Braun Strowman’s year has been a bit of a rollercoaster. Back in May, he was released from WWE for a second time following years of injuries and leg issues. Around the same time, USA had announced a new TV series called Everything on the Menu which would feature the former star and strongman eating, well, everything on the freaking menu. It’s already become the No. 2 show on USA Network, and Strowman released a tearful video about his newfound success.

The hulking star took to social media this week to talk about the amazing success of Everything on the Menu, which picked up more than 146,000 new viewers week to week. His post started out “braggin,” but then got really emotional as he talked about not knowing what would happen after his WWE career ended. It’s real, human, emotional stuff. Take a look.

I don’t think it would be unfair to say there have been a run of obstacles for Strowman, whose real name is Adam Scherr. A neck injury in 2023 had sidelined him when he had the idea for Everything on the Menu. He went back to his WWE career, but he and his team were thinking about what was next, and when he became the latest WWE contract casualty, USA Network bit. It's been an emotional journey.

As someone who is one of those people tuning in to make Everything on the Menu the success it’s been so far, I have to say, the show has a solid premise. Each week, Braun visits a local, well-known joint where he tries some meats, then he heads to a trendier restaurant where he literally tries everything on the menu. He talks about all the food he’s shoveling in, and viewers get to see behind-the-scenes at the establishment and hear from the chef. Some of it is similar to other food shows, but the gimmick is definitely unique. I can’t get enough of watching Braun literally trying everything – and because of this, viewers also see more dish items per restaurant than we get on typical TV shows.

Outside of Braun goofily “shocking” the server by ordering everything on the menu each week, I honestly think he’s a really solid TV host. His enthusiasm is palpable. His food knowledge is solid. He's also following a long tradition of WWE stars opening up about their eating habits. While the first season does very much feel like a first season, I’ve been super impressed and excited about the episodes each week, and it’s one of the first things my husband and I gravitate towards when we are figuring out what to watch on the 2025 TV schedule.

It’s paid off, in the video, Braun confirms the audience for Everything on the Menu is growing by leaps and bounds each week.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, you may see Braun wax poetic about red meat a lot, but honestly, I don’t have a lot to complain about. Everything on the Menu is a good show, and specifically it’s a well-done food show, which is shocking for a production coming from and being produced by a slew of people who've worked with Braun, and not people who've long been established in the food TV biz. (Triple H is listed as a producer, for example.) I don’t know how often the WWE will be able to strike lightning outside of the ring quite like this, but if this is how more popular and retired figures shift to the next stage of their careers, I’m all in.

Meanwhile, if you're wondering what Braun will be up to next, the man has thrown his hat in the ring for Jason Voorhees...

Tracy Spiridakos was a regular presence in primetime for years as part of the Chicago P.D. cast, but departed at the end of Season 11. NBC's One Chicago cop drama brought in Toya Turner's Kiana Cook to fill the vacancy left by Detective Hailey Upton, but actually, now more turnover is on the way for the start of Season 13 in the fall 2025 TV schedule. Shortly after news of who would be joining the ensemble as Cook's replacement, Spiridakos has landed a new leading role far from the world of the multi-show Dick Wolf TV universe.

Tracy Spiridakos' New Show Is Called Anna Pigeon

Spiridakos stepped away from the small screen for a time after leaving Chicago P.D. in 2024, although that didn't mean stepping away from all of her former co-stars. In fact, her travels with Jesse Lee Soffer (who played her on-screen husband before his own One Chicago departure) led to hopes that she'd appear on FBI: International. Her return to TV brings her to cable as the star of Anna Pigeon, an upcoming series for USA.

Tracy Spiridakos stars in Anna Pigeon as the titular character, with Deadline reporting that the lead becomes a park ranger due to a devastating loss after living the life of a city slicker. Outrunning her demons won't necessarily be as easy as changing locations, and she'll work at solving crimes that are committed on the grounds of national parks. If nothing else, it sounds like Spiridakos might get to film in stunning locations!

The new series is based on a book series by author Nevada Barr, with Rookie Blue and Saving Hope EP Morwyn Brebner on board as showrunner. In a fun twist, Brebner's role as writer, creator, and EP of Rookie Blue means that she spent years working with Missy Peregrym before Peregrym joined the Wolf Entertainment TV universe as the leading lady of CBS' FBI. Spiridakos guest-starred on FBI as P.D.'s Upton back in 2020.

While no details are available at the time of writing about who will join Spiridakos in the cast of Anna Pigeon, the new show is reportedly set to premiere on USA in 2026. So, it seems like a safe bet that Upton won't be turning up again on Chicago P.D. any time soon, but a new character will be joining the fold with Toya Turner's Kiana Cook out ahead of Season 13.

Chicago P.D.'s New Series Regular Is Coming In Fall Of 2025

The newest actor to join Chicago P.D. as a series regular is The Night Agent alum Arienne Mandi, with Deadline reporting that she'll play a CPD officer by the name of Naomi Kerr. The character came to the CPD with history as a soldier and military contractor, making her experienced in dangerous situations but not too inclined to open up. The outlet notes, however, that details could change between the time of her casting announcement in July 2025 and NBC's Season 13 premiere on October 1.

Mandi is likely best known for her role in the second season of Netflix's The Night Agent (which is already set to return for Season 3), but she joins the ranks of actors like Jesse Lee Soffer, Jeremy Sisto, Alana De La Garza and more. What do I mean? She'll be playing more than one character within the Wolf Entertainment universe. Prior to landing her series regular role on Chicago P.D., she was a guest star on CBS' FBI.

It remains to be seen how well Arienne Mandi's new character fits in with the dynamic of the Intelligence Unit. The last series regular to join and then last for more than one season was Benjamin Levy Aguilar as Officer Dante Torres. Find out when Chicago P.D. returns to primetime with the premiere on Wednesday, October 1 at 10 p.m. ET, following the Season 14 premiere of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Season 11 premiere of Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET, all on NBC.

As for Tracy Spiridakos' new show, we'll just have to wait for USA to announce updates for the future of Anna Pigeon. For now, you can always revisit her days as Hailey Upton with Chicago P.D. streaming with a Peacock subscription.

Following Suits’ record-breaking resurgence on Netflix, the USA Network series managed to get a spinoff five years after it ended. Suits LA premiered on NBC in February on the 2025 TV schedule, and even though ratings haven’t been great, reports say it might get renewed. Plus, personally, I'm enjoying the show and being back in the world of these lawyers. Now, another USA Network show has a reboot in the works at NBC (and, no, it’s not White Collar).

Royal Pains Is Getting Rebooted At NBC

A reboot of the dramedy Royal Pains is in the works at NBC, according to Deadline.

The original series ran from 2009 to 2016 for eight seasons and just over 100 episodes. Created by Andrew Lenchewski and John P. Rogers, Royal Pains followed Hank Lawson, an unfairly discredited but brilliant diagnostic surgeon who moved to the Hamptons with his brother, taking up work as a concierge doctor to the rich and famous. Overall, it was a fun concept, and I love the idea of seeing it back on our screens with a fresh twist.

In this reboot, Mark Feuerstein will reprise his role as Dr. Lawson, and he'll executive produce. As of now, no other original cast members, including Paulo Costanzo, Reshma Shetty, Brooke D’Orsay, Ben Shenkman, Jill Flint, and Campbell Scott, are attached to return, but things could always change.

Lenchewski, who also served as writer and EP on the original series, is returning to write and executive produce alongside Michael Rauch, who was a writer, director, and EP on the USA show. Rich Frank is also returning to executive produce the reboot, which is set several years after the original, with Hank searching for a new purpose in life as he embarks on his biggest project yet.

Why Suits LA Makes Me Cautiously Optimistic For This New Reboot

Considering the success of Suits and Suits LA, it’s not surprising that NBC would want to try another reboot. Since Suits LA features a whole new cast, led by Stephen Amell, and takes place in a different city, it’s like a whole new show sprinkled with a bit of Suits here and there.

Overall, it is nice to have the franchise back up and running again, especially for those who are fans of legal dramas. It also helps that the series' creator, Aaron Korsh, is behind LA, some OG Suits stars have been returning, and some big reveals came with the return of Gabriel Macht's Harvey Specter.

I've thoroughly enjoyed this new take on Suits and its connections to the original series. Now, Royal Pains has the chance to do something similar with Feuerstein and the show's creative team returning.

Personally, I'd love to see Hank in a totally new place working on new issues that have the potential to connect to the original series.

That being said, reboots, revivals, and spinoffs can either be a hit or a miss, no matter what the show is. Since Feuerstein would be leading the Royal Pains reboot and it’s serving as a continuation of sorts, that could work in the show’s favor. However, it'd also be fun to see them take a page out of Suits LA's book and introduce us to a bunch of new characters, too.

Since this Royal Pains reboot is only in development, there is no telling if it will actually ever be picked up to series. And if it does, we'll probably have to wait a while to watch it. Unfortunately, the original show is not streaming on any platform. However, you can get a taste of the USA Network to NBC pipeline by watching Suits LA on NBC or with a Peacock subscription.

After Suits’ record-breaking resurgence in 2023, thanks to those with a Netflix subscription, the USA Network legal drama has found new life. New spinoff Suits: LA will be premiering on the 2025 TV schedule on NBC, bringing new characters and plots to the Suits universe and even bringing back Harvey Specter himself. Since Gabriel Macht is briefly returning and other cast members have expressed interest in potentially returning, could there be a return of the OG Suits in movie form?

Suits ran for nine seasons, from 2011 to 2019, and as its streaming resurgence proved, fans certainly seem to want more. However, just because fans want it doesn’t necessarily mean it should or will happen, at least with another fully episodic season. Creator Aaron Korsh gave Entertainment Weekly a silver lining of hope about the flagship characters, while saying it's still very, very early in the process. As he pu tit:

Suits ended with Harvey and Donna getting married and deciding to move to Seattle to work with Mike and Rachel. And there’s really no better ending for them, so it’s hard to imagine how a new season would go, how long it would last, and where it would be set. But with a movie, fans could catch up with their favorite characters for a more limited span to check in, which would be just enough to keep fans satisfied.

That being said, even though fans would probably much rather have a Season 10 so they are with their favorite characters for much longer, it might not be plausible, which is why Suits: LA is coming out. Korsh shared his take on doing a new show as opposed to another season, and the possibilities are endless when it comes to expanding the Suits universe.

Suits: LA will be taking place in the City of Angels, of course, at an entertainment law firm, starring a new crop of lawyers played by Stephen Amell, Josh McDermitt, Lex Scott Davis, and Bryan Greenberg. It should be fun to see their new characters and fall in love with them, and see who else from the original show has the possibility of showing up.

Since it seems like another season of the original Suits won’t be happening, people will have to settle with the new series. At the very least, a movie could still happen, but there’s no telling who it would include and what it would center on if it eventually happens in the future.

Suits is streaming on Netflix and with a Peacock subscription, so fans can always rewatch all nine seasons whenever they want. Plus, Suits: LA will be hitting NBC starting on February 23, which is certainly better than nothing.

2024 has been a landmark year for the WWE, and fans have praised the company's vast majority of changes in "the Triple H era." Unfortunately, it was clear from the start that Monday Night Raw's switch back to two hours would be met with complaints, and they were indeed flowing online during the first shortened telecast.

Monday Night Raw has been the highlight of WWE's massive year and equally as important as many Premium Live Events. Unfortunately, people aren't so jazzed about what upcoming WWE events look like with the two-hour iteration of the show kicking off, but there's a chance the company can change that.

WWE Fans Were Unhappy With The Rampant Commercial Breaks During Monday Night Raw

Those who watched the latest Monday Night Raw on USA Network had a major bone to pick with the amount of advertising wedged into the shortened episode. A lot of exciting things happened on the show, so it's telling that comments like this on X were among the most popular showing up under the hashtag:

• THESE FUCKING COMMERCIALS MAN - @JuniorYEAH2
• RAW is only 2 hours, but we're still getting the same level of commercials and those filler video packages.Some things never change. - @EliteClubS0B
• At this point we might as well watch their highlights only & wait for their PLE matches especially w/ this 2 hr #WWERaw full of commercials. - @iFollowSP0RTS
• RAW is only 2 hours long but we’re still getting 5 minutes commercials every 3 minutes. Netflix can’t come soon enough. - @voltzsz
• Fitting a 3 hour shows worth of commercials into 2 hours is definitely a choice. - @mpol_mike

As someone who watches WWE regularly, I would say that while the action felt a little light, the ad breaks felt more akin to the average episode of SmackDown. Many have also complained about the Friday show's runtime for a while, noting at one point that the Bloodline segments alone took up over half of the show.

I will concede that USA Network cutting away from Cody Rhodes and Gunther's staredown before they were even fully set was painful to watch as the ep closed out. I hope the company will find a way to make the show feel less rushed, and this won't impact the setup for PLEs still to come.

How Long Will Monday Night Raw Be Two Hours?

Monday Night Raw began two-hour shows on October 7th, and USA Network confirmed they will continue airing with this runtime until the end of 2024, when NBCUniversal's contract for the show expires. Monday Night Raw will then move to Netflix, which will presumably get the back catalog of Raw on streaming when it leaves Peacock. We know that SmackDown will remain on USA Network, and wrestling fans can stream previous episodes with their Peacock subscription.

The answer to whether the wrestling show will remain two hours when it is available with a Netflix subscription is still unclear. Paul "Triple H" Levesque was asked about the runtime at the press conference following Bad Blood and said the following about it:

Triple H's answer gives me the impression that there are still discussions with Netflix regarding the runtime of Monday Night Raw, or maybe the show is sticking with the two-hour format. If it were returning to three hours, I would imagine he'd say that to appease the critics of the runtime, though he's not beholden to sharing all internal company conversations with the media.

For now, Monday Night Raw continues its two-hour run on USA Network on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. As the show rolls on in the wrestling world, head over to our 2024 TV schedule to see what else is on tap for this fall television season.

The season premiere of Monday Night Raw was a more eventful night than in past years, with some big matches and even bigger announcements. Some particularly huge news arrived about the rest of its run on the USA Network, and it has me concerned about what's in store for when the WWE show finally moves to Netflix in 2025.

The company dropped some big news that is scheduled to begin with the Monday Night Raw on Monday, October 7. As mentioned on X, the show will run from 8:00 p.m. ET at its normal time but will now conclude an hour early at 10:00 p.m. ET. That's right, two-hour Raw episodes are coming, and I am concerned about what that means for upcoming WWE events.

Taking An Hour Away From Raw Will Have A Massive Impact On The Show

I recently wrote about eleven superstars who I feel the WWE is not giving enough time to because the main roster is the strongest its ever been, and while that's a good problem to have, there's hall of fame-level talent sitting on the sidelines on SmackDown and Monday Night Raw because there are just not enough segments to go around.

I feel this is an even bigger problem on SmackDown, where the storyline with the Bloodline faction can take up a large chunk of the show. It's deserved and the biggest wrestling storyline in years, but it takes up so much time the show doesn't even get its other champions in the ring on some weeks.

I can easily see the same thing happening on Monday Night Raw, with Judgment Day's current feud taking up about an hour of screentime per show. Again, it's deserved, but losing an hour means that there will be less time for up-and-coming stars to prove themselves and less time for veterans to come out and wow the audience and show they still got it.

It's a bummer, but for now, it's only in effect for 2024. It's possible that this is just a decision the network made that the WWE has to live with until it can jump platforms, but I'm worried it's bigger than that.

I'm Worried This Time Change Is A Soft Launch Of The Permanent Time Change On Netflix

My biggest fear is that when Monday Night Raw comes to Netflix, it will remain a two-hour program. Granted, we still don't know a ton about what the show will look like when it makes the switch to streaming, but I can already say I dislike the idea of getting an hour less of WWE wrestling a week.

Let's not forget that we have to see John Cena face off against superstars during his retirement tour. While I'm pumped for all upcoming John Cena events in 2025, it ultimately means even less time for storytelling for other superstars already working week to week on television right now.

I'm excited to watching Monday Night Raw with my Netflix subscription when the time comes, but the thought the show may be shorter than I've been accustomed to for years leaves a bad taste in my mouth. We're already getting fewer matches at PLEs when we tune in with our Peacock Premium subscription, and now it just feels like I should expect fewer matches across the board. I don't like that, so I'm remaining optimistic that this is just a change that will occur to close out the USA Network era of the show and that Raw will be back to three hours in 2025.

Monday Night Raw remains on USA on Mondays beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm more eager than ever to hear some details on what the new look of the show will be, and hoping all my current concerns are put to rest soon.

We're in the middle of Big Brother Season 26, and The Traitors was just granted a big renewal, so many reality game show fans are having a ball at the moment. That's especially true on the heels of the premiere of yet another big show on USA Network that takes elements from both of those shows plus The Circle and turns it into yet another can't-miss game: The Anonymous.

With a cast that features contestants ranging from Big Brother Season 23 winner Xavier Prather to the "oral sex guy" from Netflix's documentary on Fyre Fest, they're just the icing on the cake. The Anonymous shines on its intriguing gameplay, which has the potential to entertain fans for many seasons. As someone who took the time to check it out in between streaming Big Brother, here's why I highly recommend it.

The Anonymous Taps Into Big Brother's Social Element By Having Contestants Live Together

The dormitory-style living situation in The Anonymous reminds me of Big Brother, as all the contestants are living in this picturesque house waiting for their next competition. The challenges are more collaborative than Big Brother, but there's definitely some gamesmanship in setting yourself up for success and making a case to diminish the contributions or efforts of others once you're in private.

For that reason, I'm reminded of Big Brother rather than The Traitors or maybe Survivor. In The Anonymous, you're playing the game on multiple levels at all times and have to be polished on all fronts, or you're likely headed home. Those who aren't playing the game will be eliminated quickly, which has me excited about this show's potential.

The Anonymous Takes The Circle's Digital Gameplay And Kicks It Up A Notch

The Anonymous hails from the same people responsible for The Circle, so if you watch and think the A.I. interface and chat looks very similar, that's why. Half of the episode features the contestants in isolation, using a chatroom in which their identity is only identified by an image they select in private upon entering the room. Everyone might have their guess on which player is behind each image, but there are no guarantees.

As some who have been online know, people can be a lot bolder when speaking anonymously. Such is the case of The Anonymous, in which contestants are doing everything they can to paint a target on someone's back and prevent others from discovering their identity.

After a healthy round of smack talk, everyone attempts to guess the identities of each picture. The person with the least number of correct guesses will be informed that they are "Anonymous" and have the power to eliminate anyone in the game that round who received at least one vote. That's a huge advantage, given they can take out anyone from the least voted or most, so there's plenty of incentive to ensure no one finds out your true identity.

It's similar to The Circle, which I once called a great Big Brother substitute, but it takes it all a step further. All of these contestants must then return to living together after all these intense conversations, and as one may guess, it can get heated. Paranoia runs rampant early, and all of a sudden the friendly vibes are out the door. It gets cutthroat quickly.

Overall, I give the thumbs up to The Anonymous, and think it'll become one of the best new reality shows – if not the best – in the 2024 TV season. Assuming reality television fans can pry themselves away from all the shows they're currently enjoying, this one is definitely worth a watch.

Catch The Anonymous on USA Network on Mondays at 11:00 p.m. ET. It'll be a show worth setting the DVR for, if you don't stay up that late, but let me say that I will be up and watching future episodes given what I've seen thus far.

The early 2000s was a boon mini-era for reality TV and all manner of unscripted programming in the U.S., from Jackass to Big Brother to American Idol to dozens of other mainstream hits. One of the more undersung creations during that stretch was Syfy’s Scare Tactics, the only show on TV where the point was to make someone dampen and darken their pants in fear, all for the comedy! Now, Jordan Peele is utilizing his horror and comedy expertise to resurrect Scare Tactics for 2024 audiences.

That’s right, this year’s audiences. This isn’t some lofty pipe dream that audiences will need to wait on for ages. The latest take on Scare Tactics will premiere on USA Network during the Fall 2024 TV schedule, and it’s being called “an audacious reimagining of the popular prank series.” If Jordan Peele is behind it in any capacity, it’s going to take a new approach to whatever the subject matter might be. In this case, it’s making someone believe they’re caught up in an alien encounter or a serial killer’s warpath, among other terrifying situations.

With Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions behind it, Scare Tactics gives unwitting subjects a chance to appear in their own horror movie of sorts as they participate in what they believe are normal situations, only to have everything get twisted around when they least expect it. It’s hard to compare it 1:1 with similar shows like Punk’d or Candid Camera, because it really is all about the turns when things turn horrific. Such as it goes in the classic clip below.

It’s not clear at the moment if Jordan Peele will serve as the on-screen host when Scare Tactics debuts, or if he’ll remain a behind-the-scenes creative. But with Monkeypaw behind it, the quality will no doubt match up with past productions such as the instant “best horror movie” candidates like Get Out, Us and Nope, not to mention USA and Syfy’s current horror fan-fave Chucky.

OMG, can we expect to see Chucky himself show up on Scare Tactics in some way? Maybe HE could be the host. All the potential…

Calling it an “all-time favorite hidden-camera show” amongst the studio’s staff, Monkeypaw President Win Rosenfeld described the new show as such:

As someone who generally doesn’t enjoy the vast majority of prank shows, Scare Tactics always spoke as much to my horror fandom as anything, given how impressive the production design and effects would be for each of the scenarios. Plus, there's that catharsis he mentioned, where participants come out the other side of the experience a bit upset, but also possibly having achieved at a new level of relief than they've ever felt.

Scare Tactics began back in 2003 on Syfy, with Season 1 hosted by the late Shannen Doherty, and Season 2 fronted by Stephen Baldwin. Tracy Morgan took over as host in later seasons. In 2017, Blumhouse TV was announced to be developing a reboot, but it doesn't appear anything came out of that.

A show whose resurgence is always welcomed via streaming or a Jordan Peele-produced reboot, Scare Tactics will arrive on USA Network this fall.

There is truly no other TV detective quite like the titular hero of Monk — creator Andy Breckman’s hit dramedy which ran on USA from 2002 to 2009. The police consultant is blessed with a remarkable ability to notice little-seen details that help him solve a case faster than the average investigator but also cursed with many obsessive-compulsive tendencies that make everything else in his life a challenge.

Having earned him three Emmy awards, Adrian Monk is widely considered to be the definitive role of Tony Shalhoub, who would reprise the character alongside most of the Monk cast in the Peacock original movie, Mr. Monk’s Last Case, in 2023. If you are curious about what else these actors have been up to since the original series ended, take a look below.

Tony Shalhoub (Adrian Monk)

Following his acclaimed eight-season run leading the Monk cast, Tony Shalhoub reprised his role in Pixar’s Cars as Luigi in two more feature-length adventures and also lent his voice to producer Michael Bay’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies as Splinter and Apple TV+’s Central Park in dual roles. He was also a regular on a few short-lived live-action series — namely We are Men and BrainDead — before finding success with his Emmy-winning role on Amazon Prime’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as Abe Weissman.

Before showing a glimpse at Adrian’s life post-Covid in Mr. Monk’s Last Case, he showed a glimpse at his life during Covid in Peacock’s The At-Home Variety Show and, in 2024, reunited with John Turturro (who played Adrian's brother, Ambrose) in a dystopian podcast drama called It Happened Here 2024. Shalhoub has a movie from director Shane Black in post-production called Play Dirty.

Traylor Howard (Natalie Teeger)

Playing Natalie Teeger — who provides Monk with much-needed help on cases and in every other aspect of life — is Traylor Howard, who previously found small screen success on the sitcom Two Guys and a Girl. Also, in the same year she joined the Monk cast, the actor starred in one of the least beloved sequels of all time, Son of the Mask.

As she told co-star Jason Gray-Stanford on The Randy Disher Podcast, Howard stepped back from acting after Monk ended to spend more time with her children, but would also reprise Natalie in the aforementioned Mr. Monk’s Last Case and The At-Home Variety Show.

Bitty Schram (Sharona Fleming)

Before Natalie was hired to mind Monk, the task was held for three seasons by Sharona Fleming — played by Golden Globe nominee Bitty Schram, who was previously best known as Evelyn Gardner (the right fielder that Tom Hanks’ Jimmy Dugan scolds about “crying in baseball”) in A League of Their Own.

After leaving the Monk cast — reportedly due to the USA Network’s decision to “go in a different creative direction” (via Today) — the Schram took on guest roles in shows like Kitchen Confidential and Ghost Whisperer and movies like 2016’s Moment of Clarity, which is her final acting credit to date. While she would make a guest appearance in Monk’s final season, she was missing from the Mr. Monk’s Last Case cast.

Ted Levine (Capt. Leland Stottlemeyer)

Before playing Leland Stottlemeyer — captain of the San Francisco Police Department’s Homicide Division — Ted Levine was best known for playing one of cinema’s most frightening serial killers, Jame “Buffalo Bill” Gumb in the Best Picture Oscar winner, The Silence of the Lambs.

However, after Monk ended, cop roles became a notable recurrence in his career — such on FX’s The Bridge and TNT’s The Alienist — when he wasn’t playing more bad guys like Ken Wheatley in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, that is. Levine more recently reprised Stottlemeyer in Last Case, joined the cast of the new horror TV show, Mayfair Witches Season 2, and has an upcoming 2025 movie called Starbright.

Jason Gray-Stanford (Lt. Randy Disher)

Stottlemeyer’s sometimes absent-minded and mistake-prone partner, Randy Disher, is the best-known role of Jason Gray-Stanford. The actor has done everything from voice acting to podcasting in his 30-plus-year career, which also includes appearing in the Oscar-winning A Beautiful Mind with his friend, Russell Crowe.

Highlights of his post-Monk career include guest appearances on series like Justified and The Boys and movies like Earth to Echo and an underrated horror movie called Summer of ’84. Gray-Stanford — who underwent a heart transplant in 2020, according to People — recently appeared on Disney+’s Percy Jackson series and in Season 2 of NBC’s The Irrational.

Emmy Clarke (Julie Teeger)

In the recurring role of Natalie’s daughter, Julie, we have Emmy Clarke. She previously made her acting debut in 2003’s HBO movie, My House in Umbria, which she followed with 2006’s Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus.

In 2014, she starred opposite Jeffrey Tambor, Will Forte, and Megan Mullally in Apartment Troubles and, in 2020, reunited with Jason Gray-Stanford by lending her voice to an episode of The Strange Adventures of Gravemind the Warlock — a web series created using footage of World of Warcraft play.

Melora Hardin (Trudy Monk)

The one case that haunted Monk for most of his career was the tragic murder of his wife, Trudy. She was portrayed in flashbacks and some fantasy sequences by Melora Hardin, who also appeared in one episode as an actor posing as Trudy for a sting operation.

The actor is even better known today for her recurring role in NBC’s The Office cast as Jan Levinson and as Jacqueline Carlyle on Freefrom’s The Bold Type. Reprising Trudy in Mr. Monk’s Last Case was also her most recent screen credit but, in 2024, she starred in the Broadway play, McNEAL, and has told The Sun that she is open to reprising Jan in a feature-length Office spin-off.

Stanley Kamel (Dr. Charles Kroger)

As Monk’s longtime therapist, Charles Kroger, we have Stanley Kamel, who unfortunately succumbed to a heart attack at the age of 65 in 2008. His career started in the late 1960s with guest appearances on shows like Mission: Impossible before landing a starring role on Days of Our Lives and guest appearances on classic crime shows like Kojak and Columbo, to name a few.

Kamel also had recurring parts on both Melrose Place and Beverly Hills, 90210. He also starred in movies like Tony Scott’s Domino in 2005 and the terrifying David Lynch movie Inland Empire the following year.

Needless to say, we continue to be obsessed with the Monk cast.

Matt Bomer has been all over the large and small screens alike over the last decade, ranging from the Magic Mike film franchise and – most recently on TV – Showtime's Fellow Travelers limited series, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award. Despite all of that success, however, some fans remember him best for his six seasons as Neal Caffrey on White Collar opposite Tim DeKay. I spoke with Bomer about his career, and he shared some fan feedback that makes me want a White Collar revival in the 2024 TV schedule more than ever.

I spoke with Matt Bomer at SCAD TVfest in Atlanta, where he was honored with The Hollywood Reporter's Trailblazer Award. Looking back at his career, I asked the star what he hears most often from ride-or-die fans of White Collar. He said:

White Collar ran for 81 episodes over six seasons on USA, from 2009 - 2014. Matt Bomer starred as a con artist and thief Neal Caffrey who agreed to consult with the FBI to lessen his prison sentence, with Tim DeDay co-starring as Special Agent Peter Burke. All six seasons are currently available streaming with a Hulu subscription and free with ads via Amazon's Freevee. The show isn't available for Netflix subscribers at the time of writing, but if fellow USA series Suits' success on the streamer is any indication, White Collar could crush on the platform.

While the show didn't run for as long as Suits on USA, White Collar is another classic from the network's prime scripted era, and a project that would certainly be fun to see adapted into the 2020s. And it's not out of the realm of possibility! Back in November 2023, prior to SCAD TVfest, Bomer told TVLine that there was "very legitimate talk" about bringing White Collar back, although "a lot of things need to fall into place."

We can only wait and see if White Collar will return with new episodes, and that time can always be spent by rewatching the six seasons of the series. You can also check out Matt Bomer's most recent TV venture: the period drama Fellow Travelers, telling the tumultuous love story between two men that began during the Lavender Scare of the 1950s.

Bomer was an executive producer as well as star opposite Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey. When I spoke with him at SCAD, he shared why Fellow Travelers was a better fit for a TV adaptation than a movie adaptation of the novel of the same name:

Fellow Travelers is available streaming with a Paramount+ subscription at the time of writing. All in all, there's no shortage of content starring Bomer to enjoy while the wait continues for news on a new White Collar, including multiple Ryan Murphy shows, Doom Patrol, and The Boys in the Band as well as the Magic Mike films.

Monday Night Raw was as electric as many expected it to be, as fans showed out in full force for Cody Rhodes, the man many believed was robbed of a major moment at WrestleMania 40. Surprisingly, the WWE legitimately acknowledged the 72-hour stretch when #WeWantCody trended on social media, and even leaned into the movement in a few key ways. The wrestling organization seemingly wants to work toward giving fans what they want, which makes the latest update on Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Roman Reigns so confusing. 

Recent reports pointed to the WWE locking in The Rock vs. Roman Reigns well before the decision to have Cody Rhodes win the Royal Rumble, and now another baffling report has surfaced. I'm left scratching my head and wondering what's in store for upcoming WWE events assuming this rumor is true, especially given what transpired on the Feb. 5 edition of Monday Night Raw. 

Cody Rhodes And Other Superstars Respond To #WeWantCody Movement

The WWE was ready for wrestling fans in St. Louis to be disruptive while making their feelings known concerning Dwayne Johnson usurping Cody Rhodes for a match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Commentator Michael Cole made note of fans booing The Rock, and Drew McIntyre and others directly questioned why Rhodes opted not to "finish the story" at the big event. Sami Zayn also had some touching words to share, speaking as a superstar whom the fans rallied behind last year: 

We even heard from the man himself, Cody Rhodes, who finally acknowledged the scores of fans rooting for him on the Internet with a tweet hinting that everything will come out in the wash.

Cody's tweet is cryptic, and we could take an  entirely separate post to decipher what it could mean. The only thing we know for sure is that the WWE is willing to lean into the #WeWantCody movement, and even build an angle toward it. This makes the next bit confusing, as reports surface about the official plan for WrestleMania 40. 

The Latest Report On The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns At WrestleMania Has Me Confused

A new report from PWInsider Elite (via Cultaholic) has reported that, despite the WWE leaning into fans pushing for Cody Rhodes, the plan to have The Rock finally face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 has not changed. It's alleged a "done deal" and possibly something tied into his contract when he joined the TKO board of directors. Much like how Dwayne Johnson gained full ownership of his nickname, a stipulation that he be the main event of WrestleMania might've also been worked in there. 

If there is no getting out of this showdown between The Rock and Roman Reigns, then why is the WWE leaning into the #WeWantCody movement? Is there a plan to somehow place Cody into the match with the two of them, or maybe the WWE is just trying to appease fans while it works in the background to try and come up with an alternate solution? Unfortunately, we still have more questions than answers, as Rhodes still hasn't decided who he'll challenge at WrestleMania 40. 

More answers will likely come during the WrestleMania 40 press conference, which begins live from Las Vegas on Thursday, February 8th at 7:00 p.m. ET. Those who can't attend the free event in person will be able to watch with a Peacock Premium subscription, and anyone who's invested in this story absolutely should. 

Meghan Markle may be mostly known as the Duchess of Sussex these days but, all the while, many TV viewers still remember her for her role as Rachel Zane on Suits. (That’s arguably in part because the show has become a hit with Netflix subscribers as of late.) The long-running USA legal drama – which Markle left after getting engaged to Prince Harry – essentially put her on the map as an actress. While she’s moved on to other endeavors, she still seems to keep in touch with a number of her castmates. That includes her TV dad, Wendell Pierce, who recently touched on the status of his relationship with Markle. The veteran actor also weighed in on the trolling the royal gets online. 

On the USA series, Wendell Pierce played the recurring role of Robert Zane, with whom Rachel has a complex and sometimes complicated relationship. The bond that Pierce has with Meghan Markle in real life, however, seems to be quite different. Page Six caught up with the 60-year-old actor at the National Board of Review Annual Gala, where they spoke to him about his on-screen daughter. During the chat, Pierce revealed the last time he saw her and it wasn’t as long ago as you might think: 

One would think that the Duchess appreciated those sentiments, especially given how much scrutiny she can receive from the general public on occasion. She and Prince Harry, who tied the knot in 2018, have been criticized both individually and collectively over the past several years. For instance, both she and Harry were slammed for making a docuseries about their lives. Media personality Bill Simmons even called them “fucking grifters” after their Spotify deal concluded (with the two only completing one project by the time it was dissolved). 

Like so many of us, Wendell Pierce is definitely conscious of the backlash that his former co-star receives from time to time. The actor was asked if it’s hard to see whenever Meghan Markle is critiqued. When discussing that aspect of her life, Pierce explained why he thinks Markle is able to weather any storms that come her way: 

Despite the fact that she is chastised here and there, Meghan Markle does seem to have her share of admirers, aside from those who’ve worked with her over the years. That may be part of the reason why Suits was dominating on Netflix in 2023 and broke streaming records. That buzz arguably led to a new show being greenlit, which will not be a revival but will be set within the OG show’s fictional universe. Rumors have been swirling around Markle and her potential involvement in the production. The chances of it happening seem slim right now, but a PR expert believes the casting would generate major buzz. 

At present, the Duchess seems content with the life she has with Prince Harry and their two kids, Archie (4) and Lilibet (2). I’d imagine that Wendell Pierce (who is also far from confirmed for the show) would be down to share the screen with his former co-star as well. Yet, even if that doesn’t happen, his recent sentiments suggest that he’ll continue to support his fictional daughter however possible.

As the 24th season of NBC’s The Voice kicks off without former judge Blake Shelton, the country music/TV competition superstar is keeping busy. Though he’s not going to be judging this next crop of hopeful singers, Shelton does have another returning series that’s bringing him back to the airwaves sooner than you’d think. What’s even more exciting is that he’ll be facing off against wife/former co-worker Gwen Stefani in the process, with the battlefield looking absolutely wild. 

This November USA Networks will debut Season 2 of Barmageddon, a rowdy game show that actually takes place at Blake Shelton’s Nashville bar, Ole Red. With celebrities like Kelly Clarkson, Ice-T, and Michelle Rodriguez taking part in the recently released lineup of competitors for the second season, the bar games are about to get pretty competitive. 

Now, with Shelton and Gwen Stefani slated to compete against each other early on in the roster, this sounds like it could redefine the phrase “a very special episode. Of course, you don’t have to take our word for it. Season 2 of Barmageddon has a trailer that shows off the smiles, and the trash talk, between this lovely couple: 

Praising its series as the network’s “most-watched unscripted freshman series in almost three years across all platforms,” USA is keeping Blake Shelton in the NBCUniversal family. While Reba McEntire’s recent debut on The Voice has kicked off another new era of judging talent, loyal viewers still miss the man who helped make the long-running series what it is. No one can blame them, as Blake’s exit came after judging all 23 rounds that came before this year’s Season 24, leaving behind so many memories in the process.

Though reports have hinted towards Blake Shelton’s relief about his departure, it’s safe to say that the man was never going to stay away from the cameras for long. Through Barmageddon’s good-natured competition, and Blake being able to hold court through musical performances in the series, it sounds like a good fit for the former reality judge.

Now the battle lines are drawn, with Shelton v. Stefani potentially going down as one of the most fun episodes of any recent game show. The good news is that if you're hotly anticipating this Barmageddon blow out, you won't have to wait too long for its arrival.

Barmageddon Season 2 starts the party again on November 13th, and you can see Blake and Gwen square off on the second episode, set to air the following week. If you want to get acquainted with the previous season of shenanigans, a Peacock subscription is all you’ll need to step up to the bar. Though don’t let that stop you from discovering more delights on the 2023 TV schedule, as there are still plenty of thrills to come over the next couple of months.

The ride of SmackDown airing on Fox was fun while it lasted, but the WWE is once again shifting its long-running Friday night program elsewhere. The good news is that the Roman Reigns-led show has already found its new network, so to speak. But while that's cool and all, there's a mention of primetime specials I think we have to talk about. 

As mentioned, SmackDown is headed to a new home, though not exactly one that longtime fans are unfamiliar with. USA Network will now be the home of SmackDown, which now shares a home with Monday Night Raw and NXT. Deadline reported the deal will kick off in October 2024, as well as the news that NBCUniversal will produce four specials a year meant for primetime airing on NBC, presumably not on Monday or Friday nights. What exactly is being planned for network TV with the WWE? 

The details weren't laid out in the announcement, but this wouldn't be the first time that the WWE has aired special programming on NBC or other networks. One of the most popular examples of this would be WWE Tribute To The Troops, which is a yearly pre-taped program in which WWE Superstars face off for soldiers at a military base and other locations. Past events have featured big names like Kid Rock and even The Muppets.

The WWE could certainly produce similar specials for holidays where programming is light on NBC, such as the holiday season. As a longtime lover of WWE's Christmas episodes of Monday Night Raw and SmackDown, I would love for that to shift to a primetime special the mainstream audience can enjoy. For those that have zero idea what I'm talking about, there are plenty of iconic WWE holiday moments one can revisit right now with a Peacock Premium subscription. 

Another option would be continued documentaries on some of its superstars, many of whom are well-remembered by a mainstream audience of millennials who watched the WWE in their youth. One current example would be the Peacock docuseries Angle, which chronicled the highs and lows of Olympic gold medalist and WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle. The story of Angle's journey and struggles with addiction on the way would be enough to captivate any primetime NBC audience, even if they aren't as invested in wrestling as others. Take a look at the trailer below: 

It's even possible that the WWE is considering running actual primetime live events in an effort to pull even more fans into this golden era of wrestling. The WWE is now under the same umbrella company as the UFC, which is known for airing Fight Night cards in primetime on Fox, which supplement its regular monthly PPV events. Obviously, there are a lot of options on the table for what the WWE and NBC can plan, and I'm excited to see what is coming our way in the coming years of this partnership. Who knows, maybe we'll even get that Real Housewives spinoff with Ric Flair he talked about earlier this year. 

SmackDown will begin its run on USA Network beginning in October of 2024. For now,  though, those looking to tune in to see if Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will return again can check out the show on Fox on Fridays beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET. 

Legal drama Suits may have ended on USA after nine seasons back in 2019, but the show had a resurgence in popularity this summer via streaming thanks to viewers with Netflix subscriptions. It has been crushing on the streaming service for more than a month now, and at the time of writing is ranking as the #1 show in Netflix's Top 10 TV list that is not a Netflix original. That said, Suits is also available for Peacock Premium subscribers, and the NBCUniversal streamer is now officially the home of Gina Torres' spinoff, called Pearson, as well.

And the time is right! A reboot of Suits seems unlikely in light of what Suits creator Aaron Korsh has said despite new fans clamoring for the show to return, with a former executive producer sharing his less-than-encouraging two cents as well. So, any fans who have already binged through all the episodes available on Netflix may want to head on over to Peacock for Pearson! In some exciting news, Peacock announced that it is now the only place for viewers to stream the entire franchise: all episodes of Suits and Pearson alike. 

Pearson debuted back in 2019 as a starring vehicle for Gina Torres, after being set up on Suits in Season 7 prior to Torres' departure. Torres, who explained why she wanted to get her own spinoff, portrayed her popular character after Jessica relocated to Chicago from New York following her disbarment. Her new place in the dirty politics of Chicago as opposed to her longtime New York law firm meant that she had to evolve in the Windy City.

Torres' co-stars included Bethany Joy Lenz, Morgan Spector, Chantel Riley, Simon Kassianides, Eli Goree and Isabel Arraiza, with Suits actors D.B. Woodside, Gabriel Macht, and Rick Hoffman appearing as guest stars. 

Unfortunately, Pearson ran for only one season of ten episodes before being cancelled by USA and earning a spot on our list of the most disappointing TV cancellations of 2019. Interestingly, while the Season 1 finale (and ultimately series finale) of Pearson aired one week before the final episode ever of Suits, the spinoff wasn't cancelled until October. So, it wasn't until after the Suits series finale that the Suits franchise was finished, seemingly for good. 

Is it possible that a resurgence of popularity via streaming could result in Pearson being rescued for another season, even years after it originally ended? It's a nice thought (especially as the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes continue to keep new content from being produced), but Gina Torres hasn't exactly been idle since the Suits spinoff ended in 2019. 

After a series of guest appearances in shows like Westworld and Riverdale as well as voice work in projects including Elena of Avalor and The Legend of Vox Machina, she joined the cast of 9-1-1: Lone Star in a lead role. With Lone Star set to return to Fox for Season 5 at some point after the strikes are resolved, it seems that fans of Jessica Pearson shouldn't get their hopes up too high for a second season. 

There's no reason not to enjoy Pearson streaming on Peacock, though! With the 2023 TV schedule empty of some of its usual fall options, the time is right to explore some past shows that are available in full.

At this point, many actors and show creators out there can attest to the reality of the concept known as the “streaming bump,” which refers to a newfound reign of popularity when a project arrives on streaming for the first time. (Or when it returns after a long absence.) Most recently, the former USA legal drama Suits has been absolutely tearing it up on Netflix (and Peacock), and literally set a Nielsen streaming ratings record, so the question now is whether Patrick J. Adams and Gabriel Macht will be brought back as Mike and Harvey for a revival season. 

Suits has been part of Peacock’s streaming library for a while now, but rejoined Netflix as “new” content in June, and has remained a major fixture on the site’s Top 10 TV Shows list. To the point where fans streamed the show for a combined 3.1 billion minutes across both Netflix and Peacock, marking a record total for an acquired series. Quite a feat for a series that wrapped up its nine-season run three years prior. With viewers no doubt hoping anew for the series to find new life in some way, shape, or form, executive producer Gene Klein spoke with TVLine about the heightened spark of interest, and while there are no dedicated plans in place to bring the show back, he said there’s a general sense of understanding that a call could come at any point. In his words:

While it’s easy for those of us outside the Suits producer team to say things like, “Someone should bring the show back for a new season,” it’s an entirely different and exceedingly more complicated process to actually pull such a feat off. Especially regarding the context of Suits itself, considering the casting changes that took place in the later seasons. 

As fans no doubt recall, Gina Torres’ Jessica Pearson bowed out of the flagship drama in the middle of Season 6, and returned later to lead the one-season spinoff that shared her surname. And then both Patrick J. Adams and Meghan Markle exited as Mike and Rachel at the end of Season 7, though Adams did return in a recurring capacity for Season 9. They were replaced in part by a pair of other TV drama vets in Dulé Hill and Katherine Heigl, and it would be wild to see a revival season bring together all five of the aforementioned actors into one storyline. 

But that’s probably the hardest part of it all, as Gene Klein implied it’s far from a guarantee that the show’s stars would be up for returning, all things considered. Here’s how he put it:

One has to wonder if Meghan Markle returned for a new season of Suits on Netflix if it would help her get more projects off the ground at the streaming service as part of her overall deal with husband Prince Harry. She hasn’t shown much interest in returning to scripted acting in such a large capacity, but we shall see. Also, it’s hard to know if Netflix would be the one to actually fund more episodes, since the series falls under NBCUniversal, whose execs would no doubt be interested in porting that massive audience over to its own service. 

For any Netflix viewers curious about why the show may end strangely, that’s because not all of the episodes are available there. The ninth and final season is currently only available to stream with a Peacock subscription, so that’ll all you need to see how the series ended the first time around.  

It’s been a tough few months for the Chrisley Knows Best stars, as Todd and Julie Chrisley have been serving time in prison for bank fraud, tax evasion and other crimes. Their daughter Savannah has been especially candid about her feelings surrounding their legal battle, their treatment in prison and how the family has been dealing with their absences. As reports continue to circulate regarding the state of Todd and Julie’s marriage and how they are handling their circumstances, Savannah addressed the people spreading “nasty” rumors about her parents.

Mother’s Day appeared to be a rough one for the Chrisley family, with Julie Chrisley four months into her seven-year prison sentence. Savannah Chrisley posted a tribute on Instagram to the What’s Cooking with Julie Chrisley star that served as a tribute to the matriarch as well as a statement to the naysayers who are predicting that the reality TV stars’ marriage won’t withstand the separation. The caption on Savannah’s post read, in part: 

Todd Chrisley will serve more time in prison than his wife, as he was sentenced to 12 years. That’s a long time to be separated from your spouse, especially after they’d apparently not gone a day without speaking to each other over the course of their nearly 30-year relationship. Savannah Chrisley, however, has all the faith in the world that her parents can and will overcome these difficult years and be stronger because of it. 

Her sentiments were backed up by brother Chase Chrisley — who dropped a white heart emoji in the comments — as well as Lindsie Chrisley, Todd’s oldest daughter with ex-wife Teresa Terry. Lindsie also spoke to the strength of Todd and Julie’s relationship, commenting:

Savannah Chrisley is strong in her belief that her parents’ marriage will survive this time apart, but she hasn’t ignored the reality of the situation they’re in. Following a recent visit to her mother’s prison in Lexington, Kentucky, the Unlocked podcast host spoke at length about how much Julie Chrisley misses her husband since they don’t get to talk. In the 30 to 40 days’ worth of letters Julie wrote, Savannah said, “I don’t think there’s a single letter that goes by that she does not say how much she misses my dad.”

The podcaster has been vocally critical of the criminal justice system, and her concerns regarding how communication is prohibited between family members comes amid reports that Julie Chrisley has “broken down” and is not doing well as she serves her time. The Chrisley Knows Best mom allegedly cannot fathom being in that situation for years to come and is losing faith in the appeals process. Hopefully the visits from Savannah and other members of her family can provide some comfort. You can see her daughter’s Mother’s Day tribute in full below: 

Hopefully the family can continue to lean on each other during this turbulent time. As the Chrisleys may have another reality show in the works, the family wrapped their 10th season of Chrisley Knows Best in March. The first nine seasons of their USA show can be streamed with a Peacock subscription. 

Much of the entertainment industry is currently in shutdown mode due to the WGA writers strike, with hundreds of scribes and supporters picketing in L.A. and New York. The list of TV projects being affected is growing, with delays derailing future seasons of hit shows such as ABC’s Abbott Elementary and Showtime’s Yellowjackets, and viewers are no doubt wondering how widespread the strike issues will be for programming outside of traditional small-screen dramas and comedies, such as WWE’s Monday Night Raw and the pro wrestling world at large.

Thankfully, the organization’s big boss man — no, not that one — was able to address the issue in the best way possible, confirming upcoming WWE events will not be directly affected by the writers strike. While on a call about quarterly results for the company (via Deadline), Nick Khan directly explained why this sector of the wrestling industry will be moving forward unencumbered, while also expressing his support for the creators fighting to make themselves heard. In his words:

That should come part and parcel with a big sigh of relief from wrestling fans, since we might be in for a summer of repeats and imports by way of fictional content on TV and streaming. Monday and Friday nights will continue to bring in new wrestling fans with Raw and SmackDown, and it doesn’t sound like the pay-per-view schedule will be affected, either.  

In this way, the WWE is similar to the Fox News talk show Gutfeld!, which is perhaps the only late night talk show that released a new episode on Tuesday evening. The Greg Gutfeld-hosted series reportedly also doesn’t boast any WGA members among its writing staff, putting it in stark contrast to broadcast fare like The Tonight Show and The Late Show. (One of Jimmy Fallon’s staffers called the host out for not showing more support for his Tonight Show writers, who will now reportedly be paid through the first two weeks of the strike.)

I’m intrigued to see if any former WWE Superstars who made the transition to the acting world attempt to come back to the ring if they’re unable to move forward with other projects during the strike. Probably not someone like The Rock, who has roughly 7,000 projects in his To Do pile that likely also aren’t affected by strike updates, but there’s at least a possibility that some former faves will return to live shows and pay-per-views in a limited capacity. (Whether or not A&E’s Stone Cold Takes on America will face delays, I’ll still just blindly hope for his next return anyway.) 

Nick Khan's Update On WWE Negotiations With NBCUniversal And Fox

During the earnings call, Nick Khan dug into the business side of things, laying out lots of financial and stock-centered stats while also talking about the impending merger with the UFC under parent company Endeavor. (To that end, Khan foresees zero issues with corporate oversight, pointing to the lack of pointed changes in Dana White's MMA company after Endeavor took over.) But arguably the more pressing issue for TV viewers involves WWE's ongoing negotiations with its small-screen homes at USA, Fox and Peacock.

With Raw and SmackDown ratings on the up and up in March and April, surrounding the buyout news, one might think neither NBCUniversal nor Fox would balk at continuing the relationship. But in a week where high-rated Fox hit 9-1-1 was shockingly cancelled and picked up by ABC, despite 9-1-1: Lone Star not being part of the move, nothing anymore can ever be certain. Khan did claim the conversations with both corporations have been "productive," and continued by saying:

While splitting away from Fox would be unfortunate, SmackDown would be the only main issue, while a break away from NBCU would affect not just Raw's home at USA, but also the pay-per-vews and thousands of hours of content currently only available with a Peacock subscription. Hopefully that deal can be worked out as easily and quickly as the stipulations and requests surround the WGA strike. 

Savannah Chrisley has been an advocate for her parents (and their critics) through their ongoing legal battle. Both Todd and Julie Chrisley were incarcerated earlier this year, but the show must go on. After recently opening up about being in talks to do another Chrisley show, she also got candid about TV versus real life, and opened up about not being happy that she had to keep quiet about what was going on legally when Chrisley Knows Best was still on the air. 

In November of 2022, Chrisley Knows Best was canceled by USA parent company NBC following the outcome in the trial that found Todd and Julie guilty of bank fraud, among other charges. In the time since, Savannah Chrisley has continued to be open about her parents’ battle in her Unlocked podcast, and new details keep emerging about what her life has been like under a microscope.

Speaking to entertainment personality and radio broadcaster Storme Warren, the two talked about the face you put on on the air compared to your real personality.  It was during the episode the 25-year-old star opened up about how hard it was filming their previous USA show when all of the legal stuff was going on-- mostly because the network reportedly wouldn't let her comment on it.  

While Chrisley didn’t call out USA Network specifically, the show she’d grown up on, aka Chrisley Knows Best, did air on the cabler. She said that when things cropped up that were personal or real, including her parents’ recent legal battle, she was told that wasn't the type of thing that was good for TV. In her eyes, this sort of suppression of her real personality has led to real "trauma" and it's something she's seen over and over again in the industry. 

Savannah Chrisley also opened up about “so much hurt” she endured as a kid on TV, mentioning that she’d moved from home at 17 because she felt like an “old soul.” She also admitted she doesn’t really “remember being a kid.” Now, she shares her truer self and real revelations on her Unlocked podcast, though that occasionally gets her into a bit of hot water. This happened recently when she made some bold claims about the prison mom Julie is locked up in. 

As noted prior, all of this hasn't deterred her from TV as a whole, but we'll have to wait and see what happens next. If another reality show comes calling, it sounds like she'll want to have more of a say regarding what is and what isn't discussed. And that may include Todd and Julie's ongoing efforts to appeal.

The Chrisley family may currently be in the midst of troubling times, be it emotionally, mentally, physically or otherwise — though not spiritually, to be sure — but it looks like a burst of good news has been bubbling up. The family’s long-running reality show Chrisley Knows Best is in the midst of its tenth season on USA, despite seeming as if it'd been cancelled ahead of Todd and Julie Chrisley serving their respective prison sentences, but it sounds like daughter Savannah is spearheading a new project that may not be following in its predecessor’s exact footsteps.

In the latest episode of the podcast Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley, the host and TV star was all smiles throughout thanks in part to fan favorite guest Nanny Faye (who was just as verbally free-floating and Nanny-tastic as could be) showing up, not to mention appearances from li’l Chloe. But beyond that, she also dropped the unexpected news that a new TV project is being ironed out, and she confirmed that interest is already there. After Chloe make a joke about Nanny Faye fronting the next show, Savannah Chrisley followed up by saying: 

After which, the conversation took a turn into other topics, keeping fans waiting for more info. Thankfully, though, that extra info did indeed arrive a little while later, with Nanny Faye sharing that she's absolutely ready to get back into the filming process. According to Savannah:

Nanny Faye then offered up a bit of gold by way of pitching the show concept as Chrisleys Bounce Back, which the podcast host took too immediately, embracing what it could represent, saying:

To that end, she said the new show would embrace the same vibe of Chrisley Knows Best in the sense that it will feature the family as a unit enjoying each other's company. But she did speak to the idea that, because the family wasn't in charge of how things were handled on the production side, that its reality/comedy balance maybe wasn't the ideal they were reaching for. 

However, the new project will 100% fall onto the "reality" side of things, even with genuine moments of humor threaded through, and will seemingly bring to the small screen the details and viewpoints that Savannah Chrisley has talked about on past episodes of the podcast. In her words:

In saying many production companies and networks are interested in a new Chrisley project, she seemed to imply that USA wouldn't be the future home, and that it won't be tied to any streaming services. (Chrisley Knows Best is available to stream with a Peacock subscription, for those interested.) But until information is officially revealed, it's anyone's guess where and how things will play out. 

The podcast episode also spent some time addressing the negativity that the family members have faced regarding comments made about Todd and Julie Chrisley. Savannah, who clapped back at American Idol's Bobby Bones for his publicized take on things, has repeatedly voiced her belief that her parents will come out on top of this situation, despite their convictions, and has put her faith into the justice system as the appeals process continues.

Here's hoping future episodes of Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley have even more details when they drop every Tuesday. 

Savannah Chrisley has been really open about all of her feelings and some of the tumult related to her famous parents’ arrest, trial and, ultimately, imprisonment on a slew of fraud-related charges. In Todd and Julie Chrisley’s absence, Savannah will be taking charge of her brother Grayson and niece Chloe. She’s also working through the process of coming to terms and dealing with anger over what happened. Now in a new post, she says she’s trying to “trust the process.” 

Savannah Chrisley took to her Instagram Stories account to share what looks to be her fridge and morning coffee. The fridge itself is covered in Bible verses about “peace” and “strength.” Against those messages about moving forward, Chrisley shared a look at her morning cup of Joe, which reads “trust the process.” 

This is a big change for the star, as Savannah has been extremely open about her feelings in recent weeks. In fact, just a few weeks ago she was speaking with her mom ahead of her imprisonment. In the podcast chat, Julie actually seemed to be in a reasonably good place with her seven-year sentence and then-looming incarceration. She actually said on the “Unlocked” podcast that her legal troubles “put things into such a perspective for me and so I think it can do either, harden you, or in my case, it did the opposite.” On the other hand, Savannah said she had felt only anger after her parents’ legal troubles.  

Savannah's parents were convicted last year of a variety of offenses, including being found guilty on charges including bank fraud and tax fraud. After the Chrisley Knows Best stars asked for leniency, Todd Chrisley was sentenced to 12 years in prison while his wife got seven. She's serving her sentence in the same prison in Kentucky where Cheer offender Jerry Harris is also serving time. Todd, on the other hand, surrendered himself to a prison in Pensacola, Florida. 

The Chrisleys spent their last few days of freedom with the family and running errands before they both entered the prison system on January 17. As for Savannah, she's been open about trying to "take it as it comes" as she adjusts to her new reality. Meanwhile, the Chrisley Knows Best stars' lawyer has been bullish about their appeal prospects and Savannah's "trust the process" mug also seems to be a nod to that, along with working through her own feelings.

On Tuesday, news broke that instead of going to FCI Marianna in Florida, which would have put her nearish her husband Todd, Julie Chrisley was to be housed at Federal Medical Center Lexington, a prison in Kentucky. This revelation led to rampant articles and speculation about possible medical treatment. Given Chrisley had a well-documented battle with breast cancer, the rumor mill ran a bit wild, but we've learned the sudden prison shift reportedly had nothing to do with the reality star’s health. 

On Tuesday, news broke that instead of going to FCI Marianna in Florida, which would have put her nearish her husband Todd, Julie Chrisley was to spend her sentence at Federal Medical Center Lexington, a prison in Kentucky. When the news broke it led to rampant articles and speculation about whether Julie was sick, perhaps prompting the change in location. 

Those who were following the Chrisley Knows Best couple before the recent trial and sentencing may already know that Julie Chrisley was fighting breast cancer for an extended period of time. First diagnosed back in 2012, she took medication for the condition for nearly a decade. It was only last year that docs said she could wean off the medication and move forward with her life. 

Chrisley had admitted during an episode of "Chrisley Confessions" that taking medication for so long had led to medical issues, mainly weight gain, pain and brain fog. She had trouble remembering things while taking the breast cancer meds and found that lack of control to be "scary." She ultimately announced she came off the medication in March of 2022. 

Still, given her past history with cancer, I suppose it's easy to see why people might have been curious about the prison shift.

What's Actually Going On With Julie's Prison Stint

According to a new report at TMZ, however, the matriarch of the Chrisley clan is doing just fine. The prison in question in Lexington does have the medical and mental health unit, but the outlet also reports it has a regular minimum security prison, where the reality star will be housed. The outlet did not determine why the move occurred, but it does seem that Julie will not be getting treatment at this time.

For his part, her husband Todd will still be spending his prison sentence at FPC Pensacola. Chrisley may have to "scrub toilets" or do other chores during his decade-plus stay. 

Ahead of this, Todd and his wife took it slow during their final days of freedom, running errands and spending time with several of their kids. Several of those children, including daughter Savannah and son Kyle, have been vocal with support as Todd and Julie start their 12-year and seven-year sentences, respectively. 

The Chrisleys had hoped to stave off entering prison this month, but their appeal was denied by a judge.

Time passes swiftly. Just a few weeks ago, Todd and Julie Chrisley were appealing their guilty verdict following bank fraud charges in the hopes they might be able to avoid or at least delay jail time. Their lawyer was optimistic after filing an extension to hopefully keep them out of jail for an additional 21 days, but a judge denied the Chrisleys’ appeal and today they start their respective sentences. So, how did they spend their last weekend of freedom?

Turns out running errands and spending time with the family were both on the docket. According to reports, some of these activities were more on the mundane side; Todd Chrisley, for example, paid a visit to the post office. In addition, the Chrisley Knows Best’s matriarch spent the weekend with her daughter Savannah and her mother, Pam Hughes. They were seen by The Daily Mail out shopping for furniture and groceries and stocking up.

Heading into the weekend, Todd and Julie were also seen out for one last meal with Todd’s Mom Faye Chrisley. Their daughter Savannah and niece Chloe were along, as was their grown son Chase and his fiancée, who were engaged back in October. The news comes after Lindsie Chrisley had candidly said the Chrisley Knows Best stars were “living every day like its [their] last.” She said they've been enjoying "the moment" with their kids, and it seems like that's how they spent this last weekend, as well.

Both Todd and Julie Chrisley had been expected to be spending their prison sentences in Northwest Florida, but those plans have somewhat changed. Todd will still serve his time at a minimum security prison in Pensacola, FPC Pensacola. Julie, on the other hand, will be spending her sentence at Federal Medical Center Lexington. She was initially expected to be housed near Todd at Federal Correctional Institution Marianna, but was shifted to a facility allowing for medical and/or mental health care in Kentucky, instead.

Both are due to surrender themselves by noon ET on Tuesday, January 17. 

How Long Will Todd and Julie Chrisley Spend In Prison?

Unlike some other celebrity couples, Todd and Julie Chrisley will be serving their sentences simultaneously, which is different from what happened to other reality star Teresa Giudice and her husband, Joe. (In that case, one parent stayed at home while the other spent time in jail and then they flip-flopped upon release.) This means that Savannah Chrisley will be taking on the care of her teenaged brother Grayson and her niece, Chloe. 

As for the sentences? Todd will be serving the longer sentence of the two, as he was sentenced to 12 years in prison on varying charges, including bank fraud, tax evasion and more. While in prison, Chrisley may have to scrub toilets or take on other tasks of that ilk. 

Julie Chrisley, despite also being charged with wire fraud and obstruction of justice, will be serving a seven-year sentence. Her husband had asked for leniency in her sentence given her caregiving role. Todd had literally said Julie “should not be punished" with a sentence that was similar to his and a judge complied. 

Despite the prison reporting moving forward, the Chrisley family is still fighting the verdict. On Tuesday ahead of his reporting, Todd posted a video he captioned "fight the good fight."

We’ll keep you updated as soon as both reality stars settle in and nab a release date.

Two Chrisley Knows Best stars have been making headlines for months as their bank fraud case moved through the legal system. Todd and Julie Chrisley were eventually found guilty and then sentenced on multiple charges, and while they are in prison they’ve left behind a wake of custody questions and feelings among their family members. Now, their daughter Lindsie Chrisley has spoken out about the impact the trial has had on her personal life. 

In a new podcast, Lindsie opens up about some of the experiences she has faced since the arrests of her dad Todd and her stepmom Julie. Among these are things like seeing comments online or crude memes made about her dad Todd. However, she also noted one memorably obnoxious encounter she dealt with in person when a loud woman in a restaurant decided to air exactly what she thought about the Chrisley Knows Best stars.

Per Lindsie, she and her son were out at a pizza place and trying to have a good night when she felt her “heart just drop through her butthole” as a woman nearby started sharing her thoughts about the sentencing. She said on the Coffee Convos podcast:

Lindsie, who is the daughter of Todd and his ex Teresa Terry, said she ‘hung her head’ and didn’t plan to engage. She wasn’t in the most positive place mentally after Todd and Julie’s sentencing on fraud charges “the day before.” 

Lindsie relived the entire story as she spoke, and went on to say the woman had a change of heart before the end of the night. In fact, she did come over and apologize, but she said incidents like this involving other people’s self-awareness have impacted her greatly over the last few months. She even noted she’s been “guilty” in the past of doing things to others that may lack self-awareness, but “through this I have definitely learned there is a time and a place for everything.” 

This isn’t the first time a Chrisley family member has spoken out about the side effects that come from knowing someone who is a part of a major news story. Savannah Chrisley also previously opened up about feelings related to the verdict and the reactions online and elsewhere about the situation. The Chrisley family's life has changed in recent months, but many of them have been candid about the situation, including Todd and Julie themselves. 

What Fans Should Learn From The Chrisley Knows Best Situation, According To Lindsie

If there’s one takeaway that fans should absorb from the Chrisley situation, Lindsie said those individuals should keep kindness in mind. Noting that “people are going to post” and “do what they want to do” she also spoke about how she is a real person who hasn’t done anything wrong and who has “real” feelings about what happened. 

Coffee Convos airs several times a month and we’ll be sure to keep you posted if Lindsie gets candid about any additional situations she’s faced in the wake of Todd and Julie heading to prison. In the meantime, the Chrisley Knows Best stars are appealing the sentence.

It’s been a long week for the Chrisley family as parents Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced on a long list of charges including bank fraud. Meanwhile, one of the big questions fans have had after the Chrisleys were found guilty back in June was: What’s going to happen to the two kids the Chrisleys were caring for before and during the course of the trial events? As it turns out, big sister Savannah is stepping up. Following the sentencing, she also responded on social media. 

What’s Going On With Custody Of Grayson And Chloe Chrisley?

First and foremost, I think the question most people had following the Chrisley Knows Best trial had to do with Grayson and Chloe. Grayson is Todd and Julie’s 16-year-old son (yes the Chrisley son who also got into a pretty rough car accident the same week as the sentencing came down.) Chloe is Todd and Julie Chrisley’s grandchild, whom they were awarded custody of in 2016. 

In an episode of her podcast, Savannah Chrisley did reveal “I have custody of a 16-year-old and a 10-year-old.” The reality star recorded her “Unlocked” podcast before her parents were ultimately told they would be serving 12 and seven years, respectively with probation for 16 months afterward. Their daughter candidly opened up to her fans saying she was “not that excited” to be recording, but also that she felt she needed to set the record straight about what was going on.

First off, she noted her parents would be appealing after sentencing. She will be taking custody of the two younger people and it is a big responsibility for her. In fact, she noted the “hard part” was having a solid foundation and feeling like she always had her parents there for support. For Chloe and Grayson, with Todd and Julie Chrisley in jail, there’s a whole lot more uncertainty. She said: 

The 25-year-old star opened up about "fear" and how her dad was the one who was able to come and comfort her in recent months. Her parents will reportedly be starting their tenure in prison in January of 2023. The Chrisley's former accountant Peter Tarantino will start serving a prison sentence next May. 

How Savannah Chrisley Responded After Sentencing

While the podcast was recorded before sentencing, Chrisley did take to her Instagram story to post a quote after the ruling on her parents broke widespread. 

Her comments echo what she’s said in the past about her family during this time. She's spoken about how the Internet has been brutal to the Chrisley family ever since news broke the reality stars were being investigated. Savannah Chrisley has said that since she worked with her dad closely, she was able to turn off the comments on his Instagram. She eventually nabbed her mom’s phone and shut them off as well, so they wouldn’t have to deal with so much negativity at home. Meanwhile, Savannah got really emotional during the podcast episode and asked Internet users to lay off her family. 

Savannah Chrisley isn't the only family member to open up emotionally following the family's legal troubles. Todd Chrisley previously admitted that he's been "struggling" but also revealed his marriage and family life is in a good place. The Chrisleys plan to appeal the verdict, and we'll keep you updated regarding what comes next. 

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Snake In The Grass episode that aired on Monday, August 29th. Read at your own risk!

Snake In The Grass had a very riveting episode in which fans saw veterans of Big Brother and Survivor go head-to-head. In the end, Janelle Pierzina, Rachel Reilly, and Cirie Fields managed to out Stephenie Kendrick (formerly LaGrossa) as the Snake, and went home with a split prize of $100,000. While other players conceded it was hard to sniff her out initially, her former Survivor co-star Fields said she wasn’t fooled by Kendrick’s deception from the very start. 

Cirie Fields and Stephenie Kendrick have both played Survivor several times, but only once together. The Season 20 Heroes vs. Villains veterans know each other quite well, and Fields told CinemaBlend that was exactly what made it so obvious that Stephenie was the Snake. While it might’ve taken the Big Brother players longer to figure things out, Fields said she had her former friend pegged from the jump: 

Cirie Fields might be the victim of one of the unluckiest Survivor tribal council meetings of all time, but she’s also considered one of the greats for a reason. Whatever Fields may lack in physical prowess, she more than makes up for in being observant and strategizing. Fields spotted Stephenie Kendrick was acting off from the very start, and as much as Kendrick might’ve tried to throw her off the trail, it didn’t work. 

With that said, Stephenie Kendrick didn’t establish herself as one of Survivor’s greatest players by folding when the chips were down. In fact, Kendrick tried just about everything she could to sway her fellow contestants that she wasn’t the Snake, going so far as to swear on her children that she wasn’t the Snake. I asked Kendrick about the moment and what was going through her head at the time and she told CinemaBlend: 

Stephenie Kendrick did just that and gave a performance worthy of some of the most heated tribal councils in Survivor. It might’ve worked on other players new to reality television, but given Rachel Reilly is one of Big Brother’s most memorable winners and Janelle Pierzina is good at speaking her mind about other players and sniffing out deception, perhaps Kendrick never really had a shot. Kendrick did tell CinemaBlend that even if Cirie Fields hadn’t pegged her from the start, the final clue the team received was pretty obvious, so she might’ve been doomed either way. 

Snake In The Grass is a game in which four contestants attempt to complete various challenges over 36 hours in the jungle, all in an attempt to expose the Snake among them. Each challenge completed means another clue about the Snake is revealed, so they’re incentivized to sabotage the challenges in whatever way they can. Should the Snake elude discovery at the game’s end, they’ll go home with $100,000, but if the others out them, the Snake leaves with nothing, and the other three contestants split the money. 

Snake In The Grass airs on USA on Mondays at 11:00 p.m. ET. Those who tuned in to see the amazing women of Survivor and Big Brother in action will definitely want to see their many performances in those other games, which are available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.

USA’s Snake In The Grass is bringing some legends from Big Brother and Survivor into its game. Big Brother’s Janelle Pierzina and Rachel Reilly will duke it out alongside Survivor’s Cirie Fields and Stephenie Kendrick for a shot at some big prize money. Snake In The Grass is a game of challenges and strategy, but how does it measure up to the iconic CBS shows these women played? 

I spoke to the contestants ahead of the premiere of their Snake In The Grass episode and wanted to know how their experience differed from the gameplay seen in Survivor as well as Big Brother. Cirie Fields, a 4-time Survivor player and widely regarded as one of the greatest to ever play the game despite never winning (and getting super unlucky one time), pointed to the short amount of time and the fact that one player is secretly working against them from the jump as a major difference:

Should the “Snake” manage to remain undiscovered through the entirety of the game, they’ll win $100,000. The other players have the ability to get clues about the snake by completing challenges, and should they discover their identity, will then split the $100k three ways. As such, it benefits the Snake to try and sabotage the challenges, though subtly, as to not accidentally reveal themselves. 

Fields is good at analyzing her performances in these sorts of games, and she pointed to the brevity of Snake In The Grass as a difference-maker. Janelle Pierzina echoed that sentiment. Janelle, who played Big Brother four times and had strong performances in many of those outings, hinted that a lot of her past experience in reality television went out the window when it came to this new game:

Big Brother is a game players have to feel out as it progresses, and Janelle Pierzina noted BB can change a lot from season to season, as she indicated to CinemaBlend. In the new show, with only 36 hours to discover the identity of the Snake, it’s hard to sit around and strategize effectively. With that said, Janelle has been a player who will be blunt and tell things as she sees it, so I’d imagine the Snake might want to avoid her at all costs. The same could be said for all of these women though, especially one of the most notable Big Brother winners of all time, Rachel Reilly. 

These reality show veterans are just the latest to join Snake In The Grass, as other notable Survivor alumni have participated as well. Winners Yul Kwon and Earl Cole have played, as have notable contestants Malcolm Freberg and Trish Hegarty. Naked and Afraid fans may also be interested as Jeff Zausch and Lacey Jones compete as well. This is a great show for reality TV fans to jump in on and see if their favorite players are just as adept at other games as well. 

Catch this special episode of Snake In The Grass on USA on Monday, August 29th at 11:00 p.m. ET. Those looking for more from these ladies following the episode would do well to pick up a Paramount+ subscription and see their greatest moments from Survivor and Big Brother. 

After they were hit with a federal indictment in 2019 on bank fraud, tax evasion, and other charges, Todd and Julie Chrisley finally had their day in court this past month. But the trial didn’t exactly go as planned for the two, as the jury found them guilty of all charges. In the wake of the shocking verdict, an insider spoke out about how the family is allegedly coping with it all.

The trial itself was already pretty dramatic on its own. Not only did the bombshell allegation of a gay love affair come out regarding Todd Chrisley from his former business partner, but that same partner (who also pled guilty himself to the touted crimes) alleged that the Chrisleys needed nearly six figures every month to keep up with their expensive lifestyle. However, according to a source for Us Weekly, none of the Chrisleys anticipated the verdict they got, saying,

Their sentencing is slated for October, but if the Chrisleys’ appeals don’t pan out, then they reportedly face up to 30 years in prison for their crimes. This poses a huge problem for the custody of the two younger children still residing at their home – a 16-year-old son and a 9-year-old granddaughter. It’s expected that family members will take the kids in if Todd and Julie Chrisley are not allowed to stagger their sentences by the judge at that time.

The reality TV couple’s older kids have evidently been stepping up big time after the guilty verdict. The source stated that Savannah, 24, and Chase, 26, are at their parents’ “beck and call” right now. This apparently includes running errands for them while they’re on house arrest until sentencing. Chase Chrisley was actually spotted bringing groceries to their house just earlier this week, per the Daily Mail.

Todd Chrisley’s older daughter from a previous marriage, Lindsie, is also offering her support these days. She broke her public silence on the matter via social media this past week, confirming that she had taken a week off specifically to be there for her family after the verdict. She had taken the stand during the trial and advocated for her father’s good character. 

But when the prosecution peppered her with questions about how she herself once contacted the FBI about her father (for allegedly blackmailing her with a sex tape of hers), the 32-year-old then apparently caught such an attitude on the stand that it prompted an outburst by jury members. The judge didn’t take too kindly to her responses either, but the source stated that the efforts on his behalf “meant a lot” to Todd.

Questions continue to linger, though, around the status of the family’s reality series, Chrisley Knows Best, and the older kids’ Growing Up Chrisley, both of which were greenlit by the USA Network for another season prior to the trial. The network is still moving forward with airing the second half of Season 9 this month, but Season 10 is reportedly up in the air. According to the Chrisley insider, everyone is at a loss with how to proceed:

They noted that Todd and Julie Chrisley being on home confinement “puts a huge wedge” between them being able to film as normal outside of their house in Atlanta. Obviously, the older kids and Nanny Faye aren’t likewise restricted, allowing them to do their normal bits for TV, but there’s also the issue of them probably not being able to talk much about the current circumstances so as to not affect the appeals process.

We’ll see how it all shakes out in the upcoming months. For now, it seems the Chrisleys are doing what they do best: showing a united front. Tune into the premiere of the rest of Chrisley Knows Best’s ninth season on June 23 on the USA Network as part of the 2022 TV schedule.

Todd and Julie Chrisley’s trial in Atlanta these past few weeks (over charges related to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, tax evasion and obstruction of justice) played out in rather dramatic fashion. While witnesses took the stand in the case, Todd was accused of having a gay love affair by a co-conspirator and his daughter’s testimony supposedly riled up the jury so much that they had an outburst in court. Yet the biggest bombshell was the eventual guilty verdicts brought down on the married couple on June 7. They plan to appeal the decision, but if they do end up in prison for their reported crimes, fans are wondering what will happen to the younger children who are currently in their custody.

Altogether, the family has four adult children (two from a previous marriage) and one younger son, 16-year-old Grayson Chrisley. The Chrisleys have also been raising their 9-year-old granddaughter, Chloe, in the wake of her father’s substance abuse issues. At the moment, Todd and Julie are out on bond until their sentencing court date in October, which could see them get as much as 30 years in prison. This poses a major problem for the future of Grayson and Chloe if their guardians are ordered to serve any such sentencing at the same time. In that possible outcome, former federal prosecutor David Haas told In Touch,

The legal expert noted that the court can take minors into account when imposing the sentencing of parents or guardians. All in all, there are no absolute guarantees about what could happen. If Todd and Julie Chrisley both have to go to prison simultaneously, then likely either Nanny Faye (Todd’s 78-year-old mother) or one of the older siblings will take over custody of the two younger kids.

The other possibility is that if they are given relatively short sentences, then Todd Chrisley might be allowed to serve his stint first, so Julie can still look after those kids, and then she would do her bid after he is released (or vice versa). We know of at least one other reality TV star case where this happened: the Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Teresa and Joe Giudice.

In 2013, the then-married couple faced similar charges as the Chrisleys of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. However, the Giudices ultimately decided to strike a guilty plea deal with prosecutors, where Teresa got hit with only 15 months in prison and Joe, 41 months. The courts allowed them to stagger their sentences due to their four young daughters at home, so Joe surrendered himself upon Teresa’s release after less than a year of prison time served.

There’s also the added complication of how the Chrisleys’ guilty verdict may impact their successful shows on the USA Network. The plan is for the rest of Season 9 of Chrisley Knows Best to still be released this month, but the tenth season that was greenlighted prior to the bank fraud trial is reportedly up in the air. Which, in turn, could mean a delay for the likewise greenlighted next season of the adult kids’ spinoff, Growing Up Chrisley. However, it may be the network will work around the situation, just as Bravo also did for Teresa Giudice during Season 6 and 7 of the Real Housewives of New Jersey.

To reiterate, though, Todd and Julie Chrisley’s circumstances are a bit different (which is to say more serious), considering they have been accused of defrauding banks of upwards of $60 million in the past in order to breakeven on their huge monthly expenses. We’ll keep you updated on the latest as the family awaits the formal sentencing.

Season 9 of Chrisley Knows Best premieres June 23 on the USA Network as part of the 2022 TV schedule.

It’s been less than a month since CBS shocked its audience base by cancelling the sun-soaked drama Magnum P.I. after four seasons, despite impressive and fairly steady ratings stats from year to year. The Magnum fandom sprang to action soon after the bad news went public, flooding social media with attempts to show other networks and streaming platforms how many people would follow the Jay Hernandez-starring crime drama if Season 5 happened elsewhere. Such efforts have culminated in the #SaveMagnumPI campaign taking over a digital billboard in the heart of Times Square, an impressive show of determination by all means. And not only did the billboard catch the eyes of Magnum P.I. stars, but its arrival also coincided with what could be a very positive update for those hoping Season 5 becomes a reality. 

Before getting into that update, let’s first check out how a pair of the drama’s stars felt after seeing the #SaveMagnumPI billboard. Perdita Weeks, who portrays Juliet Higgins, shared a pic of the billboard on Twitter along with a surprised and thankful message to the fans who made it happen. In her words: 

To Perdita Weeks’ point, while cancelled TV shows often spark some form of protest from those most disappointed in seeing them go away, the Magnum P.I. fandom is on a whole other level when it comes to size and scale. It’s basically on par with the endless For Your Consideration campaigns that networks are putting on to give their shows more Emmy love. But while I’m sure Magnum P.I.’s viewers would be fine enough with the show winning Emmys, another guaranteed season of episodes is what they’re truly after 

Another star who’s clued in on the #SaveMagnumPI billboard in Times Square is Zach Knighton, who plays the show’s Rick Wright. He also shared a shot of the digital promotion on Twitter with the following message: 

No word from Jay Hernandez as of yet, with some of his most recent posts still being his farewell messages following the cancellation, which received lots of love from fellow celebs and fans alike. But we can probably expect him to chime in soon, assuming he hasn't signed on for 3 more TV shows and his own Marvel film franchise by this point. 

A Promising Season 5 Update

As far as potential good news goes, Magnum P.I.'s shouldn't put all of their hopes into this basket, but the latest issue of Production Weekly (via CarterMatt) features a whopper of a detail. The trusted publication rounds up just about everything that's on the verge of hitting next big stage of the development process, and among the many film and TV projects awaiting film starts, Production Weekly lists "Magnum P.I. Season 5" between Magazine Dreams — the bodybuilder drama that only days ago revealed Loki star Jonathan Majors will play a leading role — and Mahalia!

The still-unconfirmed Magnum P.I. Season 5 is listed as being in Active Development, which would be amazing if true. That said, no networks or streaming services were listed in the issue, so it's hard to tell whether or not how talks have gone with NBCUniversal, which was rumored to be interested in bringing the crime drama to either NBC or USA. I can't imagine that would be a bad way to drive up Peacock subscriptions, either, but I can understand the desire to keep Magnum P.I. on linear TV.

While there's obviously no clear sign of where things will go from here, seeing "Magnum P.I. Season 5" in print somewhere (that isn't a fansite) is as promising a sign as we could hope for. The best case scenario is that NBC will put in a three-season renewal order before I'm finished typing this sentence, but that probably won't happen. Considering Jason Lee still gets questioned by fans about My Name Is Earl’s cancellation, which happened back in 2009, this could be quite a long journey for Weeks, Knighton and other stars if nothing ends up coming through. I can't help but believe that something will, though!

There are a lot of celebrity cases that have been playing out in court in recent weeks from Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's defamation trial to Josh Duggar's sentencing. Among these was the Chrisley bank fraud trial, which came with a slew of allegations, including alleged overspending and a gay love affair. One week after Todd Chrisley’s former business partner alleged he'd been involved with the Chrisley Knows Best star, his lawyer responded to the rumors during closing arguments. 

What Todd Chrisley’s Former Partner Said About Their Relationship In Court

In order to get to what was said during closing arguments, we first really need to dive into the courts over a week ago, when Mark Braddock, a former business partner of Todd Chrisley’s spoke out in court. Braddock said on the stand that he and Chrisley had an affair together and even paid off a blackmailer who allegedly was going to publicly rat them out. For Chrisley’s part in things, his lawyer said in opening statements that Braddock had been “obsessed” with the reality star and had lied about things, even perjuring himself.

Intriguingly, this isn’t the first time rumors about Todd Chrisley’s sexual orientation had rolled around. The Chrisley Knows Best star once openly addressed the rumors, calling them “flattering” during an appearance on The Domenick Nati Show but was seemingly fine with the curiosity the topic had generated, noting, 

He also said at the time that Julie, his wife since 1996, was “flattered” men were interested in him as well as women, joking he’d “never have a drought.” Then the bank fraud trial came around and the topic of his sexual orientation came up again. 

What Todd Chrisley’s Lawyer Said About The Rumors In Closing Statements During The Bank Fraud Trial 

To also note, Mark Braddock, again Chrisley’s former business partner, has been noted to be the person to originally turn the family into the FBI after being fired in 2012, though Todd has alleged their financial situation is due to Braddock. Allegations of bank fraud and tax evasion arose after the reality stars apparently took out loans to live an extravagant lifestyle and then used new loans to pay the old loans. 

Meanwhile, in closing arguments, Todd Chrisley’s lawyer painted a different picture. According to attorney Bruce Morris, the picture that Mark Braddock painted about Todd Chrisley, blackmail and an affair was “fantasy.” In fact, he went further to explain that Braddock has admitted to perjury in the past, and is the person responsible for yielding the documents to the government that seemingly implicated Todd and Julie Chrisley in the bank fraud scams. Bruce Morris is quoted as saying: 

The case gets even more convoluted as the Assistant U.S. District Attorney, Thomas Krepp, seemingly agreed in his own closing argument (via Insider) stating “you shouldn’t trust Mark Braddock,” who has also been accused of impersonating Todd Chrisley and others on the phone, as well as lying to the FBI. However, he argued the records regarding the Chrisleys and the bank fraud charges speak for themselves. 

Outbursts and viral moments at the Chrisley trial were notable, but the case commenced, and the jury went into deliberations on Friday. Todd and Julie Chrisley have been indicted on five counts of bank fraud, one count of tax fraud, and then single counts each of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to defraud the U.S.. If found guilty, they could face up to 30 years in prison. Todd and Julie Chrisley are well-known, having appeared on Chrisley Knows Best since 2014. 

Of all the many shows that are ending in 2022, whether by abrupt cancellation or something more planned out, the one sparking arguably the largest fan-based renewal campaign so far has surprisingly been the crime drama Magnum P.I. CBS pulling the plug on the Hawaii-set procedural so soon after its Season 4 finale immediately sat wrong with the show's fanbase, which has been quite vocal on social media about their collective hopes for another network or platform to pick the show up for a fifth season. And now that highly optimistic rumors are going around indicating Magnum P.I. could indeed return to audiences for new episodes, the fervor has only become more impassioned online.

As one of many network series that got the axe going into network upfronts presentations, Magnum P.I. almost immediately inspired widespread #SaveMagnumPI messages on Twitter and beyond, with fans calling for either CBS to reverse its decision or for the show to find a new home elsewhere. Less than two weeks later, rumors surfaced indicating the show’s production company Universal Television was putting feelers out for where Jay Hernandez could potentially pop up next in one of Thomas Magnum’s signature Hawaiian shirts. And it wasn’t much longer before more details emerged, with NBC and its sister network USA topping the list of potential future homes.

While nothing further has come out in the days since those reports spread around, Magnum P.I.’s fanbase has made it abundantly clear online that they’re very much into the idea of NBC or USA rising to the challenge of producing the drama’s fifth season. Doesn’t everyone deserve to smile more these days? This Twitter user likely agrees.

Given how stressful life can be in 2022 in particular, some Magnum P.I. fans definitely wish to revisit the show’s picturesque settings in all of their sun-soaked glory. 

And don't go thinking everyone in the Magnum P.I. fandom is only aiming to see Jay Hernandez returning to the title role all by his lonesome, even though he probably got the lion's share of celeb reactions following the show's cancellation. Rather, audiences are eager to see the entire fam back together again for new episodes, as this is a well-oiled and well-balanced crew that shouldn't be split apart.  

Even if past episodes can be rewatched in their entirety with a Paramount+ subscription, such facts aren’t stopping viewers from pushing for Season 5 to be manifested into reality. If not just for general enjoyment purposes, then for how Magnum P.I. appeals to military vets, diverse communities, and those who tire of consistently pessimistic and cynical storytelling. 

What’s more, those same fans are also extremely pumped to see their efforts being recognized online by way of “#SaveMagnumPI” becoming a popular trending topic in recent days, indicating the widespread positivity is making a mark in some way. Thousands and thousands of posts are being shared daily in the name of Thomas Magnum's TV return. It's obviously hard to know whether that'll be enough to fully convince other network execs to go all-in on a new season, but it certainly can't hurt.

It's unclear whether this and similar posts are legitimate or not, some fans are sharing an image alleging that a digital billboard in Times Square this week was a "Save Magnum P.I." promotion with a QR code on it. If true, then that's a pretty huge step in growing the campaign's publicity. And if not true, it's still not a bad way to spread the word. 

Though Magnum P.I. isn’t on it, CBS previously revealed its 2022 fall schedule, with a new series taking the cancelled drama’s former time slot. But should the crime drama get a renewal order somewhere, we'll likely still be waiting until 2023 for eps to air. 

The WWE has dealt with a lot of behind-the-scenes issues in the past year or so, paricularly when it comes to its female roster, but few have captured headlines as much as the walkout of Sasha Banks and Naomi. The former SmackDown tag-team champions reportedly walked out of the May 16 edition of Monday Night Raw, and the company announced during the following SmackDown that the duo are suspended indefinitely, and that their belts will be up for grabs in a tournament. Meanwhile, the conversation surrounding what’s going on with Naomi and Banks rages on, and the latest rumors don’t sound good for their futures. 

Whenever controversy arises with wrestlers outside of the ring, there are always fans wondering just how real the drama is. Even when the WWE released an official statement on the incident that occurred on Monday Night Raw, some speculated this was all meant to set up a big storyline in the near future. According to WrestleVotes, however, everything is allegedly very real, and it's reported that while the fans might be supportive of Sasha Banks and Naomi for what they did, the WWE management is anything but. 

If the statements made about Sasha Banks and Naomi on the latest SmackDown felt personal, it appears that it’s because there are people in WWE’s management who took the slight very seriously. It seems management isn’t happy about the actions taken by the former SmackDown women’s tag-team champions,  and that the powers that be behind the scenes are legitimately put off by everything, which doesn't exactly bode well for the athletes' futures.

The latest news on the Naomi and Sasha Banks situation came as viewers and fans began to notice that Naomi, who has been a part of the main roster since 2012, removed all mentions of the WWE from her Twitter profile. It was a curious move, and her alleged strife with the WWE is made all the more tricky and touchy given that she's currently married to superstar Jimmy Uso, who can currently boast being an undisputed tag-team champions alongside his brother Jey.

As far as what’s going on with Sasha Banks, she apparently decided to enjoy some time off over the weekend. Videos surfaced on Twitter of her with Snoop Dogg’s son Calvin dancing behind Steve Aoki at a concert:

Sasha Banks looks to be having a good time, and based on the rumors surrounding her and Naomi’s contract situation, it tracks that she wouldn’t be too worried about the WWE. The Masked Man Show reported both of their contracts will expire soon, and that both athletes were in negotiations over contract renewaals when the Monday Night Raw walkout happened. Provided that’s true, Banks and Naomi may be content with just waiting out the length of their contracts, so they can then legally attempt to find work somewhere else when the time comes.

It’s hard to believe the AEW wouldn’t fall over itself trying to grab a star like Sasha Banks, whom the WWE hasn’t utilized nearly as much as other top-tier female superstars like Becky Lynch in recent years. Meanwhile, Naomi is a veteran with a library of matches (viewable to anyone with a Peacock premium subscription) that prove she's a major draw within the pro wrestling world as well, so I’d agree there’s also much market value for her. Ultimately we’ll see where their cards fall in the coming days regarding their futures in the WWE, but based on the rumors, it doesn’t sound likely they’re setting up a happy-go-lucky return anytime soon.

Monday Night Raw airs on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. The show feels like must-watch television with all the drama as of late, so make sure to tune in and see what might happen. 

Trigger warning: the following story contains mentions of suicide.

For many years, the Chrisley Knows Best family has been making USA Network audiences laugh with their southern twangs and ways of life. But they've also had their share of difficulties, including several members of their family catching COVID-19. Of late, a situation happened involving Savannah Chrisley and her ex-boyfriend Nic Kerdiles, where he threatened to take his own life. However, the family are banding together and explaining why they felt it was important to speak out about the suicide attempt now.

On Instagram Live, Nic Kerdiles, Savannah Chrisley and her father Todd Chrisley showed a united front as they spoke about the incident. According to Kerdiles, he believes his suicide attempt was the result of mixing his medications (from a COVID-19 diagnosis) that have severe side effects with “a lot” of alcohol. He credits a friend who showed up in the midst of his “full blackout,” as well as the Chrisley family, for stopping him. The former National Hockey League player addressed viewers, saying,

Savannah Chrisley and Nic Kerdiles, who were once engaged to be married, broke up in late 2020. But according to TMZ regarding the suicide attempt, the Chrisley Knows Best star was present at the moment of her ex’s breakdown that was captured by a 9-1-1 phone call. Chrisley shared in the live that they all wanted to let their fans know that they are not alone in processing difficult emotions amidst the pandemic. She said,

The trio revealed that they hadn't planned on sharing Nic Kerdiles’ struggle but that TMZ’s “threatening” calls about the incident forced their hands. Savannah Chrisley stated that it was “heartbreaking” that Kerdiles wasn't allowed to “tell his story in his [own] time” due to their notoriety. However, her father Todd explained why it was actually a blessing in disguise, saying,

The scary situation involving Nic Kerdiles comes on the heels of several other incidents. Actress Regina King’s 26-year-old son died from suicide in January, as did Sinead O’Connor’s son tragically at age 17. Similarly, Cheslie Kryst, a former Miss USA and Extra correspondent, was also found dead from suicide last week. The Chrisley Knows Best stars coupled their own testimony with several statistics dealing with depression, suicide, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To watch the full video, see it here:

Thankfully, Nic Kerdiles stated that he is getting the support he needed to heal going forward. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “HOME” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org. 

Chrisley Knows Best is currently on a break following Season 9 and not on the 2022 TV schedule to showcase more of the family, and find the series streaming on Peacock. 

Alexa Bliss has had a wild 2021 compared to other wrestlers, and her story has been all over the place. She went from betraying her comrade Bray Wyatt to taking on what seemed to be potential title opportunities, and now in the aftermath of WWE's Extreme Rules pay-per-view, we're at the point where Bliss will reportedly take time away from TV soon. The move would be a surprising one, and if it turns out to be legit, I have to ask why that's the case.

The superstar’s latest match against Charlotte Flair could be a clue, as their feud centered around Flair’s allegation that Alexa Bliss had lost her way in the midst of a promising rise. Some WWE fans thought the match with Flair was Bliss getting a long-awaited shot at the Raw Women’s Championship, but the match's result and subsequent report from WrestlingInc.com could suggest the opposite. Flair destroyed Bliss’ creepy doll Lilly to punctuate the victory, leaving Bliss to weep over Lilly's remains before exiting the ring with them.

At first, the loss didn’t seem like anything too terrible, since beloved wrestlers lose all the time, and Charlotte Flair’s destruction of Lilly was completely on-brand for a heel. But with the as-yet-unconfirmed rumor that Bliss will be away from television for a while, one has to wonder if this means that WWE is now officially laying Alexa’s “creepy girl” gimmick to rest in order to revert her back to the sassy and less disturbed wrestler she was prior to it.

It’s worth noting that once Bray Wyatt was officially out of WWE, not very much about Alexa Bliss’ gimmick made sense contextually, considering Bliss tied her latest persona to the Sister Abigail gimmick first mentioned during the Wyatt Family stable’s run. Alexa has struggled to shake Wyatt’s gimmick from her persona and was jeered by crowds with “We Want Wyatt” chants in the weeks following his release from WWE. But it's not like everybody hated Bliss' efforts in recent months.

Alexa Bliss was a successful and popular wrestler before she got tied up in her current gimmick, so it’s not hard to believe she’ll be just fine without it. At the same time, the WWE and Bliss have made a point to mention Lilly dolls have sold well, and destroying the gimmick so soon would likely mean destroying revenue to be made with Lilly-esque merch ahead of the holiday shopping season. This is what has me back and forth on whether Alexa will shed her gimmick entirely, or if this supposed time away from television would be more to get audiences excited about her again.

WWE wrestlers take mini-hiatuses away from television all the time, so it’s also possible that Alexa Bliss may have been planning for a little vacation for a while now. Extreme Rules did take place in Bliss’ billed hometown of Columbus, Ohio, so it would be an excellent spot for her to hop off the tour and spend some well-deserved time off. But as we wait to see if and how the organization addresses this rumor, I also won't be surprised if Bliss pops up on Raw and the impending draft, with or without Lilly 2.0 at her side.

Monday Night Raw airs on USA Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more happening in the wrestling world, including why it seemed obvious that Roman Reigns wasn’t going to drop his title at the latest pay-per-view.

WWE champion and Monday Night Raw superstar Bobby Lashley has been pretty open about his desire to face Brock Lesnar in the squared circle, so when it was rumored ahead of SummerSlam 2021 that Lesnar would indeed return, fans were excited by the possibilities. Unfortunately, we were all denied a matchup between the two behemoths, with Goldberg taking on Lashley, and Lesnar appearing at the end of the pay-per-view to confront his manager Paul Heyman's new protégé, Roman Reigns. With Lesnar back, there's surely a chance he'll take on Lashley at some stage, but fans probably shouldn't launch up their hopes anytime soon.

There's a current not-so-wild rumor running around that has Bobby Lashley being set to square off against Goldberg in a rematch set for Crown Jewel in October. The report from WrestleVotes shouldn't come as a massive surprise to WWE fans, considering Goldberg reportedly has one more match on his contract before he's met his quota, and the WWE wasn't about to let him ride off into the sunset after Lashley attacked his teen son during SummerSlam. Plus, the Saudi Arabia-based PPV event often features high-profile talent from both in and out of the wrestling world, so having a sports-entertainment legend like Goldberg on the main card is a definite draw.

Of course, the Extreme Rules PPV in September will take place before Crown Jewel, but with Brock Lesnar already fresh off of calling out Roman Reigns, it would make little sense for him to switch to targeting Bobby Lashley in the weeks up to that event. That would mean the earliest we could probably see Lesnar and Lashley squaring off is Survivor Series in November, but considering the average length of a feud between marquee wrestlers, one would think Reigns and Lesnar would still be in the throes of their rivalry at that point.

Given Bobby Lashley's enthusiasm over facing off against Brock Lesnar, and his status as the WWE Champion, one may wonder why the WWE didn't book the two to fight at SummerSlam in the first place. Some alleged insight on that matter comes from Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Dave Meltzer, who claims Vince McMahon wasn't keen on Brock Lesnar losing upon his return. Consider it's been said for some time the WWE has a vested interest in building Lashley as a dominant champion, there really wasn't any way to appease both sides of that coin to make both Lesnar and Lashley winners in the match, so Goldberg was put in against Lashley.

As far as when Brock Lesner and Bobby Lashley could actually square off, it does only feel like a matter of time, relatively speaking. For now, though, it would make sense for Brock Lesnar to battle Roman Reigns, given their heated rivalry over the past few years. Bobby Lashley will likely get his shot to face off against Lesnar sometime before WrestleMania 38, or fans can wish it to be so, at least. Personally, I'd love to see a scenario where two "Paul Heyman Guys" control the biggest titles in the WWE, so here's hoping something like that could happen down the stretch.

Monday Night Raw airs on USA on Monday evenings at 8:00 p.m. ET. For more on the brand and its superstars, check out what Alexa Bliss had to say after someone on the internet made the mistake of criticizing her doll, Lilly.

The WWE is having a wild and unpredictable 2021, with lots of big changes happening both behind the scenes and in the ring. The company is still coping with financial losses suffered due to COVID-related setbacks, and has released a wide swath of superstars so far, including Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman and more. The latest superstar to reportedly make a WWE exit is one of pro wrestling's most iconic names: Ric Flair.

While one's instinct may be to immediately get buck about the WWE cannibalizing its talent-filled roster just as it's getting back to live shows and in-person pay-per-views, this doesn't appear to be one of the many cases where Vince McMahon & Co. come off as monstrous. According to WrestlingInc, the reason Ric Flair was released is because he specifically requested the exit at some undisclosed point, and it has reportedly now been made official.

Practically speaking, it's not necessarily a massive surprise that Ric Flair is bidding the WWE farewell for one reason or another. The last time he was part of a proper storyline was back in the first months of 2021 as part of a lurid romance with Lacey Evans, who took leave in February after announcing she was pregnant in real life, though not for Flair's love child. It was odd for Flair to bow out at that point, though he later spoke out against that particular story arc while talking with ESPN's Ariel Helwani back in May, saying:

Considering how Ric Flair has been in the business, if he still can't finagle his way out of an unwanted storyline, does anyone really have a shot at it? In any case, Flair is also 72 years old, and obviously doesn't have the ring presence and brawling skills he used to, though it's still fun to watch him take a few licks when the occasion calls for it. But if he's not being utilized for his stylin' and profilin' talents, then that's as good a sign as any that it was time for him to strut on out the door.

At the time of this writing, the WWE has yet to publicly announce Ric Flair's release similar to how it has announced other exits in the past. I doubt anybody out there had any big theories for how Flair was going to make a big splash at SummerSlam 2021 in the way that people theorized about John Cena's return, as well as that of The Rock, but I guess now we know that won't be happening. While waiting to see where Flair will pop up next, stay tuned to our 2021 Fall TV schedule to see what's coming around the bend.

Samoa Joe's release from the WWE earlier this year was shocking for fans, though it didn't take long for the company to reverse its decision in a logical manner. Following reports that Joe (real name: Nuufolau Joel Seanoa) took a job with WWE offshoot NXT, the wrestler appeared on a recent episode of Tuesday Night NXT as William Regal's enforcer-of-sorts to ensure the general manager is "respected" by others around him. The new role came with the explicit caveat from Regal that Joe can't be a competitor on the roster unless he's provoked, and given Joe's recent comments about a potential in-ring return, that day could come sooner than later.

Samoa Joe not only talked about his desire to get back into the ring on Out Of Character With Ryan Satin, but he surprisingly didn't hold back in specifically calling out some of the other NXT stars he'd like to get into the ring with. And Joe didn't hold back in running down the list, throwing some pretty heavy hitters into the mix as well.

In terms of potential opponents for Samoa Joe - and there are clearly more than enough to last for quite a few potential rivalries - it makes sense that someone like Karrion Kross is at the top of the list. Kross was present when Samoa Joe made his triumphant return in NXT, and the two stared each other down as William Regal hashed out the ground rules for how Joe would conduct himself in the NXT. The bottom line is it seems Samoa Joe and Karrion Kross are on a provocation-filled collision course, so it only makes sense the wrestler would promote a possibly marquee matchup like that.

The real question WWE fans may have is whether Samoa Joe's role in NXT is more meant to help build up the younger talent hoping to advance their reputations on the way to hopefully landing on Monday Night Raw and/or SmackDown's main rosters, or if those wrestlers are meant to be Samoa Joe's stepping stones as he attempts to make his own return to WWE's bigger brands. Maybe it's a little of both, considering Joe may have some ring rust after his extended time away from the action following injuries. If that's the case, getting some time in NXT will benefit all involved, regardless of who gets pushed early and who stays behind.

The truth of the matter is that Samoa Joe was considered a main eventer in the WWE ahead of his injury, and he remained popular in making a successful transition to commentator, so one has to wonder how long he'll stay in the NXT. At the same time, it could be equally beneficial for him to be among the veterans in NXT and coaching the next generation of talented athletes who could later make a splash on shows like Monday Night Raw. In either case, it sounds like Samoa Joe is ready to return to action, and if he's talking about it in podcasts, it might be a thing fans will get to witness sooner rather than later.

NXT airs on USA on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. As fans wait for Samoa Joe to make his way back into the ring, he's not the only one looking to make a return to the ring following a big injury. Read about the other WWE superstar allegedly planning a return and how that could shape the coming months here.

Former NFL star and podcaster Pat McAfee has been a part of the WWE brand in varying capacities over the years, but last Friday began his potentially long-lasting tenure as the official color commentator on WWE SmackDown. McAfee sat (and stood) alongside longtime commentator Michael Cole all night in the first installment post-WrestleMania 37, and helped to unwind and add depth to all the drama that unfolded following the two-night pay-per-view event.

The fan buzz surrounding Pat McAfee's performance was largely positive on the Internet, though the new full-time color commentator apparently didn't feel the same way about his own efforts. McAfee discussed his highly anticipated debut on The Pat McAfee Show and pointed out some of his observations after the big night.

As someone who already hears himself talk day in and out for a living, it's natural that Pat McAfee would be a little harsher on himself than the general WWE Smackdown audience and his own fandom would be. He was correct, however, that fans appreciated the infectious energy he brought and the fact that he stood during big moments in the ring. That's how you tell a fan from a faux.

As far as why something like standing during a match could get Pat McAfee in trouble, there are a couple of reasons why his hyped-up reaction could be frowned upon by top brass. It may be something as simple as it distracting the audience from what's happening in the ring, and possibly making them think McAfee is about to get involved in some way. Or maybe it has to do with camera angles and not being able to catch each of the commentators' faces on screen together. Commentators don't move too often during matches unless there's a chance the table they're behind may have a wrestler come crashing through it.

There's also a gray area in Pat McAfee's status in the WWE Universe. Wrestling fans may remember he transitioned from light commentary and analysis on NXT to an actual wrestler who feuded with Adam Cole. Of course, WWE is a performance sport where not everything that happens is fully planned from start to finish. So if a known heel wrestler takes McAfee's standing as a challenge and calls him out on it, McAfee would be on the spot and he could potentially do something impulsive and unplanned that derails a current storyline. Worst-case scenarios, to be sure, but still.

Though the WWE Smackdown appearance was Pat McAfee's debut as its full-time commentator, he had filled in on the program once before. McAfee was called in last minute to guest commentate an episode of Smackdown in 2019 when many WWE staff members were delayed during travels to Saudi Arabia following the Crown Jewel event. Obviously, the performance had a positive impact on Vince McMahon, as McAfee is now in the role for the foreseeable future.

WWE Smackdown airs on Fox on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET. For more on Pat McAfee, read up on the minor beef he got in with ex WWE superstar and current AEW mastermind Cody Rhodes about wanting a job.

Queen of the South is back for its fifth and final season on USA, and it definitely isn't going to simply recover old ground after how Season 4 ended for Alice Braga's Teresa Mendoza. The fourth season aired its final episode all the way back in August 2019, making the return for Season 5 a long time coming, but likely also a little bittersweet for fans as it marks the beginning of the end of Teresa's story. Fortunately, Braga has shared the new challenges for her character and the show overall in the fifth season.

Alice Braga spoke with CinemaBlend and other outlets in honor of the final season of Queen of the South at a recent press event, and she previewed the kind of action that is in store for viewers as Teresa truly takes her place as queen of her world in New Orleans. Considering how hard she had to fight to get to where she is, Teresa's place at the top is going to take some fierce defense (and probably some offense as well), and Braga shared:

Fans don't need to worry that Queen of the South will just deliver more of the same in the fifth and final season! The trailer already indicated that the final round of episodes is going to be intense, and Alice Braga confirmed a lot of action in response to the new challenges now that her character is the boss of everything. According to the star, those fans might not see all of what's coming either. Teresa may start on top, but can she stay on top?

For those who have been waiting for over a year and a half to see what happens next for Teresa, the process of getting the fifth and final season ready for its USA premiere wasn't an easy or smooth one. Alice Braga explained the particulars of picking up filming again after an unexpected break in production, saying:

Like many other productions in 2020, Queen of the South had to go into an unplanned break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but not before starting to film in March. Going from March to September meant a big gap after when the show picked up where it left off in Season 4, and with plenty of new pandemic-related challenges to address. Queen of the South will also be one of the series that will continue telling stories without incorporating COVID, which has not been the case for many network shows.

Interestingly, Queen of the South was officially announced as ending with its fifth season back in early March, which is at least a good sign that the show had time to plan Season 5 with the knowledge that it wouldn't return for Season 6. That's no guarantee that Queen of the South won't be one of the shows that ends on a cliffhanger, but hopefully it means that the show will tie off most of its loose ends, for better or worse. Queen of the South returns for its fifth and final season on Wednesday, April 7 at 10 p.m. ET on USA, with the rest of the 10-episode season airing Wednesdays at 10 p.m.

USA's Temptation Island is a rough reality show to be a part of, especially given the premise. Contestants are isolated from their significant other and given a chance to see if they can find a stronger connection living with a group of strangers they've just met. Obviously, there are moments that some participants would rather not see shared on television. Now, one former star is in the process of suing the network and Season 1 showrunner Scott Jeffress.

Evan Smith, who viewers may remember from Season 1, recently revealed his intention to file suit during a Q&A session on his Instagram Stories (via Screenrant). The reveal (which has since expired) actually came about rather innocently, as the former cast member responded to a fan about whether or not he considered doing another reality television series after Temptation Island. Smith responded:

Evan Smith did not elaborate on what the reason for his lawsuit is, but when later asked "Network drama???" he shared a scene from Gerard Butler's Law Abiding Citizen with the "it's gonna be biblical" quote. At this point, we have no idea what his lawsuit is about or what his claims against Temptation Island and Season 1 showrunner Scott Jeffress are, but he clearly intends to pursue legal action.

We do know what happened with Evan Smith's time on Temptation Island, which started when he entered the show with his high school sweetheart of ten years, Kaci Campbell. Their story was particularly heartbreaking because while Kaci realized while being apart from Evan that she really wanted to be with him, Evan had a different outcome. Evan fell in love with one of the single women in his villa, Morgan Lolar. Evan officially broke things off with a distraught Kaci in the finale and actually proposed to Morgan as well.

After the show, things went south for Evan Smith and Morgan Lolar. In January of 2020, Lolar publicly called Smith out for allegedly having sleepovers with Instagram models while away on business. Lolar revealed in April of 2020 that the they were officially done, and there has been no public reconciliation between them since. Strangely enough, Smith brought up he has watched the premiere of Season 3 and plans to catch up on the current season, so it seems the lawsuit may not have affected his love of the show.

Temptation Island airs on USA Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. ET. Season 3 is about as dramatic as the prior two seasons, so there are plenty of reasons for past viewers to catch up if they haven't been keeping tabs like Evan Smith.

Stone Cold Steve Austin enjoyed one of the most celebrated careers in WWE history, and he's beloved by everyone from the Rock to your drunkest uncle. Which is pretty wild considering injuries forced him into retirement after only wrestling professionally for around 14 years, and he only employed the Stone Cold persona for the back half of that run. Despite the brevity of the Texas Rattlesnake's domination over WWE rings and TV screens, fans will never forget the power of Austin 3:16, and nor will we forget the ridiculous amount of beer that regularly accompanied Austin to the ring, regardless of the situation.

As much as he's known for drinking said beer, Stone Cold is also known for his signature beer smash, in which he slams two open cans together to create a suds explosion. Which was usually followed by big open-mouthed chugs, and semi-full cans being flung around. It's always a big, glorious mess when it happens, truly. However, wrestling fans over the years have ribbed the Hall-of-Famer for "wasting" beer all the time, and you bet your ass the Straight Up Steve Austin host had an expletive-filled zinger of a response, telling TheWrap:

And that's the bottom line, though it's currently under about a 12-pack of Miller Lite at the moment. Rarely does a celebrity, or anyone else in the world, answer a question with a more on-brand response than Stone Cold Steve Austin did above. I mean, anyone who tells Austin he doesn't know how to drink a beer definitely deserves being told to fuck off, and the WWE legend is arguably one of the few people who is more than happy to offer up that kind of applicable response.

He's not incorrect with his assessment, either. If Stone Cold would have just walked out to the ring for every Monday Night Raw and took tiny sips of beer without ever spilling a drop, it would have been extremely odd, and not very exciting. Can you imagine if he'd brought out flutes of champagne to sip on after a big win? Or, to counter that, if he brought flutes of champagne out to smash over his own heads? No, it seems like Steve Austin figured out the perfect way to handle things: beer smashes easy, beer drinks easy, beer is good. (So long as it's real beer, that is.)

I can't imagine how bloated and blah I would feel if I had to drink a half a case of beer on such a regular basis like Steve Austin did during his career. Granted, he was doing all of it to the cheers of 20,000-80,000 people chanting his name and his catchphrases. (Though not so much in the current climate.) So in that context, I suppose the energy would be palpable enough to get me through the experience without puking up foam. Maybe. I could probably do it easier playing one of these nifty-looking wrestling games.)

Check out Stone Cold Steve Austin in full beer-smashing action below for one of his treks back to the WWE, and wonder like I do how quickly he jumps into the shower after getting soaked by Miller Lite, or any other kind of beer.

While his time in the ring is kept to a bare minimum at this point, Stone Cold is currently the host of USA' Straight Up Steve Austin, which kicked off Season 2 on USA on Monday, January 11. While waiting to see if he has other F-bombs to throw at critical fans, head to our Winter and Spring TV premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are on the way.

It’s no longer a secret to anyone on the planet that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are a couple, but that wasn’t so much the case just a few years ago. As a matter of fact, it turns out that the royal figure actually visited Markle on the set of Suits right before the pair went public with their relationship in 2017. According to sources, most of the Suits cast and crew didn’t even notice Prince Harry was even there.

Long before Meghan Markle was officially a royal, she started played Rachel Zane on USA Network’s legal drama Suits for seven seasons. Since she left the show, Markle hasn’t really gone back into the acting world (for obvious reasons), but Suits was very much a staple of her pre-royalty career. According to the book Finding Freedom by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, barely anyone batted an eye when Prince Harry visited Markle at her Toronto workplace while he was in town for the Invictus Games in 2017. A member of production shared what happened that day to the royal reporters (via Town & Country), saying:

I’m sure the reason why most people didn’t know Prince Harry came to visit until he's already left because, well, he's Prince Harry. The royal family has always been heavily protected, and I doubt that he would have just been able to walk onto the set of Suits without some form of detailed security plan and bodyguards, and possibly ways to disguise himself. Besides, if too many people had known he was there, we all would have heard about it before now, and the Suits set possibly would have been mobbed by onlookers.

That said, it seems the cast and crew members who did know that Prince Harry would be visiting Meghan Markle on set were “so gracious” about his time there. So now I’m curious...did Gina Torres meet Prince Harry? Did anyone else from the cast go on the set tour with the couple, or were the others specifically from the set areas they went to? Everything is possible with him being on set. Whatever the case, it’s pretty cool that the royal got to see where his wife worked at the time, and that he seemed intrigued by the TV process.

The biography also went on to detail the security measures put in place for Meghan Markle while she was still working and discreetly dating the prince. According to the book, the actress’ name was taken off of filming schedules and she had bodyguards accompany her to work. While that doesn’t come as much of a surprise, one crew member noted that Markle's romantic relationship with Prince Harry was “awkward at the beginning.”

For many, Suits was never the same following Meghan Markle’s departure, but the show did go on for two more seasons. Not to be forgotten, however, is that Markle’s character was referenced in the drama’s final season, with Patrick J. Adams making his own return to the show to confirm that at least Mike and Rachel were still together.

Suits news is few and far between these days, but stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2020 Fall TV premiere schedule for more options.

Regardless of whether or not 2019's Child's Play reboot ends up inspiring its own cinematic universe, franchise creator Don Mancini is making sure his upcoming TV offshoot Chucky has as much in common with his original vision as possible. (Well, except for the way the Syfy and USA series will be changing up the mythology, but more on that below.) Get ready for the titular horror icon to be as memorable as ever on the small screen, because actor Brad Dourif is returning to the franchise to supply his signature vocal talents.

When Chucky arrives in 2021, Brad Dourif will have portrayed the most evil of all evil toys across 5 different decades, mindbogglingly enough. Having started things off with Don Mancini back in 1988 for the original Child's Play, Dourif returned for Child's Play 2, 3 and Bride of Chucky in the 1990s, for Seed of Chucky in 2004, and for both Curse of Chucky and Cult of Chucky in the 2010s. Not many other horror icons can boast the same kind of streak, so it's awesome that fans will be getting the purest form of Chucky in his next outing.

Although based on the recently unveiled logline, Brad Dourif's latest take on Chucky will present a mythology shift for fans to dig into. As viewers are well aware, Chucky was introduced as a doll possessed by the spirit of serial killer Charles Lee Ray (played by Dourif). That origin was maintained throughout all of the following films, save for the remake, in which Mark Hamill's Chucky becomes murderous due to tainted A.I. But check out the recently released logline for the TV show, which introduces a new piece to the puzzle.

While this new series won't necessarily retcon the Child's Play origin story, it sounds like Don Mancini is taking this opportunity to really explore a new avenue with Chucky. In the first place, it'll be strange to witness the idea that Chucky used to be a real child, or was based on a child? Is it going to be a reverse-Pinocchio situation? Will Brad Dourif be tasked with voicing a young kid?

As well, it sounds like the show will be just as much about the town at the center of Chucky as it will be about the killer doll himself. The franchise notably started off set in Chicago, but perhaps the TV show will set up this franchise's version of Halloween's Haddonfield or Nightmare on Elm Street's Springwood.

Having stated his career with his Oscar-nominated performance in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Brad Dourif has stayed active in the industry across the past 45 years. Mostly recently, he was seen in films such as 2018's fantasy horror Wildling. On the small screen, Dourif made a long-awaited reprisal of Doc Cochran for HBO's Deadwood: The Movie in 2019.

Chucky was set to go into production this summer, but filming lockdowns have stopped that from happening, but hope is alive for everything to get started as soon as possible. The show is set to premiere on both USA and Syfy in 2021, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates and to see what will be showing up on TV in the months before the new year arrives.

The metrics we used to use to measure television have gone by the wayside as network TV has stopped being the only game in town and streaming TV has mostly withheld its viewership numbers from fans and journalists alike. Though ratings don’t determine renewals completely anymore, a strong fanbase, good digital viewership impressions, quality, filling a niche and, yes, still ratings do help determine whether or not a bubble show such as Manifest will live to see another day.

This year, there were a few shows that waffled back and forth on the bubble list due to several of those factors outlined above. While there were more shows on the bubble than the ones listed in this article prior to the NBC’s, CBS’ and other networks of the world handing down renewal orders, those highlighted in this article were the ones that surprised me the most.

Zooey’s Extraordinary Playlist

The very definition of a bubble show, the quirky NBC series was one that endeared itself to fans early on. During the night it aired – Tuesdays – it was one of a handful of middling programs in the ratings. Its saving grace has been its fanbase, which is exceptionally invested, and the fact NBC streamed the show everywhere for a month, which helped the series hit with young audiences who aren’t watching traditional TV these days.

Pros: A killer cast, good music and a passionate fanbase definitely factored into this decision. Also, young people like it, so you can thank the coveted 18-49 demo this got renewed.

ABC’s mixed-ish

A cute spinoff of black-ish, ABC’s mixed-ish celebrated its first season on the air this year and it was one of only a few brand new comedies that did get a renewal for Season 2. But while the show has been well-reviewed by critics, audiences seem to like it less. None of that would matter if the ratings were great for the series, but to me the biggest reason I was surprised about mixed-ish getting renewed had to do with the comedy bleeding viewers between Episode 1 and Episode 23. Still the show ticked up a little during quarantine and I hope it will hold steady into the new year.

Pros: Diversity on a network that could use more diversity, it has a good general premise and mixed-ish ratings, plus it is Kenya Barris’ last show with the network before he shifted to Netflix.

The Sinner, USA

Let’s hop away from network TV for a minute and talk about USA’s The Sinner. Cable shows don’t need nearly the ratings networks do to survive, but there was a huge drop in viewership between Season 2 and Season 3 of The Sinner, which might I add, aired partially during quarantine when ratings ticked up for a healthy majority of shows. I thought for sure this was a goner, but it will be back for Season 4.

Pros: Cable ratings can be a little lower, Bill Pullman is great, USA recently cancelled a bunch of other programs and I guess wanted to keep this one.

CBS’ S.W.A.T.

CBS is the king of the hour-long drama and right now the network has a lot of them, some of which are lower rated than the Shemar Moore-led S.W.A.T. However, I was still surprised to hear about this renewal, given it’s almost the lowest rated CBS series that didn’t get cancelled. That’s a little confusing to contemplate, but basically it means of the stuff that didn't get chopped by the Eye Network, only Evil is lower-rated but was renewed early and thus saved from this list. Seal Team, another prospect for this list, also sees some lower total viewers, but does slightly better than S.W.A.T. in the 18-49 demo.

Pros: Shemar Moore is a well-liked and stable TV lead who previously headlined Criminal Minds, S.W.A.T. isn’t exactly a spring chicken but it’s not an old series either, CBS’ “low-rated" shows, at least in total viewers, are still higher-rated than a lot of other network shows.

Manifest, NBC

Unlike a lot of shows on this list, Manifest is a good performer for NBC. However, it was on the bubble for much of the season simply due to being a Warner Bros. TV production rather than a show coming from Universal, as for example, Good Girls is. (A similar argument could be made for the WB TV series Prodigal Son on Fox which actually sees lower ratings than Manifest, though Fox has different expectations than NBC.) Between the fact the show isn't in house coupled with Season 2 drawing out some of the drama in Season 1, I wasn’t sure if Manifest would get a deal done for Season 3. But it did and fans who stuck around for the Season 2 cliffhanger should be happy.

Pros: Cool premise, constant mysteries, lots of cliffhangers, plus it does decent ratings. I’m glad this one got a deal done, but if it hadn't it would have likely been due to not striking a deal with the production company.

There are plenty of shows that were surprising cancellations this year. See: Man with a Plan and God Friended Me. There are also still a few shows that have been held in limbo between cancellation and renewal for longer than expected. See: Katy Keene. However, one thing is for certain, as ad rates grow more coveted and audiences for series expand beyond the traditional models, it becomes harder and harder to predict what will move forward and what won’t. That’s particularly true with streaming in which we have even less of a gauge of what people are watching or why.

In some ways that’s exciting, but in other ways it means cancellations for network programs like God Friended Me (again) or on Netflix shows like The OA are sometimes cancelled seemingly out of nowhere. It’s also worth mentioning there were a slew of other shows that could have been listed here, those these had me on the edge of my seat the most. So, I gotta ask, which series were you most excited got the greenlight for the 2020-2021 TV season?

This poll is no longer available.

In Season 2 of Dirty John, the anthology series turns its attention from the tale of John and Debra Meehan to that of a notorious California story circa the 1990s. That would be the Betty Broderick case, which spanned two real-life trials, and two made-for-TV movies starring Meredith Baxter. Fast forward and it is the subject of the now-USA drama’s second outing. How accurate is it, though?

When it comes to relating real-life to film, “artistic license” is often taken with what viewers see. One would think Dirty John might not be any different as it attempts to depict the Betty Broderick case with a seemingly sympathetic view of Betty. Based on how Season 2 has gone so far, viewers have an idea of how accurate it has been.

Dirty John changed a real-life moment during its first season, so what about Season 2? How accurate are the events unfolding week-to-week? Are those watching getting the real story behind the Betty Broderick case? It is time to wind back the clock, primarily to the events of the late 1980s, to find out where fact meets fiction.

Betty Broderick Really Murdered Dan Broderick

In the early morning hours of Sunday, November 5, 1989, Betty Broderick came into her ex-husband, Dan Broderick’s house. By the time she left, Betty had shot and killed Dan’s second wife, Linda Kolkena, and Dan to death. The murder was revealed at the end of Dirty John’s Season 2 premiere with Betty expressing shock over what had happened.

As you likely know by now, this is yet another true crime story. Betty Broderick has never denied being the killer in real life, and Season 2 seems focused on what led to her becoming one. Dirty John has not yet arrived at the time just before the double homicide, so viewers are still left wondering what, exactly, led to Betty’s motive in the murders.

Betty Did Not Remain Single After Dan

Yes, according to the Los Angeles Times, Betty started a relationship with businessman Bradley T. Wright. The article claims (along with Betty’s daughter Kim) that Brad and Betty were in an intimate relationship “for years.” Betty denied the two had ever been intimate. So far on Dirty John, Betty is yet to be shown moving on from Dan in Season 2.

The second season’s timeline has gone back and forth. As of now, it has not brought viewers back to the time right before the murders. Dirty John has so far portrayed Betty as being singularly devoted to Dan and incapable of thinking of dating anyone except him. Time will tell if that changes as Season 2 progresses.

Betty Actually Ran Her Car Into Dan’s House

As shown at the start of Dirty John’s second season, a furious Betty took her car and drove it into the front door of Dan’s house. There was one moment Dirty John did not show. Dan had reportedly alleged at the time that Betty had reached for a butcher knife. Hence, her subsequent three-day stay in a mental health facility.

On Dirty John, after Betty rams into the house, Dan is shown coming out of it and furiously dragging Betty from the driver’s seat. The two eventually struggle in the yard. Betty is not shown reaching for a knife or any other weapon. She is instead seen acting dazed after the wreck and gets carried away.

Betty Did Lose Custody Of Her Kids

By the time the Brodericks’ explosive divorce concluded in July 1986, Dan had been awarded sole physical custody over the couple’s four children. Betty had told the Los Angeles Times there was no custody hearing and blamed a deal done behind her back for the ruling. Preceding that decision was Betty’s choice to drop off the kids one at a time in February of the previous year (1985).

Betty’s reported goal was to get Dan to appreciate the rigors of parenting, and eventually reunite the family. It did not work. Dirty John has yet to show Betty’s desperate move, and it will be compelling to see if Season 2 does. So far, Betty has been shown as a devoted mom nowhere near such a decision.

Dan Sold His And Betty’s House Behind Betty’s Back

That happened the year the divorce was finalized in February 1986. Dan used a rare legal maneuver to sell the house, with a judge signing over Betty’s portion. Dan had reportedly claimed that he did that after Betty had refused to sign the sale papers – twice. As shown on Dirty John, Betty’s outrage over the sale is what caused her to take the car and drive it into Dan’s house.

The tactic and its success struck me as a shocking detail that seemed too astounding to be true. Well, guess again, Dirty John viewers. The incident set off a torrent of activity that reverberated for a long time. It is another piece to the psychological puzzle.

Betty’s Ultimatum Did Not End Quite Like That

Dirty John showed Betty taking a pretty spectacular stance against Dan and his philandering. Betty demanded Dan fire Linda, who she was beginning to suspect of being Dan’s mistress. The episode ended with Betty laying down the law, telling Dan to move out. He refused with a brutal retort that it was Betty who would leave because he owned everything.

In reality, Betty had suspected an affair and confirmed it on Dan’s 39th birthday, noting Dan and Linda’s day-long absence from the office. When Dan returned home, Betty had set his clothes on fire in the back yard and handed him his checkbook to leave. Dan did refuse to leave, as he did on the show, amid far different circumstances with Betty.

Dirty John has yet to show what ultimately became of Betty Broderick. Season 2 has shown glimpses of the courtroom action. Betty’s first trial in 1990 resulted in a hung jury. Her second trial concluded in her being convicted of second-degree murder for both Dan and Linda. Betty was last denied parole in January 2017, per CBS8. She will not be eligible for it again until January 2032. When she is, Betty Broderick will be 85-years-old.

There you have it, in terms of fact versus fiction. As you can tell, it is a lot easier to discern than something dating as far back as History’s historical drama, Vikings. The truth behind Dirty John’s depiction of the Betty Broderick case in Season 2 tells a complicated tale about marriage, divorce, and the latter’s aftermath. It is a messy story that leaves viewers with a lot of info to contemplate. Now that you know some of the critical facts to the somewhat stranger-than-fiction series, will it change how you watch Dirty John moving forward? Season 2 has covered a lot of ground in its early episodes. Now the rest of the story is set to unfold.

Find out what happens between the Brodericks next when new episodes of Dirty John Season 2 air Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on USA. It is one of this summer’s premieres. The first season of Dirty John is currently streaming on Netflix, along with lots of 2020 premieres.

Spoilers ahead for the Season 2 premiere of Dirty John on USA.

Dirty John is back, and it is totally different. Among the changes are new stars. Amanda Peet and Christian Slater taking over the reins from Connie Britton and Eric Bana. Season 2 tells the tale of Betty Broderick and her ill-fated marriage to Dan Broderick, and Peet and Slater are surprisingly likable in their unlikable respective roles.

Anyone slightly familiar with true crime is probably familiar with the subject of Dirty John’s second season. After a painful divorce, Betty Broderick murdered her ex-husband, Dan, and his new wife, Linda, in November of 1989. The Season 2 premiere’s first half ends with the reveal of what Betty did without much detail, while the second half is all about the lead up to the killings.

Dirty John does itself a lot of favors by casting two incredibly charismatic actors in the lead roles for its USA debut. (The previous season was on Bravo.) The casting results in giving Betty and Dan their best representation. This is a complicated story, and it is only going to grow more so in the weeks to come. After a hit season that dealt in more clarity, Season 2 gets murky.

Amanda Peet makes for an incredibly compelling Betty in Dirty John’s Season 2 premiere. Peet is believable in all respects, from playing Betty as a loving homemaker to a distraught wife whose life is being ripped away from her by a husband she still loves. Peet’s Betty is struggling to accept that her husband has no compassion left for her.

It is tough not to feel Betty’s plight. Dirty John never stops reminding viewers that what they are watching is how Betty comes to rationalize what is going to happen. Amanda Peet has many impressive scenes throughout the Season 2 premiere, and none of them are more powerful than her monologue to the doctor. In it, she explains Dan’s power and his influence.

Speaking of Dan, the always-charismatic Christian Slater puts on a likable turn as Dan Broderick. As presented in Dirty John’s Season 2 premiere, Dan is not an entirely vindictive person. Even if he does seem a lot like one.

He does share a laugh with a sad Betty over an old inside joke of theirs, making her think there is hope for some sort of reconciliation. Dan has not had a change of heart, though.

In the earlier scene where Dan has Betty committed, Christian Slater portrays Dan as cool as a cucumber, resolved to what he has to do but taking no pleasure in it. That said, Dan lacks compassion for his wife and the sacrifices that she has made for him and their family. Dirty John works hard to bring it home.

In related news, Christian Slater is not done with true crime. He is set to star in the TV adaptation of Wondery podcast, Dr. Death. I look forward to seeing what he does there and continues to do as Dirty John Season 2 moves ahead.

Unlike the first season, there is no real “dirty” at this point. Or at least, no one that matches the archetype of Season 1’s subject – John Meehan, who was a criminal con-man whose last crime of many was an attempted abduction. In this sense, the Broderick saga is a surprising case if the anthology’s two seasons wished to have something in common. As Dirty John progresses in its second season, it may make more sense.

As for Amanda Peet and Christian Slater, they should bring their best as Season 2 chronicles what unraveled between the Brodericks. New episodes of Dirty John Season 2 air Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on USA. It is one of this summer’s premieres. The first season of Dirty John is currently streaming on Netflix, along with lots of 2020 premieres.

Like many other major entertainment organizations, the WWE has been forced to make some changes in recent weeks. Unlike other organizations, however, the company is still broadcasting episodes live to its television audience while opting to leave the audience at home. The resulting product has been quite different from what fans are used to seeing, but somehow Stone Cold Steve Austin still managed to raise a sufficient amount of hell on Monday Night Raw.

The WWE had its living legend on in order to celebrate 3/16 day, an unofficial holiday dedicated to Stone Cold Steve Austin. The wrestling organization probably had an original plan of having Austin deliver a biting promo to an over-hyped audience screaming "What?!," but was forced to improvise in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The result may be one of the most bizarre segments Stone Cold has done in his history with the WWE, but still worthy of a hearty "Hell yeah!"

There is just too much going on in this clip to get in one go. For example, Stone Cold Steve Austin just keeps randomly hocking loogies and spitting in the WWE Performance Center. It's the kind of thing one notices during a quarantine, but I'm sure the WWE Legend was properly screened and won't expose any of the current WWE roster to coronavirus or any illness ahead of WrestleMania.

Then there's the stunner on WWE commentator Byron Saxton, which he took like an absolute champ. Especially considering, if you go back to 3:10 in the video, you can hear Stone Cold Steve Austin's foot connect with Saxton's groin. Maybe when there's no crowd noise to get in the way, talent has to do a little more selling of the action than they normally would? I doubt Austin intentionally meant to injure Saxton in any way, but sometimes actual hits are just a reality of working in WWE.

Much like his buddy Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Stone Cold Steve Austin is known for his electrifying charisma. It turns out that that's just as entertaining to watch when there aren't thousands of people in a stadium to cheer and goad him, even if it's in a different way. This whole segment felt like watching an episode of The Eric Andre Show, and I mean that in the best way possible.

Stone Cold's bizarre but entertaining bit on Monday Night Raw may be what WWE fans can expect going forward, as all of its events for the forseeable future will be held without an audience. This includes WrestleMania 36, which was originally scheduled to take place in Tampa Bay, Florida. While it will be quite a shock to see a lower budget version of WrestleMania, this bit with Steve Austin has me intrigued to see what WWE has in store for the big event.

Monday Night Raw airs on USA Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for updates on what's new on television and for more updates on how coronavirus is affecting productions around Hollywood.

After a fairly long time away from television, The Biggest Loser is back, with former show trainer (and heart attack survivor) Bob Harper reprising his role as host. However, the showmade some big changes for its revival season on USA, in the hopes of not only bringing former viewers back, but captivating new ones as well. CinemaBlend spoke with Harper about the changes coming to the quasi-reboot, as well as some of The Biggest Loser's past practices that would be intentionally avoided in 2020.

Some may remember The Biggest Loser's original run on NBC was not without some controversy. There were those who criticized the series' tactics for getting contestants to lose weight, as well as other competitive elements that potentially caused more harm than good during contestants' weight-loss journeys. Bob Harper told me two big and familiar elements from The Biggest Loser's initial run would not be returning in the reboot, saying:

The Temptation Challenges Bob Harper was referring to were the events in which The Biggest Loser would put out a smorgasbord of unhealthy foods that competitors were known to be partial to, in order to challenge them. More often than not, one or more contestants would break down and get to binge-eating. The new version of The Biggest Loser isn't into toying with the contestants like that.

Bob Harper also noted that The Biggest Loser will no longer allow/force competitors to vote off their fellow team members, which sometimes resulted in the people making the most progress being voted off so that those struggling could have a better shot at the prize money. That kind of shifty behavior is also being curbed.

Instead, The Biggest Loser will now only eliminate contestants with the lowest percentage loss on the losing team after each week's big challenge. Though those eliminated do still head home, The Biggest Loser has set up exiting contestants with a year-long gym membership, a nutritionist, and support group access so that they can continue their fitness journey with as many resources as possible.

Setting up contestants for further weight loss and wellness after leaving the show is another part of the changes inherent to The Biggest Loser this year. The fitness world and ideologies on health have changed in recent years, and Bob Harper said the reboot reflects that in its goals. In his words:

Mental wellness is put just as high on the totem pole as physical wellness in The Biggest Loser reboot, and viewers will hear and watch contestants cope with the emotional situations that led to their weight gain. In doing so, the series will hopefully inspire viewers at home to confront any of their own health problems, and possibly search out what the reasons lie behind their behaviors.

The Biggest Loser premieres on USA Tuesday, January 28 at 9:00 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for more of our exclusive coverage for The Biggest Loser, and stick with CinemaBlend for more on television throughout the rest of 2020, and for a look at what's happening in the world of movies as well.

Of all the TV reboots and continuations making waves recently, one of the more unique standouts is the tonally revamped update of The Biggest Loser. Having shifted to USA with a new pair of wellness-minded team captains in Erica Lugo and Steve Cook, the Bob Harper-hosted competition series returns to TV nearly four years after its 17-season run ended on NBC. It's not just the trainers that are changing on The Biggest Loser, either.

I had the pleasure of speaking with the fitness self-starter Erica Lugo at this year's Television Critics Association winter press tour, and one of the first things I asked about was how the show would recapture all the fans who regularly watched The Biggest Loser on NBC. Here's how she explained it:

Having seen the first couple of episodes of The Biggest Loser's new season, I can attest to those group sessions being as emotionally poignant and eye-opening as anything that went down during the show's first 17 seasons. To that end, Erica Lugo's description of Biggest Loser's distinction as a "feel-good show" couldn't be more applicable. It tugs at heartstrings in all kinds of ways.

As popular as The Biggest Loser was during its original run, the series was not without its controversies, largely stemming from the often dramatic weight-drops that sometimes led to dangerous relapses after contestants left the show, among other alleged practices. But that stuff is of a bygone era. USA's Biggest Loser still strives for big results for its contestants, of course, but with a far bigger push on getting at the mental and/or physical sources of the contestants' weight, so that shedding the pounds isn't just about people straining themselves into exhaustion.

When I asked about bringing the show back with a different appeal than what The Biggest Loser did in the past, here's how Erica Lugo answered:

Erica Lugo made it clear that even though she and fellow trainer/coach Steve Cook are competing against each other as the Red and Blue teams, the end goal for both of them is to help out as many contestants as they can. Again, this is a feel-good show, people.

However, don't expect for Erica Lugo to feel one way or another about following Jillian Michaels as a Biggest Loser trainer. In her words:

True to form, Erica Lugo said that with a big smile on her face that inspired the same kind of positivity that The Biggest Loser does with its return to primetime. Franchise fans should definitely tune in to see if they're as captivated as the show's stars hope everyone will be.

With Bob Harper back in the central hosting spot, following a scary heart attack in 2017, The Biggest Loser is set to debut on USA on Tuesday, January 28, at 9:00 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for more coverage from our talk with Erica Lugo.