In a summer full of franchise sequels that I’d love to see, including Superman, M3GAN 2.0, I Know What You Did Last Summer and Happy Gilmore 2, it may come as a surprise to some that the one I’m anticipating the most was actually just added to the 2025 new movie slate.

As shown in the following video announcement, Patrik-Ian Polk’s groundbreaking series Noah’s Arc is back with the full-length movie, Noah's Arc: The Movie, debuting on June 20 on Paramount Plus with Showtime.

Although Polk brought together the original cast of Noah’s Arc in 2020 for the YouTube short Noah’s Arc: The ‘Rona Chronicles, the franchise hasn’t released a big studio production since the 2008 movie, Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom. So if you’re counting, it’s been almost 20 years.

Noah’s Arc will always have a special place in my heart. Sure, some of the aspects of the series can be a bit over-the-top, and there are times I’ve found the Noah (Darryl Stephens) and Wade (Jensen Atwood) dynamic frustrating, but I’ve been both educated and entertained by the franchise.

Not to get too personal, but when I ventured into Polk’s fictional world, I was a young Black guy in his twenties, confused about who I was and wanted to be. Noah’s Arc helped with my journey of self-acceptance, and it exposed me to a culture that I was too afraid to step into during the course of the TV series. It was impactful to see a cast living in their truth that I could relate to on some levels, even if it’s a scripted comedy.

Now, I did say I was also entertained, so Noah’s Arc never felt like I was watching the informative CSPAN. For example, as much as Noah and Wade may have frustrated me, I was completely enamored with their love story. In the moments where they were happy, it was a pleasure to watch, and in the moments where they were caught in a period of toxicity, it became a hair-pulling viewing experience.

But at the end of the day, fictional pairings like this duo are the ones that hold my attention. They had me on the edge of my seat, rooting for them, or begging for a final split. For comparison's sake, the Noah/Wade saga is comparable to the Keisha/Justin rollercoaster on the new Netflix hit Forever, and I just dubbed that series the best new series of 2025.

I also rather enjoyed the zingers from Alex (Rodney Chester). Sometimes they came out of left field and caught me off guard, but they often made me laugh. I’m hoping for more of them in Noah's Arc: The Movie, and I’d like to think they’ll be even spicier now that the franchise isn’t constrained by Logo TV.

In terms of Noah’s Arc: The Movie, check out the official synopsis right here:

"Fans and new audiences will reunite with the beloved chosen family following the events of 2020’s Noah’s Arc: The ‘Rona Chronicles special. In this next installment, Noah and Wade are expecting twins and must shift gears when each is offered their dream job, forcing one of them to assume the traditional stay-at-home parental role… only which one? What gift can life give the man who has everything? The answer is drama, and tons of it… along with shocking plot-twists, laugh-out-loud comedy and thrilling displays of dizzying, intoxicating and heart-lifting romance."

Again, Noah’s Arc: The Movie debuts on June 20 on Paramount Plus with Showtime. For those interested in watching, you’ll want a subscription to the streaming service.

After Paramount reported The Chi season 6 broke records for the series as the most-watched in the show's history, there's much anticipation for The Chi season 7.

As always, the series follows the lives of various residents of the city of Chicago as they try to navigate life, which includes ups and downs in careers, family matters and love. For better or worse, they have each other to lean on (although sometimes, they have each other to blame for their problems, too). Here’s everything we know about The Chi season 7.

The Chi season 7 release date

The Chi season 7 debuts on Sunday, May 18, at 9 pm ET/PT on Showtime. The series premieres a little earlier on demand and on Paramount Plus with Showtime on Friday, May 16.

The Chi is a Showtime Original series and airs directly on the platform in the US. Those interested in watching new episodes as they air on TV need a subscription via their cable/satellite provider. However, if you’ve cut cords with traditional TV watching, live streaming platforms such as FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV offer Showtime add-on subscriptions for an additional fee. New episodes can also be streamed via a Paramount Plus with Showtime subscription.

In the UK, there is currently no information about when season 7 debuts. Once we learn more, we'll pass along the update.

The Chi season 7 plot

Here is a brief synopsis of the new season from Paramount's press release:

"In season seven, with Alicia at the helm, the pivotal women of The Chi rise to reclaim their power. Yet as loyalties are tested and new rivalries are stoked, it becomes clear that there’s only one crown and it will come at a heavy cost."

The Chi season 7 cast

From the very beginning, The Chi has been a drama with an ensemble cast, and that continues in season 6. Helping to lead the way as series regulars in the new episodes are Jacob Latimore (House Party), Alex Hibbert (Moonlight), Yolonda Ross (American Gigolo), Michael V. Epps (Primary Position), Birgundi Baker (Praise This), Luke James (Star) Curtis Cook (Manifest), Lynn Whitfield (Greenleaf) and Shamon Brown Jr. (Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles).

As always, the series is rounded out by a host of guest stars. This season includes:

• Phylicia Rashad
• Wendy Raquel Robinson
• Karrueche Tran
• Kadeem Hardison
• Chris Lee
• Brett Gray
• Rotimi
• Jackie Long
• Charmin Lee
• Jill Marie Jones
• Daniel J. Watts
• Hannaha Hall
• Jason Weaver
• La La Anthony
• Vic Mensa
• Kandi Burruss
• Tai Davis
• Rolando Boyce
• Ahmad Ferguson
• Cortez Smith
• Genesis Denise Hale
• Joel Steingold
• Judae’a Brown
• Zaria Imani Primer
• L’lerrét Jazelle
• Brian Keys

The Chi season 7 trailer

Check out this trailer for the brand-new season.

Dexter Morgan, the serial killer with a conscience and strict moral code, is back in an all-new adventure with Dexter: Resurrection.

The new series is slated to pick up after the events of 2021's Dexter: New Blood. Currently, the Dexter universe is taking a look at how the serial killer started his journey with Dexter: Original Sin.

Here's everything we know about Dexter: Resurrection.

Next episode of Dexter: Resurrection

Dexter: Resurrection premiered July 11. New episodes are released weekly on Fridays for Paramount Plus Premium subscribers while cable subscribers can watch on Sundays.

Here's what we know about the next new episode airing August 8:

Dexter: Resurrection episode 6: "Cats and Mouse"
"As Dexter closes in on a narcissistic murderer, Harrison faces a crisis of identity while trying to find his place in the world. Meanwhile, Batista pursues the connection between the Bay Harbor Butcher and the recent killings in NYC."

You will need a subscription to Paramount Plus with Showtime in order to watch Dexter: Resurrection. You can choose one of the following subscription options below if you’re not already Paramount Plus subscriber. US subscribers can choose between an ad-supported and commercial-free option of the service.

Dexter: Resurrection episode guide

Dexter: Resurrection episode 1: "A Beating Heart..."
"Dexter wakes up after coma and meets Batista, he knows the truth about the Bay Harbor Butcher. Dexter escapes from hospital and begins searching for his son Harrison in New York."

Dexter: Resurrection episode 2: "Camera Shy"
"Dexter embeds himself in New York's ride-share community to track down a serial killer; Harrison spirals from the guilt of a violent outburst."

Dexter: Resurrection episode 3: "Backseat Driver"
"Dexter must carefully balance Blessing Kamara's attempts to help get him acclimated as Harrison is drawn deeper into the police investigation."

Dexter: Resurrection episode 4: "Call Me Red"
"Dexter attends a mysterious gathering, hosted by a highly influential figure with macabre ambitions. Harrison continues to struggle with mounting guilt and pressure at work, just as Angel Batista arrives in New York City."

Dexter: Resurrection episode 5: "Murder Horny"
"An encounter pushes Harrison further into his own darkness, escalating his fear of arrest. Meanwhile, as Batista closes in, Dexter pursues a dangerous connection with a seductive killer, believing they operate under a similar code."

Dexter: Resurrection premise

The series will serve as a sequel to the 2021 series Dexter: New Blood. One of the reasons there aren't many details about the new series is that Dexter was believed to have perished at the end of New Blood, so his return in Resurrection is part of the mystery.

The franchise began with Dexter, which ran from 2006 to 2013 on Showtime and was the biggest hit ever for the network. The series follows Dexter Morgan, a man who balances working for the police while also hiding his other life as a serial killer with a moral code that guides him to eliminate society's undesirables. The most recent series, Dexter: Original Sin, features the story of how Dexter came to adopt his moral code while interning with the Miami Metro Police Department.

Dexter: Resurrection cast

Returning to the fold is Michael C. Hall as serial killer Dexter Morgan. Hall last portrayed the character in Dexter: New Blood. He's currently serving as the narrator in the 2024 series Dexter: Original Sin.

David Zayas (The Running Man) and James Remar (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) return to the fold as characters they originated in the original Dexter series. Zayas plays Detective Angel Batista while Remar plays Dexter's father, Harry Morgan.

Jack Alcott (The Good Lord Bird) returns as Harrison Morgan, Dexter's son, a role he originated in Dexter: New Blood.

Joining the cast as a series regular is Uma Thurman (Pulp Fiction) as Charley. Charley is described as "the Head of Security for mysterious billionaire Leon Prater. A former Special Ops officer, Charley worked various high-level private security jobs before taking on her position as the resourceful and meticulous right-hand woman for Prater."

Peter Dinklage joins the cast as Leon Prater, a billionaire venture capitalist and the possible villain of the season per Deadline.

Dexter: Resurrection trailer

There's no trailer available for Dexter: Resurrection just yet, as the series just went into production. As soon as we have a teaser or trailer to share, we'll post it right here.

The spy games continue for Michael Fassbender, as the actor’s TV show The Agency is preparing for a second season. Following the thrilling end to the mission in The Agency season 1, we’re eagerly awaiting what is next in line for The Agency season 2.

The Agency is based on the hit French TV drama Le Bureau des Legendes, with Jez and John-Henry Butterworth adapting it for US TV. The show quickly earned its second season renewal after becoming the most streamed new series in Showtime history, so there are plenty of fans who, like us, will be looking forward to new episodes.

Here’s everything we know about The Agency season 2 right now.

The Agency season 2 release date

The Agency season 1 wrapped in January 2025, and at this time we don’t have any info on a release date for The Agency season 2.

However, according to The Wrap, production on The Agency season 2 has begun, so the show is inching closer to a return.

We’ll update this page as news about The Agency season 2 premiere plans are announced.

If you want to catch up with The Agency season 1, you can stream the show on Paramount Plus with Showtime in the US and Paramount Plus in the UK and elsewhere.

The Agency season 2 cast

Most of the team from The Agency cast is set to return for season 2. That is headline by Michael Fassbender, but also includes Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith, Katherine Waterston, Harriet Sansom Harris, John Magaro, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Andrew Brooke, India Fowler, Reza Brojerdi, Alex Reznik and Richard Gere.

The Agency season 2 plot

We don’t have any details on The Agency season 2 plot at this time. However, with how The Agency season 1 ended we can make some inferences about where the storyline could be heading (SPOILERS ahead).

Season 1 hinged on two main storylines — the mission to rescue Coyote and Martian’s relationship with Sami. Well, the Coyote mission was successful, so that storyline is wrapped up. Things are more complicated with Sami.

As Martian searched for a way to save Sami after being taken by Osman, he is approached by Richardson with a risky proposal — become a double agent, spying on the CIA for MI6, in order to help save Sami. While Martian is initially reluctant, by the end of the season we see that he takes on this new arrangement. How Martian handles his new role we have to assume is going to be a critical part of the next season.

Elsewhere, we should expect to see more of Danny on her mission in Tehran. Anything else we’ll just have to wait and see.

The Agency season 2 trailer

There is no trailer for The Agency season 2 at this point.

The Agency season 2 behind the scenes

A number of big names are executive producers for The Agency, including Fassbender, George Clooney and Joe Wright. The rest of the producing team includes Keith Cox, Nina L. Diaz, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, Bob Yari, Grant Heslov, Alex Berger, Ashley Stern, Pascal Breton and the Butterworths.

After spending weeks juggling secrets, escalating dangers means it's time for Martian (Michael Fassbender) to share with Henry (Jeffrey Wright) why his former contact Sami (Jodie Turner-Smith) is in London. The problem is Osman (Kurt Egyiawan) has gotten too close to discovering who Martian is; in doing so, Martian’s teenage daughter Poppy (India Fowler) is a target. Martian must also consider Sami’s safety, as her security detail closely monitors her every move in The Agency episode 7.

Elsewhere, plans to locate missing agent Coyote (Alex Reznik) continue as the team looks closer into General Volchok (Juris Žagars) and the mercenary force Valhalla. With a limited time frame, they must act fast, putting a reluctant person into the field. Meanwhile, Danny (Saura Lightfoot-Leon) has to turn to a new friend to aid her mission.

Read on for our full breakdown of The Agency episode 7.

Threats to Sami and Poppy

News of Sami evading her security detail causes concern, so at the next round of negotiations it's made clear if she tries anything like that again her family will be punished using horrifying sexual violence methods that Sami has written about in her work.

Sami calls Martian, underscoring the severity of this threat. “Nowhere is safe,” Sami says. Martian doesn’t have a quick fix, telling her he is working on a way out and to follow the orders given by her security team.

Martian is also concerned for his teen daughter, Poppy, after Osman approaches her in a London cafe. Martian wants the teen to stay at the apartment, which she agrees to. However, as a precaution, he asks one of the field team members, Dozer (Ray BLK), to tail Poppy if she goes anywhere.

Of course, Poppy ignores her father’s instructions and heads to class. Guo (Curtis Lum) follows Poppy as she walks home, but Dozer safely intercepts, pulling Poppy out of harm's way.

An offer you can't refuse

At the office, the team strategizes about the next steps regarding Coyote, detailing everything they know about Volchok and Valhalla. The mercenaries first appeared in 2014 and have grown in size and scope in the last decade. They are registered internationally, so legally they have zero ties to Russia. They are an aggressive military force that successfully gains ground using ruthless methods.

Owen (John Magaro) says it's hard to estimate the number of forces that make up Valhalla. Rising tension between Russian higher-ups and Valhalla has only made Volchok more paranoid about potential infiltrating enemies, so it will be hard to get someone on the inside.

After undergoing intense interrogation earlier this season, it doesn’t seem likely that Alexei (Marcin Zarzeczny) will be persuaded to be the asset sent into the Valhalla compound. However, Martian doesn’t give Alexei much of a choice. They'll give Alexei, his brother and his mother US citizenship in return, but if he refuses, they will send him back to Belarus and ensure people know he has been working for the Americans.

Martian shares some truths 

Martian quickly has to switch gears when he sees Poppy in the office and learns an agent from Beijing followed and tried to kidnap her. Martian realizes it's “now or never” to tell Henry about Sami’s role in the meetings brokered by the Chinese agencies. Martian sprinkles some truth in but conceals his personal entanglement with Sami.

One big lie though is that it was a coincidence he learned Sami was in London. Martian says he accidentally bumped into her while taking Poppy to a museum (Martian gets Poppy to corroborate this story). Martian thinks he can get Sami to turn and become an asset. Henry debriefs Bosko (Richard Gere), who agrees Martian should pursue this plan.

Dr. Blake (Harriet Sansom Harris) and Naomi (Katherine Waterston) strategize options for Sami, with Dr. Blake suggesting Martian use Sami’s love for him to get her to help. Dr. Blake emphasizes Sami isn’t betraying her Sudanese home because “home is you.”

After the meeting, Dr. Blake tells Naomi Martian is still in love with Sami, but Naomi says Martian didn’t keep his feelings for Sami secret during their debriefs. Dr. Blake questions whether Naomi’s feelings for Martian have clouded her judgment, which Naomi rejects outright. But Dr. Blake is an expert in this field and looks like she hit a nerve.

Finding a way to talk to Sami will be challenging, so they decide to “attack” her cover for being in the UK. Sami must attend an in-person appointment at the university to explain her absence throughout the program, or her visa will be revoked.

Putting on a convincing show

After requesting a meeting with Volchok about sensitive matters, Alexei arrives at the heavily guarded Valhalla compound. Alexei says he works in the accounting department of the trucking company that is conning Volchok out of a lot of money on his invoices. Volchok appears impressed with Alexei’s demeanor and that he didn’t “piss his pants.”

Alexei shares intel with the CIA about who else was in the room, but Volchok thinks something about Alexei is off and correctly guesses he was there on behalf of the Americans. What's the fallback plan if this doesn't work?

Another fluid situation is Danny’s mission to get selected to go to Tehran. Unfortunately, Reza (Reza Brojerdi) has picked Jerome (Ben Lloyd-Hughes). But Danny isn’t going to quit this easily. Danny asks Edward (Elham Ehsas) for assistance in getting Jerome to drop out.

First, Edward uses vague threats, then shows Jerome he means business by gaining access to Jerome’s wife’s phone. The plan works, and Jerome passes on the opportunity. Danny and Edward are still sleeping together, and there is a sense they are growing closer — despite Naomi warning Danny not to catch feelings.

As predicted, Osman escorts Sami to the university meeting but doesn’t stay for this part of the conversation. The professor leaves through a different door, and Martian enters the room.

“Paul,” Sami says. “No,” is Martian’s response. How will Sami react to finding out everything she knows about Martian is a lie? Will Sami agree to become the latest recruit in this high-risk environment?

New episodes of The Agency premiere Fridays on Paramount Plus with Showtime in the US; Saturdays on Paramount Plus in the UK.

No matter how much experience Martian (Michael Fassbender) has in the field, he will come to a point where he is juggling too many different secrets and missions. As we begin The Agency episode 6, Martian is still coming out on top, but barely. But global security isn’t the only thing at risk as Martian’s loved ones become targets within this spy game.

The CIA London field office is still under tremendous pressure to bring Coyote (Alex Reznik) home, and significant moves to locate the missing deep cover agent continue in “Spy for Sale.” Time is running out, and Martian makes a promise he might not be able to keep.

Read on for the key things to know about The Agency episode 6.

A treasure hunt

Analyst Simon (Bilal Hasna) follows instructions to a delivery locker containing a Polaroid of a moped with a phone number on the back. When Martian first signaled to Cossack about making a deal a few weeks ago, he referred to Coyote as a stolen bike, saying he would pay anything to get it back, and this code continues.

The team discovers an online auction for Coyote. Bosko (Richard Gere) doesn’t want to work with anyone trying to sell a CIA agent to the highest bidder. The out-of-the-box setup isn’t part of the Russian FSB playbook, meaning Cossack works with someone outside the agency. When the bidding hits $350,000, Bosko suggests it's a bluff, but Martian doesn’t think they can ignore it as Cossack uses unconventional methods.

Meanwhile, Martian’s British intelligence friend James Richardson (Hugh Bonneville) has stopped by the CIA office for an unscheduled meeting with Henry (Jeffrey Wright) about the secret Sudan negotiations in London.

Henry maintains his poker face while Richardson tells him about an arrangement he had zero idea was happening. Martian interrupts with a “crisis” to aid Henry’s exit, allowing Martian to confront Richardson about his betrayal. Richardson explains he is going for the Control job at SIS (the top job at MI6) and no longer wants to jump when the CIA tells them to. Even though they served together in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen, Richardson doesn’t feel bound by loyalty.

Shaking a tail 

Martian's involvement with Sami continues to get more complicated, as he has to temper Sami’s concerns on the phone when she mentions that Abdul (Abdullahi Islaw) has his jacket. It's a tricky balance as Martian wants her to know he is fine but also needs to ensure she doesn’t endanger herself. “Do as they say,” Martian instructs.

The following morning, Guo (Curtis Lim) and another Chinese intelligence agent follow Martian to his publishers. They don’t see him exit the building because one of Martian’s CIA protection team members aids his getaway in a garbage truck. Martian claims he thought he was being followed but doesn’t divulge who.

For now, Martian must also work out who is pulling the strings behind the Coyote bidding war. Through elimination, Martian narrows down who Cossack works with based on who has “nothing else left to lose" — General Novikov (Marek Vašut), an old-school retired KGB operative still active behind the scenes. Bosko still doesn’t want to pay because it would set a precedent, but Martian suggests it's about the money. Martian’s hunch proves correct, as the cash is refunded, and an exchange is set for the following day.

In central London, Osman (Kurt Egyiawan) starts chatting with Poppy (India Fowler) when she goes to pick up her student ID from a cafe. Small talk gets more specific when Osamn mentions a lecturer called Paul Lewis. “Perhaps he doesn’t exist,” Osman replies when Poppy says she doesn’t know him.

At the same time, Martian has to shake another tail before meeting Novikov. First, he loses the agents by running at full speed before realizing his hotel key card has a tracker, which Martian plants in another taxi.

While Martian is en route to the Novikov meeting, a frantic Poppy calls to tell Martian about her conversation with Osman. Martian reassures his daughter but lets out an expletive when she hangs up.

Coyote's fate 

Thankfully Martian’s tardiness doesn’t ruin the meeting. Novikov wants to know if he can make a deal there; Martian is confident he can. They learn Coyote has given up his code name, a big no-no. They must act fast, as Coyote only has four to five days to live. Novikov doesn’t have Coyote, but he has vital information about where he is being held and by whom.

All Novikov wants in return is a recording from a 1989 conversation in Vogelsang barracks north of Berlin. Novikov says that Coyote “f***ed up” by recruiting someone connected to Russian mercenaries. “They got his psychiatrist to mess with his pills,” Novikov explains. The night Coyote was arrested for the DUI, he was drugged. A corrupt agent snuck Coyote from the police station via tunnels and sold him to mercenaries.

Now, General Volchock is holding Coyote behind enemy lines in Ukraine and will hand him over to the FSB the following week. Volchock is the commander of Valhalla, which Novikov describes as “a diabolical outfit” made up of special forces, private military contractors and ex-convicts. “You want him back? Move fast,” Novikov says.

Betting big

An update during a virtual conference call with Langley and the White House underscores how serious the Coyote situation has become. “He’ll soon be in Moscow, where they intend to use him to maximum effect,” explains Henry. The likely outcome is the Russians will go public with this news, and the US will have to “lean out of Ukraine” — not to mention potential nuclear escalation.

But Martian thinks it's good news, as the CIA has the ball and can make a move to snatch Coyote before any of that happens. Martian describes Valhalla as “a bunch of cowboys,” giving them four days to grab their agent back. However, Martian is way too confident for a man playing multiple games simultaneously. Bosko is furious at Martian for pitching an idea without passing it by him first.

Martian must also reassure his daughter that everything is okay, even though this is far from the case.

After Sami manages to shake her “protection," she finds Martian’s room empty. Sami can’t reach Martian, and Osman is already at the door when she leaves. Osman uses Sami’s phone to call Martian to chat about Poppy, “I’m very, very close,” Osman threatens. The game of cat and mouse now includes multiple innocent parties, and Martian is running out of options.

New episodes of The Agency premiere Fridays on Paramount Plus with Showtime in the US; Saturdays on Paramount Plus in the UK.

Martian (Michael Fassbender) expects risk-taking in his line of business but underestimates how his personal and professional lives will overlap in The Agency episode 5. Despite Henry’s (Jeffrey Wright) warnings, Martian continues to meet with Sami (Jodie Turner-Smith) which results in him coming face-to-face with Sudanese intelligence agent Osman (Kurt Egyiawan).

Meanwhile, attempts to find Coyote (Alex Reznik) continue with Owen (John Magaro) traveling to Belarus to search Coyote’s apartment. However, Owen lacks experience in the field, resulting in some missteps. Danny (Saura Lightfoot-Leon) also undergoes a dangerous encounter that tests her endurance skills.

Read on for our full recap of The Agency episode 5.

The values of covers

Dr. Blake (Harriet Sansom Harris) is curious about what Paul Lewis means to Martian. Martian compares a cover story to a windshield in that it can protect against bugs, but “anything hard enough, moving fast enough smashes clean through.” Osman proves not to be a bug, as he digs into Paul’s social media and travel history.

The biggest concern in the CIA field office isn’t this potential issue (Martian hasn’t shared any of this with his superiors), but finding a break with Coyote. Someone has contacted them with interest in an exchange, so Owen is tasked with searching Coyote’s apartment in Belarus for anything useful. Owen asks about a cover story, which Martian immediately vetoes as Owen hasn’t been trained.

Owen finds signs in the bathroom and bedroom at Coyotes' apartment that someone else has been there. As Coyote’s handler, Owen clocks other unusual details, such as a cat that Coyote never mentioned.

In the field

A date between Sami and Martian is interrupted by Osman, who makes Martian feel like a cop is questioning him. After Osman leaves, Martian has some follow-ups about this so-called colleague of Sami’s. But when Sami says her life will be in danger if she spills the real reason Osman is in London, Martian tables the conversation. “But Sami wasn’t a threat to me. I was a threat to her,” Martian tells the unseen woman in the flashforward.

The following morning, Osman orders Sami not to see "Paul" again. He claims to be protecting Sami, revealing his scar-covered chest (the result of six days of interrogation that proved he was telling the truth). Martian knows somebody will search his hotel room, so he leaves a copy of the manuscript of the novel "Paul" claims to be writing with eraser shavings inside (if they are disturbed, it will prove someone opened it). Martian follows Sami’s car and snaps photos of her entering a fancy building.

In Minsk, Owen meets the cat’s owner in Coyote’s apartment. Eva (Emma Nova) says Piotr (Coyte’s cover name) is her boss. She is staying at his apartment because she fought with her boyfriend. Owen ignores Martian’s instructions, pretending his name is John. They end up sleeping together.

Checking in with Danny, she's on a high after receiving an apology from Reza (Reza Brojerdi) and impressing him with her Farsi skills. She is quickly brought back to earth when she is handcuffed and detained. The interrogator ties Danny to a chair, telling her Reza works for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. “Spying is against the law in this country,” he says. Does this man work for British intelligence? The interrogation is violent, but Danny doesn’t crack. This ultimately was a test (Martian gives her a B+). Wen her interrogator informs Danny she passed, the two strike up a light flirtation — despite what he put her through — and later on, the two hook up for some out-of-office naked bonding.

Panicking

The CIA analysts pinpoint where somebody sent the Coyote-related text, a known dead drop spot. They realize Coyote must be leaking information, which means it is no longer safe for Owen to be there. Owen panics as he hasn’t told Henry about Eva.

In the bathroom, the steam from the shower reveals the word “VALHALLA;" Owen worries Eva is in on the deception. He locks Eva in a cupboard and finds a gun. Luckily, the extraction team arrives, detaining Eva before Owen does anything stupid.

While his colleagues try to learn more about Coyote's situation, Martian continues to gather intel on why Sami is in London. He learns that one of the men Sami is meeting with is Dalaga (David Harewood), the first cousin of General Hemedti. Martian also finds out that the owner of the building they are meeting is Chinese businessman Eric Zheng Huang, which will help uncover the motive for these meetings.

Martian also needs to lay a trap to ensure Osman believes the Paul Lewis cover story. Martian knows he will be followed and tested to see if he has skills that determine if he is an intelligence operative. So Martian receives specific non-fight training so he doesn’t respond to an attack like a CIA agent. When Osman’s man jumps Martian, he can't defend himself and his jacket is stolen with ease.

Martian's mistake 

Martian goes to the police station, knowing he is being watched by the man who stole his jacket because Osman wants verification that Martian reported the attack. He ultimately doesn't report the assault.

Reporting back to CIA, Owen tries to reason why sleeping with and then locking Eva in a closet was a good idea. Eva is just a secretary, but it isn’t a total bust. They have the phone, the word Valhalla on the mirror and information that Coyote was seeing a psychiatrist. Martian calls it “the most mishandled, questionable, sloppiest mission,” but Owen has “found a hole in the boat.” Is the psychiatrist the key?

Speaking of sloppy, Poppy’s (India Fowler) student ID was in Martian’s jacket pocket. Now Osman thinks he has to “get rid of someone” (note that he doesn’t specifically say Martian) and asks one of the Chinese agents for assistance.

Martian continues his off-books investigation, asking a British friend, James Richardson (Hugh Bonneville), for his thoughts on Eric Zheng Huang being part of whatever is going on. James says Eric is a self-made man who made his fortune in tech services, he is also a negotiations middleman. Martian is putting all the pieces into place. “I had to make lies real, or people would die,” Martian says. But is it too late?

New episodes of The Agency premiere Fridays on Paramount Plus with Showtime in the US; Saturdays on Paramount Plus in the UK.

Since we first met Dexter Morgan back in 2006, the vigilante serial killer has held a grim fascination for millions of viewers, as we’ve watched the one-time blood splatter analyst — played by Michael C. Hall — rid the world of heinous criminals who had evaded justice.

The titular character's job in the Miami Metro Police Department meant he knew which villains to target and how to get away with bumping them off. Now 10-part prequel series Dexter: Original Sin goes back to his early years as a forensics intern and charts how he became a bloodthirsty killer.

Set in 1991, Before We Die's Patrick Gibson plays Dexter, who's had urges to kill from a young age, while Christian Slater plays his adoptive dad Harry, a cop who helps his son channel his inner darkness by adopting a code that is to only kill bad people. Meanwhile, Hall returns in voice only to provide his internal monologue as he did in the previous series.

Here, Gibson, 29, reveals more about what to expect…

Where do we find Dexter at the beginning of the series?

"He's just dropped out of college and he's at a crossroads in his life about what to do. He decides to begin an internship in the forensics dept at the Miami Metro Police Department. It's his coming of age story, from teenage to adulthood, with all the complications that come with that while battling these urges that are becoming more powerful than he can control."

In the original series, we only saw Dexter’s dad Harry in flashback but we get to see more of him in Original Sin. What can you tell us about that?

“We explore their relationship from an earlier point than we saw in the original series. It’s fleshed out more. It's a fascinating father-and-son dynamic. For a lot of the season it’s the backbone of the show. There is a lot of love there but it's very complex. Raising a serial killer comes with a lot of challenges and moral questions which are really interesting to explore.”

How different is the prequel to the original series?

“The similarities are that it still has that blend of colourful, poppy, fun, Miami backdrop but with the darkness that inherently comes with being a serial killer. So it's that unusual blend of comedy and fun with much darker, dramatic moments. I think the difference would be where he is in his life; he has that kind of natural awkwardness that comes in your younger years.”

What was it like playing an earlier version of such an established character?

“It was a really interesting challenge. I had not played somebody where there was source material to draw from so a lot of the initial preparation was absorbing as much as I could of what Michael C Hall had done in the original, picking up on his idiosyncrasies and things that are so him, but also so Dexter, like his voice and movements. After that, it was really just finding how I bring my own spin on it as well.”

Did you swap notes about playing Dexter with Michael C Hall?

“We met in person for the first time at Comic Con [in San Diego]. I was doing a photoshoot and I turned around and he was just in front of me having spent so many days and nights listening to his voice and watching him. Meeting him in person was surreal. We spoke at length about Dexter and what made him tick, and he had some fascinating takes on him as a character. There are so many layers to him that you could talk about it all day.”

How did you find filming those scenes where Dexter kills his victims?

“I’m not particularly squeamish, but you know what’s funny? No one checked if I was someone who fainted at the sight of blood when I got the role! That would have meant quite a few challenges on set!’

Was Dexter a difficult character to latch on to? What qualities did you draw on to play him?

“The thing that I was most drawn to was his feeling that he’s an outsider. We’re in his head as an audience and we hear his thoughts, so there’s a natural empathy you have towards him because you see the world through his eyes. Even though he’s a serial killer, there’s something relatable about his feeling that he doesn’t fit in. I think at different points in everyone’s life they have that sense that the world is happening around them and they are watching it from the outside. So that’s really interesting to have a character who on paper has no empathy but be such an empathetic character to watch.”

The series has an amazing cast which includes Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Sarah Michelle Gellar, Heathers and Mr Robot star Christian Slater and Patrick Dempsey of Grey’s Anatomy and Bridget Jones’ Baby fame. Tell us about working with them…

“It’s so cool, the cast that they have assembled. I didn’t know who they had cast until the day I turned up at the production office and saw everyone’s pictures on the wall. We just go so lucky with the group that [showrunner] Clyde Phillips has assembled. It’s probably not luck; Clyde is just so great at putting people together. The original is a testament to that. They have been the greatest people to work with. You never know what someone is going to be like, it’s always a roll of the dice when you assemble a cast , but the chemistry is so good.”

As well as the original series of Dexter, we caught up with him in the 2019 series Dexter: New Blood and now we get to see him in his younger years. What do you think is the enduring appeal of this story?

“I think the moral ambiguity of the entire thing. It makes you question your allegiance to this character. Things tend to be black and white in terms of what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is bad. You find this character who is technically doing something morally reprehensible, but you can’t help but root for him. He’s the perfect anti-hero. There’s something in that that is fascinating, alluring and timeless. Those characters have existed for as long as we have been telling stories and a character that can make you question your own morality is fascinating.”

Dexter: Original Sin will be launching on Friday, December 13 2024 with Showtime on Paramount Plus in the US and on Paramount Plus in the UK. It's a 10-part series and episodes run weekly every Friday.

The Agency episode 3 returns to the questions of motivations for not only becoming a CIA agent but also remaining in the dangerous, fractured working environment after spending years deep undercover. In Martian's (Michael Fassbender) case, he remains resistant to the protection protocols and rejects the therapeutic help offered by Dr. Blake (Harriet Sansom Harris).

While Martian struggles to organize a rendezvous with Sami (Jodie Turner-Smith), events unfolding in Ukraine with Henry’s (Jeffrey Wright) brother-in-law Charlie (Edward Holcroft) take priority in the London field office. Only a handful of top people know the details of the top secret mission that Charlie is part of, Operation Felix. But when station chief Bosko (Richard Gere) is brought into that inner circle, he stresses if Charlie is captured it will be an “immediate strategic geopolitical disaster.”

Read on for our full recap of The Agency episode 3.

Henry confronts Martian

Martian arranges to meet Sami at a hotel despite finding out she has been lying about attending an academic conference. Martian takes precautions to lose his tail, but Henry still tracks him down using CCTV. Martian is somewhat cold to Sami, and he tells her that his book publisher is demanding to see him downstairs (even though it's nearly midnight).

Henry confronts Martin. But lies come easily to Martian, who claims he has come to the hotel because he is sleeping with a married woman (though that part is genuine). Henry is furious Martian is still using the defunct Paul Lewis identity, as it raises a red flag about his mental state. He orders Martian not to go back up to the room.

Outside, someone (Kurt Egyiawan) is surveilling Sami, but it's unclear who this man works for.

The following morning, Henry’s wife is concerned because the Zoom link she uses to talk to Charlie isn’t working. Henry reassures her as best he can (without knowing the answer himself) that Charlie is okay.

Felix is the ball game 

Bosko tells the CIA Director (Dominic West) it's been determined that the network of the still unaccounted-for Coyote (Alex Reznik) is “sound” and that he understands that Felix is an “operation of extreme sensitivity." The director says they must recommence this conversation in “the cube.”

This one-on-one room is used sparingly (WWIII or an alien invasion, joke the tech guys), emphasizing the need-to-know status of this information, which we aren’t privy to.

Meanwhile, Martian greets Henry as “my stalker,” Henry admits he also “f***ed up recently for personal reasons. I owned it and put it right.” Henry is seemingly referring to asking his brother-in-law about Felix. In a conference room, Henry and Martian learn about the three men who came up against the Russian forces deep behind enemy lines. They know that if Charlie follows protocol, there will be a 48-hour comms blackout. After his briefing, Bosko updates Henry and Martian that Operation Felix is active again, and they must do “whatever it takes” to find Charlie and his team.

Charlie is already taking tactical steps, switching cars and noting the danger of drones that track by infrared. They need to find woodland rather than taking roads.

Despite knowing Bosko can’t confirm either way, Henry struggles not to ask questions about Felix because of how personal it is for him. Bosko understands the conflict of “heart versus job” and “soul versus duty” that Henry currently faces.

Listening in

Martian argues with his daughter Poppy (India Fowler) at his apartment about her purposefully invading his privacy. The following morning, Bosko makes it apparent to Martian he heard this argument (or has been told by someone listening) and that his door is always open. There's clearly still concern about Martian’s adjustment back to life in London.

After reviewing all of the Coyote materials, Langley has determined he's likely a double. There are three reasons why someone would flip: money, ideology and love. They have yet to determine Coyote’s motives, but they are often financial.

The conversation shifts to the needle in a haystack that is locating Charlie. Luckily, they can narrow the search because they know what methods Charlie will use to evade detection. When they put this into motion, Charlie and his two colleagues are met by allies who tell them Felix is back on. Resistance men will escort the trio to a clinic where “the target is due to arrive in a week.”

No glamour, no money, no exploding watch

In his session with Dr. Blake, Martian is hostile to the whole process, and the two are immediately at odds. We learn Martin's real name is Brandon, and he doesn’t see himself as shedding that identity when assuming another moniker.

After some back-and-forth, Martian reiterates the reality of this world is not like the movies (“no glamour, no money, no exploding watch”). He theorizes that you have to be insane to do this job and that Dr. Blake is not there to help him but to ensure he stays crazy enough. Martian confirms he's still “nuts enough” before leaving.

Despite Martian walking out on Sami at the hotel, she agrees to meet him again at a screening of Catch 22. They argue when he brings up the academic conference. “Playing the jealous husband; I already have one of those,” she responds. Sami explained it was pointless to go to those lectures to be told by a European academic about her specialist subject; she only enrolled to get a grant. Sami also came to London to escape from a place where she was scared.

Outside, Martian confronts her about what she does all day? Wondering if she came to London because she knew he would be there. Sami rejects this, pointing out she doesn’t interrogate him. The man following Sami takes a photo of them arguing on the bridge. “This isn’t working,” Sami tells Martian, and they go in separate directions. The man surveilling Sami approaches her and tells her to get in his car. She reluctantly agrees.

As Sami tries not to cry, we wonder whether she is worried her cover has been blown or if this interception is a message from her jealous husband. Only time will tell.

Episodes of The Agency are streaming on Paramount Plus.

The Agency episode 2 depicts the fraught nature of covert work and the long-lasting psychological impact. Dr. Blake (Harriet Sansom Harris) arrives from Langley to assess Martian (Michael Fassbender), while her skills are also used in the field as a different operation proves challenging.

The London CIA field office still hasn’t located Coyote (Alex Reznik), a deep-cover operative who was arrested in Minsk and has vanished from custody. The concern is that Coyote’s cover is blown, which puts other assets and operations at risk, particularly in Ukraine. There is a race against the clock to assess danger levels. In addition, Martian starts questioning the motives of the woman he loves.

Read on for our full recap of The Agency episode 2 (and catch up with our The Agency episode 1 recap.)

Mission abort? 

Henry’s brother-in-law Charlie (Edward Holcroft) is a doctor working at a makeshift hospital in Ukraine. We also know he is working undercover in a top-secret capacity — Henry doesn’t know the specifics. Charlie receives a shipment of medical supplies and an update that operation Felix is “amber;" their cover is not blown at the moment — but he should be on standby.

Back in London, Martian continues to enjoy his hotel room rendezvous with Sami (Jodie Turner-Smith). Before Sami departs, she reminds Martian the last thing they said to each other was, “You and me, forever.” Is Martian about to risk it all for love? The following morning, Martian gifts the two operatives tailing him with coffee and pastries — and the bugs he has already found.

At the office, Blair (Ambreen Razia), Owen (John Magaro) and Martian continue to analyze the Coyote situation, reviewing how the missing operative’s sources are reacting to this fluid situation. Three sources (like Charlie) are on standby and a fourth “sounded spooked.” Martian thinks the fourth should be exfiltrated as they can use him.

An exfiltration will be worth the $100,000 price tag. The spy business is expensive, and Henry has to barter for every dollar from station chief Bosko (Richard Geere). If Coyote is a double agent, then anyone Coyote previously recruited might be working against the US.

Next steps

Henry notes he is concerned Martian has “post-mission disorder.” So Dr. Blake, who is on hand to evaluate mental health across the department, meets with him. Martian shows the doctor the video of the spiraling fourth source, Alexei (Marcin Zarzeczny), asking Dr. Blake to assess Alexei’s panic level.

It's determined they must do something immediately. Dr. Blake will accompany Martian to intercept Alexei. Unfortunately, Alexei is at the airport and bought a ticket to JFK. The destination makes it clear that Alexei has been working for the Americans.

Meanwhile, Danny (Saura Lightfoot-Leon) continues to prepare for covert life, saying goodbye to friends and giving over her real passport to be shredded. A trip to Israel in 2018 needs to be wiped from any airport security footage, which the CIA is more than capable of doing.

The wooden duck

Because Alexei jumped the gun, the handlers canceled his original plane ticket and told him to fly to Poland under the guise of visiting his sick brother. Martian and Dr. Blake meet Alexei’s brother and ask him to check himself into a hospital, which will support Alexei’s cover story. When Alexei arrives in Gdansk, he is taken by men against his will.

Even before Alexei’s “enhanced interrogation,” he is a sweating, screaming mess. If Alexei is a double, it will prove that Coyote is also. Martian and Henry respond to the live video, saying the team should “let him cook.”

Dr. Blake looks sickened by the whole endeavor and confused by Martian calling it a wooden duck. “Squeeze a wooden duck; it doesn’t quack," he explains. "If this guy works for the Russians, as soon as he’s had enough, he’ll quack,” explains Martian. If he does quack (aka talk), it means “we’re f***ed.”

Martian feeds commands to the agents in the Russian container, and Alexei starts to quack, spilling details about working for the Russians and Americans. As a truck driver, this includes supplying medical items like Charlie’s delivery at the start of the episode. Despite the information being little more than hearsay, JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command) wants to use this intel to get their men to safety. Charlie receives the emergency abort signal, leaving the hospital with two allies.

Russian soldiers block the way out of the town, but the three operatives shoot through the blockade. It is three versus dozens, but they are all experienced, as the two other men are Ukrainian special forces and Charlie is a Delta Force operator. Despite being outgunned, Charlie surprises the Russians, and the trio triumphs.

It's revealed that Alexei isn’t in Russia but is being questioned in London; Martian puts on a ski mask and joins the interrogation, asking Alexei to identify people in his network. Martian confirms Alexei is not working against them, as the names Martian chooses are from War & Peace. They can’t confirm whether Coyote is a double agent.

Survival

Naomi (Katherine Waterston) informs Danny her mission entails identifying nuclear engineers at the University of Tehran; Danny needs to get hired by Professor Mortazevi for a research job at the Institute of Geophysics. Naomi warns Danny about the cost of doing this work; “surviving totally alone, forever.” Danny is all in and has made her first steps toward getting the research job.

Helpful analyst Simon (Bilal Hasna) has done a background check on Sami for Martian, and everything appears above board. Martian wants to surprise Sami at the academic conference. However, while Sami is registered, Martian learns she hasn't attended any lectures.

In what appears to be a flashforward, Martian says to an unseen person he could’ve gone to Henry to say, “I f***ed up.” Instead, he listened to the small voice saying, “I can do this. I can do anything.” It's concerning that Martian is in a hospital bed, revealing this error in judgment. Who is Martian admitting this to, and what is Sami hiding?

New episodes of The Agency premiere Fridays on Paramount Plus and Sundays on Showtime.

Michael Fassbender headlines a star-studded cast in The Agency, a new spy thriller that takes on fraught politics, international relations and spy psyches. Adapted from the critically acclaimed French drama The Bureau, the focus on training and handling deep cover agents remains, switching France for London as the base of operations.

The Cold War might seem like old news, but in the world of espionage, this covert conflict with Russia continues, and a crisis in Minsk, Belarus, is unfolding. Dealing with this potential global disaster is only one piece of the puzzle. At the same time, Fassbender’s CIA special agent, code-named Martian, has been pulled out of a long-term operation and is adjusting to life back in London.

Read on for a full recap of The Agency series premiere.

Trouble in Belarus 

After spending six years undercover, a no-nonsense Martian is immediately taken to a safe house upon his return to England. Martian appears unrattled but later voices frustration that he was only given 48 hours' notice to pack up his operation.

In a video debrief with handler Naomi (Katherine Waterston), Martian describes breaking it off with his married lover Sami (Jodie Turner-Smith), telling Sami he was leaving Ethiopia for a teaching job in Jordan. But Martian's verbal description doesn’t match the tender, sad scene we see with Sami. When Martian relocates to London, he immediately finds three separate listening devices his new apartment.

In Belarus, a drunk man gets into a car and immediately causes damage to other vehicles in his attempted escape and is arrested. When the scene cuts to the London CIA field office, we learn he is an agent by the codename Coyote (Alex Reznik).

To understand what they are up against, Head of Strategy Henry (Jeffrey Wright) asks Frank (Alex Jennings) to look up footage of Coyote’s “under the influence” interrogation training to make sure the agent is equipped in this incapacitated state. Meanwhile, Coyote’s handler, Owen (John Magaro), goes through their recorded conversations to see if anything is unusual.

Frank hides his concern, but the footage reveals Coyote was six years sober and refused to drink as the training demanded. Frank is sympathetic as he is also a recovering alcoholic. Coyote says if he is drunk, his cover is blown. None of this bodes well, considering how inebriated Coyote was in the footage. Frank lies to Henry, saying the tape of Coyote’s training is corrupted.

When Station chief Bosko (Richard Gere) asks Henry for an update, Henry claims “nothing special” has happened so far with the situation in Belarus.

The Cold War is back on 

Martian gathers all the Paul Lewis IDs he used while on his most recent mission but removes the driving license. He asks to see his teen daughter Poppy (India Fowler), who can’t help but make some digs about how much time her dad has been gone.

The following day, Henry catches Martian up on the political climate. Martian observes that six years ago the Russian embassy in London only had three satellite dishes; now they have 30. Henry says the Cold War is back “chilly as f***.” Plus, there is trouble in Belarus. Is this why Martian is back? Nope, Martian has to train a female agent who will be going deep cover in Iran.

At this office, Martian is greeted like a returning hero. Martian meets his handler, Naomi in person for the first time, but is distracted by a news report of a bombing at a university in Sudan.

Martian returns all the old IDs to be destroyed, making an excuse for the missing driver’s license. Simon (Bilal Hasna) must deactivate the Paul Lewis email accounts, but Martian sees a message from Sami saying she still loves him.

New and old opportunities 

The first training session with Danny (Saura Lightfoot-Leon) gives Martian a chance to instill an important lesson — “Never rely on the op to make you safe; rely on yourself.” Back at his apartment, Martian is under surveillance by the agency, which is standard protocol in this scenario. Still, he buys a burner phone undetected. He calls Sami and is relieved to hear she is in London.

The Coyote situation continues to spiral as there is no sign of him in custody. Owen explains to an impatient Bosko that Coyote’s phone is still pinging at the police station, meaning his cover is blown or he orchestrated his own disappearance.

During this meeting, Coyote’s refusal to do the under-the-influence training is revealed to Henry. If Coyote has talked, it has enormous ramifications, as roughly 60 percent of all covert ops in Russia and Ukraine might be compromised.

Langley demands an update. Bosko downplays it as a “local problem.” Their boss (Dominic West) explains the “New Domino Theory” suggests the world is three dominoes away from nuclear exchange: “Minsk is a big f***ing domino!” Later, when Frank packs up his office for good, he warns Henry that Martian is “dangerous.”

Losing his tail

When Henry gets home, his wife is chatting to her brother Charlie (Edward Holcroft) on a video call. Henry needs to ask Charlie about a mission. Charlie is in the special ops business and can’t answer specifics, but he is involved with an op with a code name “Felix.” Henry then tells his brother-in-law not to worry.

One concern is Martian knows how to lose his tail, but Martian didn’t factor in that his car would have two tracking devices, so two agents follow him to a hotel where Martian is meeting Sami. The exes make chit-chat, and Martian claims he is writing a book. They head to a hotel room and reconnect in the bedroom.

A flashback to Martian debriefing Naomi in the first 24 hours since he met Sami reveals he didn’t listen to his handler about whether or not Sami is in the game. Martian doesn’t think Sami is an enemy agent, but falling for someone is not advised because “love is blind.” Is Sami a historian, or is she a spy?

New episodes of The Agency premiere Fridays on Paramount Plus and air Sundays on Showtime.

UPDATE October 24: The Agency release date has been officially announced as Friday, November 29, on Paramount Plus ahead of its cable debut. The first two episodes of the series are going to premiere on November 29.

About a week ago the first images for the upcoming spy drama The Agency starring Michael Fassbender were shared with the added nugget that info on a release date would be coming “soon.” My expectation was that maybe it would sneak into the final days of the 2024 calendar or the first few weeks of 2025 at the earliest. So I was pleasantly surprised to discover that The Agency is premiering much sooner than that.

The Agency is going to premiere on Paramount Plus on Friday, November 29, for US subscribers to Paramount Plus with Showtime ahead of its debut on the Paramount Plus with Showtime (formerly just Showtime) cable channel in the US. For those outside the US that have Paramount Plus, including the UK, Canada, Australia, Italy, Germany, Latin America and Brazil, The Agency will only be available on Paramount Plus.

With that news, The Agency immediately jumps to one of my most anticipated shows to come in 2024. Based on the French TV series Le Bureau des Légendes (aka The Bureau), The Agency follows Martian (Fassbender), a covert CIA agent ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station. When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. His career, his real identity and his mission are pitted against his heart; hurling them both into a deadly game of international intrigue and espionage.

In addition to Fassbender, the series stars Richard Gere, Jeffry Wright, Jodie Smith-Turner, John Magaro, India Fowler and more, including a guest star role for Hugh Bonneville. George Clooney is also on board as an executive producer for the series.

At the time of publication there is no trailer for The Agency, but considering we’re just a little more than a month away from its premiere, we expect that to change in the near future.

For a fan of spy dramas like me, the sooner-than-expected arrival of The Agency is fantastic news. Slow Horses season 4 recently wrapped up, and The Old Man season 2 is ending on October 24. And while Netflix has multiple upcoming entries to the genre with The Diplomat season 2 and Black Doves (the latter premiering after The Agency), these are expected to have all their episodes available at once for bingeing, while The Agency is expected to release episodes weekly, giving us a longer time to enjoy it.

If you want to watch The Agency when it premieres on Paramount Plus, you must have a subscription to the streaming service.

As the calendar flips to June, we once again recognize Pride Month, which salutes the men, women and non-binary persons who are brave enough to be their true selves. Throughout the month, there are going to be a number of new shows and movies debuting with gay/queer characters and themes that viewers can watch to commemorate the occasion. Plus, streamers like Paramount Plus, Netflix, Peacock and Hulu are offering a special selection of classic LGBTQ+ titles for subscribers to enjoy.

Pride Month finds its origins in the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City, and in honor of that fateful summer event, the US has officially been celebrating the LGBTQ community in June since 1999, with the UK and other countries following suit. 

We've combed through the programming being offered and have selected a few things we think are worth watching during Pride Month 2024. Without further delay, here's the list we've come up with. 

Am I OK?

Am I OK? is an offbeat comedy starring Dakota Johnson as a woman trying to find herself. Given she already "colors outside the lines" with her unique personality, exploring her sexuality makes for quite the interesting story. If you're a fan of "awkward" self-exploration, the movie is one to look at. 

The movie streams on Max on June 6 in the US.

Becoming Karl Lagerfeld

We can't pretend that in real life legendary fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld didn't have his share of controversies in addition to his famed designs. However, in the new series Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, viewers get an insight look into the Parisian designer, learning what went into him building his grandiose persona, navigating his sultry romance with Jacques de Bascher and competing with longtime rival/friend, Yves Saint Laurent. 

Streaming on June 7 on Hulu in the US and on Disney Plus in the UK. 

Couples Therapy 

Couples Therapy technically debuted on May 31, but it's worth a watch during this year's Pride Month. The docuseries gives a unique look into the lives of several couples, including a few of the same sex, as they dive into the woes that often plague relationships. The lives are explored in a unique way and through a nonfiction lens. 

Available on Paramount Plus with Showtime in the US and UK. 

I Kissed a Boy

It's not every day that a reality TV show comes along and features gay men searching for love. That's exactly what I Kissed a Boy is, a dating show for those interested in dating the same sex. While the series debuted in the UK some time ago, it makes its US debut this June. 

Streaming on June 15 on Hulu in the US. It's already available on the BBC iPlayer in the UK. 

Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution 

If you're looking for something educational yet funny, look no further than the Netflix documentary, Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution. The movie highlights the contributions of comedians who identify on the LGBTQ+ spectrum to the world of stand-up comedy. It features interviews from Wanda Sykes, Rosie O'Donnell, Sandra Bernhard and more.  

Streaming on Netflix on June 18. 

Queer Planet 

In the "first-of-its-kind nature documentary," Queer Planet takes a look at the animal kingdom and its not often spoken about LGBTQ+ community. Scientists provide expertise on what transpires in the wild as it pertains to sexuality, most likely providing information that will shock viewers. 

Streaming on Peacock on June 6 in the US. 

Trixie Motel: Drag Me Home

For fans of the Trixie Motel series, we have some good news as Trixie Motel: Drag Me Home premieres this Pride. The spinoff series follows American drag queen Trixie as she and her partner, David Silver, work to develop their dream home.  As they undergo renovations of a property they've purchased, both drama and laughs ensue. 

Streaming on June 26 on Max in the US. 

Other content for Pride Month 2024

In addition to these new releases, streamers are highlighting special LGBTQ+ content this month worth checking out. Here are few standout picks from some of the major streaming services. 

Disney Plus

• Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts
• Extraordinary Birder with Christian Cooper
• Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium
• Pride from Above
  

Hulu

• Station 19 season 7
• 9-1-1 season 7
• Grey's Anatomy season 20
• Abbott Elementary season 3
• The Freedom to Exist — A Soul of a Nation Presentation
• Theater Camp (2023)

Max

• The Stroll (2023)

Netflix 

• Baby Reindeer (2024)
• Sex Education season 4
• Never Have I Ever season 4
• Big Mouth season 7

Paramount Plus

• Mean Girls (2024) 
• Noah's Arc
• Special Ops: Lioness

Peacock 

• Queer as Folk
• The Best Man: The Final Chapters
• Couple to Throuple

Prime Video 

• Red, White & Royal Blue (2023)
• My Fake Boyfriend (2022)
• The People We Hate at the Wedding (2022)

Tubi

• RUMORS (Also available on YouTube and Prime Video in the UK)

Dexter: Original Sin is the long-awaited prequel series to the serial killer drama Dexter, which originally starred Michael C Hall. Now British star Patrick Gibson will be taking up the reins, playing troubled Dexter Morgan in his younger years as a student in 1991. Hollywood star Christian Slater plays Dexter's adoptive police detective father Harry Morgan, who guided his son to killing ways. Molly Brown will play Dexter’s younger sister, Debra Morgan, originally played by Jennifer Carpenter.

So here's everything you need to know about Dexter: Original Sin coming to Showtime in the US and Paramount Plus in the UK.

Dexter: Original Sin release date

Dexter: Original Sin will be launching on Friday December 13 2024 on Showtime in the US and Paramount Plus in the UK. It's a 10-part series and episodes run weekly every Friday.

* Sign up for Paramount Plus here

Is there a trailer for Dexter: Original Sin?

Yes there's an official and teaser trailer released for Dexter: Original Sin so you can see Dexter and his family in his younger days in below. Take a look at both below...

Dexter: Original Sin plot

Dexter: Original Sin takes place 15 years before we met Dexter in the main series. Set in Miami in 1991, it follows Dexter Morgan (Patrick Gibson) in his formative years, during his student days as he starts to become an avenging serial killer. 

When his bloodthirsty urges can’t be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness. With the guidance of his father, Harry (Christian Slater), he adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcement’s radar. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department. 

Dexter: Original Sin cast — Patrick Gibson on playing Dexter Morgan

Dexter: Original Sin has three main characters but its lead is Dexter Morgan played by British actor Patrick Gibson. Dexter is troubled and has a thirst for blood and killing, having witnessed his real parents murdered in front of him when a small child and being left in a pool of their blood. He and his orphaned sister Debra were then adopted by the homicide detective Harry Morgan. 

In the series Dexter, which started in 2006, and ran for eight series, he was a blood spatter forensic analyst for the Miami police department. He'd learned a 'Code' from his dad Harry, which he used to kill bad people who he knew had got away with murder.

Patrick Gibsob says: "He’s just dropped out of college and he’s at a crossroads in his life. He decides to begin an internship in the forensics section at the Miami Metro Police Department. It’s his coming-of-age story, from teenage to adulthood, with all the complications that come with that, while battling these urges that are becoming more powerful than he can control. 

In the original series, we only saw Dexter’s dad Harry in flashback but we get to see more of him in Original Sin, now played by Christian Slater (see below). Patrick says: Their relationship is fleshed out more. It’s a fascinating father-and-son dynamic. For a lot of the season it’s the backbone of the show. There is a lot of love there but it’s very complex. Raising a serial killer comes with a lot of challenges and moral questions which are really interesting to explore."

* Patrick Gibson is the son of Richard Gibson, who played Gestapo officer Herr Flick in the classic BBC1 comedy Allo Allo. Patrick's acting roles have included Nikolai Lantsov in the Netflix series Shadow and Bone, Steve Winchell in The OA, plus the Channel 4 series Before We Die and he had the lead role in Sky Cinema movie The Portable Door.

Dexter: Original Sin star Patrick Gibson — 'No one checked if I was someone who fainted at the sight of blood when I got the role!'

Christian Slater on playing Harry Morgan

Christian Slater plays Dexter's police detective father Harry Morgan who adopted him and his sister Debra.

Christian says: "I'm a huge Dexter faan. I watched every season and drank this in. When I heard this was happening I was thrilled. I love the relationship between Dexter and his dad Harry in this show and to get the opportunty to explore that in a deeper way has been great. I can’t wait for the fans to get a deeper insight in Original Sin."

Christian Slater is a major Hollywood star who has starred in films such as The Name Of The Rose, Heathers True Romance, Very Bad Things and Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, plus the recent Netflix movie Unfrosted (see below).

Molly Brown as Debra Morgan

Molly Brown plays Dexter’s younger sister Debra Morgan, who eventually becomes a Miami police detective played by Jennifer Carpenter in the Dexter series.

Who else is starring in Dexter: Original Sin?

Other cast in Dexter: Original Sin are playing members of the Miami Metro Police Department. James Martinez (Love Victor) plays Angel Batista, an up-and-coming homicide detective who leads with his heart, Christina Milian (Falling Inn Love) plays Maria LaGuerta, Miami Metro’s first female homicide detective, Alex Shimizu (The Blacklist) is Vince Masuka, a forensic analyst who eagerly shares his expertise while relishing the chance to boss around his new intern; and Reno Wilson (Mike & Molly) Bobby Watt, Harry’s longtime partner and confidant.

Behind the scenes and more on Dexter: Original Sin

Dexter: Original Sin is a10-part series. Emmy nominee Clyde Phillips (Dexter, Nurse Jackie) will return as showrunner and executive producer. The show is executive produced by Clyde Phillips and produced by SHOWTIME Studios and Counterpart Studios. Executive producers also include Scott Reynolds (Jessica Jones),Michael C. Hall (DEXTER), Mary Leah Sutton (Resident Evil), Tony Hernandez (Emily In Paris), Lilly Burns (Russian Doll), with the series being produced by Robert Lloyd Lewis (The Lincoln Lawyer). Reuniting with Slater is Michael Lehmann (Heathers), who serves as directing executive producer. 

For Showtime Studios, the series is being creatively overseen by Gary Levine and Urooj Sharif, with production supervised by Tara Power. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution outside of Paramount+ markets.

"It all sounded so simple," the older Sofia narrates in the opening moments of A Gentle in Moscow episode 8, as Rostov (Ewan McGregor) plans out the route Sofia (Beau Gadsdon) needs to take to drop off the recorded message that will secure her freedom from the Soviet Union. But as we all know, things are never that simple.

Rostov feels this too, as he is anxious about every part of his plan, including the dress Sofia is going to wear for her performance in Paris. But he is also melancholy that the little girl he has raised is now a woman, who he must let go. But he knows Russia will be the ruin of her and this plan is to ensure she has a future.

Let’s break down Rostov's plan and how it works out with our A Gentleman in Moscow finale recap.

The plan

Rostov and Anna's (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) plan is that after Sofia's performance, she will sneak away from the group, cut her hair and adopt a disguise, then sneak out of the concert hall with the rest of the audience. With her time slot earlier in the show, it should give her ample time to do this. Rostov won't plan to leave the hotel until after Sofia is safe, signaling them by having the US embassy call all the phones at the hotel to distract everyone and allow Rostov to walk out. Sofia wants to know how they will meet up with her after that, but Rostov tells her not to worry about it.

Anna gets some alone time with Sofia. She tells her Nina would have been proud of her daughter, just as Anna is proud of her. Sofia again asks how long she'll have to wait for her and Rostov to join her in America? Anna tells her not to wait, just live her life and never look back.

Rostov has also arranged for a special dinner with Sofia in their secret room, with three final lessons he wants to give her. First, if one does not master one's circumstances, "one is mastered by them," Sofia answers for him, clearly having heard this before. The second lesson is the surest sign of wisdom is cheerfulness. And the final thing he wants her to know is while he'll be sad by her absence, Rostov will have immense joy thinking of the adventures she'll have. Sofia realizes Rostov is not planning to join her in America. He explains he was able to secure asylum for her, but doing so for him and Anna wasn't possible. Instead, they plan to take a train to Finland, and from there they will see.

He speaks about how he prevented his sister from having the life she deserved, and he is determined to not let that happen with Sofia. He intends to keep his promise to Nina to look after Sofia, which now means getting her out of Russia.

It's then time for Sofia to leave. She says goodbye to all of the staff in the lobby; Leplevsky (John Heffernan) looks on from afar. Rostov plays it like he'll be seeing Sofia in two weeks, but as they embrace in a hug he assures her she can do this. As she walks out the door, Rostov pulls out the thimble from the first game he played with Sofia when she was young.

No regrets

Rostov spends time with the rest of the staff, telling them about the legend of the tree with black apples from his home, the ones that if you eat allow you to start your life over. He says even though his life has taken more twists and turns than he thought it would have, he would not eat a black apple, refusing to give up all the joys he has had and the friends he has made. He gives a toast to living a life without regret.

When he returns to his apartment, Glebnikov (Johnny Harris) is waiting for him. Glebnikov has come to say goodbye, expecting he will soon be killed. Unlike Rostov, he has regrets, saying the last time he saw his daughter he gave up spending more time with her to go to a meeting. He now wishes he had the chance to give a proper goodbye as Rostov did with Sofia (he also observed her departure from one of the hotel balconies). Rostov is worried Glebnikov is on to their plan, but the former official knows there is nothing he can do to stop it, but others can he warns Rostov. Soviet officials will be watching the train stations and Sofia, so Rostov's plan is in serious jeopardy of not working.

The escape

As Sofia prepares for her concert, she is told she has been moved to the second-to-last performance of the concert, which will make her escape plans all the more difficult to pull off.

Things appear smoother for Rostov, he has gotten two Finnish passports (stolen from guests) for him and Anna, while she has taken care of the train tickets. Rostov tells her he never expected his sentence at the Metropol to bring the happiest days of his life or that he would find someone he loves as much as Anna. Like Sofia, Anna picks up that Rostov has little faith their plan will work. When he asks her if she does, she admits she is doubtful too. But regardless of what happens, she says he gave her something she never imagined for herself, a happy ending. They go their separate ways as they make the final preparations.

In the lobby, Leplevsky is actively searching for the guests' missing passports. He notices Anna leaving, suitcase and all, which raises his suspicions. He goes to search Rostov's apartment, finding the passports. Rostov spies him doing this from the secret room.

Leplevsky heads for his office to make a call and inform officials of Rostov's plan, but Rostov beats him there and is holding two dueling pistols (the that were locked behind a painting in the manager's office for years) to threaten Leplevsky. He forces Leplevsky to empty the filing cabinet with all the information he has gathered on Rostov and the other members of the hotel staff, taking them down to the cellar and burning them in the furnace. Rostov then leaves Leplevsky chained up in the cellar so he won't interfere with his planned escape.

Meanwhile, Sofia finishes her performance and rushes to a bathroom to adopt her disguise. However, when she is not a part of the final curtain call, her chaperone goes looking for her. Sofia spots her coming and hides in one of the stalls. Of course, the chaperon checks each individual stall one by one. But when she gets to the last stall, Sofia is not there. She leaves in a huff. Sofia then emerges from the ceiling of one of the stalls. With shorter hair and dressed like a young man, she follows the plan and attempts to blend in with members of the audience as she heads for the exit. However, guards are eying the doors, aware Sofia is trying to defect.

Back in Russia, Anna waits at the train station for Rostov, but it's Glebnikov who arrives, telling her to get on the train and giving her a passport that will get her into Finland. Anna realizes Rostov isn't coming. Glebnikov explains Rostov knows even with Stalin gone, the Soviet Union hasn't stopped punishing the families of their enemies, so Rostov not joining Anna is the best way to protect her. As the train prepares to embark, Anna is frozen, unsure of what to do.

Rostov anxiously waits in the lobby for the phone to ring, signaling Sofia is safe. It rings a few times, but they are just normal calls. But then a phone rings again, and another and another, until all the phones in the Metropol are ringing off the hook. Rostov smiles as he knows Sofia is safe. He then gathers himself, gives one last look at the hotel and walks out the front door.

A happy ending

With the older Sofia's narration, we learn she safely made it to America to start her new life, but she would never see Rostov or Anna again. She heard Rostov left the hotel, but what happened to him is a mystery.

However, we see a disheveled Rostov, presumably having traveled a long way on foot, walking through a field. At the end of it, he sees Anna waiting for him.

Time passes, and Rostov and Anna are living on a farm. The black fruit on some of the trees indicates they are in the area where Rostov grew up. He never left his beloved Russia, but they have found peace and safety to live out the rest of their lives.

All episodes of A Gentleman in Moscow are now streaming on Paramount Plus.

It's a new, uncertain era when Rostov (Ewan McGregor) wakes one morning to the sounds of bells in A Gentleman in Moscow episode 7. Stalin has died (making it 1953, for historical reference). 

Leplevsky (John Heffernan) takes the news particularly hard, putting a photo of the Soviet leader in the lobby and leading the staff in a toast. However, things are much more complicated for everyone else, as Stalin's death brings up many questions about who will take over and what kind of Russia will emerge. But as Stalin exits, a figure from Rostov's past returns.

Read on for our breakdown of A Gentleman in Moscow episode 7.

Life's inconveniences 

Rostov eagerly awaits for Sofia (Beau Gadsdon) to return from her piano recital with Richard (Lucian Msamati), a US ambassador Rostov has gotten to know. Sofia was triumphant, with her win allowing her to go on a tour of Europe to play piano. As they celebrate, Sofia plays some Beethoven infused with Blues. Rostov warns her, but Sofia believes with Stalin gone things like his ban on certain styles of music are going to disappear.

That proves to be naive of Sofia, as evidenced by Leplevsky, who later questions Rostov about Sofia's choice of music. Rostov defends Sofia, claiming she was just playing Beethoven, but Leplevsky warns he won't have "degenerate" music in his hotel.

Rostov meets with Richard once again in the bar. Richard details the fragile place US and Soviet relations are in now that Stalin is dead, saying the doors to Russia could open or be shut depending on who takes over. He reveals himself to be a spy (or as he puts it, "observant conversationalist") and wants Rostov's help. A dinner of party leaders is going to be held at the hotel, and Richard wants to know what is decided during that meeting. For this service, Richard promises he can get Sofia to America. However, Rostov is opposed to spying against his country.

Spending time with Anna (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Rostov finds a magazine from America showcasing all of its "conveniences." He asks Anna if she would want to live in America? Everyone wants to, she says, though Rostov protests he doesn't. Anna calls him "fatally Russian" and unable to see past his love of country. Rostov argues it's the inconveniences that have mattered most in his life, bringing him Anna and Sofia. But she reminds him he has been confined in the most convenient place, not having to endure what other Russians have had to. Rostov is about to learn much more about that.

The return

Rostov is alerted by the staff that Mishka (Fehinti Balogun) has shown up at the hotel, ragged, cold and afraid. Rostov takes him to his room, where he notices Mishka's shoes are worn out, expecting he has walked hundreds of miles. Rostov gives Mishka food, which he scarfs down. Rostov is taken aback by this display. Mishka apologizes, saying he has lost some of his manners. When Rostov asks where he has been, Mishka can't talk about it without breaking down into tears. Rostov embraces his friend, telling him it will be alright.

But Mishka remains haunted by his experiences in exile. Sofia asks about it, but he says nothing. It's only when Sofia reveals she still holds out hope her parents may come back one day that Mishka bluntly responds, "No one comes back." Mishka would appear to be the exception, but he knows despite his physical presence, he cannot return to his old life or grow old with Rostov, as his old friend dreams. Mishka is certain there is no tomorrow for him.

Rostov's loyalties 

Glebnikov (Johnny Harris) arrives at the hotel for dinner and to discuss something with Rostov. Glebnikov also wants Rostov to gather info from the dinner of party leaders, expecting Rostov to show gratitude for what he has done for him and Sofia. But Rostov wants to know something first: what is going on with Russia outside of the walls of the hotel?

After Stalin's death, Glebnikov says his immediate superiors were eliminated from their positions. He fears if Nikita Kruschev becomes the next leader, then everyone from the old order will meet the same fate, including Glebnikov. Rostov says he will do what he can.

That night Rostov has a dream with Mishka, Anna, Petrov (Paul Ready), Nina (Alexa Goodall) and Sofia. Flakes fall that turn out to be ash as fire surrounds them all. After Rostov wakes, he recounts his dream to Anna. He realizes Mishka and Nina gave everything to Russia and it destroyed them. He won't let that happen to Sofia; they have to let her go to America, which Anna agrees with. What Anna doesn't agree with is Rostov's idea to push her away in an attempt to protect her. She says she loves him — perhaps for the first time based on Rostov's look — and that whatever happens, they'll face it together.

The dinner

Richard shows Rostov how to use the wire to record the dinner, reminds him of the dangers if he is caught and gives instructions for Sofia to deliver the tapes to the US embassy in Paris.

Speaking of Sofia, she is put in her own precarious situation when Leplevsky speaks with her about the music she'll be playing for guests that night. He rips up a piece of sheet music he deems inappropriate, then brings up Nina. He calls it a pity what happened to her, but describes her as morally bankrupt and says she was found guilty of anti-Soviet corruption. This rattles Sofia.

When Sofia sits to play, Anna notices she is not herself. Sofia says she can’t breathe in this place, but Anna reassures her and tells her to trust Rostov. Sofia only gets a few notes in before Leplevsky interrupts and tells her she should play the Soviet national anthem unless she has any political objections to it. Angry, Sofia begins to play the anthem, and Leplevsky has a smug smile on his face. As he turns, Sofia alters the tune just a little, which gets his attention, but she quickly goes back to the normal playing.

Preparing for the dinner, Rostov sees a soldier with equipment to find any microphones planted in the room. Rostov cleverly maneuvers himself so he can unplug his recording device without arousing suspicion. When the party leaders arrive, he knows he has to get rid of the soldier. He gets close to him and as the soldier is distracted Rostov reactivates his wire. This sets the soldier's device off. The soldier puts the device down on a table so he can inspect the area he was looking at, and Rostov quickly covers the device and removes it from the room. The soldier, unable to find his device, is forced to leave. Rostov is now free to record the meeting.

Stay or go

Rostov meets with Glebnikov after the dinner, revealing that Kruschev is going to be the next leader. Glebnikov now understands how Rostov felt after the revolution. Yet Glebnikov will not run, acknowledging there is nowhere for someone like him to go. He does ask if Rostov thinks he deserves what is coming to him? Rostov only says he hopes Glebnikov receives the fair justice he denied others. Rostov does ask what was it all for? Glebnikov says that question is easier to answer now, but it was much harder during the revolution. As Glebnikov goes to leave, he extends his hand to Rostov, who shakes it. After everything, the two have a mutual respect for each other.

When Rostov returns to his room, he is told Mishka has left. The last we see of Mishka is him disappearing into the cold, snowy night. But Mishka did leave something for Rostov — a picture of them together when they graduated from university. On the back is the poem Mishka wrote. Rostov explains to Sofia it was politically dangerous at the time for someone of Mishka's background to have written it, so they agreed to publish it under Rostov's name. That is why he was spared during the early days of the revolution.

As Rostov thinks of his friend, Anna comes beside him. He tells her it is time to get out of this madhouse.

New episodes of A Gentleman in Moscow land on Paramount Plus worldwide on Fridays. In the US, new episodes also air Sundays on Showtime.

A Gentleman in Moscow has covered a lot of ground already, as the series began in the early 1920s and through the first five episodes covered about 18 years, but A Gentleman in Moscow episode 6 sees perhaps the biggest single time jump yet as we go from Sofia's (Billie Gadsdon) first day of school under Rostov's (Ewan McGregor) care to about nine years later, with her becoming a teenager (Beau Gadsdon) in the blink of an eye. 

Sofia is your typical teen — showing up later than expected because she was spending time with friends and making fun of Rostov's repeated mantras. But as we see in this episode, Rostov's situation provides many complications for raising a child, but a few bonuses as well.

Read on for a full recap of A Gentleman in Moscow episode 6, "The Fall."

Changing times

In the nine years the episode spans, life in the hotel has changed a bit. Vasily (Daniel Cerqueira) and Olga (Anastasia Hille) continue to see each other, with Vasily even proposing marriage; though Olga leaves him without an answer for the time being knowing it would mean she'd have to leave Anna (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Elsewhere, Leplevsky (John Heffernan) has assumed the position of hotel manager, and he is determined to keep its reputation — and his — from being tarnished.

Sofia is also changing, much to Rostov's chagrin. She takes piano lessons with a young man, Victor (Marcus Hodson). But Rostov is enraged, believing, Victor to be attempting to woo Sofia. Sofia runs off embarrassed. Rostov acknowledges he might have misconstrued the situation. Sofia says Victor isn't even her type (the fact she has a type is another shock to Rostov) and she didn't tell him what she was doing because she wanted to surprise him.

Anna and Rostov then talk privately about the realities that Sofia is growing up. He puts his foot in his mouth about him doing so much alone and that it's his job to keep Sofia safe. Anna corrects him, saying she has done everything she can for Sofia, including pulling strings and making sacrifices. Ultimately, she explains, it's Sofia's responsibility to keep herself safe, but she'll never learn if Rostov is too protective.

The accident

Rostov gives an earnest apology to Sofia, but she still doesn't respond to him. Instead of retreating, he picks up a book and sits across from her. They give each other side glances, which eventually breaks down the barriers and they playfully set off on a race back up to the attic apartment, each going their own way. Rostov is surprised he is the first to arrive and Sofia is not quickly behind him. When Andrey (Lyes Salem) rushes in he finds out why. Sofia fell about two stories while running up the stairs. She is unconscious and bleeding from the head. Knowing she needs to be taken to the hospital, Rostov picks her up and rushes to leave. The staff protest, knowing he'll be in danger if he leaves, but he ignores them.

Vasily informs Anna and Olga about Sofia's accident and that Rostov left to take her to the hospital. Anna wants to join them at the hospital, but Olga insists she stays. Anna then asks how many people saw Rostov leave the hotel? Vasily says a few staff, including Leplevsky.

Helping hands

All too eager to get Rostov in trouble, Leplevsky informs the authorities about Rostov leaving the hotel, which brings a group of soldiers, led by Captain Abashev (Stephen Walters), to locate Rostov. This includes talking to witnesses.

However, Anna also has a plan. She speaks with Vasily, Andrey, Emile (Bjorn Hlynur Haraldsson) and Marina (Leah Harvey) and asks they help Rostov by obstructing Captain Abashev's investigation. She acknowledges the risk this would put them all in, but they all have no reservations. They give nothing of worth to Abashev.

Anna also talks with Abashev over a drink. She tells him Rostov was with her all last night, denying Leplevsky's claim he left the hotel. Despite her charm and attempts to use her fame and connections, Abashev is not moved and thinks she is lying. If so, she'll be sent to Siberia for aiding and abetting an enemy of the state. Anna doesn't waver though. The captain alludes he may accept her version if she slept with him, but Anna refuses to stoop to that.

At the hospital, Rostov frantically looks for someone to help, but the nurse tells him no one is available. Then Glebnikov (Johnny Harris) arrives. Rostov says he doesn't care what happens to him as punishment for leaving the hotel, only pleading with Glebnikov to help Sofia. Glebnikov is way ahead of him. He has brought the best surgeon in Moscow to the hospital in secret and has him operate on Sofia to treat the brain bleed she suffered in the fall.

Glebnikov tells Rostov he has to leave, as his men are set to arrive any minute. He threatens that despite this gesture of friendship if it comes down to it, he will turn Rostov in to protect himself and his family. Rostov refuses, saying he can't leave until he knows Sofia is safe. As a father himself, Glebnikov can't really argue.

When Glebnikov's men do arrive, time is up. He stalls his men and assures Rostov he will let him know what happened with Sofia. Glebnikov instructs Rostov to go to the back of the hospital and get in a bakery truck, which will drive him back to the hotel.

In the lobby, Leplevsky eagerly awaits the chance to catch Rostov. However, with the help of the other staffers, Rostov is snuck into the back of the hotel.

Glebnikov then arrives, asking for Abashev's report: they did not find Rostov in their sweep. Anna interjects with her story, while Leplevsky reaffirms he saw Rostov leave and is certain he is not in the hotel. On cue, the elevator dings and out comes Rostov, acting as if nothing is amiss. Leplevsky and Abashev are in shock. When Glebnikov asks where he was, Rostov looks back at Anna and says, "a gentleman would never tell." It's now Leplevsky who is under scrutiny, taken to the back room by Abashev and his men.

With the coast clear, Rostov eagerly awaits a signal from Glebnikov about Sofia. Glebnikov gives a small nod, which Rostov realizes means Sofia is alright. And indeed she is. She awakes in the hospital with Olga by her side, a little worse for wear.

The Metropol family

Rostov thanks Anna for what she did to help and apologizes if he ever gave her reason to think he didn't truly appreciate her. Anna tells him since she was a child, the idea of staying in one place terrified her, but not anymore. She plans to take up a suite in the hotel permanently so she can always be with Rostov and Sofia.

That leads to Anna pushing Olga to accept Vasily's marriage proposal so she can have some happiness of her own. As the episode ends, narration from the older Sofia explains Olga and Vasily had five happy years together before Olga passed away. She adds their departure was the last time their Metropol family were all together.

But not everyone feels like family, as evidenced by Leplevsky creating a new file specifically for Sofia that he one day could use against her.

New episodes of A Gentleman in Moscow premiere on Paramount Plus on Fridays worldwide. In the US, episodes also air Sundays on Showtime.

Rostov (Ewan McGregor) has been under house arrest at the Metropol for more than 10 years when A Gentleman in Moscow episode 4 begins, but the former aristocrat has found peace in his new life. He now works as a waiter at the hotel's restaurant, a symbol of a burgeoning Russia, with foreign dignitaries dining there and even wine labels back in fashion.

Things are going well for Rostov's love life as well, as he and Anna (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) continue their tryst. He even plays matchmaker for chef Emily (Bjorn Hlynur Haraldsson) and Marina (Leah Harvey). But not everything is as idyllic as it appears, as Rostov learns the hard way.

Let's recap what happens in A Gentleman in Moscow episode 4, "Good Times."

Rostov the spy

In addition to being a waiter, Rostov is also the personal etiquette tutor for Glebnikov (Johnny Harris). Glebnikov notes how Rostov has made the Metropol his own kind of fiefdom, but reminds him who is in charge when he tasks him to spy on Alexei Nachevko (Jason Forbes), the minister of culture, as there are rumors he is a traitor. Rostov protests, but Glebnikov reminds him he has no other choice.

Rostov does as he is told, watching Nachevko as he sits and chats with General Belsky (Matthew Wynn). He notices an envelope discreetly passed between them. His observation is disrupted by an American reporter staying at the hotel, Freya (Camilla Beeput), who wants to tell Rostov's story. He declines and then cuts her off when he spots Nina (Leah Balmforth) in the lobby with others.

They're reunion is a bit awkward, and Nina tells him she is going to the countryside as part of a project that Stalin has developed. Rostov invites her to stay for a drink, but she has to go. They shake hands and she leaves with her friends.

Rostov's observation of Nachevko continues, as he eyes Anna having lunch with him. Mishka (Fehinti Balogun) draws his attention back to their own dealings when he brings up a new assignment: censoring the famous playwright Anton Chekov's letters that compliment Germany's bread, as saying any other food is better than Russian food is forbidden. Mishka believes the assignment is ridiculous and told his superiors as much, which has led to him having a meeting on it later that week. Rostov advises him to be wise. Mishka will do his best, but believes words matter and plans to defend his stance against unnecessary censorship.

A fond farewell

Rostov is surprised when Nina returns to the hotel to see him. She explains the awkwardness as it has been so long since they've seen each other, but they quickly settle into their old ways.

They go to the roof, where Nina takes out the binoculars that Rostov gave her years ago to look at the city, saying she always has them with her. Rostov apologizes for how he acted and the loss of their friendship, but Nina corrects him; it was never lost, just misplaced. He invites her to stay for dinner, but her train to the country leaves that night, excited for the important work she is going to do. Rostov hopes she finds time for her own life.

The truth about Russia

As the kitchen preps dinner, an associate of Glebnikov enters and takes one of the chefs away for an apparent affront to the party. The kitchen is shaken as they know he is unlikely to ever return. The question of who may be next lingers over them all.

With this in mind, Rostov rushes to Anna's room to warn her about being close to Nachevko. However, she is dining with Nachevko at the very moment. Rostov is able to play it off, but Anna is upset with him once Nachevko leaves, as Nachevko is helping her get another movie role. Rostov was only looking out for her, but Anna and her assistant Olga (Anastasia Hille) have long taken care of each other without anyone else's help.

After dinner, Rostov returns to his room to find Mishka, beaten. He did not stay calm during his meeting with his superiors. Mishka reveals what is really happening in Russia — people in the country (including where Nina is going) are starving as farmers are being kicked off their land and crops are dying, with things likely to get worse. The stash of food at the Metropol, Mishka explains, is to keep up appearances to foreigners to make it seem that Russia is thriving as the US is going through the Great Depression. Mishka is now ashamed of his part in the revolution.

Mishka's actions put him in grave danger, so Rostov takes it upon himself to try and save his friend, getting a message to Glebnikov.

Nachevko or Mishka?

After an awkward birthday dinner for his daughter at the Metropol, Glebnikov talks with Rostov in his room; Mishka hides in the secret room, listening in. Rostov makes the case for Mishka's life, but Glebnikov insists there is no way back for him unless Rostov is able to give Glebnikov information on Nachevko. Rostov says he found nothing of note about Nachevko. Glebnikov believes Nachevko and Belsky are plotting to overthrow Stalin and he needs what Rostov can give him to make his case irrefutable. He wonders why Rostov refuses to do this to protect Mishka when he has done other horrible things to protect his loved ones in the past.

This refers to Rostov killing a suitor of his sister Alina (Maddie Evans) who treated her dishonorably. That relationship began after Rostov ended things between Mishka and Alina.

Mishka warns Rostov that passing along info to Glebnikov would condemn Nachevko and Belsky to death. If he does so, it will dishonor them both and be the end of their friendship. 

Still, when Rostov has the chance, he goes to search Belsky's room for anything he can find to save Mishka. He finds the note he saw passed between the two men in the bar hidden in a notebook. However, it is not secret plans to overthrow Stalin, but a hand drawing of Belsky done by Nachevko, revealing to Rostov the two are in love. Knowing the pain he caused previously by ruining two people's love, he puts the drawing back.

Unfortunately, even if Rostov had found anything, Mishka ensured his own demise. Getting drunk in the hotel bar, he causes a scene, proclaiming people are dying. Glebnikov, who has been watching all of this from a balcony, signals to have Mishka taken.

Rostov meets with Glebnikov and refuses to give information on Nachevko and Belsky, pleading with him to do the honorable thing and save Mishka and build his case against Nachevko legitimately. The old world and honor are gone though, Glebnikov claims. He tells Rostov he will never see Mishka again. Meanwhile, he simply arrests Belsky and, as the narrator explains, "applied pressure" until he broke.

Rostov rushes to Freya, telling her about Mishka and the famine in the country, saying she could use that for her story. But she stops him and says "there is no famine," not willing to risk her life by telling the truth. She advises Rostov to do the same.

An unexpected guest

Six years pass when one night Nina returns to the hotel. But she is not alone, her young daughter, Sofia (Billie Gadsdon), is with her. She is flustered as she tells Rostov that her husband has been sentenced to five years in a corrective labor camp and his train leaves that night. She intends to follow him and she needs Rostov to look over Sofia until she returns, as she has no one else who can help. He says of course. Nina hands him Sofia's things and a picture of Nina and her husband, then tells him she should have stayed at the hotel all those years ago. They hug and she departs.

New episodes of A Gentleman in Moscow premiere on Paramount Plus on Fridays, then air on Showtime for US audiences on Sundays.

After four and a half years of imprisonment at the Metropol, has Count Alexander Rostov (Ewan McGregor) finally been pushed to the edge? The opening images of A Gentleman in Moscow episode 3 would indicate yes, as the count stands on the hotel roof ready to plunge to his death. But why?

To find out, we go back about a month. It's a beautiful morning on the hotel roof when Rostov hears an explosion far off in the city. Abram (Dermot Crowley), the caretaker of the hotel, appears, telling Rostov the party is demolishing old buildings. Abram invites Rostov to share his honey, produced by the colony of bees Abram keeps on the roof. It makes Rostov remember the honey on his family estate, which had a taste of apple.

So how does Rostov go from sampling homegrown honey to preparing to jump from the roof? Read our full recap of A Gentleman in Moscow episode 3, "The Last Rostov."

A final goodbye

The narrator reveals Lenin has died in the years between episodes. Now Stalin and Trotsky are in a power struggle. However, life inside the hotel has remained relatively unchanged, with Rostov having settled into his own routine.

This includes catch-ups with an older Nina (Leah Balmforth). But her and Rostov's conversations have changed from talk of princesses to communism's standings on the negatives of capitalism.

Another of Rostov's regular activities is trying to get the attention of Anna Urbanov (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who has ignored him since their night together four years ago. As Anna returns yet again, Rostov sends her a bottle of champagne (a move he has tried many times before) with a note asking for a "third chance at a first impression." Before Rostov can find out if his latest attempt is successful, Mishka (Fehinti Balogun) arrives with sad news.

Rostov's grandmother, the countess (Penny Downie), has died. Rostov asks if she had a ceremony befitting her standing, but apparently just a small service at a crematorium. Rostov refuses to accept this, wanting to throw a celebration to honor her. He plans a feast for 20 guests, despite objections from Mishka and the hotel staff that the party frowns upon such activities. But Rostov plows ahead with his plans.

The moths of Manchester

Despite the narrator's earlier claims, change is now coming to the Metropol. Rostov is appalled when workers begin to paint over an old mural. But he has little time to worry about that, as he is summoned to speak with Glebnikov (Johnny Harris). Glebnikov wants Rostov to teach him how to better understand the privileged class that remains in Russia, saying educated families and individuals are dividing the party against Stalin.

Rostov and Nina observe more changes being made to the hotel, which reminds Rostov of the moths of Manchester. He explains the moths once had predominantly white wings with black speckles, blending them perfectly with the area's silver birch trees. However, as the industrial revolution occurred, they were exposed as soot covered everything. As a result, moths with black wings and white spots, once the minority, became the majority. He laments that such a change is happening now in Russia. Nina brings up Darwin's principle of adapt or die.

Later, Rostov overhears Anna ordering champagne to be delivered to her room, so he bribes the bartender to let him take it up to her. She lets him in and sends her assistant Olga (Anastasia Hille) away so the two of them can be alone. Rostov says he worried he offended her during their previous encounter, believing it's why it took so long for them to speak again. Anna denies that, saying she was satisfied with their encounter, revealing they could have reunited before if Rostov had sent himself rather than champagne, though whether she received him or not would've depended on her mood. Tonight she is in the mood.

After their tryst, Rostov comments she lied about her father and her upbringing when they last met, as she recently said something different in an interview. Anna changes her life story to best fit what people want to hear, even creating another story of her father being a famous matador on the spot for Rostov. He compares her to the moths of Manchester. When Rostov leaves, he asks "until the next time?" Anna only says perhaps, but with a smile on her face.

Rostov's party flops

Rostov meets with Abram again on the roof. The caretaker is upset as the queen bee of his colony has died, believing the hive turned on her because the construction in the city has destroyed the trees and gardens they used for pollination. Rostov offers hope they may still return.

That is not the only thing that has disappeared from the hotel. While having dinner with Nina, Rostov gets into an argument with the waiter he dislikes, Leplevsky (John Heffernan). Rostov tries to order a specific bottle of wine, but Leplevsky explains they now only offer two choices for wine: white or red.

Rostov goes down to the cellar with Andrey (Lyes Salem) to discover that all the wine labels have been removed, with the Soviet Food Commission declaring wine varieties counter the ideas of the revolution. Rostov calls it cultural vandalism, wanting to know who complained. It was Leplevsky, after an earlier instance where Rostov corrected his wine recommendation to other guests. As Andrey points out, Leplevsky has friends in influential positions in the party.

This is the first bad omen for Rostov's celebration for his grandmother. The second is that the lobby is being redecorated with communist paraphernalia, as Stalin is expected to attend a reception for Anna's latest movie at the hotel. Rostov spots Nina among the people helping to set up the banners.

At the celebration, only Mishka and, eventually, Nina attend. Mishka tells Rostov the other guests would have been nervous even before Stalin was rumored to be coming to the hotel, but Rostov remains steadfast that people will show up to honor his grandmother. This leads to him exploding at Andrey when he asks what to do with the food, with Rostov demanding that they wait. 

Rostov laments once again about the wine bottles, to which Nina says it's only wine. Rostov argues wine captures a moment in history, telling a story of place and time. But Nina agrees with the party that wine is a "monument to privilege" and getting rid of these old ways is good for Russia to progress. Rostov is shocked, asking what has happened to her? Before he can apologize, Nina leaves.

Realizing the night is a failure, Rostov asks Mishka to go as well, as he wants to be alone. He then throws the food and dishes on the ground in anger, only stopping when Glebnikov comes in. Glebnikov reveals all of Rostov's guests are now living in squalor and dreaming of the old ways, hinting they are still monitored, proving Mishka's point of the danger that could have come from them attending. Glebnikov also reminds Rostov he is still a prisoner in the hotel.

Hope renewed

All of this leads to Rostov preparing to take his own life. He leaves a note for Nina and then heads to the roof. As he inches toward the edge, Abram appears, telling him the bees have returned and asks him to come see. He hands Rostov a piece of bread with the new batch of honey; it has the taste of apple, like the honey from Rostov's family estate. Abram says the bees must have come back from Rostov's home, calling it a sign they want Rostov to look after them. Abram tells Rostov he has much more to give, begging him not to waste it. 

Rostov returns to the hotel bar, where Anna is also commiserating after Stalin opted not to attend the reception after apparently not liking the movie, signaling that Anna's career may be over. Rostov makes a toast to them, a confederacy of the humbled. Together they head up to Anna's room, with her lovingly holding his hand when they are in the elevator.

New episodes of A Gentleman in Moscow premiere on Paramount Plus on Fridays, also airing on Showtime in the US on Sundays.

It's a year since Rostov (Ewan McGregor) was put under house arrest at the Metropol, and the count is doing what he can to make the best of his situation in A Gentleman in Moscow episode 2. The key to that is his relationships — both new and old.

On the latter, Rostov spies his friend Mishka (Fehinti Balogun) speaking passionately about the struggles of the new Soviet regime and the need to continue the goals of the Russian revolution. This is not the first time we've seen Mishka, as he was in attendance at Rostov's trial in episode 1. But these two have a complicated past.

Read on to find out what else transpires in A Gentleman in Moscow episode 2, "An Invitation."

Old wounds

Rostov confronts Mishka in the lobby after the meeting. He's curt with Mishka for not visiting him and questioning what "yoke of tyranny" Mishka suffered under when Rostov treated him like a brother. Mishka remembers it differently, saying Rostov was ashamed of him.

Through Rostov's memories, we learn not only were the two of them close, but so was Mishka with Rostov's sister Alina (Maddie Evans). The two seemed like they were in love, but Rostov put an end to that, which was what led to their relationship deteriorating.

Someone else is curious about Rostov and Mishka's relationship, Glebnikov (Johnny Harris). He wants Rostov to provide information on what kind of man Mishka is, noting he has some influence in the party. Rostov does not offer anything of substance, saying he and Mishka have drifted apart because of their circumstances.

New faces and places

Rostov continues to spend time with Nina (Alexa Goodall), teaching her lessons in etiquette and more. However, one afternoon their lunch is interrupted when two large dogs run into the dining room and cause a commotion. Their owner casually walks in after them, in no rush to stop them. This is Anna Urbanov (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a Russian movie star, Nina informs Rostov.

Rostov intervenes, whistling so the dogs immediately come to him. Anna apologizes for their ill behavior, but Rostov says behavior is a matter of handling, inferring Anna is to blame. Despite this, the two have a flirty back-and-forth before Anna leaves.

In addition to a new face, Rostov finds some new space as well. He notices a light coming through his closet wall and discovers a bigger and abandoned room. With Nina's help, he gathers some of his old furniture still being held in the hotel's storage room and makes the space his secret sanctuary.

Rostov continues to learn there is plenty to discover in the hotel. One afternoon he hears pigeons cooing in the hallway outside his room. He follows the noise and finds it's coming from behind a door. However, unlike his closet, this door is locked and he is unable to find out what lies behind it.

Rumors and drinks

Anna has lunch with a member of the Ministry of Culture, Alexei Nachevko (Jason Forbes), digging into rumors that Lenin is having health issues. Alexei denies them all, but he says if something were to happen to Lenin, the party would be led by someone who recognizes the importance of film, like Trotsky, not a "thug" like Stalin. Alexei then offers to set up meetings with Anna and some high-profile Russian directors, but she knows it comes with a cost. Alexei wants to have dinner and drinks.

Later, Mishka is sitting at the hotel bar when some other patrons are rudely demanding service. He tells them they can wait like everyone else, which causes a fight between him and the three men. Rostov arrives on the scene and helps Mishka, but they are still outnumbered. It's only when the hotel staff intervenes that everything is broken up.

After the fisticuffs, Rostov lets his true frustrations show for how his class has been treated, wondering what threat someone like Petrov was. Mishka says Rostov used to believe people deserved to become whatever they wanted, but Rostov calls it a childish dream. Either way, Mishka says it's time for them to look forward, not backward.

As they talked, Anna walked through the lobby and spotted Rostov. She then sends him a note, inviting him to dinner.

Dinner with Anna

As Rostov goes to meet Anna, Nina interrupts and says they had a previous engagement. Rostov tells her he'll make it up to her and shoos her away, but she is persistent. As Rostov sits down with Anna at the bar, Nina sits down next to them. When Anna suggests they try a restaurant outside the hotel, Nina chimes in that Rostov will be shot if he leaves. Anna asks if Rostov knows Nina, to which he responds, "More than I would like." Anna gives Rostov her room number and tells him to meet her there in 20 minutes.

With his date gone for the moment, Rostov attempts to apologize to Nina, but she is angry and leaves in a huff. 

Rostov goes to Anna's room, which is his old suite. After dinner is brought to them, Anna makes observations about Rostov. She says he was a man of means who never wanted for anything, at least not because of lack of money; and his status is inherited, not earned. He should be dead based on all of this, so she wonders why the party chose to imprison him instead.

Rather than answer, Rostov turns the tables. He guesses she is the only child of a fisherman based on how she cut up their dinner. However, when Rostov guesses she wanted to escape her village, she corrects him, calling it the happiest she's ever been. He questions if her father dying at an early age led her to leave? Now she refuses to answer.

They ask about spouses and children, which neither have, then each goes back to what the other won't answer: why Rostov is alive and why Anna left her village? But neither budges. To deal with this impasse, they go to bed together.

Afterward, Rostov tells Anna a legend about a tree with fruit as black as coal, which if eaten could start your life anew. She asks if he would eat it, but he says he wouldn't want to lose the memory of this night. Anna jokingly asks if he truly feels so fondly for a night with a "lowly actress?" Rostov jokes, "times have changed." Anna doesn't take this well, thinking Rostov means she previously would have been "beneath" him. He doesn't help himself when he says that wouldn't "necessarily" be true. She asks him to leave.

Goodbye gift

Rostov apologizes properly to Nina for cancelling their prior engagement and neglecting their friendship. But that's not the only reason Nina is upset. She reveals she is starting school after New Year’s and will no longer be staying at the Metropol. She asks if he can teach her instead, but Rostov says she needs a proper education and the chance to make lasting friends.

Later, Glebnikov once again asks for Rostov to give info on Mishka. Rostov wonders why Mishka is so important to him, Glebnikov says that Mishka risked his standing in the party to save Rostov's life. Rostov calls Mishka loyal to a fault and the best humanity has to offer. So why did Rostov deem Mishka unworthy of Alina? Because he "wrongly" thought nobility was a birthright, but now he believes some men can become gentlemen despite where they come from. Glebnikov asks if Rostov believes he could become a gentleman, but he defers, saying he doesn't know Glebnikov.

It's New Year's Eve. Anna has dinner with Alexei and invites him to her room, even though she correctly guesses he is gay, saying rumors of a night with a famous actress could distract people from the truth. Rostov watches as they leave together before joining Nina for their planned dinner.

Rostov toasts their "unanticipated and truly wonderful friendship" and gifts her Alina's binoculars. Nina also has a gift for Rostov, but asks him not to open it until after midnight. She gives him a big hug goodbye.

Rostov spends the rest of New Year's at the hotel staff's party, celebrating with Andrey (Lyes Salem), Vasily (Daniel Cerqueria), Marina (Leah Harvey) and Mishka. Afterward, Mishka and Rostov share a drink in Rostov's room. Rostov wonders if Alina would still be alive if he hadn't stopped her and Miskha's relationship. He apologizes for what he did and thanks Mishka for lying that Rostov wrote the poem that saved his life. They promise to see each other again.

Rostov finally opens the present Nina gave him: her hotel master key. He immediately takes it to unlock the door from earlier. It leads to the roof of the hotel, where Rostov enjoys the morning air of the first day of the new year.

New episodes of A Gentleman in Moscow release on Fridays on Paramount Plus and air on Showtime on Sundays.

Two decades ago, the groundbreaking queer doc The Aggressives chronicled the daily lives, dreams and desires of several transmasculine BIPOC protagonists—Kisha Batista, Trevon Haynes, Octavio Sanders and Chin Tsui, among them—as they navigated gender, sexuality, race and class over the course of five years in New York City. Now, movie fans will get to catch up with that pioneering quartet in the documentary sequel Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later, airing tonight on Showtime. 

Directed by Daniel Peddle, the filmmaker behind the original 2005 film as well as narrative films like 2014's Sunset Edge and 2017's Moss, Beyond the Aggressives similarly follow Kisha, Trevon, Octavia and Chin across five years, with footage shot between 2018 and 2023. Following its premiere at New York's Newfest last fall, tonight's airing will mark the doc's television premiere.

Nominated for a 2024 GLAAD Media Award for "Outstanding Documentary," the acclaimed doc sees the trailblazing foursome "pursuing dreams in the arts, surviving the experience of being held in ICE detention, reuniting with estranged children, deciding whether to start families of their own, and seeking gender-affirming healthcare," reads a Paramount press release. 

Interwoven with the remarkable personal stories of its four featured subjects, the highly anticipated sequel film will also feature candid testimonials of fresh voices from the wider BIPOC community, offering "compelling insights into the queer experience" and continuing to challenge normative ideas about gender while painting a deeply moving portrait of modern LGBTQ+ life. 

The movie also kicks off a collaboration between Showtime and organizations including GLAAD, GLSEN and Trans Equity Consulting, with a campaign aimed at expanding conversations about identity and visibility for trans and gender non-conforming people, per Deadline. 

Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later premieres on Showtime tonight, March 30, at 9pm Eastern. The 80-minute film will also be available to stream beginning March 30 for Paramount Plus subscribers who have a Paramount+ with Showtime plan (available for $11.99 per month or $119.99 per year). Cord-cutters can also tune into Showtime as a premium channel by adding it to one of your existing livestreaming TV apps, including Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream. 

Check out the trailer for the documentary before tuning into Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later tonight on Showtime. 

The Russian Revolution in 1917 changed the face of Russia from an aristocracy to a communist country. In A Gentleman in Moscow, we see that transformation through the eyes of one man, Count Alexander Rostov (Ewan McGregor).

Four years after the revolution, Rostov is brought in front of a Soviet tribunal deciding what to do with the remaining aristocrats. The worst possible outcome is death (as one man receives in the opening moments), however because of a poem Rostov wrote years ago that some believe helped spur the revolution, he is granted leniency — to live out his days at Moscow's Metropol Hotel. If he leaves the hotel though, he will be killed.

As Rostov is escorted back to the hotel, a voiceover of a woman says this was not the end of Rostov's life, but the beginning.

Life at the Metropol

When Rostov returns to the hotel, a man is waiting for him. He doesn't reveal his name, but this is Osip Glebnikov (Johnny Harris), an intimidating member of the party, there to show Rostov to his new quarters — old servants' quarters in the annexes of the hotel. While Rostov continues to present himself as a gentleman, even making jokes, Glebnikov is not amused. He says Rostov may take a few personal items from his old suite, but everything else now belongs to the people; his money in the hotel safe has also been seized (though we see Rostov has a few gold coins stashed in a hidden compartment in his desk). Glebnikov says "life for your kind" is over in Moscow, and warns if Rostov leaves the hotel he'll be waiting.

Throughout the episode, Rostov has memories of his life, particularly of his grandmother and sister Alina. But he always returns to his new life in the hotel. 

Rostov attempts to go about his life normally. He eats at the hotel's restaurant — where he impresses the maitre d' Andrey (Lyes Salem) and chef Emily (Bjorn Hlynur Haraldsson) by correctly identifying the replacement ingredients in a dish — and keeps his regular appointment with hotel barber Yaroslav (Divian Ladwa). While the staff is surprised he survived the tribunal, they still treat him with the respect of his previous position, referring to Rostov as "your excellency." This is Rostov's life for a month and a half, as he tries to make the best of things.

Not giving them the satisfaction

Things begin to change on day 47. First, a young girl (Alexa Goodall) calls out to him, complimenting Rostov on his fancy mustache. Then Rostov runs into his old friend, Prince Nikolai Petrov (Paul Ready), though the prince is sure to clarify he is just Nikolai now. He too was allowed to live, but the party took over his house and his only work is playing violin at the hotel. Rostov invites Nikolai to have a drink after his performance and reminds him "they can't take away who you are."

Later, Rostov explains to Nikolai that though he was safely in Paris when the revolution began, he returned to ensure his grandmother was able to get out. However, Rostov's sister Alina was not so lucky, as it's inferred she is dead. Nikolai doesn't believe things will get better for them, and tells Rostov he can get them transit papers out of Russia. They'll have to don a disguise, likely shaving Rostov's signature mustache, which Rostov jokes is a bridge too far. Asking how he can joke about their circumstance, Rostov gives two answers: not giving them the satisfaction of seeing him upset at his situation and joking to avoid falling into a dark despair. While Nikolai once again urges Rostov to try and escape, Rostov claims Russia is still his country.

But he is reminded how different it is one afternoon at the barber. Arriving for his weekly standing appointment, he unknowingly skips another man who has been waiting. This infuriates the man, who grabs a pair of scissors and threatens Rostov with them. Thankfully, all he does is cut a bit of Rostov's mustache off before darting away.

The plan

Though he avoided the worst, Rostov is sad his mustache has been diminished. Adding on, a new waiter is curt and unengaging despite Rostov's best efforts. His meal gets better with the arrival of the girl who previously complimented his mustache. She asks where the rest of it went, but before Rostov can answer she has more questions: is he really a count? Did he know any princesses? Was it hard to be one? Yes. Yes. And terribly so since "our glorious revolution." The girl sits down at Rostov's table, and he is happy to have an engaging person to share his meal with.

The girl eventually moves on from princesses to ask about duels, including if Rostov has ever been in one? He says not exactly, but his godfather was in multiple. He mentions how in one instance the old manager of the Metropol was prepared for duels to break out by hiding two antique pistols behind a painting in his office (they're still there we learn). But despite all that, Rostov assures her duels are not as romantic as they are often made out to be. Another flashback shows what he means, as it appears Rostov did participate in a duel, potentially killing a man, which upset his sister Alina.

When the girl leaves, the waiter tells Rostov the hotel manager wants to speak to him. The manager explains there is displeasure about the staff still referring to Rostov as "your excellency." When Rostov asks who brought this up, the manager tells him party members are closely watching guests, making it a very dangerous place. Further emphasizing this, Glebnikov later has soldiers search Rostov's room for anything incriminating.

Rostov approaches the entrance of the Metropol multiple times in the episode but never gets too close. However, these latest actions convince him things have to change. While Nikolai plays one night, Rostov catches his eye and calls attention to his altered mustache, signaling he is ready to leave.

They discuss the plan (which Rostov imagines): Nikolai will steal two Red Army uniforms so they can blend in and get out of the hotel. A car will take them to the train station, after which they'll embark on a 200-mile walk to Minsk and freedom. Nikolai mentions they can't bring anything with them, which gives Rostov pause, particularly regarding a painting of his sister, but ultimately he decides to give Nikolai money to enact the plan.

The Metropol's secrets 

It's day 65 when Rostov sees the girl again. He learns her name is Nina. She is usually alone because her father is always working and her mother is dead. Rostov laments with her, asking how they are going to survive stuck in the hotel? But Nina knows its secrets.

She has a master key that can open any door and takes Rostov through the hidden world of the hotel — rooms behind rooms and doors behind doors. She shows him the boiler room (perfect for disposing secret messages or illicit love letters), an attic where they can spy on the ballroom and a window into the maid Marina's (Leah Harvey) room, who Nina explains takes leftovers to feed her son. Nina also takes Rostov into a storage room with things left behind by guests, including many of Rostov's old possessions. During the tour, Rostov walks past an open back door. He pauses, knowing he could try and escape, but as Nina beckons him he continues to follow her.

The last place Nina shows him is a hallway where members of the party often work. Among their papers, Rostov finds a document with Nikolai's photo on it. When two party members come in, Rostov and Nina hide. He overhears they are arresting people and putting them on trial, even if no crime has been committed.

Guilt

The next night Nikolai plays at the hotel, Rostov tells him what he found in the hallway, urging him to leave Russia immediately to avoid being captured. Nikolai pleads with Rostov to come with him, as he has the transit papers. Rostov cannot though, citing his guilt over Alina and questioning whether he deserves a new lease on life. Nikolai offers Rostov the papers anyway, in case he changes his mind, but Rostov won't accept them. As they talk, the curt waiter eyes their conversation and is suspicious.

Nikolai promises Rostov he will leave that night, but first he is going to play Rachmaninoff one last time on Russian soil. Rostov and Nina watch the performance, but soon soldiers enter the room and approach Nikolai. He defiantly keeps playing until they snatch his violin from him, smash it and then drag him out. Rostov follows to the entryway steps, again unable to risk the threat of going outside. But he hears the gunshot that kills his friend.

Glebnikov is there, explaining Nikolai did business with people they've been watching, noting they know he got two sets of transit papers. As he leaves, he hands Rostov Nikolai's bow.

Rostov sits on the lobby bench, silently grieving, as the woman's voiceover returns. She says if Rostov had left the hotel he would surely have been killed, and she would not be alive to tell his story.

New episodes of A Gentleman in Moscow release on Paramount Plus in the US and UK on Fridays. The show also airs on Showtime in the US Sundays at 8 pm ET/PT. Here's how to watch A Gentleman in Moscow.

Andrew Scott fans won't want to miss Netflix's Ripley, an eight-part TV adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel "The Talented Mr Ripley, which is now streaming.

The project has been in the works for a few years, yet in early 2023 news broke about it being acquired by the streaming giant. Ripley was first commissioned by Showtime back in 2019, and there was near-constant buzz around the show leading up to its release.

The show follows Scott as Tom Ripley, a grifter barely scraping by in 1960s New York City whose fortune takes a turn when a wealthy industrialist hires Ripley to bring his wayward son back home from Italy. 

Those who've seen Anthony Minghella's BAFTA-winning 1999 film The Talented Mr Ripley, which starred Jude Law, Matt Damon, and Gwyneth Paltrow will be familiar with the tale, yet Scott and writer/director Steven Zaillian (who won an Oscar for his Schindler’s List screenplay) are set to breathe new life into the story. 

"When you’re playing those famous literary characters, you don’t want to just copy," Scott told Interview magazine. "I’m interested in the idea of what queerness is, and otherness because that’s what I think it’s about. The reason he’s such an interesting character is you can’t quite place him. 

"If Tom Ripley was in a gay bar, I’m not sure that he would fit in there. Nor do I think he’s a straight character. I think he’s a queer character, in the sense that he’s very other. What’s his relationship with sex, or death, or with family or friends? It’s interesting that a character is the sum of the parts that you don’t have to play."

Here's everything you need to know about Ripley.

Ripley release date and how to watch

Ripley is now available to stream exclusively in full on Netflix. All eight episodes arrived in one go on Thursday, April 4, 2024. 

Already streamed Ripley? Don't forget to check out our guide to the best Netflix shows we think you should be streaming right now. 

Ripley trailer

The official Ripley trailer arrived in March 2024, and gave us a taste of what we could expect from this new take on the classic criminal tale. Check it out below: 

We've also kept the teaser (released back in January) embedded below, too, if you want to revisit it. 

Is Ripley shot in black and white? 

The eight-part series is indeed presented in monochrome. "The edition of the Ripley book I had on my desk had an evocative black-and-white photograph on the cover," said writer and director, Steven Zallian. "As I was writing, I held that image in my mind. Black and white fits this story—and it's gorgeous."

Ripley plot - what happens in the Netflix show?

Netflix's Ripley synopsis reads: "Tom Ripley, a grifter scraping by in early 1960s New York, is hired by a wealthy man to travel to Italy to try to convince his vagabond son to return home. Tom's acceptance of the job is the first step into a complex life of deceit, fraud and murder."

Ripley episode guide

Below, we've included both Netflix's short episode summaries, as well as links out to each of our Ripley recaps.

• Ripley episode 1, "I am a Hard Man to Find": Tom Ripley's life of petty crime in New York City detours with an offer to bring a wealthy man's wayward son home from Europe.
• Ripley episode 2, "Seven Mercies": On Italy's Amalfi Coast, Tom settles into Dickie's grand villa, but not without arousing suspicion from his girlfriend, Marge.
• Ripley episode 3, "Sommerso": With funds low and his future in Italy in jeopardy, Tom puts a dark scheme into motion. 
• Ripley episode 4, "La Dolce Vita": Tom must deal with Marge's deep skepticism before embarking on a new, fictitious life in Rome. 
• Ripley episode 5, "Lucio": Ensconced in a lovely Rome apartment, Tom's perfect life is threatened by the arrival of an unexpected visitor.
• Ripley episode 6, "Some Heavy Instrument": A ghastly discovery leads Rome police to Tom's doorstep, beginning a game of cat and mouse with its lead investigator.
• Ripley episode 7, "Macabre Entertainment": As Inspector Ravini expands his murder investigation, an elusive Tom plots his next moves from Sicily.
• Ripley episode 8, "Narcissus": Tom reinvents himself again, creating an enviable life in Venice — as long as his lies hold. 

Ripley cast

Andrew Scott, who played Moriarty in the hit BBC series Sherlock, starred opposite Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Fleabag and has also appeared in His Dark Materials, stars in the lead role, yet there is plenty of other talent on the show. 

Johnny Flynn (David Bowie in the rock biopic Stardust and Mr. Knightley in Emma, opposite Anya Taylor-Joy) stars as Dickie Greenleaf, while Dakota Fanning (Oceans 8, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood) plays Marge Sherwood, an American living in Italy who suspects darker motives underlie Tom’s affability.

Meanwhile, actor and musician Eliot Sumner (No Time To Die) also has a recurring role as a friend of Dickie's who becomes suspicious of Tom. Acclaimed Italian actors Maurizio Lombardi and Margherita Buy also have roles in the drama, while Hollywood star John Malkovich completes the cast. 

How many seasons will Ripley be? 

The series is based on Patricia Highsmith's bestselling 1955 novel, The Talented Mr. Ripley, the first of five Ripley novels. 

In 2022, Showtime boss Gary Levine confirmed Steve Zaillian had optioned all five books. "His original intent has been one book per season," he told The Hollywood Reporter. 

If the series is popular enough for Netflix, that could mean we're looking at a total of five seasons, if the streamer follows through with Zaillian's original vision for the show. 

Andrew Scott on Ripley

"We're going to attempt to do a few of the Patricia Highsmith novels, who in many people's minds, is the greatest crime writer of all time," he told Red Carpet News TV. "We're going to shoot it in Italy and America and it's an extraordinary character. I'm just thinking about how I'm going to put my own stamp on it.

"It's been adapted by Steve Zaillian, who as we all know is a bit of a genius, so I'm very excited to work with him. Johnny Flynn is playing Dickie Greenleaf and he's an actor who works a lot in the theatre, so I'm also excited to work with him. We've also got some very exciting people who are going to be in it with us.

"I'm really excited to just flip it around. We're going to do eight hours of television, so it's a whole new breaking down of the character." 

When The Chi season 6 kicked off in August, Deadline reported it did so as the highest-rated premiere in the show's history. Loyal fans were eager to see all the changes in the lives of Emmett (Jacob Latimore), Kiesha (Birgundi Baker), Kevin (Alex R. Hibbert), Douda (Curtis Cook) and the rest of the fictional Chicago residents. 

However, after eight episodes of season 6 aired, fans were left wondering when they'd get the rest of the season. Thankfully, Showtime has finally announced the return date. Here's what we know about the new episodes of The Chi season 6.  

When will The Chi season 6 be back with more episodes? 

The second half of The Chi season 6 premieres on Friday, May 10. Check out this video announcement from Showtime. 

Now if patience isn't your strong suit, we suggest filling the void you may feel while waiting with some other Chicago-based dramas. For example, both 61st Street and Power Book IV: Force are based in Chicago. 61st Street season 1 debuted on AMC (its new home is The CW), while Power Book IV: Force season 2 just wrapped. Additionally, Power Book III: Raising Kanan season 3 is a good option, although it's not a Chicago-based series. 

If you're willing to venture to the West Coast, we suggest watching Snowfall. The six seasons of the crime drama shine a fictional spotlight on Los Angeles in the 80s. It's arguably one of the best we’ve seen in the genre, which is why we weren't afraid to compare it to The Wire. 

Should you be a strict loyalist to The Chi, you always have the option of going back to watch your favorite episodes on Paramount Plus with Showtime.  

A Gentleman In Moscow sees British star Ewan McGregor slipping into the well-heeled shoes of Count Alexander Rostov for this lavish period drama on Paramount Plus and Showtime. 

This major period drama is adapted from Amor Towles’ historical novel A Gentleman in Moscow and follows Count Rostov who, in the aftermath of the Russian revolution, finds his once privileged existence places him on the wrong side of history. He faces a Soviet tribunal and instead of execution, he’s banished to the opulent Hotel Metropol indefinitely, threatened with death if he ever tries to leave. As the years pass Rostov makes a new life within the walls of the hotel while, outside, decades of tumultuous history unfold. 

“It’s an amazing, wonderful story and I am very excited to get to play such a fabulous role,” says Ewan McGregor, who is also serves as. executive producer on the series. 

So here’s everything you need to know about A Gentleman In Moscow...

A Gentleman in Moscow release date

A Gentleman In Moscow will premiere exclusively on Paramount Plus in the UK and Paramount Plus with Showtime in the US on Friday, March 29. The series also launches on March 29 on Paramount Plus in Canada, Australia.

For those in the US that do not have Paramount Plus, the show is premieres on the Showtime cable channel on Sunday, March 31, at 8 pm ET/PT.

How to watch A Gentleman in Moscow: stream the Ewan McGregor drama online

* Paramount Plus price: cost, deals and content for the streaming service.

* Sign up for Paramount Plus here.

A Gentleman in Moscow recaps

Read our recaps for A Gentleman in Moscow episodes to catch up with anything you may have missed:. We will be updating this episode guide as the series progresses...

A Gentleman in Moscow episode 1, "A Master of Circumstance"
"Count Alexander Rostov is confined to a Moscow hotel." Read WTW's A Gentleman in Moscow episode 1 recap.

A Gentleman in Moscow episode 2, "An Invitation"
"The Count reckons with his past while embarking on an unexpected romance." Read WTW's A Gentleman in Moscow episode 2 recap.

A Gentleman in Moscow episode 3, "The Last Rostov"
"As his old life crumbles, the Count receives devastating news." Read WTW's A Gentleman in Moscow episode 3 recap.

Is there a trailer for A Gentleman In Moscow? 

Yes a great trailer for A Gentleman In Moscow has now been released which shows Ewan McGregor's Rostov on trial and then living in the Hotel Metropol. Take a look below...

A Gentleman In Moscow plot

In 1922 aristocrat Count Alexander Rostov, played by Ewan McGregor, is spared execution and sentenced to ‘house arrest’ by a Bolshevik tribunal following the Russian revolution. After years of luxury, Rostov must see out his days in an attic room in the opulent Hotel Metropol, opposite the Kremlin. As he tries to find a purpose for his life, decades of history are unravelling in the outside world, but Rostov is experiencing life-changing emotional discoveries of his own. 

Rostov’s reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery. As he builds a new life within the walls of the hotel, he discovers the true value of friendship, family and love. Among his unlikely new fiends are a young girl Nina (Alexa Goodall). Her father is a committed Communist who constantly leaves her to her own devices while he’s working for the new regime. Plus he meets a film actress Anna Urbanova (Mary Ann Winstead).

A Gentleman In Moscow cast — Ewan McGregor on playing 

A Gentleman In Moscow sees Ewan McGregor playing Count Rostov, who has never worked a day in his life but must find a point to his life while under house arrest. 

Ewan explains: ‘The tale takes place over the next 35 years of Count Rostov’s life in that amazing hotel,’ says McGregor, 52. ‘It’s a story about him finding his way in his imprisonment and coming to terms with it over a long, long period of time. I can’t think of any drama like it.’

He meets Nina (Alexa Goodall) — her father is a committed Communist who constantly leaves her to her own devices while he’s working for the new regime. 

"The Count’s friendship with Nina really helps him," explains Wean. "Nina shows him all of this hidden life in the hotel, all of these shortcuts and passageways and secret rooms. She opens up the life of the hotel to him in an amazing way, but also her mind and his mind come together in a nice way.’ 

As Nina grows up, she becomes more indoctrinated in Communist ideology and disappears from the Count’s life after a falling out. However, years later Nina returns with her daughter, Sophia. 

"She tells the Count her husband has been taken to the gulag camps in Siberia,’ says Ewan. "She wants to try to find him so asks the Count to look after her daughter for a few weeks. We watch him struggling with looking after a child at first. It’s a drama about love and our children growing up and having to let them go."

The other great passion of Rostov’s life is his relationship with famous movie actress Anna Urbanova, who’s played by McGregor’s real-life wife, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

"Their relationship is so baffling to the Count, because she’s such a modern woman and he is a very un-modern man," reveals McGregor. "Years and years go by, and you can never really pin down what this relationship is. But of course, it turns into the greatest love of either of their lives. And I can’t tell you how perfect it felt to play this beautiful romance with my wife. It doesn't get any better than that."

* Ewan McGregor rocketed to stardom in the 1990s playing Renton in Trainspotting in 1996, a role he reprised for the sequel in 2017. That decade he also starred in Shallow Grave and Brassed Off. His other movies have included Moulin Rouge!, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, A Life Less Ordinary, Little Voice and Black Hawk Down and he plays the iconic role of Jedi master  Obi-Wan Kenobi in three Star Wars prequels plus the recent Disney Plus spin-off series. He also plays Doctor Sleep and has lent his voice to Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast and Cricket in Pinocchio.

Who else is starring in A Gentleman In Moscow? 

Other cast for A Gentleman in Moscow includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who plays glam movie actress Anna Urbanova, a glamorous, independent and self-made film actress, at the height of her fame. Winstead and McGregor have worked together a couple of times previously, including in Fargo season 3 and Birds of Prey.

Alexa Goodall (The Devil’s Hour, Lockwood and Co) is playing Count’ Rostov's unlikely young friend Nina. Later in the series, the adult Nina's daughter Sofia is played by both Billie and Beau Gadsdon. The Count is left to care for Sofia after her mother Nina disappears while searching for her husband. 

Johnny Harris (Without Sin, This is England ’86) is playing conflicted secret police officer Osip, and Fehinti Balogun (Dune, I May Destroy You) is Mishka, the Count’s best friend from university. Paul Ready (Motherland, The Terror) Prince Nikolai Petrov
who is also imprisoned at the Metropol and dreams of escaping.

Also starring is Leah Harvey (Foundation), John Heffernan (Becoming Elizabeth, The Pursuit of Love), Lyès Salem (Coupez, Abou Leila), Björn Hlynur Haraldsson (Lamb, The Witcher), Dee Ahluwalia (Consent, Sex Education) and Anastasia Hille (I Hate Suzie Too).

A Gentleman in Moscow behind the scenes, locations, and more

A Gentleman In Moscow is set almost entirely inside the Moscow Metropol, and was mainly shot on a Manchester sound stage in the UK, with 19th-century buildings in Leeds, Bolton and Halifax also used for scenes. 

A Gentleman In Moscow is produced by Lionsgate Television in association with Paramount an is directed and executive produced by BAFTA award winning director and Emmy nominee Sam Miller who most recently directed, and executive produced the Apple TV+ series Surface and previously directed the award winning British comedy-drama I May Destroy You, for which he won a BAFTA.  He has also received three Emmy nominations for Luther and for I May Destroy You.  

A Gentleman In Moscow is produced by eOne in association with Paramount. The series is written by showrunner and executive producer Ben Vanstone (All Creatures Great and Small, The Last Kingdom). Harper (War and Peace, Peaky Blinders) also executive produces with Xavier Marchand (Nautilus, Mrs Harris Goes to Paris), Ewan McGregor, and the novel’s writer, New York Times best-selling author Amor Towles.

Looking for a new crime drama series to get your heart valves pumping and brain wheels turning? Murder, mystery and morality collide in The Woman In the Wall, a gripping six-part BBC thriller that is making its stateside cable TV debut tonight. 

Though the gothic detective series first aired on BBC One back in August 2023, The Woman in the Wall will make its American TV premiere on Sunday, January 21 at 9pm Eastern on Showtime. Cord-cutters can also tune into Showtime via a live TV streaming service, like Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Episodes, which will drop weekly, will also be available to stream with a Paramount Plus subscription. 

The Woman in the Wall cast is led by Ruth Wilson (His Dark Materials, The Affair) as Lorna Brady, an Irish woman who wakes up to find a corpse in her house. Not only does Lorna have no idea who the dead woman is, she is also unsure if she herself is responsible for the apparent murder. That's because Lorna has suffered from extreme bouts of sleepwalking ever since she was incarcerated as a teenager in the fictional Kilkinure Convent, modeled on the real-life Magdalene Laundries. 

Ireland's Magdalene Laundries were institutions run by the Catholic Church from the 18th century until the late 1990s. These asylums took in so-called "fallen women"—sex workers, unwed mothers or anyone else the church deemed problematic—but really operated as penitentiary workhouses where the women horrifically underwent back-breaking unpaid labor and physical and sexual abuse by those in charge.

Irish actor Daryl McCormack—best known for series like Peaky Blinders and The Wheel of Time and the movie Good Luck to You, Leo Grande—co-stars as Colman Akande, the detective investigating the case. 

Ruth Wilson, who also serves as an executive producer on the drama, said of the series: “Lorna Brady is a complex and fascinating character and I’m thrilled to help bring her to life. In The Woman in the Wall, Joe Murtagh has created both an enthralling gothic thriller and a moving examination of the legacy of The Magdalene Laundries. It’s a privilege to bring this story to TV screens."

The actress continued: "I hope people are gripped and moved. But I also hope that it encourages people to dig deeper and read about the Magdalene Laundries and the mother and baby homes and understand on a different level the experiences these women went through."

If you've yet to watch The Curse but find yourself intrigued by it because it stars Emma Stone and has received rave reviews, you're probably wondering exactly what sort of show it is. Even devoted viewers of The Curse are still pondering; is The Curse a comedy? A satirical black comedy? Horror? Thriller? Dramedy? 

The Curse is ostensibly a comedy that revolves around newlywed couple Whitney (Emma Stone) and Asher (Nathan Fielder) as they attempt to provide eco-conscious housing to the community of Espanola, N.M., while they make the reality show Flipanthropy alongside producer Dougie Schecter (Benny Safdie).

Those who have seen the work of Fielder — co-creator, co-writer and co-director of The Curse — know his comedies are different. The Canadian comedian has always been in pursuit of finding unpredictable ways to make people laugh, rather than the standard set-up and punchline.

In the likes of Nathan For You and The Rehearsal, both of which are as much documentaries as comedies, he is the joke. Or rather, his character is the joke; although it has become impossible to know where the real Fielder begins and the character ends. In these shows, Fielder reveled in being so deadpan and straight that both viewers and even the people he's on-screen with didn't know if he was joking or not. 

Even though The Curse is scripted, with Fielder writing the scripts alongside Safdie and Carrie Kemper, it's still hard to know whether you should laugh, look away or ruminate over the absurd and sometimes excruciating scenes that feature. What often happens is that you do all three in quick succession or at the same time. 

While The Curse is most definitely a comedy, it actually only produces just one or two major laughs an episode. Considering that some installments are an hour long, some might see that as a meager return. But The Curse's funniest scenes rival any other comedic TV moments of the year. In particular, Asher going to great lengths to get footage from a casino computer and a potential house buyer singing "Stand By Me" to the Siegels.

More often than not, though, The Curse will make you cringe and want to look away. 

Just look at the scenes where Asher and his father-in-law bond over having small penises or the Siegels trying to recreate the difficulty of taking off a sweater for Instagram. The Curse grips its viewers the tightest after the laughter has stopped and the squirming has begun. It wants these moments to remain in viewers' heads and make them remember occasions when they went too far and were just as desperate and transparent as the characters. 

In The Curse episode 4, one character even addresses the show's unique approach to comedy. After Asher is encouraged to go to a comedy class by Whitney following the test audiences' poor response to him, a teacher explains, "Some of the funniest jokes we tell, we don't even know why we're laughing." When it comes to The Curse, the reason you're laughing is most likely because you're uncomfortable, disappointed, horrified, shocked or find something too relatable. 

The Curse actually uses techniques from genres other than comedy to help provoke such reactions. Sequences are regularly shot from outside or through a window, to make you feel as though you’re prying in on conversations like a documentary. This approach is often used in horror, a genre The Curse regularly leans into, as there's haunting imagery dotted through the series. 

The music also feels as though it has been ripped from a scary movie, while the way that each episode builds the feeling of dread, tension and the inevitability that something bad is going to happen to Whitney and/or Asher means you can't help but look away in the same manner people try to avoid jump-scares. 

This sense of peril isn't just because Nala (Hikmah Warsame) puts a curse on Asher that sends him spiraling. The characters' increasingly selfish and ignorant antics, juxtaposed with their insistence that they're good people, leaves you wondering when they are going to get their comeuppance, even hoping for it. 

The Curse is undoubtedly not for everyone. At times episodes can feel meandering and aimless. Even people that enjoy the show can probably point out superfluous moments that didn't actually add anything. But viewers shouldn't be put-off or dismiss the fact that it's agonizing to watch. Instead, they should appreciate that it's challenging them and making them question themselves and their actions in a way that television rarely does. Even if it doesn't have the laugh-count they are custom to. 

The Curse releases new episodes on Paramount Plus on Fridays, which then air on the Showtime cable channel on Sundays.

Asher (Nathan Fielder), Whitney (Emma Stone) and Dougie (Benny Safdie) finally get some feedback on the Flipanthropy pilot, while Asher also buys a house, nearly gets in trouble with the police and comes face-to-face with Nala (Hikmah Warsame), the girl who put a curse on him.

Here's exactly what happened in The Curse episode 3, “Questa Lane.” 

Asher's new home 

At an auction for foreclosed homes, Asher purchases a new property for $62,500 on Questa Lane, even though he promised Whitney he wouldn't spend more than $40,000. Their plan is to knock it down and build a completely new home on the land. There's one problem, though. It already has a family living there. Asher has met them before, too.

Nala and her sister Hani (Dahabo Ahmed) are in that home when they hear a knock at the door. Having clearly been told by their father Abshir (Barkhad Abdi) not to answer the door when someone knocks, they're particularly startled when someone starts to drill through the lock.

Finally the door opens to reveal Asher. He immediately recognizes Nala and says he has the $100 he owes her. Scared, Nala and Hani run away. Asher chases after them. He tries to give Nala the money. But a local neighbor apprehends him, tells the girls to run and calls the police.

Asher explains to the police he actually owns the property. An officer tells him the family is squatting there, at which point Abshir returns. He insists he's been trying to pay rent for two years, with Asher admitting he was only able to buy it for so cheap because the previous owner had stopped paying taxes.

The officer tells Asher they can get the sheriff involved and Abshir, Nala and Hani will be out before the end of the day. But Asher says that's not necessary. They can stay for as long as they want.

Whitney wants to help

When Asher recalls all this to Whitney she's impressed by her husband's generosity, telling him it's out of character. For Asher, the family's presence in the home isn’t actually an inconvenience, at least for a year, as that's when Flipanthropy will have aired and the property will be worth much more. 

Whitney is a little confused that Abshir, Nala and Hani are squatting in this home, though, as Asher previously told her they'd found transitional housing. Asher tries to cover up his lies, telling Whitney they don’t really know what they're talking about. He also adds they didn't even remember him giving them the $100, which he previously lied to her about. 

Whitney insists she wants to help Abshir, Nala and Hani, willing to spend $6,000 to renovate the home now. Asher insists they shouldn't go above $1,000 as they're going to have to destroy it in the end anyway. 

She and Asher go back to the property, making it more secure and repairing the windows, all while insisting they won't charge the family rent. 

Whitney also uses this time to ask Nala about the curse she put on Asher. Nala reveals that it was just a TikTok trend, one where people threaten a person with a minor inconvenience. Nala recalls that when she told Asher she had put a curse on him she simultaneously wished that the chicken was taken from his dinner. 

This freaks Asher out, because the meal that he ordered to his house on the day Nala cursed him arrived without chicken. Suddenly, Asher now believes in the curse more than Whitney. Asher even begins to watch various TikTok videos to see if any mention chicken, which they don't. 

Flipanthropy feedback

Asher, Whitney and Dougie watch a focus group discuss Flipanthropy. None of the viewers are impressed by Asher. They insist he doesn’t have a personality, isn't funny or attractive and that he has no sexual tension with Whitney. 

Previously confident HGTV was going to pick up the show, Dougie admits he's now skeptical they'll want more episodes, as they can point to the poor response of the focus group. Asher becomes much more intense, declaring that his entire livelihood is based on Flipanthropy becoming a series. 

Back home and getting ready for bed, Whitney's shirt becomes stuck over her head. After some playful back and forth, Asher is finally able to pull it off, which leaves both of them in hysterics. 

Remembering the focus group found Asher boring and humorless, Whitney says they should recreate the incident for Instagram to show just how funny and compatible they can be. But as they try to film it, they immediately lose the spark, spontaneity and humor of what made the original interaction so funny. 

Asher is also still consumed with how Nala knew his food didn't have chicken in it that night. He wonders if she went through their trash. Whitney scolds Asher for thinking that people in poverty have nothing better to do than that. But Asher bites back. He says he could accuse Whitney of being racist because she believed Nala was capable of cursing them. Soon, the pair have a furious argument, which only stops when they realize Whitney's phone is still recording them. 

In bed, Whitney deletes the video of the real argument between the pair, but keeps the fake playful interaction clip. 

Barrier's closed 

Another issue for Whitney and Asher is that Barrier Coffee, which they opened for filming and gave three months free rent to, has closed down without telling them. They call the manager, who explains the shop was losing money, and their deal was only to keep it open while Flipanthropy was filming. 

Having promised a job at Barrier Coffee to Fernando (Christopher D. Calderon), Whitney calls and tells him it's now closed. Instead, she offers him a job as a security guard, working from 8 pm to 4 am, as that's "when the freaks come out." The episode ends with Fernando, armed with a gun, sitting in front of the closed Barrier Coffee, ready to protect it. 

New episodes of The Curse release on Paramount Plus on Fridays, while airing on Showtime in the US Sundays at 10 pm ET/PT.

While waiting to hear if HGTV wants more episodes of Flipanthropy, Asher (Nathan Fielder) tries to get the evidence from Whistling River Casino to stop Monica (Tessa Mentus) airing his embarrassing interview. 

At the same time, Whitney (Emma Stone) looks to connect with the indigenous heritage and culture in Española, while she also shares some hugely exciting news with Asher. Plus Dougie (Benny Safdie) goes on a date.

Here's a full breakdown of what happens in The Curse episode 2.

Asher's casino robbery 

After Asher provides Monica with what he believes is sufficient evidence that Whistling River Casino doesn't protect gambling addicts, she tells him she actually needs surveillance footage that proves they're breaking the law. In order to get that, Asher returns to where he used to work, reconnects with his former colleague Bill (David DeLao) and tries to get onto a computer in the offices.

At first, Bill doesn't allow Asher back to the casino offices. So Asher presents a business plan to build a nursery in the casino so single parents (their best customers) can gamble for longer to Bill and the casino's manager Wandall (Marcus LaVoi).

When the plan is rejected, Asher convinces Bill to take him to his office so he can show him an hysterical viral video. While watching it, Asher spills Gatorade on Bill. At first he doesn't get Bill wet enough, so he just pours it over his head, then his own. This finally makes Bill leave to get towels, during which time Asher uploads the surveillance footage he requires onto a USB. 

Whitney tries to make friends

Whitney talks to the Governor of the San Pedro Pueblo, James Toledo (Gary Farmer), about the history of Española, making sure to get a photo of herself with him. She then invites James to a gallery opening by local contemporary artist Cara Durand (Nizhonniya Austin), who later that night Whitney and Asher have dinner with. 

Whitney is looking for Cara to be a cultural consultant on Flipanthropy so she can speak to the native experience in an authentic manner. Even though they insist she can order as much food as she wants, Cara leaves before the meals arrive due to a work emergency. But even before that point, Cara says she'll be upset if Whitney and Asher use her art in their Flipanthropy homes. 

Later at the gallery opening, Asher and Whitney partake in Cara's performance art. They sit inside a teepee one-on-one with Cara, who hands them a piece of turkey that she's just carved, then she cries out in pain. When they leave, an assistant asks them not to speak about their experience inside. 

In her quest to bond with James, Whitney tells him not to eat the turkey like she did. Meanwhile, Asher refuses to reveal whether he ate the turkey in the teepee like Whitney, as that was Cara's request. 

Before she leaves, Whitney approaches Cara, who is hanging out with her friends. She apologizes if she was too intense for Whitney, who insists she was fine. Whitney then hangs on at the side of the group as they discuss where to go for drinks, but don't invite Whitney to join. 

Dougie's date

Instead of returning to New York, Dougie waits around in Española until news of Flipanthropy's future is confirmed. While on a date with Laura (Adrianne Chalepah), he reveals the reason why he doesn't want to go back to New York. His wife died after the car he was driving was t-boned by another vehicle that ran a red light. It was later revealed Dougie was over the drinking limit. 

As they leave, Dougie offers to give Laura a ride home. She's hesitant at first, as he's been drinking, but ultimately agrees to do so as it's only a few miles. Along the way though, Dougie becomes very intense. He asks her to take out a pouch from the glove compartment, inside of which is a breathalyzer. After taking it, Dougie realizes he's over the limit, so he pulls the car over. He walks Laura the final mile home. She admits that she's impressed he was so honest. 

Later on, Asher runs into Dougie in the casino, where he is losing money. Surprised to see he's still in Española, the pair exchange banal small talk before Dougie admits he doesn't have any work lined up in New York and is waiting in the town for an update on Flipanthropy. 

Whitney and Asher's heartbreak  

After Cara leaves their dinner, Whitney tells a jubilant Asher she's pregnant. She admits her emotions have been up and down recently, especially as she's being accused by people on the internet of stealing the look of Passive Homes from artist Douglas Atkins.

When they go for their first ultrasound, the doctor (Ramona DuBarry) reveals she's had an ectopic pregnancy, which is when the egg doesn't reach the uterus before fertilization. She has to have a shot to kill the cells and the pair can try again for a baby in six weeks. 

Afterwards, Asher and Whitney sit silently in their car. She tries to talk about designing the exterior of her houses in a new way, while Asher focuses on her and trying to have a baby again. Whitney tells Asher she loves how he fights for them. Asher then tells her, "You know you can tell me anything, right?" Whitney responds, "Of course." She then stares out into the distance, a million thoughts seemingly racing through her mind.

The Curse episode 2 is now streaming on Paramount Plus. It airs on Showtime on Sunday, November 19, at 10 pm ET/PT.

In the early 80s, Michael Jackson released what many music lovers consider to be the best pop album of all time, Thriller. Now more than 40 years later, Thriller 40 is a documentary that celebrates the legendary impact of the album, while talking about how the project came to be. 

Helping to tell the story of Thriller are some big-name music stars in their own right including Usher, Mark Ronson and Mary J. Blige. If your interest isn’t piqued yet, allow us to also mention that the special event gets into the lyrics of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” An explanation of those alone makes this special worth a watch. 

Here’s everything we know about Thriller 40.  

Thriller 40 release date

Thriller 40 premieres on Saturday, December 2, at 8 pm ET/PT on Showtime. If you’ve cut the cord to traditional cable/satellite TV, Showtime is available on live TV streaming platforms such as FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV. The special also becomes available to stream on December 2 on Paramount Plus with Showtime. 

The documentary debuts on December 2 on Paramount Plus in the UK, Australia, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Latin America and South Korea.  

Thriller 40 trailer

Here is the official trailer of the documentary. Watching the clip, you’re reminded that before Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, Michael Jackson was the top name in music. 

Thriller 40 premise

Here is the official synopsis of Thriller 40: 

"Forty years after the release of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the best-selling album of all time worldwide, Director Nelson George takes fans back in time to experience the making of the record-breaking album and the release of the accompanying short films that forever redefined the music video format. Featuring never-before-seen footage and exclusive interviews, Thriller 40 chronicles the creation of a pre-internet global phenomenon unlike anything before it or since. Thriller launched Michael Jackson into mega-stardom and to this day continues to influence all aspects of culture and entertainment including the worlds of music, dance and fashion. Music and entertainment luminaries including Usher, Mary J. Blige, Will.I.Am, Mark Ronson, Misty Copeland, Maxwell and John Landis are featured in the documentary.

Songs on the Thriller album 

Thriller won a record-breaking eight Grammys in 1984, including Album and Record of the Year. Here is a track listing for the entire album: 

1. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
2. "Baby Be Mine"
3. "The Girl Is Mine"- Michael Jackson with Paul McCartney
4. "Thriller"
5. "Beat It"
6. "Billie Jean"
7. "Human Nature
8. "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"
9. "The Lady in My Life"

Thriller 40 director

Nelson George directed Thriller 40. George previously took to the director’s chair for projects such as Say Hey, Willie Mays!, The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story and A Ballerina’s Tale. He was also an executive producer on the 2023 Emmy-nominated docuseries Dear Mama. 

From Showtime and A24, The Curse is a new comedy series that brings together Emma Stone (Poor Things), Nathan Fielder (The Rehearsal) and Benny Safdie (Oppenheimer). Stone and Fielder play Whitney and Asher Siegel, the recently married hosts of a new HGTV show entitled Flipanthropy, which is being produced by Dougie Schecter (Safdie). 

After premiering at the New York Film Festival back in October, The Curse was met with a strong response from critics, who insisted that it was one of the most unique and original shows in years. They weren't wrong.

But what actually happens in The Curse? Let's take a look and see what unfolds in The Curse episode 1. 

Española

The Curse takes place in the New Mexico town of Española, which Whitney and Asher plan to rejuvenate, all while their every move is filmed by Dougie for Flipanthropy. They build eco-friendly Passive Homes for its citizens as well as coffee shops and stores, which the town's unemployed work in, all in an attempt to create a sustainable economy. 

But Whitney is clearly uncomfortable with Dougie's repeated attempts to sensationalize the town's response to Asher and Whitney's acts for the show. Dougie puts water on a cancer-stricken woman's face to make her look like she's crying with joy, asks Whitney to lie on a voiceover and even tries to convince Asher to start a fight with Whitney for content. 

This isn't Asher and Whtiney's biggest problem, though.

Interview goes astray

While giving an interview to a local news station to promote Flipanthropy, Whitney is asked several questions by journalist Monica Perez (Tessa Mentus) about her father Paul (Corbin Bernsen), who is described as a slumlord because of the condition of the apartments he rents out. After Asher tries in vain to defuse the situation, he loses his cool with Monica, making the situation umpteen times worse. 

After the interview, Whitney tells Asher he needs to convince Monica to take the footage off the air. It turns out Asher has inside information on the illegal habits of the gaming control board at a local casino run by the Pueblo people, a story he believes would make Monica the anchor of her station. Asher plans to meet Monica at a local Subway to discuss the details. But when he arrives, she needs 10 more minutes to finish a story. 

During this time we find out why the show got its title.

The curse 

While waiting, Dougie asks Asher if they can shoot some B-footage of him buying a mini-Sprite off a little girl named Nala (Hikmah Warsame). The problem is, Asher only has a $100 bill, which he demands back when Dougie has finished filming. After snatching the money out of her hand, Nala looks Asher dead in the eye and says, "I curse you." Asher eventually gets the $20 he wants to give Nala and her family, but when he looks for them they're gone. 

Asher doesn't think twice about the curse until Whitney watches the footage and responds furiously to her husband's actions. She demands Asher go around Española to find Hala that instant. He's unable to find her, though, so he just gives $20 to another homeless woman. When Whitney asks if he found the family, Asher lies, says he did and insists they lifted the curse, all of which isn't true.

Like father-in-law, like son-in-law

Need proof The Curse is weird? In what might be one of the most unusual family scenes between a father and son-in-law in television history, Paul tells Asher he knows he has a small penis. 

When Paul offers Asher some business advice, Asher insists he knows what he's doing with the money he has borrowed from him, which involves buying up more land in Española. That's how they can make the most money, as they drive up the price by gentrifying the area. 

Paul then reveals to Asher that he also has a small penis, while also boasting about how rich he is, which is his very odd way of reassuring his son in law that he can succeed.

Asher tells all of this to Whitney in the car ride home. She admits she told her mom about the size of his penis after their first date. The pair are soon able to joke about it. They even have sex when they get home. Although this purely involves Asher pleasuring her with a sex toy while they partake in role-playing.

Dougie's dreams 

It turns out Dougie and Asher are old friends who went to camp together. More than that, Asher actually hired Dougie for the job as producer on Flipanthropy. However, after watching clips of his previous work on Love to the Third Degree — a dating show where 15 women try to woo a masked man who reveals that he’s a burn victim — Whitney is incensed at the shameful tactics Dougie will use to get viewers. 

When Asher is out trying to find Nala, Dougie looks to boost Whitney's self-esteem as she's struggling to record a voiceover. Dougie praises her talents, says she lights up whatever room she enters, is a natural on camera and insists everyone who watches her on Flipanthropy will be dreaming about being with her.

It certainly appears as though Dougie was either flirting or trying to seduce Whitney, despite his insistence he was just trying to help her give a better voiceover performance. There's a very good chance he was actually doing all three. 

The Curse is available to watch on Paramount Plus with Showtime and airs on the Showtime cable channel Sundays at 10 pm ET/PT. 

Fellow Travelers is a political thriller and epic love story that spans decades and starts during of the darkest times in American history, during the so-called McCarthy era of the 1950s. 

Created by Ron Nyswamer — the man behind the Tom Hanks' movie Philadelphia and spy thriller Homeland — and based on the novel Fellow Travelers by Thomas Mallon, the story follows a clandestine romance between the charismatic Hawkins Fuller (Matt Bomer), who works in politics, and young idealist Tim Laughlin (Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey). The pair meet just as US Senator Joseph McCarthy and his chief counsel Roy Cohn declare that homosexuality is sexual deviancy, and the series follows the pair against the backdrop of the 1960s protests against the Vietnam War, the drug-fuelled hedonism of the 1970s and the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the Showtime and Paramount Plus series Fellow Travelers…

Fellow Travelers release date

Fellow Travelers is an eight-part series that launched on Paramount Plus with Showtime in the US and Canada on Friday October 27 2023, then on Paramount Plus on Saturday October 28 in the UK, Australia, Latin America, South Korea, Italy, Germany Switzerland and Austria. It's a major drama during the Autumn TV season for 2023.

* How to watch Fellow Travelers: stream the historical romance drama including air date

* Paramount Plus price: cost, deals and content for the streaming service.

* Sign up for Paramount Plus here.

Is there a trailer for Fellow Travelers?

Paramount Plus and Showtime have both released trailers for Fellow Travelers. So do take a look at both below...

Yes a teaser trailer for Fellow Travelers was released by Paramount which shows a very tense drama. We see Hawkins and Tim walk past one another in the corridors of power, with flashbacks to their secret and potentially explosive romance. Take a look below at the trailer and a tweet about the show.

Fellow Travelers plot 

Fellow Travelers follows a secret romance between two very different men – the rich Hawkins Fuller (Matt Bomer) and the young Tim Laughlin (Jonathan Bailey) who is brimming with idealism and religious faith. They start a romance, but Joseph McCarthy and Roy Cohn have just declared war on ‘subversives and sexual deviants’ so their love could cost them everything. We follow them, alongside three other characters – Marcus (Jelani Alladin), Lucy (Allison Williams) and Frankie (Noah J. Ricketts) - as they cross paths over the next four decades. 

When Hawkins Fuller (American Horror Story’s Matt Bomer), an influential staffer working for a US Senator, meets aspiring politico Tim Laughlin (Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey) at a Washington fundraiser, the attraction between the two men is instant. 

The problem is that the year is 1952, and Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy (For All Mankind’s Chris Bauer) is about to announce his intention to stamp out ‘subversives and sexual deviants’ in the US government.

The drama follows the love story between Hawk and Tim over four turbulent decades including the Vietnam War and AIDS crisis, as they keep getting pulled back into each other’s orbit.

"It’s so compelling to have a powerful attraction between people who view life very differently," says Ron Nyswaner, the show’s creator and executive producer. "They are, in many ways, not suited to each other, but they are powerfully drawn together. And they’re in a very high-pressured, high stakes environment, where their attraction to each other could ruin their lives.?"

In order to maintain his cover, Hawk marries his friend Lucy (Girls star Allison Williams), who is also the daughter of his boss, Senator Wesley Smith (My Policeman’s Linus Roache).

"Lucy and Hawk have this delicious relationship of having known each other since childhood,’ explains Nyswaner. ‘There was always an assumption that they would get married someday - and what’s compelling to me about Lucy is, what does she know about Hawk and what doesn’t she know? What are we willing to not face, if we get to be with somebody we care about? 

"Lucy and Tim are in a similar situation where they both desire this man, and are both willing to give up certain things to have him - but at a certain point, they will pay a price for that.’

The series’ timeline spans from the McCarthy era through to the Aids crisis of the 1980s and runs on a non-linear narrative, which Nyswaner admits occasionally caused some confusion during production.

‘Part of my job on set was to keep everybody clear,’ he recalls. ‘There were times when, in a given day, we were in three different decades - that was really challenging for the designers and the crew!’

Follow Travelers cast — Matt Bomer as Hawkins Fuller 

Matt Bomer plays Hawkins Fuller, who has made a career for himself behind the scenes in politics. 

Crucial to the success of Fellow Travelers was finding two actors with the right chemistry, and Nyswaner explains that Bomer - who also serves as executive producer on the series - and Jonathan Bailey as Tim perfectly captured the longing that keeps their characters coming back to each other.

"Matt has the ability to signal what’s going on inside without having to tell you,’ says Nyswaner. "Hawkins’ inner life is hidden from the world, because it’s too risky to share that with other human beings.

"Tim’s the opposite - his emotions are on the surface, and Jonny does that very well, that incredible nervous energy that he embodies of just wanting something so powerfully. Because of that, I think the audience will want him to get Hawk - even though it’s probably not going to be good for Tim if he does."

* Matt Bomer has previously starred in Magic Mike, In Time, White Collar, Will & Grace, The Normal Heart, Tru Calling, American Horror Story: Hotel, The Magnificent Seven and The Sinner. 

Jonathan Bailey as Tim Laughlin

Jonathan Bailey is playing Hawkins Fuller's secret lover Tim Laughlin. 

Jonathan Bailey is best known for playing Lord Anthony Bridgerton in the hit Netflix series Bridgerton and has also starred in W1A, Hooten and The Lady, Crashing, Broadchurch, Leonardo and Baddiel’s Syndrome. He will star in the upcoming movie Wicked, playing Fiyero. 

Who else is starring in Fellow Travelers? 

There's a great remaining cast for Fellow Travellers which includes Jelani Alladin (Tick, tick.. BOOM!, The Walking Dead: World Beyond) who plays Marcus Hooks, while Allison Williams (Get Out, Girls) is Lucy Smith and Noah J. Ricketts (American Gods) plays Frankie Hines. Linus Roache will play Senator Wesley Smith while Chris Bauer is Senator Joe McCarthy and Will Brill is Roy Cohn. 

Fellow Travelers episode guide

Here's a brief episode guide for Fellow Travelers. Remember the episodes are released weekly from October 27 2023 (in the US) and October 28 (in the UK)...

Episode 1
It's tje 1950s in Washington DC and the atmosphere is febrile as it's the Joseph McCarthy which suspicions of communist infiltration into US society are running high and any accusations could ruin a career in an instant. Hawkins Fuller is a war hero moving up the ladder at the State Department. when Hawk meets religious Tim Laughlin and they begin an affair that puts them in jeopardy.

Episodes 2 to 8
Please do check back as we'll be adding weekly information.

Behind the scenes and more on Fellow Travelers

Matt Bomer and Nyswaner executive produce Fellow Travelers with Robbie Rogers (All American, My Policeman) and Dee Johnson. Daniel Minahan (Halston, American Crime Story: Versace) executive produces and direct the first two episodes. The series is co-produced by Fremantle and Paramount+.

* Other big dramas currently showing or coming soon to Paramount Plus...

* The Castaways
* A Gentleman in Moscow
* No Escape
* Sexy Beast
* The Killing Kind
* Fatal Attraction
* The Gymnasts
* The Flatshare

The Curse is quite the star-studded affair, as the likes of Emma Stone, Benny Safdie and Nathan Fielder are teaming up with A24 for an all new series on Showtime. It makes for quite the addition to the fall TV lineup.

A24 may be more known for its movies, but the indie studio has already had a number of TV successes, including Euphoria, Irma Vep, Beef and others. Could The Curse be the next big hit for A24 and Showtime?

Before we find out if that’s the case though, here is everything that you need to know about The Curse.

When is the next The Curse episode?

The finale of The Curse is now available to stream on Paramount Plus for Paramount Plus with Showtime subscribers. If you are waiting for the show's airing on the cable version of Showtime, that'll be on Sunday, January 14, at 9 pm ET/PT.

The Curse plot

Co-created and written by Benny Safdie and Nathan Fielder, here is the synopsis for The Curse:

"The Curse is a genre-bending series that explores how an alleged curse disturbs the relationship of a newly married couple as they try to conceive a child while co-starring in their new home-improvement show."

In addition to writing the series, Safdie and Fielder are executive producing the series, as is Stone. Fielder is also the director.

The Curse recaps

Here are the synopses for The Curse episodes released so far, as well as links to our in-depth recaps.

The Curse episode 1, "Land of Enchantment"
"Newlyweds Whitney and Asher Siegel set out to make a show." Read WTW's The Curse episode 1 recap.

The Curse episode 2, "Pressure's Looking Good So Far"
"Whitney attempts to forge new alliances." Read WTW's The Curse episode 2 recap.

The Curse episode 3, "Questa Lane"
"A focus group gets into Whitney's head." Read WTW's The Curse episode 3 recap.

The Curse cast

In addition to all their work behind the scenes, the trio of Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie are also the leading cast members for The Curse.

Stone is an Oscar-winning actress best known for La La Land, Cruella and Easy A, among many others. She also has a new movie coming out in 2023, Poor Things. Stone's last TV starring role was in the limited series Maniac.

Fielder has become a comedy icon with his bizarrely offbeat shows that include The Rehearsal and Nathan for You. He also starred in movies like Marcel the Shell With Shoes On and The Disaster Artist.

Safdie has already had himself a big 2023, appearing in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret and Oppenheimer ahead of The Curse. Previously Safdie was known for his roles in Licorice Pizza and Good Time, which he also co-directed with his brother Josh Safdie (who is himself an executive producer on The Curse).

Additional members of the cast include Oscar nominee Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips), Emmy nominee Corbin Bernsen (LA Law) and Constance Shulman (Orange Is the New Black).

The Curse trailer

The official trailer for The Curse is here, showing things get crazy for Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone's characters after a seemingly good deed goes sideways. Watch the trailer, as well as the previously released teaser trailer, directly below:

Showtime also shared a new teaser on social media that you can see here:

How to watch The Curse

US audiences wanting to watch The Curse have a couple of options to do so. If you have a cable or live TV streaming service that carries Showtime (i.e., Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV) you can watch it when it airs live on TV. If you prefere streaming, you are going to need a Paramount Plus with Showtime subscription, which not only will allow you to watch the show on-demand, but also a couple days early.

For those outside of the US wanting to watch The Curse, you just need to subscribe to Paramount Plus.

If you’re searching for a witty crime drama to watch from the comforts of your own home this fall, look no further than Heist 88. The new 2023 movie sees the incredibly talented Courtney B. Vance play Jeremy Horne, a sophisticated robber who’s ready to pull one last big heist before he’s sent to prison. Inspired by real events, this criminal hopes to pull off an $80 million robbery with the power of his manipulation and the help of four young bank employees. 

Here’s everything we know about Heist 88 including the release date, cast and a look at the trailer.  

Heist 88 release date

Heist 88 premieres on Sunday, October 1, at 9 pm ET/PT on Showtime. The film debuts a little earlier on Friday, September 29 on Paramount Plus with Showtime. 

Showtime is a premium channel among cable/satellite TV providers. However, if you’ve cut cords with traditional TV watching, live streaming platforms such as FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV offer Showtime add-on subscriptions for an additional fee. For those who prefer to stream the movie early, you’ll want to make sure you have a subscription to Paramount Plus with Showtime. 

Heist 88 trailer

On September 25, Showtime released an additional preview clip for the film. Take a look at the video below. 

The trailer makes us think that Vance once again has a captivating hit on his hands. 

Heist 88 plot

Here is the official synopsis of Heist 88: 

"Inspired by true events, Heist 88 is the unbelievable story centered on Jeremy Horne (Vance), a criminal mastermind with an innate ability to convince anyone to do just about anything, who decides to pull one last job before going to prison. He recruits four young bank employees to steal close to $80 million dollars in a daring and brazen assault on the U.S. banking system. The film takes place in a time before widespread computerization and the vast cybersecurity of today."

The movie was written by Dwayne Johnson-Cochran. 

Heist 88 cast

As already mentioned, Heist 88 is led by actor Courtney B. Vance, who also serves as an executive producer of the movie alongside his wife Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever). Vance is a two-time Emmy winner, having been recognized for his roles in American Crime Story and Lovecraft Country. He’s recently starred in 61st Street season 1 and 61st Street season 2. 

Also starring in Heist 88 are Keesha Sharp and Keith David. Sharp is perhaps best known for her roles in Girlfriends, Lethal Weapon (the series) and recently, Power Book II: Ghost. David is a three-time Emmy winner, receiving his awards for his voiceover and narration work, and he’s been seen onscreen in Greenleaf. Additionally, he appears in the upcoming movie, American Fiction. 

Helping to round out the main cast are Xavier Clyde (City on Fire), Bentley Green (White Men Can’t Jump), Nican Robinson (Ahsoka) and Precious Way (Queens).  

Heist 88 director

Menhaj Huda took to the director’s chair for Heist 88. Huda has previously directed episodes of The Flash, Charmed, Queer as Folk as well as other projects. 

We may have lost William Friedkin earlier in 2023, but the Oscar-winning director has one more movie to share with the world, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. The movie is set to be one of the big TV events of the fall. Let us explain.

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial premiered at the 2023 Venice Film Festival and is a full-length feature film, but it was produced by Showtime, so it is going to premiere on the premium cable network.

Now, to find out the when, the who and more about The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, read on as we detail everything you need to know about the movie.

How to watch The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial premiered on Showtime on Sunday, October 8, but you can now watch it on-demand if you missed it initially.

A subscription to Paramount Plus is necessary. For US consumers, it must specifically be Paramount Plus with Showtime (the more expensive of the two subscription options). Paramount Plus only has one subscription plan for markets outside of the US.

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial plot

Based on the book of the same name by Herman Wouk, here is the official synopsis of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial:

"Follows a U.S. naval first officer who's standing trial for orchestrating a mutiny after his captain shows signs of becoming unhinged and jeopardizes the lives of his crew.

"At the start of a naval court-martial, Barney Greenwald, a skeptical naval lawyer, reluctantly agrees to defend Lt. Steve Maryk, a first officer of the Navy who took control of the U.S.S. CAINE from its domineering captain Lt. Philip Francis Queeg during a violent sea storm in unfriendly waters. As the trial progresses, Greenwald becomes increasingly concerned and questions if the events aboard the Caine were a true mutiny or simply the courageous acts of a group of sailors who did not trust their unstable leader."

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial cast

The ensemble cast for The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial is headlined by Kiefer Sutherland, best known for his role as Jack Bauer in the show 24, as Lt. Philip Francis Queeg; Jason Clarke, who most recently starred in Oppenheimer, as Barney Greenwald; and Jake Lacy from White Lotus as Lt. Steve Maryk.

Additionally,  the cast features Monica Raymund (Chicago Fire), Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick), Jay Duplass (Transparent), Tom Riley (The Nevers) and the late Lance Reddick (John Wick) in key roles.

Check out these handful of first-look photos.

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial trailer

The first trailer for The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial is here. Watch directly below:

William Friedkin movies

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial is William Friedkin's 21st and final feature length movie. Here are his previous directorial efforts: 

• Good Times (1967)
• The Birthday Party (1968)
• The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968)
• The Boys in the Band (1970)
• The French Connection (1971)
• The Exorcist (1973)
• Sorcerer (1977)
• The Brink's Job (1978)
• Cruising (1980)
• Deal of the Century (1983)
• To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
• Rampage (1987)
• The Guardian (1990)
• Blue Chips (1994)
• Jade (1995)
• Rules of Engagement (2000)
• The Hunted (2003)
• Bug (2006)
• Killer Joe (2011)
• The Devil and Father Amorth (2017)

The Woman In The Wall is an emotional drama that will show us the legacy of one of Ireland’s most shocking scandals — the inhumane institutions known as 'The Magdalene Laundries'  

Starring Ruth Wilson (His Dark Materials) and Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters), it follows the horrors that befall one Irish woman Lorna Brady who wakes one morning to find a dead body in her house. Daryl McCormack joins Ruth to play investigating Garda detective Colman Akande.

Ruth Wilson will also executive produce the six-part series for Motive Pictures alongside creator and BAFTA Award-nominated Joe Murtagh (Calm With Horses) and BAFTA Award-nominee Harry Wootliff (True Things, Only You) who directs some episodes.

So here's everything you need to know about The Woman In The Wall...

The Woman In The Wall release date

The Woman In The Wall is a six-part drama that launched in the UK on BBC One in August 2023. All six episodes are now available on BBC iPlayer.

In the US The Woman In The Wall arrives on Paramount Plus on Friday, January 19. It is also airing on cable channel Showtime from January 21 at 9 pm ET/PT. Episodes will then air in the same time slot each week. 

* How to watch The Woman in the Wall: stream the murder mystery show online

Is there a trailer for The Woman In The Wall?

Yes, a trailer for The Woman In The Wall was released by the BBC which shows Ruth Wilson leading the cast as Lorna. The language is pretty strong in parts. Do take a look at the trailer below to get an idea...

What is the plot of The Woman In The Wall?

The Woman In The Wall follows the horrors experienced by Lorna Brady (Ruth Wilson) is a woman from the small, fictional Irish town of Kilkinure, who wakes one morning to find a corpse in her house. 

Lorna is chilled to the core as she has no idea who the dead woman is or if she could even be responsible for the apparent murder herself. This is a deadly possibility because Lorna suffers from extreme bouts of sleepwalking, which started around the time she was ripped from her life at the age of 15 and incarcerated in the Kilkinure Convent. 

This awful place was home to one of Ireland’s infamous 'Magdalene Laundries', a place where women were taken when they had fallen from grace — so included those accused of committing adultery to teenage pregnancies. 

When the Kilkinure Convent finally closed its doors, a score of survivors were left suffering in its wake. Very few women were able to go on and lead relatively normal lives, and others, such as Lorna, were even less fortunate in their fate. One thing all survivors had in common, is that none of them would ever forget. 

Unluckily it all unravels for Lorna, when the very ambitious Detective Colman Akande (Daryl McCormack) starts investigating her for a crime that is seemingly unrelated to the dead woman she’s discovered in her house. But are the two linked?

The ambitious Colman quickly rose through the ranks of the Garda Síochána thanks to his natural aptitude. His scathing wit hides a quiet sadness, and when he meets Lorna Brady, he finds himself forced to confront his own haunting secrets.

As Colman searches for a murderer and Lorna searches for her daughter, their paths collide in ways they could never have anticipated. Lorna’s search for Agnes will take her deep into her own past and to the heart of Kilkinure’s darkest secrets, as she and Colman seek the answers they each so desperately need.

The Woman In The Wall cast — Ruth Wilson interview on playing Lorna Brady

As the main star of The Woman In The Wall, as well as executive producer, Ruth Wilson says: “Lorna Brady is a complex and fascinating character and I’m thrilled to help bring her to life. In The Woman in the Wall Joe Murtagh has created both an enthralling gothic thriller and a moving examination of the legacy of The Magdalene Laundries. It’s a privilege to bring this story to TV screens. I remember reading the script and thinking, ‘This is fascinating with really great characters.’ It laces through a number of different genres – psychological horror, black comedy and even crime caper. It was also about something vital that I didn't know much about and I thought, ‘This is a creative way of bringing this story to a wider audience.’ 

Here's much more of Ruth Wilson's interview....

The opening scene sees Lorna wake up lying in the road after sleepwalking and cows are sniffing at her. Was that challenging to film?
Ruth Wilson says: "Cows are scary but they were well behaved! There was food behind my head, just drawing them in. It was freezing and windy but it's a clever way to start the show, it sets the tone – it's not a straightforward drama, it's going to push boundaries and encourage you to laugh as well. It’s serious material, but it has humour within it. You need that alongside the dark."

How do you see Lorna Brady?
Ruth says: "I love Lorna, she's mad and she's brilliant. She is haunted by her trauma. And her sleepwalking is a manifestation of what she's gone through. We don’t know if things are real or not. You are inside Lorna’s head and the camera shots are sometimes in and out of focus, and that's how she must feel. As an audience, you’re led through her emotions, you’re getting inside the mind of a person who could be a killer."

She’s incredibly angry, isn’t she?
Ruth says: "She’s furious! And she hasn’t been allowed to be furious. Society put her in this institution, which made her feel ashamed and which didn’t listen when she wanted to speak out. But her rage emerges as the reality hits. Only when this note arrives does it all start coming to the fore. The only way to control it is not to sleep and then she becomes more mad…"

How did you find shooting in Lorna’s oppressive house?
Ruth says: "It’s great, isn't it?! There’s this horror movie element so the house becomes important. It's her parents’ home where the trauma began when she was sent away by them. Nothing's changed, the past hasn't been dealt with, it’s facing her every day. The house itself is her haunting and it’s brilliantly designed."

What do you make of the relationship between her and Colman?
Ruth explains: "At first, she's like, ‘He’s after me.’ They are antagonists against each other. But they're both missing something in their lives – he has experiences of the mother and baby homes too – and, as it goes on, they realise that they fill a hole for each other and they come together."

Was there any research you could do?
Ruth reveals: "The subject matter is so sensitive. There are oral histories and testimonies and a great book called The Light in the Window [by June Goulding], which was illuminating. It's from the point of view of a nurse who was brought into a mother and baby home to look after the girls. I also went to Tuam in Western Ireland [the site of a former mother and baby home where a mass grave was found], and that was moving.

Were you able to meet survivors of the scandal?
Ruth says: "I didn't, you don’t want to put them back through their trauma. But we had a consultant, Katherine O'Donnell, who works with them and we talked to her a lot. And it was interesting working alongside people in our crew and cast who had direct attachments to this. You realise how wide it spread and how many people it touched."

What do you hope viewers take away?
Ruth says: "I hope people are gripped and moved. But I also hope that it encourages people to dig deeper and read about the Magdalene Laundries and the mother and baby homes and understand on a different level the experiences these women went through."

* Ruth WIlson is best known in recent years for her portrayal of Mrs Coulter in His Dark Materials. She also played unhinged Alice Morgan in Luther and Alison Bailey in The Affair and Petula Spencer in the whodunit See How They Run.

Daryl McCormack as Detective Colman Akande

Detective Colman Akande quickly rose through the ranks of the Garda Síochána thanks to his natural aptitude for the job. He possesses a dark and sometimes scathing wit but there is a quiet sadness to him that even he doesn’t understand, and he's hiding his own secrets from the world.

Daryl McCormack, who plays Colman, is starring in new Apple TV+ series Bad Sisters. He's previously appeared as Isaiah Jesus in Peaky Blinders, Pierce Devlin in Irish soap Fair City and lead character Leo in Good Luck to You Leo Grande.

Here Daryl McCormack reveals everything about his character and The Woman In The Wall....

Can you tell us about your character, Colman Akande? 
Daryl says: "Colman is a detective. He is in his early 30s and is an adopted young man who came out of the Mother and Baby Home within our fictional town of Kilkinure so he's never known the true identity of his mother. He is very bullheaded, kind of stubborn, but you can sense that it is his only way to survive. He's an interesting character and hides a lot on the surface, he is almost a victim of the type of masculinity that almost hurts him. He struggles to really bear himself to those around him. He's met with a lot of his own demons and paths that he doesn't want to really face but this investigative case that he is working on forces him to do so. You can sense the wounds and trauma that he hasn’t yet dealt with and has to then face throughout the course of the series."

You’ve recently returned to Ireland to star in Bad Sisters, how did these two roles differ? 
Daryl reveals: "In Bad Sisters, I played someone who was investigating a fraudulent insurance claim and for this series, I’m portraying a detective who's dealing with criminal activity – a murder. In Bad Sisters, that character was a musician who gets caught up in his brother's business, so he's a little bit more reluctant to go through the dealings and he's getting caught up in that world. Whereas for Colman, it's his job to solve cases and to meet them head on."

Colman is transferred from Dublin to the fictional Irish town of Kilkinure – a seemingly close-knit community, which up until the events of the series, remains relatively quiet. Tell us about this journey for Colman, and what his relationships are like with Gardai and people living in the town?
Daryl says: "I think Colman is angry at what appears to him to be small mindedness on behalf of the local Gardai. I think there can be an Irish tendency to sometimes sweep things under the rug in fear of hurting people or in fear of disrupting the peace. And he’s partnered with a detective called Massey who is very happy to just move things along quite quickly. So, there is a dissonance there between the two of them. They operate in very different ways. He has no real allegiance or obligation to appease the local community, so he comes in becomes quite frustrated quite quickly, which I think adds to the kind of comedy of the two. They're two very different people which makes for more of an obstacle for his investigation."

Though totally fictional the series is inspired by Ireland’s horrific history with the Magdalene Laundries and Mother & Baby Homes. How much did you know about these real-life events before taking on the role? 
Daryl reveals: "I've known about the Magdalene Laundries for quite some time. I remember watching The Magdalene Sisters movie when I was maybe 14 or 15. And through kind of just growing up in Ireland, it would have been talked about every once in a while. So I knew of it for the most part, but I obviously did a much deeper dive into the history once I once I started prepping for this role. I was more focusing on the children that came out of the Mother and Baby Homes, because that's where Colman was coming from. It was difficult. Obviously, there's a lot of pain and a lot of shame, which is part of the Catholic institution. So it was necessary, but also difficult to re-expose myself to the truth of what happened."

The Woman In The Wall episode guide and recaps

Here's our brief episode guide to The Woman In The Wall. To avoid spoilers don't click on the links...

The Woman In The Wall episode 1 recap: Lorna's shocking discovery

The Woman In The Wall episode 2 recap: Campaigning for justice

The Woman In The Wall episode 3 recap: Lorna's revelation

The Woman In The Wall episode 4 recap: New leads 

The Woman in the Wall episode 5 recap: A new villain emerges

The Woman in the Wall ending explained - what happens in episode 6?

Who else is starring in The Woman In The Wall?

The remaining cast for The Woman In The Wall are as follows...

Philippa Dunne, plays pregnant and determined Niamh, the local woman who is trying to get justice for Lorna and others who were sent to the Kilkinure convent.

Simon Delaney is playing Aidan Massey (pictured below), a laidback police sergeant who is eager to keep things on an even keel in Kilkinure and avoid any potential scandal.

Former Holby City star Chizzy Akudolu plays Lola Akande who is Colman’s adoptive mother. She showers him with love but can she help him come to terms with his childhood?

Dermot Crowley plays James Coyle while Frances Tomelty is Sister Eileen (see picture below), the former Mother Superior who might be able to provide answers at the convent. Ardal O'Hanlon plays Dara O'Halloran (also pictured below) who has a criminal past and will do anything to rotect his ex-nun wife Aoife and their daughter.

Abby Fitz plays the teen Lorna sent to the convent.

Behind the scenes and Joe Murtagh on The Woman In The Wall

Creator and Executive Producer of The Woman In The Wall Joe Murtagh, whose previous credits include Gangs of London,  says, “My family is from Mayo, the county in which the fictional Kilkinure is set, and it deeply frustrates and saddens me that it feels so few people have heard of the Laundries that existed across Ireland. I hope that by making something that has the familiarity of a genre piece we are able to shed some light on the awful things that occurred within these kind of institutions and introduce this history to the wider public, so that nothing like it may ever happen again.” 

"I had this idea about 10 years ago when I was at film school and I saw [2002 film] The Magdalene Sisters, which is about the Magdalene Laundries. I couldn't believe this had happened. I hadn’t known about it. But the last laundry only shut in 1996. It’s this hidden bit of history, and that inspired me to get the story out there,’ says Joe, who was able to meet survivors. What struck me was how enthusiastic they were for us to tell this story. And how thankful they were that someone is talking about this. I want to start the conversation so that people who are trying to achieve justice will be more empowered."

Sam Lavender and Simon Maxwell, Executive Producers for Motive Pictures add: “Joe Murtagh has crafted a brilliantly inventive and emotionally powerful exploration of the personal and collective traumas experienced by the survivors of the Magdalene laundries and Mother & Baby Homes. It’s a testament to the unique quality of Joe’s scripts that this series/show has attracted the extraordinary talents of Ruth Wilson, Daryl McCormack and director Harry Wootliff to work with us to bring this profoundly relevant story to audiences around the world.”

From the very beginning, The Chi has garnered rave reviews for its cultural relevance and nuanced take on life in Chicago, while keeping viewers captivated with the onscreen drama, a trend continuing with The Chi season 6. 

However, even with many of the storylines rooted in relationship problems, family conflict and the serious issues that arise from the growing pains of life, there's always been one character fans can rely on for some comedic relief. We're talking of course about Stanley Jackson (Shamon Brown Jr.), better known as Papa. 

No matter what's going on in The Chi, Papa manages to win fans over with his ability to remain unbothered, his unwavering commitment to living life as he sees fit and his sage words of advice that are as much funny as they are wise. Over the years he's said numerous memorable one-liners. Rather than recap them all, we decided to let this highlight reel prove our point.  

Simply put, viewers can't get enough of Papa because he's the hilariously needed nucleus of the younger generation represented in The Chi. As fans look to see him grow into a young man in the upcoming season (and hopeful beyond), they no doubt want him to remain true to the Papa they've come to know. 

With that being said, The Chi season 6 has audiences growing a bit concerned about a potential love triangle disaster brewing between Papa, Maisha (Genesis Denise Hale) and Kevin (Alex R. Hibbert). Long story short, at the end of The Chi season 6 premiere episode, Kevin found himself locking lips with Maisha, which is problematic for three big reasons: Maisha is Papa's ex-girlfriend, Kevin is one of Papa's best friends and Papa may or may not be completely over Maisha. 

On the surface, a Kevin and Maisha romance just screams trouble. Even if Maisha at first had a crush on Kevin early on in the series before she and Papa became an item, now that she does have that history with Papa, Maisha exploring things with Kevin at this point could lead to a fracture in the friend group. 

If there is one bright spot that may signal Papa will be okay with his ex moving on with his friend it's the season 6 introduction of Papa's new coworker at Smokey's. She may be slightly older than him, but his usual confidence appears to be working as he flirts with her. Could a new relationship for Papa be on the horizon? Just maybe. 

The Chi fans show their love for Papa

Take a look at just a few of the tweets we found from The Chi fans expressing their love for Papa. We included some tweets talking about the recent show's developments with Papa, Maisha and Kevin.  Hint, viewers aren't crazy about a love triangle, but do seem to rooting for Papa and this new girl. 

The Chi season 6 continues to air on Showtime and streams on Paramount Plus with Showtime along with episodes of the latest seasons of Yellow Jackets, Billions and more. 

It's time for the busiest run yet for The Chi season 6, as the popular Chicago-based series because is bumping up the number of episodes we're getting, giving us even more time to enjoy all the drama our favorite characters get in to.

The Chi follows a large group of connected people who live in South Side Chicago as they go through life's dramas and turmoils. Season 6 doesn't promise to be any different on that front.

What is different is the season is being broken up into two eight-episode chunks, instead of a single 10-episode run, so watching or streaming the show might be a little more confusing than before.

So to help you, we've got this guide on how to watch The Chi season 6.

How to watch The Chi season 6 in the US

You have a few different options for watching The Chi season 6 in the US.

You can sign up to either Showtime or Paramount Plus to catch the show, with the first episode landing on the streaming services on Friday, August 4. If you choose the latter, you'll need the $11.99 per month tier that includes Showtime's content, while the former costs $10.99 monthly.

An alternative option is using cable, as the Showtime channel airs each episode the Sunday after its streaming debut at 9 pm ET/PT. For non-cable subscribers, Fubo, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV all let you add Showtime for an extra cost (no live TV streaming service has it by default).

Episodes land weekly, with part one of the season wrapping up September 24. We're still waiting to hear when part two will drop.

How to watch The Chi season 6 in the UK

There's been no official word on where or when The Chi season 6 will stream in the UK, but we imagine you might be waiting a while.

The five previous seasons of the show are available on Disney Plus, so you can catch up with it there. However, with Showtime now being weaved into Paramount Plus, maybe the streamer will get new seasons going forward.

We'll update you when we find out.

How to watch The Chi season 6 everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch The Chi season 6, 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 shows like The Chi or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is ExpressVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

August may bring some of the hotter temps in the US, but this year it will also bring a favorite Chicago-based drama back on the air with The Chi season 6. 

The Lena Waithe series continues to be a hit among fans who appreciate the show for its relatable drama, impeccable acting by the ensemble cast and of course, its ability to respect the one-of-a-kind culture of the city of Chicago. So what can viewers expect to see in the new episodes?

Here’s everything we know about The Chi season 6. 

The Chi season 6 finale

The Chi returns with the finale episode of season 6. 

The season six finale titled "Thanksgiving" airs live on Friday, June 28, at 9 pm ET/PT on Showtime. The episode also becomes available to stream for Paramount Plus with Showtime subscribers. 

Here is a synopsis of what's to come: 

"Thanksgiving marks a time for reunions and revelations as families gather to celebrate."

The Chi season 6 trailer

Here is the official trailer for season 6 and it looks like the characters are trying to level up and evolve. 

The Chi season 6 plot

Here is the synopsis of the season according to Paramount's press release: 

"This season, life in The Chi reverberates between the highest highs and lowest lows. Big dreams are finally realized but at a cost and everyone will be tested in unimaginable ways as they calculate the risks and rewards of their next big move. 

"Emmett (Jacob Latimore) and Kiesha’s (Birgundi Baker) blissful blended union is tested by his insatiable drive to expand Smokey’s and a new perilous partnership, while Kiesha finally races toward a rewarding new career. Douda (Curtiss Cook) deals with the fallout of Q’s murder and its effect on the shifting loyalty of his inner circle. Victor’s (Luke James) bold declaration of love for both his new girlfriend and his beloved community will impact his political ambitions. Happily married Jada (Yolonda Ross) mentors Emmett and her besties as they navigate relationships. Kevin (Alex Hibbert) is becoming a brilliant master gamer but struggles with the youthful pitfalls of early independence. Jake (Michael V. Epps) launches a new business, and Papa (Shamon Brown Jr.) falls for an older woman while questioning his faith. What will become of their pursuits will be revealed over the course of this season’s sixteen jaw-dropping episodes."

The Chi season 6 cast

From the very beginning, The Chi has been a drama with an ensemble cast, and that continues in season 6. Helping to lead the way as series regulars in the new episodes are Jacob Latimore (House Party), Alex Hibbert (Moonlight), Yolonda Ross (American Gigolo), Michael V. Epps (Primary Position), Birgundi Baker (Praise This), Luke James (Star) Curtis Cook (Manifest) and Shamon Brown Jr.

As always, the series is rounded out by a host of guest stars. This season that includes:

• Kandi Burruss (The Real Housewives of Atlanta)
• Vic Mensa (South Side)
• Carolyn Michelle Smith (Russian Doll)
• Jason Weaver (ATL)
• Iman Shumpert (Twenties)
• Nia Jervier (Dear White People)
• L’lerrét Jazelle (9-1-1)
• Hannaha Hall (Chicago Med)
• Ahmad Ferguson (Power Book IV: Force)
• Genesis Denise Hale (Candyman)
• Joel Steingold (The Crossover)
• Judae’a Brown (Our Father)
• Miriam A. Hyman (Power Book IV: Force)
• Tyla Abercrumbie (Utopia)
• Tai Davis (Chicago Med)
• Rolando Boyce (P-Valley)
• Tory O. Davis (Shining Girls).  

How to watch The Chi season 6

The Chi is a Showtime Original series and airs directly on the platform in the US. Those interested in watching new episodes as they air on TV need a subscription via their cable/satellite provider. However, if you’ve cut cords with traditional TV watching, live streaming platforms such as FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV offer Showtime add-on subscriptions for an additional fee. 

New episodes can also be streamed via a Paramount Plus with Showtime subscription. 

In the UK, new episodes stream on Disney Plus, although there is currently no information about when season 6 episodes hit the streamer. 

A lot of fan-favorite TV shows have been ending in 2023 and Billions is part of that list, as Billions season 7 is pegged to be the final batch of episodes for the finance drama. While spinoffs are planned, it is probably still going to be tough for viewers to say goodbye to the series.

Created by Brian Koppelman, David Levien and Andrew Ross Sorkin, Billions premiered in 2016 and starred Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti as opposing figures, Lewis the head of an influential hedge fund and Giamatti the US attorney trying to bring him and his corruptive tactics down. It all is set to come to a head in this final season.

Here is everything we know about Billions season 7.

When is the next Billions season 7 episode?

The series finale of Billions is here. The final episode of the financial drama airs on Showtime on Sunday, October 29, at 8 pm ET/PT, but if you are a Paramount Plus with Showtime subscriber, you can watch the final episode right now.

Here is the synopsis for the Billions series finale, called "Admirals Fund":

"Trust is built and broken as fate hangs in the balance for all when Chuck, Axe and Prince have the ultimate showdown."

Watch the promo here:

Billions season 7 plot

Things left off in Billions season 6 with Prince getting ready to mount a presidential campaign, including trying to neatly file his indiscretions away, like his relationship with Rian. Meanwhile Chuck continued his vengeful pursuit of Prince, but a bold swing was not able to bring Prince down (though it did cost him $3.5 billion) and put Chuck behind bars, at least for a little bit, as he was out by the end of the finale.

Here is the official plot for Billions season 7, per Showtime:

"In season 7, alliances are turned on their heads. Old wounds are weaponized. Loyalties are tested. Betrayal takes on epic proportions. Enemies become wary friends. And Bobby Axelrod returns, as the stakes grow from Wall Street to the world."

It's also possible that the season 7 storyline could set up some of the spinoffs planned for Billions, with four already announced: Billions: Miami, Billions: London, Millions and Trillions.

Billions season 7 episodes

Here is the official synopsis for Billions season 7 episodes that have been released so far:

Billions season 7 episode 1, "Tower of London"
"In the season premiere, Prince's political ambitions come with a surprising twist, and his intentions are met with skepticism. Wendy, Wags and Taylor turn to an old friend for guidance. Chuck aligns with an unlikely ally in hopes of leveraging his freedom."

Billions season 7 episode 2, "Original Sin"
"Prince recruits campaign support and encourages the Prince Cappers to aim high under a new directive for big swings. Chuck negotiates with a ghost from his past to advance a new agenda. Axe shares a glimpse into his new life."

Billions season 7 episode 3, "Winston Dick Energy"
"Prince attempts to leverage a past employee's work for his own gain. Chuck rallies the troops at his old stomping grounds. A betrayal from within Prince Cap shakes Wendy's confidence."

Billions season 7 episode 4, "Hurricane Rosie"
"Chuck embarks on a case with ties to Prince in his latest attempt to bring down his foe. The Prince Cappers face an ethical dilemma when a crucial aspect of their latest play is revealed. Wendy finds herself asking for guidance."

Billions season 7 episode 5, "The Gulag Archipelago"
"Prince clashes with his employees over who has ultimate authority. Ira turns to Chuck for help with an embarrassing problem. Wendy and Luke forge a connection. Sacker confronts a figure from her past who poses a threat to her future."

Billions season 7 episode 6, "The Man in the Olive Drab T-Shirt"
"Axe turns to Chuck for a favor involving a common adversary, Chuck seeks counsel from an out-of-the-box business mind."

Billions season 7 episode 7, "DMV"
"Chuck and Wendy face a family crisis as a consequence of Senior's bad judgment, Prince's latest play promises to enhance his political platform but puts Philip in a tough position."

Billions season 7 episode 8, "The Owl"
"Chuck and Prince venture upstate to rub elbows with a new political force. Prince sacrifices pride to do a personal favor. Wendy helps Wags unpack his deepest desires."

Billions season 7 episode 9, "Game Theory Optimal"
"Chuck makes a daring and risky move to demonstrate his unwavering commitment to taking Prince down. Prince gets tipped off about potential mutiny among his ranks. Wendy is tempted by a new opportunity."

Billions season 7 episode 10, "Enemies List"
"Prince makes big changes in the wake of betrayal. Chuck forges unlikely alliances as part of his mission to take down Prince. Wendy finds herself in an impossible position, while Axe and Taylor work to dismantle Prince's sinister moves."

Billions season 7 episode 11, "Axe Global"
"Chuck, Axe and Wendy square off against Prince as the campaign intensity increases. The Prince Cappers' loyalties are tested as this battle comes to a head."

Billions season 7 cast

After departing the show at the end of season 5, Damian Lewis is set to return as Bobby Axelrod for Billions season 7. The show has been one of the defining roles of Lewis' career (alongside his stint on Homeland), so it is definitely a treat to have him back to help wrap things up.

Lewis headlines the final season with the other two prominent figures of the series, Paul Giamatti's former US attorney general still hellbent on taking down these corrupt financial figures Chuck Rhoades, and Corey Stoll as the new head of Axe Capital, Mike Prince.

Other members of the Billions cast for season 7 include Asia Kate Dillon (Orange Is the New Black) as Taylor Mason, Maggie Siff (Sons of Anarchy) as Wendy Rhoades, David Costabile (Waco: The Aftermath) as Mike "Wags" Wagner, Dola Rashad (Master of None) as Kate Sacker, Kelly AuCoin (The Girl from Plainview) as Bill Stearn, Daniel Breaker (Girls5Eva) as Roger "Scooter" Dunbar, Toney Goins (For Life) as Philip Charyn, Sakina Jaffrey (Snowpiercer) as Daevisha "Dave" Mahar and Jeffrey DeMunn (Divorce) as Chuck Rhoades Sr.

Billions season 7 trailer

After a teaser confirmed that Bobby Axelrod will return to Billions along with the rest of the show's main cast (watch that below), the official trailer for the final season of the drama series has arrived. In it, we are teased with one final showdown between Axelrod, Rhoades and Prince.

How to watch Billions

Fans wanting to watch Billions have options. If you want to watch the show as soon as possible, then a subscription to Paramount Plus with Showtime makes the latest episodes available on Fridays. If you don't want to add another streaming subscription and already have a traditional cable or live TV streaming service setup, Showtime is a premium option, included as an add-on channel for FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

All past seasons of Billions are currently streaming on Paramount Plus and the free streaming service The Roku Channel (ads included).

As the calendar flips to June, we once again recognize Pride Month, which salutes the men, women and non-binary persons who are brave enough to be their true selves. Throughout the month, there are going to be a number of shows and movies debuting with gay/queer characters and themes that viewers can watch to commemorate the occasion.

Pride Month finds its origins in the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City, and in honor of that fateful summer event, the US has officially been celebrating the LGBTQ community in June since 1999, with the UK and other countries following suit. 

We've combed through the lists of new programming being offered and have selected a few things we think are worth watching during Pride Month 2023. And if you just want a comfort watch — some oldies but goodies — take a look at our favorite LGBTQ+ moments on TV. 

Please note, we've organized the list by streamer.

Disney Plus

Pride from Above

Pride from Above is a Disney Plus special that gives viewers an extensive look at the creativity and logistical skills that go into pulling off Pride parades/festivals that celebrate the activism and identities that exist within the LGBTQIA+ community. 

Streaming: June 2 

Hulu

Pride Never Stops

This year on Hulu, the streamer is broadcasting Pride parades/festivals from various cities throughout the US. Things kick off with the 53rd Annual Los Angeles Pride Parade on June 11, followed by the 45th Annual Houston Pride Celebration on June 24 and everything is rounded out by Pride Across America on June 25, which highlights the events held in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. 

Streaming: June 11, June 24 and June 25 

Jagged Mind

Jagged Mind is an interesting horror movie about a woman that experiences strange visions only to discover that they aren’t visions, but really her stuck in a series of time loops. As she tries to get to the bottom of things, she realizes what’s happening to her is because of her new girlfriend.  

Streaming: June 15

Grown-ish season 6

The final season of Grown-ish kicks off at the end of the month and continues to follow Junior (Marcus Scribner) and his friends as they navigate college and figure out what it means to be an adult. The story arc of Zaara Ali (Tara Raani) in particular speaks to the show’s willingness to explore themes of sexuality as the character highlights a queer perspective of Generation Z. 

Streaming: June 29

Max

And Just Like That… season 2 

The Sex and the City spinoff returns to Max during this year’s Pride month, which is great news. In its second season, the hit show continues to follow the lives of Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) as they navigate New York City, a little older and hopefully a little wiser. Miranda’s journey in particular is a must-watch as she explores her queer love life. 

Streaming: June 22 

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed

While a legend for his onscreen star quality, over the years, Rock Hudson’s private life has made him quite the figure in the LGBTQIA+ community. Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed is a new documentary that shines a light on the star’s sexuality and touches on how and why he kept it such a secret. 

Streaming: June 29 

The Stroll

The Stroll provides a first-hand look into the difficulties many transgender women of color faced in New York City during the 1990s. As director Kristen Lovell reunites with her sisters to bravely share their past experiences, a light will no doubt be shined on the progression of trans rights and equality. 

For those that watched the popular series Pose, The Stroll documentary should also provide an interesting parallel between the scripted drama and real life. 

Streaming: June 21

Netflix

Human Resources season 2 

For those that love the Big Mouth universe, Human Resources season 2 starts streaming on Netflix in June, and will actually be the spinoff’s last. The adult animated sitcom explores the dynamics of love and sexuality among humans which often highlights persons from the LGBTQIA+ community. 

Streaming: June 9 

Glamorous season 1

The drama series follows Marco Mejia (Miss Benny) as he tries to shake things up in life by taking a job working for the fabulous Madolyn Addison (Kim Cattrall), who happens to be a huge beauty mogul. Along the way, Marco must contend with issues of self-discovery and romance. 

Streaming: June 22

Paramount Plus

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 8

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 8 continues to air new episodes in the month of June. The popular series showcases some of the most legendary contestants from across the RuPaul Drag Race world and sees them dueling it out once again for a chance to be crowned winner and earn the top prize. 

Streaming: Began streaming on May 12

Love ALLways

While the dating reality series concept may be familiar, Love ALLways stands out from others as the central bachelorette is pansexual. The reality series gets a little dramatic when the contestants on the show fall for each other despite being on the show to compete for the bachelorette. 

Streaming: June 2 

Queens of the Universe season 2

Queens of the Universe is a Paramount Plus singing competition featuring some very talented drag queens. Each week, contestants compete head to head as they try to wow the judges and survive eliminations. 

Streaming: June 2 

Prime Video

With Love season 2

The Prime Video dramedy follows siblings Lily (Emeraude Toubia) and Jorge Diaz (Mark Indelicato) as they attempt to cope with the big changes in their lives while trying to make sense of their romantic ups and downs. Specifically, Jorge’s story is worth paying attention to as he tries to make it work with his boyfriend and his boyfriend’s very Texan family. 

Streaming: June 2 

As we mark the 30th anniversary of the tragedy that unfolded in Waco, Texas, it’s not surprising that there are a number of Waco documentaries, including Waco: American Apocalypse, that take a closer look at what happened when the Branch Davidian sect was in a standoff with federal authorities in 1993. Waco: The Aftermath is the sequel to the 2018 limited series Waco, and it paints a picture of what happened after the standoff ended.

The five-episode limited series is a dramatization of the aftermath of the tragedy, offering a look at what happened to the Branch Davidians who survived. The show also draws a line from Waco to the Oklahoma City bombing, and even the raid of the United States Capitol on January 6.

Here’s everything we know about Waco: The Aftermath.  

Waco: The Aftermath episode guide

Here's the complete list of the 5-part Waco: The Aftermath episodes:

Waco: The Aftermath episode 1: "Truths and Consequences"
"In the wake of the deadly siege at Waco, Gary Noesner contends with finger pointing and his own guilt; the surviving Branch Davidians arrive in court; a young Vernon Howell arrives at Mount Carmel, before he would become David Koresh."

Waco: The Aftermath episode 2: "A Common Enemy"
"Courtroom testimony grows heated; Gary and Angie discover some information during a stakeout at an Aryan Nation flophouse; Vernon and Lois return from their pilgrimage; Gary pleads with FBI brass to take the domestic terror threat seriously."

Waco: The Aftermath episode 3: "The Gospel According to Livingstone Fagan"
"Cogdell tells his team about a strange encounter and has a meeting with a man who might not be as crazy as he seems; Gary has a disturbing confrontation; Vernon invites Livingstone to join him in Texas and makes a declaration with huge repercussions."

Waco: The Aftermath episode 4: "Conspiracy"
"Carol infiltrates Elohim City, where there is an undercurrent about an imminent war. Cogdell has multiple wins during cross examinations but is unsure whether it will be enough. Vernon's battle for control over Mount Carmel takes a perilous turn."

Waco: The Aftermath episode 5: "Reckoning"
"Gary finds himself under a ticking clock, hoping to prevent another disaster. The fate of the Branch Davidians is revealed as the trial concludes. Vernon returns to Mount Carmel, now the self-appointed prophet, David Koresh."

How to watch Waco: The Aftermath

Waco: The Aftermath is on Showtime and Showtime Now. If you need to catch up on the 2018 limited series Waco before watching Waco: The Aftermath, both series are available to stream or watch on demand via Showtime Now.

As soon as we have information about a release date in the UK we’ll pass it along. 

Waco: The Aftermath cast

Several members of the original Waco cast return to reprise their roles in Waco: The Aftermath, including Michael Shannon and John Leguizamo, who won an Emmy for his performance. 

Here’s a summary of the cast and a description of their roles courtesy of Showtime:

• Michael Shannon (George & Tammy) as Gary Noesner, and FBI hostage negotiator who has PTSD from the failed negotiations at Waco. 
• John Leguizamo (When They See Us) as Jacob Vasquez, an  ATF agent who worked undercover during the lead up to Waco. 
• Giovanni Ribisi (The Offer) as Dan Cogdell, a top trial lawyer representing the surviving Branch Davidians. 
• J. Smith-Cameron (Succession) as Lois Roden, the leader and Prophetess of the Branch Davidians when Vernon Howell (young David Koresh) arrived.
• David Costabile (Billions) as Judge Smith, who oversees the trial of the Branch Davidians charged with conspiracy to murder federal agents.
• John Hoogenakker (Dopesick) as Clive Doyle, David Koresh's first follower within the Branch Davidians who despite losing a daughter in the fire at Mount Carmel has unwavering faith and is determined for others to learn the "truth."
• Keean Johnson (Euphoria) as Vernon Howell, young David Joresh who believes he is chosen by God as the next Messiah. 
• Abbey Lee (Lovecraft Country) as Carol Howe, a former Southern debutante turned neo-Nazi arm candy, turned government informant. 

Waco: The Aftermath plot

Here's the official plot of Waco: The Aftermath from Showtime: "Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the tragic events at Mt. Carmel that began on February 28, 1993, Waco: The Aftermath focuses on the fallout of the Waco disaster: the trials of the surviving members of the Branch Davidian sect and the rise of homegrown terrorist, Timothy McVeigh. The five-episode limited series also provides a broader context for the escalation of the American militia movement, which foreshadows the infamous attacks of the Oklahoma City bombing and the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6."

Waco: The Aftermath trailer

The trailer for Waco: The Aftermath reveals that the Waco standoff was just the beginning. Take a look: 

How to watch Waco: The Aftermath

Waco: The Aftermath will be available to watch on Showtime. You can subscribe to Showtime as an option through traditional cable subscriptions, select streaming services and live TV streaming services, including FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

Showtime is also available through a subscription to  Paramount Plus with Showtime bundle.

Yellowjackets season 2 has now aired.

If you're not familiar with it, Yellowjackets is a Paramount Plus exclusive series that debuted in late 2021 that focuses on an American high school girls' soccer team. The team chartered a plane to compete in the nationals; during the crash, their plane crashes down in a remote area of the Canadian wilderness. 

The show then follows the girls as they do whatever it takes to survive in 1996. It also follows some of the survivors in the present day as they're reluctantly drawn back together after they each receive cryptic messages suggesting someone knows what really happened during their time in the woods.

The first season finale left us with our jaws on the floor, and the second was full of just as many surprises. Read on for essential info about the show's second series. 

Yellowjackets season 2 release date: How to watch Yellowjackets 

Yellowjackets returned for its second season on Friday, March 24, 2023, with an on-demand premiere on Paramount Plus to any subscribers of the network on that date; the first episode subsequently aired on Showtime on Sunday, March 26 at 9 pm ET/PT.

Originally, we speculated that the series might debut at a later date in the UK, but the series also started streaming on Paramount Plus in the UK on the same day.

The full series is now available to stream in both regions.

Yellowjackets season 2 cast

The majority of season 1's surviving cast — including leads Christina Ricci, Melanie Lynskey, Juliette Lewis and Tawny Cypress as Misty, Shauna, Natalie and Taissa (respectively), and Samantha Hanratty, Sophie Nélisse, Sophie Thatcher and Jasmin Savoy Brown as their teen selves — returned for the first season, along with Warren Kole as Shauna's husband, Jeff, too.

There were also some new additions to the cast in the second season. Lord of the Rings frontman, Elijah Wood played Walter, a "dedicated Citizen Detective who will challenge Misty in ways she won't see coming."

Additionally, Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under, Servant) is on board as the adult version of Van, who we hadn't seen in the show up until now. Liv Hewson, who plays Van's teenage counterpart, was bumped up to a series regular for the new season, too.

Simone Kessell (Obi-Wan Kenobi) also joined the show as the adult version of Lottie Matthews. Like Liv Hewson, Courtney Eaton (who plays the teen version of the character in 1996) was promoted to a series regular to accommodate her expanded role.

What's the plot of Yellowjackets season 2? 

The synopsis for Yellowjackets season 2 reads: "In season two, two months have passed since Shauna gave Jackie the cold shoulder— to disastrous results. In the face of their deepening hunger and fear, the tension among our Yellowjackets has only grown worse. The harsh conditions of winter are intensifying by the day, and the psyches of our survivors are deteriorating just as fast. 

"Threatened by the darkness of the wilderness— and the haunting memories of it in the present— our former state champs will be forced to make impossible decisions. As they confront the horrible truth of what survival entails, the real nightmare for each of them will be to figure out who they are— and what they are willing to sacrifice in order to stay alive."

Is there a Yellowjackets season 2 trailer?

The new trailer shows the girls trying to fend for themselves in the cold winter wilderness, and it looks like we'll be seeing them descend to new lows in order to survive. Meanwhile, it looks like the survivors in the present aren't exactly going to get an easy ride, either. Give it a watch below:

On January 13, we finally laid eyes on the first trailer from Yellowjackets second season. In it, we see an adult Lottie Matthews instructing Nat to cast her mind back to the crash and revisit it. Check the teaser out here: 

After far too many years of being overlooked by the media, the plight of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) is finally coming to the forefront to get the attention that this heartbreaking issue deserves. Recently, more and more stories about families and communities whose lives have been forever changed by Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women have been told through series like Alaska Daily and Three Pines. 

Murder in Big Horn shines a spotlight on the incredibly high number of Native American women in Big Horn who have gone missing or been found murdered in what is being called an epidemic that dates back hundreds of years, all the way to the colonization of the Americas. 

Now, in Showtime’s Murder in Big Horn, real-life stories are being told directly from the source: Native families, Native communities, Native journalists and Native investigators and law enforcement officers who have been trying to find answers.

Here’s everything we know about Murder in Big Horn. 

Murder in Big Horn release date

Murder at Big Horn debuted on Sunday, February 5, on Showtime. The three-episode limited series will air weekly on Sundays at 10 pm ET/PT, but all three episodes are already available to stream via the Showtime app.

As of this writing, there’s no premiere date for UK viewers but as soon as one is available we will add that information here.

Murder in Big Horn plot

Here is the official synopsis of Murder in Big Horn from Showtime: 

"When three bodies are discovered in Big Horn County, Montana, an area known as 'the most dangerous place in the country' for Native American women, local authorities first ignore each death before ruling them accidental – leaving the victims’ loved ones to deal both with their loss and the indifference of local law enforcement. As sorrow turns to outrage, however, a vibrant and fearless movement is formed to search for the truth and bring attention to the epidemic of missing or murdered cases among Native peoples in the US."

Murder in Big Horn trailer

How to watch Murder in Big Horn

Murder in Big Horn is available to stream on Showtime, which is available either through a traditional Showtime cable subscription or through a subscription to  Paramount Plus with Showtime bundle.

You can subscribe to Showtime as an option through traditional cable subscriptions, select streaming services and live TV streaming services, including FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

Some time in the near future, you won't be able to find Showtime in your TV channel guide, instead you'll need to be looking for Paramount Plus with Showtime. This is according to multiple reports that Paramount intends to merge the linear and streaming properties of Showtime and Paramount Plus into one brand.

Basically, what this means is that the cable channel that viewers have known as simply Showtime for years and are able to watch on TV or streaming services as a premium add-on is being rebranded and will be known as Paramount Plus with Showtime. In addition, the premium (aka higher cost) plan of Paramount Plus is also going to now go by Paramount Plus with Showtime and feature all previous and future Showtime content. This means that shows like Yellowjackets, Billions, Dexter, Your Honor and The Chi are going to be available to stream alongside Paramount Plus originals like 1923, Tulsa King, Star Trek: Picard and more.

There was previously an option to add Showtime content to Paramount Plus accounts (both Paramount Plus Essential and Premium), but that raised the monthly price of a Paramount Plus subscription. There was no indication on if the merging of Showtime with Paramount Plus premium would raise that service from its current $9.99 per month price point.

It wasn't explicitly said in the memo publications reported on, but this would seem to indicate that the standalone Showtime app will go away. Also, this only applies to US subscribers; in many cases, Showtime shows already aired exclusively on Paramount Plus for those outside of the US.

What to Watch reached out to Showtime for comment.

In another memo from Chris McCarthy, who leads the Showtime studio and linear channel, it was shared by The Hollywood Reporter that they will "divert investment away from areas that are underperforming and that account for less than 10% of our views." Deadline followed up on that memo, reporting that the plan has led to the cancellation of TV shows Let the Right One In, American Gigolo and Three Women, the latter of which was completed but had not aired (a recurring trend by a number of studios).

This is just the latest story in the changing TV landscape as viewers and studios adjust to streaming. Sometime in 2023, HBO Max and Discovery Plus are going to merge, which has caused a number of cost-saving moves including canceling and removing shows from the streaming service. Elsewhere, Netflix and Disney Plus have added ad-supported tiers. 

There was no indication on when the Showtime rebrand would actually take place.

 NOTE: this post contains spoilers for The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 10 "Looking Ahead."

The L Word: Generation Q season 3 finale opens at Bette (Jennifer Beals) and Tina's (Laurel Holloman) wedding. Alice (Leisha Hailey) was in charge of the cake and the booze. She got the cake but forgot to arrange for the alcohol. 

That forces Shane (Kate Moennig) to call Tess (Jamie Clayton) to bring copious amounts of alcohol from Dana's to the venue fast. Shane and Tess have not spoken so it's extremely awkward for Tess to show up and stock the bar. But awkward seems to be a theme at this wedding. 

Tess is drinking heavily and seeing Shane isn't helping her mental state. After making sure there is plenty of alcohol for the wedding guests she meets a guy and goes to his car with him to get high. She's not the only one indulging in some substances at the wedding. Roxy (Paula Andrea Placido) has molly she shares with Dani (Arienne Mandi), even though Dani insists it won't have any effect on her. It doesn't take long before it's heavily affecting her.

Sophie's (Rosanny Zayas) primary goal at the wedding is to find someone to hook up with, although she wants to clear the air with Alice too. They haven't spoken since the season finale of Alice's show. Sophie gets more than the hook up she planned for when she meets Pippa Pascal (Vanessa Williams) and the two instantly spark. This could end up being a real thing and not just a wedding fling.

While the last minute wedding preparation drama is going on, Bette and Tina stress as they get dressed. Tina complains about being extremely hot and sweaty all of a sudden and she's desperate to cool off. Bette suggests they try hanging out in the walk-in cooler in the kitchen to see if that helps. But the handle breaks on the inside, trapping them. When Shane and Alice finally come looking for them, the outside handle breaks too.

Angie (Jordan Hull) brings Hendrix (Simon Longnight) to the wedding, but Bette and Tina don't want him there. Hendrix thinks the wedding is a great time to tell Angie he’s moving to New York to focus on his book, to which she tells him to leave.

Alice calls 911 to get the door open, but the fire department is busy and can't send someone for several hours. Bette insists Alice call Tasha (Rose Rollins) to get them out. Reluctantly Alice does, and Tasha and her crew come to the rescue.

Bette and Tina are grateful and tell Tasha to stay for the wedding if she'd like to. Tasha and Alice bicker, but also have a meaningful moment where Tasha tells Alice she felt like Alice was still in love with Dana when they were together. At that moment Angie pulls Alice away because the wedding is starting.

Able to talk later, Alice tells Tasha losing Dana almost killed her and she focused on her career after that so she wouldn't have to really deal with her loss. They dance and the vibe between them is very much still there.

Tess returns high and drunk and makes a scene. She also falls into the wedding cake. Afterward  she leaves with the man she met earlier. Then, at the end of the night, Finley (Jacqueline Toboni) gets a call indicating Tess has been in some kind of accident.

Bette and Tina try to regroup with Alice and Shane. The four of them have a nice moment reminiscing about some of the crises they have been through together in the past. Despite the smashed cake the wedding goes on. Bette and Tina share vows they've written. Alice, who became a wedding officiant online, pronounces them married for life.

After some dancing and celebrating, Bette and Tina quietly slip away; a nice send off for the original L Word power couple. 

Dani and Roxy kiss, and Roxy lets Dani know that she bought a condo in LA and is serious about being with her. But Dre (Carmen LoBue) shows up to the wedding as Dani and Roxy are kissing, so Dani is going to have to make a choice.

In non-wedding drama, Micah (Leo Sheng) and Maribel (Jillian Mercado) reach a tipping point that ends up tearing them apart. They have the donor sperm and are ready to make a baby when Micah gets cold feet. He wants to have a serious and open discussion with Maribel about the risks of pregnancy and how pregnancy would be impacted by her disability. She is furious at him, but he is concerned about her health and the impact of a pregnancy. They have a big fight about it and Maribel smashes the container of donor sperm, telling Micah they aren't ready for a baby. Micah packs a bag and leaves, phoning Max and asking if they can talk.

The L Word: Generation Q season 3 was supposed to be about finding true love, whether it was with another person or self-love. If the series comes back for another season (as yet unconfirmed) it will be interesting to see what develops for both the new characters and OG characters as they continue to redefine what love, commitment, marriage and family look like in modern society.

You can watch all of The L Word: Generation Q season 3 on the Showtime app or Paramount Plus.

More on The L Word: Generation Q

• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 1 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 2 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 3 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 4 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 5 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 6 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 7 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 8 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 9 recap

Bryan Cranston already has one of the most iconic TV performances of all time with Breaking Bad, but he landed another juicy role in Your Honor, a crime drama airing on Showtime. Season 1 debuted back in 2020 and now Your Honor season 2 is bringing the story to a close.

The series revolves around judge Michael Desiato, whose convictions are put to the test when his son is involved in a hit-and-run with members of an organized crime family.

We have everything you need to know about Your Honor season 2 right here.

When is the next Your Honor season 2 episode?

The final episode of Your Honor season 2 (which is also expected to be the final one of the series) releases the weekend of March 17. For Showtime app subscribers, they can stream the episode as early as March 17, but if you want to watch it on good old-fashioned TV, the series finale airs on Showtime at 9 pm ET/PT on Sunday, March 19.

Here is the synopsis for Your Honor season 2 episode 10, "Part 20":

"Michael exposes shocking information that impacts everyone. A startling revelation pushes Fia to make a life-altering decision. Big Mo proposes a deal with Jimmy Baxter. Gina manipulates her father Carmine to make a move of her own."

Watch the promo right here:

For UK audiences, Your Honor season 2 episodes are available to stream on Paramount Plus.

Your Honor season 2 plot

SPOILER ALERT if you have not watched Your Honor season 1, it's kind of important to understand where the story is going in season 2.

The first season chronicles Desiato's efforts to protect his son Adam from a mob family, the Baxters, after he is involved in a hit-and-run that kills their son. When the Baxters find out about Adam's involvement, they use it to blackmail Desiato to do their bidding. Of course along the way, more lies and secrets are revealed, with Desiato's life crumbling around him, including Adam's ultimate death and Desiator being disbarred from the bench.

But Your Honor season 2 looks to offer Desiato a chance for some vengeance. Here is the official synopsis for the new season:

"Bryan Cranston returns as ex-judge Michael Desiato, a man forced to face the wreckage of his former life. Disbarred, disgraced and all but destroyed, nothing can bring him back from the brink until a federal agent coerces him into a scheme to take down the Baxter family. Revenge can't return all he’s lost, but redemption offers a ray of hope. He has a chance to strike a blow against the empire of corruption and vengeance that runs New Orleans, but will it be enough to lay his ghosts to rest?"

Cranston said in an interview on the podcast Armchair Expert, that Your Honor season 2 would be the final season of the show.

Your Honor season 2 episodes

Here are the synopses for the released Your Honor season 2 episodes:

Your Honor season 2 episode 1, "Part Eleven"
"Picking up in the aftermath of a terrible accident, a grieving Michael Desiato is beyond hope. After fleeing the scene, Eugene is aided by unlikely benefactors, including new Mayor Charlie Figaro, Big Mo and the police. Jimmy Baxter looks to expand his criminal empire, while Gina Baxter channels her anger over her dead son. The arrival in town of Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Delmont will upend Michael’s life in ways he can’t begin to imagine."

Your Honor season 2 episode 2, "Part Twelve"
"Michael Desiato discovers a jaw-dropping secret. Olivia Delmont seizes an opportunity to push Michael to make a dangerous decision. Meanwhile, a desperate business deal hatched by Little Mo and the Desire Crew threatens Eugene and his low-key life on the run. Elizabeth shelters Michael while Big Mo’s big plans place her directly in the crosshairs of Gina."

Your Honor season 2 episode 3, "Part Thirteen"
"Michael Desiato resists a request from Fia, but Olivia Delmont pushes him to exploit a newfound connection. Little Mo's deal goes sour, leaving Eugene to pick up the pieces. A face-off between Michael and Jimmy results in a startling confession."

Your Honor season 2 episode 4, "Part Fourteen"
"Olivia’s plan to get Michael closer to the Baxters seems to be working when he gets invited to Jimmy Baxter’s 50th birthday party. There, he witnesses the return of legendary gangster Carmine Conti. the father of Gina. Eugene makes a selfless decision to repay Little Mo for his kindness, but his good deed threatens to expose massive corruption across the power structure of New Orleans."

Your Honor season 2 episode 5, "Part Fifteen"
"Following the life-threatening event at the birthday party of Jimmy Baxter, Michael vows to quit aiding Olivia. A warning from Michael prompts Charlie to make an unexpected move. Little Mo gets on the wrong side of Big Mo after he helps Eugene. Nancy chases a lead connected to the murder of Michael’s wife, Robin Desiato."

Your Honor season 2 episode 6, "Part Sixteen"
"Michael and Elizabeth pursue a lead in Robin’s murder case. The Baxters make arrangements to silence Eugene. Pushed by Gina and Carmine, Jimmy enters into a dangerous alliance. A tragic overdose causes a major rift with the trusted lieutenants of Big Mo."

Your Honor season 2 episode 7, "Part Seventeen"
"Michael's pursuit of the truth creates life-threatening consequences for him and for Nancy Costello, who has joined him in the hunt for his wife Robin's murderer. Fia faces the hard reality about her family."

Your Honor season 2 episode 8, "Part Eighteen"
"Eugene escapes danger only to run headfirst into new jeopardy. Frustrated with Michael, Olivia sets her sights on an unlikely new mark. Big Mo's triumphant opening night takes an unexpected dark turn."

Your Honor season 2 episode 9, "Part Nineteen"
"Prompted by Olivia, Michael goes to see Jimmy Baxter, who makes him an unexpected offer. Shifting loyalties in Big Mo’s crew force her hand. Lee urges Michael for help."

Your Honor season 2 cast

Just having Bryan Cranston in a TV show makes it pretty much a must-watch, but with the people around him in Your Honor, this cast is probably in the discussion for best ensemble on TV. Hope Davis, Michael Stuhlbarg, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Amy Landecker, Margo Martindale and more are all set to return for Your Honor season 2, while new additions include Rosie Perez and Mark Margolis.

Here is who is playing who in Your Honor season 2:

• Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) as Michael Desiator
• Hope Davis (Succession) as Gina Baxter
• Michael Stuhlbarg (Dopesick) as Jimmy Baxter
• Isiah Whitlock Jr. (Da 5 Bloods) as Charlie Figaro
• Benjamin Flores Jr. (Fear Street) as Eugene Jones
• Amy Landecker (Transparent) as Det. Nancy Costello
• Keith Machekanyanga (Dear White People) as Little Mo
• Andrene Ward-Hammond (61st Street) as Big Mo
• Margo Martindale (The Americans) as Elizabeth
• Lilli Kay (Yellowstone) as Fia Baxter
• Tony Curran (The Calling) as Frankie
• Jimi Stanton (Greyhound) as Carlo Baxter
• Gavin “Chief” Meredith as Chris
• Kelvin Witherspoon (Rap Sh!t) as Russell
• Mark Margolis (Better Call Saul) as Carmine Conti
• Rosie Perez (The Flight Attendant) as Olivia Delmont

Your Honor season 2 trailer

Get ready for Your Honor season 2 with the official trailer for the show, as well as a teaser trailer, directly below: 

You can also check out this behind-the-scenes look at the new season right here:

How to watch Your Honor

Want to catch up with Your Honor before the new season arrives? Your Honor season 1 is available to stream for Paramount Plus subscribers (US subscribers need to sign up for the Paramount Plus with Showtime bundle), or you can watch it for free on The Roku Channel, but you’ll have to deal with ads.

Watching Your Honor season 2, however, is going to require a subscription to Paramount Plus, the Showtime app or the traditional Showtime cable channel, which is an available option on traditional cable subscriptions, select streaming services and live TV streaming services, including FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

NOTE: this post contains spoilers for The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 7, "Little Boxes."

"Little Boxes" picks up with Finley (Jacqueline Toboni) leaving the apartment after Sophie (Rosanny Zayas) has broken up with her. Finley is struggling to stay sober, but when she calls Tess (Jamie Clayton) and Shane (Kate Moennig) they are on their way to Vegas to grapple with the death of Tess' mom. Finley ends up calling Carrie (Rosie O'Donnell) for support so she doesn't drink.

Carrie's matter of fact comfort is exactly what Finley needs. Carrie wants to make sure Finley is hydrating and eating so they make a lasagna, which Finley ruins by burning it to a crisp.

She immediately melts down and Carrie tells her that burning a lasagna is not a character flaw; one of Carrie's best lines and a much-needed reminder for Finley that not everything is a crisis. Sometimes the lasagna is just lasagna. Carrie takes Finley to her weekly bowling night to get Finley out of the house and out of her own head.

Sophie's finding herself

After breaking up with Finley, Sophie tries new things to find herself again. First she gets her nipples pierced, then she gets a glam makeover with vintage inspired hairstyle and later she's drinking and flirting hard at the Fletcher album release party Dani (Arienne Mandi) is throwing.

Dre (Carme LoBue) is also there, which is a bit awkward for everyone. Sophie and Dre hang out but when Sophie kisses them Dre lets Sophie know they're into Dani. Sophie ends up kissing a woman who turns out to be married to someone that could be important for Micah (Leo Sheng) and Maribel (Jillian Mercado) . Then she falls in the pool as Fletcher is singing, bringing the event to a halt.

Dani and Dre get closer

An exasperated Dani puts Sophie in an Uber home and they share a moment of what seems like real friendship. Their bond is still there, despite all the mess. Life, and relationships, are messy. Will this new seemingly healthy relationship they have survive Dani dating Dre?

Because by the end of the episode Dani and Dre are skinny dipping in the pool at the event after everyone else has left. Dani tells Dre she's not ready for anything serious, but Dre reveals they're still in a "situationship" with their girlfriend back home, so maybe these two will be good for each other.

Dani is definitely going to be good for Dre's career. Is Dre interested in Dani for herself or her PR services? Dani might be fine either way at this point as she's not over Gigi yet.

Alice's search for 'the one'

Alice's mystery text from episode 6 was to Tom (Donald Faison). She felt like he was "the one" that Dana mentioned in her ayahuasca vision. Tom meets with her at the studio thinking she wanted to talk about another book. She is interested in doing another book, but while she's trying to talk to him about rekindling their relationship she hears a cat trapped in a vent in her office. As they're trying to catch the cat, Alice asks Tom if they gave up too quickly and should try again. But he has moved on; he's with someone else and she's pregnant. 

Alice tells him all about her vision and he starts asking her about the people she dated right after Dana, thinking Dana was telling Alice one of them was "the one." Alice mentions she kissed Lara, who was Dana's first girlfriend. Then she mentions Tasha.

Fans of the original L Word know Tasha and Alice had a romantic but fraught relationship. Tasha and Alice eventually broke up after years because their issues, mostly about class, were too divisive. Does this mention mean that Tasha will be popping up again? 

In other news, they eventually do retrieve the cat and Alice adopts it.

Micah and Maribel have a donor

During the Fletcher event Micah meets Michael (William Phelps), a man who looks, talks and has the same mannerisms as Micah. Even though it seems crazy, Micah and Maribel ask Michael if he would consider being a sperm donor for their baby. Michael says he has to talk to his wife but he would be honored to help them have a child. Unfortunately, his wife ends up being the woman Sophie kissed, so Micah and Maribel are left not knowing where they stand while Michael deals with his domestic situation.

Carrie and Misty finally move forward

At bowling, Finley asks Carrie why she hasn't asked Misty (Heidi Sulzman) out yet. Carrie says hanging out with Misty a few hours a week at bowling is enough for her. But of course Finley wades right into the middle of that and makes a mess. She tells Misty Carrie has feelings for her, but Misty says Carrie isn’t her type.

Carrie overhears this, ruining bowling night for her. But even though she's upset, Carrie doesn't lash out at Finley. She takes Finley home where they make another lasagna. Misty comes over as they are sitting down to eat and admits she does have feelings for Carrie. So Finley didn't ruin the relationship after all and she may have been just what these two needed to get their relationship going.

Angie learns a tough lesson

While all of this is going on Angie (Jordan Hull) goes away with Hendrix (Simon Longnight) for a reading he's doing. Feeling awkward about having sex with him for the first time, she initiates a romantic encounter before the reading. After the reading when an agent approaches him, Hendrix introduces Angie as his student, not his girlfriend. She tries to talk to him about it but he essentially breaks up with her saying he's uncomfortable dating her while she is his student. Angry, she leaves the hotel and heads back to her dorm.

Episodes of The L Word: Generation Q air on Showtime Sundays and are available to stream on the Showtime app in the US and Paramount Plus in the UK.

More on The L Word: Generation Q

• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 1 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 2 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 3 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 4 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 5 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 6 recap

NOTE: this post contains spoilers for The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 6, "Questions for the Universe."

Even though this wasn't a holiday-themed episode (though it was a Christmas Day treat for fans), The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 6 saw a ghost from the past make a very special and emotional return.

Alice (Leisha Hailey) takes her staff to a desert retreat to drink ayahuasca, a plant-based hallucinogenic substance that can induce hallucinations that are supposed to open up the mind to insights from the universe. Alice convinces Shane (Kate Moennig) to go too, after calling Shane out for being a total mess in the aftermath of her breakup with Tess (Jamie Clayton). Alice is also a mess, though, after her recent unlucky streak in love. Sophie (Rosanny Zayas) is also on the retreat, making Finley (Jacqueline Toboni) upset because Sophie won’t be able to help buy a car.

All three of them have some big questions about love and relationships and they are hoping to get those questions answered by the universe when they’re under the influence of the ayahuasca.

At the retreat they all experience vivid hallucinations, which incorporate songs, dances and the kitsch you'd expect from a musical episode. But their visions aren't all songs and dances.

Shane jumps

Shane's vision is a fun '40s era adventure, where she's a sailor in town who visits Dana's to see a glamorous singer, Tess. There's a rousing dance number and Shane must confront her identity as a commitment-phobic lothario.

At the end of her vision she is being chased by several women and she either has to jump off a roof to join Tess in a waiting car or choose to return to the identity she's always had. Just as she is coming out of the influence of the ayahuasca, she jumps. 

Back in LA, she immediately goes to Tess to tell her she's ready to let go of her identity and build a life with Tess. Tess starts crying and drops the bombshell that her mom, former showgirl Betty, has died. Trying to help Tess through her grief will be a real test of Shane's new commitment.

Sophie finds her voice

In Sophie's vision, she's a '50s housewife in a black and white sitcom called Finley’s Home. Through the course of the vision Finley, playing the stereotypical domineering male of that era, continually finds ways to shut Sophie up.

When Finley's boss and his wife, who in the vision are Micah (Leo Sheng) and Maribel (Jillian Mercado), come over for dinner, Finley tells them Sophie has laryngitis and can't speak. There's a series of running gags that all result in Sophie being unable to speak.

Through her vision Sophia realizes she is feeling suffocated by her relationship with Finley. Sitcom Sophie finally breaks free and finds her voice with a song. When she finishes the song the vision shifts from black and white to color, as a visual representation for her transformation after she finds her authentic voice.

When she returns to LA, she breaks up with Finley, who is blindsided by Sophie's declaration that she needs to be fully herself and she can't be that with Finley.

Alice confronts her great loss

Alice's vision starts off with her as a contestant on a Price Is Right style game show. But in the game she needs to find the flaw of each person pictured. As photos of her ex-partners pop up, she reels off their flaws. But the last photo is of her, forcing her to confront her own flaw keeping her from finding "the one."

When she correctly answers that she pushes people away she wins the game and wins her dream life with her dream partner. In a surprisingly emotional moment, Erin Daniels, who played original The L Word character Dana Fairbanks, appears (reminder, Dana died of breast cancer in the original series). Dana tells Alice that part of her prize is that they get to grow old together.

There is a sweet duet from the two about a life that never could have been, the two soulmates living their best life together. But in a bittersweet conversation that induced real tears, Dana tells Alice that Alice's "the one" is still out there for her but Alice has to let Dana go to find them. Alice has never really confronted her grief at losing Dana or her grief for the life she and Dana had planned. Dana also implies Alice has already met the person who is "the one," but she has pushed that person away.

Back in LA, Alice goes through her box of Dana's things and finds the sunflower she bought in the gift shop at the hospital the day Dana died. In The L Word, Alice sank to the floor sobbing after Dana was gone, holding the little dancing mechanical flower that played "You Are My Sunshine." Alice finally is able to let go of the ideal future with Dana she had been clinging to.

At the end of the episode, she sends a mysterious text to someone that isn't named, the person she thinks Dana was referring to as being her "the one." Is it really the one for Alice? Hopefully her hallucinogen-induced conversation with Dana was enough to free her to find real love again.

New episodes of The L Word: Generation Q air on Showtime on Sundays.

NOTE: this post contains spoilers for The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 5, "Locked Out."

Shane (Kate Moenning) is packing up things in the house for Tess' mom to take with her to the nursing home she requested to go live in last episode. The tension between Shane and Tess (Jamie Clayton) is thick, but Tess doesn’t want to talk about catching Shane with Ivy (Kehlani). When a bee flies in the room and Shane captures it to take it outside, both she and Tess become trapped on the deck when the door locks behind them.

Is Shane ready to change?

The bitter silence between Tess and Shane gives way to some intense conversations. Over the course of the day and the evening locked out together on the deck, they dig deep into what comes next for them. Shane is clearly unhappy with herself, but she tells Tess she's not happy in the relationship. Tess wants Shane to change, but she knows Shane has to want to change before she will actually take any responsibility for her pattern of cheating in relationships. Tess has a lot of questions for Shane about her behavior and what she wants out of life but Shane doesn’t have any answers.

Their forced togetherness ends when Finley (Jacqueline Toboni) comes over and frees them. Finley, who had a rough night of her own, and Tess decide to go to an AA meeting. Shane takes some of her things and their dog and goes to Alice's (Leisha Hailey) house. Is this a temporary breather so they both calm down? Or the start of a permanent split? Either way, Shane really needs to get herself together and decide exactly what kind of person she is going to be.

The most LA evening ever 

Dani (Arienne Mandi) is having the most LA evening ever. She is saved from getting knocked over by a person on a scooter by a mysterious but attractive woman (Carmen LoBue), whom she kisses on a whim immediately after they meet. Dani and her mystery woman end up at Dana's (, and while Dani is talking to Sophie (Rosanny Zayes) her mystery woman goes on stage to sing. 

Sophie is stunned to discover that Dani's new interest is Dre, the person Sophie was hooking up with while Finley was in sober living. Because of course Dani and Sophie, who almost got married, would end up dating the same woman just months apart. Dre mentions she's only been in LA for six months but she's already dating women who are each other's exes? Dre may be a next generation Papi.

Finley is not OK

Finley has a lot of questions for Sophie about Dre. She asked Sophie how many times Sophie slept with Dre. Sophie lied and said they only slept together once. In truth, Sophie and Dre spent a weekend together and there was a spark that had the potential for more than a casual hookup. That lie may come back to bite Sophie in the future. Finley was already uncomfortable with the idea of Dre, so seeing Dre at Dana's pushed her over the edge. 

When Sophie told her Dre was there and pointed her out, Finley pulled the fire alarm and kicked everyone out of Dana's, including Sophie. When she went to Shane's afterward and found Shane and Tess locked out she told Tess she did it so she wouldn't drink. Finley’s hanging onto her sobriety, but if she can't let go of her insecurity about Sophie she's setting herself up for failure staying sober. 

Alice still can't find love

Taylor (Joey Lauren Adams) told Alice she had to work and couldn't go to the movies. But while she was sitting in the theater, Alice sees Taylor with someone else. At first it's not clear whether they are on a date or not, but then Taylor kisses the other woman. Alice, being Alice, confronts Taylor. Taylor tells Alice she didn't think they were exclusive and says that's how regular people date. 

Taylor definitely seems to have a problem with Alice's fame, which Alice calls her out for. But Taylor doesn't think she's the problem. Alice is upset because she really liked Taylor but it doesn’t look like things are going to work out for them. 

Later that night, Alice is in bed alone when Shane calls to tell Alice she's outside, with the dog.

Donor blues

Micah (Leo Sheng) and Maribel (Jillian Mercado) are starting their search for donor sperm to have a baby, but they can't find any donors that have the exact characteristics they're looking for. It’s starting to dawn on both of them that the process of having a child is going to be a lot more complicated than they thought. They still seem committed to the idea, but it's really not clear if they're up to the challenges of parenthood. 

Angie enters her exploring phase

Hendrix wants Angie (Jordan Hull) to go away with him for a few days, but she's hesitant. While bonding with her more sexually confident roommate, Angie says she's never had sex, so she’s intimidated by the idea of going away with him. With some confidence boosting from her roommate Angie decides to kick off her exploration phase and go on a trip with Hendrix.

All of the women are being challenged to step outside their comfort zones and examine how they want to live and love. Personal growth is scary and awkward and often pretty unpleasant but so far they're all embracing the challenge. Will this period of loneliness lead to real lasting love for any of them? 

The L Word: Generation Q airs on Sundays on Showtime in the US; Saturdays on Paramount Plus in the UK.

More on The L Word: Generation Q

• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 1 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 2 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 3 recap
• The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 4 recap