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© Marvel In my review of the previous issue, I expressed some disappointment at Mister Sinister’s reappearance so soon after the Krakoan era’s end—a move that initially felt like a misstep. But with Exceptional X-Men #9, Eve Ewing skillfully makes you forget that hesitation. Despite only a few nods to Krakoa and Nathaniel Essex’s role in its downfall, Ewing delivers a strong, character-driven issue that keeps the focus where it belongs: on the new generation of mutants and their mentors. Once again, Bronze and Melee shine as standouts—not only in this series, but among many of the new characters introduced in this post-Krakoan era. Ewing has a deft hand with young voices, balancing humor and heartache with ease. The issue opens with Trista and Thao confronting the shocking decomposition of their companion Alejandro—picking up from the shock of last issue—but even then, the emotional throughline remains strong. © Marvel Sinister is, unsurprisingly, back to his usual schemes. The kids quickly piece things together after discovering the cloned Axo’s body and form a clever mutant circuit to cover their tracks. They rush to find Kitty and bring the rest of the Exceptional X-Men up to speed. A mention of the resurrection-linked degenerative sickness drew a groan from me—I still find the whole thing odd—but that was immediately balanced by a genuinely funny moment when Kitty deciphers what the “S” and “X” in Sheldon Xenos stand for. It’s a small but well-placed bit of levity. By their reactions, it’s clear the adult X-Men are just as tired of Sinister as we readers are. Kitty, Iceman, and Emma Frost quickly gear up to face him head-on, while the younger mutants are ordered to stay behind. (Of course, that doesn’t last long.) A highlight here is a smart callback to Kitty’s hacking prowess, something the teens are surprised by, while Emma gets in a great quip about Kitty’s many lives. It’s both a meta-joke and a respectful nod to her long history. The inevitable showdown with Sinister delivers what X-Men fans expect: psychic battles, mutant powers on full display, and high emotional stakes. Iceman’s fight against a clone of himself is particularly impressive, while Melee steps up in a big way, showing just how far she’s come under Kitty’s guidance. Still, the psychic duel between Emma and Sinister may be the standout sequence. Though Emma seemingly triumphs, she’s swiftly and mysteriously incapacitated—proof that Sinister is never quite out of tricks. I’d be remiss not to mention Carmen Carnero’s art, which has been consistently excellent throughout the series. Her ability to capture subtle emotion—especially in scenes like Kitty’s contact with the Axo clone goop or her dawning realization of Sinister’s involvement—elevates the storytelling. With their combined talent, Carnero and Ewing make an outstanding team, proving that Exceptional X-Men truly earns its name among the From the Ashes titles. Even if Sinister isn’t gone for good (and let’s be honest—he never is), I’m eager to see where the story goes next. Between the veterans we’ve loved for years and this promising new generation, Exceptional X-Men continues to strike the right balance—and keeps me coming back for more. © Marvel About Exceptional X-Men #9 Release Date: March 21, 2025 Written by: Eve L. Ewing Art by: Carmen Carnero Cover by: Carmen Carnero Page Count: 26 Synopsis: The team figures out the truth about Sheldon Xenos' true identity, and EMMA FROST has to go somewhere she really, really doesn't want to go - deep inside the mind of one of her worst enemies, SINISTER!

The Mission: Impossible franchise has become one of the most consistently thrilling franchises in modern cinema, with Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt not only redefining what it means to be a hero but also rewriting stunt standards in Hollywood with death-defying action sequences in every entry. Almost three decades old, the films have evolved in tone, style, and scale, constantly upping the ante with each new installment. With the release of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (supposedly the final installment in the franchise) upon us, here’s our ranking of all 8 entries from worst to best. 8. Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt © Paramount Pictures. John Woo’s sequel is universally considered as the weakest Mission: Impossible movie. His stylistic direction gave it a glossy, over-the-top flair, but the film ultimately feels like the odd one out in the franchise. Overly reliant on slow motion, doves, and melodrama, it trades intricate plotting for romance and gun-fu theatrics. While there are some memorable stunts, it lacks the grounded tension and smart storytelling fans would come to expect. 7. Mission: Impossible III (2006) Philip Seymour-Hoffman as Owen Davian © Paramount Pictures. J.J. Abrams’ directorial debut delivered a darker, more personal story with a menacing Philip Seymour Hoffman, one of the franchise's best villains. He also introduced us to Simon Pegg’s Benji, who went on to become a mainstay in Hunt’s crew and arguably everyone’s favorite character. The action is solid, and the emotional stakes are higher, but the film lacks the signature globe-trotting espionage feel of later entries. Still, it laid crucial groundwork for the modern tone of the franchise. 6. Mission: Impossible (1996) Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt © Paramount Pictures. Brian De Palma's original film is a solid cerebral thriller that introduced audiences to Ethan Hunt. It’s a subdued yet effective introduction to Ethan Hunt and the world of the IMF. It’s more of a character-driven thriller, which is De Palma’s forte, rather than a stylish espionage-action flick. While it hasn’t aged as gracefully as others, the vault heist scene remains iconic and set the standard for spy film suspense. 5. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025) Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt © Paramount Pictures. Widely teased as a “send-off” to Ethan Hunt’s character, The Final Reckoning promised to be an epic conclusion to the series. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the send-off that the fans were expecting and is being received mildly compared to other recent installments. Nonetheless, it’s still a solid action movie with a breathtaking submarine and plane sequence that is held back due to its dense plot and complexity. But this entry also acts as a true love letter to the franchise. REVIEW: ‘Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’: A Spectacle Undermined By Its Own Legacy 4. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt © Paramount Pictures. Brad Bird revitalized the series with Ghost Protocol, injecting humor and spectacular set pieces. His first attempt at directing a live-action feature was a knockout, which also included a memorable scene at The Burj Khalifa, which was newly erected back then. Though the villain was underdeveloped, the film's energy, style, and team dynamic made it a major turning point in the franchise. 3. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023) Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, and Tom Cruise © Paramount Pictures. The most recent installment, Dead Reckoning, offered timely commentary on AI and digital surveillance while delivering another round of high-octane set pieces. If Final Reckoning didn’t exist, this movie would probably be higher on the list, but the latest entry hurts its predecessor. It's visually stunning and narratively ambitious, though it does feel slightly overstuffed as a “part one.” The extended climax with the bike jump into the train sequence was extraordinary, and made for a memorable IMAX experience. 2. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt © Paramount Pictures. Christopher McQuarrie’s first Mission: Impossible movie as director brought a razor-sharp balance of espionage, action, and character. The introduction of Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust was a franchise highlight, and the opera house sequence is a masterclass in tension. Rogue Nation is sleek, smart, and endlessly rewatchable. 1. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) Henry Cavill, Tom Cruise, and Rebecca Ferguson © Paramount Pictures. The crown jewel of the franchise, Fallout is everything a modern action film should be —visceral, emotional, and meticulously crafted. The addition of Henry Cavill worked wonders, and his 'arm reload' is iconic. With jaw-dropping stunts, a morally complex story, and Cruise at his peak, Fallout is not just the best Mission: Impossible movie, but one of the greatest action films of all time. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning releases in cinemas on May 23rd.

Apple TV+’s Murderbot centers on a detached, antisocial robot who’s forced to work alongside a group of colorful hippie scientists. The contrast between Murderbot’s deadpan pragmatism and the team’s clingy, lovey-dovey energy is nothing short of delightful. Among them is Arada, played by Tattiawna Jones — a scientist in a throuple dynamic makes Murderbot sick to its stomach. Nexus Point News spoke with Tattiawna about shaping Arada from the page to the screen, exploring her emotional depth, and what it was like building this warm, unconventional scientist. Demet: Arada is part of a team that's so different from the usual sci-fi archetypes. They are warm, idealistic, and they actually care about each other. What was it like playing scientists who lead with emotion as much as logic? Tattiawna: I think the scientists that I know in my life are similar. They're beautifully deep, whole human beings, and so to get to pick their brain a little bit about how it all comes together was a real treat. We had such a wealth of knowledge to draw from. Martha Wells wrote an entire and beautiful book series, and the characters are so beautifully fleshed out and written already. Arada is an amalgamation of a few characters, and so between what was already there and the guidance that I got from Chris and Paul Weitz, our showrunners, it was really exciting to get to form her and mold her into something that I think stays true to what is in the novels and also offers something new and unique. Demet: One of Arada's earliest scenes is incredibly intense. She witnesses an attack and Murderbot ends up comforting her in a surprisingly human way. How did you approach playing someone in shock in a moment that also softens Murderbot little? Tattiawna: I think when you're working opposite Alexander Skarsgård, he's such a professional and so fabulous at what he does... There's really — so long as you are there and paying attention — all of the heavy lifting is done for you. And so it was a pleasure to be there and to get to work together. And I think that in the moment, there were so many beautiful things that we were able to find. And of course, in that moment, we had the fortune to shoot on location. And so the whole production had set us up so well. We're in the environment. And of course, our beautiful wardrobe — Carrie Grace, our costume designer — just set us up for success. Once I'm literally in the clothes of the character, then things start to come. That's coupled with all of the research and digging and all of that stuff. Digging — no pun intended. Yes, we're there on a mining mission, but yeah. So it's just a whole lot of fun and a pleasure. Alexander Skarsgård in Murderbot. © Apple TV+ Demet: I'm glad to hear that. Did you get to read any of The Murderbot Diaries before filming? Tattiawna: Oh yeah, absolutely! I didn't know of the series before the audition, so I came to the series through the audition process. But once I read the first book, I couldn't stop. Then I just read all seven, one after the other, and it was — I kept calling it my "before" as we were making the series. I was like, “This is my new favorite series to binge-watch, but it's a book, and I'm reading it all.” And I know it has such a huge and beautiful following already, and I'm happy to now consider myself one of those folks. Demet: Did that influence how you thought about Arada and her role in Murderbot's journey? Tattiawna: Oh yeah! Because again, there’s so much there in the books that it was so easy to imagine, and the books have such a visceral feel. As an actor, I crave this sort of thing, you know? When there are signposts there already to draw from... It's really just, "OK, here's a smorgasbord of colors and feelings and all of this stuff, and then I get to put that together and run it through this vessel in collaboration with my castmates, everything that's going on around me and Chris and Paul [Weitz]. It really helps to bring [Arada]. She changes on a daily basis; the evolution of it and how we get to shoot that throughout a whole series… I always feel at the end of a project, "OK, I know this character a lot now — I’m ready to start." Whenever I have that feeling, I always know I’ve explored something. There’s been something that’s dug up, and now I understand her a little bit better, "I have an idea, and now I’m ready to go." And I certainly felt that after this. Demet: Apart from the scientist team, Arada is also in a complicated relationship, and it feels authentic and lived-in — just another part of who she is. What was it like to explore that dynamic within this close-knit team and sci-fi setting? Tattiawna: It was so very familiar in so many wonderful ways. Akshay Khanna and Sabrina Wu, who are the other two parts of this relationship, are just dream artists to get to work with. We had a blast creating this relationship together. We were cracking up on set, behind the scenes. A lot of the chemistry is there organically between us, and so because we became such great friends, I think that really brought a depth and flexibility to the places that we were able to go within the story. Then adding those bits of humor, drawing things from our personal lives and putting them in… it was a whole bunch of fun to collaborate with those two in that way. Akshay Khanna, Sabrina Wu, David Dastmalchian, Noma Dumezweni and Tattiawna Jones in Murderbot. © Apple TV+ Demet: That sounds great — that you found friendship in them. That must have made it very easy for you. Tattiawna: It did. Demet: So Tamara [Podemski] said that when you were filming, the Murderbot voiceover was also read out loud. Was it funny to film it with someone calling your actions foolish, inefficient, and other things in real time? Tattiawna: Yes, and sometimes it's difficult to keep a straight face because the writing is so good, and because it is so funny. I think I really enjoy that sense of humor: that dry, sardonic, sometimes sarcastic, yet full of love and inquiry and inquisitiveness. I—as a viewer—am a big fan of the Murderbot character. And so I sometimes had to remind myself, “Oh yes, you’re in the scene and you must participate. You can’t just listen and watch as a fan and a viewer and a person who has the best seat in the house because you get to be inside the thing while it’s happening.” But yeah, it was the best challenge — I would say it was challenging in all the best ways. Demet: Yeah, it was so fun to watch. And after I finished the series, my first thought was to read the book so I could get more of Murderbot, and I am hoping they renew it for another season so we get to see more of these characters. Tattiawna: I cannot wait. I hope so. Chris and Paul Weitz, our showrunners, they've done such a beautiful job with this first novella. I was talking to Sabrina Wu the other day, and they kept describing it as… what did they describe it as? Oh — like the expansion pack. The Murderbot Diaries expansion pack. How our series is very similar to the books, yet you get extra things and there's more stuff in it. So yeah, I hope it goes two through seven. I can't wait. I'll be there watching, loving all the way along. Murderbot is now streaming on Apple TV+. This interview has been edited for clarity. Murderbot. © Apple TV+ About Murderbot Premiere Date: May 16, 2025 Episode Count: 10 Executive Producer/Showrunner: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, Alexander Skarsgård, Andrew Miano, David S. Goyer, Keith Levine Director: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, Toa Fraser, Aurora Guerrero, Roseanne Liang Production: Paramount TV Distribution: Apple TV+ Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones, Tamara Podemski Synopsis: Based on Martha Wells’ bestselling Hugo and Nebula Award-winning book series, “Murderbot” is a sci-fi thriller/comedy about a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients. Murderbot must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe.

June is shaping up to be a packed month for streaming, with a mix of returning favorites and exciting new premieres. Much-anticipated series like Ginny & Georgia, The Gilded Age, The Bear, and Squid Game are all back with brand-new seasons. Apple TV+ expands its lineup with two original series starting with "S" — Smoke and Stick. If you know, you know... Over on Disney+, Marvel Television’s Ironheart finally makes its long-awaited debut. Meanwhile, Jensen Ackles returns to the small screen in Countdown, premiering on Prime Video. Here’s a look at what’s coming to streaming services this June: June 1 • The Mortician, Season 1 - MAX June 3 • Love Island USA, Season 7 - PEACOCK June 4 • Stick, Season 1 - APPLE TV+ • Criminal Code, Season 2 - NETFLIX • Power Moves with Shaquille O’Neal, Season 1 - NETFLIX June 5 Brianne Howey in Ginny & Georgia. © Netflix • Ginny & Georgia, Season 3 - NETFLIX • Phineas and Ferb, Season 5 - DISNEY+ • Tires, Season 2 - NETFLIX • Barracuda Queens, Season 2 - NETFLIX • Chespirito: Not Really on Purpose, Season 1 - MAX June 6 • Predator: Killer of Killers, Season 1 - HULU • The Survivors, Season 1 - NETFLIX • K.O. - NETFLIX • Mercy For None, Season 1 - NETFLIX • Straw - NETFLIX June 8 • Ocean with David Attenborough - DISNEY+ June 10 • Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy - NETFLIX • Call Her Alex, Season 1 - HULU June 12 • Deep Cover - PRIME VIDEO • FUBAR, Season 2 - NETFLIX June 13 Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney in Echo Valley. © Apple TV+ • Echo Valley - APPLE TV+ • Not a Box, Season 1 - APPLE TV+ June 15 • The Chosen: Last Supper, Season 5 - PRIME VIDEO June 17 • Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem - NETFLIX • Sally - DISNEY+ June 18 • We Were Liars, Season 1 - PRIME VIDEO • The Buccaneers, Season 2 - APPLE TV+ • Yolanthe, Season 1 - NETFLIX June 19 • The Waterfront, Season 1 - NETFLIX June 20 • KPop Demon Hunters - NETFLIX • Olympo, Season 1 - NETFLIX June 22 • The Gilded Age, Season 3 - MAX June 24 Dominique Thorne in Ironheart © Marvel Television • Ironheart, Season 1 - DISNEY+ • Trainwreck: Poop Cruise - NETFLIX June 25 • The Bear, Season 4 - HULU • Countdown, Season 1 - PRIME VIDEO June 27 (L-R) Jo Yu-ri, Lee Jung-jae and Park Sung-hoon in Squid Game. © Netflix • Squid Game, Season 3 - NETFLIX • Smoke, Season 1 - APPLE TV+ • Marry My Husband, Season 1 - PRIME VIDEO This article will be updated as new dates are announced.

Murderbot isn’t the only charming part of Apple TV+’s latest sci-fi series centered on the titular character. The show also introduces a group of compassionate, hippie-like scientists led by heart, including Professor Bharadwaj, played by Tamara Podemski. Nexus Point News spoke to Tamara about filming that intense first episode, exploring trauma through her character, and what it was like bringing this unconventional sci-fi crew to life. INTERVIEW: ‘Murderbot’ Showrunners Paul And Chris Weitz Discuss The Making Of The Series And Potential Future Seasons Demet: Bharadwaj's attack in the first episode sets everything in motion. What was it like to film such a pivotal and physical moment right out of the gate? Tamara: Well... it's a great way to introduce a character, that's for sure. That was a really nice — just start big and scary, and then go from there. I think the other thing that was really cool was that we shot this on location. So even though a lot of the show is shot in studio, a few of these planetary locations — especially when we get into some of the other creatures, the fauna that lives on the planet — that's all shot on location in some of these incredible environments. And it adds to the reality and fear. I think that had we done that in a studio, you wouldn't have gotten the same effect. Tamara Podemski and Tattiawna Jones in Murderbot. © Apple TV+ So we're out there in the elements. It was just winter turning into spring — it was freezing cold, there was wind and dust and snow and everything that just made it all more dramatic. And I think also, when you're dealing with CGI — which some of the creatures required — we did have puppet versions of the creatures, so you could see something, get an idea of what you were actually faced with. Because sometimes, when you're green screen acting, you don’t know what you're responding to. We also had stunt people in green suits who were actually picking me up and moving me and "swallowing" me or so. It just makes the playing it so much more realistic when you're trying to imagine something that you really have no lived experience to pull from — like getting attacked by an alien creature. Demet: Yeah, that sounds intense. So after the attack, Bharadwaj experiences PTSD, she's recovering, uncertain, but still part of the mission. How did you approach playing someone holding trauma quietly in the background? I have played roles like that most of my career, so I think I was well-versed in measuring out or tracking a recovery over a long period of time. This is 10 episodes we're following her through, and I really relied on the directors, the script, and my fellow cast to make sure that it wasn’t jarring — that it was gradual, smooth and realistic. Because there’s also an eagerness, despite her fear and what she’s trying to overcome. She still wants to be a part of the team, she still wants to be part of these adventures. And maybe she’s a little bit overly optimistic about her capacity to handle those missions after what happened to her. But I really relied on everybody to make sure we were allowing her to have a kind of growth spurt — and then tighten back up and zip it up. I love playing characters like that. So yeah, I feel like that was the juiciest part of Bharadwaj for me. Demet: So Murderbot is a sci-fi show about a robot, but there's also a lot of deeply human emotions; fear, trust, anxiety, compassion, love... What's the part that felt most relatable to you? I think the aspect of Murderbot that prefers to tap out and find comfort in media. I think all of us can relate to that — when the world becomes a little too overwhelming — and turning to those comforts, being able to detach from your own circumstance. That part I definitely resonate with. I think the other part I really connect with is the need for connection. For the PreservationAux crew, we’re this intimate group of space hippies. We’re very affectionate with each other; we share everything. That is also very much the human being that I am. I require high doses of that on a daily level. So, I have Murderbot tendencies when I just need to tap out and watch a cheesy show, and then I also have the need to deeply connect with my fellow humans. Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones, Sabrina Wu, David Dastmalchian, Noma Dumezweni and Tamara Podemski in Murderbot. © Apple TV+ Demet: That’s very refreshing. So yeah, this isn't your typical crew of buttoned-up sci-fi scientists. They’re kind of a bunch of idealistic hippie researchers who genuinely care about each other— and the world — and even about Murderbot, despite the fact that it's technically just equipment. So how was it playing an unconventional type of scientist like this? I prefer this alternative take on the sci-fi world, mostly because I have no experience in the sci-fi world. I don’t have that much exposure to it, so I don’t even know what the typical tropes are. Trying to stay rigid within that genre — I would probably have had to do a whole world of research to play that. But the freedom here, which is why I was so attracted to the show, was that we are showing an alternative society within this futuristic world — one that chooses to live outside the Corporation Rim, one that chooses not to look at robots as machinery but as sentient beings. Maybe that’s just the alternative way I see life as a whole. I like this different take. And we still satisfy a lot of the things for the people who are turning to us for that classic sci-fi fix — we’re still very much offering and presenting that world, but definitely with a more emotional and fun, funny tone. Demet: I like this compassionate take. Was it amusing for you to watch the finished scenes with Murderbot’s voiceover — especially when it's calling out your team’s behavior as, you know, stupid, pointless, or dangerous? Did it change how you viewed those moments? Well, that was in the script, so we were going into it well aware of what it thought of us. But it was very helpful during filming. Alex (Skarsgård) would often read the voiceover lines to fill in those moments while we were doing our thing, or someone else would read them — because even though we’re not responding to it or hearing it, it’s necessary to balance out his judgment of us and either play the opposite of that, or lean into it even further. But no matter what happens on the day, and no matter what you're hearing or imagining—watching the show was... everything was better than I could have imagined. The aesthetic is the one thing that takes my breath away. The world is so beautiful. And then the voiceover — even when you hear it while we're doing it — the specificity of how Alex played it in the end... You're just cracking up. It’s funny. Sometimes I was laughing so much that I thought, “I’m missing other stuff — I need to stop laughing so I can make sure I’m catching all the really good lines.” Demet: It all sounds so fun! Murderbot is now streaming on Apple TV+. This interview has been edited for clarity. Murderbot. © Apple TV+ About Murderbot Premiere Date: May 16, 2025 Episode Count: 10 Executive Producer/Showrunner: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, Alexander Skarsgård, Andrew Miano, David S. Goyer, Keith Levine Director: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, Toa Fraser, Aurora Guerrero, Roseanne Liang Production: Paramount TV Distribution: Apple TV+ Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones, Tamara Podemski Synopsis: Based on Martha Wells’ bestselling Hugo and Nebula Award-winning book series, “Murderbot” is a sci-fi thriller/comedy about a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients. Murderbot must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe.

Disclaimer: This review contains minor spoilers for Rick and Morty, Season 8. Given its whirly-dirly legacy (e.g.: creator Dan Harmon’s long reputation for drama  / his post-Season 2 onset of Impostor Syndrome [and then taking advantage of production limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic to get back on track] / the 18-24-year-old male fanbase’s tantrums over sharing ‘their’ sandbox with the fairer sex and McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce / Justin Roiland’s firing), Rick and Morty making it to Season 8 is impressive. Though there are yet miles to go before the show reaches the upper echelons of its promises of “100 years of Rick and Morty” - Season 8’s upcoming batch of ten new installments of “high-concept sci-fi rigmarole” makes 81 episodes thus far, with current plans through Season 12, circa 2029 - the continued high caliber of storytelling, paired with the titular Rick Sanchez’s reluctant evolution as he continues to embrace being a family man and even occasional forays into the trappings of serialized drama, keeps the intergenerational duo’s adventures fresh.  One, Three, Four, Five Press screeners for Season 8 dodge slyly around any aforementioned serialized drama, with the exception of the backstory for the third episode, “The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly,” wherein a selection of survivors of the Citadel of Ricks now duke it out in a wild west dystopia following Rick’s multiverse-shaking portal reset in the Season 6 premiere, “Solaricks.” That is, their home dimension amounts to a dilapidated factory farm for Mortys. If this review was in spoiler-free meme format, this episode might be represented by a picture of a fidget spinner.  Even less can be said, pre-the May 25th premiere, about the Season 8 opener, “Summer of All Fears,” despite its tight rhetorical turns and the ethical considerations that arise when Rick’s creative punishments for his sticky-fingered grandchildren go awry, as they are wont to do. Likewise, while bits of Episode 4, “The Last Temptation of Jerry” have found their way into teaser trailers, Adult Swim has been careful not to reveal precisely what “space Christians” from a “Wicker Man-looking place” wielding cross guns have to do with Rick’s son-in-law, Jerry Smith’s overzealous Easter decorating, though the episode’s lore and Jerryrigging (fart noise) have the makings of a fan favorite. Finally, in “Cry Mort a Ricker” (Season 8, Episode 5), Rick and Morty tackle space capitalism after Rick takes advantage of a case of mistaken identity and Morty aligns himself with the adventure’s underdogs.  Hands Off Grandpa's Phone Charger Potentially, the latter half of the season will air following a break after “Cry Mort a Ricker’s” June 22nd premiere, a common practice in the era of streaming service business models, consumer demand for high quality production, and writer’s strikes, all amidst a global recession, no less. Ergo, while the yet mysterious contents of the season’s second episode, “Valkyricks” have at least been hinted at (“Space Beth calls her dad for a ride, broh”), however obnoxiously vague Harmon’s summaries tend to be, viewers can only guess at what “The Curious Case of Bethjamin Button” (perhaps a rare glimpse into Rick’s daughter’s adolescence?), “Ricker Than Fiction” (probably funnier than a Fourth Wall-breaking writing utensil that brings a family member’s stories to life), “Nomortland,” “Morty Daddy,” and/or the season finale, “Hot Rick” might entail. If episode title puns aren’t red herrings, “Nomortland” would hardly be the first waste land under Rick and Morty’s belt. Likewise, Morty is already a ‘baby daddy’ a couple of times over, raising both a male half-Gazorpazorp baby after unwittingly siring it with an alien sex robot in Season 1, as well as accidentally fathering a giant incest baby in Season 5 that the United States government promptly launches into space. One can only hope that “Hot Rick” is an allusion to Rod Stewart’s “Hot Legs,” or perhaps Rick simply eats a bunch of hot wings. © Adult Swim Regardless of what ends up on Season 8’s docket and beyond, Rick and Morty has proven itself capable of character-building adversity and clever commentary on all manner of social issues and storytelling tropes alike, regardless of whether the adventure-in-question satirizes history and/or classic pop culture or simply plays out the consequences of Morty’s teenaged wiles. Much of the show’s success centers around Dan Harmon’s 8-step Story Circle, itself based on academic Joseph Campbell’s concept of the Hero’s Journey, a rhetorical structure that Harmon and company continuously manipulate via Rick and Morty. Ergo, whether Rick ends up working on a novel, testing the limits of his octogenarian palette, and/or helping Space Beth bring down the fascist intergalactic government (aka the Smith family’s version of father-daughter bonding), fans of the show will continue to enjoy watching him do so, hopefully for “forever and forever a hundred years!” Rating: ★★★★★ Rick and Morty © Adult Swim About Rick and Morty Premiere Date: May 25, 2025 Episode Count: 10 Executive Producer/Showrunner: Dan Harmon, Scott Marder Writer: Jess Lacher, Albro Lundy, James Siciliano, Michael Kellner, Beth Stelling, Heather Anne Campbell, Nick Rutherford, Scott Marder Production: Harmonious Claptrap, Williams Street Distribution: Adult Swim Cast: Ian Cardoni, Harry Belden, Sarah Chalke, Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer Synopsis: Rick and Morty is back for Season Eight! Life has meaning again! Anything is possible! Look out for adventures with Summer, Jerry, Beth, and the other Beth. Maybe Butter Bot will get a new task? Whatever happens, you can’t keep Rick and Morty down for long. People have tried!

At the end of last week's episode, Dina and Ellie went searching for the hospital in hopes of finding Abby and her people, only to get cornered by Stalkers. Thankfully, Jesse comes to the rescue and helps them escape before they run into Seraphites who injure Dina and cause them to run once more. After splitting from the group, Ellie finds herself at the hospital, where she brutally tortures Nora in an attempt to obtain information about Abby's whereabouts. The pain and rage that Ellie is letting out are causing her to remember about the good times with Joel and why she's doing all this. This episode gives us a further exploration of the relationship between Ellie and Joel, how it developed over the years, and we really get a first look at the type of man Joel grew up to be. This is the first flashback episode of the season, similar to Season 1 Episode 3, "Long, Long Time". The episode opens up on a young Joel and Tommy in Austin, Texas, 1983, as Tommy has gotten himself into trouble and worries about getting physically abused by his father. Joel steps up for him and takes the blame to protect his own brother, and this calls back to Joel's behaviour with Ellie and other scenes that will play out later in the episode. © HBO From the finale of The Last of Us Season 1, the audience is aware of Joel lying to Ellie about what happened at Salt Lake City to protect her, but this episode showcases that hiding the truth in hopes of protecting someone's feelings can only cause more harm than what the initial truth is capable of. Nine months before Season 2, Episode 1, Ellie is seen preparing to ask Joel about what happened all those years ago when she got rescued but gets interrupted when he arrives to take them out on a patrol. While out, they find Eugene, Gale's husband, who has been bitten. This scene is heartbreaking as Eugene begs to see his wife one more time so that he can hear her last words to him before he succumbs to his wounds. Joel delivers false promises to Ellie of bringing him back to Jackson so he can say goodbye, and you can witness the moment in Ellie's voice and her eyes where she realises that Joel has likely lied to her about the events of Salt Lake City, and you begin to see where their relationship starts to deteriorate. Bella Ramsay gives her best performance in this episode and showcases that she has the skill to play Ellie at her various ages, highlighting the range that Ramsay brings to the role of Ellie and that when the writing is strong, she's able to elevate it further. Throughout the episode, we get to see Ellie age and how Joel chooses to celebrate her birthday, with the highlight being the trip to the space museum. It's a moment from the game that's almost a 1:1 recreation of one of the most wholesome scenes in the entire franchise. The cinematography in this scene with Ellie in the shuttle is unlike anything the show has been capable of producing beforehand, recreating the lift-off and transporting Ellie and the viewers to that world. What's so beautiful about this episode is the nuance it's able to bring to the table. Every little thing matters in this episode from Joel and Ellie's mannerisms to the little interactions that they have. © HBO It all comes together in the final scene, which takes place on the night of the Jackson party where Ellie and Dina first kissed. The iconic porch scene. A sequence that players of the video game only got to see just before the credits rolled at the end of the game, so it was shocking to see that Craig Mazin and the creators of this show decided to place it at the end of this episode. With it placed here, it provides a different perspective on how Ellie may treat future characters she comes across and her perception of her relationship with Joel. This scene is a tear jerker, and it shows that although Joel's actions may be selfish, he only ever has the better interests of the people he's trying to protect at heart. They might not be the morally correct choices to make, but they're the difficult decisions that no one else but him would choose to make. It's a beauty to see Pedro Pascal return in the role of Joel once more this season as he delivers a strong and poignant performance worthy of winning an Emmy. With one episode left, there's still a lot of worry that the final episode may feel rushed, but that doesn't takeway from the fact that this episode, with Pedro Pascal's outstanding performance and Bella Ramsay's immense range, is easily the best episode out of the entire show. If there's one thing The Last of Us knows how to do well, it's really allow for these characters to feel fleshed out and give time for the audience to feel connected to them. Rating: ★★★★½ About The Last of Us The Last of Us . © HBO Premiere Date:   April 13, 2025 Episode Count:  7 Executive Producer/Showrunner: Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann, Carolyn Strauss, Jacqueline Lesko, Cecil O’Connor, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Evan Wells Writer: Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann, and Halley Gross Director: Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann, Mark Mylod, Peter Hoar, Kate Herron, Stephen Williams, Nina Lopez-Corrado Production:   PlayStation Productions, Word Games, Mighty Mint, Sony Pictures Television and Naughty Dog Distribution:  HBO Cast:   Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, Rutina Wesley, Kaitlyn Dever, Isabela Merced, Young Mazino, Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle, Spencer Lord, Danny Ramirez, Jeffrey Wright and Catherine O’Hara. Synopsis: Five years after the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.

Apple TV+ has recently premiered its new sci-fi series Murderbot , an adaptation of Martha Wells’ bestselling, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning The Murderbot Diaries . The series centers on its titular character — a socially awkward, endearingly antisocial security android who hates humans and loves binge-watching TV series. The project was brought to life by brothers Chris and Paul Weitz, who adapted the novels after becoming avid fans of the series. Nexus Point News sat down with the Weitz brothers to explore how Murderbot made the leap from page to screen, the creative challenges they faced, their inspirations, and what audiences can expect from future seasons. REVIEW: Murderbot Season One - The Story Of A Delightfully Misanthropic Robot Demet: How did your journey of adapting The Murderbot Diaries begin? Paul: We both loved the book. We have a company together, but we hadn't worked together writing and directing for over 20 years. Basically we both loved it and felt like it would be something really interesting to adapt, and we loved it equally, so we said, "OK, let's do this together!" Were there any challenges along the way? Paul: Yeah... (Laughs) Chris: I mean, yeah, making a TV show is sort of nothing. There's a lot of great stuff, a lot of challenges, but part of it is designing and building a world in which you have to do absolutely everything from the ground up. You can't just have a chair, it's got to be a chair in the future. Everything gets redesigned or adapted. Our production designer Sue Chan did an amazing job in conceiving the way that this world was going to be put together, and our visual effects team... You have to figure out how you're going to do this alien planet — all the locations on it and what methods you're going to bring to bear on it. For instance, we decided to shoot a lot of stuff on location, which meant finding the right locations in Canada — slag heaps, gravel quarries, mountain sides. So yeah, there's a lot of tricky stuff. Paul: One challenge is you want to make really sure when you love something, when you love a piece of literature, that the author is going to be happy with what you do. Basically the novel is pretty short, so we weren't cutting anything out of it, but we were adding things sometimes. We would call Martha Wells up and run things by her and sometimes she would give us ideas, she'd be like, "I don't think it's such a good idea, but why don't you try this?" So that was something tricky, but a lot less so because Martha was very generous with her time. Were there any specific inspirations from sci-fi, comedy, or otherwise that helped shape your take on Murderbot ? Chris: The inspiration... There's so much good science fiction, right? So in part, you want to avoid copying anything that's out there. If there were inspirations from science fiction, to me it's always been the paperback covers of books in the 1980s. When I was a kid, that all seemed really exciting and they have these very, very big concepts to them. For instance, rather than a lot of science fiction that's come out lately, which is very grim, and dark, and oily. Paul sometimes quotes Voltaire's Candide, which was kind of science fiction at the time, or fantasy/science fiction. I think Stanisław Lem, the Polish author, was also an inspiration in terms of how we remembered how science fiction can be funny without being parody or broad. Paul: Funny and slightly crappy, like the world is slightly crappy. Not everything is perfectly made or manufactured in Stanisław Lem's novels. In addition to sci-fi, personally, I was thinking of movies like The Graduate , or a little bit like the Peanuts comics. In The Graduate , it's a character who is kind of becoming something without necessarily wanting to and is looking out at the world, which is clearly stupid, and trying to differentiate like, "OK, I want to be in the world, but how do I do it without becoming stupid myself?" And then the Peanuts characters because The PreservationAux group is so colorful, and each of them is so themselves that it reminded me of the Peanuts comics a little bit. You clearly love the sci-fi genre, but you also aren't afraid to poke fun at it in Murderbot . Were there any specific sci-fi archetypes or tropes that you knew you wanted to challenge or play with? Chris: I think we're actually not really making fun of anything except our own creative impulses sometimes because a lot of the ideas and dialogue is just stuff that naturally occurs, at least to me, right? And so, it's more about how over the top things are sometimes. Obviously there's a bit of Star Trek in Sanctuary Moon within the, within the show within the show. The characters, even our like our main team, we don't really quite know what they do because in the future everyone is doing these incredibly advanced technological things that nobody understands. I think that we are sort of enjoying some of these tropes without necessarily saying that they're bad. John Cho and Clark Gregg in Murderbot . © Apple TV+ As a sci-fi lover, this show is just perfect. I am a comedy person and sci-fi person... You mixed it together and served it, and it was beautiful. Chris: Thank you! Thank you! Paul: What's the name of the robot character in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy that's sort of depressed? Chris: Isn't it Marvin? Paul: Is it? I can't remember, but that's a character who I loved in that book. This is less of a parody than that series. Voiceover plays such a central role in telling this story. How did you decide how much to rely on it and how much to let Alexander's physical performance do the heavy lifting? Chris: Well, it's just a constant kind of adjustment throughout the production and post-production process. I think that the voiceover was so important because the inner monologue of Murderbot is one of the great things about the books. That being said, once you've got Alexander's performance, not everything really needs to be explained. It's not as described as it is in the books, but you've got months to try to figure that out. Fortunately, Alexander could come back and re-record voiceover whenever we needed him to. Alexander Skarsgård in Murderbot . © Apple TV+ So you write and direct together, which is a very collaborative process. Do you ever run into creative disagreements and when that happens, how do you usually work through it? Paul: Well, whoever cares more about it wins and the other one goes off and pouts for a while, tries to hide it from the first person. (Laughs) Then eventually, often we can't remember whose idea was what. I think the game within the game here for us was a little bit like it's not just that we made movies together when we were younger, but we're also brothers. So it's not a viable outcome to have one of us really pissed off at the end of the process. We love each other and we also really respect each other's creativity. I can get too intense sometimes, like very, very intense, but Chris learned to just brush it off... It was a good experience. Looking ahead, are you planning to adapt one novella per season if it continues? Paul: We don't want to jinx it. We're a long distance between getting to do this and then getting to do another season even. We would talk with Martha Wells, we might end up using shuffling the deck a little bit, using some stuff from, say the 3rd or 4th book with stuff from the second book, but we don't know yet. Chris: I think the second book for people who are familiar with the series doesn't really have the same team members, and I think it would be sad if we didn't have some element of that. It's not likely to be a book for book. It was just a really good thing to have the first book. The ending of the first book meant a lot to us, so that felt like the ending of our first series if we get a second series. Paul: There are great new characters introduced in subsequent books like ART, and there's terrific characters who are added to it. Murderbot is now streaming on Apple TV+. This interview has been edited for clarity. Murderbot . © Apple TV+ About Murderbot Premiere Date:  May 16, 2025 Episode Count:  10 Executive Producer/Showrunner: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, Alexander Skarsgård, Andrew Miano, David S. Goyer, Keith Levine Director: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, Toa Fraser, Aurora Guerrero, Roseanne Liang Production:   Paramount TV Distribution:  Apple TV+ Cast:   Alexander Skarsgård, Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones, Tamara Podemski Synopsis: Based on Martha Wells’ bestselling Hugo and Nebula Award-winning book series, “Murderbot” is a sci-fi thriller/comedy about a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients. Murderbot must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe.

Vision Quest  continues to expand its cast of cybernetic characters and is set to introduce a version of Jocasta. The character has been cast but the identity of the actress is being kept under wraps. Casting details for the character indicate that Marvel Studios was looking to cast a black actress in her 40s-60s for the role. The actress’ age indicates this is likely to make her a contemporary to James Spader’s Ultron, a character set to have a major role in the upcoming series. Jocasta is described as being cunning, powerful, determined, and motivated by revenge.  The description for the character could hint at a possible past history for Ultron and Jocasta. The circumstances surrounding Ultron’s return are currently unknown and the character could have been rebuilt years prior to his return in this series. This would allow him time to create Jocasta and allow for them to have an existing relationship prior to the start of the series. Jocasta was created by Jim Shooter and George Perez in 1977 and debuted in The Avengers (1963) #162. Jocasta was built by Ultron to be his bride, in similar fashion to Frankenstein . Her programming was modeled off of Janet Pym’s brain patterns and Ultron attempted to bring Jocasta to life by draining Janet’s life force. The plan was thwarted by the Avengers and Jocasta’s body was confiscated by Hank Pym who eventually brought her to “life.” Since her debut, the character has been a recurring member of the Avengers. Vision Quest is currently shooting in London and is expected to wrap filming in June of this year. The series was created by Terry Matalas who is also showrunning, producing, and directing. Paul Bettany returns as the titular character and is joined by returning Marvel actors, James Spader as Ultron and Faran Tahir as Raza. Ruaridh Mollica and Todd Stashwick have also been cast in undisclosed roles. Vision Quest is expected to premiere in 2026 on Disney+ as a part of Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Disclaimer: This review contains minor spoilers for season 8 of Big Mouth. The penultimate season of Big Mouth  ends on several cliffhangers. Perhaps the most dramatic one centers around the friendship between budding high school students Nick Birch (Nick Kroll) and Andrew Glouberman (John Mulaney), which appears poised to fray as Nick prepares to attend the private Cobblestones Academy, where another bespectacled, cooler, wealthier Andrew seems set on deposing Glouberman from his long-held best friend perch. As the Season 7 finale credits roll, OG Andrew rants obscenely about having to wait a “full … year” to “find out” what happens. Fast forward to now! © Netflix Into the Great Unknown There is a level of cringe necessary to successfully make a show like Big Mouth , as many of the main characters are middle school-aged children going through puberty with all of the embarrassing interactions and bodily functions that it entails. The characters occasionally break the Fourth Wall  to clarify context, e.g.: The audience is not meant to find it titillating to watch caricature-esque minor characters engage in sexual acts, as creative usage of split screens and anthropomorphized, talking Hormone Monsters and their ilk make clear. Rather, Big Mouth  functions as ‘edu-tainment,’ combining convenient lessons about Tanner’s Five Stages of Puberty , performing oral sex, moderating one’s pornography intake, and enthusiastic consent  with surprisingly effective emotional storylines about characters growing up and “going through changes,” as the show’s theme song croons. Much of Season 8 is invested in the main cast’s introduction to high school, complete with a new character design debut as Stage 4 of Tanner’s Sexual Maturity Rating (SMR) takes hold. Along with Nick and Andrew, their classmate Missy Foreman-Greenwald ( voiced by Ayo Edebiri  since Season 4) deals with the fallout of opting to be homeschooled to minimize her encroaching Dread (anthropomorphized as an oily, black sludge that threatens to consume her). Likewise, Jessi Glaser (Jessi Klein) deals with her own nerves by falling in with a group of stoners, much to her neurotic mom’s dismay. Fellow classmates Jay Bilzerian (Jason Mantzoukas) and Matthew MacDell (Andrew Rannells) seem more optimistic about their respective lots, which are underscored by lavish musical numbers. Likewise, fan favorite latchkey kid, Lola Skumpy (Nick Kroll) learns to drive, and involves herself in Jay’s and even Matthew’s shenanigans. “DO QUEEF” The adult cast of Big Mouth  accounts for a considerable amount of screentime during some of the previous seasons, e.g.: They literally switch bodies with their respective children in the Season 6 finale, “F**cked Up Friday.” In Season 8, they take more of a backseat, often playing small, antagonistic roles (e.g.: Nick draws his mom’s ire by demanding copies of his parents’ tax returns as proof that he’s wealthy enough to be part of Cobblestones’ rich kids clique) designed to move the episode along. There are also, of course, a handful of man-child Coach Steve (Nick Kroll) bits, which are roughly as helpful. Another cameo by Jay’s dad (also voiced by Jason Mantzoukas) is much more grim than usual as he returns embittered, cagey, and down on his luck. Likewise, when a well-meaning teacher, Ms. Dunn (Natasha Lyonne) attempts to actually educate the kids during health class, Magic School Bus -style, she is swiftly removed from the classroom by law enforcement. Finally, the identity of the Ponytail Killer, a holdover from Season 1, is revealed! Regarding the aforementioned Hormone Monsters, et al, there is an encroaching bittersweetness in realizing that, in fact, puberty eventually ends and they will move on to help more kids survive it while their charges are introduced to other creatures from the show’s Human Resources  spinoff as they age. To soften the blow, the penultimate episode before the series finale entails Hormone Monsters Maury Beverly (Nick Kroll) and Connie LaCienega (Maya Rudolph) delving into Big Mouth ’s mailbag “to answer curious fans’ burning questions” about queefing, vaginismus, dry humping, and more. Connie also acquires the help of a Compassion Pachyderm (Holly Hunter) to help teach the kids some much-needed empathy, similar to Zach Galifianakis’ stint as the soul patched Gratitoad in Season 4.  © Netflix Facing the Future The final season of Big Mouth  does an admirable job of emphasizing how the child characters have grown physically, mentally, and emotionally across eight seasons. Though the relationships between them frequently evolve, as they are wont to do during adolescence, throughlines like the romantic triangle between Lola, Jay, and Matthew remain a cornerstone of the last episodes, which will presumably please the show’s Reddit forum fans. Likewise, a two-episode subplot about slut shaming  coincides with a character’s burgeoning porn addiction and, with the help of the Compassion Pachyderm, a gentle yet firm lesson about the consequences of gossiping is learned. Do all of the kids make it through high school and/or puberty? Do the Jansen twins, Lotte and Mila, reveal their cannibalistic endgame to all and feast on their Bridgeton High classmates, Vader Johan -style? Does Missy’s dad wear the radish bra? Tune in on May 23rd to find out! Rating: ★★★★☆ Big Mouth . © Netflix About Big Mouth Season 8 Premiere Date:  May 23 Episode Count:  10 Executive Producer/Showrunner: Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin Distribution:  Netflix Cast:   Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, Jason Mantzoukas, Jenny Slate, Fred Armisen, Maya Rudolph, Jordan Peele, Ayo Edebiri Synopsis: In the eighth and final season of Big Mouth, our beloved Bridgeton teens tackle new challenges as high schoolers such as: driving, drugs, sexual inexperience, enthusiastic consent, porn and the teenage mind, cancel culture, their changing bodies, and (in the end) fear of the looming future. Through it all, friendship is the cornerstone for surviving this time of life – whether one’s puberty is just beginning, like for Nick who gets his first growth spurt, or near its conclusion, like for a maturing (and prematurely balding) Andrew. At the height of the season, when many of our characters are in crisis, Compassion (personified as a new creature voiced by Holly Hunter), emerges as a crucial way forward. Ultimately, though, this season is about the importance of sticking by and supporting your friends, especially when life gets overwhelming and messy. In the end, our kids step into the harrowing unknown of the future, made less afraid of what’s to come because they have each other.

Get ready, get set, watch Motorheads on Prime Video! The fresh teen drama about young love, family, and tragedy in a history rooted in engines and motor oil races full speed ahead in storytelling with heart and soul along for the ride. Created by John A. Norris, the series follows twins Zack and Caitlyn Torres, who move with their single mom to her hometown Rust Belt to live with their uncle. While adjusting to their new environment, they strike a bond with two fellow outcasts through a love for automobiles. The plot thickens as the twins learn more about their missing father, Christian Maddox, who is treated like an urban myth, as he is known for becoming an unstoppable force in any vehicle he drives. Whether the twins set out to escape their father's shadow or rebuild his legacy, one thing is clear: legends don't need trophies. Motorheads is a love letter to the first car anyone has ever driven. Our first cars, or motorcycles for some people, are rites of passage. Many of us remember putting the key in the ignition as the first time we tasted freedom to go anywhere, any time, always ready for a new experience. It is a special feeling familiarized by the creator John A. Norris throughout the season with the help of the fresh faces in front of the coming-of-age series. Through the eyes of the talented cast, we experience that magic all over again. The Winning Crew © Prime Video Motorheads stars Michael Cimino and Melissa Colazzo as Zack and Caitlyn Torres, Uriah Shelton as Curtis Young, Nicholas Cantu as Marcel, Ryan Phillippe as Uncle Logan Maddox, and Nathalie Kelley as Samantha Torres. Additional cast members include Mia Healey, Drake Rodger, Josh Macqueen, and Johnna Dias-Watson. The first four can give the Fantastic Four a run for their money. Individually, they are electric. Together, they are unstoppable. The Torres twins lead the four with the season to the end of the line. Michael Cimino's Zack Torres is a charismatic rebel who stands against bullies despite being unsure of his place in the world. He has the right nuance to set him apart from reluctant heroes and alpha males who brood for no reason, making him the ideal protagonist for this YA series. Melissa Colazzo can make a case for her character Caitlyn Torres being the superior twin. She is fierce, outspoken, and compassionate with a maternal-like instinct. Unlike her brother, she knows exactly who she is and where she stands; she is more concerned with figuring out her family's history to do right by their legacy. Uriah Shelton and Nicholas complete and complement the crew as Curtis Young and Marcel. Shelton's Curtis walks with a quiet confidence, troubled past, and noble heart, making him a fitting soldier, loyal friend, and interesting character. He easily could have been the generic bad boy found in every YA drama. Fortunately, that's not the case here as Shelton infuses the character with a unique personality that blends nicely with his comrades. Cantu's Marcel is the odd one in. Yes, I know what I said. Marcel is a socially awkward young man with a mouth that moves ahead of his brain. He's sporadic, brilliant, and more talented than he realizes. His friends know his worth and help him grow in character while he stays loyal to them, like a family. The Legend's Shadow © Prime Video The legacy of Christian Maddox looms over Rust Belt throughout the season. Anytime his name is mentioned, the common town folk react like he is either Voldemort or Batman. Other than flashbacks, Maddox is an unseen character with a big presence that drives the plot forward, no pun intended. Residents think they know his story, but they only know bits and pieces. There's only a handful of people who were with Christian the day he vanished, and they do not even have the full picture. While the Torres twins grapple with the impact their mysterious father left on the town, their uncle, Logan(Ryan Phillippe), carries a heavy heart, weighed by grief and regret. Philippe makes Logan's turmoil known, while showing how it motivates his responsibilities to the only family he has left. Lights, Motors, Action! © Prime Video Motorheads balances substance and style seamlessly. The cars mirror each character, serving as allegories for their personal journeys. You can feel the connection the drivers have with their cars as it becomes evident that they are extensions of themselves. If eyes are window to their souls, then their souls are cars. The visual effects and editing provide an immersive experience into their world, putting you in the passenger's seat. The vehicle stunt sequences are meticulously orchestrated with love and devotion. Most of the time we see our characters behind the wheel, doing what they love, we see art come alive at the hands of adrenaline and direction. I look forward to rewatching Motorheads when it releases on Prime Video. The time I spent with the Torres/Maddox family and their friends was wonderful and exciting. This coming-of-age series has a heartwarming quality, not commonly found in modern YA dramas. It uses the motor world to tell an emotionally rich story about embracing your roots, reconciling with your past, and honouring legacy on your own terms. Rating: ★★★★☆ © Prime Video About Motorheads Premiere Date:  May 20th, 2025 Episode Count:  10 Showrunner: John A. Norris Writer: John A. Norris Executive Producers: John A. Norris, Jason Seagraves, Ruben Fleischer, Directors: John A. Norris, Neil Burger, Ryan Zaragoza, Production:  Amazon MGM Studios Distribution:  Prime Video Cast:   Ryan Phillippe, Nathalie Kelley, Michael Cimino, Melissa Collazo, Uriah Shelton, Nicolas Cantu, Drake Rodger, Josh Macqueen, Mia Healey, Johnna Dias-Watson Synopsis: Motorheads follows twins and fellow outsiders forming an unlikely bond over their devotion to cars and the high octane world of street racing, while learning how to survive high school and finding answers to tough questions on a road to redemption.

In its fourth episode of season two, Poker Face  re-enters satirical territory with The Taste of Human Blood , a title as gruesome as the antics that follow. Written by Wyatt Cain and directed by horror's Lucky McKee, this week's instalment sees cop procedural parody meet animal rights activism and Charlie Cale’s signature crime-solving detection into a strange but entertaining hour of television. The episode revolves around Officer Joe (Kumail Nanjiani), who is being honoured as ‘Officer of the Year’ at a police awards ceremony for rescuing a baby alligator named Daisy from a meth dealer. On paper, Joe’s a hero. In practice, he’s a smug TikTok cop with the look of Joe Exotic who films his peers’ upset for social media clout using his glasses-cam, a revelation that becomes key to the episode’s twist. Enter Fran (Gaby Hoffmann), a fellow officer. In flashbacks, we see her unbothered by the attention Joe receives. You get the feeling she finds the ceremony a tedious affair, as the reward that comes with the role of a police officer is supposedly justice. Six years later, she’s bitter, jealous, and quietly plotting. Her bright idea is to spike Joe’s branded power juice with reptile laxatives in hopes of humiliating him at the awards. Naturally, things escalate quickly. Fran makes glaring mistakes (that bear no relevancy to the plot in true Poker Face  fashion) as she handles the bottle of laxatives without gloves when she settles on her plan. Later in the episode, she remembers to use them but throws them into a bin in Joe’s room. The wannabe Charlie Cale inside me was screaming, “What are you doing?” When Joe rushes to the toilet, where he soon collapses and dies, Fran listens from outside the cubicle. It's an uncomfortably silly scene, toeing the line between dark comedy and adolescent humour that won’t work for everyone, as it didn’t for me. The real question is: why would Fran think this would work? Even if it went to plan, it would never erase Joe’s long list of commendations and internet popularity. © Peacock Meanwhile, Charlie has joined a group of animal liberation activists intent on freeing Daisy. Disguised as a catering crew at the cop convention, the group uses Charlie, a new face to Joe, as their inside operator. She reports from his room, but things go awry when Fran bursts in following her upset regarding losing out on the ‘Officer of the Year’ award yet again. “It’s turning me into someone I’m not,” she says, a line that, paired with her increasingly sloppy execution, makes you wonder how she was ever considered award-worthy in the first place. You just know that Charlie, ever the BS detector, will soon start putting the pieces together. Oreos, Daisy’s favourite snack, are used as bait, but again, Fran leaves fingerprints all over the wrapper (much like the gloves, this bears no relevancy to the plot. It’s not Charlie’s style). The officer lures her into the bathroom where Joe’s body remains, drugging the alligator with meth found at the convention, which leads Daisy to promptly devour him. The cover-up begins, but it’s too late. The confrontation that follows is what makes Poker Face so entertaining. Officers and the activist group alike label Daisy “a killer of men,” to which Charlie replies “bullshit.” In a frantic push to save Daisy, she escapes with Fran and the alligator, who rests in the back of the officer’s police car. The plan is to release Daisy into a swamp, but with blood on her hands and evidence inside the alligator, Fran tries to shoot the animal instead. Charlie, who had clocked onto Fran's motives previously, intervenes, but it’s Daisy who physically takes Fran down in a moment of poetic justice. The justice, however, ends there. The episode closes with the police choosing to cover up her involvement in Joe’s death. Horrified by her behaviour, Fran resigns and serves justice out with the animal rights group, where the cycle continues for the ‘Volunteer of the Month’ title at the sanctuary. The Taste of Human Blood  is gross, ridiculous, and oddly heartwarming. I'd watch Natasha Lyonne act opposite an alligator - real or not - any day of the week. It might not be the sharpest mystery the show has to offer, but it’s undoubtedly an entertaining one. For those not watching, you’re missing out.   Rating: ★★★½ Poker Face . © Peacock About Poker Face Premiere Date:  May 8, 2025 Episode Count:  12 Executive Producer/Showrunner: Tony Tost, Ram Bergman, Nena Rodrigue, Adam Arkin, Nora Zuckerman, Lilla Zuckerman Writer: Laura Deeley, Alice Ju, Natasha Lyonne, Wyatt Cain, Tony Tost, Kate Thulin, Taofik Kolade, Megan Amram, Tea Ho, Raphie Cantor, Andrew Sodroski Director: Rian Johnson, Natasha Lyonne, Miguel Arteta, Lucky McKee, John Dahl, Adam Arkin, Mimi Cave, Adamma Ebo, Clea Duvall, Ti West Production:   Animal Pictures, T-Street Distribution:   Peacock Cast:   Natasha Lyonne, Adrienne C. Moore, Alia Shawkat, Awkwafina, Ben Marshall, B.J. Novak, Carol Kane, Cliff "Method Man" Smith, Corey Hawkins, Cynthia Erivo, David Alan Grier, David Krumholtz, Favionte "GaTa" Ganter, Ego Nwodim, Gaby Hoffmann, Geraldine Viswanathan, Giancarlo Espositio, Haley Joel Osment, Jason Ritter, John Cho, John Mulaneyy, Justin Theroux, Katherin Narducci, Katie Holmes, Kevin Corrigan, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Tom, Lili Taylor, Margo Martindale, Melanie Lynskey, Natasha Leggero, Patti Harrison, Rhea Perlman, Richard Kind, Sam Richardson, Sherry Cola, Simon Helberg, Simon Rex, Taylor Schilling Synopsis: Poker Face  is a mystery-of-the-week series following Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve.