Winter be Bingeing 26' - The Bear - Season Five/Series Finale + Gary (prequel) episode

The fifth and final season of FX’s The Bear picks up the morning after Sydney, Richie and Sugar discover that Carmy has quit the food industry, leaving the restaurant to them. With no money, the threat of a sale and a storm in their way, the team must band together to achieve one last service. Ultimately, they learn that what makes a restaurant perfect might not be the food, but the people.

The final season of The Bear premiered after a standalone prequel episode Gary. 

Gary was a special episode written by and starring cast members Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Jon Bernthal.

Gary is a flashback to early 2019, when Richie's pregnant wife Tiff (Gillian Jacobs) is close to her due date. Richie (Moss-Bachrach) and Mikey (Bernthal) get a job from Jimmy and take an emotionally charged road trip from Chicago to Gary, Indiana.

The 39th episode of The Bear was released as a surprise drop on May 5.

Delivered on Hulu and FX (Disney+ in Australia), streaming separately from the rest of the show's catalogue. Gary, received largely positive reviews from critics, who praised its tone, direction, and naturalism, while other reviewers found the episode meandering and self-indulgent. 

Jon Bernthal also had a standalone Punisher episode, The Punisher: One Last Kill. Which also landed in May. So it was a busy month on Disney+ for Bernthal. That said, I think the Punisher also arrives in the new Spiderman film. Well according to the trailer.

Back to The Bear's final season, with all eight episodes dropping late June. OG ratboy, Jeremy Allen White reprises his role as Carmy Berzatto, an award-winning New York City chef de cuisine, who returns to his hometown of Chicago to run his deceased brother Michael's failing sandwich shop.

The season features an original score composed by Christian Lundberg for Bleeding Fingers Music and produced by Hans Zimmer, eschewing the series' previous trend of using popular music for its soundtrack.

The season was met with critical acclaim, with reviewers praising it as a return to form for the series after the third and fourth seasons, and a fitting conclusion for the series.

Watch out spoilers ahead for the hour long finale.

Yes the first few episodes are short, then it gets long. But in all honestly, this season flew by!

The morning after the restaurant's successful service, Natalie reveals that the restaurant has enough money to continue operating, while Richie is invited to attend an international hospitality seminar in Japan. 

Cicero apologises to Carmy and endorses Ebraheim's franchising proposal, which Carmy immediately approves. 

After Richie experiences a panic attack over traveling abroad, Carmy reassures him. Carmy receives a call from the actual Michelin Guide representative—Peter Clark, who dined at The Bear months prior—that the restaurant has earned two Michelin stars, and he shares the news with a stunned Sydney. 

Weeks later, Luca returns to Copenhagen and bids farewell to Marcus, while Ebraheim begins developing the franchise. 

Carmy interviews for an internship at an architectural firm and gets emotional when recounting what The Bear meant to him. 

The Bear staff and their loved ones celebrate the birthday of Richie's daughter Eva at the restaurant. Richie leaves for Japan with Jess, the two now in a relationship.

It's a fitting finale, to one of Hulu's most celebrated series of recent times. The Bear has been a huge success. Jeremy Allen White has always been great. Now he is GOAT status.

Go ahead, give the last eight (plus Gary episodes) a go on Disney+. As always Disney+ are smashing the winter (or Summer in the US) releases. A new Ryan Murphy series, The Shards is coming next month. Adults also returns late next month (following another sneaky prequel episode) and American Horror Story returns for its 13th (possibly last) season.

See you next time! When it might be another Disney+ title. UK comedy, Alice & Steve!

NOT another streaming Movie - The Invite

The Invite is dram/comedy film directed by Olivia Wilde from a screenplay by Will McCormack + Rashida Jones. 

It is an English-language remake of the 2020 Spanish film The People Upstairs by Cesc Gay. 

Starring Wilde herself, alongside, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, & Edward Norton. With such a small cast, this could be a play, live on stage.

Thus far The Invite has received positive reviews from critics, whilst sitting at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.

It opened on the weekend in Australia and I bloody loved this. Seth Rogan is on a winning streak right. His Apple TV series, The Studio is huge, Platonic is also one of their best comedies, whilst this was a damn fine performance was Wilde's rather unhappy husband.

The film resolves almost solely around a dinner party between two couples in the same apartment. We only leave the apartment very briefly at the start of the film, as Rogan is at work.

The whole film descends into chaos as the preparation for the dinner, goes sour with Wilde and Rogan trading blows.

When Cruz and Norton join, the party takes a different turn.

It was great seeing Edward Norton in something again. It's been a minute.

I really enjoyed this film. It was fun, simple and super well acted. With a sea of shitty kids films on, this was a rare gem.

Check this out before the Odyssey takes all the screens from Thursday.

4 Stars.

Emmys 2026 Nominations | Predictions

The Pitt, Paradise, Hacks & DTF St. Louis dominate as HBO (plus HBO Max, The Pitt title) reign supreme with this years nominations. 

I still need to watch DTF St. Louis on HBO, whilst I was happy the return to form fifth season of Slow Horses do very well for inform Apple TV+. Pluribus, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Shrinking and Widow's Bay, join Slow Horses with a load of nominations, as Apple TV builds a solid library.

Here are my Emmys predictions in red & bold.....

Outstanding Drama Series

The Diplomat

The Gilded Age

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Paradise

The Pitt

Pluribus

Slow Horses

Your Friends and Neighbors

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Carrie Coon

Chase Infiniti

Keri Russell

Rhea Seahorn

Zendaya

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Sterling K. Brown

Gary Oldman

Mark Ruffalo

Rufus Sewell

Noah Wyle

Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary

The Bear

Hacks

Margo’s Got Money Troubles

Nobody Wants This

Only Murders in the Building

Shrinking

Widow’s Bay

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Quinta Brunson

Ayo Edebiri

Elle Fanning

Lisa Kudrow

Jean Smart

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Yahya Abdul Mateen II

Steve Carell

Matthew Rhys

Jason Segel

Martin Short

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

All Her Fault

The Beast in Me

Beef

DTF St. Louis

Love Story

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Claire Danes

Sally Field

Carey Mulligan

Sarah Pidgeon

Sarah Snook

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Riz Ahmed

Jason Bateman

Charlie Hunnam

Oscar Isaac

Matthew Rhys

Outstanding Variety Series

The Daily Show

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Reality Competition Program

Dancing With the Stars

RuPaul’s Drag Race

Survivor

Top Chef

The Traitors

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

Patrick Ball, The Pitt

Billy Crudup, The Morning Show

Shawn Hatosy, The Pitt

Gerran Howell, The Pitt

Jack Lowden, Slow Horses

Tom Pelphrey, Task

Carlos-Manuel Vesga, Pluribus

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie

Jason Bateman, DTF St. Louis

Richard Gadd, Half Man

David Harbour, DTF St. Louis

Richard Jenkins, DTF St. Louis

Charles Melton, Beef

Nick Offerman, Death by Lightning

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

Dale Dickey, Widow’s Bay

Hannah Einbinder, Hacks

Janelle James, Abbott Elementary

Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay

Michelle Pfeiffer, Margo’s Got Money Troubles

Megan Stalter, Hacks

Jessica Williams, Shrinking

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Taylor Deardon, The Pitt

Fiona Dourif, The Pitt

Allison Janney, The Diplomat

Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt

Sepideh Moafi The Pitt

Julianne Nicholson, Paradise

Karolina Wydra, Pluribus

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie

Linda Cardellini, DTF St. Louis

Dakota Fanning, All Her Fault

Laurie Metcalf, Monster: The Ed Gein Story

Joy Sunday, DTF St. Louis

Youn Yuh-jung, Beef

Constance Zimmer, Love Story: John F. Kennedy & Carolyn Bessette

Winter be Bingeing 26' - Prisoner - Season One

Prisoner is a high-stakes British thriller series starring Tahar Rahim (The Serpent, Un Prophète) & Izuka Hoyle (Boiling Point, Big Boys). The series landed on Binge, late April. The following month it was renewed for a second series.

Over six episodes, ambitious prison transport officer Amber Todd (Hoyle) finds herself in the middle of a battle for the criminal underworld – having to learn quickly to put her faith in someone feared by both sides of the law.

Amber has been tasked with escorting the prolific contract killer Tibor Stone (Rahim) to The Old Bailey to testify against his former employers - an elite crime syndicate willing to do anything to stop them.

When their transport convoy is brutally attacked, Amber handcuffs herself to Tibor to prevent his escape. As the sole survivors of the ambush, Amber and Tibor go on the run together, and must work in sync to reach court alive and on time.

Throughout the journey, their relationship twists and turns, with Amber unable to trust anyone – least of all the killer she is handcuffed to. But as everything she holds dear hangs in the balance, she must confront an impossible question: what moral lines is she willing to cross?

Binge has had a few good little British shows on recently. Tip Toe was outstanding, this wasn't bad, then across the pond Ms. X is also damn fine with Melissa George. Binge might be on a comeback. I was considering cancelling it for a hot minute.

Now onto the finale from Prisoner's first season.

Amber gets Campbell to release her so she can get Stone to court before the trial concludes. Knowing her Pegasus affiliation, Amber disposes of a tracker Campbell placed on her, and she and her colleagues Marcus and Jade use three identical prison vans to avoid Nina and get Tibor to court. Her colleagues Jamal and Phil give NCU agent Nancy Howard, a friend of Tebbit, the intel on the “Day of Action” and warn her of Campbell’s affiliation. 

In a surprise move, Tibor denies knowing Dempsey on the stand, resulting in his acquittal. Dempsey completes the weapons sale. 

Howard forces Campbell to tell Home Secretary Viraj Mundhra, about the weapons deal. Campbell claims she kept it secret due to the trial sensitivity. Mundhra believes her, but the pressure forces her to seize the UK gun shipment against Dempsey’s orders. 

Nina and Declan secretly re-route the EU shipment. Tibor escapes custody and directs Amber to Dempsey’s mansion, claiming they would both still be unsafe if he was in prison. She doesn't object when he kills Mikhail, Declan and Dempsey. Amber and Tibor part ways. However, Nina gets the drop on Tibor and kills him, wanting revenge for the death of Declan. 

Whilst driving to reunite with Olly and Mia, Amber appears to remember that Nina is still at large.

Not a bad little series, not as ace as Tip Toe, but as I said above, Binge is starting to get some better content at last!

Winter be Bingeing 26' - Ground Up - Season One

Two from two with solid Aussie content, thus far for the Winter be Bingeing 26' series.

Ground Up landed on the ABC, ahead of the Race Around the World reboot. The series is still airing weekly on Sundays. Or you can view all episodes now on iView.

Ground Up focuses on the development of a football club and stadium in Tasmania, fronted by AFL administrator Hugh Shen (Sam Pang). Shen must win over a divided community, wrangle together a team, and manage his overly bureaucratic organisation.

The series follows Hobart-via-Melbourne AFL administrator Hugh Shen who has been tasked with establishing Tasmania's first-ever AFL team. He must face the uninterested and angry locals who are funding the $1.13 billion stadium with their taxes.

After years of trying, Tasmania has finally been given the green light to field a team in the AFL - but there's a catch. The locals have to build a new stadium.

Given Tasmania has a housing crisis, and a health crisis… and two sizeable stadiums, not everyone thinks the 1.13 billion dollar taxpayer spend is the greatest idea.

Joining Pang is Emma Harvie as Destiny Pitt, Dylan Murphy as Jameson, Josh McConville as Alistair Penfold, musical theatre Wicked lead, Lucy Durack as Angela Linscombe, incredible Marg Downey as Catherine la Fontaine & Fletcher Humphrys as Cliff.

Incredible Marg Downey has some incredible one liners in this topical series about sport and government.

With moments of reality and ABC flexing its muscles with Lisa McCune joining in as an ABC Hobart announcer for some classic interviews.

This took me an episode of two to get into, but once I did, hells bells this is good. Whilst I loved Bad Company, this has much wider appeal. This was really good. Sam Pang is a little Aussie legend. Well done team. This was a lot of fun. If you liked Utopia or work in government, this may be a little too close to home. Wild.

Do yourself a favour now the State of Origin is done and dusted. It's raining it's wet, log into iView and give this a go. FAB!

NOT another streaming Movie - Supergirl

Oh dear, Supergirl is heading into becoming one of the years biggest box office bombs. Following six seasons on The CW, Supergirl now heads to the big screen. With Aussie Milly Alcock as the title role, alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet, and Jason Momoa. But isn't Momoa Aquaman?

DC Comics, are doing their best with superheroine Kara Zor-El / Supergirl. Sadly, trying to turn her from the goody two shoes Melissa Benoist portrayed from 2015-2021 to a 365 party girl, really didn't work.

The sloppy use of music across the film, and clanky action sequences, left this in the B grade superhero category. Sadly as well being slayed at the box office by Toy Story 5, Obsession and some Minions.

In under two hours, Kara Zor-El travels across the galaxy on a murderous quest for revenge.

Supergirl is part of the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. So far, it has received mixed reviews from critics, and has grossed $100.5 million against a production budget of $170–186 million. So a box office bomb.

Is this the beginning of the death of superhero films? I think Spiderman and The Avengers may turn around this downward trend.

I kinda wanted this to work more. The series was so PG, this felt a bit of a stretch to turn Supergirl more indie.

Jason Momoa also was a random addition. This film has so much wrong about it, that it almost works. Like it almost was a cult classic. But it just lacks something. Unlike Guardians of the Galaxy, the music feels forced, with lame song choices.

This could be an early frontrunner for the Razzie Awards next time around.

After being a student at Newtown Performing Arts School, Milly Alcock I really wanted to like this. I loved Uptight. But this was just not the best.

2 Stars.

Winter be Bingeing 26' - Not Suitable for Work - Season One

Not Suitable for Work follows five work-obsessed twenty-somethings who strive for professional success and, if they have time, personal happiness, in Manhattan.

So another comedy series set in New York. With semi-likeable characters. Oh dear, this sounds familiar.

Created by Mindy Kaling, this follows The Sex Lives of College Girls, which concluded last year from HBO Max.

Kaling's latest offering streams on Hulu, Disney+ in Australia. The nine episodes dropped throughout June, with me just catching up over the weekend. In-between my three movies lol.

The series luckily improved over the nine episodes, however I would be surprised if this was given a second season. Not that it was super bad, it was just not that funny, nor were the characters that engaging or original.

Starring, Ella Hunt, Avantika, Will Angus, Jack Martin, & Nicholas Duvernay as the leads, with Jay Ellis, Ego Nwodim, Constance Wu, Victor Garber, Greg Germann, Judy Gold, Harry Richardson, Laura Bell Bundy, Stella Everett, May Hong, Bhavesh Patel, Emilia Suárez, and Michael Benjamin Washington also starring.

Unfortunately the number of streaming comedies are landing thick and fast. With Adults (a slightly better, version of this series) landing on Disney+ soon and Overcompensating returning to Amazon.

The Sex Lives of College Girls had sass, this sadly just had a few odd balls in the big apple, all looking for careers and love. Not very original. What about a series set in Detroit? Or Denver? Sadly as I consume a fair few comedies, this one just wasn't the laugh out loud, romp I was after.

Either way how'd episode nine play out? Spoilers below...

Davis plans to spend New Year's Eve partying. 

Kate abruptly fires Kel. Abby, who has begun working retail to pay off the jacket, tells AJ that Davis has feelings for her. 

Josh teasingly comforts AJ about her breakup, and the two agree to spend New Year's together. He apologises to his dad in order to get Wes a spot on a live show, and helps make the appearance a success. 

When Bill returns to work, Davis learns about Aspen and Bill's treatment of AJ. He gets into a fight with Bill and is fired. 

Kel is disappointed to learn his parents did not attend his play, but is pleased that his students did. 

Abby accepts Vanessa's offer to resume working with her. She attends Kel's cast party, but is secretly disappointed to watch him make a move on a castmate. 

Davis drops by the apartment and admits he defended AJ to Bill because he likes her. Josh watches them kiss.

Time will tell if we see a resolution to this cliffhanger. Or will it go the way of Mid-Century Modern?