mackie’s dynamic character.

I'm Not Saying Sam Wilson Is Boring, But Captain America: Brave New World Wasn't Exactly Fun

Though Captain America: Brave New World was one of the highlights of the MCU’s Phase Five, it wasn’t necessarily a fun movie, which didn’t really allow Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson to shine like his character on Twisted Metal.

The new Cap does have some funny quips, was charming, and makes for a good hero, but at times it felt like Mackie was either holding back or being told to tone it down, which is a shame, considering he’s a great comedic actor and the character has been so much fun to watch over the years. I get it, as random ‘90s pop culture references, an obsession with The Baby-Sitter’s Club books, and puns don’t really work in a dramatic superhero flick paying homage to ‘70s political thrillers.

Twisted Metal's Ridiculousness Brings Out The Best In Anthony Mackie's Comedy And Action Skills

What’s so great about Twisted Metal is that its utterly bonkers tone allows Mackie to show off his incredible action skills while also giving him the opportunity to cut loose, have some fun, and say/do some ridiculous stuff in each episode. I’m only five episodes into the second season (all that has been released up to the point of this writing), but I already have a hefty list of hilarious moments involving John Doe so far:

• John starting a “John Dough” pizza delivery service
• John Doe freaking out when he can’t find Book #89 of the Baby-Sitter’s Club
• John still being obsessed with the books when his sister tries to reconnect
• John and Quiet crawling on the floor during the orgy
• John recreating THAT Entrapment scene in the laser hallway

Now That The Tournament Is Underway, I Can't Wait To See Where John Doe Takes Us

Before Twisted Metal first premiered in 2023, I had a list of things I wanted to see in the adaptation. Though a lot of those didn’t happen in the first season, it’s a completely different story this time around, including the actual Twisted Metal tournament itself. I had long dreamed of seeing the vehicular combat of those classic PlayStation games on the TV show, and the fifth episode of Season 2 gave me just that after it was teased in the Twisted Metal trailer.

Now that Calypso has gathered deadly, unique, and truly bizarre drivers from around the country to take part in his tournament, I cannot wait to see where John Doe goes on this journey. Those who’ve played the games know that the maniacal tournament founder can’t be trusted with those wishes, so anything could happen with John if he wins…

You can watch Twisted Metal on Peacock right now, and new episodes will drop in chunks weekly through the end of August. Who knows, maybe we’ll see a third or fourth season pop up on the list of upcoming video game movies and shows in the near future.

Kylie Jenner took some time out of her Vampire Diaries binge this week to celebrate turning 28, and one of her birthday activities involved the makeup mogul and her friends painting Jenner’s iconic “Rise and Shine” meme circa 2019. Kylie shared her final product to Instagram Stories, and wow:

To be honest, the sun part of the painting looks pretty good. It’s abstract enough, and the colors are all blending well together. I think a lot of effort went into her craft, as another image showed Kylie Jenner hard at work:

Look, I know when I tackle a “sip-and-paint” project, things get a little … sloppier toward the end, so maybe that’s what happened when Kylie Jenner attempted to paint her own face. Faces are hard to paint anyway, and I’m certain I wouldn’t have done any better. We can’t all be North West with her endless buckets of talent! In case you needed a close-up of Kylie’s own “Rise and Shine” meme, here’s one last pic:

The paint party was just one part of the youngest KarJenner sibling’s birthday celebrations. Khloé Kardashian shared images from Kylie’s recent cone bra photoshoot, paying tribute to her little sis in a lengthy caption where she said how proud she was of her “soulmate sister.”

Kris Jenner’s partner Corey Gamble, meanwhile dropped some big bucks on his gift for Kylie, giving her bottles of wine from the year she was born. Other festivities included an upscale dinner party at Kendall Jenner’s house and multiple cakes (undoubtedly including a viral Kardashian cake from Hansen’s, which — despite rumors — does not cost $7,000).

All jokes aside pertaining to Kylie Jenner’s painting skills, I think it’s a pretty fun idea to paint such an iconic image from her past. The Kylie Cosmetics boss went viral in 2019 when she was giving a tour of her home and sang, “Rise and shine!” in a strange voice to wake up her daughter Stormi. The short clip spread like wildfire and was remixed over and over by fans. Kylie even ended up making “Rise and Shine” merch, because of course she did.

Fans of the famous family are currently waiting for an update on The Kardashians Season 7, which was expected to hit the 2025 TV schedule this fall. However, there’s been no update from Hulu since the reality show was initially renewed for Seasons 6 and 7 last July. The sixth season premiered in February of this year, and all of the first six seasons are available to stream with a Hulu subscription while we wait for more.

Of course, I shouldn’t be that surprised. Taylor Swift is one of the most famous names in the world, and whenever something like a new album happens, it’s basically always a cultural phenomenon. Check out what M&Ms posted:

When The Life Of A Showgirl was announced on Tuesday, fans were given the album’s title and a blurred-out green cover with a glittery orange lock on TaylorSwift.com. Here is the famed chocolate candy already tying into the album in its own way by promoting the orange version, saying “ready for the next era” and having the M&Ms aligned into a lock like the marketing thus far.

Is this an actual collaboration between Swift and M&M’s? I have no idea, but it’s certainly a clever way to get Swifties reaching for the candy. Here’s another one:

On a smaller scale, Half Price Books also shared its logo on Tuesday with it now being glittery and having the same shade of green. The post capped off their post with these emojis: “❤️‍🔥😏😆”. The plant protein business Vuum also used Taylor Swift’s new colors for its own latest post:

I think glittery orange might have just become the color of the year thanks to Ms. Taylor Swift. During the singer’s record-breaking Eras Tour, fans actually noticed an orange door showing up during shows, and it started speculation that it had something to do with her next album over a year ago.

Swift even started wearing the shade at some shows, along with it being worn by other dancers toward the end of the tour's run. And as it turns out, fans were very much right about orange meaning something big! For a long time, we thought her next album would be Reputation (Taylor’s Version), but now that she owns all her music, this makes way more sense. Now, even a credit union is using the color in its social media marketing:

Prior to pre-orders for The Life Of A Showgirl popping up on Swift’s website, the official social team Taylor Nation posted photos of Swift in the orange shade on the Eras Tour with the caption “Thinking about when she said ‘See you next era…’ ❤️‍🔥”, which has been referenced in a lot of these brand tie-ins. Here’s one more I found, but there’s I’m sure many more across the internet I missed:

Taylor Swift’s appearance on the New Heights podcast with Travis and Jason Kelce is coming on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. There I think we’ll get more details about perhaps what the cover actually looks like, or when the latest Taylor Swift album is set to come out.

The 32-year-old pop singer recently appeared on the New York Times-produced podcast, The Interview. During the discussion, Cyrus chatted about the different phases she has gone through in her music as well as how stardom and fame have impacted her writing. She also talked about why she has chosen to focus on music as opposed to business ventures like a clothing line or a makeup brand. Based on the comments Cyrus shared about a cosmetics brand, she just doesn't seem so enthused:

Makeup lines have certainly been huge business ventures for many popstars, and some have become incredibly wealthy because of them. Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez all have brands that have become very successful. Even Fenty Beauty has pushed Rihanna to billionaire status, despite the singer not having released an album in almost a decade. However lucrative a beauty company is, though, Miley Cyrus still seems to have no interest. Still, Cyrus does respect artists who dabble in business, like her godmother Dolly Parton:

While Cyrus may not have any external careers ventures she's invested time into, it’s important to note that she has also had a successful acting career outside of her music. She started as the lead of the Disney Channel show, Hannah Montana, and has since taken on roles in movies and TV shows like Black Mirror and The Last Song. However, in recent years Cyrus has definitely made music her main focus, and it seems to be what she's most passionate about.

The "Midnight Sky" performer isn’t the only one who's decided to focus on music. Fellow pop princess Taylor Swift also has centered music and, at present, Swift holds billionaire status. Artists like Adele, Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber have also done well in that regard.

While I love a multi-faceted creative person, I think there is something truly authentic about Miley Cyrus’ perspective and her aim to only focus on what makes her passionate and happy. To me, her music ultimately feels so personal, and she has seemingly connects with fans on a deep level across her various eras. So, if her career is in a good place, there may be no real need to change But make no mistake, I won't criticize Cyrus if she opts to release skincare line or fragrance.

Check out Miley Cyrus' Something Beautiful, which is currently able to stream on Spotify and Apple Music. Fans can also see Cyrus’ visual accompaniment to the album, also titled Something Beautiful, as it is now streaming with a Hulu subscription.

Well, Taylor Swift broke the Internet, so when her website countdown clock hit 00:00 in the early Tuesday morning hours and then errored out, I headed over to the New Heights Instagram page and was thrilled to find the new clip. There’s one person, however, who may have been more excited than any of us, and that’s Travis Kelce. I could not stop rewatching the clip to see the giddy smile on his face.

Look at this man, with his tongue out and everything! I certainly wasn’t the only one to notice this, as one fan wrote in the comments:

A lot of people have said a lot of things about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship, but for me, I absolutely love to see a man supporting his woman like this, with unadulterated joy.

As theories continued to be debated regarding what the upcoming Taylor Swift project will entail, several other fans stopped to swoon over the Kansas City Chief’s enthusiasm for his girlfriend’s big moment. More comments included:

• Travis’s face before is the best! – Sharlet Strandlund
• He was so excited for her to announce it 😂🥰 – Sophie Walter
• He is giddy it’s adorable I love this family for her 💜💜 – Amy Grzeskiewicz Barcliff
• He looks so damn proud of her – Alison Gotto
• Look at that smile on his face😍😍😍 He is so proud of her! 😍😭😍😭😍 – Jessica Wunderlin
• Look at how proud Trav is of her, and covered in gold confetti 🎉 – Lynn Streifert

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have been together for two years now, and they regularly show support for each other’s careers, whether that’s Swift attending Kansas City Chiefs games or Kelce exchanging friendship bracelets with Swifties at concerts. The tight end even made an appearance on stage at one Eras Tour show, and many fans think Swift had a secret cameo in Happy Gilmore 2.

This latest move is the ultimate in mutually beneficial agreements, with Taylor Swift announcing The Life of a Showgirl on Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast. I’ll definitely be tuning into YouTube at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday to see more of Travis beaming with his girlfriend by his side. It looks like we’re going to get a cover reveal, so will she give a release date? Will we learn more about the super secret music video she reportedly just filmed?

Only time will tell, but in the meantime I know I’ll be firing up my Disney+ subscription for another rewatch of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.

Kelce was the subject of a recent profile by GQ, where the 35-year old chatted about his upcoming football season, potential post-NFL endeavors, and his high-profile relationship with Taylor Swift. Kelce was candid in his interview, and Swifties are swooning over his adoring comments about his partner in the article, however, I’m also incredibly focused on this crazy photo shoot, which has the football star in a number of crazy, ostentatious outfits that make him look like the king of the Everglades. You can see a clip from the photoshoot from Instagram below:

In the pictures that made the final cut for the cover shoot, Kelce can be seen flying through the air on shoe geysers on the water, and wearing a large fur suit with a hood. Additional photos show him shirtless with a leather jacket in the forest, wearing a fur hat with a Hermès Birkin bag in a bog, and even one with a python in a tree. My favorite is personally of him excitedly holding an alligator in the same bog he had the Birkin in. It is completely different from a lot of traditional GQ shoots that traditionally feature tailored menswear, suits, and luxury backdrops.

It’s a certainly louder photoshoot for a cover, and if anyone would be game, it's Travis Kelce, who has had a history of being bold with his style. This is the same guy that confidently wore a suit to the Kentucky Derby that made him look like a 1920s crooner, and also wore a flashy bucket hat to accompany the most famous woman on the planet to a tennis match. Kelce lives out loud, and his fashion choices mirror this. There was nothing more fitting than a wild photo shoot to suit the football star’s eccentric personality, and down-to-earth reputation.

And if you’re gonna go for it, these images that invoke a south-east, blue collar Americana image are perfect and unique. Kelce feels like the antithesis of a traditional, Hollywood male subject of a menswear magazine, and the photoshoot fits that. Kelce was born and raised in the midwest, with a traditional, down to earth upbringing who rose to fame due to his success as a football star. He is funny, goofy, and earnest, something rare in the modern day entertainment industry. This photoshoot allows him to embrace these qualities about himself, and I’m absolutely loving it.

When Travis Kelce isn’t gracing the cover of GQ, you can see him make his scripted show debut in FX’s Grotesquerie, which is currently streaming with a Hulu subscription. Kelce is also expected to return as tight end for the upcoming Kansas City Chiefs football season, so sports fans have a lot to look forward to. You can also check out his New Heights podcast with his brother, Jason Kelce, which is streaming now on Spotify.

The Traitors Season 4 cast list is full of reality TV royalty, including multiple stars of the Real Housewives franchise. Fans are eager to see how she'll do in the duplicitous game, and she recently spoke about just how immersive it was without her phone. In a TikTok from her podcast Let's Not Talk About The Husband, she shared what it was like do disconnect, offering:

Considering how long Lisa Rinna has been a public figure, and how active she typically is on social media, one can only imagine how clarifying this ultimately was. Now I'm especially eager to see the way she plays The Traitors, and how unplugging helped her see what's going on in the game of deception. Give us Season 4, you cowards!

Lisa Rinna is great on reality TV, so it should be fascinating to see how she navigates the Emmy-winning series when The Traitors finally returns. Aside from her long tenure on RHOBH, she also famously appeared on Season 4 of The Celebrity Apprentice (which is streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription).

Later in that same clip from her podcast with husband Harry Hamlin, she further spoke about what it was like being away from her phone while competing on The Traitors. Rinna said:

Obviously this was an extenuating circumstance for the 62 year-old actress and reality star. As she explained, once she got back to reality she had to once again be available by the phone, answering e-mails and the like. Still, it sounds like she'd recommend an extenuating period away from electronics to center one's mind.

Lisa Rinna went on to say that being unplugged during filming has positively influenced her behavior upon returning home. Now she's clinging to her phone less, as she put it:

Honestly this makes a ton of sense. Although it might be hard for many of us to find a way to unplug without the opportunity of filming a reality competition show.

You can see the full clip of Rinna's conversation with Harry Hamlin from their podcast below.

While The Traitors Season 4 doesn't currently have a release date, the previous three seasons have all arrived on Peacock in February. So while we aren't expecting to see the new batch of episodes as part of the 2025 TV schedule, hopefully we get more information about the forthcoming season sooner rather than later.

The video was posted simultaneously across Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, quickly accumulating thousands and thousands of views... and no shortage of eagle-eyed viewers noticing a suspicious amount of orange, more than a year after the Eras Tour gave fans a reason to start watching out for the color. Take a look:

For a video that's just 13 seconds long, there's a lot to be found in it beyond the adorableness of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's exchange, complete with "Sweetie" from the NFL player and an F-bomb from the Grammy winner. Viewers were quick to notice that the subtitles for Swift were orange compared to Kelce's yellow, as well as an orange block with "T.S." in the background. Not to mention a jar of friendship bracelets!

Even her lipstick color could be a sign that the podcast – which releases on Wednesday, August 13 at 7 p.m. ET – is another sign that news about her next album could be coming. Throw in how her website began showing a countdown to 12:12 a.m. ET on August 12 against a glittery orange background, and is there any surprise that fans are freaking out?

Some of my personal favorite Easter egg comments on all of the videos posted across the internet came from Instagram. Take a look:

(Comments edited for content and clarity.)

• @mrs.frazzled: "WHATS THE ORANGE BEHIND HER HEAD? TAYLOR SCOOCH OVER"
• @annalee15: "THE ORANGE TS?!?! EXCUSE ME?!?!? Will keep spiraling over this thank you so much"
• @in.ddawn: "And mind you ORANGE SUBTITLES."
• @lightcreativeart: "This video is 13 seconds long! All of the books behind them are about artists! One of them (Extraordinary Records) is about albums with cool vinyl art! There are TS squares behind them (orange, red, white) and a glass of friendship bracelets behind Taylor! They talk about 'color' first thing! His sweatshirt says Miracle! GAHHH 🧡🧡🧡"

Other than the flood of comments on the New Heights podcast's Instagram account, I found that my other favorites came not from X or Facebook or YouTube, but rather from TikTok. There are too many fun ones to list them all, but read on for some of the most memorable from fans! (Comments edited for content and clarity.)

• kelseyedodson: "🧡🧡 Not my husband pointing out Taylor’s words are in orange."
• Syd: "The LIPSTICK tone being orange & not her typical red…. ❤️‍🔥🧡"
• chels 🫶🏼: "THE FRIENDSHIP BRACELET JAR."
• The Halloween Housewife: "Not the orange glitter T.S. behind them on the shelf…. 😩🧡"
• taylor.mf: "ORANGE LIPSTICK 🧡"

I'm not an avid user of TikTok, but just seeing the names of all the accounts weighing in on New Heights' post put a smile on my face. In addition to all the fans posting orange hearts, exclamation points, and messages of glee, there were comments from major brands. There's the NFL account saying "holy moly," the Empire State Building account saying "GUYS I CAN'T RN," Zillow with "I’m hyperventilating," Ulta Beauty with "watching this clip on repeat like…" and Buffalo Wild Wings with "sat." Special credit goes to the NFL account for also reposting the clip with "EVERYBODY STAY CALM" on its account.

Check out the Kelce brothers' New Heights podcast episode with Taylor Swift on Wednesday, August 13 at 7 p.m. ET, and be sure to swing by the singer's website at any point after 12:12 a.m. ET on August 12 for whatever her big, orange, glittery news is.

Wednesday Season 2 Executes ‘Perfect Advertising’ Scheme

The second season of Jenna Ortega’s Addams Family-based series hit the 2025 TV schedule earlier this month and can currently be streamed with a Netflix subscription. If you haven’t tuned in for the latest adventures at Nevermore Academy, however, the streamer is doing big things to pique your interest. Check out the billboards that one fan posted to Instagram:

How great is that? On the left side of the highway is a billboard that shows Emma Myers as Wednesday’s polar opposite roommate Enid Sinclair. She’s making a heart with her fingers as she stands in front of a pink background with the words:

Pan across to the right side of the highway, and we get Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday Addams on a black billboard and the words written in white:

The only thing not perfect about this setup is the potential for drivers to get distracted by the brilliance and not keep their focus on the road. But then again, Wednesday sure would love to cause a crash, wouldn’t she? So maybe even that aspect is perfect. Fans showed their love for the campaign in the comments, writing:

• It's giving "Someone's going to die." "Of fun!” – vocaltomes
• 🤣🤣🤣 Such perfect opposites – vmgonz_91
• Genius 👏 – butterflynova
• Woooo, that's perfect 👌 😍😂 – motty2116

I thought I was spoiled after The Naked Gun marketing, but now I’m definitely going to need other shows and movies to step up their games.

The Naked Gun Had Its Own Goofy Promos

I’d say the Wednesday billboards are more surprising than The Naked Gun promos, because anyone who’s seen the WTF original movie from 1988 knows the high level of silliness the sequel was going for. Along with making a deep-cut reference with its Beaver Bucket for popcorn, the marketing for the movie starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson included ironic billboards that read:

Yes, it’s ridiculous, and it’s just that kind of ridiculousness that earned The Naked Gun a 4-star review from CinemaBlend.

With Wednesday leaning more into the horror genre for its second season — and with the series already considered one of the best shows to binge on Netflix — I’d say hopes are pretty high for Season 2.

The Naked Gun is in theaters now, while the first four episodes of Wednesday Season 2 have already hit the 2025 Netflix schedule. The final four will drop on the streamer Wednesday, September 3.

I’ve been a Primus fan for longer than South Park has been a show. Now that Season 27 of the legendary cartoon has started on the 2025 TV schedule (and started in true South Park fashion with a controversial episode), I’ve been seeing a lot of clips come up in my social media feed, and one of those features Primus’ fearless leader, Les Claypool, talking about the recording of the theme song. It turns out, the version at the end of each episode was supposed to be the opening theme. Here’s what happened.

The Original Idea Was The Slower Version

Recently, Claypool sat down for an interview with YouTuber Rick Beato, and while the full interview has not yet been released on Beato’s channel, the record producer did drop part of it as a YouTube short. In the video, Beato asks Claypool how it came about, and Claypool tells him,

That slower, more plodding version of the song heard as the end credits roll is the version Primus recorded. The crazy thing is, that’s the only version they recorded. Claypool explains that Comedy Central thought the theme song was too slow. Rather than re-record the song, which Claypool says Primus didn’t have time for, he told them to “speed it up.”

Of course, it’s not like the song sounds like the Chipmunks singing, so Claypool did have to re-record the vocals. So Parker and Stone went to a Primus show and had Claypool record it on the spot, as Claypool explains,

Before doing the recording, Claypool and the other guys in Primus weren’t convinced the show would work anyway, hence their reluctance to let it take too much of their time, but it turns out that speeding it up was the best thing they could have done, as the driving twang is perfect for the subversive comedy.

Primus Was The Only Music Trey Parker And Matt Stone Could Agree On

The whole reason Primus was even asked to do the theme was, according to Claypool, because the quirky trio was the only band that Parker and Stone were both happy listening to. Claypool tells Beato,

It’s hard to imagine any other band fitting the vibe of South Park, and its many outrageous episodes, quite like Primus and their weird, unique, off-kilter sound. The theme song has even become a fan favorite among Primus fans, which isn’t always the case with artists who do theme songs. The show, like the band, is not like anything else, and it’s truly a match made in South Park hell, in the best way. After a short break, South Park is back with more from its latest season.

In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed an overall deal with Netflix, through which they would produce various kinds of content. That agreement ultimately yielded several high-profile TV offerings. However, this freshly established agreement is a first-look deal, which is a downgrade from the contract that was written up between both sides. Nevertheless, the new deal ensures that the royals’ “creative partnership” with Ted Sarandos and co. will remain intact for several years.

There’s also another significant wrinkle in this new bargain. Not only will the aforementioned streaming service remain in business with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Archwell Productions banner, but it’s also partnering with Markle’s lifestyle brand, As Ever. Upon the announcement of the big news, Markle released a statement, which was shared with THR. While addressing her and her husband’s deal, Markle expressed excitement about what the future could hold:

This actually isn’t the first time that a high-profile couple has gone from having an overall deal to a first-look designation with Netflix. Barack and Michelle Obama had the same change made to their own agreement with the streamer in regard to their Higher Ground production label. As noted by the trade, in both business scenarios, the original titles the creatives have produced no longer have exclusivity.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s initial deal resulted in the docuseries Harry & Meghan as well as other docs, including Live to Lead, Polo and Heart of Invictus. Months ago, With Love, Meghan – a cooking show – also debuted following a delay. Harry and Markle’s creative endeavors have been met with somewhat mixed reactions. Their eponymous 2022 docuseries was criticized for its subject matter, and Markle’s culinary-based series has also been dubbed “tone deaf” in some circles.

Despite any kind of blowback, Netflix seems to be pleased to still be in business with the Duke and Duchess. The company’s chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, shared a statement upon the announcement of the first-look deal, and she praised Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In Bajaria’s words, the two are “influential voices whose stories resonate with audiences everywhere.” Fans will just have to wait and see what kind of “stories” Markle and Harry choose to tell under their new deal.

In the meantime, Netflix subscription holders can check out Harry & Meghan, Polo and other productions. Also, check out the 2025 TV schedule for information on the various shows that are set to be released as we get closer to the end of the year.

Much has been said since it was announced that HBO Max (then Max) would be producing a Harry Potter series. In theory, the move makes sense, since it's been almost 25 years since the first Potter movie was released, and an updated, fleshed out series version would be a way to reignite the magic for a new audience. However, reactions to the project have been somewhat lukewarm. Now, a fan is listing some other Wizarding World-set project that they wish HBO invested in instead, and there are good points made.

That Potterhead shared a compilation on Instagram, which showed different ideas that they believed would make a better series than the upcoming Harry Potter show. These ideas included a show about Lord Voldemort’s interesting past and an adaptation of The Cursed Child, which is currently a stage play. A Marauders series tracking the formative years of James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew was also mentioned. Check out the viral video:

Some may be surprised that a portion of fans isn't super jazzed about a new Harry Potter adaptation, I think it’s completely understandable. After there's already got an eight-movie franchise that covers the events of the core Potter books, and they're well done. Miraculously, the eight fantastic movies -- which were helmed by four different directors -- were produced in quick succession. They also include great performances and, while they are truncated compared to the books, they're mostly faithful.

All in all, it's really hard to catch lightning in a bottle, and doing so twice would be a momentous feat. So, in short, why recreating those stories when the Harry Potter movies are still near perfect?

It's understandable that Potter fans would want the producers to explore a new story set within the Wizarding World. Ever since the release of The Deathly Hallows novel in 2007, copious amounts of additional reading material has been released about the characters in this fictional universe.

J.K. Rowling wrote in-depth stories covering the backgrounds of characters like Minerva McGonagall and the Black sisters. I'd argue that all are compelling and, of course, they've yet to be explored via TV or film. Personally, I’m dying for a Marauders series and, as you can see from the Instagram video above, I'm not alone. There's even been fan fiction written on the subject, and many have shared their thoughts on who could play young James, Sirius, Remus and Peter. It's mind-boggling to me that such a project hasn't been greenlit.

Still, who knows? Maybe this upcoming Harry Potter series will ignite the fanbase and result in a new wave of popularity for it. If it is successful, which Warner Bros. is banking on considering the enormous production price tag, I can't help but wonder if it could pave the way for more Potter stories, including the Marauders.

Potter has an ardent fanbase already, and it’s a valuable property for WB, so I still have hope that producers have other ideas cooking. We’ll just have to wait and see if this new series acts as a motivator or a reason to hold back on investing more into this IP.

The new Harry Potter series is in production now, but it won’t be available to stream until 2027. In the meantime, fans can revisit the original Potter movies now with an HBO Max subscription. For information on series heading to streaming in the near future, make sure to consult our 2025 TV schedule.

With his trial now behind him, Sean “Diddy” Combs is now awaiting his sentencing, which is set to take place this fall. Analysts have since been weighing on what lies ahead for the 55-year-old music mogul from a legal standpoint. On the other side of that equation, though, some have been speculating as to whether Diddy will make a career comeback. It was recently reported that the artist is indeed looking to get back into his work at some point. However, there’s still the question of whether other stars will work with him.

Sean Combs’ legal issues have been heavily discussed for a while now, and he ultimately received a mixed verdict in his case. Despite all of that, not all public relations experts are convinced of the thought that Combs’ career is over. To that point, the star’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, recently told CBS Mornings that Combs was charting out a return to Madison Square Garden. While Agnifilo later walked back that comment a bit while talking to TMZ, he still suggested that the rapper would return to music at the right time.

An insider spoke to Radar Online about the “Finna Get Loose” performer’s apparent aspirations and alleged to the outlet that he is indeed ready to get back to work. However, it seems that notable names within the music industry aren’t too keen on getting into the studio with Diddy:

While the bulk of these assertions should be taken with a grain of salt right now, they would seemingly match up with past comments made by PR experts. Long before Sean Combs’ trial began, it was said that his famous friends were keeping their distance from him. A supposed music executive also spoke with Radar and doubled down on the notion of artists and companies wanting to avoid Combs:

There are still those, however, who have spoken in favor of the “Tell Me” rapper amid his legal woes. Kanye West notably called Combs while he was in prison to show his support, and West recently even worked with Combs’ son, Christian, on a song. Fellow rapper Ray J expressed support as well amid the trial, as he reasoned that the prosecutors didn’t have concrete facts to convict Sean on all charges.

Diddy is currently facing the possibility of serving significant prison time. His trial ended with him being convicted for a pair of transportation to engage in prostitution charges. Diddy was also acquitted, though, of sex-trafficking and racketeering (or RICO), which were the more severe offenses in the case. As of this writing, the Grammy winner is still incarcerated at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, where he’ll remain until his sentencing hearing on October 3. As for his career prospects, we’ll have to wait and see how that plays out.

Justin Bieber treated Hailey to a night out recently, according to Deuxmoi’s Instagram, which showed the couple arriving at the upscale Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi. Hailey Bieber sported a low-cut little black dress and sunglasses, while her husband went casual in a leather jacket over a blue hoodie with a white beanie and shades of his own. The caption that accompanied the photos read:

I love this so much. Justin Bieber has been a quote machine lately after a viral confrontation with paparazzi, in which he wished them a “not good morning” and accused them of just wanting “money, money, money, money, money.” His ensuing “standing on business” viral moment even made it onto his new album SWAG.

Go ahead and add, “Living life and eating pasta,” to that list of marketable quotes (honestly, The Biebs needs to be putting these musings on T-shirts), because fans were in full agreement, writing in the comments:

• I love this ahaha, so very them – kennadyprociuk
• He’s right 😂….Happiness is just carbs, sauce, and zero regrets on a plate. – ennyhistory
• Justin…. You aint wrong about the pasta hunni!!! – aliciadis

The quote sounds like exactly the kind of thing you say when life is good and you’ve got a belly full of pasta.

It’s nice to see Justin Bieber on this happy outing with his wife. It’s obvious from some of his social media activity this year that he’s struggled with his faith, and he even acknowledges on his new album — which Hailey Bieber allegedly had an impact on — that the couple have had their struggles. The song “Walking Away,” in particular, acknowledges “growing pains,” but basically says divorce was never on the table.

The couple — who married in 2018 and had their first baby Jack Blues Bieber last August — poured water on rumors that they were headed for a split when they were seen dancing at a festival in June. Then, Hailey Bieber went viral last month when she posted a pic of her and Justin making out at a party.

Hailey and Justin Bieber definitely seem to be in a good place lately, and you have to love that the singer’s latest viral quote stems from a night out with his lady and a bowl of carbs, rather than another negative encounter with the paparazzi. I’ll take another serving of that any day.

There’s a new guest being teased for the Kelce Brothers podcast and it’s almost too exciting to speculate about. As many know, Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce are the hosts of the popular New Heights podcast where they chat about sports, movies, pop culture and their lives. They’ve been lucky enough to attract some top tier A-list guests like Ben Affleck, Adam Sandler, and Brad Pitt. Now however they are hinting that the duo may be getting their biggest guest ever, Taylor Swift.

In a recent social media post on the official New Heights Instagram account, they teased their upcoming podcast guest. The post in question had a sparkly orange glitter background with the outline of their potential guest, which was clearly a female with their hair down. Also the image pictured the Kelce Brothers on the side of their mystery guest, and Jason is wearing a Taylor Swift shirt from her Eras Tour Merch line. It is the guest everyone has been waiting for, and it might actually be happening. You can see the post below:

Fans could not be more excited when this hit the internet. We’ve been excitedly waiting for Swift to be a guest for years now. It was on the podcast that Travis revealed he had a bit of a crush on the pop princess and participated in the Swiftie friendship bracelet trend by making her one with his phone number on it. While he never was able to get her the bracelet, it did spark a romance, and Swift and Kelce have been together ever since. The brothers reference her music all the time on the podcast,and the life they have been living together, but she has yet to make an appearance on his show. Of course, this is a pretty obvious teaser with a pretty clear conclusion, and fans could not be more hyped. They said:

• That’s 110% mother I can spot that outline from anywhere
• Episode on the 13th, Jason’s eras shirt, same orange background as Taylor Nation’s post…
• Are You Ready For It?…
• ITS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING ✨🧡🫶
• Oh ITS HAPPENING
• I really don’t appreciate being bullied on a Monday morning. If this isn’t blondie, I’m putting ya’ll in exile 😅

The whole thing is almost too exciting… especially with the orange glitter background on the post. For context, fans have been speculating about Taylor Swift releasing her 12th studio album for a while now, and things have almost been too quiet after she announced she now owns her discography. It’s a big rumor that the upcoming addition to her music catalog will have almost like an orange aesthetic, so this feels like it’s adding fuel to the fire. All of the clues are pointing to Swift possibly announcing her new album on the New Heights podcast which would be an unprecedented move, as the singer has historically used her own social media to announce projects or big award show wins. This would officially be stating that Kelce will be a part of her next professional chapter, which is a big deal.

All of this is almost too convenient, so as a loyal Swiftie myself, I’m staying cautiously optimistic about the upcoming podcast guests. Swift has teased fans before about potential albums or re-record releases that never materialize, so I’ll believe it when I see it. It’s still fun to think about though, as Swift has never done a podcast before and would make an incredible guest with her upbeat personality and candor. Also any opportunity to watch her chemistry with Kelce is a real treat. The New Height’s team still may just be teasing us to get people excited for their next episode, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

You can listen to the upcoming episode of New Heights, which releases on Wednesday at 7pm on Spotify. Fans of Taylor Swift looking forward to her next project should check out our feature on upcoming music for Swifties to look forward to.

To call Ted Lasso a massive hit might be underselling it a bit. The show was incredibly popular during its three-season run, arguably the single best reason to ever get an Apple TV+ subscription. Needless to say, a lot of people are excited that the show is coming back for Season 4.

We were routinely told by Jason Sudeikis and others during the show’s initial run, that it was originally conceived as a three-season show and that Ted Lasso would end at that point. An unnamed “insider” who recently spoke to the Star insists that it was always the case, at least at the time. The source claims…

The three seasons of Ted Lasso told a complete arc that certainly wrapped things up nicely for fans. There wasn’t a need for another season, which is not to say there weren’t people hoping it would happen.

It seems the fan reaction to Ted Lasso had a lot to do with Sudeikis’ decision to return, as the source says people were constantly asking him about the character. Eventually, he came around to the idea of continuing the story of Ted Lasso. While the source claims the star is getting paid a ton to return, he insists that’s not the reason he’s coming back. The source claims…

It seems that Ted is as important to Jason Sudeikis as he is to everybody else. That message of optimism that meant so much to the people watching the show is also important to the actor, so he wants to keep it going.

The process of making Ted Lasso Season 4 has been a long one, as all the stars had to be re-signed because no fourth season had been planned. It looks like almost everybody in the Ted Lasso cast will be back for the new season. Expectations will certainly be high, though it seems that if Jason Sudeikis may be trying to “prove himself” as a writer, he will be holding himself to a high standard as well. Ted Lasso Season 4 is currently in production.

Alien: Earth - August 12 (Hulu)

In the era of streaming, we have seen numerous theatrical franchises debut with high-profile TV series. This week, Alien brings its first series to everybody with a Hulu subscription. Alien: Earth, as the title implies, will see the Xenomorph wreaking havoc at home rather than in space. Sydney Chandler and Timothy Olyphant star in the new show from Noah Hawley.

Marvel’s Iron Man And His Awesome Friends - August 12 (Disney+)

If you have young kids and a Disney+ subscription, then I’m going to guess that you, like me, have watched more than your share of Spidey and His Amazing Friends. The good news, if you’ve watched every episode 100 times, is that a new production in the same vein as Marvel’s Iron Man and His Awesome Friends will make its Disney+ debut this week.

Fixed - August 13 (Netflix)

Coming off the incredible success of Kpop Demon Hunters, as well as other notable animated successes like Ultraman: Rising, and the films of Aardman Animations, animation fans should have a Netflix subscription. Netflix may have its next big animated movie in Fixed, the story of a dog who wants to have one last adventure before being neutered. It comes from the great Genndy Tartakovsky. This one looks to be more mature than Dexter’s Laboratory, but no less hilarious.

Sausage Party: Foodtopia, S2 - August 13 (Prime Video)

It’s entirely possible that there was once a raunchy adult animated movie about food called Sausage Party, and even if you remembered that, you probably forgot the film got a spinoff TV series, Sausage Party: Foodtopia. However, if you have a Prime Video subscription, you’ll discover that a second season of the show is arriving this week.

Limitless: Live Better Now - August 15 (Disney+)

It’s going to be a while before we get to see Chris Hemsworth as Thor again, but the man is certainly keeping himself busy ahead of Avengers: Doomsday. His NatGeo series Limitless returns this week with a new season that promises to reveal secrets to help people live better lives. I can’t imagine a better reason to watch a TV show.

Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical - August 15 (Apple TV+)

Peanuts has been one of the few franchises that you can watch with an Apple TV+ subscription, and in addition to the classic holiday specials, we’ve seen a steady increase of new animated productions starring Charlie Brown and the gang. The latest is the thing that every major series gets to eventually, the musical episode. Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical will see everybody going to camp and putting on a show.

If this week doesn’t have anything that excites you, don’t worry. The rest of August will still have shows and movies worth checking out, including he new season of Peacemaker, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, and more.

Khloé Kardashian took to Instagram to wish her “baby” a “happy, happy birthday.” “Kind,” “brilliant” and “hilarious” were among the adjectives Kardashian used to describe her sibling. In the comments, Kylie Jenner also shared a response, saying “I love you mommy, so much.” Kardashian’s carousel of photos shows her and Jenner living it up on the set of the latter’s photoshoot and hanging out during a meal. As sweet as those are, fans should really check out the photo that shows Kim vibing behind her siblings on the set:

To be fair, Kim Kardashian doesn’t actually look like she’s posing for the camera, but it’s too funny how the photographer just happened to catch her in such a position. Kardashian is quite photogenic, though, as she’s proven with the various pics she’s shared to social media over the years. She’s particularly skilled at taking bikini photos, which work out swimmingly. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun.) In short, though, whether she’s aware of the camera or not, Kardashian somehow manages to make a scene.

Her pitch-perfect photo bomb aside, the SKIMS founder did drop a few snapshots from Kylie Jenner’s photoshoot herself. On Instagram, the media personality shared a pair of pics which show her and Jenner palling around in between shots. Check out the post, which also includes a brief, but cute, caption:

The Kardashian-Jenners are historically not ones to let one of their birthdays go by without a celebration of sorts and/or a social media tribute. Earlier this summer, Kim shouted out Khloé with a bikini-centric post on Instagram. Also, who could forget the time that the sisters celebrated their mother, Kris, with a party at which they dressed up like her. As for Kylie’s 28th birthday, it seems like she really lived it up. Ahead of her big day, Kylie grabbed a pricey bottle of wine and, as seen in a post from her Instagram story, she had a big birthday cake:

What I now can’t help but wonder is whether any of these photoshoot shenanigans or birthday festivities will be featured on the next season of The Kardashians. That’s hard to say, at this point, but it’s certainly not impossible. After all, in the past such celebrations have been recorded for the famous family’s TV productions. Of course, at this point, it’s still unclear as to whether Season 7 of the aforementioned series will even be released as part of the 2025 TV schedule.

Regardless of the show’s status, it’s just sweet seeing such love shared amongst the celebrity siblings. It would also appear that Kylie Jenner enjoyed her special day. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to take one more look at Kim Kardashian’s vibe-exuding photobomb. While I do that, grab a Hulu subscription and stream all six seasons of The Kardashians.

Matalas took the stage with Picard actor Todd Stashwick (both are working on the upcoming Vision series for Marvel) at Star Trek's annual Las Vegas fan convention, and of course, attendees had questions about whether the code-named Legacy series is in the works. TrekMovie.com reported one fan bringing up Michelle Hurd's claims that the showrunner had typed up a 30-page manuscript for the potential series. Terry Matalas felt he had to clarify what Hurd had mentioned, and was quick to note that it wasn't exactly an official pitch that he would've offered up to Paramount+ execs. In his words:

I don't find that hard to believe, as Terry Matalas told CinemaBlend he was equally invested in seeing a follow-up happen as fans were at the time Star Trek: Picard was ending. I am a bit surprised to hear he had so much written out in advance, just in case executives were receptive to a pitch, to the point he had a plotline laid out.

The showrunner hinted that his document contained plans for what Seven of Nine's captain send-out phrase was going to be, as well as the general direction for where the plot would be headed. He wouldn't say exactly what was going to happen, but he did tease a popular species being involved, saying:

My hope is that he consulted Michael Dorn on the actor's plans for a Klingon series and they found some way to adapt that into a storyline, but I'm just spitballing here. I do find it interesting that Matalas wasn't willing to spill all the details on this hypothetical series, seemingly indicating he hasn't entirely shut the door on pitching it one day.

All this being said, Star Trek does not appear to be in a position to be hearing pitches at the moment. San Diego Comic-Con came and went with only announcements about projects we already knew to be happening. Gone are the days when Trekkies were enjoying five shows in one year, which was at one point the case with Discovery, Picard, Strange New Worlds, Lower Decks, and Prodigy all running at the same time.

It's also a weird time for Paramount, which only recently closed on its merger with Skydance. Once all the chips fall, it's possible pitches start rolling out again and getting greenlit, but who knows what can happen? Robert Picardo doesn't feel the merger will impact the franchise that much, so for now, I'm choosing to stick to that optimism and hope we hear more projects announced soon.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is streaming new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays. This season is definitely worth catching up on, whether or not you're also pushing for Picard follow-ups, so get on it!

And when Season 1 of Wednesday came out, LGBTQ+ fans started getting behind the idea of Wednesday Addams and her roommate Enid Sinclair (played by Emma Myers) perhaps starting a friendship that could blossom into romance. However, the ship known as “Wenclair” has just been shot down by its show creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. As Gough told Decider:

In the first season of Wednesday, its titular character had a couple of male love interests in Percy Hynes White’s Xavier and Hunter Doohan’s Tyler, but they weren’t really entertained much by Jenna Ortega’s character. Wednesday and Tyler end up going on a couple of dates and ultimately sharing a kiss, but once they lock lips, she immediately learns that she’s being courted by a murderous monster called a Hyde.

In terms of Xavier, which Season 1 seemed to leave open-ended for them, the actor was written off the show after sexual misconduct allegations.

As the series creators clarified in the new interview, their intentions are apparently strictly “friendship” when it comes to Wednesday and Enid. The two young women become roommates in the first season, and they have a sweet storyline about becoming friends despite being opposites. As Millar also added:

The internet has been flooded with posts loving Wednesday and Enid since the series came out, but these new comments will certainly be a disappointment for LGBTQ+ fans who were rooting for the relationship to be a romance.

Of course, there’s been a lot of character pairings of this nature in the past, from Finn and Poe in Star Wars to Steve and Bucky in the MCU to Betty and Veronica in Riverdale. For now, it sounds like Wenclair will have to remain the subject of fan art, fanfics and such.

You can see Wednesday and Enid in Season 2 of Wednesday, which is now streaming with a Netflix subscription. Part 1 is available now, and Part 2 will premiere on September 3.

The oldest sister of the Kardashian-Jenner family shared images to Instagram from the vacation that she, husband Travis Barker and at least some of their seven combined children took to Idaho. It looks like they enjoyed some gorgeous scenery, had some fun on the water and ate some delicious food. Check out the post for yourself:

Just as fans are often quick to call out Kim Kardashian for her photoshop fails — even when she hastily pulls them from her posts — Kourtney’s followers immediately noticed the lack of editing on her family vacay pics. That prompted them to hit the comment section to compliment Kourtney for sharing her real swimsuit body. Social media user heytoriscott wrote:

That person wasn’t the only one praising the star of The Kardashians (whose seventh season will likely premiere later on the 2025 TV schedule and is available to stream with a Hulu subscription). Several other fans echoed the one above in supporting Kourtney for being so real. They commented:

• She’s always been my fav the realest the deepest – _sosoluv_
• So refreshing to see real, unedited pics. That’s what a woman looks like 🙌 – etcetcetc91
• I love that you post unfiltered! So comfortable in who you are because you’re loved right. – laurasdawkins_
• Nice to see a KARDASHIAN without all the filters and unrealistic photos of what life is. Love how real Kourtney is 🥰 – b_e_s_s_y__
• Love how your just real with your body , no bullshit , just a normal woman’s body – andreabturley
• The only REAL Kardashian! Love you Kourtney and kudos for not falling into all the plastic – triciarossi
• Unfiltered, chill, beautiful... girl we Love to see you happy! 🌼✨🤍 – darlingbeatrix

Going against the family norm by not photoshopping her vacation pictures to death seems to be the latest indication that Kourtney Kardashian is allegedly distancing herself from her famous family. Rumors have circulated that after giving birth to Rocky — her and Travis Barker’s first child together — in 2023, her priorities have shifted.

These days she’s allegedly way more concerned about her and her husband’s seven children than getting glammed up for television. In addition to Rocky, Kourtney Kardashian shares three children with Scott Disick — Mason, Penelope and Reign — while Travis Barker shares two children with Shanna Moakler — Alabama and Landon — as well as Atiana, Moakler’s daughter with Oscar De La Hoya.

Kourtney Kardashian also allegedly thinks her younger sisters would be happier, too, if they were less concerned with fame — an attitude that Kim Kardashian reportedly doesn’t understand. Sources say the siblings have “constant fights” over it, with Kim supposedly thinking that Kourtney is hypocritical for wanting to step away from the family’s reality show, since that’s what afforded her such a lavish lifestyle.

We’ll have to see what the future holds for The Kardashians on TV. That aside, though, it seems the fans have spoken, and they’re loving this more “real” look from Kourtney.

It's not uncommon for medical dramas to welcome guest stars in a variety of roles. When it specifically comes to The Pitt, it's hard not to wonder about potential ER alums showing up. That's not only because of Wyle's involvement but also because the HBO Max series is produced by R. Scott Gemmill and John Wells, who served in those capacities on ER. Wyle spoke to Variety about the possibility of his former co-stars dropping into his new show, saying "never say never." Yet he also brought up one concern about bringing on A-listers:

That makes sense. The Pitt has been praised for its accurate portrayal of the healthcare system, even from Noah Wyle’s own mother, who was a nurse. Having someone like George Clooney, for instance, guest star on the show, even for a brief cameo, could definitely distract people from the actual story and portrayal of the healthcare system. While that’s not to say that it won’t ever happen, Wyle went on to explain the approach the crew has to casting talent for the show:

Even without the major star power, The Pitt has been doing very well, I'd say. It quickly became a hit with viewers, and I'm now eager to see if any of the show's 2025 Emmy Award nominations will translate into wins. Of course, it would be fun to see Noah Wyle reunite with some of his former co-stars, regardless of who they play. I'd like to think that fans would be hyped over appearances from Anthony Edwards or Eriq La Salle.

Nevertheless, I still admire the creative team for sticking to their commitment to maintain realism on the show, even if that means not adding many high-profile guest stars. Plus, The Pitt’s cast is already filled with talented veteran actors and fresh talent like Bryan Cranston's daughter, Taylor Dearden, who plays Mel. So, even without guest stars, viewers aren't really left wanting.

I'm eager to learn more details about the second season of The Pitt. Right now, it's hard to say what lies ahead but, if this Fourth of July weekend storyline is as intense as the first season's storytelling, then fans are in for a compelling and stressful ride.

Ali Larter has always been very loud and proud about her love for Landman. Her Instagram is full of BTS and still images from the series, and her latest post might be my favorite so far. Uploading two images seemingly taken at sunset, the actress wrote about her gratitude for this Taylor Sheridan series and how proud she is of this upcoming season. Take a look:

Alright, let’s break this down. First of all, I adore how she used her caption to praise the cast and crew. As she stated, their “time, effort, love, laughter and dedication” is what makes Landman “so special.”

Next, let’s take a moment to appreciate these images. Landman is filmed in Texas, which can be tough in the summer with the heat, but it is also gorgeous. Larter’s photos proved that. The first image, with the blazing orange sun, is absolutely stunning, and I adore her cute outfit that includes jeans and a simple white tank. Meanwhile, the second photo shows presumably her and maybe Billy Bob Thornton, who plays her on-screen husband Tommy Norris, standing together with the sun behind them.

They’re gorgeous images, and they feel like such a great companion to the sentimental caption the Final Destination actress wrote.

Fans were thrilled about this post, too, as they took to the comments to post messages like:

• Can't wait! -sinisi2012
• Can’t wait! Best cast ever! -thekelleycate
• I LOVE Angela 😍🔥👏 -jessclark7
• Can’t wait!! We love this show and the Cast ❤️❤️-mich451927
• 👏👏👏 -Brooklyn Decker

The common reaction in the comments was about how fans can’t wait for Season 2, and I’m right there with them.

For starters, Sam Elliott is joining the series, marking another very famous actor to star in a Taylor Sheridan show. Not only that, but it will mark his second series with the mega producer, as he led the Yellowstone prequel 1883, in which Billy Bob Thornton also had a cameo in. So, his involvement in the oil drama is very, very exciting.

Also, in the Season 1 finale of Landman, Andy Garcia’s cartel leader, Gallino, finally made his appearance, and we’ve been hoping that he’ll play a much bigger role in Season 2. I’m hopeful that Demi Moore’s Cami will play a bigger part in the new episodes, too, after playing a shockingly small role in Season 1.

I'm looking forward to seeing how Tommy and Angela’s ever-dramatic relationship evolves as well, while their kids figure out their place in the family and the family business.

So, all around this post from Larter is getting me hyped for what’s to come, and hopefully, we get to watch it on the 2025 TV schedule too. However, a release date is not confirmed, but I would guess it could come out at the end of this year or early 2026, considering that’s when Season 1 was released.

All that is to say, I’m thrilled about what’s to come, and Larter’s post about wrapping up filming upped the excitement tenfold. So, let’s get ready to return to Texas.

If you’ve been following Netflix’s Top 10 charts, some pretty big titles in 2025 movies have topped the roster. Both Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Destination Wedding and Adam Sandler’s fan pleasing Happy Gilmore 2 shot to the top upon release, only to eventually see Netflix's record setting KPop Demon Hunters once again become head of the pack.

With recent reports that Sony Pictures Animation and the streaming studio are looking to expand with a stage show and sequels, this is good news for Huntr/x fans worldwide. Thanks to KPop’s obsession-worthy deleted scenes, there’s already story beats fans are hoping will be integrated into the fold. I think one above all others is the most important, and no, I’m not talking about Rumi and Jinu’s aquarium date.

KPop Demon Hunters’ Sequels Need To Address Celine’s Role In Rumi’s Life

Thanks to a recent story by The Wrap, sequel mania has kicked into overdrive throughout the KPop Demon Hunters fandom. That plan includes, among other things, two sequel movies. One of those could offer an opportunity to dive into the fractured relationship between Rumi (Arden Cho) and her aunt Celine (Yunjin Kim). Especially because, according to some deleted scenes and details released online, we learn that Celine killed her own sister.

Yes, Celine Killed Rumi’s Mother (With Caveats)

There’s not a lot said about Rumi’s mother and father, namely how they died. All we know is that they died in their daughter’s younger years, leaving Rumi's mother's sister Celine (fellow demon hunter/member of The Sunshine Sisters) to care for her.

However, visual development artist Simon Baek shared some unrealized work from the project on Instagram. A piece of particular interest, shown below, provides insight that even Netflix subscription holders didn’t get:

Celine’s “guilt” indicated in one of the slides, to me, feels like it harkens back to this excised flashback, in which we learn that she (presumably) killed Rumi’s parents. The plot continues to thicken in the material seen below from this supposedly scrubbed post from Mr. Baek a fan managed to capture:

Just in case that disappears, KPop Demon Hunters had a moment where Rumi flat out asks Celine why she’d kill her mother? Accompanying that image was this comment, again from Simon Baek:

Rumi and Celine’s relationship needs to be explored more in KPop’s potential sequels, especially with this “accidental” death in the air. However, movies such as this take time, so we’re not getting KPop Demon Hunters 2: Jinu’s Return anytime soon. As luck would have it, there’s another storytelling engine Netflix and Sony are considering that could, at the very least, help deliver more context to this story.

KPop Demon Hunters’ Early Sequel Talks Have Already Opened A Door To Making This Happen

Per the report cited above that lays out KPop Demon Hunters’ potentially bright and beautiful future, there’s a type of project that shows great potential in filling in some of these gaps. With co-writers/directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans sharing some pretty ambitious plans from the start, the story of this would-be franchise has plenty of corners left to explore. Which makes this last note on KPop’s future most exciting:

Seeing as Celine and Rumi’s relationship has scenes that were already written and boarded, KPop Demon Hunters has its first potential test case for the shorts formula. Alas, all of this is still pretty up in the air. So if you want to help push for that sequel, you can keep watching the original - only on Netflix.

Sean “Diddy” Combs is awaiting sentencing in the aftermath of his New York-based trial, which concluded with him receiving a mixed verdict. Ahead of the hearing, the 55-year-old Grammy winner was denied bail multiple times and, as a result, he remains in prison. The general public has received a bit of insight into what Diddy’s life has been like behind bars, mostly courtesy of his legal team. One of Combs’ chief attorneys is now providing further details on how he’s been trying to remain productive as he remains incarcerated.

What Has Sean Combs Been Up To In Prison?

The “Tell Me” performer is currently housed in the Metropolitan Detention Center, which is located in Brooklyn. Diddy was taken there following his arrest in September 2024 and, since then, he’s had limited access to the outside world. Marc Agnifilo, who’s spoken about Diddy’s jail prison stint on multiple occasions, spoke to Variety and shared new details about his clients activities in the pen. Per Agnifilo, the rapper has been engaging in a lot of personal time, but he’s apparently he’s also been seeking to help out his fellow inmates:

Among those men and women are some notable inmates, including suspected murderer Luigi Mangione. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has also been doing time with Diddy, who he says has been “kind” to him. Despite that, it doesn’t sound like the Sean John magnate has been "socializing" all that much since he’s been locked up. Marc Agnifilo weighed in on Diddy having become more solitary while also being instrumental in his own court case:

Needless to say, Sean Combs is facing a reality that’s significantly different from what he’s accustomed to. Details that have been shared since he arrived at the MDC would also suggest that Combs’ stint has been somewhat rough.

What Else Has Been Said About Diddy’s Stay In Prison?

Former inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center have spoken about their own experiences at the penitentiary and, supposedly, it’s “the worst.” The ex-cons described the prison as “disgusting” and unsafe, with claims of rats also having been made. As for Diddy, the condition of the building itself apparently hasn’t been the most challenging part of his stay. Marc Agnifilo previously said that the “roughest” part of prison for his client was the food he had been served.

Vittles aside, there are reportedly opportunities for Sean Combs to exercise within the facility. He also has minimal access to a laptop, yet he cannot use the Wi-Fi. Another amenity that Combs doesn’t have access to behind bars is hair dye, which is why he’s seemingly gone gray so quickly. On top of all that, though, one of the “horrible” things the star has struggled with while being in prison is not being able to go outside.

With Diddy’s bail attempts having been shut down, it seems he’ll likely have to remain in prison for the time being. The rapper was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and acquitted on charges related to racketeering (RICO) and sex trafficking. Sentencing is set to take place on October 3.

Fans can officially buy tickets to see KPop Demon Hunters at select theaters across the country, which include options from chains like Regal, Cinemark and more for showings on August 23 and 24 right now, as Polygon noticed. The movie is getting a “sing-along event” where fans will be able to experience all of the hits from fictional K-pop bands HUNTR/X and Saja Boys with fellow fans who have been memorizing the lyrics to the chart-topping soundtrack over the past two months.

KPop Demon Hunters Is Heading To Theaters Later This Month

But here’s the catch I want to warn fans about: The movie is only playing in select theaters during that weekend, and each theater in New York City, for example (via Fandango), only has a couple of showtimes on each day to fill theaters. In other words, you’re going to want to get your tickets ASAP if you want to experience the movie on the big screen. Oh, and it’s kind of a bummer for people who have a subscription for AMC A-List, for example, because the event hasn’t been announced for that chain of theaters at the time of this writing.

The event is certainly an exciting development after we’ve spoken before about how we wish KPop Demon Hunters had gone to theaters in the first place, given how much of a success it has been. The Sony Animation movie was sent straight to streaming as part of the studio’s ongoing partnership with Netflix. Now that the movie has become a phenomenon on streaming, fans will have the ability to get outside and enjoy the gorgeous animation and infectious songs in a theater full of other people.

The Chart-Topping Success Of KPop Demon Hunters So Far

The records KPop Demon Hunters has hit since its release include becoming the first Netflix film to ever reach a new viewing peak in its fifth week. The movie is the fourth biggest English-language Netflix movie ever, and the most successful original animated movie to debut on the streaming service. Additionally, its music has become the highest-charting soundtrack of the year, per Billboard. “Golden” is currently at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, with most of the soundtrack on the list as well.

After we’ve been thinking about what a sequel could explore, it was recently announced that Netflix is currently working to turn the animated film into a trilogy, along with talk of a live-action movie and a stage musical. It’s no wonder there’s been so much going on for the movie, including viral videos like Stitch dancing to the soundtrack, given all its success.

So, now, if you’ve been hoping to see the movie on the big screen, now’s your chance, and I wouldn’t wait to snag your tickets!

This conversation all started because the hosts of 96.5 The Fan’s Fescoe & Dusty asked Andy Reid what his favorite Taylor Swift song was. He, fittingly, said he owns the Red album, and boasted about knowing the pop star and her family from his days in Pennsylvania. He also noted that she’s wickedly famous, and he said she might be the most famous person in the world, alongside the late queen.

With that in mind, Reid explained that she handles fame “the right way,” which led to a question about what Kelce and Swift’s relationship has been like for him. In response, the coach said:

Now, back when Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship began, there were criticisms that the NFL was “overdoing” its coverage of the couple. However, it’s also indisputably had a positive impact too.

Patrick Mahomes nodded to the idea that Swift’s presence has increased revenue and buzz for the Chiefs. The Kelce Brothers reacted to the pop star potentially helping boost their jersey sales. And last year, there were more ads for women aired during the Super Bowl. One of the hosts of this radio show also explained that his daughters are interested in football now because of Swift, which is a sentiment that’s been shared time and time again over the last few seasons.

To that point, Andy Reid explained that he thinks Swift and Kelce’s relationship is “beautiful” all around, explaining:

There’s no question that the attention on Swift and Kelce has to be overwhelming. However, seemingly, they handle it very well. And they’ve done a good job of keeping what they want kept private, private.

To that point, Reid continued to speak about being consistently asked about whether this relationship is a distraction. To those critics, he says:

All around, Andy Reid is a Tayvis shipper and supporter, and I love that for him as well as Swift and Kelce.

Now, as the football season gets ready to kick into high gear, I can’t wait to see them all at the games. I’m sure Swift will turn more epic gameday fits and cheer on Kelce from a suite, while he and Reid work to be the best at the game.

In the second Percy Jackson book, Sea of Monsters, the son of Poseidon is supposed to be 13 years old, but ahead of the Season 2 premiere, Walker Scobell has already turned 16. Fans have already been noticing and commenting lately about the actor growing up so quickly… perhaps too quickly. With that in mind, I’m happy to learn that Season 3 has already started production. Check out the official announcement:

The Percy Jackson X account (formerly known as Twitter) celebrated the next season of the show already being underway following Season 2 wrapping production reportedly earlier this year, per author and executive producer Rick Riordan’s comments on Bluesky in February. It’s a great move that allows Walker Scobell and his other young castmates to be more in sync with the books given the third book; he and Percy are just a year apart. It’s also especially exciting because no one has ever adapted the third book, The Titan’s Curse, before.

As the announcement was made on social media, fans only doubled down on their comments about Walker Scobell already looking rather mature. Just look at this one:

The comments certainly come from the heart. It’s rare to have a TV show like this where fans can grow up alongside the cast, and it’s precious to watch Walker Scobell and his castmates go from being child actors to teenagers, and in just a few years adults. Here’s some more fan reactions:

• “this kid grows by two years in each new pic i see of him” - @decelcomania
• “he’s grown so much he was just a baby” - @moovnstar
• “s3 in production before s2 releases we’re in the good place" - @wisegirldrew
• "They’re being smart about this!! Get these kids shooting these seasons while they’re still young enough to play the characters believably unlike these other shows" - @CarlisleThe2nd

Scobell very much looks his age, but you can see the resounding shock from audiences to notice the actor becoming a teen. Other comments are applauding the series for moving swiftly to the next season so the characters can remain relatively age appropriate to the books.

CinemaBlend recently caught up with the cast of Percy Jackson at San Diego Comic-Con, and asked the trio what advice they’d give to the new Harry Potter kids, who we’ll also see grow up in front of our eyes. Scobell’s main message was to “stay confident” whereas the actress behind Annabeth, Leah Jeffries, suggested they remain “strong” through the process. Aryan Simhadri said “the biggest thing that you can say to your audience is going to be through your work” and suggested they stay focused on that rather than the outside noise.

As Percy Jackson and the Olympians gets cracking on Season 3, you can get ready for Season 2 by checking out what new characters we’re looking forward to ahead of its premiere on December 10.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Dexter: Resurrection episode "Cats and Mouse." Stream it with a Paramount+ subscription and read at your own risk!

Just when I think Dexter: Resurrection's storyline can't get any more complex, the Paramount+ series threw a curveball in the latest episode. After writing in recent weeks that I feared the series was blazing through writing off its all-star cast by having Dex take out the serial killers in the club as quickly as possible, we're now given a twist that has me questioning just how much longer the Bay Harbor Butcher can keep hunting.

As Angel Batista and the New York detectives start to get on the trail of what may be a larger conspiracy, Dexter was caught off guard by a surprise he hadn't expected about one of the killers in his circle. To be quite honest, I was caught off guard by the latest reveal by David Dastmalchian's Gareth, a.k.a the Gemini Killer, and I feel kind of silly I didn't think about it sooner.

Gareth The Gemini Killer Is A Twin

After killing Lowell and getting Mia arrested, Dexter Morgan was ready to hunt down the biggest dog of them all. The Gemini Killer is the most prolific and famous killer in Leon Prater's group, aside from Dexter still operating under his alias "Red." After initially being caught off-guard in his apartment by Gareth when he was caught snooping on him at a bookstore, Dexter ended up getting the upper hand and ending the Gemini Killer, or so he thought.

The next day, Dexter showed up for a helicopter ride at Prater's request, admittedly nervous he and his scary assistant Charley would start to suspect the killers going missing wasn't random. Fortunately, and unfortunately, they didn't seem to suspect a thing as Gareth showed up for the flight. As everyone proceeded as normal, Dexter internally panicked, realizing the Gemini Killer was not a fan of the Zodiac, but was actually a twin.

How Will Dexter Manage To Avoid Being Discovered By Prater?

One would imagine that Gareth is aware his twin brother is missing, and that he might've paid a visit to "Red" before he lost contact with him. Dexter: Resurrection only just revealed this twist, so we don't really know how much Prater knows about The Gemini Killer and this big surprise. It's possible that, due to their vanity, Gareth has lived as one person, not wanting to diminish his celebrity should anyone find out The Gemini Killer is two people instead of one.

Whatever the case may be, I can't help but wonder if Leon Prater is quietly onto "Red" already. Sending Charley to check his home after Lowell and Mia were taken out screams paranoia, and he's obsessed with serial killers. He even has James Doakes' blood slides, so he may already suspect he's in the presence of the true Bay Harbor Butcher.

All the while, Angel Batista is on fire in tracking Dexter's every move, even if he doesn't 100% know it yet. I guess their friendship, tracing back to Dexter: Original Sin, is paying off, or he became a much greater detective in the decades since the original series ended. I'm not ruling out this season ending with Dexter finally getting sent to prison, as he seems to be up against some powerful figures in law enforcement who will take him down.

Dexter: Resurrection is firing on all cylinders, so catch new episodes on Fridays on Paramount+ or on Sunday for those with Showtime. As of writing, I'd already put this season at the top of our Dexter ranking list, assuming we're not keeping this series separate from the original run.

20 years ago, Star Trek: Enterprise came to a (rather disappointing) end after four seasons, and with that also concluded the Star Trek TV run that had been going since The Next Generation premiered in 1987. But the franchise has been going strong again on the small screen front since 2017 for those with a Paramount+ subscription, with Strange New Worlds Season 3 currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule and Starfleet Academy dropping sometime next year. Now it turns out that Scott Bakula, who starred as Jonathan Archer in Enterprise, is helping put together a follow-up series for his character that sounds intriguing.

Enterprise producer Michael Sussman, who also wrote 22 episodes in the series, informed TrekMovie that he first thought of an idea to revisit Archer around the time Star Trek: Picard Season 3 was ending. Sussamn joked in an email with Bakula about when they’ll “see Star Trek: Archer on Paramount+,” then realized there was an actual nugget of an idea there. Specifically, Sussman and Bakula are keen to explore Archer’s tenure as president of the United Federation of Planets, and they want this show to have the same kind of mature tone that the Star Wars series Andor had. As Sussman put it:

The premise for this potential show originates from the Enterprise episode “A Mirror Darkly Part II,” where the evil Mirror Universe read information about his Prime Universe counterpart found in the database of the USS Defiant, a Prime Universe ship previously seen the Original Series episode “The Tholian Web” that had been sent back in time. There was a graphic showing that Archer entered the political life after retiring as an admiral in Starfleet and eventually achieved his presidential position in the Federation, which founded six years after the main events of Enterprise, as seen in the controversial series finale. Well, it turns out it was Michael Sussman himself who came up with this piece of trivia.

Sussman and Scott Bakula are calling this series Star Trek: United, with the former also comparing it to shows like The West Wing, Homeland and The Diplomat. Upon getting Bakula’s approval, Sussman took his “high-level overview” of United to Secret Hideout, the production company run by Alex Kurtzman, who’s been overseeing the Star Trek franchise’s TV side. The meeting apparently went well, and Sussman had been preparing a follow-up pitch going over “a pilot story, character arcs, and episode ideas.”

However, Secret Hideout and Paramount decided not to move forward with further development on the idea, and Michael Sussman and Scott Bakula have gone on to work on a non-Star Trek project together. Following Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount, Sussman is hopeful that he and Bakula can re-pitch Star Trek: United to the new regime. There was even a point where they decided to move the show’s setting from Earth to the planet Babel in order to thematically differentiate itself from Starfleet Academy, though it’s unclear if that change stuck.

While Star Trek: Enterprise is by no means my favorite of the franchise’s shows, I did like Scott Bakula’s portrayal of Jonathan Archer, and Star Trek: United sounds like a good way to catch up with him in a different kind of environment putting his political savvy to good use. If the day comes that United is added to the list of upcoming Star Trek TV shows, count on CinemaBlend to pass that news along.

Spoiler alert! This story discusses the first six episodes of Perfect Match Season 3, which are available to stream with a Netflix subscription if you’re not caught up.

I think it’s safe to say that most of us don’t like having the endings to movies, TV shows or books spoiled. Personally, I avoid spoilers as much as possible, but there’s also something to the theory that if you know what happens beforehand, you know what to pay attention to. Whichever side you fall on, Netflix didn’t really give us a choice with Perfect Match Season 3, currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule.

Months ahead of Perfect Match's release, it was revealed that Amber Desiree “AD” Smith from Love Is Blind Season 6 and Ollie Sutherland from Love Is Blind UK Season 1 had not only met and coupled up on the upcoming Netflix series (which filmed in September 2024), but that they were still together. I didn’t understand why the streamer would do this, but after watching the first six episodes, I actually think knowing the spoiler is making the watch more enjoyable.

AD And Ollie’s Relationship Was Revealed On Love Is Blind Season 8 Reunion

This season of Perfect Match pulls former reality TV contestants from multiple shows from both within the Netflix Reality Universe — like The Ultimatum and Too Hot to Handle — and outside of it, dipping into the past casts of shows like Love Island and even The Bachelor. However, it’s especially a blast to watch if you’re a fan of Love Is Blind, and back in March, Netflix couldn’t help but give that audience a taste of what was to come.

During the Love Is Blind Season 8 reunion, AD Smith and Ollie Sutherland made their debut, announcing then and there that they’d gotten engaged after falling in love on a show we had not yet had the opportunity to see. Ollie said:

If it wasn’t surprising enough that these two reality TV contestants from different countries had met on a different reality show and gotten engaged, just a couple of months later in May, AD and Ollie announced they were expecting a child together! So now that Perfect Match Season 3 has finally arrived, does knowing all of this take some of the suspense out of the current episodes? Absolutely not.

We’re Getting To See How AD And Ollie’s Love Story Developed

Knowing that Ollie Sutherland and AD Smith are endgame has really only made the viewing experience better, at least through the first six episodes. When the two Love Is Blind contestants hit it off immediately, there was definitely a sense of, “Oh my god, it’s happening!” Their chemistry was instantaneous and undeniable, and it wasn’t long before Ollie was telling AD that he felt closer to her than he had with his fiancée on Love Is Blind UK.

(To refresh our memories, Ollie Sutherland got engaged to Demi Brown, who said, “I do not, for now,” at their wedding. AD Smith, meanwhile, was engaged to Clay Gravesande, and while she said “I do” at the altar, he did not.)

Knowing from the beginning that AD and Ollie make it out of Perfect Match together (or at least that they end up together when it’s all over) allows us to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Knowing They End Up Together Has Made Some Parts Of Perfect Match Less Stressful

If AD and Ollie’s ending weren’t spoiled for me, I’m not sure I’d believe this is a relationship that works out. Despite the connection between the two being nothing short of electric, it also seems obvious that Ollie went on Perfect Match looking for a good time. So it’s actually pretty fun to see him catch feelings so fast and get a bit territorial.

Knowing they’re together also allows me to find the humor in situations that would otherwise have me worrying about the couple. When AD and Ollie got to go to the boardroom, it was hilarious to see her call him out for wanting to bring in Alex Zamora from Temptation Island.

Then, AD got sent on a date with The Ultimatum alum J.R. Warren, and while we got to see Ollie sweat a little bit when they came back holding hands, I was never stressed out about who she’d end up matching with that night. However, when it was Ollie’s turn to go on a date, that tension came flooding back.

Some Parts Of Perfect Match Are More Stressful Because The Stakes Feel Higher

AD’s little flirtations with J.R. and any other guy on Perfect Match felt frivolous to me, because I know how it all turns out. However, Episode 6 “Double Trouble” made me realize just how high the stakes are for the couple. After Ollie and AD were picked as the strongest match, Ollie was sent on a date with two bombshells, while AD was sent home. EXCUSE ME????

I was practically as inconsolable as AD, because this was not the love story I was promised back in March. What do you mean she has to leave? Ollie looked pretty broken up about having to say goodbye to her too … until he realized he’d be going on a date with both Justine Joy Ndiba from Love Island USA and Olivia Rae from Temptation Island.

Ollie looked like a kid in a candy shop, and I absolutely hated watching him flirt and hold hands with these women. It was especially painful to hear him talk to Justine about having children, theorizing with her if they’d want boys or girls. If I was nauseous watching that, I can’t imagine AD was too thrilled.

Luckily, AD returned as one of the “singles” for the mixer at the end of Episode 6, reuniting her with Ollie. If the previews are any indication, things may get worse for them before they get better.

Having Their Relationship Spoiled Doesn’t Ruin The Experience At All

Even if AD Smith and Ollie Sutherland were the only couple on this show, knowing that they will go on to get engaged and have a baby has not ruined my experience. Perfect Match is chock-full of other couples and wonderful drama that hasn’t been spoiled. We also don’t know which couple will pull out the win in the end, so even if you are staunchly against spoilers, there’s still plenty to enjoy.

Now, with AD due to give birth to her and Ollie’s baby in November and the couple planning to get married by the end of the year, Perfect Match has restored my faith in reality dating shows by proving that they can both be entertaining and actually form lasting connections. So I’d say that having this relationship spoiled has definitely not ruined the viewing experience and actually made it even better.

Episodes 7-9 are available to stream on Netflix now, with the finale dropping Friday, August 15.

Colson Baker, better known as Machine Gun Kelly, is a big character and Grammy-nominated musician. Fans are gearing up for a new album, while he continues making headlines while coparenting with Megan Fox. MGK recently spoke about performing at the Super Bowl as the Chiefs lost, and the lesson he learned after hanging out with Taylor Swift in Travis Kelce's suite.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are a hot couple, and the public is invested in their relationship. The "Shake It Off" singer regularly went viral while attending the Chiefs' games, and MGK was there to perform at the Super Bowl when the team ended up losing the Big Game. In an interview with ABC about his new album, the rock star gave a warning to musicians who might be thinking about a similar gig. In his words:

Yikes. While Machine Gun Kelly was hyped to hang with his friends and the Chiefs and perform at such a big venue, it ended being a less-than-ideal scenario. Because just like fans, he saw the writing on the wall when the NFL team started losing that infamous game. But he still had to stick around to perform at the event.

Later in the same interview, MGK offered more details about how things went on the day of his Super Bowl performance. At the start, everyone was hyped about the game and his show, including Taylor Swift herself. As he shared:

What a bummer. Clearly, this night didn't go the way that any of them were hoping. That includes Swift, who was booed when she appeared on the screen during the game. She was hyped to see MGK perform, although things changed when the Kansas City Chiefs were predicted to lose the game.

The "Alice in Wonderland" singer went on to share how Swift reacted when he asked if she was sticking around after the Super Bowl. Per his memory, she responded:

It sounds like Machine Gun Kelly learned a lesson about taking on certain gigs, especially when his friends and live sports are involved. But at least he got a great story out of it!

Machine Gun Kelly's new album Lost Americana is available now. He's also got a few acting projects lined up, although they're not expected on the 2025 movie release list. We'll just have to see what comes next for the multihyphenate.

I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting going into this Netflix subscription-exclusive offering. As someone who considers herself a book girl, I always love a good romance like this one, but I think I was expecting a little more. Either way, there was one character I actually ended up loving more than the main ones. I'm here to talk about them and why they were actually the best part of the film.

The Movie Itself Is Enjoyable

First off, this isn’t going to be an article about me hating on the movie because I did enjoy it in retrospect. I watched it from beginning to end and even had a couple of tearjerker moments at the end. I won’t say what happens if you haven’t seen it or read the book, but it’s a decent one that certainly hits notable beats with couples.

But when I went into this, I was expecting a little more of the classic enemies-to-lovers arc that I was used to before. I wasn't expecting them to have a knife at their throats and want to kill each other like in most romance/fantasies that I've read, but they didn’t start on the best foot. It felt like in the movie, they fell for each other very quickly, whereas in the book, felt a little more realistic. There's also the idea of student-teacher relationships which isn't necessarily alright in any sense.

Because of that, it usually makes me believe the love story just a little less. However, they had good chemistry. Sofia Carson was great (as always) as Anna, and Corey Mylchreest was great as her co-partner, Jamie. But I’ve been a fan of his since his part in the Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story cast.

Even so, there’s one other character who I absolutely adored – and I began to realize just why exactly.

However, Harry Trevaldwyn Was The Scene-Stealer

I could not get enough of Harry Trevaldwyn. Oh my god, he was hysterical. In My Oxford Year, the actor plays Charlie Butler, a fellow student in the graduate program that Anna is attending and someone who makes himself known to her on her first day. In fact, he makes himself known by commenting on her shoes and saying how terrible they were.

Yeah, what a way to start a friendship.

But over time, he did end up having some hilarious scenes and moments that made me chuckle. I think it was just the fact that he was so blatantly honest in his delivery, whether it was how he felt about Anna’s choices surrounding Jamie,, how he thought about a specific costume, or how he felt about relationships. I just wanted to be his friend.

He Really Brought Anna's Whole Oxford Friend Group Together And Was Hilarious

There’s always this sort of struggle when you’re first traveling to a new place to find friends. I think anyone who has gone to college has experienced that sort of nervousness where we don’t really know where to start to see our group. Charlie was that opening for Anna, who, in all honesty, was in an entirely different country and needed those companions to help her.

Charlie, being not only her friend, but her neighbor at Oxford (in his room, of course), was something that really tied her friend group together. From there, they just blossomed. I know that the main idea of the story was obviously the relationship between Anna and Jamie. As I said, there was no denying their chemistry, even if it wasn't entirely believable.

However, watching Anna’s friends also find love was something I didn’t know I needed. Well, maybe not as intensely as Anna and Jamie, but it was still there. The best part of that was Charlie and how he actually did end up going on a date by the end of the film, despite not having any faith in relationships. I think being in this friend group with Anna brought him back around to the idea of it.

Sometimes there are just movies where not only the romance is nailed, but the friend group is as well. This was one of those because I really enjoyed their presence on screen, especially Charlie. And, of course, there was watching him and Anna grow closer as friends when at first, he believed her shoes to be horrible. Now that’s the kind of friend I want.

With The Actor's Appearance In How To Train Your Dragon, I Think We Might End Up Seeing More Of Him

It was funny because, as I was watching this film, I started to realize that I had seen Trevaldwyn before. When I looked him up, I snapped my fingers upon realization of what it was. He was in the How to Train Your Dragon live-action cast, where he played Tuffnut; who, arguably, was one of the best side-characters in the live-action and one I really liked.

While there’s no official cast confirmed for the upcoming How To Train Your Dragon 2, there are plenty of ppeople fans can expect to see, and I’m sure Trevaldwyn is one of them in a return as Tuffnut. But honestly, this makes me even more excited for the sequel, as it means I’ll be able to see him again.

If it’s not in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, it’ll probably be on some other streaming project. Trevaldwyn has appeared in different projects from the streaming platform, including The Bubble, and he also held a role in the Amazon Prime series Ten Percent. So it’s not like he hasn’t appeared in other things.

Honestly, I’m pleased about My Oxford Year. While I don’t think it was the best romantic comedy movie I’ve ever seen in my life, it introduced me to the range that Trevaldwyn has and that he’s been in a lot more stuff than I thought he was. Now I have more movies and TV shows to look forward to.

If you haven’t seen My Oxford Year, I would highly suggest it if you want a lovely palette-cleanser film for an afternoon, and if you want to laugh your butt off at Trevaldwyn’s delivery. Because I can assure you, you won’t be let down.

Over the past few weeks I have become completely enthralled with the saga that is Belly, Jeremiah and Conrad’s love triangle on The Summer I Turned Pretty. As the series inches toward its conclusion on the 2025 TV schedule, it’s nearly impossible to ignore how much some parts of Belly and Jeremiah’s relationship mirror Ross and Rachel’s on Friends. Fans’ reaction to this has been amazing, but I’m actually really upset about one parallel and what it means for Belly.

Season 3 of Jenny Han’s book-to-screen adaptation sees Belly (Lola Tung) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) planning their wedding on their own, after their respective parents chose not to be involved. During this whole ordeal, Belly decides she’s not going to study abroad in Paris, as previously planned, because she doesn’t want to be away from Jeremiah in the early months of their marriage. Fans were quick to point out the similarity the story has to Friends, with one posting:

In the final season of Friends, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) gets an amazing job opportunity in Paris, which she ultimately doesn’t take in order to rekindle her relationship with Ross (David Schwimmer) seven seasons after they were first “on a break.”

I’ve read the entire The Summer I Turned Pretty series, and I was still shocked and upset when Belly decided to deprive herself of this opportunity. I mean, we even saw in “Last Dance” that Jeremiah isn’t going to be making any similar sacrifices to his own career for Belly’s sake.

However, that’s not the only comparison fans are making between the two series. Possibly even more obvious is the whole “we were on a break” situation. In Season 3, Belly learns that Jeremiah cheated on her over spring break when the two had temporarily split after a fight. It all played out in eerily similar fashion to when Ross admitted to sleeping with the girl from the copy place. One TikToker posted:

Seriously, down to Jeremiah and Ross being down on their knees, these two scenes are just duplicates, another fan said:

And it may not be Ross and Rachel, but Jeremiah’s apology/proposal was very Monica and Chandler in Season 5, when Matthew Perry’s character got down on one knee because he didn’t know how else to tell Monica (Courteney Cox) he was sorry for their fight.

At least Monica had the sense to say no! Some TSITP book fans had hoped Jeremiah wouldn’t apologize for cheating on Belly by asking her to be his wife, but at least the series ages them up a bit, and Steven’s accident does help to justify the grand gesture.

It really was the Ross and Rachel of it all that had fans posting to X things like:

• The fact that “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is using not one, but TWO “Friends’” tropes is crazy! Not just the, “We were on a break!” cheating debate, but Belly’s ALSO leaving for Paris at the end of the season?? They really said CTRL-C and CTRL-V. – MaryTylerMoreno
• This second episode of The Summer I Turned Pretty is literally just a Friends reenactment 💀 like ok Ross and Rachel. – duchessofchaos

So, the big question is, were Belly and Jeremiah on a break? Author Jenny Han and Lola Tung certainly have their thoughts on the matter, but regardless of whose side you fall on, there’s no questioning that the tides seem to be starting to turn for ole Isabel Conklin. After “Last Dance,” even formerly hardcore Team Jeremiah girlies are starting to convert to Team Conrad.

There’s still plenty of drama left in this series, so tune in to see who Belly ends up with and if Friends provides any more inspiration for her Fisher love triangle. New episodes drop each Wednesday on Prime Video.

If you’ve been on the fence about starting The Hunting Wives because you think it’s just a normal Netflix drama about murder in the Lone Star State, throw those preconceptions out the window and start watching this over-the-top exploration of politics, romance, and trauma.

Don’t worry, I won’t be spoiling anything big…

There's A Big Murder Mystery Teased In The First Scene, But Things Take A Wild Turn From There

When I first pressed play on The Hunting Wives, I hadn’t watched the show’s trailer, hadn’t read into the premise too much outside of the brief description on Netflix, and pretty much had no idea what to expect other than that there was a murder of some sort. Boy, I totally misjudged this show.

Sure, someone does get murdered in the middle of the woods in the opening sequence, and knowing that one of the characters will get killed in brutal fashion hangs over the entirety of the first episode, but the show takes a wild turn from there. Instead of being a super-serious, restrained, and formulaic drama about big personalities (don’t worry, they’re there) and vicious crimes, The Hunting Wives turns into something wild, something fierce, and so much fun to watch.

Between The Culture Wars, Sexual Escapades, And Crime, There's A Lot Going On

Let me tell you something: The Hunting Wives takes the most risque moments from those sexually explicit movies on Netflix and turns them up a few notches. The first episode has so much nudity, so much sex, and a certain scene involving a main character and one of her best friend’s sons that I’m afraid to type out in full detail in fear of getting shut down. Fan of over-the-top belt buckles being removed in moments of passion? Down for wild sexual escapades? All about culture wars involving Texas-sized personalities and quiet and mysterious northerners? This show has it all.

This Could Very Well Be The Most Absurd Show On Netflix (And TV In 2025)

Like I said earlier, there’s been a lot of great TV shows so far this year, and there have been nearly as many absurd programs on the best streaming services and various traditional channels. However, The Hunting Wives could very well take the prize of being the most ridiculous show you can watch with a Netflix subscription or any other.

At times, it feels like a crime drama, while at others, it has certain elements of soap operas, soft-core pornography, and parody. I know, I know, this sounds like a big and messy mix-match of genres and tones, but it oddly works. I can’t wait to see where this goes…

Every episode of Netflix’s latest book-to-screen adaptation is streaming right now, so now that you’re finished reading this, go check it out!

The three above-the-title stars involved are certainly all capable of delivering the goods, or even the greats. Eddie Murphy’s early career performances remain dynamic and influential enough to overshadow decades’ worth of lackluster projects, and his efforts in more recent projects like Dolemite Is My Name and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F prove he’s still capable of unhinged magic. Pete Davidson is a slightly more acquired taste, but he excels at playing put-upon characters dealing with arrested development. And Keke Palmer… well, she’s just plain excellent in everything.

As such, even the most amateur mathematician would consider it a no-brainer to assume that Murphy + Davidson + Palmer would combine for a highly engaging modern crime comedy classic. Yet, that assumption gets almost violently upended by an abysmal script from co-writers Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider – arguably best known for the animated web series Gentleman Lobsters and sadly not for crafting worthwhile action-comedies.

Perhaps the writers aren’t fully at fault, however, since so many of the movie’s dead-on-arrival quips and one-liners appear to be ad-libbed by the actors, pushing the blame more on them and director Tim Story, whose hit-or-miss filmography includes the Ride Along movies, the Think Like a Man franchise, the 2005 and 2007 Fantastic Four blockbusters, and Barbershop. He also made the Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon vehicle Taxi, though — pun firmly intended — and that’s more in line with the armored truck-centric messiness of The Pickup.

Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson’s talents are 100% wasted, and this should have been Keke Palmer’s movie from top to bottom.

The Pickup opens with what can only be considered a meet-threat, with Pete Davidson’s Travis, an armored truck driver and complete social misfit, misguidedly pulling a gun on Keke Palmer’s Zoe as she attempts to flirt with him. They quickly take things to the next level, and it’s clear that Zoe has ulterior motives, because Travis is a wiffle ball of a human being: mostly transparent with zero depth.

Had Davidson made The Pickup as his first foray into cinema early into his Saturday Night Live run, Travis might not be as fingernails-across-the-chalkboard grating to the nerves. But at this point in the actor's career, we’ve seen the comedian deliver far better performances and deliveries, even with similarly dimwitted characters.

Travis is paired up for an all-important and financially irresponsible delivery with Eddie Murphy’s Russell, a longtime fellow driver with an eye on celebrating his anniversary and eventually pivoting into a different career. This duo could have been fantastic, but the actors have lacking chemistry, with Travis veering from nebbish and put-upon to overbearing and fawning, while Russell mainly sticks to passive antagonism throughout. At least Eva Longoria, who plays Russell's wife Natalie, is ready to deliver during her fleeting scenes.

To be expected, Zoe has plans to rob the very truck that Travis and Russell are responsible for, and she has two completely forgettable henchman in tow. Claws’ Jack Kesy plays the humorless sack of testosterone Banner, with The Rings of Power’s Ismael Cruz Cordova bringing a modicum of a sassy personality as Miguel. These two take on more villainous roles as the story goes on, but never feel like a truly formidable threat, which is another one of this movie’s big issues.

The movie also features underserved appearances from Andrew Dice Clay and Marshawn Lynch and breaks the streak of A+ cameos from the former NFL star by wasting his comedic skills on a couple of nothingburger scenes. The Diceman, meanwhile, is like a made-for-cable J. Jonah Jameson, playing Travis and Russell's crabby, loud-mouthed boss.

The only character worth watching in this movie is Keke Palmer's Zoe, since she's the only actor whose star power is present and accounted for. I don't know how much better The Pickup would be if it focused solely on Zoe's wheeling and dealing, but I know my throat wouldn't feel quite as prickly from all the disgruntled groaning.

Everything in The Pickup feels like a deleted scene from a better movie.

Several of The Pickup's biggest action sequences revolve around the armored car speeding down highways and through city streets, mostly with Pete Davidson behind the wheel and Eddie Murphy doing the more physical acting inside the vehicle. These scenes in particular felt like they were cribbed from one of Judd Apatow's line-o-rama productions, particularly in regards to Travis blurting out an endless barrage of reactions to anything and everything happening around him. I can just imagine Tim Story & Co. keeping the camera on Davidson as he improvised one line after another, with everyone confident they were mining gold.

But instead of using the best lines, The Pickup only included the ones that make Davidson look like an attention-addled child taking his first road trip. None of the jokes that made the final cut are actually funny or original or worth extending the runtime to include, and that observation can be stretched out and applied to the entire movie.

To be fair, Story and the stunt & VFX teams deliver some pretty hectic and enjoyable explosions and crashes, largely set to a Speed-lite score, but so many of those moments are also predicated on either nonsense or unexplained lines and character choices. It's enough so that it feels like we're watching a subjective version of the story that was snipped out of a more fully informed version where relevant motivations and facts were included.

Case in point: Travis and Russell's truck contains a highly important and expensive monkey-under-glass display that comes up multiple times as if it's inherently the most hilarious prop imaginable (even to the point of it getting a post-credits gag), but without a scene that actually clues audiences in on why we should care. That informative scene, I assume, would be included in the director's cut that no one will ever petition for.

The creative choices range from questionable to pure fucking garbage.

I certainly understand that The Pickup is meant to be a breezy movie that shouldn't be taken too seriously, and that choosing to hone in on all of the baffling and/or under-cooked moments requires an unhealthy amount of misery and cynicism. However, I often felt like this storyline was actively provoking me into complaining about it.

The most obvious faux pas is the conceit that Travis and Zoe would actively vie for an authentic romance after the aforementioned sexual duping that kicks the movie off. Zoe is far too cool, sophisticated, and capable a human being for Travis' eternal manchild. Davidson's character always appears to be far more invested in obsessing over her than surviving any of the movie's ill-plotted conflicts.

The second biggest WTF decision was to cast Eddie Murphy, once one of Hollywood's most electric comedians, as the fuddy-duddy straight man opposite Davidson. I can somewhat appreciate the Lethal Weapon-esque run of age jokes at Russell's expense, but he's not really part of the joke there. Only one moment in the movie truly calls back to Murphy's golden-age delivery (what I'll refer to as Russell's diner rant), and it just feels like an impersonation of Murphy more than the real thing.

Even beyond its unfortunate first-draft decisions, The Pickup is littered with choices and moments that might have been clipped out if it weren't for the already svelte 94-minute runtime – with action-movie logic on full display. Example: two vehicles smash into the same side of the same car, and instead of the rammed car just being demolished, the other two go flying over it with fiery explosions. Make it make sense, but without gaslighting me into thinking some cars have giant hubcap ramps.

Characters also often refer to events and details without a lick of insight into their importance and do things that would only come out of a writer's brain. This is a movie where, after one baddie is seemingly killed off in a blaze of glory, another character makes a point of joking about how glaringly obvious it is that anyone would be dead after suffering such an incident... only for the supposed victim to return without any kind of dibilitating injuries and without anyone asking how the fuck it happened. Because spoilers: yes, they definitely should have died.

If I were to put a hard number on the amount of times I actually laughed at The Pickup itself, and not one of my own snarky comments, I honestly couldn't go higher than two. I can say without a doubt that I had more laughs at both of my parents' funerals, respectively. So if The Pickup can't even live up to the "comedy" half of its subgenre with its talent involved, how did we even get to this point?

Back when I binged Nobody Wants This with my Netflix subscription, I was quick to write about how Noah’s choice at the end to go to Joanne deeply stressed me out. While I was thrilled he ran after her, I also couldn’t help but think of the repercussions since this will likely directly impact his potential job as head rabbi.

However, in an interview with Deadline, Adam Brody was asked, “Will Noah regret choosing Joanne over becoming head rabbi?” And his answer quelled my Nobody Wants This anxiety, as he said:

Talk about not mincing his words! The confidence with which the Noah actor answered that question means so much to me, because I’ve been wondering if his character would regret his choice.

Obviously, I love a grand romantic gesture. I’m a sucker for one, in fact. However, the whole situation in Nobody Wants This is so deeply complex and nuanced. On the one hand, Noah getting the job as head rabbi is a dream come true, and everything he’s been working toward. So, I want Joanne to support him. However, on the other hand, if she feels like she does not want to 100% convert to Judaism, she shouldn’t have to, and Noah should support that. And sadly, I think it’s impossible for both of them to get exactly what they want while in this relationship.

Therefore, I had a big fear that Noah’s decision to run to Joanne could lead to resentment if he loses the head rabbi position.

However, Brody’s words ease my anxiety tenfold. I’m sure what he did could cause tension, and this push and pull between religion and romance will continue to be a primary point of conflict in the series. I’m thrilled to know, though, that it won’t tear them apart, because this statement makes it clear that Noah will never regret his choice.

One of my favorite things about Nobody Wants This is its focus on healthy communication. Noah and Joanne are so good at talking out their feelings, and I know that as they face this next challenge, they’ll continue to do that. That was simply reaffirmed by Brody’s blunt and very sweet statement about how his character feels about all this.

So, now I’m feeling great going into Season 2 of Nobody Wants This. And my countdown to its October 23 premiere on the 2025 TV schedule is no longer riddled with worry (for the most part).

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode "Through The Lens Of Time." Stream it with a Paramount+ subscription and read at your own risk!

Star Trek is known for many things, and on a Mount Rushmore of best space franchises, it's certainly up there. When it comes to violence that may be displayed in some of the best sci-fi movies, however, Trek is often lacking in that department. Every once in a while, however, it'll surprise fans, and Strange New Worlds did that with what might be the scariest (and grossest) body horror scene in the franchise since The Next Generation.

"Through The Lens Of Time" is a high-concept adventure I hope we see more of in upcoming Trek shows, which is why I was so shocked by how gory one particular scene was. Warning for those who haven't seen it yet and don't want the image seared into their brain, there's no going back after this.

Gamble Losing His Eyes Was An Unexpected Gruesome Moment In Strange New Worlds

Ensign Gamble has a promising career aboard the Enterprise as a medical officer. Unfortunately, he made the mistake of picking up a glowing orb on his first away mission, which then fried his eyeballs clear out of his brain. After the flash, I let out an audible gasp as we just had to stare at the hollow inside of Gamble's eye sockets.

Unfortunately, Gamble was clinically dead, but being kept alive by the Vezda, a strange inter-dimensional being capable of either telepathy or communicating with the dead. The details were not clear, but the Starfleet crew realized they wanted nothing to do with the Vezda and took precautions to ensure this species could never escape into the galaxy. That said, I have a feeling we'll see them again before the series closes out.

This Was The Wildest Body Horror Moment Since The Next Generation Episode "Conspiracy"

I was shocked by Star Trek: Strange New Worlds showing gore involving humans, but it's not without precedent. Longtime fans who watched The Next Generation likely remember the episode "Conspiracy" and the wtf moment that was jarring for the typically family-friendly sci-fi.

In "Conspiracy," the crew discovers that several high-ranking officers were infected with a parasite bent on taking control of more members of Starfleet. This, ultimately, leads to a showdown in which Riker and Picard corner Lt. Commander Dexter Remmick, who is being controlled by the "mother" of all these parasites. Left with little other option, they fire their phasers, and his head explodes. If it's been a while since you've seen it, enjoy:

It's not worse than anything you'd see in the best horror movies, and admittedly, the effects have not aged well. Even still, it's so rare that we see this level of violence in a Star Trek series that I can't help but make a connection between this and the latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Will this be the last gory scene we see in the series? I guess we'll have to wait and see!

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streams on Thursdays on Paramount+. This season is one of the best we've seen since the franchise made its return, so if you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, make it a priority!