Yosohn has internet users tearing up after explaining why he doesn’t want Ari Fletcher to have another baby.

RELATED: Pink Hair Don’t Care! Ari Fletcher Turns Heads With Risqué NEW LOOK For Recent Shoot (VIDEOS)

Yosohn Explains Why He Doesn’t Want Ari Fletcher To Have Another Baby

On Tuesday, March 24, Ari Fletcher appeared on fellow content creator Jordyn Lucas’ Twitch stream. Furthermore, about two hours into the stream, the pair sat down at her dinner table to eat, and were joined by Yosohn. During the conversation, Lucas asked Fletcher how her pregnancy went, and she said, “Amazing.” Additionally, Fletcher noted that her labor wasn’t so easy because her epidural moved from her back.

“I was in labor for 26 hours, I was in pain,” she told Lucas while explaining that she ultimately had to have a C-section because her body couldn’t fully dilate.

At that point, Lucas asked Yosohn if he wants more siblings from his mom’s side. He seemed to be conflicted, and Fletcher told Lucas that he doesn’t want her to have kids.

Internet Users Are Tearing Up

Internet users in TSR’s comment section were tearing up over Yosohn’s reason for not wanting Ari Fletcher to have another baby.

Before Yosohn Explained Why He Doesn’t Want His Mom To Have Another Baby, Ari Fletcher Was Speaking On A Feud

Before Yosohn had the internet tearing up about not wanting his mom to have another baby, Ari Fletcher was making headlines by speaking on a feud. As The Shade Room previously reported, Summyah and Aspen Kartier recently ended their friendship, and Kartier appeared to imply that Fletcher potentially played a role in things going left.

Ultimately, Fletcher didn’t let the implication fly and spoke out, defending her name.

RELATED: Ari Fletcher Goes OFF While Addressing Claims She Helped Orchestrate Fight Between Aspen Kartier And Summyah Marie (VIDEO)

If there’s ever a time to refresh your off-duty wardrobe, it’s during a rare Spanx sale — and this one is too good to scroll past. The brand’s Spring Fever event is packed with markdowns on its most popular pieces, including buttery-soft activewear, curve-loving leggings and sweatpant jeans that look polished while feeling incredibly comfortable. It’s the kind of lineup that makes getting dressed feel effortless, even on your busiest days.

Whether you’re heading to a workout, running errands or just leaning into a more relaxed everyday uniform, these on-sale styles deliver that signature Spanx blend of comfort and style. Expect smoothing fits, soft fabrics and versatile silhouettes you’ll reach for on repeat. Keep scrolling to shop 17 standout pieces that are worth adding to your cart (while deals last).

17 Must-Have Spring Styles on Sale at Spanx

1. Polished Poplin: Crisp, clean and endlessly versatile, this poplin tunic shirt is the definition of effortless polish. The collarless neckline gives it a modern feel, and the high-low hem adds just the right amount of coverage. It’s one piece that will instantly pull an outfit together — was $138, now $69!

2. Sleek Staple: This isn’t your average T-shirt. The slinky, body-skimming fit and modern high neckline create a refined silhouette that feels quietly elevated. It drapes beautifully and works just as well under a blazer as it does on its own — was $110, now $59!

3. Cool Cotton: An everyday essential gets a subtle upgrade with this pick! The smooth cotton fabric feels lightweight and breathable. Additionally, the relaxed, slightly cropped fit makes the tee perfect for pairing with high-waisted everything — was $48, now $29!

4. Easy Mini: This throw-on-and-go mini makes getting dressed feel refreshingly simple. The boat neck design adds a soft, feminine touch, and the relaxed shift silhouette keeps things comfortable without sacrificing style — was $118, now $39!

5. Sculpted Smooth: These leggings bring that signature Spanx shaping magic. The sleek scuba fabric feels supportive yet flexible, and the smoothing waistband creates a streamlined look that works with everything from oversized sweaters to fitted tanks — was $98, now $59!

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6. Denim Upgrade: Your go-to cutoffs just got a serious glow-up. With built-in shaping technology and a flattering high-rise fit, these shorts hug in all the right places while still feeling easy and wearable for everyday plans — was $88, now $49!

7. Flattering Fit: A little structure goes a long way. This A-line mini gently hugs through the waist before flaring out, creating a super flattering silhouette that feels equal parts comfortable and refined — was $168, now $89!

8. Tailored Twist: These aren’t standard work pants. The barrel-leg shape adds a fashion-forward edge, and the tuxedo stripe detail brings in that sleek, tailored finish. They instantly elevate even the simplest top — was $158, now $49!

9. Airy Essential: Light as air and incredibly soft, this relaxed T-shirt lives up to its name. Drapey fabric gives it an effortless, laid-back feel, making the shirt the easiest pick for everything from travel days to casual outings — was $98, now $49!

10. Luxe Layer: This is the layer you’ll want within arm’s reach at all times. The oversized fit feels cozy without looking bulky, and the ultra-soft fabric makes the sweater ideal for throwing on post-workout or during chilly mornings — was $128, now $89!

11. Effortless Drape: Flowy, soft and endlessly wearable, these wide-leg pants strike that perfect balance between relaxed and refined style. The leg-lengthening shape gives them a polished feel that works far beyond lounging — was $118, now $79!

12. Statement Maker: When you want to switch things up, these leggings deliver. The sleek faux leather finish adds instant edge, and the shaping waistband keeps everything feeling smooth and supported — was $98, now $49!

13. Denim, Reimagined: Want a fresh take on everyday denim? These horseshoe-silhouette jeans add a modern twist, while the built-in shaping creates a flattering, curve-enhancing fit that looks good from every angle — was $158, now $109!

14. Retro Revival: These ’90s-inspired corduroy jeans bring texture back into your rotation. The structured yet stretchy fabric provides a comfortable fit, and the classic straight-leg cut makes the pants easy to style with just about anything — was $158, now $79!

15. Elevated Basic: Sometimes it’s the simplest pieces that make the biggest impact. This V-neck tee feels soft and smooth against the skin, with a flattering neckline that adds a slightly more polished touch to your everyday lineup — was $48, now $29!

16. Coastal Classic: This striped sweater gives off major coastal energy. Made with a wool-cashmere blend, the relaxed sweater feels luxe and is breathable enough to layer all spring long — was $350, now $245!

17. Subtle Flare: A small detail, big payoff. The slight flare at the hem gives these leggings a fashion-forward feel, while the sculpting waistband keeps everything looking smooth and streamlined — was $118, now $49!

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Josh Duhamel has reflected on the impact of marrying his ex-wife, Fergie, at the height of her fame.

“It was a huge shift [in my life] because she was a massive star at the time and so it was a big adjustment for me, if I’m being honest,” Duhamel, 53, revealed on the Monday, March 25, episode of The Megyn Kelly Show. “But, you know, Fergie is a very normal person, at the end of the day. A good mom. We have a great relationship. She and my wife [Audra Mari] actually get along great.”

Duhamel and Fergie (real name Stacy Ann Ferguson) tied the knot in 2009 — the same year that the Black Eyed Peas star, 50, had two Billboard No.1 hits with “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling.” They welcomed their son, Axl Jack, in 2013 before calling it quits in 2019. (Duhamel married his current wife, former Miss World America winner Mari, in September 2022. They share son Shepherd Lawrence Duhamel, 2, and have a second baby on the way.)

Host Megyn Kelly took a deep dive into Duhamel and Fergie’s marriage during the interview, including asking whether either one had trouble over “whose star [was] bigger” at the time.

Related: Everything Josh Duhamel and Fergie Have Said About Coparenting Son Axl

Josh Duhamel and Fergie called it quits in 2017 and have been amicably raising their son, Axl, ever since. Duhamel and Fergie welcomed their son in August 2013, six months after announcing their pregnancy. “Josh & Me & BABY makes three!” the singer tweeted in February 2013. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to […]

“Yeah, probably,” Duhamel confessed. “It’s probably my own ego more than anything. I don’t think it bugged her as much as it probably did me. But she was a massive star at the time!”

Duhamel admitted that it felt like he was “in [Fergie’s] shadow a lot of the time.” He added that he and Fergie “have a great relationship” as they coparent Axl these days.

“We parent our son, Axl. She’s a great mom,” Duhamel said. “I’m extremely happily married now to my wife, Audra. We have a beautiful son and a little girl on the way. [Audra and Fergie] have a great relationship, which is what I really care about.”

He continued, “I want to make sure everybody is just copacetic. I just want peace and I don’t want any in-fighting between anybody. They’ve been very civil, thankfully, in the way they approach this thing. … It could be ugly but, thankfully, it’s not.”

Fergie publicly congratulated her ex and Mari, 32, earlier this month when they announced that they are expecting their second child.

“Adding a little girl to our story. We can’t wait to meet you,” Mari shared via Instagram on March 5, with Fergie replying, “Welcome the cuteness! 💖💖.”

While Duhamel has rarely discussed his split from Fergie, he did briefly address the differences in his previous and current marriages during a March appearance on “The Skinny Confidential” podcast.

“Fergie is also very wholesome, believe it or not. Especially since she sort of stepped away from it all,” Duhamel said. “She’s a great mom. Very kind, very nonconfrontational, thank God. We have a good relationship. She and Audra have a great relationship.”

The actor continued, “We’re just very different. Fergie and I, we just have different views of the world. And that’s OK, you know. But I have no regrets about that. We have a beautiful son. But [Fergie and Audra] are just very different in a lot of ways. But also, both really great women. They really are.”

Credit: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Ray Romano

Ray Romano announced the exciting news on Sherri in March 2026 that he’d recently become a first-time grandfather. The Everybody Loves Raymond actor and wife Anna Scarpulla’s daughter, Ally Romano, and her husband, Zachary Wilezol, welcomed a baby boy named Rex Roman Wilezol on February 25, 2026.

“He was a big boy at 9 lbs, 11 oz. Yeah, a big guy,” Ray revealed to host Sherri Shepherd. “My daughter had our first grandchild.”

Asked if he was willing to be a “hands-on grandpa,” Ray pointed out, “I have four kids, myself! I had twin boys so I’ve done my share of diapers. I haven’t done it in a while but it’s good that I’m going to get back in practice because soon I’m going to have to change my own!”

The comedian hinted that he would be called “Papa Ray” as an homage to his own children calling his father “Papa Al.”

A few weeks later, Ally shared the first photo of Rex to celebrate the one-month anniversary of his birth.

“One month with my guy, Rex Roman Wilezol,” she wrote via Instagram on March 25, 2026. “He (begrudgingly) arrived on 2/25/26 with very long legs, massive hands, a full head of hair and the most perfect lips.”

Ally went on, “Although it wasn’t the start to parenthood we imagined, our strong, very big boy has shown us a new meaning to love. He’s given us a run for our money, but he’s my new bestie and a trooper!”

Imagine if Jack Reacher settled in one town, then took it a step further and assumed the identity of a newly arrived, freshly murdered sheriff, whose life he tried to save. Sprinkle in a hefty amount of grit and crime, along with a provocative romance, a revenge-seeking crime boss, an extremely dangerous ex-Amish mob boss, and a tomahawk-wielding female warrior, and that’s exactly what you’ll get out of Banshee, a need-to-binge action series full of crime and thrills.

A masterpiece of the action-thriller subgenre, Banshee features The Boys’ psychopathic villain Homelander, Antony Starr, in his first major American lead television role. While the New Zealand-born actor previously appeared in a string of memorable roles, it wasn’t until Banshee that he had the opportunity to showcase his true talent, much like Alan Ritchson with Reacher. If you’re a fan of the massive, lethal ex-soldier and find yourself looking for a series to keep you just as entertained, settle in for this righteous binge of one of the most exciting action-crime series you’ll ever see, and get a peek at a whole other side of Antony Starr while you’re at it.

‘Banshee’ Features Antony Starr in a Career-Defining Role

Antony Starr turned heads as an ex-con-turned-sheriff when Banshee debuted on Cinemax in 2013. The action-crime series follows the master thief, who is fresh off a 15-year prison stint for stealing $15 million in diamonds, as he sets out in search of his former lover and partner in crime, Anastasia (Ivana Miličević). See, after their heist, the police were on their tale, so he gave her the diamonds and told her to run, sacrificing himself in the process. When he finds her in the small Amish town of Banshee, Pennsylvania, he’s shocked to learn she now goes by Carrie in her new life, which includes a husband and kids.

Heartbroken, he stops off for a drink at a local bar, and that’s where we first see Starr in action as the badass he is. After he thwarts a robbery gone wrong and realizes the new town sheriff is left lying dead on the floor, with no one to know but himself and the bartender, our ex-con assumes the sheriff’s identity and stays in town, much to Carrie’s surprise and hidden delight.

Life in Banshee isn’t easy, though, especially when you’re trying to stay hidden from the Ukrainian crime boss you ripped off, and even when you’re the one enforcing the law. As Sheriff Lucas Hood, our anti-hero soon finds himself continuing his criminal activities and going head-to-head with former Amish mob boss Kai Proctor (Ulrich Thomsen), now an intimidatingly wealthy businessman who believes himself to be above the law. There are also clashes to be had with a nearby Native American reservation. Our protagonist, however, has zero qualms about using his position to impose his own unorthodox, often brutal brand of justice rather than follow traditional law enforcement methods, and this is where the series really gets interesting.

‘Banshee’ Is a Criminally Underrated, Must-See Gem With a 10/10 Cast

Much like Ritchson’s Reacher persona, Starr’s Lucas Hood is equally captivating. The show features a memorable cast of colorful characters, all of whom are mysterious with deep, emotional complexities in their own ways. Hoon Lee appears as the cross-dressing computer hacker Job, Frankie Faison as former boxer-turned-bartender Sugar Bates, Tom Pelphrey as former Aryan Brotherhood member-turned-sheriff’s deputy Kurt Bunker, Ben Cross as Ukrainian crime boss Rabbit, and Odette Annable as supremely skilled, close-combat tomahawk warrior Nola Longshadow.

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“Say my name.”

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The series breaks the knob off the action accelerator and gives viewers some of the most exhilarating action sequences seen on TV. The movie-quality fight scenes are top-notch and exceptionally choreographed, blending gritty realism with explosive stunt work. There’s no doubt that the crime series’ style is unique and its premise wild, and that’s what keeps viewers glued to their screens… well, that and all the “You’re not better than me” attitudes in the mix.

‘Banshee’ Works So Well Because It Cares About Its Protagonist

Image via Gregory Shummon / ©Cinemax /courtesy Everett Collection

The must-see series places a giant spotlight on its protagonist anti-hero and its unapologetic style of a raw, unfiltered fight for power. In merging high-stakes noir storytelling with pulpy action, creators succeeded in moving the series away from a crime drama procedural to focus on a relentless, highly stylized, adrenaline-fueled narrative blending crime, drama, and Western elements. Watching Banshee unfold is like flipping through the pages of a graphic novel then seeing it brought to life: jaw-dropping and utterly exciting.

Where Reacher features a largely invincible, duty-bound hero, Banshee’s anti-hero is scrappy, flawed, and emotional. He’s an ex-con who utilizes intelligence and sheer violence to make his way. Banshee is much darker and more intense, featuring graphic violence, expert-level fight choreography, and deeper, more curious character development.

Banshee ran for a solid four seasons before concluding in 2016. Currently boasting a 90% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score and a 93% audience rating, the engrossing series goes above and beyond to deliver on action, excitement, and no-holds-barred entertainment. It’s the perfect choice for fans of pulpy action thrillers, and for fans of Reacher.

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Banshee

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Release Date

2013 – 2016-00-00

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Showrunner

Jonathan Tropper

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Jonathan Tropper

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“If Carrie is horror’s version of a girl becoming a woman, and Rosemary’s Baby is the horrific version of a woman becoming a mother, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen is horror’s take on a woman becoming a wife.” Netflix’s synopsis of its newest horror show says it all — and really, so does the title, as Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen plays with the timeless anxieties around marrying the “right” person. It’s not necessarily a new idea by any means, with the likes of Get Out or Ready or Not demonizing the already stressful scenario of meeting the in-laws, but Haley Z. Boston‘s eight-episode limited series takes this idea to a whole new level, while executing it in a pressure-cooker of a show.

What Is ‘Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen’ About?

The week before the wedding is always a chaotic time, and that could not be truer for Rachel (Camila Morrone) and Nicky (Adam DiMarco). Kicking off six days before the fated “I Do,” the couple embarks on a road trip to Nicky’s family vacation home, covered in snow and surrounded by nothing but woods and foxes. However, on the way there, the superstitious Rachel is pummeled with an array of classic bad omens, from grisly roadkill to an abandoned baby in a car, which escalates the gnawing feeling of dread in her gut. As the title suggests, she senses that something very bad is going to happen in the days leading up to her impending nuptials.

Upon meeting Nicky’s family, Rachel’s paranoia mounts further, especially when she is plagued by suspicious looks and spooky stories about danger lurking in the woods. We meet the utterly captivating Cunningham matriarch Victoria (Jennifer Jason Leigh), her withdrawn, taxidermy-enthusiast husband Boris (Ted Levine), Nicky’s pedantic and slightly off-putting sister Portia (Gus Birney), his jaded, sarcastic brother Jules (Jeff Wilbusch), and Jules’ steely wife Nell (Karla Crome), who also happens to be Nicky’s ex-girlfriend. With such an eclectic group of people hiding their own secrets and motivations, Rachel is thrust into an isolated world of marital mayhem. And just when you think it can’t get any worse, it inevitably does.

‘Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen’ Is a Masterclass in Atmospheric Tension and Body Horror

Image via Netflix

Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen is easily Netflix’s creepiest horror show since The Haunting of Hill House, with the same atmospheric terror, mind-bending reality, and scenes so gruesomely twisted they’re impossible to look away from. The story knows exactly where it’s going from the beginning, and wastes no time putting the viewer’s nerves through the wringer. Like in Mike Flanagan‘s hit show, the narrative twists and turns through red herrings that form a larger, far more terrifying web, forcing the audience to question everything. Even when the real threat is uncovered, the storytelling’s momentum never falters, and the fear of the unknown is successfully translated into another kind of reality-bending tension.

In terms of visual language, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen is a masterpiece. The most striking part of the show is its cinematography, which is brilliant in its creativity and its ability to build tension through handheld cameras, disorienting angles, stalking shots, and even some found-footage segments. These are accompanied by incredibly long takes that make the mundane act of walking through a crowded house undulate with anxiety and pressure. These hair-raising shots are just as provocative and enduring as the skin-crawling scenes of body horror, ones that are just subtle enough to unsettle at a subconscious level — well, perhaps apart from the impeccably repulsive visuals in the penultimate episode’s closing sequence.

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Everything is cinched together by the precise sound design of the series, which deserves its own applause. Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen maintains its perpetual tension and suspense by applying the same creativity used in its visuals to the viewer’s auditory experience. It indulges in sharp staccato notes and electric buzzes that are just as frenetic as the atmosphere. Amid this is its frequent use of drowning out characters’ voices, bringing them in and out of focus to echo panic attacks, disorienting us just as much. Altogether, the show is ambitious in how it achieves the anxiety around weddings and delivers on its ultimate vow.

Netflix’s ‘Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen’ Is Stacked With Volatile Performances

What’s a good horror series without the most subtly twisted cast you’ve ever seen? Even though Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen is mainly Rachel’s story, she is surrounded by characters who fight for the spotlight with unnerving demeanors and eccentric idiosyncrasies. No character stretches too far from the realm of realism, especially as our psychologist protagonist ruthlessly psychoanalyzes them all, yet they are all distinctly uncanny due to a combination of the cinematography and their individual performances. There are standout performances by Leigh as the overbearing, narcissistic mother, Wilbusch as the brother we surprisingly find ourselves rooting for, and Birney as the breezy sister whose high-pitched voice is as daunting as the dread in the air.

Morrone bears the weight of the lead well, even as her character’s personality can sometimes intentionally veer into grating. She plays Rachel’s paranoia and anxiety convincingly, dropping hints of it in the beginning through her deep breaths while she smokes, or the desperate glint underneath her playfulness when Nicky fails to hold his breath when they drive through a tunnel. But when the spiral begins, Morrone captivates with her wide, horrified eyes and trembling lip, making even a dress fitting feel like nightmare fuel. Even though this is a show about marriage, her chemistry with DiMarco (which is both steamy and comforting) is simply secondary to the weight Morrone gives to Rachel’s experience as a bride-to-be, dinner parties from hell and all.

Netflix’s Something Very Bad is Going to Happen transfixes the audience with the same dread that haunts the soon-to-be hallowed halls of the Cunningham vacation home. It’s such a visually stunning watch that effectively employs all the camera tricks at its disposal to tell a tale as old as time, one where the uncertainty around soulmates takes on a more sinister form. The show will leave you writhing in discomfort at every moment, whether it’s because you’re cringing at all-too-relatable interactions or are lost in the dizzying kaleidoscope of too-wide smiles and palpable fear. It’s the perfect maelstrom of white and red, where “until death do us part” means something very bad indeed.

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Release Date

March 26, 2026

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Network

Netflix

Showrunner

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Haley Z. Boston

Writers

Haley Z. Boston

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Cast

• 
• 

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Pros & Cons

• The show is visually and acoustically ambitious and captivating, leaving an enduring impact.
• The story’s play on the theme of soulmates is clever, confident, and precise.
• The cast delivers magnetic performances, each contributing to the mind-bending reality with their own twisted flavors.

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated 4 seconds ago

My relationship with Starfleet Academy has been, as Facebook would call it, complicated. It’s a show I absolutely despised at first, but I grew to like more as Season 1 progressed. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the show was doomed from the start. That’s because it never cracked the Nielsen Top 10 Streaming list, and it very rarely made it into the top 10 for Paramount +, its own streamer. The network is cagey about releasing any actual viewership numbers, but from the outside looking in, it never seemed like enough people were watching to justify this show’s rumored per-episode price tag.

Schrödinger’s Fans (noun, plural) — A paradoxical audience state in which a fanbase is simultaneously dismissed as too small to matter and blamed as large enough to determine a project’s success or failure, depending on which argument is more convenient.

Now that the show is dead, the fandom has been conducting its inevitable autopsy. Equally inevitable is who they have chosen to blame for the show’s failure. Those mean, older fans who criticized the show from the start. Those haters warned of SFA’s doom from the beginning, but were always told they were simply a vocal, hateful minority. Now, these haters are being blamed for the death of Starfleet Academy, which has revealed these harsh critics to be Schrödinger’s fans; a group so small their opinion don’t matter, but so big that their lack of interest can ruin an entire show.

Cultural Collision

When it comes to Starfleet Academy, the division between Star Trek fans is pretty obvious. Most of the show’s biggest defenders skew younger, and the formative sci-fi of their youth was things like the Star Wars prequels (or, God help us, the Star Wars sequels). Conversely, most of the show’s biggest critics skew older, and they grew up watching shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation. A collision between these groups was inevitable: older Star Trek fans wanted Starfleet Academy to be more like older Star Trek. Newer fans wanted the franchise to do something new.

Paramount obviously chose to tailor Starfleet Academy to younger viewers. It’s an understandable impulse, of course. As the franchise warps to its 60th anniversary, the majority of the fandom isn’t getting any younger. The network decided to address this problem fairly directly by creating a show filled with young people speaking in modern slang and constantly enjoying sophomoric humor. Unfortunately, this decision ultimately drove away the older fans that, as Paramount found out the hard way, were more important than anyone could have guessed.

Understanding Schrödinger’s Fans

In case you need a quick refresher, Schrödinger’s cat is a thought experiment in quantum physics. It refers to the idea that particles exist in every possible state until they are directly observed. This idea (known as “superposition”) works well in theory, but the thought experiment shows how silly this notion is when applied to something as simple as a cat in a sealed box. You see, until you open the box and check, quantum mechanics tells us that the cat is, paradoxically, both alive and dead.  

What does this have to do with Star Trek? Fans of Starfleet Academy have been looking for someone to blame for the show’s cancellation, and many of them are blaming the older fans who have hated the show from the beginning. These superfans seemingly believe that if the haters had tuned in or simply stopped saying anything negative about the show, SFA would still be around.

To these fans, I must make a blunt request: pick a lane! Before Starfleet Academy was canceled, critical voices were dismissed as a vocal minority who just didn’t understand the subtle genius of this new Star Trek show (the one with the dick and fart jokes).

Now, haters are being told that their refusal to watch SFA somehow screwed the show. Just like that, older Star Trek lovers became Schrödinger’s fans. There are so few of us that our thoughts and opinions don’t matter, yet there are so many of us that our opinions can either save or doom a show.

An Expensive Lesson, But Will Paramount Learn?

It feels self-serving saying this (since I’m a middle-aged, lifelong lover of the franchise), but the clear lesson here is that Paramount needs to give older Star Trek fans what we want. We are not some tiny minority group to be ignored. We are the group that has kept this franchise alive for 60 years. Ironically, most of us started watching The Next Generation at a young age because, get this, it was a slick update to The Original Series!

Star Trek doesn’t have to radically change direction to gain younger fans. Instead, creators need to work on updating the classic formula for modern audiences. This is why Strange New Worlds has proven popular with younger and older fans alike. Aging Trek fans like its homages to The Original Series, while younger fans enjoy the humor and jokes. Hindsight is always 20/20, but there was no need to make Starfleet Academy so radically different than what came before. As it turns out, if a show is Star Trek in name only, not that many Star Trek fans will tune in.

At the end of the day, this is a numbers game, and Starfleet Academy just didn’t have that many viewers. Paramount tried to do something completely new, and it blew up in their faces. Now is the time to embrace the Golden Age of the franchise: kick Alex Kurtzman to the curb, bring back Terry Matalas for Star Trek: Legacy, and focus on capable, competent adults exploring strange new worlds. Otherwise, Paramount’s attempts to reach younger viewers will ultimately result in no viewers, finally killing the greatest sci-fi franchise ever made.

Sadly, in today’s television scene, sitcoms aren’t as popular as they once were. If you want a good laugh in under thirty minutes, many turn to shows from decades past, like Seinfeld, Friends, and The Office. However, there are a few comedy series from those eras still hanging on now because they exist in an animated form. The Simpsons, Family Guy, and South Park keep at it with characters who never age. Although those first two arguably aren’t as good as they once were, South Park remains as hilarious and important as ever. The topical storylines of 2025 proved that, but even before they took on the Trump administration, Trey Parker and Matt Stone‘s little show had been a pop culture phenomenon for over a quarter of a century due to its masterful ability to lampoon controversies with a bunch of crudely made, foul-mouthed kids.

‘South Park’ Created Unforgettable, Hilarious Characters

When South Park debuted in 1997, it had one big advantage that similar shows didn’t. Rather than having the constraints of network television, South Park aired on Comedy Central, where it could push boundaries and get away with so much. Could you imagine how different Parker and Stone’s series would be if it was on Fox?

South Park is explicit, with fourth graders dropping F-bombs and every kind of offensive joke you could think of. Cartman is the worst offender of all, an angry, chubby little kid who hates everyone and everything, with Jews seemingly at the top of the list. South Park gets away with it though, because of the message. It’s not offensive just because it can be. Cartman, for example, isn’t the hero most of the time. Often, he’s shown to be very much in the wrong and gets his comeuppance in the end. He’s a symbol of real life people, who feels exaggerated because he’s in the body of a nine-year-old. Being so over-the-top though makes him funny, like a character in Seinfeld or It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia turned up to 11.

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They can steal any scene they’re in from Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny.

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Fans love those early seasons of South Park because, despite the adult language, there is an air of innocence to it, with four kids named Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny (voiced by both Stone and Parker) going on adventures in their bizarre town and beyond. They look at a grown-up world through the eyes of kids, and they get themselves in trouble because they don’t understand it. Every episode could focus only on them and South Park would be great, but there’s also only so far that can go. South Park really took off when it expanded its scope.

‘South Park’ Evolved Beyond Its Early Formula

The South Park foursome works wonderfully together. Still, how many times can Kyle’s religion be mocked, Stan learns something, or Kenny dies? The series is timeless, with so many episodes feeling fresh and unpredictable, because it focuses on the whole town. Early seasons turned their attention to Chef (Isaac Hayes) or Officer Barbrady (Parker). However, as South Park kept chugging along, their teacher, Mr. Garrison (Parker), went through all sorts of wild changes. Later seasons gained criticism for focusing too much on Stan’s dad, Randy (Parker), a man so clueless that he gets such easy laughs, until whole arcs turned into subplots about Tegridy Farms.

South Park became the funniest show on TV when Butters Stotch (Stone) entered the picture. He’d been there since nearly the beginning, hanging around in the background, getting a few lines here and there. But as Kenny’s importance faded as he died and stayed dead for a while, Butters stepped in and grew into arguably the best character in all of South Park. He’s innocent, a good little kid who’s one of the few characters who feels really like he is a boy who just wants to play and have fun. With his mannerisms and voice, Butters is absolutely adorable. Putting him with the other kids, and especially Cartman, was a stroke of genius. Episodes like “Butters’ Bottom Bitch”, “Ungroundable”, and this writers’ all-time favorite, “Marjorine”, allowed South Park to elevate another character before we got sick of the other main ones.

‘South Park’ Episodes Can Be Made in Only Six Days

Image via Comedy Central

South Park has one technical aspect which gives them an unfair advantage over other similar shows. While The Simpsons and Family Guy take months for one episode to be produced, a South Park episode can be written, animated, voiced-over, and put to air in six days! This has allowed them to comment on everything as it happens, from pop culture to politics. Parker and Stone have their thumb on the pulse of America. They became just as important as what Jon Stewart was doing on The Daily Show.

Watching some South Park episodes now is like stepping into a time machine and witnessing a twisted history lesson on what people thought about a presidential election or the war in Iraq. We can see when everyone was obsessed with Paris Hilton or the relationship between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. “Quintuplets” brought more attention to the Elian Gonzalez case. 2004’s “Douche and Turd” was a knowing wink about America’s options for President that year. And “Best Friends Forever” satirized the Terry Schiavo case with so much uncomfortable truth and humor that it won South Park an Emmy!

South Park is filled with dick jokes and enough crude language to make some viewers blush. It’s certainly not for everyone. From the 1997 debut episode of “Cartman Gets An Anal Probe” to its sharply critical recent seasons, South Park has been controversial and never afraid. It’ll make you laugh so hard that you’ll cry while also making you think about societal issues in a way no other media can. Almost three decades later, South Park hasn’t lost a step.