After ten episodes, epic sci-fi series Foundation season 3 has finally wrapped up, with the finale 'The Darkness' airing on Friday, September 12.

This third run for the Asimov-inspired science fiction series has seen the rise of The Mule, a psychic warlord whose powers could mean jeopardy for the troubled Foundation, stagnating Empire and fledgling Second Foundation.

Hopefully by now, you've seen the final episode (here's how to watch Foundation season 3 if you haven't). And if you have, you might be needing some help as to understanding what happened.

That's because the final episode brings some twists and turns, as well as one thing which isn't explained very well.

So let's dig into the Foundation season 3 ending to figure it out. For ease of explaining we'll look first at The Mule, and then at Empire.

The Mule

Through Foundation's third season we've see The Mule rise and then attack Foundation, finding victory by controlling the minds of Foundationers to attack their comrades.

In the final episode we see Gaal lead a group of Second Foundationers, and survivors of the original Foundation, onto their enemy's ship in order to neutralize him. After some physical and mental sparring, he's beaten.

However after he dies we're given a shocking revelation: the man we know as The Mule isn't actually The Mule after all. Instead that honor goes to Bayta Mallow, one of the Foundationers we've been following through the season who we met on Kalgan.

Everyone, including Bayta's husband Toran, is shocked by this revelation, and I'd wager that most of you at home were too. We also learn that Bayta has controlled Gaal's boyfriend and fellow Second Foundationer Han Pritcher, albeit only moments prior.

Bayta uses her upper hand to try to control Gaal's mind too, however Gaal had previously modified Magnifico's musical instrument to nullify The Mule's powers and it works just as well in distracting Bayta.

Things get a little confusing here: in one scene, Bayta is losing her mental battle with Gaal, but when we cut back later in the episode, Gaal is running away. She escapes the ship, jumps down to the planet's surface and is picked up, escaping the vicinity.

It's not clear what happened to Bayta, whether she won or lost the battle, or what happened to Gaal's many allies (including Toran, Magnifico, Brother Dawn and Han). Presumably we'll find out if there's a Foundation season 4.

As Gaal's ship prepares to jump, the version of Hari Seldon from The Vault appears in her ship, asking her to free him from the confines of The Vault and let him come along with her. She refuses and jumps into space.

Empire

It's been a busy season for Empire. Brother Day has been off on Mycogen contending with a robot-worshipping cult while Brother Dawn finds himself dragged into the conflict between Foundation and The Mule (we've already established where he ends season 3), Brother Dusk does everything he can to avoid getting disintergrated after the impending end of his rule, and Demerzel is struggling to decide where her loyalties lie.

By the end of the season, the absence of Dawn and Day and Demerzel's preoccupation has seen Dusk carry out a number of genocides, and in episode 10 he also destroys every back-up copy of himself and the other Cleon clones... all except one, a young baby which he keeps hostage.

Day returns from Mycogen with the skull of a former robot and presents it to Demerzel, telling her to commune with it. She refuses, knowing that it'll override her existing programming to protect Empire.

But when Dusk puts the sole surviving baby clone into the incinerator, Demerzel protects it by shielding it with her body, which sees her disintegrated and destroyed (the baby doesn't survive anyway). And when Day confronts Dusk about this, the fact that the younger man had his nanites removed when he snuck off to Mycogen means that Dusk can shoot him and kill him without him healing.

And the end of the episode Dusk is alone on the throne, having wiped out the two people who could stop him. As far as we can tell, Brother Day and Demerzel are now both gone from the show for good, having survived an admirable three seasons.

Maybe not all Dusk's threats are gone though, because we see Ambassador Quent in the library on Trantor, where she's introduced to a secret cell of Second Foundation. They've evidently got a plan in motion.

And wee see the hint of another threat. Despite not communing with Demerzel, the robot head was turned on, and it sends a signal through the galaxy. It reaches Kalle on a base on the Earth's moon, which she inhabits alongside robots which are clearly plotting a comeback.

Some of Foundation season 3’s most powerful scenes come not from action set pieces, unexpected twists or mass planetary destruction, but from the dramas of everyday people living in the sci-fi world.

Already in this season of the Apple TV Plus sci-fi epic we’ve witnessed the predicament of Zephyr Vorellis, Demerzel’s confidant whose mind gets wiped repeatedly preventing her from being able to do anything about the heinous acts she’s told about, and Song, Brother Day’s partner who we learn had a whole life and partner on Mycogen before she was taken to Trantor.

Another of these impactful moments comes in episode 9, "The Paths That Choose Us", between Ambassador Quent and Brother Dusk. Despite their growing attraction, the latter has spent the season trying to avoid his own inevitable demise, eventually destroying several planets with his super weapon and taking billions of lives in the process.

On the eve of his scheduled "retirement" date, Quent, Foundation’s ambassador on Trantor, comes to see him; their conversation is part confrontation, part confession, and part search for answers.

To unpack this scene, What to Watch spoke with its star: Cherry Jones, whose credits also include Signs, The Village and The Handmaid’s Tale. Our conversation touched on Empire, Foundation and the aforementioned scene (which happens roughly 32 minutes into Foundation season 3 episode 9).

New face in Empire

Most of the Foundation characters who represent Empire are either immortal, like Laura Birn's Demerzel, or endlessly reiterated through cloning like Brother Dusk as well as Dawn and Day (Cassian Bilton and Lee Pace). With those actors now clocking in 30 episodes in the season, I asked Jones what it was like entering this group.

"For me it was a little daunting, because it's such a vocabulary that I had to to go to the Foundation glossary, to figure out what the syntax was, and all these different worlds. And the vastness, the scale of the thing — I kept writing back home and saying 'it's like being in the biggest movie that's ever been made' because there's so many different worlds going on at the same time."

"It was also daunting to catch up to 35,000 years of history, of the empire, and trying to figure out Quent's modest place in it all." That character through-line, by the sounds of it, was the guiding light through this complicated sci-fi world:

"It was fun to try and figure out what was going on, It was trying to figure out the line of Quent's life for me that was interesting. And the bottom line is that she's a true believer in the Seldon mission and that's never in question... even though she's a little infatuated with Dusk."

Quent's ongoing predicament is that she represents Foundation without being part of that faction, but Jones found real-life examples to draw from: "But I have always been interested in people who work for government, and leave their country, and remain gone for basically all of their lives - and yet are still loyal to their original mission."

In fact, when we asked Jones who she drew on to portray Quent, a real-life example emerged: "I did think when I saw my costume that Hilary Clinton would have killed for it. I kept saying to my friends: 'I'm wearing a Hilary Clinton suit 35,000 years from now!'.

The confrontation

Quent plays both a love interest and an emotional foil to Brother Dusk, but the first thing we had to ask was whether Jones as an actor knew about Dusk's actions through the season: "I think I actually got those [scripts] later, I didn't get them all at once."

And this led to the aforementioned scene: "when I got to the scene where I actually have to walk into the throne room and say 'you have killed billions of people' that was a line I never thought I would say as an actor."

When we asked Jones her favorite scene to film, she reiterated "I do remember going into that vast hall, the throne room, when I go to confront Dusk after his horrors". And it was meaningful as an actor too:

"The wonderful Roxanne Dawson, who directed those episodes, was really helpful to me as an actor. Because [the script] had me marching in and shouting at Dusk, but instead she said 'you are so white-hot, and so destroyed by this man that you love's actions', that she had me rein it in a great deal and be like the core of a nuclear reactor."

Jones, like many other Foundation actors I've spoken to, waxed lyrical about the design of the show, saying of this scene: "I'm as bowled over as the art direction on this show as I am the acting. Maybe even more so, because I cannot imagine producing a show of this size and how they make it work. The scale of everything is so vast, and the number of extras who were all dressed so magnificently in all the costumes of all the planets. I'm like a fan who wandered into this world!"

Sci-fi in Prague

Having cornered such a storied sci-fi actress, I couldn't help but ask how Foundation compared to other shows and movies Jones has starred in, specifically The Handmaid's Tale:

"I guess I don't think of Handmaid's Tale as sci-fi. But the thing about sci-fi is that it's all about humanity, you think of it as being something more about — when I was growing up sci fi was outer space — but it's really just about the way that we humans don't seem to change a bit. And there are the optimists who will give their lives to make things better for the world, and that's certainly the Foundation."

I also asked about Jones' most prominent scene partner, Terrence Mann, who plays Brother Dusk: "He's a delightful gentleman; he's from musical theatre, Broadway, and I'm from straight theater, so we've never really worked together. But we're the same age and come from the same world so that was a great deal of fun".

Mann also guided Jones through Prague, the filming location for Foundation which, judging by my interviews, is now a favored haunt of most of the cast: "He was already telling me all of the restaurants I had to eat in before we ever went to Prague, and then just saying 'we've got you, don't worry about a thing' so it was like coming into a group of buddies."

That group also includes "Lee Pace who was a neighbor of mine in New York City, and Laura who became a great favorite of mine, and Cassian, and I would say we worked hard and played hard together. It was a great deal of fun."

Foundation season 3 ends with its tenth episode on Friday, September 12

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1 will be available to watch for free on ITVX from October 19, it has been announced today.

Originally released in 2022 on Paramount Plus, you've previously had to pay to see the American show based on the years Captain Christopher Pike manned the helm of the U.S.S. Enterprise.

It also suggests that ITVX will get more seasons for fans to enjoy.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds follows Captain Christopher Pike (played by Anson Mount) over 10 episodes.

Pike was the captain of the USS Enterprise in the 1965 pilot for the original Star Trek series, but he was replaced by William Shatner's James T Kirk.

Set 10 years before the original Star Trek, it covers the adventures of Pike and his Enterprise crew as they expedite Starfleet's mission to explore "strange new worlds throughout the galaxy".

Among his subordinates are the young, half-Vulcan science officer Spock (Ethan Peck), outstanding cadet and linguistics specialist Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and first officer Una Chin-Riley, AKA Number One (Rebecca Romijn).

Star Anson Mount said at the time: "It was all kind of mind-boggling. I've never had a reaction like that to anything that I've done, and the results of that response have literally changed my life."

The series begins by explaining what's happened to the Discovery crew since the series-two finale. Pike, now aware that, in the future, he will be seriously disfigured, is in Montana; Spock is getting engaged on his home planet of Vulcan; and Number One is on a first-contact mission aboard the USS Archer, until her disappearance brings the crewmates back together on the Enterprise bridge.

Their new mission takes them to the planet Kiley 279, which is on the brink of civil war, and they are joined by Nurse Christine Chapel, security officer La'an Noonien-Singh, and helmsman Erica Ortegas. But will Pike's foreknowledge of his own fate embolden him to take more risks with his ship and crew?

The show has now run for three seasons, and a fourth series is on the way. It's expected to land in 2026. And it's been reported that work is even afoot for its fifth season, which will be its last.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds arrives on ITVX on October 19, 2025. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 is available via Paramount Plus.

After a long wait, Prime Video has begun giving us loads of information about Fallout season 2. We now know that it's set to release in December, will bring back all the main characters from the first season... and will take place in a location that's sure to give game players anxiety.

First-look images for Fallout season 2 have confirmed that the series will take place, at least partially, in the fictional city of New Vegas. As the name suggests, this is the post-apocalypse version of Las Vegas, and it's the setting of the 2010 installment in the video game franchise Fallout: New Vegas.

This well-respected game — some consider it the best of the franchise though others strongly disagree — has many terrifying areas. If you left the starting area in the wrong direction you'd be mobbed by vicious mutated bugs, and other areas were filled with deadly creatures and dangerous humans. But a certain Fallout season 2 first-look image features a little hint of my least favorite area, and even seeing an identifying logo 15 years later gets my blood rising.

This image is the one you can see at the top of this article, of a pre-war Cooper Howard (played by Walton Goggins) in a car in the Vegas strip. Reflected on his window is the logo for a casino that appears in-game as the headquarters of one of the faction owners, called Lucky 38. This owner, Mr. House, is expected to be a character in Fallout season 2 based on a tease at the end of the first season.

Lucky 38 is the tallest casino in New Vegas, visible on the horizon through much of the game world, and it's usually the first of the many casinos you visit on the busy Strip area of the game. But to me, apparently, it's become representative of some of the game's biggest issues.

Wrong kind of bugs

Fallout games have often been accused of being buggy, or having technical problems which mean things don't work right (not the kind of bugs that, as I mentioned before, jump you at the beginning of the game). But in my experience, Fallout: New Vegas has been, by far, the worst of a bad bunch, I remember playing it on my old PlayStation 3 and having it crash every 15 minutes, sometimes out of the blue and sometimes after a few minutes of my PS3 making noises like a wood chipper.

The entire game was lousy with this kind of issues but no area was as bad as the Strip. This part of the game had loads of NPCs or Non-Player Characters, which made it much more taxing on the system, and that's to say nothing of the various atmosphere effects, flashing lights and sound cues. I found it almost impossible to explore without my game crashing or becoming so slow that I couldn't play.

I remember getting worried every time that I needed to cross this area in-game, knowing the gamble that it'd involve: will I be able to venture through it in one go, or will my game crash multiple times on the trip, bringing me back to my last save point and losing me progress?

It got so bad that every time the Lucky 38 logo came into view, I'd be quick-saving my game incessantly so that I wouldn't lose progress upon a crash.

Many years on since the last time I played Fallout: New Vegas (I'm one of those Fallout super-fans who doesn't rate it) I thought I'd forgotten all about the Strip's big issues, but seeing the Lucky 38 logo in those Fallout promo images triggered my heart rate to instinctively jump up! And I'm certainly not the only person to have this association, given how many people complained about the game's problems at launch (and for the decade-and-a-half since).

Thankfully TV shows can't lag and glitch like a video game can and so watching Fallout season 2 won't be as painful an experience as trying to play the game was back then (by all accounts, it plays a lot better now, especially on modern games hardware). Perhaps the show will be a therapeutic experience which stops me attributing this casino logo to game crashes and lost progress.

That's a good thing too because it seems that lots of Fallout season 2 takes place around New Vegas, based on what the creators have said and promotional materials. Another first-look picture, shown above, seems to show characters inside one of the casinos.

Fallout season 2 lands in December 2025 (no exact date just yet, but I'm hoping for New Year's Day simply because posters in the video game advertise a Lucky 38 New Year's Eve party in 2025 so it'd be a nice fit). So we've got a few months to wait until we see just how New Vegas-y the sophomore season is.

It's surprising that we've waited almost 50 years, but the first-ever Alien TV show is finally here. Alien: Earth premiered on Wednesday, August 13 and this guide will help you figure out how to watch it.

As the name lets on, Alien: Earth takes place on our own dear planet. It follows the consequences of a deep space research vessel crash landing onto Earth, as a team of soldiers investigate the crash and... well, it's called Alien, right?

There's an impressive cast which includes Sydney Chandler, Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther and Babou Ceesay and Alien: Earth was created by Noah Hawley who also created the Fargo TV show.

If you're a big fan of the classic horror and sci-fi franchise we've also got a guide on how to watch the Alien movies in order but this article will help you fire out how to watch Alien: Earth.

How to watch Alien: Earth in the US

You can choose between watching Alien: Earth on cable or on streaming in the US, and the first of those two will let you see it earlier.

So, cable first: the show will air on the FX channel, with episodes airing at 8 pm ET/PT every Tuesday beginning on Tuesday, August 12. The only exception is episode 2, which airs 90 minutes after the first on the 12th.

If you don't currently have FX as part of your cable plan, several live TV streaming services offer the channel on at least one tier including Sling TV, Fubo, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV.

Your other option is to stream episodes when they release, with Hulu broadcasting every episode.

Each will hit Hulu the day after they air on FX, so two on Wednesday, August 13 and one every Wednesday going forward.

Hulu starts at $9.99 per month though various Hulu deals let you save money (there are some bundles too).

How to watch Alien: Earth in the UK

To watch Alien: Earth in the UK, you can do so the day after its US release.

Disney Plus is the way to go about it; a subscription to this streamer starts at £4.99 per month for the ad-enabled tier or £7.99 for ad-free.

Episodes release every Wednesday with two hitting Disney's streamer on Wednesday, August 13 and a new one landing on that same day each week.

How to watch Alien: Earth in Australia

As in the UK, and basically all of the rest of the world, Alien: Earth will air on Disney Plus in Australia.

The release date remains the same around the world: two episodes will premiere on Wednesday, August 13 and new ones will come weekly until all 8 are out.

Scrolling for something new to watch on Hulu this week, August 9-15? Let me give you a hand with my picks for the best movies, TV shows and more arriving on the streaming service.

The big arrival this week is a new series based on one of the most popular sci-fi franchises of all time. But there are some other great options to stream this week, including a special live event and a major action franchise.

Check out all of the picks for this week directly below.

The Lost City (2022)

• Enjoy this adventure comedy on Hulu starting August 10

Who doesn't love Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum? They both are at their charming best in The Lost City, an action/adventure comedy that is a solid, easy watch from the last few years.

In the movie, Bullock plays an author who is kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire (played by Daniel Radcliffe) who believes her most recent book reveals clues to a real ancient lost city. It falls to her cover model (Tatum) to try and rescue her.

Copshop (2021)

• Under-the-radar crime thriller with a fun Gerard Butler performance is streaming as of August 11

There's a large fan base for Gerard Butler's crime movies Den of Thieves and Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, but in my opinion, Copshop is just as fun and is a far superior movie than the Den of Thieves franchise, and we still get Butler showing his rougher side.

In Copshop, a con artist (Frank Grillo) attempts to hide from a lethal assassin (Butler) by getting himself arrested. However, the assassin follows him into the station, with only a rookie cop (Alexis Louder) on duty to handle the situation.

Copshop is "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes.

Alien: Earth

• The first two episodes of the sci-fi TV series premiere on Hulu on August 12

The Xenomorphs have been terrorizing space for almost 50 years, but they are about to terrorize Earth in the FX/Hulu original series Alien: Earth from Fargo creator Noah Hawley.

With a cast of relatively lesser-known actors, save for Timothy Olyphant, Alien: Earth is one of the more interesting summer TV shows we're getting this year and is worth giving a try.

John Wick movies

• The entire John Wick franchise starts streaming on Hulu on August 15

Not one, not two, not three, but all four John Wick movies arrive on Hulu this week.

The mega-action franchise, starring Keanu Reeves as the world's most dangerous assassin out for revenge against those who have wronged him, has spawned beyond the confines of these four movies (most recently with the spinoff movie Ballerina), and we're even getting a John Wick 5 it seems. But these four movies (John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2, John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, John Wick: Chapter 4) remain the gold standard.

Stand Up to Cancer

• A special live stream of the Stand Up to Cancer fundraising event takes place on August 15

Stand Up to Cancer raises money for cancer research, and one of their biggest events is the Stand Up to Cancer event, taking place for the ninth time on August 15.

Hulu will have a special live stream of the event that begins at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT, with host Sheryl Crow and appearances and performances from celebrities, including Dolly Parton.

Typically we're not crazy about the end of summer arriving, but one silver lining to the change in seasons is the launch of the fall TV slate, which always brings a bevy of new shows to the networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and various cable channels) and streaming services (Apple TV Plus, Hulu, Netflix, Peacock and more).

Fall 2025 is looking to have a solid lineup for viewers, both with a range of new shows and returning favorites. To help you identify some of the biggest comedies, dramas and reality TV series that you should be keeping an eye on, my colleagues Sarabeth Pollock, Terrell Smith and I are offering our most anticipated fall TV shows and why they're must watch.

Read on for our picks and when and where you'll be able to watch them this fall.

The Paper (Peacock)

The Office is, without a doubt, one of my favorite shows of all time. If you were to ask my friends, they’d probably tell you I can even quote lines from specific episodes of the series. It’s because of my love for The Office that I’m optimistic about the sequel show, The Paper.

The new mockumentary follows the employees of a dying newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, as they try to deal with job uncertainty along with the ebbs and flows of their personal lives. The concept of The Paper and The Office are similar, I just want the comedy of both shows to be similar as well. — Terrell Smith

The Paper premieres Thursday, September 4, exclusively on Peacock.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 (AMC)

After spending the first two seasons in France, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 is moving to Spain. Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) are still trying to get home and it looks like there could be a path, but it means venturing into Spain. They’ll face new challenges and new threats in addition to the hordes of undead wandering around.

Daryl Dixon will spend the next two seasons in Spain before the series bows at the end of season 4, so fans will be watching to see how Carol and Daryl’s arrival sets up the beginning of the end of their journey. — Sarabeth Pollock

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season 3 premieres Sunday, September 7, on AMC and AMC Plus.

Only Murders in the Building season 5 (Hulu)

It's just not fall without an Only Murders in the Building mystery to solve. Since 2021, the series has probably been my favorite show on TV thanks to their clever mysteries, fantastic writing and directing, great supporting casts, but most importantly the wonderful and hilarious chemistry between stars Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short.

The show has yet to let me down, which is why I'm stoked to watch Only Murders in the Building season 5, which will attempt to solve who killed the Arconia's doorman Lester, with a host of suspects and new guest stars to choose from.

Only Murders in the Building season 5 premieres Tuesday, September 9, exclusively on Hulu.

High Potential season 2 (ABC)

I started High Potential when it premiered on ABC last fall and loved Kaitlin Olson’s performance as a struggling single mom who has an incredibly high IQ and becomes a consultant for the LAPD, but I got behind on the show and have had to play catch up. But I’m determined to stay up to date with High Potential season 2, as it is probably my most anticipated network TV show this fall.

I'm excited to see Olson’s Morgan Gillroy back on the case, using her unorthodox investigating skills, bantering with her partner (Daniel Sunjata) and trying to unravel what happened to her husband after he mysteriously disappeared years earlier. — Michael Balderston

High Potential season 2 premieres on Tuesday, September 16, on ABC; streams on-demand the following day on Hulu.

Gen V season 2 (Prime Video)

It’s been nearly two years since Gen V premiered, and as a fan of nearly all things The Boys, you can imagine my excitement to see the spinoff series pick up where it left off with Gen V season 2.

With Marie (Jaz Sinclair), Emma (Lizze Broadway) and the other actual “heroes” now portrayed as enemies of Homelander (Antony Starr) and Vought, I’m intrigued to see how the young supes get out of their predicament. On a sadder note, based on the trailer, I get the sense that the real-life death of show star Chance Perdomo, who portrayed Andre, will be handled with care and respect in the new episodes. — Terrell Smith

Gen V season 2 premieres Wednesday, September 17, exclusively on Prime Video.

Love Island Games season 2 (Peacock)

Love Island Games season 2 finally arrives this fall, nearly two years since the first season of the series premiered. Having become a major fan of Love Island USA and just wrapped Love Island USA season 7, the biggest season of the franchise to date, I’m ready to see which past islanders will be competing in the next round of Love Island Games and what romantic connections will be formed.

I’m hoping to see Love Island USA season 5’s Leo and season 7’s Coco, Andreina Santos-Marte and Jeremiah all back on screen in Love Island Games season 2. — Terrell Smith

Love Island Games season 2 premieres Wednesday, September 17, exclusively on Peacock.

Reasonable Doubt season 3 (Hulu)

During its tenure on air, Reasonable Doubt has provided a nice fix for my craving for high-octane legal dramas. With Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder and Your Honor, all resting in the annals of TV history, Reasonable Doubt has stepped into the void and is doing an exceptional job showcasing the journey of high-profile attorney Jax Stewart (Emayatzy Corinealdi).

Since Reasonable Doubt season 2 ended on a cliffhanger in regards to Jax and Lewis (McKinley Freeman) being sued over the death of Lewis’ baby with Toni (Tristan Cunningham), I can't wait to see if this becomes the case Jax is dealt a loss. — Terrell Smith

Reasonable Doubt season 3 premieres Thursday, September 18, exclusively on Hulu.

Chad Powers (Hulu)

Ted Lasso was born from a NBC Sports commercial for the Premier League; is our next great sports comedy going to have similar origins?

Chad Powers stars Glen Powell as a disgraced college quarterback who attempts to get a second chance at glory by donning some makeup and a wig and going by the alias Chad Powers to be a walk-on at a struggling program. The series was inspired by a prank video that featured two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Eli Manning attend tryouts at Penn State.

Ted Lasso may be lofty expectations, but I’ve been a big fan of just about everything Powell has done in recent years, so count me in on this one. — Michael Balderston

Chad Powers premieres Tuesday, September 30, exclusively on Hulu.

Task (HBO)

Remember how Mare of Easttown, the Kate Winslet-led crime drama, had us all hooked back in 2021? Well, Brad Ingelsby, the creator of Mare of Easttown, is back with another series set in the Philadelphia suburbs.

In Task, Mark Ruffalo stars as an FBI agent who leads a task force created to put an end to a violent string of robberies in the area. There won’t be any mystery for audiences as to who is doing the crimes, as Tom Pelphrey (Outer Range) has been tapped for that role, but the hunt by Ruffalo and his team to take him down has the potential to be pretty compelling TV. And the pedigree of HBO and Ingelsby's last series bodes well. — Michael Balderston

There is no confirmed premiere date for Task at this time, though HBO has confirmed that the series will premiere in September, streaming simultaneously on HBO Max.

Abbott Elementary season 5 (ABC)

Over the past four seasons, Abbott Elementary has absolutely been the best comedy series in my opinion, so, of course, I’m excited for Abbott Elementary season 5. I can’t wait to see Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) take their relationship to the next level, Ava (Janelle James) get reacquainted with her job as principal and what other obstacles the Abbott crew faces as they just try to teach in this modern age. Also, who doesn’t want to see more quirky moments from Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis)? — Terrell Smith

Abbott Elementary season 5 premieres Wednesday, October 1, on ABC; streams on-demand on Hulu the following day.

Nobody Wants This season 2 (Netflix)

If Kristen Bell is in it, I’m usually invested in the project (sans Frozen, which I’ve embarrassingly enough haven’t seen). So when Nobody Wants This debuted last year on Netflix, I quickly powered through the episodes and loved the funny take on opposites attracting and falling in love. She was brilliant as Joanne, an agnostic dating podcaster, falling for Adam Brody’s Noah, a modern rabbi.

In season one, the duo faced a few obstacles as a couple, so I’m left wondering what additional obstacles they may face in season 2, especially given Noah’s promotion in the temple. — Terrell Smith

Nobody Wants This season 2 premieres Thursday, October 23, exclusively on Netflix.

Talamasca: The Secret Order (AMC)

The Anne Rice Immortal Universe is expanding with a brand new spinoff, Talamasca: The Secret Order. Based on the secretive society of observers who keep watch over the world’s supernatural residents, the series will be a spy thriller that sees the agents furtively keeping tabs on witches, vampires and other supernatural beings all over the world.

What we love about this series is that it has the potential for lots of crossovers between Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches, so that means we get to see more from our favorite immortals. — Sarabeth Pollock

Talamasca: The Secret Order premieres Sunday, October 26, on AMC and AMC Plus.

Down Cemetery Road (Apple TV Plus)

Slow Horses remains one of my favorite shows on TV, and I’m excited about Slow Horses season 5. However, I’m just a bit more intrigued by the potential of Down Cemetery Road, a new Apple TV Plus series that is based on a book series by Slow Horses author Mick Herron.

Emma Thompson stars as a private investigator who helps Ruth Wilson in the search for a missing young girl, which quickly spirals into a wide-ranging conspiracy.

Premiering right after Slow Horses ends, it could be the perfect complimentary series and another exciting thriller to stream on Apple TV Plus. — Michael Balderston

Down Cemetery Road premieres Wednesday, October 29, exclusively on Apple TV Plus.

The American Revolution (PBS)

2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, so there are going to be plenty of celebrations revolved around that, including probably more than a few TV specials. It’s a little early, but one of those is a PBS documentary series from Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David P. Schmidt, The American Revolution.

Burns has made a name for himself with his in-depth documentaries, including previous ones about the Civil and Vietnam wars. We all know the basics about the American Revolution, but expect for Burns and his co-creators to dive into things that we may never have known about but should not be forgotten. — Michael Balderston

The American Revolution premieres Sunday, November 16, on PBS.

Stranger Things season 5 (Netflix)

At long last, the final season of Stranger Things is here. It’s been more than three years since Stranger Things season 4 set up the end game in the battle between our Hawkins heroes and the Upside Down, so expectations are high for the Duffer Brothers and company to close out the series.

Netflix is making sure that the series is at least getting an epic rollout, with Stranger Things season 5’s eight episodes broken into three parts. The first four premiere in time for Thanksgiving, the next three as a Christmas Day treat, and the Stranger Things finale dropping on New Year’s Eve.

I honestly am having a hard time remembering a series that has had this much anticipation around its finale since Game of Thrones. Here’s hoping they stick the landing better. — Michael Balderston

Stranger Things season 5 part 1 premieres Wednesday, November 26; Stranger Things season 5 part 2 premieres Thursday, December 25; Stranger Things season 5 part 3 premieres Wednesday, December 31, all exclusively on Netflix.

All Her Fault (Peacock)

When Marissa (Sarah Snook) sends her son on his first playdate, the last thing she thinks is that she’ll never see him again, but when it’s time to pick him up, the woman who answers the door isn’t the same mother she dropped him off with, and what’s more is that the woman has no idea who her son is. So begins All Her Fault, a thriller that portrays a desperate woman living through a parent’s worst nightmare. — Sarabeth Pollock

All Her Fault is coming to Peacock this fall.

All’s Fair (Hulu)

When Kim Kardashian dazzled critics with her turn as a devious attorney in American Horror Story: Delicate, Ryan Murphy quickly recruited her for another series he was dreaming up. All’s Fair is the story of a powerful Los Angeles law firm run by women. Kardashian plays the firm’s divorce lawyer who works with her team to get the best deal for her clients.

I'm excited to see this powerhouse cast that includes Kardashian, Glenn Close and Sarah Paulson. — Sarabeth Pollock

All’s Fair is coming to Hulu this fall.

Halloween Baking Championship season 11 (Food Network)

Spooky season is on the way and there’s nothing like Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championship to get you in the mood to bake up some terrifyingly tasty treats. The series, now in its 11th season, features bakers who let their imaginations run wild as they create some of the most extraordinary confectionary creations ever seen.

Each season has featured special guest stars and fun themes so we’re eager to see what this season has to offer. (If they make a life-size M3GAN doll made of cake we’re out of here! — Sarabeth Pollock

Halloween Baking Championship season 11 premieres this fall on Food Network.

Holiday Touchdown: A Bill’s Love Story (Hallmark Channel)

Hallmark Channel partnered with the NFL in 2024, leading to their crossover film, Holiday Touchdown: A Chief’s Love Story, which premiered during Countdown to Christmas 2024. This season, Hallmark is heading to Buffalo to bring their brand of holiday magic to the Bills Mafia. Holland Roden, Matthew Daddario and Tony Danza star in what’s sure to be a holiday classic for years to come, especially if you’re a Bills fan. The movie will arrive during the 2025 Countdown to Christmas celebration. — Sarabeth Pollock

Holiday Touchdown: A Bill’s Love Story premieres this fall on Hallmark Channel and streams the next day on Hallmark Plus.

Next Level Baker (Fox)

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is taking baking to new heights with Next Level Baker. After the success of Next Level Chef, a cooking competition that features three teams competing on three different levels of a moving set, it makes sense that Ramsay would expand the franchise and add baking.

With cold weather right around the corner, nothing beats a good baking show to help us prepare for the holidays and we’re excited to see how Ramsay puts his unique stamp on the genre. — Sarabeth Pollock

Next Level Baker premieres this fall on Fox.

The huge-scale galactic destruction that we saw earlier in Foundation season 3 continues in its fifth episode, called 'Where Tyrants Spend Eternity', which debuted on Apple TV Plus on Friday, August 8.

Foundation's third season sees the galactic Empire continue its decline as the Foundation endures its third crisis: the psychic warlord The Mule who wants to destroy it.

We've already met all of the important characters of the season, both returning and new ones, and seen a lot of action and drama already. S3E5, 'Where Tyrants Spend Eternity', continues that with that in ways that I won't mention before the spoiler alert:

This article will contain plenty of spoilers, not just for this episode but for past seasons, so you've been warned. No spoilers for future episodes though!

So here's our recap of Foundation season 3 episode five, 'Where Tyrants Spend Eternity'. And just so you know, I've ordered the events by plot thread which means it's not all chronological, or in the order it occurs in the episode.

Undercover operations

Brother Day (Lee Pace) arrives on Mycogen to find Song. He gets cornered by soldiers who shoot him off his bike, but when they remove his helmet, they discover that it's another man whom Day put into the armor to trick them. He's hidden away, watching the confrontation.

On Trantor, the body of Day's former friend and soldier is found, which is how Demerzel (Laura Birn) learns that Day has gone to Mycogen. However before she can pursue, she learns that Brother Dawn (Cassian Bilton) is docking at Clarion Station, home of the council, unbeknownst to her. She tells soldiers to leave Day as he's no longer a problem.

Dawn wakes up on the Beggars' Lament, the ship of Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell), and he's groggy after his first jump. Dornick tells Dawn more about her psychic powers and when he asks whether she used it to convince him to help, she says she doesn't think so. Before the ship arrives at Clarion Station, Dawn records a message for someone.

Now to New Terminus: Han Pritcher (Brandon P. Bell) returns and is confronted by the mayor for his renegade actions. Pritcher insists that they should capture Magnifico to get intel on The Mule but the mayor just throws him in prison. The jailer is the agent whom Pritcher worked with on Haven in the first episode, and she warns him not to try to escape.

A plot against The Mule

Dawn and Dornick's plan is to blackmail Tarisk, a council member, into supporting his motion to create a military blockade of Kalgan. With his Dornick's oversight Dawn sneaks onto his estate and plants the information, but the council member catches him. Dawn tells him to support the blockade but Tarisk seems more inclined to come clean to the council about the blackmail attempt.

However it emerges that the married Tarisk also has another woman around, who heard the whole conversation but is discovered by Dawn. He shoots her dead and leaves, instilling terror in the council member.

At the vote, Tarisk speaks up to back Dawn and so the military blockade is triggered and the imperial armada approaches Kalgan. As it happens, Tarisk hurries home to speak to his family, who are trapped on Kalgan.

Once the blockade gets into place, the council (and Dawn, who's with them) receive a message from The Mule. It reveals that he and his fleet are no longer on Kalgan, and he'd left a trap: he triggers a bomb that creates a solar flare which destroys both Kalgan's local jump gate, stopping the fleet from returning, and totally destroying Kalgan too. Tarisk witnesses this on the call with his family as they're totally annihilated.

On the station, a lockdown is called, and soldiers try to apprehend Dawn who tries to escape. They corner him but it turns out to be Dornick, who's using her powers to make the soldiers see her as him, and the Cleon clone escapes.

Dawn escapes to an airlock and as he prepares to leave, he asks Dornick whether she knew Kalgan would be destroyed... and she says it was likely. She admits that her plan wasn't just about The Mule, but that Empire needs to fall so that Foundation could take its territory and be strong enough to beat the warlord.

A betrayed Dawn rips out his communication and prepares to leave the airlock but is confronted by Tarisk, with a gun. Tarisk tries to shoot Dawn for the death of his family but misses, hitting the airlock which blows it wide open. Tarisk is sucked out of it and Dawn survives, but upon summoning his courage, Dawn jumps out.

We also see who Dawn sent a message to earlier: Brother Dusk. He apologizes for not being at Dusk's ascension (ie, vaporizing) much to the elder's chagrin.

On the Beggar's Lament, someone comes through the airlock, which Dornick presumes to be Dusk. However when she goes to investigate, she finds it to instead be Demerzel.

Finding a safe Haven

The ship containing Bayta, Toran and Magnifico jumps out of hyperspace early, due to damage sustained from the escape. They don't have much fuel left so Toran decides they have to go to trader planet Haven, his homeworld which he left after being estranged from his famous uncle.

However when the ship arrives there, they discover that their communications have been damaged too, and so they can't identify themselves with the surface. They're shot down and crash, and when some traders come to investigate, Toran discovers that their discoverer is said uncle: Randu Mallow.

Later Randu criticizes Toran for thinking that he abandoned his trader roots for Foundation. Toran leaves and shows Magnifico around Haven, and the clown enjoys his new freedom.

Randu tells Bayta that she should return Magnifico to The Mule, but she refuses. Instead she wants to bring him to Foundation as his music, which can affect the mood of listeners, could help them defend against The Mule's powers... and could be traded for lots of profits including leverage for the traders' bid for independence from Foundation.

I've long been a fan of H.G. Wells' classic sci-fi novel "The War of the Worlds", having gone so far as to visit Horsell Common where it begins, but it's fair to say that its adaptations almost all fall far short (excluding Jeff Wayne's fantastic musical). But still, as a fan, I felt compelled to watch the new version, which was secretly dropped on Prime Video on Wednesday, July 30 (though it wasn't made by them, as Universal was behind it).

This movie, called just War of the Worlds, stars Ice Cube as a guy sitting in front of his computer; the movie was produced by the same person who made Searching and like that movie, almost all the story is told through a guy's computer screen as he goes on video calls, watches social media footage and does his job. The movie's 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes tells you just how well that works.

Ice Cube plays a Department of Homeland Security officer who's hunting for a mysterious hacker and watches as aliens begin to land across the globe and murder everyone while humanity responds. Near the end of the film he suddenly has to do something beyond using his powers to stalk his children.

So it's an alien invasion movie in which we only see the aliens through blurry vertical phone clips (which is for the best, given the poor CGI when we do see them) and spend most of the time watching Ice Cube mope on his PC. Not exactly what H.G. Wells was expecting, but he was probably expecting it to be a 90-minute commercial even less.

I've never seen a movie with more product placement, or with more egregious product placement. The movie has copious and heinous products shoved down your throat incessantly: at once point Ice Cube commands his daughter to get into a Tesla which he's hacked, and remotely pilots, constantly we're seeing various Microsoft, Google or Apple apps, and a particularly galling example (that's been torn apart on social media) sees the character's Amazon delivery driver son-in-law uses a drone to fly a USB drive past loads of aliens and into a secret base to deliver Cube some information.

It feels like a 90-minute advert (except longer than that, because by default Prime Video viewers have to watch extra commercials for several minutes before the movie even begins).

At some points, War of the Worlds tries to make a point; something about how mass surveillance is bad. But Ice Cube eventually uses the mass surveillance to save the day, and at the end the government decides to make a different mass surveillance system that they pledge won't be used for evil. So... mass surveillance is good!?

Having fun

I don't think Rotten Tomatoes is a good way to quantify the quality of a movie but in this case it's totally right; War of the Worlds is an absolute mess. Yet I still had a great time watching it.

That's because I didn't go into the movie alone, but with some friends, some wine and party later on that I needed to pre-game for. And that helped me see it for what it truly is: a new "so bad it's good" classic.

Drinking games are easy to make up for a movie like this, and that's how we got through it (not that we're recommending drinking games, but a glass of wine might help on this movie!).

One I quickly regretted suggesting is: "drink every time there's a product placement". I said this early in the movie before it became clear how many there would be, and when you start looking out for them, there are countless. I've mentioned Amazon and Tesla but there are also mentions of so many other brands, and basically every computer app under the sun. Double drink if the reference is so egregious and unexpected that it gives you whiplash, like the aforementioned Prime Air one.

Another rule: "drink every time it's clear Ice Cube didn't have a script". This isn't an insult to the musician and actor, and he's been great in quite a few things he's been in. But lots of the time we see him in the movie, it's just brief cuts when we see his reactions to various events, and there are plenty of examples where his expressions don't match up to the events. Instead, it feels like the filmmakers shot a load of random reactions and then plastered them into the film; most of the time when we see him observing some mass act of destruction, he just looks confused about whether the camera is rolling or not.

Some of the most embarrassing moments are when he does react: "take your intergalactic asses back home", he muses like he's half-watching a sports game played on a TV on the other side of a bar. Many of his expositional lines sound pretty dispassionate too.

Here's a third: "drink every time a known actor randomly turns up". Though Ice Cube is our main protagonist and we see quite a bit of his children too, there are brief segments with Eva Longoria, Clark Gregg, Andrea Savage, and a few other "hey, is that X from Y?" faces. It looks like these were all filmed in the actors' homes (or on a golf course, in one example, presumably shot while he was waiting for someone else to tee up) and lots of the time it sounds like they're reading the script as they deliver their lines.

There's a lot more about the movie that is pretty hilarious, from the baffling timeline of it (somehow, Earth assembles all its military forces, fights the aliens and wins lots of battles in the time it takes Ice Cube's daughter to drive to a nearby medical facility), the mind-boggling reliance on stock footage, the fact that there are about eight title-drops in five minutes, the total lack of commitment to the 'screenlife' format through vast swathes of the movie, or the headache-inducing editing style that forced even my non-drinking friend to reflect that they felt nauseous. There are plenty of other drinking rules if you've got the tolerance, though for your liver I'd recommend sticking to just three.

And I'm not saying you have to drink to watch War of the Worlds — people always say that you don't need to drink to have fun — but I've no idea if I would've enjoyed the movie at all if I wasn't drinking. My teetotal mate liked it least of all of us. But I was enjoying a bottle of wine and I had great fun laughing at the movie.

Missing the point

As a fan of the original book, War of the Worlds makes me sad at just how far we've come from the core text.

The original novel The War of the Worlds, published in 1898, was thematically of its time: you can easily read into it themes of pre-war tension (the Great War was brewing at the time), of colonization and imperialism during the tumultuous end to the British Empire, and a conflict between rural and urban Britain. That first theme in particular would be particularly prescient today, when social media is convinced that the world is about to erupt into a new war. So the theme of mass surveillance is bonkers as a choice.

That's not all that's bizarre; a core part of many adaptations of The War of the Worlds is the idea of a journey; in the book the narrator travels from the town of Woking to Primrose Hill in North London; a journey you can drive in an hour or make via rail in 75 minutes nowadays but wouldn't have been so easy in the Victorian times.

Through this journey the narrator meets various people and witnesses events in the Martians' war on Earth, the voyage reflecting changes in the world around him (that's those themes again!). And that's an idea that some of the better adaptations have, even Spielberg's War of the Worlds with Tom Cruise.

There's not so much of a journey you can do when your main character is getting back problems behind a desk. Even the scampering about of Cube's children can barely count when the geography to it is impossible to follow.

Let's not even mention the famous ending of the novel, when the aliens succumb to Earth diseases and die without our intervention. That is a fascinating reflection of our powerlessness in the face of war and destruction when only random chance and luck can save us, but not here. Instead, Ice Cube needs to upload a virus into a specific USB port to save the day and kill the aliens. Boring.

Wells' book, like many classics from the country, has something ineffably British about it; from the place names and themes to the narrators' being an observer instead of an active participant (we don't need to be heroes). Like many other American adaptations of classic British works, War of the Worlds strips out all the charm and cultural identity.

This isn't anything new; Amazon's own The Rings of Power did what Peter Jackson avoided in botching The Lord of the Rings while Hollywood-made classic period dramas are filled with bonkers fantasies about pre-Industrial Britain and it seems that every new week there's another US cable version of Sherlock which gets two steps further from the original. Don't get me started on upcoming versions of Frankenstein, The Chronicles of Narnia or Amazon's upcoming Bond plans.

I'm not saying that Americans can't adapt British source materials, and there are probably good examples (I have to say this even though I can't think of one off the top of my head; maybe the undetectability of good examples is a great compliment). But War of the Worlds is proof that the track record is poor, and the butchering of the book is an indication that the movie is fair game to criticize (if the fact it was made by a huge studio instead of a bunch of determined indie filmmakers wasn't enough).

We're now well into the run of Foundation season 3 and one of the biggest draws has been the changing characters and relationships at the center of the Galactic Empire. And none are more dramatic than that between Demerzel (Laura Birn) and Brother Day (Lee Pace).

She's an ancient robot, a veteran of old wars who's programmed to aid Empire through successive lines of clones. He's the middle child of the three clones ruling at any one time, an all-powerful dictator who's slowly watching his genes drift further and further away from the initial model, and whose season 3 iteration wants nothing to do with rule at all.

Over the seasons we've seen Demerzel and Brother Day (or Cleon, as sometimes referred to, after the original human the clones stem from) change in their relationship, with different clones interacting with the robot in different ways. And Foundation season 3 changes it up again.

Prior to the release of the new season, What to Watch spoke to the two actors during a roundtable to discuss their experiences filming the season.

Stealing the tools (and the scene)

When asked about their favorite scene in the new season, Pace answered straight away: "the very first scene we shot was the scene when I come into your room and I take the tool," to which Laura countered "I hated doing that scene!" (the tone of this statement, and the rest of the interview, was jovial, before you assume that the actors were at each others' throats!).

This scene in question takes place in Foundation season 3's fourth episode, 'The Stress of Her Regard' at roughly the 30-minute mark, when Day comes to steal one of Demerzel's robot tools but finds himself confronting her about her decision to send away his partner Song.

"It was the first time we were really playing with the dynamic that the characters have this season where Cleon absolutely hates the robot, doesn't consider her a sentient thing, considers her no better than a microwave." Pace explained, "And at one point I walk out the room and I mock her. And I looked over at Laura and — the betrayal on her face! Because for two season Cleon has been in awe of Demerzel. They might have had disagreements but she was everything to him: soulmate, mother..."

Birn continued: "she would always know how to spin, to keep him under control, whatever she needed or thought was best for him or for her, she would guide him very gently. But this season no: out of control. And I did not enjoy that. So many ways he was able to humiliate my character and mock me, it really went under my skin!".

Changing faces

There have been a lot of cast changes between seasons in Foundation's run, and those who do remain often see themselves in very different circumstances, so it's relatively rare that Lee Pace and Laura Birn have been sharing scenes ever since the first episode.

This is, of course, because Birn has been playing an immortal robot while Pace is embodying different versions of a cloned emperor, but the duo were asked about these changes. Birn answered:

"One of the greatest joys of Foundation for me has been working with Lee, exploring their relationship which is one of the most complex in the show. It has gone through many variants. This season their relationship is very hard. He surprised me many times by being so mean!".

To which Pace countered: "the first season it was like there was a mother-son relationship. And then in the next season there was a lover relationship. And in season 3 he hates her. Hates 'it'!"

Foundation season 3 continues with weekly episodes, and here's how to watch it.

A major mystery from its first season is answered in Foundation season 3's fourth episode, entitled 'The Stress of Her Regard' which landed on Apple TV Plus on Friday, August 1.

This mystery surrounds the culprit of a major terror attack at the beginning of the first season, but a lot more happens in Foundation S3E4. Foundation learns new secrets, we understand our heroes more, and Empire continues to crumble.

The third season of Foundation, inspired by Isaac Asimov's series of books, shows Empire on the verge of collapse as psychic warlord The Mule puts pressure on Foundation, and the Second Foundation is set up to course-correct events of the galaxy.

So here's our recap of Foundation season 3 episode four, 'The Stress of Her Regard'. This article will contain plenty of spoilers, not just for this episode but for past seasons, so you've been warned. No spoilers for future episodes though!

Revelations about Empire and a spy

At the start of the episode, Demerzel (Laura Birn) is having another confession session with the sister of Zephyr (from S3E1). She admits that she set up the Star Bridge attack from season 1, as she thought it'd encourage Empire to exile instead of destroy the fledgling Foundation, and she predicted that the existence of Foundation could increase Empire's longevity.

Her confessor is shocked, and points out that now that Foundation is the enemy of Empire, Demerzel is closer to being free from Empire.

Han Pritcher (Brandon P. Bell) goes to Ignis, where we quickly learn that he's actually an agent for the Second Foundation. He greets the First Speaker and then we also learn that he's romantically involved with Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell). He shows the two a psychic vision of what happened on Kalgan: that The Mule now knows about them, but perhaps not their location.

Later, Dornick asks Pritcher to return to Foundation to prepare them for war. She also wants him to kill Foundation's mayor, Indbur, but he's clearly not keen on acting the assassin. Before leaving, Pritcher wants Dornick to marry him, but she points out that they've not known each other long (due to her cryo-sleep and wake cycle) and that being overcommitted romantically was a mistake she made in the past that changed the course of psychohistory.

A mission for Day

Ebling Mis visits Indbur and admits that he visited Seldon and reveals what he learned: the third crisis will take place in a matter of days and Empire has the Prime Radiant. They call Quent, Foundation's Ambassador with Empire, to reveal this.

Quent tells Brother Dusk (Terrence Mann) about Bayta and Toran running away with Magnifico, and also that she knows Empire has the Prime Radiant. Against Demerzel's wishes, Dusk shows it to Quent, and points out that its future predictions end in a few months.

Brother Day (Lee Pace) visits the artificial memory of Cleon to ask about Mycogen, the planet where the robot sympathizers live (and where memory-wiped Song was sent). Cleon 1 recounts how he travelled there to wipe out the cult and to retrieve a "set of tools" that the priests of the planet used as holy relics. The Memory asks Brother Day to finish the job he evidently failed.

We discover that these 'tools' are the devices Demerzel uses to maintain her body, when Day visits her. He criticizes her again for sending away his girlfriend, Song.

The getaway

Day's soldier friend, who was preparing their escape, returns home to find Day there playing with his child. Day tells him that they need to leave immediately, and are going to Mycogen, as he wants to rerieve Song. He alludes to a "peace offering" he's brought.

Brother Dawn (Cassian Bilton) receives a message and meets Dornick in a cafe in disguise, and for once she's come physically (instead of via hologram). He admits that none of the things she asked for have panned out, and he wants to wait a few days until he becomes Brother Day when he can try again. Be she insists they get off the planet immediately, and when soldiers arrive, they sneak away.

Day and his soldier friend flee on bikes and then Day removes his nanites, that he promised to cure the man's daughter. But then Day shots him, as he's figured out that this soldier is actually working against him and signalled to someone. Day kills him and puts his nanites into the man's body, which will cause Empire to trace this corpse while Day himself gets off the planet.

Demerzel is told that Day's nanites have stopped. She goes to her room and discovers one of the repair tools is missing.

Dawn and Dornick flee through a sewer and she uses her psychic powers to hide them from the soldier's view. When they escape onto her ship, she admits to the Emperor that she works for the Second Foundation.

The next Marvel show on everyone's radar is Eyes of Wakanda, a Black Panther spin-off which was due to release on Wednesday, August 27. However that's all been changed.

In a surprise announcement earlier this week Disney Plus, which was set to release the series, confirmed that it would be letting it loose on the world a little early. How early? Well, you can watch it right now.

That's right, this new four-part animated series is streaming right now on the House of Mouse's streamer, so you can pick up a Disney Plus deal and see it whenever you want. Fans of Marvel won't need to wait.

Eyes of Wakanda is centered around the fictional kingdom at the heart of the Black Panther movies (featured heavily in various Marvel shows and movies). It's set at various points in time, and follows warriors who have to travel around the world retrieving artifacts made of the rare metal Vibranium which Wakanda has a monopoly on.

It's the latest in Marvel's ever-growing list of animated properties which also includes What If...?, X-Men '97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

The bump in schedules makes sense when you consider that Disney Plus has another animated Marvel series on the way. Marvel Zombies releases on Friday, October 3 and it's understandable that the streamer would want to stagger out the release of these series. And Marvel Zombies couldn't well be delayed because there's yet another MCU show releasing at the end of the year in Wonder Man, which isn't animated but stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in the lead role (Ben Kingsley and Ed Harris are also in the cast).

Eyes of Wakanda marks the first TV series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Six, which formally began just a week ago with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. In our TFF:FS review we called it "one of the greatest Marvel movies of all time" though separately What to Watch's editor said he "can't understand what the fuss is about".

There are plenty more MCU TV shows planned for Phase 6 but the next movie is Spider-Man: Brand New Day which is still a year away and then Avengers: Doomsday which will be out at the end of 2026.

One of the earliest and most influential pieces of science fiction, and easily the most sensational after a 23-year-old Orson Welles got his hands on it, "The War Of The Worlds" has been with us since H G Wells’ original novel was published in 1898.

Since then, it's been an album musical, a stage show, a terrifying piece of radio and, of course, several movies. And its latest incarnation has just arrived today [Wednesday, July 30] without any fanfare in the shape of Prime Video's War Of The Worlds, bringing the story slap bang into the 21st century.

The novel told its story through the eyes of an unnamed narrator, an educated man who is one of the first to notice strange flashes from Mars and escapes to the country when London and the south of England are invaded by Martians. But this is a narrative that can easily move to just about any other time and/or place.

Notoriously, for his 1938 radio version, Orson Welles shifted it to New Jersey and presented listeners with news bulletins so convincing they caused panic in the streets. It wasn’t until 1953 that the first major film appeared, this time setting the invasion in small town California, where excited residents watched as a flaming meteor lands in the hills and fled in fear when they realised the visitors were less than friendly.

It's 25 years since Steven Spielberg took a more blockbuster approach to the classic novel. While no stranger to science fiction, his War Of The Worlds was a long way from his earlier, optimistic forays into the genre such as E.T.(1982), following instead in the darker footsteps of A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) and Minority Report (2002) and turning it into more of a disaster movie, this time set in New York.

The brand new version from debut director Rich Lee doesn't just move location — this time it's Washington DC — but the premise and style come in for an overhaul as well.

It's a screenlife movie — think Searching (2018) and Host (2020) among others — so the majority of the action takes place on a computer screen, with the audience’s attention alternating between the pc itself and the face of the operator.

In this case, it's Ice Cube as Will Radford, a high-level government surveillance operative who is first alerted to strangely violent weather conditions around the world, only to find they’ve landed at his doorstep in DC. Long-legged invaders modelled on the film’s predecessors and Wells’ book rampage across the city, but this time with specific targets in their sights. They feed on data and are aiming for the main repositories. It could mean world destruction and, in trying to prevent it, Radford also uncovers a massive government conspiracy.

A cyber-thriller, then. A low budget one — it was filmed in 2020 under COVID restrictions and it shows — but one that allows us to focus very much on the impending catastrophe, whether we’re looking at it through our own eyes or that of Radford as he stares at the screen in disbelief. And he’s juggling personal issues at the same time, none of which he can control as he’d like: his daughter is heavily pregnant and his teenage son is turning into something of a rebel.

The introduction of a family takes its cue from Spielberg, as do the fractured relationships, but the difference is that we’re not allowed to get really involved with any of them. In the 2005 movie, Tom Cruise is an essentially unsympathetic father figure: his children have grown up knowing they can’t count on him and he uses them as weapons in his battles with his ex-wife. Radford, by contrast, is a widower, struggling to bring up his son and daughter all on his own.

Director Lee and his writers Kenny Golde and Marc Hyman haven't just taken War Of The Worlds into cyber territory, but used it to major on concerns about data safety and high-level conspiracies.

Controversy seems to stalk Wells’ original story, from the headline-hitting chaos following the 1930s radio broadcast to criticism of Spielberg’s post-9/11 setting and scenes, such as the crashed airliner and crowds fleeing the city, that could have resurrected painful memories. By venturing into more political territory, the makers may find themselves courting unwelcome controversy, but, once again, it shows how a late Victorian novel can be as relevant as ever some 30 years later.

War Of The Worlds is on Prime Video in the US and UK now.

In the Eternity trailer, the upcoming movie from A24 that is earmarking a TBD November release date, Elizabeth Olsen’s recently deceased character has to decide which of the two loves of her life she wants to spend eternity with in the afterlife.

Thankfully, moviegoers won’t have to make such a finite choice in what movies to watch in November, which to my eyes, is looking like the best month of new movie releases we’re getting this year.

Starting with Eternity, the movie hails from A24, the specialty studio that has a passionate base of moviegoers that will see just about anything they put out (of which I am one). But beyond its label, Eternity looks like a fantastic blend of comedy, romance and fantasy, with three fantastic actors leading the way, what looks like fun supporting turns from Da’Vine Joy Randolph and John Early and a unique, original premise.

You can watch the Eternity trailer directly below to give it a look yourself:

If that doesn’t look like something you’re interested in buying a movie ticket for, great news, the November movie release schedule has a variety of genres that will satisfy just about anyone, with plenty of big name stars attached. Let’s break them down in order of their current US release date (some may be limited release initially).

Die, My Love

In the dramatic category is Die, My Love (November 7), starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattison, LaKeith Stanfield, Nick Nolte and Sissy Spacek, directed by Lynne Ramsay. The movie follows a woman struggling to maintain her sanity amid a variety of issues living in a rural area. Ramsay is a singular filmmaker, and Lawrence is earning some buzz that could see her earn her first Oscar nomination since 2016.

I Wish You All the Best (November 7)

I Wish You All the Best (November 7) is a coming-of-age indie drama featuring the likes of Alexandra Daddario, Lena Dunham and Cole Sprouse that has a handful of reviews, putting it right now at a 100% “Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Nuremberg (November 7)

For those interested in history, particularly World War Two, Nuremberg takes place after the world, when a psychiatrist interviews Nazi leaders ahead of the Nuremberg trials, including Hermann Göring. Russell Crowe is playing Göring, with Rami Malek, Richard E. Grant, Michael Shannon, Leo Woodall, Colin Hanks and John Slattery also starring.

Predator: Badlands (November 7)

We’re getting the latest in the Predator franchise with Predator: Badlands. Prey director Dan Trachtenberg directs this new movie, which takes a different approach than past movies in the Predator franchise, as the iconic movie monster is actually going to be the hero of the story, with a young member of the species embarking on a dangerous first hunt. Elle Fanning also stars as a wise-cracking android.

The Running Man (November 7)

Edgar Wright, the fan-favorite director of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, and one of Hollywood’s newest and biggest stars Glen Powell team up for The Running Man, a new adaptation of the Stephen King novel about a reality TV show in the future where the goal is for contestants to survive 30 days as they are literally hunted.

Sentimental Value (November 7)

For fans of international movies, Sentimental Value is going to be the movie to keep an eye out for, as it reunites The Worst Person in the World team of Renate Reinsve and Joachim Trier. Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning also star in this story of an artistic family that has to explore their memories and relationships as the father tries to make a new film.

Train Dreams

Train Dreams is getting a run in movie theaters before it premieres on Netflix later in the month (November 21). But wherever you watch it, the movie comes from the team behind the brilliant and Oscar-nominated movie Sing Sing. Train Dreams stars Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones and tells the thoughtful and visually gorgeous looking story of a family at the turn of the 20th century.

That’s just the first week.

Jay Kelly (November 14)

Jay Kelly is another Netflix Oscar hopeful getting a theatrical release before premiering on the streamer. This one comes from Noah Baumbach and has the incredible cast of George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Eve Hewson, Isla Fisher, Riley Keough, Patrick Wilson, Emily Mortimer (who also co-wrote the script with Baumbach), Billy Crudup and Greta Gerwig in a comedy/drama story about a movie star and his manager.

Keeper (November 14)

Then we get the latest thrill from Osgood Perkins (Longlegs, The Monkey) in Keeper that sees a couple’s romantic getaway become haunted by the haunting past of the property they’re staying at.

Now You See Me: Now You Don't (November 14)

With Now You See Me: Now You Don’t magic is back, and so is the original cast of the popular franchise, as Isla Fisher reunites with Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco and Woody Harrelson. They’re joined by new additions Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa and Ariana Greenblatt in trying to pull off a heist of Rosamund Pike’s villain.

Rental Family (November 21)

Brendan Fraser also returns in his first leading role since his Oscar win for The Whale with Rental Family. The story sees Fraser play an actor that is hired by a Japanese company where people can rent out family members to be stand-ins for specific events (something that is actually a real thing in Japan).

Sisu 2 (November 21)

Action fans will likely be stoked that a sequel to a cult favorite from the last few years arrives in November, as Sisu 2 picks up the story of the ex-soldier who plows through Nazis as he attempts to secure a fortune he’s procured. It’s like a World War Two John Wick.

Wicked: For Good (November 21)

Probably the biggest movie of the month will be Wicked: For Good, the concluding act of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda’s (Ariana Grande) story that started with the smash hit Wicked last year (and my top movie of 2024). Can the sequel repeat that success?

Zootopia 2 (November 26)

Closing the month out there is the ideal family friendly option in Zootopia 2, the sequel to Disney’s popular animated movie that brings back Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde and Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps, along with a new roster of voice stars.

Hamnet (November 27)

Hamnet, the latest from Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao that stars Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley as William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes as they deal with a personal tragedy away from the stage. This one may arrive in December for most audiences.

Who knows, there may still be a movie or two that gets added to the month (be it on streaming or in theaters).

While I’m definitely looking forward to a number of 2025 new movies in the coming months, but November looks like a movie fan’s paradise.

Ahead of the release of its final season, The Boys gets another foray into its world with Gen V season 2, which is coming very soon.

This college-set drama is set in the superhero-riddled world of the main series, following a cast of characters who need to learn about their powers and understand their identity.

The first series of Gen V featured some heavy tie-ins with The Boys; in fact some episodes of The Boys season 4 both spoiled Gen V and made less sense if you hadn't seen it. But that's set to be par for the course from hereon with several more spin-offs expanding the universe of the show, including The Boys: Mexico and Vought Rising.

So for fans of the dark superhero universe, Gen V season 2 is set to be required watching. Here's what you need to know about it.

Gen V season 2 release date

The premiere date for Gen V season 2 is Wednesday, September 17, and we're going to see three episodes on release date.

After that, episodes will likely come weekly, although that hasn't been confirmed. An episode count also hasn't been announced but the past season, and all runs of The Boys, have had 8.

You'll be able to watch Gen V season 2 on Prime Video, where the first season and the original series all live.

Gen V season 2 trailer

Amazon released the official Gen V season 2 trailer on Saturday, July 26 during San Diego Comic Con. You can see it here:

Gen V season 2 plot

Despite what you'd expect given how the first season ended, Gen V season 2 sees the core cast of characters return to Godolkin University School of Crimefighting.

However with Homelander how running the show in the US, the school is very different. The dean is turning the superhero children under his care into soldiers, and war between 'Supes' and humans seems near. However the main characters discover a new secret program which could affect the events about to play out.

Gen V season 2 cast

The main cast of the first season of Gen V are mostly set to return for the new batch of episodes. This includes:

• Jaz Sinclair as Marie Moreau
• Lizzie Broadway as Emma Meyer
• London Thor & Derek Luh as Jordan Li
• Maddie Phillips as Cate Dunlap
• Asa Germann as Sam Riordan

Amazon's cast list misses Andre Anderson (Chance Perdomo) but it's possible that he's just been reduced in billing, instead of dropped from the series completely. That's especially true because his in-universe dad, the superhero Polarity (Sean Patrick Thomas) has been promoted to lead status.

So has Hamish Linklater, who plays the new Godolkin dean.

As with Gen V season 1, it's also very possible that the show will include cameos from the main series' cast, but we'll have to wait for the show to release to be certain.

• PSA: don't watch The Boys season 4 episode 5 unless you've already finished Gen V

One of the benefits of Foundation season 3 repeating the second season's century-plus time jump is that once again we get to see a massive change in characters: emperors have new clones, the Foundation has a new identity and some recurring faces get new roles.

Nowhere is this more clear than in time-hopping psychohistorian and psychic Gaal Dornick, played by Lou Llobell, who returns for season 3 in a transformed role.

Gaal inadvertently left the original Foundation en route to its home in season 1, and founded the Second Foundation in season 2, but in both she was playing second fiddle, a pawn in others' plans who didn't get much agency for herself.

Not in Foundation season 3, though. As of Foundation s3e3, Gaal gets to don the hat of psychic guide, master manipulator and spy, as the episode reveals an unlikely alliance which she has orchestrated. It's great to see this character, who's also acted as our narrator and the first person we met all the way back in Foundation's first episode, finally get a major role to play.

To catch us up on all these changes, What to Watch asked Llobell about these new roles at a round-table ahead of season 3's release.

The spy who came in from the old

In Foundation season 3's second episode, we followed as Gaal jumped in and out of cryosleep over 150 years in order to train up the Mentalic psychic order who make up the Second Foundation. And by the third episode we learn that she's formed an alliance with Empire's Brother Dawn (Cassian Bilton). We asked Llobell what's going on in Gaal's head when this happens:

"I don't think she can believe she managed to do it to be honest! I mean, she's obviously planted things all over the galaxy in order to get people on her side, which is by their choice. Empire comes on board, and it's his choice, it's not anyone forcing him. And I just think that collaboration is really exciting, and I think audiences are gonna love it. It's quite shocking because she really has succeeded in infiltrating every single bit of the galaxy. "

By playing spymaster and secret-alliance-former, we see Gaal in a new light, and Llobell explained how: "she was under the radar up until now, and now she's not. It's amazing to see her not afraid to take that position, which I didn't really expect of her, and she does it in such a powerful way, she doesn't show that she's afraid. Whether it's a facade or not, she's showing power and I think that's really brilliant."

The change of pace brought some new facets to the performance too, with Llobell telling us about her new combat training: "I got to do a lot of combat stuff, like actually training, and that was really challenging, never done that. And Gaal stepping into that role, that was more Salvor's [Leah Harvey's Salvor Hardin] role, and she's taken that on a little bit this season. That was really exciting to do, because it's a new thing."

About the combat: "It's kind of like a dance: you do a lot of rehearsals, it's a memory thing, and also trying to get it right, trying to make it look real. You really get into it, you start feeling it, it's really exciting. I got to do some backflips and shoot some guns. Not real guns, obviously, but it just makes you feel, really empowered. I felt like Lara Croft, and it was great!"

New old faces

No spoilers for future episodes, but Gaal's story this season spends less time with Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) and Leah Harvey, and we asked what it was like working with this new set of actors:

"I've been so inspired by all these people's work, getting to it with Cassian [Bilton, playing Brother Dawn] was so wonderful when we found out, because we never get to see each other on set. So when we found out, we were like, buzzing that we get to do it. And it was just so odd to see it, because it's odd to see those two characters together. And we're great friends, and that was just really wonderful."

Empire isn't the only person Gaal meets, though, with Llobell also shouting out some other actors who we won't name for fear of spoiling future episodes!

But without spoilers, what does Gaal get to do this season? "She gets to show her softer side. She finds love again. She shares a really lovely dynamic with Hari, which is really sweet and tender, but also they challenge each other, which is great. You see her in a leadership role. You see her taking charge.

"You see people really looking up to her, and you see her becoming what Hari was, which is managing people and controlling things. And you see her in an action role too, which is really fun." Again, we've removed several of the moments Llobell specified as they'll spoil future plot points.

Foundation season 3 episode 3 aired on Friday, July 25, and its the third entry of ten for the new season. New episodes run until Friday, September 12, when the big finale comes out.

On July 28, 1995, Waterworld, the Kevin Costner-led sci-fi blockbuster, set sail. I was too young to see it when it first came out and by the time that I started watching older movies the few things I heard about Waterworld was generally how bad it was and that Costner’s hero had webbed feet. So, as the movie’s 30th anniversary is upon us — and it’s streaming on Peacock in the US — I decided to finally give Waterworld a watch and see if what I’ve heard about it… holds water (sorry, couldn’t resist). FYI, I’ll be getting into some Waterworld SPOILERS below.

Waterworld, directed by Kevin Reynolds (who also directed Costner’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves) from a script by Peter Rader and David Twohy, is set in a future where the polar ice caps have melted and covered the Earth in water. Costner plays a drifter simply known as the Mariner, a mutant with webbed feet, gills and a dislike of normal humans. However, he ends up having to protect a woman, Helen (Jeanne Tripplehorn), and young girl, Enola (Tina Majorino), as they are being pursued by a maniacal Dennis Hopper (his character is named Deacon in the movie, but I just kept referring to him as Dennis Hopper) as the girl holds the secret to finding dry land.

Looking at the actual reaction to Waterworld and its box office, I was actually surprised there wasn’t as much vitriol as its reputation had led me to believe. While the movie does have a “Rotten” score of 45% from critics and a 44% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, actually reading reviews from some of the biggest critics of 1995 — Roger Ebert, Todd McCarthy and Owen Gleiberman — the reactions were more middling than downright bad. At the box office, the movie earned $88 million in the US, which today wouldn’t be a lot of money but was good enough for top 10 for the whole year of 1995.

Having now watched the movie with my own two eyes, I can see where those critics were coming from. As pure blockbuster fare, there’s some halfway decent action sequences and it’s not an interminable way to spend two hours. But I wouldn’t go as far as saying Waterworld is good or deserving of cult classic status, but it also isn't so bad it’s fun to watch. It’s more just blah.

Waterworld desperately wants to be Mad Max with boats. Its bare bones plot basically checks all the boxes — loner comes across individuals that he reluctantly has to save from a crazy villain, eventually forming a bond before deciding he must move on and continue his loner ways. The biggest reason why that doesn’t work as well here as it does with the Mad Max franchise is Costner.

Most people today know Costner from his role as John Dutton in Yellowstone (also streaming on Peacock), where a scowl was basically his default setting, but his gruffness was part of the character’s appeal. But in Waterworld, Costner’s orneriness does him no favors. While the movie attempts to go through the motions of establishing why Costner’s Mariner is this way and how his time with Tripplehorn and Majorino’s characters eventually softens his heart, I just don’t buy it. It’s a flat performance and his character honestly struggles to be likeable for a lot of the movie.

I’m just not sure if at the time, Costner could play this type of character. In the late 1980s and 1990s, Costner was best known for roles where he may have had some gruffness to him, but his natural charisma shone through (Bull Durham, Tin Cup) or when he’s playing a much more affable character (Field of Dreams, Dances with Wolves). Even if we look at his character in Yellowstone, or his rough cowboy in Horizon: An American Saga, the toughness comes alongside a noble quality that tells us this is someone we can respect even if they’re not dolling out hugs. None of those qualities are present in Costner’s performance as the Mariner.

The other big issue with Waterworld is that there are details that just don’t make any sense. For instance, it’s supposedly been at least a few generations since the melting polar ice caps flooded the Earth, to the point where some believe that any remaining dry land is a myth. Not even the Mariner has found dry land, yet he has a plant (albeit a small one that’s not looking so great) at the beginning of the movie and then comes across a tomato plant on the atoll he meets Helen and Enola on. What we see from that atoll, it’s unlikely it was growing any tomato plants.

Where did these plants come from, and wouldn’t they be arguably the most precious things to these characters? But after we see them, they’re barely acknowledged again.

A couple of other things that I just found odd. I still don’t understand how all they needed to do to understand the tattoo on Enola’s back to find dry land. It whittles down to them translating the Chinese-looking symbols to be latitude and longitude coordinates and something involving the magnetic poles of the Earth being inverted, but it’s not easily understandable in the context of the movie (this video does a deep dive to explain it, though).

Another part comes at the very end, when the group gets to dry land and they find a small village where people once lived. There, they find two skeletons, and one of them suggests they bury them under the dirt, believing it was their way. Again, how would he know this? It’s been generations since anyone they knew would have been on dry land and the skeletons they find are simply lying on a bed, there’s no evidence that these people dug graves, or any that we see at least. This one is nitpicky, admittedly, but it’s just another detail that wasn’t thought out or properly explained.

There are a few things that worked for the movie, particularly Hopper’s fun performance. Still, Waterworld’s biggest fault is that it’s middling at best, with Costner unable to give us a main character worth rooting for. I wouldn’t put it up amongst some of the worst movies I’ve seen, but it’s not one I’m going to have much desire to ever watch again.

However, if you disagree and actually love Waterworld, or want to try it for yourself to see if you agree or not with my takes, then you can stream Waterworld on Peacock in the US; in the UK the movie is available via digital on-demand.

The gripping story of Foundation season 3 continues with episode 3, called 'When a Book Finds You', which released onto Apple TV Plus on Friday, July 25.

This third season of Asimov-inspired sci-fi epic Foundation is set over 150 years from the past one, and follows the rise of new villain The Mule against the Foundation, which enters its trading era, plus the Empire continues its fall as the forces at its heart continue to try and keep it running.

In Foundation season 3 episode 3 we're about to learn more about that 'twist' at the end of episode 2, in which we learn that one of the Cleon emperors is in contact with main character Gaal Dornick, and will also see the Empire fall further and plots against The Mule take shape.

So here's our recap of 'When a Book Finds You'. This article will contain plenty of spoilers, not just for this episode but for past seasons, so you've been warned. No spoilers for future episodes though!

An unexpected alliance

The beginning of the episode takes place three years prior to the rest of Foundation season 3, as Brother Dawn (Cassian Bilton) travels to the Empire's library to read about psychohistory, especially Kalle's banned work. He is surprised it's in the library (it's the text that Seldon gave Dornick in season 1, so it should be lost in space) and the librarian sets up a mysterious meeting between him and the person who returned it.

Dawn disguises himself and goes to a cafe and meets Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell), who returned Kalle's work to the library to act as a lure for like-minded individuals, though she wasn't expecting a Cleon to be drawn in. She reveals to Dawn the impending risk of The Mule, and lays the groundwork for a secret alliance between her and Dawn. She's also surprised to learn that Empire is in possession of the Prime Radiant.

Then we return to the present day, to the conversation between Dornick and Dawn that ended episode 2. Dornick asks the emperor to form a military enclosure around Kalgan, and she'll stop Foundation from seeing it as an act of war. She also tells Dawn that The Mule has psychic powers, so all communication with him should be done via hologram.

Getaways on Kalgan

Over on Kalgan, Bayta and Toran Mallow (Synnøve Karlsen and Cody Fern) go to the party of The Mule (Pilou Asbæk), taking Foundation agent Han Pritcher (Brandon P. Bell) as their +1. Also at the party is The Mule's entertainer, called Magnifico, playing a sci-fi instrument.

Han immediately approaches The Mule but finds this foe reading his mind for information about Dornick. He quickly flees to his ship and flies off the planet, but Bayta and Toran decide to stay. Magnifico finishes his set and The Mule mistreats him so he flees for the bar.

Bayta approaches Magnifico to try and get information from him, and Toran talks to The Mule to distract him. However the warlord starts to torture Toran at the party by using a fruit peeler to remove skin from his hand, so Toran flees and finds Bayta did the same... and took Magnifico with her. The trio board the couple's ship and fly away, under fire from The Mule's henchmen.

Negotiations on Trantor

Now to Trantor: Brother Day (Lee Pace) and his girlfriend Song go to the Empire barracks to ask the former's friend for help getting them off the planet, and fleeing his Cleonic responsibilities. In exchange he offers to get the soldier's family off the planet too, and also give up his nanobots to the soldier which he can use to heal his ailing daughter. Leaving the barracks, Day also tells Song the truth about Demerzel being a robot.

Demerzel (Laura Birn) sets up a line of communication to The Mule and before the call, Dawn warns her and Brother Dusk (Terrence Mann) about The Mule being psychic. On the call, Dawn asks The Mule to become suzerain of Empire, but despite threats of war, the psychic warlord refuses. We then see that The Mule has attacked an outpost of Empire.

Day and Song are deciding where to flee to but she's quiet, and wants to talk about Demerzel. She doesn't think that they should leave because if Empire really is falling, being at the center will be safer. Then Demerzel visits and tells Day that Dawn wants to speak to him. As they leave, the partner gives Demerzel a secret signal, to the confusion of the majordomo.

Dusk implores the other Emperors to agree to a military blockade of Kalgan but they refuse. Day then remembers that he forgot Dusk's robing ceremony, and they begin to share a drink in a rare moment of bonding.

Later, Day's soldier friend returns and explains a plan to get them all out, as he's agreed to leave. Upon returning home Day finds Demerzel there, but not Song. Demerzel explains the secret signal: it was a sign of faith from an illegal religion which worshipped robots. Practicing it carries the death penalty but in an act of charity, Demerzel only wiped her mind and sent her back to her homeworld. Day is, as you'd imagine, not too happy.

UPDATE (July 28): The Avatar: Fire and Ash trailer is now available to watch online.

People have started to talk about the Avatar: Fire and Ash trailer, the first look at James Cameron's third movie in his sci-fi saga. But if you’re trying to find it online, you’ll be out of luck (any you find are likely AI-generated fakes). Instead, to watch the Avatar: Fire and Ash trailer, you’ll have to head out to your local movie theater.

The Avatar: Fire and Ash trailer is playing exclusively in front of The Fantastic Four: First Steps screenings. Though Avatar is a 20th Century Studio movie and The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the latest from Marvel Studios, since they both fall under the overall Disney banner, the pairing makes sense. We’ve outlined all the details you need on how to watch The Fantastic Four: First Steps to see where it (and the trailer) are playing in your area.

As of right now we have no indication of when the Avatar: Fire and Ash trailer will be made available online.

While some breakdowns of the trailer and what it shows us about the next chapter for Jake Sully and his family as they fight against a new enemy are already online, the visuals of Cameron’s Avatar franchise are best displayed on the big screen. That’s likely part of why Disney opted for this exclusive debut for the trailer. Though the decision also raises the question of whether a new trend is emerging for the trailers of highly anticipated movies?

Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third noteworthy movie this summer to premiere its trailer exclusively in movie theaters, following Wicked: For Good, which was shown in front of a special screening of Wicked, and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which played in front of Jurassic World Rebirth (all of those are Universal Pictures movies). The Wicked: For Good trailer was released online practically simultaneously with its theatrical debut, but three weeks since Jurassic World Rebirth was released, Universal still hasn’t released The Odyssey trailer online.

The fact that three of the biggest movies coming out in the next year are making people come to the movie theaters to watch the trailers could be the start of a new trend to get people to buy movie tickets, even for movies that they might otherwise have skipped. I’m an example of that.

After the middling Jurassic World Rebirth reviews, my enthusiasm for the movie waned. But knowing that I’d at least get to see The Odyssey trailer was a significant factor for me in going to see Jurassic World Rebirth in theaters.

Now Jurassic World Rebirth and The Fantastic Four: First Steps were likely never going to need a major incentive like a chance to see these trailers to earn big bucks at the box office, but the fact that two different studios are trying this strategy signals that there could be a trend forming. The real test might be if a studio like Warner Bros. opts to premiere another big blockbuster trailer (Supergirl, maybe) in front of one of their remaining 2025 new movies.

Even if this becomes a new trend, nothing may ever top when the Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace trailer played in front of Meet Joe Black.

Avatar: Fire and Ash, starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Oona Chaplin, and more, releases in movie theaters on December 19.

The return to Pandora isn’t going to take as long as last time. After Avatar: The Way of Water premiered in movie theaters back in 2022 (13 years after the original), the third chapter in James Cameron’s sci-fi epic, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is coming out just three years later, as it is part of the lineup of 2025 new movies.

The Avatar franchise is one of the most successful of all time, both critically (both movies to date were Best Picture nominees and are “Certified Fresh”) and commercially ($5.2 billion gross worldwide between the two). Add in how Cameron has helped revolutionize visual effects with these movies, and there’s definitely going to be some buzz around what he has in store next.

Get a preview of what to expect with Avatar: Fire and Ash right here, as we go over many of the key details for the movie directly below.

Avatar: Fire and Ash release date

Avatar: Fire and Ash premieres exclusively in movie theaters on December 19 in the US, UK and elsewhere around the world.

Avatar: Fire and Ash cast

As they have from the beginning of the franchise, Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana lead Avatar: Fire and Ash as Jake and Neytiri. In addition to recently winning an Oscar for Emilia Perez, Saldana also starred in the Pixar movie Elio in 2025, while Worthington’s most recent role was in the thriller Relay.

Some other familiar faces from the franchise are also set to be back for this latest sequel, including Sigourney Weaver as Kiri, Jack Champion as Spider, Kate Winslet as Ronal, Cliff Curtis as Tonowari, Stephen Lang as Qauritch, Bailey Bass as Tsireya, Britain Dalton as Lo'ak and Trinity Bliss as Tuk.

Confirmed new cast members include Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones, Treason) as the new villain Varang, who leads a dangerous tribe of Na’vi, and Davie Thewlis (Sherlock & Daughter, The Artful Dodger) as the leader of another new Na’vi tribe we meet.

Avatar: Fire and Ash plot

Specifics about the Avatar: Fire and Ash plot are being kept under wraps, but we have learned a few things.

The story is going to pick up shortly after the events of Avatar: The Way of Water. After forging an alliance with the Metkayina tribe, Jake, Neytiri and their family are going to come into contact with the Ash Clan, led by Varang, who have abilities related closely to fire. While it’s not clear what she wants, she is firmly against our heroes.

Plus, there is still the human factor on Pandora that Jake and company will likely have to deal with in some capacity.

Avatar: Fire and Ash trailer

You can now watch the Avatar: Fire and Ash trailer online. We've got it for you right here:

James Cameron movies

James Cameron is one of the most successful directors in movie history. He has been behind three of the highest-grossing movies of all time (Titanic, Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water), as well as a number of other fan-favorite action and sci-fi movies. He is also an Oscar-winning director for Titanic.

Take a look at Cameron’s full filmography right here:

• Piranha II: The Spawning (1982)
• The Terminator (1984)
• Aliens (1986)
• The Abyss (1989)
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
• True Lies (1994)
• Titanic (1997)
• Avatar (2009)
• Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Avatar: Fire and Ash behind the scenes

A 20th Century Studios, TSG Entertainment and Lightstorm Entertainment production, Avatar: Fire and Ash is produced by Cameron and Jon Landau.

Scrolling for something new to watch on Hulu this week, July 19-25? Let me give you a hand with my picks for the best movies, TV shows and more arriving on the streaming service.

There's something pretty much for everyone this week, including an acclaimed sci-fi movie that yet flew under the radar, a classic sitcom, a delicious summer treat and a brand new original series based on a popular book.

Check out all of the picks for this week directly below.

The Assessment (2025)

• "Certified Fresh" sci-fi movie premieres on Hulu July 19

What if before you could have a child you had to go through a rigorous, and honestly strange, assessment to determine if you were capable of being fit parents? That's the premise behind the sci-if movie The Assessment, which stars Elizabeth Olsen, Himesh Patel and Alicia Vikander.

The indie movie received a minimal run in movie theaters earlier this year, so this will be the first chance for many to see the movie. But based on reactions from those that have seen The Assessment — the movie has a 92% fan score on Rotten Tomatoes, and is "Certified Fresh" — this is definitely one to check out.

Red Eye season 1 & 2

• UK crime drama takes off on Hulu as of July 22

UK crime drama Red Eye, which follows a London police officer tasked with transporting a man back to Beijing where he is accused of a crime, learns that she might actually be in the middle of a major conspiracy. Jing Lusi and Richard Armitage star in the first season of series that fans couldn't get enough of, while Red Eye season 2 continued the story of Lusi's Hana Li as she gets involved in another case. Could be a fun UK import to fill your summer nights.

Washington Black

• Adaptation of best-selling novel premieres on July 23

Sterling K. Brown already had a Hulu hit earlier this year (the Emmy-nominated Paradise), now he's back with as star and producer of the new series Washington Black, an adaptation of the novel by Esi Edugyan. The 19th-century-set series follows the titular young man from Barbados, played by Ernest Kingsley Jnr., who must go on a globe trotting adventure when his life is turned upside down. Could Brown have a second streaming hit on his hands this year?

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire season 4

• The classic game show returns with new episodes featuring celebrity contestants, streaming on-demand on Hulu starting July 24

It's a great summer for fans of game shows with the likes of The 1% Club season 2, The Quiz with Balls season 2, Celebrity Family Feud season 11 and Press Your Luck season 6, all of which stream on-demand on Hulu. But get ready for another, as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire season 4 premieres this week, with its episodes also streaming on-demand on Hulu.

We all know the basics of the classic game show, but this edition is hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and feature celebrity contestants playing for charity. Can any of them win $1 million?

Mad About You seasons 1-7

• All episodes of the classic sitcom land on Hulu on July 24

Mad About You hasn't bridged the generational gap that Friends or The Office has... yet. One of the top sitcoms of the 90s starred Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser as a married couple going through life's up and downs in New York. It won 12 Emmys, most for Helen Hunt as Lead Actress in a Comedy and the legendary Mel Brooks in a recurring guest role. With all seven original seasons (there was a 12-episode revival that aired in 2019) streaming on Hulu, take a break from your rewatches of Friends and The Office and give Mad About You a try.

Summer Baking Championship season 2

Thanks to my wife, I have gotten into baking shows, particularly The Great British Baking Show. But we wont' be getting the latest season of The Great British Baking Show (aka The Great British Bake Off 2025) until later this fall, so to bide the time Summer Baking Championship season 2 (which originally aired last summer) is a good alternative. Jesse Palmer hosts as 10 top bakers from the US cook up delicious baked treats in a fun competition.

As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I've been eagerly awaiting Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 after the thrilling cliffhanger at the end of season 2.

With the U.S.S. Enterprise locked in what appeared to be a no-win battle with the villainous Gorn, Captain Pike (Anson Mount) had to decide what to do with so many lives hanging in the balance.

Cliffhangers are not new to the Star Trek Universe but they're very tricky, especially as season finales and premieres, because they have to deliver a lot to fans who have been eagerly awaiting the outcome. Thankfully, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 episode 1 delivered on all fronts.

Here are the five things I loved about "Hegemony, Part II."

Teamwork makes the dream work

Captain Pike may be in charge, but he relies on the input of his crew, especially in life or death situations. Early in the episode, after determining some flexibility in Starfleet's order to leave the area and rendezvous with the fleet, Pike calls upon his crew for ideas. They only have one chance to save their friends from the Gorn but they have to move quickly. Spock (Ethan Peck) and Mitchell (Rong Fu) offer ideas but Pike ultimately goes with Una's (Rebecca Romijn) idea to disrupt the Gorn sensor array to buy some time.

Strange New Worlds isn't about any one character. Pike is the captain but he works best with his crew around him. Together, they are a formidable force that can take on anything... even the Gorn.

Scotty gets schooled

I love every scene that features Carol Kane's Pelia. Sage Pelia knows just about everything after her very, very, very long life, so it's no surprise that when Scotty (Martin Quinn) arrives on the Enterprise, it turns out she was his instructor at Starfleet Academy. Not only that, but she has stories; it turns out, he was one of her best students but he needed a little extra motivation.

In an episode fraught with tension, threat of death and tragedy, Pelia and Scotty's interactions are a welcome bit of comedy relief.

My favorite moment is when Scotty, desperate to remember how to assemble his own invention to shield the ship from the Gorn, is so distraught that he can't think. Pelia rushes in, telling him that the Gorn have arrived and time has run out. Lo and behold, the answers Scotty needs present themselves. In a flash, he's done. And when Pike walks in moments later, Scotty learns the Gorn are not there, Pelia just gave her former student the little bit of extra motivation he needed to unlock his own brilliance.

Mending fences

Chapel (Jess Bush) was so relieved to see Spock arrive on the damaged ship in the season 2 finale. There was no time for things left unsaid because Chapel was called upon to find a way to help Batel (Melanie Scrofano), who was being ripped apart from the inside out by baby Gorn using her body as an incubator and food source.

When Chapel started running out of options, Pike sent Spock to help her find a solution. Like a well-oiled machine, the duo sprang into action and worked together to save Batel's life. It wasn't easy and the chances of survival were very slim, but by doing what Chapel and Spock do best, namely, working off each other to inspire even greater moments of brilliance, they ultimately devise the only plan that doesn't, according to the computer, end with a 100% failure rate.

By the end of it, they were finally able to say what needed to be said so that they can move forward and put the past behind them. Ahh, resolution.

Confronting the past

The crewmembers trapped in the digestion pits on the Gorn ship with the Parnassus survivors also band together to escape the harrowing ordeal. Laían (Christina Chong) must face her fears and summon the courage to confront her past to save the present and her friends are there to help.

Laían has been haunted by her encounter with the Gorn as a child; it has been a recurring theme on the show since the beginning. Now she's been confronted with the prospect of not only losing her own life to the lizard baddies, but also the lives of her friends and all of the villagers whose lives are close to being extinguished.

Seeing her reach into her memories, terrifying and traumatic as it is, to draw out crucial information to save the day is nothing short of heroic.

Happy endings all around

While Star Trek is no stranger to tragedy and loss ("Khaaaaaaan!", anyone?), there are certainly those moments when the universe lines up just right so that everyone lives happily ever after. Well, at least for now.

"Hegemony, Part II" had several moments when things could have taken a much darker turn. But through teamwork and perseverance, the crew of the Enterprise pulled off a victory on all fronts. The Gorn are gone (for now), the Parnassus residents were saved, the crew is safe and Pike's beloved Batel survives her ordeal as a Gorn baby incubator.

Happy endings aren't a prerequisite for a good episode, or even a good season premiere, but they are important in setting the tone for what's coming up. Knowing that things ended well is the perfect way to transition into the new season before the drama starts to ramp up anew.

New episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 are available to stream Thursdays on Paramount Plus.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 returns on Thursday, July 17, ready to bring back the popular sci-fi series which has already been renewed for a fourth season.

A prequel to the original Star Trek show as well as a spin-off of Star Trek: Discovery, Strange New Worlds follows the early adventures of the USS Enterprise while commanded by Captain Pike.

In season 3, the crew are back on their space-travelling adventures while a new villain begins to emerge. Their journey will test their bonds and relationships in brand new ways.

So if you're a fan of the series, here's how to watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 including when all the episodes come out.

How to watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3

The way to watch episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 is by signing up for Paramount Plus. This streaming service is the online home of almost all Star Trek series, and that includes the first two seasons of the show.

A subscription to Paramount Plus starts at $7.99 / £4.99 for the ad-supported tier or $12.99 / £7.99 for ad-free, with annual plans also available.

How to watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 for free

You can watch FREE episodes on TVNZ+ in New Zealand. The new season debuted on July 17 and episode 1 is streaming for free now.

Abroad? If you're traveling outside of NZ, use NordVPN (save 75% today) to access the free TVNZ+ streaming platform from anywhere.

How to watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 from anywhere

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch Strange New Worlds season 3, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite TV show, sport or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our rankings.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

• Download the app at NordVPN
• Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
• Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

Other ways to watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3

If you don't want to download a whole new streaming service just to watch Star Trek, there are two other ways to sign up to Paramount Plus that avoid this issue.

You can sign up to the streaming service, and thus watch Strange New Worlds, via Prime Video and Apple TV (you need an Amazon Prime account for the former) — it's the same price as signing up for the standalone service, but the shows and movies will automatically get listed alongside all your other videos from the platform.

• Find the Prime Video Paramount Plus channel here

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 release date information

When do Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 episodes land?

The first two episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 will come out on Thursday, July 17. After that, episodes will drop weekly until Thursday, September 11.

Here's the full release schedule:

• Episode 1 — Thursday, July 17
• Episode 2 — Thursday, July 17
• Episode 3 — Thursday, July 24
• Episode 4 — Thursday, July 31
• Episode 5 — Thursday, August 7
• Episode 6 — Thursday, August 14
• Episode 7 — Thursday, August 21
• Episode 8 — Thursday, August 28
• Episode 9 — Thursday, September 4
• Episode 10 — Thursday, September 11

I finally sat down and watched the comedy classic The Blues Brothers on Netflix the other night (a little later than I said I would, but you all know how life can get). I enjoyed the movie alright (though I’ll take John Belushi in Animal House, also on Netflix, any day). One of the biggest things that stuck out to me was its incredible lineup of cameos.

The movie follows Jake (Belushi) and Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd) as they embark on a mission from God to save the orphanage where they grew up from being closed. To do so, they round up their old band to put on a concert and raise the money. While doing that, they run into characters that are played by some of the greatest music legends of all time. I knew about some of them — James Brown and Ray Charles — though I was admittedly surprised when the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, popped up.

But even beyond the Queen of Soul’s appearance, I was most surprised when a princess popped up — Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher.

Appearing in The Blue Brothers the same year that The Empire Strikes Back was released (1980), Fisher plays a mysterious woman who appears hellbent on killing Jake and Elwood in the most extreme ways possible — including firing a bazooka at them, blowing up a building they’re in and engulfing them in flames via a flamethrower; yet the brothers keep chugging along. We eventually learn that Fisher’s character is Jake’s ex-fiancée, none too pleased that Jake stood her up at their wedding.

Because Star Wars was the primary thing that people knew Fisher from, it can be easy to forget that she is hilarious. Her bits are short in The Blues Brothers, and she never gets her revenge, but I always enjoyed when she popped back into the movie.

There was one other Blues Brothers cameo that had me doing a double-take. In the climactic scene when Jake and Elwood are rushing to deliver the cash to the county clerk to save the orphanage, the staffer they work with is none other than legendary director Steven Spielberg.

Spielberg has made cameos in some of his movies and those of his friends, but it’s not a frequent thing like Martin Scorsese or Alfred Hitchcock. So it definitely took me a second to realize this was indeed the director, at that time most famous for Jaws.

You can try to spot all the cameos in The Blue Brothers for yourself by streaming it on Netflix right now. The movie is also available to rent on demand and is streaming on Sky TV in the UK.

Scrolling for something new to watch on Hulu this week, July 12-18? Let me give you a hand with my picks for the best movies, TV shows and more arriving on the streaming service.

This week's entries feature a UK version of a favorite reality TV show, as well as a number of recent movies that are well worth a watch.

Check out all of the picks for this week directly below.

90 Day Fiancé UK season 3

• The most recent season of the UK's version of 90 Day Fiancé debuts July 12

The 90 Day franchise is a reality TV powerhouse in the US, but it's also become a hit in the UK. Hulu subscribers can enjoy the most recent completed season, 90 Day Fiancé UK season 3, starting this week (season 4 premieres in the UK on July 13, but no word on when it will arrive in the US).

90 Day fans can also enjoy a throwback as 90 Day Fiancé season 6 also lands on Hulu this week (for reference, we're on season 12 for the reality series).

A Quiet Place Part II

• Acclaimed sci-fi/horror sequel lands on the streamer July 12

The A Quiet Place movies have become one of the more successful original franchises of the last decade. After the original movie became a sensation, A Quiet Place Part II followed that up with another strong story of the Abbott family's fight for survival in a world filled with deadly alien creatures attracted to sound. WTW's A Quiet Place Part II review was one of many (the movie is "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes) to say it's a worthy sequel, which you can now stream on Hulu.

Dumb Money (2023)

• Movie based on the true story of the GameStop meme stock comes to Hulu July 13

Our WTW Dumb Money review called the movie "the Rocky of Wall Street movies," as it gives a true underdog story based on the day traders that sent shockwaves to the stock market by boosting the video game store GameStop. It's a great cast and a story that effectively speaks to a defining moment of the last five years. You should definitely catch up with it if you've missed it.

Get Away (2024)

• Indie horror comedy starring Nick Frost is available to stream as of July 15

Hopefully your summer vacation will go better than the family at the center of Get Away. Nick Frost and Aisling Bea star as the parents of a family that heads to a remote Swedish island for a family trip, only to be put off guard by a strange festival the locals are putting on — oh, and the serial killer on the loose. This was a 2024 release that flew a bit under the radar, but the movie was "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Amateur (2025)

• 2025 spy thriller makes its streaming debut on July 17

The Amateur follows Rami Malek's CIA analyst Charlie Heller, whose wife tragically dies in a terrorist attack. When his superiors deny his plan to go after those responsible, Charlie uses his analytical and technical skills to get his revenge.

The spy thriller went a bit under the radar when it was first released, but it did earn a "Fresh" score from critics and an 88% positive rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Those reactions point to this being a movie that likely deserves more of a look now that it's streaming on Hulu.

The film world lost one of its most singular and enigmatic voices when director David Lynch passed away in January 2025 at the age of 78, due to complications from emphysema. From his first feature film (the 1977 body horror classic Eraserhead) to his last (the 2006 psychological thriller Inland Empire), Lynch gave cinema lovers a five-decade-spanning career unlike any other, and TCM is celebrating that screen legacy with a movie marathon.

Tonight, July 11, Turner Classic Movies will hold an evening-long tribute to the legendary late director, kicking off with 1999's bio-road drama The Straight Story (arguably Lynch's most accessible and mainstream work, released under the Walt Disney banner), based on the true story of Alvin Straight's 1994 journey across Iowa and Wisconsin on a lawn mower.

The Straight Story airs at 8pm Eastern Time, followed immediately by the 1986 neo-noir mystery Blue Velvet at 10pm ET, which stars frequent Lynchian muse Kyle MacLachlan as a college student who returns to his small town and discovers a severed ear in a field, leading him into a world of corruption and conspiracy. Wild at Heart, the 1990 romantic crime thriller starring Laura Dern and Nicolas Cage, is next up at 12:15am ET.

Twin Peaks diehards can tune into the 1992 prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me at 2:30am ET, which recounts the last seven days in the life of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) prior to the OG television series. And the marathon ends with Lynch's black-and-white sci-fi masterpiece Eraserhead at 5am ET.

To tune into tonight's David Lynch movie marathon, you're going to need access to TCM. Turner Classic Movies is a cable channel, so to watch it you do have to have a TV package that offers it. Most traditional cable subscriptions have TCM, while live TV streaming services like DirecTV Stream, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV. If you've cut the cord entirely, Max offers many classic movies that air on TCM.

Check out the official trailer for one of Lynch's classics, Blue Velvet, before tuning into the film retrospective tonight on TCM.

After a long wait, TV's most complex and large-scale space opera returns: Foundation season 3 premiered on Friday, July 11 with an episode entitled 'A Song for the End of Everything' landing on Apple TV Plus.

It's been two years of our time since the Foundation season 2 finale but 152 years in the world of the show, with this newest season set to depict the showdown between the titular Foundation and the big baddie set up in the past season: The Mule.

Fans of Foundation will be glad to know that season 3 is just as complicated as the past 20 episodes, jumping between different characters and plots in disparate regions of the galaxy. And so a Foundation season 3 episode 1 recap like this one is basically required reading to help you understand what's taken place.

This recap of 'A Song for the End of Everything' will contain plenty of spoilers, not just for this episode but for past seasons, so you've been warned. No spoilers for future episodes though!

A century and a half down the road

An opening narration from Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell) catches us up to speed: it's been 152 years since season 2 and Foundation's influence has spread from the Outer Reaches of the Galaxy to the Middle Band (more on how that happened after they were wiped out in the last season later). Both Foundation and their foes in Empire want control of a strategic 'pleasure planet' called Kalgan because whoever owns it effectively owns the Middle Band.

We go to Kalgan and see a band of troops and ships waiting for someone... The Mule (Pilou Asbæk, replacing Mikael Persbrandt in the role). We learn he captured the daughter of Kalgan's Archduke and wants the planet in exchange for her safety. The Archduke warns that this will begin military action from Empire and Foundation but the Mule counts on it — he uses his psychic powers to get the massed ships and soldiers to begin firing on each other, after which he takes the Archduke's ring and gets the former leader to shoot himself.

Over to Empire, and we learn that the Genetic Dynasty is rapidly losing control of the Empire, and even the previously-ineffectual Galactic Council has more power than the Emperors. We also learn that the rebellion of the Spacers in season 2 means Empire's ships have lost the power to individually jump across space, making them reliant on jump gates which has affected their ability to control a large amount of space.

Brother Dawn (Cassian Bilton) and Demerzel (Laura Birn) use the Prime Radiant to analyze the map of psychohistory, which shows another crisis coming. However they decide that there's nothing they can do about it and proceed to a place called Clarion Station. This is where the Galactic Council is based, and as the two arrive some protests are taking place due to trade tariffs from Foundation's agricultural planets.

Dawn (who's 10 days off becoming Day, and therefore the most powerful of the three) talks to the Council about how Foundation is running many of its newly-acquired planets into the ground, and how he wants to open communication with a faction within Foundation called the Merchant Princes. This group is looking to break away from Foundation and Dawn thinks their doing so will slow Foundation's spread. On the way out, Dawn admits to Demerzel that he created the protests to help sway the Council.

The old guard of Foundation and Empire

Over on the former center of the Empire of Trantor, Brother Dusk (Terrence Mann) is constantly rewatching footage of past Cleonic clones getting killed at the end of their life span, clearly worried about his impending end. He talks to a newly-returned Brother Dawn about Cleon 17 (Brother Day from season 2) and maligns what his failures did for the fate of Empire. The two also briefly discuss Kalgan and The Mule but Dusk dismisses the impending psychohistory crisis.

Finally, we learn what happened to Foundation after the season 2 finale: the survivors (in that big vault) go to a new planet and slowly begin anew, ending their religious phase and embracing expansionism. However over time it's begun to splinter into various smaller factions, as we previously learned, and a man named Ebling Mis (Alexander Siddig) visits The Vault to speak to the residing version of Hari Seldon (Jared Harris).

Mis tells Seldon that he's his biographer and wants to help with his "upcoming manifestion", describing the status of New Foundation as it's called but revealing that Empire is holding onto its power better than anyone predicted. Seldon admits that he gave Demerzel the Prime Radiant which confuses and enrages Mis, and so Seldon kicks Mis out of the Vault after revealing that he'll give a speech about the next crisis in three days.

Haven and the garden of Trantor

Now we visit a new planet: Haven, which is the base of the Foundation offshoot Alliance of Traders (presumably a different group than the Merchant Prices). We learn that Empire has been providing them arms to prepare for a rebellion against the ruling elite and we see a drop go down... as do two Foundation spies. As the Alliance of Traders try to collect the weapons the spies attack, hoping to collect the weapons as proof to bring to Foundation.

After a space-bike-chase across the rapidly-heating-up surface of the planet the spies narrowly escape, but without the cargo. The man of the two spies is Han Pritcher (Brandon P. Bell), the Captain of Information for Mayor Indbur (Leo Bill), the Mayor of New Foundation. He tells the Mayor that the impending civil war with the traders is a distraction and that The Mule is the real threat but he's ignored and he gets aggressive about it. After having his title stripped, he steals the Mayor's ship to go and investigate for himself.

In a garden of Trantor Demerzel meets a sister of Zephyr, a member of the religious order we met in the first season, who she wants to speak to for a confessional (the person's memory will, she assures, be wiped). Demerzel admits that she's an Android and tells her story, explaining the three laws of robotics (which have been explained in the series before and are widespread in sci-fi) but also a 'Zero Law': that preservation of humanity as a whole takes precedent over individual humans. She explains how this helps her work around the programming that makes her subservient to Empire, but also that she doesn't feel like she has an identity beyond Empire, and wouldn't know what to do if they fell.

We've been hearing all episode that Brother Day (Lee Pace) is "busy" and finally we find out why. This version of Empire has become rather 'bohemian' and lives in a paradisical villa, taking drugs and reciting poetry with his girlfriend who's also his drug dealer. Dusk visits to tell him that Demerzel has summoned him so he visits the Palace. There Demerzel tells the three Emperors that in only four months, Empire will fall which will usher in a dark ages, because immiment events will render Seldon's numbers meaningless.

Finally, we briefly visit Ignis, where Gaal and Hari (the real one) are in cryosleep... until they wake up.

It's time for sci-fi fans to find a screen because Foundation season 3 finally releases from Friday, July 11. If you want to know how to watch it and when you need to tune in, you're in the right place.

Foundation is an adaptation or interpretation of the classic series of novels by Isaac Asimov, about a mathematical formula which predicts the future and the group of exiles who work to shorten an impending dark age and usher in a new empire.

Season 3 introduces new villain The Mule, a psychic warlord whose powers mean that he hasn't been factored into the mathematical plan. agents of the Second Foundation, the crumbling Empire and the besieged first Foundation will need to work together to stop this new threat.

So here's how to watch Foundation season 3, with info on watching the first two seasons if you need to catch up.

How to watch Foundation season 3

In order to watch Foundation's newest season, you'll need to be a subscriber to Apple TV Plus. The series is an original and exclusive show for Apple's streaming service.

Yes, that means that the first two seasons of the show are also there, and you can stream them whenever you want.

A subscription to Apple TV Plus costs $9.99 / £8.99 per month, and if you see a higher bill that's probably because you've accidentally selected the MLS Plan which is something totally different. There are ways to save on a subscription, as we'll get to below.

Foundation season 3 episode release schedule

Apple usually kicks off its shows with multi-episode premieres but that's not the case with Foundation season 3. Instead you'll be able to watch one episode per week on the streaming service. Here's the full schedule:

• Episode 1: Friday, July 11
• Episode 2: Friday, July 18
• Episode 3: Friday, July 25
• Episode 4: Friday, August 1
• Episode 5: Friday, August 8
• Episode 6: Friday, August 22
• Episode 7: Friday, August 29
• Episode 8: Friday, September 5
• Episode 9: Friday, September 12
• Episode 10: Friday, September 19

How to watch Foundation season 3 for free

If you've never signed up for Apple TV Plus before but want to watch Foundation, then you're in luck because the streaming service offers plenty of free trials.

We've got an entire guide on Apple TV Plus free trials which will help you find a way to test out the streamer for free. A few of them are shorter but there are long-lasting ones for several months too, which will let you stream up until the Foundation season 3 finale.

Glen Powell is taking the baton from Arnold Schwarzenegger in a remake of the 1987 movie The Running Man that is set to be among the slate of 2025 new movies, and another adaptation of a Stephen King story this year.

The Running Man is one of four King stories that are getting the big screen treatment. The others are The Monkey, The Life of Chuck and The Long Walk. That’s not including IT: Welcome to Derry, which is a new TV show centered around King’s iconic and terrifying clown. All this clearly indicates that King’s work remains timeless.

But what does this new take on The Running Man have in store for audiences and when can they expect to watch it? Read on for everything you need to know about the movie.

The Running Man release date

The Running Man runs into movie theaters (sorry, had to do it) on November 7 worldwide. In addition to being shown in traditional formats, The Running Man will also be playing in premium formats 4DX and IMAX.

While you wait for the new movie’s release, you can watch the original The Running Man for free on Tubi or on Paramount Plus and AMC Plus.

The Running Man cast

Powell is set to play the main character in The Running Man, down-on-his-luck father Ben Richards, who opts to compete in a deadly reality TV show. This is the latest high-profile role for Powell, who in recent years has starred in big-time movies like Top Gun: Maverick, Hit Man, Anyone But You and Twisters. He also stars in the new TV series Chad Powers coming to Hulu.

A strong cast of supporting players star alongside Powell in The Running Man, including William H. Macy (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), Lee Pace (Foundation), Emilia Jones (CODA), Michael Cera (The Phoenician Scheme), Daniel Ezra (All American), Jayme Lawson (Sinners), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) and Josh Brolin (Dune: Part Two).

The Running Man plot

Michael Ball and Edgar Wright penned this adaptation of King’s novel. Here is the official synopsis from Paramount:

“In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television — a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian, to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite — and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.”

The Running Man trailer

Watch the official trailer for The Running Man right here:

Edgar Wright movies

Edgar Wright is best known for his Cornetto trilogy with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, but the director has quite the resume, as you can see below:

• A Fistful of Fingers (1995)
• Shaun of the Dead (2004)
• Hot Fuzz (2007)
• Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010)
• The World’s End (2013)
• Baby Driver (2017)
• The Sparks Brothers (2021)
• Last Night in Soho (2021)

The Running Man behind the scenes

Paramount Pictures is the studio behind The Running Man, making it in association with Domain Entertainment, A Kinberg Genre and Complete Fiction Production. The movie’s producers are Simon Kinberg, Nira Park and Edgar Wright.

Some of the biggest stars of the year (literally biggest) are the dinosaurs of Jurassic World Rebirth, which is now playing. If you’re excited for the latest in the long-running franchise, we’ve got everything you need to know on how to watch Jurassic World Rebirth right here.

As the name suggests, Rebirth is going to be a soft reboot for the franchise that began 30-plus years ago with Spielberg’s Jurassic Park and most recently wrapped up the trilogy of movies starring Chris Pratt. Jurassic World Rebirth will feature a whole new cast of characters, and a number of new dinosaurs.

We don’t want you to miss out on what Jurassic World Rebirth has in store, so here are all the details on where, when and how to watch the movie.

How to watch Jurassic World Rebirth in movie theaters

Jurassic World Rebirth is now playing in movie theaters everywhere.

To find exactly where and when Jurassic World Rebirth is playing in your area, visit the movie’s official website or Fandango. These options allow you to see all of the theaters in your area where the movie is playing and what showtimes are available. You can also purchase your Jurassic World Rebirth tickets directly through either platform.

If you have a particular movie theater that you like to go to, another option to not only get showtime information but also potentially save money is with movie theaters subscription and memberships. Offered by numerous US and UK movie theater chains, these programs usually allow moviegoers to get free, discounted or monthly allotment of movie tickets, as well as other perks like deals on concessions.

Is Jurassic World Rebirth streaming?

No, you cannot stream Jurassic World Rebirth at this time. But the movie is available to buy or rent via digital on-demand platforms in the US, including Prime Video.

We can make a pretty safe bet on that streaming service being Peacock in the US. All Universal Pictures movies first become available to stream on Peacock, and as a Universal title that is bound to be where Jurassic World Rebirth makes its streaming debut.

We’ll update this page as info on Jurassic World Rebirth’s at home plans become available.

What else to know about Jurassic World Rebirth

As mentioned, Jurassic World Rebirth will feature all new human characters (in addition to brand new dinosaurs). Leading the cast are Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, Audrina Miranda, Philippine Velge, Bechir Sylvain and Ed Skrein. The movie is directed by Gareth Edwards.

Here’s the official synopsis for Jurassic World Rebirth:

“Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures across land, sea and air within that tropical biosphere hold, in their DNA, the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.”

See what critics are saying about Jurassic World Rebirth on Rotten Tomatoes.

You can also watch the trailer for the movie to get a sneak peek at what’s in store below:

Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone are back together again for what is sure to be another fascinatingly weird experience with the 2025 new movie, Bugonia.

Lanthimos and Stone have collaborated on the director’s last three movies, The Favourite, Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness. The first two were big Oscar-winning movies (with Stone winning Best Actress for Poor Things); Kinds of Kindness received a more mixed reception, though overall it was still “Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. So what have the pair concocted for their latest?

We’ve got all the details that you need to know about Bugonia right here.

Bugonia release date

Bugonia is set to premiere in October in the US, with a planned limited release on October 24 before expanding wide on October 31. For UK audiences, reports indicate that the movie will be released on October 31.

Bugonia cast

Bugonia marks the fourth straight Yorgos Lanthimos movie where Emma Stone is a key member of the cast. The two-time Oscar winner (La La Land and Poor Things) is set to play a high-powered CEO in the movie.

Jesse Plemons is also reunited with Lanthimos after appearing in the director’s most recent movie, Kinds of Kindness, playing one half of a pair of conspiracy theorists in Bugonia. Plemons has already been seen in episodes of Zero Day and Black Mirror season 7 in 2025.

Other members of the cast include Aidan Delbis, who makes his feature film debut with this role, Tires stars Stavros Halkias and Alicia Silverstone, who previously appeared in Lanthimos’ The Killing of a Sacred Deer (and of course of Clueless fame).

Bugonia plot

Will Tracy wrote the script for Bugonia. Here is the official synopsis courtesy of Focus Features:

“Two conspiracy obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.”

Bugonia trailer

Watch the trailer for Bugonia right here:

Yorgos Lanthimas movies

Hailing from Greece, Yorgos Lanthimos has made a name for himself with his movies that border, and at times cross, into the absurd and at times surreal. It’s a style that has garnered him five Oscar nominations thus far, including two for Best Director.

Here is a complete look at Lanthimos’ directing credits:

• My Best Friend (2001)
• Kinetta (2005)
• Dogtooth (2009)
• Alps (2011)
• The Lobster (2015)
• The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
• The Favourite (2018)
• Poor Things (2023)
• Kinds of Kindness (2024)

Bugonia behind the scenes

Focus Features is the studio behind Bugonia, with CJ ENM, Element Pictures, Fruit Tree, Pith and Square Peg on board as production companies. Producers on the movie are Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Lanthimos, Stone, Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen, Miky Lee and Jerry Kyoungboum Ko.

Other key behind the scene figures include editor Yorgos Mavropsaridis, who has edited all of Lanthimos’ movies, and cinematographer Robbie Ryan, who has worked with Lanthimos since The Favourite.

Looking for some new movies to stream in July? Well great news, there are plenty of options across the likes of Netflix, Max, Prime Video and all of the major streaming services this month. With that said, it can be a lot to scroll through, so allow me to offer my humble services in helping you find the new movies on streaming that you are not going to want to miss.

The below list of movies are taken from the major streaming services: Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max, Netflix, Paramount Plus, Peacock and Prime Video. I'm also specifically picking movies that are new to streaming this month — in this case, these are 11 movies that are landing on one of the major streamers for the first time, or coming back to streaming services after only being available via on-demand.

So without further ado, here are my picks for the 11 movies to stream in July.

The Amateur (Hulu)

The Amateur slid a little under the radar in movie theaters, but the spy thriller starring Rami Malek did earn a "Fresh" score from critics and an 88% positive rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Those reactions point to this being a movie that likely deserves more of a look when it becomes easier to watch on streaming this month.

In the movie, Malek plays a CIA analyst Charlie Heller, whose wife tragically dies in a terrorist attack. He wants to go after those responsible, but when his superiors deny that plan, Charlie goes out on his own using his analytical and technical skills at his disposal to get his revenge.

Stream The Amateur on Hulu in the US starting July 17.

Streaming plans for The Amateur in the UK are unconfirmed; movie is currently available via on-demand.

The Assessment (Hulu)

Let's be honest, nobody likes taking tests. But what if a test decided whether or not you could have children. That's the premise of this sci-fi psychological drama that stars Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel as hopeful parents and Alicia Vikander as person running the assessment and deciding if they get to become parents.

The indie movie, which only saw a limited release in movie theaters, is officially "Certified Fresh."

Stream The Assessment on Hulu in the US starting July 19; currently streaming on Prime Video in the UK.

Billy Joel: And So it Goes (Max)

I had plans to see Billy Joel in concert this September before the Piano Man unfortunately announced that he would need time to recover from a medical condition and the concert was cancelled (bummer, but warranted). That just makes this upcoming HBO documentary about Joel more of a must watch for me (and any fan of his music).

A two-parter that will release on Max in back-to-back weeks, Billy Joel: And So It Goes explores the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting, providing never-before-seen performances, home videos, personal photographs and one-on-one interviews.

Stream Billy Joel: And So It Goes part 1 on July 18 on Max, with part 2 premiering July 25.

There's no info on a UK premiere for Billy Joel: An So It Goes at this time.

Brick (Netflix)

The language barrier on Netflix may be a thing of the past based on how many foreign language movies have become solid hits on Netflix so far this year. Whether they're watching dubbed versions or subtitles, Netflix subscribers have given movies like Exterritorial (from Germany) and Bad Influence (from Spain) their attention.

We could have the next example of that this month in Brick, another German-made movie. Matthias Schweighöfer, the breakout star of Netflix's Army of the Dead, leads this sci-fi, mystery thriller where an entire apartment building becomes encased by a mysterious brick wall, forcing the residents to find a way out.

Stream Brick on Netflix worldwide starting July 10.

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (Hulu)

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is one of the funniest sports comedies of all time. The battle between Vince Vaughn and his team of misfits and the fantastically over-the-top villain played by Ben Stiller is, as the title suggest a classic underdog story, played out in hilarious fashion.

With sports options a bit minimal at the moment, Dodgeball can help fill your competitive drive, while getting you howling.

Stream Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story on Hulu in the US starting July 1; currently streaming on Disney Plus in the UK.

Happy Gilmore 2 (Netflix)

Another classic sports movie highlights July's streaming options, with Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore 2 teeing off on Netflix. The sequel to Sandler's golf comedy sees his hot-headed, long-driving character trying to reignite his golf career to help his daughter achieve her dreams.

Original cast members Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen and Ben Stiller, are back, while new to the scene are Sunny Sandler, Margaret Qualley, Bad Bunny, Travis Kelce and a number of real-life golf professionals. Can they all help recreate what made the original Happy Gilmore a fan-favorite?

Stream Happy Gilmore 2 on Netflix worldwide starting July 25.

Heads of State (Prime Video)

In the new action comedy Heads of State, a pair of world leaders have a bit more of a hand in international affairs as John Cena and Idris Elba play the US president and UK prime minister that have to stop a global conspiracy on their own. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jack Quaid and Paddy Considine also star in the movie that hopes to bring some summer fun to Prime Video's streaming lineup.

Stream Heads of State on Prime Video worldwide starting on July 2.

Mortal Kombat (Max)

Pick your preference on Mortal Kombat movies, as both the 1995 movie and the 2021 reboot return to Max in July. For, it's the 1995 movie all the way.

In a nutshell, both movies involve some of Earth's strongest fighters being tasked with saving the planet from adversaries from an other world looking to the planet over, with its fate to be decided in a series of fights known as Mortal Kombat.

The timing is good too, as a sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat is set to be released later this year. So you can use this opportunity to refamiliarize with the new movie's characters.

Stream Mortal Kombat (1995 and 2021) on Max in the US starting July 1.

Both Mortal Kombat movies are available on-demand in the UK, with no streaming plans available at this time.

The Old Guard 2 (Netflix)

It's been a long five-year wait for The Old Guard 2, the sequel to Netflix and Charlize Theron's hit action movie about immortal mercenaries. But that officially ends early in the month, with the added bonus of Theron and company taking on a new villain, played by Kill Bill icon Uma Thurman.

This is one of Netflix's answers to the summer blockbuster season, and if it can live up to the first movie it should be a pretty good one.

Stream The Old Guard 2 on Netflix worldwide on July 2.

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (Max)

Max is adding a number of recent A24 movies to its library this month, including Opus and Death of a Unicorn. But the most intriguing will be On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, an international indie that has a rare 100% "Certified Fresh" score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie follows a Zambian family whose secrets come out as funeral proceedings for their uncle take place. Interested?

Stream On Becoming a Guinea Fowl on Max in the US starting July 4.

Streaming plans for On Becoming a Guinea Fowl in the UK are unconfirmed; movie is currently available via on-demand.

Sinners (Max)

What I dubbed as the first great movie of the year, Sinners arrives on streaming in July, meaning there is little excuse if you're one of the few people that has not seen this excellent entry from Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler.

A blend of horror, action and music, Sinners is expertly made, written and acted, and should play just as well on your TVs at home as it did on the big screen.

Stream Sinners on Max in the US starting July 4.

Streaming plans for Sinners in the UK are unconfirmed; movie is currently available via on-demand.

We’ve heard that Spaceballs 2, a sequel to the fan-favorite Mel Brooks Star Wars/sci-fi spoof, was coming for a little bit now, and my reaction to it was pretty much, “OK, I loved the original, so I’ll give it a try.” The track record for comedy sequels that have big gaps between their original release has been spotty (i.e., Coming 2 America), so I didn’t want to get my expectations too high.

That all changed when the official announcement trailer for Spaceballs 2 hit the internet on June 12. After watching the almost two-minute teaser, one joke hit my funny bone just right that I’m now more confident than ever that Brooks, who is coming back to play his iconic character Yogurt for the sequel, and the other creatives involved are poised to make a hilariously worthy successor to Spaceballs.

Now that just makes it harder to wait until 2027 when the movie is scheduled to be released. (FYI, Brooks is set to turn 101 in 2027; what a legend.)

The Spaceballs 2 announcement video starts off strong, invoking the classic Star Wars opening text crawl to just let people know that in the 38 years since Spaceballs was released (and the next couple years ahead of Spaceballs 2’s planned release) Star Wars and other notable Hollywood franchises have really gone crazy with churning content out. My personal favorite jab in this list, “DCU attempt Number 1” (Zack Snyder’s version) and “DCU attempt Number 2” (James Gunn’s version, kicking off with Superman). But that’s not the joke that got me.

What really got me laughing was after the listing of all the content we got in between Spaceballs movies, Mel Brooks appears wearing a black sweater that reads: “Spaceballs the Sweatshirt.” Perfect.

You’re not supposed to explain jokes, but in case you’re scratching your head over why this is so funny (it may quickly rise into my favorite Mel Brooks jokes), here’s a refresher.

In Spaceballs, when the main characters of Lone Star (Bill Pullman), Barf (John Candy), Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) and Dot Matrix (Joan Rivers) meet Yogurt, the miniature sage tells them that in addition to his mastery of the Schwartz, he also is prolific in merchandising, “where the real money from the movie is made.” Cut to a gift shop where they have Spaceballs dolls, Spaceballs the coloring book and Spaceballs the flame thrower. As Yogurt says, they put the name of the movie on everything.

So for Brooks to be wearing Spaceballs the Sweatshirt as he officially announces the movie is such a great gag that fans of the movie should absolutely love.

While Brooks is involved in the movie, he is not actually the driving creative force. Benji Samit, Dan Hernandez and Josh Gad wrote the script, while Josh Greenbaum (Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Strays) is directing. Gad called the script “the funniest and best thing” he’s ever worked on in a 2024 Instagram post. If the announcement is any indication, then I have every reason to believe Gad.

The announcement video had another treat for fans. Just before it ends, after Brooks finishes up his spiel, an image of Dark Helmet is shown, his helmet cracked with a Band-Aid on it. Yes, Rick Moranis, who played Dark Helmet in the original, is coming back for the sequel, as is Pullman to play Lone Starr, according to a report from Deadline. Keke Palmer has also been announced as joining the cast in a new role, with Gad also expected to play a role in the movie.

Spaceballs 2 is going to be released exclusively in movie theaters sometime in 2027. In the meantime, you can stream Spaceballs on Max (soon to be HBO Max again) in the US and Prime Video in the UK.

Watch the Spaceballs 2 announcement trailer right here:

The latest entry into the Predator franchise of sci-fi blockbusters is Predator: Killer of Killers, an animated anthology movie featuring three warriors through history fighting the titular man-hunting alien. But if you've already streamed the movie and want more, you might enjoy an older and divisive entry into the franchise which has some similar elements.

Predator: Killer of Killers has proven a hit amongst audiences with 97% on Rotten Tomatoes (here's how to watch the movie in your region), and audiences have been enjoying the story of a Viking, a Samurai, and a World War Two fighter pilot as they individually combat the fiercest hunter around. Director Dan Trachtenberg is also set to helm Predator: Badlands later in the year, so it's a good omen for the franchise.

The franchise has come a long way since its 1987 Arnie beginnings, and one of the bumps in the road was 15 years ago, in the form of Predators. This movie is technically the third main one in the franchise, releasing in 2010 two decades after Predator 2, but it came hot on the heels of the mash-up Alien vs. Predator series.

The movie has an impressive cast: Adrien Brody leads and Laurence Fishburne, Danny Trejo, Mahershala Ali, Walton Goggins, Alice Braga and Topher Grace were all part of the cast.

In Predators, a collection of real-life warriors from across the globe are transported to an alien hunting ground to become the next prey for the Predators. They include a Russian commando, a Yakuza enforcer and a black ops mercenary, a true test for the Predators. As their alien hunters pick them off one by one, the survivors find themselves facing a particularly dangerous Berserker as they try to find their way off the planet.

You can see the similarities to Killer of Killers: a diverse collection of Earth's best soldiers become the prime target for a Predator looking for a challenge.

Unlike Killer of Killers, Predators wasn't terribly well received. While it was a success financially, it only has 65% on Rotten Tomatoes, and reviewers criticized the lack of characterization and the odd pacing.

However, if you're just looking for a silly action film with some neat moments, it's worth a watch. A man katana fighting a Predator is reason enough to give it a watch.

You can watch Predators on Disney Plus everywhere and also on Hulu in the US.

An excited expectant father’s perfect world falls apart in romantic sci-fi thriller BETH, which delves into questions of identity, societal expectations and the cost of truth.

Written and directed by Uzo Oleh, BETH centres on Joe (Nicholas Pinnock) and Molly (Abbey Lee), a married, high-flying couple who have faced numerous IVF rounds and devastating losses in their attempts to start a family.

But when Molly unexpectedly becomes pregnant, their longed-for dream brings confusion, suspicion and a world of hurt for Joe.

Here’s everything we know about the emotionally-charged, short sci-fi film…

BETH: Release date

BETH is airing as a 45-minute film on Channel 4 on Monday, June 9 at 10pm.

It will also be streaming on Channel 4’s YouTube and Channel 4 Streaming as three 15-minute episodes.

BETH: Plot

The 45-minute film follows Joe and Molly, a married couple longing to start a family despite multiple IVF attempts and heart-wrenching losses.

Their dreams seemingly materialise, though, when Molly becomes pregnant. However, Joe’s vision of family bliss shatters with the birth of Imogen, who bears no resemblance to her Black father.

“The baby looks nothing like Joe whatsoever, so he tries to fill in the blanks and thinks someone else must be the father,” Nicholas tells What to Watch in an exclusive chat. “But Joe doesn’t want to miss out on the journey of parenthood, so when the drama cuts to five years later, he’s fathering Imogen and she doesn’t care that Joe doesn’t look like her. As far as Imogen is concerned, Joe’s her dad.”

As Joe navigates his new reality, curiosity finally gets the better of him and his search for answers leads to a staggering secret that could send shockwaves across the world…

“Joe and Molly’s confrontation is heart-breaking,” says Nicholas. “I think viewers will be moved morally, as well as entertained and educated by BETH. It’s a thrill ride between two people in an incredible love story where nothing goes wrong but nature.”

BETH: Cast

Australian actor Abbey Lee, who's credits include Lovecraft Country and Mad Max: Fury Road, plays Molly. Plus, look out for guest stars Nick Blood (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as a fertility doctor and Louise Bangay (Midsomer Murders) as Molly’s mother, Gabby.

Joe is played by Nicholas Pinnock, who’s known for his roles in crime dramas For Life, Marcella and Suspect, as well as Channel 4 thriller Long Bright River (currently on Channel 4 Streaming).

“I think there are similarities between my character in Long Bright River, Truman Dawes [ex-police partner of Mickey Fitzpatrick, played by Amanda Seyfried], and Joe," says Nicholas. "Truman has unconditional love for Mickey in the same way Joe has for Molly and Imogen."

“BETH also tells us that family can be whatever you make it, and what’s interesting about Long Bright River is that while it’s set against the backdrop of America’s opioid crisis, it’s actually a beautiful love story between two sisters and shows how community is everything.”

Is there a trailer for BETH?

No, but if one becomes available, we'll be sure to add it here!

Despite his string of hit roles in everything from Good Will Hunting and The Bourne Identity to, most recently, Oppenheimer, not everything Matt Damon stars in is as successful. However, one of his biggest bombs is finding a new life after becoming a smash hit on Netflix.

Released in 2017, Downsizing wasn't well received. It has just 47% on Rotten Tomatoes and was a box office bomb after its $55 million earnings failed to match its budget. However,in the UK, it was added to Netflix on Thursday, May 22, and it's been steadily climbing Netflix's rankings and gaining viewers. At the time of writing two weeks later, it's the streamer's most-watched movie.

Living in the US? Downsizing is free via Hoopla and Kanopy but is only available to buy or rent digitally beyond those options.

Downsizing is part romance, part comedy and part sci-fi story. It's set in a world in which humans invent 'downsizing', a process by which people are irreversibly shrunk to about five inches, which makes them more space efficient thereby solving overpopulation and the climate crisis.

Damon plays Paul, who decides to go through the process with his wife Aubrey (Kristin Wiig)... until she pulls out at the last minute and leaves him. Stuck in his small form, and seeing his life fall apart, Paul goes on a voyage through the small 'Leisureland' in order to find himself and redefine his life.

Critics of 2017 criticized Downsizing for being a bit muddled in its focus, though it's worth pointing out that certain reviewers really loved it. As someone who watched the movie in cinemas back then, it's safe to say that the movie was mis-marketed in a way that hurt it: posters and adverts made it look like a standard American comedy, but it's anything but.

In a way, Downsizing is an exploration of the climate crisis and humanity's longevity, dealing with themes of class struggles and impending extinction events. It can get dark and melancholy at times, which isn't what audiences would really expect from a Matt Damon rom-com.

That's likely why Downsizing was received so poorly eight years ago. It's not a bad film, but if you're expecting a lighthearted comedy, you're going to be disappointed.

The movie was directed by Alexander Payne, also known for The Descendants and The Holdovers, and if you've seen those fantastic movies, you'll have your expectations better aligned for Downsizing.

Downsizing climbing up Netflix's rankings makes sense: people have probably forgotten any expectations created by marketing 8 years ago, the streamer's thumbnails make it seem more of a sci-fi story than a comedy, and its genre tags are "cerebral" and "imaginative" which better fits the movie.

The movie isn't actually the only pre-Covid Hollywood flop on the top-10 movies list and if you want something more action-packed, the Taron Edgerton and Jamie Foxx Robin Hood from 2018 is at #4 after being added on Sunday, June 1.

Rounding out the list is Netflix Original A Widow's Game at #2, Channel 4 doc Accused: The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax at #3, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning at #5, stalwart The Super Mario Bros. Movie at #6, another Netflix movie The Heart Knows at #7, The Cat in the Hat at #8, Netflix doc A Deadly American Marriage at #9 and yet another kids movie Minions at #10.

Pardon me for being a little late to The Revenge of the Sith celebration as the Star Wars movie turns 20 in 2025, but I recently remembered something about the movie that I just couldn’t keep to myself.

With the news that the Wicked: For Good trailer was going to be shown for the first time to general audiences as part of a special re-release of Wicked in North American movie theaters on Wednesday, June 4, I remembered how highly anticipated movies used to do similar things like this all the time.

There was the fact that The Phantom Menace trailer was included as a preview for the Brad Pitt movie Meet Joe Black. I also remember special clips of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone being previewed on The WB (what eventually became The CW). But the strangest that I can recall is the first trailer for The Revenge of the Sith being paired with an episode of Fox’s teen soap drama, The OC.

If you need a reminder, The OC starred Ben McKenzie, Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, Rachel Bilson, Kelly Rowan and Peter Gallagher. It centered on a troubled teen (McKenzie) who is taken in by a public defender (Gallagher) and his family, and becomes embroiled in the lives of the wealthy high schoolers of Orange County, Calif.

The OC was in its second season in the spring of 2025 when it was reported that The Revenge of the Sith trailer world premiere would be during an airing of The OC. I was not a viewer of The OC at the time — the most I’ve ever seen of the show is the SNL skit “Dear Sister” that parodies a big moment from the show’s run — but as a teenager that was a massive Star Wars fan, there was no way I was going to miss the trailer’s debut.

Of course, it was never made clear what time the trailer was going to premiere to try to have Star Wars fans like me watch the entire episode of The OC to make sure they didn’t miss it. In hindsight I should have known they would wait until the end of the episode to show the trailer, but I was an excited kid, so that kind of logical reasoning wasn’t factoring into my decision.

However, there was thankfully a bit of TV technology that allowed me to monitor when the trailer was going to be shown without having to sit through The OC — Picture-in-Picture. For the Gen Zers and younger of the world, this was basically our equivalent of a second screen in 2005. You could set up your TV so that the majority of the screen was on one channel, while a smaller box in the corner was on another.

So that’s what I did. I don’t remember what I watched instead, but my eye was always on the Picture-in-Picture box to see when The OC was going to commercial and then quickly flipping over to see if that break would be the one where The Revenge of the Sith trailer premiered.

At long last it was time, the trailer was shown, which I remember as three blissful moments that had to keep me satisfied for two months until the movie was released in May (YouTube, which launched in February 2005, was still in its infancy at the time and not the place to watch a movie trailer as much as you want that it is now).

Watch the full trailer and intro from The OC’s Brody right here:

We get this kind of thing from time to time nowadays with anticipated movie trailers often being shown during major sporting events or special live stream events where they force people to wait online for an hour or so to see the trailer. But almost immediately after it premieres it’s going to be online to watch, so it’s not necessary you tune in.

It’s expected to be the same with Wicked: For Good; those in the theater are likely only getting about a five to 10 minute head start on the rest of us (though you are getting to see a great movie again on the big screen, so there is a bonus to it).

I don’t think we could ever recreate the same experience of The Revenge of the Sith trailer being paired with The OC, but looking back on it I kind of loved it.

Sci-fi fans who subscribe to Hulu have their work cut out for them this June because absolutely loads of new genre movies have been added... including all entries of a classic franchise that's getting three new entries this year.

The big sci-fi drop happened on Sunday, June 1, and as well as hits like Independence Day, Edge of Tomorrow and Hitchcock, the franchise I'm talking about is the combined Alien and Predator franchise, which saw 12 of the 14 movies all added on the same day (and the remaining two were already on Hulu).

• Save money on a subscription with everything you need to know about Hulu deals

(Not in the US? Scroll down for information on how to watch these movies).

For Predator, that includes everything from the original Arnie classic from 1987, through multiple tie-ins and several reboots up to and including The Predator from 2018 (the newest spin-off, Prey, was already on Hulu).

Likewise Hulu now has everything from 1979's Alien up until last year's Alien: Romulus (all but the recent entry are new additions).

These movies come just in time for a busy year for the franchise with not one, not two but three new entries, at least two of which come straight to Hulu.

A busy year for the franchise

You won't have to wait long for the first one because the new movie Predator: Killer of Killers comes out within a week, on Friday, June 6.

This animated movie follows three separate warriors: a Viking, a Samurai and a World War II fighter pilot, as they're distracted from their own personal quests when they're pursued by a Predator.

You'll only need to keep your Hulu subscription for two months before you get some more action in the franchise. This comes in the form of Alien: Earth, an anticipated new series set in the Alien universe which features a star-studded cast including Sydney Chandler, Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther and Essie Davis.

This series acts as a prequel to Alien and it's about a spaceship that crashes onto Earth which brings humanity face-to-face with the dangerous xenomorph creatures for the first time. It debuts on Tuesday, August 12 with weekly releases, so it'll end just prior to the third and final Alien / Predator entry for the year.

This final one isn't a Hulu Original but movie that'll play in theaters. It's called Predator: Badlands and it's due to release on Friday, November 7. The main character is one of the Predators but the movie also stars Elle Fanning as an android created by the Weyland-Yutani corporation, which as fans know is from the Alien stories, ensuring a tight crossover between the franchises here.

The story follows a Predator which is outcast from its clan. To prove itself as worthy, it hunts for the ultimate foe to beat, alongside an android which helps it on its quest.

There are a lot of new entries to this dual franchise coming through 2025, so you'll have some time to catch up on (or watch for the first time) all the Alien and Predator movies.

If you live in the UK, or many other regions around the world that don't have Hulu, all of the Alien and Predator movies are on Disney Plus.

Ever since it was announced that Stranger Things would be wrapping up all of its Upside Down horror hijinks with a fifth and final season, fans of the hit Netflix series have waited with bated breath to find out exactly when they'd have to say goodbye to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Will (Noah Schnapp), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and the rest of their favorite Hawkins, Indiana residents.

And during tonight's Netflix Tudum 2025 — the global fan event that streamed live on Netflix from Los Angeles' Kia Forum, with teasers, tidbits and more from the platform's biggest films and series — we finally got our answer: Stranger Things season 5 will hit the streamer in three bursts, as announced live by cast members Wolfhard, Schnapp and McLaughlin.

"Volume One" of the final season will drop on Wednesday, November 26 at 8pm Eastern Time; "Volume Two" to follow on Thursday, December 25 at 8pm ET; and "Volume Three" to wrap things up on Wednesday, December 31 at 8pm ET.

That multi-part release schedule follows the precedent set by season 4, which was released in two "volumes" on May 27, 2022, and July 1, 2022, respectively. And while the split-season release model has its critics among Netflix subscribers — who've had to not-so-patiently wait to see how shows like Emily in Paris, Outer Banks and Bridgerton ended after their recent multi-part seasons — I actually don't mind having to wait a few extra weeks to see how Stranger Things caps off its weird and wonderful run.

Stranger Things during a normal season is a densely populated and action-packed watch, so having a little breathing room between episode batches is much welcome. And given that this is the big finale of the horror-sci-fi saga, having an extended farewell gives the final season a fitting sense of occasion and ramps up the anticipation for the high-stakes series finale. Plus, it definitely helps that the wait between episodes isn't too long that viewers will feel like they're waiting around forever to find out what happens to Eleven and Co.

The fifth and final season's premiere episode is titled "The Crawl" and will pick up in the fall of 1987, which is more than a year after the events of season 4, reports Entertainment Weekly. Other episodes will be titled "The Turnbow Trap," "Sorcerer," "Shock Jock," "Escape From Camazotz," "The Bridge," and "The Rightside Up," in case that gives you any clues about the final season.

So mark your calendars for the big Stranger Thing' finale — this fan will be seated, for all three parts.

Billie Piper has been "revealed" as the new Doctor, although the credits mysteriously didn't call her the Time Lord.

In the Doctor Who season finale "The Reality War", Ncuti Gatwa regenerated into Billie’s apparent new Doctor.

The hugely popular star famously played companion Rose Tyler as the sidekick to the Ninth and Tenth Doctors, Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant.

Billie, assuming she’s confirmed as the Doctor, is the second woman to take on the iconic role after Jodie Whittaker played the 13th Doctor.

Speaking of her return, Billie says: "It’s no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that TARDIS one more time was just something I couldn’t refuse, but who, how, why and when, you’ll just have to wait and see."

Speaking of the surprise twist, Russell T Davies adds: "Billie once changed the whole of television, back in 2005, and now she’s done it again! It’s an honour and a hoot to welcome her back to the TARDIS, but quite how and why and who is a story yet to be told. After 62 years, the Doctor’s adventures are only just beginning!”

Why did Ncuti Gatwa leave?

Speaking of his decision to leave, Ncuti said: “You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it. This journey has been one that I will never forget, and a role that will be part of me forever. There are no words to describe what it feels like to be cast as the Doctor, nor are there words to explain what it feels like to be accepted into this iconic role that has existed for over 60 years and is truly loved by so many across the globe.

"The fans are truly the final character and beating heart of this show and I can’t thank the Whoniverse, and the Whovians, enough for welcoming me in, and making this such a touching experience. I’ve loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have. I’ll truly miss it, and forever be grateful to it, and everyone that has played a part in my journey as the Doctor.”

It's not currently clear when Doctor Who will return.

Scrolling for something new to watch on Hulu this week, May 31-June 6? Let me give you a hand with my picks for the best movies, TV shows and more arriving on the streaming service.

With the start of another month, Hulu's library is getting a lot of new additions, particularly on the movie side. New to Hulu this month are a couple of 2025 new movies, including a Hulu original, as well as some older favorites that are always worth a revisit.

Check out all of the picks for this week directly below.

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

• The Best Picture nominee arrives on Hulu on June 1

It feels like we've all collectively forgotten about Beasts of the Southern Wild. That's definitely an oversight, as the movie, which was an indie sensation and a Best Picture nominee from 2012, is a magical story that features an incredible performance from a young Quvenzhané Wallis. It's time to rediscover the gem that is Beasts of the Southern Wild.

Before Midnight (2013)

• Catch up with Jesse and Celine with the third Before movie on June 1

I've made my love for the Before franchise very clear when I dubbed Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Deply) as the greatest movie couple ever, so of course I'm excited that Before Midnight, the third and last entry in their story, hits Hulu this month. Picking up with the couple nine years after their Paris rendezvous, this time in Greece, Before Midnight is a perfect closing chapter for their story (barring Hawke, Deply and Linklater catching up with these characters again further down the line).

Dude, Where's My Car? (2000)

• The stone comedy is available on Hulu as of June 1

There are better movies that are going to be streaming on Hulu in June than Dude, Where's My Car? This pick is a pure nostalgia play for me, as the Ashton Kutcher and Sean William Scott stoner comedy was one of the first "raunchy" movies that I saw growing up. I can still quote large chunks of the movie. So if Dude, Where's My Car? has a special place in your heart, then you can stream it on Hulu this month.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)

• Watch the coming-of-age comedy starting June 1 on Hulu

Here's another movie that has been a bit overlooked since its release. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a coming-of-age teen comedy that was a breakout for young stars Olivia Cooke, Thomas Mann and RJ Cyler. It's a funny and touching story that doesn’t pander to its primary teen audience, offering a mature take on growing up, connection and death.

Presence (2025)

• Steven Soderbergh's other acclaimed 2025 movie starts streaming on June 3

Steven Soderbergh has made not one (Black Bag) but two critically-acclaimed movies that were released in the first few months of 2025, with the other being the haunted house movie Presence. "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes, Lucy Liu headlines the movie that finally looks to find its audience on streaming.

Hot Shots! (1991)

• The Top Gun parody movie lands on Hulu on June 6

Jim Abrahams, who was part of the writing/directing team that made probably the greatest parody movie ever in Airplane, also wrote and directed this brilliant spoof of Top Gun, as well as poking some fun at other hit movies of the 80s. Charlie Sheen stars as the Tom Cruise stand-in, alongside Cary Elwes, Valeria Golina, Jon Cryer and Lloyd Bridges. The sequel, Hot Shots! Part Deux, which pokes fun at the Rambo movies, is also available to stream starting June 6.

Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)

• Original animated Predator movie premieres on June 6

Dan Trachtenberg revitalized the Predator franchise with Prey and will have a brand-new live-action movie, Predator: Badlands, releasing later in 2025. But before that, he's co-directed this animated addition to the franchise that will be a must-watch for sci-fi fans. This new movie includes three timelines where fierce warriors from different eras of human history are forced to take on a Predator.

Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) hasn't had an easy time of things since she gave up travelling with The Doctor in Doctor Who.

Struggling to readjust to everyday life after experiencing alien planets and major historical events up close — not to mention surviving the near-destruction of the entire human race — she thought she'd finally found a kindred spirit in Conrad Clark (The Tattooist of Auschwitz's Jonah Hauer-King), who had had his own encounter with The Doctor in the past, only for Conrad to turn out to be a conspiracy theorist on a mission to expose the "lies" of UNIT.

Conrad became even more dangerous in the most recent episode, "Wish World", when he joined forces with The Rani (Hijack's Archie Panjabi) and her alter-ego Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson) to turn Earth into a sterile dystopia where the Doctor and current companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) were a married couple with a young daughter, UNIT was an insurance sales company, and Conrad was a god-like figure who steered everyone's behaviour. Ruby was one of the few people who sensed that something was wrong, and her feelings were vindicated when this new reality turned out to be an elaborate scheme of The Rani's, intended to split apart the very fabric of reality and free original Time Lord Omega from the Underverse.

With the Doctor finally having regained his memories of life outside of Conrad's wish world, the season 15 finale will see him battling against the unholy trinity with Belinda and Ruby to save the world — but could it be his last battle?

We caught up with Millie to find out what's in store...

• Doctor Who season 15: release date, cast, plot, trailer and everything we know

Millie Gibson interview for Doctor Who

• The Doctor Who series 15 finale "The Reality War" airs on Saturday, May 31 at 6.50 pm on BBC One in the UK, with a simultaneous release on BBC iPlayer and on Disney Plus in the US.

Murderbot is more than a sci-fi series. The new Apple TV Plus show, based on the novel All Systems Red by Martha Wells, is the story of a security robot who'd rather watch space soaps than protect humans. What to Watch's Murderbot review highlighted that star Alexander Skarsgård is "so good at being bad" in the new series, but honestly, I didn't plan on laughing out loud as much as I did.

Despite being a rather high-concept sci-fi series, the story is not complicated to follow. In the future, security robots ("SecUnits") are used to protect humans. They are programmed to follow every command, even if it means putting themselves in danger. Skarsgård plays a SecUnit who hacks into his programming to sever the governance module, adopting the name Murderbot (because why not?). But even though he's "free," he has to pretend he's still following the rules or risk being melted down.

The pilot episode sets up the story in a very palatable way, and in a large chunk of it, viewers only hear Skarsgård's voice while the SecUnit tells its story (don't worry, he eventually emerges from the suit, in more ways than one...) so everything depends on his delivery of the lines.

Look, if it were any other actor, I probably wouldn't be making such a big deal out of how those lines are delivered. But in this case, I was cracking up because of Skarsgård's delivery, and for good reason.

True Blood fans will recall Skarsgard's iconic portrayal of Norse vampire leader Eric, whose imposing presence and larger-than-undead-life personality helped him to steal every scene he was in. Skarsgard has played a lot of memorable characters, but Murderbot is most similar to Eric, and that's what I love the most. Like Eric, Murderbot's disdain for humanity is joyous and palpable.

Murderbot delights in his loathing of the human race, but he also delights in their antics, as demonstrated by his love of the human space soap opera that he's obsessed with.

Skarsgård can play all kinds of roles and we've seen him excel over the years in drama (Big Little Lies), adventure (Battleship) and parody (Succession), but rarely does he get to be funny.

In Murderbot, as with True Blood, Skarsgård's role isn't meant to be comedic per se (the show is a sci-fi comedy but the main character isn't trying to be funny, if that makes sense), but Murderbot's utter revulsion of the humans around him make the delivery of his persona hilarious. Skarsgård is so funny, I was cracking up through his monologues and throughout his uncomfortable interactions with the humans around him. Despite his protestations, Murderbot is surprisingly human, even though he's not human at all.

Murderbot is a very refreshing series that absolutely needs to be at the top of your must-watch list. Alexander Skarsgård deserves an Emmy nod in the Best Actor in a Comedy category for his memorable performance that left me laughing out loud.

New episodes of Murderbot are available to stream Fridays on Apple TV Plus.

Sir Alec Guinness, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi in George Lucas's original trilogy, hated Star Wars — didn't he?

Well, I've always thought he did, and the movie legend was famously horrified when a 12-year-old boy told him he’d watched him in Star Wars over 100 times. Guinness asked the boy to promise him that he would never watch it again. The boy burst into tears!

However, looking back at an interview from 1977, the year Star Wars was released, the actor gave to British interviewer Michael Parkinson, Guinness actually speaks of how he couldn't stop reading the script despite the "ropey dialogue". And also how much he respected the film's young director, George Lucas.

Asked by Parkinson how ended he up in a sci-fi movie, Guinness recalled: "Well it had arrived as a script, I was just finishing a picture in Hollywood, another day to go and the script arrived on my dressing table and I heard that it had been delivered by George Lucas and I thought 'Well, that’s rather impressive' because he’s an up and coming and very respect worthy young director.

“And then when I opened it and found it was science fiction, I thought, 'Oh crumbs, this is simply not for me'. And then I started reading it, and it seemed to be the dialogue was pretty ropey, but I had to go on turning the page. I mean that's an essential, in any script, you’ve got to know what happens next or what’s going to be said next. And I went on reading and I thought, ’No, I like this, if only we can get some of the dialogue altered'.

"And then I met him [Lucas]. We got on very well and I found myself doing it, that’s all."

How much cut of the profits of Star Wars did Guinness get?

Interestingly, in the same interview, Guinness also spoke about the legendary cut he got of the movie's vast profits.

“My agent said 'I've asked for two per cent' [of the profits], because we never thought it would make any [money]. I've had a percentage on a film before, and they lose money like mad if I have a percentage.

"And I said, ‘Fine, all right, two per cent'. And the day before the film opened in San Francisco, George Lucas phoned me and said — again, he's like [the English playwright] Alan Bennett, he's very diffident and very shy and quiet. He's got a funny little voice.

"And he said, 'I think the movie is kind of going to be all right'. I said, ‘I'm glad George’. He said 'the press quite like it'. I said: ‘Good’. He said, 'We’re very grateful for the little alterations you suggested, so we’d like to offer you another half per cent by making it two and a half'. I said, ’That’s marvellous, thank you very much.’

But Guinness went on to explain that shortly after watching the finished movie for the once and possibly only time, he spoke to a producer about his bonus half a per cent, and the producer replied it was a quarter per cent! So he ended up getting two and a quarter per cent, still not bad!

Did Guinness grow to hate Star Wars?

So, we’ve established that in 1977, Guinness certainly didn’t hate Star Wars. It appears that what actually happened is that Guinness grew to believe it had simply become too successful and had too much influence.

He wrote in his book "A Positively Final Appearance": "A refurbished Star Wars is on somewhere or everywhere. I have no intention of revisiting any galaxy. I shrivel inside each time it is mentioned. Twenty years ago, when the film was first shown, it had a freshness, also a sense of moral good and fun. Then I began to be uneasy at the influence it might be having.”

He then went on to tell the story of how he reduced the boy to tears when he made him promise not to watch Star Wars again.

It must have been galling for Guinness, one of the greatest actors Britain has ever produced, to have so many people know him mainly just for playing Obi-Wan.

But, no, it’s clear he didn’t hate the 1977 movie itself.

Once upon a time, Alexander Skarsgård played a powerful Norse vampire in True Blood whose disdain for humans was only tempered by the delight he took in feeding from them. In Murderbot, Skarsgård channels Eric Northman as a security robot who would rather be watching soap operas than minding the tiresome humans he's supposed to protect. But as with everything in life, it's complicated.

The new Apple TV Plus sci-fi comedy is a delightfully mischievous and wildly entertaining series that delivers laughs, thrills and heart.

Murderbot, based on the novel All Systems Red by Martha Wells, is the story of a futuristic society where humans are working in the far reaches of the galaxy and they rely on security robots, referred to as SecUnits, for protection. Skarsgård plays a SecUnit who manages to hack his governance system, essentially freeing himself from the government's control. He chooses the name Murderbot, but despite his newfound freedom he has to maintain the appearance of being a fully compliant SecUnit or risk being melted down.

Murderbot is selected to accompany a group of free-spirited scientists on a research mission to a dangerous region. Newly liberated Murderbot has since hacked into the galaxy's vast entertainment system (think: every streaming service rolled into one) and would rather watch his beloved space soap opera than keep an eye on his hippyish new charges, but over time his disdain for them shifts as they treat him like one of their own instead of a machine.

Like most sci-fi entries, Murderbot spends time exploring the ethical dilemma that comes with robots being used as servants. In the pilot episode, Murderbot shows how his governance programming requires him to do whatever humans ask him to do, even when it leads to harm. Now that he's thrown off the controls, he doesn't want to put himself in danger (as he does feel pain) but failure to perform his duties put him at greater risk of being discovered.

Skarsgård is a fantastic actor who excels in dramatic roles, but he's really at his best when he can add wit and humor to his characters. Murderbot despises humans and makes it clear through his inner monologue, but Skarsgård's delivery is peppered with wit and biting humor that channels everything fans loved about his True Blood role.

Murderbot excels because the cast works so well together. The research team, comprised of Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tamara Podemski and Tattiawna Jones, is fun to watch. Each member of the team has some kind of quirk that hasn't escaped Murderbot's keen observation. In fact, it's those quirks that make him appreciate the research team because they resemble his soap operas.

With 10 roughly 30-minute episodes to the season that will release weekly on Apple TV Plus, Murderbot is easy to follow with a plot that doesn't get bogged down by its sci-fi identity, even though it is unmistakably a science fiction show set in outer space.

While I loved the story and the acting, my biggest criticism isn't necessarily reflected at the show so much as it's the larger issue of only giving fans just 10 episodes (which is generous compared to the six or eight episodes of other limited series). For a 30-minute show, the episodes fly by and though Murderbot will release new episodes weekly, it's a shame that the story couldn't have more time and space to develop.

All in all, though, Murderbot is the kind of sci-fi series that could (and should) easily develop a cult following. But thanks to Skarsgård's brilliance we can see it becoming a mainstream hit with a very bright future.

Murderbot premieres May 16 on Apple TV Plus.

The popular Murderbot series of sci-fi stories has finally been adapted to the screen in Murderbot, which debuts on Friday, May 16.

Murderbot is a sci-fi story about a security robot which manages to hack itself... and uses its new free will to watch TV all day. That is, until it's sent to help on a mission where keeping its secret becomes hard.

Alexander Skarsgård plays the Murderbot itself in a cast that also includes David Dastmalchian and Tamara Podemski, with John Cho, Clark Gregg and DeWanda Wise also playing smaller roles.

So here's how to watch Murderbot.

How to watch Murderbot

Murderbot will only air online, not on TV, and it'll be coming to the streaming service Apple TV Plus.

You'll be able to watch the first two episodes of Murderbot on Friday, May 16, and new ones will land on Apple TV Plus weekly until Friday, July 11. You can find the full episode release schedule below.

A subscription to Apple TV Plus costs $9.99 / £8.99 per month though there are ways to save money on streaming, as we'll get to later in this article.

Murderbot episode release schedule

After the two-episode premiere, new episodes of Murderbot will drop weekly. Here's the full release schedule:

• Episode 1: Friday, May 16
• Episode 2: Friday, May 16
• Episode 3: Friday, May 23
• Episode 4: Friday, May 30
• Episode 5: Friday, June 6
• Episode 6: Friday, June 13
• Episode 7: Friday, June 20
• Episode 8: Friday, June 27
• Episode 9: Friday, July 4
• Episode 10: Friday, July 11

How to watch Murderbot for free

If you've never signed up for Apple TV Plus before, you'll be glad to know that the streaming service offers plenty of free trials, which will let you test out Murderbot and the streamer's other series without paying.

There are multiple Apple TV Plus free trials ranging from week-long ones that anyone can enjoy, to many-month-long ones for members of other subscriptions, services and plans.

Once your free trial ends, you'll be automatically enrolled onto a standard Apple TV Plus subscription.

Neuromancer is an upcoming Apple TV Plus adaptation of William Gibson's sci-fi classic.

The 10-part story, which boasts a great cast including Briana Middleton (Sharper), follows a top but damaged super-hacker named Case who is thrust into a web of digital espionage and high-stakes crime with his partner Molly. She's billed as a "razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes aiming to pull a heist on a corporate dynasty with untold secrets".

“We're incredibly excited to be bringing this iconic property to Apple TV Plus,” said creators and executive producers Roland and Dillard.

"Since we became friends nearly 10 years ago, we've looked for something to team up on, so this collaboration marks a dream come true. Neuromancer has inspired so much of the science fiction that’s come after it and we're looking forward to bringing television audiences into Gibson’s definitive ‘cyberpunk’ world.”

Here’s everything we know…

Neuromancer release date 

Apple TV Plus is yet to confirm a release date, but the drama has been shooting in 2025 in Japan, Canada, Istanbul and London, so a 2026 release looks most likely.

Neuromancer cast

Briana Middleton stars as Molly, with Callum Turner as Case. Also starring is Joseph Lee as Hideo, Mark Strong as Armitage, Clémence Posey as Marie-France Tessier, aka Lady 3Jane, Peter Sarsgaard as John Ashpool, Dane DeHaan as Peter Riviera, Max Irons as Jean Tessier-Ashpool, Marc Menchaca as Dixie Flatline and André De Shields as Julius Deane.

Also featuring is Mayor of Kingstown and A Haunting in Venice star Emma Laird, although it has not been revealed who she's playing.

She told Collider: "I didn’t get the scripts until we shot in Tokyo in January. I landed in Tokyo, and I was like, “Guys, I only have Episode 1. Can you help me out?” But the character’s really cool, and I read half the book, and they’ve managed to capture what is in the source material really, really well. There are a lot of characters. It’s very complex. It’s a very confusing book, but I think somehow bringing that onto the screen helps tell that story maybe a bit more clearly."

Plot

Set in Japan, we follow hacker Case who is caught stealing by his bosses and has his nervous system crippled as a punishment. Case then meets Molly, who’s working for a shadowy US ex-military officer, who says she can cure Case if he uses his hacking skills to help her. The target is an incredibly powerful AI orbiting the Earth, which is being used by an evil business clan.

The novel the series is based on

William Gibson’s "Neuromancer" was released in 1984 and has become known for being one of the best books in the cyberpunk genre. The novel served as the first book in the "Sprawl" trilogy and was followed by "Count Zero" and "Mona Lisa Overdrive". Thus suggesting that if Neuromancer is a success, we could see further adaptations on Apple TV Plus.

Is there a trailer?

No, not yet.

Netflix is facing a backlash after suddenly removing the Black Mirror episode "Bandersnatch", which was released in 2018.

The highly unusual episode gave viewers multiple choices, which changed the ending and the running time. The plot tease is: "In 1984, a young programmer begins to question reality as he adapts a dark fantasy novel into a video game. A mind-bending tale with multiple endings."

But fans are angry that not only has Netflix removed "Bandersnatch" today [Monday, May 12], but they also gave little notice that it was leaving the streaming service. Also, with it being a Netflix original, there’s currently effectively no way of watching it. It’s not on any other streaming service, and you can't get it on DVD. Some viewers managed a late dash to watch it before it was removed.

One fan demanded on X that Netflix “PUT IT BACK NOW”. While another started a petition to get it returned, which they said had already passed 5,000 signatures and was climbing rapidly. “We're not just trying to save a show. We're trying to save a piece of storytelling history.”

Another wrote: “Bandersnatch was such a huge cultural moment for Netflix, I really can't fathom why they'd delete it." Another branded the decision "moronic".

So why has Netflix removed Black Mirror: Bandersnatch?

Netflix has decided to stop doing interactive specials. It's also removed another interactive special today, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend. Last year they also removed Ranveer vs Wild with Bear Grylls. What’s on Netflix reports Netflix is shifting to a focus on mobile and cloud gaming.

However, it’s still somewhat surprising Netflix hasn't found a way of preserving such an iconic title as "Bandersnatch". Black Mirror season 7 was recently released to much fanfare, and Black Mirror continues to be one of its most high-profile shows.

The Black Mirror: Bandersnatch incident once again highlights that physically owning a copy of a show in DVD form, for example, certainly holds some advantages if that option is available. There continues to be more and more movies and shows that are removed from streaming services and then aren't available anywhere and are effectively lost to the viewing public.

The rest of Black Mirror is available to enjoy on Netflix now.

I love getting the chance to watch a foreign film. While Hollywood may be seen as the gold standard, there are so many brilliant filmmakers and performers across the globe that have made some of the best movies in recent memory.

Just over the last few years I’ve seen critically-acclaimed and award-winning foreign language movies like I’m Still Here, Anatomy of a Fall, The Zone of Interest, Perfect Days, All Quiet on the Western Front, Drive My Car, Parallel Mothers, The Worst Person in the World and, of course, the Best Picture-winner Parasite. Many of these ended up among my favorite movies of their respective years.

But foreign countries aren’t just giving us movies to watch during Oscar season, they’ve also delivered some fun, popcorn-perfect movies like Under Paris, Sisu, RRR and Godzilla Minus One (the last of which got the best of both worlds as it did well at the box office and won an Oscar).

Whether it is in the movie theater or on streaming, I always opt to watch the subtitled version of foreign language movies, mainly because the uncanny valley of voice over dubbing has always been painful to watch. I do acknowledge, however, that for many reading subtitles are a similar annoyance. Those options will often lead to people not wanting to watch foreign language movies.

Well, Watch the Skies, a sci-fi movie from Sweden that arrives in the US as a 2025 new movie on May 9, is seeking to solve both problems: creating a dubbed version of the movie that claims to make it look like the movie was shot in English. The tool to make all of this possible, artificial intelligence (AI).

AI is a buzz word in the movie industry right now (most industries in all honesty), and depending on your viewpoint, a trigger word. But Watch the Skies is looking to show what AI can do and the benefits it can bring as it is the first theatrical full-length feature film to use AI technology for immersive dubbing, also being referred to as visual dubbing or “vubbing” by the filmmakers and the company behind the technology, Flawless.

In promo materials for Watch the Skies, Flawless and the movie’s distributor XYZ Films claims that the AI technology, called TrueSync, enhances voice over dubs without replacing the human creativity at the heart of the movie. It says it achieved this by collaborating with the original filmmakers and cast for the English dub, as well as adhering to Screen Actors Guild regulations regarding voiceover jobs. In essence, they are positioning this as an AI tool for the human creatives, keeping them in control, and not an entirely AI creation.

“It’s still our movie, it’s still the actor’s performance,” said director Victor Danell, in a video feature.

“For the movie industry, this is a game changer,” added producer Albin Petterson.

There’s a scenario where Petterson is right. Imagine a world where all foreign movies use this technology. It could remove the need for subtitles, allowing moviegoers to experience a movie from Asia, from non-English speaking countries in Europe and anywhere in the world just like they would a movie made in Hollywood. It would remove the perceived barrier that many people have about watching a foreign language movie, potentially creating a truly global cinema.

But what would we potentially be losing with this AI-generated technology removing foreign language movies in their native language?

There is an argument to be made that even with the collaboration of the filmmaker and actors, the new version is not their work but that of AI. From what has been shown in behind-the-scenes clips, while the actors rerecord their lines in English, the AI-generated results are overlaid onto the original material. The actors weren’t speaking in English when the footage was shot on set, so will all of their expressions and rhythms line up?

You can check out a clip from Watch the Skies right here to get a quick glimpse and see what you think:

A more existential question, however, is should we be trying to remove foreign languages at all? Currently, subtitles are the predominant form of watching a foreign language movie on the big screen in English-speaking countries. Even on streaming, while dubbed versions are available, so are subtitled versions with the original audio. If Flawless’ vubbing technology becomes the dominant format though, will we still get the original movies in their foreign languages with subtitles? If not, what are we losing by not hearing the latest Pedro Almodovar movie in Spanish, for example?

That’s just a hypothetical. I reached out with some questions about the technology and the hopes for it to Flawless founder Scott Mann, but had not heard back before publishing. So whether they view vubbing as a replacement for subtitles or another option for moviegoers alongside subtitles is not clear at this time.

But a statement from Flawless in the Watch the Skies press materials reads:

"... the company creates the world's most advanced and artist-friendly film technology, empowering filmmakers to streamline production and multiply audience reach, thereby setting the stage for a new era of profitable, globalized film that benefits artists, studios and audiences. Flawless proprietary, best-in-class visual dubbing technology, TrueSync, named a TIME Best Invention for it's cinema-quality visual translation for films to any language, allows filmmakers and studios to produce perfectly visually translated films in any language, solving the century-old problem of imperfect dubbing and thereby dramatically increasing content's global appeal."

The technology will have its first test when Watch the Skies opens in 110 AMC movie theaters across the US on May 9.

It’s potentially good timing, as there is no major summer blockbuster movie opening on May 9, with the current big hitters of Marvel’s Thunderbolts* and Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s Sinners heading into their second and fourth weekends, respectively. While its limited showing won’t make Watch the Skies an immediate box office success, the word of mouth that comes from it will be massively important.

Flawless and XYZ Films are going to want the kind of responses that attendees of test screenings gave: “I really think this is going to make foreign films more accessible;” “If more foreign films were like this, hell yeah dude, I’d be more on board;” “it opens up a whole world of films for people to watch.”

All of those were shared from a promo reel from Flawless and XYZ Films, so take them with a grain of salt. But if those sentiments are echoed by the general public, then we may indeed be on the precipice of a foreign film revolution.

As someone who hasn't really enjoyed any Star Wars movies or TV shows in about two decades, I've been sitting on the fence through the passionate debates that have been swirling between fans around the direction of the franchise for the last couple of years.

Some fans malign the changes since Disney bought out George Lucas, some are upset about the changes Lucas himself made, and others are just keen to see endless prequels and spin-offs about random characters hit Disney Plus.

I can't really be called a Star Wars fan, so I was happy not to have a "take" — opinions about the franchise are a dangerous thing judging by the discourse online — so I'm pretty annoyed at Andor season 2 by somehow drawing me back into this franchise that I'd last felt passionate about 20 years ago.

A long history of lightsabers

Two decades ago the Star Wars prequel trilogy was newly out, annoying fans of the original trilogy. I was too young to see any of the films in cinemas but I still managed to watch them at home on VHS tape and, in that unquestioning way that juvenile boys do, I loved all the laser fights and sword fights and space fights.

For a few summers I was nagging my parents to buy me toy lightsabers (which admittedly didn't last very long), bought a John Williams songbook to learn on piano, and was sneaking over to a friend's house to play Revenge of the Sith's tie-in video game. Then 2005 ended and so did 2006 and my interest in the franchise faded; The Force Awakens in 2015 nearly revived my passion but The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker felt so disjointed from Awakens and each other that I stopped myself before getting too invested. And no, before you jump to the comments section, it wasn't because of the politics of the series.

In fact since 2005 the only thing that's really engaged me in the Star Wars realm are its video games; I spent years on the Battlefront titles on my old PS2 (and one summer on the PS4 reboot) and have also wasted many hours on Jedi: Fallen Order, Force Unleashed and the Lego games. But I can easily tell you that I enjoyed those titles despite the Star Wars branding, not because of it.

Because I occasionally pick up Disney Plus deals (and because my job is literally to write about streaming services and their Originals), I've tested my fair share of the spin-off TV shows; I'm pretty sure I finished The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Boba Fett one, and definitely saw at least one episode of Ahsoka and some of the animated ones, but as you can tell from my language, none of them really sparked anything in me.

That changed on Wednesday, May 7, and if you've noticed my big omission from the paragraph above (or remember from several paragraphs ago when I name-dropped it), you'll know exactly why that is.

Prequel to a movie you've forgotten

Andor is an origin story for a character from the Rogue One movie, but the show works best when it's ignoring everything to do with that story. I don't remember much from the film, and it seems that series creator Tony Gilroy is more focused on telling an interesting story than simply setting up ideas from the movie.

Since its first season landed in late 2022, people have gone on and on about how Andor is the jewel in Disney Plus' crown of Star Wars live-action shows, telling more grounded stories that comment on real-life politics. And that's definitely true, with way smarter people than I drawing all sorts of parallels between the first season and real-world (well, mainly American) issues.

Admittedly only I binged the entire 12-episode run in the several days leading up to a season 2 panel I attended for What to Watch, but it was one of the most enjoyable work-related-binge-watches I've been on in a while.

Then Andor season 2 came out in April and while I don't need to watch it for What to Watch, I'm currently enjoying another Disney Plus trial thanks to my phone contract, so decided to watch it to see how it stacks up.

If you're not 'in the know' on how to watch Andor season 2, it's been releasing in chunks of three episodes each week, with the individual trifectas representing one year in the life of the titular character Cassian Andor. By nature of this format it's been quite episodic, but it lets us watch the fermentation of various plans over many years, instead of the rushed style that movies require.

Andor's 'Red Wedding'

Wednesday, May 7 brought the release of the third batch of episodes in the UK (the day after the US release, if you're wondering why I'm talking in Wednesdays instead of Tuesdays) which show tensions building over the past six episodes explode in a dramatic style. This is the last paragraph that doesn't contain spoilers, so if you want to watch it, stop right here!

Andor season 2 part 3 shows the Empire finally enact its plan on the planet of Ghorman, which it wants to strip mine for a precious resource and leave it barren; after nurturing the rebellion on the planet they use a protest as a "false flag" attack and massacre the townspeople participating in the protest.

The allegory here isn't particularly subtle. I'd always felt Andor to be a little heavy-handed in its politics (even if I agree with the points it's making).

But I've enjoyed plenty of movies and TV shows that make good political points in a range of ways, without being able to call myself a true fan of it. So why's Andor different?

That's because of its characters, or possibly even character (singular). Through Andor season 2 we've been seeing a fascinating character arc and relationship play out that climaxed in episode 8 of the season, and it's simply some of the best writing and acting I've seen on TV in years. It reminded me of the glory days of Game of Thrones when you'd endlessly put your heart behind a certain character only for them to drop dead an episode later.

This character is Syril Karn, played by Kyle Soller (who's so good in the role that I didn't even realize that he was also one of the leads in Bodies, which I covered extensively).

Karn begins the first season of Andor as a determined but undervalued (and pretty awkward) corporate security guard who makes it his mission to hunt down Cassian Andor; by season 2 he's undertaken a bizarre romantic relationship with Denise Gough's Dedra Meero who's a high-ranking military officer that also wants Cassian's head. She sends him to work in Ghorman as both a spy and an instigator to tempt the rebels to attack; he's basically her agent though he doesn't know to what extent.

How to write a character

I always really liked Karn's character, simply because I love characters who have a mission and take proactive steps towards their goals instead of endlessly hand-wringing about their doubts or shortcomings, as nearly all modern heroes do. The fact that my favorite character in Andor is working for the evil Empire isn't lost on me, but it's a testament to Karn's writing.

Through his stay in Ghorman, Karn's rough edges are worn down, especially in later episodes when he seems to develop an attachment to the daughter of the rebel leader. And as he leaves his comfort zone and sees more of the galaxy, he begins to empathize more with its peoples, and we see him begin to truly doubt the actions he's undertaking for the Empire.

That's doubly true in episode 8 where he realizes that Dedra is lying to him, immediately after she shows him her first true bout of public romantic affection — I'd come to really be attached to this weird romantic couple and seeing one get more invested as the other gets less is a heart-wrenching tragedy (even if, again, they're working for the bad guys).

Despite this, when Karn later sees Andor about to shoot Meero, he barely hesitates before engaging his much tougher and stronger foe — another case of a character working towards their goal no matter the odds. I have to admit that I was rooting for Karn in this fight and, looking online, I know I'm not the only one.

After Karn manages to win the fight and declines to shoot Andor, marking the beginning of his redemption arc... he's shot dead by someone else. No last words bleeding out, no regret from any characters — we don't even see Meero's reaction to the news, and spend only seconds with Karn's teary-eyed mother in a montage. It's an inglorious end to an inglorious character — but perhaps the most interest character that we've ever seen grace the screen in Star Wars, be it in the movies or on shows.

Right now, the day after watching the episode, I'm feeling the same mood I used to feel when a beloved character in Game of Thrones would die — reticence to return next week, but with the knowledge deep down that I would. Wishing I could see an alternative version of the show in which the character survived, but knowing that this was the more interesting decision narratively.

My original angle for this story when I first concocted it last week was going to be describing how Cassian Andor wasn't the main character of Andor season 2, until Karn's death ruined that idea. But it's definitely true that the titular character has been overshadowed in his own story, particularly with a lack of interesting drama having been bestowed upon him this season.

Honestly, though, I don't mind. Despite the title, I didn't come to Andor for Andor, and my interest in Star Wars isn't in the particular characters that Disney decides to release origin stories on. I'm drawn to interesting stories being told well, and Andor season 2 does that better than anything, Star Wars or otherwise, that I've seen in a long while.

So if this is the direction the House of Mouse is going in, I'm all for it, and I'm ready to call myself a Star Wars fan again. I just hope Disney decides to continue in this direction for future TV shows, instead of simple churning out more Mandalorian or incomprehensible action series.