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Conan O'Brien Must Go  Season 2 once again proves that when comedy collides with culture, magic happens—especially when Conan is leading the way. Somehow managing to merge global exploration with his signature vaudevillian absurdity and deadpan humor, this season feels less like a travel show and more like an accidental diplomacy mission led by a red-headed, very tall, and very pale court jester. Season 2 is a first-class ticket across borders with an aisle seat reserved for chaos. Following the surprise success of Season 1, this round doubles down on its winning formula: real people, real places, and really unhinged encounters. But what sets Season 2 apart is confidence. Conan now knows he doesn’t belong, and he leans into that fish-out-of-water energy with open arms and an even more unfiltered sense of glee. Armed with a fistful of jokes and a suitcase full of awkward moments, Conan gallivants across Spain, New Zealand, and Austria—a trio of destinations that seem designed to clash spectacularly with his brand of cultural immersion. Conan doesn’t visit countries so much as infiltrate them. He doesn’t participate in traditions, but barrels into them, often leaving a trail of bemused locals and belly laughs in his wake, and as chaotic as his presence may seem, it’s never mean-spirited. In fact, it’s that very chaos that opens the doors and hearts. One of the show's greatest strengths is its ability to balance chaos with connection. The cinematography is deceptively beautiful, framing rolling hills, historic cathedrals, and bustling marketplaces like a prestige documentary before cutting to Conan doing something asinine and absurd. And yet, despite the absurdity, the show manages to convey a deep affection for the places it visits. Each episode may begin with a laugh, but it often ends with something far more meaningful. Conan’s real superpower isn’t his improv or timing, it’s his willingness to look completely ridiculous so that others can shine. Whether it’s picking olives, or getting lovingly roasted by a local guide, Conan never makes himself the hero. He makes himself the punchline, and in doing so, lifts up everyone around him. This season also features some A-list assistance, including appearances from Javier Bardem and Taika Waititi, who lean into the absurdity with impressive ease. Their cameos never feel forced, it folds organically into the unscripted nature of the show, enhancing the already unpredictable energy Conan brings. But it’s the non-famous faces who steal the spotlight. © Max Conan’s ability to bounce off strangers, build rapport in seconds, and find the comedy in even the smallest exchanges is what elevates this show beyond gimmick. There’s a moment in one episode that perfectly captivates this. Even in absurdity, with Conan it becomes a moment of genuine cross-cultural connection that leaves both the subject, and the viewer touched. What makes Conan O'Brien Must Go Season 2 stand out in a crowded travel doc space is that it knows it’s stupid but it’s also smart enough to realize that “stupid” doesn’t mean “shallow.” The humor might not be for everyone, but the show’s emotional intelligence is underrated. It understands that travel is more than sightseeing. It’s about vulnerability, discomfort and cultural exchange. Season 2 lets those elements breathe, it embraces the organic rhythms of real travel and real relationships. There’s a kind of honesty here that makes it all work. If Season 1 was a love letter to Team Coco fans, Season 2 is the delightfully awkward second date that somehow ends in karaoke, drinks, and pizza. It’s weird. It’s refreshing. And it works. In an era when so much feels curated and hollow, Conan reminds us that there’s still value in being genuinely, gloriously off-script. And honestly? That might be the most human thing of all. You’ll laugh at Conan’s dance moves. You’ll cringe at his attempts to communicate. But you might also find yourself surprisingly moved. In a landscape saturated with polished wanderlust, Conan O’Brien Must Go offers something radical: sincerity. Rating: ★★★½ Conan O’Brien Must Go Season 2 debuts Thursday, May 8 on Max. The three-episode season will debut new episodes weekly, concluding with the season finale on May 22.   About Conan O’Brien Must Go Season 2 © Max Premiere Date:   May 8, 2025 Episode Count:  3 Executive Producer/Showrunner: Conan O'Brien, Jeff Ross Writers: Conan O'Brien, Mike Sweeney, Jose Arroyo, Jessie Gaskell Director: Jason A. Cohn Production:   Conaco Distribution:   Warner Bros. Discovery Cast:   Conan O'Brien, Jordan Schlansky, Javier Bardem, Taika Waititi Synopsis: In this riotously funny travel series, Conan O'Brien experiences local cultures and connects with fans he previously met on his podcast.

Exciting news for Percy Jackson and the Olympians  fans: Disney+ is moving full steam ahead with the acclaimed fantasy series, greenlighting Season 3 before Season 2 has even aired. Nexus Point News has learned that casting is already underway, with filming scheduled to begin this July in Vancouver. Based on the beloved book series by Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians  has garnered praise for its faithful adaptation, compelling performances, and immersive world-building. The novels follow the titular character as he learns that he is the son of the Greek god, Poseidon. In the first book (and season), Percy (Walker Scobell) finds his way to Camp Half-Blood, where his fellow young demigods are educated about their respective destinies. As it turns out, Percy’s fate is extraordinary even under such circumstances, as no half-mortal children of Poseidon, Hades, and/or Zeus are supposed to exist. © Disney+ Season 2 of the TV series will adapt The Sea of Monsters , wherein the relative safety of Camp Half-Blood threatens to be overrun by mythological monsters such as the Cyclops, Polyphemus, ruler of the Bermuda Triangle. Canadian actor Daniel Diemer will round out the cast as Tyson the Cyclops. Likewise, the third season will adapt The Titan’s Curse , wherein Percy will likely be tasked with rescuing both his Camp Half-Blood friend, Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava’ Jeffries), as well as the goddess Artemis from the Titan, Atlas. Tamara Smart (Thalia Grace), Andra Day (the goddess Athena), and Courtney B. Vance (the voice of Zeus) will join the cast  during Season 3. Presumably, Disney will also adapt Riordan’s additional Percy Jackson novels for TV, including The Battle of the Labyrinth  and The Last Olympian , thus rounding out Percy’s adventures. Prior to Disney’s acquisition of the rights to the source material, 20th Century Fox adapted the first two Percy Jackson novels into feature films in 2010 and 2013 respectively. In spite of an impressive cast — Alexandra Daddario (Annabeth Chase), Sean Bean (Zeus), Rosario Dawson (Persephone) — the films are not particularly faithful to the books, whereas Season 1 of the Disney TV series allotted eight 33 to 43-minute episodes to retell the story of Percy’s first year at Camp Half-Blood. Thus, fans can likely assume that similar effort and space will be provided for Season 2 and 3 and (hopefully) beyond. RELATED: 20th Television Has Officially Acquired The Rights To ‘The Kane Chronicles’ Rick Riordan has penned several supplemental books about Percy Jackson and company, and is also the author of Magnus Chase , following another young demigod hailing from Norse mythology. We also previously revealed that The Kane Chronicles series was in development at Disney, which focuses on two siblings, Carter and Sadie Kane, who are teenage magicians, and descendants of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Considering Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 logged over three billion viewing minutes via Disney+ and received a 91% critical rating via Rotten Tomatoes, Riordan’s books seem to be good long-term investments. RELATED - EXCLUSIVE: ‘The Kane Chronicles’ Series Is In Development At Disney+ This story is still developing.

Ilustriations Courtesy of Rick Riordan. EXCLUSIVE: ‘The Kane Chronicles’ Series Is In Development At Disney+ Back in June 2024, Nexus Point News exclusively revealed that a series adaptation of Rick Riordan’s The Kane Chronicles trilogy was in development at Disney+. We can now report that 20th Television, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, has officially acquired the the rights to The Kane Chronicles trilogy. 20th Television now has the exclusive right to develop The Kane Chronicles into a television (TV), streaming, film, or other entertainment production, and potentially purchase full rights if they proceed. The same production company is behind Percy Jackson and the Olympians , the successful Disney+ series also based on Rick Riordan’s work. © US Copyright Office In 2020, Riordan revealed that Netflix was working on a film trilogy based on The Kane Chronicles . However, after years without updates, he confirmed in February 2024 that the project had been canceled following a difficult four-year development process. In May 2024, he shared that he was considering new possibilities for the franchise, though nothing was confirmed. Given the success of Percy Jackson and the Olympians , it’s not surprising that Disney would be interested in expanding the universe in a similar way. The Kane Chronicles trilogy is told in alternating first-person perspectives by siblings Carter and Sadie Kane, both powerful magicians descended from ancient pharaohs Narmer and Ramses the Great. Alongside their friends, they face off against Egyptian gods and goddesses who remain active in the modern world. While centered on Egyptian mythology, the series includes subtle hints and crossovers with Riordan’s other books, suggesting that the various mythological universes exist within the same shared world. This story is still developing.

We’re only four months into 2025, and television has already delivered in spades. From Severance  Season 2 and The Studio  on Apple TV+ to HBO’s The White Lotus  Season 3 and Max Originals Hacks and The Pitt , there's been no shortage of compelling content. The MCU marked the return of Daredevil  on Disney+, while Abbott Elementary  wrapped up its fourth season on ABC. Over on NBC, St. Denis Medical  is set to end its debut season on a high note before returning for a second run. Wondering what to watch next? Here are the most anticipated TV shows still to come in 2025 from May and beyond. Poker Face Season 2 - May 8, Peacock © Peacock 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 cannot help but solve. The first three episodes will arrive on May 8, the rest follow each week on Thursdays. RELATED - REVIEW: ‘Poker Face’ Season 2 Revitalizes The Inverted Detective Story Format In A Unique And Creative Way The guest stars for Season 2 are as follows: 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, Davionte “GaTa” Ganter, Ego Nwodim, Gaby Hoffmann, Geraldine Viswanathan, Giancarlo Esposito, Haley Joel Osment, Jason Ritter, John Cho, John Mulaney, Justin Theroux, Kathrine 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, and Taylor Schilling. Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 - May 21, Hulu © Hulu Hulu want to fill the void of The White Lotus with their second season of Nine Perfect Strangers . As with the title, nine new strangers will meet at the Zauberwald wellness retreat in the Austrian Alps. Swap the heat of Thailand for a winter wonderland. Nicole Kidman returns alongside newcomers Henry Golding, Lena Olin, Annie Murphy, Christine Baranski, Lucas Englander, King Princess, Murray Bartlett, Dolly de Leon, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Mark Strong and Aras Aydin.  Murderbot - May 16, Apple TV+ It's always a delight to watch Alexander Skarsgård, and Apple TV+'s new series Murderbot promises plenty of that. Based on Martha Wells’ bestselling Hugo and Nebula Award-winning book series, Murderbot is a sci-fi thriller-comedy about a self-aware security construct who’s hacked its own programming. Though repulsed by human emotions, it's strangely compelled to protect its fragile human clients. Forced to conceal its autonomy, Murderbot takes on a perilous mission—all while secretly longing to be left alone with its favorite futuristic soap operas and its quest for identity. The series also stars Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones, Tamara Podemski. The Better Sister - May 29, Prime Video © Prime Video Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks are siblings in this adaptation of Alafair Burke's  The Better Sister . The series logline reads "Chloe (Biel), a high-profile media executive, lives a picturesque life with her handsome lawyer husband Adam (Corey Stoll) and teenage son Ethan (Maxwell Acee Donovan) by her side while her estranged sister Nicky (Banks) struggles to make ends meet and stay clean. When Adam is brutally murdered, the prime suspect sends shockwaves through the family, reuniting the two sisters, as they try to untangle a complicated family history to discover the truth behind his death." Ironheart - June 24, Disney+ © Marvel Following the conclusion of Daredevil: Born Again , Marvel Television returns to Disney+ with Ironheart on June 24. The six-episode series will close out Phase 5 of the MCU. Ironheart explores the clash between technology and magic as Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), a brilliant young inventor, returns to her hometown of Chicago determined to leave her mark. Her innovative approach to building iron suits is brilliant, but her journey leads her into an unexpected entanglement with the enigmatic and charismatic Parker Robbins, also known as “The Hood” (Anthony Ramos). The cast also features Lyric Ross, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Manny Montana, Matthew Elam, and Anji White. The series is led by head writer Chinaka Hodge, with episodes directed by Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes. Executive producers include Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Zoie Nagelhout, Chinaka Hodge, Ryan Coogler, Sev Ohanian, and Zinzi Coogler. Squid Game Season 3 - June 27, Netflix © Netflix The phenomenon that is Squid Game is hoping to bow out on a high note on June 27. The final instalment is part of the same story as the second season. Prepare for another round of dystopian games that have consequences for all. Season 3 logline: The third and final season of Squid Game follows Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) after losing his best friend in the game and being driven to utter despair by The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who was hiding his true identity to infiltrate the game. Gi-hun persists with his goal to put an end to the game, while the Front Man continues onto his next move and the surviving players' choices will lead to graver consequences with each round. The Gilded Age Season 3 - June, HBO © HBO Are you experiencing post- The White Lotus blues? Standout Carrie Coon returns to our screens in HBO's third season of The Gilded Age this June. Alongside her will be Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Morgan Spector, Louisa Jacobson, Denée Benton, Taissa Farmiga, Harry Richardson, Blake Ritson, Ben Ahlers, Ashlie Atkinson, Dylan Baker, Kate Baldwin, Victoria Clark, John Ellison Conlee, Michael Cumpsty, Kelley Curran, Jordan Donica, Jessica Frances Dukes, Claybourne Elder, Amy Forsyth, Jack Gilpin, LisaGay Hamilton, Ward Horton, Simon Jones, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Ben Lamb, Nathan Lane, Andrea Martin, Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Debra Monk, Hattie Morahan, Donna Murphy, Kristine Nielsen, Paul Alexander Nolan,  Kelli O’Hara, Patrick Page, Rachel Pickup, Taylor Richardson, Douglas Sills, Bobby Steggert, Erin Wilhelmi, John Douglas Thompson, Leslie Uggams, Merritt Wever, Bill Camp and Phylicia Rashad. The Season 3 logline is as follows: "The American Gilded Age was a period of immense economic and social change, when empires were built, but no victory came without sacrifice. Following the Opera War, the old guard is weakened and the Russells stand poised to take their place at the head of society. Bertha sets her sights on a prize that would elevate the family to unimaginable heights while George risks everything on a gambit that could revolutionize the railroad industry — if it doesn’t ruin him first. Across the street, the Brook household is thrown into chaos as Agnes refuses to accept Ada’s new position as lady of the house. Peggy meets a handsome doctor from Newport whose family is less than enthusiastic about her career. As all of New York hastens toward the future, their ambition may come at the cost of what they truly hold dear." Wednesday  Season 2 - August 6 & September 3, Netflix © Netflix Jenna Ortega's titular Wednesday  will continue her studies at Nevermore Academy in 2025. The eight-episode series has been split into 2 parts with Part 1 releasing on August 6th and Part 2 releasing on September 3rd. Lady Gaga will join her in an undisclosed role while Steve Buscemi plays a character named Barry Dort. Logline: Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega), returns to prowl the Gothic halls of Nevermore Academy, where fresh foes and woes await. This season, Wednesday must navigate family, friends and old adversaries, propelling her into another year of delightfully dark and kooky mayhem. Armed with her signature razor-sharp wit and deadpan charm, Wednesday is also plunged into a new bone-chilling supernatural mystery. Creator/showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar return for the spine-tingling second season of Wednesday , alongside executive producer and director Tim Burton. Alien: Earth - Summer, FX © FX Noah Hawley, the visionary behind Fargo and Legion , now brings the Alien saga to television in a bold new chapter. The eight-episode series follows a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers who make a fateful discovery after a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, bringing them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat. The series cast also includes Alex Lawther, Timothy Olyphant, Essie Davis, Samuel Blenkin, Babou Ceesay, David Rysdahl, Adrian Edmondson, Adarsh Gourav, Jonathan Ajayi, Erana James, Lily Newmark, Diem Camille, and Moe Bar-El. Related - ‘Alien: Earth’ Season 1 Episode Titles Platonic Season 2 - Apple TV+ © Apple TV+ Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne return for a second season of Platonic this Summer. Rogen and Byrne play old friends, Will and Sylvia, who rekindle their friendship after its all-consuming nature caused a rift between them. The Morning Show Season 4 - Apple TV+ © Apple TV + Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon are set to return to morning television with the fourth season of The Morning Show . Billy Crudup, Greta Lee, Mark Duplass, Néstor Carbonell, Karen Pittman, Tig Notaro, and Nicole Beharie will return alongside them. Rounding out the ensemble are Jeremy Irons, Marion Cotillard, Aaron Pierre, William Jackson Harper, Rachel Marsh, John Hoogenakker, and Boyd Holbrook. Percy Jackson And The Olympians Season 2 - December, Disney+ © Disney + Following The Sea of Monsters, Season 2 will see Percy (Walker Scobell) go on a quest to rescue Grover (Aryan Simhadri) after he ventures out to find the god Pan. Logline is as follows: The second installment of Disney Hyperion’s best-selling book series by award-winning author Rick Riordan. Percy Jackson returns to Camp Half-Blood one year later to find his world turned upside down. His friendship with Annabeth is changing, he learns he has a cyclops for a brother, Grover has gone missing, and camp is under siege from the forces of Kronos. Percy’s journey to set things right will take him off the map and into the deadly Sea of Monsters, where a secret fate awaits the son of Poseidon. This article will continue to be updated as new premiere dates, synopsis information, and cast updates are announced.

Ubisoft released Assassin's Creed Shadows just back in March, and it quickly got crowned one of the best Assassin's Creed games since Black Flag by a lot of critics, and the majority of audiences also agreed with the statement. The game takes its players to feudal Japan, where they play as the assassin Naoe and the samurai Yauske. With the introduction of Yauske, who was an African slave turned samurai who served under Oda Nobunaga, it allowed for some creativity with the game's soundtrack. There wasn't anyone better to orchestrate the score aside from The Flight, a duo who previously worked on Assassin's Creed Odyssey . Christopher: It is a pleasure to speak with you today. I was lucky enough to play Assassin's Creed Shadows early thanks to Ubisoft, and one of the few things that I noticed, and even when my friend got to play, we noticed, we said if Assassin's Creed Shadows has to be nominated for anything this year at the awards season, it has to be that score. It is one of the best scores we've heard in an Assassin's Creed game. Joe Henson (The Flight): That's really kind, thank you. Christopher: I've got to ask for myself and the fans; there's a score that plays towards the start of the game where Yauske is trying to make his way to Naoe. He's fighting in the rain, and there's this track playing where it sounds like there's some rap mixed with an African language that I'm not familiar with, but it hasn't yet been released online. Joe Henson (The Flight): Is that one of the Thunderdrum tracks? Christopher: I think so. Joe Henson (The Flight): I don't know. I haven't got that far in the game (laughs), we haven't played that much of it. We don't know what goes in. We know what music goes in but we don't know what order it goes in because of the systemic stuff. Until we play the game, we don't know how it turns out. If its got African vocals on it, it's probably a Thunderdrum track. © Ubisoft Christopher: That's good to know. There's also a track called "The Fall of Yauske". What was the influence for creating that score for him? Joe Henson (The Flight): When we first got the game, even before, when we were first pitched the game, Alexis and I had a lot of discussions about the music for this [ Assassin's Creed Shadows ]. After doing Odyssey , we wanted it to be very different, and Ubisoft wanted a very different score for it as well. So we came at it from a modern angle rather than trying to do a historical thing. We looked at how Japanese music, film, TV shows, and anime have influenced modern popular Western culture. The first thing before we even saw Yauske was that we were thinking that we wanted to come at it from the Wu-Tang Clan. I toured with hip hop bands when I was young. Me and Alexis, our influences are different, but where we meet is with hip hop. So the first thing we said is we just went Ghost Dog . We want to watch Ghost Dog . We were looking at how Wu-Tang used samples and stuff from kung fu movies. Then we were looking at how trap is being influenced by Japanese music and stuff. That that was kind of the angle we were coming at with that. Just basically trying to be modern and trying to look at the modern influences that we have. Christopher: It's all good (laughs). I'm interested in hearing because, to be fair, you are the first composer that I've interviewed. So I'm intrigued by the process and how it works because people don't realise when they're watching a film or show or even playing a game, but music is so important. It's like it's its own character within it. So I love to just hear what you have to say, honestly. I don't mind; if you want to ramble, you can ramble. Joe Henson (The Flight): (Laughs) Alexis and I now, we've worked together for so long that a lot of it is like psychic between us. We've got so many influences on our separate paths that when we come together, there's loads of stuff we talk about and sit down and watch. First, we watched this Ghost Dog . We've watched Seven Samurai films and films like that. Obviously, looking at how those films influenced westerns. We were watching some Ennio Morricone, listening to Ennio Morricone scores and watching Spaghetti Westerns. There are so many things that were influenced by Japanese movies. I love anime and stuff like that as well, so we watch a bunch of that. Christopher: What's your favorite anime, if you don't mind me asking? Joe Henson (The Flight): Do you know what? My favorite being really honest, it's really boring, but it's probably Akira . Christopher: That's fine; I feel like my ones are boring as well. Mine's One Piece . Joe Henson (The Flight): One Piece . Yeah. Of course. But it depends – I'm very old, so I saw Akira in the cinema. That's when I was a kid, and it blew my mind. So, yes, it is age dependent. I'm showing my age now. (Laughs) That's all good. Honestly. I can't imagine watching that in the cinema. Obviously, they do re-releases, but there's nothing compared to that first time when a film releases. Joe Henson (The Flight): The original Ghost in the Shell as well; that was amazing. The score on that is brilliant. That was really influential on the stuff we're doing on this. Really cool stuff. Christopher: You were saying earlier about how you're playing the game, and you're not that far in. When you're working, it's all out of order, and you don't really know where things are going to be. At what point does Ubisoft bring you in, or not even just Ubisoft, but just any video game company? When do they bring you in to work on the score for a video game? Joe Henson (The Flight): Games are much longer than working on films or TV. A game takes about five years to develop. Ubisoft is slightly different; we come in quite late, so we have a year to eighteen months. We come in right at the end, but it's still longer than, you know, on a film where it can take three months. So it's still a nice long process, but we come on there. They're in a good place, but some things will be grey boxes, and some things will be animatics. They send us captures of them playing the game, and there's a lot of the gameplay that is usually in place, but the story changes. That's all in flux. Also, because we don't have a way of playing it when we work with Ubisoft, we're not sure of the flow of the game, and even that changes as well. You never really know until it ships and you get it into your hands. We're writing layered interactive music as well. So that we give to them, and we don't know how the system's going to play that back a lot of the time. We give them a toolkit of audio, and they will edit and put different tracks together. We never really know until it's finished how the music's going to come back. Christopher: How much freedom are you given in terms of creating the score? Is there anything that Ubisoft tells you to do, or is it complete freedom? Joe Henson (The Flight): No. There are always boundaries, and there's always an angle that the developer has, and then we set our own boundaries. But because of technology, you could do anything. So we like to sit down and define the rules. Obviously, it's an Assassin's Creed game, and there's a lot of invested parties in it. So it's very important. There are a lot of people we're working with, and everyone has their own idea of what the score should be, but we've worked very closely with the team in Quebec. And, Jerome, we would meet every few days online and talk to him about music and send him music, and it's an always-evolving process. Once you've done the pitch, we kind of know if we get the game, what angle we're coming in at, and when we've written a couple of pieces of music for them, we do revisions on that. And then when we eventually get the job, we're kind of in a good place anyway because we've already sent them stuff that we've been working on. Christopher: You've been working with Ubisoft since, I believe, Black Flag . Joe Henson (The Flight): Black Flag multiplayer. Yeah. Christopher: How has that relationship evolved since then? Because, you know, you've done, I believe, Odyssey and- Joe Henson (The Flight): That poster there (points behind him) is from Zubo , which came out on the Nintendo DS. That was our first ever game; the person we met, Lydia Andrews, we got on really well with. We did that game and a few other games at EA, and then she left EA and went to Ubisoft Annecy. We worked on a game with her that never shipped, and I think she used some of it in a demo she was doing with the Black Flag multiplayer. And the game director said, "What is that music? Oh, that's really cool." She rang us up, which we pitched for the multiplayer. And then, interestingly as well, the other person we worked with on Zubo left EA and went to Creative Assembly, and we did Alien: Isolation with him. That was a really important game. Have you played it? Christopher: I've not played Zubo before. Joe Henson (The Flight): It's brilliant. It's brilliant. It was supposed to be for next gen when next gen was the Nintendo Wii and - Christopher: Xbox, maybe? Joe Henson (The Flight): Maybe. I don't know. But it was supposed to be, and then it got smaller and smaller and smaller and ended up just coming out of the DS. It had a really big music budget. They wanted the music to sound like it was licensed, and I met Lydia through working with a band, and because Alexis and I came from bands, she came to us because she thought we would do music that sounds like the kind they wanted, like Beastie Boys and Chemical Brothers and stuff. Christopher: That's nice that you have that on your wall then. It's a very important piece. Joe Henson (The Flight): It is really, really important to us. Christopher: I was also going to ask; Ezio's theme has become the iconic series motif for Assassin's Creed and it's included in the shadows as well. I wanted to ask you what the importance of including that within the score for shadows is and whether it's - Joe Henson (The Flight): It's a classic, isn't it? Christopher: It's a classic! Joe Henson (The Flight): Anytime it happens in the game, it lifts the game. And TEKE::TEKE did an amazing version of it. We really enjoyed doing it on Odyssey , but when we got to Shadows , we didn't really want to do a new version of it because it would just sound the same as Odyssey . So we're really pleased that TEKE:: TEKE did a really cool rendition. It took guts to do what they did; it was so different. We did a little quote from it early on in the game; I don't want to do any spoilers early on in the game. © Ubisoft Christopher: With Naoe's theme. there's an important instrument that is vital to her story, the Tsuchibue. Joe Henson (The Flight): We went to the meeting, Jonathan Dumont put one on the table and said, that's her instrument and it's a very easy instrument to play, but it's really hard to master. It's quite difficult thing to record as well, but we wanted to do a really simple motif that the family could play to each other. We found a player who could play it brilliantly, but we wanted it to be like a naive, really simple motif that you could hear and instantly know it. And I think it works. It's nice. We've obviously done full arrangements of it, and it becomes more and more, what's the word? Not advanced. But, yes, it grows in the in the story, but it starts off very simple. It's like a three-four note motif, basically. Christopher: Would you say either you or Alexis mastered it? Which one have you practiced with it? Joe Henson (The Flight): I played it. I don't have the lung capacity, and we got through three microphones. It was really difficult to record but we we we use similar instruments in Odyssey , and there are clay pot pipes in most countries, actually. It's one of the first things that people make but this one is really difficult to play. So we got Christine Nigus, she's the master. We work with some people here, and then eventually, Christine, who's out in America, she's got lots of them. She's the one, she's the player. Christopher: It's like a Karate Kid type of situatuion. Joe Henson (The Flight): Exactly. Very much so. I never became the master. Christopher: You mentioned Alien: Isolation . Assassin's Creed is just a big video game franchise and Alien is a game based off a film series. How is it basically making music for a game based off a film, if that makes sense? Joe Henson (The Flight): Alien is possibly one of the top three films for me. Sometimes it's my favorite. You know how your top three always alternate. Alexisʼ too. The biggest part of it was that there is weight on your shoulders because that is a precious thing, but it was amazing. We sat down with them; we worked out what we thought Alien was and what makes the sound of Alien. They licensed some of the original music, Jerry Goldsmith. So we were able to use the original themes, which is like, it's horrible when you get something like that, and then you're not allowed to use the themes... Just that pastiche, really. There are other games and films even where it grates with you. There was a Star Wars film; I remember thinking, “Oh, they've really tried to work on that theme, and they could have just licensed the original.” © Sega That was a big moment getting that. Alexis always makes fun of me because every game, I go, “This is a big one. This is a big one.” Shadows was the big one and there's the next thing we're doing which is the big one. Christopher: Is there anything you can say about the next thing you're doing? Joe Henson (The Flight): No, nothing at all. Christopher: But it's something that we can all be excited for? Joe Henson (The Flight): I'm excited. I'm very excited about it. I think Odyssey was the biggest thing I've ever worked on and then Shadows . Someone completely misquoted me in the press saying, "This is the game you've all been waiting for". Everyone wanted feudal Japan. Christopher: Since Assassin's Creed 2 , people were saying, we need to go to Japan and finally, Ubisoft have brought us here. Quite frankly, it is one of the best Assassin's Creed games to release in a long while. Joe Henson (The Flight): I've really enjoyed it. It's really cool. Both characters are really satisfying to play with their different fight styles, and I'm a sucker for stealth so I love that and playing Naoe. Christopher: I think I got addicted to playing a lot of Yasuke because I can just run into a stronghold and take everyone down. I could just run through the doors and no one can really stop me, but obviously, that's the thing I love about the game. There's right times where you can play as Yasuke and when you should play as Naoe. I thought that was great. Final question, Is there anything that you would love to work on in the future that you haven't really done yet? It could be original, a genre or a franchise. Joe Henson (The Flight): I don't know, I really enjoy working in games. I think people put film on a pedestal. My dad never really understood and my mum just didn't know what computer games are. She goes "You work in computer... games" and she could never quite work it out. But I love working in games, I love the people. This sounds tacky but I love the fans, they're so invested in it. We're going to the Assassin's Creed concerts, and they're they're incredible and all the fans are brilliant. I love this world, so I just wanna keep working on on games. What we're doing next is really exciting, and then looking at our road map, there's some really exciting things coming up. So just wanna keep at it. This interview has been edited for clarity.

Since 2022, May the Fourth has been celebrated by the release of a new animated mini-series from Star Wars: The Clone Wars  creator and showrunner (as well as Lucasfilm’s Chief Creative Officer) Dave Filoni. Following Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi  and Star Wars: Tales of the Empire comes Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld . Spanning six episodes, the series tells two unrelated stories about two unrelated characters. This is a departure from the previous two installments in the Tales of…  series, both of which told an overarching story throughout all the episodes, entwined in anthology-styled moments.  The two stories told in Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld  take place during significantly different periods of time and do not intersect in any way. It’s jarring, on the heels of Tales of the Jedi and Tales of the Empire , to not have a dedicated through-line of story from episode 1 to episode 6. The themes don’t align either, which leaves a dissonant viewing experience.  The first three episodes focus, inexplicably, on Asajj Ventress, the former Dark Side assassin who ends up out from under Count Dooku’s thumb only to encounter tragedy. The opening of the series is baffling, as it contradicts even established Disney canon, and then simply does not do anything to explain or give closure to how we find Ventress in the beginning of the series.  Finding the Path Ventress’ story of helping a surviving Jedi Padawan find the Path feels out of place in a series purportedly about the underworld of the Star Wars  universe. In a galaxy filled with Hutts, Pykes, bounty hunters, smugglers, and slavers, another story about a rogue Jedi escaping the Empire feels almost lazy. Obi-Wan’s line in A New Hope  about the Jedi being “all but” extinct is starting to have to do some very heavy lifting.  Lyco © Disney/Lucasfilm All of the character beats throughout the three short episodes feel particularly weak; Ventress’ conflicts are entirely external, and her prickliness towards her new companion seems like a weak attempt to make her seem unwilling to be helpful. Lyco, the companion in question, remains fairly static the entire time as well, the only change to his goals coming at the very last minute. Overall, the story has little new to offer.  The Man in the Hat Once Ventress and Lyco have achieved their goal, the series does an abrupt shift to a completely different time and place, and a character who has become a behatted fan-favorite: Cad Bane. There is something to be said about the absurdity of Star Wars , and the Cad Bane episodes are the best parts of this absurdity.  Cad Bane © Disney/Lucasfilm The story is as weak as the preceding one; predictable with both plot points and character arcs. However, unlike the previous story, there is a level of fun to be had with Bane which simply does not exist with Ventress. It also fits far better as an offering for Tales of the Underworld . It gives another interesting glimpse of day to day life in the galaxy far, far away - this time prior to the rise of the Empire. The tale of two close friends going in different moral directions is one as old as time, and one that repeats throughout Star Wars  canon like a virus, but it’s one that works. There is an emotional vulnerability to a young Cad Bane that is unexpected and welcome. While Bane is not quite the villainous powerhouse of Darth Vader, seeing a sweet if mischievous young boy make increasingly poor decisions in the name of survival is similarly gut-wrenching, even if the outcome is a little bit goofy. The fact this story arc is literally about Bane attaining his signature headgear, Indiana Jones-style, is ultimately hilarious and just the sort of fan service to expect from Star Wars  in general, and Filoni in particular.  Overall, Tales of the Underworld  is an uneven ride of two disparate stories. While fun, it does not do much to expand anyone’s understanding of the world or the characters in it. After the strength of other recent Star Wars  offerings, Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld  is a bit of a let down. While the animation, acting, and music are all high quality, the stories themselves were predictable and too short. If Ventress had been given her own mini-series, or arc on a different show, and if Bane’s story had been entwined with another truly underworld  character, it would have been a far more satisfying experience.  Rating:   ★★☆☆☆ © Disney/Lucasfilm About Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld From creator Dave Filoni comes “Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld,” an all-new anthology series of animated shorts which will premiere May 4, 2025, exclusively on Disney+. The popular series, which began in 2022 with “Tales of the Jedi” and continued in 2024 with “Tales of the Empire,” this time focuses on the criminal underbelly of the Star Wars galaxy through the experiences of two iconic villains. Former assassin and bounty hunter Asajj Ventress is given a new chance at life and must go on the run with an unexpected new ally, while outlaw Cad Bane faces his past when he confronts an old friend, now a Marshal on the opposite side of the law.   Produced by Lucasfilm Animation, “Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld” is executive produced by Dave Filoni, Athena Yvette Portillo, and Carrie Beck. Dave Filoni is supervising director, Josh Rimes is co-executive producer, Alex Spotswood is the senior producer, and Matt Michnovetz is the writer. “Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld” stars Nika Futterman, Corey Burton, Artt Butler, Lane Factor, AJ LoCascio, Clare Grant, Dawn-Lyen Gardner, and Eric Lopez.

The Emmy Award-winning and Golden Globe-nominated Poker Face returns for a second season on Peacock, and this time with more murder, mysteries, guest stars and, most importantly, more Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne). Rian Johnson, known for the Knives Out film series, which follows the murder/mystery genre, took what worked so well with that format and brought it to television by providing audiences with a new mystery every week. At the end of Poker Face Season 1, Charlie Cale was on the run from Sterling Frost, Sr (Ron Perlman) and his henchman Cliff (Benjamin Bratt) after she was blamed for the death of his son, Sterling Frost, Jr (Adrien Brody), who took his own life after Charlie exposed his corruption. This led Charlie to skip town and jump from town to town while bumping into various characters with their own problems that often involved murder and had Charlie solving their cases. Once Senior found out that his son was working for rival Beatrix Hasp (Rhea Perlman), he planned to have Charlie help him take her down, but Cliff, who was also working for Hasp kills Senior, frames Charlie, and also testifies against Hasp once Charlie hands evidence of her innocence to the FBI. Hasp gives Charlie an offer she can't deny, but she does, which leads Hasp to put a bounty on her head with the five families now on her neck. What makes Poker Face such an entertaining watch is its capability to draw its viewers to the case of the week and how they execute it. Charlie Cale has a gift where she's able to tell whenever a person is lying. There's not more to her gift besides that, and there isn't really any rule to how it works, but with a show like Poker Face , it would take away from the magic if there was a background given to Charlie's special gifts. Moreover, it's Charlie's gift to find herself in a new location and coincidentally befriend or get directly involved with the victim of the episode or someone who knew the victim, which always leads to her figuring out there's a liar in her midst. © Peacock With Charlie on the run once again but this time from Beatrix Hasp, she ends up finding herself at funerals, schools, golf courses, gyms and many more locations. Charlie Cale isn't a detective; she doesn't aspire to be a private investigator; it just happens to be the life that finds her. What separates Charlie Cale from some of the other characters that Natasha Lyonne finds herself playing is that Charlie is a character that loves people. She loves interacting with them even if some of them don't show any interest in her. She always makes a friend in every episode, and this personal connection that she makes with the people she meets is what leads her to caring about the lives she hears about that lead to her normally solving a murder case. It's Charlie Cale's character and Natasha Lyonne's performance that remind the viewers of how human Poker Face can be as a show. There tends to be some worry when the show follows a formula every episode: we witness the murder/incident, how Charlie finds herself in the situation and finally watch her solve the mystery. The huge question was, will this ever get stale? The answer to that is no, it doesn't. Poker Face quickly brings an end to the mob chase story arc, and while it would've been interesting to see how it would've played out over the course of a season once more, realistically, it would've gotten repetitive. It was nice to see a change of pace with the show focusing on what it intended to be from the start, an episodic series. Rian Johnson and Tony Tost have brought together a league of talented writers that keep these episodes fresh, unique and creative, and although they all stick to that same formula, it truly feels like you're watching something that you haven't seen before and is unlike the episode that came before. The stakes were always high in Season 1, as she had death chasing after her through America, but Season 2 brings more of these stakes within the mysteries themselves and puts Charlie in situations that are lethal. While the first season had a great set of episodes, this second season takes advantage of its writers to give us stories that we would've never expected. If you want to see Charlie Cale face off against an eight-year-old girl in a school, then Poker Face Season 2 will give you exactly that. We know how she can handle herself with adults and murderers, but how does Charlie do when she's presented with a kid who loves to blackmail and sabotage for her own gain? Poker Face Season 2 keeps you on your toes as it stays being different but continues to deliver messages that are important to life and living as the best possible human you can be. A human that makes mistakes but who's also honest. Poker Face wouldn't be the show it is without its guest stars, and the second season has dozens who bring electric, haunting and erratic performances to the table. The standout from the first ten episodes is without a doubt Cynthia Erivo who plays quintuplets and she's able to bring a unique identity to each one without it seeming like Cynthia is playing just one character. While there are some glaring editing issues in that first episode, it's clear that Cynthia gives her all with that performance, has fun with it and also ensures that it's one of her best performances yet in her career. © Peacock The guest stars only just begin with Cynthia Erivo. Poker Face Season 2 brings you John Cho, John Mulaney, Justin Theroux, Giancarlo Esposito, David Krumholtz, Geraldine Viswanathan, Melanie Lynskey, Kumail Nanjiani and so much more. That barely scratches the surface of everyone that's involved. But for fans of Natasha Lyonne and her time on Orange is the New Black, Poker Face Season 2 reunites her once again with Adrienne C. Moore and Taylor Schilling. Cynthia Erivo isn't the only standout performance from the first ten episodes; the young and talented Eva Jade Halford, who plays Stephanie in Episode 6, is without a doubt one of the most chilling performances seen in this entire show, and it doesn't come from an adult murderer but a child obsessed with overachieving. If Eva's performance in this episode was a sign of anything, it's that she's a horror star in the making. Poker Face continues to take the inverted detective story format and revitalise it for the modern era of television. There's an episode for everyone, and with the eventual switch into its episodic style, it allows for freedom of which episode viewers can choose to watch and for rewatchability. Tony Tost does an excellent job as showrunner for this second season and brings on an equally talented group of writers and guest actors to bring this show to life. It's hilarious, entertaining, and a real fun time, but most importantly, it has Natasha Lyonne, who keeps the show grounded and real, no matter how surreal the show can feel at times. Rating: ★★★★½ About Poker Face Poker Face . © Peacock 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.

To be honest, I wasn’t sold on NYX when it first launched. But now that we’ve reached issue #10, I’m genuinely sad to see it go. There was something distinct about this series that many books in the From the Ashes era lacked. It tried, in its own way, to keep the spirit of Krakoa alive. That’s not to say it ignored the rules of the post-Krakoan world; it clearly played within the current X-Office framework. Still, its roots were undeniably Krakoan. In this final issue, the overarching threat reaches its climax as Mojo enacts his plan to use the last Krakoan seed to seize control of New York. If you read issue #9, the setup won’t come as a surprise. But the execution is visually stunning. Special credit goes to Francesco Mortarino and Raúl Angulo for the incredible first page, a graffiti-style montage that brilliantly recaps the story and its key players. It’s a beautiful intro to NYX ’s final act as the group is once more drawn together. NYX #10. © Marvel What stood out to me most throughout this series is how much it evoked the spirit of the YA novels and RPG video games I grew up with. Like a party coming together, it embraced a “found family” theme that felt refreshing and different from typical X-Men stories. These characters weren’t backed by the familiar comforts of the Xavier Mansion or veteran mentors. They were young adults figuring things out on their own, among humans, in the wake of yet another blow to mutant peace. And yet, they endure. At its core, NYX has always been about community and culture. Sophie says as much, and the story backs it up. Mutants have always symbolized change and adaptability. It’s their greatest power, and it’s what enables them to survive, even in the darkest times, when together. That spirit is fully realized when the group unites in a mutant circuit to defeat Mojo’s scheme. But the victory comes at a cost. Local, a newer mutant, is lost in the process. While the moment didn’t hit me as hard as it likely intended, partly because we didn’t get a lot of time with Local, it was still a meaningful sacrifice that underscored the stakes. There’s another kind of loss too, as Ms. Marvel confronts the reality of revealing her identity to her family. This is something she had discussed earlier in the issue with Prodigy and Sophie Cuckoo, and now it finally comes to a head. The reveal is a major step for Kamala, but it’s met with a cold, uneasy response that plants seeds of self-doubt and hesitation. By the end, she decides to step back from superheroing for a while, leaving her future uncertain. It’s a fitting conclusion to the series, even as it sets up Kamala’s next chapter in Giant-Size X-Men #1. Still, I can’t help but feel a bit worried for the lesser-known mutants who finally got the spotlight here. Synch and Prodigy had strong roles in the Krakoan era, but others like Anole and Hellion barely appeared. Kiden was practically forgotten until now. Credit where credit is due: Kelly and Lanzing did a fantastic job giving these characters depth and visibility, offering fans new reasons to care about them and the broader mutant community. You can count on me to follow this creative team into Giant-Size X-Men #1 next month. NYX may be over, but its spirit and the questions it raised are far from done. NYX #10. © Marvel About NYX #10 Release Date:  April 30, 2025 Written by:  Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly Art by: Francesco Mortarino Cover by: Sara Pichelli & Federico Blee Page Count: 25 Synopsis :  THE CITY THAT WALKS LIKE… A SPINELESS ONE?! With MOJO a bigger threat than ever (in all ways!), and everything they've built at risk of crumbling to pieces, it's time for the mutant community of New York City to rise up and fight! It's going to take everything they've got - and every power they can muster - to stand against Mojo! But taking down an interdimensional enemy channeling the power of the city is no easy feat…and not everyone will emerge unscathed!

This review includes spoilers for The Four Seasons. In an era saturated with failed reboots and remakes, The Four Seasons  arrives on Netflix as a welcome surprise. Inspired by Alan Alda’s 1981 film of the same name, the eight-episode series is co-created by Tina Fey ( 30 Rock ), Lang Fisher ( Never Have I Ever ), and Tracey Wigfield ( The Mindy Project ). It follows three couples: Kate (Fey) and Jack (Will Forte), Nick (Steve Carell) and Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver), and Danny (Colman Domingo) and Claude (Marco Calvani), as they take four vacations over a year, one in each season. © Netflix While the show opens with Jack leaving work for their spring trip, viewers never see the characters in their everyday lives. Instead, the series focuses on their travel getaways, where long-buried resentments and new emotions surface. These escapes, meant to be idyllic, begin to unravel after it's revealed that one of the couples is headed for a split.  What could have been a tired retread offers a nuanced take on changing relationships, ageing, and the passing seasons of life. It’s an honest portrayal of marriage and adult friendship, capturing the complexity of human behaviour and the reality that no one is perfect. For many viewers, including me, the show's greatest strength is its familiar cast. Many have worked together on shows such as Saturday Night Live , 30 Rock , and Girls5eva  or films such as Date Night . This history translates beautifully on screen thanks to their chemistry. You'd be content watching them gripe about day-to-day annoyances or argue over packing lists. Instead, the series delivers layered episodes where memories collide with midlife realisations. Even if you don’t recognise the cast or relate to them by age, The Four Seasons  is still worth watching. Despite the emotional turmoil experienced by each couple, I found myself softening to the idea of ageing and uncertainty - concepts that often feel daunting - when framed through the lens of love and friendship. The story unfolds over two episodes per season. Spring starts deceptively light, until Nick confides in Jack and Danny that he plans to divorce Anne - a decision he hasn't yet shared with her. Anne is preparing their 25th anniversary vow renewal, though it’s clear she also has doubts. What follows is the unravelling of a long-standing friend group as they face change head-on. Carell gives a charming performance as a man entering a new phase with both bravado and uncertainty. He's infuriating and endearing in equal measure. Kenney-Silver, meanwhile, is the heart of The Four Seasons . You will ache for her as she begins to rediscover herself post-divorce. In summer, the group, minus Anne, secretly close by in luxury, gathers at an eco-resort with Nick’s much-younger girlfriend Ginny (Erika Henningsen, who is perfectly cast). Fey’s Kate brings just the right mix of biting wit and buried insecurity, while Jack (Forte) tries to keep the peace, often unsuccessfully and in unfortunate positions. Kate’s passive-aggressive jabs and the group's awkward bonding rituals offer some of the series’ funniest moments, especially when Kate accidentally calls Ginny by her teenage daughter’s name. It's the sharpness you expect from Fey, which she excels at like no other. By fall, the group reunites at Jack, Danny, and Kate's alma mater, where the daughters of Jack & Kate and Nick & Anne attend. The group watches Lila’s (Julia Lester) experimental play, which awkwardly mirrors their unravelling relationships and lives. Quick to call out her father and Ginny, Julia Lester shines as the angry daughter grappling with her parents’ separation. Emotions run high, loyalties falter, and Anne appears more vulnerable than anyone originally thought, particularly as her connection with Jack takes an impulsive turn. Marco Calvani emerges as a standout, thanks to his portrayal of Claude as a whirlwind of warmth and drama. His devotion to Danny is equally as overbearing as it is touching and hilarious, stealing nearly every scene he’s in. It helps that Colman Domingo is his scene partner, who bounces off him with a calmness most will envy. It's winter that pulls the characters into reflection. As the group celebrate the New Year, Nick finally becomes more than the guy having a midlife crisis. Steve Carell draws out surprising tenderness that conveys the importance of friendship and togetherness alongside the importance of being present. The series has a quiet, heartfelt conclusion that allows space for ambiguity, growth, and a flicker of hope for the future. It’s a goodbye that calls for more, should Netflix allow. Through all the drama, the show’s true emotional centre is Kate and Jack. Fey and Forte bring a lived-in familiarity to their roles, and their journey toward marital honesty is as touching as it is relatable. Despite a drunken mistake, Jack is the gentlest husband in the group, which makes the couples’ bickering even more layered and cathartic. That said, the series isn’t without its flaws. Most notably, the green screen work becomes increasingly distracting as the characters travel further afield, pulling viewers out of otherwise emotionally grounded moments. However, it’s forgivable when the writing is this enjoyable and the cast this compelling. What makes The Four Seasons  so special is how it re-frames the everyday trials of marriage and friendship as moments worth treasuring, if only we paused to see them in a new light. Whether married, divorced, or somewhere in between, you’ll see yourself in this group of friends. Rating: ★★★★☆ About The Four Seasons The Four Seasons © Netflix Premiere Date:  May 1, 2025 Episode Count:  8 Executive Producer/Showrunner: Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, Tracey Wigfield, David Miner, Eric Gurian, Jeff Richmond Writer: Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, Tracey Wigfield, Josh Siegal, Dylan Morgan, Vali Chandrasekaran, Matt Whitaker, John Riggi, Lisa Muse Bryant Director: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini, Oz Rodriguez, Jeff Richmond, Colman Domingo, Lang Fisher Production:  Little Stranger Inc., Original Langster, Big Wig Productions, Universal Television Distribution:  Netflix Cast:  Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, Marco Calvani, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Will Forte, Erika Henningsen Synopsis: The decades-long friendship between three married couples is tested when one divorces, complicating their tradition of quarterly weekend getaways.

Following last weekend’s Star Wars Celebration, more casting news has emerged for the next Star Wars  feature. Dacre Montgomery is being eyed to join the cast of Star Wars: Starfighter in an undisclosed role, Nexus Point News has learned. Montgomery would portray one of the male leads of the film. It was announced in 2022 by Deadline that Shawn Levy ( Stranger Things , Deadpool & Wolverine ) was set to direct an untitled Star Wars  film. Levy co-wrote the script with Jonathan Tropper ( Banshee , Warrior ). Kathleen Kennedy announced on February 27th of this year in an interview with Deadline that she will be producing the film following The Mandalorian and Grogu . The project was officially confirmed on April 18, 2025 during Star Wars Celebration with the title Star   Wars: Starfighter  and confirming Ryan Gosling’s involvement in the film as the lead. The InSneider had reported prior to this announcement that Mikey Madison was offered a role in the film, but it was later confirmed that she had passed. The film plans to begin shooting this Fall in September and continue through December in London. Star Wars: Starfighter  is set 5-6 years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker  and it’s been reported that characters from the Sequel Trilogy will return in this film. Lucasfilm’s next film in the Star Wars franchise will be The Mandalorian and Grogu,  set to be released on May 22, 2026. Other projects confirmed to be in development are another sequel to the Sequel Trilogy, with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy directing, a prequel set before the events of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace  with James Mangold directing, and two more films set to be directed by Taika Waiti and Dave Filoni, respectively. Several other films are also in very early development such as Simon Kinberg’s planned trilogy and Donald and Stephen Glover’s Lando . Star Wars: Starfighter is set to be released on May 28, 2027. Update 4/28: A LucasFilm spokesperson has denied this reporting.

Following last week's intense battle and the devastating confrontation with Abby that ended in Joel’s tragic murder, The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 3 delivers another powerful entry in an already gripping season. For some, it might be hard to imagine the show moving forward without Pedro Pascal’s Joel. However, Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced’s chemistry and performances do a remarkable job of filling the void his absence leaves behind. After a brief scene showing the cleanup efforts in Jackson and a heart-wrenching scream from Ellie as she processes Joel’s death, the story shifts again. Another time jump takes place, and we see Jackson three months later, slowly rebuilding and beginning to heal. One thing this adaptation excels at is clearly establishing the characters' motivations. While Ellie's thirst for vengeance is entirely understandable following Joel’s brutal murder, Dina’s decision to join her is developed in a way that goes beyond the romantic bond depicted in the game. Here, Dina is not just Ellie’s supportive girlfriend, she is also someone who shared a genuine friendship with Joel and is deeply affected by his loss. Dina’s presence grounds Ellie, and brings a sense of thoughtfulness and careful planning that balances out Ellie’s impulsive nature. Their partnership feels deeply authentic. Another smart choice from the showrunners was the decision to incorporate the Infected attack on Jackson in the previous episode. This addition provides a believable reason why the townspeople don't immediately seek retaliation against Abby’s group, as they are still recovering and focused on survival. It is the kind of thoughtful narrative decision that fills the gaps the original game left unexplored. © HBO One of the heartbreaking scenes before Ellie leaves Jackson shows her visiting Joel’s grave. Without a single word spoken, Bella Ramsey masterfully conveys Ellie’s overwhelming grief, love, and unresolved pain, making the moment feel incredibly raw and powerful. It serves as a clear and heavy reminder of Joel’s lasting impact on Ellie and sets the emotional stakes for the journey she is about to undertake. As Ellie and Dina set off on their journey toward Seattle, the episode takes time to breathe, allowing their lighter, more tender moments to shine through. Their interactions are filled with easy laughter, playful teasing, and a genuine warmth that feels natural and refreshingly real. For a little while, it almost feels like we’re watching two girls at a sleepover. They joke and Dina teasingly asks Ellie to rate their kiss… This is a moment so innocent and disarming that it feels like a tiny pocket of normalcy amid the chaos. These scenes are beautifully acted with chemistry and vulnerability, making it impossible not to root for them and fear for what dangers lie ahead. © HBO En route to Seattle, we are introduced to the Seraphites, a religious cult.. At first glance, they appear harmless enough, simply a group of survivors clinging to their faith in a broken world. But that illusion quickly disappears when Ellie and Dina stumble upon a horrifying sight: Seraphite men, women, and even children, brutally massacred and left to rot in the forest. For viewers unfamiliar with the game, the scene might feel confusing, a grim but isolated tragedy. However, for those who know the source material, the weight of this moment is undeniable because of the the pivotal role this faction will play in the story ahead. The show smartly builds an unsettling mystery around them… Why do they scar their faces? What does their cryptic symbol represent? And most disturbingly, why were they slaughtered without mercy, regardless of age? It's a brutal warning sign for Ellie and Dina showing the violent and merciless world waiting for them beyond Jackson’s walls. Episode three concludes with Ellie and Dina gazing upon Seattle’s skyline, reclaimed by nature, buildings overrun by moss and decay, yet teeming with danger. The intimidating presence of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF), patrolling the streets below, points at the imminent threats awaiting our protagonists. While this episode is clearly a transitional one, setting the pieces in motion for the chaos to come, its slower pace feels earned. Rather than rushing into nonstop action, the show smartly focuses on emotional beats, character growth, and careful world-building. It’s a necessary breath before the storm. Episode three ultimately proves that even without Joel, The Last of Us remains an exceptionally compelling story. It is still raw, intricate, and heartbreakingly human, showing that its emotional core beats as strongly as ever. Rating: ★★★★☆ The Last of Us . © HBO About The Last of Us Season 2 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.

© FX Alien: Romulus brought the Alien franchise roaring back to life last year, and it looks like Noah Hawley’s new series, Alien: Earth , is set to keep that momentum going strong. The eight-episode series follows a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers who make a fateful discovery after a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, bringing them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat. We can exclusively reveal all the episode titles for Alien: Earth below: "Neverland" "Mr. October" "Metamorphosis" "Observation" "Emergence" "The Fly" "In Space, No One" "The Real Monsters" Before becoming Alien: Earth , the series was reportedly originally titled Alien: Neverland . "Mr. October," previously the working title for the series, might hint at crucial events setting off the show’s central crisis. Titles like "Metamorphosis" and "Observation" are directly related to the classic themes of the Alien franchise: the disturbing transformations of the Xenomorph lifecycle, and humanity’s dangerous obsession with observing and experimenting without considering the disastrous consequences. "Emergence" is probably the episode where new Xenomorphs hatch... It could tie into the traditional "chestburster" moment. "The Fly" is most likely a direct homage to David Cronenberg’s The Fly , a story about transformation, mutation, and horror born from scientific curiosity gone wrong. It could hint at body horror and mutations in the series. Meanwhile, "In Space, No One" clearly references the iconic tagline "In space, no one can hear you scream." "The Real Monsters" reinforces the franchise’s exploration of moral ambiguity, suggesting that the true villains might be humanity, whose capacity for cruelty and self-destruction rivals even that of the aliens. Alien: Earth will premiere this summer on FX and Hulu, with Noah Hawley, Dana Gonzales, and Ugla Hauksdóttir directing the episodes. Led by Sydney Chandler, the series cast includes Alex Lawther, Timothy Olyphant, Essie Davis, Samuel Blenkin, Babou Ceesay, David Rysdahl, Adrian Edmondson, Adarsh Gourav, Jonathan Ajayi, Erana James, Lily Newmark, Diem Camille, and Moe Bar-El.