In the era of reboots and revivals, you never know what show or movie could get the treatment next. Sometimes these work, and sometimes they don't. Hawaii Five-O's actually struck lightning twice already. The procedural originally ran for 12 seasons from 1968 to 1980 on CBS for over 250 episodes, with its reboot, Hawaii Five-0, running for 10 seasons in the 2010s. Now it seems like Hawaii Five-0 may get the ‘ol reboot, but it’s not what I would have guessed.

No, Hawaii Five-0 is not getting another TV reboot, but is instead heading to the big screen. Spider-Man: Brand New Day''s currently in demand director Destin Daniel Cretton is attached to helm the reboot of the ‘70s action drama. Chris Bremner and Noah Oppenheimer will write the script, with Cretton producing. Paramount Pictures has not yet closed the deal, but it seems to be gaining momentum.

There have been previous attempts at a Hawaii Five-0 movie, with George Litto, the representative of late original series creator Leonard Freeman, leading said attempts. Lawsuits with CBS and rights issues eventually led to Hawaii Five-0 the series, which wasn’t a bad alternative. It seems like the ball might finally be rolling on a movie remake, though there's no telling what could be coming or who could be playing the iconic characters.

I love Hawaii Five-0, and have been wishing so much that it would make a comeback. Of course, it only makes sense for the movie to be a reboot of the original series and not the reboot of my beloved more recent CBS series, even though they’re basically the same thing. Now we just need some follow-through from Paramount.

Meanwhile, Hawaii Five-0 still remains a favorite among fans. The reboot, streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, may have ended six years ago, but the show is staying strong. So much so that fans have been in an uproar over Scott Caan starring in the new NCIS spinoff, NCIS: New York, as a different character and not Danny Williams, even after Five-0 crossed over with NCIS: LA. While it makes sense, as Caan wanted a fresh start, I can’t help but wonder what Danno would be up to after all this time.

Regardless, I'm excited about the prospect of a new movie. Hopefully, the retro theme song that still slaps is included, because I can’t imagine a Hawaii Five-O show or movie not including that incredible tune. More information on the movie should be announced soon, but it seems like it’s very possible fans haven’t seen the last of McDanno, no matter what iteration we get. We'll keep you posted.

Whoever coined the phrase "familiarity breeds contempt" definitely never worked on a Taylor Sheridan drama, since familiarity is all the rage among his wide variety of series under the Paramount unbrella. Not just among the casts themselves, but to audiences, seeing as how three of Sheridan's productions are in the Top 10 most-watched shows of the past year. Landman, his most popular offering, is once again following that pattern with its newest Season 3 casting announcement.

When the third season of the Texas-set drama kicks off, which sadly won't happen until after the 2026 TV schedule wraps, fans will see a new familiar face in Michael Kelly, the House of Cards and Jack Ryan vet who can currently be seen co-heading up the third season of Lioness opposite Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldaña. In that action-packed series, Kelly portrays the CIA's Deputy Director of Operations, which is quite a bit different from the role he's filling on Landman.

Michael Kelly is set to portray the character William Crockett, who is the head honcho for the largest oil management firm on the planet. He's called "a titan of industry," and it's said that "everything baout him exudes efficiency and money." So he's powerful, rich, and likely doesn't make much time to deal with people's crap. In other words, he'll fit right in with Billy Bob Thornton's Tommy and Andy Garcia's Gallino.

But which of those characters will Mr. Crockett be more aligned with? Will audiences see him enter the show as a friend and supportive backer for whatever plans Tommy has cooking? The fact that "efficiency" is part of his character description makes me think it's possible, since Tommy is not one to suffer inefficient fools. He's practical and pragmatic all the way, especially if it also coincides with making a lot of money.

Of course, having that one detail in common doesn't necessarily mean William and Tommy will become fast friends. Anyone in the oil field with billions of dollars like that is bound to have a particular personality, and I can't see Tommy putting up with him for very long if they don't immediately mesh.

Circling back to how Michael Kelly is far from the only Landman actor to be reteaming with Taylor Sheridan, here are some of the show's other regulars, recurrers and more that have been in the mega-producer's other shows.

Landman Stars Who Appeared In Other Taylor Sheridan Series

• Billy Bob Thornton - 1883
• Michelle Randolph - 1923
• James Jordan - Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, 1883, Lioness
• Sam Elliott - 1883
• J.R. Villarreal - Dutton Ranch
• Wolé Parks - Yellowstone

Something tells me this won't be the last time it happens, either. Nicole Kidman and Ali Larter would be perfecto screenmates, don't you agree?

Landman Season 3 doesn't yet have a premiere date set in stone, but given the drama is currently in production, it'll likely pop onto streaming (via Paramount+ subscription) at some point in early 2027.

Tom Bergeron went from a fan to an actor on Star Trek: Enterprise pretty quickly, and it's all thanks to Whoopi Goldberg. As talk about a revival of the prequel is making the rounds on the internet, the former Americ'as Funniest Videos and Dancing with the Stars host shared the story behind his guest role on the sci-fi series.

As Trek continues on the 2026 TV schedule, Bergeron was a guest on Droppin Names With Brent And Jonny and talked about how a visit to the set of Star Trek: Nemesis inadvertently led to his appearance in Season 1 of the prequel. He jumped into the story and how he piggybacked on Goldberg's visit to Enterprise:

This was quite an offer to extend to Bergeron, and would doubtless be the dream of any Trekkie. What I would've given to be an extra, let alone a guest star on a Rick Berman Star Trek show! I don't want to speak for every fan, but I'd imagine that for anyone with the Trek know-all this would be a dream role, and there was only one thing standing between him and the guest spot. It's that pesky thing called "acting experience," and the host had very little of it.

Tom Bergeron was well-known in Hollywood as a host and anchor, but had pretty limited acting credits. He had an uncredited appearance in Gremlins, and a credit in which he appeared in an episode of The Nanny. Fortunately, Whoopi Goldberg's acting abilities were second-to-none, and she was able to fool Rick Berman into thinking they needed to take him on. What happened next is classic:

Whoopi was at least familiar with Tom Bergeron from their time together on Hollywood Squares, so she probably knew he could handle it. Now he's forever immortalized in Star Trek history, in an episode that's currently available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription. Those who look up "Oasis" won't need to search around long to see him, as he's in the opening scene.

It doesn't appear as though the Star Trek: Enterprise team ultimately felt deceived by his appearance, considering he was welcomed back in Season 4 as a different character. It's also good to see that getting in prosthetics didn't dissuade him from the role, as others like Jeffrey Dean Morgan nearly quit acting over it.

It's fun to see actors play multiple characters across Star Trek, as well as see people who love the franchise get a chance to join in the fun. Now I just wish Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes would have Tom Bergeron back on the podcast just to exclusively talk about his love of Trek.

Speaking of Whoopi Goldberg, she also has a pretty interesting story about how she got involved in Star Trek. It almost feels like that's a prerequisite, or actors might just be great storytellers.

NCIS' return to the 2026 TV schedule will be exciting for a few reasons, but mainly because a big star is set to return. Michael Weatherly will pop back in the mix as Tony DiNozzo, and after plenty of teases, we finally know why he'll return.

Michael Weatherly hinted at what's to come at Comic-Con Midlands, but could only say so much at the time. While he couldn't get into specifics, the one thing he made clear was that his spinoff Tony & Ziva won't be erased in this big return:

The actor has continued to emphasize the Paramount+ series, although cancelled, is still worth watching because it will tie into Season 24 of NCIS. As for how much, we can only wait and see, but I think it's a positive sign that the actor is a fan of what is to come.

On the heels of that, a new pic of Tony was shared over at EW. With its arrival comes new details on the character from showrunner Steven Binder. Following the conclusion of the Paramount+ spinoff, here's a little more concrete detail what Tony is up to when Season 24 premieres on CBS:

Just in case you forgot, or haven't watched the other series, Salus Mondiale is the security company the couple started in NCIS: Tony & Ziva. As we've heard from Michael Weatherly and others, there will be some crossover between one adventure series and the other. Not that I think anyone should be surprised by that, as the spinoff was totally in line with the franchise, and there should be some fan crossover as well.

However, if you do want to catch up, now's a great time. NCIS: Tony & Ziva is still available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription,

To note, Binder went on to talk about Michael Weatherly returning to NCIS as Tony, and spoke about how great it was to see the character back in the flagship series. Fans can expect to see the character they know and love, but who is a bit different from when they last saw him.

Season 24 of NCIS likely won't be the season where Tony DiNozzo is working with the team nonstop, as there are plenty of other arcs to handle. There's a pretty big Season 23 cliffhanger to resolve. Gary Cole has teased that Alden Parker may not be done skirting the law as he did last season, and I'd love to see Tony be a part of that.

What I'll be most eager to see is how NCIS fans respond to the return, and if it results in Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo having a bigger presence in future seasons of the series or other spinoffs. I'm just glad to see these actors get a chance to tell more stories, especially after their spinoff was canceled.

NCIS returns to CBS on October 6th. I can't wait to see the crime shows back on network TV this fall, as my summer has been pretty light on crime and punishment.

Jackass: Best And Last is coming up on the 2026 movie schedule, and to celebrate that, Paramount+ dropped a remastered version of the original series, complete with episodes the way they aired on television. It's a nice gesture and a great way to get people hype for the final Jackass movie, but it's just got me nostalgic for Viva La Bam.

As such, I fired up my Paramount+ subscription, only to learn that Viva La Bam is not on the streaming platform. I was pretty upset, as I was hoping to "shake things up a bit" (much like Bam does on the show), and would argue it's more vital to Paramount+ than the actual Jackass series. Allow me to explain.

I Watched Much More Viva La Bam In My Youth Than Jackass

Jackass is the show from that MTV era that gets remembered, but I think that's largely because of the movies and its continued relevance over the decades. In reality, there were only 25 episodes of the series made over the course of three seasons, so it was far from something that was prolific or super-rewatchable.

MTV, of course, gave us other opportunities to see the Jackass crew. One option was Wildboyz, a Jackass/nature show hosted by Steve-O and Chris Pontius, and there was also Viva La Bam. With forty episodes, other young teens and I tuned in weekly to see Bam Margera act like an absolute jerk to his family.

In the end, it was very Jackass-coded, but there was more of a story to it that mimics more modern reality television shows before it was as commonplace. Of course, in hindsight I have to imagine this family was obviously in on some of the antics, because how else would they tolerate their rich brat son laying waste to their home on a daily basis?

At the time, however, I was young and more gullible. Bam lived the fantasy life that sounded amazing for any teen who hoped to find a similar path to the success the Jackass crew had. Plus, it was funny to watch him beat up his dad while he was on the toilet, and send his uncle, Don Vito, into a swearing fit.

Why Paramount+ May Hesitate To Add Viva La Bam

It's worth noting that Viva La Bam is one of many classic MTV shows that aren't on Paramount+. While we don't have a specific reason for why these shows are missing, The New York Times reported that many shows that used licensed music back in the day used short-term licensing deals, which were cheaper than buying the rights to a song indefinitely. As such, many of these songs are no longer able to be in the episodes of these shows, and MTV jam-packed its shows with licensed music. It's possible bringing Viva La Bam to streaming in its current state would require a big payout to various rights holders of songs, and the streamer isn't sure it's worth the cost.

Another big factor is Bam Margera's relationship with the Jackass crew, as well as Paramount in general. There's been bad blood between the two over the years, with Bam filing lawsuits against the company as well as Johnny Knoxville, and stating that the legacy of Jackass is tainted. I can't imagine anyone who is a Paramount higher-up is eager to get Viva La Bam on the platform, if there's concern about the contentious relationship they've had with Margera over the years.

There's also the general controversy surrounding Margera, who has been arrested various times over the years and struggled with substance abuse. With the risk of the former star making headlines for unsavory reasons, I can understand if there's hesitation to try to promote his series.

All the same, I'm here to say that I love Bam Margera, and I love Viva La Bam. Like it or not, he's part of the Jackass legacy, and should be remembered for his contributions to it. Adding his series to Paramount+ is one of the ways for that to happen, and I'd love to see it.

Will it happen? I'm crossing my fingers, but feeling it's not likely. I still enjoy Paramount+ in the meantime, and just recently completed a rewatch of Wildboyz that I thoroughly enjoyed!

It’s been about a year and a half since we bid farewell to Yellowstone. John Dutton’s murder was avenged with Jamie's death, and Kayce’s doing his thing over on CBS’s Marshals. As for Beth and her husband Rip, we’re about to see what hijinks they’re up to in Texas when Dutton Ranch hits the 2026 TV schedule. Reviews are in for the latest Yellowstone spinoff, so after viewing the first four episodes, do critics think this feels like a continuation of the hit Taylor Sheridan epic, or does it stand on its own?

Dutton Ranch is centered around Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) who relocate to Texas with their adopted son Carter. According to CinemaBlend’s own Riley Utley, the series perfectly blends what we loved about Yellowstone with new challenges for Beth and Rip. She says:

Nick Schager of the Daily Beast agrees Dutton Ranch is a win, following its predecessor’s formula exactly, except that it’s smart enough to side-step the “culture-war claptrap.” The critic says the result is the best and most satisfying Yellowstone entry since Yellowstone itself. He writes:

Lauren Samer of Page Six says Yellowstone fans will be happy to get more of the same with Dutton Ranch. The writing is clumsy, the plotlines are full of melodrama, but that’s probably just fine for an audience who wants to see cowboys kick ass and take names, Samer says, writing:

Ben Travers of IndieWire gives the new series a C in his Dutton Ranch review, saying that Beth and Rip still have the ferocity we loved in the original series, but Annette Bening and Ed Harris — the latest big Hollywood names to join the Yellowstone universe — may steal the show. In Travers’ words:

Ben Rosenstock of AV Club also gives Dutton Ranch a C, saying it’s the same Duttons, different ranch. Beth’s character is admittedly tempered down a bit, Rosenstock says, but nobody was really asking for more Carter. The critic concludes:

It sounds like there have been some changes made to propel Beth and Rip’s spinoff, but a lot of Dutton Ranch is very similar to Yellowstone, and that’s probably what a lot of fans are hoping for. With 14 critics weighing in so far, Rotten Tomatoes scores the spinoff sequel at 86% ahead of its premiere.

The first two episodes will be available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription at 3:01 a.m. ET Friday, May 15, while they will air back-to-back at 8 p.m. ET the same day on Paramount Network.

It’s still hard to believe Tony & Ziva was dropped by Paramount+ after only one season on the streamer. The show had more hype than even the release of NCIS: Origins did, and fans had been clamoring for more from Michael Weatherly and Cote De Pablo for years. Plus, the show was actually good, and even had newbies to the franchise hooked from the start. The cancellation is even more bittersweet now that it’s seeing more streaming success.

Some winners on streaming platforms are hot out the gate, and some are a slow burns. One problem Tony & Ziva may have had is simply that the audience on Paramount+ is significantly smaller than on streamers like Netflix, Amazon or even HBO Max. Those boast 325 million, 200 million and 128 millions subscribers, respectively. The home of Tony & Ziva only boast a little over 79 million subscribers, and there weren’t alternate outlets for those still paying for cable to view the show.

NCIS has always had a global audience, however, which is how even shows like NCIS: Sydney have gained traction in the past. Starting in 2026, Tony & Ziva has done well globally, recently dominating the charts in France on the streamer M6+. (The show was number 1 on the streamer through part of January) On iTunes, the show is picking up in places like Hungary and the Czech Republic, with Flix Patrol noting it had maintained Top 10 rankings in several countries like those early in 2026.

Obviously, it’s too little, too late. Tony & Ziva was cancelled at the tail end of December, a couple of months after those with a Paramount+ subscription would have landed the Season 1 finale episode.

The news did come with a ton of brouhaha, however. Fans were very unhappy with the decision from the streamer, and a slew of them came together for a "Save Tony & Ziva" campaign. Michael Weatherly even came out and commented after people put their own money into the campaign and secured a New York Times billboard slot. Though those fans noted "they'll always have Paris," clearly there's still an appetite for more episodes.

So we know there's a dedicated audience there, and I’d make the argument many of the people who would have delighted in seeing this updated adventure are still the people who are subscribing to cable or even YouTube TV and watching live or with DVR. This is also where the other NCIS properties already air.

In some ways, it feels unfair that Michael Weatherly and Cote De Pablo's reunion series didn't get the same shot the other network shows get. Yet, with other NCIS properties still rolling, and a presumably expensive filming budget, the company obviously felt comfortable saying sayonara to the show.

February is coming to an end, but it’s not done yet. There are still plenty of new series and great movies on streaming this month. This week brings us an up-close look at your favorite TV chef, new seasons of some of your favorite streaming series, and so much more. Here’s the rundown of what to check out this week.

Keeping Up with the Kardashians, The Complete Series - February 17 (Hulu)

The Kardashian family has been keeping reality television going, sometimes single-handedly, for years. The show that is now known as The Kardashians began life as Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and now, if you are so inclined, your Hulu subscription will give you access to the complete original series, along with all the modern episodes, as well.

Being Gordon Ramsay - February 18 (Netflix)

You’ve seen Gordon Ramsay on your TV screen for years, with almost too many television shows to count. There’s a good chance you’ve eaten in one of his many restaurants. Now, Ramsay's latest project will hopefully reveal to all of us just how in the heck he’s able to do all of that, and have a family, with only so many hours in a day.

56 days - February 18 (Prime Video)

Some relationships move fast, and then some result in dead bodies after less than two months. 56 Days, based on Catherine Ryan Howard's novel of the same name, introduces audiences to two lovers, Ciara (Dove Cameron) and Oliver (Avan Jogia), who meet and begin a relationship. 56 days later, an unidentified body is discovered, and questions arise regarding just what happened between these two. You'll need a Prime Video subscription to get your questions answered on this one.

Wild Boys: Strangers in Town - February 18 (Paramount+)

True crime fans probably already have a Paramount+ subscription as the streaming service has been a good source for documentary content of that sort, but its new offering is something a little different. Wild Boys: Strangers in Town is a two-part story about two boys who wandered into a British Columbia town claiming to have lived off the grid their entire lives. At first, their story seemed incredible, though to some it was literally unbelievable.

The Night Agent Season 3 - February 19 (Netflix)

This is what you get for answering the phone. The Night Agent opens when a man monitoring an emergency phone picks up and finds himself thrown into a deadly conspiracy. Things haven’t slowed down, as Season 3 of The Night Agent is here. If you’ve got your Netflix subscription ready to go, you can still binge through the first two seasons before the third season drops (in a rare move for Netflix these days) in its entirety.

The Last Thing He Told Me, Season 2 - February 20 (Apple TV)

The Last Thing He Told Me was a hit for everybody with an Apple TV subscription. The problem was that it was based on a book that was meant to be a standalone. However, Laura Dave’s sequel novel, The First Time I Saw Him, came out last month, and a second season of the show based on the book went into production alongside it. Ergo, fans will be getting a second dose.

The shortest month of the year wraps up next week with some of the biggest releases so far. If you’re dying to see what happens next with the new season of Bridgerton or can’t wait to be reunited with your friends from Scrubs, you don’t have too much longer to wait.

The first month of 2026 comes to an end this week, and it’s been a month of great streaming movies and an even better month for great streaming TV. Still, some top streamers have been holding onto the best for last, as two highly anticipated series and more get underway this week. Here’s what to look forward to steaming this week.

Wonder Man - January 27 (Disney+)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is already set to have a big year with Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday, but it will get off to a much smaller start, if you have a Disney+ subscription, with Wonder Man. If nothing else, the show should be entertaining for the return of Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery, but the show might also be important to the larger franchise. We shall see.

School Spirits, Season 3 - January 28 (Paramount+)

The third season of School Spirits may receive something of a boost, considering that Milo Manheim was recently tapped to play Flynn Rider in Disney’s live-action Tangled. If you haven’t watched until now, your Paramount+ subscription will get you the first two seasons of the afterlife mystery series to catch up on before Season 3 arrives this week.

The Wrecking Crew - January 28 (Prime Video)

It seems terribly wrong that a buddy cop movie with Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa is a thing we’re somehow only getting now. The pair play brothers who are both cops, one by the book, the other not so much. It feels like the setup for a perfectly enjoyable action comedy at the very least and perhaps something truly great. If nothing else, it’s a good reason to have a Prime Video subscription.

Shrinking, Season 3 - January 28 (Apple TV)

Shrinking has always been one of the best reasons to have an Apple TV subscription, but Season 3 has a really big reason to watch, as it will see the return of Michael J. Fox to television. Fox, alongside the likes of Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, makes this a must-watch show.

Bridgerton, Season 4 Part 1 - January 29 (Netflix)

One of the best reasons to keep your Netflix subscription finally returns this week when the new season of Bridgerton debuts. Romance fans will likely be glued to their screens as they binge through the first part of the brand new season, which will focus on Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and his quest for a good match. The rest of the season drops at the end of February.

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You - January 30 (HBO Max)

It’s the perfect week for indie darling If I Had Legs I’d Kick You to become available with an HBO Max subscription, considering that star Rose Byrne just secured a Best Actress nomination at this year's Oscars. If you missed the movie in theaters, now is the perfect time to check it out.

February has some incredible content in store for us. Next month, Disney+ will bring us the return of The Muppet Show, while Hulu brings us the long-awaited return of Scrubs, and that’s just the beginning.

A new Star Trek series hit the 2026 TV schedule and caused quite a stir among viewers in recent weeks, as is often the case. Though Starfleet Academy received lots of praise from critics, other prominent names like Elon Musk and United States Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller bemoaned the show for pushing a "woke" agenda. Amidst their comments, The View's Whoopi Goldberg fired back with a big response.

Goldberg knows a lot about Trek, having been a longtime fan who played the mysterious bartender Guinan in The Next Generation. She made the jump to join the series after winning an Oscar, which was an unprecedented move at the time, so it's safe to say the actress has a lot of passion for the franchise. For that reason, she filled in The View audience on the discourse surrounding Starfleet Academy, Musk and Miller's comments, and why she felt they were out of line:

It's true, Star Trek is more than just space travel and exploration. It was built on the foundation of IDIC (Infinite Diversity Infinite Combinations) and has always pushed progressive ideals since the original series. Lest we forget the brouhaha it caused over its interracial kiss, which led to stations in the southern United States refusing to air it.

Despite that, Elon Musk and others have publicly expressed their distaste for elements of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, including the fact that the series features an openly lesbian couple. It's not the first Trek show to feature a same-sex couple either, as Paul Stamets and Hugh Culber were an openly gay married couple in Discovery.

Whoopi Goldberg wasn't having it, and questioned the motive of Musk and others in powerful positions being so concerned about Star Trek: Starfleet Academy:

Others enjoying Star Trek: Starfleet Academy have a similar sentiment, though not quite as specific. I openly wondered after the trailer dropped why some Trekkies were adamant on speaking out about the trailer feeling "woke" almost a decade into the relaunch of the franchise. The franchise isn't doing anything different than it did back when Discovery launched in 2017, so those staying tuned in should know the deal by now.

I will say that Star Trek is facing an issue in its fandom, as many other long-running sci-fi shows like Star Wars and Doctor Who face. There are now fans across multiple generations invested in seeing new shows, but they all have different ideals on what is and isn't progressive, and what does and doesn't have a place in its franchise. It sets up an impossible task for the showrunners of these franchises, who can't create something that everyone will enjoy.

Maybe it's a unique problem in pop culture, or maybe it's just a reality that, because Star Trek is a series built on showing a progressive future, it will always have critics talking it down. In any case, the franchise celebrates 60 years in 2026, so I would expect to see a lot more headlines about it as the year continues, and maybe even some new show announcements.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streams new episodes over on Paramount+ on Thursdays. The series is already returning for Season 2, so those watching likely don't have to worry about debate about the show impacting a renewal for now.

Taylor Sheridan fans have largely been kept in the dark regarding new and expansive details for his latest new western-tinged drama, but Paramount+ has finally unveiled the first look at the star-studded Yellowstone spinoff The Madison. So we finally know what to expect visually from its co-starring Hollywood icons Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell, as well as other regulars portrayed by Patrick J. Adams, Matthew Fox, Rebecca Spence and more. Plus, we finally know when it’ll hit the 2026 TV premiere schedule.

The Madison will be available to stream via Paramount+ subscription starting on March 14, which is a Saturday, bizarrely enough. (It’s unclear whether episodes will drop early in the day, or if this is more of a late-night/early-Sunday release.) So drum up a New York state of mind, at least initially, for the teaser below, which also reveals an unexpected casting reveal.

While the teaser doesn't exactly go hard on delivering story points, we do know from one of the earliest plot reports that Pfeiffer's Stacy Clayburn and her family move across the country to Montana after her husband and brother-in-law are killed in a plane crash. Certainly that could have changed on the way to production, since the teaser above doesn't go hard on tragic emotions, but considering Kurt Russell barely gets any time to shine (and neither does co-star Matthew Fox), I'm going to just assume that character pair won't survive the first episode. Maybe if those plane shots weren't in the teaser, I'd be more optimistic.

Despite still not knowing very much about any of these characters, the teaser does draw a pretty clear line of comparison between Pfeiffer's Stacy and Kelly Reilly's fan-favorite shitkicking protagonist Beth Dutton. They both have masculine AF hubbies, they both appear ready to flip a bitch at the first sign of trouble, and they also both have excellent taste in bathtub choices.

Beth's horse-trough bath early in Yellowstone's first season put that character on the map for her take-no-bullshit persona. So it makes all the sense in the world that The Madison's first look already shows Stacy in her own fancy-looking tub. Maybe this is more of a Taylor Sheridan thing, though, since 1883 also featured that bathtub scene between Tim McGraw and Faith Hill; I guess he just doesn't like standard fiberglass tubs.

Even though Beth didn't lose her husband during Yellowstone's run, she did suffer from grief and depression after Kevin Costner's John Dutton was killed off at the start of Season 5. Though she had others to direct her anger at, while Stacy may not have that kind of outlet.

Also, speaking of differences, Stacy is apparently seeing a therapist, as portrayed by newly revealed cast member Will Arnett. Beth's form of therapy was more shaped like whiskey and cigarettes, so I'm wondering how open Michelle Pfeiffer's character will get in that setting. Also wondering how much we'll see Arnett's character after Stacy moves the family out to Montana.

March will be a big month for Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone follow-ups. Before The Madison hits streaming, Luke Grimes and Breckin Merrill are reprising their roles of Kayce and Tate Dutton for CBS’ more action-oriented drama Marshals, which may or may not be killing off Monica Dutton. And both of those come before Kelly Reilly’s own return as Beth Dutton alongside Cole Hauser for the spinoff commonly referred to as Dutton Ranch. (Yellowstone vet Ian Bohen was recently cast for Season 2 of Lioness, but that hopefully doesn’t exclude his ranch hand Ryan from spinoff returns.)

The Madison will make its long-awaited debut on Paramount+ starting Saturday, March 14.

Out of every Star Trek actor, few are as honest with their opinion as William Shatner. The 94-year-old actor will get candid pretty much with anyone who is asking about pretty much anything, especially if it comes to his time on Star Trek. He's gained his fair share of critics over the years because of this; now, he may have a few more after some harsh words for former co-stars who have spoken ill of him.

Before I get into these latest comments, it's worth pointing out Shatner has famously feuded with TOS co-star George Takei over the past few decades about their time working together, and even had issues with Wil Wheaton after the actor shared a story about him being rude. Now, he's seemingly taking shots at them, as well as others who criticized him, after a fan on X made a comment about how he was disliked on the set of the sci-fi series. In retort, Shatner wrote:

In fairness to the alleged "part-time day players" I would wager that William Shatner doesn't get nearly as many questions about being on Boston Legal or T.J. Hooker as much as he does Star Trek. As such, it would make sense there aren't as many stories about his co-stars on those shows. Or, it's also possible he acted differently on set after his time on the breakout sci-fi series.

While stars may have definitely shared unsavory stories about Shatner unprompted, I'd also argue there's enough history of his on-set behavior on the show that it may lead to it coming up again and again. It'll inevitably be asked about when these stars appear at conventions, and there are a lot of conventions with a Star Trek presence. I can't say I've heard of a Boston Legal convention, though I can't say those don't exist either.

Whether that makes it right for these stars to continue to share these BTS stories when William Shatner has apologized is another question. As someone who has followed the actor for a while, I do think it's worth mentioning that Shatner has riled up the fandom a few times in the past with some of his opinions about the franchise outside of his relationships with his co-stars, too.

One example would be when the star famously mentioned at San Diego Comic-Con that Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry would be "rolling in his grave" if he saw what the modern shows were like. The comments sent waves throughout the fandom, thinking it was a shot at the increasingly progressive nature of the program and its inclusivity. Shatner later clarified he was talking about sexual relationships between crew members, something Roddenberry was against.

Ultimately, though, there is no Star Trek without William Shatner, and he still has plenty of fans despite the criticisms against him. All this to say, he's probably not too worried about what people are saying about him, but will speak up if he feels the need to do so.

William Shatner likely isn't headed back to Star Trek anytime soon, but fans can catch his previous appearances with a Paramount Plus subscription. I know I'm past-due for a rewatch of TOS, which might be worth doing as we get closer to the end of Strange New Worlds.

The NCIS franchise still seems to be going strong on CBS with the main show and a pair of spinoffs doing well with network TV audiences. However, in a move that was something of a shock, the Tony & Ziva spinoff, a show that fans had been clamoring for for years, has been killed after just one season. So what killed the show that so many had wanted? Fans have a couple of solid theories.

Did Tony & Ziva Just Take Too Long?

As mentioned, seeing NCIS characters Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David reunite is something fans of NCIS have wanted to see for a long time. That’s because it had been over a decade since Cote de Pablo left the show, splitting up the pairing. Many fans on Reddit think that part of the problem is that Tony & Ziva just came out too late, as the hype around the pair just wasn’t there anymore. Comments include:

• This would have been a great show 10 or 12 years ago.
• 10-12 years this story line would have made their ratings higher than any show ever. My dad/sis and myself got hooked on this show then it went to hell all cause the writers kept dragging it out then the actress who played Ziva thought she could go solo and found out she couldn’t and came back.
• I loved their chemistry on NCIS way back when but times have changed. NCIS was good when there weren't as many other better shows around. It was an excellent network tv level show.

Sometimes, when there is fan interest in something it never really goes away, but sometimes that interest will wane over time as those fans begin to realize what they want isn’t going to happen. Even if it eventually does happen, it’s possible those fans who really wanted it have simply moved on.

Does Your Mom Even Have Paramount+?

But there’s a second reason suggested by some that might be an even bigger reason that Tony & Ziva didn’t get the viewership it needed to continue, it may be that the audience literally wasn’t there. While Tony & Ziva likely required a Paramount+ subscription specifically to try and get people to sign up, the fact is that the core NCIS audience (read: older people) may have just not been willing, or even able to do that. Some on Reddit say:

• Yeah, and on network tv. The grandmas who loved NCIS don’t have Paramount+.
• My mother would have loved to see it, but she had absolutely no interest in getting connected to Paramount + for it. I suspect that’s true for a large portion of their potential viewership.
• This is completely true. My 75 yo parents visited me recently. They watched the whole season in one weekend. They have Paramount as part of their cable plan, but don't want to operate it. It's all set up on their smart tv.

If there’s one thing that has likely prevented the shift to streaming and away from traditional TV from being even greater than it’s already been, there is likely a technical hurdle for some to simply navigate a streaming service (or multiple streaming services) as compared to simply turning on a TV. It makes one wonder if Tony and Ziva had been on CBS and NCIS: Origins had been on Paramount+, would the fates of these two shows have been reversed?

These are anecdotal stories to be sure, we can’t be certain that the reasons that a handful of people on Reddit give for the show’s failure are widespread, but it’s hard not to believe that these were at least significantly contributing factors.

It's that joyous time of year again when one's wallet and bank account are able to feel slightly less pressure, even as spending for the holidays generally increases. That's right, I'm talking big Black Friday discounts, specifically one of Paramount's biggest price drops of the year for Paramount+ subscriptions. It's easier and cheaper than ever to catch up on the service's biggest and best TV shows, such as the recent Season 2 premiere for Billy Bob Thornton's Landman.

Just click here now to sign up for Paramount+’s Black Friday exclusive promotional discount, which is live and ready to be utilized as of Tuesday, November 25, so eager beavers don’t even need to wait until Black Friday gets here to take full advantage. Here are the pertinent discount details:

While it probably isn't necessarily the lengthiest Black Friday streaming deal out there, this particular discount will save customers $5 per month on Paramount+'s Essential plan with ad support, with $10 in monthly savings for those who opt in on the Paramount+ with Showtime option, which comes without ads.

Not only is this Black Friday deal kicking off a little early, but anyone interested will have a bit of leeway to still sign up even after the biggest shopping day of the year has passed. Paramount is keeping this streaming discount available until 11:59 p.m. PST on Tuesday, December 2.

Why Customers Should Take Advantage Of Paramount+'s Black Friday Deal

• Landman Season 2 (Currently Airing) - The second season of Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace's Texas-set drama returns to catch back up with Billy Bob Thornton's Tommy Norris, Demi Moore's Cami Miller, and a whole bunch of shit-starting supporting characters.
• Mayor Of Kingstown Season 4 (Currently Airing) - The Jeremy Renner-starring drama returned in October for the fourth chapter in the McClusky family's saga within the corruption-torn world of Kingstown.
• Little Disasters Season 1 (Premiering Dec. 11) - Diane Kruger stars as an emergency doctor who is forced into a moral dilemma when treating an unexplained injury suffered by her best friend's child, and it's unclear whether or not she should report the case to child services. The series is based on the novel by author Sarah Vaughan.
• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 (Premiering Jan. 15) - The latest Star Trek series will target younger viewers, as Holly Hunter is in charge of guiding the next batch of Starfleet cadets to success, with the help of returning franchise vet Robert Picardo and Tig Notaro, as well as some vocal help from Stephen Colbert and Brit Marling.
• Tulsa King Season 3 (Recently Concluded) - Sylvester Stallone's Dwight Manfredi faces his most dangerous local threat yet in Robert Patrick's whiskey distiller Jeremiah Dunmire, and Tulsa might not be big enough to hide all of the bodies. Season 4 has already been renewed, also, so there's more to come.
• NCIS: Tony & Ziva Season 1 (Concluded In October) - The highly anticipated NCIS spinoff took Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo's titular characters from CBS to streaming, and also to Europe, for high-stakes action as they got their family back together, with more on the way in Season 2.
• Crutch Season 1 (Recently Concluded) - Tracy Morgan's character Francois “Crutch” Crutchfield heads up this streaming spinoff of The Neighborhood in which Crutch adjusts to life with his son (Jermaine Fowler) moving back home after leaving behind a high-paying law position.

That's just the TV fare that's most current, and doesn't even take into account other original series coming in the slightly more distant future, such as Lioness Season 2, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' next season, MobLand's second season, the sports docuseries 5-Star, and the final seasons of animated series Transformers: EarthSpark and Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

To say nothing of all the Paramount movies and other licensed features that can be found going into the Christmas season. New additions being added to the service in December include the Addams Family movies, Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher's Batman films, Quentin Tarantino hits like Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds, and holiday family options like Ernest Saves Christmas and Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights.

So act now, because Paramount+'s Black Friday deal ends on December 2. And Tommy Norris won't be very happy if he learns you missed out on saving some money.

It’s the final week of November, which means celebrating Thanksgiving with friends and family. Perhaps it also means curling up with those friends and family to enjoy some entertainment on your favorite streaming services together. In addition to all the new streaming movies this month, those streaming services are certainly releasing a lot of holiday-themed content, as well as other major releases, to give us plenty of reason to stay warm on the couch.

Bel-Air, Season 4 - November 24 (Peacock)

Streaming has been a place where some pretty unique experiments have been tried. Bel-Air was one of Peacock’s first original series, and its concept, a more dramatic retelling of the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, was certainly novel. The fourth and final season of the show launches this week.

Stranger Things, Season 5, Volume 1 - November 26 (Netflix)

It’s not an understatement to call Stranger Things one of the most successful original series of the streaming era. Over the last nine years, the series has been one of the most popular and most talked-about new shows as well as one of the best reasons to have a Netflix subscription. The first batch of episodes from the show’s final season and while they’re not quite as long as previously rumored, will almost certainly be enough to keep fans entertained.

The Beatles Anthology November 26 - 28 (Disney+)

Disney+, Thanksgiving, and The Beatles have gone hand in hand for the last couple of years. Two years ago, we got Peter Jackson’s docu-series The Beatles: Get Back. Last year, we saw a remaster of the original documentary Let It Be. This year, we get the biggest Beatles project to date, a remaster of The Beatles Anthology, a complete look at the history of the iconic band, with a brand new fourth episode that chronicles the creation of The Beatles Anthology itself.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade - November 27 (Peacock)

Few holiday traditions are quite as iconic as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The 99th parade will make its way to Times Square in New York City on Thanksgiving Day, and the full parade will be available on NBC or with a Peacock subscription.

A PAW Patrol Christmas Special - November 28 (Paramount+)

Animated Christmas specials are always popular, and every year we get new ones trying to become annual favorites. This year, PAW Patrol releases its Christmas special that will be available on both CBS and with a Paramount+ subscription.

Prep & Landing: the Snowball Protocol - November 28 (Disney+)

Disney’s holiday team, Prep and Landing, was first introduced way back in 2009 and has become an annual holiday tradition for many. It’s been almost 15 years since we got a Prep and Landing special, but this year will see the debut of Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol. The special will air multiple times this season on Disney-owned networks but will be available with a Disney+ subscription starting November 28.

Next week, December gets underway, which means both the regular shuffling of streaming content that comes with the first of the month, as well as a variety of new content, much of it holiday-themed.

It’s said that the only things guaranteed in life are death and taxes, but I think we might be able to add ”price increases for streaming services" to that list as well. Prices for our favorite streaming services are always increasing, and if you have a Paramount+ subscription, then you’re about to go through it again.

Paramount+ has new owners following the purchase of the company by Skydance. Those new owners have now announced the first price increase for the streaming platform under their watch. New CEO David Ellison is promising it's all worth it.

Paramount+ Is Getting A Price Increase In Early 2026

Paramount+ is set to see a price increase on January 15, 21026, with both the ad-supported and ad-free tiers of the service jumping by one dollar to $8.99 and $13.99, respectively. However, in a letter to investors (via Deadline), new CEO David Ellison said the higher prices will “fuel continued reinvestment” in the platform, and that reinvestment will make Paramount+ better. He claimed…

To be fair, there is added value coming to Paramount+ in 2026 as the platform is becoming the new home for a major sports property that is likely to bring an influx of new subscribers. And they'll likely think that extra dollar on the monthly price is a pretty good deal.

UFC Is Coming To Paramount+

The price increase for Paramount+ does come alongside a major new addition to the platform in the form of the UFC. The combat sports company’s current deal with ESPN will end at the end of 2025, and all future UFC events will take place on Paramount+.

While the Paramount+ price increase isn’t being directly tied to the addition of UFC, it’s strongly indicated by Ellison that the two are related. This is because while UFC PPV events still had an additional cost on top of the subscription when they were on ESPN, they will be included for all Paramount+ subscribers with the standard pricing.

Certainly, for any Paramount+ subscriber who is going to be watching UFC, that extra dollar is likely money well spent that absolutely does enhance the value of the service. For those who won’t be watching UFC and are mostly watching Paramount+ because they're Star Trek fans or watch every version of NCIS, the price increase probably doesn’t feel like it enhances much.

The streaming landscape is going through a lot of changes as it continues to try and figure out its place in the market. With Paramount still reportedly very interested in purchasing Warner Bros., we could see major upheaval in the streaming world as any such merger would have a major impact on Paramount+ and HBO Max, two of the largest current streaming platforms.

There’s already plenty of great stuff to watch on streaming every week. Whether you’re into Only Murders in the Building or The Great British Baking Show, each week offers something new that must not be missed. But the streaming platforms seem to think we can’t have too much of a good thing, as there’s plenty more debuting this week.

Futurama, Season 13 - September 15 (Hulu)

Futurama is simply the show that will not die. Having been cancelled and resurrected multiple times, on multiple networks. This time, you need a Hulu subscription to watch the further adventures of Fry, Leela, and the rest. At least one more season will also happen, set to arrive next year.

Elio - September 17 (Disney+)

Pixar was once unstoppable when it came to its films. It introduced countless new characters over dozens of films, with many of them becoming successful franchises. Of late, Pixar’s original stories have struggled at the box office, and Elio, the story of a boy looking for a home in another world, is just the latest to not draw an audience. That said, the movie is quite good, and if you have a Disney+ subscription, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Gen V, Season 2 - September 17 (Prime Video)

The Boys and its various spinoffs have become one of the best reasons to get and keep a Prime Video subscription. While the main show is heading toward its final season, the college spinoff Gen V enters its second season this week. It will be our first look at how the fallout from The Boys impacted these characters, and we can expect all the mature superhero action the franchise has continued to provide.

The Morning Show, Season 4 - September 17 (Apple TV+)

One of Apple TV+’s early original series, The Morning Show, returns for Season 4 this week. Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston are back alongside a host of returning and new characters. Fans who have been waiting to see what happens next with the network TV drama will want to have their Apple TV+ subscription ready to go.

Black Rabbit September 18 (Netflix)

Jude Law and Jason Bateman were a pairing I wasn’t necessarily expecting, but at first glance, Black Rabbit looks like it might have a lot to offer and be the best reason to have a Netflix subscription this week. Bateman plays a down-on-his-luck guy who is in deep with organized crime. He turns to his brother, a successful restaurateur, played by Law, for help, and ends up drawing him into the criminal underworld too.

Tulsa King, Season 3 - September 21 (Paramount+)

Tulsa King, with Sylvester Stallone, was one of the earliest hits among those with a Paramount+ subscription, and now the series is getting ready to enter its third season. While we certainly don’t know everything that’s set to happen in the new season, one thing we do know is that it will introduce us to a new character, played by Samuel L. Jackson, setting up his own spinoff series, NOLA King.

If you’re waiting for Slow Horses or Marvel Zombies, you won’t have to wait too much longer./ September is almost over, and both shows will arrive before the month is out.

September streaming got off to a strong start last week with several high-profile shows debuting. Several of them, including The Great British Baking Show and The Paper, which has already been renewed for a second season, will continue this week. However, if you need something else to watch between episodes, there are some fresh options.

The Wedding Banquet - September 8 (Paramount+)

Ang Lee’s 1993 film, The Wedding Banquet, is arguably the movie that put him on the map as a director. However, you may not even know that the film was remade in 2025 with a solid cast including Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, and Kelly Marie Tran. The well-reviewed Wedding Banquet remake came and went at the box office amid the positive reception, so if you have a Paramount+ subscription, you can check it out this week.

Only Murders In the Building, Season 5 - September 9 (Hulu)

Only Murders in the Building continues to be one of the best shows available streaming. That's partially because of its incredible core cast of Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, and the fact that fans don't have to wait three years between seasons. Season 5 of the show drops for Hulu subscription holders this week. The main trio will investigate the death of loveable doorman Lester (Teddy Coluca,) who was found dead in a fountain at the end of last season.

Seen & Heard: The History Of Black Television - September 9 (HBO Max)

From producer Issa Rae, Seen & Heard is a two-part documentary that follows the history of Black representation on television. It’s certainly a story that doesn’t get told enough. Also, Shonda Rhimes and Oprah Winfrey are just some of the major media figures interviewed for the production.

Aka Charlie Sheen - September 10 Netflix

There was a time not that long ago when Charlie Sheen was a name that was always in the news, and usually for the wrong reasons. A new documentary available with a Netflix subscription takes a look at the life and career of the former Two and a Half Men star, both his successes and his difficulties.

Warfare - September 12 (HBO Max)

One of the best reasons to have an HBO Max subscription is the platform's deal with A24, as it means unique and interesting films are always debuting. The latest feature from the studio to hit the streamer is Warfare. Written and directed by Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland, the movie has been widely praised for its emotionally harrowing journey. If you missed this one in theaters, check it out at home.

Screamboat - September 12 (Peacock)

No, you’re not having deja vu. This isn’t The Mouse Trap, that terrible horror movie cashing on the public domain status of Steamboat Willie. This is the other horror movie cashing in on the public domain status of Steamboat Willie, the one that used Colin Jost and Pete Davidson's Staton Island Ferry.

September will continue to go strong on the streaming front. With new seasons of Slow Horses andTulsa King as well as the premiere of the Marvel Zombies animated series, there’s certainly something for everybody.

A new month is here and that means it’s time for a flood of new movies and series to invade your favorite streaming services. If you’ve lost some of your favorites you may need something new to watch this week. The good news is there’s actually quite a lot, from nearly every corner o the streaming world, to enjoy this week.

Lilo & Stitch - September 3 (Disney+)

Based on the box office response to the live-action Lilo & Stitch, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ve already seen it once. If, however, you are one of the few who didn’t, or you just want to see it again, the first billion-dollar Hollywood blockbuster of 2025 will be available with your Disney+ subscription this week.

Wednesday, Season 2, Part 2 - September 3 (Netflix)

Fans had to wait quite a while after Wednesday Season 1 to get Season 2, and then Netflix decided to make fans wait to get to the end of Season 2. Luckily, the wait ends this week when the back half of Season 2 of Wednesday arrives. Luckily, we shouldn’t have to wait quite as long for more Jenna Ortega, as Wednesday Season 3 has already been given the green light.

Tony & Ziva - September 4 (Paramount+)

NCIS is one of the longest-running shows on TV, and it’s had a rotating cast of characters throughout its decade-plus run. It’s a safe bet, however, that no characters have been as popular with fans as Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David, as played by Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo. You’ll need a Paramount+ subscription to follow the new adventures of the first couple of NCIS in their spinoff series Tony & Ziva, as the show won’t be on CBS.

The Paper, Season 1 - September 4 (Peacock)

The Office is one of the best sitcoms of all time, according to basically anybody who’s ever seen it. That’s going to make for a high bar to clear when spinoff series The Paper debuts. The series, available with a Peacock subscription, stars Domhall Gleeson, the editor in chief of a failing newspaper, trying to keep it relevant.

Highest 2 Lowest - September 5 (Apple TV+)

It’s been a long time since Spike Lee and Denzel Washington have worked together, but when they do, it’s magic. Highest 2 Lowest got strong positive responses from critics when the film opened in theaters. This week the film becomes available with an Apple TV+ subscription.

The Great British Baking Show - September 5 (Netflix)

Honestly, at this point, I think the entire reason I still have a Netflix subscription might be The Great British Baking Show. The series is the definition of comfort viewing, and so I’m so happy that the series returns this week with 10 new bakers to go through a series of challenges to crown a winner.

September is going to continue to be a solid month for streaming, with a new season of Only Murders in the Building and the debut of the Marvel Zombies animated series among the new shows arriving this month.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is just a couple of episodes away from Season 3, and just a couple of seasons away from ending entirely. The Anson-Mount-led series will conclude with Season 5, featuring a six-episode run to close things out. It wasn't the only option that Paramount+ offered the showrunners, however, as Rebecca Romijn mentioned an option that gives me mixed feelings.

Star Trek Las Vegas came and went in mid-August, but newsworthy tidbits from the event are still cropping up in regards to Trek's streaming offerings, most of which can be binged with a Paramount+ subscription. I'm glad a plan was already in place for Strange New Worlds to get a fully planned conclusion, though I have to wonder how much different this final stretch would be if it all ended the way Paramount execs may have wanted.

Rebecca Romijn Revealed Paramount Offered To Do A Strange New Worlds Movie

During a panel for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Rebecca Romijn revealed a very interesting offer that Paramount+ made when the initial conversation started to end the series. The actress said that before the conversation started about getting a new season entirely, the first offer on the table was to give the show a feature-length movie. Read a bit about it below (via TrekMovie.com):

Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers told CinemaBlend they needed the six episodes to bring the series right up to the original Star Trek, so I'll defer to their wisdom that it was necessary to end that way. Plus, six episodes are likely going to exceed the runtime of a two-hour movie, so I'd have to be wild to think I'd prefer if it ended with a movie, right?

I'm Glad We Got A Longer Multi-Episode Final Season, But A Movie Could've Started Something Amazing

As excited as I am that the Strange New Worlds showrunners advocated for as much time as they could negotiate to end the series, I can't help but wonder what a movie would've done for the franchise. I guess my first question would be if we were talking about another movie for Paramount+ or a big-screen feature?

I think, given the near-universal panned response to Star Trek: Section 31, fans might've been upset at the time to hear Strange New Worlds would be getting a P+ movie. In fact, some complaints about Section 31 surrounded the fact that it felt like an overly long episode of a modern TV episode, rather than an actual movie.

All that said, I've long maintained that I think the path to success for Star Trek at the movies is to lean back into making features centered around the shows with an established fan base. I also maintain that for anyone looking to get into Star Trek for the first time, or the first time in a long time, Strange New Worlds is the series to get into.

Something tells me that if a Strange New Worlds movie were made, it'd be a hit. In the hypothetical scenario where Paramount+ had a hit Trek movie, I have to think it would feel better about greenlighting more of those types of movies, be it for SNW or other ambitious projects. Perhaps we'll finally get that long-awaited live-action Janeway project, but without a hit Trek movie, we're left to wait and wonder.

Continue to watch new episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+ on Thursdays. There's just a couple of weeks left before the wait is on for Season 4, so make sure to get caught up and see how it all ends.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 episode "What Is Starfleet?" Stream it with a Paramount+ subscription and read at your own risk!

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds continued its run on the 2025 TV schedule with a challenging documentary-style episode diving into the question: What is Starfleet really? Erica Ortegas' brother Beto released his documentary, debating whether the outfit acted as the military arm of the Federation or as peacemakers. It was a compelling episode that made me unexpectedly emotional after hearing about the way it honored Melissa Navia's late partner.

I knew Starfleet didn't operate as a military faction (even if it would obliterate Star Wars' Empire), but I hadn't expected to see the touching tribute honoring Brian Bannon (one other viewers might have missed). For those that did, let's dive in and talk about the episode, the tribute, and the showrunners finally giving us more Ortegas.

Melissa Navia's Late Partner Brian Bannon Is Referenced In "What Is Starfleet"

As noted by prolific Star Trek Easter egg hunter Jörg Hillebrand on X, there was a subtle tribute to Melissa Navia's late partner Brian Bannon in "What is Starfleet." There was a vinyl album on the shelf of Erica Ortegas' quarters, which was mysterious considering the show's set in the future, and that's pretty low-tech for the Enterprise.

It was revealed the album was titled "Irish Cowboy Country Blues" and it came from musician Sean Fhéile. According to Hillebrand, Brian Bannon was a musician for this album, hence its place on the set and in Ortegas' quarters.

How Melissa Navia And Brian Bannon's Story Is Linked To Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Back in 2022, Melissa Navia penned an emotional piece talking about her late partner Brian Bannon, and the journey that ultimately led her to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Bannon helped her film auditions during the pandemic, and while they weren't officially married, he was allowed to travel to Toronto with her while she filmed Season 1 despite travel restrictions.

Unfortunately, Brian was diagnosed and passed away in December of 2021 following a battle with an aggressive and rare form of acute leukemia. Despite her grief, Melissa Navia returned to the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds set to begin filming new Ortegas scenes in Season 2. The actress wrote about how returning to the set ended up being less difficult than she imagined, and it was the wonderful cast and crew who helped her continue on in the role. Her comments were not surprising to hear, given all I'd listened to over these past three seasons about how well this cast gelled and how they've all genuinely been friends outside of filming.

So, when I learned that the album in Ortegas' room was connected to Brian Bannon, I couldn't help but get super emotional and happy for Melissa Navia. Sure, having the support of fans chanting that they want "Moretegas" was nice, but I can't imagine how nice it must have felt to have a tribute to a loved one forever etched in Star Trek history.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds continues new episodes on Thursdays only on Paramount+. With only a few more episodes left in Season 3, the wait is on for Season 4 and other upcoming Trek shows on the horizon. I know I'm not the only one psyched for Starfleet Academy!

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

Angel Batista was never able to discover the identity of the Bay Harbor Butcher whilst working right alongside him for a couple of decades, but he's determined to close the case in Dexter: Resurrection. The seventh episode ended with an awkward reunion in New York City, after Dexter gave Angel the slip in Iron Lake, and their eventual showdown is now seemingly locked in.

Unfortunately, I have a feeling the 2025 TV Schedule is going to close out with David Zayas' Angel not having survived to make it to a second season. That said, I don't necessarily think Dexter has it in him to kill a longtime friend, and I have two theories about the actual people who will end up taking out the Miami detective.

Theory #1: Charley Will Kill Batista

Leon Prater has shown he has a lot of power in New York City and connections all across the board. If he finds out Angel is hot on "Red's" tail and close to bringing him in, I think it's safe to say he'll send out Charley to handle the problem. He already tasked her with having Mia Lapierre killed to ensure his serial killers' club wasn't exposed to those outside of his influence.

Now that we've seen his relationship with Red grow tremendously in the latest episode, I would expect Prater to do some deeper digging into Dexter's life. He might even be able to uncover that he's the real Bay Harbor Butcher, and thus have Batista taken care of before our protagonist even has the chance to handle it on his own.

Dexter has been more than a little overconfident as of late after taking out a few killers, for all that he called Gareth the egomaniac. I think he's certainly underestimated the type of monster his wealthy benefactor can be when properly motivated to protect things that are in his best interest.

Theory #2: The New York Ripper Will Kill Batista

For those out of the loop, there's been a pretty interesting theory circling the internet about Dexter: Resurrection involving the New York Ripper. Someone on Reddit has suggested that Dexter's landlord, Blessing Kamara, is the New York Ripper. I've enjoyed the idea of this, and I'm close to thinking it may end up being true.

Blessing seems to be a good family man, but he's had brief moments where it seems some darkness haunts him. In short, he's what Dexter is trying to be right now, assuming that he is secretly a serial killer, and he's thriving in a way that The Bay Harbor Butcher would be envious of if he knew.

It also feels like a lot of the theme of this season leans on father-son relationships, with James Remar reprising his role as Harry in Dexter: Resurrection. Blessing is the only other person we've seen be a father in this season, so his character being a key to the story feels likely to me.

We don't have any concrete evidence yet that Blessing is the New York Ripper, but his meeting with Angel here at least connects the two to where, if he were, we now know how they'd potentially cross paths. There has to be some larger reason that Blessing and the New York Ripper are in this story, so I think, from a story standpoint, it would make sense if they end up having some connection to one another.

I've also seen interesting theories that the New York Ripper could be a tease for a storyline that's to come in Original Sin Season 2.

Dexter: Resurrection premieres new episodes on Showtime on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET, but if you have Paramount+, you can watch it on Fridays. I'm excited to see where the rest of this season goes, and with so much talk about James Doakes as of late I really hope they're re-introducing the character in Season 2 of Original Sin.

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

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

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

Gareth The Gemini Killer Is A Twin

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

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

How Will Dexter Manage To Avoid Being Discovered By Prater?

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

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

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

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

The merger between Paramount and Skydance has officially been finalized. The two organizations are now one company. What the future holds is far from clear. There are numerous questions, particularly surrounding CBS as a news organization and whether we might see significant changes to the way news is handled under the new regime. One person with a lot of money riding on the situation recently said no.

CBS made some interesting moves in the months before the merger was finalized, including settling a lawsuit brought by President Trump against 60 Minutes and announcing the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Some analysts suggested the moves were made to help smooth the path toward federal approval of the merger by currying favor with the White House, and thus wonder if CBS News may be compromised going forward.

In a press conference following the finalization of the merger, Gerry Cardinale, founder and managing partner of Redbird (the top investor in the new company), told Deadline that there will be no outside influence on the news for the "simple" reason that it’s a bad investment. Cardinale said…

One of the requirements set by the FCC in approving the merger was the installation of an ombudsman whose job wouldn't be to take complaints over alleged bias in coverage. The new Paramount team pushed back during the press conference that that position would necessarily influence the news, saying the ombudsman’s job was “transparency,” not “oversight.”

At the end of the day, Redbird is looking for a return on its investment, and if it believes that CBS News as an objective organization will provide that, it’s less likely to influence it. Cardinale feels that when investing in a news organization, independence is the thing that you're really investing in. He went on...

It’s understandable why there are so many questions surrounding the future of CBS News. Following the settlement of the lawsuit with President Trump, Late Show host Stephen Colbert referred to the deal as a “bribe,” and the announcement of the show’s cancellation was only days later. While CBS claimed the decision was purely financial, a lot of people don’t believe that, as evidenced by the number of folks who have been flooding Paramount's social media channels with calls to cancel Paramount+.

It will likely take months to see if there is truly a discernible difference in the way CBS News is presented. Certainly, a lot of very interested people will be watching. One who might be is Stephen Colbert himself, who, with his show set to end in May, seemingly has little left to lose.

July is only half over, but if there’s anything hotter than the weather outside, it’s the list of new content coming to your favorite streaming platform. From blockbuster movies to new and returning series, and even a bit of Disneyland fun to throw into the mix. Here’s a look at what’s not to miss on streaming this week.

Jaws Movie Collection July 15 (Netflix)

For the first time in 50 years, it’s the summer of Jaws. The movie that is often called the first summer blockbuster celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and while there is a great new documentary about the film you can also find streaming on Hulu, if you just want to watch the original, it’s available with a Netflix subscription this week. The sequels will also be available, if you feel like you really need to watch them.

The Summer I Turned Pretty, Season 3 - July 16 (Prime Video)

The Summer I Turned Pretty has been a winning coming-of-age drama and one of the most popular series for those with a Prime Video subscription. The good news for fans is that Season 3 begins this week. The bad news is Season 3 will also be the final season, so you won’t want to miss any of it.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Season 3 - July 17 (Paramount+)

Of all the new Star Trek content that we’ve received since the launch of paramount+, i don’t think it’s too controversial to say that Strange New Worlds is the best of it. The pre-Kirk Enterprise, led by Ansel Mount as captain Christopher Pike, has been equal parts throwback and reinvention of the franchise and so I’ll be using my Paramount+ subscription to watch Season 3 as soon as it arrives this week.

Disneyland Resort POV Walkthroughs - July 17 (Disney+)

July 17 marks the 70th anniversary of the opening day of Disneyland. Most of us won’t be able to be there in person to celebrate, but if you have a Disney+ subscription, the streaming service has the next best thing. A whole host of POV walkthrough videos will arrive on the service, allowing you to virtually feel like you’re doing everything from riding Pirates of the Caribbean to watching fireworks. The full list of videos is:

• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• Radiator Springs Racers
• Incredicoaster
• Haunted Mansion
• Tiana's Bayou Adventure
• Cars Land
• Pixar Pal-A-Round
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Jungle Cruise
• Soarin' Around the World
• Avengers Campus
• Hollywood Land
• Main Street, U.S.A.
• Mickey's ToonTown
• 70th Celebration Nighttime Spectaculars

Untamed - July 17 (Netflix)

At this point, it seems like there’s a new mystery drama available streaming every week, and while many of them may have big stars, few if any are set in such beautiful places. Untamed stars Eric Bana as a man investigating a death in Yosemite National Park. Sam Neill and Rosemary DeWitt fill out the cast.

The end of July is going to be big with movies like The Fantastic Four: First Steps hitting theaters, but streaming won’t be taking things lying down. It will have its own big releases, including the long-awaited Happy Gilmore 2 from Adam Sandler.

We're officially in Big Brother season, which means it's time for die hard fans to fire up that Paramount+ subscription to spend the next three months obsessively tracking live feeds. As one of those fans, I take joy in tuning in knowing that others are also watching and chronicling the parts of the game that the CBS episodes miss. Unfortunately, the experience is no longer what it once was, with another key feature getting removed this year. It doesn't appear as though it's coming back, either.

Just one year after removing the live feeds' flashback feature that allowed viewers to revisit footage from previous days, the streamer has confirmed yet another big change was made in the form of a chopping block. While it possibly won't impact the majority of those who will be watching the show's run on the 2025 TV schedule, I know there will be ruffled feathers aplenty amongst the live-feed crowd.

Paramount+ Has Removed The Chat Option From The Live Feeds

The Big Brother Season 27 live feeds are set for Paramount+, but those who checked in early and pored through the FAQ page realized the live chat feature was no longer active. Accounts like @BBigBrotherBuzz pointed out that the FAQ confirmed that the chat feature was snipped away.

The live chat used to be where fans could sound off on events happening on the feeds, not unlike the chat feature on a platform like Twitch. It was a way to react to wild moments, and to pass the time when live feeds went on pause for one reason or another, or were down entirely during competitions. Now it's gone, and if this plays out like past situations have, I don't think it's coming back.

This Is The Second Consecutive Year The Live Feeds Were Stripped Of A Key Feature. Will Live Feeds Be Phased Out Altogether?

The latest feature removal, paired with how late we got live feeds this season, is going to raise the question once again of whether Big Brother is considering phasing out live feeds altogether. Big Brother Canada removed its live feeds two years ago, and it had fans in the United States worried if the CBS version would follow suit.

The network has had to address several controversial moments from the show over the years, many of which were noticed on the live feeds and might not have been known about otherwise.

For now, the live feeds remain safe. Big Brother Season 27 has announced that this season it will show 90-minute episodes weekly, which has me wondering if the move was made strictly because of a more open summer schedule, or if the series is test-running longer episodes and less live feed content.

Of course, I recognize I just sound like a paranoid Big Brother superfan at the moment, but I'm not the only one worried. Past Houseguests, like Cory Wurtenberger and winner Taylor Hale, have made passionate cases for BB to give fans as much access as possible, for various reasons. Here's hoping we don't have to worry about a day when there are zero BB feeds, but it's disappointing to see more features removed each year.

Big Brother Season 27 airs new episodes on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET. Here's hoping this season continues to be as good as last year's, and that the live feed experience isn't heavily impacted by the lack of having a chat.

The Fourth of July weekend is in the rear view mirror, and depending on just how much fun you had, the idea of crashing in front of the television and not doing much of anything for a few days may sound like an exceedingly good idea.

Luckily, there’s plenty to keep you entertained if that’s your plan, from new Netflix releases like the incredibly popular Trainwreck documentary series to the newest season of Apple TV+'s Foundation series. Michael C. Hall’s Dexter makes his return to television, and Disney+ brings its latest entry in its insanely popular Zombies musical franchise. So let's take a closer look at all the awesomeness on the way.

Trainwreck: The Real Project X July 8 Netflix

The Trainwreck series of documentaries have focused on some of the most infamous events in recent history, from the disgusting “poop cruise” to the ridiculous storming of Area 51. The newest entry of the best current reason to have a Netflix subscription takes a look at a teen party gone terribly wrong with The Real Project X, referencing the 2012 found-footage movie that was reportedly inspired by actual events.

Foundation, Season 3 - July 11 (Apple TV+)

Apple TV+ is home to some fantastic sci-fi television, but at the top of the pile, at least when it comes to production value, is Foundation, the adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s groundbreaking novels. Season 3 debuts this week.

Dexter: Resurrection - July 11 (Paramount+)

Dexter was an incredibly popular series, but one that fans thought had run its course with the death of the title character. A prequel series, Dexter: Original Sin, was then given the green light, which gave fans a little of what they’d been missing, only to drop a hammer by revealing Dexter lives. Dexter: Resurrection picks things up from there.

Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story - July 11 (Disney+, Hulu)

Jaws is often called the first summer blockbuster. It’s a movie that changed everything, and 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of this iconic piece of cinema. Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story takes a fresh look at the movie’s troubled production, including both archival and new interviews with director Steven Spielberg and others involved in this iconic film.

Better Man - July 11 (Prime Video)

Based on box office response, you probably didn’t see Better Man, the movie about the life of pop star Robbie Williams, and iif you’re American, you might not even be that familiar with him, but this bizarre biopic, that reimagines its subject as an anthropomorphic CGI chimp, is exceptionally creative and worth checking out.

Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires - July 11 (Disney+)

Ok, maybe the newest entry in Disney’s Zombies musical franchise isn’t for you, but considering just how wildly popular these movies are, it’s a safe bet you know somebody with a Disney+ subscription who will be excited that Zombies 4 is here. Plus, this one adds vampires, so now you're definitely hooked.

July isn’t half over, and the best may still be yet to come. Disney+ is dropping a bunch of cool theme park content to celebrate Disneyland’s 70th anniversary and a new season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is on the way.

As fans await the next chapter of Taylor Sheridan’s multi-era western franchise, the most promising upcoming Yellowstone show has seemingly been Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser’s long-in-development Beth and Rip-centered spinoff, which will serve as a direct follow-up to the mothership series. But as any presumed production starts get ever closer, rumors have started swirling around the project that alleges the two co-stars are trying to take control and make the new show all about their characters.

Now, that might not sound very much live diva behavior to anyone who’s already of the belief that the modern-day offshoot was meant to focus solely on the fan-favorite couple. But let’s not forget that when that project’s existence was first reported on back in February 2023, as Sheridan and Kevin Costner’s issues were causing chaos, the idea was for Matthew McConaughey to join up in a starring role. That deal reportedly fell through, and it’s been a while since any other A-listers passed through the rumor mill.

According to RadarOnline, that could remain the case, with an insider source claiming that Reilly and Hauser are pushing Taylor Sheridan away from the idea of casting anyone else who would have both a higher paygrade and spot on the call sheet. Per the insider, the duo’s alleged demands are kicking up dust.

The outlet also says Keilly Reilly and Cole Hauser are nicknamed the "gruesome twosome" behind the scenes, which is as big a reminder as any that all of these claims should be taken with heaping grains of salt.

Despite claims that certain cast and crew members have taken offense, it seems as though it's generally understood why Reilly and Hauser would want to fight for their characters to be the heart and soul of the show as opposed to a new character whose roots can't be viewed across five seasons of Yellowstone. The insider also said:

Beth and Rip's new spinoff is set to be the first modern-day Yellowstone series available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription, but now that CBS’ Fall TV schedule has been revealed, we know it won't actually be the next follow-up series to debut, as the Kayce Dutton-led spinoff was confirmed for a series order, which would traditionally mean a Winter 2026 midseason premiere, though that would all stem from how quickly the scripts come together.

If Taylor Sheridan truly still isn't off and running by way of crafting Beth and Rip's new show, though, then that could throw a wrench into the development pipeline for Luke Grimes' tentatively titled Y: Marshals. But seeing as how the latter is the only project that officially has a future, maybe it'll take top priority for the prolific creator.

I’ve loved the Star Trek franchise since I was a kid. I watched The Original Series on TV growing up and remember going to see Star Trek III: The Search for Spock at the local drive-in when I was a kid. I’ve watched all the new shows with my Paramount+ subscription, but there was one older show that until recently I had never seen all the way through,:Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Binge watching shows with massive season libraries has become a new hobby after watching all 10 seasons of The Blacklist, so I decided to make Deep Space Nine my new temporary obsession. Overall, the show was fantastic, but I have to say, I didn’t love the ending for a couple of different reasons.

Ending Star Trek Is Hard

On the whole, Deep Space Nine’s final episode is solid, which is high praise considering that it isn’t the case for most Star Trek series. The Original Series, of course, was cancelled after only three seasons and never got any sort of official goodbye. Shows like Enterprise had a rough ending that had to be cobbled together due to wrapping before anybody was really ready. Star Trek: Discovery's ending was equally rushed.

Only Star Trek: The Next Generation has ever really stuck the landing when it comes to concluding up a series, while of course also leaving the door open for the story to continue in the movies. Deep Space Nine tries to do something similar, but it has a couple of glaring problems.

Captain Sisko’s Finale Leaves A Lot To Be Desired, And It Was Almost Worse

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's final episode wraps up the two major stories of the show: Captain Sisko’s role as the Emissary of the Bajoran Prophets, and the Dominion War. After the war is officially brought to an end, Sisko ends up on Bajor for a final confrontation with Cardassian Gul Dukat. The two fall off a cliff together in the Bajoran Fire Caves in a "Holmes and Moriarty at Riechenbach Falls" sort of way.

It’s initially believed Sisko has died, but then his wife, Cassidy, has a vision of him, discovering he has been saved by the Prophets. He’s with them and apparently will be for some time, as he has a great deal to learn from them. He promises he will return at some nebulous point in the future. This is what passes for Sisko’s happy ending.

Apparently this ending was changed from the original plan. The first ending saw Sisko remaining with the Prophets forever, essentially becoming one of them. Avery Brooks himself advocated for the change, feeling that, as one of the few Black leading men on television at the time, it would look bad to see him leave his family, including a pregnant wife.

To be sure, the ending we got was better than the one that was originally planned, but either ending honestly feels weak. It feels like an ending that was decided on because nobody could decide if they wanted to go with a dramatic, dark ending or a traditional happy ending. So they settled on something in between, which ends up being incredibly unsatisfying.

A More Definitive Ending For Sisko Would Have been More Satisfying

Sisko dying to save Bajor, while it certainly wouldn’t have been an ending everybody liked, would have at least been an ending that fit with the character of Benjamin Sisko. It also would have fit with Deep Space Nine as a whole, which was certainly the darkest take on Star Trek up to this point.

On the other extreme, there’s always the traditional happy ending. It’s a standard for a reason. Benjamin Sisko says at one point that he plans to retire to Bajor and even buys land to build a house there. A final shot of DS9 that included Sisko sitting on his porch with his family wouldn’t have been the worst thing the show could do. If any Star Trek captain deserved to retire in peace, it's this one.

Either of these endings would have completed the story of Benjamin Sisko. The ending we got does not. It leaves things open in a way that would seem to indicate a plan to do more with the character, but 25 years later, (outside of a comic book of questionable canon), nothing has happened.

But at least Benjamin Sisko got to be part of the finale. The same can’t be said for Jadzia Dax.

Terry Farrell Was Done Dirty By The End Of Deep Space Nine

At the end of Season 6, Terry Farrell, the actress who had played Jadzia Dax, decided to leave Deep Space Nine. The reasons for her departure deserve their own article (i'm making a note of that now), but the short version is that she wanted to shift to more of a recurring role in the final season, and she apparently clashed with a certain Star Trek producer with whom other Star Trek actors have also had issues.

Jadzia Dax died at the end of the penultimate season, and the Dax symbiote was implanted in a new host, introducing Nicole de Boer as Ezri Dax. She had all of Jadzia’s memories, allowing the show to continue some elements of the character, while also introducing new conflicts, specifically with Worf, who had been married to Jadzia.

Unfortunately, Terry Farrell wasn’t there for the end of Deep Space Nine, but the issue with the finale is the way that the show, almost certainly on purpose, erases her when it could have taken but a few seconds to simply acknowledge her contribution.

At the end of the episode, three of the main characters have decided to leave Deep Space Nine: Chief O’Brien (Colm Meany), Odo (Rene Auberjonois) and Worf (Michael Dorn). Each of them is given a brief flashback montage sequence showing different moments of their time in the series. When it comes time for Worf’s montage, it would have been the perfect time to include a shot of Worf and Jadzia together, maybe a moment of their wedding or even Jadzia’s death. Instead, we get a moment of Worf embracing Ezri Dax from only a couple of episodes earlier, and no Jadzia at all.

Terry Farrell’s Jadzia had been a core character for six of the show's seven seasons. Not including her in a way that would have made such perfect sense, and required so little effort, feels like a very intentional slight. Maybe there was bad blood behind the scenes over her decision to leave, but that’s not an excuse.

Deep Space Nine Is Still One Of The Better Star Trek Finales

Issues notwithstanding, Deep Space Nine still has a pretty solid finale and is certainly closer to Next Generation than the mess that was Enterprise. And it leaves itself open to more, making one wonder why, considering Sisko's ambiguous ending, we got three seasons of Picard, but no show about Avery Brooks' character.

I'm glad I watched Deep Space Nine. And if you never have, despite my spoiling the ending if you've read this far, I'd recommend it. I still don’t forgive Quark, though.

Star Trek can get weird sometimes, especially if you're Harry Kim. The character was done dirty by Voyager repeatedly, including one infamous episode in which he was killed off and replaced permanently by a duplicate. I had a chance to talk to actor Garrett Wang about this bizarre episode, "Deadlock," and his true feelings about how it played out.

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s hard to believe The Amazing Race has been on the air for over 25 years at this point. Long considered to be one of the best reality TV series on the air, it has garnered one of network TV's most loyal fanbases through myriad twists and turns, and even CBS switching from two seasons to one per year. A lot has changed over the years on Race, but one thing that has stayed pretty steady is the amount the contestants take home at the end of the season.

Yet, How much do general Race contestants as well as the winners make? Let's unpack the stats, as there's a lot going on any given Race season, but especially this year. Let’s take a look at what could happen if CBS loves your audition tape one day, too.

The Big Prize On The Amazing Race

Pretty much every single team who makes it onto the final leg of TAR has done reasonably well with navigation, and has conquered at least a few obstacles that were outside of their wheelhouses. They all deserve to be winners, but only one team will make it through the final challenge first. That team gets to race to the finish line and face Phil amidst a slew of familiar faces: the other contestants that had been eliminated previously. It’s usually a cheerful moment, but one that is extremely emotional, and it’s not just about the money. Racing on CBS is hard.

Obviously, the money is important, too. Each season, the first team to see both participants reach Phil and touch the mat earn a $1 million dollar prize. This number is oft-repeated throughout the season by Phil himself. It's one of the only constants on the series, as the locations the show films, how the teams travel, and even number of teams are consistently in flux.

While the big prize has stuck at the $1 million mark, a lot has changed on the show over time. In Season 34, there were no non-elimination legs for the first time, so someone went home every single episode, while in Season 38 the non-elimination leg came back. In another recent example, the Season 37 cast was shocked when they showed up to the mat and saw they'd have to outlast more teams than ever before. Last season, we saw a lot of similarities with teams, as Big Brother contestants are already familiar with how to act when there are cameras around.

In Season 39, Phil broke the news that every. single. team will be getting an Express Pass. That sounds like complete chaos (I love it though). With Season 40 around the corner, I almost wonder if we might get some bigger and bolder changes, maybe even to the prizes, but Phil and the gang have not spoken out about this yet.

During most past seasons, the show has featured teams of two competing (with the exception of a very memorable family season featuring a young Stassi Schroeder, who later starred in and was fired from Vanderpump Rules.) This is an important distinction because not every twosome that competes is a married couple, which means prize winnings are typically split in half, with $500,000 (pre-tax) going to each contestant.

Taxes are a big thing to factor in. So how much does one individual winner take home on Race? Experts in varying states estimate the government pulls a cool 300, 000 to 350,000 from the original winnings for taxes. Split that in half, and that’s still not too shabby, though, as winning contestants (likely) take home around $350,000 apiece or so in cold, hard cash.

Seemingly confirming this, the Holderness family admitted a few years ago in a podcast that after taxes they took "a little over half" of the prize money home. Though they also noted in the same interview that it "took a while" to get paid by the show.

In more recent seasons, a few teams have been dominant leg after leg. Ricky Rotandi and César Aldrete took home the big prize, but they also won so many of the challenges .The couple actually won 7 of the 11 total legs in their season, and six of those were before the finale. Similarly, frontrunners Jas and Jag took home the majority of the leg wins before winning overall. Sometimes the prizes are spread out more fairly among teams, however. Anyone could win a leg, they just need the right set of circumstances.

This brings me to how non-winners can nab some additional compensation.

How Does Additional Compensation Work For Contestants On The Amazing Race?

Additional compensation can also be important to teams with varying skill sets that are able to set themselves apart from the pack. Season 39 of The Amazing Race was a little weird in that there were a lot of competitive teams but only two teams that were really taking home prizes, as noted previously.

During most seasons, the competition is usually a bit more spread out, and the race leg prizes offer teams a nice way to earn even if they don't ultimately take home the big prize. In general, there are two additional routes to money and prizes on The Amazing Race. The first is to - and I'll borrow a phrase from my other favorite reality TV series Survivor - outwit, outlast and outplay the other contestants in the race. How does this work? The longer you make it on the show, the higher the cash payout from CBS. Yes, you get money just for appearing.

Early on in the series during Season 6, one outlet found the 11th place contestants only took home $1500 as a duo, which is admittedly not a lot to split between two people and have taxes taken out. The money continues to climb from there though the longer contestants are on the show. In that same season (via Men's Health), the second place team took home about $25,000 in additional money while the third place team took home $10,000.

Last season was a celebrity edition of the series, and there was every reason to think CBS was shelling out a bit more for Big Brother players to appear with beloved family members. Unlike Survivor contestant salaries or other CBS shows like Big Brother itself, TAR tends to keep the numbers way under wraps. We do know Dee, Devens and Angela were also paid more as "icons" on Big Brother during the summer of 2026.

An Australian version of the show in 2024 did note that prize packages for that version of the series varied wildly, with Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe allegedly taking home around $350,000 while additional contestants took home between $50-$75k for their appearances. It's worth noting this was a celebrity edition of the show in another country, and not the famous version hosted by Phil here in the U.S., but it does show how salaries can vary.

Another way to "make money" on The Amazing Race? The show often has prize packages ranging from cash amounts to free trips and even cars that can extend the goodies contestants can take home if they win specific legs. Of course, those prizes also come with a caveat; like The Price is Right and other prize-specific shows before them, contestants must pay taxes on these prizes.

One of the most unique prizes the show gave out came in Season 8, when the Branson family won "free gas for life." Patriarch Wally later clarified that actually meant $1,200 in gas for 50 years, and to make it less of a hassle, BP and Arco actually let the family cash out after one year.

Contestants Are Paid In Exposure (And A Trip Around The Globe)

Like Season 39's Big Brother cast, some famous names have chosen to participate in TAR over the years, including The White Lotus' Mike White, Big Brothers' Rachel, Alison, Survivor's Rob and Amber and so many more. Some athletes have competed as well, including Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly, pro eater Joey Chestnut and a slew of former NFL and NBA stars, among others. Some additional Survivor names and more have been bandied about, as well.

Heading into the Season 38 finale, Izzy Gleicher, Jag Bains, Joseph Abdin, and their respective partners, plus Kyland Young and his partner Taylor Hale all were left to compete for the big prize. Jag and his brother consistently were formidable throughout the season, and came through in the final moments, landing the big prize. We’ll have to wait and see if one team ends up being a dominant force in Season 39, which hits the 2026 TV schedule on September 30th.

Additionally, fan favorites can sometimes build followings on social media or land outside opportunities after their time on the show. Then, of course, there's the whole point of The Amazing Race: the unique opportunity to travel around the world with someone you love (or at least hopefully can stand). The real prize has to be the priceless experience.

Yeehaw! Paramount Plus is galloping onto the scene with the announcement of its Black Friday deal. Allowing subscribers to save up to 76% on its plans, it's enough to for me to want to start a hoedown right here, right now.

Live now until December 4, you can subscribe to Paramount Plus' Essential plan or the Paramount Plus With Showtime package and pay just $2.99 a month for the first two months of your subscription on either plan. Obviously it makes sense to sign-up to the Showtime plan, bagging the bigger saving and the bigger library of on-demand content, including Showtime originals like Yellowjackets and Dexter.

A rootin' tootin' Paramount Plus + Showtime plan also allows you to live stream CBS, including sports and other live events.

While you won't be able to watchYellowstone Season 5 on Paramount Plus in the States currently, it is the place to watch all Taylor Sheridan's other shows, including spin-offs 1883 and 1923, as well as his latest Deep South drama, Landman.

Had enough of the cowboy puns and references? Well, saddle up, because they're going to keep on comin' until I convince you now is the time to get Paramount Plus with this fantastic Black Friday streaming deal. Especially when you consider this is the cheapest price you've ever been able to snap up that premium plan for!

Everything You Need To Know About The Black Friday Paramount Plus Deal

Other Black Friday Deals

• Check out this year's Black Friday Peacock Deals on monthly and annual plans!
• Never be locked out of your subscriptions with Black Friday VPN Deals allowing you access wherever you are
• Want to know the latest deals? Our Black Friday entertainment deals live blog will keep you up to date

Unless you've been living under a rock, you're likely aware that we're in the midst of another Amazon Prime Day event. And while there are Prime Day streaming deals out there, they require you to have a Prime subscription. That includes the Paramount Plus channel, which locks in the same saving. But I'm here to tell you you don't actually have to throw more dollars into the Bezos ether – you can get the same 50% saving by signing up directly for a Paramount Plus subscription.

Currently you can get Paramount Plus' more premium plan that throws in Showtime too for $5.99 a month for the first two months. Usually costing $11.99 a month, that's a nice $6 saving. And all you need to cash in on this deal is to subscribe before the end of today and quote the discount code SUMMER.

Better than more plastic inevitably headed into landfill, you also don't have to wait around for this purchase to arrive. With Paramount Plus with Showtime, you're unlocking a wealth of on-demand content including original TV shows, Paramount movies, and more. 

From Fellow Travelers and Yellowjackets on Showtime, to plenty of Star Trek titles, Mayor of Kingtown, and the latest movies like Mean Girls, If starring Ryan Reynolds, and more.

The Paramount Plus Anti-Prime Day Deal

After the two month period is up, your plan will default back to the $11.99 a month rate. If you wish to continue with your subscription, I definitely recommend paying for a year up front and saving 16% overall across the 12 months.

Why Get The Paramount Plus Streaming Deal?

For just $5.99 a month, you've got a lot of content at your fingertips to rinse through, especially when you get the best of both with both Paramount Plus and Showtime's library all in one. And there have been plenty of exciting titles out of the latter including Emma Stone's The Curse and Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer's heart-wrenching Fellow Travelers. Paramount Plus is also the place for Yellowstone spin-off 1883 and popular CBS shows like NCIS. 

For sporting fans, Paramount plus offers live streams from the NFL, UEFA Champions League, the Europa League, and more. But only when you opt for Paramount Plus with Showtime for those free CBS and CBS Sports live streams.

You might think it's one or the other when it comes to either being a reader or a fan of the movies, but I actually think the two can go hand-in-hand. That's why I think one of the best Amazon Prime Day deals on the Kindle Scribe could be a perfect offer for CinemaBlend readers – if you're anything like me, anyway.

As well as writing about streaming and guides on how to watch the latest TV shows and movies, I also read and review books in my spare time over on Instagram. As you can imagine, that's a lot of taking notes as you go; calling out themes in a story, particular quotes I like, and anything else I might want to refer back to when writing up my review. As a self-confessed book worm, it also makes sense that I'm the type of person to always read the book first. But, with so many book to screen adaptations constantly in the works, I'll hold my hands up and admit that isn't always the case.

When I do manage it, though, having something like the Kindle Scribe would be so useful. And while in truth I only knew about this model of Kindle's existence today (having been a Paperwhite user until now), I am determined that it be the one Prime Day purchase I make this year – beyond even my beloved, carefully curated list of Amazon Prime Day streaming deals.

You'll need to be subscribed to Amazon Prime to benefit from the deal, but when you are all set up, you can save up to 31% on the Kindle Scribe, down from $339.99 to $234.99. That's over a $100 off.

Get The Best Amazon Prime Day Kindle Deal Below

With a 10.2" 300ppi display, it offers a like-paper experience and is the only Kindle that allows you the ability to take notes with its own sleek pen. There's the option to both write directly onto the digital books you're reading or in a notebook. You can write and sketch, and even convert your handwriting into text.

Claiming to have weeks of battery life, you have the choice of 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage (although keep in mind the offer is only available on the 16GB model), an adjustable warm backlight, and the option to access Audible with a Bluetooth speaker or headphones.

With a hectic 2024 TV schedule and the release of the first part of the Wicked adaptation looming, I've got plenty of material to read (and write about), and this certainly feels like the device to help me juggle both.

There are many shows ending or canceled in 2024, and in just a few short weeks, CBS-turned-Paramount+ supernatural thriller Evil will be come to an end. Despite creators and showrunners Robert and Michelle King having at least a couple more seasons planned for Evil, Season 4’s 14-episode season will end in August and, in turn, end the series. As with many canceled series, there’s always the hope that a save will happen, and one Evil cast member says it’s a “no-brainer.”

After Evil’s cancelation, Kristen Bouchard actress Katja Herbers shared her hopes of Netflix possibly picking it up. Now Herbers’ co-star Aasif Mandvi, who plays Ben Shakir, told TV Insider why the series should be renewed for a fifth season, no matter where it is, and there’s one particular reason for it:

Fans are truly the saving grace for many shows, and with Evil’s popularity, I find it surprising that it hasn’t been picked up yet by another streaming service. It also makes the cancelation that much more surprising. While there have been surprise cancelations, there have also been surprise saves, and one can hope that Evil is next on that list.

That being said, it may also depend on how the series comes to an end. Stories will be wrapping up in the finale, but perhaps there will also be a door or two open in the case that Season 4 is not the end after all. If S.W.A.T. can have a series finale turn into just a season finale after all signs pointed to a final season, surely Evil can do the same thing. As of now, though, there haven’t been any reports that the series is being shopped around. That could all change when the finale drops or even before.

There are petitions on change.org that were started in an effort to save Evil, and while petitions and campaigns don’t always work, it’s promising to see all of the interest. It’s clear that the stars want to keep doing Evil, and fans want it. Whether or not that will actually happen is hard to predict, but that doesn’t mean fans should give up.

Paramount+ subscribers should still watch new episodes of Evil on Thursdays and maybe even rewatch old episodes before it’s too late. Many people may agree with Aasif Mandvi that it’s a “no-brainer” that the series should be saved, but that doesn’t mean everyone knows. While it will be sad to say goodbye when the finale drops next month in the event that there's no good news in the meantime, who knows? Hopefully, it will get a second chance elsewhere because I'd say that it certainly is too good and too popular to not get another season or, at the very least, a wrap-up movie.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Star Trek: Discovery finale "Life, Itself." Read at your own risk! If you haven't caught it yet, check it out with a Paramount+ subscription.

Star Trek: Discovery's final scene addressed a long-standing mystery surrounding the series tied to the Short Treks episode "Calypso." Unfortunately, some fans have found  they're not getting all the answers they want about how the mystery was resolved. I asked co-showrunner Michelle Paradise for details about how the scene was written and got her response about why the ending went down the way it did. 

What's The Mystery Anyway? 

In the short "Calypso," released between Seasons 1 and 2 of Discovery, viewers watched a man named Craft travel through the USS Discovery, which had been dormant in deep space for a thousand years. Fans have speculated for seasons now about how that was possible, particularly considering the crew arrived safely in the future at the start of Season 3. In fact, they were never away from the ship for any remarkable length of time. 

In the Coda, we saw Michael Burnham, much older and now an admiral, enter the Discovery, which had been deliberately retro-fitted to look like it did in "Calypso." Burnham explained she had a "Red Directive" to take this ship to deep space and leave it there, but there wasn't much said beyond that. Assuming I missed something, I asked Michelle Paradise for clarification, only to learn the scene was intentionally scripted to be mysterious: 

Michelle Paradise confirmed in an interview with Variety that Season 6 of Star Trek: Discovery had a broad goal of addressing "Calypso" in detail, but obviously, the Trek series' cancelation came before they could get too deep into that. As such, the finale ensured that the answer was given while it was careful not to create more loose ends with the explanation.

The Star Trek: Discovery audience isn't explicitly told why the Discovery needs to be left in deep space without a crew, but we know from Season 5's plot that a "Red Directive" is a highly classified mission deemed of utmost importance. Briefings of Red Directives are conducted in Kovich's "Infinity Room," and given we now know Kovich was just a codename for the famed Temporal Agent Daniels from Enterprise, we can assume the USS Discovery must remain in deep space for reasons vital to the timeline. 

Whether or not the mystery will be examined any further will depend on whether or not upcoming Trek shows want to acknowledge it. The Starfleet Academy show, which just brought on Holly Hunter, will be set the closest in time to Discovery's finale. Provided the show also brings on Tilly actress Mary Wiseman like the finale further hinted it would, I would see that as justification to further explain the Red Directive mission surrounding the ship at some point. 

It might not be as neat of an ending as Star Trek: The Next Generation, but it's also worth noting the circumstances were different. I applaud Discovery for being able to end on the high note that it did. Making a conclusive finale on such short notice is difficult, especially for a serialized series. And yet, I think it is still one of the better finales in Star Trek history, and I felt just as much closure watching it as actor Doug Jones did. 

Regardless, is it too early to start petitions for Paramount+ to greenlight a movie for this crew? I miss them so much already. 

One question that seems to come up all the time is: “What’s the best streaming service?” And while the answer can differ from person to person based on which shows from the 2025 TV schedule or what 2025 movies they want to check out before the end of the year, it’s often far more complicated than that.

While CinemaBlend can’t completely solve that problem, we can help you make better choices. That’s where this list comes in.

How We Prepared This List

We sent out a survey to every single one of the writers and editors and asked them to rate every streaming service they subscribe to in a variety of different categories. For the next step, we had them assign scores for original content, hidden gems, variety of content, value, and overall user experience. We also had them submit written notes about the things they enjoy and dislike the most about each service, and now, we’ve compiled them together into one handy list.

There’s no single streaming service that is right for everyone. Based on your own preferences and how thick your wallet is, what’s right for you isn’t going to be what’s right for me, but hopefully, if you’re looking to possibly make some changes, there’s enough information here to point you in the right direction and figure out what the best streaming service is for you.

8. Paramount+

Paramount+: Overall Score = 6.62 / 10 While coming in at the bottom of our list, a Paramount+ subscription is still a great streaming option for fans with specific interests, such as Big Brother, Star Trek, and live sports. The platform also includes CBS brands like Comedy Central and Nickelodeon, so when nostalgia hits, it's the perfect place to binge classic comedies and childhood shows. With the recent addition of Showtime, the ever-growing library of content is only getting better.

Check out the individual scores for Paramount+ as well as more information below.

7. Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime: Overall Score = 6.94 / 10 It's rare that one single company has everything. While most notably used for all things eCommerce, an Amazon Prime subscription also boasts an extensive streaming platform that contains not only original shows and movies, but also both rental and purchase options. With original hit shows like The Boys and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power coupled with a plethora of other perks, like NFL Thursday Night Football, the streaming platform is well worth the price but can be daunting due to the sheer number of options and things to explore on the platform.

6. Peacock

PEACOCK: Overall Score = 7.19 / 10 Jumping in rather late to the streaming game in 2020, NBC's logo-led Peacock streaming service made waves when they let their contract with Netflix expire for the most popular show on the platform back in 2020 in order to help launch their own streaming product. They have since launched original audience favorites like Traitors, Twisted Metal, and Poker Face, to name a few, making a Peacock subscription one of the best options around.

5. Apple TV+

APPLE TV+: Overall Score = 7.20 / 10 Although it took a while for Apple to get into the streaming game, the late 2019 launch of Apple TV+ was a move that made sense for the content juggernaut and has since paid off tremendously. The platform has racked up multiple awards and launched instant classics like Ted Lasso, Slow Horses, and Bad Monkey. They have even added to their movie library with the addition of over 50 licensed titles from studios including Universal, Sony, and Warner Bros. Pictures, making an Apple TV+ subscription a great option.

4. Disney+

Disney+: Overall Score = 7.27 / 10 It's no surprise that a Disney+ subscription is one of the dominant in the streaming game. The titan of entertainment has been creating classic films, television shows, theme parks, and even live-action remakes of their classics long before most of their competition even stepped into the arena. They have also consolidated power through strategic acquisitions of IP such as Hulu, ESPN, Marvel, Star Wars, and even 20th Century Fox. While their "hidden gems" score may not be top-notch, their original content base contains more well-known entries than any other.

3. Netflix

Netflix: Overall Score = 7.29 / 10 Highly considered the original king of the steaming game, Netflix came onto the scene back in 1997, building their company before moving into the streaming game ten years later in 2007. The company challenged traditional movie-watching methods — even making a documentary about Blockbuster Video, their once biggest competitor — and continued their DVD rental service before finally ending it in 2023. Although the price has increased considerably over the years, new and seasoned streaming fans alike still recommend the company, especially the User Interface that helped make a Netflix subscription an all-around tremendous service

1. Hulu (Tied)

Hulu: Overall Score = 7.53 / 10 Out of all the streaming services we reviewed in 2024, Hulu tied for our gold medal with an overall score of 7.53 out of 10. The service has tons of network shows, original award-winning content, and the ability to be bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+. A Hulu subscription also has one of the best "value for the price" scores on our list, meaning if you're looking for the most bang for your buck, Hulu is a solid choice to solve your streaming needs.

1. Max (Tied)

MAX: Overall Score = 7.53 / 10 The other contender tied for first place, Max, has been known for their ability to create high-end, prestige television. From classic HBO shows like The Sopranos and The Wire to more recent wins with Succession and The Penguin, it's evident that the brand knows how to create great shows. After going through a rebranding from "HBO Max" to simply "Max" in 2023 , the platform eventually absorbed a lot of the content from Discovery+, adding to the already massive backlog of available content for those with a Max subscription.

Hopefully, this makes it a little easier when deciding which streaming service to add to (or remove from) your collection.

Regarding technology, Star Trek has been ahead of the curve in portraying future gadgets for a long time. Picard and many other of the best Trek characters used tablets well before the iPad, and weren't viewscreens just Zoom calls before we knew what Zoom was? Now, a new report claims the franchise is helping artificial intelligence grow, which could bring us one step closer to that holodeck future we all dream about. OK maybe just me. 

We're still far away from the world of holodeck simulations and the WTF moments they created for Star Trek: Voyager, but people around the world are getting mass exposure to A.I. thanks to the plethora of chatbots out there. Recently, NewScientist (via Windows Central) explained chatbots that were prompted by phrases from Star Trek were more likely to succeed at giving the correct answers to grade school math problems than other methods to encourage the correct response. 

Hilariously enough, the study said the prompt included phrases like "Captain's Log, Stardate," rather than calling the program "Computer," which was the standard opening in the franchise when characters needed the ship's program to do something. Maybe the A.I. just needed to feel like it was a Starfleet captain to rise to the occasion, which I can understand. 

More intriguingly, the scientists, who ran the tests on versions of Meta's Llama 2 and Mistral AI, were surprised by the results. For the record, this was just one of several tactics chosen to elicit a correct response to a math problem, which artificial intelligence has shown it sometimes struggles with. Chatbots are still flawed, which might be intentional by developers so they never come up with a successful plot to destroy humanity like in the movies. 

Artificial Intelligence and its uses are a hot-button topic of conversation in the world right now, especially as companies and scientists test-run programs that help the tech try to emulate art, writing, and other things traditionally done by humans. I understand that perspective, but as a Trekkie, I know a holodeck future likely doesn't happen without progressive strides in this field of study. How else would Janeway be able to talk to Leonardo Da Vinci if there wasn't an algorithm predicting how he'd respond to her questions? 

William Shatner shared his thoughts on A.I. and stated he'd be OK with being used for it if his family signed off on it. Given this new report, I'm now envisioning a day in which we don't just see Shatner by firing up our Paramount+ subscription, but James T. Kirk could also be your child's math teacher. We do know that Kirk taught at Starfleet Academy before he became captain of the Enterprise, so I'd reckon he's capable, right? The Trekkie in me would be thrilled for my kid to learn from him, even if it's not him. I'm getting really specific here, but suffice to say the possibilities are endless, and I hope they boldly go for them. 

Star Trek has plenty of upcoming content, and is about to hit the 2024 TV schedule with the premiere of Discovery's final season on Thursday, April 4th. Tune in to see the final adventure of Michael Burnham and her crew and maybe some other technology that will one day be a reality when some inspired mind sees it on television. 

When Criminal Minds: Evolution brought the long-running CBS crime drama into the world of streaming (for those with Paramount+ subscriptions), fans said a nervous hello to Zack Gilford’s highly organized serial killer, all while sadly bidding Matthew Grey Gubler a fond farewell. The Spencer Reid actor chose not to star in the spinoff, meaning Evolution was missing his key dynamic with A.J. Cook’s J.J. Now I’m all newly hopeful for his return after co-star Josh Stewart dropped the shocking news that his character isn’t returning for Season 2. 

Josh Stewart Reveals Criminal Minds: Evolution Exit

Going back all the way to Season 2 of the broadcast version, Josh Stewart has portrayed Criminal Minds’ Will LaMontagne, Jr., a D.C. detective who also happens to be JJ’s husband and father of her children. So it was understandably quite shocking when the actor updated a fan on X with the news that he’s apparently hung up his LaMontagne hat, at least for now. 

When asked if he’d be back in the new season, Stewart answered with:

Understandably, most of the people reacting to that unexpected comment were upset in one way or another, while still thankful for all the years that he put into the role, regardless of how much time passed between each appearance. And more than a few seem ready to go to bat to fight for his return.

Though the out-of-nowhere nature of the reveal was indeed a shock, it’s perhaps not so hard to grasp in general. The first season of Evolution seemingly tipped a hat to the idea of Will being killed off, as part of his arc was tied to him potentially having cancer. That was resolved, though, and Will even survived some in-the-field action during the season finale. But it seems his story has run its course going into the spinoff’s second outing. The question now is whether the character's fate will be changed, or if he'll just be living his best life off-screen.

Could This Mean Reid Could Return?

If Will won't be around in Evolution's next season, that seemingly leaves the door open for A.J. Cook's JJ to find someone else in her life to spend quality on-screen time with. That could obviously be anyone, but it would make the most sense (and make the most fans happy) to see her and Reid's bubbling chemistry back in the BAU halls and offices. 

At this point, there's no direct indication that Gubler could return, but we reported in early 2023 on showrunner Erica Messer revealing it was schedule issues keeping both Gubler and Daniel Henney from returning. At the time, she was hopeful that such hiccups could be resolved so that both actors could return in some capacity. So it's not like he's been blacklisted or anything.

And I dare say the fan fervor for Matthew Gray Gubler hasn't faded all that much, with calls for his Criminal Minds return coming loud and plentifully after the actor reunited with former co-star Joe Mantegna for a dinner date. And it wasn't all that long ago when Cook expressed how much she missed Gubler, keeping hopes alive for his eventual return.

Obviously I get why Josh Stewart's exit doesn't necessitate any another actor's return, much less Matthew Gray Gubler's. And I also get that it's kind of weird to not totally consider JJ's fictional emotions here by hoping for either Will's death or divorce proceedings. But I think we all need an even bigger sense of closure for the BAU agents after their feelings for either other bubbled to the surface in the final season on CBS. 

Criminal Minds: Evolution doesn't yet have a release window locked down for its follow-up season, but stay tuned, and know that all 16 seasons of the crime thriller can be streamed in full while waiting for more news.

Yellowstone fans have quite a while to wait before the release date of the series’ final episodes, but fortunately for those who have been enjoying creator Taylor Sheridan’s other projects, there’s still plenty in the works. Lawmen: Bass Reeves — the first entry in an expected anthology series, which stars David Oyelowo as the titular character — is Sheridan's latest offering, available to stream Sunday, November 5, with a Paramount+ subscription. Critics had the chance to screen the first few episodes ahead of their release, and they aren’t quite in agreement with how well this latest Western works.

Taylor Sheridan is named as an executive producer on the Paramount+ series, but unlike his other projects, he did not write or direct any of the episodes. In addition to David Oyelowo, other members of Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ cast include Dennis Quaid and Donald Sutherland in this drama based on the life of the first Black U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. Let’s see what the critics have to say, starting with Alex Maidy of JoBlo. Maidy rates it a “Good” 7 out of 10, calling the first episodes “exciting, emotional and violent,” and writing: 

David Hookstead of OutKick says Taylor Sheridan has “another massive hit” on on his hands, and fans of his other series won’t be disappointed, as Lawmen delivers the performances and dark, gritty content we’ve come to expect. The critic continues: 

Akos Peterbencze of Paste calls Lawmen: Bass Reeves a “damn good Western.” It undoubtedly follows the imprint established by Taylor Sheridan but benefits from having creator and showrunner Chad Feehan’s undivided attention. Peterbencze writes: 

Not all of the critics agree, however, and Ben Travers of IndieWire grades it a C-. Lawmen: Bass Reeves is too formulaic, too rushed and too incurious, Travers says, to delve into the nuances of a former slave forced to fight for the Confederate army and a pacifist who picked up a gun every day. In the critics’ words: 

Daniel Fienberg of THR echoes the above sentiment, saying that Bass Reeves deserves to have his story told, but Lawmen doesn’t do justice to the man’s experience. Fienberg writes: 

The critics do seem to agree that the man portrayed by David Oyelowo is deserving of such a series, but it’s in the writing and execution that they disagree on how successful Chad Feehan was in that endeavor. It sounds like fans of Taylor Sheridan’s other works will be pleased, as Lawmen: Bass Reeves captures the same spirit, so if you’d like to check this series out, you can catch the series premiere on Paramount+ on Sunday, November 5. 

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was not the massive box office hit that Paramount and game developer Wizards of the Coast were probably hoping for. However, now that the movie can be easily viewed on Paramount+, a lot of new viewers are finding it and discovering that actually, as I said in our Dungeons & Dragons review, the movie is actually really good.

Most of the people just discovering the film are probably not serious Dungeons & Dragons players, so they probably have no idea that among serious gamers there’s a bit of controversy surrounding the movie because it technically violates the rules of the game. Let’s talk about the owlbear.

Why The Owlbear Technically Doesn’t Work In The Dungeons & Dragons Movie

Early in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves the group of heroes is building a party in an attempt to rob the vault at Neverwinter, and the hapless sorcerer Simon  (played by Justice Smith) suggests they recruit a druid he knows. They find Doric, (played by Sofia Lillis) in the woods battling soldiers of Forge, their old partner, and current antagonist. When we first see her, she’s actually in the form of a horse, then she transforms into the iconic owlbear, a massive animal the size of a grizzly bear but with feathers and the face of an owl, before making her escape as a human.

Most of the spells and abilities used in the Dungeons & Dragons movie are taken directly from the game, and this one is no different. Wild Shape is an ability that all druids have, players in the game gain this ability fairly quickly. At lower levels, druids can only turn into small creatures, and the more powerful they become, the larger the creature they can transform into.

However, this is where our problem comes in, the 5th Edition Player’s Handbook for Dungeons and Dragons states that Wild Shape allows Druids to transform into any beast they have ever seen before. The problem is that, despite the way it looks, an owlbear is not a beast, it’s a monstrosity. 

Another of the key books you need to play a game of Dungeons & Dragons is the Monster Manuel. This book lists (nearly) every possible living thing an adventuring party might come across on their quest, from basic animals like rats or wolves to the more exotic like djinns, and, of course, dragons. All of the creature's stats and abilities are listed, including the creature’s “type.” Beast is a specific creature type, so when the Wild Shape ability states that a Druid can transform into any beast, it means any creature of that specific type, and an owlbear doesn’t count.

This fact set off some players of D&D as far back as the first trailer for Honor Among Thieves because it showed the owlbear transformation scene. If the movie is supposed to be based on the game, then certainly it should abide by the rules of said game, right?

What The Honor Among Thieves Director Says About The Owlbear 

For what it’s worth, the filmmakers behind Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves did not make a “mistake” when they made the decision to let Doric transform into an owlbear. They were well aware that they were violating D&D rules with the decision. Speaking with IGN co-director and co-writer Jonathan Goldstein explained during the screenwriting process, which he shared with Michael Gillio and his co-director John Francis Daley, they did debate whether or not to make this change. Goldstein explained…

So why did they ultimately make the decision to change the rules here, when the movie largely follows the rulebook otherwise? In short, they thought it would look awesome in the movie. Goldstein continued… 

And to be fair, it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t look cool. The owlbear is certainly a unique animal. There’s nothing that looks quite like it, and the decision to have Doric transform into it allows the movie to include this iconic creature in a way that feels organic and certainly doesn’t seem out of place to anybody not intimately familiar with the rules of the game. One of the wonderful things about the film is that you don't need to know Dungeons & Dragons at all to enjoy the film.

Why The Owlbear Decision Makes The Movie More Like A Dungeons & Dragons Game, Even By Breaking The Rules

So in the final analysis the question becomes, does it matter? Does the decision of Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves to violate the rules of the game it's based on somehow cheapen the movie or make it a poor adaptation of its source material? Not at all, in fact, in its own way, the decision to break the rules makes Honor Among Thieves even more like a D&D game.

I have played Dungeons & Dragons for years. I’ve been both a player and a Dungeon Master. The point of Dungeons & Dragons is to be fun for all involved, not to simply follow a set of rules. When a player wants to do something they could be capable of that would be awesome my inclination is to let them do it, unless it’s going to totally break something else in the game.

All the various rulebooks that make up Dungeons & Dragons the game are very clear that, at the end of the day, they all work at the will of the Dungeon Master. The person who has created the adventure for the players makes the final decision on everything and is entirely free to change rules as they see fit because the story is the thing that matters. The rules serve the story, not the other way around.

And that’s all that’s happening here. The idea that a Druid can transform into an owlbear may technically not follow the preexisting rules, but the story being told in Honor Among Thieves is a better story because Doric can do so, and so now she can. That’s all there is to it.

Paramount+ is in the midst of a shakeup, as the streamer recently cancelled shows and integrated its service with Showtime in an effort to better serve customers. Some subscribers were shocked by the removal of notable shows like Star Trek: Prodigy, and it's possible that another big audience is in for a shock of their own. There's an absolutely wild rumor circulating about the future of Big Brother's live feeds, and the bottom line is they may be changing going forward. 

@TheSpoilerGirl1 is known on Twitter for her Big Brother spoilers, though she has admittedly had a spotty track record over the years. A number of recent reveals have been accurate, however, which is what makes this latest rumor so worrisome. According to the account, Paramount is considering altering its live feeds in the future, with changes that would result in only one to two days of being able to watch live feeds with a Paramount+ subscription: 

This rumor alleges that Paramount would like Big Brother to limit its live feeds to one to two days a week and then add supplemental content for the other days. This would be similar to what Big Brother Canada did in its latest season, except they removed live feeds entirely. Could this be what's on the table for Big Brother Season 25? 

I would say no, mainly because Big Brother already confirmed live feeds would run for Season 25. @TheSpoilerGirl1 said the same but encouraged Big Brother fans to reach out if they were worried about the live feeds changing in the future: 

Big Brother's live feeds are the primary element that separates it from most reality television. It has a fiercely dedicated audience that tunes in to see details about the season that often won't make the televised episodes. Removing access to the feeds any further than what we already miss would drastically undercut the appeal.

Given that, I can't immediately think of why Paramount+ would want to make the live feeds less effective and run the risk of potentially losing subscribers for future seasons of Big Brother. Perhaps there's an additional cost to hosting live feeds that we're unaware of or something else that would make less live feed access more cost-effective. 

One valid reason that Paramount+ and CBS would have to limit the live feeds is to minimize the number of controversies that Big Brother has every season. When contestants have cameras on them 24/7 and no television to distract them, it turns out that they often say and do some controversial things. Having less live feed access would ultimately allow more control of what audiences see and for the show to scrub problematic statements or actions of Houseguests before they're seen.

Ultimately, this is just a rumor and one that seems to fly in the face of what we know about Big Brother Season 25. Still, it's good to be on high alert in the event that there are potential changes on the way and for fans to make it known they don't support them. Big Brother Season 25 will premiere on CBS on Wednesday, August 2nd, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Here's hoping that wild rumor is nothing more than that and that live feeds will be up and running when the Houseguests move in to start another exciting season. 

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Season 2 episode "Ad Astra Per Aspera." Read at your own risk!

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premiered what might be one of the series' greatest episodes to date with "Ad Astra Per Aspera." Una Chin-Riley's freedom was on the line after the discovery she joined Starfleet and failed to disclose her augmented origins as an Illyrian. The episode called into question Starfleet's long-held restriction on augmented beings and put Una's former friend and Illyrian lawyer, Neera Ketoul, on the stand to defend her. Actress and longtime Trekkie Yetide Badaki knocked it out of the park with her performance and channeled the characteristics of some of Trek's greatest characters, Sisko and Picard, and her other favorite characters into her performance. 

CinemaBlend had a chance to speak to Yetide Badaki ahead of fans seeing the episode with their Paramount+ subscription. After reading about how the actress has had a love for sci-fi ever since seeing Star Trek: The Next Generation as a child, I had to rewatch her performance. I asked if part of Neera's performance was influenced by Picard's infamous speeches about humanity, and learned that it was a mixture of that and some other characters that helped bring Neera Ketoul to life. The actress shared:

I highly encourage anyone who loved this latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds to rewatch Yetide Badaki's performance with this information in mind. It's so cool to see a fan of Star Trek use the traits of other performances to make something entirely new and become quite possibly one of the most memorable guest stars since Strange New Worlds' beginning. 

Yetide Badaki's Neera didn't come together solely with the actress observing Star Trek characters. The actress revealed she also looked to the performances of a star of a former primetime legal series, which might explain some of the most biting jabs delivered by Neera during Admiral April's testimony:

Who better to look to than Emmy-winning actress Viola Davis and one of her best performances to help create an epic character built for a courtroom-style episode of Star Trek? Truly, Yetide Badaki gave us something special with the character Neera Ketoul that I'm upset there may not be not more Illyrian disputes for her to settle in court in future episodes of Strange New Worlds. Maybe if another member of Starfleet finds themselves in trouble, she'll be willing to step up, given how they all stood behind Una even after knowing her augmented origins.

While Neera didn't score a win for all Illyrians, she did get Una exonerated from her crimes and back as second-in-command aboard the USS Enterprise. With Una back on the ship, the season can move on to other big problems on the horizon, such as that big Gorn thing teased in the premiere. As thrilling as a cliffhanger it was, I'm grateful to have the storyline in the rearview and to see what else Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 has to offer. 

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds releases new episodes on Thursdays. Now is the time to subscribe to Paramount+ and catch up, or if you're already caught up, kill some time watching some other Trek shows before the next episode. 

The fantasy-comedy film Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves has grossed has been the 10th highest-grossing film of the year, which seems great at first glance. As soon as you heard back in 2016 that this role-playing game adaptation would be making its way to movie theaters, you probably assumed that fans and anyone who favored the D&D cast which featured Hugh Grant, Chris Pine, Regé-Jean Page, and Michelle Rodriguez would be lining up to see this movie. However, it's wrapping-up its run in movie theaters and the numbers aren't so hot.

The chances of a movie receiving the sequel treatment all have to do with how well it performs at the box office. According to Box Office Mojo’s domestic box office numbers, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves did well during its opening weekend, bringing in $38.5 million. However, as the movie continued to play on the big screen it didn't make as much, only ending its run with $93,054,502 domestically and $207 million+ when factoring in global intake on an alleged $150 million budget. 

Well wait, $150 million budget is less than $207 million right? Perhaps this seems like good news at first glance, but this box office number might cost fans a sequel because of its underperformance. The reason is that theaters split intake with the movie studios. Different countries have rules about what percentage goes to the theater, and that percentage sometime changes depending on how long a movie has been out in theaters. 

There's also P&L, which is the money Paramount would have spent marketing the movie. It's unclear how much the studio pushed the D&D-based flick, but with all of this in mind, it is clear they didn't recoup the movie's actual budget, much less the money spent on advertising.

It’s hard to know why the masses aren’t racing to see Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Despite its massive marketing through the movie’s trailers and its big Super Bowl spot and solid reviews, audiences might have turned away from the movie due to the title. Its connections to the tabletop role-playing game it's based on could have had audiences believing this movie was tailored only toward D&D fans. 

The truth is, though, you don’t have to be a Dungeons and Dragons fan to enjoy Honor Among Thieves. If you love fantasy, heists, and good-hearted humor, you'd likely love this movie. Plus, the movie meets all fans where they're at, and doesn't expect you to be a D&D expert. So, you can ignore the D&D connection and just watch the movie for the fantasy-adventure aspects of it.

Even though the new Dungeons and Dragons movie may have suffered a disheartening box office, the critics had very positive things to say about Honor Among Thieves -- especially when it came to the stellar ensemble and the amazing practical effects. While there may have been Easter eggs for D&D fans, the comprehensible plot for those who’ve never played D&D was also a notable quality. One critic also noted that they loved the movie’s blend of light and dark where it’s like you’re watching something out of a Tolkien adaptation and then heading straight to The Princess Bride's lightness. Honor Among Thieves also has a critical score of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes with a 93% audience score. It appears those who saw the movie had an incredible experience watching it.

A Dungeons and Dragons sequel may not be in the cards anytime soon, but it doesn’t mean we’ll never see the Forgotten Realms again on screen. A spin-off series was ordered for Paramount+ that will consist of eight episodes with Red Notice’s Rawson Marshall Thurber acting as creator, writer, executive producer, and showrunner. This new series is said to “complement” the Honor Among Thieves side of the story. With this upcoming series and Honor Among Thieves being available to those with a Paramount+ subscription, this should increase this fantasy-heist film’s popularity.

What Honor Among Thieves co-producer Jeremy Latcham learned from his time producing Iron Man was not to count your chickens before they hatch -- aka to just focus on this particular movie before thinking about a sequel. Unfortunately, the box office numbers don’t match the rave reviews the new Dungeons and Dragons received. 

Considering the film industry today is made up of sequels and spin-offs, I personally don’t believe the Dungeons and Dragons realm will be completely kaput. We'll have to wait and see, however.