Tensions continued to mount upon the doctors at York Memorial Hospital.
The Emerg nurses' work-to-rule action to protest the changes implemented by Dr. Devi didn't help matters on Transplant Season 3 Episode 7.
But their slowdown only brought to light problems that existed long before that.
The Oxford Dictionary defines the British concept of work to rule as "to follow official working rules and hours exactly to reduce output and efficiency, especially as a form of industrial action."
Neeta Devi means well. She's attempting to make the emergency department more comfortable for patients.
Also, Dr. Olsen, the medical director, and the board have given her the power to make changes to implement her policies.
But too many of those changes have fallen on the backs of the nursing staff, who make any hospital run as smoothly as it does by doing the little things off the books.
Hospitals profit by staying understaffed while expecting their workers to do more than the bare minimum for the good of their patients.
But the wheels fall off when a group does just what they are contractually obligated to do, such as the nurses during work to rule.
The nurses had all the power in this situation. A provincial (nay, countrywide) shortage of nurses meant that the hospital had to pay through the nose to hire traveling nurses, with only a handful qualified to work in Emerg.
The doctors felt the pinch when nurses weren't busy attempting to fulfill their orders by any means necessary. And they didn't like it a bit. That led to those clashes between Mags and Arnold, and Theo and Claire.
That's likely what led to Mags' harebrained idea to have doctors give up a percentage of their salaries so that the hospital could hire more nurses.
Devi should have shot down that idea harder, and it would return to bite her in the butt. But Mags has been one of Neeta's precious few allies, so why alienate her?
Olsen was right, advising Devi not to try to make everyone happy. She's doing that now, and it just isn't working.
Give Neeta credit for realizing that what she was trying wasn't working and buckling to the nurses. She must involve staff members to find a solution that fits her idealism and York's reality.
Still, this isn't likely the last time we'll hear about her patient-centric philosophy. She can't shove it down the staff's throats, however nicely she does it.
Rather than worrying about and promoting a big-picture scheme for the hospital, Mags should have been concerned about her problems.
She should be home recovering instead of returning to work already in Emerg of all places. As intense as she is, Mags only knows full speed ahead; no wrist monitor will change that.
But, like the other physicians, Mags is accustomed to being catered to by nurses and other support staff. It's much easier to keep your heart from racing if you can delegate.
Mags' preoccupation with her heart made her too focused on determining what was wrong with Brock. Even after he told her that he was a highly sensitive person, she wouldn't believe him and insisted on doing more testing than he wanted done.
The fact that her relationship with Bash was hitting roadblocks didn't help matters at all.
One problem was that Bash was treating her like the porcelain doll she often appears to be after her cardiac crisis. Mags doesn't want anyone treating her differently now, but that won't happen.
A great example was her talk with June at the impromptu potluck dinner party. June dusted off her rarely-used people skills and attempted to bond with Mags, but they argued, and June ended up burning her injured (and, it turned out, infected) hand instead.
The biggest obstacle was how to handle the runaway Amira. Bash wanted to drag her back from Rania's, caveman style. Mags wisely argued for him to give her some time to calm down.
But rather than just taking the win, Mags kept offering suggestions to him in front of their party guests, and he blew up, telling her she wouldn't understand where he was coming from.
He's right in that immigrants from a wartorn country are going to have a different experience than a woman crossing the border from Quebec. But they both could have handled their discussion better.
At work, after finally gaining some ground with Singh, Bash lost it again when June tattled on him after he went around her back and implied to Singh that Riley was his patient Zola's family and they wanted surgery. Legally, she was not even close to being so.
It just comes down to their medical backgrounds. As a wartime surgeon, Bash is more concerned with results, whereas June opted for the safest course of treatment.
The gist of June's talks at Mags and Neeta seemed to be, "No one gets me." There's some real emotion inside June, waiting to break free.
Finally came Theo, who might yet survive self-sabotage.
He told Devi that he wasn't going to go on record as an abuser to appease his skittish ex-patient, Rebecca. She needs him as an attending badly enough that he may get away with that.
Then he did everything he could for sickle cell patient Solomon, going way outside the box to get him some temporary relief.
It took Claire, a nurse, to show him how to work the system and get Solomon some real treatment.
To watch how Devi's policies develop, watch Transplant online.
Is Neeta taking the correct approach?
Who's on a more dangerous path: Mags or Theo?
Did Bash do the right thing with Amira?
Comment below.
...
What's better than hearing Chris Carmack sing again during the holidays? Having Shenae Grimes-Beach join him in Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas.
Shenae and Chris star in the heartwarming holiday film and the sixth installment from Blake Shelton, based upon his song, Time to Come Home. Recording artist Grace Leer also starred.
The film opens with Carly (Grimes-Beech) traveling to Waterford Creek to help a choir prepare for Christmas Eve, hoping it will lessen the pain of recently losing her mother. Shortly after she arrives, she meets Matthew (Carmack), who has just returned from serving in the Army.
The film took viewers on an emotional journey as they watched Carly grieve on her first Christmas without her mom and find happiness in a new community of friends. As Carly connected with Matthew and her new friends, she wondered if she'd been brought there for a greater purpose.
Part of this film's charm was that it focused on a small-town's commitment to each other, a slow-burn romance, and classic Christmas carols.
I was so excited about this holiday film because I've followed the careers of Shenae-Grimes-Beech and Chris Carmack for years. While Grimes-Beech has been in a few Hallmark films, this is Carmack's first one.
The two reminded me of old-school romances where they kept almost running into each other and experienced a meet-cute of nearly bumping into each other.
They didn't have an overly passionate chemistry but an angsty, longing one.
They wanted to be together but had emotional baggage to deal with first. Matthew hadn't been home in years, and so much had happened in that time, while Carly had to accept the changes in her life.
Spending your first Christmas without a parent is awful. I've done it, and I admire Carly for lining up a gig so she wouldn't be alone. She wasn't expecting the small-town community to adopt her as one of their own, but they did, starting with Pastor Jon and his wife, Susan.
While I suspected they had an ulterior motive, they also needed her to breathe life into the choir. I love holiday music, and the choir's biggest problem was they weren't in sync.
It was such a wise choice to give Matthew's sister Riley (Leer), the solo. It gave her a chance to use her singing talent and develop a friendship with Carly.
I loved how Carly had them realize why they enjoyed singing and find joy in doing it. She really connected with them, even though it took longer with some, like George. I think she related to George since he recently lost his wife and joined the choir because it reminded him of how she loved singing to bring joy to others.
Letters to Santa Review: How a Magical Pen and Hope Saved Christmas
Carly's mom gave her a gift, partly her musicality and her ability to help others.
I appreciated how much time the film spent on her time-honored traditions with her mom, from picking a new holiday album to her snow globe.
It meant something that she shared those traditions with Matthew, and she let him see how lonely she initially felt.
You know, family doesn’t have to be blood. The men I served with, I consider them brothers. We have each other’s backs. Family can be chosen too.
Matthew
As the two of them became more comfortable with each other, they had such a relaxed banter, whether he was helping her select a tree or she was harassing him to join the choir.
A Season For Family Review: Fate Brings a Family Together
As Carly became more involved with Matthew and the community, she became one of them and started seeing Christmas miracles at work. One of my favorite scenes was when everyone chipped to decorate Tyler's house.
Nothing is more complicated than when your parent is overseas, and you step in to do everything, but you can't do it alone. Matthew understood that being in the military and the choir had become like a family, too.
When Csrly took the choir caroling, she wanted to make George smile, whereas when she planned the peppermint egg creams, she wanted to do something special for Matthew.
Spreading Christmas cheer was part of Waterford Falls, and she almost didn't want to leave.
I almost thought the film would include a traditional love triangle, and I was grateful they did not.
Matthew and Jenny sometimes wondered if they should've taken their friendship to the next level, but it was never the right time.
It seemed like they were in different places in their lives. After being gone for so long, Matthew was ready to reconnect with his family just as Jenny wanted to spread her wings and move away.
I wonder if Susan sensed her daughter's restlessness and brought Carly there for several reasons < UNK> so she'd have someone else to bond with and matchmake for Matthew, whom she loved as a son.
The central mystery involved solving why the Shephards hired Carly to lead the Christmas choir. Susan seemed to know more about Carly for her to be a random person.
Jenny grew suspicious of her mother, first when Susan let Carly into her candle-making studio and when Carly mentioned that her dad's last name was Fernie, but she hadn't heard from him in years.
Mom, what aren’t you telling me?
Jenny
It made sense that Carly was Susan's niece. The casting was perfect, and Carly, Susan, and Jenny looked related.
Carly took the news of learning she had more family on her dad's side better than expected. After an initial meltdown, she seemed to believe that her mother sent her to Waterford Creek to meet her dad's relatives for a reason.
In true HMM fashion, both Carly and Matthew received their Christmas miracles. While Carly discovered she now had an entirely new family to spend the holidays with, Matthew realized dreams could change.
He had no regrets about returning home because it led him to find her, and she taught him about believing in miracles.
So, what do you think? Do you want another installment of the Time to Come Home holiday films next year? What has been your favorite so far?
Let us know in the comments below.
...
Here is a wrap-up of all the news you need to know from Thursday, November 30, 2023.
Griselda is ready for her close-up.
Today, Netflix unveiled the official trailer for its upcoming Sofia Vergara limited series, Griselda.
The six-part series will debut on Thursday, January 25, 2024.
Griselda is inspired by the life of the savvy and ambitious Griselda Blanco, who created one of the most profitable cartels in history.
In 1970s-80s Miami, Blanco's lethal blend of unsuspected savagery and charm helped her expertly navigate between business and family, leading her to become widely known as "the Godmother."
This looks set to be a massive departure for Sofia Vergara, who was a lead on Modern Family before moving on to judge on America's Got Talent.
Vergara is also set to executive produce the series alongside Eric Newman and Andrés Baiz. Baiz is set to direct all six episodes.
Ingrid Escajeda (Justified) and Narcos co-creator Doug Miro serve as co-showrunners. In addition to Vergara, Griselda stars Alberto Guerra (Narcos: Mexico), Vanessa Ferlito (NCIS: New Orleans), Alberto Ammann (Narcos), Christian Tappan (Snowfall), and Diego Trujillo (Los Reyes).
The supporting cast is stellar.
Check out the promo below.
Meanwhile, Apple TV+ has unveiled the official trailer for its upcoming Cush Jumbo and Peter Capaldi drama Criminal Record.
From BAFTA Award nominee Paul Rutman (Vera, Indian Summers), Criminal Record is a powerful, character-driven drama set in the heart of contemporary London. An anonymous phone call draws two brilliant detectives into a confrontation over an old murder case – one a young woman in the early stages of her career, the other a well-connected man determined to protect his legacy.
The series touches on issues of race, institutional failure, and the quest to find common ground in a polarized Britain.
Starring Capaldi as Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Hegarty and Jumbo as Detective Sergeant June Lenker, the cast of Criminal Record also features Charlie Creed-Miles (King Arthur, Wild Bill), Dionne Brown (Queenie), Shaun Dooley (Official Secret, The Woman in Black, The Awakening), and Stephen Campbell-Moore (The Bank Job, Masters of the Air).
SEAL Team is Ending a Season Too Late
Also starring are Zoë Wanamaker (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, My Week with Marilyn), Rasaq Kukoyi (Andor, His House), Maisie Ayres, Aysha Kala (The Undeclared War), BAFTA TV Award winner Cathy Tyson (Help), and Tom Moutchi (Famalam, The Hustle).
Check out the trailer below. The series launches Wednesday, January 10, 2024.
Also, at Apple TV+, there's bad news for fans of Swagger.
Series creator Reggie Rock Bythewood confirmed the news via social media.
"What an amazing adventure. In our two seasons, we have launched careers, disrupted genre, brought forth humanity through our characters, told stories we care deeply about, revolutionized the way to shoot basketball and had fun," he wrote.
"That's a blessing. Apple, while you are not ordering a Season 3, I made the show I wanted to make.
"Thank you for that. Cast, writers and crew, you have my gratitude.
"Walk on the set with Swagger. Walk off the set with Swagger… For our FAMbase, you lifted us in ways we could have never imagined.
Chicago Fire Continues Burning Through Cast as Another Favorite Departs
"To the industry, don't take your foot off the gas. Keep telling our stories."
Swagger was inspired by NBA superstar Kevin Durant's experiences and explored the world of youth basketball, and the players, their families and coaches who walk the fine line between dreams and ambition.
Over on ABC, the network is getting an assist from a Hulu original.
Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez's crime-solving comedy Only Murders in the Building will air its freshman season in January.
The series, which has been renewed for a fourth season, will premiere Tuesday, January 2 at 9 p.m. out of Celebrity Jeopardy!
It's a surprise the series never landed on the network's fall schedule amid decreased scripted offerings due to the dual Hollywood strikes.
But still, it seems like a new legion of fans will be able to check out the show.
What are your thoughts on this news?
Are you surprised by the cancellation of Swagger?
Hit the comments below.
...
Is Toadie softening toward Melanie?
He said he didn't want anything to do with her, yet he called in a favor to get Legal Aid to re-assign her case to a more competent lawyer.
Nell was thrilled, Terese was nervous, and Toadie insisted he was only trying to be decent. But did the process of putting Toadie and Terese back with their original partners begin on Neighbours during the week of 11-27-23?
Partner swaps -- the kind where two people are married to the 'wrong' spouse and belong with one another -- are a tired soap trope I'd hoped to avoid here.
Soap operas should be about true love, but I never bought Toadie and Melanie as a couple. IT felt like the show was trying too hard to replace SOnya after her death, with Toadie and Melanie engaging in similar silly pranks and behavior.
It fell flat every time. Melanie is not Sonya, and trying to make her Sonya 2.0 couldn't work.
And now, Toadie's moved on, and Melanie, to her credit, believes it's too late. She seems to understand that the best she can ever hope for is a friendship and somewhat of a co-parenting relationship and isn't pushing him to leave Terese for her.
As for Terese, she and Paul have had several go-arounds already. I know some fans love them, but after several breakups caused by Paul's sneaky b behavior, isn't it time to throw in the towel on this couple?
Paul's so arrogant about it, too. He's convinced Terese wants to be with him and hasn't admitted it to herself yet, and unlike Melanie, he'd be thrilled to break up Toadie and Terese to further his goals.
That's not a winning formula for a super couple relationship. It's pure manipulation, and it needs to stop.
Paul's not a good partner for anyone. He's always involved in something shady that blows up in his face sooner or later -- sometimes literally.
It's not any surprise that he was falsely accused of causing the 2016 boiler room explosion at Lassiter's that took the life of Terese's son, considering all the other things he's gotten up to!
If Terese were to reconcile with Paul, one of them would have to change. Either she'd have to accept Paul's sneaky behavior, or he'd have to stop doing illegal things. Neither of those sounds likely to happen, and it wouldn't work well if they did, so let's not go there again.
If Terese and Toadie break up for the sake of drama, that'll hurt Nell deeply when she's already lost Sonya and Melanie, and Nell will probably become even more determined to get Toadie and Melanie back together.
Ideally, Nell could have a relationship with her former stepmother without Toadie having to reunite romantically with Melanie. That would make the most sense and be fairest to her.
And I know Hugo is still a little boy, but why does everyone talk about how Melanie's leaving affected Nell and leave him out of the conversation as if he doesn't exist?
Hugo wasn't happy with Nell's manipulations to try to get Terese out of their lives, but other than asking why they can't visit Melanie in jail, he's had no reaction whatsoever to her return.
What does he feel? Also, does he know he's not Sonya's biological son? If not, that could be an interesting path to follow someday.
Elsewhere, David went over the top with his insistence on staying away from Erinsborough, only to change his mind after Krista needed him.
His real problem is his lack of purpose and grief over losing his medical license. When he began working with Krista, he stopped being obnoxious and seemed more like himself.
Still, there's no excuse for telling his husband to choose between him and Erinsborough. He's lucky Aaron gave him a second chance after that Paul-like behavior!
David's willingness to help Krista was strange, considering he had put his foot down about Ernisborough moments before. He lived hours away, so he didn't seem the best choice.
Still, I can overlook the plot holes if that keeps him in town. David, as the compassionate helper who assists Krista with her sobriety, is far preferable to the temper tantrums he was throwing about moving back to Erinsborough.
Reece's plan not to tell Krista about their father's death was stupid and doomed to failure. Paul's idea was silly -- surely Krista would eventually notice that her TV and Internet didn't work and complain to the front desk.
Holly wasn't to blame for Krista's relapse, but why didn't she stay with her after she realized that Krista didn't know about Conrad's death? She came over to offer support, then conveniently disappeared so that Krista could run away and score drugs.
I'd think Krista would want to get the drugs back to her hotel room before she took them, as it's less exposed than in front of a parked car. Either way, I'm glad David found her before she began using and that she flushed the drugs rather than taking them while in the bathroom.
Reece is gone, but is her relationship with Byron over? She calls everyone but him to deal with loose ends. And Nicolette was worried that he was expecting something that wouldn't happen with his plans to join Reece in the States once Krista was settled.
Nicolette's plans for the protest seem ill-timed. And if she thinks this is such a great idea, why is she insisting on secrecy?
Susan: A protest, really?
Nicolette: How'd you find out?
Susan: That's not important.
Nicolette: You haven't told Mum, have you?
Susan: No, but you've answered my next question. She doesn't know, does she?
Nicolette: We don't want her to get her hopes up, or tell the police and have us shut down.
Susan: Andrew doesn't know either? The Education Department has made their decision. The Council have approved it. Terese owns the land.
Nicolette: Decisions can be reversed. I know that you're friends with Terese, but this is for the school.
Wendy: The school you love so much.
Nicolette: A protest may be a long shot, but we have to try. Please don't say anything.
It would have made sense if she'd done this a month ago when the school could still be saved. But Susan's right that now that the school has been closed and Terese has bought the property, it's too late.
It brings Summer back to town, which should be interesting. I can't wait for her to interact with Holly.
But still, this seems like a recipe for disaster, and all the talk about how it's not like they're breaking into the property makes it sound like things will get out of control quickly.
There were a few more lighthearted stories to balance out the heavy drama. The boys' plan to recreate their mothers' first date was cute, though I don't know how they got them that perfect pasta!
Haz's inability to tell Holly not to hang around all the time led to a predictable blow-up.
I'm not sure why Mackenzie and Byron are so upset. Haz's last girlfriend practically lived at the shared house, and no one had a problem with that.
Still, Mackenzie being Haz's sounding board and encouraging him to make things work with Holly when she secretly has feelings for him should lead in a refreshing direction.
Your turn, Neighbours fanatics. Hit the big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button and tell us what you think of this week's shows.
Don't forget to check back over the weekend for the latest Neighbours spoilers.
Neighbours streams on Amazon Freevee. New episodes drop on Mondays through Thursdays.
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This time last year, the Suits franchise was dead and buried.
Now, thanks to the power of streaming, everyone's talking about the original series again.
The legal drama broke countless Nielsen streaming records earlier this year, leading to renewed interest in the property.
With a new series set in the Suits universe officially announced, details are beginning to trickle out.
Below, we've rounded up everything we know about the project.
Does the Suits Spinoff Have a Title?
Details were scarce when the series was announced to be in development in mid-2023.
A title was not revealed, but we learned in November 2023 that the series is known as Suits L.A. behind the scenes.
Suits LA: What's the Plot?
Plot details are still being ironed out, so we shouldn't expect any updates on that until it gets nearer to production, assuming it secures a formal pickup.
The LA setting was revealed at Content London in November 2023 by UCP's Beatrice Springborn.
Suits Cast: Where Are They Now?
She promised the new series would "have the same energy and good-looking people that the original did," according to Variety.
We're not too sure how to feel about that statement because it makes it sound like the show was purely about good-looking people.
We were attracted to Suits because of its unique concept and well-developed characters.
If the new show focuses on casting people based on their looks rather than their talent, we're already set up for disaster.
"It's so fun and happy," Springborn added of the new entry in the franchise.
The good news is that Springborn said the show would need "great storytelling and great characters to work."
"So how do you do something that can be ongoing, have a gloss to it, and be a continuing series that everyone wants?"
We'll keep this page updated with new details as they become available, so please bookmark it to remain in the loop.
Will Any of the Original Suits Cast Appear in the Spinoff?
When news broke of the project's existence, there was undoubtedly a desire from fans -- new and old -- to check back in with some of their beloved characters.
The new show's setting in L.A. is worlds away from what we've watched on the show before.
We spent nine seasons of Suits and one season of Pearson on the East Coast, so the location change will be a significant shift.
What to Watch If You Love Suits
Obviously, things can change, but most of our favorite characters were still in New York by the end of Suits Season 9.
When the series was announced, there was word that it wouldn't be focused on any returning cast members.
That doesn't rule out cameos because, for many people, it would be a big no-no to bring the universe back with no reference to the original cast.
My best guess is that we'll see some original faces down the line, and their arrival could lead to new stories in the original universe.
Peacock is doing a great job of revisiting old crime series with movies, so Suits would be ripe for a movie follow-up.
But the spinoff would be an excellent place to re-establish some of the characters before we meet them again.
It would also get a lot of eyes on the new project.
Many people think that Suits became a success story because of Netflix, but it pulled in solid ratings on USA Network for its first seven seasons.
It was a big deal back then.
Suits Spinoff Cast: Who's In?
The series isn't at the casting stage yet, so we're unlikely to have any updates for a while.
We will keep this post updated with any details as they come about.
SEAL Team is Ending a Season Too Late
Suits LA Status: Has it Been Picked Up?
The series is in the very early stages of development, but there's every possibility that it will be picked up.
Unless potential networks don't like the project, there's little chance it won't secure a series order.
Suits was too big this year for eager outlets to pass up the opportunity to usher in its next generation.
We hope that the creatives take the appropriate time to craft a deserving story to continue the universe.
There's nothing worse than a show riding on the coattails of another with little reason for existing.
Pearson was a very good spinoff that differed in many ways from Suits, but it launched as Suits was falling into oblivion after the exits of Meghan Markle and Patrick J. Adams.
Had Pearson launched a few years earlier, it would have been a much bigger success story.
Where Will the Suits Spinoff Air?
There are many possibilities here, but it will all come down to who is willing to pay the most to have the show.
Netflix will probably want to be in the conversation because it was such a success story for the streaming service this year.
Suits Streaming Success Leads to Franchise Expansion
But it could also be used to help shore up Peacock's numbers.
Another possibility is NBC or USA Network, but we'll have to wait for more information on which network Suits LA will call home.
When Will Suits LA Premiere?
With no cast or network attached and the project in the very early stages of development, it's hard to tell when -- or if -- the series will premiere.
There are so many variables at this preliminary stage.
Is There a Trailer for the Suits Spinoff?
If you've gotten this far, you know the answer.
Again, we'll update this post with all the information as it becomes available.
As Harvey Specter once said, "I think that said it all, don't you?"
What are your thoughts on the initial details for the Suits spinoff?
Hit the comments.
...
Well, this is more than disappointing.
Just days after it was revealed that Kara Kilmer would be leaving Chicago Fire, the series has confirmed its intention to say goodbye to another series regular.
Alberto Rosende, who has played fan-favorite Blake Gallo since Chicago Fire Season 8, will be written out on the Chicago Fire Season 12 premiere.
The actor was initially employed in a recurring capacity but struck such a chord with viewers that he was upgraded to a full-fledged series regular shortly after.
Losing another familiar face is never a good sign, but the One Chicago universe has many movers and shakers right now.
The only solace we can take from this news is that Rosende will appear in one final episode to bring Blake's storyline to a close.
The other good news is that we're convinced Blake will not be killed off because this show likes to deliver shocking twists.
Chicago Fire Season 12: Everything We Know
It's hard to imagine execs allowing the news to break ahead of time if a big death storyline was in the works.
Rosende will be filming his final scenes on the series as we speak because production ramped up on Chicago Fire and several other Dick Wolf series this week.
Gallo made his presence felt on the series, with Casey (Jesse Spencer) looking out for him after learning of his tragic past.
He's a decent character, but it seems the show has struggled to know what to do with Gallo after Spencer's departure as a series regular.
Many questions are up in the air at this stage, but maybe Gallo will leave Chicago and go with Casey to his new hometown and carve out a life there.
That would be fun, right?
There's also a good chance Kara Kilmer's Sylvie Brett will be reuniting with Casey.
News broke earlier this month that Kilmer would return for a part of Chicago Fire Season 12 before being written out.
How Hailey Upton's Exit Will Change Chicago PD Landscape
If you watch Chicago Fire online, you know that Casey popped the question to Brett on the Chicago Fire Season 11 finale.
Their relationship survived several hurdles, but they seemed destined for Splitsville when Casey left town.
It seems absence makes the heart grow fonder because every time they cross paths, they seem more intertwined than before.
Let's hope they both have a future now that Kilmer is leaving the show.
In other Chicago Fire casting news, Taylor Kinney is staging a comeback as Kelly Severide.
The actor departed to deal with a personal matter earlier this year and was MIA from the rest of the season.
Now that production is underway, details are coming to the surface about who's in and who's out.
No reason for the latest exits has been given, but we know that Chicago Fire Season 12 is gearing up to be a truncated affair.
Cast Shifts, Budget Cuts, and Shortened Seasons: Can One Chicago Survive Its Own Changes?
The show and countless other broadcast dramas were pushed to midseason due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
As a result, there isn't enough time to get full seasons off the ground.
The likely scenario is that the shows are scaling back their casts a bit due to the reduced episodes.
Serving a large ensemble cast isn't easy to do with so few episodes.
In the wider One Chicago universe, Tracy Spiridakos is being written out of Chicago P.D. as Hailey Upton during the upcoming season.
Chicago Med, which has said goodbye to countless stars over the last year, is welcoming Blindspot veteran Luke Mitchell to its cast.
He'll be a recurring player initially, but the option is there to promote him to a series regular.
It's tough being a fan of this universe now with all the people being written out.
Chicago Med Season 9: Everything We Know
It'll certainly be fun seeing how the shows navigate this many exits.
There's also a chance more actors could be on the way out as the broadcast networks grapple with diminished returns.
What are your thoughts on Alberto's departure as Gallo?
What do you want for his exit storyline?
Hit the comments.
Chicago Fire Season 12 premieres Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 9 p.m. on NBC.
Deadline first reported the news of Alberto Rosende's exit.
...
When Squid Game burst onto the scene in 2021, it became Netflix's biggest show -- ever.
It beat the likes of Stranger Things and Bridgerton -- shows heavily ingrained in pop culture.
The streamer would inevitably find a way to capitalize on that success.
Enter Squid Game: The Challenge, a competition series that takes the format (minus the killing!) to feature 456 people from all walks of life competing for 4.56 million dollars.
It's been a pleasant surprise through eight episodes, and it really is like watching a real-life version of the scripted series.
While it's been a blast watching the cutthroat nature of the gameplay, it's becoming increasingly apparent that the format doesn't allow for much context.
Cramming 456 players into a nine-hour season means that many people disappear for episodes at a time, and many don't even appear until the later episodes.
Stranger Things Season 5: Everything We Know
Now that the season is airing, cast members are speaking out about their experience filming, and one of the most significant issues for viewers has been the editing.
The show moves so fast that you can't look away, or you'll have missed countless eliminations.
You'll recall Player 198 (Husnain Asif), who couldn't get someone to pick up the phone for a supposed chocolate muffin.
Husnain was determined to get player 432 (Bryton) out of the game and figured picking up the phone would grant him the power to oust a player.
As we watched, it didn't quite pan out like that, and we saw Husnain winning a feast before leering over the phone a second time because he was determined to get some power.
When the phone did ring, we learned that he had to get someone to pick up the phone, sealing their fate within two minutes, or he would have been eliminated.
Asif spoke out about the moment recently, revealing two more calls between the two we watched.
They included more food offerings like pizza, making his plea that someone had to pick up his call to get a chocolate muffin more credible.
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Knowing that those two calls were cut out makes it seem like producers are deceiving the audience or they just ran out of time to tell the story more organically.
This isn't an isolated incident, with countless cast members lighting up on social media to share their experiences on the show.
The series is divisive for many reasons, but knowing that only a select few candidates get the screen time makes it evident that one of the people with all the camera time will win when the finale comes around.
Having 456 players and that big of a cash pot gets the show all the attention it needs for people to watch, but it's a shame that the same format leaves so much good content on the cutting room floor.
Netflix is destined to milk this franchise for the years to come, so the hope is that it takes feedback on board and fine-tunes the series to get it to where it needs to be the best possible version of itself.
Nine episodes isn't a long enough run for that many players. Shows like Survivor and RuPaul's Drag Race don't have much more than that; they have around 440 fewer players.
Those two reality TV juggernauts feature more rounded stories of their contestants because they don't need to fight for the screen time.
Getting to the end of a competition and focusing on a select portion of the competitors is a choice, but this could be easier remedied by introducing longer episodes.
The Good Doctor's Latest Exit is Another Sign the Series Needs to End
When the series dropped in my inbox, I devoured the first five and eagerly anticipated the next drop.
The format calls for a much longer runtime and more episodes.
It may change the show's pace somewhat depending on if there are mass eliminations, but getting a more accurate account of the events would be far more worthwhile.
At best, we're getting highlights with the series, and that's not particularly satisfying.
Netflix could -- and should -- release extended episodes of the first season with deleted scenes and heed our advice to make future seasons bigger to secure the show's future.
There's a good chance the paltry episode order was to see if viewers connected with an unscripted take on the format.
Now that we're hooked, we want more than ever, so like any sophomore season, the streamer should take on board the complaints to nurture the show into something bigger and better than what we're getting.
None of the above is a knock on the quality of the show.
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Squid Game: The Challenge is up there with The Traitors, House of Villains, and Love Island Games as my favorite competition series of the season.
After struggling with the latest season of Big Brother, I stopped watching because it was so freaking boring. Squid Game: The Challenge couldn't have come at a better time.
The series has the potential to be one of the best, but its future success hinges on whether Netflix makes the appropriate calls to help it become the best version of itself.
What are your thoughts, Squid Game Fanatics?
Do you think the show's unique concept is its biggest flaw?
What would you change for the second season?
Hit the comments.
Stream the first eight episodes on Netflix now.
The season finale is set to launch around the world on December 6, 2023.
...
It's around that time that we wonder who will be the champion of Hell's Kitchen.
It's back with an all-new episode you don't want to miss as the competition whittles down to a few, and the end is in sight!
We're nearing the finish line, with Hell's Kitchen Season 22 Episode 9 bringing the heat and some fantastic guest stars to boot!
It feels like forever since we've had a new installment of Hell's Kitchen, and they've made up for that with an exciting episode.
During Hell's Kitchen Season 22 Episode 8, we lost Devon after a poorly cooked filet.
It's all in how you cut it in the end, and sadly, Devon's performance didn't cut it for Gordon, and he was sent packing.
Atoye returned to the dorms, and Sandra impressed Gordon early on.
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The Red Team definitely seems to have its shining moments, and Sandra, in particular, has been rising to the top.
Could she be a shoo-in for the crowning Hell's Kitchen moment?
We'll have to see.
During this installment, titled More Bang For Your Buck, it almost feels like we're getting the best of two Ramsay shows in one.
Remember Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars?
During this installment, Ramsay will be giving the remaining chefs a crash course in business.
It takes so much more to run a restaurant than knowing how to cook; some chefs will learn that the hard way.
Ahead of anything else, the restaurant business is all about money, and Ramsay will put that to the test when the teams must undergo a challenge.
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And that's where one of our impressive guests comes into play.
Esteemed restauranteur and chef Suzanne Goin will make an appearance as the contestants get thrust into a competition that forces them to think about costs.
As an expert on the matter, she'll be the one to assist Gordon Ramsay in determining which of the teams will prevail in the competition.
But let's be real, based on the greasy, dirty work the Red Team is wrists deep in during our exclusive clip, we're already hedging our bets that the Blue Team will win the challenge.
We'll wager a guess that the teams may have to create excellent dishes with a specific budget, and Goin and Ramsay will determine who comes out ahead.
But that challenge has nothing on the chaotic dinner service.
It seems we will have a lot of close calls in the kitchen during a heated dinner service.
And sadly, the teams will just barely scrape by with a successful service all around.
We can already guess that Ramsay won't be pleased about it.
It also makes you wonder if the teams are on a backslide and regressing when it comes to these dinner services.
Hopefully, a few people will emerge as leaders and capable chefs amid the chaos.
It would be a shame if they failed to impress FOX star Elodie Yung.
The Cleaning Lady Fanatics may have to wait until March to catch up with Toni, but if you need something to hold you over until then, Yung's cameo in the installment will be the perfect treat.
Influencer Liza Koshy will also appear as a guest star in the installment.
But if you want a taste of what the episode offers, check out our amusing clip below!
The Red Team has the daunting task of churning butter, and apparently, they don't have the arms or stamina to pull it off tsk tsk.
Check out the clip below, and don't forget to turn into an all-new Hell's Kitchen tonight at 8/7c on FOX!
...
We must've been on the "Nice" list.
If there was ever any wonder of what Christmas would be like in Virgin River, then Virgin River Season 5 Part 2 delivered some sugar, spice, everything nice, and a dash of drama.
Virgin River is the perfect series to capture the Hallmark Christmas movie vibes. For the most part, they leaned heavily into some tooth-achingly sweet moments, Christmas festivities, and a strong sense of community and family.
We even got a few Christmas miracles thrown into the mix, from Mel coming face-to-face with her biological father and Charmaine's twins FINALLY being born.
The two-hour holiday event worked as far as slotting between seasons despite serving as the last installments for Virgin River Season 5.
It delivered on some of the questions that lingered after Virgin River Season 5 Episode 10, namely, focusing exclusively on the quest to find Mel's father.
However, it also unearthed a whole new box of questions requiring answers, conflict, and teases for even more of Virgin River's standard drama.
The holiday special was jam-packed as it attempted and sometimes didn't fully succeed in juggling the Virgin River plot points it wanted to address and maintain while sprinkling all the fun festivities and warmth you'd expect from a Christmas special.
Notably, Mel Monroe and Jack were so blissfully happy and chipper that there were genuine moments when it felt surreal and jarring.
It's a relief, in many ways, to have this pairing who have endured so much pain and suffering for so long to have space to be genuinely happy in their lives.
They were at their most content, with goals as simple as having the perfect family Christmas dinner and blending their families for the first time ahead of their wedding in anticipation of creating new traditions and a fresh foundation for their lives.
Jack: Finding your biological father could be a much better gift than jewelry.
Mel: I mean, you could do both.
We've known for some time that Jack Sheridan struggled with his relationship with the other Sheridans, and for Mel, for so long, it was just about her and Joey.
It was nice to see this couple preoccupied with creating their own family and basking in the holiday season, whether it was hilariously pigging out on peppermint bark, a quirky hunt for a mall Santa, or ice skating in town together.
Jack and Mel spent most of the holiday special serving as the foundation of the series while all the other characters struggled or had to navigate other things.
We got an answer right away regarding Lizzie's state; she's pregnant.
Because of the time jump, we got to skip over so much of the immediate aftermath of Lizzie sharing the news and how the two worked through what their future would look like together while sharing with Hope and Doc.
They made up for it by centering Lizzie's struggle to break the news to her mother all these months later.
Knowing the little we've come to learn about Deidre, Lizzie would've had an easier time sharing the news with her mother over the phone in the months before Christmas.
Then, it would've given Deidre the time to process it and decide if she wanted to come to Virgin River to spend the holiday with Lizzie. Fortunately, Lizzie would've had her supportive family and community regardless.
Deidre: I am truly sorry about his condition, but you're my little girl, and I don't want to see you sacrifice your whole life for him or for a baby.
Lizzie: I know it might seem weird to you since you were so focused on your career at my age, but I don't see this as a sacrifice.
Instead, Deidre had to find out in a quintessentially Virgin River way by overhearing Lizzie and Hope McCrae talking and then had to work through her feelings about the matter and come around to the idea quickly, which didn't seem fair.
Yes, it's frustrating that Deidre has a certain idea of what she wants for Lizzie and is forceful.
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However, it's equally as annoying that Deidre, like many other female characters who aren't as family and community-oriented, often comes across as someone who needs to "come around" to the Virgin River view of life or some antagonist.
Sometimes, Virgin River's stringent traditionalist view is so overpowering that it's hard to notice anything else, and you felt that heavily during this holiday special.
It namely comes into play when it's about motherhood, pregnancy, babies, and family.
Because as much as we know and love Lizzie, Deidre wasn't wrong to express the types of concerns that she did.
It's OK if Lizzie doesn't want to go to college or pursue a specific career under some misguided yet frequent societal implication that a woman must be career-oriented and driven to be the height of feminism while scoffing at tradition.
But Virgin River has this pesky habit of leaning too heavily into the opposite direction to balance that out, and it's hard to miss the tone and message it intends to send regarding what it means to be a modern-day woman.
On the surface, Deidre isn't wrong to express concern about her 19-year-old daughter going all-in on having a child she didn't plan for and settling into a life she hasn't thought through.
They say it takes a village to have a child. We have a whole town.
Lizzie
When Lizzie shares that having this child now means that Denny Cutler would have more time to spend watching their child grow up, it does make it seem like she's putting Denny ahead of everything for this decision.
We later learn that she's also the one who would happily get married, which is another example of the traditionalism and nuclear family angle getting pushed heavily.
He's the one who wants her to take a moment to consider that a marriage commitment entails her also taking care of him as his health inevitably declines due to his Huntingtons.
But even Denny's conversation with Doc Mullins about that leaves the strong possibility that Denny and Lizzie will most likely tie the knot sometime down the road, too, instead of exploring the authentic, modern, and common co-parenting angle.
I already had mixed feelings about the series introducing yet another baby into the mix on Virgin River and with Lizzie and Denny at that. But now there's some discomfort in wondering if Lizzie is going through with this pregnancy because it's in HER best interest, what she desires, and for the right reason.
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It's more jarring to see that no one else will likely bat an eye or have the space to have mixed feelings or some hesitation about these teenagers embarking on this journey together.
It feels like they had enough heaviness as a young couple trying to navigate Denny's Huntingtons Disease and their future together.
On that topic, Denny is an excellent addition to the mix, especially with the family elements unspooled with Doc and Hope.
Where his storyline stalls with how reliant it becomes on revolving so much of his existence around his Huntingtons, there is so much more I'd love to see explored with the character, but the series seems hung up on just that portion of him.
The representation is undoubtedly important as we see how this young man navigates life knowing his fate. But there's so much more to Denny that can be touched on, and I fear that even impending fatherhood also links back to this.
At the moment, they've agreed not to get the fetus tested to determine if she carries the gene as well. But with this Christmas special, we didn't have the time to delve into all the potential conflicts that may arise for this young couple as this pregnancy and their choices settle in.
Behind all the merriment and the joy of a new life being brought into the Virgin River world, there's still some wariness about what's to come when one can't be confident that Lizzie has thought things through and made the best choice for herself, and Denny's plans have been derailed or stalled.
Indeed, this is something we'll see unfold for this pairing in the sixth season.
Muriel: I don't wanna wake up someday and realize that you resent me for never having been a father.
Cameron: Wait, what are you saying?
Muriel: What I'm saying is losing you now will break my heart, but knowing that I was the reason that you missed out on all those things that you wanted in life, that would break it even more. All I want for Christmas is for you to think this through. Can you do that for me?
Cameron: Yes, I can.
Virgin River's stringent traditionalism also reared its head while continuing Muriel and Cameron Hayek's romance. In the months since they got together, they've been the talk of the town for their insane chemistry and May/December affair.
Amusingly, the series is committed to this pairing, and even the dialogue among some of the characters damn near broke the fourth wall to needle away at the naysayers who had strong feelings about this seemingly random couple.
Virgin River loves its drama, so dropping Cameron's ex, Michelle, into the mix was right up the series' alley. We got a nice intro to her, so she will be present when the series returns.
But naturally, the series intends for Cameron and Muriel to have some conflict in their relationship because of the age difference. It's to be expected, I presume, but it sucks that it once again falls to children.
With Michelle's return, her sobriety, accountability, and genuine desire to reunite with Cameron, Muriel is facing the fact that Cameron's ex can represent and be something for him that she can't.
There is nothing wrong with not wanting children. A person can have a happy, fulfilling life without them. Not everyone desires them, and there is some tragic backstory as to why they didn't have them or long for them well past their ability to make that yearning come true.
Muriel has always been vivacious and inspiring in that way, being a woman who longed for happiness and romance but also seemed content enough with her life not to have those types of regrets.
It was refreshing to see her and Cameron flirt and have this lovely thing develop. We had a man who saw the value and sexiness in her and what she had to offer.
Muriel: I know this hasn't come up yet, but I don't want children. I mean, I did once upon a time, but that time has passed. Cameron: I wasn't sure, but I want you to know that I am good with a family of two. You're all I need.
Naturally, Cameron likely knew what he was getting into when he pursued this relationship with her. Suddenly making her worried about the ramifications of that is disappointing and redundant.
It would be nice if the potential conflict to such a new couple, especially the one with the age gap, weren't about children and whether or not Cameron should stay with a woman past that point in her life or entertain reuniting with the woman from his past.
Muriel was strong for telling Cameron that she'd rather lose him now than deal with it later. She loves him enough to want what's best for him, even if it means she'll have a broken heart.
Muriel remains one of the best characters in the series, and she's truly grown throughout it. It's why one only hopes for the best and that she'll get the love she deserves out of this, and if that's Cameron, so be it.
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One of the ways that the holiday special succeeded in moving certain things along while holding off on the big stuff was in finally giving us the birth of Charmaine's twins.
We've literally been waiting for this for five seasons. The woman had a longer gestation than a freaking elephant at this point.
And the series couldn't help but crack a few jokes about it. You must appreciate a show that isn't afraid to make fun of itself.
I have to give it to Charmaine Roberts. She was beyond tolerable during this special, maybe even genuinely likable.
I feel like I've been pregnant for years.
Charmaine
We got to see just how long of a way she, Jack, and Mel have come where all the tension and hostility have dissipated, and they get along like friends.
There's something about this special that felt jarring. It feels as if they've all truly set the past behind them.
Of course, it leaves room for them to be a united front and for Mel and Jack to become a support system for her when Calvin inevitably wreaks havoc on her life under the guise of being the twins' father.
Mel was shocked by the news, and that conception happened about as one would've expected. She was so protective of Charmaine that you know there will be more to mine with that down the road.
Mel: Charmaine, I'm really sorry. How did you get mixed up with him?
Charmaine: Like how all mistakes are made, a mixture of sadness and anger and copious amounts of alcohol. And I was mad at Jack.
In a season and especially a holiday special that hammered how family and what that looks like while also bringing up people's childhoods and roots, one has to wonder if there will be a family arc for Charmaine in the future.
We've heard a lot about her late mother this season, which may reflect on her as a new mom or how she seeks to create a family for herself and her children.
The labor and delivery had the right amount of stress, but the result was happy. I'm intrigued by what Charmaine's story can be in the future now that she's no longer bitter about Jack and Mel and the twins are here.
Virgin River rears up the drama and intensity with Preacher. While we didn't get anything particularly shocking with the body thing, learning that they identified the body in the woods had the same impact as his cliffhanger during Labor Day.
We got more of his love story with Kaia as he continues to dote on her and show he's the perfect candidate for a long-term boyfriend.
And they're fine. Unfortunately, Preacher's love life has been such a disaster that it's hard to invest in it.
With Kaia, it always feels like John Preacher auditions for her full attention and love. She and Preacher go at different speeds and often feel like they're in two other worlds.
It's hard to invest in their union. Whatever it is, they're supposed to be, when you feel like Kaia will always have one foot out the door and you never fully feel her intentions or desires for him.
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She makes proclamations and some assurances, but not enough to be reassuring. Even her new position as fire chief doesn't feel as if it's something that will last.
Only in Virgin River can someone land such a career opportunity between cups of hot cocoa and festivities.
She's expressed that choosing that job is how she's shown that she's choosing him. But despite their sweet moments, it always feels like they're on borrowed time.
Ironically, it won't be Kaia's inability to commit to Preacher on the same level, but the bombshell of Preacher's involvement with burying the body that could be the death of this relationship.
The Sheridan family drama was endearing in that way you'd expect with families around the holidays.
It's hard to believe that Jack and Mel couldn't get their families together sooner.
Jack's father had every right to be pissed off about his ex-wife bringing her new boyfriend to dinner last minute. It was a family dinner, for starters, and it wasn't the time or place to thrust this new person into the mix when things were still tense.s
Their mother seemed self-absorbed and selfish about the whole thing. Even the way she kept putting things on Brie to handle her father and couldn't make the situation smoother by not making out with Javier was annoying.
I don't know, maybe this is a mistake. It's a lot to spring on someone on Christmas Eve or at all. Maybe I should just leave the past in the past.
Mel
But it was adorable to see the Sheridan siblings come together and work things out, forcing their parents to make things right rather than ruin Christmas.
It was interesting to hear their perspective of how their family fell apart, and the holidays did as well around the time Jack left and never came back.
The Sheridan family likely never appropriately recovered after losing a child, but once the kids started leaving the house and never returning, it was a death knell.
But now, Jack and Brie Sheridan genuinely desire to return to centering family. They both had a genuine need, partly because Jack wants this whole family whenever he and Mel have kids.
Brie: You know what they say. Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave and grow old wanting to get back to.
Jack: Yeah, I think that's true. But it definitely feels more like home now that you're here.
The optimism about him and Mel having children one day bled through every one of their scenes. You'd think they were expecting with how often they spoke about their children with such certainty.
Can we anticipate the series revisiting a child with the optimal results come next season? They're certainly laying down the foundation for it. And as we've established, Virgin River is obsessed with babies and storylines revolving around them.
Part of setting that foundation is getting all the pieces of their family into place, so introducing Mel's biological father was another way of doing that.
Mel and Jack are the cutest but are also annoying and self-consumed about this mission.
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They were prepared to skip a line full of children and potentially ruin the magic of Santa to interrogate Cliff in the middle of his Santa gig at the mall.
And then Mel dove head-on into approaching her father with no warning on Christmas Eve to bombard him with her presence in Virgin River and drudge up all types of memories and pain he may not have been ready to address.
Shouldn't that be something you ease into? Mel then had the audacity to assume the absolute worst of Everett when he turned her away as if the man's possible feelings about all of this weren't valid.
She and Joey breezed past their mother having an affair with this man, almost blamed their father for not supporting their mother after the loss of Chloe, and didn't even unpack things like how he may not have known that Mel wasn't his child or that Everett learned about her via letter but was essentially told he couldn't be in his daughter's life because Mel's mother thought it was important to maintain the family she had.
Mel: Are you Everett Reid?
Everett: Who's asking?
Mel: His daughter.
Respectfully, Mel's mother sucked for never telling Mel the truth about her origins and robbing Everett of the chance to be in his own daughter's life.
With her information, Mel didn't seem to consider any of that when she got upset with Everett for not immediately jumping for joy and hugging her the second he saw her once she oh, so casually stated that she was his daughter.
The plot of finding Everett was the special at its clunkiest, and the pacing for the two installments was very much clunky and uneven.
It didn't feel as if much happened in The More the Merrier, and then everything was crammed into Father Christmas.
Doc: I may not be your father, biological or otherwise, but I am always here for you, and I consider myself lucky be. And if this guy doesn't, then he's a fool, and he is the one who is missing out.
Mel: You're right. He is missing out. But, um, there is actually someone else I wanted to walk me down the aisle anyway.
Mel had more endearing paternal moments with Doc, especially when he expressed that he saw her as a daughter and anyone would love to be in her life, and she told him that she wanted him to walk her down the aisle.
It was one of the top moments of the special, and Mel and Doc's relationship will never stop being one of the show's highlights. They've come so far!
Fortunately, Everett came around at the end, leaving us with a cliffhanger about whatever he had to tell her. Something tells me that he'll be informing her that she has siblings.
It'll be interesting if the next season explores Mel getting acquainted with another family she didn't know existed.
Everett: I'm looking for Mel Monroe.
Mel: Who's asking?
Everett: Her father. You look so much like your mother. Seeing you just broke my heart all over again. I didn't know what to say.
Mel: So you lied?
Everett: I didn't lie. I'm not the man who wrote those letters, not anymore, not since your mother died.
But if there's one thing I need come Virgin River Season 6, it's Brie and Brady's inevitable reunion.
The chemistry was still raging on and strong in every scene they shared. There's no doubt they still love one another, and had Jack not interrupted them, they probably would've shared a kiss under that mistletoe.
Brie and Mike are an annoying couple.
Mike Valenzuela's entire presence during this special felt forced and unnatural, as if he had nothing else to do.
I'll give him credit; he recovered from getting shot in the chest well.
It already feels like Brie and Mike are on borrowed time, so we'll have to patiently wait until she and Brady find their way back to one another.
In the meantime, it's upsetting that Dan Brady can never be happy for long.
It was already tough to care much about Lark's sudden presence and her and Brady's relationship. But now, just when it seems like he's born his soul to this woman, connected with her over his childhood and past, and developed a lovely bond with Hazel, we learn she's leading him on for nefarious reasons.
Man: How's our little girl doing?
Lark: Hazel's doing good. She had a pretty magical Christmas.
Man: What about Brady?
Lark: He doesn't suspect a thing.
It's not even that surprising so much as it's alarming. Does that mean Lark has been in cahoots with her child's father this whole time, and they're plotting revenge against Brady?
Brady can't escape trouble for anything in the world!
I'm morbidly curious about how he'll react when he learns the truth about Lark. Brady deserves peace and happiness, which always eludes him no matter how hard he tries.
Over to you, Virgin River Fanatics.
What did you think of the holiday special?
What's your impression of Everett? Were you shocked by Lark's betrayal? What are you most looking forward to next season? Sound off below!
...
One of the things the latest version of the Frasier series does well is weave the history of its characters into the current storylines, and Frasier Season 1 Episode 9 is a wonderful example.
Let's unpack the entertaining psychology of this latest installment, which includes scheming to impress women, or at least not scare them off, as well as the relationship between fathers and sons.
We'll start with the funniest moments.
I didn't expect Frasier to go along so willingly with the story Freddy was fabricating, and that made this skit all the more comical.
Frasier really does understand how challenging it can be as an adult to explain why you're living with your parent. He's been there plenty of times as he navigated dating and living with Martin.
Freddy: It’s just, you have no idea how hard it is to explain to a woman that I’m a grown man living with my Dad.
Frasier: Right. I couldn’t possibly imagine what that’s like.
So, despite having gone out hiking and bird watching for the weekend, Frasier readily took on the persona of a doddering old man to help his son's potential romance.
The flaw here is that if the relationship with Nicole has a future, Freddy would have to confess to the lie, which makes his goals with Nicole appear focused on the short-term.
Or perhaps he just takes after his father, who despite being a brilliant psychiatrist, has ignored the long-term consequences of many a scheme in his time for the possibility of immediate romantic success.
Yes, jokes about dementia might be considered distasteful by some, but the humor here really works, especially if you recall the ridiculous ruses Frasier took part in during the original series run, many of those included his father, Martin, who, as Frasier later points out, was always there for him.
Oddly enough, that's become a bit of a stumbling block for Frasier and Freddy.
Freddy: You won’t let me do anything to help out around here. I mean, you pay the bills, you cook half my meals.
Frasier: Which I am happy to do. You’re my son.
Freddy: But I’m also an adult. I spent a long time on my own. I’m used to pulling my own weight. I don’t need you stocking the fridge with pudding cups.
Frasier: You eat those.
Freddy: Not the butterscotch.
Freddy is willing to live with his father, but he wants to feel like more of an equal partner in this living arrangement.
But Frasier's guilt over not being a bigger part of Freddy's life goes deeper than anyone might have expected.
He feels like he owes Freddy for all the years he wasn't around, and he's trying to make up for it now, even if it's not what Freddy wants.
But Frasier isn't completely wrong. Lilith did the heavy lifting as a parent while Frasier pursued his career on the other side of the country.
Because of that, as we saw during Frasier Season 1 Episode 7, Lilith knows their son well, while Frasier feels like he's trying to catch up.
Frasier: Whatever I did for my father, it wasn’t enough because whatever I did, I could never repay him.
Alan: And you don’t want to burden Freddy because, in your eyes, you weren’t there for him either.
Frasier: Exactly.
This is where Alan and Frasier's relationship shines. Alan is both a sounding board and manages to offer solid advice.
Frasier can't look at his and Freddy's relationship as a series of checks and balances. That will never work, and it will make them both crazy.
Because as much as Frasier thinks he's doing the right thing, he's actually driving his son further away.
Frasier is smart enough to realize that, but not before calling in Roland, the plumber, to do the work that Freddy began when trying to find the possible leak.
Frasier's motives are a little murky here. Did he call the plumber because Eve's story scared him and he didn't want Freddy tearing apart their home or because he didn't want to burden his son?
Eve: Oh, he will find every single problem. It’ll be months and months of holes and tarps and dust everywhere, so much dust. There’s bound to be a critter or two, but once he’s done, you’ll know it was done right.
Frasier: Critter?
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Permalink: Critter?
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Either way, guest star Andy Daly as Roland, the plumber, is fantastic as he's dragged into doing improv as Frasier tries to fool his son.
Then, Roland got to be a part of one of my favorite Frasier quotes from this episode.
Frasier: Oh, it’s my knee. An old polo injury.
Roland: Water or horse?
Frasier: Neither, I slipped trying on a pair of chinos at the Ralph Lauren store.
But it's David who finally gets Frasier to see the light.
As Alan has lost another teaching assistant, Olivia hires David for the job.
After Anders Keith's stellar performance in Frasier Season 1 Episode 8, I'm thrilled to find David taking on a role that might allow him to be a part of more storylines.
Frasier: You know he’s taking advantage of you, don’t you?
David: Oh, I know.
Frasier: And you don’t mind that?
David: Are you kidding? I don’t know if you know this about me, but growing up, I was a little coddled. I have yet to eat an intact grape. But Dr. Cornwall is the first adult to trust me with any real responsibility.
Frasier: You don’t resent him in spite of all you’re doing?
David: No, no. The work may seem menial, but it feels good to be valued.
As grapes are one of the number one choking hazards for toddlers, I can just picture Niles cutting them into pieces for his son.
And hearing David reference his childhood made me long to see Niles and Daphne visit their son at Harvard.
But it was hearing Frasier talk about Martin that really made my heart ache.
During the pilot episode of the original series, Frasier wasn't thrilled to have his father move in with him.
Martin was cranky when he arrived at Frasier's new home. He was understandably unhappy that a gunshot wound rendered him using a cane and in need of help.
He also came with a duct-taped easy chair and a dog. It clearly wasn't the fresh start Frasier had hoped for when moving to Seattle.
But as time went on, Frasier grew to appreciate the opportunity to help his father, and he doesn't feel he's earned that from Freddy.
Martin left big shoes to fill, and Frasier is struggling to fill them with his son, but he's beginning to realize that their stories are different.
I doubt anyone could live up to Martin's legacy, especially in his family's eyes. Frasier needs to forge a new path with Freddy, not try to recreate the one he had with his dad.
And Freddy has turned out to be a great guy, even if he does gloat when he's right. At least he seemed willing to take Eve's critique to heart and try to do better.
On a side note, kudos to Freddy for pointing out that Eve needs to lock her door. Why is it that no one in sitcoms ever locks their front door despite usually living in major cities?
Hey, by the way, you could really lock your door. We live in Boston. They literally named a strangler after us.
Freddy [to Eve]
So, TV Fanatics, with only one episode left in Frasier Season 1, what do you think so far?
After a bit of a shaky start, I feel that the series has really found it's footing with the last couple of episodes. I'm looking forward to seeing what the finale has in store, but also hoping we'll get a Frasier Season 2.
Now it's your turn. Hit that SHOW COMMENTS button below to share whether you'd like to see another season of Frasier. Then check back in for our Frasier Season 1 Episode 10 review.
New episodes of Frasier air Thursdays on Paramount+.
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NBC sees a bright future for Found and The Irrational.
TV Fanatic can confirm that both series have been renewed following decent ratings on the network.
While other networks have buckled under the pressure without much original programming this season due to the strikes, NBC's decision to hold these two dramas for the fall is paying off... big time.
The Irrational kicked off in September and stars Jesse L. Martin (The Flash) as Professor Alec Mercer, who uses his skills in human behavior to help cops solve cases.
They're not your typical cases, which has helped the series stand out in a sea of procedurals.
The cast includes Maahra Hill as Alec's ex-wife Marisa, Travina Springer as his sister Kylie and Molly Kunz, and Arash DeMaxi as his grad student assistants Phoebe and Rizwan.
Airing Mondays at 10 p.m. E.T./P.T., The Irrational Season 1 is averaging 6.3 million total viewers and a 0.5 rating in the demo.
The Good Doctor's Latest Exit is Another Sign the Series Needs to End
NBC recently confirmed that one episode had been added to The Irrational's freshman season, with the series set to return on Monday, January 29, 2024, to begin its final four episodes of the season.
The Irrational has also been a big performer in delayed viewing, with the series premiere reaching over 12 million viewers in 15 days.
As for Found, the procedural has emerged as a TV Fanatic favorite thanks to its compelling cases and solid acting from Shanola Hampton and Mark-Paul Gosselaar.
It's rare for a TV show to be able to deliver chilling twists that make you question everything you thought you knew about the characters.
Hampton plays Gabi Mosley, a former kidnapping victim who helps find people who have been abducted.
Gosselaar plays Sir, the man who abudcted her all those years ago, whom she uses for assistance on cases.
The cast is rounded out by Kelli Williams as Gabi's lead investigator, Margaret Reed, and Brett Dalton as police liaison Mark Trent.
Found Season 1 has been averaging 5.2 million viewers and a 0.6 rating in the demo.
Do Adrianne Palicki's Shocking Comments Hint The Orville Has Been Grounded for Good?
The series premiere reached 10.5 million multi-platform viewers in its first week, signaling the show is a strong performer both linearly and on-demand.
"These shows are a testament to the incredibly passionate work of our showrunners Nkechi Okoro Carroll (Found) and Arika Lisanne Mittman (The Irrational), both of whom have executed their visions flawlessly," NBC's president of scripted content Lisa Katz said in a statement.
"A huge thank you to the talented cast, producers and crews for their tireless commitment and dedication, which has clearly paid off with audiences making these series must-see television on both NBC and next day on Peacock."
The renewals mark NBC's first pickups for the 2024-25 season following the cancellation of Magnum P.I.
La Brea was recently announced to be wrapping with an abbreviated third season, set to premiere at midseason.
NBC will likely make decisions on its returning shows in the One Chicago and Law and Order Universe in the coming weeks as production gets back underway.
The only other network that has been making big decisions is CBS, which has recently announced Blue Bloods, Bob Hearts Abishola, and Young Sheldon will wrap with their upcoming seasons.
Blue Bloods' Cancellation is a Stark Reminder of the Constrained Economics of Broadcast TV
There were reports that studios wanted renewal decisions quicker to film two seasons back-to-back because the current seasons are looking at 13 episodes maximum due to the late starts.
What are your thoughts on Found and The Irrational being renewed?
Are you surprised?
Hit the comments.
...
What did Denise's arrival do to the party's vibe?
On The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 13 Episode 6, Denise stunned her former co-stars by returning for Kyle's dinner party.
However, everyone struggled to comprehend why she came back after some wild allegations.
Meanwhile, Kyle was put on the spot about her relationship with Morgan and marital woes.
Elsewhere, Erika tried to clear up her public image.
Use the video above to watch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills online right here via TV Fanatic.
Catch up on all your favorite shows and reviews and join in the conversations with other fanatics who love TV as much as you.
TV Fanatic is your destination for the latest news, spoilers, reviews, and so much more!
...
Who didn't make it out of the maze as a player?
On Survivor Season 45 Episode 10, Jeff sent the final players into a maze that threatened disaster or victory to win something great.
Then, castaways had to prove they had what it took to be in a final by running their biggest competition to date.
Who prevailed?
Use the video above to watch Survivor online right here via TV Fanatic.
Catch up on all your favorite shows and reviews and join in the conversations with other fanatics who love TV as much as you.
TV Fanatic is your destination for the latest news, spoilers, reviews, and so much more!
...
Here is a wrap-up of all the news you need to know from Wednesday, November 29, 2023.
After saying goodbye to countless cast members over the last few years, Luke Mitchell is joining the cast of Chicago Med.
We previously reported that Dr. Charles would be getting a blast from the past, and thanks to Deadline's exclusive, we can reveal it will be in the form of Mitchell's Dr. Mitch Ripley.
Don't get too attached to that name because the outlet states that there's a possibility the name could change.
Okay then.
As of now, Mitchell is on board in a recurring capacity, but there is the option to expand him to series regularly.
That, we guess, will be based on the reaction to the arc being cooked up involving the actor.
Chicago Med Season 9: Everything We Know
Mitchell is one of the best actors out there, so we really hope this works out for him.
He was excellent on The Tomorrow People, Blindspot, and Legacies, even if he was introduced too late in the game for the Vampire Diaries/Originals spinoff.
There were so many possibilities with Ken.
Chicago Med Season 9 will be the first without several series regulars, so there will be plenty of new additions as the season progresses.
We'll keep you up to speed on all the latest casting news as it becomes available.
Meanwhile, MGM+ is staying in business with Forest Whitaker with a renewal for Godfather of Harlem.
The series will return to the streaming service for a fourth season, with production set to get underway in 2024.
"Forest Whitaker's inspired performance as Bumpy Johnson has introduced an iconic, archetypal television antihero to the premium television landscape," said Michael Wright, head of MGM+.
"The cast and creative team exceed expectations every single season, both creatively and cinematically.
"We couldn't be more delighted to embark on a fourth season with this incredibly talented group of people."
"After such a long time away, I'm so excited to be returning to set alongside such an incredible cast, crew, and creative team, under the powerful leadership of Chris Brancato," said Whitaker in a statement.
The Good Doctor's Latest Departure Is Another Sign the Show Needs to End
"We're so appreciative of Michael Wright's support at MGM+, and thrilled that Godfather of Harlem has resonated with fans around the world. We can't wait to get to work on season four!"
As the series returns to production, additional casting details will be made in the coming months.
But for now, yay! It's always good when a show gets renewed, especially one as good as Godfather of Harlem.
Meanwhile, Saturday Night Live is bringing back one of its most familiar faces... with a twist.
Kate McKinnon, who said goodbye to the hit series in 2022, is coming back for a one-time-only event:
She'll serve as host for the first time on Saturday, December 16, 2023.
Musical guest Billie Eilish will join the two-time Emmy winner.
McKinnon's exit was a big one for the series as it was going through a period of change, but we're super excited to find out how she'll stack up as host.
Bob Hearts Abishola Cancellation No Surprise After Cast's Mass Exodus
We're sure some Barbie jokes will be thrown in for good measure.
Upcoming hosts for SNL also include Emma Stone (December 2) and Adam Driver (December 9).
It should be a fun December with all that talent on the show.
What are your thoughts on this exciting TV news?
Are you ready for more Godfather of Harlem?
Hit the comments.
...
Some TV shows are built to last, but The Good Doctor is not one of them.
The ABC medical drama kicked off in 2017 and delivered compelling cases. That's the bare minimum required for a medical drama nowadays, but the biggest problem for the series has been its inability to keep its cast.
Long-running shows tend to lose cast members as the years go on, but The Good Doctor has never really been able to bounce back from losses in the early seasons.
One of the most shocking -- and horrifically written -- exits involved Nicholas Gonzalez's hunky Dr. Neil Melendez succumbing to injuries he sustained in an earthquake.
It was very Grey's Anatomy, but unlike that show, The Good Doctor has struggled to find replacements for prominent characters who stand the test of time.
Killing Melendez was one of the most controversial deaths on TV in recent memory because it was so far out of the left field.
There are shocking deaths that forever change the narrative and benefit the show, but then there are those that are for sheer shock value with little care about what comes later.
We've lost many faces over the year, including Antonia Thomas, Chuku Modu, Beau Garrett, Tamlyn Tomita, Jasika Nikole, and, more recently, Brandon Larracuente.
Larracuente's Danny was one of the better characters on The Good Doctor Season 6, but at least the writing was on the wall regarding storylines.
It was recently confirmed that Hill Harper was bowing out as Dr. Marcus Andrews. The actors' U.S. Senate run foreshadowed his exit.
But it leaves us with just two original series regulars going into The Good Doctor Season 7: Freddie Highmore's Shaun Murphy and Richard Schiff's Anthony Glassman.
There have been plenty of long-gone characters staging comebacks after their departures.
The Good Doctor Season 7: Everything We Know
After four seasons away, Modu recently returned for a recurring arc as Dr. Jared Kalu. Still, with the way the show struggles to keep the cast it has intact, it's becoming increasingly difficult to connect with the characters at the helm.
The writing has understandably suffered through all of the cast changes.
It feels like the writers get accustomed to writing certain characters, only for them to be written out before their storylines reach any satisfactory conclusion.
With Harper's exit, the series is slowly but surely becoming a shell of itself, which is even showing in the medical cases.
At one point, the series pushed the boundaries of what we expected from a medical drama, and it resonated with fans -- to the tune of over 15 million viewers for The Good Doctor Season 1 with delayed viewing factored in.
The numbers have steadily declined since that rock-solid first season, with The Good Doctor Season 6 netting an average of 6.2 million viewers with delayed viewing included.
ABC has clearly taken note of the diminished returns by banishing The Good Doctor Season 7 to Tuesdays, marking the first time the series has been moved from its plum Mondays at 10 p.m. time slot.
Another sign that the network is losing faith in the show is that the proposed spinoff featuring Kennedy McMann and Felicity Huffman is not going forward.
Let's get one thing straight: The Good Lawyer backdoor pilot was one of the show's best episodes in years, so it's upsetting that we won't see that universe expand.
But where can The Good Doctor Season 7 go that the series hasn't gone before?
Despite attempts to reinvent the wheel, the cases are flatlining, and the remaining characters don't feel like those we met on The Good Doctor Season 1.
Thinking about the state of the show after The Good Doctor Season 6, it's hard to imagine things getting better unless there's a dose of adrenaline in the cards.
It would be wise for the show to stop introducing new people and try utilizing the people who have been there for years.
9-1-1 Paired With Grey's Anatomy as ABC Schedules Returning Series
There's a rich tapestry of characters, including Alex Park (Will Yun Lee) and Morgan Reznick (Fiona Gubelmann), who have been embroiled in one of the most excruciating relationships to hit the small screen.
They have so much chemistry, but the writers have infused their arc with what can only be described as a rollercoaster of unnecessary drama. We can see they're made for each other, but the ride continues.
Adding Eden into the mix was a great way to show how they can communicate and work through issues, but I'm not interested in another season of them being put through the wringer for entertainment.
Truthfully, The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 22 served as a decent endpoint for the series, with Shaun and Lea welcoming Steve into the world.
There was so much -- there's that word again -- unnecessary drama throughout their journey to becoming parents for the first time.
What should have been a heartwarming moment was marred by Shaun's fractured dynamic with Glassman. Seriously, what's the point in all of this feuding?
All of the casting changes have done a number on the show, but all of the above is a sign that The Good Doctor should think about wrapping up.
SEAL Team is Ending a Season Too Late
The show is stuck in a creative rut and has been for years, and unless the creatives stop swapping out cast members to repair those storytelling problems, the show won't be able to bounce back.
Over to you, The Good Doctor Fanatics!
What are your thoughts on the exits throughout the years?
Do you think they did irreparable harm to the show?
Hit the comments.
Remember, you can watch The Good Doctor online right here via TV Fanatic.
The Good Doctor returns to ABC on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
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We knew it was coming, but it doesn't make the news any less upsetting.
One of the best comedies to grace the broadcast networks in the last 10 years is coming to a close... for good.
TV Fanatic can confirm that Bob Hearts Abishola will end with its upcoming fifth season.
We wish we could say it was surprising, but a cancellation announcement was expected after the series announced it was saying goodbye to 11 of 13 series regulars earlier this year.
As things stand now, only Billy Gardell and Folake Olowofoyeku are set as series regulars for Bob Hearts Abishola Season 5.
Demoted to recurring are Christine Ebersole (as Dottie), Matt Jones (as Douglas), Maribeth Monroe (as Christina), Vernee Watson (as Gloria), and Shola Adewusi (as Auntie Olu).
Also being made recurring players are Barry Shabaka Henley (as Uncle Tunde), Travis Wolfe Jr. (as Dele), Bayo Akinfemi (as Goodwin), Anthony Okungbowa (as Kofo), Saidah Arrika Ekulona (as Ebunoluwa), and series co-creator Yashere (as Kemi).
Bob Hearts Abishola Season 5: Everything We Know
There are many questions about how the series will handle this big shift,t but the May season finale hinted at Bob and Abishola leaving town after the latter got accepted to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.
Bob was left uneasy about the move, and the season wrapped with questions about where our favorite couple would land.
The likely scenario is that they will move to Baltimore and be joined here and there by some of their family members.
Now that we know the others are set to return on a recurring basis, it seems like the only path forward.
The other possibility is that we're being thrown for a loop, and Bob and Abishola won't leave town; instead, we'll see fewer cast members per episode.
That's a tactic being adopted by the Dick Wolf shows to help keep costs down.
Fellow CBS series Blue Bloods had its cast take a 25% pay cut to keep the show on the air for Season 14.
As previously reported, the series has now been canceled, yet another sign of the constrained economics of broadcast TV.
It's hard to tell how broadcast TV will look in the coming years. My guess? We'll see more imports and co-productions to help keep costs down.
In conjunction with the announcement of Bob Hearts Abishola's demise, CBS revealed that the series will return on Monday, February 12, 2024.
The series finale has been scheduled for Monday, May 13.
Blue Bloods Season 14: Everything We Know
"We are so proud to call BOB ♥ ABISHOLA a CBS comedy as it helped establish a new generation of programming at the Network," said Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment.
"This series expertly showcased a family love story and workplace comedy about the immigrant experience with heartfelt humor and emotion while also authentically portraying Nigerian culture.
"It's a testament to the incomparable Chuck Lorre, the amazing creative team led by Al Higgins, Gina Yashere and Matt Ross, and the talents of Billy Gardell, Folake Olowofoyeku and the entire cast for making this show and its characters come to life and resonate with viewers.
"We plan to celebrate it this spring and give fans the most amazing episodes to remember it by."
"BOB ♥ ABISHOLA is about an unlikely love story, but also the premise that immigrants make America great," said executive producers Gina Yashere, Matt Ross, and Chuck Lorre.
"We've loved bringing these stories to life and are excited for fans to see the final chapter of these two families, and the incredible work of this talented cast and crew."
The only good news about the decision to end the show is that we're getting one last season, but it will feel very different without the entire cast.
CSI Vegas Season 3: Everything We Know
Hopefully, there's a way to bring everyone together at some point to make it feel like the good old days.
What are your thoughts on the decision to end it?
Chat with me in the comments.
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The Orville has one of the strangest runs in TV history.
The comedy-drama debuted on FOX in 2017 and was quickly renewed for a second season.
The Orville Season 2 launched an entire year on from its freshman finale, which is pretty much unheard of by broadcast TV standards.
Then, the series locked in a 10-episode renewal... with the caveat that it would air as a Hulu exclusive.
However, the wait for fresh episodes was over three years.
Now, 14 months from the end of The Orville Season 3, there have been vague hints about the show's future... until now.
Adrianne Palicki, who has been with the series since its premiere, has seemingly thrown cold water over potential new seasons of the FOX-turned-Hulu show.
While appearing on Michael Rosenbaum's Inside of You podcast, she said, "No, not doing that," when asked about the potential of The Orville coming back.
The actress spoke about the difficulty of working on the show due to some logistical problems.
"I don't know, truly, the answer to that," the Friday Night Lights alum offered of the show's future.
"I think there's talk that it could possibly be something that certain people want to do, but it's a really difficult show to shoot, man," she confessed, adding that:
"We shot 33 episodes in six years."
SEAL Team Is Ending a Season Too Late
Palicki admitted there would be so much time between seasons because Seth MacFarlane wanted to write everything himself.
While many TV shows have embraced one person writing every script, it's not usually something we hear about on a show that started its life on a broadcast network.
It's typical for a team of writers to break stories and be given their own episodes to write.
"It became an actual issue because there would be so much time in between seasons because Seth [MacFarlane] wanted to write everything himself," Palicki said.
"So it would just take so much time," she said before adding that she and the other actors were struggling because of so much downtime.
"At one point, we were like, we have to fight the studio to give us a holding fee or something," she added.
"J. Lee was eating saltines and Gatorade at one point because we just couldn't afford anything. It was horrible."
Ted Lands 2024 Premiere Date on Peacock
While the series is one of the better of the last 10 years, it's disheartening hearing how MacFarlane's decision to pen the scripts affected the people who were the face of the show.
There's a high chance that the cast is out of contract now, especially 14 months from the last episode, so even if Hulu -- or another outlet -- is interested in bringing it back, there's no telling who would be interested.
There's also the possibility that things would have to change before people would sign on that dotted line.
The Orville Season 3 was filled with wild moments, but with how it ended, maybe a movie would be the best course of action to wrap things up.
We don't know whether that's even a possibility because we don't know the numbers for the show on Hulu.
The lack of updates doesn't give us the fuzzies that it will return, but after hearing about how the cast feels, Hulu may have been skeptical about renewing it in case some of the cast didn't want to return.
MacFarlane has been vocal about wanting to bring the series back, but right now, it doesn't seem like something that will actually happen.
What are your thoughts on Palicki's experience working on The Orville?
Do you think it's time to let this show go?
Hit the comments.
...
Lest we ever forget it for a moment, Mia Isaac is a tour de force.
She has this innate ability to pull you in the second she appears on screen, and that's largely why following Covey's journey during the flashbacks is inarguably the series at its strongest and best.
As a result, Black Cake Season 1 Episode 7 was one of the series' best installments, as it mirrored the Black Cake series premiere in centering young Covey again and pushing the present-day characters to the fringes as needed.
It also marked closure regarding the audio tapes and Covey/Eleanor Bennett telling her children her story.
She's gotten her life story out. With all of its twists, turns, complications, and secrets of her choice, she places the ball in her children's court to do with that information what they desire.
What's promising about her final message to them is that it at least implies that she had some knowledge of Bunny, or else she wouldn't suggest her kids seek out her former best friend for more answers, no?
It would be lovely if we learned that somehow the two women managed to reconnect, however briefly, and they got to exchange some form of something in some capacity.
Eleanor teases that certain things are best left buried. She's speaking about Little Man's death and the circumstances surrounding whoever murdered him.
The hour heavily implies what many have suspected: Pearl was behind it. We saw her getting the ingredients ready for the black cake.
The particular timing of her return to the kitchen to finish up after her conversation with Covey speaks volumes. But there are also a few other suspects when it comes to who is behind the poisoning.
Lin Lyncook claimed he wasn't behind it at all, but we also know Bunny and how far she was willing to go to help Covey, and there's still a chance that Gibbs was behind it as well, based on Lin's statements.
It's a murder mystery that lingers throughout the series, but once we get wrapped up in Covey's journey, one can't say that the answer is of much concern.
Ultimately, I didn't care about the circumstances surrounding why Covey embarked on such a remarkable, tragic, complex journey. I only cared about what happened to her along the way.
Who was behind Little Man's death never felt like a pressing matter, but if that's what it'll take to bring the siblings perhaps together and prompt them to dig more into Eleanor's past, then so be it.
We need at least one final adventure, or the beginning of one, with Covey's children to make this series come full circle and clench what drives him about family, connection, and identity.
B and B, I don't know how you will feel after hearing everything I've had to say. You may be upset. You may be asking yourselves if you could ever really know who I am, and this is what I need you to hear. You have always known who I am. Who I am is your mother.
Eleanor
Mabel had the difficult task of listening to how she came to be, and it wasn't an easy tale nor a pretty one. It undoubtedly left her with so many conflicted emotions about her life, what she knew, and even the parents who raised her.
It's because Mabel comes to this as an outsider with nonexistent knowledge recently that her part of the story has been so compelling.
It's also ironic how parallels are drawn, and the connection between her and Covey/Eleanor is so intriguing as a concept.
In many ways, it feels all the more fitting that Eleanor's story is wrapped with Mabel.
One can only imagine what it was like for Mabel to learn that she was a product of violence inflicted and realize that Covey had a long journey before she could process that trauma and the result of it and view Mabel as something other than the remnants of something unspeakable.
The hour doesn't shy away from this in the least. Birth Mother goes all in with its deep exploration of the complexities of motherhood on various levels via Covey and Irene.
The series is often at its best when it thoughtfully delves into some of these issues instead of forcefully. It leans toward subtly showing and trusting the audience to comprehend what they're saying rather than spoonfeeding and handholding us through things.
Covey's entire process of coming to grips with her pregnancy, becoming detached and dissociating from most of her pregnancy, and then experiencing that rush of unconditional love for this life she was growing inside of her felt so raw and organic.
Related: Black Cake Review Season 1 Episode 6 Review: Ma
By the time Covey was on her knees sobbing for her baby long after little Mabel and her parents were no more than a dot in the distance, your heart shattered for her.
Motherhood is glamorized. Society speaks of it as if it's the ultimate thing a woman can be and should take to it instantly, long for it, and come naturally to all of these things.
It's a specific idea of what it means to be a "fit" mother versus not, and that was especially said during that time.
One of the most quietly profound moments was when Covey noted that all of these unwed pregnant girls in the home had no idea about what labor and more entailed.
Anything about women, their bodies, and more were things that society simply didn't discuss or place value in beyond the life that they were carrying.
Sadly, as we've seen in recent years, that idealogy remains.
The young women cooked and cleaned their room and board, but it wasn't as if the nuns were teaching them about what was happening to their bodies and what would take place when the baby was coming.
They treated these young women as nothing more than walking incubators for the children they eagerly placed into the hands of those who desired them.
Related: Black Cake Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Mother
It left you sitting there, incredulous as to how many of these young women probably didn't even realize the full extent of what was taking place during sex and the actual conception of the children they were carrying in the first place.
Because, like the process of pregnancy, labor, and delivery, a woman's sexuality was simply not something discussed, deemed worthy of learning about and exploring, or worth having valuable intel about, which is disheartening, among many other things.
The hour is just subtle enough to touch on all these little things, letting the full breadth of the times, the thought processes, the microaggressions, and all that women like Covey faced at the time by having them effortlessly weaved into the story.
And it's all in the little details, like Covey walking past a "No Dogs, No Irish, No Blacks" sign as she heads to London's version of Chinatown, desperate to settle in and disappear while she thinks.
Young ladies these days are so liberated it's no wonder when these types of predicaments come about.
Doctor
It's also in the dialogue, such as how indifferently the nameless doctor spoke about Covey's pregnancy and the casual, misogynistic victim blaming he muttered without a second thought, essentially blaming her for her boss raping her because women are too "liberated."
We catch these little moments and their meaning in so many blink-and-you-miss scenes, such as Sister Madeline's reaction when she learned that Covey's child was biracial or the general regard for unwed mothers and what they could be regarding their children.
It was also notable how Covey had gradually shifted in appearance; her natural hair featured more prominently again, and there was an uncanny way in which you could envision how this woman would transition into the Eleanor that we saw in the recent past.
Black Cake's casting is impressive; these are the little moments when you can truly appreciate the skill level.
It also translates to how Mabel's more natural waves make a steady, consistent appearance amid all of this.
With Black Cake, they do so well with some of the secondary characters. It's incredible how sometimes they're some of the most intriguing ones who add so much to the story, and other times they fall so short.
While not a character who elicits the level of attachment as Bunny or even Elly, Irene is still an impactful character within the hour.
Namely, it was heartrending to see her so hopeful about starting a life together with her boyfriend, despite signing away rights to her child at this home, only to become utterly despondent when her child was born.
They've been praying for a baby for years, and they've agreed to keep Mathilda as her middle name at my request.
Sister Madeline
We didn't need someone to outline her postpartum. They allowed us to make the natural conclusion from her behavior.
It was upsetting to see this poor young woman in such visible anguish and pain without the knowledge, the tools, or the concern from anyone remotely capable of helping her.
She went from loving the idea of this child she was having to not even wanting to name her -- the baby becoming nothing more than a number.
Her irritation with the breastfeeding and desire to get back to cleaning was telling, but nothing more than when Covey caught her unlatching the baby's mouth from her breast and lying about the infant's reluctance to feed to get away from it all.
Her final scene with Covey was upsetting.
She was far from the same girl who befriended Covey when she arrived, and to know that she went back home to the same parents who sent her away, where she would probably spend the rest of her days pretending as if she never had a child-- it's unfathomable.
Related: Found Review: Missing While Scamming
The hour does a lot of heavy lifting in giving a realistic and unflinching look at labor, birth, and motherhood-- the brutality of the process physically, emotionally, and mentally.
If ever there was a reminder of how it's the closest one comes to death and how deeply traumatizing to the body and mind it can be, we got that here.
It was also a great hour to give us those flashbacks to Mathilda, especially since it's through Covey's lingering connection to her mother that she came to name her child after her.
This cycle of womanhood was poignant. The scenes of Mathilda teaching Covey how to breathe during her swimming lessons, juxtaposed with Covey breathing through her labor and delivery, were beautifully done.
Mathilda and what she represented as a mother got recognition as Covey/Eleanor realized some of what her mother must've felt late in life.
On the surface, it seems unfathomable that a woman can just abandon her child with an irresponsible man and never come back.
The question of why Mathilda didn't take Covey with her lingers heavily over the series, but then, to ponder that, one must also come to grips with the many factors that come into play.
We've seen through Covey's journey that it's not as if a woman, especially a woman of color, has much access, rights, or privileges.
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When you consider in the States, women couldn't even legally open their own bank account alone until 1974, it puts some things into perspective about how difficult it was for a woman in the 50s and 60s couldn't just take her kid and leave.
It's that same sexism and inequity that had Covey essentially being sold to Little Man in the first place with little choice.
It's why Pearl and Bunny, like Pearl did for Mathilda, have to work secretly when helping Covey escape. It's fascinating how Covey knew so little about her mother but managed to follow a similar path anyway.
And through her experiences, she felt closer to her mother than ever.
Before I met you, my first born, I was afraid that you would be a reminder of that horrible thing that happened to me then all of a sudden, my past didn't matter. All of a sudden, you were my future, my everything.
Eleanor
The tragedy is that she never learned what happened to Mathilda. Now that we know Mathilda had every intention of coming back for Covey, one can only guess that the worst happened to her to prevent that from happening.
Black Cake does well in building a full story around the complexities of women, which is part of the series' appeal. It doesn't manage to pull this off with all of its female characters, but we've seen this with Covey's journey.
Black Cake also managed to do this with Mathilda now that they've filled in some gaps. With one more installment, I'm curious how they wrap up this series!
Tea and Cake:
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During Black Cake Season 1 Episode 1, Eleanor said she wanted B and B to hear her story and then tell everyone who she was; I'm curious to see in what capacity they do that.
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Can we anticipate Covey's kids tracking down Bunny all these years and getting to tie a bow on their mother's story?
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If you were Mabel, could you ever look at your parents the same way again? Not only did they lie to her for her entire life about her adoption and identity, but they clearly saw Covey didn't want to give Mabel up and fled that home and never looked back.
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It's genuinely refreshing how this series tackles depression and suicide ideation because it's something that is still difficult to discuss or navigate in the Black community. We've seen Covey willing to give up living a few times throughout the series.
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If ever there was a way of capturing the distinction between pro-life and pro-birth, it's how the nuns cast Covey aside, broken, traumatized, and emotionally unstable the second they no longer needed her for the baby.
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Chipo Chung gives me chills in those voiceovers. When Eleanor states that her B and B have always known who she was, it hits you right in the feels.
Over to you, Black Cake Fanatics.
How did you feel about this penultimate episode of the series? What do you hope to see in the finale? Sound off below!
Black Cake airs on Wednesdays on Hulu.
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Ever wondered what happened to John and Ted during their younger years?
That's exactly the gist of Peacock's new series that takes place several years before the two big-screen Ted movies.
The official trailer went public today, which takes us back to 1993 when John is struggling to come to terms with the pressures of being a teenager.
As for Ted, he's being his crude self and is not impressed about being sent to school.
As expected, there's pushback for Ted as he tries to get acclimated to school life, with one student even comparing him to a dog.
That isn't nice, but in true Ted fashion, he isn't ready to allow someone to talk down to him in school.
There's plenty of the signature wit from the movies, but there's this concern that the show won't be able to sustain that level of humor over a seven-episode season.
Alien TV Series: Everything We Know
Macfarlane works on the show alongside Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh.
Seth McFarlane is, of course, well known for bringing the funny with his countless projects, so it does have a recipe for success.
"Ted may be a lousy influence on John, but at the end of the day, he's a loyal pal who's always willing to go out on a limb for friendship," the logline teases, hinting that there will be plenty of hurdles for the gang.
Seth MacFarlane, Max Burkholder, Alanna Ubach, Scott Grimes, and Giorgia Whigham star.
"Each generation develops its own unique artistic style, its own way of seeing the world. In the twenties, it was the subversive musical phrasings of jazz," the trio said in a statement.
"In the fifties, it was the bold brushwork of the abstract expressionists.
"Our generation's unique art is streaming content based on previously successful intellectual property. In that proud tradition, we humbly give you Ted.
"Our series is a prequel to the Ted movies. It takes place in the nineties but is based on the timeless truth that being sixteen sucks," they add of the time shift.
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"The only thing that makes it tolerable is going through it with a friend, even if that friend is a has-been magical teddy bear with a foul mouth and a proclivity for drug use.
"The three of us were teenagers in the nineties and grew up in and around Boston, where the show takes place, so many of these stories are personal for us.
"We were able to put the characters through some of the same indignities and milestones we experienced back then.
"Also, we made stuff up (it's a lot of pages to fill and real life is mostly boring)," they conclude.
Ted launches its seven-episode season on Thursday, January 11, 2024, serving as one of the biggest premieres of January.
There will undoubtedly be plenty of excitement on the horizon for the series because it's a prequel to the wildly successful movie franchise.
Check out the official trailer below.
What are your thoughts on the full-length trailer?
Do you think the show looks like a worthy follow-up to the movies?
Wednesday Season 2: Everything We Know
Are you concerned about taking a trip to the past with these characters?
Hit the comments below.
And, if you need to get caught up, the first two movies are streaming now on Peacock.
They're good!
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We've been eagerly anticipating the Alien prequel series from Noah Hawley for a long time.
The long-gestating project has had several bumps in the road, but thankfully, it's finally beginning to take shape.
As a result, we've rounded up everything there is to know about the series that will take us into the universe before Sigourney Weaver made her mark as Ripley.
Alien: Will the FX Series Feature Sigourney Weaver as Ripley?
Sigourney Weaver's Ripley was the main attraction of the countless movies, but don't expect Ripley to be a part of this story.
According to FX, the new series takes place long before Ripley is in space.
"Alien takes place before Ripley. It's the first story that takes place in the Alien franchise on Earth," said FX exec John Landgraf to Deadline in 2022.
Wednesday Season 2: Everything We Know
"So, it takes place on our planet. Right near the end of this century we're in — so 70-odd years from now."
"Ripley won't be a part of it or any of the other characters of Alien other than the alien itself."
"Noah has this incredible ability, and I think you've seen it with Fargo, to both find a way of being faithful, showing fidelity to an original creation like a Coen brothers' movie, or in this case, Ridley Scott's and James Cameron's follow-up, Aliens, but also to bring something new to the table that represents extension and reinvention of a franchise at the same time."
It's not a surprise we won't be meeting a younger iteration of Ripley because this story is supposed to kickstart a whole new chapter in the Alien universe.
Bringing Ripley in would detract from the other new characters because people would probably tune in for the iconic character.
However, we wouldn't mind an appearance from Ripley down the line, possibly a cameo if the series stands the test of time.
Many new series don't survive their first season, but the hope here is that the creatives manage to craft a compelling chapter that will stand the test of time.
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Do I Need to Watch the Alien Movies to Watch the Series?
No. Thanks to how the series is designed, it will be accessible to new and old viewers.
This doesn't mean there won't be ties to the movies, but they should serve as easter eggs more than anything else.
FX's Alien Cast: Who's In?
Now that we know who isn't in the cast, it's time to look at who will be on the show.
- Essie Davis as Dame Silvia
- Alex Lawther as CJ
- Samuel Blenkin as Boy Kavalier
- Sydney Chandler as Wendy
- Adarsh Gourav as Slightly
- Kit Young as Tootles
- Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh
We're sure this cast will grow, so bookmark this page for all the latest casting news.
Alien: Where is it Set?
While plot details are being kept well under wraps until closer to transmission, we know the series adaptation will take us to Earth.
That doesn't sound too out of this world, but it means there's a good chance we'll be watching some form of alien crash-landing on Earth and unleashing plenty of drama.
Naturally, that leads to many narrative possibilities as we see an Earth in the not-too-distant future coming to grips with aliens.
Apple TV+'s polarizing drama series Invasion has that covered, so we're hopeful that FX's Alien is a nice change of pace.
Noah Hawley consistently delivers stellar TV series, so we're inclined to believe this will be an alien series unlike any other.
Beyond the setting, we don't know how the incredible cast of characters fits into this world, which is interesting.
Knowing so little makes us want to know more, so we hope plenty of answers are on the horizon when the promotional train gets underway.
Is Filming Underway on FX's Alien?
Production on the first season got underway earlier this year, but it was halted quickly due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
With the strikes resolved, filming is expected to resume in Thailand early next year, meaning the series is probably still a pretty long way off.
When Will Alien Premiere?
With production of the series being halted due to the strikes and it yet to get back underway, there's a good chance we won't see the series in 2024.
There are a couple of reasons for that, but the most important is that there will likely be a lengthy post-production process due to the VFX required to tell the story.
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For that reason alone, we shouldn't expect the series to premiere before 2025.
Where Can I Watch Alien?
The series will be marked as an FX original series but will air on Hulu.
It follows in the footsteps of shows like The Bear and A Murder at the End of the World in that they don't air on the linear cable network.
This doesn't mean FX has any less faith in the project; it's just another sign of the deep ties between Disney and Hulu.
Is There a Trailer for FX's Alien?
Alien had barely started filming before being shut down due to the strikes, so there is no material for FX to market the show.
We probably won't get any footage from the series for a long time.
We'll update this page when the first footage is released.
What are your thoughts on the first details for Alien?
Hit the comments.
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And the viewers cheered!
Found Season 1 Episode 9 was a pivotal episode that rejuvenated a show that was slowly falling into the trap of its own making by demanding we suspend logic.
It answered all the questions that had been building up throughout the season and had a similar feeling to the series premiere, which was beautifully done.
Like I cheered watching the premiere, I found (see what I did there) myself beyond excited about the events in this episode.
Like all others in the season, events unfolded on two fronts as several characters dealt with their feelings while working on another case.
There wasn't too much focus on Gabi and her feelings, and many characters got enough screen time to flesh out some backstories and develop them.
Noticeably, it was the first time we didn't get flashbacks to Teen Gabi's times in captivity, which always seemed to usher in something about the present.
They weren't terribly missed since we revisited the past, but this time, it was not about Gabi but about Sir.
Something traumatic must have happened to him that made him the monster he is, is a statement I've repeated countless times in my Found reviews.
The best I could do was guess that he had lost his family (I still think there is something in those lines), and it was a lot of feeling around in the dark.
The episode revealed the beginnings of Sir's trauma, and why did I never guess that? His rigid morality about certain moral issues was reminiscent of general Christianity a few decades ago, where he condemned anything he deemed sinful, even small vices.
It might be cliché, but that's because it's common that most serious problems male offenders develop in adulthood can be traced back to their childhood, and more times than not, they have to do with mothers.
I'm not sure how accurate this prevailing assessment is and what in a mother-son relationship bears these fruits, but it's interesting, to say the least.
Boys with mommy issues tend to develop violent behaviors against women who look like their mothers or exhibit the same behaviors, while girls with daddy issues tend to be promiscuous. Is this true, or is it something one writer did and Hollywood decided to run with?
We met Hugh and his demon of a mother.
Hugh's Mother: I'm impure. A whore. How dare you write those things about me?
Hugh: That's my journal. It's private.
Hugh's Mother: As if you're so much better.
Hugh: Why do you treat me like this? I do everything for you; why can't you love me?
Hugh's Mother: I don't love you because you're broken. You've always been broken. You will always be broken. No one will ever love you. You understand me? No one.
Some children never stand a chance, so bearing children should not be taken lightly. Cooped up in that house ridden with chores way above his age was not a childhood any child should have.
He had to witness his mother's promiscuous lifestyle, and her mode of dressing was just as bad.
Now, sex work is work, and I don't judge her for doing what she had to do to feed… oh wait, she didn't even feed them.
It took a kind neighbor (who has an uncanny resemblance to Teen Gabi) to notice Hugh was suffering. I had debated the reason why Sir took Gabi, a Black child, and I'd assumed it had something to do with race.
But maybe it was because the first person to be kind to him was a Black woman, and his mind associated that with Black people.
The life Hugh led would break someone. The most essential thing children ask of their parents is love. To be told and shown that they're loved. He lacked it, and he would die trying to find someone who loved him.
For a backstory, it made sense why he acted how he did.
Books were his only window into the world, and he lucked out as someone who also used books as a window into the world. There is so much to learn about the world unless one runs into inappropriate books.
It was why he stressed that Teen Gabi read.
Events in his childhood shaped his mind and desires. The desire to be loved was not met at all, and it broke him.
As Sir dealt with his past demons, Gabi Mosley dealt with the present.
With each passing day, the secret was becoming more challenging to keep. How could she when her door was revolving with intuitive people whose job is to read emotions?
Gabi flirted with the idea of confessing, and it weighed so heavily on her that she had nightmares about it.
We were wrong if we thought Lacey Quinn had been satisfied by Gabi's explanation about the basement.
We used to be close. There was a time that I could read you better than anyone, and now there's just this wall and half-truths.
Lacey
We had lost the context of just how much history they shared. They had kept in touch all these years later, and Lacey understood Gabi.
The hour saw the team work on a missing person's case, and while it wasn't like the other cases they have worked on throughout Found Season 1.
I never thought of "influencers" as a marginalized group, but as is the case with M&A, the only thing they need to know is that someone is missing, and a ransom video left no room for doubt.
Mellissa's case was complex, but for the most part, it felt like it was needlessly so.
I get not wanting to deliver bland cases, but doing a whole tour to reveal that Melissa was in a polyamorous relationship felt a little over the top.
While it was clear that Melissa led a deceitful life, it felt like her partners would have come clean about the nature of their relationship as soon as possible.
The team went into action trying to negotiate for Melissa's return, and who would have thought they would be targets for a scam? Maybe that will caution them against jumping on every case that comes through their doors.
I prefaced this review by highlighting how different and important this episode was because it answered many questions and had several firsts for the show.
The money question was finally addressed, and while it wasn't something we didn't know, the show offered a little more information on that front.
Mark: Mosley & Associates and its fearless leader, former kidnapping victim Gabby Moseley, and her diverse crew of specialists have dedicated themselves to finding those who others won't.
Dhan: With a 96% success rate and their classified funding sources.
Lacey: Shoutout to Zeke and his trust fund.
In Found Season 1 Episode 1, Dhan was not Zeke's greatest fan because he had found his way into M&A by having his parents bankroll the operation.
The explanation seemed partially satisfying, but there was a question about how much they did and their limits. A man willing to give up $1 million is not poor by any means, and I guess he could cough up several millions for a noble endeavor.
That and the fact that many of the clients seemed like they could pay, plus donations from well-wishers, I would assume it was a bit satisfactory.
The question about what happened to Sir was also addressed.
For the first time, we saw the team lose someone they were supposed to save, and it was nerve-wracking for Gabi. There was no "Welcome Home!" because Melissa died, and there was no one to welcome.
We saw the "other wall" where the remaining 4% went. It was considerate of Gabi not to forget them, but was that a healthy thing to do? To have her "failures" right in her house?
For the first time, we saw an operation go horribly wrong when shots were fired, prompting the police to intervene. I squirm at the thought of what could have gone wrong there.
Intrusive Thoughts
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The show is biting a little more than it can chew because Margaret's visit to the therapist deserved a lot more screen time. Two scenes didn't feel like they did her justice.
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Mark's struggle with being out of the police force was also not done justice.
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Will Gabi Mosley ever stop with the lies? The thing with lies is that they become too big to admit, and the only way out is to tell more lies to cover up past lies.
Lacey: What's in the basement?
Gabi: I'm in the basement. I lock the part of me that Sir took in there. The part that I never got back. The part that grieves the darkness, loneliness, and pain. It's the place that I go in my mind where I become what we hunt to help us with our cases and bring people home.
Over to you, Found Fanatics. What did you think?
Did you find the episode as vital as I did?
Which answers did you deem as being unsatisfactory?
Chime in in the comments section.
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