The first four seasons of SEAL Team aired on network television, with David Boreanaz moving over to CBS after twelve seasons of Bones on Fox. A renewal for Season 5 wasn't guaranteed, to the point that the star himself was posting on social media with a message for CBS as well as encouraging words for fans back in 2021. The show was of course renewed... but only to move over to streaming for fans with a Paramount+ subscription, as it would not return full-time to CBS.

At the time, David Boreanaz explained why he was excited to move to streaming to get darker with the storytelling and drop the occasional F-bomb, and those F-bombs did fly over the three seasons on Paramount+, including in his very last line as Jason Hayes. When I spoke with Boreanaz in support of SEAL Team's seventh season releasing on DVD, I noted that the streaming finale stuck the landing a lot better than the Season 4 finale on CBS would have as the end. He responded:

SEAL Team certainly is a success story; not many shows are lucky enough to come back from being cut from the biggest broadcast network, let alone run for another three seasons and come to a satisfying end. There were some different ideas for Jason's ending that were scrapped early on before his fate was finally settled and filmed.

As for the series being too heavy for CBS, the network has plenty of crime shows that can get pretty dark, but there's a difference between the kind of heaviness that can fly on NCIS and FBI vs. what's needed to tell the story of an elite unit of Navy SEALs often operating overseas. Boreanaz went on:

Currently 55, the star has been open about wanting to step away from the physical challenges of playing Jason Hayes, so Season 7 would have been the end for him even if Paramount+ had brought it back for an eighth season. He's clearly grateful for the journey that was SEAL Team, months after the series finale released.

All of this said, the actor also was clear that he doesn't hold anything against CBS in the slightest, with everything working out for the best. After I noted to Boreanaz that his final line as Jason Hayes – "Easy fucking day" – definitely couldn't have aired on CBS, he responded:

Was the Season 7 finale truly the last time that fans will ever see the SEAL Team characters on the small screen? It's hard to rule much out in the era of reboots and revivals, but David Boreanaz seems decidedly done and happy with how Jason's story ended. He's been luckier than many actors over the years of his career, and not just because of nearly three decades of lead TV roles. Many series are unceremoniously cancelled after a cliffhanger; SEAL Team could build up to its finale and stick the landing.

If you want to revisit the full run of SEAL Team or even try it for the first time, all seven seasons are currently available streaming on Paramount+. If you're in the market for some new TV options now that Bravo Team's last mission concluded, check out our 2025 TV schedule for what's on the way.

It was no secret ahead of Hayden's debut as Agent Tyler Booth that he and Soffer were friends well before he landed his role on FBI: International, not too long after Station 19 ended on ABC. The Chicago P.D. alum previewed "some baggage" between Tyler and Wes all the way back in an October interview with CinemaBlend, hyping getting to work with his real-life "really close friend."

Well, it remains to be seen just how close Wes and Tyler will be in the winter premiere and beyond, but when I spoke with Jay Hayden about his arrival in CBS' FBI world, I discovered that the friendship with Jesse Lee Soffer goes way further back than I knew. When I asked what it was like for him to work with somebody who was a friend before he was a co-star, Hayden replied:

Characters gazing into each other's eyes is a classic on the small screen, and both Jay Hayden and Jesse Lee Soffer did plenty of it in their respective Station 19 and Chicago P.D. days. Who knew that they'd be locking eyes shortly into their time together on FBI: International? After laughing about that interaction, Hayden went on:

It's not shocking to learn that Hayden and Soffer had some laughs behind the scenes after how the Fly Team newcomer recounted his surprisingly silly scene with Wes from his first episode. The two actors had to be pulled back after their golf scene "just turned into a party."

What was surprising – to me, at least – was hearing from Hayden that he and Soffer had known each other for nearly two decades. I'd imagined that they'd met more recently as the stars of two successful network TV shows. When I noted that their friendship went back to pre-Station 19 and pre-Chicago P.D. days, he recalled:

I don't want to say that future TV stars Jesse Lee Soffer and Jay Hayden practicing auditions together parallels how future movie stars Robert Pattinson, Eddie Redmayne, Andrew Garfield, Charlie Cox, and Jamie Dornan all lived together before making it big, but that's certainly where my mind went! Hayden and Soffer had no way of knowing 15 years ago that not only would they star in their own network TV hits, but would also join forces another another successful series.

Plus, Mob Doctor certainly is a deep cut, as Jesse Lee Soffer was part of the cast of that short-lived series from 2012-2013, and it's possible that he never would have joined One Chicago full time if that Fox drama had taken off. Chicago P.D. premiered in early 2014, after Soffer made some earlier appearances on Chicago Fire.

As for how long we can expect to see Wes and Tyler together on FBI: International, Hayden confirmed after his first episode that he'd be around for "a bunch of episodes" and "Maybe I'll swing back through." A series of photos that he posted to hype his arrival showcased some of that real-life friendship, as you can see below:

For better or worse, we'll learn the fallout of whatever Wes and Tyler decide following that fall finale cliffhanger when FBI: International returns in 2025 on Tuesday, January 27 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS. If you'll need a refresher on how the show wrapped 2024, you can find the episode streaming with a Paramount+ subscription. As always, International airs between FBI (which lost a major cast member in 2024) at 8 p.m. ET and Most Wanted at 10 p.m. ET.

One of he surprise hits of the holiday season so far has been Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, a retelling of the vampire myth that stars Willem Dafoe, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nicholas Hoult, and Bill Skarsgård as the titular creature. I say “surprise” hit not because it’d be expected that the movie be bad by any stretch. Quite the contrary. Our Nosferatu review was a positive rave, and Eggers tends to deliver moody, sprawling epics. But a vampire romance thriller released during Christmastime is counterprogramming at its finest, so we’re a little shocked – but still thrilled – to see that audiences are flocking to theaters to see the movie. Because now we are able to talk about it.

Specifically, that gonzo finale.

We are about to get into spoilers for Nosferatu, so only proceed if you have seen the movie.

Robert Eggers’ critically acclaimed movie ends with Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) and Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) consummating their condemned attraction, as part of a larger plan Ellen participates in to rid her land of Orlok and his plague. Basically, the vampire finally is able to feast on the woman who summoned him in a dream, years prior. And it’s the most shocking appearance of Skarsgard in the Nosferatu makeup. It really is something to see.

Skarsgård and Willem Dafoe appeared as guests on CinemaBlend’s official ReelBlend podcast to talk about the making of Nosferatu, and we asked the IT star about the makeup process. Specifically, we asked about the amount of sweat that’s generated by the prosthetics Skarsgård was required to wear to become Orlok. And he told us:

So nasty. Beyond nasty. Once you have seen the sex scene between Ellen and Orlok, you won’t ever forget it. As it turns out, a lot of aspects of Nosferatu ended up being unforgettable. Like working with prosthetics, makeup, and latex. Nic Hoult knows all too well how that process goes, having endured it for years to play Beast in the X-Men films. He remembers the complicated process, and was there for his Nosferatu co-star in his time of need.

As Bill Skarsgård told ReelBlend:

It was all worth it in the end. The Orlok character is truly remarkable, and is one of the reasons why Nosferatu has been so well received. Here’s the full conversation with Bill Skarsgård and Willem Dafoe on ReelBlend:

And make sure to see Nosferatu in theaters. If it plays to your sensibilities, then you can start to plan out future trips to the movies with our list of upcoming horror movies, all arriving in the next few months.

With Emerson coming to the show as Preston's real-life husband, anticipation was high for his arrival, but I find myself thinking back to what the leading lady and newcomer Ben Levi Ross said to CinemaBlend about Elsbeth and Teddy that makes me want her son back ASAP in the 2025 TV schedule.

How Season 2 Set Up Teddy For More In 2025

Starting from the beginning of his arc, Teddy's initial role in Season 2 seemed to be just to cheer Elsbeth up when she was about as gloomy as she'd ever been on the show, and CBS' hit drama successfully kept Ben Levi Ross' arrival secret before the big reveal in the Christmas episode. In the subsequent episode (available streaming with a Paramount+ subscription), it became clear that Teddy could bypass some of his mom's usual attempts to dodge questions about her decision to leave Chicago.

When she broke down in tears over dinner and confessed that she wanted him to love New York so that he'd visit more from Washington, D.C., Teddy told her:

Elsbeth immediately tried to change the subject by asking if he'd tried the halal cart, and she did succeed in taking him on a lovely tangent in which he revealed that he's in a relationship with a man named Roy as her Teddy Fact of the day. That fact didn't extend as far as telling his mom what Roy's t-shirt size is, and he got back on subject:

Elsbeth did concede that there are "some things going on" in her life, but she insisted that all she ever needs is to see him. That was the end of the most in-depth conversation that she has really had about her past between The Good Fight and how Elsbeth picked up. Unlike Laurie Metcalf after her excellent guest-starring turn, though, all signs point toward Ben Levi Ross dropping by again as Teddy, so I'm hopeful that we'll see more of that dynamic with Elsbeth.

And I'm definitely thinking back to what Carrie Preston said about her on-screen son once Ben Levi Ross debuted and she didn't have to keep mum about the Teddy secret anymore!

What The Stars Said About Elsbeth And Teddy

I was fortunate enough to speak with Carrie Preston after Ben Levi Ross' arrival as Elsbeth's son was no longer a spoiler she had to hide. When asked about having to keep the secret for as long as she did and finally moving past it, the leading lady shared:

How is any Elsbeth fan supposed to not want Teddy back ASAP after how Carrie Preston's praised Ben Levi Ross and opened up about exploring her character's maternal side?! I already was crossing my fingers that we'd see them interacting again sooner rather than later; I might have to start crossing a few more digits now.

I also spoke with Ross about keeping his casting a secret and his "worst nightmare" for playing Teddy, and I wanted his take on the dinner scene between his character and his mom: is Teddy's role essential to Season 2 as somebody who can ask the questions Elsbeth has been dodging? The actor replied:

Even as somebody who adores Elsbeth's relationship with Kaya as one of my favorite friendships on TV, it was great to see somebody else having access to her vulnerabilities... and also elements of her past that she's successfully hidden from everybody else in NYC. Ross went on:

Fortunately, Elsbeth still has plenty of episodes left to go in Season 2, so CBS can continue unraveling this story once the drama returns from its winter hiatus. Judge Crawford just may be Elsbeth's most pressing problem, depending on the fallout of his move at the end of the fall finale. (And the showrunner cleared the air about any similarities to Law & Order: SVU in that episode.)

Tune in to CBS on Thursday, January 30 at 10 p.m. ET for the winter premiere of Season 2, following Kathy Bates' Matlock as usual. If you want to revisit earlier episodes of the season – and I highly recommend both featuring Elsbeth and Teddy's dynamic – you can do so via Paramount+.

Night Court ended 2024 with a special holiday episode, with Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Joe Lo Truglio and Mad TV’s Andy Daly as guest stars. Initially, Lo Truglio’s return to network TV seemed to be as another NYPD detective, but the first twist came with the reveal that he was actually an actor in a murder mystery… followed by the second twist that Detective Kratz as well as Daly’s vacuum salesman/actor Fred Norton were both angels. When I spoke with the actors about the episode, Lo Truglio pitched some spinoff ideas that I love ahead of the 2025 TV schedule.

The NBC sitcom isn’t exactly the most supernatural or ethereal show on television, so the angelic reveal at the end of the Christmas episode definitely was unexpected. (You can find the holiday special streaming with a Peacock subscription now.) Of course, Night Court is a multi-cam sitcom in front of a live studio audience and therefore quite different from Joe Lo Truglio’s sitcom experience on the single-cam Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but I for one thought it was great to have him back on network TV.

So, with the idea of him returning to network TV beyond just as a one-off guest star, I needed his take: do his and Andy Daly’s Night Court characters need a spinoff? Lo Truglio had some ideas, and they didn’t involve John Larroquette dressed as a southern belle again. He said:

Considering that Joe Lo Truglio and Andy Daly are real-life friends who also worked together on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, it’s fun to consider the idea of them in an angelic Night Court spinoff. Or at least a series of web shorts! Surely I can’t be the only one who would watch that. The Superbad cast alum had another idea to pitch:

His second pitch even came with a working title! Of course, since I had the opportunity to speak with both Night Court guest stars, I had to get Andy Daly’s pitch as well. When I asked if his and Joe Lo Truglio’s characters needed a spinoff, he responded:

Some reboots are more or less copies of the original; this take on Highway to Heaven definitely would stand on its own. I also like to imagine the crossover potential with NBC’s other sitcoms. Jon Cryer’s Extended Family may have been cancelled, but the network debuted St. Denis Medical and Happy’s Place as new additions to the primetime lineup in the fall.

Throw in the return of Lopez vs. Lopez for Season 3, and there are plenty of options. Why not even Brooklyn Nine-Nine? The show may have ended, but the characters’ stories weren’t over. Plus, Melissa Fumero appeared on Night Court last season. I shared Andy Daly’s pitch with Joe Lo Truglio, who immediately laughed and said:

Is Joe Lo Truglio going to make a full-time return to network TV as co-lead of an angelic Night Court spinoff alongside Andy Daly? Almost certainly not, but it’s fun to imagine what the pitches of two comedy greats would look like in primetime. Besides, Night Court won’t be back from winter break until Tuesday, January 14 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, so fans can take all the fun they can get as the wait continues. Check out a clip from their episode of Season 3 below:

You can catch up on and/or revisit all of Night Court Season 3 so far streaming on Peacock now, as well as find all eight seasons of Brooklyn Nine-Nine for Joe Lo Truglio’s previous gig on NBC. A couple more weeks are left before hiatus ends, so the time is right to stream the series if you’re in the mood for a sitcom fix.

Max Lloyd-Jones arrived on network television in the fall 2024 TV schedule as a new addition to the cast of The Irrational on NBC, joining Jesse L. Martin in Season 2. Prior to his newest gig as Simon Wylton, his longest-running TV role was recurring for ten episodes of When Calls the Heart as Tom Thornton between Season 2 and Season 11. When I spoke with the actor, he addressed working on the Hallmark series and how it compares to The Irrational now. He began:

While he has accumulated TV roles over the years, the majority of Max Lloyd-Jones’ credits are in movies that range from small screen productions to larger scale films like War for the Planet of the Apes, and he’s attached to the cast of Final Destination 6. When Calls the Heart was a unique experience for the actor thanks to how long it has been running on Hallmark, as he explained:

It remains to be seen if Max Lloyd-Jones will ever return to When Calls the Heart. His most recent appearances on the show as Tom Thornton were both in Season 11, which were his first since back in Season 5. He may remain busy with The Irrational for the foreseeable future, assuming NBC keeps the drama on the air beyond the 2024-2025 TV season. Even if Jesse L. Martin doesn’t play Alec for as long as when he was a Law & Order actor, fans are surely on board for at least a third season! Lloyd-Jones went on:

Fans of The Irrational have a little bit longer to wait in the new year for new episodes than When Calls the Heart diehards, and the promo for the Hallmark show’s return previews a “brand new era” for the characters and a “thoroughly modern mystery,” complete with newcomers and “ritzy romance.” Take a look:

When Calls the Heart Season 12 premieres on Sunday, January 5 at 9 p.m. ET on Hallmark, so there’s still time to revisit the end of Season 11 with a Peacock subscription if you need a refresher. As for The Irrational, the NBC drama will be back in the new year on Tuesday, January 7 in its usual 10 p.m. ET time slot. The most recent episodes of that show are also available streaming on Peacock.

Murder in a Small Town follows Chief Karl Alberg (Rossif Sutherland) as he moves from a big city to what should have been a less crime-filled job in the small town of Gibsons... only to find that even beautiful locations off the beaten path can have dark underbellies. Cassandra Lee (Kristin Kreuk) is the local librarian and object of Alberg's eye, but she deals in more than just books throughout the first season.

The chemistry between the leads is great, and I won't spoil the events of the final two episodes for any readers who haven't checked out the show yet, but Season 1 ends very strongly with a Schitt's Creek alum showing that he definitely can deliver in dramatic roles. If I hadn't been sold on MIST before the final two-parter, those episodes would have won me over.

And all eight episodes of Murder in a Small Town’s first season are available now with a Hulu subscription! The show was doing well enough streaming ahead of the finale that it ranked as Fox’s #1 new show and Fox's #3 show overall for the season to that point on the platform. While Rossif Sutherland and Kristin Kreuk’s drama is still waiting on a renewal, EP Jeff Wachtel explained the show’s merit as a show to stream and even binge-watch:

While Murder in a Small Town is a crime drama, there’s also plenty of focus on their characters and especially the romance between Sutherland’s Alberg and Kreuk’s Cassandra. In fact, this show’s approach to that romance was a big appeal to the Smallville alum, and Kreuk’s casting as his co-lead excited Sutherland for the role. I can also vouch for MIST fitting the “cozy crime” description… to a certain extent. Jeff Wachtel went on:

As somebody who was stressed by the suspense of Season 1 (in a good way!) more than once, it’s definitely not cozy from start to finish, which is another element that makes the relationship the real heart. That’s not to say that the first batch of episodes was perfect from start to finish, but the executive producer already previewed how Season 2 will address the issue that bugged me all season. He shared how a separate issue that binge-watchers may pick up will be handled differently in a second season as well, saying:

Honestly, with a run of just eight episodes, the idea of binge-watching Murder in a Small Town isn’t nearly as daunting as some other shows. Plus, having watched it weekly on Fox myself, you can also check it out at your own pace instead of rushing through the episodes. And if it seems like I’m going hard on echoing the executive producer’s pitch for people to stream the crime drama… well, I for one would like a second season!

Interestingly, an early plan for the season was for the late Donald Sutherland to have a role, but his health wouldn’t allow it. James Cromwell played the character instead, and the series premiere ended with a dedication to Rossif Sutherland’s father. That’s about as far into spoilers as I’ll go, though, so if you’re interested in checking out Murder in a Small Town, you can do so streaming on Hulu now.

Fans of CBS’ FBI had a lot to be excited about at the start of the fall 2024 TV schedule, not least because the hit drama had already been renewed for another three seasons. There was one loss that would start out Season 7, though, as Katherine Renee Kane’s exit as Agent Tiffany Wallace had been announced over summer hiatus. Even as we look ahead to the 2025 TV schedule, I’m still missing Tiff as part of the team, and I’m reflecting on the showrunner’s story behind Missy Peregrym and Kane’s surprisingly emotional final scene together as Maggie and Tiff.

The most eventful part of Tiff’s final case with the team was of course Scola getting stabbed in the leg and needing a tourniquet from his partner as their last interaction, with a small moment of hand-holding that John Boyd dubbed the “clear and obvious choice.” Her final moment with Maggie was a whole lot less bloody, coming toward the end of the Season 7 premiere. (You can find the episode streaming with a Paramount+ subscription.)

Maggie wanted to get a drink with Tiff before the latter headed down to Georgia to be with family and asked for what made her decide to finally call it quits on the Bureau. Tiff explained that she just wanted closure after Hakim at the end of Season 6 and was moving to Georgia to be with her sister. On paper, it’s not all that emotional of an interaction until Maggie hugged her former coworker, but actresses Katherine Renee Kane and Missy Peregrym really sold the emotion of it.

And as a fan of Kane as Tiff, I asked new showrunner Mike Weiss way back in the fall about why the premiere took the time to give Maggie and Tiff a tearful goodbye. After addressing how the FBI team wanted to give Tiff and Kane a “proper goodbye,” Weiss explained:

Maggie’s strongest bond may be with OA and Tiff’s may have been with Scola, but the two women of the team had gone through hell and back together on the team. Not only did Missy Peregrym’s push for a goodbye scene allow for an emotional moment on a pretty procedural show, but also gave some more context to Tiff’s reasoning for leaving her job.

The Season 7 premiere was FBI's first episode under Mike Weiss as a showrunner, and he penned the episode. When I noted in our interview that Peregrym’s performance in particular was a tear-jerker in the scene, Weiss responded:

Tiff didn’t just ride off into the sunset for a happily-ever-after after everything she'd been through, which Katherine Renee Kane really reflected in her performance as her character said her last on-screen goodbye before starting a new life in Georgia. Her final interaction with Maggie was bittersweet at best. All in all, I was very glad that FBI didn’t write Tiff out by killing her off or any other way that there’d be no coming back from, and it’d be nice to see her again someday.

Of course, Scola’s attempts to find a new partner haven’t been going well, which really adds to how I’ve been missing Tiff. National Treasure: Edge of History’s Lisette Olivera had been cast as a new series regular to work opposite John Boyd, but her exit was announced before she even debuted. For now… well, we can only wait and see if Scola does get a new partner before the end of the season.

Currently, FBI is on winter hiatus but will return to CBS on Monday, January 27 at 8 p.m. ET. As usual, new episodes will be followed by FBI: International at 9 p.m. ET and FBI: Most Wanted at 10 p.m. ET. If you want to revisit the fall finales ahead of the winter premieres in late January, you can find those episodes streaming via Paramount+.

We have a long history of animated characters we’ve suspected as being stoners. Naturally, we have a classic list of the all-time greatest movie potheads – a collection that includes Harold and Kumar, Jay and Silent Bob, and The Dude. But what about the cartoon characters whose actions raise suspicions. Yes, I’m looking at you, Shaggy from Scooby-Doo. And absolutely, I’m talking about Otto the school bus driver from The Simpsons. After all, his name is Otto, and he loves getting blotto. But what about Pumbaa, the adorable warthog made famous in The Lion King? It’s worth us having a discussion.

What do we know about Pumbaa, anyway? Well, he has a flatulence problem. He loves singing a song that encourages us to relax, and have “no worries for the rest of your days.” These are personality traits we associate with a weed merchant. So we brought the idea directly to Seth Rogen, who voices Pumbaa in The Lion King and the new movie Mufasa, currently burning up the box office. And as we all know, Rogen knows his way around a pot circle. When we asked Rogen if he suspected Pumbaa to be a fellow stoner, the comedian frankly admitted:

To me, this sounds like one of those examples of a character taking on the personality traits of the famous celebrity hired to play them. In a similar fashion, we have come to associate nobility – and a little bit of controlled chaos – with Woody from Toy Story because he has sounded like Tom Hanks for the past few decades. And also, there’s now zero separation between the late Robin Williams and the Genie from Aladdin, because the animators bringing the character to life used Williams’ improvisations, and Williams injected his own over-the-top humor into the delivery.

To me, it sounds like Pumbaa in these new “live action” Lion King movies have taken on some of Seth Rogen’s postures. Does that make him a stoner? Not in Disney canon. Just like how Sleepy from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs probably doesn’t imbibe… though he certainly looks like he takes a few hits from the bong while working in the diamond mine. Now, does that make Pumbaa a stoner in Rogen’s personal canon? Yeah, it sounds like the comedian can see it, and get behind it. I think it gives Pumbaa an extra ingredient that the parents can appreciate as they sit through Mufasa with their kids. Every little bit helps.

Mufasa currently is bringing audiences into theaters, but we also have a full slate of upcoming Disney movies reaching multiplexes in 2025 ,so use our guide as a handbook to help you plan out your screenings in the forthcoming year.

During a recent press event on behalf of the Superman trailer, which heavily references the John Williams theme in the score from John Murphy, I was lucky enough to ask Gunn about his use of the signature Williams composition. Before he elaborated on its use in the upcoming DC movie, Gunn admitted to CinemaBlend:

That has to be a real challenge. The Superman theme is so closely associated with the character. And other Superman movies have tried to hew close to the legacy that is Richard Donner’s film – notably, Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns, which probably tried too hard to match Donner, and never became its own movie.

James Gunn wants his Superman to stand on its own. So, as he continued to explain to CinemaBlend:

Gunn confirmed to us that John Murphy worked for two years on the Superman theme, a piece of which you can listen to right now.

Superman will be a continuation of the DCU, a universe that James Gunn officially launched with the animated series Creature Commandos, which will conclude in January. That series goes a long way toward setting up new characters that we expect to see in upcoming DC movies and shows, including Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr., an antagonist in Superman and Peacemaker Season 2. It’s a very exciting time to be a fan of DC, thanks to to work of James Gunn, Peter Safran, and their collaborators.

Outlander’s seventh season is approaching its finale in the 2025 TV schedule. While that feels painfully soon after the extended break between the first and second halves, I can’t deny that the latest installments have been thrilling. Each episode introduces new characters with familiar names to any buffs of U.S. history (and/or fans of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton musical). Still, after “Ye Dinna Get Used To It,” I surprised even myself by being more invested in William’s story than the one involving Claire and Jamie interacting with the likes of George Washington and Lafayette.

William’s story got a boost with the fallout of what Sam Heughan agreed was a “chaotic” plot twist. Throw in Jane (Silvia Presente) and young Fanny (Florrie May Wilkinson) showing up in his tent and a surprise plot to have him killed by Hessians in Episode 14, and his story has me on the edge of my seat ahead of the upcoming penultimate episode… and reflecting on what Charles Vandervaart told CinemaBlend about having an intimacy coordinator on set.

Let’s start with the latest for William in the final episode of 2024!

How Episode 14 Set Ups William Possible Capture

With William semi-recovering from doing – to quote Vanderaart – "horrible, horrible things" just a couple episodes prior, a grim fate awaits him unless Lord John can get to him quickly. William was given a message by Captain Richardson to take to a group of German mercenaries fighting for the British, not knowing that the message included instructions for William to be taken captive.

The motive, according to Wainwright – a.k.a. Lord John’s stepbrother/seemingly former lover – was to get John and his brother to start cooperating with the war effort at the price of William’s life. Claire could confirm that Richardson is a British spy for the Americans, but Jamie couldn’t just abandon his role as a general, so he agreed to parole Lord John and send him with Young Ian to try and save William’s life.

Unfortunately, William had already arrived at the Hessian camp. Entirely outnumbered and suspecting nothing, he seems to be on his own until John and Ian (hopefully) arrive. It's all very intense and worrisome when the finale is just weeks away, but dang it, I’m just hoping that the story is resolved in time for him to get back to Jane and expand on that plot before the final credits roll on Season 7.

William’s Storyline With Jane And Fanny

William was processing the fact that Jamie is his biological father a lot better in “Ye Dinna Get Used To It” than he was a couple episodes earlier, returning to duty of carrying letters. His dalliance with Jane seemed to be far from his mind… until she showed up in his tent with her sister, having fled the brothel after Captain Harkness returned.

She eventually confessed that Harkness had paid a large sum to assault Fanny due to the little girl’s virginity. Jane killed the British officer before he could do anything to her sister, and the two escaped through a window and came to William. He asked her not to flee from the camp, and that he won’t turn her in. That storyline paused so William could deliver the fateful letter for Richardson, believing that he’d be back soon and definitely not walking right into a trap.

The plot with Jane and Fanny is certainly more compelling after the latest developments, but but seeing Charles Vandervaart opposite Silvia Presente again reminded me of their scenes in Episode 12, Vandervaart’s comments about an intimacy coordinator, and why Outlander would be all the better if it continues their storyline.

Charles Vandervaart On Outlander’s Intimacy Coordinator

Fans likely remember that William was spiraling throughout Episode 12, with Charles Vandervaart suggesting to CinemaBlend that his character needs “therapy” at the very least. It culminated in Jane – who was going by the name of Arabella for her work in the brothel – seducing him, which he fully participated in as it was happening but he believed cost him his honor. Outlander has delivered plenty of sex scenes over the years, but this was also a huge character moment for William.

I’d spoken with Vandervaart about arguably the biggest episode for William’s character of the entire series so far, and the sex scene teased in the surprisingly spicy trailer months ago. Noting that Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe had both spoken highly of having an intimacy coordinator on set starting in Season 6, I asked Vandervaart if that was also part of his experience in filming William’s scene with Jane, and he responded:

The actor went on to note that “obviously it’s a scene that’s very nerve-wracking especially for a young actor,” alluding to both himself and Silvia Presente. It also was unlike sex scenes that he’d filmed earlier in his career, as he explained:

As longtime Outlander fans are well aware by this point, Starz can show a fair amount of skin when it comes to love scenes. I suggested that William and Jane’s scene was tastefully done while also showing a lot, and he agreed:

William and Jane didn’t go farther than kissing in “Ye Dinna Get Used To It,” since he didn’t want to do anything unless it was because she wanted it. All in all, I think that the actors have a nice chemistry with each other that sold their scenes in Episode 12 and established that bond for Episode 14 to justify why William would take such a big risk. The amount of care that went into their first scenes makes me optimistic for what I hope is in their future.

What’s Next For William?

All of this said, I think it’s a safe bet that if we get an update on William and how he’s handling Jane and Fanny’s situation, I doubt it will be before the end of the penultimate episode. Being captured by Hessians is a far more pressing problem, and it remains to be seen if Young Ian and Lord John can reach him in time to prevent the worst. Check out the promo for a taste of what’s to come:

Tune in to Starz on Friday, January 3 for the penultimate episode of Outlander Season 7, called “Written in My Own Heart’s Blood.” Given that that’s also the title of the eighth of Diana Gabaldon’s nine Outlander books currently available, I think fans can count on some very big events ahead of the Season 7 finale the following week.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3, of course, featured Schwartz's blue hedgehog and his team taking on another crazy adventure together, but voicing the character isn't all the actor does. I fully realized that when I asked what his favorite thing was about voicing the hedgehog, and he responded with an answer that actually had nothing to do with making the movie:

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 sprinted past all the competition at the box office during its first week of release, so it's clear that kids and their parents love these films. However, hearing about how Schwartz interacts directly with the youngsters amplifies this franchise's impact even more. Now, I'm legit about to cry because this is all so wholesome.

In a world with so many animated films out there, it's a joy to see an actor put so much passion and love into voicing a character for one. What makes all this even better is the Parks and Rec actor does the voice off the clock too for the kids because they adore Sonic so much.

On top of this sweet thing Schwartz does in character, he has really brought a lot to Sonic in general. It's clear he loves voicing the famous speedy hedgehog, and he will continue to do so as long as the movies keep going on – which, will happen since Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is already confirmed.

There's plenty to adore about the latest Sonic the Hedgehog movie, from the hilarious dancing scene with Jim Carrey to moments where certain characters might be dead or not and so much more. However, at the heart of it all, there's Sonic and his team, and behind all that, is Ben Schwartz, loving voicing the character and making kids happy everywhere.

The following article contains SPOILERS for Squid Game Season 2, which was released as part of the 2024 Netflix schedule. If you're not caught up, you can check out all seven episodes with a Netflix subscription.

When Squid Game was released in 2021, it took the world by storm and ended up becoming one of the best shows to binge on Netflix. It was only a matter of time before Season 2 was confirmed. After three years, the long wait is over, but only the first half of the infamous deadly playground games were shown this time around – and the creator of the series explains why he decided to split it up into the third (and final) season.

For those who need a refresher, the first season of Squid Game showed the full six games (not including the recruiting game) that Gi-hun had to participate in to win the entire prize pool of money, but Season 2 only featured three throughout its seven episodes. When I had the chance to speak to creator Hwang Dong-hyuk about why he decided to end it in the middle rather than continue the games like he did last season, his answer actually made total sense – the story became too detailed to keep it all in one contained season this time around:

As one of the best Korean dramas out there, Squid Game was praised for its tight storytelling and intense games in Season 1. This season is no different with Gi-hun, who throws himself back into the competition, staging a revolt with fellow contestants, only for it to fall apart dramatically. As Hwang Dong-hyuk commented on, something that is going to lead to "another character arc" for the Gi-hun in Season 3:

The creator shared a bold take on Season 2 in November 2024, stating that he felt this story could surpass Season 1. Honestly, I believe in many ways it does. It puts Gi-hun, his morality and so much more to the test after he is pushed to do these games again to take down the Front Man -- even if it does end before the next three games.

And now, Hwang Dong-hyuk says we're going to see another side to Gi-hun? I'm not sure how much more pain this man can go through after how much he has lost, especially in Season 2. But all I know is that it makes me pumped for Season 3 of this show, which, thankfully, is releasing as part of the 2025 Netflix schedule.

When exactly that will be, I'm not sure, but all I know is that when the second half of these games comes around – and the next phase of Gi-hun as well – I'm going to be sitting and waiting with bated breath and popcorn in hand, ready to have my heart broken all over again.

During production on 2021’s In The Heights, the musical’s creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and the film’s director Jon M. Chu became close friends. The two are powerhouses in the movie industry, so it’s little surprise that they’ve both had huge films come out at the tail end of the 2024 release schedule. Miranda wrote original songs for Mufasa: The Lion King and Jon M. Chu directed the musical phenomenon Wicked. Even though they’re not working together on said projects, it seems that Chu lifted some choreography from In The Heights, and after Lin called him out in spectacular fashion, the director responded to his “sassy” friend.

I had the privilege of speaking with both men on behalf of their respective projects, and after Lin-Manuel Miranda gave me a message to deliver Jon M. Chu questioning this “homage” in the choreography, I gave the Wicked director a chance to respond:

Sassy indeed! And since the Crazy Rich Asians director was being coy about this specific Wicked choreography, I took his advice, and delivered Lin’s message to Wicked and In the Heights' choreographer Christopher Scott, who said the following:

Of course, the two make solid points, and they both own the somewhat repetitive choreography as an homage to their own work. In all fairness, both scenes take place in a nail salon, and if you have the same choreographer and director shooting nail choreography, it’s going to feel similar. The real question is, did they think anyone would notice or were they trying to slip it under the radar?

That’s the question Lin-Manuel Miranda wanted answered, anyway. If you didn’t catch it when the story first broke, here is what Lin had to say to his buddy and collaborator during my interviews for Mufasa: The Lion King:

Of course, Lin-Manuel Miranda was just teasing Jon M. Chu and Christopher Scott, and they were both good sports about it. Anything else would simply register as jealousy considering that Wicked has become a worldwide sensation! Our own Wicked review gave the film a perfect 5 stars, and now that the year is coming to an end, we can look forward to Wicked: For Good, which will be coming our way at the tail end of the 2025 movie schedule. With that coming, Jon M. Chu cannot stop teasing what’s to come, which seems to include a huge crossover to The Wizard of Oz through Dorothy. Now, I'm wondering if there will be more choreography parallels too...

However, you don’t have to wait for the sequel to get more Glinda and Elphaba, as you’ll be able to purchase or rent Wicked at home starting December 31! Happy New Year indeed!

With all that being said, let’s talk about why I’m the most concerned about these two storylines in particular as we cross our fingers that it’s all addressed when Episode 9 airs on the 2025 TV schedule.

Manny And Gabriela Need To Have A Big Talk

Quickly, let’s recap what happened to Manny and Gabriela in the latest episode of Fire Country’s third season. After her spiral reached a climax, Stephanie Arcila’s character ran away from the job and got trapped in an ever-expanding fire. Then, when Manny found out about it, he – remember, he’s an inmate at Three Rock – ran away from his crew to find his daughter.

So, we have two folks on the run who are not allowed to be, and on top of that, they need to face the tension that’s been building between them since Manny got arrested at the start of the season.

They seem poised for a dramatic reunion in the mid-season premiere, and I’m really hoping it happens in a meaningful way. Both are bound to face repercussions for their actions. However, I’m optimistic that if they can heal their relationship with each other a bit, it will help soften that blow and ultimately make everything better.

I miss seeing Manny and Gabriela confiding in each other, and it’s been hard to watch them both flounder. So, here’s hoping they have a big talk, get all their feelings out and head down the path of repair in the back half of Season 3.

Bode And Audrey Need To Get Safe And Then Promptly Figure Out Their Feelings For Each Other

Now, speaking of characters who need to fess up about their feelings, let’s address the elephant in Bode and Audrey’s room next.

In my mind, Bode and Gabriela are fully not a thing and shouldn’t be, I think it’d be good for him to move on. It’s also clear that Max Thieriot’s character and Leven Rambin’s Audrey are kindred spirits and have feelings for each other. So, I’d love to see them explore all that.

However, before any of that can happen, they need to get out of that pool they’re stuck in, address how Bode’s almost addiction to firefighting and saving people is impacting both of them, and then really have a chat about whether their relationship deserves to take a big step forward.

To me, if they can work through all of that, it seems like they’d make for a great couple. However, to truly accomplish that, they need to jump over all the aforementioned hurdles. Hopefully, all that happens in the mid-season premiere of Fire Country after they reach safety.

I have a sinking feeling though that something truly bad could happen. Let’s remember that Cara was killed off last season, and the dynamics between characters can change spontaneously. So, anything can happen to Audrey before they have a chance to talk, but I’m really pulling for that to not happen.

Let’s let Bode dive into a new romantic relationship with someone who knows what he’s been through better than almost anyone. I think it’d be good for everyone!

With all that said, I’ll be over here waiting and anticipating the return of Fire Country while crossing my fingers that all this gets addressed. Meanwhile, you can watch the show with a Paramount+ subscription and then tune into Episode 9 when it airs on CBS at 9 p.m. ET on January 31.

Ever since Timothée Chalamet’s Oscar-nominated performance in 2017’s Call Me By Your Name, the actor has been on a consistent and aggressively upward Hollywood trajectory. In his latest film, James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown, he portrays Bob Dylan not just with accuracy, but heart. It's arguably why critics are raving about Chalamet's performance. But the praise doesn’t stop there, as his castmates are still talking about the first time they heard him sing as Dylan. And, as CinemaBlend learned, they couldn’t tell the difference between the recordings from "Timmy" and Dylan himself.

Monica Barbaro, who you may know as Phoenix from Top Gun: Maverick, brilliantly portrays folk singer and Bob Dylan collaborator Joan Baez in the film. When I caught up with her to discuss A Complete Unknown, she told me about the first time she heard Timothée Chalamet as Dylan and how the voice was so close that it confused her while recording:

In this era of film where musical biopics are arguably at the height of their popularity as a genre, it must be difficult for such a performance to stand out. Despite this, Timothée Chalamet managed to pull off one of the best performances of his career, and the early chatter says that he’s the frontrunner for Best Actor at the 2025 Academy Awards.

The success surrounding the film itself shouldn’t be too surprising, as it could be argued that James Mangold helped ignite this musical biopic trend with his 2005 smash Walk the Line. Monica Barbaro herself is also receiving major awards buzz, and although she was shockingly denied a Golden Globe nomination for the film, she’s over the moon about their nominations in general. Nods for the big show are still to come, so we’ll see what The Academy thinks about Barbaro’s performance in January.

The At Midnight alum and Chalamet had to bring their all to the roles, as the love/hate relationship between their characters is a central part of the film. So, if they didn’t have such infectious chemistry, it would never have worked. Monica Barbaro felt this early on, as she said this about connecting with Chalamet and his voice via the aforementioned recordings, getting a leg up on shooting:

It's hard not to appreciate two actors that are greatly committed to their craft. Honestly, I'd argue that we'll be talking about the performances that Timothée Chalamet, Monica Barbaro and their co-stars gave in James Mangold's latest film for years to come.

You can see A Complete Unknown in theaters right now! It may be one of the last great titles on the 2024 movie schedule. Also, with the year winding down, be sure to look ahead to the excellent 2025 film releases on the horizon.

Wicked brought Erivo’s Elphaba to life, green skin and all. She really looks incredible. Director Jon M. Chu recently spoke with CinemaBlend's Reelblend podcast about the work that went into making the green look right. It certainly wasn’t as simple as painting the actress’ face, because making it look like face paint was exactly what they didn’t want. Chu explained…

Elphaba had to look like she was green, not simply that she’d been made green, otherwise her character wouldn’t feel real. And since Elphaba is who Wicked is ultimately about, the audience had to be able to relate to her as a character.

But there was more to coming up with the makeup than simply finding a look that came across as real, because it had to look real under a variety of circumstances. Another area where Wicked excels is in its production design, and with all the bright colors and warm lighting, the green had to be something that didn’t wash out in the wrong light, unless they wanted it to. Chu continued…

Chu mentions the green went away in warm pink light, and since Ariana Grande’s Glinda was all about pink, we can guess that was something of a clash. This would mean that, in cases of putting Elphaba in that pink light, they would need to make changes to the light, or the makeup, if they didn’t want the green to get washed out.

Cynthia Erivo spent hours in the makeup chair to get her Wicked look done right. It does appear the work has been appreciated. The movie is a huge hit and fans are eagerly awaiting next year's Wicked sequel.

Check out Chu’s full comments below.

Wicked seems to be a strong contender for the Oscars in both makeup and production design. The movie also has a plan in case both Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are nominated for acting awards. It could be a very good awards season for Wicked, starting in just a couple of weeks, and that's because of all the hard work and detail that went into crafting every element of this film.

Of course, I’d noticed a couple of special references to Reeves’ two most landmark franchises. When I had the chance to sit down with Sonic the Hedgehog franchise writers Josh Miller and Pat Casey, I asked them if they’d written any specific callbacks. Knowing that the action star was playing the ultimate lifeform, Miller & Casey shared that they actually had one reference they wanted to include. Speaking with CinemaBlend, Casey shared this famous Keanu Reeves line that almost made the cut:

Director Jeff Fowler did have a specific Keanu role in mind while making Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Which, to be fair, is probably why the sequence where Shadow’s walking in the rain through a neon-washed Japan looks like a scene from John Wick: Chapter 2.

But the one reference I’m not sure many people picked up on was Shadow’s would-be finishing move with Sonic (Ben Schwartz), later in that same setting. If you’re a fan of The Matrix trilogy’s story, you may have felt the pang of deja vu I sensed when Shadow the Hedgehog rocketed towards the ground, planting the Blue Blur in the asphalt. That was a page right out of the book of Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) during the climactic throwdown in 2003’s The Matrix Revolutions.

As for both of these references, it sounds like they were added in later on in the process. Continuing to lay out the production process for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, as Josh Miller and Pat Casey tipped their hats to one department in particular:

Josh Miller: "But to answer your question [about] throwing in nods, I don't feel like it was ever discussed. I think it just kind of started happening organically, and then especially once he agreed to do it."

Pat Casey: "I mean as far as him hitting certain poses, poses from other Keanu franchises, that's those board artists are always slipping those things in.”

While Mr. Miller and Mr. Casey couldn’t slip in the patented Keanu Reeves line they wished they could have included, fear not. Thanks to a creative video editor, we’ve come one step closer to seeing what it would be like if Shadow the Hedgehog got to make that request of Matrix and John Wick fame:

There’s a subtle balance that goes into making a fan-pleasing blockbuster like Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Director Jeff Fowler shared why more game characters weren’t in Sonic 3, and in another interview with IGN, Pat Casey and Josh Miller shared that a skeletal cameo of Big the Cat was nixed from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Also, you fans who were hoping that Sarah Paulson’s rumored Rouge the Bat role was going to happen, she’s actually been deleted from all three pictures so far.

Although with Sonic the Hedgehog 4 officially announced , there’s no telling what lines, easter eggs, or appearances may be in the works. We’ll just have to wait, as the fourth installment isn’t scheduled to arrive until spring 2027. In the meantime, you can still catch Sonic 3 in theaters, as well as revisit the first two films and the Knuckles spinoff series, through your Paramount+ subscription.

As we prepare for upcoming Trek shows on the 2025 TV schedule, I had a chance to speak to Wang about his recent return as Harry Kim on Lower Decks and about some of his past times working on Voyager. This included talking about the time the Prime Timeline's Harry Kim was sucked out of a hull breach and died, and he was replaced by another version of himself from a ship of doppelgängers. Here is how Garrett Wang felt about it at the time:

While Wang was miffed that Harry Kim was never promoted on Star Trek: Voyager, this WTF Voyager moment wasn't as big of an issue for him. As he said above, the characters are practically identical, with the same origin and background, so it's not like the other one had to do a ton of work to bring himself up to speed on this new universe. I'm glad to hear that, and I feel like Garrett Wang writing it off makes it easier for me to be alright with the change as a fan of Voyager.

As far as we know, Harry Kim is dead. That said, we've seen more bizarre things happen to Starfleet officers, and sometimes, an assured death isn't as permanent as the viewer thinks. Garrett Wang has a theory that Prime Kim survived being sucked out of the airlock and had a pitch for bringing the character back to the Star Trek universe:

Sure, Wang has a wild idea, but I can't sit here and act like I wouldn't want to see it. If the much-requested Star Trek: Legacy series ever happens, I would want Prime Borg Kim to be the first big bad that Captain Seven of Nine had to take on in the series. Not only would that be an awesome story, it would also give us another opportunity to see Wang as Kim!

For now, we get a healthy dose of Harry Kim in the Star Trek: Lower Decks episode "Fissure Quest." The episode has made waves for giving us a slew of Harrys from the multiverse, including one who was promoted. Those who haven't seen it yet should fire up that Paramount+ subscription immediately, especially if they're fans of Voyager.

Catch Star Trek: Lower Decks and Voyager on Paramount+, the home for most content from the franchise. With 2025 just around the corner, I'm thrilled to see Section 31 and Strange New Worlds Season 3, and hopefully, we get some other surprise announcements about what's ahead for Trek in the coming years.

It’s moments like that which reinforce people that have faith in trusting the process. Surprisingly, while Red One director Jake Kasdan hasn’t worked on a practical effects picture before, that lack of experience excited him when it came to tackling this holly jolly undertaking. As CinemaBlend was on hand to hear Kasdan’s answer to the question, his reasoning for even tackling such uncharted territory is quite admirable:

You want to talk about Christmas miracles? When I attended a screening to write my Red One review, I was one of the first people surprised to actually enjoy the picture. The wave of fans started growing stronger over time, with several members of the CinemaBlend team, like our own Rich Knight, sharing their own face turns on the movie.

The news was so good, it inspired Dwayne Johnson’s thanks to Red One fans. However, that wasn’t a last minute publicity move to embrace a film that looked destined to fail. That magic was baked in from day one, and it just took some people a little longer than others to become true believers.

Sitting in on that virtual press conference, we were all treated to former/upcoming MCU movie star Chris Evans geeking out over the quality of performances that avoided “getting eaten by the suit.” With that in mind, here’s what CinemaBlend learned in this earlier sit down with the Red One cast:

For as jaded as film fans seemed to be with Red One's arrival, the tune is changing every day when pertaining to this potential new tradition. The next week or so will be interesting to keep an eye on, since the close of 2024 will probably see folks tapering off from Amazon-MGM Studios' festive offering.

Just like Chris Evans and Jake Kasdan reflected above, having actors either interacting with and/or embodying the practical world of Red One really does rub off on the audience. Those of you who want to save Santa at home, or in theaters, can either catch it on the big screen or on the couch. For the latter option, you’ll need a Prime Video subscription and probably a cup of hot cocoa. It’s winter, and that hot treat never goes out of style.

When it comes to toxic relationships, I'm sure there are plenty we could all think of. In 2024 though, the first TV couple that comes to my mind is JD and Margo from Netflix's No Good Deed. However, JD's actor, Luke Wilson, actually had a surprising take on their relationship when I spoke to him – and it makes me want to rewatch the series.

No Good Deed comes from Liz Feldman, the creator of Dead to Me, who is no stranger to writing up characters that get your blood boiling, which Margo and JD certainly accomplish. At the end of Episode 8, we see that JD and Margo's house has burned down, but both are still alive – JD is acting again and Margo is arrested, with the two supposedly leading separate lives. I knew I had to ask Luke Wilson if he believes that if there were to be a Season 2 or a continuation of their story, did he think their paths would ever cross again. His answer was a yes, with a shocking look at their interactions – that JD actually needs Margo:

It's not that surprising if we're being honest. Despite Margo being the epitome of a gold digger in No Good Deed, enough to make Luke Wilson ask, "Who the hell is this person?" when co-star Linda Cardellini acted as her, a co-dependent relationship where someone needs the other to just purely function is quite common, especially with their shared lives.

Wilson commented on that as well, saying if they were lucky enough to continue the story, these two had to interact at some point – whether it's over sharing custody of a child or something else:

Now that I think about it, there's really no good relationship in No Good Deed that's completely healthy. From the big fight scene in Episode 7 between the Morgans, to Dennis and Carla keeping secrets from each other to so much more, it really takes the name of the show – No Good Deed – to heart.

It does make me want to rewatch the series now, specifically to really look into Margo and JD's relationship more. Maybe I'd understand where they're coming from a little better with Wilson's comments in mind and see how they could function together... or perhaps I'll end up just hating them more. Who knows?

Even so, No Good Deed earned good reviews from critics and became a big hit on Netflix, so people are loving these unhealthy couples. And if Season 2 happens, we might get to see way more of them - and all their crazy (and toxic) shenanigans.

Remembering how Parker put up a picture of Carla in his bullpen at the end of “Knight and Day,” I asked Binder in a recent interview, which also included talk about what’s ahead for Deputy Director Gabriel LaRoche and Nick Torres’ secret girlfriend, for clarification about if this was a trade that we’ll see more of DeMornay’s character or if she was just a one-off villain. Here’s what he told me:

Carla Morino came into the picture in “Knight and Day” when the team was tasked with protecting Melissa Radmore, the wife of defense contractor Freddy Radmore and a major Washington D.C. powerhouse in her own right. It turned out that Melissa was previously April Day, who ran off after graduating high school with Jason Morino, Carla’s son. Jason wanted nothing to do with his mother’s criminal activities, but he died in a motorcycle accident when he was 20 years old, and April was three months pregnant when this happened. She gave her daughter, Lauren, up for adoption and deliberately chose not to learn where she was being taken, but 20 years later, Carla showed up in D.C. and tried to find Lauren, going to far as to kidnap Melinda/April to obtain a genetic sample

In the midst of all this, viewers learned that Alden Parker had crossed paths with Carla Morino in Kansas City during his FBI years. That history combined with the events of “Knight and Day” was enough for Parker to make apprehending Carla a long-term goal, and now we know from Steven D. Binder that this will indeed be revisited at a later date. Unlike the Lily mystery though, it doesn’t sound like Carla and/or the Kansas City mob are guaranteed to return before Season 22 is over, and may instead be saved for Season 23, assuming that is greenlit. I also wouldn’t be surprised if another tease for these baddies is seeded into the Season 22 finale to set the stage for what would come in the 2025-2026 TV season.

As soon as any new details concerning NCIS’ use of the Kansas City mob come to light, we’ll pass them along. For now, the series will return with new episodes on Monday, January 27, but you can stream any of its released episodes with a Paramount+ subscription now.

The competition surrounding the final 2024 movies on the calendar has gotten pretty intense this week. Even if you focused on the box-office battle between Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Mufasa: The Lion King, that dance seems to be getting a bit more intense on a daily basis.

While we know that the Disney prequel leads to one of the most heart-wrenching deaths in animated history, Sonic 3 has its fair share of supposed scrapes with mortality. One of which may not be as bad as I had thought, after seeing the film a second time.

What Happened To Commander Walters In Sonic 3, And What The Writers Had To Say

Over the weekend, I decided to check out Sonic 3’s 4DX adventure. That hype came after speaking with writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller, who've penned the Blue Blur’s box office bonanzas since 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog.

They were also my virtual guests during a press day for their three-quel, and that was when I'd asked we supposedly see G.U.N. Commander Walters (Tom Butler) taken out in a drone attack. Co-writer Josh Miller’s answer to that question was quite the tease, as he offered CinemaBlend this:

Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s ending left us all hanging on the hook, with the introduction of Shadow. But apparently, as Miller further clarified in his remarks, that fact meant that Tom Butler’s franchise fixture needed to return now more than ever. As good Commander was the first person to tell us about Project Shadow, and Walters' role in that organization, a bit of retconning was required.

According to further details from Josh Miller, both the present and past (James Wolk) incarnation of this military man suggested that G.U.N. had existed for some time - instead of supposedly springing up as a result of Sonic the Hedgehog. Further backing Mr. Miller's comments to CinemaBlend, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 shared this additional story note that ties it all together:

While Sonic 3’s ending teases towards some other, bigger implications, Commander Walters’ status is still a bit up in the air. And after seeing the latest adventure of Team Sonic a second time, there’s some truth to Josh Miller’s potentially half-joking statement.

The Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Clues That Seem To Support Commander Walters’ Survival

The first thing I noticed when revisiting Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was in the scene where Director Rockwell (Krysten Ritter) is searching for Commander Walters’ key to the Eclipse Cannon. One of the G.U.N. personnel in that same scene tells us a medivac chopper has been sent to recover Walters. That right there doesn’t seem to suggest mortality, as you don’t medivac a dead body.

As for the second piece of dialogue that leaves this death further in doubt, when Tom (James Marsden) tricks Director Rockwell in disguise. Using Walters as the form to dupe her, she is surprised to see him alive.

However, that rouse is never unmasked, and Rockwell is left to think that Walters is potentially alive. In a flick where we saw Tom take a power punch from Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves) and live to tell the tale, that just might be the truth.

Maybe an eventual deleted scene, or shared draft of the script will tell us something different about where Sonic the Hedgehog 3 leaves Commander Walters. For now though, you can see the latest installment in theaters, before or after you catch the first two Sonic movies and the Knuckles series through your Paramount+ subscription!

Wicked mania is still in full swing. The film is currently racking it up at the box office, critics are praising it, our own official Wicked review gave it a perfect 5/5, and just as the hype starts to die down, Wicked: For Good will be hitting theaters next year. The massive success forces one to reflect on its predecessor, The Wizard Of Oz, which became a worldwide phenomenon when it hit theaters about 85 years ago. At this point, Wicked feels like its own thing entirely, but according to director Jon M. Chu, Wicked: For Good will connect to The Wizard of Oz in a major, direct way, and it’s through the iconic protagonist Dorothy Gale.

Director Jon M. Chu cannot stop teasing what’s to come when the second half of Glinda and Elphaba’s story finally hits the big screen, and although our most recent conversation was in celebration of Wicked’s December 31 home video release, it inevitably came back around to For Good, and of course, Dorothy. As Chu said:

His comments about Dorothy’s casting are in reference to the fact that fans across the internet have been speculating as to who could be taking on the role. So far, all we’ve seen are teases of the character, like glimpses of her silhouette or a shot that obscures her face. With 2025 Golden Globe nominees Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande becoming worldwide sensations, the bar is set very high, and the day that said casting is announced will be a huge one for those of us in the entertainment news game.

As for the Wizard Of Oz of it all, John M. Chu could be referring to anything. The fact that the world he has helped to create intersects with the 1939 classic “more than ever” is pretty insane to think about. Are there more classic characters we should be fan-casting? Are there more folks from Oz lore that will be making an appearance, like those insane Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel cameos? Will it connect to the larger Oz universe and reference The Wiz or Return To Oz? I think it’s time to start speculating. All I can say is that if there are no cameos from Fairuza Balk or James Franco, I am going to freak out.

Only time will tell! Wicked: For Good will be released on November 21, 2025. That feels like quite a ways away, but let’s not forget that Wicked: Part 1 is still in theaters right now! And in case you’ve already done your big screen rewatch, all you have to do is hold out until December 31, which is when you can purchase or rent Wicked at home! For all upcoming news on Dorothy’s casting, Wicked: For Good, the Wicked home release and everything else hitting theaters in 2025, keep it right here at CinemaBlend.

Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis is a strange and unique cinematic experience in many ways, but one of the true standouts is that original screenings involved a special live-action component. During these screenings, the theater lights would come on in the middle of the movie and an actor would seemingly host an impromptu Q&A session with Adam Driver’s Caesar Catalina (on the screen). It was a wild thing that I personally got to witness when I saw the film this past fall prior to its theatrical release, and it was something that Driver himself really loved when he first got to experience the completed work.

As captured in the video above, I had the chance to interview Adam Driver during Megalopolis’ pre-release junket in Toronto in September, and in addition to discussing the way he watches his own work and his collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola, we also specifically talked about the movie’s live-action component. He explained that it was part of the presentation when the feature premiered in the summer at the Cannes Film Festival, and he told me that the original idea was for that part to be even “bigger.” Said Driver,

It’s a much different way of breaking the fourth wall than audiences are used to seeing (a la Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool talking to the screen), and Adam Driver sees the special Megalopolis scene as a reflection of the writer/director’s background in theater. The actor additionally saw the moment as a representation of how Francis Ford Coppola works behind the scenes, and he was emotionally taken aback witnessing it, even though he was watching himself on screen:

Obviously having an actor at Megalopolis screenings was a unique aspect of the film’s theatrical release, but if you’re curious about watching the movie sans-in-person Q&A, the movie is currently available for digital rental.

Spoilers for Season 2 of Shrinking are ahead. If you haven’t seen it, you can stream it with an Apple TV+ subscription.

Shrinking's final episode on the 2024 TV schedule left us with so many reasons to cry and smile. However, Harrison Ford's big speech about what he's thankful for was what caused both things to happen simultaneously. It was a candid, genuine and raw scene where his character Paul finally dropped his walls and told everyone how he felt, and it didn't just leave me in tears, the whole cast was crying too.

In the Thanksgiving scene, Paul stood up to say what he was thankful for and tearfully explained that the road he’s on is only going to get tougher. However, while that’s the harsh reality, he expressed his gratitude and love for everyone in that room, telling them he appreciates their presence and that he’s “leaning” on them. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it, between watching Harrison Ford tear up and understanding the reality of his character’s situation, this speech was incredibly moving.

For Lukita Maxwell, who plays Alice, it was extra emotional because of her personal connection to Parkinson’s, as she told me the following during an interview with CinemaBlend:

I totally understand where Maxwell is coming from, because I’ve also lost loved ones to illness and cancer. While it’s hard to be vulnerable and talk about how hard this is, it’s important and healthy. So, seeing Paul have the courage to do it was profoundly moving.

Maxwell also told me that outside of her personal connection to the moment, watching her on-screen dad, Jason Segel, watch Harrison Ford deliver this candid speech made her break too. She said:

Watching Jimmy watch Paul also broke me, because he was facing the mortality of this man and mentor whom he adores. Michael Urie also cited that as a reason why he found the moment so touching, because “Jimmy is looking at his mentor and seeing finality.” And that point was also amplified by Urie’s own connection to Ford.

During my chat with the Brian actor, he told me he found Paul’s speech emotional because he was connecting it back to Harrison Ford. Urie is a lifelong fan of the actor, and seeing him give “the performance of a lifetime” while talking about the rest of his life and accepting the “inevitability” made him emotional, as he explained:

It truly is very moving, because like Paul, Harrison Ford is working and thriving to this day and it’s kind of unimaginable to picture him not doing this anymore. However, that is how life works, and thinking about that really makes the emotions bubble up.

Along with the meaning of this speech, the Brian actor told me Ford didn’t just do his scene when the camera was on him at 100%, he did that for every take, and that also made him emotional:

Overall, this scene is one of the most tearjerking and dramatic scenes in this comedy, because it explicitly addresses this struggle Paul has been internalizing for such a long time. Harrison Ford also turned in, as Urie put it, a “performance of a lifetime,” and seeing him be so candid and expressive when he's normally quite stoic and reserved added to the impact of this speech.

It’s moments like this that move both viewers and the cast that make Shrinking one of Apple TV+’s best shows and my favorite series of the year. This show knows how to tap into very real emotions, situations and challenges that everyone faces, and they do so in a caring and relatable way. This scene of Paul saying what he's grateful for is a prime and tearjerking example of exactly that.

Over the course of his multi-decade career, Kevin Bacon has played a wide variety of different roles, including those of both good moral character and bad, but one detail that serves as a common thread between many of them is the fact that he has died on screen quite a lot. He doesn't quite have Sean Bean's reputation for making early exits in projects, but he has built up his own special legacy.

With that in mind, I felt compelled to ask the beloved actor about his favorite cinematic deaths when I had the chance to speak with him this past summer during the Los Angeles press day for MaXXXine. In the new horror movie, his character meets a brutal end when he is locked inside of a sedan and the vehicle is cubed by a car crusher in a wrecking yard, but as he acknowledges in the video above, his history dying in genre films dates back to one of his earliest roles: Friday The 13th:

Friday The 13th was in 1980, with Kevin Bacon playing Camp Crystal Lake counselor Jack... but that wasn't actually his first time dying on screen. Mentioned among the titles in the interview, 1978's Animal House is the movie that has that particular distinction. Bacon's first film role was playing preppy Chip Diller in the classic fraternity comedy, and he meets a grisly, funny end during the film's third act when he is quite literally flattened as he is trampled by a panicked crowd.

Also among the notable Kevin Bacon deaths is the white water rafting thriller The River Wild from 1994. That particular kill is notable not because of the way Bacon's character dies, but because who is responsible: in the movie's big climax, he gets shot to death by Meryl Streep.

It was mentioning The River Wild that also triggered the actor's memory of another big death. Bacon makes a notable mid-movie exit in the 1996 crime thriller Sleepers and he recalled during the MaXXXine interview being loaded up with squibs and flailing around as he was riddled with bullets:

It's a special legacy, and if you want to watch the most recent contribution to it, the opportunity is open for you. A fun title to reflect on as we look back on the year of cinema from 2024 (you can read my three-and-a-half star CinemaBlend review), MaXXXine is now available for purchase on 4K UHD and Blu-ray if you're a physical media fan, and if you're looking for a digital option, you can stream it right now with a Max subscription.

The 2024 movie schedule has been filled to the brim with new releases, and one of the biggest thus far has been Sonic the Hedgehog 3. With a CinemaBlend's good Sonic 3 review and a box office that sprinted past Mufasa: The Lion King, it was only a matter of time before a fourth Sonic film was confirmed. Now, barely that long into its release, we already know when it's coming out – and Ben Schwartz told us what he wants the most out of the next film.

For those who haven’t heard the news, Variety confirmed that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is already in the works and aiming for a spring 2027 release. Prior to the confirmation of the fourth film, I knew I had to ask Ben Schwartz, the lovable voice of Sonic, what he would love to see in the fourth film and if he wanted to continue the team aspect that’s been building up for the last two movies – and his answer was a resounding “yes” with plenty of enthusiasm:

The ending of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 featured the tease of a long-awaited fan-favorite – Amy Rose – who could potentially join the next Sonic film, adding one other player to the team of superpowered individuals. Schwartz continued to say that his faith in this team aspect comes from all of these other great team movies out there that build on those personality differences, whom together to become more powerful, citing from many popular Marvel movies:

Sonic the Hedgehog has undoubtedly been building up its team aspect more and more lately. While Sonic the Hedgehog 3 did introduce us to Shadow, the ending of the film initially seemed to taper off any chances we had of possibly seeing him again in the film franchise since he supposedly sacrificed himself to save Earth alongside Ivo Robotnik. However, we later see that Shadow survived, so he'll probably be back, right?

As for that post-credit sequence, I am curious to see what might happen if Amy Rose becomes a part of this team. Will she get the Knuckles-style spinoff that he got? Or will she get a chance to shine in Sonic the Hedgehog 4? And how is she going to help build out this excellent team aspect that Ben Schwartz wants to keep expanding on so much?

Schwartz’s excitement certainly makes me excited, and it makes me want to get her even faster in 2027. Can we skip the 2025 movie schedule and move over two years? That would be fun. Either way, there’s no denying Schwartz’s eagerness to continue this team into the next installment of Sonic, and I, for one, will be there for it — and hopefully, Amy Rose will be there too.

Doctor Who came back, albeit temporarily, for yet another Christmas special. "Joy To The World" featured the return of Villengard, a surprise trip to Bethlehem, and a quick appearance by the lovely Ruby Sunday. It all leads up to Doctor Who returning in the new year as part of the 2025 TV schedule, and showrunner Russell T. Davies told CinemaBlend how it all leads up to the new season.

I was lucky enough to speak to RTD, as well as former showrunner and "Joy To The World" writer Steven Moffat, ahead of the special and talk about where Doctor Who goes from here. The duo spoke to me in a Zoom call, and I listened as Davies talked about Joy's final conversation with The Doctor, Ruby Sunday and how that bleeds into the new season:

The showrunner kind of sidestepped giving a real answer on Ruby Sunday, but we do know she will also return to Doctor Who at some point. Until then, we'll get Belinda Chandra, played by Varada Sethu, and it looks like she's going to become The Doctor's newest friend based on Russell T. Davies' words above.

Beyond that, however, most of "Joy To The World" seemed self-contained and had little to do with other ongoing storylines in Doctor Who. Russell T. Davies had previously confirmed to CinemaBlend that more gods of the Pantheon are on the way. We also reported that new merchandise is due out for a classic villain in the new year, which may just tease which villain The Doctor will face in the new season.

Hopefully between all the battles, he finds time to slow down and make more friends along the way. It does feel as though he's dealing with loneliness once again, though that's a recurring theme for The Doctor time and time again. Is he ever going to find true happiness? I'm not sure that's possible, even if Gallifrey is restored for the umpteenth time. I'd be happy to see him try in the new season, though, and I'm also happy this year's Christmas special wasn't as much of a bummer as the ones we've seen in the past.

Doctor Who returns with new episodes in 2025, and those looking to watch the previous season likely know they can check it out on Disney+. There's a good deal of other great shows on there to catch up on for those who have been busy and now have time to stream, so get on it!

If you've been up to date with the 2024 Netflix schedule, then you're aware of the latest film from Tyler Perry, The Six Triple Eight. The film tells the story of the only U.S. Women's Army Corps unit of color during the Second World War, which delivered 17 million pieces of mail, and is based on the stories of several hundred real people. Because of that, CinemaBlend had the chance to hear about an incredible experience the star Kerry Washington got to have with a journalist at the premiere of the film.

When I spoke with Washington (who portrays Major Charity Adams) ahead of the film's release to those with a Netflix subscription, she revealed that at the premiere of The Six Triple Eight, there was a list of all the women who were a part of the regiment, and a journalist spotted her great aunt's name. Afterwards, she "burst into tears" because seeing her name on that list explained "so much" of her aunt's past to her:

Washington further commented that now, this movie provides the opportunity for those families of the soldiers who were a part of the regiment to have a "deepened pride" for their ancestors and tells a story that no one would have expected:

There’s so much history out there that we don’t know, and it’s a big thing that Tyler Perry wants viewers to take away from the film. Washington's story of a journalist finding out about her aunt's participation in this battalion was a fantastic example of that—she never would have known about this if it wasn't for this film's release and Perry telling these people's stories.

Washington teamed up with Oprah Winfrey and more to tell this story, and it’s moments like this that make it all the better – that they can make a connection with someone that wasn’t there before.

2024 has had some particularly good war films, like A24's Civil War, which became a favorite for many people. There have also been plenty of great war movies focused around World War II in general. But I personally think that The Six Triple Eight is a game-changer and teaches us so much about history that we didn’t know.

There are plenty of great movies coming out as part of the 2025 Netflix schedule, but since it's the end of the year, be sure to sit down with the family and check out The Six Triple Eight when you can to learn about these powerful women and how they helped America in their time of need.

Friends and fellow fans, we’ve officially made it through Season 1 of Dune: Prophecy. As the 2024 TV schedule draws to 1 close, fans have seen a lot play out in this year’s finale. With what we know about Prophecy including the fresh Season 2 greenlight and in the wake of one last round of interviews timed to “The High-Handed Enemy’s” debut, I felt like it was time to ask some questions. Especially when after all that’s happened over the past two weeks has left me with some unanswered questions that still haunt me.

How Does Desmond’s Parentage Leave Valya And Tula’s Relationship?

We pretty much need to start with the obvious question, which is all about how Mother Superior Valya (Emily Watson) and her sister, Tula (Olivia Wiliams), are going to fare after Desmond’s parentage reveal. During the virtual press conference for Dune: Prophecy’s season finale, which CinemaBlend attended, Ms. Watson, Ms. Williams, and showrunner Alison Schapker all revealed their thoughts on how this last-minute reveal will shake things up.

Provided in edited excerpts, here's part of what all three parties had to say:

• Emily Watson: 'It’s blown everything up, but I think Valya is probably still holding ‘I am the chosen one, I have the destiny’ [that] is still her guide. That's her guide through this. … I think Valya's instinct is to run for the shadows. ‘I will stick with my mission, because that's what keeps me alive.’
• Olivia Williams: 'I think a huge thing for Tula is the moment when she says, "please don't kill my son, trust me, I've got this." … It's an interesting thing though, because sometimes people of that character like to stay in the shadows, and it will be interesting to see what happens, if she is pushed further to the front and whether she can handle it.'
• Alison Schapker: 'I also think like any secret that comes out, the longer you keep the pain around it needs to be metabolized. It makes you have to rethink your relationship - going back over the years, [thinking] “how did I miss something?”'

Judging by the events of the last few episodes, Desmond Hart’s still-mysterious and facinating presence is about to become a bit of a pain point for another figure in Dune: Prophecy’s landscape. And, as far as I’m concerned, it’s not a matter of if, but when.

How Will Empress Natalya React To Desmond’s Revealing Truths?

In recent times, Empress Natalya Corrino (Jodhi May) has been getting rather cozy with Desmond. Thanks to his husband’s rekindled affair with Sister Francesa (Tabu), Natalya’s support of Mr. Hart’s anti-Sisterhood/anti-tech crusade has forged quite a bond; with a little bit of potential romance mixed in as well.

Here’s where Dune: Prophecy showrunner Alison Schapker’s comment about secrets complicating relationships comes back to haunt our cast of characters. With Desmond connected by blood to The Sisterhood and being fitted with Nanobots that give him the powers of the “burning truth,” he’s basically a ticking time bomb of antithesis to Empress Natalya’s beliefs.

So how does Jodhi May think the truth will affect this new alliance? When I asked her that very question, she told CinemaBlend the following:

Considering how Desmond Hart’s explosive encounter with Mikaela (Shalom Brune-Franklin) went, blowing things up seems to be another recurring theme of Dune: Prophecy’s first season. Hopefully, for Empress Natalya's sake, she'll be able to walk away just as unscathed.

There’s a lot more to consider with what happens in “The High-Handed Enemy’s” season finale storyline, too. I hate that we’re going to have to wait for answers to these Prophecy questions as well as clarity in regard to how the major developments impact these players in the future.

At the same time, I am happy to say that fans actually have a second season to look forward to at some point in the future. So, if you haven’t caught any of Prophecy, and need something to watch over the holiday break, grab a Max subscription and jump in!

I recently spoke to Monica Barbaro on behalf of A Complete Unknown, coincidentally on the morning that the Golden Globe nominations were announced. When I asked about what a surreal press day she must be having, she gave me the lowdown:

If you take a look at the interview clip at the top of this article, it’s clear that “blowing up people’s phones” doesn’t mean that she was issuing complaints, despite not being singled out. The film was nominated for Best Motion Picture - Drama, and that’s the kind of recognition that everyone involved can be proud of. As previously mentioned, she was also a part of the massively successful Top Gun: Maverick, and she went on to compare the two experiences:

She’s of course referring to the fact that Top Gun: Maverick was famously delayed due to the global pandemic, so the fact that A Complete Unknown has managed to achieve such a quick turnaround must be an unfamiliar whirlwind. There are talks of a Maverick sequel being in the works, and It’s clear that the cast and crew of Top Gun have remained close, as even Tom Cruise himself made an appearance to support Monica Barbaro for a screening of A Complete Unknown. Barbaro was said to have impressed Cruise and co. with her dedication on set, so we can only assume she’ll be returning to close out the trilogy.

As for A Complete Unknown, you can see it in theaters on Christmas Day! CinemaBlend’s A Complete Unknown review claims that the film can make a Bob Dylan fan out of anyone, and if you ask me personally, I’d say it’s one of the best films of the year. As the year comes to an end, remember that we have plenty to look forward to as far as 2025’s box office releases go, so keep it right here at CinemaBlend for the latest news.

Speaking with Jake Hamilton of our own Reelblend podcast, Chu says that Steven Spielberg has lived up to all of his expectations as one of the director's heroes. Spielberg helped launch Chu’s career and the two saw Wicked together recently, and then spent a lot of time talking about it after the fact. Chu explained…

Oh to have been a fly on the wall during this conversation. Steven Spielberg recently made West Side Story, a project that he had long wanted to do because of his personal love of musicals. One can imagine these two had a lot to talk about when it came to the work involved in directing some complex films.

While Steven Spielberg is no stranger to musicals, or to movies with heavy use of visual effects, West Side Story didn’t necessarily have a lot of those, so Spielberg likely had a lot of questions for Jon M. Chu regarding how he brought it all together. One would think Steven Spielberg knows everything thee is to know about making movies, but perhaps it’s his endless curiosity that makes him so good at his job. Check out Chu’s full comments on Spielberg below.

If most of us ever met Steven Spielberg, we’d likely be the one asking him endless questions. Chu admits to being apprehensive about answering some of them for feat that his way of doing things might not meet with the Oscar winner’s approval, but there’s certainly no indication that was the case. At this point it seems likely Wicked will win its own Oscars, as it will likely be in contention in multiple categories.

The closest I’ve ever gotten to Steven Spielberg is seeing his introduction at the beginning of the E.T. Adventure at Universal Studios Florida, but this whole exchange tells me that if I ever did have a chance to meet him or interview him, it would be everything I could possibly hope for.

Both directors have a very exciting future, Chu, of course, has the upcoming Wicked: Part Two set for next year, while Spielberg has an upcoming project of his own, though it's one we know little about. One imagines these two will have plenty to discuss going forward.

During our interview, we of course talked about Carpenter’s “Last Christmas” duet with Chappell Roan, but additionally, he got into just how the singer fit the special into her schedule between releasing a No. 1 album and going on the road for the Short n’ Sweet tour. As Sherwood shared with me, he was approached about the opportunity in late July just a month before the project was set to shoot in late August. In his words:

Short n’ Sweet was released on August 23 after Sabrina Carpenter had already topped herself on the charts with her two lead singles. While the singer could have certainly taken a break to get ready for tour, she took three days to film A Nonsense Christmas, which came together “very, very quickly,” per Sherwood.

The production designer calls his experience “a big exchange of ideas” between himself and the whole team. While the 50-minute special had the team moving quickly, he told me that he actually ended up working in their favor. As he continued:

Sherwood was behind the amazing tiered stage where Sabrina Carpenter channels Marilyn Monroe in the special’s opening number. He also brought to life the sitcom-inspired pink living room, which was inspired by Friends and Sabrina the Teenage Witch

The special juggles a lot, between some fun Christmas song renditions with special guests like Shania Twain to Tyla along with giving off SNL energy with its few comedy sketches featuring Quinta Brunson and Kyle Mooney among other talents. Hearing about how the production went behind the scenes definitely gives me an even bigger appreciation for the show. Sherwood also said this:

Sabrina Carpenter was unstoppable this year! Must have been all that espresso! A Nonsense Christmas is now streaming for those with a Netflix subscription. Check it out again to pay attention to more of the production design details from Jason Sherwood.

If you've been keeping up to date with the 2024 movie schedule, you probably know about the hit release Sonic the Hedgehog 3 which has earned a solid review from CinemaBlend and easily sprinted past the competition at the holiday box office this weekend. While it continues the story of the famous speedy hedgehog and his team, there's one particular dance sequence that had me laughing, and director Jeff Fowler told me how they brought it to life --specifically with the help of Jim Carrey.

In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Dr. Robotnick (played by Jim Carrey) meets his long-lost grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnick (also Carrey), and when the two of them don special suits in order to sneak through a laser-filled room, of course, a totally hilarious dance sequence breaks out. I was so enamored by the scene that when I spoke with director Jeff Fowler, I asked him about how it came together.

Apparently, it was actually Jim Carrey's idea in the first place, as he told CinemaBlend:

Honestly, I'm not surprised it was Jim Carrey's idea to bring the dance sequence to life as a callback to earlier in the franchise. His moment in the first film was super funny, but adding a dance team to choreograph, an intense set design and having two Carreys performing at the same time made it all the more over-the-top—so much so that I'd willingly pay to see the movie again just to watch this moment. I mean, Carrey is notoriously hands-on with his roles, so it makes total sense he would up the ante for the third film.

Carrey's ideas for Robotnick and his grandfather have paid off. Prior to the film's release, some critics said Jim Carrey stole the show from Shadow (Keanu Reeves) and that he was really one of the biggest draws of this movie for his "epic performance." Plus, Jeff Fowler has said cool things about working with Carrey on set before and how he always wants to work hard and deliver in his roles, and this time around, he delivered twice as much hilarity.

The film's ending doesn't give us a ton of hope for Robotnik (or his grandfather) returning, but Carrey did previously say he was retired and then returned for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, so never say never. Maybe we'll get lucky enough in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 to see Carrey pull off another fun dance sequence.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Star Trek: Lower Decks finale, "The New Next Generation." Stream it with a Paramount+ subscription and read at your own risk!

We've officially said goodbye to another Star Trek series exiting the 2024 TV schedule, but there are still fans hoping we'll see Lower Decks pop back up on the upcoming Trek slate in the future. I count myself as one of those, especially after the animated series added such a game-changing element to the franchise, opening up the floodgates for many cool adventures down the road. Starfleet now has a stable portal to the multiverse, and I had to ask creator Mike McMahan how hard that was to clear.

While Trek has delivered some WTF moments in TNG and other shows, it surprisingly hasn't spent much time exploring the prospect of the multiverse. There's the Mirror Universe, the parallel universe and, of course, te alternative timelines that make for the Kelvin universe. All that said, Lower Decks exploded the concept of the multiverse and confirmed a seemingly endless amount of realities for Starfleet to explore with the new portal.

With such a radical change added to the Prime universe's canon, I asked Mike McMahan if it was a struggle getting it cleared, he confirmed as much, saying:

As someone who considers Star Trek: First Contact one of the best Trek movies ever made, I absolutely loved that Lily Sloane reference. I also adore that Mike McMahan mentioned his time as head writer of Rick and Morty, which tackles multiversal storytelling as well as any franchise out there. If Alex Kurtzman and crew are looking for someone to head up a series diving into Trek's multiverse mishaps, he's the guy to do it. Assuming they aren't still mad about his cheeky joke Discovery's Klingons, I think he'd nail that job.

McMahan continued to talk about pitching the idea of a multiversal threat in Star Trek and what finally sold the idea to the decision-makers above him. In doing so, he dropped another big name in shouting out Lower Decks voice actor Jerry O'Connell, who memorably had another multiverse sci-fi fave years before he joined Trek. As the showrunner put it:

While it's still a bummer that Star Trek: Lower Decks won't return anywhere on the 2025 TV schedule, there is an upside in that the portal for exploring the multiverse now exists in the Prime timeline. This would mean that assuming a series takes place after Lower Decks is set, it's fair game for this portal to be used by other Star Trek shows. I hope it is utilized by future creatives and not just something the franchise leaves drifting in space like the good Borgs from Picard Season 2.

Right now, the odds of Star Trek: Lower Decks returning to television feels very slim. That said, this fanbase is used to improbable comebacks of their beloved shows, and after Netflix saved Prodigy, I'd say the series may find a home yet again. We'll just have to cross our fingers and maybe write some letters to Paramount to see it happen, but I'm down for the cause if it means adventures in the multiverse.

Anyone who missed the finale or any of Star Trek: Lower Decks can check it out on Paramount+ right now. There are plenty of great episodes to watch or revisit if you've seen the series before, so don't delay in streaming it today.

Speaking to CinemaBlend and other outlets, The Rock, Chris Evans and more got candid about why they feel the movie came together well, despite tying Santa lore in with an industrial military complex, other fairytales, an enemies-to-friends narrative and the "heart" fans love in a family film. (Really, when you lay it all out there, I see how some are skeptical.) Regardless, Johnson told us that it’s exactly that “heart” of the film that resonates through, and we have fellow star J.K. Simmons to thank.

Of course, Dwayne Johnson’s favorite part of the move would have to do with JK Simmons’ fit Santa finding good in kids around the world. While Simmons arguably only plays a small role in the actual plot, his input is one of my favorite parts as well, and not just because of the hilarious joke the movie repeatedly makes about how much Santa has to eat in one night (and work out) in order to stay in shape and service the needs of billions of children around the globe.

It's also worth noting, in my opinion, that adding Simmons as fit Santa and showing off the look well before the movie's release gave fans -- both naughty and nice -- something to talk about before the 2024 movie's release. But Johnson said he was happy to have him on board so the movie ultimately hit the right tone with audiences.

Chris Evans also mentioned the myriad ways the action/adventure film offers a more global perspective as one of its most successful bits, so he’s definitely enthusiastic about the way it mixes lore in order to create something new and wholly original, a "code" they spent a lot of time trying to "crack."

While plenty of critics weren't super pumped about the movie, CinemaBlend's Red One review was positive, and we seem to be with the audiences on this one. About 90% of fans have who have seen the movie and rated it have enjoyed it, possibly because of that "heart" and that "mythology" Johnson and Evans were talking about. If that sounds up your alley, you too can do so with an Amazon Prime subscription.

The following article contains spoilers for No Good Deed. If you’re not caught up, check out the entire first season with a Netflix subscription.

When it comes to legendary comedy stars like Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano, there have been fewer moments in TV history where we really get to see their fantastic dramatic sides shine. Thankfully, 2024's Netflix release No Good Deed was the perfect way to show these dramatic chops off, and the major fight between their characters during Episode 7 is a prime example. I wanted to know more about the scene, so I spoke to the actors about what it was like on set that day and the process it took to get that notable argument just right.

The newly popular No Good Deed follows the story of several couples who are all vying for a house in California – the Morgans’ home (Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano). As the story goes on, we find out the actual reasons why the Morgans’ are selling their home, all of which date back to their son getting killed in their own house. When I asked the actors what it was like on set to film that scene as typically comedic actors, Romano commented that it actually was like a “release” since, at that point, they had been playing these two characters for months:

The argument that happens between Lydia (Kudrow) and Paul (Romano) was really a long time coming by the time Episode 7 rolled around. The scene in question boiled down to the two of them finally snapping at each other after keeping their emotions hidden for so long. Lydia had been dealing with long-repressed trauma from her son’s death, while Paul had been the one trying to help her but also becoming more emotionally distant as the series progressed. It was the big explosion that fans were really waiting for.

Kudrow agreed the scene worked because it was as if all this emotion was finally coming out, despite Lydia becoming the main target of anger.

Truthfully, No Good Deed is one of those dark comedies where there are plenty of moments that make you laugh, but when the dark instances occur or the drama comes out, you are locked in. This scene is a prime example of that.

And it’s excellent for both Kudrow and Romano as well. While both are certainly primarily known for their super successful sitcoms, from Kudrow in the Friends cast to Romano as the lead of I Love Raymond (though don't expect a reboot), it’s always a delight when they are able to show their range as actors. And No Good Deed was a great series in that it allowed them to do so.

No Good Deed has been called ‘quirky yet macabre,’ and the show, as of writing this, is currently trending in the Top 10 of Netflix’s TV shows right now, so there’s no denying its popularity. Season 2 is still up in the air at this point, but if I get to see Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano flex their dramatic chops again, I’m all for this story continuing. Who knew the housing market could bring such drama?

How did these two end up in fur coats singing karaoke to an old TV? CinemaBlend spoke to the special’s production designer, Jason Sherwood, about how the “Last Christmas” moment came together, and some iconic choices were obviously made. As Sherwood shared:

Originally, Sabrina and Chappell’s duet was going to happen in a completely different way. Two of the biggest pop stars of 2024 were going to come together on the massive tiered stage, which took the production crew around two weeks to construct and was ultimately used for the opening and closing numbers. However, when the pair came together, they decided they wanted to deliver a more intimate rendition of George Michael’s classic Christmas song. As Sherwood continued:

Sherwood, who previously did the production design for the 2020 Oscars, RENT Live, and shows for the Spice Girls, Sara Bareilles and Sam Smith, was approached for A Nonsense Christmas just ahead of Carpenter’s Grammy-nominated album and viral world tour taking flight. So, he had the experience needed to make this change and make it super effective.

After the production team was asked to pivot from the original plan, the moment between Sabrina and Chappell only got sweeter. It took place in the Friends-inspired living room Sherwood designed for the special, but in a new context just for the song. In the production designer’s words:

Certainly, these two could have slayed a power ballad, but there’s something cozy and memorable about the pair singing karaoke together against a more moody version of the set about lost love. We already knew that Carpenter can rock fur and that Chappell Roan loves a reference in her fashion, but this pivot really illustrates nostalgia and camaraderie between the two chart-toppers. Sherwood also said this:

A Nonsense Christmas With Sabrina Carpenter was shot over three days during the summer, with tons of other incredible musical guests like Shania Twain, Tyla, Kali Uchis along with Cara Delevingne, Jillian Bell, Megan Stalter, Nico Hiraga, Quinta Brunson and Kyle Mooney being part of the sketch segments. You can appreciate all the production design work Sherwood did on the special on Netflix right now.

One of the 2024 movies that truly felt like a holiday gift, at least to me, is The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. It’s a sweeping anime saga that I think should please the most hardcore admirers, especially when devoted fans like actor Gaia Wise are part of the cast. Her love of The Lord of the Rings movies inspired me to ask her a question that revealed what her ultimate keepsake from the experience would be.

I spoke with Ms. Wise and her co-star Laurence Ubong Wiliams for The War of the Rohirrim's virtual press day. It was the perfect time to talk some horse sense, inspired by the story of Viggo Mortensen trying to adopt his LOTR horse once production had wrapped. While The War of the Rohirrim wasn’t a live-action production, that doesn’t mean Gais Wise should have walked home empty handed. But she kind of did, as when I asked if the animation team had tried to gift her art of this “tearaway child” on her noble steed, she sadly confirmed no offer was made. At the same time, Wise did share with CinemaBlend this interesting story about what she would want to hang on her walls:

If there was ever a time for another Lord of the Rings related F-bomb to drop, I think this would be it. Also, Ms. Paloma’s name should sound familiar, as her single “Labour” has been a viral sensation on TikTok, perfect notes and all. So after hearing this story, I could identify with Gaia Wise and Laurence Ubong Wiliams’ joking sentiment of Paris Paloma being “annoyingly perfect.”

Keepsake or not, Gaia Wise's story is another example of how the DNA of The Lord of the Rings franchise is well served by The War of the Rohirrim. In addition to decisions like the inclusion of Christopher Lee’s posthumous cameo as Saruman, the tradition of renowned musical artists providing a stand out single for the adventure at hand also connects the past to the present.

Paris Paloma now joins the ranks of Enya, Annie Lennox and Ed Sheeran in that respect. And in case you haven’t heard the results for yourself, please enjoy “The Rider” in all its ridiculously perfect glory:

Thanks to Gaia Wise’s story, I think we should all hope to see that art in the wild at some point, especially if it’s not too late to somehow commission it for the eventual Steelbook release of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. As seen through Paris Paloma's wardrobe choices in the music video above, the woman is clearly a fan.

At this point, it feels like two things need to happen: Ms. Wise needs to gets her own copy of Ms. Paloma's art, and then she needs to deliberate about whether or not it should really be released to the public. Something tells me this piece would be perfect for a Steelbook home entertainment release.

I'll try not to get too ahead of myself here, especially because you can read my review of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, in a bit to convince you to see it on the big screen. And after catching this rousing adventure for yourself, you should totally head to your nearest Max subscription portal and stream The Hobbit and/or The Lord of the Rings trilogies. Admit it: December was made for journeys to Middle-Earth.

Video Chapters

0:00 - Seth Rogen And Billy Eichner Are Not Method Actors

0:20 - How ‘Mufasa’ Is ‘The Princess Bride’ With Two Peter Falks

1:10 - How Barry Jenkins Got The Lions To Memorize All Of Those Lines

1:25 - Lin-Manuel Miranda Dreamed Of Being A Filmmaker, Not A Composer

2:15 - Why Aaron Pierre And Kelvin Harrison Jr. Switched Accents

3:20 - Is Pumbaa A Stoner? Seth Rogen Weighs In

4:08 - How Barry Jenkins Keeps The Indie Sensibility Of ‘Moonlight’

5:45 - Why Timon And Pumbaa Are Destined To Be Discontent

6:30 - Tiffany Boone On Seeing A Screening Of ‘Mufasa’ With Keith David

7:30 - What Surprised The ‘Mufasa’ Cast When They Saw The Film For The First Time

8:30 - Kelvin Harrison Jr. Met Beyonce At A Party

8:55 - Seth Rogen And Billy Eichner Are “Shocked” At How Much Of Their Improv Is In The Movie

9:35 - Barry Jenkins On ‘Mufasa’s’ Opening Tribute To James Earl Jones

10:06 - Aaron Pierre Gushes About Playing John Stewart In 'Lanterns'

Hey, Jon M. Chu, Lin-Manuel Miranda has a message for you. With both Chu’s film Wicked and Miranda’s Lion King prequel Mufasa on the 2024 movie schedule, the In The Heights collaborators are both on press runs and talking a lot about their respective musicals. However, the Hamilton star’s message has to do with the 2021 movie they worked on together and the choreography that is seemingly featured in both it and Wicked.

During an interview with CinemaBlend about Mufasa, Jeff McCobb told Miranda that he had an interview with Chu coming up, and he asked if the songwriter had a message for the director. In response, he decided to hilariously call his friend and collaborator out for a similarity Wicked shares with In the Heights, saying:

So, here’s the deal. Miranda was referring to the “No Me Diga” number in In the Heights (which you can stream with a Max subscription). The scene takes place in a hair salon, and shows Leslie Grace’s Nina getting a makeover from the salon ladies as they gossip. Toward the end of the song, there’s a moment where a bunch of gals are getting manicures and there’s some very intricate nail choreography.

Meanwhile, in Wicked, during “One Short Day,” Elphaba and Glinda end up in a salon, and there’s also some great and intricate nail choreography.

Are they the same, was it an homage? That’s unclear at the moment. However, it is obvious that Miranda was entertained by the similarities, and he made a great joke out of it.

Notably, both In the Heights and Wicked were directed by Chu and choreographed by Christopher Scott, and the two have been collaborating for a very long time. And while these two films are wildly different outside of both being musicals, they feature choreography and dance that is similar -- and let me tell you, as a longtime fan of Scott, I feel like I can spot his choreo quickly.

Of course, Wicked killed at the box office while, despite wonderful reviews, In the Heights sadly flopped (in great part because of COVID). So, the nail choreo was definitely seen by more people recently, and it’s certainly possible that it was similar or the same to the moment in the 2021 film. Personally, I like to think it’s a sweet homage to the other Broadway adaptation Chu and Scott are best known for, and I hope Lin-Manuel Miranda feels the same way.

Now, I need to hear Jon M. Chu’s response to this call out from his colleague, because I need to know if it was a copy and paste or homage situation. In the meantime, I’ll be seeing Miranda’s latest project Mufasa in theaters and going back to see the wonderful film he made with Chu and Scott, In the Heights.

Then, I’m gonna start getting excited about Wicked: For Good’s release on the 2025 movie schedule, and you better believe I’ll be looking for more similarities between its choreography and the dancing in In the Heights and the first Wicked.

The events of “Out of Control” saw Parker hallucinating Lily in real life, and it got to the point where he sought the help of Dr. Grace Confalone. While it was to be expected that this unusual problem wouldn’t be solved in just one session, by the end of the episode, Parker read a “note” left behind by Lily that read, “You can’t tell anyone,” making this whole affair even weirder. During my conversation with Binder, which also included him teasing what’s ahead for Deputy Director Gabriel LaRoche and opening up about Nick Torres’ secret girlfriend, I asked how the Lily mystery will impact Parker moving forward, and he answered:

So whoever Lily is, she’s tied to Alden Parker’s family history, which makes sense given that in his original hallucination, Gary Cole’s character also saw his mother, who’d left him and his father when he was young, and died a few years later. Dr. Grace took interest an interest in Parker’s mother while they were chatting, and while Parker eventually admitted he does have unresolved issues involving her, he wants to focus on figuring out the deal with Lily. So after Steven D. Binder gave me the above statement, I asked for clarification about if Parker’s mother is being looped in with the Lily mystery or if that will be a separate plot point revisited later. He told me:

It’s hard to say when specifically the enigma that is Lily will be revisited in NCIS Season 22, but clearly Parker’s in for a rough patch once answers start coming to life. That’s not the greatest thing for a law enforcement agent to have to deal with, and that’s not even the only problem that’s surfaced for Parker this season. He also ran into an old enemy of his named Carla Morino, and it definitely seems like we’ll be seeing her again at some point.

NCIS Season 22 will resume airing on Monday, January 27, the same night that NCIS: Origins picks back up. You can keep yourself entertained with the entirety of the NCIS franchise over the holiday break by streaming these shows with a Paramount+ subscription.

This has been an incredibly productive week in the development of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe, or the DCU. The biggest splash was created by the arrival of the Superman trailer, giving us our first real look at actor David Corenswet in action. In addition, Gunn’s animated project Creature Commandos continues to roll along, potentially catching audiences off guard with an extremely emotional backstory for the unusual Weasel (Sean Gunn) in Episode 4. So far, the DCU has been dictated by story and character, so while we know that upcoming DC projects will focus on Supergirl and the Green Lantern Corps, sometimes we hear about a curveball that has us scratching our collective heads.

Like a Clayface movie, written by Doctor Sleep and The Haunting of Hill House mastermind Mike Flanagan.

It had been teased through marketing materials that the longtime Batman villain Clayface would appear in Creature Commandos before that series concludes in January. I don’t think any of us expected to hear about a Clayface movie, though. So during the DC event in Los Angeles for the Superman trailer, I got some time with James Gunn exclusively and asked him about that development. And he told me:

This is actually so encouraging for the development of the DCU. Previous attempts at building a cinematic universe often put the cart before the horse, with studio executives announcing a 10-year slate of projects and targeted release dates, just to keep a pin on the calendar for possible blockbusters. That’s not a healthy way to construct a world.

I also fully agree with James Gunn and Peter Safran’s current strategy of establishing a universe without trying to automatically connect all of the dots right out of the gate. Stories like Creature Commandos, Superman, Lanterns, Peacemaker, and Supergirl can all take place in a world known as the DCU. But they don’t have to intersect for narrative reasons. This leaves enough freedom for a filmmaker or screenwriter to approach Gunn and say, “Hey, I have this crazy idea for a Clayface story.” And if it works, Gunn can slot it in. It also means that a previously announced movie based on The Authority or Swamp Thing can remain in development until the script is right. Decisions aren’t being dictated by a release date. As Gunn says, “Quality above everything else.”

The Clayface movie raises a few interesting questions. Will the DCU Batman appear in the film? And will the current Clayface release date of September 2026 hold, given the fact that Matt Reeves’ The Batman: Part 2 is expected to drop the following month? It feels like ONE of them will blink and shift. But I love the way that Gunn already is teasing Clayface, and I trust in Flanagan to deliver the goods. The DCU continues to grow, and will only expand more in 2025.

It’s been months since Rings of Power Season 2 wrapped up on the 2024 TV schedule, and there are a few scenes that have really stuck with me. One was Sauron crying when he killed Celebrimbor and the other was the evil being fighting with Galadriel and her jumping off a cliff to get away from him. So, when I spoke to Charlie Vickers and Morfydd Clark, I had to ask about the final scene their characters shared, and the break down of their mentalities as they fought each other is mind-blowing.

Morfydd Clark Explains The Mentality And Meaning Behind Galadriel Jumping Off That Cliff

I began this conversation about the final moment in Galadriel and Sauron’s fight, by asking Morfydd Clark how her character’s actions showed her growth as a character. Not succumbing to his power or her own self-consciousness, the elf dove off a cliff with her ring in hand, away from Sauron and toward safety. It was a massive moment for her, and the actress confirmed that idea, explaining:

Obviously, she survived as the final scene of the season and Lord of the Rings proves. Clark also shared a fun fact during this chat that hilariously proved this too, noting that in The Silmarillion, the elves “were insane and just jumped on loads of buildings and created loads of havoc.” So, not only was this moment emotional and deep, but it also was a fun call back to the source material – which kind of blew my mind.

Then, to make matters even more meaningful, Clark spoke to me about the parallels between her actions and Elrond’s at the start of the season when he jumped off a waterfall to get the rings away from her. She said:

That parallel is so powerful, and it really hammered home the idea that Galadriel was fully out of Sauron’s shadow now. However, when it came to what Sauron was thinking at that moment, he wasn’t comprehending that at all.

Charlie Vickers Told Me What Sauron Was Thinking When Galadriel Jumped Away From Him

Jokingly, when I asked Charlie Vickers how Sauron felt about Galadriel jumping away from him and telling him to heal himself, he said it was like she said “heal yourself, bitch.” It was like a slap in the face, and one he didn’t fully realize at first, as the actor explained:

This is where things got mind-blowing. When I watched this scene, I didn’t think this comment flew over Sauron like that. I thought he heard it – disregarded it maybe – but heard it. However, Vickers’ comment makes me think his character wasn’t even able to comprehend what was happening, he was only thinking about Galadriel jumping away as he continued to explain:

It seems like Saruon was so convinced he could get Galadriel, that her actions were unfathomable, which is wild! Now, I can’t wait to see how that impacts his view of her going into Rings of Power Season 3 and how the elf can maybe use that to her advantage.

This push-and-pull dynamic these two characters have is infinitely fascinating, and hearing Clark and Vickers break down how they think adds even more depth and meaning to their stories and actions. So, yeah, these explanations blew my mind, and yes, I will be thinking about them as this epic Lord of the Rings story continues.

Crime procedurals are some of the most successful shows on television, ranging from new shows becoming quick hits to series like Law & Order and NCIS both at 20+ seasons and still counting. Elsbeth qualifies as one of those newer options, and is currently going strong in its second season with the fall finale wrapping up the 2024 TV schedule with none other than Laurie Metcalf on board as the murderer. The CBS dramedy's fall finale had a take on procedural production that I for one found a hilarious as a fan of the genre, which also had SVU on my mind when I spoke with showrunner and executive producer Jonathan Tolins.

In "Toil and Trouble," the actress best known for her sitcom work on shows like The Conners and Roseanne played Regina Coburn, the leading lady of a hit police procedural TV show with a passionate fanbase and a very long-lasting will they/won't they relationship between the two main characters. Honestly, that felt very true-to-life, which I'm sure many Law & Order: SVU devotees would agree with me about. (More on that later.) Rather than let the showrunner of Father Crime deprive her of her opportunity to play Lady Macbeth overseas, Regina decided to follow a spec script and murder her boss, impaling him through the eye with a stiletto heel. As one does?

Because this is Elsbeth and the show wasn't going to lose its sense of fun heading into the 2025 TV schedule, Laurie Metcalf also brought her comedic talent to playing a killer. The mystery unraveled for Regina when Elsbeth connected the dots that the actress' terrible attempts at accents were always dubbed in post-production, making her think that she's the master of accent work and landing her the job as Lady Macbeth without having to audition.

Hilariously, she even chose a stiletto heel as the murder weapon because after twenty seasons, she doesn't fully read the Father Crime scripts. (And for the record – Father Crime is a wonderfully ridiculous premise and title for a network procedural that I could also see as a midseason replacement.) When I spoke with EP Jonathan Tolins about the fall finale shortly after the reveal of the Moriarty to Elsbeth's Sherlock, he shared that it's the "gift of the procedural" to enjoy long runs on network television, and there are certainly plenty of examples. He went on:

Considering that Tolins brought his background as an opera enthusiast to the Season 2 premiere involving a murderous Nathan Lane, his comparison to a "sonata" makes perfect sense. Elsbeth also has yet to run for a full season of 20 hours, after the WGA writers strike meant a first season of only ten episodes. Season 2 is slated for 20, though!

The fall finale was about halfway through that count, and I'd say that Regina's murder was one of the most gruesome as well as one of the most morbidly funny. It takes a lot for a person to stab somebody with a stiletto heel, but not a lot for it to happen due to not fully reading the instructions. Tolins explained the origin of Regina confusing a stiletto heel with a stiletto dagger, sharing:

The Vanessa Williams-starring episode may have particularly stuck out to me for highlighting Elsbeth and Kaya's friendship, but as Tolins noted, it's also a great example of a killer sabotaging themselves and ultimately dropping clues to be caught. The showrunner went on:

There's a time and place for mysteries being solved on procedural TV due to security camera footage and forensic smoking guns, but would Elsbeth really be as much fun if the leading lady didn't get her big reveal at the end of each episode? As somebody who watches and enjoys a lot of procedurals as part of my job, that's part of what has made the show so refreshing over the past year.

And yet, as somebody who has been watching NBC's Law & Order: SVU off and on since high school, a NYC-set long-running crime drama combined with a leading lady who has been on board from the very beginning and a very passionate fanbase of shippers had me thinking of a very indirect spoof Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson and Christopher Meloni's Elliot Stabler.

When I spoke with the Elsbeth showrunner, I had to check in with Jonathan Tolins about whether any SVU similarities were deliberate. He shared:

Honestly, when a procedural is running for 26 seasons and counting and gone in some wild directions over three decades like SVU, there are inevitably going to be similarities in some form or other to any crime shows! Once Tolins debunked any deliberate nods to SVU, he did clarify one of the most fun elements of "Toil and Trouble" other than Laurie Metcalf herself.

When I asked if the behind-the-scenes footage of Father Crime was simply shot on the Elsbeth set with the cameras turned backwards instead of forwards, the showrunner explained:

All in all, "Toil and Trouble" goes down as one of my favorite episodes of Elsbeth's first two seasons so far, and the fun of the Father Crime storyline didn't mean that a much more serious cliffhanger couldn't be included due to Judge Milton Crawford, played by Carrie Preston's real-life husband Michael Emerson. I'm looking forward to seeing how the show keeps the action rolling in the new year, with the only downside that winter hiatus is going to last until nearly February.

Tune back into CBS on Thursday, January 30 at 10 p.m. ET for the winter premiere of Elsbeth Season 2, following Matlock as usual. For now, you can always revisit earlier episodes of Carrie Preston's show on Paramount+, and I'd recommend at least giving another look at the pair of episodes featuring Ben Levi Ross as Elsbeth's son.

Like many other viewers of HBO’s 2024 TV schedule hit Dune: Prophecy could tell you, the Sisterhood has a plan for pretty much everything. Seeing as showrunner Alison Schapker’s series just got the pleasant news of a second season renewal, that statement carries even more weight in the light of some unanswered questions Season 1 has left in the wake of its penultimate episode.

In fact, it seemed like a scheduling coup that brought me to the interview I recently had with Sister Francesca actor Tabu - who made her debut in the most recent episode of Prophecy’s milestone-setting run. And yes, it had to do with the revelation that the reason Constantine Corrino (Josh Heuston) was never destined to sit on the Imperium’s throne was because of his parentage - as the love child of Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark Strong) and Sister Francesca.

Seeing as the Sisterhood has a plan for everything, I asked Tabu if she had any thoughts on why Constantine was even allowed to be born in the first place. Responding to that question, here’s what she had to share with CinemaBlend:

I’m starting to think that Tabu may have some Sisterhood-style powers up her sleeve, as that Dune: Prophecy Season 2 comment was almost like hitting a nail on the head. And with the plot gearing up towards this weekend’s feature-length finale, the subject of parentage is about to become even more of a firebrand.

You see, “In Blood, Truth” also gave us the revelation that Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel) is the son of Tula Harkonnen (Olivia Williams). Born after her murder of Orry Atreides and almost an entire hunting party, Desmond’s existence should unite the two houses un-alike in dignity. However, as we’ve seen through Dune: Prophecy’s Harkonnen family drama, that was never going to happen.

So why was Constantine Corrino allowed to exist at all? Well, I do think Tabu’s theory is a strong foundation for whatever the truth may be. However, for a religious/political order that has a supercomputer that can map out the path to the ultimate ruling class, this almost feels like a misstep. Sure, Constantine is loved by his father and is a hook for Sister Francesca to use and/or abuse as she sees fit. But that could also be a loose end that could be exploited by the right parties.

These are the sorts of questions we should all keep in mind, as we prepare for the arrival of “The High-Handed Enemy.” Dune: Prophecy’s Season 1 finale will drop, as it usually does, on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET, for all who hold an HBO and Max subscription. But be warned, this is an almost 90-minute episode, so adjust your schedule and your dropping jaws accordingly.

On Wednesday, I had the incredible opportunity to go to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood’s annual “Holidays Made Here” event which is happening in Burbank, California from now until January 5. Opening day of the event had tons of fans like myself lining up for coffee at Luke’s Diner, taking holiday photos around Stars Hollow and watching some of the original cast reunite to reminisce about the iconic show. Here are my main takeaways from the day.

I’m So Happy The Original Set Still Exists, And Can Be Experienced By Fans

For a show that has been off the air for over 15 years (minus the 2016 Netflix revival A Year In The Life), it’s pretty amazing to see Stars Hollow is very much intact on the Warner Bros. lot for visitors from around the world to walk around and enjoy. This isn’t new information, as the set has been made available to the public for quite some time, but getting to walk around and inside and feel like you’re really having an afternoon in the fictional Connecticut town is pretty magical. I especially loved going inside places like Kim’s Antiques, Doose’s Market and the Dragonfly Inn.

Funny enough, that day, even though we were very much in December, and California has been acting like it, it was into the 80s Fahrenheit. I ended up trading my sweater for an adorable “Stars Hollow Books” T-shirt and a smoothie from one of the counters (aptly titled “The Luke,” since it had coffee in it) to cool off. Being on the actual set gave me a real appreciation for how the production was able to completely fool me into transporting me to another side of the the United States when I watch it, even though it was technically being shot just hours away from me when it was being filmed.

The Gilmore Girls Cast Genuinely Seem Like A Family, And That Extends To The Fans

As a fan, I also got a kick out of seeing the fandom interact with not only the sets, but some of the cast members during the Warner Bros. holiday event. If you didn’t know, the actor behind Luke Danes, Scott Patterson, has had a Gilmore Girls podcast since 2021 called I’m All In, where he watched the entire series for the first time. After recently finishing his watchthrough of the whole show, he announced he’d be recording more episodes of his commentary rewatching it (“I’m All In… Again”), but this time he'll have celebrity guests on with him, including his fellow cast members.

For this event, he did a podcast taping, which had him reuniting with Michael Winters (Taylor Doose), Ted Rooney (Morey Dell), Gregg Henry, (Mitchum Huntzberger), Rose Abdoo (Gypsy) and Emily Kuroda (Mrs. Kim) on a stage in the middle of Stars Hollow for fans to watch them talk about the making of the show. It was so sweet to see how comforted and happy both the cast and the fans were. The fans would often help out the actors on specific episode moments with more details, and when they took audience questions, one fan said “they raised” her. During the event, I witnessed fans point out places in the town where certain events in the series happened, and there was also an engagement.

One Gilmore Girls Debate Is Alive And Well With The Fandom, But I Was Surprised About The Cast’s Thoughts On It

A large conversation around Gilmore Girls has always been regarding who Rory should be with. The fans are split into three camps on the topic: Team Dean, Team Jess and Team Logan. They actually were offering free buttons with one of these distinctions for fans to parade around with. Of course, the cast members who were there were asked who they think Rory’s baby daddy is (from the ending of A Year In A Life), and every one of them said Logan – except for Winters, who said he had no clue, and Henry, who provided a funny “I don’t condone this situation.” Kelly Bishop once said she was Team Logan once, too!

I obviously need to rewatch Gilmore Girls now, because I’ve lost the plot on what “Team” I am nowadays aside from Team Rory, but I was quite surprised that not a single person thought it might be Jess’s. When I watched the 2016 version, that was definitely what I got from it. I’m ok if it’s Logan’s, but I was surprised the cast wasn’t divided on it. Perhaps they know something we don’t.

The Impact Of Gilmore Girls Is Very Much With Scott Patterson, And He’s So Sweet About It

During the event, Warner Bros. also offered me the chance to spend a few minutes talking with Scott Patterson on his set, and that was surreal, particularly because Patterson was wearing a flannel T-shirt and a backwards cap on that very day to channel his character. When I asked him what it feels like to be back at Stars Hollow now that it’s an attraction. In his words:

The actor’s relevance as a Gilmore Girls icon has only grown since he shot the series in the early 2000s. When the show was made, creator Amy Sherman-Palladino has said they had “zero money.” You’d think it was Warner Bros’ biggest series these days, and as Patterson shared, being recognized as Luke is a regular part of life for him.

By the way, Scott Patterson was as genuine as can be. He's sincerely grateful to be a member of the Gilmore Girls cast and completely aware of how “meaningful” the series is to people.

And, The Cast Didn’t At All Shy Away From Offering Hope For Another Revival

That brings me to my final big takeaway from my nostalgia trip through Stars Hollow. During the Q&A, as you can imagine, one fan had to blurt out to them the question of whether another revival would be in the works. Patterson riled up the crowd with this answer:

I certainly hope so! It’s been almost a decade at this point since A Year In A Life, and we have questions about what’s next for all the characters. Here’s hoping it does come. Where you lead, we will follow! Holidays Made Here is happening now at Warner Bros. Studios, the show is streaming on two platforms now! While so many shows have tried to be like Gilmore Girls, wow, did this experience remind me again how special this series is.

When it comes to upcoming Disney movies to look forward to, there are a lot more live-action Disney remakes on the way, including the live-action Moana release date setting sail in less than two years. CinemaBlend recently had the chance to speak to the original movie’s screenwriter, Jared Bush, and he shared the moment from the 2016 classic he can’t wait to see come to life.

In the time since Jared Bush penned the screenplay for Moana, the movie has become a massive favorite among Disney fans, and it recently received a sequel, which is now in theaters. In the summer of 2026, audiences will get to see Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a live-action version of Maui, and a new actress as Moana. During my interview with Bush, he said this about which scene he’s most excited to see in the new medium:

The emotional core of the first movie is arguably between Moana and her grandmother. She’s the one who inspires Moana to learn about her roots, and then save her people before becoming gravely ill and dying right after she sets sail on her epic hero’s journey. In one memorable moment in the film, Tala says “There is nowhere that you can go that I won’t be with you” before her spirit becomes an illuminated manta ray that often visits and guides Moana.

While it will certainly be exciting to see the Polynesian legend be told through the actions of real people rather than animation, and see Dwayne Johnson belt out “You’re Welcome” as well, Jared Bush’s answer is totally spot on! As a massive fan of the movie, knowing that I’ll be experiencing the scenes between Moana and her grandma all over again in live action has me ready to bawl, too!

The big scene for me has to be the “I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors”) moment between Moana and Grandma Tala’s spirit at a pivotal moment in the movie, when the young princess needs some encouragement. Also, imagine seeing Te Fiti rise over the ocean after Moana parts the seas? I really hope the new Moana delivers, because there’s so many great scenes I’m excited to relive again.

Along with interviewing Jared Bush about the new Moana, I also spoke to the original film’s voice actress, Auli’i Cravalho, who shared she’s happy to “pass the baton” to the new Moana, Catherine Laga'aia and executive produce the movie with The Rock. You can look forward to the live-action Moana coming to theaters on July 10, 2026.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Star Trek: Lower Decks finale, "The New Next Generation." Stream it with a Paramount+ subscription and read at your own risk!

The 2025 TV schedule is just around the corner, which means there are new upcoming Star Trek shows on the way as well. Unfortunately, 2024 was bittersweet for the franchise, as fans said goodbye to both Discovery and Lower Decks. Interestingly, the latter animated series referenced the former in its final episode, though the wild reference may open a can of worms for the fandom, and we talked to showrunner Mike McMahan about it.

Fans with no idea what I'm talking about shouldn't feel bad. Lower Decks is so jam-packed with references, especially in these past two episodes, that it's easy for anything to slide under the radar. Here's a recap for those that missed it, and what CinemaBlend learned from the showrunner about this potentially franchise-altering moment.

How Discovery's Klingons Show Up In Star Trek: Lower Decks' Series Finale

"The New Next Generation" kicks off with a fleet of Klingons patrolling the edge of their territory when the fissure shows up and emits waves that mess with the universe. Before one of the ships is destroyed, one of the Klingons transforms from their regular style based on the TNG era to resembling the Klingons from Star Trek: Discovery.

It's an eyebrow-raising moment, and I'm sure many hardcore Trekkies noticed it because of what it suggests. While one could chalk this up to a weird glitch in the multiverse, it could imply that Discovery takes place in an alternate timeline that is not actually part of Star Trek's Prime timeline. So, what is Lower Decks telling us here?

What Mike McMahan Had To Say About The Multiversal Moment

Star Trek: Discovery sparked an overall polarized reception from the fandom, and with the upcoming Starfleet Academy series pulling in familiar characters from Discovery, I would be a little shocked if Lower Decks was fully allowed to throw such a definitive wrench into its Prime universe status. I asked showrunner Mike McMahan about the moment, and his response told me everything I needed to know:

McMahan's response may solidify this short scene's place in every fandom argument related to Star Trek: Discovery for decades. Essentially, he's confirming that fans can interpret that moment however they want and adding that it works both ways.

If you want to believe it was just due to realities messing up and that there was no deeper message about Discovery, there's evidence to support that. If you want to argue that Discovery (and I guess Strange New Worlds as well) don't take place in the Prime Timeline, well, maybe in a decade, we can talk more with him about that.

I think there's also an argument to be made that if Star Trek: Lower Decks established there's far more than just the Prime/Kelvin/Mirror universes, then there's probably at least one or two more universes where Klingons look like the Discovery variants. For all we know, that Klingon might not have had two genitals! Perhaps someone else can volunteer to check on that.

While there will undoubtedly be some ruffled feathers over that specific moment, I can't help but applaud Star Trek: Lower Decks for going out with a bang. Setting up a potential "What if" format for projects in the future was a great legacy to leave behind if the show never returns, even if we all are hoping it will. Here's hoping, and at least in the meantime, we can look back on the great series on streaming for the foreseeable future.

With the conclusion of Star Trek: Lower Decks, we're now looking ahead to the arrival of the Section 31 movie, which is set to drop on Paramount+ on January 24th. We also have a new season of Strange New Worlds, so stay tuned and get pumped for 2025.