ted has concluded its Seth MacFarlane created comedy on Peacock/Binge (AU).
ted is the third instalment in the Ted franchise, it serves as a prequel to the, first film and its sequel. Starring MacFarlane reprising his role as the voice of the titular character, alongside Max Burkholder, Alanna Ubach, Scott Grimes, and Giorgia Whigham.
Back in May 2024, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered earlier this month. MacFarlane also confirmed that there were no plans for a third season, citing the show's high production costs.
In the finale season, we land in 1994, and senior year of high school is underway for Ted the foul-mouthed teddy bear and his best friend, likeable but awkward John Bennett. Together they live in a working-class Boston home with John's parents (Matty and Susan) and cousin (Blaire).
Matty is a blustering, blue-collar Bostonian who sees himself as the unequivocal boss of the house and frequently clashes with his liberal niece. Susan is kind, selfless, and almost pathologically sweet when it comes to caring for her family. Blaire is an outspoken college student who often finds herself at odds with her more traditional-minded relatives.
To be honest, this was more enjoyable than the first season from two years ago. It's hard to believe its been two years since the series landed on Binge.
In the (now confirmed last ever episode) its four months after finishing high school, John fails to do anything with his life. Matty angrily calls him out on his laziness, but suffers a heart attack and is ordered to stay calm for a week while recovering from his artery stints.
When the O.J. Simpson verdict is decided, a guilt-ridden John is worried that Matty will die of another heart attack and decides to block him from seeing the actual news with the help of Ted and Blaire. After cutting the house's cable, they print a fake newspaper and rehire Bert to film fake news broadcasts to cushion Matty's worldview. Upon recovering, Matty goes outside and is ridiculed for defending the fake verdict and believing in the fake stories. Tired of lying, Blaire hands Matty the real paper, resulting in another heart attack.
John apologises for making Matty angry in the first place, but Matty reveals he's impressed by the amount of effort he put into his deception and tells him he can do whatever he sets his mind to.
In the end, John decides to hit the gym and become incredibly buff. Incoming Marky Mark to the two ted films.
Seriously a HUGE improvement on season one. What will Peacock stream next? Also Binge is really on the blink. Seriously, the limited new content is really making me consider, should I rest it for a bit.
If Colin From Accounts, High Country and a new version of Wentworth weren't incoming, this streaming service would be getting the axe ASAP.
Blue Murder Motel is a New Zealand murder mystery series which just landed on ABC iView.
All six episodes landed last Saturday. I concluded the final few episodes today on my most relaxing Friday the 13th.
Blue Murder Motel stars Australian actors Michala Banas and Brett Tucker, who previously appeared together in the Australian drama series McLeod's Daughters.
Two married Australian police officers have taken early retirement and have purchased the Blue Motel in New Zealand to run as a business.
Following a series of local murders, the couple being to investigate & to help hunky local sole-charge police officer solve the crimes.
At the end of the first episode, the advertising display for the motel is tagged, changing its name from Blue Motel to Blue Murder Motel. A later episode indicates that local residents also refer to it as that.
The series is located in the fictional seaside community of Mōwai Bay, which is described as being "somewhere near Auckland".
Filming took place at Orewa on the Hibiscus Coast north of Auckland. Locations included the Edgewater Motel as the Blue Motel, and Ōrewa Beach Holiday Park as the Shady Vista Holiday Park, which was featured in episode 3.
So this is the first series I couldn't find a trailer for, so you are stuck with the below promo picture.
Jayden Daniels as Constable Jamie Haira, a recently graduated sole-charge constable is my favourite. He is damn fine.
In the finale, a summer market turns deadly, when a local candy merchant dies in a freak accident. Vinny and Cole dig deeper and discover it was murder.
There is no cliffhanger, however this could easily be back for a second run of episodes. This was easy viewing, with some lovely Kiwi scenery and excellent Aussie leads. Bring on more Blue Murder Motel. Thanks ABC for screaming this one.
The Night Manager is a British spy thriller television serial based on the 1993 novel by John le Carré and adapted by David Farr.
The six-part first series, directed by Susanne Bier and starring Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Olivia Colman, Tom Hollander, David Harewood and Elizabeth Debicki, began broadcasting on BBC One on 21 February 2016. So it's honest to say, it's been a while between drinks between seasons.
The Night Manager's first season was nominated for thirty-six awards and won eleven, including two Primetime Emmy Awards (for director Bier and music composer Victor Reyes) and three Golden Globe Awards (for Hiddleston, Colman, and Laurie).
Back in April 2024, The Night Manager was renewed for a second & third series by BBC One and Amazon Prime Video, with Hiddleston and Colman reprising their roles, and Georgi Banks-Davies directing.
The second series concluded on Amazon early last month. Since it's been a number of years between seasons, I just waited till all six episodes streamed to jump back in.
There was a queer/bi baiting screen grab used of Tom Hiddleston (Jonathan Pine), Diego Calva as Teddy Dos Santos, a Colombian arms dealer & Camila Morrone as Roxana Bolaños in a sexy dance scene. This was short lived!
Shame.
Oh well, a third season is set up majorly in episode six, which I will go through below. Warning spoilers ahead!
Roxana, under orders from Roper, calls Pine claiming to have narrowly avoided capture. They arrange to meet, where Pine narrowly avoids being killed by Roper's men thanks to a tip-off from Teddy, who has learned that Roxana is compromised.
Carrascal becomes suspicious of Teddy, who subsequently kills him in an ensuing fight. Roper confronts Roxana, who suggests Teddy harbours feelings for Pine.
Sally facilitates the escape of Chief Justice Arbenz from armed supervision. They assemble a team of journalists to observe the arrival of the electromagnetic pulse bomb and reveal the plot of Roper and British Intelligence.
Meanwhile, Pine and Teddy head to Cabrera's military base, with Pine taking the guise of Teddy's prisoner. Teddy claims Roper and Pine are planning on double-crossing Cabrera by sending 50 armed men instead of the pulse bomb. Cabrera then agrees to divert the shipment to co-ordinates where Sally and Arbenz are waiting.
Roper arrives at the military base, where the group turns against him.
In London, Burr has gathered information against Mayra. The pair meet in a library where Burr announces the coup has been foiled. Back in Colombia, an aeroplane is heard overhead and it is revealed that Roper has sent two shipments.
The pulse weapon arrives at the military base while Sally and Arbenz receive a container empty, but for a red rose. Roper regains Cabrera's trust and Teddy and Pine's deceit is exposed. The unmoved Roper kills Teddy, but Martin and Octavo arrive. Martin shoots to disrupt proceedings, and in the shootout Pine is injured. Martin sacrifices his own life to provide a distraction to allow Pine to escape with Octavo.
Pine walks in the jungle with Octavo before collapsing.
In London, Mayra walks away from the meeting triumphant, and Burr is later killed at her home in France. The episode closes with Roper in England picking up Danny from boarding school, while news of the ongoing Colombian civil war plays on the radio, which Roper changes to play Odetta's version of Bob Dylan's "Masters of War" as they drive away.
Will we have to wait another ten years for the third season? I doubt it. This has been a big hit again for Amazon. Continuing their fine start to 2026. With Cross, Steal and The Boys final season incoming. Plus the erotic hit, 56 Days. Amazon has come out of the blocks stronger than HBO. In mu opinion of course.
That said, can they keep up this pace. Till next time. Stay outta the humidity FML!
The Moment is a 2026 mockumentary film directed by Aidan Zamiri, who co-wrote it with Bertie Brandes from an original idea by Charli XCX.
Starring XCX in her full blown brat era, Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, Jamie Demetriou, Hailey Benton Gates, Isaac Powell, & True Blood's Alexander Skarsgård.
The Moment premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in January, and was released in cinemas last Thursday.
So far, The Moment, has film received mixed reviews from critics.
I loved brat as an album. I loved Charli before the brat album. So this was a no brainer for me. Completely taking the piss out of fame, blowing up after years and years of working hard in the industry.
After years and years of hits, Charli XCX had her moment with the brat summer. The Sweat tour blew up! She brought a version to Laneway Festival back in 2025.
This was a fun insight into the world of brat! Of course A24 know how to back an indie film. My star score below for the queen XCX.
This was fun, intense, and manic.
Charli's life would have been a chaotic whirlwind following the release of the record. The press, the tour prep, the sponsorships, the lime green brat colour. It was a lot! Thank goodness it's all Wuthering Heights now!
I enjoyed this 3.5 Stars. Get it's not everyone's cup of tea.
School Spirits is one of the only non Taylor Sheridan series on Paramount+. But will they keep it around for a fourth season? Particularly now that apparently HBO Max will be merging into Paramount+. Which is good for subscribers like me! Maybe even Channel Ten too!
The series, adapted from the graphic novel by the Trinruds and Maria Nguyen, stars Peyton List, Kristian Ventura, Milo Manheim, and Spencer MacPherson. The first three episodes of the third season, premiered late January. With the season concluding midweek.
This season, Maddie Nears and her friends dive into a deeper, darker mystery as the veil between worlds grows dangerously thin, delivering twists that challenge everything they thought they knew. After clawing her way back to life, Maddie struggles with terrifying visions and the weight of protecting both the living and the dead while Simon – trapped in the afterlife – becomes obsessed with the secrets buried in Split River High’s scars.
Why have so many people died at Split River High? What was Mr. Martin warning them about? As they search for answers, new dangers and dark secrets begin to surface.
Honestly I don't think this series is aimed at me. I kind of thought the show had run out of ideas last season. This season for me felt like they were flogging a dead horse. However at the end of the season they did leave it (very) open for a possible fourth season.
However (to date) there is no news on a fourth season.
This season went Chucky mad too, introducing Jennifer Tilly as Deborah Hunter-Price. So random and a little trashy.
Paramount+ will soon be getting series like Heated Rivalry and The White Lotus. This is surely the time to jump into an annual subscription before they jack up the prices.
Goolagong landed right in time for the Australian Open at a quieter time in 2026. Sadly life got in the way, so I only finished the third and final episode last night.
The ABC series is based on the real life story of Aboriginal Australian champion tennis player Evonne Goolagong Cawley, played by Lila McGuire.
Directed by Wayne Blair & produced by Werner Film Productions. This is honestly the most wholesome series of the Scorchin' Summer Streamin' 26 blog series.
Goolagong tells the story of the rise of tennis star Evonne Goolagong Cawley, from her childhood through to becoming a champion at Wimbledon. It shows her drive to succeed and her path to the top of her game, including overcoming a career-threatening injury and beating her tennis rivals in the face of adversity.
Goolagong is based on the inspiring true-life story of world champion tennis player Evonne Goolagong, one of Australia’s most revered sporting heroes. From her Wimbledon debut in 1970, to becoming the first mother to win Wimbledon in the modern era in 1980, Evonne’s story is one of family, love, loss, and an unwavering spirit.
In the time of burgeoning black rights and women’s lib, Evonne proved to herself, her people, and the world that she was a true champion.
Alongside McGuire, the three part series stars, Felix Mallard, Marton Csokas and Luke Carroll.
Filming for the series took place across several locations in Victoria, including on location at the Kooyong Tennis Club and South Yarra Tennis Club, using a purpose-built Wimbledon Centre Court.
Other locations include Kyneton, Seaford, Seymour, Sunshine, Tallarook, and Woodend. The shoot brought in over 1,200 local jobs and 100 jobs for local crew.
Last November, it was announced at the ABC Upfronts that the series would go to air this year. The ABC is really punching above its weight for local content this year. With Dog Park also being a super sweet series.
I look forward to the ABC announcing its next Sunday series with some crackers promised. Tonight the ABC has acquired Amazon's Top End Bub streaming tonight, along with Kiwi series (with Aussies) Blue Murder Motel.
Well done to the ABC for bringing this beautiful homegrown story to our screens.
The Beauty is the latest Ryan Murphy series, this time teaming up with Matthew Hodgson.
The science fiction/body horror series is based on the comic book The Beauty, written by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley.
Starring American Horror favourite, Evan Peters, alongside Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope, Rebecca Hall, and Ashton Kutcher. Yes Ashton Kutcher is making a comeback!
The series streams on FX/Hulu, Disney+ which commenced in January, concluding yesterday with a double (short) episode finale.
So what's the drum?
A sexually transmitted treatment known as "the Beauty" spreads rapidly, granting users physical attractiveness through aesthetic-based genetic makeup while concealing lethal side effects that begin to overtake their lives. As deaths and public panic escalate, an FBI investigation and competing interests converge on the forces behind the drug and the epidemic it sparks.
Spoilers for episode eleven, read on at your own risk!
Tig and Gunther (without) consent dose Franny with the Beauty in an attempt to please their father, leading her to attempt suicide, though Byron has doctors keep her body stable with the regenerative properties of the Beauty.
Meanwhile, Bella undergoes the Beauty procedure via sexual intercourse with a man named Conor, who had taken a second dose beforehand to increase the strength. Upon transforming, Bella's mother is horrified to find her with grotesque mutations.
After Byron learns that the public and government no longer support the Beauty as a result of widely reported side-effects, he decides to halt sales and close down the operation to reinvest in cures and fixes, while providing boosters for free.
Tig wishes to continue distributing the drug and inherit Byron's wealth, and enlists the help from Diana, Cooper, Jordan, the Assassin and Jeremy to assassinate him. In exchange, Cooper is given an untested drug to reverse the effects of the Beauty, and the others are startled when he emerges after transforming.
It leaves you on an Evan Peters cliffhanger that may or may not get resolved. Unlike All's Fair, there is no news of a second season as yet. However there are some reports of this being a miniseries.
Will we find out Evan Peters fate? Time will tell.
Either way I did enjoy these shorter episodes. It was a wild look at modern societies obsession with beauty. Who better after Nip/Tuck than Ryan Murphy to explore this world.
It's been a real Ryan Murphy season. Love Story is currently streaming on Friday's on Disney+, whilst The Shards is yet to stream.
Enjoy the weekend. It's the first full weekend of Autumn. A new blog series is incoming next month!
