High Potential is one of (very few) breakthrough network TV hits of the past season.
However the American crime/drama series from Drew Goddard, is actually based on the 2021 French and Belgian television series HPI.
The series airs on ABC in the USA and Disney+ here in Australia.
Starring Kaitlin Olson as Morgan Gillory, an intellectually gifted cleaning woman who becomes a police consultant. Also starring are Daniel Sunjata as Morgan's partner Adam Karadec and Judy Reyes as Selena Soto, the head of their department.
High Potential started back last September, however I think this was one of the series Disney+ held back till more episodes had aired. The in January, the series was renewed for a second season. One of the earliest renewals for the next TV. Which following CBS last week, the other networks will announce their plans for 2025-2026.
High Potential centres on Morgan (Olson), a single mother with three children who works as a cleaning lady for the Los Angeles Police Department. She is also a high potential intellectual, with an IQ of 160. After solving a case using her unconventional mind, she becomes a consultant for the LAPD's Major Crimes division, where she is paired with no-nonsense detective Adam Karadec (Sunjata).
A subplot involves Morgan using the LAPD's help and resources to find out what happened to her first husband, Roman, the father of her older daughter Ava, who disappeared 15 years earlier when Ava was a baby.
In the 13th episode, things heat up. If you are not up to date on this sleeper Disney+/ABC hit, don't read on!
A psychopath kidnaps people from a grief counselling group, including Oz, and wants the LAPD to "play" with him, using various games as clues to the victims' locations. Meanwhile, Conforth returns, and tells Morgan that he only plans on working directly with her, not the LAPD. Morgan accepts the terms, but Karadec wants to be the one who talks to Conforth.
Conforth tells Morgan that before he disappeared, he was working for a woman named Lyla. Karadec, using Ronnie's connections, learns that Lyla was an FBI agent who died around the time Roman disappeared, and had Roman working for her as an informant.
Conforth calls for Morgan to meet him at a hotel for some info, but Karadec goes instead. Conforth is hesitant to trust him, but gives Karadec the information. Meanwhile, Morgan is getting groceries with her kids, and a stranger helps her.
When she gets home, she finds a message from the kidnapper, and Morgan realises that the kidnapper was the stranger she met earlier. Morgan then gets a call from Karadec, who tells her that he knows Roman's location.
It sets up season two really well, with a few wee cliffhangers.
I started this on a flight back from Japan, then gradually an episode or so a week, I concluded the hit new series last week.
I do hope Disney+ stream this week to week when it lands either later this year or early next.
Until then I will give my thoughts on the Amazon horror/Blumhouse series, The Bondsman next, while Found finishes for good, Power's prequel series revolving around Kanan Stark concludes for another season and Doctor Odyssey may air it's final episode on Disney+ Saturday morning.
Mid-Century Modern is another Disney+ comedy which might not be a title you'd expect to find on Disney+.
Starring Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, Linda Lavin, and Nathan Lee Graham. Sadly this marks Lavin's final television role. As she died having completed seven episodes, but after her death, it was decided that many of her scenes from the fourth episode would instead be used in the eighth episode, so she appears in a total of eight episodes.
Streaming on Hulu back in March, all ten episodes landing with canned laughter and gay humour.
The Ryan Murphy produced sitcom, received generally positive reviews from critics. The series has been praised for its humour, nostalgic charm, performances, and its ability to blend classic sitcom sensibilities with contemporary themes.
So what's it all about? Three gay best friends of a certain age, after an unexpected death, move in together in Palm Springs, California. Living with the wealthiest friend's mother, they navigate their golden years as a chosen family, supporting each other through life's challenges.
The show is from the creators of Will & Grace, Max Mutchnick and David Kohan.
So will there be a second season? For now, no word yet.
In the finale, viewers find themselves, four months have passed since Sybil's death and now Bunny wants to go through his mom's things to turn the room into a gym.
Mindy begins to remember the past while going through Sybil's things with Arthur.
Jerry learns that the mormon he almost hooked up with, Mason, has shown up in Palm Springs after leaving his bride at the altar. Mason asks if he could stay there to which Jerry immediately agrees, upsetting Bunny.
Caroll then shows up, revealing that Bunny had invited the man without speaking to the others. He reveals that he is in love with Bunny, much to his surprise.
The next meeting has Arthur yelling at Bunny for doing what Jerry had done. Mindy comes over and learns about Caroll and Mason being there. Mindy talks Mason into going back to talk to the woman he left at the altar and then tells Caroll that Bunny isn't interested in him. Bunny, Arthur, and Jerry tell her that she was like Sybil.
They then decide to offer Sybil's room to Mindy to which she declines. Before leaving Caroll pulls Bunny into a kiss, surprising him.
Once both are gone, Mindy sends them a disco ball to put in their home gym to which the equipment had yet to arrive for. The episode ends with the trio (a modern Golden Girls, gender swap) dancing in the empty (soon to be) gym, to Shake Your Groove Thing.
Fitting end to a fun little series. As a friend said, it won't change your life or TV in general. However it was a fun piece of escapism.
The American sports drama series is now the only old school, The CW series, which commenced back in 2018.
This season had an entirely new load of cast joining a few original cast members. Bre-Z, Samantha Logan, Michael Evans Behling all returned, with former hunky lead Daniel Ezra returned for one episode.
Back in June last year, the series was renewed for a seventh season. This commenced late January this year.
So how did the seventh season conclude with its fate up in the air?
It's one of few series in the USA still awaiting advice on its continuation. I strongly predict this will face the axe, alongside recently cancelled Rescue Hi-Surf and Found (only this morning).
In the finale, the playoff match between Beverly High Eagles and South Crenshaw Chargers, with the former down by four going into the final play of the game. The final stages of the episode saw quarterback KJ throw a long pass, with credits rolling before viewers learned the ball's destination.
So the only cliffhangers is, viewers were left wondering about the outcome of one fateful football game? Who fucking cares.
I would miss Jordan (Michael Evans Behling) if this show was cancelled. However probably should have left off on a high(ish) note last season with the better season six finale, before the majority of the OG cast were axed to save cash.
The 2025–26 is going to be much different in the USA. It appears to be budgets first, creativity and originality second or third or not at all.
In Australia, All American streams all seven seasons on Stan.
Today we move to Kyoto. Visiting Nijo Castle (二条城, Nijōjō) which was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1868).
Shogun just got renewed, so maybe I should finish season one. Also my first sighting of cherry blossoms!
The Equalizer was renewed for a fifth season which returned to our screens last October. Earlier this month, the series was canceled after five seasons. This follows the show avoiding the axe last season, when CBS needed to make space for new shows.
This year with Blue Bloods, Fire Country spin-offs and other new shows slaying, it was always going to be touch for the Queen Latifah action series to continue on. Rumours were a short, sixth and final season might be announced, however TV stations in the states are all about budgets and balance sheets. So expect a few more shows to get the axe before the upfronts start, possibly tomorrow with CBS first cab off the rank.
I think NBC is next Tuesday, no doubt ABC will follow then the smaller players, FOX and The CW.
Back to The Equalizer, warning spoilers below as Robyn McCall hangs up her action shoes. Honestly for me, I totally would have preferred Star to continue for Queen Latifah. That season three cliffhanger! Right!
The season booted off with McCall being asked to rescue a little girl, Randi, after her older brother Kevin steals a grocery truck filled with guns from career thug Paco Alvarez, a lieutenant for a low-level drug dealer Diego Sueño.
Harry finds the truck but it's locked down in an NYPD impound lot, so McCall must improvise. Kevin is captured trying to rescue Randi himself. Just when McCall needs Harry on over-watch, Mel has a post-traumatic panic attack, calling him away.
He also misses Dante's call, warning him that major cartel member Angel Salazar and his deadly crew are about to show up. McCall is captured, tortured, and nearly killed escaping. Back at home, Miles tends to her wounds, and she must admit she no longer has a team.
So the season ends with more Angel Salazar. In the second last episode, Mel and Harry spot Angel Salazar in a photo with the target. In the Poconos, Salazar's men prepare to storm Marcus' and Robyn's cabin. Which was meant to be a romantic getaway. But it was not meant to be.
The episode ends on a cliffhanger, continuing in the series finale with Poconos hikers Duncan and Rosita are slain by Xiomara, one of Angel Salazar's Guatemalan mercenaries.
Ikal asks him how to handle McCall and Dante. Gary and Glenda Thompson interrupt Marcus' and Robyn's romantic reminiscing, and help themselves to their wine.
Mel and Harry try to find a connection between Salazar and the bomb. Harry poses the question, can they stop their dangerous equalizing?
Salazar's men kill Gary. Robyn and Marcus split up to save Glenda.
At the cabin, Harry fixes satellite/cell service, while Mel and Robyn spot Salazar's base of operations. They develop a plan to rescue Marcus, but he is shot. Harry stays with him, while Robyn and Mel go after Salazar.
The episode does wrap up with all getting some kind of ending. The show had really run its course. I do believe this season was a bit of a push. However the social justice and issues the show shone the spotlight on, was kind of refreshing, other times slightly cringe and preachy.
Otherwise this show did well to get five seasons. In the current TV climate it may not have been so lucky.
A24 continue to distribute quality films, Warfare is the latest.
Written & directed by Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland. Warfare is based on Mendoza's experiences during the Iraq War as a U.S. Navy SEAL, the film depicts an encounter he and his platoon experienced on November 19, 2006 in the wake of the Battle of Ramadi.
To maintain historical accuracy, the film's material is exclusively taken from the testimonies of the platoon members, and is presented in real time. Giving old school 24 vibes, with an intense setting within one house for the majority of the film.
Starring an all male cats, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Mendoza, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Finn Bennett, Joseph Quinn, Charles Melton, Noah Centineo, and Michael Gandolfini.
The film is dedicated to platoon member Elliott Miller (played by singer Cosmos Jarvis), who lost his leg and the ability to speak in the incident.
I was a little late to the party, however the Tuesday session I attended was largely full with an engaged audience.
Warfare is intense, disturbing and gruelling to watch.
As someone against wars, this film reinforced my beliefs, with the film showcasing the sheer horror of war.
You feel like you are in the house with this group of young soldiers.
This film will not be for everyone, however its a damn well made film. 3 Stars.
The Righteous Gemstones has concluded its four season run on HBO. Leaving the premium content producer with limited comedies. Well the Max brand still has the super funny Hacks, which really looks like it will get a fifth season.
Gemstones created by Danny McBride, originally premiered in August, 2019. There has been some big gaps between seasons with the fourth commencing early March with a very random Bradley Cooper lead episode.
Throughout the fourth and final season, the Gemstone children continue to lead the church amidst their turbulent personal lives: Jesse struggles to leave a lasting legacy and keep control of his rebelling sons while Judy must care for a depressed BJ after he is injured in a pole-dancing accident.
Having entered into a romantic relationship with Keefe, Kelvin gains prominence after creating PRISM, an LGBT-friendly ministry. Things spiral completely out of control for the Gemstone offspring when a lonely Eli enters into a relationship with Lori Milsap, a close friend of Aimee-Leigh. The origins of the Gemstone empire, led by outlaw-turned-reluctant preacher Elijah Gemstone, are likewise explored.
Alongside McBride, Adam DeVine, Edi Patterson, Tony Cavalero, Cassidy Freeman, Gregory Alan Williams, Tim Baltz, & John Goodman also star.
The long standing HBO comedy series, has had a positive reception and has been nominated for a number of awards.
Watch out spoilers below for the series finale, That Man of God May Be Complete.
This was the ninth episode of the fourth season & the 36th overall episode of the series. The episode received critical acclaim, with critics praising the performances, humour, emotional tone and closure to the storylines.
In the finale, at the Cape and Pistol Society, Vance tells Jesse that he is opening 10 new churches around his malls and then proceeds to throw a yellow hanky, challenging him to a pistol duel. Eli volunteers as Jesse's second, but he is scared about Jesse's plan.
The duel begins, and Vance shoots first, but accidentally hits a car in the distance. He subsequently begs for his life, prompting Jesse to shoot at a pole, which ricochets at a member's leg. He decides to spare Vance, but quits the society, deciding that he does not need it, with Eli also quitting.
Kelvin surprises Keefe by proposing marriage, which he gladly accepts. BJ feels depressed over Dr. Watson's absence, so Judy and Amber help him get in touch with Dr. Watson, who now resides at a new home. However, Dr. Watson refuses to acknowledge him, so Judy scolds Dr. Watson into reconciling, deciding that they will adopt Dr. Watson again.
Baby Billy returns to the Teenjus set, wanting the crew to thank God for saving him. He suddenly has an epiphany, realising he has left his family aside. He announces his resignation, deciding to spend time with his family.
When Lori mentions that Corey has been distant since Cobb's death, the Gemstones decide to return to Galilee Gulch. Corey finally reveals his conflict: the bank will seize Cobb's farm, and Corey needs $7 million to buy it back. When Corey turns aggressive, Jana decides she has had enough and states that she wants to divorce him.
Kelvin sneaks into Corey's room and is shocked to find a gun in his duffel bag, as well as Elijah Gemstone's gold-plated Bible. He informs his siblings, when they are approached by Corey. He reveals that he covered Cobb's role in stealing the Bible, and also conspired with him in getting rid of Lori's boyfriends, with Cobb even killing one of them. Corey does not threaten them, simply asking them to not tell Lori.
When Jesse, Kelvin and Judy return to the lake house to discuss how to proceed, Corey appears and shoots Judy. Jesse and Kelvin hide in the house, but they are both caught by Corey and mortally wounded. Running out of ammunition, Corey leaves for his truck to retrieve another rifle.
The siblings crawl through the house, with Judy using a bell to call Dr. Watson and ask him to retrieve a gun from Jesse's bag. The monkey delivers the gun just as Corey returns, with Jesse managing to shoot him in the head. Corey apologises for his actions and refuses to get help, asking them to simply pray with him as he dies.
Eli officiates Kelvin's and Keefe's wedding, which is held in Kelvin's treehouse. Eli and Lori have not pursued a relationship again, but Eli maintains they are in good terms. As Eli proudly sees his children dancing, Aimee-Leigh narrates a letter that she left to Eli.
Lori grieves over Corey's gravestone. Baby Billy is happily spending time with Tiffany and his children. The gold-plated Bible is displayed in the Gemstone centre, while Gideon participates in a skateboarding competition in the church.
Eli returns to his yacht in Florida, where he reunites with Lori. She asks to join him as his first mate, worrying that he might get lost. Eli smiles.
Judy had some bloody wild lines in this finale episode. For me she will always be my favourite character from all four seasons.
This season had its ups and downs, Will & Grace's Megan Mullally as Lori Milsap was a fun addition to final run. While Seann William Scott as Corey Milsap & Arden Myrin as Jana Milsap were also good additions.
I need more Edi Patterson in my life. She is just a dream. The Righteous Gemstones 2019 - 2025, you will be missed. Across four seasons I have never heard so much bad language in my life. LOVE IT! Just got this in before all HBO titles sadly moved from Binge to MAX. Still not sold on Max and now that I didn't buy the launch month offer, there may be less HBO at my house!
Sinners is thus far, the sixth highest-grossing film of 2025! Written, co-produced, and directed by Ryan Coogler, Sinners is set in 1932 in the Mississippi Delta.
Starring supreme hunk, Michael B. Jordan in dual roles as twin brothers who return to their hometown to start again, only to be confronted by a supernatural evil.
Alongside Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, and Delroy Lindo.
Sinners (the first vampire film in a minute)has received critical acclaim, with particular praise for Coogler's direction and Göransson's score as well as the performances of Jordan, Steinfeld, Lindo and Caton.
There is no denying the talents of leading man Michael B. Jordan. This film manages to mix music, with vampire action and racial relations in the 1930's.
There is a reason why this film is doing so well at the box office, sessions at my local cinema and chatter online.
Sinners is a fun piece of election distraction. Its run time is the only thing I would criticise, however I guess I just need to get used to long ass films in 2025. I do however want to check out Warfare next week, which my cousin recommended and the 90 odd minute runtime does really appeal to me.
Dying for Sex is loosely on the real-life experiences of Molly Kochan, written by Liz Meriwether & Kim Rosenstock.
The miniseries depicts Molly being diagnosed with terminal cancer ,and leaving her husband in search of an orgasm.
Michelle Williams plays Molly, while the series also stars Jenny Slate, Rob Delaney, David Rasche, Esco Jouléy, Jay Duplass, Kelvin Yu, Sissy Spacek, & Zack Robidas.
Streaming on Hulu/Disney+ in Australia, the show made the top ten most-streamed series in the U.S. from March 31 to April 6 and received largely positive critical reception, though some questioned its length and volume of sex scenes.
From Dawsons Creek to this is a big leap for Williams, however as Molly she slays. I just felt the series was missing something.
It was well done, goes from sexy to sad within a few, short episodes. We start with Molly, ten years into an unhappy marriage with her husband Steve (Jay Duplass)
She is also inhibited by the traumatic effects of her mother's boyfriend forcing oral sex from her aged seven.
Her doctor calls her during a couples therapy session with Steve to say that a biopsy they had taken on her hip showed Stage IV metastatic breast cancer that had infiltrated her bones, brain, and liver; she responds by leaving the therapy session to buy a two-liter bottle of white label diet soda and menthols at a corner store across the street.
She calls her friend Nikki (Jenny Slate), who is overwhelmed by the news.
Her tamoxifen increases her libido, & Molly attempts to give her husband fellatio in their kitchen, only for him to start crying as her breasts reminded him of her death.
At the hospital, she tells Sonya that she had never had an orgasm with another person and their conversation inspires Molly to leave Steve and explore her sexuality.
We move then into the second episode where things really ramp up. Molly signs for a dating app and is pleased to receive multiple dick pics. At a subsequent hospital visit, she is told the doctors will induce menopause.
On her way out, she invites an app user to a hotel, but backs out after seeing him; she then does the same for a guy in an elevator, but rescinds the invitation after opting not to risk having to explain her mastectomy scars.
Once there, she orders a vibrator and orgasms to Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in Speed, a clownfish entering and exiting a coral reef, and in front of a male webcam model, the last of which infects Nikki's laptop with viruses.
The man promptly blackmails her, causing her to call Nikki and then Steve; the latter shames Molly, prompting her to gather possessions and leave him immediately, later moving in with Nikki. Steve hands Molly's medical records to Nikki, who promptly loses them.
While debriefing with Nikki at a bar, she leaves in an Uber with a patron, who prematurely ejaculates on their way to have sex; the driver dumps them at a highway divider.
We the rapidly move through the short eight episode run as Molly visits a group for those with curable cancer, but is ejected to avoid disconcerting its members.
Following an abortive encounter with an inexperienced 25-year-old, Molly starts masturbating and hears her neighbour also doing so; aroused at the thought he is doing so to her, she orgasms. The pair subsequently run into each other while he's emptying his trash in the hallway; her ordering him to pick it up moves both of them to run to their rooms and masturbate and Molly to deny him permission to ejaculate.
Molly later enters his apartment and orders him to masturbate. At his request, she kicks him in the penis and the movement causes her femur to snap. Molly begins searching for submissive males online and finds Hooper, a successful Wall Street trader into penis humiliation and penis cages; she tries to mock his penis but struggles due to her awe with it.
Yep we see more penis!
At Sonya's suggestion, Molly and Nikki attend a "kink-forward, play-party potluck", where Molly witnesses Sonya's ex G slowly instructing a woman masturbate on a table. Impressed, Molly visits G at her workplace, where G tells Molly to attempt submission before attempting dominance; following an abortive attempt at the latter with the finance bro, Molly submits to G at the back room of her home goods store.
That afternoon, she returns to hospital, where she asserts her wants and needs with her doctor, and explores her relationship with Neighbour Guy. She then conquers a man who has a kink for pup play and checks him for ticks.
As we get halfway through the series, Nikki is unavailable due to anaesthesia from dental surgery, so Molly is taken to the hospital by her mother, a recovering addict who brings uninvited guests; Molly also sees Steve and his girlfriend. Nikki does not reply to Molly's texts, so she instead invites her pup player to snuggle with her for shock value. Nikki breaks up with her boyfriend Noah after he switches off her phone post-surgery.
At home, Molly attempts to urinate on her pet, but is interrupted by her mother, and neither can take Molly's pet's collar off; Molly calls Neighbour Guy and Gail tells him about Molly's cancer. After Gail leaves, Molly and Neighbour Guy discuss her condition and his past and she resumes kicking his penis.
Molly spends Thanksgiving with Neighbour Guy and experiments with butt plugs. She attempts to orgasm with him, but freezes from trauma.
At her cancer group, Sonya directs the attendees to write about their fears and then to move their bodies at will while others read their stories. Molly suffers a deep-vein thrombosis and spends Christmas in hospital.
Wanting to orgasm, she ignores Nikki's plans and Neighbour Guy and orders a dojo owner from Queens to masturbate on New Year's Eve; following an argument with Nikki, Molly runs out to the dojo owner's car, but loses sensation in her hand.
Molly sees Neighbour Guy while out and collapses shortly afterwards, prompting the pair to profess their love for one another; at the hospital, her collapse is revealed to be caused by a collapsed lung and she is intubated.
Faced with the possibility that Molly could die if her breathing tube is removed, Nikki decides to have it removed for Molly's comfort. Thankfully, Molly is able to breathe on her own and the two resume their goal of helping Molly have an orgasm with another person.
Nikki leaves the hospital to collect Neighbour Guy and Molly's things from her apartment, but is interrupted by her car being towed and then by Noah calling her; he brings Molly a bag of vibrators and Nikki some soup.
A subsequent lumbar puncture reveals that her cancer has spread to the spine and she needs to enter hospice care, between which Neighbour Guy makes Molly orgasm. She spends her final weeks with Nikki and Gail, and being looked after by Nurse Amy, with one final visit from Noah. After Molly's death, Nikki rekindles her relationship with Noah.
Dying for Sex explores lust, grief, loss, accepting death, learning to live and more across the eight episodes.
I liked this show, however as I said before, something was missing. Michelle Williams however did a great job as lead Molly.
From Okinawa Island, to a quick stop at Tokyo before heading off on the bullet trains!
I as a 40 something year old, have never eaten this much white bread in ages! Also the bottom green tea. Hells bells, it did reduce body fat. However readers beware. You may or may not need a toilet fairly quickly after consuming this "special" green tea.
Big Boys third series was confirmed back in June 2024, later confirmed as the final season in January this year.
The third series began streaming on ABC iView recently and boy did I smash it.
Created & written by Jack Rooke, starring Dylan Llewellyn & Jon Pointing as first-year university students who live together, set from 2013, told from the point of view of Llewellyn's character Jack—a semi-fictionalised version of Rooke, who narrates the series—as he recovers from his father's death and explores his sexuality for the first time.
With only six episodes, the series had to wrap things up quickly.
In the fifth episode, they really start to tie things up. Monumental ends are nigh for everyone, as they contemplate the end of their time at university and returning home, the drastically changed composition of which also lying with varied heaviness on their minds.
Jack's focus moves primarily on deliberating whether to engage with former school classmates who have journeyed from homophobia to, in the years between, discovering they were projecting and gay themselves.
Corinne utilises her struggles to put her inability to deal with Danny's silence towards her into completely restarting her dissertation, with the distraction bringing mixed results. Danny is devastated after his belief that his nan's passing could finally bring his disparate family back together is not realised; left alone to contemplate if he is responsible, but also what comes next, and if it is better for it to be uncertain or nonexistent.
The finale, The Sea is set betweenJune & September 2016. Sadly Danny didn't make it. However after an emotional scene at the sea, we then see what could have been for Danny.
This show was deeply emotional, funny, clever and a great little watch.
I was really hooked on seasons one and two. I think they went out on a high with this third & final run.
The show was honest, raw and real. It used to be so much harder being gay (before Glee, thanks Ryan Murphy!), growing up and learning how to adult.
As a 42 year old I still don't feel like an adult.
Big final week next week, The Equalizer, The Righteous Gemstones and All American - BOOM! The Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' list is growing, FAST!
Fire Country is one of the most popular drams on CBS. So popular that a spin-off Sheriff Country, is set to premiere later this year.
Morena Baccarin will lead as Mickey Fox, along with Matt Lauria, Christopher Gorham, Michele Weaver & W. Earl Brown.
Even more popular, a second spin-off featuring Jared Padalecki has also been under consideration since he appeared as Camden Casey in the third season.
Back in February, the series was renewed for a fourth season, well ahead of last Saturday's double season finale.
Lead Bode Donovan (Max Thieriot) will 100% star alongside a slightly different cast.
Not one, but two beloved original cast members are leaving Season three!
OG's Stephanie Arcila (Gabriela Perez) & Billy Burke (Vince Leone) are leaving the series, while the season finale ended on a cliffhanger.
Following these major departures, the stakes for next season are higher than ever.
Will the fire fighting Leone family legacy survive? Will Bode & Gabriela’s epic love story continue?
Twenty episodes worked well for this fire fighting drama in California.
Awkward start for the season following an awful wildfire season in LA and surrounds. So this show might have been a little too close to home for some viewers this season.
Season two was super short following the writers strikes, so who knows how long the fourth season will be. One thing is no crossovers with spin-off Sheriff Country may occur. As Fire Country is filmed in Vancouver, with the new spin-off filming East side in Toronto.
Fire Country (streaming in OZ on Paramount+) is an easy watch with some solid storylines. I am not sure it's strong enough to support two spin-offs, however I'll give Sheriff Country a go next TV season. Well as long as its streaming on Paramount+.
Still to come I caught up with the final season of Big Boys and the miniseries Dying for Sex on Disney+, yes a show with sex in the title on Disney+!
The third season of The White Lotus, concluded a wee few weeks ago.
The HBO series originally begun as a miniseries. However the show was so popular, HBO kept it on as an anthology series.
With the third season, filmed in Bangkok, Phuket, and Ko Samui from February to August 2024.
This season features an all-star cast, Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, HBO darling from the Righteous Gemstones, Walton Goggins, Sarah Catherine Hook, Jason Isaacs, Lalisa Manobal, Michelle Monaghan, Sam Nivola, Lek Patravadi, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Tayme Thapthimthong, Aimee Lou Wood, Sam Rockwell and Scott Glenn, with Natasha Rothwell and Jon Gries reprising their roles from prior seasons.
The series follows the lives of the staff and wealthy guests at a wellness resort in Thailand. Following prior seasons in Italy and Hawaii.
The third season, received mostly positive reviews from critics, but many criticised the slow pacing and found the final episode disappointing. Well the eighth and final episode was long, slow to start, but packed a punch at the end. Spoilers below the trailer for those slower viewers like me. I still haven't started HBO's The Last of Us season two. That one (along with 9-1-1's) major deaths have been impossible to miss spoilers online.
So you have been warned below.
Piper admits to her parents that she cannot tolerate living without material comforts, relieving Victoria.
Valentin begs Gaitok not to report him and his friends for the robbery lest they be deported.
Zion negotiates a payout from Greg of $5 million; Belinda decides to leave Thailand, to Pornchai's dismay.
Laurie reconciles with Jaclyn and Kate. Lochlan tells Saxon that their sexual contact during the threesome was because he is a people pleaser.
Timothy nearly kills himself and his family (except Lochlan) with poisoned piña coladas, but stops them from drinking at the last minute; Lochlan drinks the leftovers from the blender the next morning and nearly dies before awakening in Timothy's arms.
Jim confronts Rick at the hotel, insulting Rick's mother; spiralling, Rick begs for another session with Amrita, but she is busy seeing Zion.
Rick shoots Jim dead with Jim's gun. Sritala reveals that Jim was Rick's biological father. Chelsea is killed in a shootout with Sritala's bodyguards, devastating Rick.
Gaitok obeys Sritala's order to shoot Rick dead. Later, Timothy tells his family their lives are about to change; Gaitok is promoted to Sritala's bodyguard, to Mook's delight; and Belinda and Zion wave goodbye to the White Lotus staff.
The season was a lot! Parker Posey and Patrick Schwarzenegger stole the show. A lot of the time Posey was just a dream to watch.
Lisa, from Blackpink was also a delight to watch on screen.
HBO (now MAX in Australia) have really taken their series to new heights. With another Game of Thrones spin-off incoming this year, IT's TV series and Harry Potter TV series incoming, along with the return of fellow Game of Thrones prequel, House of Dragon. They have all the content.
So if you were a fan of seasons one and two, you will eat this up. It's deliciously vile, in all the right ways. Expect this to appear high on my #RATED for the Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' list.
Tinā is written & the directorial debut from Miki Magasiva, brother of Robbie and Pua Magasiva. Robbie is an Aussie on favourite, formerly on Wentworth, currently on Rescue Hi-Surf
Starring Anapela Polataivao as Mareta Percival, a dissatisfied substitute teacher, recently bereaved after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake killed her daughter.
She begins to work at an elite private school and starts a student choir. Samoan teacher Mrs Percival, she and her students find unlikely connections and a new sense of purpose when they establish a school choir.
The film is heartbreakingly beautiful. with one of the most amazing final scenes in a film in ages. So much of this film explores grief, ugliness from small minded members of society, finding purpose after an unbearable loss and community.
Community is at the heart of this film, and this film has SO MUCH heart. Almost too much. You can honestly hear others in the cinema crying.
Opening this Thursday with preview screenings this past long weekend, Tinā is incredible.
Kiwi films and TV don't come along our screens as much as I'd like. Our closest neighbours present some incredible stories. This was truly incredible.
I loved this, from the school choir, to Anapela Polataivao as Mareta Percival. This was ace cinema.
Scrublands recently returned to Stan, in time for the Easter/Anzac holiday period. Good timing Stan!
In season two, Martin Scarsden returns home with his new partner, but when he finds his best friend dead, with his partner Mandy as the main suspect, he pushes to find the truth of what really happened.
Last March, Silver, the second season was announced. It was announced that filming would be moving from Victoria to Western Australia for this picturesque second season.
With Luke Arnold & Bella Heathcote are both reprising their roles from the first series. This season they are joined by Home & Away icon, Debra Lawrance as Denise Speight, Luke Caroll as Scotty Waaliti / Wesley Patten as Teen Scotty, Ezra Justin as Teen Martin, David Roberts as Vern Jones, Luke Pegler as Nick Poulos, the return of Joel Jackson as Garth McGrath, Hamish Michael as Jasper Speight / Griffin Zardo as Teen Jasper, Secret Life of Us star, Damian de Montemas as Tyson St Clair, Megan Hollier as Keira & Caroline Brazier as Jennifer 'Jay Jay' Hayes.
This season, it’s been a year since the life changing events of Scrublands and award-winning investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Arnold) has returned to his coastal hometown, Port Silver, WA, to set up a new life with partner Mandy Bond (Heathcote).
When he arrives to find his childhood friend Jasper brutally murdered and Mandy the prime suspect, Martin struggles with doubts – about Mandy and about his own ability to recognise the truth. As he pushes forward to find the real murderer and absolve Mandy, Martin confronts secrets about Port Silver and his long-buried past.
The four episodes breeze by, set aside this beautiful beachside town. Like the ones Aussies have been flocking to these April holidays.
Scrublands gives major Black Snow vibes. There is a third book in Chris Hammers series called Trust. So fingers crossed we get a third season. Black Snow really set up another run, but Scrublands feels like one of those shows that could just continue on. Particularly when there is already a third book out there.
The Dry, Scrublands, Black Snow, Aussies love a crime drama. With a crime being solved, sorted, neatly over four episodes is a skill. The Scrublands team do an awesome job.
Let's hope Stan hurry up with their release of Sunny Nights. They are currently on a bit of a roll! More Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' with the final season of Big Boys soon. Along with the third season of Fire Country wrapping.
The Correspondent just landed at cinemas around the country.
Starring Richard Roxburgh in this biographical legal thriller directed by Kriv Stenders from a screenplay by Peter Duncan.
Joining Roxburgh, Julian Maroun, Rahel Romahn, Yael Stone, and Mojean Aria all star.
The story of Australian foreign correspondent and journalist Peter Greste, being arrested in Cairo and held in an Egyptian prison, was massive. This is the film version, adapted from Greste's 2017 memoir The First Casualty.
What I remember of this story was it was a big deal. It brought up issues of press freedom, press being detained and Greste not getting a fair trial.
The Correspondent is based on the real-life story of Australian foreign correspondent and journalist Peter Greste, who was arrested in Cairo after being accused of spreading false news and aiding the Muslim Brotherhood.
The film almost entirely shoot within prison cells and small court rooms makes for a tense viewer experience. Unfortunately in the cinema I attended the volume was a slight issue too, with the volume set to a dull roar.
That said, you are glued to your seat awaiting to see the next steps in the Greste case. Whilst the facts at the end of the film, 1700 journalists have died in conflict zones, and 779 were arrested in 2023 alone, is truly scary.
In a world of fake news, influencers also making news, it's a tough gig out there now.
With so many media mediums, the 24/7 news cycle it's a crazy world out there. Greste's story is truly interesting.
I enjoyed this Aussie picture. It's great seeing an Aussie film make the big screen. 3 Stars.
Abbott Elementary has just had its second batch of season four episodes uploaded on Disney+. I smashed them as quickly as they were loaded up.
The American mockumentary sitcom television series created by Quinta Brunson recently concluded its fourth run on the US's ABC network.
The fourth season commenced early October, last year. Concluding only last week. This season was supersized with 22 episodes! That said they hover around the 20 minute mark! Easy viewing. Like super easy.
One episode easily done on a bus ride from Chippendale to Balmain.
Starring previous season favourites and creator, Quinta Brunson, along with Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, William Stanford Davis and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
The fourth season featured a musical performance from the legendary Jill Scott, along with a crossover with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Abbott Elementary was the first non-reality series to be renewed for a fifth season on ABC slated to premiere later this year. Most likely in 2026 on Disney+ here in OZ.
In the 22nd episode of the season, it features this year's field trip is to the Please Touch Museum.
Gregory (Tyler James Williams) is nervous as his father Martin has agreed to be a chaperone and this is his first time meeting Janine (Quinta Brunson). At first she tries to mimic his strict personality but her playful side comes out.
Martin engages with the children, shocking Gregory. Martin explains Janine reminds him of Gregory's mother.
O'Shon gives Ava some earrings she finds ugly. She eventually admits it and O'Shon shows her some cheaper ones he almost bought that Ava likes.
Jacob's eighth graders find the Museum boring and are disappointed this is their last field trip, until they are able to put on a play having the teachers imitate each other, scripted by the students.
Honestly this show just gets better and better. This was a mega easy binge, with Disney+ giving us ten episodes first up then the remaining twelve this week.
The show is so well written, so heart warming, it's a joy to watch! Like I did for previous network series finale, Rescue: HI-Surf, here is a list of current ABC series returning for later 2025. The only series on the "bubble" is Doctor Odyssey, also streaming on Saturday's on Disney+.
High Potential, joined Abbott Elementary, being renewed first on January 21, 2025. I am also currently watching High Potential which got off to a great start. Just a little stuck with all the finales and Scrublands landing on Stan.
9-1-1—Renewed for a ninth season on April 3, 2025.
ABC Hockey Saturday—Renewed for a twelfth season on March 10, 2021; deal will last into a fourteenth season in 2027.
Dancing with the Stars—Renewed for a thirty-fourth season on April 22, 2025. Aussie Robert Irwin is the first dancer announced!!!
The Great Christmas Light Fight—Renewed for a thirteenth season on November 1, 2024.
Grey's Anatomy—Renewed for a twenty-second season on April 3, 2025.
Monday Night Football—Renewed for a sixth season on March 18, 2021; deal will go to a thirteenth season in 2033.
The Rookie—Renewed for an eighth season on April 3, 2025.
Shifting Gears—Renewed for a second season on April 3, 2025.
Will Trent—Renewed for a fourth season on April 3, 2025.
9-1-1: Nashville will also landed later this year or in 2026. All return dates TBC. Possibly news on that next month.
Until next time, all four seasons of Abbott Elementary stream now on Disney+.
Ten Pound Poms has been streaming on Stan for some time. Well since mid-May 2023. I am late to the party, but watched seasons one and two back-to-back.
The Australian-British historical drama television series created by Danny Brocklehurst in partnership between BBC One & Stan.
Ten Pound Poms stars Michelle Keegan, Faye Marsay, Warren Brown, Mr everywhere, Rob Collins, Leon Ford, Declan Coyle, David Field, Stephen Curry, Hattie Hook, Finn Treacy & Emma Hamilton.
The title and term, Ten Pound Poms, refers to British citizens who migrated to Australia after the Second World War in a subsidised migration scheme. Poms in Australia & New Zealand, departing post-war Britain in 1956 for Australia, having been promised a better house, better job prospects, and a better quality of life for just £10 (equivalent to £260.58 in 2025)
On BBC One, the first episode attracted an overnight audience of 4.6 million viewers! No wonder it got a second series! This landed early last month.
The Poms soon learn that life in Australia is not as promised. Struggling with their new identity as immigrants, the series follows their triumphs and pitfalls as they adapt to life in a new country far from Britain and familiarity.
In the second season, we see the Brits return. After a challenging first year in Australia, this season follows our Brits into 1957 on their adventure down under, each determined against all odds to achieve their slice of the Australian dream.
As Kate (Michelle Keegan) and the Roberts Family (Faye Marsay and Warren Brown) settle into life down under, they each struggle to reconcile their hopes for the life they were promised with the harsh realities they face at Galgownie hostel.
There is a drama a plenty across all 12 episodes now up on Stan.
Sunny Nights is also upcoming on Stan. The series follows siblings Martin and Vicki Marvin, an American brother-sister duo who relocate to Sydney hoping to establish a spray tan business. They find themselves entangled with all the wrong people, trying to stay alive, out of jail, and in the black.
Invisible Boys, Good Cop/Bad Cop and Black Snow have also streamed recently, awaiting news on additional seasons. So Ten Pound Poms joins the list of shows awaiting its fate to be revealed.
Being a co-production (and popular) in the UK, should help this series along. It was a solid watch with a strong cast of UK and Aussie stars.
You can stream all 12 episodes, two seasons of Ten Pound Poms on Stan right now! Happy streaming this long weekend.
First up some highlights from Okinawa Island. Such a beautiful place just off Japan. A relaxed way to experience, all the culture and beauty Japan has to offer.
With solid public transport, great sights to see, Okinawa Island is a must see when (like many other Australians) you next visit Japan.
Black Bag is a film I really wanted to see. I thought I missed it, however with Easter being, long and carefree, I caught on the spy/thriller film Steven Soderbergh.
Starring Aussie icon, Cate Blanchett, fresh from his Showtime spy series, The Agency, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, & Pierce Brosnan.
Following British intelligence officer (Fassbender) tasked with investigating a list of possible traitors, one of whom is his wife (Blanchett).
Whilst the film has received critical acclaim, thus far it has been a box-office disappointment, grossing $37.8 million on a budget of at least $50 million.
This swift, gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse and his beloved wife Kathryn.
When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country.
Rocking in on just over 1.5 hours, this film has speedy dialogue along with a fast paced plot. This is cinema at 2025 at its best.
I really enjoyed this film. It got to the point, built tension while jet setting all across Europe. With a fun soundtrack and solid performances. This was choice cinema.
If its still showing near you, give it a chance. 3.5 Stars.
His back! Daredevil: Born Again is Daredevil back, this time on Disney+, not Netflix. This revival & continuation of the OG series Daredevil (2015–2018), Born Again sees blind lawyer and former vigilante Matt Murdock's fight for justice put him on a collision course with former mob boss Wilson Fisk who is elected mayor of New York City.
The season is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films and television series of the franchise.
Charlie Cox reprises his role as Matt Murdock/Daredevil from Marvel's Netflix television series and prior Marvel Studios productions, starring alongside Vincent D'Onofrio (Fisk), Margarita Levieva, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Wilson Bethel, Zabryna Guevara, Nikki M. James, Genneya Walton, Arty Froushan, Clark Johnson, Michael Gandolfini, Ayelet Zurer, Kamar de los Reyes, Jon Bernthal, Mohan Kapur, & Tony Dalton.
Born Again was announced in July 2022 with a planned 18-episode first season. Due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, this turned the show into two nine-episode seasons. The first season filmed in January 2024 and wrapped in April of that year.
Season one landed on Disney+ early March, concluding during this short Easter week. Good timing Disney+. Not to forget they are following this up with the second and final season of Andor.
In streaming wars, Disney+ has lot's more ammunition (content wise) in the can and ready to come out on top above local streamers like Binge and Stan.
Back to the revival of Daredevil, this season received generally positive reviews from critics, who highlighted the character-driven storytelling and performances, particularly those of Cox and D'Onofri. But had mixed thoughts when comparing it to the original Daredevil series. So how'd the bloody, overly violent finale wrap? SPOILERS BELOW! You have been warned!
A year earlier, Vanessa asks Dex to kill Nelson, who is working on a case which could expose her activities in Red Hook, in exchange for his old life.
Meanwhile, in the present, Dex escapes the ball and Murdock is hospitalised. Fisk cuts off the power to New York City and orders Cashman to kill Murdock, who escapes to his apartment, finding Castle. Both fight AVTF officers, including North, revealed as Ayala's murderer. The pair reunite with Page, who asked Castle to protect Murdock after learning of Dex's escape.
Murdock and Page track down Nelson's case and discover the Fisks are trying to establish a city-state in Red Hook. Castle fights the AVTF in Red Hook but is defeated. Fisk's campaign director Sheila Rivera exposes Gallo's attempt to undermine Fisk, who brutally kills him.
Fisk offers Glenn the position of Mental Health Commissioner, which she accepts. Fisk declares martial law, outlaws vigilantism, and imprisons vigilantes, including Duquesne and Castle, and other dissidents in Red Hook.
Murdock recruits Cherry, Kim, and other honest police officers to save the city.
In rescue Marvel style, a mid-credits scene, Castle tricks a prison guard and begins to break free. Honestly the Punisher helped rescue this season for me. As Fisk acted such much like Trump (even being a New York businessman) it seemed Hollywood is really obsessed with the orange leader. Like the media its getting hard to escape the Trump impact.
For me, I can't even remember finishing the Netflix episodes, however Daredevil isn't the most interesting of Marvel characters.
I did for some reason like Iron Fist a little more, as well as Jessica Jones. Oh well, they will probably return in due course. Everything is old is new again.
1923 the second prequel (the sequel to the series 1883) to Yellowstone concluded whilst I was on holidays. One person however does return, Isabel May reprising her 1883 role, as narrator Elsa Dutton.
The second/final season commenced it's short (seven episodes with the final episode acting as a double episode) run a little earlier this month.
1923 follows a generation of the Dutton family in 1923, during a time of various hardships including Prohibition, drought, and the early stages of the Great Depression, which affected Montana long before the Wall Street Crash of 1929.
In the jumbo finale (SPOILER WARNING) Fossett discovers the aftermath of Teonna's confrontation with Renaud and arrests her following a short standoff. Feeling sympathetic after learning of Teonna's past, Fossett doesn't charge her for Renaud or Kent's deaths.
Teonna later goes to trial, but her case is dismissed due to a lack of witnesses. With no home or family to return to, she heads to California for a fresh start. Creighton has a personal crisis about working for Whitfield and flees with his family to the Livingston train station.
Dozens of Creighton's men begin their assault on the Dutton ranch, intending to kill everyone, while Cara and Zane lead the defence. They manage to hold them off initially, but the men later return in greater numbers with an automatic firearm.
Alexandra stays warm by creating a fire and uses it to signal a passing train. Spencer notices Alexandra from the window, jumps from the train, and they have a tearful reunion. After Alexandra is brought on board, she is treated for severe frostbite.
As the train reaches Livingston, a shootout occurs between Jacob and Creighton's men. When Spencer protects his family, Creighton saves Jacob by shooting his own men, but is killed by McDowell.
In his dying moments, Creighton reconciles with Jacob. In the aftermath of the shootout, Jacob and McDowell are wounded, but Spencer is forced to leave Alexandra and rushes to the ranch, where he almost singlehandedly kills the remainder of Creighton's men.
Jacob stays with Alexandra, and they are taken to the hospital, where Alexandra gives birth prematurely. Although born three months early, the baby survives, but Alexandra refuses to allow the doctors to amputate her limbs that are afflicted with gangrene.
Spencer and Cara soon arrive, and Alexandra dies hours later in her sleep. Seeking vengeance, Jacob and Spencer confront Whitfield in his mansion. Hoping to make an example of him, Spencer executes Whitfield and sets his home ablaze.
Jack's body is soon recovered, and both he and Alexandra are buried on the ranch. With no reason to stay, Elizabeth leaves for good. Spencer takes charge of the ranch while Jacob retires to help Cara raise Spencer and Alexandra's son, named John.
In a flash forward to 1969, an elderly Spencer visits Alexandra's grave and passes away peacefully.
So have we had enough Yellowstone yet? Well spin-offs galore continue to be on the cards.
The sequel series (less main cast) The Madison is due to stream later in 2025, 6666 is still on the cards, which was previewed through later Yellowstone seasons.
1883, 1923 continues with 1944, showcasing the Dutton's history. While the Dutton's future will be explored via an untitled Beth Dutton & Rip Wheeler series and a network TV (family friendly and on CBS) based on Kayce Dutton is also in the works!
That is a lot of Yellowstone!
Paramount/CBS love a spin-off, but hell, this is some next level spin-off Marvel universe shit!
Happy Easter! New feature album tomorrow, Daredevil wrapped and I'm catching up on network TV breakthrough hit, High Potential. Good news too, part II of season four of Abbott's Elementary lands next week, praise be!
Yellowjackets concluded it's third, twisty season last week. Streaming in Australia on Paramount+, the gender swapping Lord of the Flies story follows a group of teenagers involved in a 1996 plane crash, and follows the consequences of the event in their adult lives.
The third season landed in mid-February, with a double episode comeback. Following an almost two year hiatus (along with rumours of a "bonus" episode floating around) the hit Showtime original was back.
This return was a little slower than the gap between season one and two.
This season Hilary Swank was cast in a recurring role, joining Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Ella Purnell, Christina Ricci, Lauren Ambrose, Steven Krueger & Sarah Desjardins.
Watch out spoilers below about the season finale, Full Circle. By the episode title, one could almost imagine this was the series finale. Well it could very well be. The series has not yet been renewed. However quick spoiler, the show did end on a cliffhanger, meaning we very much need a fourth season.
SPOILERS BELOW!!!
Natalie is furious with Misty for destroying the emergency transponder, but agrees to not tell the team if Misty helps her.
The livestock has mysteriously died, leading the team to declare a new hunt. Taissa and Van try to rig the card selection so Hannah is selected, but Shauna catches on and manipulates it so that Mari is chosen.
Mari is chased, but the hunt is largely a distraction to get Natalie the satellite phone. Mari springs the covered spike pit trap and is impaled.
After the feast, Shauna realizes Natalie is missing; Natalie has taken the satellite phone to the top of a cliff. A male voice on the other end of the phone responds.
In the present, Taissa buries Van's body, but not before carving out her heart and eating it.
Misty interrogates Callie. Callie admits to killing Lottie; Callie had pushed Lottie down the stairs in a moment of rage. Callie reveals this to Jeff, and they both flee the house and disconnect from Shauna.
Taissa and Misty meet to discuss what to do about Shauna next. Shauna finds the house empty and the discarded note that had accompanied the DAT tape. She rips it up and journals about her desire to claim her power back.
I do hope the series is renewed, as I really (need) want to know how the OG Yellowjackets were rescued. I felt like they might get there this season, however it never came.
I reckon a fourth season is a go, its easily Showtime's biggest show. Even all the Dexter spin-offs don't get the same attention as this survival series.
This week Daredevil concludes ahead of Easter and hopefully I finish the White Lotus third season over Easter. Catching up on all the holiday TV has been a mission LOL
OK so as of last Friday, it still felt like summer! However here is my definitive ultimate, double summer, six monthly top 84 series.
HBO, Paramount+ and Apple TV+ did well (as usual), the ABC (Australian) & STAN also did well on the local front. I have to say Disney+ had some damn fine content. While HBO ended up top dog, they also ended up bottom dog.
The Franchise, really came at the wrong time. It was also majorly unfunny. Talk about a misstep.
So as the US network TV drama season winds down, keep an eye on the Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' series.
So if you want to visit all my previous lists click through the links HERE
1. Somebody Somewhere - Season Three/Series Final 2. Apple Cider Vinegar - Miniseries (AU) 3. English Teacher - Season One 4. Landman - Season One 5. Rivals - Season One 6. The Newsreader - Seasons Three/Series Finale (AU) 7. Fisk - Season Three (AU) 8. Black Snow - Season Two (AU) 9. Big Boys - Seasons One - Two 10. Cross - Season One 11. Paradise - Season One 12. Dexter: Original Sin - Season One 13. Grotesquerie - Season One 14. On Call - Season One 15. Optics - Season One (AU) 16. Bump - Season Five/Series Finale (AU) 17. American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez - Season One 18. Squid Game (Korean: 오징어 게임) - Season Two 19. Shrinking - Season Two 20. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives - Season One 21. The Sex Lives of College Girls - Season Three/Series Finale 22. Invisible Boys - Season One (AU) 23. American Horror Stories - Season Three (B) 24. Clean Slate - Season One 25. Reacher - Season Three 26. The Office - Season One (AU) 27. The Chi - Season Six 28. Human Error - Miniseries (AU) 29. Tokyo Vice - Season Two/Series Finale 30. Yellowstone - Season Five/Series Final 31. Disclaimer (stylised as DISCLAIMER*) - Miniseries 32. Four Years Later - Miniseries (AU) 33. Hysteria! - Season One/Series Finale 34. How to Die Alone - Season One/Series Finale 35. The Penguin - Miniseries 36. Reasonable Doubt - Season Two 37. Bad Sisters - Season Two 38. It's Florida, Man - Season One 39. Plum - Season One (AU) 40. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story 41. Based on a True Story - Season Two 42. Tulsa King - Season Two 43. Last King of the Cross - Season Two (AU) 44. Power Book II: Ghost - Season 4/Series Finale 45. Lioness - Season Two 46. Laid - Season One 47. Last Days of the Space Age - Miniseries (AU) 48. Dating Naked UK - Season One 49. Slow Horses - Season Four 50. Bookie - Seasons One - Two/Series Finale 51. Cruel Intentions - Season One/Series Finale 52. Only Murders in the Building - Season Four 53. Sweetpea - Season One 54. Severance - Season Two 55. The Agency - Season One 56. Emily in Paris - Season Four 57. The Lake - Seasons One-Two/Series Finale 58. Bad Monkey - Season One 59. The Way Home - Season Three 60. Nacho - Miniseries 61. Territory - Season One/Series Finale (AU) 62. Tell Me Lies - Season Two 63. Silo - Second Season 64. Interior Chinatown - Miniseries 65. Teacup - Season One/Series Finale 66. Get Millie Black - Miniseries 67. Joan - Miniseries 68. Superman & Lois - Season Four/Series Finale 69. Thou Shalt Not Steal - Season One (AU) 70. The Sticky - Season One/Series Finale 71. Snowpiercer - Season 4/Series Finale 72. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol - Season Two 73. Agatha All Along - Miniseries 74. Prime Target - Miniseries 75. School Spirits - Season Two 76. The Old Man - Season Two/Series Finale 77. Extraordinary - Seasons One - Two/Series Finale 78. Cobra Kai - Season Six/Series Finale 79. Nightsleeper - Miniseries 80. Dead and Buried - Miniseries 81. Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist - Miniseries 82. Dune: Prophecy - Season One 83. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew - Season One 84. The Franchise - Season One/Series Finale
NCIS: Sydney is BACK! Well it did finish yesterday morning, however for me, the best of the slightly longer second run was more like NCIS: Darwin. The final two episodes were based in Darwin with Mango Madness showing the USA the heat of our Top End.
The series streams on Paramount+ in Australia, where back in February, the series was renewed for a third season. Most CBS shows were all renewed early, with rumour of the next season being a longer 22 or so full TV season run.
We kick off season two with Mackey (Olivia Swann) confronting Colonel Rankin but he collapses after an apparent heart attack.
For allowing Niemus to escape, Mackey and Dempsey (hunky Todd Lasance) are suspended from active duty by NCIS Special Agent Ken Carter and the AFP respectively.
Jackson (hunky Sean Sagar) is placed in charge of the NCIS team. During the course of their investigation, Penrose (William McInnes) discovers that the comatose Rankin was fitted with a pacemaker that doubled as a listening device which was remotely detonated when he tried to expose the people he was working for.
While analysing his bank transactions, Penrose finds that Rankin was working for an unidentified party who had hired Utkin to assassinate Niemus.
Mackey and Dempsey secretly assist their colleagues and discover that Niemus had triggered Rankin's heart attack.
Niemus attempts to kill Rankin but is lured into a trap and captured by Dempsey and Mackey. Following Niemus' capture, Dempsey and Mackey are reinstated in the NCIS team. While the comatose Rankin is officially declared dead, the NCIS team resolve to find the true mastermind.
Season two does have some random episodes, including a truly bizarre vampire episode. That one could easily be skipped. For reference that's episode eight, Blood Is Thicker Than Vodka.
The Aussie procedural stars Olivia Swann as Michelle Mackey, Todd Lasance as Sergeant Jim "JD" Dempsey, Sean Sagar as DeShawn Jackson, Tuuli Narkle as Constable Evie Cooper, Mavournee Hazel as Bluebird "Blue" Gleeson & legendary William McInnes as Roy "Rosie" Penrose.
Whilst the show is super cheesy, it's an easy watch with a far amount of solid action. The final two episodes in the Top End were by far the most consistent.
I'll be interested to see how season three turns out. Particularly if they supersize the episode count. Currently around 8-10 episodes they mostly keep things tight. I do worry about more filler episodes (like this seasons vampire one) if the episode count grows too much.
Staying with Paramount+ tomorrow for the third season of Yellowjackets.
A new thriller film directed by Christopher Landon, and written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach.
Starring Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Reed Diamond, Ben Pelletier, Gabrielle Ryan, Jeffery Self, Ed Weeks, & Travis Nelson.
Drop had its premiere at the SXSW & has received positive reviews from critics. So a first date/thriller film anyone?
Violet (Fahy), a widowed mother, is on a date with Henry (Sklenar) when she is terrorised by a series of anonymous messages to her phone. The caller instructs her to tell nobody, and follow increasingly malicious instructions, or her younger sister, Jen, and her son, Toby will be killed, culminating with her being told to kill Henry.
The title is a reference to the AirDrop feature on Apple's iPhone, which allows you to share pictures and videos with other phones within your proximity.
With a 90 minute run, Drop keeps you guessing in this modern/tech bro whodunnit where everyone in the vicinity is a suspect or victim.
I enjoyed this bit of escapism. It was a fun escape from returning to work after three awesome weeks away in beautiful Japan.
Japan to Sydney, what a culture shock!
If you like me, needed a midweek film, Drop is totally a vibe.
I do love the thriller genre, I also like the violence is very limited in this film. There is some intense family violence, but no gore like other Blumhouse pictures.
Drop is a modern day, app hell. From dating apps, to tracking apps and more apps. Fuck our phones right?
Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue was a binge I started on my trip to Japan. The first two episodes were addictive AF!
Like an old school whodunnit, this thriller television series created and written by Anthony Horowitz was top notch.
Staring early March, concluding over the weekend on Stan. This might be my first MGM+ title I have watched.
So what's the drum? Following an air disaster, nine strangers are marooned in a Mexican jungle. However, when they start dying one by one, the survivors must solve the mystery of who is killing them off.
The tight six episode limited season stars Will & Grace's Will, Eric McCormack as Kevin Anderson, David Ajala as Zack Ellis, Lydia Wilson as Sonja Blair, Jan Le as Amy Maclean, Adam Long as Dan Maclean, Siobhán McSweeney as Lisa Davies, Peter Gadiot as Carlos García Méndez, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Travis Davies, Ángel López-Silva as Captain Gabriel Vega & Sebastián Capitán Viveros as second lieutenant Ignacio López.
As we get through the six episodes more and more bodies appear in Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue.
They arrive at the morgue, where the twists and turns come a plenty.
The finale offers a how did it, along with a why did it, with a pretty inclusive ending for a limited series, however it gives the viewer a bit of a, make the ending up yourselves.
This was addictive, easy viewing. I was hooked. I will 100% be taking more notice of MGM+ programming from now on. Most previous titles for now can be found on Stan in Australia.
Rescue: HI-Surf wrapped it's lengthy season one whilst I was off chasing cherry blossoms. So it was an easy pick to finish the final two episodes upon my return. Was there a cliffhanger? HELL NO!
Well unless you count someone driving off into the sunset, after a party? Like they literally just drove off as they left a dull party or had an early start tomorrow.
The party they left was fine, the episode was run of the mill, but nothing for me to scream at Shameless (USA) producer to write/create a second run.
Rescue: HI-Surf was originally piloted for HBO Max in 2021, the series was then picked up by FOX, premiering last September. FOX originally planned to air an episode of Rescue: HI-Surf following its coverage of Super Bowl LIX in February.
However (this is where we should question if a second season is coming) last November, FOX pushed the episode back to its normal time slot, and announced that it would air the third season premiere of The Floor in the post-Super Bowl slot instead. Way harsh!
However the new series for the 2024-2025 season, did premiere last September, following NFL coverage, before moving to its regular Monday-night time slot the following day.
Starring Arielle Kebbel, Adam Demos (Aussie), Robbie Magasiva (Wentworth legend), Kekoa Kekumano, Alex Aiono, Zoe Cipres, Tessa de Josselin, Andrew Creer, Ethan Rich, George Mason, Kekoa Scott Kekumano, Arielle Kebbel, Shawn Hatosy and Ian Anthony Dale
So is Rescue: HI-Surf, just a revamp/reworking of Baywatch? Well yes and no. The 19 episodes, follow a team of lifeguards in the North Shore of O'ahu, Hawaii.
It looks amazing, the male lifeguards are HOT! Particularly, Kekoa Scott Kekumano as Laka Hanohan.
Aside from the eye candy, with Binge losing all HBO content, almost overnight. Is this remaining US series worth watching on Binge? Yes and no. It looks great (both the beaches, scenery and the men) but honestly the character development has been noted for being rather lacklustre.
If the guys weren't good looking, they would be DAMN boring.
With limited series announced for the return of the 2025-2026 TV season on FOX so far, I suspect this might be given another shot. Even with a potential reboot of the show this may have been inspired by, Baywatch.
Here is what is currently set to return to FOX from September this year:
Bob's Burgers—Renewed for a sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth season on April 2, 2025.
Doc—Renewed for a second season on February 26, 2025.
Family Guy—Renewed for a twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth, twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh season on April 2, 2025.
Hell's Kitchen—Renewed for a twenty-fourth season on March 26, 2024.
Krapopolis—Renewed for a third season on March 1, 2023 and a fourth season on July 25, 2024.
Murder in a Small Town—Renewed for a second season on January 16, 2025.
Next Level Chef—Renewed for a fifth and sixth season on February 27, 2025.
The Simpsons—Renewed for a thirty-seventh, thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth and fourtieth season on April 2, 2025.
Universal Basic Guys—Renewed for a second season on May 13, 2024.
