Just in the nick of time, Hacks was renewed for a fifth season, ahead of the Singapore themed season four finale.
The HBO Max series streaming on Stan in Australia, has gone from strength to strength. I actually really enjoyed this season.
Lead by Jean Smart & Hannah Einbinder, season four heads to LA (mostly) for the late night Deborah Vance era.
The late night era reaches the highest highs, followed by the lowest lows! But I am so happy season five will be streaming again, maybe next year maybe 2027!
Season four opens immediately after Ava blackmailed Deborah into making her head writer for Deborah's new late-night show, with intense animosity between Deborah and Ava. Deborah initiates a series of retaliatory actions against Ava.
First, she orchestrates an HR violation by planting Ava's underwear to make it seem like an inappropriate prank by Ava. This leads to a mandatory sexual harassment training session, run by an HR representative named Stacy, where the tension between Deborah and Ava is evident.
Deborah then discards Ava's jokes for an important press conference, leading Deborah to handle questions about ageism and sexism poorly, much to the concern of her publicist CiCi Heaumeaux and network executive Winnie Landell. Subsequently, Deborah anonymously tips off HR about Ava's supposed drug use, forcing Ava to take a drug test.
Deborah also sabotages a planned writers' dinner by pretending to be Ava's assistant and scheduling it at a shellfish restaurant, The Boiling Crab, knowing Ava would likely be unable to attend or would dislike the food. Meanwhile, Deborah is also blindsided and upset when Marcus informs her he is leaving her employment due to conflicts with her QVC work and the new late-night show.
During a party hosted by network CEO Bob Lipka, Lipka privately warns Deborah to ensure their past affair remains secret. Ava confronts Deborah, threatening to leak the story of the affair to a contact at The New Yorker unless Deborah concedes that Ava has "won" their power struggle.
Jimmy intervenes, trying to manage their public dispute. To counter the negative press from Deborah's conference, Heaumeaux and Landell propose a New York Times Magazine cover story portraying Deborah and Ava as close creative collaborators.
During the tense photo shoot for the story, Deborah admits to Ava that Ava won and broke her heart.
Deborah then states that once their show is over, she will never speak to Ava again, to which Ava replies, Good.
The episode ends with the photographer instructing them to smush their cheeks together for a photo.
Season four started with a fight, ended with a fight, while the two made up a few times throughout the season.
Deborah and Ava work so well together, but are also so toxic for each other.
Hacks has been a delight, a brilliant comedy shining bright, deep into its run and still getting laugh out loud, one liners. Hacks is one of the best things on Stan right now!
I for one am hooked! Bring on season five HBO or HBO Max, or whatever you are called at the time of me hitting publish!
The Rehearsal is one of the most random shows on TV right now.
The docu-comedy series created, written, directed by and starring Nathan Fielder.
Streaming on HBO's Max platform, the second season came almost three years after the first season. This time around, Fielder studies airliner black box transcripts in which the first officer feels too intimidated to challenge the captain, leading to fatal crashes due to pilot error.
Yes this season is all about flying, pilots along with a random singing show thrown into the mix. A fake singing show, bringing back Fielder's past work on Canadian Idol to life.
In episode one, Fielder discusses this with John Goglia, a former National Transportation Safety Board member, who had once recommended role play simulation to improve pilot communication. Nathan considers the dilemma of balancing his "somewhat sincere" effort to improve air safety against expectations that he is making a comedy show.
Nathan meets with Moody, an airline first officer who is willing to participate in simulations. When his film crew is denied entry at a terminal while shadowing Moody at work, Nathan builds a partial re-creation of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport terminal, staffed with actors who use the Fielder Method to imitate real employees.
There, Moody role-plays interactions with an actor playing a captain. To test Moody's assertiveness, Nathan arranges a conversation between Moody and his girlfriend Cindy, a Starbucks barista whom he worries is being hit on by customers. They confront their relationship issues in a simulated cockpit with Cindy dressed as a captain, an exercise which ends awkwardly.
Over the five episodes we see the life of pilots examined, then in episode six we see what has happened in the years since season one.
Over the course of two years, Nathan obtains a commercial pilot's license and trains in a simulator to fly a Boeing 737. Though he is not experienced enough to work for an airline, Nathan finds a loophole that allows him to lease a 737 and fly it with a full cabin of actors as fake passengers.
Because pilots must disclose mental health conditions, Nathan undergoes a fMRI brain scan to potentially detect anxiety and autism. Fearing that his flight might be cancelled, Nathan claims to not have those conditions before learning his test results. To document problems with pilot communication, Nathan films himself in the cockpit with his first officer Aaron, an experienced pilot with aspirations to be a TV producer.
Nathan successfully pilots the 737 from San Bernardino International Airport to the Nevada border and back, emerging to applause from the actors.
Later, Nathan occasionally works as a pilot for an aviation transport company relocating 737s around the world, while declining to learn the results of his brain scan. He claims to be fine because "no one is allowed in the cockpit if there's something wrong with them."
This is a very random show. It looks at something we all know little about. The pilots who fly us from Sydney to our Euro summers. The men and women who have our lives in their hands that we briefly see at the departure gates.
I wasn't sure about this season when it first started, however the six episodes, I grew to like the season way more than the first.
Will it be back for a third run? At the time of hitting publish, no news from HBO as yet. Which is weird as HBO almost renews everything ahead of streaming or ahead of the finale. We are still awaiting a decision on Fantasmas, however The White Lotus, The Last of Us and other 2025 HBO titles have either been renewed or cancelled.
Until next time, another big finale period incoming, MobLand, The Cleaning Lady (is it going to be the last ever episode) and possibly local series Strife. The episode release dates confuses me.
The cherry blossom, or sakura, is one of the main reasons many travel to Japan over the period I did.
Sakura usually refers to flowers of ornamental cherry trees, such as cultivars of Prunus serrulata, not trees grown for their fruit. Cherry blossoms have been described as having a vanilla-like smell, which is mainly attributed to coumarin.
Wild species of cherry tree are widely distributed, mainly in the Northern Hemisphere.They are common in East Asia, especially in Japan, where they have been cultivated, producing many varieties.
Most of the ornamental cherry trees planted in parks and other places for viewing are cultivars developed for ornamental purposes from various wild species. In order to create a cultivar suitable for viewing, a wild species with characteristics suitable for viewing is needed.
Prunus speciosa (Oshima cherry), which is endemic to Japan, produces many large flowers, is fragrant, easily mutates into double flowers and grows rapidly.
The Japanese word sakura (桜 or 櫻; さくら or サクラ) can mean either the tree or its flowers. The cherry blossom is considered the national flower of Japan, and is central to the custom of hanami.
Here are a selection of my photos below. It is a must if you are heading over the March till May period. Be warned, the sites are very busy and the Japanese spring is rather chilly! Hope you are enjoying the Post Holiday Blues 25' series. Till next time!
The Handmaid's Tale series, based on the 1985 novel The Handmaid's Tale by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, has been streaming on SBS on Demand (previous seasons on Stan now) since 2017.
It began as a dystopian future, following a Second American Civil War wherein a theonomic, totalitarian society subjects fertile women, called "Handmaids", to child-bearing slavery.
Now the sixth and final season begun with a triple episode on April 8. It has been a long wait since the season five finale, airing back in November 2022.
US streaming network Hulu & MGM announced they were developing a sequel series based on Atwood's 2019 novel, The Testaments. Starring the wonderful Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia again.
Likely this will stream with other Hulu titles on Disney+.
So we begin the swan song series on the train, June and Serena are now headed to Alaska. June and other former Handmaids and Marthas share their traumas.
Serena disguises her real identity, but when a doctor checks on June’s broken arm, he recognises Serena and calls her out, leading the other women to verbally attack her. An officer arrives and claims her papers are legal, intending to leave Serena to the women, though June insists that he arrest Serena to protect her. As the women corner Serena, June pulls the emergency brake, stopping the train.
Serena and June rush into the next wagon, but the women begin breaking the glass on the door. June then urges Serena to jump off the train with Noah. Serena hesitates, so June pushes her off. The women call June a traitor.
Meanwhile, Moira meets with Tuello, who reveals that the U.S. Embassy is closing. Moira volunteers to join Mayday and the cause. Nick returns to New Bethlehem and his wife, having been released after his altercation with Lawrence.
Commander Wharton, his father-in-law, informs him that he'll be staying for a while. The next day, June wakes up to an empty train in Alaska. In line for processing at a settlement populated by U.S. citizens, she encounters her mother Holly, who she thought dead. They embrace.
This season had some epic moments, some wonderful episodes, including episode nine, Execution.
During episode eight (Exodus), The Handmaid's Tale had its very own red wedding moment. It was intense a solid watch and one of the best TV episodes this TV streaming series, Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25'.
So if you didn't get onto SBS On Demand yesterday afternoon, beware, spoilers BELOW!
With the death of all of the Boston Commanders, the city is quickly liberated by the rebels and American forces.
In the aftermath, Serena and June make amends before Serena and Noah are sent to a UN refugee camp by Tuello who reveals himself to be a Commander in the US military.
Luke and June both dedicate themselves to the continuing fight to defeat Gilead with June planning to figure out a way to free Hannah.
Acknowledging how much they have both changed, Luke and June amicably end their relationship.
June reunites with Emily who has spent the last seven months fighting in the rebellion in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Aunt Lydia, who was released by the Eyes, and Naomi Lawrence arrange for Janine to be released by Gilead and return Charlotte to her. Before parting ways, June and Lydia make peace with one another.
At the encouragement of Luke and Holly, June returns to the ruins of the Waterford house and begins writing a book chronicling her story. So the Testaments begins I guess?
I will be looking forward to watching it when it eventually lands on Disney+.
The Handmaid's Tale has been a cultural phenomenon. The series has a serious cult following. Elizabeth Moss is excellent. This series has been one of those shows that shakes you to the core.
Will JD Vance make this an American future when he takes the reins from the orange one?
The Handmaid's Tale was well done from start to finish. Maybe a season or two, too long, however this season was a damn fine swan song.
Andor, has just concluded its two season run on Disney+. Part of the Star Wars franchise and a prequel to the film Rogue One (2016), which itself is a prequel to the original Star Wars film (1977).
Across the two seasons, Andor follows thief-turned-rebel spy Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) during the five years that lead to the events of the two films, exploring how he becomes radicalised against the Galactic Empire and how the wider Rebel Alliance is formed.
Alongside Luna, Andor stars, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, Stellan Skarsgård, Fiona Shaw, Genevieve O'Reilly, Denise Gough, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, Elizabeth Dulau, Ben Mendelsohn, Benjamin Bratt, & Alan Tudyk.
The second season (launched around May the Fourth day) covers the next four years leading up to Rogue One, with three episodes a week for four weeks.
Concluding May 13, I have now caught up with the final 12 episodes. I do remember back in 2016 really enjoying Rogue One. So I was always gonna watch Andor.
Receiving critical acclaim for its writing, performances, cinematography, production values, themes, and its darker, more mature and grounded tone compared to other Star Wars properties. While, the first season was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Drama Series.
So we have seen the movie, the first season, how'd this show wrap up? Spoilers ahead, be warned! However I know real Star Wars nerds have already smashed this over the brief four week run!
K-2SO kills Heert and his team, but Kleya is wounded. Cassian, Melshi, and K-2SO take her back to Yavin IV where they are grounded by Bail for their disobedience.
Much of the Rebel leadership including Bail do not trust Luthen's intel, but Mon Mothma is willing enough to hear Kleya out.
Vel talks with Cassian, who convinces her of Luthen's integrity, and they toast their fallen comrades.
Partagaz commits suicide upon realising he is to be arrested while a weeping Dedra is imprisoned in a prison facility similar to Narkina 5.
As a Rebel informant associated with Saw contacts Yavin IV begging to talk with Cassian, the Rebel leadership realises that the evidence is too great to be a trap, and agrees to let Cassian and K-2SO fly to Kafrene to meet with the informant.
Kleya accepts her role on Yavin IV with Wilmon, Mon, and Vel. On Mina-Rau, B2EMO plays with another droid while Bix cradles a baby (Cassian's and her child) and looks wistfully toward the horizon.
So did the show give me anything additional to the wonderful Rogue One film? Well not really, however I can see why everyone is hooked on it.
I feel old, but in the olden days, a Star Wars film was a once in a while film. Star Wars films, then TV series on Disney+ are a regular thing now. For content, for the fans, however for older viewers (like me), it's no longer a special occasion, it feels like porn now. There is so much on tap at any given time, you can watch a series, a movie or know something new is coming soon to the Star Wars universe sometime soon.
Either way, the fans love it, it's well made, it all streams on Disney+ right this second!
Final Destination Bloodlines is the sixth instalment in the Final Destination film series following Final Destination 5 back in 2011.
Starring, Kaitlyn Santa Juana as a college student who inherits visions of a previous premonition that averted a deadly structural failure in 1968 from her dying grandmother and is warned that Death is coming for her family.
Also starring, Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Anna Lore, Brec Bassinger, & Tony Todd, in his last film role.
Filming took place in my old home town for a year, Vancouver from March to May 2024, following delays due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. A year later, Final Destination Bloodlines was released to generally positive reviews from critics, becoming the best-reviewed film in the franchise, and has grossed $124.2 million worldwide.
And the gory session I went to, was well attended for a sunny Saturday session. Our first sunny day in Sydney for what felt like weeks. Now it's raining again.
Anyway I did enjoy the old Devon Sawa lead film. I think I have watched the others, however I won't forget that premonition of him on board that flight!
This film built tension and death scenes well. There was also a little surprise with the actual bloodlines.
The 1960's was portrayed well with the scary, Seattle space needle style building. The tension that built during the opening scene, served the film well.
The flow of the film was also on point. It wasn't overly long, it leaves the door open for future films while being a fun standalone horror film too.
Horror is definitely in again. Bring Her Back, lands soon, as does The Ritual, Aussie film, Dangerous Animals, 28 Years Later and M3GAN 2.0.
Yep horror is in. Final Destination Bloodlines stands up solid, with 3 stars for this race to beat death film!
Overcompensating is a new series created by Benito Skinner for Amazon Prime Video.
Skinner stars as Benny, a closeted former football player, who becomes friends with a college outsider to fit in. The eight episodes landed mid this month which is based on a true story, a closeted former high school football player becomes friends with an outsider to fit in.
Alongside Skinner, Wally Baram, Mary Beth Barone, Adam DiMarco, Rish Shah, Connie Britton, Kyle MacLachlan, Kaia Gerber, Julia Shiplett, Tommy Do, Alexandra Beaton, Claire Qute, Elias Azimi and Maddie Phillips also star in this funny little binge.
Charli XCX & Tomaso Sanelli also star in guest and recurring capacity, respectively.
In the last episode, its finals week, but the only test these students are facing is relationships. Carmen forces Benny to explain his web of lies, Grace makes a discovery, Peter goes to get what’s his, Hailee wants to know where her performance enhancing meds are, and Miles wonders what he did wrong.
Answers lead to more questions at the final Bader House party of the semester, where many many shocking reveals occur.
We get a big fun cliffhanger for this A24 series. I totally reckon Amazon will give this a second run. Unlike poor Kevin Bacon's The Bondsman which was cancelled following zero promotion and a limited amount of time on the streaming service.
Amazon has some big hits, like The Boys, Fallout, The Summer I Turned Pretty and Reacher. However it has always been a lesser streamer than say Netflix or Disney+.
Gosh I do hope this gets a second run.
If you love Charli XCX, then really give this a go. With her tunes, her guest appearance and presence across season one. If like me you are seeking comedy, seek no further, Overcompensating is here!
Happy Face is adapted from the 2018 podcast Happy Face by Melissa Moore, and her 2009 autobiography Shattered Silence, co-written with M. Bridget Cook.
The Paramount+ miniseries stars Annaleigh Ashford, James Wolk, Tamera Tomakili, Khiyla Aynne, Benjamin Mackey, & Dennis Quaid.
Landing on Paramount+ back in March. Inspired by a true-life story, Happy Face follows Melissa Reed (Annaleigh Ashford), daughter of Keith Jesperson, also known as the Happy Face Killer (Dennis Quaid).
After decades of no contact, Keith forces his way back into his daughter’s life, and Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed. In the process, she faces a reckoning of her own identity.
The series concluded earlier this month after a short eight episode run.
The series kicks off with, Melissa Reed is the daughter of incarcerated serial killer Keith Jesperson, the "Happy Face killer", a connection that Melissa has hidden from her children and coworkers.
One day Keith calls Melissa's boss, Dr. Greg, the host of a true crime television show, claiming that he wants to confess to an additional murder, but will only reveal information to Melissa in person.
Melissa and the show's producer, Ivy Campbell, visit Keith in prison but he refuses to share any details beyond that he gifted a trampoline to Melissa after the murder.
Melissa brings Ivy to her childhood home to visit her mother, June, who claims that Keith has sent people to harass her over the years. Ivy finds the trampoline, which was purchased in Texas. They question Keith again, and he describes the full murder sans the victim's name.
Using details of Keith's story, Melissa and Ivy identify the victim as Heather Richmond, but learn that Heather's boyfriend Elijah has been convicted for the murder and is on death row. Melissa's daughter Hazel overhears her father Ben on the phone and learns that her grandfather is the Happy Face killer.
So how does it all wrap up. Look for one thing, the show kinda ends on a dodgy cliffhanger. However it is a miniseries, so what was the point in this plot line.
Watch out spoilers from the finale, below.
Melissa, Ivy and Tyler review the footage of Heather and suspect that she was with Cody, a school friend, just before she died.
Melissa follows a lead to Cody's family bar, where she finds the remains of Heather's guitar and is cornered by Carl, Cody's father, who confesses that he killed Heather, his anger triggered by Heather's song that was a confession of their adulterous relationship.
Melissa's phone records Carl's confession and suicide, closing the case. Ben is remorseful and tries to cancel the deal to kill Keith; although Ben's message is not received in time, Keith collapses from a heart attack before he can be assaulted.
Melissa visits Keith in the hospital and confronts him over his fake confession, which Keith claims he did in order to make Melissa a star. Melissa declares that their relationship is over for good. Hazel and Melissa reconcile. Melissa appears on Dr. Greg's show announcing that she'll be headlining a new segment on the show about true crime.
Ben receives a call from Keith, who says that he knows that Ben tried to have him killed.
So was this worth the eight hour binge? Yes and no. It will not top my RATED list for the Post Holiday Blues Streaming 25' list. However it wasn't awful.
Paramount+ has been giving us some solid content lately. Like MobLand, Landman, Dexter: Original Sin & Sky+Med.
So whilst this has been the best Paramount+ title, I still recommend getting into the Network 10 affiliated streamer.
The Studio is one of Apple TV+'s best new series! The streaming service has overtaken HBO with the best thirty minute comedies, as satirical/cringe comedy Hollywood series, is outstanding!
Created by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez.
Rogen also leads the cast, as an embattled Hollywood studio head struggling to balance corporate demands with his own passion for producing quality films.
Joining him, Catherine O'Hara, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders, and Kathryn Hahn play supporting roles.
The Studio landed late March, whilst I was in Japan and I easily got sucked into. Thankfully, the series has been renewed for a second season. Whilst the Rogan series has received critical acclaim for its direction, cinematography, humour, and satire of the film industry. It has become notable for its extensive use of long takes, as well as for featuring high-profile celebrity cameos in every episode.
So how is Hollywood so funny? Well, Matt Remick (Rogan) is the newly appointed head of the floundering film production company Continental Studios. A self-described cinephile, Matt struggles to balance Continental's corporate aims in an increasingly IP-driven entertainment landscape with his own ambition to produce quality films.
In yesterday's finale, we stay in Las Vegas, as Griffin frolicks and passes out on the Venetian fountain, Patty has a change of heart when the team informs her of Amazon’s potential Continental takeover. With CinemaCon starting soon, they disguise Griffin to sneak him Weekend at Bernie's-style past Matt Belloni and get ready in the suite along with Zöe Kravitz.
Although most of them are still high on mushrooms, their presentation begins with Dave Franco speaking as his Alphabet City character which disguises his bloodied state from getting beat up in the casino.
Patty buys time with her The Silver Lake speech while the team convince Kravitz's agent Mitch and publicist Gabby to let her present Blackwing, which she nails before urinating herself backstage. As Nicholas Stoller presents The Kool-Aid Movie, Griffin is still in no shape for his speech, so Matt addresses the crowd while Maya prepares Griffin.
Matt brings out the team to pay tribute to them, then introduces Griffin who drops down to the stage via wires. When Griffin is unable to say anything more than “movies,” Matt turns it into a back-and-forth chant with the audience as the team - including Griffin who dances while suspended by the wires - bring the presentation to a triumphant end.
The series mostly jumps around from episode to episode, dealing with everything from casting, the using unwanted IP, along with piles of familiar faces.
If you let this one go by without watching an episode yet, it's a good time to jump in and binge all ten episodes. Rogan is returning to Apple TV+ in August with his other hit comedy series, Platonic. Alongside Rose Byrne, this is another example of how Apple have now completely dominated the thirty minute comedy series.
See also Shrinking, Ted Lasso, The Big Door Prize and of course Loot!
With a few more weeks of this series, it's time to head to Miyajima (宮島).
The small island less than an hour outside the city of Hiroshima. It is most famous for its giant torii gate, which at high tide seems to float on the water. The sight is ranked as one of Japan's three best views.
While officially named Itsukushima, the island is more commonly referred to as Miyajima, Japanese for "shrine island".
This is because the island is so closely related to its key shrine, Itsukushima Shrine. Like the torii gate, the shrine's main buildings are built over water.
Miyajima is a romantic place, best enjoyed by staying overnight at one of the island's ryokan.
However like most tourists. I did a day trip, missing the evening, where the area becomes much quieter & more peaceful.
There are also wild deer on the island that have become accustomed to people. In the day the deer wander around the same sites as the tourists, and in the evening they sleep along the walking paths. Unlike in Nara, the deer on Miyajima must not be fed.
The deer really come right up close to you. Be warned, they are always hungry! Come back soon for another Post Holiday Blues 25' - Memory! The photo of the cat below was one of my favourite things of the entire trip LOL!
Hurry Up Tomorrow is maybe a sequel to HBO's The Idol?
Nah its a totally new story, a psychological thriller film directed by Trey Edward Shults from a screenplay by Shults, Abel "the Weeknd" Tesfaye, and Reza Fahim.
It serves as a companion piece to Tesfaye's 2025 album of the same name & stars Tesfaye, Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan.
Depicting a fictionalised version of Tesfaye as an insomniac musician on the verge of a mental breakdown, the film follows Tesfaye as he is pulled into an existential odyssey by Anima (Ortega), a strange, mysterious fan.
Development on Hurry Up Tomorrow began in September 2022 after psychological stress resulted in Tesfaye losing his voice during a concert.
The film is produced by Kevin Turen and Harrison Kreiss. Hurry Up Tomorrow was one of the final films produced by Turen and is dedicated to him.
The film was the source of a dispute between Turen and Tesfaye's previous collaborator, Sam Levinson.
Hurry Up Tomorrow has received negative reviews from critics, who labeled it as a vain star vehicle for Tesfaye and criticised the plot, screenplay, and Tesfaye's contributions.
I went to the Weeknd's long delayed gig last year which appears briefly in this film. It was EPIC! Well the introduction of the hit track, São Paulo blew my mind!
His last record didn't blow my mind like previous records.
The After Hours til Dawn Tour was a massive gig at Sydney's Accor Stadium. The set was a greatest hits affair, with Hurry Up Tomorrow not landing until late January this year.
So was the movie an improvement on the patchy The Idol? Well I didn't hate the The Idol on HBO. It wasn't HBO's finest moment, but it also wasn't the worst.
Hurry Up Tomorrow showcases The Weeknd's life on tour, his voice concerns and what most people think is happening on tour.
Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan were good gets for their supporting roles. Both stars are also so hot right now, however I don't think it will be enough to save this film from becoming a box office bomb.
I enjoyed it, however I am a fairly big Weeknd fan. What will Abel Tesfaye do next?
I will pass this, but it was a bit cray cray, 2.5 Stars.
Power Book III: Raising Kanan, is a Stan original, while airing in the USA on Starz.
Raising Kanan is a standalone prequel and second spin-off to Power. Whilst last year the series was renewed for a fifth season. Which has just been confirmed to be the final season.
For information of the fifth and final season (including casting) there is a full piece here. Be warned though, like below there are spoilers ahead and by clicking the link.
Set in the 1990s, Raising Kanan chronicles the early years of Kanan Stark, as he gets into the drug game as he helps his mom's growing drug business.
Over the last two seasons of “Raising Kanan,” Kanan Stark has slowly learned the truth
about not only his mother, but also himself.
It has been a tortuous journey for him and
everyone around him. With each new revelation, Kanan has been forced to confront his
family’s seemingly never-ending web of secrets and lies.
He has spent much of this time
in a state of denial, but now, Kanan’s blinders are finally off, and he doesn’t like what he
sees.
In season three, Kanan finds himself grappling with the very notions of right and
wrong. Good and evil. Fidelity and disloyalty. And he’s not alone. Every member of the
Thomas family must confront an existential crisis that challenges their very identity.
Whether it’s Marvin, who’s still trying to redeem himself, or Raq, who’s finally coming
clean, or Lou, who’s wrestling with his own evil, or Jukebox, who’s simply trying to break
free from her family’s pathology, they are all attempting to redefine and reinvent themselves.
They won’t all be able to complete this intensely personal quest, but for those who do, the destination may reveal the most terrifying secret of all. There is no right and wrong or good and evil. There are no absolutes. In the end, there’s just you.
With the Power Book III finale on Stan on Friday, Starz announced it is gearing up for its final chapter (season five), which may or may not mark the end of the Power franchise as we know it.
Elsewhere in the season 4 finale, we meet Shameik Moore (Wu-Tang: An American Saga) as the oft-mentioned, but never-before-seen Branford “Breeze” Frady. Whilst we got a new arrival, we also saw a few leave. With so many people were killed in the finale, it also left viewers with many questions about the future of many of the show’s biggest characters.
Across four seasons on the show, Patina Miller brought to life the tough-as-nails queenpin of the Southside, Raquel “Raq” Thomas, a role that originated in the first episode of Season 1.
While the screen fades to black in the very last moments of the episode, Raq’s only son, Kanan (MeKai Curtis), killed her after becoming convinced she was behind the murders of people whom he treasures most, like his best friend and surrogate brother Famous (Antonio Ortiz) and his girlfriend Krystal (Aliyah Turner).
Throughout her life, Raq was a bad and bold businesswoman who took what she wanted and fought with anyone who doubted her or underestimated her. She was a leader in the heavily saturated, male-dominated world of drugs and crime.
As much as she wanted to be a good provider, steering her son into a better future, she poisoned the well instead. Kanan is unpredictable and too easy to sway against Raq, whom he has already decided he hates, and in turn, is guilty of everything that goes wrong.
Raq accepts her fate like a G, maybe even welcomes it. The episode, Gimme the Weight, written by series creator Sascha Penn, gave her the saddest yet most perfect ending. Raq never shied away from her destiny.
For any fellow Power Universe super fans, I’d like to think about Raq in the afterlife somewhere, kicking it with Power Book II: Ghost characters Monet Tejada (played by Mary J. Blige) and baddie Caroline Chikezie, who played Noma, to name a few.
And for any of you keeping score, Stefano “Little Liguini” Marchetti (Tony Danza) and Early Tyler (Chris Redd) are also among the dead.
So how will the final season go down? Will it make it to our screens on Stan next year? For now we await the release of Power: Force's third and final season. Tommy's story is ending. Will the Power Universe as a whole be wrapping up? Or will it continue with the Power: Origins series? Only time will tell. However this has been one hell of a successful franchise.
I love a two movie film week. Following Thunderbolts* earlier in the week, next up (still in LUX at Hoyts) Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
Getting a weekend release in place of a usual Thursday release, the action/spy film directed by Christopher McQuarrie, which is the direct sequel to Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One from 2023.
This is the eighth instalment in the Mission: Impossible film series.
Starring Mr Mission Impossible, Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, and 9-1-1's Angela Bassett.
Back in 2019, Cruise announced that the seventh and eighth Mission: Impossible films would be shot back-to-back with McQuarrie writing and directing both films.
Plans for the eighth film later changed in February 2021. Returning and new cast members were announced soon after, including Lorne Balfe, who composed the score for two other films in the franchise, returning to score Final Reckoning, although Balfe later left the production and was replaced by his longtime collaborators Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey.
Filming began in March 2022 in the United Kingdom, with other filming locations including Malta, South Africa and Norway.
Production was halted in July 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, resumed in March 2024, and concluded in November 2024.
The film, originally titled Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two, dropped its subtitle in October 2023, and the new subtitle was announced in November 2024. With an estimated budget of $300–400 million, it is one of the most expensive films ever made. And it looks it. The stunts, the stakes are SUPER high, the entire film!
The Final Reckoning had its world premiere in Tokyo at the start of the month. It was also screened out of competition at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 14, and is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on May 23, by Paramount Pictures.
The latest Mission Impossible film, has received positive reviews from critics, particularly Cruise's performance.
Last June, McQuarrie told Fandango that Dead Reckoning and The Final Reckoning would not necessarily end the series, and they were developing ideas for future instalments.
However it does very much feel like a final film in the series. Particularly that last scene.
Clocking in at almost three hours, this will also be one of the longest films of 2025! So with all that, what's my view?
Dead Reckoning, is a Cruise in full flight (literally).
This film was high energy, will be box office gold and will see the cinemas full again this weekend. Another large amount of rain will also help that along.
I don't love a long film, however this film does move at a fairly rapid pace.
Angela Bassett really would make a fab US president too. Her TV roles are great, but hot damn, she belongs on the big screen. Without even saying a word, y'all know what she is thinking.
Doctor Odyssey may not have been her finest guest star, however this film was a fun ride with her finger hovering over the nuclear button.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is popcorn cinema at its best. 3.5 Stars.
Doctor Odyssey just streamed possible its final voyage.
The latest network series Ryan Murphy, along with Jon Robin Baitz, and Joe Baken is the only outstanding series not to be renewed or cancelled at ABC.
In Australia the series streams all 18 episodes right now on Disney+.
Playing a doctor again, following the first season of Dr Death, Joshua Jackson leads, Phillipa Soo, Don Johnson, and Sean Teale as the leads.
Jackson plays Max, a new doctor on board a luxury cruise ship, and his small but capable team handle unique medical cases (and each other) far away from the nearest shore.
In the first episode, following the previous head medic was fired for a negligent bacterial outbreak onboard the Odyssey, the new doctor Dr. Max Bankman meets nurse practitioner Avery Morgan and nurse Tristan Silva.
Tristan reveals his love for Avery to Max while they and the ship's crew party on land. To make Tristan jealous, Max dances with Avery and they kiss, and nearly have sex but realise it's unprofessional. Max reveals to Avery that he was the first case of COVID-19 in the US and nearly died from the virus, which made him realise he needed to enjoy life.
Max and Tristan make peace. Emergencies include the team treating a man with iodide poisoning and later a dislocated shoulder, performing surgery a man with a penile fracture, and a man who goes overboard.
Don Johnson also plays the captain, whilst there were some very special guest stars including, Shania Twain, John Stamos, Kelsea Ballerini, along with a crossover with Murphy's other ABC series 9-1-1.
Following Angela Bassett's previous dramas on a cruise ship, she returns to the Odyssey for a heist she will not forget.
All and all in if this series had more viewers, streaming didn't impact live viewers and the rules around what can air on network TV in the USA, Doctor Odyssey may have worked.
However I strongly believe with all of Murphy's other projects (apparently the decision surrounding season two is his decision) this one may sail off into the distance after one fever dream of a season.
Yes that was a fan favourite theory, Max was still in his coma with COVID dreaming all 18 episodes. LOL
That says it all really. Murphy will be busy with new series on ABC, 9-1-1: Nashville taking Odyssey's former Thursday 9pm slot.
With only one new show next season, ABC is downsizing big time in the drama department. Will Odyssey return? Apparently the deadline for an answer is next month when the casts contracts are up.
Don't hold your breathe for another cruise on the high seas with this series.
Found sort of left its fans on a cliffhanger, tonight on Binge. However earlier this month, NBC canceled Found after two seasons, with series finale streaming now!
The series comes from All American (and their spin-off) producer Nkechi Okoro Carroll.
The first season got lucky, with not much competition with the writers wrecking havoc on last year's TV season.
Like The Equalizer before it, the series tackles social issues whilst finding missing people, relating to those social issues.
Gabi Mosely played by Shameless diva, Shanola Hampton leads her team of associates who work to find missing people who have been ignored or forgotten by law enforcement and the mainstream media.
She also serves as a producer, with the series is produced by Berlanti Productions and Rock My Soul Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television.
Joing Hampton, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Kelli Williams, Arlen Escarpeta, Brett Dalton, Gabrielle Walsh and Karan Oberoi. With Dionne Gipson, Michael Cassidy and Station 19 vet, Danielle Savre joining in for the second season.
Was this groundbreaking network TV? Hell no. Was it my last remaining NBC show currently. Absolutely. The network is opting for more basketball next season. With the NBA bumping off a few dramas.
So what does NBC have returning September/October this year?
Big Ten Saturday Night
Brilliant Minds
Chicago Fire
Chicago Med
Chicago P.D.
Dateline NBC
Football Night in America
Happy's Place
The Hunting Party
Law & Order
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
NBA on NBC
NBC Sunday Night Football
St. Denis Medical
The Voice
WNBA on NBC
So between sport and reality, it's a little dull.
So as the TV axe is still lingering I predicted a number of things last month. Wanna recap, click here.
So I was right with this show getting the can, same with The Equalizer getting the axe, I was more focused on the eye candy on Rescue: HI-Surf, however that got the axe too.
Still waiting for a decision, All American (100% needs the axe), Doctor Odyssey, which I strongly feel will get the axe now the finale has aired. For us Aussies it streams tomorrow on Disney+
Finally the Cleaning Lady. I reckon that is also getting the axe. This season is a red hot mess. Ending early next month.
Memory number five, in this new(ish) series. This time around we look at the incredible, Umeda Sky Building (梅田スカイビル, Umeda Sukai Biru).
The Umeda Sky Building is two-tower mixed-use skyscraper in Osaka, Japan. Gosh I loved Osaka.
Located on the outskirts of the Umeda business district in Kita-ku, Osaka, the Umeda Sky Building consists of two 40-story towers interconnected at their two uppermost stories via glass bridges with escalators and elevators that cross an open atrium space.
It is currently the fifteenth-tallest building in the prefecture.
The towers reach a total height of 170 m (557.74 ft) while the overall height of the tower including the spires is 190 metres (623.4 ft).
The towers were designed by Hiroshi Hara, & were constructed by Takenaka Corporation, completed in 1993.
The Bondsman is a sleeper series on Amazon Prime. Arriving early last month (as a full eight episode binge) Kevin Bacon stars as an undead bounty hunter.
Joining Bacon, Jennifer Nettles, Beth Grant, Aussie Damon Herriman, Maxwell Jenkins, Jolene Purdy, Kathrine Barnes, Mike Kaye, & Jay Ali all star in the Bondsman.
Hub (Bacon) is a backwoods bounty hunter who comes back from the dead with an unexpected second chance at life, love, and a nearly-forgotten musical career. Only to find that his old job now has a demonic new twist.
In the first (short) episode, Hub while tracking down a local bounty, is ambushed and murdered by Gregory Stevens at a road motel.
Awakening the next day sitting or lying in the public ways, Hub emerges alive but with his wounds from the previous night. He captures an arsonist, 'Tater', who is there to destroy the evidence and help the Earle's collect on the insurance money.
Returning home, his wounds heal and he enlists his mother, Kitty, a devout church-goer and former bounty hunter, to help him track the Earle's down; she reveals that Clyde was out on bail posted by "Lucky" Callahan, a local bar owner and former Boston mobster currently dating Hub's estranged wife.
Now knowing that the ambush was a murder-for-hire deal, Hub confronts Lucky but is interrupted by Maryanne and their son, Cade. Instead, Hub pursues the Earles to a local cabin to gather evidence when they are attacked by a demon possessing Pastor Ron from the local church.
The possessed Pastor Ron kills the Earles, but Hub escapes. At home, he finds Kitty meeting with Midge, his new handler from the Pot O'Gold corporation, Satan's front company on Earth, who explains that he is now a bounty hunter for the devil.
So it's a wild ride, with some country music thrown in for good measure.
I have no idea if a second series is coming along. There is not much about this poorly promoted series online. However it was a fun, super easy watch. Fun to have a horror series with short, easy to consume episodes.
In the finale, Hub is devastated to discover the demon, Lilith, has possessed Cheryl Dawson's body.
Standing over her empty grave, he confesses to Maryanne what happened, leaving her disappointed and distraught. Hub, feeling guilty, attempts to surrender himself for judgment, but Cosmo arrives and drops off the newly resurrected Midge, who explains that the devil isn't done with either of them yet.
Midge explains that Lilith has escaped before and that she was last recaptured in an abbey outside of Jerusalem; looking at diagrams, Hub deduces that her captors used another pentagram to send her back (the way out is also the way in).
Cheryl/Lilith arrives in town and demonstrates a hatred of music and an ability to use mind control; for women, this puts them into a fugue state, but the men are forced to kill themselves by ripping their own jaws off.
Lucky assists the police in searching the Halloran's office and arresting Kitty, Maryanne, and Cade, though Cade is not charged. Sheriff Ruby uses threats against Cade to pressure Maryanne into luring Hub into a trap at the club.
Hub and Midge create a trap for Lilith which works in luring and keeping her in place; however, she proposes a counter-offer to Hub: she will let Cheryl return, thus erasing the murder and setting Hub free, in exchange for Hub releasing her from the trap.
Hub agrees and Lilith vacates Cheryl's body and inhabits a Raven instead, with Midge warning that there may be dire consequences for Hub's 'loophole'. Hub arrives with a living Cheryl to the club, where both are immediately arrested due to reports of their recent activities. Maryanne retreats to her dressing room where Lilith returns and possesses her, still alive.
Lucky arrives to reconcile with Maryanne, but is killed by Lilith, who then takes the stage and holds all the men hostage. There, she offers Hub a new deal: as long as Lilith is free, the devil will keep coming for her (and by extension, Maryanne), so his only means to protect her is to serve Lilith.
Would I watch a second season? Most likely, I do like Kevin Bacon. The Following about the cult like serial killer was solid network TV. Bacon has done well to remain in the industry for as long as he has.
Andor also concludes its final episode this week, the week of TV finales. So expect more TV posts incoming!
Thunderbolts* is the latest cinema offering from Marvel Comics.
Like The Avengers, this is a superhero team not based on one solo superhero. Starring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Pierce, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, & Veep's Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Thunderbolts resolves around a group of antiheroes are caught in a deadly trap and forced to work together on a dangerous mission.
We find ourselves at the 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), along with being the final film of Phase Five of the MCU.
The film's ending reveals that the Thunderbolts team is rebranded as the "New Avengers", with the end credits revealing the asterisk in the film's title stands for The New Avengers; following the film's opening weekend, Marvel Studios began marketing it with that title.
Thunderbolts* received positive reviews from critics, and has grossed $272 million, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of 2025.
So is the film an improvement from recent Marvel offerings? Are these anti-hero's a quick fix for Marvel? Or are we over anti-hero's following Taylor Swift's tune, the recent Joker films and The Boys on Amazon?
The film starts off in Malaysia, where Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) destroys a laboratory on behalf of CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to conceal her involvement with the O.X.E. Group's Sentry superhuman project.
As de Fontaine faces imminent impeachment for her work with O.X.E. Group, she dispatches Yelena, John Walker, Ava Starr, and Taskmaster to a covert O.X.E. facility under the pretence of a mission.
Once there, the operatives are pitted against one another in a deadly confrontation where Ava kills Taskmaster before they unexpectedly release a mysterious man named Bob from a suspended animation pod in the room. Upon learning that they were sent by de Fontaine to be incinerated along with any evidence of her misconduct, they manage to escape from the trap.
De Fontaine learns that the group has survived, including Bob, who was presumed dead during the Sentry trials. When she arrives at the site, Bob creates a diversion by drawing enemy fire, allowing Yelena, Walker, and Ava to escape, only to sustain no injuries despite being shot. Bob then uncontrollably ascends into the air before passing out and crash-landing back at the compound, where he is captured and transported to the former Avengers Tower in New York City, now renamed the "Watchtower".
De Fontaine intends to introduce Bob to the press as a super-powered protector akin to the Avengers, hoping the PR stunt will avert her impeachment. Meanwhile, Alexei Shostakov, who had overheard details of de Fontaine's plot while working as a freelance chauffeur, rescues Yelena, Walker, and Ava. Inspired by Yelena's childhood soccer team, Shostakov refers to the group as the "Thunderbolts".
De Fontaine's agents pursue the Thunderbolts before they are ultimately apprehended by Bucky Barnes, who intends to have them testify in the impeachment proceedings. Upon learning that Bob was a subject of one of de Fontaine's top-secret experiments, Barnes joins the group to head to New York to infiltrate the Watchtower. The Thunderbolts discover that de Fontaine has convinced Bob to join her side as a new superhero she plans to market as a replacement for the Avengers called the Sentry. After easily overpowering the team and forcing them to retreat, Sentry develops a god-like delusion of superiority, turning on de Fontaine.
However, her assistant, Mel, incapacitates him with a failsafe kill switch. This triggers the emergence of the Void, Bob's destructive alter ego and the embodiment of his depression and insecurities created as a result of the procedure and his fractured psyche, who begins engulfing New York City in supernatural darkness, trapping its citizens in pocket dimensions based on their worst memories.
Realising the only way to stop the Void is from within, Yelena enters the darkness to reach Bob's consciousness. There, she faces her haunted past as a Black Widow and finds Bob hiding in a recreation of his childhood bedroom, where his father abused him. The other Thunderbolts soon join them, and together they travel back to the memory of Bob's initial experimentation in Malaysia, where he volunteered for the procedure, hoping to improve himself after becoming an aimless drug addict.
The Thunderbolts confront the Void, but are swiftly overpowered. As the struggle threatens to fully consume Bob, the team intervenes, affirming their belief in him. Their solidarity empowers Bob to regain control, overcoming the Void as light and normality return to the city.
With the threat neutralised, the Thunderbolts prepare to apprehend de Fontaine. However, she manipulates public perception by staging a press conference in which she rebrands them as the New Avengers. The Thunderbolts reluctantly agree, but Yelena threatens de Fontaine if she betrays them again.
In a post-credits scene, the New Avengers and Bob discuss Captain America's intent to sue the team for trademark infringement and an ongoing problem in outer space, when they receive a distress signal from an extradimensional spacecraft with a large "4" emblem.
So it looks like the promo for Fantastic Four is starting..... now!
Overall this was more enjoyable than Captain America: Brave New World. Thunderbolts* scores a solid, 3 Stars.
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.
