Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 - Tell Me Lies - Season Three/Series Finale

Tell Me Lies Season 3 follows Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White) as they've rekindled their tumultuous romance in time for spring semester at Baird College. 

While they promise things will be different this time, past indiscretions hinder their best intentions and Lucy finds herself embroiled in a controversy she wants nothing to do with. Meanwhile, the disastrous repercussions from the previous year also force Lucy and Stephen's friends to face their own destructive behaviours. 

As scandalous secrets fester around campus, vicious consequences threaten Lucy and everyone in her circle.

Tell Me Lies the series based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Carola Lovering, has now concluded.

The Hulu series starring Grace Van Patten, Jackson White, Catherine Missal, Spencer House, Sonia Mena, Branden Cook, Benjamin Wadsworth, Alicia Crowder, & Tom Ellis. 

Ahead of the final episode, it was announced this was set to be the series finale. I feel Hulu did the right thing by ending this toxic relationship series.

It was getting a bit same-same and Lucy, OMG! But Stephen, why was he so toxic ALL the gosh damn time.

This show at times (whilst popular) was hard to watch. It was a bit much. I am so not the target demo, but the examination in Lucy and Stephens relationship over eight insane years, was a lot!

Scroll down if you have concluded this series on Disney+.

The final episode opens in 2015 still at Bree and Evan's wedding with Bree smoking outside and accidentally gets caught smoking a cigarette by Wrigley who was staying over at Evan's house. 

The two get into an argument over how their brief relationship ended and reveals how they never spoke to one another in 6 years. 

However, it was proven that the two still had feelings for one another and the two proceeded to briefly have sex before hearing footsteps outside the bedroom door. 

The episode flashes back to 2009 to seeing Lucy unexpectedly runs into Diana where she reveals that Stephen gave her the tape, which Diane reveals as strange as that's not Stephen nature and also reveals that she believed her about the night of Macy's death. She also unknowingly tells Lucy about Stephen acceptance to Yale and how he might be in a good mood because of that. 

The episode cuts to Bree, who's now furious over learning Evan and Lucy's night together at the end of freshmen year. She tries to confront her, but misses her as Lucy makes her way over to banquet where the Yale acceptance were being celebrated. 

Meanwhile, Bree gets a call from Mary, who claims to be on campus and manages to gets Bree to visit her in a building, where she's surprisingly confronted by Marianne, Oliver and Amanda sitting at a table, concocting a story about how Bree made everything up of the accusations, and how she tried to force Amanda to falsely confess to Sexual assault as well. To make matters worse, Mary believed their story, thinking Bree was the troubled one in the problem. As the two exit the meeting, Bree effectively ends her relationship with Mary right then and there as she didn't feel supported by her. 

Meanwhile, Lucy secretly crashes the Yale Banquet and tries to inform the host of the event that Stephen was dangerous and that he shouldn't be allowed into the university. However, Stephen catches her and unfortunately puts an end to the conversation. 

The next day, Lucy goes over to Bree and Pippa's dorm to find out only Pippa was there alone, and the two resolve their differences with the whole Chris situation. However, the peace is short-lived as Pippa reveals she and been cheating on Wrigley and in the same comfort Lucy reveals that she and Evan slept together after the Hawaiian party last year. Pippa, however, was furious at her decision and chastised her right then and there, calling her pathetic. She promises to not tell Bree, but then effectively ends their friendship right then and there. 

The episode next transitions to Wrigley trying to get ahold of Bree to try and connect with her, but is interrupted by Pippa who reveals to him about the cheating and that she's gay. Fortunately, Wrigley was accepting of it and the two decided to remain friends. In that same conversation, Pippa reveals how Stephen is a monster and reveals how he was the one who sent Diana's nudes picture to her parents, forcing Wrigley to grapple with Stephen's actions. 

The episode then moves to see Lucy in class only to see a videotape she and Stephen recorded had been posted online for the whole world to see. She confronted Stephen once she spotted him, which he adamantly denied. Due to the tape release, all her friends began to shut her out, including Alex, who hinted at past sexual abuse in the past at his previous foster home. Alex soon ends their little arrangement and sends her away. However, little did Lucy know that Bree was sleeping over in his apartment, where the two had a intense conversation where he reveals that she shouldn't have been so trusting. Lucy decided to shut herself into her dorm, shutting her out from the outside world. 

The next day, as Pippa begins to feel guilty for Lucy's action, Pippa reveals to Bree that she was the girl Chris sexually assaulted last semester. This confession forced Bree to mot be mad at Lucy, who was living in a mess and was forced to visit the dean. While at the dean, the dean decides to expel Lucy over the false accusation, which meant she couldn't go on the study abroad program for her junior year. 

Elsewhere, Wrigley and Stephen have lunch with one another where Stephen reveals his true colours to Wrigley where he reveals how Lucy should suffer the consequences of her action, which in turn made Wrigley reveal everything to the board of admission of Yale university who later in the episode rescinded Stephen's acceptance into their law program.

Back at Bree and Pippa's dorm, Evan stops by, which cause shim and Bree to confront the secret of him and Lucy, which he admits to and the two decide to keep their relationship going. It's later revealed to Wrigley who subtly learns that Bree knows about him and Pippa's night together. Bree kisses Evan, telling Wrigley that she plans to stay with him. Bree continues to cry and destroy the memory card of that contains Lucy's confession the false rape accusation. 

Meanwhile, as Lucy tries to pack up her stuff, Diana learns about her expulsion and reminds her that her life will get better and that this was the worse of it. Soon, Lucy is seen stuffing up her mother's backseat with her stuff with hell of Bree, unbeknownst to the both of then, Stephen is watching her pack her stuff and leave campus for good. 

The episode flashes back to 2015 to see Lucy and happy and dancing with Bree as the wedding is beginning to wind down. Stephen is drinking watching them, while Lydia is ready to go due to the fact that it's 3 in the morning and that she doesn't leave him as she knows he would keep giving Lucy a look. 

Stephen ends everything right then and there with their relationship, claiming that they were only together to get a rise out of Lucy and reveals they had sex that morning of the wedding. It anger Lydia who dumps him and breaks off their engagement right there on the spot. 

Meanwhile, as Wrigley and Pippa take pictures, it's learned that with Stephen not be able to go to Yale, Diana was able to attend without having to worry about him attending. As the wedding is coming to a close, Bree returns back to the table to where she runs into Stephen where the two have an intense conversation over why she was so calm after learning about Lucy and Evan sleeping together, and it didn't take long for him to connect the dots to realise that Bree was the one who released the video of Lucy's confession as it's revealed that she was angry over learning that Evan and Lucy slept with one another. 

As the MC announces the wedding is over with one more song, Stephen steals the mic to reveal everything that Bree was behind Lucy's downfall, not him as she knew about her and Evan's night freshmen year, that Stephen and Lucy had sex the morning of the wedding, and also that Wrigley and Bree had been leading a secret affair for months before the wedding. 

Chaos erupts after this reveal with Evan yelling Wrigley and almost killing Stephen which ends with him crushing his own wedding cake. In the end, Diana and Pippa leave, finally escaping the chaos that is their friends. Lucy who's still shocked at the reveal gets an offer from Stephen to leave, but Bree claims that if they do, their friendship is officially over which Lucy leaves afterward. 

Bree takes a look Wrigley who's still get yelled at Evan and is smiling, confirming they are finally able to get together with one another. 

The episode transitions to find Lucy and Stephen having a heart to heart where he manages to get her into the car and drives well into the night and stops at a gas station where she goes into the convenience store to get coffees, only to come out to find Stephen had left her there alone with her purse. 

However, instead of being sad that he tricked her again, she lets out a laugh, knowing that he's still the same guy from college. Lucy just stands there just as the series ends there.

Oh the drama. Farewell to another college girl TV series. Huge return to TV week next week, as network TV is back. 9-1-1(s), DMV, Fire/Sheriff Country, Animal Control and the new one Memory of a Serial Killer. Which isn't half bad and streams on Stan.

Have a good weekend....

NOT another streaming Movie - Whistle

Whistle is yet another supernatural/horror directed by Corin Hardy.

Starring Dafne Keen, Sophie Nélisse, Sky Yang, Jhaleil Swaby, Ali Skovbye, Percy Hynes White, Michelle Fairley & Nick Frost. 

Whistle follows a group of students who find an Aztec Death Whistle and discover that the sound it emits will summon their future deaths to hunt them down.

As the body count rises, the friends investigate the origins of the deadly artefact in a desperate effort to stop the horrifying chain of events that they have set in motion.

It's mildly gory, a few jump scares, but not too hectic.

Whistle premiered at Fantastic Fest last September 2025, whilst being released in the cinemas across the USA, UK, Australia & Ireland this month.

I didn't mind this. With a good looking cast, it was no Aussie smash hit Talk to Me, but it did showcase our deaths coming for us early if we were silly enough to blow a nasty ass whistle.

Horror is still one of the top genres at the cinema.

Look this won't win any awards or make my end of year best of lists, but it was a wee bit of fun.

Until next time at the cinema, Whistle gets a solid pass of 2.5 Stars. Maybe 2.75 Stars if we want to be technical.

Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 - The 'Burbs - Season One

Set in present-day suburbia, The ‘Burbs follows a young couple returning to the husband’s childhood home. Their world is upended when new neighbours move in next door, bringing old secrets of the cul-de-sac to light, and new deadly threats shatter the illusion of their quiet little neighbourhood.

The 'Burbs is an American comedy television series created by Celeste Hughey for Peacock. Streaming in Australia on Binge. Landing earlier this month.

The 'Burbs is an adaptation of the 1989 film of the same name and stars Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall. 

Old secrets resurface when a newly married couple relocate to the suburban neighbourhood of the husband's youth.

Alongside Palmer & Jack Whitehall, Paula Pell, Julia Duffy, Mark Proksch, Kapil Talwalkar, Haley Joel Osment, RJ Cyler, Justin Kirk, Max Carver, Erica Dasher, Georgia Leva, Kathleen Kenny & Wendy Schaal, who had a role in the 1989 film, all appear in the series.

So I thought this could have been a miniseries, however the ending... It leaves The 'Burbs wide open for a second run.

Will I tune in? Probably...

Keke Palmer is great as a new mum to the suburbs. I never saw the OG 80's film, however I was keen for this little comedy/thriller.

There hasn't been a load on Binge of late (with Wentworth looking a little while away) so I got stuck into this over 48 hours.

Also with the Winter Olympics a number of my week to wee shows had vanished from my dance card.

There is no news on a second season at the time of the post, however I think this one could crack a second season. Peacock has a number of series on the way. Ted season two (Binge too), The Miniature Wife (which will stream on Stan) and the horror one I am looking forward to, Crystal Lake.

Binge also released The Copenhagen Test late. Landing on Monday, this series was originally released overseas over the holiday period. Simu Lu I will be watching!

Right, back to The 'Burbs . It's not half bad, it's not the best, but it was a bit of fun. There was some good one liners.

NOT another streaming Movie - "Wuthering Heights"

Recovering after a massive Valentine's weekend, now Lunar New Year, let's head to the cinema for "Wuthering Heights". The Almost Aussie period romantic drama film written and directed by Emerald Fennell and adapted from Emily Brontë's 1847 novel. 

Starring Aussies Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, respectively, alongside Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes, & Ewan Mitchell.

The film received mixed reviews from critics. However what about me?

A bold and original imagining of one of the greatest love stories of all time, Emerald Fennell’s "Wuthering Heights" stars Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, whose forbidden passion for one another turns from romantic to intoxicating in an epic tale of lust, love and madness.

One other huge win is the film features original songs by Charli XCX. The album was released last Friday. I myself am a huge fan of Charli and Chains of Love. You can stream the album below.

Released perfectly in time for Valentine's, with two of Hollywood (Aussies do it right) also doing fun promo stunts, like turning up to sessions and handing out roses.

I love that!

Period dramas are not usually for me. Meaning I won't be watching Outlander's final season anytime soon. However the costumes and the love story was interesting.

Plus Emerald Fennell's previous films are brilliant. Promising Young Woman and Saltburn anyone?

"Wuthering Heights" will be a hit regardless of what critics say. I enjoyed this, love the Charli XCX collab, it's all a vibe.

Love was really in the air over the weekend, which was a nice change. In a divided world, state right now, we need love. If you need some romance in your life, get to the movies NOW!

3.5 Stars.

Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 - 9-1-1 - Season Eight

9-1-1 is the OG of Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, & Tim Minear's 9-1-1 franchise. Moving from Fox to ABC; that's not the Aussie ABC, but US. Disney+ finally popped season eight up, earlier this month. I did manage to get a start on the season last year in Japan. So I only had eight or so remaining episodes to catch up on. The series has always been a bit soapy, however this season jumped the shark hardcore.

The lead disaster was around bees! Yes that's right bees! Apparently season nine goes to space. How much longer can the series try to out do itself.

That said, with the Texas bound Lone Star edition wrapping, 9-1-1: Nashville has commenced. And boy it is bad. Lone Star had heart and (in my opinion) better, more likeable characters than the OG series.

That said, Angela Bassett really had some strong performances. And no the crossover episode to the now cancelled Doctor Odyssey, doesn't go into too much depth. Literally she sees the boat, end scene. End episode, crossover completed on the short lived random Joshua Jackson series.

Alongside Bassett, Oliver Stark, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Guzman, Aisha Hinds, Kenneth Choi, Corinne Massiah, Elijah M. Cooper, & Gavin McHugh all star. Although there was big cast departure towards the tail end of season eight. More on that later. 

Last April 9-1-1, the series was renewed for a ninth season, which premiered last October. Hopefully I don't have to wait till next February to watch it! Bloody Channel Seven with their legacy deal on the OG 9-1-1.

So how does the bee drama unfold at the top of the previous season?

Hen and Karen make progress with regaining their foster license; Hen notices that Chimney and Mara are growing close. Buck and Tommy help Eddie throw a birthday party for Christopher over video call, but Christopher is vacant and eventually leaves to celebrate with new friends, much to Eddie's dismay. Bobby is now a technical advisor for firefighting TV show "Hotshots;" he is undermined by production, but idolised by the lead actor, Brad Torrence. 

A truck carrying 22 million killer bees crashes downtown, threatening the lives of a mother and daughter and, later, the attendees of a perfume party. Buck's initiative allows the 118 to handle both situations efficiently, but he is punished by Gerrard for unruliness. Buck later saves Gerrard from a flying circular saw, but knocks him unconscious in the process. 

Meanwhile, Athena escorts her first fiancé's killer, Dennis Jenkins ("Athena Begins"), to L.A. so he can testify in a trafficking case in exchange for freedom. En route, she detains a fake officer who tries to take Dennis into his own custody; Dennis reveals that someone wants him dead. They board an L.A.-bound plane which, due to the bees obstructing visibility, violently collides with another plane.

The season got dark with Bobby aka Peter Krause passed away in their contagion style emergency at the back end of the season.

With the removal of Bobby Nash, I'll be interested to see how (the current) season nine unfolds. Nine seasons is a big achievement, however it looks set to go even further. Sources say season ten is almost a sure thing.

So how did the final episode of the eighth season wrap?

Before the collapse, the 118 hosts a goodbye lunch for Eddie, where Hen gifts him his 118 turnouts. 

Hen also admits she turned down the offer to become captain and Buck says he put in for a transfer from the 118, feeling it is no longer the same without Bobby. 

At the apartment building site, Athena tries to help Graham and another civilian who has been crushed by the debris. The 118 arrives on scene and quickly becomes overwhelmed after the building suffers another collapse. Eddie, seeing the event on the news, puts on his old turnouts and arrives at the scene to help. Chimney, hearing Athena has been trapped in the building, goes in by himself to help her get out; they learn Graham was impaled, but said nothing because the other civilian, who he previously had been feuding with, needed their help more. This causes Athena to accept what Bobby did for Chimney and the two reconcile after the team saves Graham. 

Back at the firehouse, Chimney tells Eddie he is not living in Texas anymore and tells Buck he's not transferring, making a speech about keeping the importance of Bobby's legacy alive. After the speech, Hen slips up and refers to Chimney as "Cap." Hen and Karen formally adopt Mara, Eddie and Christopher move back to Los Angeles and begin unpacking boxes, Buck starts looking for a new apartment now that Eddie is back, Athena begins work on selling the house, and Maddie gives birth to her son. 

Upon Athena arriving at the hospital, Chimney tells her they named the baby Robert Nash Han, after Bobby.

The season wrapped up nicely. I must admit watching it over two parts (partly in Japan last year, last eight episodes this week) felt disjointed. At least I got to watch the first emergency and later Bobby emergency uninterrupted.

9-1-1 is one of Ryan Murphy's longest running series, will it overtake American Horror Story? Speaking of Ryan Murphy. It's his season, with two 9-1-1's returning soon in the USA (Nashville only here), Love Story starting and The Beauty coming to a horrific conclusion early next month.

So expect more Ryan Murphy through my final half of the Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 series. 

Happy Valentine's Day. 

Officially two more weeks of summer. Unofficially March is still HOT AF, hence my Q1, 2026 blog series title.

See you next week for the Tell Me Lies finale and hopefully a movie or two!

NOT another streaming Movie - We Bury the Dead

After the fun Send Help last Friday, it was gonna be hard to see another good picture, back-to-back.

However We Bury the Dead, was a damn fine effort.

Actually from 2024, the zombie/survival/horror/thriller film finally got released in Australia & New Zealand last week.

Written and directed by Zak Hilditch, We Bury the Dead had its world premiere in November at the 2024 Adelaide Film Festival. While getting released  in North America in January.

Starring English star Daisy Ridley, Mark Coles Smith, & Brenton Thwaites. 

The plot centers on a woman desperate to find her missing husband and follows her journey as she takes on grief and the undead.

After the United States accidentally detonates an experimental weapon off the Eastern coast of Tasmania, the city of Hobart is destroyed, and victims on the island not caught in the immediate blast are rendered brain dead. 

Soon it is found that some of the brain dead are regaining motor function, becoming undead, with some of them becoming violent. American physiotherapist Ava Newman (Ridley), whose husband Mitch was on a business trip in Woodbridge, volunteers as part of an Australian military effort to retrieve and dispose of the bodies of the population. 

Ava is assigned to the northern part of the island, far from Woodbridge, retrieving bodies and alerting soldiers to kill any undead who wake up.

It's an interesting concept. I was hooked and loved the 90 minute run time. Meaning the film just gets right to the point, real quick!

Filming began in February, 2024 in Albany, Western Australia. Alongside, Ridley, Coles Smith & Thwaites, Kym Jackson, Matt Whelan and Deanna Cooney joined the cast, as Lt. Wilkie, Mitch and Bianca respectively.

Filming wrapped the next month. So I really wonder why this was held for release for so long.

Either way this was a fun Tuesday night at the cinema. I also really try and support as many Aussie films as possible.

Enjoyable, original (even in a world of The Last of Us and The Walking Dead/multiple spin-offs) and beautifully shot.

In the current climate of world instability, imagine if something liked this did happen in Tassie?

I hope 2026 continues to give solid films. Hopefully next up, Wuthering Heights. More new music from Charli XCX, yes please!

 

We Bury the Dead, gets a solid 3.5 Stars.

Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 - Girl Taken - Miniseries

Landing around a month ago on Paramount+ Girl Taken is a based on the novel Baby Doll by Hollie Overton. 

Seventeen-year-old Lily is kidnapped by her trusted teacher. Five years later she escapes captivity and returns home, revealing years of abuse in a hidden cellar and forcing her family to face the trauma in a fight to reclaim their lives.

The British series was adapted for the six-part series for Paramount+ by David Turpin, Suzanne Cowie, and Nessa Muthy. 

Directing episodes are Laura Way and Bindu de Stoppani with Mick Pantaleo as producer. Executive producers include Suzi McIntosh for Clapperboard Studios and Mike Benson for Paramount+.

Filming took place in last June, with Jill Halfpenny & Alfie Allen as leads. Alongside older and younger sisters Tallulah and Delphi Evans as twins, Niamh Walsh, Levi Brown, Victoria Ekanoye, Holly Atkins, Vikash Bhai and Kiran Krishnakumar.

This was fairly B grade TV if I'm honest. Paramount+ are lucky they still have Taylor Sheridan and CBS content on their service.

That said with two Yellowstone spin-offs incoming Paramount+ has some serious drama incoming.

I don't want to be too negative about this series. Alfie Allen did play a creep well. It really is Allen season, with Lily selling out tours in Australia, that hit record, Alfie's past Game of Thrones work.

So I am not expecting Girl Taken to rate highly on my Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 RATED list, however if you like a kidnapping drama, maybe this is for you.

Till next time.

Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 - Spartacus: House of Ashur - Season One

Spartacus: House of Ashur is a thrilling, erotic, history-bending, roller-coaster experience that builds on everything that made the original series a colossal hit. 

What if Ashur lived and the Romans rewarded his treachery with the gladiator school where he once bled? 

Welcome to the House of Ashur. No longer a slave, Ashur (Nick E. Tarabay) has clawed his way to power, owning the same ludus that once owned him. But ruling a band of merciless gladiators is child’s play compared to surviving the savage world of Roman politics—a cutthroat game in which betrayal isn’t a sin, it’s currency. 

Flipping tradition on its head, Ashur unleashes Achillia (Tenika Davis), a fierce and powerful gladiatrix eager to prove herself worthy in a man’s world. Together, they ignite a new kind of spectacle that shocks, disrupts, and offends the elite with every drop of blood.

Starring Nick E. Tarabay as Ashur, Graham McTavish, Tenika Davis, Jamaica Vaughan, Ivana Baquero, Jordi Webber, Claudia Black, India Shaw-Smith, Leigh Gill, Jackson Gallagher, & Jaime Slater.

Yes this is horny AF! Like the original Spartacus run, you even get some man on man action. Plus a fair amount of penis. And the boobs! So many boobs! The million dollar question is will Starz renew the historical romp?

I bet Aussie streamer Stan wishes it would. I did read somewhere it was meant to be a miniseries, somewhere else season two was mostly writtern.

I for one would watch season two. Wanna find out how season one wrapped on Friday? What am I going to watch on Stan on Fridays now? BOO!

Gabinius is laid to rest at his villa. Caesar informs Cossutia that Pompey has been stripped of his title and protection, while Caesar himself has been promoted to legatus and ordered to find and kill him. 

Servius, Gabinius' brother returns to reclaim the household and proposes holding funeral games. Believing Ashur to be beneath him, Servius has him removed from the villa but Viridia kisses him before he leaves. 

Settling in, Servius tries to assert his control over Cossutia and Viridia. At the ludus, Tarchon helps train Achillia to take on the Scythian, while Proculus pairs Satyrus with Galatea, another female gladiator for the games. 

Ashur gifts Achillia her own private quarters, cementing her position as champion of the ludus, while Ashur promises Korris ownership of the ludus once he is given control of Capua's games. Cornelia leaves the villa to return to Rome, with Messia following her. 

At the games, Servius excludes Ashur's gladiators from all but the main event and forces him to sit with the plebians. Satyrus and Galatea defeat their opponent before Achillia battles the Scythian in a brutal fight that sees both fighters lose their weapons and intrude into the stands. 

Achillia ultimately defeats the Scythian, killing her by jamming her shield into her mouth and splitting her head open. Before she leaves, Viridia sees Ashur celebrate in the stands with Hilara, saddening her. 

Back at the ludus, Tarchon and Achillia sleep together. 

While Caesar prepares to leave, Ashur asks him when the new arena will begin construction but Caesar tells him that Crassus has decided to use the funds to build new villas instead, despite their agreement. An enraged Ashur attacks Caesar, and after a long fight Ashur kills him by stabbing him in the chest and hacking his head open with a sword.

Will Starz renew Spartacus: House of Ashur, gosh I hope so, but I also reckon this has been a surprisingly good return to the Spartacus franchise. Bring on season two!

Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 - Fallout - Season Two

Hi post-apocalyptic Amazon series Fallout, concluded this past after starting right before Xmas 2025.

Based on the role-playing video game franchise created by Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky, the series is set two centuries after the Great War of 2077, in which society has collapsed following a nuclear holocaust.

Starring Yellowjackets Queen, Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Moisés Arias, Frances Turner, Kyle MacLachlan, & the White Lotus MVP, Walton Goggins. 

Season two continues the story set in the wasteland of post-nuclear America and introduced New Vegas, a major location from the video game Fallout: New Vegas.

Lucy and Cooper travel to New Vegas hoping to learn the truth about Vault-Tec, Cooper's wife and daughter, and Lucy's father. Maximus, having been promoted in rank within the Brotherhood, becomes increasingly disillusioned with the Brotherhood's internal corruption and the conflict between his own conscience and the order's code.

Last May, Amazon renewed the series for a third season. Which I had entirely forgotten about.

Macaulay Culkin, Justin Theroux & Kumail Nanjiani all joined the series for a varying number of episodes. I think we will get more Culkin in the third run.

If like me you took a few days to catch up, don't read on! However this season continued to be fun, with some whacky soundtrack choices along the way to Vegas!

In 2077, Hank and Steph get engaged in Las Vegas, while Cooper is arrested after taking the blame for Barb for handing the relic to the President, secretly tied to the Enclave. 

In 2296, the Legion schism ends when Lacerta Legate proclaims himself Caesar and plans to seize New Vegas. Norm and Claudia survive a radroach attack at Vault-Tec HQ that kills the rest of the Vault-Tec executives as they attempt to bring Norm to trial. 

In Vault 32, Steph activates a Pip-Boy from Hank's box and contacts the Enclave to begin Phase 2. Fighting between Maximus and Deathclaws reaches Freeside, where the NCR rescues him. The Ghoul enters the Vault-Tec facility with House's help. 

Lucy mercy kills Welch, but is captured by Hank and then saved by the Ghoul. Lucy implants a control chip in Hank, who admits his Enclave ties before activating it himself and losing his memory. The Ghoul finds his family's cryo-pods empty and a clue pointing to Colorado. Maximus and Lucy reunite as the Legion marches into New Vegas. 

In a post-credits scene, Dane retrieves Liberty Prime blueprints for Quintus.

So it looks like we are off to Colorado and possibly some more robot action.

This is a fun show in the mix of Amazon's macho male action stars and teen dramas to the max. Amazon have some big months ahead with Deadloch returning next month and Cross returning this week. I wish they had an event like Apple TV had last week.

Amazon are really coming into their own. I still need to watch Thief too. 56 Days also sounds interesting... and horny! lol

NOT another streaming Movie - Send Help

Send Help, my latest film is a darkly comedic psychological thriller from genre-bending visionary director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man, The Evil Dead).

Rachel McAdams (Spotlight, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret., Mean Girls), Dylan O’Brien (Twinless, Saturday Night), Edyll Ismail (La Brea), Dennis Haysbert (Far from Heaven), Xavier Samuel (Elvis), Chris Pang (Crazy Rich Asians), Thaneth Warakulnukroh (Thai Cave Rescue), & Emma Raimi (Happy Pills), all star in this Aussie/Thailand production.

Linda Liddle (McAdams) and Bradley Preston (O’Brien), two colleagues who find themselves stranded on a deserted island after they are the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it becomes an unsettling and darkly humorous battle of wills and wits to make it out alive. 

So great seeing Aussie's Xavier Samuel and hunky Chris Pang, on the big screen, to a packed engaged cinema crowd on a Friday night.

Send Help has received positive reviews from critics, and has grossed $32.6 million against a $40 million production budget.

This film could be in line to be one of the first financial success and critical successes of 2026 at the cinema.

Filming ultimately commenced last February, in Sydney, Los Angeles, and Thailand, concluding in April. 

This was fun, the audience was laughing, I was jumping a few times. This was a solid film, with a great performance from the likeable and relatable Rachel McAdams. Lets be honest, we have all felt like Linda in an office situation before.

I really enjoyed this thriller. You might even spot Centennial Park in the movie. Which is hosting Laneway this weekend.

Be safe music festival friends. Why on Earth is Laneway on a Sunday too. I went last year. That was ROUGH!

OK, so Send Help is damn fine. 4 Stars.

Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 - Dog Park - Season One

Streaming now is Dog Park on ABC iview or Sundays at 8:30pm on ABC TV. ABC has started the year strong. With Goolagong (I've almost finished it - review incoming) and new shows galore incoming. Bad Company with Kitty Flanagan & Anne Edmonds looks like a real highlight!

Breaming with an all Australian, all-star cast. This show has laughs, sense of community and warm moments. However its also a little sad too. Particularly episode five.

It has a very Melbourne feel too. One of the stars of Aussie TV's summer Brooke Satchwell is back after her great role in Dear Life. That said her role is a lot less in this six episode series.

Short, sharp and dog filled episodes were an easy Sunday binge for little old me in the middle of the summer humidity.

Roland (Leon Ford) is a fumbling, inexpressive parent to teen daughter Mia (Florence Gladwin). He’s a cold, grumpy husband to wife Emma (Brooke Satchwell). And he’s a pretty lousy dog walker to the family pooch Beattie (Indie).

Also in the cast/dog park group, Samantha (Celia Pacquola), Penny (Elizabeth Alexander), Pamelia (Grace Chow), Jonah (Ras-Andrew) & Samuel (Ash Flanders).

So its a damn fine, solid cast! It's no wonder I smashed this series in around 24 hours. It's just been one of those weeks when sitting to type this up, has been held up multiple times.

What a week, bring on the weekend. Hopefully I'll get to see Send Help or another film.

The first episode of the series took me a little more time to get into than I expected. Dog Park presents as more of a character study of this Melbourne group. More than a straight up Melbourne based Fisk comedy.

That said, this looks very much like Chippendale (my inner city suburb) of an afternoon, where neighbours, locals gather after a long day at work. To unwind with their four legged friends. Chat shit with other locals, so this was relatable.

It did however make me miss the little four legged guy I'd walk around these inner city streets. So warning you might get triggered like me.

Dog Park was great though. Give it a binge, this weekend!

Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 - Wonder Man - Miniseries

Wonder Man is the 17th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, via its Marvel Television label. Streaming on Disney+, all (short) episodes were dropped last week.

The miniseries follows Simon Williams, who is trying to earn the lead role in a remake film of Wonder Man along with Trevor Slattery.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stars as Simon Williams / Wonder Man, alongside X Mayo, Zlatko Burić, Arian Moayed, Shola Adewusi, Demetrius Grosse, Béchir Sylvain, Kameron J. Meadows, Olivia Thirlby, Byron Bowers, Joe Pantoliano, Josh Gad, and Ben Kingsley (Slattery). 

Wonder Man is part of Phase Six of the MCU, and released under the "Marvel Spotlight" banner.

Was it any good or is Marvel continuing to flog the dead horse until the next Avengers film lands?

Well this miniseries is literally much ado about nothing. Nothing superhero really happens. It's almost another love story to Hollywood as old Hollywood looks to the future of the US continuing to crumble under the orange rogue leader.

This series really didn't give me much hope for Marvel's TV series future. That said, Daredevil's second run was actually really good. It returns soon for its second season, so fingers crossed. 

I just feel this show really had no purpose, nor direction. I wonder (lol) how long Marvel can afford to churn out these second rate projects. There second rate movies cost more when they fail at the box office, however looking at their reputation, Marvel has some work to do. Maybe superhero series peaked and there is no return.

Either way if you haven't watched the finale, Yucca Valley, maybe don't read on.

Simon returns to his apartment assuming that he will be caught. 

Slattery calls him to apologise and says he has a solution: Slattery revives his Mandarin persona and publicly claims responsibility for the explosion. 

Cleary knows that Slattery is just taking the blame for Simon, but goes along with it because the DODC needs more prisoners to justify their expensive Yucca Valley, California, prison. 

Following Slattery's arrest, Kovak insists they continue filming and tells Simon to use Slattery's betrayal for the scene where Wonder Man is betrayed by Barnaby. Wonder Man is finished with Pantoliano taking over the role of Barnaby, and the film is a success. 

Eric says he is proud of Simon. Janelle tells Simon that he now has his pick of what role to take next, and Simon decides to shadow a DODC guard under the guise of making a new film about him. 

This gives Simon access to the DODC prison, just as Cleary discovers that Simon's powers use ionic energy and proposes to his boss that Simon could be an asset. Simon uses his powers to break Slattery out of prison and fly away with him.

And just like that, another Marvel series is over. Daredevil: Born Again second season begins sometime in March, whilst VisionQuest and an animated Spider-Man series will land late 2026.

We will revisit Marvel later in the year....

NOT another streaming Movie - Mercy

Its been a hot minute minute (no summer pun intended) since I have seen two movies in one weekend. So after Primate, it's time for my Melania review.

Oh fuck that shit, no thanks. It was off to Melania's makers, an AI judge, jury and executioner film, Mercy.

The science fiction film starring Chris Pratt & Rebecca Ferguson, revolves around a detective accused of murder who must prove his innocence to an artificial intelligence judge. 

Alongside  Pratt & Ferguson, Kali Reis, Annabelle Wallis, Chris Sullivan, & Kylie Rogers also star.

Mercy has currently grossed $28 million worldwide, while receiving negative reviews from critics.

However what do critics and award nominations mean in the world of box office and the general publics opinion anyway in 2026? Right?

I really enjoyed this film. Less than two hours, it was a full on all in, law and order via tech, delivered by a super savage Rebecca Ferguson.

Chris Pratt is guilty until proven innocent, however with some twists, turns and side plots on offer, there is a lot going on under two hours.

I was pleasantly surprised by the film. Two other friends who have very different opinions on films also enjoyed this film too.

So without. further ado, it's been a solid weekend of cinema. Maybe not for Melania's ticket sales. Ask the Orange man though and you'd get a totally different answer. Maybe she will top the nominations for next years Razzies? Surely she'll get a nod.

OK, to the star rating, 3.5 stars. Edge of year seat, Speed grade, high octane thriller.

Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 - Red Eye - Season Two

Red Eye is one of those shows I watched, thought would be a one off, it was a little too similar to Hijack, but surprise. The British thriller starring Jing Lusi, Jemma Moore & Lesley Sharp, this time titled Red Eye: Crimson Icarus, landed last month on Stan.

This season Martin Compston joined the cast as the six new episodes streamed on New Years Day 2026.

Red Eye: Crimson Icarus expands the scope of the narrative, following now Detective Sergeant Hana Li (Lusi) as she becomes involved in an investigation centred on the United States Embassy in London. 

After the murder of a diplomatic courier, Hana and her colleague RSO Brody pursue a suspect while uncovering links to an international conspiracy. As the investigation escalates, the embassy is placed into lockdown and further deaths reveal connections to a controversial inquiry into a past aviation disaster.

Running parallel to the embassy investigation, MI5 Director General Madeline Delaney (Sharp) finds herself at the centre of a life-threatening situation when a bomb is discovered on the aircraft she is travelling on. 

Delaney works alongside Defence Secretary Alex Peterson (Nicholas Rowe) and the crew to prevent disaster, while journalists and investigators on the ground, including Jess Li (Hana's sister), uncover evidence that gradually exposes the true scale of the conspiracy.

The six-part series concludes with the perpetrators being unmasked and those responsible brought to justice, as Hana and Brody confront personal challenges and collaborate with Delaney to resolve the case.

Like Hijack season two (also streaming last month, awkward!) they ditch the planes (mostly) for the second run. If you were a little behind like me, maybe don't read past the trailer.

Brody breaches custody, rescues Johnson and injures Fox, while Li recovers the detonator. 

Fox narrowly escapes the embassy without the briefcase, which Li and Brody discover contains the missing black box from the D300. 

They play the recording at Thames House, which shows Patrick Johnson was transporting Martin, who had evidence Peterson had been embezzling millions from the D300 project, to the US to expose him. 

Peterson ordered the co-pilot to take over, and in an armed scuffle, Johnson was shot and the FCS was damaged, causing the crash. 

Two days earlier, Tillman is shown using his knowledge of the crash and embezzlement to blackmail Peterson to further his own political ambitions. In response, Peterson plans the assassinations to cover his tracks, hires Fox and has a diplomatic bag containing Fox's equipment sent from a vacant Congressional office while he is visiting Washington, D.C. Li, Brody and MI5 are able to trick him into admitting his guilt on tape, and Fox is arrested after a fight where Li spares his life. 

Brody comes close to killing Peterson to avenge his brother, but allows him to be arrested. Delaney offers Li a job with MI5, but she politely declines.

There felt like there was a door open for a third season. This could be a sleeper hit. Maybe they will take it to the Hijack carbon and head on a sleeper train for season three.

I feel Stan have given this loads of promo. Unfortunately their original Dear Life, was way better than this. But if you like a political spy series, maybe give this a viewing.

God it's a full working week ahead. FML. 2026 is already in full swing right!