Just ahead of James Gunn and David Corenswet’s Superman making its premiere in movie theaters on Friday, July 11, TNT is offering fans of the Man of Steel a throwback with a Superman movie marathon on Wednesday, July 9, featuring entries from Christopher Reeve and Henry Cavill’s time as Superman.

Starting at 3 pm, TNT will air 2013’s Man of Steel, followed by 2017’s Justice League (not the official Snyder Cut, to clarify) at 5:45 pm. The main attraction is a showing of a special edition of 1978’s Superman: The Movie starring Reeve that is remastered and features an additional eight minutes of footage at 8 pm, followed immediately by its sequel, Superman II, at 11 pm.

To catch any or all of the Superman movie marathon on TNT on July 9, you need to have access to TNT. The basic cable channel is available through most traditional pay-TV providers, but it is also included on a number of live TV streaming services, including Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

If you’re not able to watch TNT’s Superman marathon, or simply want to watch the movies at your own pace (and possibly without commercials), all four of the above movies are streaming on HBO Max (previously Max) right now in the US and where the streaming platform is available (subscription required). You can also watch any of the other Superman movies not included in TNT’s Superman marathon on HBO Max, including Reeve’s Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace; Brandon Routh’s Superman Returns; and Cavill’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. If you prefer, you can also watch Zack Snyder's Justice League on HBO Max.

Over in the UK, all Superman movies are available to stream on Sky, except for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

The Reeve Superman movies have, for a long time, remained the gold standard for the character, particularly the first two. However, there has been high praise for the new Superman movie coming out later this week that could give it a bit of a run for its money.

Gunn’s Superman quickly earned a “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Our official WTW Superman review wasn’t as enthused about the movie, but can see where that kind of excitement is coming from.

In the dog days of summer TV, this Superman marathon is a great viewing option for long-time fans of the Superman franchise or for younger viewers to perhaps watch the Reeve movies for the first time.

The man behind The Godfather series, Apocalypse Now and most recently the ambitious Megalopolis, Francis Ford Coppola is being awarded the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award in a special broadcast airing on TNT tonight, June 18, at 10 pm ET/PT.

The award, handed out annually since 1973 (save for 2020 & 2021), recognizes “one whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time.” That describes Coppola to a "T," as he is the 50th recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award.

The broadcast of The AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Francis Ford Coppola will feature clips from Coppola’s iconic movies; tributes from collaborators including Robert De Niro, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Dustin Hoffman, Ron Howard, C. Thomas Howell, Diane Lane, Spike Lee, George Lucas, Ralph Macchio, Al Pacino and Steven Spielberg, as well as family members Gia Coppola and Roman Coppola; a performance of “Brucia La Terra” from The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Correlone by Josh Groban; and clips of an exclusive interview conducted by Sofia Coppola.

This is a delayed showing of the actual event, which took place on April 26 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. If you’re not able to watch The AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Francis Ford Coppola tonight, it will have an encore airing on Turner Classic Movies on July 31 at 8 pm ET/PT. You can also record the broadcast and watch at your convenience.

Coppola is one of the most revered filmmakers in Hollywood history, as The Godfather and The Godfather Part II are considered two of the greatest movies ever made, with both winning Best Picture and nine Oscars in total between them. In between those two movies he made another acclaimed movie, The Conversation (which came out the same year as The Godfather Part II, 1974). He then closed out perhaps one of the greatest decades of filmmaking with another masterpiece, Apocalypse Now in 1979.

Coppola’s career after the 70s was more mixed, though he made notable movies like The Outsiders and 1992’s Dracula. He also created the independent production company American Zoetrope, where the director made attempts to push for independence from Hollywood studios. Those efforts, along with an account on the making of Apocalypse Now are detailed in the book The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola Story.

AFI also has a special webpage dedicated to Coppola for this honor that you can check out right here.

In order to watch The AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Francis Ford Coppola on TNT, you must have a traditional pay-TV provider or a live TV streaming service that carries the channel. In terms of the latter, that can include the likes of Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

If you're interested in watching any of Coppola's classic movies, The Godfather and The Godfather Part Two are streaming on Paramount Plus; The Conversation is streaming for free on Prime Video; and Apocalypse Now is available on-demand.

It’s time to check out more adventures in the library, as TNT has aired The Librarians: The Next Chapter, a spinoff series to the popular TV series and TV movies from the early 2000s and 2010s.

The franchise began as a 2004 TV movie The Librarian: Quest for the Spear on TNT that starred Noah Wyle (current star of The Pitt). They would make three movies of The Librarian in total before a TV series launched in 2014 that ran for four seasons and featured Wyle as well as Rebecca Romijn, Christian Kane, Lindy Booth, John Kim and John Larroquette. The Librarians: The Next Chapter features a new cast, though one familiar face pop ups in the new series.

Here is everything you need to know about The Librarians: The Next Chapter.

The Librarians: The Next Chapter how to watch

All episodes of The Librarians: The Next Chapter have aired.

The show has not been added to a major streaming platform as of yet, but you can watch some episodes on-demand on TNT.com.

If you want to catch up with the original TV movies and series of The Librarians, the TV movies are streaming for free on Peacock, The Roku Channel, Fandango at Home and more, while the TV series The Librarians is also streaming for free on Prime Video.

The Librarians: The Next Chapter cast

There’s a new group of characters at the center of The Librarians: The Next Chapter. Leading things is Callum McGowan (Jamestown) as Vikram Chamberlain. He is joined in the cast by Jessica Green (The Outpost), Olivia Morris (Hotel Portofino) and Bluey Robinson (Britannia).

There will be one holdover from the original The Librarians TV series, as Christian Kane is set to return as Jabob Stone in a guest role. Also set to be a guest star on this series is Caroline Loncq (Lift).

The Librarians: The Next Chapter plot

Here is the overview of what The Librarians: The Next Chapter will cover its 12-episode run:

“The Librarians: The Next Chapter centers on Vikram Chamberlain, a ‘Librarian’ from the past who time traveled from 1847 and now finds himself stuck in the present. When Vikram returns to his castle in Belgrade, Serbia, and discovers that it is now a museum, he inadvertently releases magic across the continent. With the help of a new team of eclectic heroes, including a savant in world history, a scientific genius, and a highly skilled Guardian, Vikram has only six months to clean up the mess he made.

“Throughout the season, the team will embark on fantastical adventures, including a surprise reroute to a manor where Agatha Christie-styled murders take place, a time-travel back to the days of King Arthur at Camelot and even an encounter with the first-ever vampire.”

Dean Devlin, who was an executive producer on the original The Librarians TV series, returns to once again executive produce and serve as showrunner for The Librarians: The Next Chapter.

The Librarians: The Next Chapter trailer

Get a sneak peek at the series with the official The Librarians: The Next Chapter trailer right here:

Cue the music and ready your brackets, because March Madness 2025 is here. Men's and women's college basketball are heading into their postseason play, highlighted by the multi-week NCAA Tournaments that have become known for buzzer beaters, upsets and other must-see moments. We're here to help you make sure you can watch March Madness 2025 in all its glory, whether through traditional TV, live TV streaming services or online.

Not only that, but we've got all the information you need to know about the 2025 NCAA Tournaments right here. That includes the overall schedule for the tournament, which teams have qualified and more.

It all comes down to this, as the University of Houston Cougars take on the the University of Florida Gators for the men's national championship game on Monday, April 7. Read on below for all the info you need to watch the game.

How to watch March Madness 2025 in the US

The NCAA men's basketball national championship game between Houston and Florida air on CBS starting at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT.

You can watch the game live on CBS is you have a traditional pay-TV provider, a TV antenna or live TV streaming service that carries the channel (i.e. Fubo, Hulu with Live TV or YouTube TV). The game will also be available to Paramount Plus subscribers, but only if you have Paramount Plus with Showtime, which allows you to access a live stream of your local CBS station.

You can also watch the game on your computer via NCAA.com, but you need to have a subscription to one of the above services.

How to watch March Madness 2025 from anywhere

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch the March Madness tournaments, 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 show, game or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

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

March Madness 2025 National Championship game

Here's the schedule for the 2025 National Championship game on Monday, April 7:

• 1-seed Houston vs 1-seed Florida, 9 pm ET/6 pm PT, CBS & Paramount Plus

March Madness 2025 schedule

Here is the complete schedule for the NCAA tournaments for both the men and women:

NCAA men's basketball tournament schedule
March 16: Selection Sunday
March 18-19: First Four
March 20-21: First Round
March 22-23: Second Round
March 27-28: Sweet Sixteen
March 29-30: Elite Eight
April 5: Final Four
April 7: National Championship

NCAA women's basketball tournament schedule
March 16: Selection Sunday
March 19-20: First Four
March 21-22: First Round
March 23-24: Second Round
March 28-29: Sweet Sixteen
March 30-31: Elite Eight
April 4: Final Four
April 6: National Championship

March Madness 2025 brackets

Take a look at the initial brackets for the men's and women's tournament below. You can also

2025 March Madness men's bracket

2025 March Madness women's bracket

You can fill out interactive brackets online for each tournament through CBS Sports and ESPN.

What else to know about March Madness 2025

The National Hockey League is kicking off the new year with a time-honored tradition: the NHL Winter Classic returns tonight, December 31, at 5pm Eastern Time, with a spirited showdown between Central Division rivals the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues. The New Year's Eve game continues the annual Winter Classic series, which sees teams play an outdoor ice hockey game — usually at a football or baseball stadium — during the league's regular season at the turn of a new year. This year's proceedings will take place at the iconic Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs.

Hockey star Connor Bedard — the 19-year-old center who selected first overall by the Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL entry draft — recently talked to CHGO Sports about the excitement of getting to play in the historic Chicago stadium. "For me, it's just about, you know, the cool part, playing outside, playing it regularly here, and getting that different experience. That's what excites me," Bedard said. "It's not really about, you know, maybe more people tuning in. But it's obviously great for us, more people in the crowd. You know, it's gonna be an exciting atmosphere. So that's always fun."

The 2025 NHL Winter Classic marks the return of the Chicago Blackhawks to the sports series after a five-year absence, while the Blackhawks have made four previous appearances in the annual outdoor game. And it's not the first time that the two midwestern teams have gone helmet-to-helmet in a Winter Classic match-up: the Blues beat the Blackhawks in the 2017 game at St. Louis' Busch Stadium. If the St. Louis Blues continue that winning streak tonight, they would share the League record of most Winter Classic wins (three) with the Boston Bruins.

To watch the 2025 NHL Winter Classic on Tuesday, December 31, at 5pm ET, you're going to need access to TNT. (The cable network is one of the two TV homes for the NHL throughout the 2024-2025 NHL season, with NHL on ESPN being the other.) TNT is available on every major cable and satellite pay-TV provider. In addition, live TV streaming services like DirecTV Stream, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV all provide live viewing of TNT through at least one of the available subscription packages. The Winter Classic will also be available to simulcast on truTV and stream on Max.

If there's anyone we would trust to safely lead us through the shocking world of dangerous explosives, deadly curses and deeply buried treasures, it would be legendary tough guy Danny Trejo. The Machete icon will do just that with his new show, Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo, premiering tonight on History.

Debuting Friday, December 6 at 10pm Eastern Time on the History Channel, the unscripted series "examines the fascinating stories surrounding buried artifacts and lost civilizations, shedding light, and offering new insight and information on various mysteries of the past and present," reads the show's official synopsis. "Anchored by Trejo’s affinity for history and his natural curiosity into exploring the unknown and coupled with captivating archival material, expert interviews, and compelling recreations, the series seeks to unearth what the human eye cannot easily detect, as objects, structures and creatures concealed under earth, ice and water are suddenly, and often accidentally, revealed."

The premiere episode explores mysterious structures around the world, from a Revolution War-era ship hiding under the streets of Manhattan, to a sprawling Roman villa unearthed in the backyard of an English home, to an ancient Grecian maze long thought to be a myth. "What exciting revelations can these preserved objects expose about our history and the legends and myths that surround them?” the synopsis continues.

For Trejo, collaborating with the History Channel was a natural fit. The Sons of Anarchy actor told TV Insider: "I love it when they discover anything—a flag from the Civil War, old stamps, letters. It’s my first time [hosting for History] and I’m so excited because the only thing I watch is the news, sports, or a history program."

To tune into tonight's premiere of Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo, you're going to need access to the History Channel. History is included in most cable packages but if you don't have a cable plan, you can use a live TV streaming service to tune into the channel. Your best picks would be Philo TV and Sling TV as they're the cheapest ones that offer the History Channel, at $28 and $40 per month respectively. Philo also offers a free trial.Your other options are Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, DirecTV Stream and YouTube TV—find prices for all of them below.

The LIV vs PGA rivalry is center stage in a brand new exhibition event between four of golf’s biggest names in The Crypto.com Showdown. While temperatures have cooled between the two professional golf leagues, there’s still a strong bit of pride between those who moved to the new league LIV and the old standard of the PGA that will play out over 18 holes.

To be clear, while it is a similar event, The Crypto.com Showdown is not another edition of The Match, the exhibition golf matches that have featured pro golfers and famous amateurs, including the recent Match: Superstars edition.

What makes it different? Where and when is it going to be played? And, most importantly, who’s playing in it? Read on to get all of that info.

The Crypto.com Showdown date

The inaugural Crypto.com Showdown takes place tonight, Tuesday, December 17, at 6 pm ET. The event is going to air on TNT and stream on Max.

In order to watch on TNT, you need a traditional pay-TV provider or a live TV streaming service that carries the cable network; in the case of the latter that includes Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV. To stream the event on Max, you must be a subscriber to the platform, which currently is offering all subscribers the B/R Sports add-on as part of the base Max package.

At this time we don’t have any info on UK channels you can watch The Crypto.com Showdown on, so you’re best bet may be a VPN (we recommend NordVPN).

The Crypto.com Showdown golfers

Four of the best golfers in the world will square off in the event. Representing LIV are Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, while on the PGA side are Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler.

DeChambeau and Koepka are both multi-major winners; two for DeChambeau (both US Opens) and five for Koepka (two US Opens, three PGA Championships). In fact, they are the only two LIV golf players who have won majors after they joined the new league. They each have also participated in The Match. DeChambeau played in a four-ball match with Aaron Rodgers against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady and won, then he went head-to-head with Koepka (Koepka’s lone appearance on The Match) and won.

Rory McIlroy is one of the biggest names on the PGA Tour as a four-time major champion (one US Open, two PGA Championships, one Open Championship) and with 25 has the most wins among regularly active PGA Tour players. Scheffler, meanwhile, is the top-ranked player in the world (LIV players don’t earn World Golf Ranking points from their league) and is coming off a record year where he won seven times, including The Masters and The Tour Championship and earned a gold medal at the Paris Olympics. As far as their past experience in these types of exhibitions, McIlroy has played in two (won one, lost one) while this is the first such event for Scheffler.

The Crypto.com Showdown format

The format for The Crypto.com Showdown is going to be a little different than The Match.

The 18-hole match will be played in three sections, six holes each, with each section assigned a point value. The first six holes will be played in best ball (where each player hits a shot and the team picks the result), followed by alternate show (one player on each team takes a shot, with their teammate playing the next) and then the final six holes with everyone playing their own ball.

Whichever team has the most points at the end of the match is going to be the winner, taking home the prize money, which will be given out in CRO Cryptocurrency.

The Crypto.com Showdown commentators

TNT Sports is the primary producer of The Crypto.com Showdown, and as such will have Ernie Johnson emceeing the event, joined in the booth by Charles Barkley, Trevor Immelman and David Feherty as analysts. Reporting from on the course will be Bubba Watson and Lauren Jbara.

The golfers will also be a part of the broadcast as they’ll be mic’d up.

The Crypto.com Showdown course

Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas is going to host The Crypto.com Showdown. Designed by Tom Fazio, Shadow Creek consistently is ranked among the best golf courses in the world by golf magazines.

The course is a par 72 that plays 7,560 yards.

Shadow Creek is the course where the first edition of The Match was played in 2018, when Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson squared off in a matchplay event.

The Match has become an anticipated event on most golf fans’ calendars, and for its 10th edition the tournament is going to be bigger than ever. Dubbed The Match: Superstars, this latest iteration (the second in 2024) is going to feature eight avid amateur golfers from the celebrity and sports ranks competing in a two-night event.

What originally started as a one-vs-one match play event between iconic golfers Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson has grown to this anticipated event that brings together a wide range of participants for some entertaining golf in a more laid back environment (the ribbing between the players is always a highlight), as well as raising millions for charity. To date The Match has raised $41 million for various organizations and donated 27 million meals to Feeding America. This year, money is being raised for hurricane relief.

When is The Match and who is playing in it? Read on to get everything you need to know about the event.

The Match: Superstars date

After the first round of matches aired on November 21, the semifinals and finals of The Match: Superstars will be shown on TNT at 7:30 pm on Friday, November 22.

How to watch The Match: Superstars

Anyone who wants to watch The Match: Superstars live is going to have both a traditional TV option and a streaming option available to them.

First, TNT is handling the TV coverage of the event. The cable channel is available through traditional pay-TV providers and live TV streaming services like Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

If you’ve cut the cord on live TV channels, you can stream The Match: Superstars live on Max. It is not specified whether or not The Match: Superstars stream on Max will be its own special stream or if it falls under the B/R Sports add-on for the streamer. However, Max’s promotional offer of the B/R Sports add-on channel, where anyone who subscribes can access it for free, is still available, so really it’s a moot point.

There will be additional coverage on social and digital extensions via Bleacher Report and House of Highlights.

The Match: Superstars golfers

While there are no professional golfers competing in this version of The Match, some massive names are set to comprise the largest field ever for The Match. Here are the golfers for The Match: Superstars:

• Nate Bargatze, comedian
• Charles Barkley, NBA hall of famer, current TNT basketball analyst
• Wayne Gretzky, NHL hall of famer, current TNT hockey analyst
• Ken Griffey Jr., MLB hall of famer
• Blake Griffin, former NBA all-star
• Bill Murray, Oscar-nominated actor
• Michael Phelps, 28-time Olympic medalist
• Mark Wahlberg, Oscar-nominated actor

Of this group, Barkley is the only one to have previously participated in The Match, winning when paired with Phil Mickelson against Peyton Manning and Steph Curry.

The Match: Superstars format

With the expanded field, the format for The Match: Superstars is a little different than in past years, as it combines two vs two scramble matches (each player hits a shot, and the team picks the best ball to continue playing) and individual match play.

The competition began with the two vs two matches on November 21. Here are the pairings and winners (in bold):

• Michael Phelps/Mark Wahlberg vs Nate Bargatze/Blake Griffin
• Wayne Gretzky/Bill Murray vs Charles Barkley/Ken Griffey Jr.,

For the semifinals on Friday, November 22, the former teammates will face off, so its:

• Michael Phelps vs Mark Wahlberg
• Wayne Gretzky vs Bill Murray

The winners of those semifinal matches will then face each other in the finals.

The Match: Superstars commentators

Helping bring The Match: Superstars to fans is the commentating team for the event, led by Emmy-winner Ernie Johnson as the host, his fifth time calling The Match. He will be joined by Trevor Immelman, CBS golf analyst who still stay in that role for his eighth appearance on The Match; two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson as an on-course correspondent for the first time; and Kathryn Tappen working as a course reporter at The Match for a fourth time.

In addition to playing, Barkley will also be serving as an analyst for the broadcast, likely taking part in the booth when he is not competing (though I’m sure he, and all the golfers, will be mic’d up and chiming in throughout their time on the course).

The Match: Superstars golf course

This iteration of The Match is going to take place at The Breakers Rees Jones Course at The Breakers Rees Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. The course is a par 72.

The Match winners

Here is the full list of past winners of The Match.

• Match 1: Tiger vs Phil — Phil Mickelson
• Match 2: Tiger Woods/Peyton Manning vs Phil Mickelson/Tom Brady — Woods/Manning
• Match 3: Phil Mickleson/Charles Barkley vs Steph Curry/Peyton Manning — Mickelson/Barkley
• Match 4: Bryson DeChambeau/Aaron Rodgers vs Phil Mickelson/Tom Brady — DeChambeau/Rodgers
• Match 5: Bryson DeChanbeau vs Brooks Koepka — Bryson DeChambeau
• Match 6: Tom Brady/Aaron Rodgers vs Josh Allen/Patrick Mathomes — Brady/Rodgers
• Match 7: Jordan Spieth/Justin Thomas vs Tiger Woods/Rory McIlroy — Spieth/Thomas
• Match 8: Steph Curry/Klay Thompson vs Patrick Mahomes/Travis Kelce — Mahome/Kelce
• Match 9: Max Homa vs Rory McIlroy vs Lexi Thompson vs Rose Zheng — McIlroy

Fresh off a losing Test series in Pakistan, England continue their international cricket roadshow with a three-match ODI series in the Caribbean. It starts with the 1st West Indies vs England ODI live stream on Thursday, October 31.

Below are all the details for West Indies vs England live streaming services in the US and UK. But don't worry if you're on holiday while it's on because you can watch WI vs ENG live streams from anywhere with a VPN.

After a dismal 2023 World Cup, the England white ball set up is still in rebuild mode ahead of Brendon McCullum taking the coaching reins in January. There were glimmers of excellence in the 3-2 series defeat to Australia that marked the end of the English summer, including some individual heroics from huge-hitting all-rounder Liam Livingstone that has propelled him into the captain's seat left vacant by the perma-injured Jos Buttler.

The West Indies have played six ODIs in 2024 and lost five of them, seeing them slip to a disappointing 10th in the world rankings. Only on Saturday did they complete their first win of the year in a dead rubber in Sri Lanka, and they'll take a lot of heart from the 102* that opener Evin Lewis smashed off 61 runs and Matthew Forde's frugal bowling performance.

You only have to go back 11 months since the last ODI series between these sides. That time the hosts won a closely fought contest 2-1, with current captain Shai Hope's 192 runs making him player of the series. But England have whitewashed the Windies in Tests since then, so the momentum is probably with the tourists.

The result is a tough one to predict. But what we can tell you is all the information you need to get an West Indies vs England 1st ODI live stream and watch cricket online from anywhere in the world.

How to watch West Indies vs England live stream in the US

Cricket fans in the US can live stream West Indies vs England on ESPN Plus.

The streaming service can be downloaded on to a variety of smartphones and streaming devices, costing $11.99 per month / $119.99 per year or from $16.99 a month if you get it through the Disney Plus bundle.

How to watch West Indies vs England online in the UK

West Indies vs England coverage in the UK is carried through TNT Sports, which is available via TV plans from Sky, BT, EE and Virgin.

Alternatively, you can access TNT Sports online by signing up to Discovery Plus Premium. The rolling monthly membership can be cancelled any time and costs £30.99 per month.

How to watch West Indies vs England from anywhere with a VPN

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch West Indies vs England, 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 into live cricket or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

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

When does the West Indies vs England 1st ODI begin?

The 1st West Indies vs England ODI live stream takes place on Thursday, October 31.

The start time is at 2 pm AST local time, which is 6 pm UK / 2 pm ET / 11 am PT

What are the ODI series dates for West Indies vs England in 2024?

• 1st ODI: Thursday, October 31 — Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua and Barbuda
• 2nd ODI: Saturday, November 2 — Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua and Barbuda
• 3rd ODI: Wednesday, November 6 — Kensington Oval, Barbados

All you need to know about West Indies vs England

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The 2024-2025 NBA season is back in full effect, which means it's time for NBA on TNT games. TNT once again serves as a main hub for basketball fans looking to watch some of the most exciting matchups (games during the season are also featured on ESPN, ABC and NBA TV).

The network’s coverage of the new season as always is reserved for Tuesdays and Thursdays, with insightful half-time commentary from basketball legends Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. You can expect Ernie Johnson Jr. to lead these entertaining conversations.

Here is everything you need to know about NBA on TNT during the 2024-2025 NBA season.

How to watch the NBA on TNT

TNT is a network available on every major cable/satellite provider. For those that cut ties with these traditional means, don’t worry. You’ll still be able to tune in to watch your favorite NBA team on TNT utilizing live streaming platforms like Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream, which all offer a subscription package that includes access to the network.

Additionally, NBA on TNT games will be available to live-stream on Max via B/R Sports.

NBA on TNT games: May 19-25

The 2024-2025 NBA regular season is over, and the playoffs are in full swing. With the final four teams whittled down to the Oklahoma Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks, it's clear a new champion will be crowned.

With both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals providing some must-watch TV, we can't say we have any must-watch games this go-around, as they all are likely to be entertaining. Here are the games scheduled for this week on TNT.

Friday, May 23

• Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT

Sunday, May 25

• New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT

What else to know about the NBA on TNT?

While much of the entertainment comes from the basketball court, TNT has also found that viewers are fond of the halftime commentary and end-of-the-game analysis offered on Inside the NBA. Hosted by Ernie Johnson and featuring Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, this panel of basketball experts has earned a reputation for their expertise in the sport of basketball and their hidden comedic chops.

TNT will additionally be a home for the second annual in-season tournament, named The Emirates NBA Cup. The tip-off for the tournament starts on November 12. Then as the 2024-2025 playoffs kick off, NBA fans should anticipate seeing some of the games on the channel.

The NHL on TNT is back to bring hockey fans 60-plus games throughout the regular season, leading into the playoffs and all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals this year.

The cable network is one of the two TV homes for the NHL throughout the 2024-2025 NHL season, with NHL on ESPN being the other. But there is another option to watch the NHL, specifically the NHL on TNT matchup, as Max will be carrying live streams of the hockey games throughout the year.

Here is everything you need to know about the NHL on TNT this season:

How to watch the NHL on TNT on TV

The NHL on TNT is, as its name indicates, carried by TNT. The cable channel is available on every major cable and satellite pay-TV provider. In addition, live TV streaming services like DirecTV Stream, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV all provide live viewing of TNT through at least one of the available subscription packages.

How to stream NHL on TNT

The NHL on Max is back for the 2024-2025 season, as all NHL on TNT games are going to be available to stream at the same time on Max.

As of right now, all Max subscribers can watch live sports on the streaming service through its B/R add-on channel at no additional cost. However, eventually streaming sports is going to be a little extra each month, $9.99 per month to be exact, but when that monthly price is going to start being implemented is TBD.

How to watch NHL on TNT from anywhere

If you finds yourself outside of the US but wanting to watch NHL action, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can help if there is no easy way to catch the action.

A VPN lets you get around the usual digital barriers by changing your IP address, meaning you can watch sports like the NHL as you would in your home country. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

NHL on TNT schedule

NHL on TNT will air most Wednesdays throughout the regular season, with occasional broadcasts on additional days.

Here are the NHL on TNT games taking place this week, a doubleheader on Wednesday, February 5:

• Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT
• Edmonton Oilers vs Chicago Blackhawks, 9:30 pm ET/6:30 pm PT

NHL on TNT commentators

NHL on TNT's hockey coverage is Emmy nominated, with big names in studio previewing and reacting to the games during intermissions and post-game, and with their primary commentators.

The NHL on TNT studio is lead by host Liam McHugh and features Wayne Gretzky, Paul Bissonnette, Anson Carter and Henrik Lundqvist as its studio analysts.

The main announcing team is led by play-by-play commentator Kenny Albert and game analyst Eddie Olczyk. The pair will have a new ice level analyst for this season, former NHL goaltender Brian Boucher.

Additional NHL on TNT commentators include play-by-play announcer Brendan Burke, analysts Darren Pang and Jennifer Botterill and reporters Jackie Redmond and Tarik El-Bashir.

It's to this day the world's largest known property theft—on Saint Patrick's Day in 1990, two men disguised as police offers entered the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, and stole 13 works of art valued at an estimated $500 million, including pieces by Rembrandt, Degas and Vermeer. Exactly how the men managed to get away with the heist, plus the whereabouts of the missing artworks, has been a mystery for three decades, a true-crime conundrum that serves as the subject of this week's episode of the CNN Original Series How It Really Happened.

The primetime series "delves deeply into some of the most notorious crimes, mysteries, trials, and celebrity tragedies of our time" and has already taken on topics like the 1912 Titanic sinking, the post-9/11 anthrax attacks and the Oscar Pistorius murder case. And now the "Gardner Art Heist: Stealing Beauty" episode—airing tonight, May 19 at 9pm on CNN—delves into details of the infamous robbery and its repercussions not only on the Massachusetts-based museum but on the art world at large. 

Along with never-before-seen security footage straight from the Gardner Museum on the evening of the robbery, tonight's How It Really Happened edition will include "an interview with the museum security guard on duty who details the events of that night and his experience being held captive by the intruders," per CNN. There will also be testimonies from FBI special agents, government officials and local journalists who covered the case, who "provide expert insight into the international undercover operation attempting to recover the missing art and the key players in organized crime who have been suspected of the heist."

To tune into tonight's hourlong special as it airs, you will need access to CNN. The cable news network is available on most traditional cable TV providers, as well as live TV streaming services like Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV. "Gardner Art Heist: Stealing Beauty" will also be available on demand to pay-TV subscribers on CNN.com and CNN connected TV and mobile apps beginning Monday, May 20. Past episodes of How it Really Happened are available to stream on demand now with a Max subscription.

“If you take the celebrity of LeBron James and you combined it with the appeal of Leonardo DiCaprio, that was what Oscar Pistorius was,” said Scott Roder, a crime scene reconstruction expert who appears in tonight's episode of the CNN documentary series, How It Really Happened with Jesse L. Martin. 

Airing Sunday, May 12 at 9pm Eastern Time on CNN, "Oscar Pistorius: The Bladerunner" special will explore the life of the double-amputee Paralympic and Olympic sprinter, who made history at the 2012 London Games as the first Paralympian to compete at an Olympics, but made even more headlines after being convicted in the murder of his girlfriend, South African model Reeva Steenkamp, more than a decade ago.

"The shocking shooting death of Reeva Steenkamp at the hands of Olympic superstar and convicted murder Oscar Pistorius on Valentine’s Day of 2013 pulled the curtain back on the storybook romance of a celebrated Hollywood couple. It started as a charming love affair between a world-famous athlete and a fashion model and ended with four hollow-point bullets through the bathroom door," reads the official synopsis of the hourlong special. "This episode of How It Really Happened investigates whether this was a terrible accident, or a callous murder. Did Pistorius shoot Steenkamp mistaking her for a home invader, or did he intentionally shoot to kill?"

The documentary features footage from the court in Pretoria, South Africa, during Pistorius’s 2013 murder trial and 2023 parole hearing, and original interviews with Steenkamp’s mother, modeling agent and family attorney. It also examines details leading to Steenkamp’s murder, including tumultuous messages shared between the couple over WhatsApp and the athlete's reported "obsession" with firearms. 

To tune in to the "Oscar Pistorius: The Bladerunner" episode of How It Really Happened with Jesse L. Martin, you will need access to CNN. The cable news network is available on most traditional cable TV providers, as well as live TV streaming services like Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Tonight's special will also be available on demand to pay-TV subscribers on CNN.com and CNN connected TV and mobile apps beginning Monday, May 13. Past episodes of How it Really Happened are available to stream on demand now on Max.

The post-9/11 period in America was understandably a heightened time, made even more so by the anthrax scare that occurred in the United States in the weeks following the September 11 terrorist attacks, which CNN will delve into in tonight's episode of How It Really Happened with Jesse L. Martin.

In 2001, powdered anthrax spores—a bacteria whose spread and fatality earned it the nickname “the poor man’s nuclear bomb”—were deliberately put into letters that were mailed through the U.S. Postal Service to news media headquarters, the offices of Senators Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy, and more, ultimately infecting 17 people and tragically killing five. 

"Both easy to make and easy to weaponize, these biological attacks gripped the nation with fear and launched one of the largest investigations in FBI history," reads a CNN synopsis of the hourlong special. The episode will feature interviews with former National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, former Senate Democratic Majority Leader Tom Daschle, former CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding, Dr. Jean Malecki who identified the case in the anthrax attacks, and U.S. postal workers and members of the media who survived exposure to anthrax. Hear testimony from one such survivor, Casey Chamberlain, below in a sneak-peek clip that CNN posted to its social channels. 

The “Anthrax: Terror by Mail” episode of How It Really Happened with Jesse L. Martin will air on CNN on Sunday, May 5 at 9pm ET. The cable news network is available on most traditional cable TV providers, as well as live TV streaming services like Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV. The anthrax-focused special will also be available on demand to pay-TV subscribers on CNN.com and CNN connected TV and mobile apps beginning Monday, May 6. Past episodes of How it Really Happened are available to stream on demand now on Max.

The primetime series, which "delves deeply into some of the most notorious crimes, mysteries, trials, and celebrity tragedies of our time," originally aired on HLN and was previously hosted by actor Hill Harper. The show made its premieres on its new home of CNN with a two-episode Titanic-focused special that aired late last month, which you can catch up on with CNN or Max. 

Nearly everyone has at the very least heard of the Titanic, thanks to that blockbuster James Cameron epic that made Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet household names. But the sinking of the RMS Titanic—at the time the largest ocean liner in the world and widely reputed to be an "unsinkable" ship—during its maiden voyage in April 1912 has been riddled with mystery in the century-plus since. 

Now, Titanic historians, wreck analysts, descendants of Titanic passengers and personalities like Downton Abbey writer-producer Julian Fellowes aim to uncover those mysteries in a new edition of How It Really Happened with Jesse L. Martin. The two-hour special investigates both the 1912 Titanic shipwreck that claimed the lives of 1,500 people and recent underwater voyage to its ruins, which have uncovered new secrets around the Titanic sinking and produced similarly tragic outcomes. 

"Diving to Titanic is similar to preparing for space travel—it’s a very hostile environment and less than 50 people have ever done it," reads a series description. "Even more than 100 years later, the Titanic is still leading people to their death."

The new installments of How It Really Happened with Jesse L. Martin kicks off with “Titanic Part 1: A Clear and Starry Night” tonight, April 28, at 9pm Eastern on CNN. The second episode, “Titanic Part 2: The Last Moments," will immediately follow at 10pm ET/PT. 

The primetime series, which "delves deeply into some of the most notorious crimes, mysteries, trials, and celebrity tragedies of our time," originally aired on HLN and was previously hosted by actor Hill Harper. The Titanic episodes act as the series' premiere at its new home of CNN.

To watch the Titanic-focused premiere of How It Really Happened with Jesse L. Martin tonight, you will need access to CNN. The cable news network is available on most traditional cable TV providers, as well as live TV streaming services like Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV. It will also be available on demand to pay-TV subscribers on CNN.com and CNN connected TV and mobile apps beginning Monday, April 29. Past episodes of How it Really Happened are available to stream on demand now on Max.

Don't shoot your eye out! It's Christmas and for countless families the countdown to the big day can't begin until the annual 24-hour A Christmas Story marathon. 

The tradition has been going strong on TNT since 1997 and since 2004 on TBS, where it became known as 24 Hours of A Christmas Story. Twelve airings of the holiday classic air back-to-back beginning on Christmas Eve and end in the evening on Christmas Day. 

The fun begins on Christmas Eve, December 24, at 8 pm ET/PT on TBS and 9 pm ET/PT on TNT. The staggered start times allow fans to jump in at different times throughout the 24-hour period. The final showing of the movie will begin at 6 pm ET/PT on TBS and 7 pm ET/PT on TNT on Christmas Day. 

With the basics out of the way, here is how to watch the 24-hour A Christmas Story marathon.

How to watch A Christmas Story

You can watch the 24-hour A Christmas Story marathon on TBS and TNT. TBS and TNT are included with most cable TV plans, but if you've cut the cord you'll need a live TV streaming service to watch live. Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV are options for live TV streaming services.

In addition to 24 Hours of A Christmas Story on TNT and TBS, you can also watch A Christmas Story and A Christmas Story Christmas anytime on Max.

What is A Christmas Story about?

A Christmas Story debuted in 1983 with Darren McGavin (Kolchak: the Night Stalker) as The Old Man and Melinda Dillon (Close Encounters of the Third Kind) as The Mother. The real focus of the movie is on Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) and his younger brother Randy (Ian Petrella) as they counted down the days to Christmas. 

Set in 1940s Hohman, Ind., the story was based on Jean Shepherd's 1966 book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash. Shepherd also serves as the movie's narrator and has a small, blink-and-you'll-miss-him cameo role. 

Ralphie's only wish for Christmas is to get a Red Ryder BB gun (hence the now-famous "you'll shoot your eye out" quote). Throughout the movie, Ralphie has to navigate the trials and tribulations of everyday life at home and at Warren G. Harding Elementary school. 

The movie wasn't an initial success, making $19.2 million at the box office, but over the years A Christmas Story developed a cult following, making it a must-watch holiday film for the whole family. 

Movie fans already loved Turner Classic Movies for airing some of the greatest movies ever made, all day every day, but now they are using their knowledge to examine many of these all-time classics in a new docuseries, The Power of Film. 

Across six episodes, renowned UCLA film professor Howard Suber will examine multiple classic movies, diving into the art of storytelling and what makes each one so successful. 

"I am honored to have our series shown on TCM, surrounded by 17 of the most memorable American films, nearly all of which I discuss in depth in the series," said  Suber. "TCM's commitment to the history of American films has always been remarkable."

What movies will be featured (Casablanca, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, others?) and when are episodes airing? We have everything that you need to know about The Power of Film docuseries right here.

When is the next The Power of Film episode?

The Power of Film part four airs on TCM on Thursday, January 25, at 8 pm ET/PT.

The Power of Film host

Howard Suber is a UCLA professor emeritus, founding chair of the UCLA Film and Television Producer’s Program and one of the founders of the UCLA Film Archive. He has served as a consultant to all major film studios and is the author of two books, The Power of Film and Letters to Young Filmmakers, as well as co-author for the book Creativity and Copyright: Legal Essentials for Screenwriters and Creative Artists. So it's fair to say he knows what he is talking about when it comes to movies. 

The Power of Film premise

The docuseries takes its name and inspiration from Howard Suber's book, The Power of Film. Turner Classic Movie teases that it goes "beyond an online masterclass," with Suber pairing his teaching and insights with about 50 classic movie scenes to "create a uniquely engaging narrative through humor, emotion and human experience."

Here is an official synopsis of all six episodes of the docuseries:

The Power of Film episode 1, "Part 1: Popular and Memorable"
"A large proportion of the most commercially successful American films are quickly forgotten. A tiny fraction, however, are truly memorable, lasting from one generation to another. Using iconic scenes from many of these classic films, this series explores films that were both popular and memorable. In this episode, Howard Suber asks why this small minority continues to have such power."

The Power of Film episode 2, "Part 2: Trapped"
"Nearly all memorable stories, whether told in movies or in real life, are about traps. The most memorable are generally about the loss, sacrifice and ultimate triumph the central character must engage in to escape their trap."

The Power of Film episode 3, "Part 3: Character Relationships"
"There's no such thing as an interesting character; there are only interesting character relationships. But, as is true for religions, myths and the longest-lasting dramas, the structure of most memorable dramatic plots centers on a single individual, around whom all the most important action and the other characters revolve."

The Power of Film episode 4, "Part 4: Heroes and Villains"
"Memorable films tend to be a compensation for what we don't see much of in the real world — justice, commitment and altruism. Film drama frequently treats the central characters as if they were heroes or villains, but often the two are very much alike."

The Power of Film episode 5, "Part 5: The Power of Paradox"
"In almost every memorable film, things are not what they seem, and learning the truth about characters and situations creates much of the tension in the film. Often, the truth of the film is quite paradoxical, which is what makes us want to keep watching."

The Power of Film episode 6, "Part 6: Love and Meaning"
"Although it's often said that in order to succeed, a Hollywood film has to have a happy ending, when you look at the most memorable love stories it's astonishing how many of them end with the separation or death of one or both lovers. Often, the paradox underlying the film helps explain why they stick in our memories."

The Power of Film trailer

There is no trailer for The Power of Film. If one is released, we'll add it here. 

How to watch The Power of Film

Turner Classic Movies is a cable channel, so you either have to have a traditional pay-TV cable subscription or a live TV streaming service that carries the channel. Most traditional pay-TV providers offer packages that include TCM, while the channel is also part of the channel lineup on DirecTV Stream, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

It is not confirmed at this time, but The Power of Film episodes may be made available on Max, as the streaming service includes a TCM hub.

With the tragic passing of Matthew Perry, the iconic Friends theme song "I'll Be There for You" rings even louder. TBS is going to be there for fans of the series and Perry as the network has planned a five-day Friends marathon that will feature many of the best Chandler episodes. The Best of Chandler marathon begins on Wednesday, November 1, and continues through Sunday, November 5.

Perry, who passed away on Saturday, October 28, was a beloved member of what we at What to Watch (and many others) consider one of the greatest TV shows of all time. As Chandler Bing, he used his sarcastic wit to make us laugh, but was also a caring friend who ended up having one of TV's best relationships with Monica (Courtney Cox).

TBS is breaking this marathon up into different categories: Best of Chandler on November 1, Best of Chandler and Joey's Friendship on November 2 and Best of Chandler & Monica's Relationship on November 3. The remaining two days are going to see most of the episodes featured in the Best of Chandler category broken up between November 4 and November 5.

The marathons are going to start in the morning each day. Here is the full schedule of the Best of Chandler marathon: 

November 1: Best of Chandler marathon 

• 6 am: Friends season 1 episode 7, "The One with the Blackout"
• 6:30 am: Friends season 2 episode 13, "The One After the Super Bowl Part 2"
• 7 am: Friends season 2 episode 14, "The One with the Prom Video"
• 7:30 am: Friends season 2 episode 18, "The One Where Dr. Ramoray Dies"
• 8 am: Friends season 2 episode 19, "The One Where Eddie Won't Go"
• 8:30 am: Friends season 2 episode 24, "The One with Barry and Mindy's Wedding"
• 9 am: Friends season 3 episode 3, "The One with the Jam"
• 9:30 am: Friends season 3 episode 11, "The One Where Chandler Can't Remember Which Sister"
• 10 am: Friends season season 3 episode 18, "The One with the Hypnosis Tape"
• 10:30 am: Friends season 3 episode 21, "The One with a Chick and a Duck"
• 11 am: Friends season 4 episode 2, "The One with the Cat"
• 11:30 am: Friends season 4 episode 3, "The One with the Cuffs"
• Noon: Friends season 4 episode 8, "The One with Chandler in a Box"
• 12:30 pm: Friends season 4 episode 12, "The One with the Embryos"
• 1 pm: Friends season 4 episode 15, "The One with All the Rugby"
• 1:30 pm: Friends season 4 episode 20, "The One with the Wedding Dresses"
• 2 pm: Friends season 5 episode 8, "The One with All the Thanksgivings"
• 2:30 pm: Friends season 5 episode 14, "The One Where Everybody Finds Out"
• 3 pm: Friends season 5 episode 16, "The One with the Cop"
• 3:30 pm: Friends season 6 episode 24, "The One with the Proposal Part 1"
• 4 pm: Friends season 8 episode 6, "The One with the Halloween Party"
• 4:30 pm: Friends season 8 episode 17, "The One with the Tea Leaves"
• 5 pm: Friends season 9 episode 4, "The One with the Sharks"
• 5:30 pm: Friends season 9 episode 11, "The One Where Rachel Goes Back to Work"

November 2: Best of Chandler and Joey’s Friendship marathon 

• 6 am: Friends season 2 episode 6, "The One with the Baby on the Bus"
• 6:30 am: Friends season 2 episode 14, "The One with the Prom Video"
• 7 am: Friends season 2 episode 15, "The One Where Ross and Rachel… You Know"
• 7:30 am: Friends season 2 episode 16, "The One Where Joey Moves Out"
• 8 am: Friends season 2 episode 19, "The One Where Eddie Won't Go"
• 8:30 am: Friends season 3 episode 2, "The One Where No One's Ready"
• 9 am: Friends season 3 episode 21, "The One with a Chick and a Duck"
• 9:30 am: Friends season 4 episode 2, "The One with the Cat"
• 10 am: Friends season 4 episode 8, "The One with Chandler in a Box"
• 10:30 am: Friends season 4 episode 12, "The One with the Embryos"
• 11 am: Friends season 9 episode 13, "The One Where Monica Sings"
• Noon: Friends season 10 episode 6, "The One With Ross's Grant"

November 3: Best of Chandler & Monica's Relationship marathon 

• 10 am: Friends season 4 episode 24, "The One with Ross's Wedding Part 2"
• 10:30 am: Friends season 6 episode 24, "The One with the Proposal Part 1"
• 11 am: Friends season 6 episode 25, "The One with the Proposal Part 2"
• 11:30 am: Friends season 7 episode 23, "The One with Chandler and Monica's Wedding Part 1"
• Noon: Friends season 7 episode 24, "The One with Chandler and Monica's Wedding Part 2"

November 4: Best of Chandler encore 

• 6 am: Friends season 1 episode 7, "The One with the Blackout"
• 6:30 am: Friends season 2 episode 13, "The One After the Super Bowl Part 2"
• 7 am: Friends season 2 episode 14, "The One with the Prom Video"
• 7:30 am: Friends season 2 episode 18, "The One Where Dr. Ramoray Dies"
• 8 am: Friends season 2 episode 19, "The One Where Eddie Won't Go"
• 8:30 am: Friends season 2 episode 24, "The One with Barry and Mindy's Wedding"
• 9 am: Friends season 3 episode 3, "The One with the Jam"
• 9:30 am: Friends season 3 episode 11, "The One Where Chandler Can't Remember Which Sister"
• 10 am: Friends season season 3 episode 18, "The One with the Hypnosis Tape"

November 5: The Best of Chandler encore 

• 6 am: Friends season 3 episode 21, "The One with a Chick and a Duck"
• 6:30 am: Friends season 4 episode 2, "The One with the Cat"
• 7 am: Friends season 4 episode 3, "The One with the Cuffs"
• 7:30 am: Friends season 4 episode 8, "The One with Chandler in a Box"
• 8 am: Friends season 4 episode 12, "The One with the Embryos"
• 8:30 am: Friends season 4 episode 15, "The One with All the Rugby"
• 9 am: Friends season 5 episode 8, "The One with All the Thanksgivings"
• 9:30 am: Friends season 5 episode 14, "The One Where Everybody Finds Out"
• 10 am: Friends season 5 episode 16, "The One with the Cop"
• 10:30 am: Friends season 6 episode 24, "The One with the Proposal Part 1"
• 11 am: Friends season 8 episode 6, "The One with the Halloween Party"
• 11:30 am: Friends season 8 episode 17, "The One with the Tea Leaves"
• Noon: Friends season 9 episode 4, "The One with the Sharks"

To watch this TBS Best of Chandler marathon, you need to have a cable or live TV streaming service subscription that includes TBS. Most cable plans do, while Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV are options for live TV streaming services.

Of course, you can watch all of these episodes at your convenience if you are a subscriber to Max, where all seasons of Friends are available on-demand. In addition, Max has the Friends reunion special that saw Perry and his co-stars Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer return to the iconic set and talk about making the show and its lasting legacy.

The Lazarus Project season 2 has arrived and fans of the smash hit BAFTA-nominated series have been waiting with bated breath for the sci-fi time-travel action to kick off. Thankfully, Paapa Essiedu’s George and the rest of the Lazarus team from season 1 are back to save the world – with a host of new cast members to boot. 

As Paapa Essiedu, Anjli Mohindra, Charly Clive, Caroline Quentin, Rudi Dharmalingam and Tom Burke return to the show, which follows a highly skilled team working for a super-secret project that steps in to turn back time every time there’s a world-ending event, series two sees the likes of EastEnders actor Colin Salmon and The Witchers’ Royce Pierreson join the fray. 

This time the stakes are even higher and whereas the first season saw the world turn back in time by six months every time the team were forced to intervene, this time the world is set to end every three weeks. That means it’s a race against time to stop humanity being wiped out for ever. And bearing in mind George is in disgrace after betraying the organisation in the name of love at the end of season 1, it seems no one is quite sure who to trust this time around. 

Here’s everything you need to know about The Lazarus Project season 2…

The Lazarus Project season 2 release date 

The Lazarus Project season 2 starts on Sky Max on Wednesday November 15 at 9pm. It's an eight-part series that runs weekly but will also be available from November 15 2023 as a box-set on Sky Box Sets and NOW.

In the US, the first season of The Lazarus Project arrived on cable network TNT from June 4 2023. So we're expecting season 2 to land on the channel some time after its UK release. we'll update her when we can.

Is there a trailer for The Lazarus Project season 2? 

Yes trailers for The Lazarus Project season 2 have now been released and the sci-fi drama looks just as intense and action-packed as the first series. We can't wait. Take a look at both below.

What is the plot of The Lazarus Project season 2?

The Lazarus Project – a secret organisation set up to stop apocalyptic events – is back and facing yet more threats to humanity. 

After his girlfriend Sarah (Charly Clive) died in a tragic accident, George (Paapa Essiedu) begged boss Wes (Caroline Quentin) to reset time so he could save her. But the Lazarus Project’s powers are only meant to be deployed when the whole of humanity is under threat, so when George was refused he responded by deliberately triggering an apocalypse and framing coworker Shiv (Rudi Dharmalingam) to ensure Wes would turn back the clock.

In season 2, Sarah survived, but in the new timeline she broke up with him, and George’s mentor Archie (Anjli Mohiindra) found out what he had done.

So this time, the team face the world ending every three weeks so the pressure is on! We rejoin former app designer George faces the consequences of his deception, while the Lazarus agents become trapped in a time loop, forced to endlessly relive the same three weeks leading up to a disaster they cannot prevent. Appalled by George’s behaviour, boss Wes (Caroline Quentin) fires him, but George carries on working in secret with help from Sarah, who has become aware of the time loops and gets recruited into the organisation. The plot follows George as he’s trying to redeem himself and win back the trust of his team. But can he trust them? 

The Lazarus Project series 1 recap

The first series of The Lazarus Project followed George, an app designer who was madly in love with his girlfriend Sarah (Charly Clive). He came to realise he’d been reliving the past six months of his life over and over again and was eventually recruited into a secret organisation called The Lazarus Project by an agent called Archie (Anjli Mohindra). (see more of The Lazarus Porject first season recap below)

The organisation, which is run by project boss Wes (Caroline Quentin), has the ability to turn back time each time the world is about to end. The team was called into action when former member Dennis Rebrov (Tom Burke) turned against them but as they caught him, Sarah died in an accident. George agreed to work with Rebrov to bring Sarah back but at the end of the series it emerged that Rebrov had turned on the project because every time it turned back the clock, his partner Janet (Vinette Robinson) was forced to relive the death of their son. George killed his colleague Shiv (Rudi Dharmalingam) in order to save Sarah but eventually, as time turned back again and again, he worked out a way to save his life. But the team learnt the Chinese had also made a time machine similar to Lazarus’s but it had gone wrong. This meant that the world would reset every three weeks. At the end of the series, Sarah took the serum that helped her to retain her memory each time the world moved back in time, meaning she now knows about the Lazarus project. 

The Lazarus Project season 2 returning cast 

Paapa Essiedu returns to head the cast of The Lazarus Project season 2 again playing George. He has also starred in I Will Destroy You, The Capture, Black Mirror and Gangs of London. Men Behaving Badly and Jonathan Creek star Caroline Quentin is back as Lazarus boss Wes. Charly Clive is George's partner Sarah, while Anjli Mohindra, Rudi Dharmalingam, Tom Burke and Vinette Robinson return as Archie, Shiv, Rebrov and Janet. 

The Lazarus Project season 2 new cast members 

Bond and EastEnders actor Colin Salmon has joined for The Lazarus Project season two alongside Royce Pierreson (The Witcher), Safia Oakley-Green (Sherwood), Lorne MacFadyen (Vigil), Zoe Telford (Litvinenko), Sam Troughton (The Outlaws) and James Atherton (Sanditon). 

Interviews: Paapa Essiedu, Caroline Quentin and Anjli Mohindra on thir roles in The Lazarus Project season 2

We caught up with Paapa, 33, Anjli, 33 and Caroline, 63, to find out more about The Lazarus Project season 2…

In light of all that’s happened, does George regret his actions?
Paapa Essiedu says: "Well, obviously, getting dumped wasn’t a great validation for setting off a nuclear bomb! I actually don’t think he regrets it, he just doesn’t understand why everyone doesn’t see things the way he does! Something we explore in this second series is the morality of it  - George is really obsessed with this idea of whether he is a bad person or not. He’s got his own reasons for what he did, and they’re connected to the depth of his love for Sarah, which feels justifiable to him. So I don’t think he regrets it, but he probably regrets her response."

What impact does George’s deception have on the team?
Anjli Mohindra says; "Archie feels incredibly betrayed by George, their friendship is irreparably damaged. It feels like they are going to fight about it later, but right now they are stuck in an infinite three-week time loop, so all beefs are off the table - everybody has to join forces, build bridges and try to stop humanity from being wiped off the face of the Earth."

Caroline, we also learn that Wes has some big secrets of her own this time around. What was that like to portray?
Caroline Quentin says: "It was an absolute delight! I can’t deny it was terrific playing someone who is a closed book and the boss, but it’s really wonderful to then unpeel that character and get the opportunity to flex your acting muscles a bit. I came into the programme thinking I was playing someone relatively one-dimensional, although still fun and interesting and all those things, then we had the opportunity to reveal much more about her and bring the audience with us. We discover quite shocking revelations about this woman - people’s opinion of her will change almost moment to moment in some episodes!"

Sarah also becomes involved with the Lazarus Project in this series. What does Wes make of her?
Caroline Quentin says: "The two of them absolutely get each other. Instinctively, Wes trusts Sarah - she knows a bright, clever woman when she meets one, but it’s early days. She knows for a fact Sarah has never killed anyone, so Wes has to ask herself whether Sarah’s cut out for this life.

It’s a really action-packed show with lots of fights and stunts. How did you prepare yourselves to come back and do all that again?
Anjli Mohindra says; "I tripped up the stairs and broke my foot three weeks before we were due to start! I was due to fly to Strasbourg to film a brilliant, elaborate, multi-stage fight sequence - all that had to be thrown out the window. We tried to pick it up later in the year, but Strasbourg had their Christmas lights up, and we were supposed to be stuck in a time loop in July! So we couldn’t do it, and I was really gutted.
Paapa Essiedu says: "The preparation for a show like this is mental as much as it is physical. It takes a real activation of your brain to make sure you’re in the right mental space and location at the right time! But it was exciting to come back.

This is a great audition reel for James Bond though, Paapa! Is that a role you’d love to play one day?
Paapa Essiedu says: "I often giggle at the idea of James Bond and George having a job swap for a day - let’s not forget this guy was an app developer eight episodes ago! I don’t know what George would look like in a tuxedo and, no disrespect to Sarah, but he can barely stop her from dumping him, let alone Léa Seydoux [who played Dr Madeleine Swann in the Bond films Spectre and No Time To Die]! But it’s very kind of you to see a parallel between them.

Does it get very confusing on set when you’re filming multiple different versions of the same three week span?
Caroline Quentin says: " I’m not going to lie, I find it an absolute nightmare. I am baffled by the entire thing. Sometimes in the middle of a scene, I’ll have to turn to the actor next to me and go, ‘What’s just happened?’ Thank God I’m not in charge of my own hair, because in this series it’s long, it’s short, it’s down, it’s up, it’s wigs, it’s black, it’s white. I couldn’t do it on my own, we have a massive team of people helping us with time travel!
Paapa Essiedu says: "We don’t shoot in chronological order, which is true of most TV shows, and it’s hard enough when you’re doing something linear. Doing it on this show is particularly challenging!
Anjli Mohindra says; "We have an amazing script supervising team, who help us a lot. When we’re doing a time loop scene, it might be very similar to another one 15 loops later, but we’re playing a three-dimensional game of spot the difference because there are subtle changes. We also had a WhatsApp group that was very much alive with people panicking, and sharing tips!

If you like to use BT Sport or Eurosport to stream live games to your TV, computer or phone, you're going to find some big changes coming to your preferred app or channel.

US media company Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns BT and Eurosport, is creating one merged sports channel package in the UK. This will happen in July, though an exact date hasn't been confirmed yet.

From July, you'll have to subscribe to a new channel package or service called TNT Sports to watch sports, with big titles, like the Premier League, Champions League and the Olympics, all playing there.

Why "TNT Sports"? Nothing to do with dynamite — in the US and Latin America, TNT is a cable TV company owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, and the company has decided to use this name in the UK too, despite the lack of brand name recognition here.

This is only the final step in Warner Bros. Discovery's slow transfer though, following BT's merger with the company in 2022, with BT Sport ESPN turning into BT Sport 4 to remove the association with Disney (ESPN is owned by the House of Mouse).

We're still waiting for news on what this means for BT Sport subscribers, but it's possible that your subscription or fee will be rolled onto this new platform. We do know that Warner Bros. Discovery has confirmed it'll be retiring the 'BT Sport' brand name in July.

Eurosport has been a pay TV channel since 1989, but nowadays it's also popular for its streaming service, which in 2021 was folded into Discovery Plus so that people using that factual TV streaming service (also owned by Warner Bros. Discovery) could stream sports (for a slightly higher monthly price).

At some point after July, Eurosport's channels and sports will also be moved over to TNT Sports, with the brand name being retired at that time too. Many are expecting this transfer will take place after the 2024 Olympics, though.

What is the price of TNT Sports, will it get TNT's US sports, and how many channels will there be? These are questions we'll have to wait until July to answer.

So, sports fans, you can wave goodbye to BT Sport and later Eurosport, but that doesn't mean there will be any disruption to your viewing plans.

Warner Bros. Discovery continues to make moves, this time with an experiment to see whether they can utilize some of HBO’s biggest hit series in recent years and give them a new home on WBD-owned TBS and TNT. The experiment is set to begin with True Blood and Silicon Valley airing immediately following coverage of NBA All Star events on Saturday, February 18. 

After the initial debut, Silicon Valley will move to a regular time slot on Sundays at 10 pm ET/PT on TBS while True Blood will air weekly on Mondays at 10 pm ET/PT on TNT. 

Of all the HBO original series to make the jump, it makes sense for True Blood and Silicon Valley to be the test pilots for this WBD experiment. True Blood ended its seven-season run in 2014 while Silicon Valley ran for six seasons and wrapped in 2019, making them recent enough to still be relevant and interesting for anyone who didn't catch them during their original run.

While it might seem like an unusual move, especially given that both shows will need to be edited heavily to fit cable TV standards, it's not unheard of for premium shows to land on cable TV after their initial runs. HBO original series Sex and the City and The Sopranos both went into syndication and aired on cable TV; Sex and the City marathons air on E! Network at any given time. Titans also made the jump from HBO Max to TNT in recent years.

If we're being honest, though, the heavy editing to bring Sex and the City to cable TV sometimes gets in the way of telling the story the way it was originally envisioned, so it will be interesting to see how they manage to bring True Blood and Silicon Valley to cable TV without disrupting too much of the story. 

True Blood was known for its often outlandish and over-the-top sex scenes and its creature violence (it's a show about vampires, werewolves and other otherworldly creatures, after all), while Silicon Valley's colorful language might need to be cleaned up a bit, even for the post-10 pm time slot. 

Since there are no plans to develop new original series for TBS and TNT at this time, moving library shows from HBO to WBD-owned cable TV networks makes sense. If it works, we can likely expect to see other HBO series making the jump in the future. 

NOTE: this article contains spoilers for The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 2, "LA Traffic." Catch up with WTW's The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 1 recap.

When "LA Traffic" begins, Bette and Tina are rekindling their relationship when Angie bursts in. Angie's already emotionally overwhelmed after Jordi broke up with her and she storms out. Bette and Tina decide to give her some space to deal with her emotions. But they need to discuss what their relationship status is now so they know what to tell Angie. 

They decide to give their relationship another shot and get intimate for the first time since they broke up years ago.

Is Dani ready for a family?

While getting ready to run an art show, Dani again questions Gigi about living together, snidely asking if Nat has given Gigi permission to move in with Dani. Gigi explains that dating someone with kids means putting the kids first and, as a co-parent, Nat has a right to know who her kids will be spending time with. 

Dani objects to being treated like a child, but Gigi thinks she's acting like one. When Gigi angrily calls her "Daniela" in a scolding tone, Dani has had enough. Nat calls at that inopportune moment and Dani leaves. 

Shane is uncomfortable

Tess once again brings up buying the bar with Shane. Shane, half joking but a little suspicious, asks if Tess is manipulating her. It's clear Shane is uncomfortable and starting to feel constrained by their domestic bliss. 

Tess' real estate agent calls and she immediately shifts to talking about inspections and other details. Shane looks visibly uncomfortable at the thought of committing to buying the bar; or maybe it’s just the commitment in general. With Shane, it could really be either one.

Finley has some bridges to repair

Finley tries to get Micah, Maribel and Sophie interested in a game night. Sophie is up to try it but thinks Maribel won't be because she hates Finely. Overhearing the conversation, Maribel grudgingly agrees to participate, but only to appease Sophie. 

The game night doesn't go well. Finley says all the wrong things. Then there's obvious tension between Micah and Maribel about having a baby; Micah says he never agreed to a baby. Both couples withdraw to let Micah and Mirabel work out their issues. 

Finley is finding sober living and repairing the damage she did when she wasn't sober harder than she thought.

Meanwhile at Dana's

At Dana's ahead of the art show, Bette and Tina tell Alice and Shane they're back together and mention Angie’s reaction. Shane and Alice tell them Angie was probably upset because Jordi broke up with her, not when about them being together. 

Ivy texts Shane, who looks uncomfortable. She doesn't answer the text, but she doesn't delete it either. 

The art show

Dani talks to Bette about Gigi and their problems. Bette echoes Gigi's feeling about kids coming first, even ahead of relationships, saying Gigi is just being a good parent. She says Dani needs to be sure she’s ready for parenthood if she's going to be living with someone who has kids. The scope of what Dani is taking on starts to sink in. 

Angie, meanwhile, decides, now single and in her first year of college, she is ready for her "hoe phase." She quickly meets a boy at the art show, hits it off and kisses him as she is leaving.

Alice isn't as lucky with her chosen date. She seems a little off and eventually it's revealed she is trying to recruit Alice to join the Nexium sex cult, which sends Alice back to square one when it comes to dating. 

Alice blames Shane for her fear of commitment that has made her run from every serious relationship she’s been in before. Shane is obviously wiggling, but she is really making an effort to make things work with Tess. Shane, trying to do things differently this time, agrees to buy the second bar with Tess.

While things are going well with Bette and Tina, Tina has to catch a car to head back to her job and her life in Canada. Bette asks her to stay, but Tina gets upset. She assumes Bette is asking Tina to put aside her needs and her life yet again. Bette insists she isn't, but Tina gets frustrated and jumps in the car to the airport. 

With Alice and Shane encouraging her, Bette decides to go after Tina and follow her to Canada. Bette, Angie, Alice and Shane race after Tina.

Finley finds out a hard truth

Maribel is upset Finley exposed the difficulties she and Micah are having and drops a snide comment about liking who Sophie was sleeping with while Finley was in rehab better than her. Even though Sophie and Finley had talked about being on a break while Finley was away, it's still a surprise to Finley. Though upset, Finely and Sophie manage to talk things out.

Micah and Maribel came to an understanding as well, with Micah agreeing to try and have a baby even though he isn't sure he’s ready. 

LA traffic

Dani texts Gigi, hoping she is coming to the art show. Gigi texts back from her car that she is on her way, but is then struck by another car. The accident looks and sounds bad but it's not clear how injured Gigi is.

The traffic jam caused by the accident works in Bette's favor, as all cars come to a halt and the traffic piles up. No one is going anywhere. Bette can see the car Tina is in up ahead of them. and runs through traffic on foot. She gets to Tina's car, telling her she'll sacrifice her career to be with Tina, not wanting to waste anymore time they could be together. Tina is thrilled and Bette gets in the car with her just as traffic starts moving. 

Looks like Bette and Tina are driving off into the sunset to be together in Canada. Will it last?  

New episodes of The L Word: Generation Q season 3 air on Showtime on Sundays, and stream on the Showtime app on Fridays.

Trips across Italy with Stanley Tucci in the popular docuseries Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy are potentially at risk of coming to an end. The fate of the travel/food show, which is currently in its second season airing in the US and the UK, could be up in the air because of apparent plans by CNN to pull back on its production of original TV shows and movies with outside partners, according to a report by Variety.

Variety has shared details of a memo to employees shared by Chris Licht, chairman and CEO of CNN, that says, "Our long-term plan will no longer rely on commissioned projects with outside partners," with the cost of third-party series being the primary reason. "However, I want to be clear that longform content remains an important pillar of our programming," Licht adds.

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy is one such project, produced by the production company RAW and distributed by CNN.

The memo goes on to detail that CNN plans to air six original series and six CNN films in 2023, but no information on what the shows are was shared. What to Watch reached out to Warner Bros. Discovery for comment, with them saying, "We will have information in the coming weeks about our final 2023 CNN Original Series & CNN Films slate."

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy follows the popular actor as he explores different Italian regions to learn more about the food, the culture and the people that make them all unique. Across two seasons he has visited Rome, Venice, Tuscany, Umbria, the Italian food culture in London and more. All in all, he has explored 13 Italian regions; there are 20 in the entire country of Italy. However, if you've seen the final episode of season 2, it certainly ends in a way that could be seen as a series finale. 

Another CNN show that could be impacted by this decision is W. Kamau Bell’s United Shades of America, which has run for seven seasons. To be clear, Variety’s report does not say that either United Shades of America or Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy is canceled.

Warner Bros. Discovery has been reshuffling its programming slate since its merger, which has led to some big decisions like ditching the HBO Max original movie Batgirl, removing other HBO Max original movies from the streaming service and ending most original programming on TBS and TNT (including a last minute cancellation of the sitcom Chad).

While we wait to hear if more is on the way, there are still new episodes to watch of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy season 2.

With so many twists and turns throughout its six season run, you might wonder whether Animal Kingdom is based on a true story. The show — thankfully — is a work of fiction, but it’s based on a 2010 Australian movie by the same name. 

Set in Melbourne, Australia, the theatrical version of Animal Kingdom was written and directed by David Michôd and stars James Frecheville (Joshua "J" Cody), Ben Mendelsohn (Pope), Joel Edgerton (Baz), Luke Ford (Darren), Sullivan Stapleton (Craig), Jacki Weaver (Smurf) and Guy Pearce as Detective Nathan Leckie. 

The movie’s premise is roughly the same as the series, albeit pulled together into one hour and 53 minutes instead of six seasons. J’s mother dies so he goes to live with his estranged family. What he doesn’t realize is that his family is one of the most dangerous crime families around and getting pulled into their world is his only chance to survive. 

Take a look at the movie’s trailer:

In the series, the Cody family is played by Finn Cole (J), Shawn Hatosy (Pope), Ben Robson (Craig), Jake Weary (Deran), Scott Speedman (Baz) and Ellen Barkin as Smurf. 

Here’s the show’s trailer: 

As you can see, the Animal Kingdom series borrows heavily from its cinematic predecessor; the names of the Cody family are the same (with the exception of a spelling difference between Darren and Deran) as is the general plot revolving around a crime family and its diabolical matriarch. Thanks to the format, though, the show has a lot more real estate available to explore the complex relationships between the characters and the pervasive influence that Smurf wields upon her sons. 

Unlike the movie, though, the Animal Kingdom series is set in Oceanside, Calif., a bustling beach town in the northernmost part of San Diego County. Thanks to San Diego’s proximity to the Mexican border and with Los Angeles less than 100 miles away, the show is able to expand the action beyond Oceanside’s borders to its surrounding areas, giving Smurf and her boys a bountiful harvest of lucrative job opportunities. 

The movie and the series share a stark brutality. In both versions, Smurf is conniving and merciless, pulling the strings at every turn. The series gives Ellen Barkin (and Leila George, who plays a younger Smurf) space to show the full extent of Smurf’s manipulation and it’s absolutely chilling. Jacki Weaver's movie version earned the actress an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, introducing her to most US audiences.

In an interview with What to Watch, star Jasper Polish (young Julia) told us that the Animal Kingdom finale was "heartbreaking" because viewers finally see how far Smurf went to destroy her daughter’s life and set Pope’s life into a downward spiral.

Given that the movie inspired a series, it’s safe to say there’s plenty of interest in the Cody family. Though the death toll in the Animal Kingdom series finale was high, the possibility of a spinoff lingers under the right set of circumstances.  

If you haven’t caught up with Animal Kingdom, the first five seasons are available for free in the US on Prime Video with the option to purchase season 6 episodes. UK viewers have the option to purchase or rent episodes through Prime Video or Apple TV. Season 6 is available to US viewers only with a cable subscription through TNT or the TNT app. If you’ve cut the cord you can watch TNT through YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV or DirecTV Stream. Season 6 is not available to watch in the UK yet.

You can watch the Animal Kingdom movie through Hulu, Prime Video and Paramount Plus. 

The TNT original series Animal Kingdom wrapped its six-season run with a finale that left things hanging for several characters. Naturally, there are fans wondering whether this is truly the end of the Cody family or if there’s room for a spinoff to keep the story going. 

Let’s explore why an Animal Kingdom spinoff could work as well as some of the key reasons why landing a spinoff would be an uphill battle.

*MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD * for Animal Kingdom's final season.

Could there be an Animal Kingdom spinoff? How the finale sets it up

The Animal Kingdom finale brought closure to many of the characters, but there was plenty of unfinished business that could be turned into a spinoff. 

J Cody (Finn Cole) set his plan in motion in the penultimate episode of the series when he channeled all of the family's money into his bank account, signaling a major deviation from the plan to split things after freeing Pope (Shawn Hatosy) from prison. During the prison break, he didn’t meet up with his uncles to deliver them to safety, instead phoning in a tip to the police as to their whereabouts. 

When his girlfriend didn’t want to go along with his plan to take their money and run, he killed her and fled Oceanside — and the country — before anyone could tie him to what was happening with his uncles. At the end of the series we see J sitting ramrod-straight (eerily similar to Pope’s posture) at a resort in a foreign country. Though he was able to avenge his mother, he doesn’t look like he’s enjoying his new life.

Deran Cody (Jake Weary) is the only Cody sibling to make it out of the finale alive. He was last seen with his brother Craig (Ben Robson) after Craig died from a wound he sustained on the run from the police. If their plan had been successful, Deran would have headed to Indonesia to possibly reunite with his exiled ex-boyfriend while Craig was meeting up with newly minted fiancée Renn and their son. 

Since the plan fell apart (it literally went "FUBAR", as the title of the show suggests) Deran is alive, but he was being pursued by the police. With no money and the police hot on his trail, getting out of the country will be a tall task. That means his future is uncertain, but after losing his brothers there’s no doubt he has revenge on his mind.

More Animal Kingdom

• Interview: Animal Kingdom's Jasper Polish and Kevin Csolak
• Animal Kingdom series finale: what happened, who survived
• Animal Kingdom: Ben Robson, Jake Weary tease 'high octane' season 6

With J and Deran still alive at the end, there’s every reason to believe that their story could continue in a spinoff. Between Deran’s precarious situation and desire for revenge and J’s new life on the run, there are lots of ways the Cody saga could continue in the present day. 

The other tantalizing spinoff possibility is that we could get a prequel to the Cody family story. (After all, that worked out pretty well for Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul.)  Season 6 featured the Codys in 1992 when Smurf (Leila George) was educating her children about how to live lives of crime. We see her cruelly parting ways with her daughter Julia (Jasper Polish), linking the finale to the series opener when Julia died of an overdose.

Thanks to the dual timelines, Animal Kingdom has several stories that could play out in a spinoff. Even if they were limited series, there’s enough there to keep fans happy. 

How likely is an Animal Kingdom spinoff?

Earlier this year, Leila George told Wonderwall that she wishes her role had been done as a spinoff so she could explore Smurf’s early days in greater detail. 

"Yes, there were some times when I found myself wishing that the whole thing — my whole part — had been done as a spinoff so that I did have a chance to go really deep into each decade," she said.

In November 2021, TNT General Manager Brett Weitz told Deadline that when it comes to the possibility of an Animal Kingdom spinoff, he told [Animal Kingdom showrunner] John Wells that "not only is [his] door open but there’s probably a slot on the air for him to do [a spinoff]."

If the cast is willing to return and if the showrunner and writers are interested, it seems like a spinoff would be a foregone conclusion. That is until that pesky Warner/Discovery merger happened. 

When the merger was finalized earlier this year, one of the first things the new company did was announce that there would be no more scripted programming at TNT, TBS and truTV. Swiftly afterward Animal Kingdom supporter Weitz became one of the first executives to lose his job...

Since then, Warner Bros. Discovery has axed several movies, series and projects in development to help cut costs. At the moment, it looks like the chances of WBD giving an Animal Kingdom spinoff the green light appear slim.

Why we still have hope for an Animal Kingdom spinoff

With so many streaming services competing for more eyeballs, streamers are always shopping for hot content. When beloved shows are canceled, they have been known to find homes on other networks or platforms. Lucifer, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Manifest are all examples of shows that were canceled but found new homes on other platforms thanks to fans raising their voices and catching the attention of studio executives.

So, there’s no reason the spinoff couldn’t be shopped around to another platform if Warner Bros. is willing to allow its show to go elsewhere. (There’s precedent for this — Netflix hit The Sandman is a Warner Bros. show)

In fact, an Animal Kingdom spinoff could land in its own backyard at HBO Max. It would be a solid move for the beleaguered streamer given that Animal Kingdom comes with a built-in audience and proven ratings. 

In this uncertain entertainment landscape, particularly in a post-merger world, it would take one heck of a hail Mary for an Animal Kingdom spinoff to happen. However, when it comes to beloved series finding a way back to life, we’ve learned that you never say never. 

The final episode of Animal Kingdom marked the end of not just one but two stories about the Cody family. There was the story of the Cody brothers and their nephew in the present-day and there was also the story of young Smurf (Leila George), her adopted son Baz (Darren Mann) and her twins Julia (Jasper Polish) and Andrew, aka "Pope" (Kevin Csolak).

The dual timelines have been a feature of the series for several seasons, but it took the shocking revelation of what really went down between Smurf, Andrew and Julia to bring the Cody family story full circle. You can read what happened in the Animal Kingdom series finale here. 

What to Watch had a chance to talk with Polish and Csolak about the final season of the series and what it was like bringing Julia and Pope’s tragic history to life. 

After admitting that watching the screener for the final episode, "Fubar," hit us hard in the feelings, Polish said that the final days on set were equally emotional. 

"It left us with a lot of feelings when we finished filming, too," she said. "I mean, when we finished filming in general it was a heartbreaking day, all around, just saying goodbye to everybody. There were a lot of tears saying goodbye and a lot of tears just for our characters, because it’s just that heartbreaking."

Csolak agreed. "You’re leaving a part of you [on the set]. It’s a beautiful thing."

We talked about a comment from our pre-season interview with Ben Robson and Jake Weary about how the show could have ended in season 5. They teased that there was so much more to come and now that the show is over it’s impossible to think of it ending any other way, especially when it comes to learning the full story about Julia and Andrew and their history.

"I feel like you really get to meet Julia this season," Polish noted. "You’ve seen photos of her and you meet her when she’s really young, but now she’s a young adult and she has a lot of opinions about things." 

Polish adds that in the early seasons of the show you never heard anything other than Julia being a drug addict, but now the truth comes out. 

"Smurf really doesn’t have anything good to say about her in the first few seasons. In this season you really get to see Julia and you feel for her and you see the amazing relationship that she actually had with her twin brother that was never spoken about until after she’s gone.

"You could have ended it in season 5," she added, "but leaving it with this season makes you love these characters a little bit more because you see all these different sides of them that you didn’t see before."

The same can be said about Pope’s development in both storylines this season. 

"I think what we’ve developed through this season is a beautiful contrast," Csolak agreed. "I think it’s a beautiful contrast to how the season ends with the present-day cast. It’s this beautiful crossing throughout the season that happens with Pope’s character being manipulated by Smurf and then we see Shawn Hatosy’s present-day Pope slowly starting to think for himself for one of the first times and really unravelling his past."

Csolak credited writers and the brilliant "1992" team, including Polish, George and Mann, that brought their part of the story to life.

When asked about whether there was anything in their characters’ stories that surprised or shocked them, they both agreed that it was more about seeing how their characters developed that was the most surprising and central aspect. 

"What surprised me more," Csolak said, "was young Pope trying to figure out all of his hormones and watching his [adopted brother Baz] and sister having this relationship and trying to figure out what that meant. I think what was really interesting and surprising was the episode where young Pope thinks it’s okay to kiss his sister because that’s what Smurf manipulated into his head, that affection is expressed that way."

Polish agreed, noting that there wasn’t anything shocking about Julia’s story other than the intense emotions tied to what happens to her. 

"More than anything, I became more and more heartbroken for my character. And one thing that sort of surprised me is when you’re in a relationship like that and then we’re on set playing these two characters that just love each other so much. Knowing that the betrayal is coming," she said, "there’s just nothing that can prepare you for it. It’s just heartbreaking and very sad."

In the end, Polish summed it all up perfectly: "it’s a dysfunctional family, to say the least."

The final season of Animal Kingdom is available to watch on demand now on the TNT app. 

Animal Kingdom, TNT’s compelling and twisted action drama about a Southern California crime family, came to an end with a bang. 

The Animal Kingdom season 6 finale marked the end of the road for the Cody clan as the fate of brothers Pope (Shawn Hatosy), Craig (Ben Robson) and Deran (Jake Weary), along with Cody nephew J (Finn Cole), was revealed. 

SPOILERS AHEAD for the Animal Kingdom finale, "Fubar."

Not only did the show bring the present-day story of the Cody family to an end, but it also wrapped up the tragic story of young Julia (Jesper Polish) and Andrew (Kevin Csolak), the newly minted Pope. 

Until the finale, fans could only guess how the family had been torn apart, but with the full picture revealed, it shed valuable insight into Animal Kingdom’s first episode and even more insight into why things ended up the way they did. 

Let’s break down the key moments from the Animal Kingdom series finale. 

What happened in the Animal Kingdom series finale? 

There was a dark shadow hanging over the series finale thanks to the penultimate episode, "Exodus." The Codys were putting the final touches on their plan to break Pope out of jail and flee the country, leaving their lives in Oceanside behind. What the brothers didn’t know, however, is that J used girlfriend Penny’s (Stevie Lynn Jones) help to transfer all of their money into his account. This led fans to wonder what was happening when the original plan was to split the money.

It didn’t take long for the truth to be revealed. While Deran and Craig ambushed the prison bus to free Pope, J was preparing to leave the country with Penny and all of their money. He also called in a tip to the police that he knew where the fugitives were hiding out. When Penny saw what was really going on she said she couldn’t leave with J, so he ended up poisoning her. 

As soon as J didn’t show up at the rendezvous, the brothers realized something was very wrong and tried to flee, but they came under fire as police closed in. Pope told Deran and Craig to run and save themselves; Pope ended up drawing their fire so his siblings could escape, getting wounded in the process.

Craig and Deran managed to escape, but when they tried to steal a car from a liquor store clerk, the clerk’s son shot Craig at close range. Deran managed to get his brother back to the coast, but Deran knew he wasn’t going to make it far and they stopped on a cliff overlooking the ocean, where Craig succumbed to his injuries. 

Despite being shot several times, Pope managed to get back to their house in Oceanside. He knew J betrayed them; seeing Penny’s lifeless body by the pool only confirmed it for him. Amid flashbacks to his tumultuous past with his twin and J’s mom, Julia, Pope sets fire to the Cody house, leaving everything to go up in flames. He clutches a picture of his sister and mom, and he dies in the pool as the house burns.

We never see what happens with Deran, who managed to escape, but we do see J sitting at a resort in a foreign country. He managed to avenge his mother’s death, but it came at the cost of betraying the only living relatives he had.

How did Smurf and Pope betray Julia? 

In the very first episode of Animal Kingdom, we meet J after his mother Julia dies of an overdose and he goes to live with his grandmother Janine "Smurf" Cody (played in the present day by Ellen Barkin and in the past by Leila George). He barely knew his uncles Pope, Craig and Deran, and adopted uncle Baz (Scott Speedman), who turned out to be J’s father. 

J always struggled with how the Codys lived a lavish life of crime while he and his mom barely got by and though he seemed to bond with the family over time his final act of betrayal reveals that he never forgave them for what they did to her. 

Fans never knew the full story about Julia’s exodus from the family until season 6, set in the early 1990s. During the sixth season we see Julia and Baz get close, confusing Pope about the nature of his sister’s relationship with their adopted brother and making Smurf jealous that her daughter was stealing her thunder. Not only did Julia have the boys’ attention, but she was smart enough to get high scores on the SATs so that she could go to college. College, Smurf determined, was a big waste of time.

Smurf kicked Julia out toward the end of the season because she’d been skimming money from their jobs, but when Julia turns up pregnant with Baz’s child it becomes clear how evil Smurf really was. In the finale, Smurf kicks a very pregnant Julia out and forbids her sons from helping her. Pope is torn over losing his sister but he’s so dedicated to his mother that he turns the other cheek and follows her commands, looking on as his mother dumps his sister on the streets. 

With no money or shelter, Julia gets into drugs and becomes the addict we know her to be at the start of the series, only now we understand how she came to be hooked on drugs and how it all goes back to Smurf kicking her out and Pope not standing up for his sister.

The end of Animal Kingdom: "may we get what we want, but not what we deserve"

Whenever the Cody boys finished a job they offered up a toast: "may we get what we want, but not what we deserve." In the end, given what we know about Julia’s tragic story, it’s hard to find fault with what J did. That doesn’t make the ending any easier, though.

Craig had just proposed to the mother of his son and promised to meet them overseas where he’d set them up for when he fled the country. Deran was planning to go to Indonesia to possibly reunite with his former lover and Pope was going to finally be free of his demons after confessing to killing Baz’s wife under Smurf’s orders. 

Smurf’s terrible influence on her family can be seen at every level. They were damaged and often unable to make decisions for themselves. When she died in season 4, they carried on her legacy. They weren’t good people, but as characters on a TV show we rooted for them to come out ahead. 

The Codys had their own rules and their own twisted brand of Robin Hood-style justice, so we wanted to see them get what they wanted instead of getting what they (arguably) deserved. 

The Animal Kingdom series finale hit hard because it really looked like they were going to get away with it, but what Smurf’s sons didn’t realize is that J’s love for his mom was going to take them all down in the end.

Animal Kingdom season 6 marked the end of the line for the Cody boys as the TNT series comes to an end. TNT announced that season 6 would be the final season in January 2021, well in advance of the season 5 premiere that summer; it is one of many shows ending in 2022. Fans have had ample opportunity to prepare themselves for the thrilling conclusion but if the show has taught us anything over the years it’s to expect the unexpected.  

There are 13 episodes in the final season. 

Here’s everything you need to know about Animal Kingdom season 6.

How to watch Animal Kingdom season 6

Animal Kingdom season 6 episodes are available on the TNT app as well as on Prime Video.

The final season is not yet available in the UK, but we'll keep you updated as soon as we get an airdate.

Animal Kingdom season 6 episodes

The final episode of the series is titled "Fubar" and it aired on August 28. 

If you'd like to know what happened and who survived the show's finale, we have a recap to answer all of your burning questions. 

Animal Kingdom season 6 premiered June 19 at 9 pm ET/PT on TNT. 

Episodes:

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 1: "1992"
"Gia visits the Codys with a job opportunity; J schemes finances; Deran learns new renters are disrupting the neighborhood; Craig struggles with sobriety and co-parenting Nick under Renn's monitored visitation."

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 2: "Rise"
"J holds a family meeting, on the hunt for a new attorney; Pope refuses to sell his vacant lot; Deran embraces his clout; Craig's sobriety is challenged; in 1992, Smurf and Andrew meet with a lawyer; Julia struggles to be heard in the family."

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 3: "Pressure and Time"
"Deran and Pope search for Craig; J tries to sell Gia's diamonds; much to Smurf's displeasure, Julia gets a job at the mall and Andrew embraces church."

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 4: "Inside Man"
"J gets to know the new attorney while Craig scouts a potential new job; Deran hangs out with a guy from out of town; Pope helps a kid at the skate park; in 1992, Baz visits Andrew's church."

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 5: "Covet"
"The Codys prep for the next job in present day; a reluctant Andrew, Baz and Julia do a job for Smurf in 1992"

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 6: "Diamonds are Forever"
"The Cody's stage a jewel robbery. Craig and Deran are at odds. In 1992, Julia and Baz spend more time together."

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 7: "Incognito"
"Pope prepares to see an old friend. Craig needs Deran's help when Nick's in trouble. J pursues Penny romantically. Andrew wants to be called Pope."

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 8: "Revelation"
"Deran and J consider a small job. Craig, Renn, and Nick spend the day together as a family. Pope senses something is off. Andrew finds out about Julia."

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 9: "Gethsemane"
"Pope is brought in for questioning. J, Deran, and Craig grapple with the truth. Julia tries to make amends with an upset Andrew."

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 10: "Clink"
Airdate: August 7, 2022
"Pope is self destructive. J, Craig and Deran must figure out what they're going to do about him. Julia and Andrew work together on a job."

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 11: "Hit and Run"
Airdate: August 14, 2022
"Pope goes to solitary confinement; Deran gets a visit from an old friend; J, Craig, and Deran decide what to do about Pope; Julia confronts Baz"

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 12: "Exodus"
Airdate: August 21, 2022
"Pope offers information on a cold case in exchange for a prison transfer; Deran says goodbye to the bar; J makes plans with Penny and Craig chooses Renn and Nick; Smurf learns Julia has been dishonest."

Animal Kingdom season 6 episode 13: "Fubar" (series finale)
Airdate: August 28, 2022
"The Cody boys embark on their most dangerous job yet; Andrew commits the original sin that destroyed the family."

Images from Animal Kingdom season 6

What is Animal Kingdom season 6 about?

Here’s the official season 6 description from TNT: 

"In the final season of Animal Kingdom, the Cody boys discover that they can’t outrun their past. With their empire expanding, a cold case investigation sets off a series of events that puts the entire family in jeopardy. Revenge, betrayal and a reckoning with long forgotten violence leads to an explosive conclusion six seasons in the making."

Animal Kingdom is based on the 2010 Australian movie of the same name that starred Jackie Weaver, Joel Edgerton, Ben Mendelsohn and Guy Pearce. The show has obviously expanded on what the movie covered across its six seasons.

Who’s in the Animal Kingdom season 6 cast? 

Animal Kingdom was dealt a major blow after losing Ellen Barkin’s "Smurf," the Cody family matriarch, in season 4, but her presence is still felt even in death. Season 5 saw the Cody brothers and their nephew picking up the pieces in her absence and following in her footsteps.

Shawn Hatosy (Andrew "Pope" Cody), Jake Weary (Deran Cody), Ben Robson (Craig Cody) and Finn Cole (Joshua "J" Cody), who also plays Michael in Peaky Blinders, are all set to return in the final season to bring the saga to an end.    

Animal Kingdom season 6 trailer 

The first teaser for Animal Kingdom season 6 is enough to get hearts pounding ahead of the June 19 season premiere. 

The official trailer offers a deeper look at what's coming in the final season. 

How to watch Animal Kingdom season 6 

Animal Kingdom is a TNT original series that airs on TNT and the TNT app. TNT is generally included in most cable subscription packages. If you’ve cut the cord, there are lots of ways you can tune in. TNT is available on Roku, FuboTV, Sling TV, YouTube TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, XBOX and Chromecast.

In the UK, only the first three seasons of Animal Kingdom are available on Prime Video, following Prime Video not renewing its license to stream new episodes of the series after season 3. That means those in the UK wanting to watch Animal Kingdom may be best to use a virtual private network, or VPN; we recommend ExpressVPN.

It’s the end of an era as Animal Kingdom heads into its final season. Animal Kingdom season 6 marks the end of the road for the Cody brothers after five years of wheeling, dealing and escaping impossibly dangerous situations. 

After Cody matriarch Smurf died in season 4, the dynamic between the Cody brothers — Andrew "Pope" Cody (Shawn Hatosy), Craig (Ben Robson) and Deran (Jake Weary) — and their nephew Joshua "J" Cody (Finn Cole) started to change. These shifting dynamics and priorities took the Cody family into new territory, testing loyalties and pushing boundaries. 

In season 6, the stakes are higher than ever. What to Watch had a chance to speak with Ben Robson and Jake Weary about Craig and Deran’s journey thus far and what’s in store for the Codys in the final season. 

Thinking about the journey your characters have been on over the course of the past five seasons, does anything surprise you about where your characters ended up at the end of season 5 and heading into season 6?

Ben Robson: Of course, with Craig he’s had so many ups and downs with his addictions, his lifestyle, fatherhood, relationships and then trying to find his place in the family after the huge shifts and losses in the family itself. I don’t think I’ve ever felt stability at all playing Craig. Life has been constant change and so unpredictable, which I think has been part of the success of the show. As soon as you think it’s going one way, it seems to swing and go the opposite.  

Jake Weary: Yeah, I would agree that it’s been such a unique journey in that we all get to grow together as a family and see these characters change over time and see how the power dynamics within the family change. And then to sit at the top of the mountain at the end of season 5 and look back on everything… it’s just been pretty profound to know you’ve gone five years on something. In some ways it feels like a year’s gone by and then in some ways it feels like you’ve known these people your entire life and you’re actually brothers now. So that’s been an incredible experience. 

One of the things that’s so striking about Animal Kingdom is that it’s this brotherhood, this family. While most families aren’t as extreme as the Codys, there are still lots of parallels to real life family dynamics. 

Ben Robson: Yeah, for sure, I think that happens on so many levels. When kids start to get older, stronger and wiser and all the advice that they’ve taken from their parents or older brothers or whatever it might be, then can be challenged because they believe they’ve grown up and have a voice they want to follow and pursue themselves. 

I know that to be true in my own family dynamic that I have at home and I think it definitely felt that within the show there were things explored which are no different than with my family. And the comparisons I’ve felt — though definitely not to the extremity that the show went — but it’s all the same stuff with bonding with brothers and mothers and outsiders who then come into the family and you wonder if they’re the right fit whether it’s girlfriends or boyfriends and it shifts the dynamic and the paradigm that they all work within. So yeah, I think there’s a lot of people who relate with the show because I’m sure that everyone identifies with a certain character and certain beliefs within it. And I think it’s been a huge part of the success of the show. 

Jake Weary: Agreed. 

It seemed like the stakes had never been higher for the Codys heading into season 5, but then we learned that the show is coming back for a sixth and final season. Given how big season 5 was, how can you possibly top that and is there anything you can tease about season 6?

Jake Weary: Oh, you can certainly top it. (Laughs) I mean, everything has to come to a head at some point. I think you’re kind of seeing all of this stuff… let’s just say a lot happens… there’s a lot to unpack in season 6. And it’s not just things the characters are currently dealing with, but ghosts of the past come back and I think the brothers are put in an incredibly vulnerable place to where you’re like, "How could they possibly deal with this?" And then, yeah… we’ll see. 

Ben Robson: I think season 6 is the amalgamation of all the choices, risks and punts that they took and in season 6 they get pinned into their most difficult corner as to how they’re going to escape. So I think what you’re looking at is the real high octane, big decision-making, all on the line, all-in sort of problems that they have to resolve. So yeah, to answer your question it’s all somehow topped in [season] 6 because you have the whole history of the last five years that informs the problems that will arise in the season. It makes for some pretty compelling watching. 

Don’t miss any of the action in the final season of Animal Kingdom, airing Sundays at 9 pm ET/PT on TNT beginning June 19.  

The Lazarus Project is a sci-fi thriller that sees I May Destroy You and Gangs of London actor Paapa Essiedu heading up the cast, playing George, a man who wakes up one day reliving a day from his past, with some notable exceptions — his success at work and his marriage to the love of his life Sarah (Charly Clive) seem to never have happened. 

George is convinced he’s lost his mind but then meets a mysterious woman called Archie (Anjli Mohindra) who recruits him into a secret organization called The Lazarus Project, led by the formidable Wes (Caroline Quentin). 

The organization has the power to turn back time each time the world is at threat from extinction and is desperately trying to stop a criminal hellbent on destroying the planet. But when something terrible happens to Sarah and George learns he can only turn back time if there’s a threat of global extinction he must wrestle with his conscience and decide what he’s willing to sacrifice in order to change his own fate.  

Written by the creator of Giri/Haji, Joe Barton, it certainly looks to be one of the breakout shows of the year. Sky has teased us about the series, saying: “The Lazarus Project is a riveting series that speaks directly to our uncertain times and to our desire to take charge of what is beyond our control. It is a moving story of love and fate within a compelling, blistering action thriller that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats — all shot through with Joe Barton’s trademark dark humor.”

So here's everything you need to know about The Lazarus Project on Sky Max and TNT...

The Lazarus Project release date

After premiering in the UK on Sky Max in June 2022, The Lazarus Project arrives in the US on Sunday, June 4 2023, airing on cable network TNT. Episodes will air on the network weekly.

Is there a trailer for The Lazarus Project?

TNT unveiled a trailer for the show, which you can watch directly below. You can also watch the one that the UK saw when it premiered there.

The Lazarus Project plot 

In The Lazarus Project, Paapa Essiedu stars as George, a seemingly ordinary guy who is left reeling when he wakes up one day to find he’s reliving a day from many months beforehand. 

Strangely, all his recent achievements, including his marriage to Sarah (Charly Clive) and his work successes, have been undone yet he seems to be the only one who’s noticed. 

Understandably George is convinced he’s losing his mind but then he is approached by a woman called Archie who says she’d like him to join a secret organization called The Lazarus Project. Headed up by the steely Wes, the organization has harnessed the power to turn back time every time the world is under threat of extinction. Like George, those who work there are the few people on Earth able to remember the events that are undone when time is turned back. And they must fight together to stop the drama's villain Rebrov (Tom Burke), a notorious criminal who wants to set off a nuclear warhead and destroy the world. 

However, George’s life is turned upside down when Sarah is the victim of a freak accident and Lazarus won’t let him reverse time unless there’s the threat of global extinction. That leaves him with a choice — should he stay loyal or go rogue in order to rewrite the past?  

The Lazarus Project cast — Paapa Essiedu on playing George

Paapa Essiedu is playing George, a man faced with an impossible choice as he gives us his take on The Lazarus Project...

"At its heart, it’s a love story set in a world where there’s a top-secret organisation that has the ability to turn back time in order to stop extinction-level events taking place - atomic bombs being dropped, worldwide viruses, civil wars — and then tinker in order to stop those things happening. 

"George is an ordinary guy with a genetic mutation that gives him the ability to be involved in the time-tinkering process. He gets invited into this organisation, then something traumatic happens in his personal life. The show follows his journey of what he’s willing to do. What happens when you’re put in that position and you can look after number one, or you can look after everybody?

"I’ve been in action-y shows before, but I haven’t been at the heart of the gun-toting, car-crashing type thing - my character is very much at the centre of that in this, which was thrilling."

Paapa Essiedu is instantly recognisable as Kwame in Michaela Cole’s BAFTA winning series I May Destroy You. He also played Alexander Dumani in Gangs of London in 2020 and appeared in the series Press. Rising star Paapa has also been in The Miniaturist, Kiri, The Capture and the Channel 5 miniseries Anne Boleyn. Paapa is in the cast of Black Mirror season 6.

Caroline Quentin on playing Wes, aka Elizabeth Wesley

Caroline Quentin (see our main first look picture above) is taking on the role of Wes, the boss of The Lazarus Project. 

Caroline says: "Wes, aka Elizabeth Wesley, is the highest rank of the organisation that we meet on screen. It’s very clear there are masses of rungs above her, but she has the power to press the button to turn the clock back. What really drew me to her was her staunch conviction in the idea of altruism. She truly believes it exists - but her relationship with that wavers over the course of the series…

"Every day it was a kind of glorious experience to walk up to your fellow cast members in the morning and go, ‘where are we today? What’s just happened? Have we done that? Is he dead?"

Caroline first won our hearts as Dorothy in Men Behaving Badly, alongside Martin Clunes, Neil Morrissey and Leslie Ash, which ran from 1992 until 1998. She then starred in Jonathan Creek, Life Begins and Blue Murder. Caroline has been in numerous TV shows including Life Of Riley, Doc Martin and Dickensian and will be in the upcoming movie Banking on Mr Toad with Joanne Froggatt and Phyllis Logan. 

Anjli Mohindra on playing Archie

Anjli Mohindra plays the standoffish Archie who recruits George to The Lazarus Project. She starred in the hit 2018 drama Bodyguard, with Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes, and was also in the submarine-based drama Vigil and Munich: The Edge of War. 

Anjli says: "Archie has all the qualities you’d want in a best friend or mentor. She’s funny, smart, brave and a little bit self-deprecating. What really drew me to her was her staunch conviction in the idea of altruism. She truly believes it exists - but her relationship with that wavers over the course of the series…"

Other cast in The Lazarus Project includes Charly Clive plays George’s wife Sarah. She’s best known for the TV series Pure. Strike star Tom Burke plays criminal mastermind Rebrov while The Split’s Rudi Dharmalingam also stars. 

Who else is starring in The Lazarus Project? 

Other cast in The Lazarus Project includes Charly Clive plays George’s wife Sarah. She’s best known for the TV series Pure. Strike star Tom Burke plays criminal mastermind Rebrov while The Split’s Rudi Dharmalingam also stars. 

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NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Snowpiercer season 3 episode 10, "The Original Sinners."

Snowpiercer has always been a train of two halves and the thought of another war is nothing new to the passengers. This cyclical battle between ideologies means could just go through the motions, but thankfully the Snowpiercer finale has some surprises up its sleeve. 

Melanie’s (Jennifer Connelly) big return last week was an emotional affair that quickly descended into chaos when the returning engineer revealed that Layton (Daveed Diggs) hasn’t been to New Eden, nor does he know if the track is safe enough or even if there is a habitable warm spot. Matters are complicated further as Wilford (Sean Bean) has escaped his swish library prison and people are being forced to choose between visionaries. Melanie’s reasoning to spill the details (or lack of) was to give power back to the passengers, however, the chance that many will be killed in this battle is high. 

Layton addresses the Tailies with honesty and contrition. He apologizes for using "dirty politics" in conjuring this big hopeful lie, but insists it isn’t foolhardy to want to continue this journey as planned. The clock is ticking as the point where they need to turn toward the Horn of Africa isn’t too far away and Melanie has control of the engine. 

The "original sinners" of the episode title are Melanie and Layton, who both openly admit their part in all of this. This is far from the first time the pair have disagreed, but now they have an agent of chaos stirring up trouble. Wilford has set up his base in the Night Car with his loyal followers and two people who were in the wrong place. Miss Audrey (Lena Hall) has finally turned a corner and resembles the woman we first met and Oz (Sam Otto) has realized that a life with LJ (Annalise Basso) is always going to be filled with conflicts and scheming. Oz bolts as soon as he is given a chance, but Audrey knows she has to play a longer game to secure her freedom. 

With Melanie controlling the engine and Layton staking a claim to the food supply, with Wilford operating in the middle between the two, they are at an impasse. Layton has the manpower, but the Brakemen led by Roche (Mike O’Malley) don’t seem particularly thrilled to be forced to face off against their friends. While Wilford's crew is smaller, he does have some formidable faces. One surprise return — seriously, no one ever dies on this show — is Breachworker Bojan “Boki” Boscovic (Aleks Paunovic), who was presumed dead when the aquarium was destroyed in the second season finale. He replaces Icy Bob (Andre Ticoteux) as Wilford’s augmented bodyguard.

Wilford is unpredictable and his agenda is always focused on how it will benefit him, so it's surprising Melanie thought she could negotiate terms. "It still comes down to fear," is Wilford’s assessment of the situation, but Melanie knows having the Great Engineer in her pocket might cause Layton to back down. When Melanie does talk to Layton it becomes clear neither of them will budge, as they "both got enough ego to believe we can save everyone." Is there a compromise that can lead to both figureheads having a chance to prove they are right?

Getting rid of Wilford is the only way the train can thrive, but at one point it does seem like Melanie might make a deal with him so she can take control of the train. However, the plan that is set in motion is clearly a trap when baby Lyanna comes into play to make Layton back down because Melanie would never put another person through the pain of separation from their child. 

It's a nifty idea as Wilford is blinded by his own importance to see the warning signs coming before they trap him in a no-win situation by separating him from his supporters. Rather than kill him they offer him Melanie’s suspension survival. He climbs into the maintenance vehicle with very little protest and it all feels a little too easy. Apparently, he is up for the challenge and they send him on his merry way. It is tough to get rid of an antagonist like Wilford and no doubt he will be back to mess things up. 

Wilford’s exit gives the leading duo the chance to physically split the train in two offering the passengers Layton’s trip into the unknown or staying with Melanie on a vehicle that is starting to fail. Okay, neither is particularly great but at least they are united in letting everyone have a say. 

After last week’s happy reunion between Alex (Rowan Blanchard) and her mom, it is time for an emotional farewell. It's these character-driven scenes where Snowpiercer is at the top of its game. Plus, Big Alice does need engineers — my one quibble is we don’t get to hear or see why Javi decides to go with the New Eden group other than they need another engineer. 

The lines are divided how you might expect with Ruth (Alison Wright) choosing New Eden. Till (Mickey Sumner) also picks Layton, but at the last minute runs to Audrey and life on Snowpiercer in another satisfactory arc. Romance wins as Josie (Katie McGuinness) kisses Layton and no longer spouts the contrived BS from last week. 

Okay, not all pairings end happily-ever-after. It appears that LJ has maybe choked to death on her father’s false eye in a freak accident — though I expect she will be back. 

Hope takes hold in the final sequence when Big Alice makes its way across an extremely rickety bridge and they don’t plummet to their deaths. It is a dicey ride but they make it to the hot spot and the sun shines on the relieved faces of Big Alice’s passengers. 

But that isn’t quite the final sequence. We are given a glimpse into what the future might hold and war is still on the menu. A title card tells us it is three months later and those on Snowpiecer see some sort of missile explosion on the horizon. Who is behind this attack? After an action-packed season, this train is not grinding to a halt. 

Snowpiercer season 3 full steam ahead. Debuting in 2020, the TV adaptation of Bong Joon-ho's 2013 post-apocalyptic film of the same name is back with new episodes and a hope for a new future.

Sam Linsky and Adrienne O’Riain, co-heads of scripted original programming for TBS, TNT and truTV said: "Snowpiercer has been an incredibly successful series for us that continues to capture the imagination of viewers, grow audience and maintain strong ratings."

In addition to news of a third season, they have confirmed that Snowpiercer has already been renewed for a fourth, adding: “All of our seasons embark on an emotional, unexpected ride and the well-plotted storylines will continue to evolve and remain relevant to audiences. We’re excited to keep the train running into Season Four."

Here's what you need to know...

When is the next Snowpiercer season 3 episode?

Snowpiercer season 3 will continue with a brand new episode Monday, March 28, at 9 pm ET/PT on TNT in the US. UK viewers will be able to watch the latest episodes on Tuesday, March 29 on Netflix.

Snowpiercer season 3 plot

Following on from the events of Snowpiercer season 2, which ended on a high note, the official plot for season 3 reads: "Season three picks up with Layton and his inner circle commanding a small pirate train in search of Melanie and a possible warm location to restart civilization, aided by a newfound survivor. Back on Snowpiercer, Mr. Wilford is consolidating power, foiled only by secret allies of Layton’s hidden on the train, committed to the cause."

Here are the synopses for each season 3 episode thus far, and links to What to Watch's episode recaps:

Snowpiercer season 3 episode 1, "The Tortoise and the Hare":

"While Wilford emphasizes his rule aboard his icy train, Layton's pirate train continues its dangerous quest for warm spots, and comes across something entirely unexpected." Read What to Watch's in-depth recap of Snowpiercer season 3 episode 1 right here.

Snowpiercer season 3 episode 2, "The Last to Go":

"Layton goes on the hunt, as Wilford works to boost morale; the resistance discovers a threat that could undermine everything they've worked for." Read What to Watch's in-depth recap of Snowpiercer season 3 episode 2 right here.

Snowpiercer season 3 episode 3, "The First Blow":

"It's a game of cat and mouse as both Layton and Wilford vie for the upper hand." Read What to Watch's in-depth recap of Snowpiercer season 3 episode 3 right here.

Snowpiercer season 3 episode 4, "Bound by One Track":

"Alex finally deals with her parental figures as a track obstruction uncovers a painful past." Read What to Watch's in-depth recap of Snowpiercer season 3 episode 4 right here.

Snowpiercer season 3 episode 5, "A New Life":

"A series of terrorist attacks threatens to derail Layton and Zarah's big day." Read What to Watch's in-depth recap of Snowpiercer season 3 episode 5 right here.

Snowpiercer season 3 episode 6, "Born to Bleed":

"As the bomber is revealed, Layton comes to terms with his past decisions before making an irreversible call." Read What to Watch's in-depth recap of Snowpiercer season 3 episode 6 right here.

Snowpiercer season 3 episode 7, "Ouroboros":

"Layton realizes some dreams are out of reach as the rest of the train deals with Layton's status change. Wilford makes a staggering discovery." Read What to Watch's in-depth recap of Snowpiercer season 3 episode 7 right here.

Snowpiercer season 3 episode 8, "Setting Itself Right":

"As the train detours from New Eden, an environmental catastrophe threatens everyone onboard." Read What to Watch's in-depth recap of Snowpiercer season 3 episode 8 right here.

Snowpiercer season 3 episode 9, "A Beacon for Us All":

"Reunited with old friends, the train throws a party. Alliances are tested as the truth is finally revealed." Read What to Watch's in-depth recap of Snowpiercer season 3 episode 9 right here.

Snowpiercer season 3 episode 10, "The Original Sinners":

"It all comes to a head as old adversaries clash, with New Eden hanging in the balance."

Snowpiercer season 3 cast

Everyone who survived the intense first two seasons of Snowpiercer is expected to return once again. Here's a list of the key characters we're expecting to see:

• Jennifer Connelly as Melanie Cavill
• Daveed Diggs as Andre Layton
• Sean Bean as Joseph Wilford
• Rowan Blanchard as Alexandra Cavill
• Alison Wright as Ruth Wardell
• Mickey Sumner as Bess Till
• Iddo Goldberg as Bennett Knox
• Katie McGuinness as Josie Wellstead
• Lena Hall as Miss Audrey
• Steven Ogg as Pike

Is there a trailer?

Yes, the trailer for Snowpiercer season 3 is finally here, and it's looking to be as dramatic as ever as we catch up with Andre Layton, who's desperately trying to find Melanie aboard a new pirate train, very different from the one they're used to.

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NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Snowpiercer season 3 episode 9, "A Beacon for Us All."

For one brief moment, the majority of Snowpiercer’s passengers are content and united thanks to a shared vision of a hopeful future in a world beyond this locomotive. 

Layton’s (Daveed Diggs) faith was returned at the end of last week’s episode and the overall mood on board the train is rather jovial. Their detour through poisonous volcanic gasses to find the long-lost Melanie Cavill (Jennifer Connelly) has paid off and the episode kicks off with a daring rescue mission. However, the leading figures who have wrestled control from Wilford (Sean Bean) will soon regret how much they shared with Melanie about where they are headed.

Before the engineer becomes the ultimate party pooper we see how Melanie survived using a supply of suspension drugs in lieu of food in a maintenance vehicle not meant to be used for habitation. It has been more than six months since Wilford left her to die and part of the reason she is still alive is through sheer determination. "I’m super stubborn," Melanie jokes to Alex (Rowan Blanchard) during the emotional mother-daughter reunion. Both actresses portray the enormity of this moment and it's safe to say they aren’t the only teary ones. 

"I kept you alive in my head," Alex tells her mother of the imagined conversations that got her through tough times. It never felt like Melanie was truly gone as a viewer and it was more of a case of "if" not "when" she would make her return. There is a danger that waiting until the penultimate episode could make it anticlimactic, but her choice toward the end of "A Beacon for Us All" ensures this is far from the case.

It has been so long since Melanie was part of this group (remember she was off doing solo research before Wilford abandoned her) it's easy to forget how fraught some of her relationships are — not to mention the shifts in dynamics since she left. 

Ruth (Alison Wright) was Melanie’s best friend until the original lie about Wilford being on the train was proved to be false. Ruth was still cut deep by this betrayal when it came time for the research field trip. But this is all water under the bridge and Ruth is instead focusing on the next stage in their lives. 

As the head of hospitality, Ruth organizes a final hurrah to coincide with the last time the train will pass the pyramids, which are still standing strong. This event is for everyone, although I am not sure how far the remaining 246 bottles of champagne will stretch. Unfortunately, while Ruth plans this bash, Melanie begins to look at the data they have gathered to support the Horn of Africa/New Eden habitable environment theory. What she sees does not match the unparalleled enthusiasm everyone else is experiencing.

If one person can understand deceiving the entire train it's Melanie. After she has apologized for the time she put Layton in the drawers (not that she knows the after-effects of the suspension drugs), she brings up the great lie he has now constructed. Referring to this as a kind of empathy, she is quick to note that keeping the passengers in the dark takes away their power. Later she remarks that everyone is seeing positive results in the data because they want to believe. "Positive thinking’s great, just not if it replaces critical thinking," is her sober assessment of the situation. The cracks are beginning to form.

For someone who has been solo for more than six months, she isn’t too overwhelmed by the steady stream of people she plays catch up with. Beau Ben (Iddo Goldberg) is giddy she is back and tells Layton he shouldn’t waste time telling Josie (Katie McGuinness) how he really feels. Unfortunately, while the rest of the train is getting loved up, Josie still holds Layton at an arm’s length. Her reasoning is he will have too much on his plate in building a new world to be sidetracked by romance. This feels like a flimsy excuse to keep them apart for contrived drama's sake.

Elsewhere, Till (Mickey Sumner) and Miss Audrey (Lena Hall) are embracing a new phase of their relationship. There is a concern at first what Till is feeling is a residual effect of Audrey’s therapy. Audrey notes she has never felt it like this before and there is a sweet giddiness to the early stage of this romance. There is an element of questioning how quickly Audrey switched from being a Wilford defender to a version of her former self, but the last few episodes are also a reminder that Audrey wasn’t always a villain. 

One character who is unlikely to change is LJ (Annalise Basso), as she will always put her priorities first. Oz (Sam Otto) was more than aware of LJ’s selfish and sadistic streak when he married her, so it's hard to feel too bad for him when she pulls a knife on him. She doesn’t follow through but Oz knows the threat is not an empty one. 

He tells Roche (Mike O’Malley) his wife is working with the other Wilford acolytes. She is part of the poison delivery system that leads to the deaths of the Brakemen who are meant to be guarding the great engineer, by offering them a cigar, the perfect delivery system for this toxin.

Earlier in the episode, Wilford and Melanie have a frank conversation about the holes in Layton’s plan. They are in agreement on the shaky data, but Melanie plays into Wilford’s hand when she publicly announces (mid-party) that Layton has never been to New Eden. Suddenly the train is split down the center again when it comes to two different ideologies. Zarah’s (Sheila Vand) theory about Wilford wanting Melanie back so she can cause chaos has come to pass. 

With one more episode of the season, it is more fraught than ever. 

NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Snowpiercer season 3 episode 8, "Setting Itself Right."

For once it isn’t the freezing temperatures that pose a danger to the passengers of Snowpiercer, as a last-minute deviation to their travel plans has the train approaching a hazardous gas; when it rains it pours on Snowpiercer. This gives Layton an immediate problem to solve as he tries to distract himself from the revelation that shook his faith in the validity of New Eden last week. 

Asha (Archie Panjabi) confirms the Dragon’s Blood tree was an image stuck on her locker from a calendar, meaning Layton's so-called vision was simply a flashbulb memory. "Putting off your own crisis for a collective one," is Zarah’s (Sheila Vand) perceptive observation about his choices. Layton isn’t the only one grappling with his past actions and "Setting Itself Right" offers revelatory moments for several passengers.

One person who isn’t reflecting on their misdeeds is Wilford (Sean Bean), who appears to have got over whatever brief guilty feelings he was experiencing. Keeping up with Wilfor'd post-death nap mood swings is causing whiplash. When Miss Audrey (Lena Hall) visited he came across as a shell of his former self, in the following episode he showed compassion to Alex (Rowan Blanchard) and now he is back to taunting everyone within his sights. Perhaps this is simply the drugs wearing off and his arrogance is edging to the surface. 

Signs that someone has been using the tracks (other than them) are why Wilford thinks Melanie (Jennifer Connelly) is still alive. They opt to take a detour to the spot where they think this small vehicle is. Problems arise when Asha’s equipment registers dangerous levels of hazardous materials in the air and the giant orange cloud that sits on the horizon points to volcanic activity as the source. 

Wilford is immediately placed under suspicion as he is the reason they changed their travel plans, but Alex points out this section has previously been free from noxious gases. Plus, Wilford is quick to remind them that the train was built to withstand this kind of situation so they can travel through the hazy cloud safely. It all seems a little too neat for those who are used to his tricks and manipulations. Plus, Snowpiercer isn’t a new train and certain filters might not withstand the harmful substance. 

Everyone is ordered to shelter in place during this toxic journey other than essential staff, which sees Javi (Roberto Urbina) and Sykes (Chelsea Harris) switch out dog therapy — so Javi can get over his debilitating fear — to check each carriage is effectively protected. Of course, there is a breach and the basic protective gear is not enough. Javi has to resuscitate Sykes after she becomes overwhelmed. He has a breakthrough as the imagined sound of a dog snarling is pushed aside to save his friend. 

Javi isn't the only person experiencing dealing with the trauman of survival in this altered world. Asha might finally feel like she is part of the Snowpiercer community — after Ruth (Alison Wright) encouraged her to take a job in the agriculture section — but memories of her family push remorse to the surface too. She admits that after the marauders hit them hard in the nuclear reactor she poisoned everyone else in a bid to protect her nephew from the dangerous remaining people, but he died from cancer anyway. "Once you chose survival at any cost, there's no going back," is the guilt-ridden lesson she took from this. 

Asha happens to be a filtration expert (handy in a moment like this!) and she joins Layton in the compartment that's compromised in bulky protective suits. Unfortunately, the hole they have to climb into is too small to accommodate the size of this gear. Asha opts to remove her helmet to fix the problem, knocking Layton out with a crowbar so he can't stop her. When he tries to pull her back up after she has fulfilled the necessary task to save the train she is too weak from the gas. Instead, she asks him to describe New Eden. Layton hesitates at first, but he plays along and delivers an evocative vision of what it looks, feels and smells like. 

"Asha, you did it,” he says when she dies — retribution for all my grumbling that Snowpiercer avoids killing main characters. Yes, Asha was new but it still felt like there was a story to be told here. Instead, her arc has mostly fueled Layton’s path, as she renewed his faith in the place he doesn’t know exists.

After Asha's death, Ruth says the "have to keep going." Having not even grieved Pike (Steven Ogg) yet, Ruth is not allowing herself to mourn, rather choosing control. As we saw from Till (Mickey Sumner) last week, however, there is only so much one person can keep in before emotions bubble to the surface. 

Till’s renewed friendship with Audrey taps into the shame she is holding within. "Your past may be rotten but your core is not," Audrey tells her while getting to the root of her desire to drink alcohol to excess. 

It's easy to forget that Till was a Brakeman before the revolution who enacted the strict rules and punishments. She is not that person anymore, but she hasn’t effectively confronted what she did. Through Audrey’s therapeutic methods she does face and acknowledges her past while also reflecting on the role she now plays. This is a fruitful dynamic and the series should give Audrey equal consideration as her villainous choices have been fueled by Wilford’s coercive grip — a grip that has lost a lot of its power.

Of course, Wilford still wants to dominate this train. Zarah thinks Wilford wants Melanie to come back as it will throw the precarious environment into chaos. The maintenance vehicle spotted on the horizon proves we won’t have to wait too long to find out if this prediction is accurate.

NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Snowpiercer season 3 episode 7, "Ouroboros."

Dream sequences are a TV staple utilized to push the story forward while allowing the characters to experience a different version of their day-to-day existence. The Twilight Zone was fond of this narrative framework, while contemporary series like The Sopranos, Mad Men and Buffy the Vampire Slayer have all placed their protagonist in a sleeping (or unconscious) adventure to help make sense of their journey.

Snowpiercer is taking this route with Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs) when he falls into a coma after his battle with Pike (Steven Ogg) in last week’s episode. The last thing that flashed before his eyes were his vision of New Eden, which is what Layton's dream is about.

The opening scene shows Layton disorientated in the sickbay, but it's immediately clear something is awry. Sunlight streams in and there is no one to be found. The skull symbol that flashed before his eyes before he passed out is on the door and then someone pulls a bag over his head. Any doubt this isn’t real then is confirmed the moment Wilford (Sean Bean) shows up dressed like a supporting character from Indiana Jones to rescue Layton. What follows is an adventure through the familiar corridors of Snowpiercer but under a different climate.

All the familiar faces are present, with everyone playing a heightened version of their regular persona. Till (Mickey Sumner) plays a helpful librarian who gives Layton the advice he will need to get back to where he came from and Zarah (Sheila Vand) is the cartographer meant to help him get to his destination. 

“You’re not dreaming, you're dying,” is Till’s no-nonsense motivation to Layton to get his act together; the real version of Till also plays an important role in pulling him back. 

It's curious Wilford is trying to assist his rival, but this speaks to the changes in Wilford in the real world and is perhaps something Layton has unconscious knowledge of — or perhaps he hopes this recent experience might impact the Great Engineer for the better. 

Layton’s mission is to make it to the Tail Boss (Kandyse McClure) so he can get home Though this figure is not someone we have seen before, she has the letter Zarah wrote to their unborn child. Layton clocks this is the adult version of Lyanna. Obviously, none of this is actually happening but his brain processing the guilt of killing Pike coupled with the lie he has told the entire train. When he fails to to break the cycle of his dream he wakes up back in the radiation bunker where he first met Asha (Archie Panjabi).

This coma is not Layton's only recent near-death experience. When he told Till about the Dragon’s Blood tree vision she put it down to his medical state. Well, it turns out she was pretty close to the mark. The big dream reveal is the image he saw that proved life has found a way was an image taped to the inside of a locker in Asha's bunker, which he happened to see before passing out. 

"I made it up," is his devastating dream state revelation and this confidence-crushing truth is reflected in the episode title. “Ouroboros” is an ancient symbol of a serpent (or dragon) eating its own tail. Much like Layton’s failure to break the cycle, this creature cannot prevent the infinite repetition of death and destruction. "I can’t lead this train if all I have is a lie," is Layton's concern at the end of the episode. However, this serpent is often paired with the Tree of Life symbol; perhaps there is still a reason for optimism.

While elements of Layton’s unconscious crisis are a fun deviation — both in how the train looks and characters we know — there are elements that drag in his dreamscape. Everything occurring onboard the real Snowpiercer is far more fruitful, whether it's Miss Audrey (Lena Hall) helping Till, Zarah and Josie (Katie McGuinness) bonding or Wilford proving he might not be as monstrous as he once was.

Josie and Zarah have always been positioned as rivals because of their respective romances with Layton. Love triangles have a habit of turning women against each other, but Snowpiercer avoiding the overly done jealousy route is a welcome development. Instead, Zarah invites Josie into the inner sanctum and explains her relationship with Layton is as co-parents, which leaves a guilt-free path for the other couple to reignite that flame. 

Elsewhere, a former friendship is repaired that elevates the episode. Yes, Audrey has conveniently switched from fury at Wilford for showing what she perceived to be a weakness to assisting Till in her moment of emotional crisis. While I did raise my eyebrow at the speed at which she complied, it does also demonstrate the version of Miss Audrey we met in season 1 is still lurking beneath the surface. All it took was Till’s rare tears to pull her out. Sumner is excellent at playing the stoic version of this character and is equally impactful when she sobs uncontrollably after finding out about Layton’s condition.

It seems like a lifetime ago that Miss Audrey would use the isolation chamber in the Night Car to help people deal with PTSD, grief and the daily grind of living in this environment. Till asks her to wield this unique skill set once more to remind Layton of "what he’s fighting for." Miss Audrey proves she still has what it takes. Could this be the start of her redemption arc? 

Audrey’s relationship with Wilford is toxic, but one person who brings out the best in him is Alex (Rowan Blanchard). After the young engineer gets Wilford the maps and materials he requested, he explains how he tried to track the "pirate" train during their six-month secret mission. 

Pointing out a signal does not belong to the breakaway locomotive, Wilford speculates this could be Melanie (Jennifer Connelly). The fact he is sharing this information points to the way his recent experience has changed him. It is impossible to trust this man and yet he is giving Alex the person he took away. Perhaps, there is still hope for the future after all. 

NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Snowpiercer season 3 episode 6.

Before Wilford (Sean Bean) made his grand return, Snowpiercer had a long history of leadership disagreements. The Tailies bonded in their horrifying living conditions but were far from united when it came to organizing the uprising, shown by Layton (Daveed Diggs) and Pike (Steven Ogg) often being on different sides of the argument, partly stemming from Pike’s lack of trust. 

Layton retaking control of the train has magnified every little gripe Pike already had against his Tailie comrade, which culminated in an assassination attempt last week. Now, Layton is on the hunt for the person who tried to kill him and the end result is a tense and emotional installment of the post-apocalyptic drama.

The brief moment Layton took to bask in his newborn baby's glow is over and the search for the bombmaker gets underway. Till (Mickey Sumner) quickly recognizes the type of bomb as one Tailies previously used, which narrows down the list of suspects. Layton initially assumes it is someone connected to Wilford as “it takes a special kind of psycho” to enact a plan like this during the birth of his child. He has no qualms about welcoming Pike into the safe confines of the Big Alice engine room because a Tailie could never do this, but the audience knows the opposite is true. 

“I trust you,” Zarah (Sheila Vand) tells Pike when she implores him to hold baby Lyanna. His reaction to them opting for the naming tree over the nearest city Tailie tradition is a clue to his mood. However, it isn’t until Till confirms it was someone who knew about the bomb-making cookbook that Layton realizes the man holding his daughter is who tried to murder him. “He’s here,” Layton calmly tells Till on the phone before chaos kicks in.

The chase is on, with the train’s tight corridors making for a claustrophobic and exhilarating sequence. Pike has the upper hand because he knows every carriage like the back of his hand. It also doesn’t help that Layton has a concussion from the bomb blast. Pike gets away, but this assassination attempt is not going to sit well with the Tailies who have fought alongside both men. Wilford preaching an empty version of loyalty a few weeks ago has nothing on the bond cemented in the back of the train.

“Do you think any of us still Tailies?” Miles (Jaylin Fletcher) asks his adopted mother Josie (Katie McGuinness) about the section of Snowpiercer that no longer houses a community. It has been a while since we saw the young engineer (his hair has grown a lot!) and the teenager doesn’t necessarily have the same connection as the people preaching “once a Tailie, always a Tailie.” The way Josie sees it is if you can remember that way of life then you are still bound to that community. Layton might be the de facto leader but at his core, he is still linked to the methods they adopted to survive. 

This inspires Miles to suggest a conflict resolution practice of the past to solving this rift. Old Ivan, who died in season 1 but was a respected Tailie voice, used to sit the quarreling parties down in a curtained-off section to hash out terms so they could move on from whatever the grievance is. It all sounds very civilized and far more upfront than a sneaky bomb. However, if they cannot come to an agreement then a fight to the death is the last resort. 

Considering how stubborn Pike is, the outcome seems pretty set in stone from the get go. While Josie believes this can end with no bloodshed, Pike is not willing to compromise. He has already turned down a leadership role and is not someone who cares about sleeping in a fancy abode. Desperate times call for Layton offering things like becoming godfather to his daughter, but all Pike wants is for them to “call the knives” and end this in violent fashion. 

Why is Pike doing this? First of all, he is fed up with being Layton’s “errand boy” and losing good people like Strong Boy for this cause. Six months without Layton on the train is enough to twist Pike’s bitter feelings to the point of no return. His contempt swells when Layton brings Ruth up, as he doesn’t want this corrupted. 

One person who sums up the issues going on between the two men is newcomer Asha (Archie Panjabi). “Many dynamics,” is the reason she gives Pike for her subterranean hiding place; the Snowpiercer politics are overwhelming for someone who has spent the last few years alone. Pike was already suspicious of the New Eden plan and Asha’s fondness for the dark confirms something is being withheld. When Pike reveals he knows Layton is lying about New Eden it becomes clear he will have to call for the knives, which effectively signs Pike’s death warrant. 

It is a fairly even battle but only one of these men is the Snowpiercer lead. In the scuffle, Layton stabs Pike through the heart and the Tailies (and Ruth) say an emotional goodbye to the fallen man (Snowpiercer breaks its habit of avoidance on killing regular cast members).

Layton isn’t in great shape either but has to stay with the body (also tradition) after everyone else leaves. The last time he was having a medical crisis he saw an image of a Dragon’s Blood Tree and this happens again, but mixed in with those images are flashes of the past and an ominous skull symbol. Is this a warning about their destination? 

"Born to Bleed" is a packed episode that makes other strides including Roche (Mike O’Malley) putting some of his rage issues aside for his teenage daughter (who has found a friend in Alex). It isn’t all happy reunions though, as Miss Audrey (Lena Hall) is sickened by the weakened Wilford in his post-suspension state. Wilford suggests maybe Layton is right and she almost throws up at this betrayal. 

Asha was right when she said “too many dynamics,” but the death of Pike removes one antagonist from the train and propels Snowpiercer forward.  

This post contains spoilers for Snowpiercer season 3 episode 4. Read our Snowpiercer season 3 episode 3 review here.  

Passengers aboard Snowpiercer have gone through several leadership changes since the series began. From Melanie (Jennifer Connelly) pretending Wilford (Sean Bean) was on board to the eventual return of the great engineer last season to Layton (Daveed Diggs) taking over in last week's episode. The plan to wrestle control back from the megalomaniac may not have been a bloodbath, but the casualties of his regime do not go unnoticed or forgotten. 

Personal grievances aren’t the only bump in the road — or rather, track — as the path to the Horn of Africa throws up painful memories for Alex (Rowan Blanchard), while the return of a familiar face is both welcome and a distraction.

Snowpiercer has been full steam ahead in season 3, which hasn’t left much time to spend peeling back the effects of trauma. The six-month time jump between seasons was beneficial in terms of overall plotting, yet it also means we haven’t seen elements like Alex’s integration into the team after she ditched Wilford for her mother’s cause. 

Alex’s role in the first three episodes was to depict an element of uncertainty both in herself and the mission at hand, but being back on Snowpiercer stirs up old feelings. This, coupled with the long-ago discarded Big Alice cars blocking the track, gives the teenager space to address losses both recent and past.

Last season when Melanie was on her solo expedition she conversed with Wilford, or at least a hallucinated version of her former mentor that filled in some of the storyline gaps. Now it is Melanie’s turn to be utilized as a companion for both her daughter and Wilford, as he sits in a cage. 

It is wonderful to see Connelly again, even if there is still no word on a permanent return. Unfortunately, the impact is significantly reduced because of the time spent with Wilford. Yes, there is a connection and it taps into last season’s “Many Miles From Snowpiercer,” but this should have been for Alex’s benefit alone.

“Bound by One Track” opens with Alex reading Melanie’s journals while wishing death on Wilford — hey, a girl can multitask. Even though she blames him for her mother’s death, Alex admits later on that misses her father figure. “He murdered you and I miss him. What is wrong with me?” is quite the gut punch; Blanchard's performance deftly conveys this conflict amid sobs. 

It isn’t only Melanie’s blood on Wilford's hands, as the cull on Big Alice previously mentioned shifts into focus when it is revealed that these carriages were dumped to cut population. Melanie isn’t the only person Alex confides in, as Ben (Iddo Goldberg) is part of the two-person team sent to disconnect the carriages blocking their path and she is compelled to share the dead body details before he sees the icy tomb for himself. “It’s my story. I just have to see it for myself,” is her response when Ben voices his concern about her mental state. 

She explains that Wilford devised a ranking system and deemed the people worth saving as “the essentials.” Alex was chosen but her best friend was left to perish in the cold, which is a memory she had pushed away until now. Joyful flashbacks of kids being kids are woven together with the dark cold space, which is an effective way of highlighting Alex’s trauma. The presence of Melanie (while Ben is elsewhere) deepens the impact of this loss while also showing why she is attached to Wilford in spite of everything he has done. This conversation with her mother also leads to the solution they are looking for, which is a rather predictable but satisfactory conclusion nevertheless.  

Back on Snowpiercer, several characters are trying to adjust to recent changes with varying results. Javi (Roberto Urbina) is still haunted by the dog that is no longer there and this nightmare is going to be hard to shake. Meanwhile, Roche (Mike O’Malley) struggles to deal with life outside of the drawers, while the death of his wife leads to a drastic plan. 

At first, it seemed Roche was looking to die. Instead, it is Wilford he wants to permanently put to sleep. “Why did you do that?” Wilford asks after Roche injects him in the heart and it is satisfying seeing him scared and confused — the way Bean delivers this line with such surprise is excellent. Layton arrives before it is too late and Wilford gets to live another day.

Another person experiencing an array of emotions is Asha (Archie Panjabi), who doesn’t mind being part of the “New Eden” lie but is struggling to deal with the horrors she experienced. Flashes of the past reveal violence (including her recent scuffle with Layton), so boozy shots and the flashing lights of the Night Car are a bad combination. Luckily, Bess Till (Mickey Sumner) is on hand to step in when the light-up hula hoops become too much. There may be a romantic spark here, which is a promising development. 

One couple that does take the next step is Ruth (Alison Wright) and Pike (Steven Ogg). Ruth is rejoining hospitality and on the night before her return to work she goes on a date with Pike. Pike has been hostile to Layton regarding his leadership, thinking Ruth would be a better candidate, and he cannot be convinced to take a position to reflect his involvement in the resistance. Power dynamics are fraught no matter who is at the top and Layton has several conflicts to address this week.

Zarah’s (Sheila Vand) medical procedure wasn’t as nefarious as the first episode made out and the gene therapy (similar to Josie’s) is something she consented to. It is an unexpected twist and one that causes the couple to revert to the issues that existed before they broke up the first time. Layton does come around to Zarah’s point by the end, but the vision of a happy family as he described the tree in his vision to her bump is short-lived. 

"Bound by One Track" is a reminder that the past cannot be completely forgotten even with the hope of a future outdoors. 

Get ready for the return of the Impractical Jokers and their typical slate of hilarious challenges and insane punishments, as the hidden-camera prank show will return to TV on Saturday, April 2, with a special episode. Murr, Q and Sal are all back and will be joined in their antics by a celebrity guest to fill in the spot of Joe Gatto, who previously announced he was departing the show for personal reasons.

Impractical Jokers stars James “Murr” Murray, Brian “Q” Quinn and Sal Vulcano, who are also known as the comedy troupe The Tenderloins. For nine seasons, the friends have performed ridiculous challenges meant to crack each other up as they interact with unsuspecting individuals, ultimately with a loser declared and forced to suffer a punishment. Previous seasons of Impractical Jokers are available to stream on HBO Max.

Set to air on TruTV, TNT and TBS following the NCAA Men’s Final Four college basketball games that take place on April 2, this “supersized” special will see Murr, Q and Sal team with comedian Eric André as the celebrity guest star to round out the quartet. André is no stranger to these type of antics, having starred in his own hidden-camera movie Bad Trip in 2021 and recently appearing in Jackass Forever.

Many fans were surprised when Gatto announced on New Year’s Eve that he would be stepping away from both the Impractical Jokers and The Tenderloins. He cited his divorce from his wife and the desire to be able to spend more times with his children as the reason for his departure. Fans are sure to miss Gatto’s presence and his commitment to so many of the group’s bits, but it will definitely be fun to see the remaining trio of Murr, Q and Sal interact with new guest Jokers.

While production is currently underway on Impractical Jokers season 10, this special episode on April 2 does not signal the return of weekly episodes for the Jokers. TruTV’s official announcement said that new episodes are expected this summer, with a different celebrity guest joining Murr, Q and Sal each week.

This post contains spoilers for Snowpiercer season 3 episode 2. Read our Snowpiercer season 3 episode 1 review here.  

Faith covers an array of beliefs that go beyond religion, and in a post-apocalyptic world with very few options for survival, it can take on a more practical form. In Snowpiercer, Wilford (Sean Bean) wants to be seen as a living savior and preaches loyalty as a means to wield control. It is a cult of personality, but even his most ardent acolytes have been known to change their minds. “The Last to Go” demonstrates his ability to dish out prizes to those he deems worthy and how even in dire conditions Wilford can still throw a fancy bash in a bid to further his cause. 

Meanwhile, the newest passenger on the “pirate” train is getting used to being around people again, while also being thrust into this battle of wills between Layton (Daveed Diggs) and Wilford. 

Wilford has transformed Snowpiercer into a place of worship, with L.J. and Oz's wedding highlighting this further. It wasn’t so long ago L.J. (Annalise Basso) was on trial for murder, but even in this environment the rich can get away with anything. L.J.’s manipulation skills are more obvious than Wilford’s, but in hitching her wagon to the great engineer she has secured a place near the top. Oz (Sam Otto) is wise to both their games but is ultimately happy to play along because he is no longer doing work he thinks is beneath him. His proposal is genuine, as is his discontent when Wilford turns the ceremony into a self-serving spectacle. However, a mixture of flattery toward the “opportunistic boy in blue” and Wilford urging him to flex his “previous vicious streak” sweeten the deal.

“The Loyalty Wedding” goes ahead with both bride and groom leaning into the decadent ceremony. For L.J., this secures their position as a “power couple” and Wilford gets to double down on the “unbreakable pact with the train” rhetoric. Wilford is both playing daddy (he gives L.J. away) and minister in his role presiding over the service. Instead of God, he speechifies about the train and anyone would think the couple is marrying Snowpiercer and not each other.

With morale low, Wilford utilizes this union to dish out extra hot food and alcohol to the passengers knowing they will remember this “gift” whenever Layton dares show his face. This is going to be sooner rather than later, as the “pirate” train isn’t the only thing speeding along. I was surprised that both the rebels have made their return and Ruth (Alison Wright) gave herself up so quickly. 

The pacey plotting is a fascinating choice at this early stage in the third season; it is impossible to say how this will pay off. Although, the dynamic on the “pirate” train is so rich with so many competing motivations at play it would benefit the series to spend more time with this smaller group. Hopefully, this isn’t a missed opportunity.

On the "pirate" train, Asha’s (Archie Panjabi) arrival after being discovered in episode 1 offers an opportunity to depict someone who didn’t have the luxury of being on Snowpiercer. Her story is unsurprisingly harrowing — not only did she have to watch everyone around her die (including her nephew), but she has spent the last four years alone in the nuclear reactor. Asha clings to her radiation suit like it is a security blanket, which is a smart choice to show how little she has. Layton can’t expect her to follow his lead, even though he did rescue her, as we don’t know how she will respond to Wilford — especially as Asha is aware of the “great engineer.” 

Challenges beyond Wilford impact their choices as satellites are degrading, making navigation harder. One plan is to travel to one more potential warm spot for further tests as Ben (Iddo Goldberg) thinks this could hold the key to their ongoing survival. The issue is that his theories and reality don’t match up, and patience (and food supplies) is beginning to dwindle. Whereas he has faith that Melanie (Jennifer Connelly) is still alive and that science will prove his hypothesis, everyone else is taking a more pragmatic approach. 

“Another day, another near-death experience,” is the reaction Bess (Mickey Sumner) gives Layton when he confides in her about his Dragon’s Blood tree vision. She puts this specific image flashing before his starved oxygen and heat starved eyes as a mere coincidence rather than a sign that Ben is right. You see, this tree happens to only grow in the Gulf of Aden, which is the same location that Ben wants to travel to. No, Layton isn’t a tree expert, but it does help that the 10-car train contains the library and enough reference material to solve the species riddle. Layton also clears up the kiss moment with Josie (Katie McGuinness); turns out that awkwardness did result from the spontaneity. Layton mentions his delicate relationship situation but there is clearly unresolved tension even after this chat. We would benefit from more time on the “pirate” train.

Love can spring up in the coldest of environments, and it is Ruth’s rebellion that leads to some of the episode's best moments. She tries to get through to Javi (Roberto Urbina), but Wilford’s control over him is going to be hard to break. To help save Layton’s train she comes out of her freezing hiding hole. 

Wilford’s tactics don’t work on Ruth, whether he is reflecting on the savage punishments she dished out or giving her a taste of this medicine. He dangles her inability to stay loyal to him in front of her face but her strength comes from elsewhere. “You can’t ignore love. You can’t predict it either,” is her warning to him in the scene before he is about to stick her arm out of the port. However, she is saved by the arrival of the rebel faction.

This is another case of pulling back before consequences occur and is another near-death (or in this case near-amputation) moment Snowpiercer dishes out. Wright is exceptional in this scene, and while I don’t want to see this character lose her arm, this series does keep dodging high-stakes consequences.        

Leverage: Redemption managed to steal enough hearts for the sequel series to the fan-favorite TNT original series to land a season 2 renewal from IMDb TV, the free, ad-supported streaming service. There’s no word yet, however, on when fans can expect the Leverage team to get back on the job.

Leverage debuted on TNT in 2008 and ran for five seasons. Leverage: Redemption brought back most of the original cast, including Gina Bellman, Beth Riesgraf, Christian Kane and Aldis Hodge (though he only appeared in three episodes), while also adding new members to the team, including Noah Wyle’s Harry Wilson and Aleyse Shannon as Breanna Casey. The mission remained the same though, with the team working to bring down the rich and powerful from taking what they want and squashing anyone who may get in their way.

Leverage: Redemption season one featured 16 episodes, split in half and debuting in July and October of 2021, respectively. The entire first season of Leverage: Redemption can be streamed on IMDb TV right now, as well as the full five seasons of Leverage. Here’s the trailer for Leverage: Redemption season 1 to get a taste of what you’re missing if you haven’t watched.

“Leverage: Redemption has delighted IMDb TV viewers with the perfect blend of familiarity and freshness,” said Lauren Anderson and Ryan Pirozzi, co-heads of content and programming for IMDb TV. “Thank you to the dedicated fans who have passionately championed this series. We look forward to our continued partnership with Electric Entertainment and providing viewers another season of the fan-favorite crew and their spirited heists.”

As a free, ad-supported streaming service, IMDb TV does not require any subscriptions to start watching what they have, you just have to be willing to deal with ads. IMDb TV is available online, on Roku TV and other streaming platforms.

Leverage was a TNT fan-favorite that ran for five seasons from 2008-2012. It starred Timothy Hutton, Gina Bellman, Aldis Hodge, Christian Kane and Beth Risegraf as a team of high-tech thieves that served as modern day Robin Hoods, stealing from the corrupt.

Nearly nine years after the final episode of Leverage aired, the show has returend as an IMDb TV original series, Leverage: Redemption, with original show creators Chris Downey and John Rogers back in charge.

Here is everything you need to know about Leverage: Redemption.

Who is in the ‘Leverage: Redemption’ cast?

Most of the original Leverage cast is returning for Leverage: Redemption. Gina Bellman, Aldis Hodge, Christian Kane and Beth Risegraf are all set to return as their characters from the original series, all bringing their own unique skill sets to the team. 

Missing is Timothy Hutton’s Nate Ford (Hutton has been accused of sexual assault, which he has denied). The creators decided to have Ford pass away a year before the new show begins. Instead, Noah Wyle and Aleyse Shannon are set to join the team as the new characters Harry Wilson and Breanna Casey, respectively. 

Additional cast members include Lucy Taylor, Brittany Chandler and John Hans Tester.

Guest stars for Leverage: Redemption include James Marsters, LeVar Burton, Andrea Navedo, Drew Powell, Ben Thompson, Jon Fletcher and Brianna Brown.

What is ‘Leverage: Redemption’ about?

As mentioned above, Leverage: Redemption takes place a year after Ford passes away. When Harry Wilson has a client who is engaging in some shady business, he reaches out to the original team for help, but first they must convince Sophie, long since retired, to get back into the game.

Leverage: Redemption won’t look to reinvent the wheel, it will follow a similar format as the original series did, just with some new character dynamics and new tricks for them to utilize.

Is ‘Leverage: Redemption’ available to watch?

Leverage: Redemption can be streamed on IMDb TV, with all 16 episodes of the first season now available to watch.

You read that right, first season. It was announced on Dec. 9 that Leverage: Redemption is being renewed for season 2 on IMDb TV. No details were provided as to when season 2 will premiere, but in addition to Leverage: Redemption season 1, the ad-supported streaming service also has all five seasons of the original Leverage show in its lineup.

How to watch ‘Leverage: Redemption’? 

We live in a different TV landscape than when Leverage originally went off the air. Instead of needing a cable package to watch Leverage: Redemption, all fans will need is an internet connection.

IMDb TV is a free, ad-supported streaming service from parent company Amazon. While users will need an IMDb account (also free), there is no need to sign up for any subscription package; once you have an account you can start watching any of the movies or shows that IMDb TV offers.

IMDb TV can be watched on Roku, Amazon Fire TV or on a computer.

Is there a ‘Leverage: Redemption’ trailer? 

After the fun of the first half of Leverage: Redemption's first season, get ready for the final eight episodes with the official trailer for the second-half. Watch below.

It certainly looks like the team hasn’t lost its edge, and the new allies and villains promise to bring some exciting developments to the Leverage franchise. 

This post contains spoilers for Kin episode 8. Read our latest review here.

The first season of Kin is bookended by an organized hit and the death of someone’s son. Both are collateral damage, but unlike the botched job that took out Jamie Kinsella, Michael (Charlie Cox) doesn’t miss the intended target. Unfortunately, the man who was accompanying Eamon (Ciarán Hinds) in Spain wasn’t a nameless member of a security team, so the consequences are not going to be pretty. That is a problem for another day, as for now, the Kinsellas have taken action against the stalemate they found themselves in. 

Amanda (Clare Dunne) is a lightning rod for conflict between the different generations of Kinsellas, and a dividing line has been drawn between Frank (Aidan Gillen) and his nephew’s wife. Despite Frank’s coke-laced paranoia, Amanda isn’t attempting a power grab and her choices are a result of wanting to save her child. She knows this feud will only come to an end with every Kinsella in the ground or fleeing the country, which is no way to live. 

The final straw came last week when Con Doyle (Keith McErlean) entered Anthony’s (Mark McKenna Jr.) school and threatened to set him on fire. Michael doesn’t need any convincing after Anna (Hannah Adeogun) was mere seconds away from being pushed into the trunk of a car. Killing Eamon is a practical choice rather than one driven by vengeance or ego, but Frank can’t wrap his head around this reasoning without thinking Amanda is a viper waiting to strike.

The events of the finale follow directly from last week’s episode, so when Frank finds out what Amanda has set up, he is still smarting from the way his brother spoke to him during the prison visit. Frank’s sentences are littered with c-bombs, and his fury at the way Bren (Francis Magee) talked to him is palpable. Not only did he emasculate him but he also refused to look out for Eric (Sam Keeley), which means Frank’s son has to endure living in the isolated protection unit. Eric refuses this option at first and he is furious about living in a wing associated with “rats and pedos.”   

Unfortunately, you don’t get to pick where you live in prison and he briefly succumbs to this solitude. The guards can’t stop him from bashing his head against the metal door until he has to be taken to the medical wing, where he gets the opportunity to tell Nikki (Yasmin Seky) his plan to get out involves finding the eyewitness and paying someone to kill them. Having secret money stashed in the ceiling has its uses and Nikki is likely to comply as this new reality of her boyfriend doing time is already making her miserable. 

The reason Eric kicked off this whole feud with an impulsive drive-by came after what he believed was inaction from his father when dealing with other gangs encroaching on their territory. Frank’s leadership (or lack of) is at the heart of this descent into violence and he is plagued with indecision. Last week’s conversation with Bren got to the heart of his insecurities and his spiral in the finale is a direct result. It isn’t that Amanda wants to be in charge that is the problem, rather, she is making hard and decisive choices to save what they have left and he can’t bear to acknowledge this. “Stop being so f***ing pathetic,” Birdy (Maria Doyle Kennedy) tells her brother after he has another Amanda-related meltdown, and his inability to see the big picture has made him vulnerable.  

Underestimating Amanda’s negotiation skills is another mistake he makes, scoffing at the notion that Eamon would ever entertain giving her a meeting. He didn’t factor in that she would directly threaten to burn all Eamon’s drugs if he refused — I am no expert, but it seems burning pure coke and heroin give a contact high, yet Michael and Amanda seem unaffected — and she has all her bases covered. A neutral safe spot is picked and an airport lounge is a smart and practical choice for Eamon, who is flying to see his son in Spain. Little does Eamon know that his drugs are in a van in what looks like the airport parking lot. So close!

In terms of thrashing out a settlement, Amanda drives a hard bargain, but he simply cannot let her leverage the value of the drugs against him. She is smart enough to know he has someone to answer to when it comes to the supplier, however, his entire reputation is built on toughness and he needs one Kinsella dead. He turns the decision over to her and while his first pick is clearly Michael, Amanda is never going to pick one of the men she loves. Instead of telling Birdy and Eric about the choice she was given, she informs them that Eamon wants Eric dead. Frank is incredulous as this is his son after all. “You're the boss, Frank” Amanda calmly responds to his rage and then gives him a speech about losing a child. Dunne has been the MVP throughout this season of Kin and remains so in the finale when steadily dealing with the men who wage war.  

It is a smart move picking the person who started it all as this is a plausible choice, but she didn’t bank on Birdy contacting Eamon to try and negotiate for Eric’s life. Eamon is quick to tell her that he gave Amanda the deciding vote and no doubt Birdy will hold onto this piece of information as another sign of a power grab. In reality, Amanda has a different scheme up her sleeve and she keeps news of this alternative solution to a tight circle. 

Michael has been her confidant since day one, but Jimmy (Emmett J. Scanlan) is also brought in on this very special assignment. The only other person who knows anything is Kem (Ryan Lincoln), as she needs him to dangle the life of a Kinsella in front of Con Doyle’s face. Kem is a reluctant participant who only agrees to help when Amanda threatens to rat him out regarding his part in warning Michael. 

Jimmy has been kept in the dark about Kem’s betrayal and his response to finding out that Michael knew is tinged with sadness, not rage. “You could’ve just told me that you loved her ... that she loved you,” is Jimmy’s way of addressing the past and the love triangle they have been trapped in for nearly two decades. 

It would be easy to play a conflict like this with fury, but series creator Peter McKenna makes a far more nuanced choice by leaning into heartbreak and regret coupled with brotherly love. Michael didn’t want to hurt his younger brother way back when, and yet not saying anything has prolonged the saga. Sure, Jimmy would’ve been gutted at the time, however, he could’ve moved on and been happy. Instead, he has to put up with whatever this is, and the trust Michael and Amanda share is going to be hard to surmount.

The reason Amanda has turned to Michael throughout this is he is more methodical and less driven by impulse than her husband. She does need Jimmy to cross a line he has so far avoided, and it almost leads to his downfall. I was convinced Jimmy was going to die after his heart-to-heart with his brother as that conversation has dead man walking written all over it. I am glad I was wrong, but a moment of hesitation did almost cost Jimmy (and Kem) their lives. When he offered to kill Caolan Moore in the packed pub, Michael said no because he didn’t know how he might react when it came to pulling the trigger for the first time. 

Clearly, Michael made the right choice and his prediction came true. He did kill Con Doyle but only after Kem caused the car to crash. Michael’s lack of hesitation in Spain is in contrast, and unlike last time he has medication to prevent a stress-induced seizure.

Another medical emergency could spell the end for the Kinsella boss, as Frank’s self-pity coke party ends in a bloody collapsed mess. This is what happens when you essentially smear your whole face in drugs. His unresponsive state when Birdy finds him suggests that another Kinsella might be heading to the morgue after all. It is not confirmed either way and even if he isn’t dead there could be some permanent neurological damage instead. 

There are a number of loose threads left dangling for another season of Kin, including Frank’s status, Birdy thinking she has Amanda pegged and the fact that Michael killed the son of someone more powerful than Eamon. Somehow, the target on their back just got even bigger.

During these various developments, Amanda is ensconced in the local church where Jamie’s funeral took place. It has been five weeks since he was killed and the Memorial Mass provides the stunning backdrop that director Tessa Hoffe cuts between as other violent events are occurring. The Confiteor is a prayer said at the beginning of Catholic Mass, which centers on the act of confessions pertaining to sins. Amanda’s guilt is palpable at this moment, but so is her ownership of these transgressions. The rhythm of these words while cutting to other scenes emphasizes the potency of the words Amanda speaks along with the priest:  

“I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters that I have sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.” 

The church setting is once again an effective choice even if the later reading about vengeance is a tad on the nose. When her mother finds her lighting a candle it is in this moment that Amanda asserts her role within the family she is willing to do anything for. “I’m a Kinsella now,” is her response when she is offered an escape route. She has done too many things to extract herself from this clan and she is committed to this lifestyle and all it takes to stay safe. Of course, she doesn’t know the big mistake Michael has made and she might change her tune when they have a different bounty on their heads. 

One element I would been remiss in not mentioning is David Holmes’ score that has dialed up the tension at every turn. Holmes is perhaps best known for his work with Steven Soderbergh on the Oceans trilogy and Out of Sight, and more recently the addictive Killing Eve electronic music. As the stakes continued to rise, Holmes added to the foreboding atmosphere and elevated the potency of the action unfolding on screen. 

Throughout the first season of Kin, the gangster backdrop delivered familiar beats that are bolstered by the strong ensemble. However, by focusing on Amanda and expanding the role of a wife beyond the Lady Macbeth or beleaguered tropes, McKenna has made a strong case for the arrival of another crime family series.  

This post contains spoilers for Kin episode 7. Read our latest review here.

The Kinsellas are now facing multiple threats to their business and lives from both legal channels and Eamon’s (Ciarán Hinds) men, who decides the the Kinsella kids become fair game, leading to another daring solution from Amanda (Clare Dunne) in the penultimate episode of Kin. 

Last week concluded with Eric’s (Sam Keeley) arrest and the raid at the car dealership, which at the time seemed like it was at the hands of Amanda. The assumption I (incorrectly) made was that the Jamie memorial flier from their parish church prompted Amanda to choose her one remaining son over the family whose name she bears. This plot speculation was also informed by Birdy’s (Maria Doyle Kennedy) insistence that Amanda falls in line while also making sure she knows she isn’t a real Kinsella. Instead, the reason behind this series of events was good old-fashioned police work that led detectives to both Eric and the money-laundering scheme. 

Am I disappointed it wasn’t Amanda? Somewhat, as while no one likes a rat there were logical steps to this choice. In fact, as the face of the car dealership, Amanda is in danger of also going to prison unless she can find a plausible story to suggest she had been kept in the dark about the whole scheme. Perhaps it's my own fault for pointing out the familiar storylines at the start of the season because now when something unexpected happens it is actually a misdirect. However, the red herrings littered along the way — such as Nikki’s smirk — come across as purposefully pointing the audience in the wrong direction rather than fitting the overall plot. I like surprises, but on occasion it feels like Kin throws in a reaction shot as a means to willfully mislead. 

Tension flares further when Amanda seemingly aligns herself with no one when she hires her own solicitor to deal with the serious charges. She doesn’t want to be represented by someone with a reputation for getting criminals off because this implies guilt. Her only way out of this predicament is to think outside of the usual Kinsella box and turn to an old foe in a bid to place the blame on a dead man. 

Money and motherhood are the keys to sweeten the deal, and all it takes is €500,000 (out of the €2 million they have stashed) to aid her chances at staying a free woman. Amanda is facing up to 14 years in prison — though she is more likely to do six to 10 years — for her part in a money-laundering enterprise, and she cannot fathom missing Anthony’s (Mark McKenna Jr.) milestones when she has already lost Jamie. When giving an update to the family about her precarious situation, she makes sure to emphasize her loyalty, and now I believe her.

Excusing herself, Amanda heads up the roof of her house and has a booze and coke party for one until Michael (Charlie Cox) joins her — but only for company and not drinking. Scenes between these two actors crackle with the tension of the past and this one gets to the heart of their parental fears. 

Michael has come to the conclusion that Amanda was right about Anna (Hannah Adeogun) being safer without him, as almost being shot will do that to you. Meanwhile, Amanda is coming to terms with her role in the cycle of violence, “What a f***ing mess I’ve made of everything.” Michael is quick to stop her pity party and tells her that she still has time to find a way out of the inevitable prison sentence. When she notes his sentence, he is quick to explain, “I wanted to be punished.” 

On the chilly rooftop snuggled under blankets — it must be cold as later in the episode it looks like snow falls on Anna’s hair — the sexual heat spills over into a comforting kiss, which is interrupted by loud footsteps on the stairs. Lucky for them Jimmy (Emmett J. Scanlan) didn’t catch them in the act, as there is already enough going against the Kinsellas before dealing with this love triangle.

During the last few episodes, Jimmy has been the opposite of a supportive husband because Amanda went to Frank (Aidan Gillen) before talking to him. In a welcome move, he puts that bitterness to one side and acknowledges all she has done. It is completely unprompted — well, other than the fact she is facing serious prison time — and he tells her he appreciates and loves her. It is another case of Jimmy showing vulnerability and one thing Kin does well is eschewing two-dimensional portrayals of gangster figures. 

Even Eric, who has previously been painted with a pretty simple brush goes beyond the rage that defines him. Yes, he is still full of anger and bravado but there is a big difference between the image he gives off when he is safe in a cell yelling through the wall and the man who is about to be thrown to the wolves.

The original plan to blame Fudge is looking pretty good right now, but unfortunately this could be off the table as an option. Everything Amanda said would happen has come to pass, and Nikki’s (Yasmin Seky) life is about to get lonelier. It is also clear that while Nikki is being offered a choice there is pressure for her to stand by her man. Birdy asks whether she has discussed having kids with Eric and this intrusive line of questioning probably makes her want to flee. 

“If you want to be with Eric, this is part of the life,” Birdy reminds Nikki. When she gets 10 minutes to visit her incarcerated boyfriend, he essentially tells her that she needs to put everything on hold until he gets out of prison. He also claims that he would wait for her if their positions were reversed and she does not believe this for a second — and neither do I. Yes, she will be looked after by his family, but a decade of hanging out at Birdy’s is not how she pictured her world. Considering who her beau is, Nikki should’ve factored in this as a possibility, and she is both blinkered and quick to point out how his impulsive behavior has consequences. While the women of this show are more than foils or accessories, Nikki is still a mystery and there isn’t much time to find out more.

Another character I am still desperate to spend more time with is Birdy and we learn a few more things about the Kinsella matriarch this week. She offers to talk to Eamon because she is pretty confident she can call a truce with a man she has likely been romantic with. Unfortunately, Eamon is in no mood for niceties and the only thing he gives her is a welt on her face from the barrel of his gun. 

There is a lot of over-playing hands this week, which leads to plenty of rude wake-up calls being dished out. For instance, while Frank is in charge of the family, he is told by his brother Bren Kinsella (Francis Magee) that he wishes he had given Birdy the reins. The only reason he didn’t is that it would’ve humiliated Frank to be passed over for his sister. 

Bren’s introduction comes about because Frank is worried Eric won’t last long in prison without some form of protection — the bounty on their heads is still in play. Michael has zero interest in seeing his father and we are left wondering whether something happened while he was also locked up or if this is a deep-rooted feud. Meanwhile, Bren barely acknowledges his other son except to admonish him, and this brief interaction paints a vivid picture. Bren’s quips about Frank looking like a hairdresser are not so thinly veiled homophobic remarks, and when they do leave Frank lets out his anger on a poor unsuspecting visitor heading into the Castlewood Prison. 

Violence begets violence, which Amanda and Michael are reminded of when both their children are threatened by Eamon's men. Eamon really wants his drugs back and for the Kinsellas to pay for every grievance they have caused with their disobedience. His enlightening ayahuasca experience hasn’t made him more benevolent, rather, the drug kingpin's impatience has cranked up a notch. 

Despite being told she cannot see her father, Anna has defied her grandmother and the courts to visit Michael at home. However, she abruptly leaves when he mentions it might not be safe for them to see each other. This isn’t simply a case of adolescent anger, as she has been put through the emotional wringer and it is clear she has been relishing this chance to get to know her one remaining parent. Michael’s fears come to pass when a group of Eamon’s men (including Jamie’s killer) try to push her into the trunk of their car and their plan is foiled when a passing motorist intervenes. 

Elsewhere, at Anthony’s boarding school they really need to check the accessibility as Con Doyle (Keith McErlean) enters without any trouble and threatens to set Anthony on fire if his mother doesn’t give Eamon his stash back. 

Amanda hasn’t even tried to find out where the drugs were in the limited time frame Eamon gave her, and she has come to one very extreme conclusion after Anthony and Anna are directly brought into it. If they want to break free of this endless bloody battle then Eamon has to go and there is only one way to ensure this is permanent. 

Director Tessa Hoffe captures the intensity of these choices (she has helmed the second half of this season) by cutting between Amanda and Michael’s emergency summit with Eamon languishing in a tiny swimming pool. He is the snake whose head they have to cut off in order to secure the safety of their children, and with one episode to go the tension has somehow been raised further. Whether it is Eamon or a Kinsella, the season finale is promising a showdown and it is unlikely that everyone will make it out alive.  

This post contains spoilers for Kin episode 6. Read our latest review here.

Last week’s episode of Kin ended with Eamon (Ciarán Hinds) giving Amanda (Clare Dunne) an ultimatum regarding his missing drug stash, which seemed to be nothing more than wanting his gear back. It turns out that everyone has someone to answer to, and Eamon’s threat is motivated by how much money he owes to the person who supplied this haul. He is granted a two-week grace period to settle his debts, but is incredulous at the €100,000 surcharge for every day he cannot pay the full amount back. It is a bad week for Eamon who also agrees to take part in an unorthodox ceremony at the behest of his ex-wife who is dying from cancer. Meanwhile, Amanda isn’t even trying to comply with his demands and instead takes a very different path to protect her son.

One of the drawbacks of making a family crime drama is it's near impossible to make something that doesn’t feel derivative of other great titles in this subgenre, whether it's the all-time great The Sopranos or the recent hit Peaky Blinders. Despite its contemporary setting, Kin is more aligned with the latter, and there are several familiar story beats in earlier episodes that lent themselves to this comparison. Heading into the second half of the season has seen a shift toward a more surprising turn of events, which is a result of Amanda’s journey from a grieving mother to a challenger to the throne. Except she isn’t trying to take Birdy’s (Maria Doyle Kennedy) matriarch role, and it becomes clear in episode 6 that her priority truly lies with her son Anthony (Mark McKenna Jr.) rather than a power grab.  

It takes the entire episode to understand what Amanda is striving to achieve and I don’t think even she could foresee the big swing she was going to take — or at least the swing that is implied. Several things have to happen to push her toward this act of betrayal and at first, it looks like she was squeezing Kem (Ryan Lincoln) to help with her Eamon problem. Rather, she dangles the promise of a new car to determine whether he was the mole leaking information about the Kinsella movements. Over coffee, she asks Jimmy (Emmett J. Scanlan) and Michael (Charlie Cox) whether they have had previous issues with rats in the Kinsella affairs, and the answer is an emphatic no. The reason is Frank (Aidan Gillen) keeps the “need to know” circle small, and Jimmy uses this moment to voice his disdain toward Amanda’s recent interest in the business. “Frank runs this family, not you” he pointedly tells her, which comes across as his own attempt to reassert dominance. He is still unhappy that she went to Frank first about the Eric problem, but this is nothing in comparison to what he will do if he finds out she rang the cops. 

Amanda doesn’t reveal why she is suddenly concerned there might be a leak and sets about her investigation targetting the most obvious suspect. Kem has already brushed off accusations like this after Fudge was shot and it turns out that Frank didn’t press him hard enough. He stonewalls Amanda, but his petrified reaction when she threatens him with Jimmy is all she needs to confirm her suspicions. The information Eamon spouted when he delivered his warning was too specific, and from this conversation she deduced someone was talking. 

While they don’t have the biggest operation, the Kinsella success story owes a lot to loyalty. Times have changed, and in the first episode it became clear that those in charge of the game are no longer playing by the old rules. In fact, Eamon’s decision not to challenge Caolan Moore’s (Lloyd Cooney) disrespect toward the Kinsellas is what leads to Eric’s drive-by shooting — and Jamie’s subsequent death. This was the catalyst for everything that has followed, which includes the major act of betrayal enacted by both Kem and Amanda.

During this chat, Amanda finds out that Kem set up Fudge in the shooting that took his life, and he also tells her Eamon’s people have been watching Michael’s daughter Anna (Hannah Adeogun). The latter piece of information had nothing to do with Kem — it was Michael who led them directly to her — and rather than attempt to engage in conversation with her (as I suspected they might), they have been simply tailing her. This is a major issue as Anna has arranged to meet her father in a public location for a coffee, which puts them directly in the crosshairs. Timing-wise, Amanda gets in touch with Michael moments before his brains are about to be blown out and he manages to grab his daughter before it is too late. She is not the target but we have already seen one innocent Kinsella meet their end before they turned 18. 

Before this interruption, Michael had been having a rather lovely if not awkward hang out with Anna. There is a cute generation gap moment when he explains how a Bluetooth speaker works to her (of course, she knows), and this conversation is far less fraught than their other recent interactions — well, that is until gunmen enter the cafe. 

“She thinks you’re the devil,” is what Anna’s gran thought of Michael before the shootout, and whatever inkling of hope he had about building a relationship is snatched away thanks to the mortal danger she is put in. Her phone number has been disconnected and there is no way for him to reach out. In a way, Anna has been his tether to the possibility of a better life and the man he wants to be, and without this beacon, Michael might head down a very dark (and bloody) path. Once again, Cox deftly moves between a range of emotions that begins with sheer joy as he is sitting across from his daughter to palpable fear with just a door between him and death.   

Amanda’s message gave him precious seconds to hide in the cafe’s storage closet and the speedy arrival of the police ensured the worst that happened was shots fired into the door. No one is physically hurt, however, Michael is close to having another seizure — Anna’s presence stops the stress trigger. The whole sequence is incredibly tense and the tiny storage closet is far from a fortress. 

When Michael asks Amanda how she knew Anna was being watched, she spills everything Kem told her, and he is unsurprisingly furious. He thinks she was too busy playing detective when real people’s lives were at stake. Michael is genuinely shaken by how close he was to getting killed in front of his daughter, but Amanda also notes “they were always going to look for our weak spots.” She has a valid point because it was his actions that led them to Anna and not Kem’s intel. In a move that makes no sense to him, Amanda explains she let Kem go because she doesn’t want to risk either him or Jimmy going to prison for life — she knows they would definitely kill him. Enough blood has been spilled and she breaks this cycle of violence with this act of contrition.  

The grilling doesn’t stop for Amanda and when she returns home she is summoned to a meeting to discuss Eric’s future. It turns out that his conversation with Birdy did wonders and Frank has been convinced to fight for his son’s freedom. Sure, he was reluctant when his sister approached him earlier in the episode, but Birdy made a solid case by emphasizing family loyalty. A similar tactic doesn’t work with Amanda because when Birdy emphatically states she doesn’t want a divided family, she does so by reinforcing the notion that Amanda isn’t a Kinsella by blood. If she isn’t considered a legitimate Kinsella then she isn’t going to play by their code. 

One final push toward the choice Amanda makes is due to a piece of mail from their parish church and a memorial image of Jamie. At this moment it becomes clear that if she doesn’t act now then both sons will pay the largest price. 

“You’re making a huge mistake, Frank,” is Amanda’s response to his decision. From Eric’s arrest and the car dealership search warrant the following morning, it appears Amanda has done what no other Kinsella would dream of: she called the cops. Frank’s judgment has been shaky before he sided with his son, and one prediction I did land is the method Eamon’s men use to get to the Kinsella patriarch. After arranging to meet someone using the Cruisr app, Frank’s most loyal man Dotser (Neill Fleming) offers to check his hot hook-up isn’t a plant and he loses his life for this act. Frank barely gets out of the situation and is shocked when he arrives home to find more than the one police patrol car, which he quickly realizes is for his son. After last week’s victory, this is a very bad run of events for the Kinsellas. 

Meanwhile, Eamon has temporarily gone off the grid to give his dying ex the one thing she wants, and that is for him to accompany her to an ayahuasca retreat out in the Irish wilderness. He is reluctant to engage in this alternative therapy and instead wants to send her to the U.S. for experimental medical treatment. Eamon is the kind of man who doesn’t like to be vulnerable, and what follows is him literally puking up the past. When he stumbles outside my first thought was the rules that were implemented in Nine Perfect Strangers regarding a buddy system are surprisingly absent here. Considering how close they are to a river it might not be best to let people who are tripping wander outside alone, but Eamon doesn’t make it far before he collapses. 

What follows is a vision of him as a young boy drowning and a woman who is most likely his mother jumping in and saving him. Unfortunately, she dies and he is left speaking to Amanda wearing the same red dress. “She’s happy you’re alive,” this version of Amanda tells him and he sobs hysterically while lying on the grass. This trippy sequence did make me think of both The Sopranos and Peaky Blinders, and the implication here seems to be that, unlike the Kinsellas, Eamon doesn’t have any close family. Or at least that is my Psychology 101 reading of this psychedelic therapy and how Eamon’s hallucination fits with the overall themes. While it is good to get more Eamon backstory — and Hinds is terrific — spending that much time on the initial ceremony did feel unnecessary. Although, the actual dream itself is an effective narrative device, as is considering what the ramifications might be.

With only two episodes left to go in Kin’s first season, the tables have turned in a major way. Birdy didn’t want a divided Kinsella family, but she hasn't factored in Amanda’s drive to protect her son; Eamon changed the rules in the first episode; and Amanda has seemingly blown matters up further by picking up the phone. Bloodshed kicked this whole thing off, but violence isn’t the only way to change the landscape. 

TNT is celebrating the wrap of Season 3 production of Snowpiercer with an early announcement for Season 4. The series has, so far, expertly pushed its adaptation past the original source material while continuing to honor both Bong Joon-ho's film and La Transperceneige (the French novel on which both are based). Joon-ho has been continually involved in the series as an executive producer. 

“Snowpiercer has been an incredibly successful series for us that continues to capture the imagination of viewers, grow audience and maintain strong ratings,” said Sam Linsky and Adrienne O’Riain, co-heads of scripted original programming for TBS, TNT and truTV in a joint statement. “All of our seasons embark on an emotional, unexpected ride and the well-plotted storylines will continue to evolve and remain relevant to audiences. We’re excited to keep the train running into season four.”

When we last saw the group at the end of Snowpiercer Season 2, Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs) and a group of rogue Wilford (Sean Bean) defectors had pirated a portion of the train. Detaching from the Great Engine is risky business, but they'll do anything to find Melanie (Jeniffer Connelly).

Though she is assumed dead, the hunt for Melanie continues at the beginning of Season 3. Here's the synopsis from TNT: 

Season three picks up with Layton (Diggs) and his inner circle commanding a small pirate train in search of Melanie (Connelly) and a possible warm location to restart civilization, aided by a newfound survivor. Back on Snowpiercer, Mr. Wilford (Sean Bean) is consolidating power, foiled only by secret allies of Layton’s hidden on the train, committed to the cause.  

This post contains spoilers for Legends of Tomorrow "Bay of Squids"
Check out our last review here. 

Cuban missile crisis, anyone? In the continued attempt to get a starting point to find Sara, Mick throws the Legends smack dab in the middle of the conflict. To make matters worse, the misfits manage to steal a nuke instead of the intended alien pod, putting the United States on high alert — one that will turn to defcon 3 thanks to the help of Nate and Zari 2.0.

With World War III nipping at their heels, the Legends split off into two teams. Nate (Nick Zano) and Zari (Tala Ashe) head to Washington in an attempt to calm JFK (Aaron Craven) long enough to stop a 3 way nuclear exchange between Cuba, the SSR, and the United States. Their story caps off with the Harvard boys playing football with the literal nuclear football against the rogue General Kilgore (Nic Bishop). Legends of Tomorrow is known for its nonsense, but this scene left me cry-laughing so hard I couldn't take notes anymore. Absolutely perfect hot nonsense unfolds in "Bay of Squids."

Nate and Zari aren't the only two having fun. Trying to de-escalate his own situation, Behrad (Shayan Sobhian) does a bunch of edibles with Fidel Castro (Tim Perez). Pretty on brand for the totem-bearer, but the real moment is when he sings a song about peace to Fidel as the United States prepare what they think is their counter strike.

"Bay of Squids" is a perfect example of how to make a lackluster episode shine with a couple exceptional scenes. We needed Mick (Dominic Purcell) and Ava (Jes Macallan) butting heads and his subsequent crisis of conscience, but the process of getting there wasn't exactly enjoyable television. However, by playing that alongside the complete and utter nonsense of the episode, we get the narrative drive and the fun. 

There's really only one inexcusable situation in this week's episode, and that's John F. Kennedy. The dentures they made poor Aaron Craven wear were clearly impossible to speak around, and they distorted his whole face when his mouth was closed. Makeup team did that poor man dirty. 

Once the Legends manage to avoid nuclear war, they find themselves the closest they've been to rescuing Sara (Caity Lotz) yet. Mick teams up with the rescued alien Kayla to remove all the "nuke" from the nuclear warhead that smooshes Kilgore (whose grand plan was to shoot the bomb) and makes a deal: He'll take her to her ship if she takes him to Sara. There are two key points that Mick doesn't know just yet. The first is that Kayla was the alien that kidnapped Sara in the first place. The second is that the alien's human form (played by (Aliyah O'Brien) sure does look an awful lot like the protagonist of one of his novels! Watching him discover the latter is pretty damn fun. Here's hoping the Sara revelation goes similarly. 

Though a slower episode than some other Legends of Tomorrow entries, "Bay of Squids" still manages to have some real "all-timer" moments that make it completely worthwhile. 

This post contains spoilers for Snowpiercer.

Committing terrible acts in order to survive is intrinsic to life on Snowpiercer and the two-part finale pushes those boundaries further. Layton (Daveed Diggs) asks Ruth (Alison Wright) if she is “willing to sacrifice everything” in order to wrestle control back from the man she used to worship, and this question is one faced by many. Alliances have shifted over the second season, which saw Big Alice mark its arrival with a hostile demand for products like high-end scotch, eggs, and morphine. The first new face the passengers of Snowpiercer see is familiar to some. Melanie’s (Jennifer Connelly) now 15-year-old daughter Alex (Rowan Blanchard) proves that after all this time apart she still carries herself with the same authority as her mother. The path to forgiveness has not been an easy one and even with this protracted time apart — when Melanie left for a solo mission in Episode 3 to save humanity — Alex has finally come to understand the sacrifice her mother made seven years prior. Snowpiercer is at its best when it digs into these elements and this is no clearer than with the teenager’s shift from anger to empathy — and all the messiness in-between.

Melanie’s transgressions are long and while this character should not be pardoned for the way she ran Snowpiercer, her choice to ditch Wilford (Sean Bean) was wise. Manipulation is a weapon he deploys without thought, from the physical harm he has done as a method to wield control to the little regard he has for the passengers’ survival. Alex’s subordination has been bubbling for the last few episodes, coming to a head at the exclusive dinner when she reveals the census is to determine the worth of each person on board. A mass cull took place on Big Alice when the self-proclaimed leader realized 200 passengers were a drain on the resources. While this Wilford is far more interested in interacting with the passengers than the Ed Harris portrayal in the 2013 film, the decision to keep the numbers down is something they share. The revolution that takes place in Bong Joon Ho’s movie is part of Wilford’s overall scheme (this is where the TV show differs) but the end result is still the same.

After years of molding Alex, Wilford’s expectations are she will fall in line. Even if she doesn’t obey his orders, the brig awaits but that threat doesn’t hold much sway. “Don’t worry, I’ve been there before,” she remarks before offering one final warning telling Ruth he is “coming for you,” Melanie asked her former friend if she would look out for Alex and this is a two-way street. Sewing seeds of doubt is just as potent as a promise and the head of hospitality has been seeing the world in a new light this season. Falling on the right side of history doesn’t excuse past crimes and Ruth hasn’t always been open to an equal world view. She can’t undo the pain she inflicted on the Tallies, but she can avoid repeating the cycle. Despite her reverence for Wilford, she turns down his cushy job offer and ends up slinging sewage with Layton as punishment. They used to be on opposing teams but now they are fighting (quite literally) side-by-side. 

Some alliances have always been there but Alex has taken time to fully disavow her father figure. The mocking of her relationship with Melanie (as well as the supposition she is dead) during the puppet show preview is cruelty for the sake of it. It is at this moment that Alex also realizes that LJ (Annalise Basso) might have positioned herself as BFF material, but she is more interested in sucking up to Wilford than looking out for her friend. The latter is underscored when LJ uses her knowledge of Melanie’s dishonest face and accurately judges Alex to be lying to Wilford about the engine room conversation. The similarities between mother and daughter go beyond the innate knowledge regarding the train. “After everything, you are so much more her than me,” Wilford spits at his surrogate daughter before revealing she is little more than a tool to use against Melanie. Underestimating his charge, Alex lashes out by using her hidden razor to slash his throat. This act of bloody defiance has been a long time coming and the build-up to this moment has been expertly laid out from that first shot of her with this weapon of choice in the second episode. Mother and daughter are similar but this is not a case of Alex becoming a carbon copy of Melanie and she has her own agency and point of view.

Despite spending very little screen time together, the writers and actors nailed the few scenes early on to establish the connection. There is no quick fix to what Alex perceives as her mother abandoning her — something Wilford uses against his former protégé — and Melanie only has a small window to undo years of negativity. Their emotional goodbye in “A Great Odyssey” packs a punch that sees the teenager lose her bravado and unmask her vulnerability. Growing up in this cold environment has not frozen her heart and she is still looking for comfort. It is also in Melanie’s absence that Alex learns about her mother’s newly formed partnership with Layton and the desire to create a better world beyond the lifesaving locomotive. Getting the coveted voiceover introduction slot in the finale, Alex sums up her arc: 

“I was 10 when the world became a train. Wilford said he was my family now — Daddy Dubs — and I would lead the train with him. Leaders were lonely, you couldn’t trust anyone. So I was the island of Alex and no one ever came ashore. Until we finally caught up to Melanie and I saw Snowpiercer and met her people. That’s when Dubs got weird.”

The TL;DR version of Alex’s story is succinct in its examination of how she went from Wilford’s pet engineer to a young woman willing to risk it all. Fissures formed early and even though she destroyed Melanie’s snow water sample, she was also impressed with how her mother ensured the trains couldn’t be disconnected. Melanie’s choice to head out into the wilderness didn’t confirm she was abandoning her daughter once more, but instead, revealed the first time she left wasn’t a selfish act. She is risking the most important relationship to save humanity and Alex will not renounce her mother at the behest of Wilford. The only time she plays along in the finale to his whims is to distract from the larger scheme that is underway. Wilford refuses to consider picking up Melanie and that is the last straw for his surrogate daughter. Denying the hope for the future is perhaps even more abhorrent to Alex than the thought of her mother being left behind.

Past and present collide in Alex’s voiceover and she comments that over the course of the season she has learned that “freedom has to be messy” and Layton’s leadership is predicated on listening to others. This is not the way of Wilford, but rather than drown out the screams of Wilford’s misdeeds with music, she is no longer turning a blind eye to his cruelty or an alternative vision for the future. “I saw women with power and I saw them keep my mother’s dream alive,” she says in reference to Ruth and Bess Till (Mickey Sumner) and her limited time with the crew leading the revolution. Josie (Katie McGuinness) is another name that belongs on this list as part of the splinter group who have gone to find Melanie out in the wilderness. What they find is disheartening regarding her survival but no physical body means no death. “You are my hope, Alex,” Melanie wrote in the note she knew would be found by her tenacious daughter. Like other dystopian teenager heroes before her (like Katniss Everdeen), vulnerability and strength are intertwined and the reason this archetype exists is it is incredibly effective. Blanchard’s performance sells this evolution and the spectrum of emotions that have led her to break the cycle she was born into. Pushing the story forward and changing up the dynamic is part of Snowpiercer's success in Season 2. The splinter group set-up is an enticing prospect for its return, particularly now Alex thawing in an environment free from Wilford.

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This post contains spoilers for the Snowpiercer Season 2 finale.
Check out our last review here. 

The Snowpiercer Season 2 finale comprised of two episodes. "The Show Must Go On" and "Into the White" played back-to-back unless you opted to view the penultimate episode on TNT's streaming app over the weekend. Hopefully you didn't, because the two benefit by playing next to one another — especially considering that the final episode itself is definitely the weaker of the two. 

"The Show Must Go On" mostly consists of Wilford (Sean Bean) playing with his food. The long-locked doors of car 272 are opened to reveal a carnival car of fantastic goodies. Carousels, cotton candy machines, and a very special puppet show await Alex (Rowan Blanchard), LJ (Annalise Basso), Ruth (Alison Wright), Till (Mickey Sumner), and young Winnie (Emma Oliver). But all of the come with the catches of a Wilford production. The puppet show is a dry-run of what will be shown to the majority of Snowpiercer that evening. It tells a tale of Melanie Cavill (Jeniffer Connelly) believing nonsense, getting herself killed, and her weak daughter sobbing over her loss. Needless to say, Alex is less than pleased by the display. LJ, on the other hand, thinks it's all good fun. The youngest Cavill won't have to see the play twice, though. She and a "random" selection of guests will be attending a special event with Wilford while the rest of Snowpiercer enjoy the festivities.

What Wilford's really planned is a test. He wants to know which of Andre Layton's (Daveed Diggs) supporters will play ball. Snowpiercer's newly re-seated dictator plans to do a census of the people on the train and cull half of the passengers. He intended to keep that one close to the vest, but Alex outs him for killing half of Big Alice's population after she's had enough. Melanie's daughter isn't the only one to take a stand at the dinner table, either. A year ago, Ruth Wardell would have given her life to accept the job of Mr. Wilford's head of hospitality. Now, she understands the cost of his perfect order. She declines his offer, and is sent to compost with Layton for her troubles. Alex is sent to the brig. 

Notably less happens in "Into the White," but there are still a couple strong moments. Andre and Ruth are able to break out of compost and quickly kickstart a plan to go back for Melanie. Javi's (Roberto Urbina) ensures that they're able to get the train on the right track to make the loop back, but their plan is quickly thwarted by Wilford. As punishment, Javi is beaten and then fed to Wilford's dog. The act is meant to illustrate that Wilford is spiraling without a care for the future of humanity, but it's the resistance that's forced to make rash decisions because of getting caught. When Wilford speeds the train past Melanie, they're forced to go to plan Z: decouple the aquarium and split the engine and the first ten cars off to return to the pickup point for a rendezvous. Plenty goes wrong here as well, but the gist is that they accomplish their plan. Unfortunately, there's no Melanie waiting for them at the outpost. She'd burned through her resources and knew she could power the center long enough to keep her data safe if she chose to sacrifice herself to the white. 

There's a lot to love about this finale, with Ruth and Alex sitting pretty high on that list of reasons. Revolutions are messy business, and it's nice to see Snowpiercer's former head of hospitality get her hands dirty. Yes, that includes when she tazes Kevin (Tom Lipinski) in the balls. Alex's growth this season cannot be understated, and it felt like her story hit its appropriate peak by the end of things. Disappointed we didn't get to see her lay out LJ just yet, but that's to come later I'm sure. As a random aside, Oz's surprise vocals were more than welcome amidst the heavy story. His girlfriend might be a lost cause, but I'm still rooting for the messy former cop.

It's the decision to "kill" Melanie that I struggle with most — though the decision to truly have Audrey under Wilford's spell is a close second. First and foremost, the character obviously isn't dead. I'm all for the show continuing this god allegory for her, but the second coming feels a little on the nose. The lack of a body or any kind of finality here meant her last message to Alex was short of any kind of proverbial punch. But let's say I'm wrong and Snowpiercer's creator really did sacrifice herself to the white — what an exhausting ending to an exceptional character. There's just no part of this story direction that's satisfying or interesting.

The loss of Javi also stings, but at least his death had a little bit of meaning. (To be clear, I'm not entirely sure the third engineer is actually dead, either. But then we get into the issue of lacking stakes.) He was the pinnacle of courage in his final moments despite being terrified. He went from opening the door in Season 1 to ensuring he held the line as long as possible in the Season 2 finale. Painful loss is a great tool so long as it's a narratively meaningful one. Javi's death gets full marks in that regard.

And that's where we end things. There are plenty of other plot points — like Josie returning to save the day now that she's unaffected by the cold and young Winnie being a fearless little boss — but I'd like to save you from a 3000 word recap if I can. We end things with the resistance split. Ben (Iddo Goldberg), Alex, Layton, Bess, Josie and an incapacitated Audrey are on Snowpiercer's engine, while everyone else in the world is on the train's skeleton being pulled by Big Alice. Who knows how long it will take them to recouple, or how long it will be till they stumble across a miraculously alive Melanie Cavill. 

The two episodes making up the Snowpiercer Season 2 finale certainly weren't created equal, but they definitely do their job as ends to a chapter. I'm not thrilled with everything I saw, but I am sufficiently hyped for whatever they intend to bring in Season 3. At the very least, we can be sure that all the fish are extinct now. 

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What do you do when you have to choose between winning the war or saving the world? Layton and Wilford’s chess match comes to a head in tonight's Snowpiercer, but their different motivations will set them apart more than their respective strategies. Andre is still driven by his heart. And, as the last several episodes have made abundantly clear, there’s nothing Joseph Wilford knows how to manipulate better. As things between the two of them reach the inevitable climax, the rest of the train is just trying to stay alive. There’s a civil war brewing on Snowpiercer, and their leader’s about to lose control.

Despite the fact that Bess Till (Mickey Sumner) has her suspect — the Wilford-worshipping Pastor Logan (Bryan Terrell Clark) — in custody, the people of Snowpiercer refuse to hear that it was Wilford who facilitated the attack on the Breachmen. This includes Boscovic (Aleks Paunovic), the last of his fallen brothers and sisters. His loyalties might be questionable, but it’s hard to begrudge him for his fury. Everyone he loves is dead, and Till was all but throwing hands with them before they were murdered. In his mind, this is the Tail, and his grief is outweighing his logic.

Like Ruth Wardell (Alison Wright) before him, Bosc is forced to decide if he is loyal to Snowpiercer or loyal to Wilford. When the train's “gills” are forced to remain open, Bosc has to decide whether he’s willing to save the train or let it drown in its own snow overflow. He chooses the former — likely because the train dying would mean his own death as well — but it comes at the cost of his faith. Bosc knows that the only way the gills could have been forced open was through sabotage, and there’s only one man who could be behind it. Despite everything else that goes down, it’s nice to see Layton (Daveed Diggs) gain an ally. Bosc is a powerhouse, and Andre’s about to need all the help he can get.

While Bosc is able to remove the giant nail wedging the gills open, their interruption was enough to put Snowpiercer’s proverbial motherboard on the fritz. Not to be dramatic, but this means the entire train will die in about two hours if they don’t fix the issue. Thing is, there’s no “fixing” the part. It must be replaced, and there’s only one man on Earth who has the replacement.

In the moment of Andre’s decision, it’s made clear that his hubris matches that of Wilford (Sean Bean). His motives are better, and his intentions are true, but this guy genuinely believes he can sneak Joseph Wilford onto the train, have him fix it, and the word won’t get out that he’s the savior (of a problem he created). I’m not saying the guy had a choice, Andre was completely screwed in this moment, but his unfettered belief that he would win was pretty impressive.

What unfolds next is interesting for a myriad of reasons, but none so much as the fact that it proves that Snowpiercer cannot survive without Andre and Melanie Cavill (Jennifer Connelly) working in tandem. Wilford snidely notes that “there’s only one conductor of the orchestra” after he hops on the live speaker and deftly directs the people of Snowpiercer on how to save their collective lives. But that’s just not true. There are two, and the world cannot function without them. Melanie is the brains. She knows the train better than anyone — Wilford included — and she knows what choices have to be made in order to ensure humanity’s survival. Andre’s the heart. He’s the one that ensures their future is one worth fighting for.

Of course, that future is going on hold for the time being. It took some time, but we now know why Snowpiercer sped past Melanie when she reached their rendezvous point. With their loss and subsequent surrender, Layton is to report to Big Alice along with Rosche (Mike O’Malley). While both are ensured that they’ll be treated well, Rosche is immediately placed in the drawers with his family. Layton’s fate is currently unknown.

I’ve got to take a moment to heap some praise on Snowpiercer’s dad — Sam Rosche. He wasn’t the first to join the revolution, but once he did he was stalwart in his convictions. He has no interest in going back to the way things once were on when they were taking arms, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that they don’t. Layton will be used as a token to show that Wilford can be merciful. Rosche and his family? They’re expendable, and they’ll rot in those drawers if someone doesn’t do something.

Things look pretty bad for the revolution right now. But, as we head into the season’s two-part finale, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love that things are so dire that we genuinely don’t know who’s going to be the catalyst to start setting things right. Will young Alex (Rowan Blanchard) and her Last Australian, Emilia (Georgina Haig) kick off a rebellion of their own? Was Miss Audrey’s (Lena Hall) betrayal a ruse to lull Wilford into a sense of comfort so she could take him down from the inside? We don’t know! That’s thrilling!

Less thrilling is the fact that you’re going to have to wait an extra week for the two-hour finale to air. The NCAA tournament is taking over next Monday, so the Season 2 finale won’t hit until March 29th.

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What an episode for Ruth Wardell. As Snowpiercer continues to go to hell after Wilford successfully facilitated his plan against the Breachmen, Ruth is forced to reckon with the cruelty she inflicted on the tail and the things she was willing to do in the name of hero worship. The beginning of "Our Answer for Everything" has her questioning the way they've decided to do things and lamenting the order she once benefited from. But, when asked, she can't give an answer one way or the other as to whether or not she'd be willing to go back to taking people's arms and keeping a gulag in the back of the train. 

This week's episode is all about choosing sides. Ruth (Alison Wright) faces her choices on Snowpiercer, but things are just as hairy on Big Alice. Both Alex (Rowan Blanchard) and Miss Audrey (Lena Hall) have their loyalty questioned by Wilford (Sean Bean). Alex's test is yet to be seen, but Audrey finds herself in hot water after the screwdriver she brought along to switch the comms is fished out of her luggage by her nosy host. To prove herself, she is taken to the surprisingly still alive Kevin (Tom Lipinski) and told to fix him or else. "Fix him", in this case, means helping him find release in the same way she assists the people of Snowpiercer. But, for Wilford, it means reprogramming his broken toy back into the lapdog he once was.

Though Bess Till's (Mickey Sumner) side was chosen long ago, she'll face her own set of challenges as anarchy starts to take hold of the train. A fleeting reunion with her former partner, Oz (Sam Otto), gives her a lead that takes her to first class. It's there that she discovers that the attack on the Breachmen wasn't facilitated by the tail, but by Eugenia (Amanda Brugel) and the Pastor Logan (told y'all). Eugenia and her manicure are an easy enough takedown, but Pastor Logan proves to be a separate conversation. Till comes out on top, but just barely in time to stop the Wilford loyalist from offing himself by way of ice lung. The writers on Snowpiercer are really going that extra mile to prove just how far his followers will go to curry favor with their overlord. 

Despite Till making real headway on her case and managing to make it through the confrontation with a (mostly) alive suspect, the damage has been done. As they pass through the loop that will lead them back to Melanie (Jennifer Connelly) — should they actually turn around — lights spark in the windows of Snowpiercer. The red lights signify a support for James Wilford, and they seem to take up well over half of the train. It's a crushing blow to Andre (Daveed Diggs) and his cause. One that he certainly didn't need after nearly losing his arm in an attempt to save Pike (Steven Ogg) after he was taken hostage by second class Wilford sympathizers. 

It's not Andre who saves the day this time though. Instead, it's Ruth Wardell. Ruth is forced to recon with all the terrible things she's done in the past seven years. When she and Zarah (Sheila Vand) get locked in the clinic with some Tailies to avoid the mob, Winnie (Emma Oliver) screams in fear. When Lights (Miranda Edwards) points out that Ruth was responsible for the death of Winnie's mother, she doesn't deny the allegation. But she doesn't remember it either.

That lack of remembrance is what shakes things loose for the once callous head of hospitality. She doesn't doubt what she's done, but the fact that she can't remember the arms she took or the people whose lives she ruined is the push she needs to realize that the order they had before came at an unacceptable cost. Andre's words aren't enough to calm the mob ready for blood, but Ruth's pleas are. It's only a temporary cease fire, but it's enough to save two men and truly begin the path to redemption for her character.

As things become more black and white on Snowpiercer, the lines continue to blur on Big Alice. In the beginning of "Our Answer for Everything," Andre and Ben (Iddo Goldberg) are quick to believe that Audrey is lost to their cause and once again swayed by the allure of Wilford and his abuse. I found myself pretty indignant at how quickly they were ready to write her off, but things don't look good for the head of the Night Car. As she reprograms Kevin, she reminds him that he wasn't abused, he just didn't know love before he met Wilford. That Kevin is nothing without him. That he owes his leader everything. Could it all be Audrey playing the long game? Yeah. I'm definitely choosing to believe that's the case. But they did a damn good job making me doubt our girl! By the time it's all said and done, she has Kevin literally licking Wilford's shoe.