Television has always had an affinity for mystery shows, but that fascination has only escalated in the prestige era. Traditional procedurals may have dominated ratings for generations, but thanks to the rise of more ambitious dramas, there have been more expansive miniseries and multi-season shows that attempt to keep their audiences guessing the entire time. While it’s always entertaining to get wrapped up in a good case, shows don’t always take the time to fully flesh out the detectives who are themselves solving the mystery. HBO’s Bored to Death is a hilariously absurd look at the lives of private investigators, but it also says something deeper about the motivations that propel crime obsessives. It was a show that was ahead of its time, because the explosion of interest in true crime content in the streaming era has made Bored to Death feel more prophetic.

Created by novelist Jonathan Ames, Bored to Death examines the lives of three friends living in New York City who inadvertently become involved with a series of mysteries. Jason Schwartzman stars as a fictional version of Ames, who decides to become a private investigator after experiencing several setbacks in his career as a writer. Zach Galifianakis co-stars as Jonathan’s best friend, Ray Hueston, who is both intrigued and skeptical of his pal’s newfound obsession. Ted Danson also has a primary role as George Christopher, the editor of a prestigious New York magazine who reveals himself to be just as vulnerable and confused as Jonathan, whom he has always viewed as a surrogate son. Although Bored to Death has one of the funniest pilots in HBO history, it’s extraordinary how quickly the series escalates into a new level of absurdity.

‘Bored to Death’ Is a Perfect Satire of Mystery Fiction

Comedy shows live and die based on whether their leads have chemistry, and Bored to Death finds interesting ways to play to each of its actors’ strengths. Given that Schwartzman already had a reputation for playing smug, confident young people in the early films of Wes Anderson, it was a natural evolution for him to appear as a self-loathing man-child who has become depressed by his disappearing career opportunities. Although it is a breakup that initially inspires Jonathan to make a blind Craigslist post about being a private investigator, beginning to look into crimes actually ends up making him a better writer. Jonathan’s issues as a writer come from the fact that he has become so obsessed with literature that he doesn’t have any experience in the real world. It’s obviously a self-deprecating aspect of the character that was inserted by Ames, and not just because he shares a name with the protagonist; the various jokes that Bored to Death has about the pretensions of literary high society in New York could have only come from someone who had personal experience.

Bored to Death skillfully uses both Galifianakis and Danson by casting both actors slightly against type. Although Galifianakis was in the midst of becoming a movie star thanks to the blockbuster success of The Hangover, where he played the weirdest character in the group, Bored to Death cast him as an unusual guy, who is nonetheless far more reasonable and self-sufficient than any of his friends; even though Ray’s marriage unravels due to a series of infidelities, his career is far more stable than that of Jonathan, who seems to risk it all on every assignment. Danson is expertly cast as a character who appears to be an “elder statesman,” but in reality does not have much valuable wisdom to pass on to his acolytes. This became an essential aspect of his comedic persona going forward, leading to his resurgence on television in Fargo, The Good Place, and A Man on the Inside.

‘Bored to Death’ Was Cancelled Too Soon

Bored to Death splits the difference between two different aspects of crime thriller shows, as it embraces both procedural mysteries and ongoing storylines. Given that Jonathan is game to tackle any case that he finds interesting, it makes sense that each episode could introduce a new mystery, even if the show makes a joke out of how many of them end up either answered far too quickly or left unresolved. At the same time, the series also finds a way to tie in larger issues within the lives of the characters, including a third-season storyline that involves a rival organization.

Although Bored to Death is designed for resolute crime junkies, the show is layered with homages to classic cinema, and even has a title sequence that directly embodies the style of noir films of the ‘50s and ‘50s. The show’s cancellation wasn’t just a disappointment because of the unresolved storyline of Jonathan reconnecting with his biological father (Stacey Keach), but because the series had managed to change directions so frequently that it had significant potential going forward. Given that Ames went on to make Blunt Talk for Starz, and that the three leads have only continued to peak in success since the show was canceled, it’s safe to say that Bored to Death was at least considered an underground success by television insiders. However, it’s also a show that deserves to be revisited, since there’s an entire audience who either weren’t aware or around to watch Bored to Death when it was initially airing.

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Bored to Death

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Release Date

2009 – 2011-00-00

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Directors

Michael Lehmann, Adam Bernstein

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An interview featuring Olivia Wilde spread rapidly across social media after some online users compared the actress to a “corpse” and Gollum, the pale, emaciated creature from “The Lord of the Rings.” Rather than taking offense to the harsh remarks, Wilde appeared to respond with humor, sharing a laugh with her brother over the online reactions and showing that she was largely unfazed by the commentary.

On May 3, Olivia Wilde posted an Instagram Stories video sharing her reaction to online comments about her looks from an April 24 interview promoting her movie, “The Invite.” “Leave it to your little brother to give you the maximum amount of sh-t,” the 42-year-old actress wrote.

The actress, bundled up in a blanket and wearing a hoodie, is seen giggling as her brother asks, “Olivia Wilde, do you care to address recent rumors that you’re a ‘resurrected corpse’?” Still laughing, Wilde said the interviewer used a fisheye lens, admitting it didn’t give her the best look. Moreover, she stood too close to the camera. “It’s startling. It’s a startling image,” she added.

“That’s not the truth. Do you have any more questions?” she asked. Her brother then burst into laughter before Wilde added, “I’m not… I’m not dead,” before covering her face.

Inside The Actress’s Viral Interview

On April 24, Wilde attended the San Francisco International Film Festival to promote her comedy movie, “The Invite.” In a red carpet interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, the actress appeared bug-eyed and gaunt, prompting online users to make side-by-side comparisons showing what the actress looked like in the past.

As The Blast previously reported, some speculated that Wilde was taking Ozempic for weight loss. Many commented that she looked like a cadaver, while others simply added photos comparing her to other characters, such as Golem and the Crypt-Keeper from “Tales of the Crypt.” Another commented, “She can play the live-action Corpse Bride,” referring to the character in Tim Burton’s stop-motion animated movie.

Many Online Users Defended Olivia Wilde

While some comments about Wilde’s appearance were harsh, others came to the actress’s defense, arguing that she was simply aging. “She had always been thin; she’s just aging,” one commented.

Another commenter added, “This is the fault of the camera lens and lighting. She’s still gorgeous. Don’t believe everything you see.” One user replied with a photo of the actress from a couple of weeks before the interview, speculating that the viral clip just used “horrible filters.”

“People just age, bro. I know this may be news to you, but it is a thing. Collagen goes down over time,” another person added. “Wasn’t she already rail thin? Why are they ghoul maxxing?” said another.

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The Actress’s Viral Interview Sparked Ozempic Rumors

Some online users attributed Wilde’s appearance to Ozempic, saying that she might have succumbed to the pressures of Hollywood. Many pointed out that the actress doesn’t need the medication, as she’s always had a slim body type.

Others compared Wilde’s viral look to Kelly Osbourne, who has also faced criticism in recent years for her frail appearance. Osbourne, however, has denied using Ozempic, attributing her weight loss to a strict diet and gastric sleeve surgery.

One user said Wilde’s look is a combination of aging and veganism. Wilde has been a vegan since she was 12 years old and has switched between veganism and vegetarianism over the years.

Olivia Wilde On Facing Criticism

Being in the public eye comes with facing intense scrutiny, with celebrities frequently subjected to criticism about their appearance and personal lives. In January 2021, the actress made headlines when she started dating former One Direction member Harry Styles, who was 10 years her junior.

In a December 2021 interview with Vogue, Wilde said it was “tempting” to clarify misconceptions about her relationship. However, she refuses to let public judgment affect her. “I think what you realize is that when you’re really happy, it doesn’t matter what strangers think about you. All that matters to you is what’s real, and what you love, and who you love,” she said, adding that she was “happier” and “healthier” than she’d ever been.

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45 years since making his acting debut in the ill-fated pilot The Best of Times, Oscar winner Nicolas Cage hasn’t slowed down. After a 2024 filled with the psychological thriller Longlegs, the underrated indie horror Arcadian, and his surreal thriller The Surfer, he added two more films to his lengthy resume in 2025. Among them was The Carpenter‘s Son, a horror film steeped in controversy for how it portrays the younger years of Jesus Christ and the forces of evil that influence him. Neither critics nor audiences fell in love with the feature, but despite everything working against it, Lotfy Nathan‘s biblical terror wasn’t the worst-reviewed of the two titles.

Gunslingers marked Cage’s third Western since 2022, following his starring turns in Butcher’s Crossing that year and The Old Way in 2023. Compared to those grittier affairs, it was a decidedly more over-the-top film, unfolding in a small Kentucky town where everyone’s a criminal and the most wanted man in America has just resurfaced. Immediately, his violent past catches up with him as a vicious mob arms up, eager to collect on the eye-popping bounty on his head. Bullets fly, and brothers clash with brothers as the town gets torn apart in the fight to ring up the notorious gunslinger, but he and the rest of the denizens quickly make his enemies pay for their greed. For as gonzo and entertaining a premise as it offers, it earned a ghastly 5% score from critics and 18% score from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, along with a 5/10 from Collider’s Robert Brian Taylor.

Yet, icy reviews haven’t kept this fast-shooting feature down. On the HBO Max global charts, Gunslingers reached #2 this week, behind only the Gerard Butler-led Den of Thieves 2: Pantera. Cage is always a draw, and the film showcases him at his goofiest, playing a hammed-up, hoarse-voiced reformed outlaw who acts as the town photographer and always carries a bible. Joining him are Blade star Stephen Dorff and Boogie Nights alum Heather Graham, alongside Mohamed Karim, Scarlet Rose Stallone, Tzi Ma, and more. Behind the camera is Brian Skiba, who also previously worked with Dorff on the thriller Clear Cut.

Nicolas Cage Is About to Swing Onto Television for the First Time This Month

As always, Cage is keeping his schedule packed with projects throughout the rest of the year. Chief among his new films is the David O. Russell-directed Madden, starring Cage as the legendary NFL coach and commentatorand Christian Bale as former Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis​​​​​​. However, this month will see the star lead his first-ever television series with Spider-Noir, casting him in a role familiar to his Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse part, but set in an altogether different world. He’s playing Ben Reilly, a down-on-his-luck private investigator, haunted by profound tragedy, who has to balance his identity as New York’s only superhero in the 1930s. Soaked in noir tropes and packed with classic Spider-Man villains, it hails from Oren Uziel and premieres first on MGM+’s linear network in the U.S. on May 25 before all episodes arrive on Prime Video on May 27.

Gunslingers is now streaming on HBO Max internationally, but U.S. viewers can currently catch it on Prime Video. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on all the hottest streaming titles throughout the year.

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Release Date

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April 11, 2025

Director

Brian Skiba

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Producers

Randall Batinkoff, Jamie R. Thompson

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Country music’s biggest names are gearing up for the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards.

The 61st annual awards show is moving from Texas to Las Vegas for the Sunday, May 17, ceremony.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to return to MGM Grand for the 61st ACM Awards next May, a place that holds a lot of history and special memories for the Academy. It truly feels like a homecoming for us,” Academy of Country Music CEO Damon Whiteside said in a December 2025 statement. “There’s no better place to host an exciting, global Country Music celebration than fabulous Las Vegas!”

Jay Penske, the CEO of Dick Clark Productions, added in his own statement that 2026 will be “a special year for the ACMs.”

Related: ACM Awards 2025 Nominees and Winners: See the Complete List

The Academy of Country Music Awards is celebrating its 60th year with a star-studded ceremony hosted by country legend Reba McEntire. The Thursday, May 8, awards show will take place at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas, and feature performances from artists including Blake Shelton, Lainey Wilson, Kelsea Ballerini, Clint Black, Miranda Lambert and more. […]

Keep scrolling for more details about the 2026 ACMs:

Who Is Performing at the 2026 ACMs?

The Academy of Country Music Awards will feature performances from the likes of Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, Riley Green, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves. Blake Shelton, Carter Faith, Dan + Shay, Ella Langley, Jordan Davis, Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, Zach Top, Avery Anna, Tucker Wetmore and The Red Clay Strays are also set to take the stage.

2026 ACM Nominations Revealed

Nominations for the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards were announced on April 9,, where Megan Moroney led with nine nominations. Miranda Lambert followed with eight nods, while Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson each earned seven.

“Nine seems to be a good number,” Moroney wrote via her Instagram Stories. “Thank yooouuuuuuu sm @acmawards.”

Moroney received nominations for Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year (as artist and songwriter), Single of the Year, Music Event of the Year, Visual Media of the Year (as artist and director) and Artist-Songwriter of the Year.

Moroney is up for Entertainer of the Year alongside Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen and Wilson, who won the category during the 2025 ceremony.

“Well good mornin’ @acmawards, nice to see ya?” Wilson wrote via her Instagram Stories.

Wilson is also nominated for Song of the Year (as artist and songwriter), Single of the Year, Music Event of the Year, Visual Media of the Year and Female Artist of the Year. Moroney and Wilson are nominated for Female Artist of the Year against Kelsea Ballerini, Langley and Lambert. Riley Green, Zach Top, Combs, Johnson and Stapleton, meanwhile, are up for Male Artist of the Year.

Other ACM nominees include Reba McEntire, Shaboozey, 49 Winchester, Gavin Adcock, Avery Anna, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Mackenzie Carpenter, Kenny Chesney, Dan + Shay, Dasha, Carter Faith, Flatland Cavalry, Caroline Jones, Vincent Mason, Parker McCollum, Muscadine Bloodline, Old Dominion, Rascal Flatts, the Red Clay Strays, Emily Ann Roberts, Thelma & James, Hudson Westbrook, Tucker Wetmore and Stephen Wilson Jr.

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Who Is Hosting the 2026 ACMs?

Shania Twain will host the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards.

“I’m thrilled to be hosting the 61st ACM Awards in Las Vegas, a place that feels like home,” Twain said in an April 2026 statement. “It’s such an honor to be part of this incredible night celebrating Country Music’s biggest stars, especially with so many talented women leading nominations this year. I can’t wait to welcome all of the fans and artists out for this unforgettable night.”

How to Watch the 2026 ACMs

The 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards will air live from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand on Sunday, May 17, and will concurrently stream on Prime Video beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The show will also be streamed via Amazon Music’s Twitch channel and independent app.

Fantasy TV has delivered countless unforgettable characters, amazingly rich worlds, and tons of epic adventures, yet not every series gets a chance to take the spotlight, bask in it, and actually remain there for enough time that it stays with audiences forever. While some shows become defining works of fiction that never leave their viewers’ minds, others simply slip away, forgotten, despite their creative storytelling and captivating visuals.

Fantasy wonders like the charming TV gem Eastwick, which was unfortunately incredibly short-lived, and the magical adventure that is W.I.T.C.H., which blends magic-fueled battles with themes of responsibility and friendship, are two examples of the genre’s lost gems that have faded from mainstream conversation. Compiled on this list are fantasy shows that may have been genuinely engaging during their peaks but have consistently slipped from attention over time.

10

‘Legend of the Seeker’ (2008–2010)

Image via ABC

This forgotten fantasy offers audiences a sweeping narrative that delivers tons of traditional fantasy elements. Legend of the Seeker follows the prophesied Seeker, Richard Cypher (Craig Horner), who, once he learned of his destiny, joins the Confessor Kahlan Amnell (Bridget Regan) and the wizard Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander (Bruce Spence) in a quest to stop Darken Rahl (Craig Parker) and other tyrannical forces from unleashing ancient evil.

Legend of the Seeker is a fantasy standout in its own right. The fantasy series may have been largely forgotten, but some of those who have seen it remember the show quite fondly, remaining attached long after its official run. Legend of the Seeker commits wonderfully to its classic storytelling, which gives it a rather lasting appeal. With the show not as accessible today as it once was, Legend of the Seeker stands as a bout of nostalgia for some, but widely, a more forgotten memory for most.

9

‘The Outpost’ (2018–2021)

Image via The CW

The Outpost is a CW series that maintained its steady sense of intrigue during its run. The show centers around the apparent last Blackblood, Talon (Jessica Green), as she heads toward the frontier fortress known as the Outpost to avenge her murdered people, only to discover black-blood powers.

The Outpost’s blend of mystery and action kept a great many fantasy enthusiasts tuning in every week during its time on air. The series wields an evolving mythology that adds an intriguing amount of depth to it. The Oupost was one of those rare fantasy gems that lasted much longer than anyone thought it ever would. Though many cherished the series, despite its low budget, today, the series gets no attention at all. The Outpost lived in a unique time of CW’s summer niche, and with its modest look besides flashier fantasy hits, the series never became as memorable as other shows, leading it to fade into the background, going mostly unremembered.

8

‘The Shannara Chronicles’ (2016–2017)

Image via MTV

This YA fantasy epic is a bold adaptation of a beloved fantasy saga into a visually striking watch. The Shannara Chronicles focuses on a group of heroes—including Wil Ohmsford (Austin Butler), Amberle Elessedil (Poppy Drayton), and Eretria (Ivana Baquero)—as they band together in order to protect the magical Ellcrys tree, whose survival is significant to keeping dangerous demons from entering their world.

The Shannara Chronicles is a fantastically sincere watch, and during its run, audiences really appreciated that. It was a valid high-gloss attempt to make big fantasy legible to the late-MTV generation. Unfortunately, the series stood as too YA-coded for some and too lore-heavy for others. Still, there was a time when The Shannara Chronicles held viewers completely locked in with its immersive story, but sadly, that time has come and gone as the show was ultimately canceled and inevitably forgotten by even the most diehard fans of that brief era.

7

‘W.I.T.C.H.’ (2004–2006)

Image by Maggie Lovitt.

This animated series may remind most of a lighter, more colorful group of magical girls, but its grittier take on friendship, responsibility, and the burden of protecting multiple worlds gives it a depth that quite a few viewers really appreciated. W.I.T.C.H. follows five middle-school girls, Will Vandom (Kelly Stables), Irma Lair (Candi Milo), Taranee Cook (kittie KaBoom), Cornelia Hale (Christel Khalil), and Hay Lin (Liza del Mundo), whose elemental powers mark them as the Guardians of the Veil.

W.I.T.C.H. came to audiences during a time of durable Western magical-girl hybrids. The series’ themes of growth and responsibility hold up rather well and are still able to resonate with lingering audiences of the animation. Sadly, with the series no longer widely streaming in the U.S., its once devoted fanbase has grown up, and it now exists more in memory rather than in circulation. W.I.T.C.H. has quietly slipped away in the dark abyss of the majorly unknown, growing into a truly forgotten fantasy gem that is frequently overlooked.

6

‘The Fades’ (2011)

BBC Three

The Fades is a British supernatural fantasy series that builds a truly tense and mysterious story. The series centers around the teenager Paul (Iain De Caestecker), who is haunted by apocalyptic visions and the ability to see the dead, while his friend Mac (Daniel Kaluuya) and a network of allies are drawn into an escalating war.

The Fades is actually one of the finest “great but gone” entries on this list of forgotten fantasies. Audiences received the show pretty well during its time on screen, yet it somehow remains a single-season dead-end in most contemporary viewers’ memories. While The Fades does get rediscovered once in a while, and viewers find themselves shaken with surprise at the fact that something so good left so little a trace, the series remains a quietly overlooked watch that slipped past wider audiences despite its captivating supernatural premise, strong performances, and quality eerie atmosphere.

5

‘Galavant’ (2015–2016)

image via IMDB

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This fantasy musical is a quirky bout of music and comedy rather than the more traditional features in the genre’s storytelling. Galavant centers on a seemingly perfect fairy-tale hero, Galavant (Joshua Sasse), who is quickly reduced to a lovesick wreck after Madalena (Mallory Jansen) chooses King Richard (Timothy Omundson) over him.

Galavant is one of those rare fantasy-musical series that wields enough creativity to actually work. Unfortunately, it never got the reach it deserved, failing to find its mainstream audience. Quite a few fans of the show consistently discuss how it would have done well in the streaming era, and the rare few who find the show today still believe so. Galavant is simply too niche—a network TV series that most considered too formally odd, too cheerful, and too ratings-vulnerable, leading it to grow into a cult favorite that is very much forgotten in plain sight.

4

‘Dead Like Me’ (2003–2004)

Image via Showtime

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Dead Like Me is a strong mesh of a unique take on the afterlife and bleak humor. The series follows Georgia “George” Lass (Ellen Muth), who dies absurdly young, only to be recruited by Rube Sofer (Mandy Patinkin) into a team of grim reapers, learning rather quickly that death is no way out of life.

Dead Like Me wields an unconventional premise that should make it much more memorable than it actually is. The series’ tone alone gives it a lasting identity. Thankfully, a very small crowd did seem to enjoy the show’s unusual narrative, of building an intriguing fantasy story out of mundane guilt, labor, grief, and adolescence. While largely forgotten and often not even recognized, those who have stumbled across Dead Like Me tend to still respond with intrigue once taken a chance upon.

3

‘Eastwick’ (2009–2010)

Image Via ABC

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Not to be confused with the 2013 supernatural fantasy Witches of East End, or the more iconic 1987 film adaptation of the 1984 novel, the TV series Eastwick is a loose reimagining of a classic story of magic and empowerment. The 2009 fantasy series centers around three very different women, Roxie (Rebecca Romijn), Kat (Jaime Ray Newman), and Joanna (Lindsay Price), who are drawn together after a strange encounter.

Eastwick combines small-town witch fiction with primetime soap musculature, and ultimately stands as a forgotten fantasy because it tried to turn a known literary adaptation into ensemble television rather than a simple remake. The series wasn’t necessarily a bad idea; instead, it was more of a mistimed one. Eastwick never found its mainstream audience, being much too glossy to be truly niche, and too unstable tonally to settle into broad comfort viewing, marking it as an unfortunate addition to this list of shows that quietly slipped from attention.

2

‘The Secret Circle’ (2011–2012)

Image via The CW

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The Secret Circle is a one-season momentary wonder that explores witchcraft through a teen drama lens. The series focuses on Cassie Blake (Britt Robertson), who moves to Chance Harbor after her mother’s death and discovers that she is a hereditary witch as she begins to develop powerful magical abilities.

The Secret Circle held a ton of potential for expansion, but cancellation brought all of that to a quick end. It’s a series that skillfully builds tension while dealing out drama, as with any good teen series. The Secret Circle, being a CW series that was quickly brought to an end, is probably why it stands as a forgotten old favorite today. It’s an entry that deserved another chance and never got one, leading it to fail the test of time against flashier contemporary hits.

1

‘Wonderfalls’ (2004)

Image via Fox

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This forgotten fantasy gem is rather short-lived but does deliver an interesting story that wields quirky, character-driven storytelling. Wonderfalls follows a Brown philosophy graduate, named Jaye Tyler (Caroline Dhavernas), who’s working a dead-end Niagara Falls gift-shop job when inanimate objects begin speaking to her in cryptic commands, nudging her into other people’s spaces while destabilizing her own.

No matter how brief or forgotten Wonderfalls is, the series remains a great one-of-a-kind show that deserves far more credit for its unique tale. With a blend of magical realism and genuine oddity that makes it charming, the fantasy series wields a cult status that is well deserved. Wonderfalls made the mistake of only showcasing four episodes on network TV and left the full life of the series to DVD, leaving it as a forgotten gem that structurally prevented it from entering the mainstream memory stream.

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Wonderfalls

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Release Date

2004 – 2004-00-00

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Network

FOX

Directors

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Todd Holland, Craig Zisk, Jamie Babbit, Marita Grabiak, Allan Kroeker, Jeremy Podeswa, Michael Lehmann, Peter Lauer

Writers

Krista Vernoff, Dan E. Fesman, Liz W. Garcia

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The Yellowstone franchise is returning in a major way with Marshalls airing on CBS and Dutton Ranch set to hit Paramount+, you may be searching for some other great neo-Westerns to sink into. Perhaps it’s time to move just south of the border with a 2005 feature film that you probably had no idea even existed. A few years before he would star in No Country for Old Men (another great neo-Western you’ve got to see), actor Tommy Lee Jones took center stage in the powerful and moving picture, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. Sometimes just called Three Burials, the film follows a rancher named Pete Perkins (Jones) as he seeks justice for the death of his friend, whom he hopes to bury in his Mexican hometown. If you loved all the time the latest season of Yellowstone spent down in Texas, then Three Burials is an easy next step.

‘The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada’ Is a Powerful Neo-Western Classic

WhileYellowstone spent a lot of time focusing on land development plots and grand political drama,Three Burialsis a more personal tale, one that involves murder and a Don Quixote-like journey through the United States-Mexico desert wilderness. Just asKevin Costner‘s John Duttontook his promises quite literally, so too does Pete Perkins. After his friend, Melquiades Estrada (Julio Cedillo), is murdered and buried with no official investigation (his illegal status being a barrier for local law enforcement), Pete takes it into his own hands to see that he’s buried properly in the Mexican homeland he came from. Of course, this means that Melquiades isn’t just buried once or even twice, but three times in the film, hence the name.

One thing that makes Three Burials stand out are the almost Rashomon-like flashbacks used throughout. The film is littered with them, and if you’re not careful, the timeline could easily get confusing. Yet, each dive back into the past is vital to our understanding of the full context of Pete’s mission, and his reasons for kidnapping U.S. Boarder Patrol operative Mike Norton (Barry Pepper, who played “Lucky” Ned Pepper in the 2010 True Grit remake). It turns out, Mike is the man responsible for Melquiades’ unwarranted death, and it’s a weight that has stuck with him ever since. As Pete forces Mike through the desert waste of West Texas, the pair begin to change as a result of their bizarre journey, which includes rattlesnake encounters, television soap operas, and a twist that Pete didn’t see coming.

We won’t spoil the ending of The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada for you, but it’s that final scene between Pete and Mike that’s the most powerful. Even in the face of death, sadness, and pure brokenness of body, mind, and soul, there is beauty in the way these two are able to finally move past the thing that bonded them together in the first place. For a movie that loves to meditate on death and decay in all its forms (both physically and emotionally), Three Burials is a modern horse opera you can’t ignore.

Tommy Lee Jones Offers a Harsh But Forgiving Portrayal of the Modern West

Of course, a lot of that is because of Tommy Lee Jones, who is at his best here not just as an actor, but as a filmmaker as well. That’s right, Three Burials was indeed directed by Jones himself, who offers a distinct vision for this neo-Western tale. As a director, he effortlessly pulls from the great Westerns of old while making a distinct splash with a bizarre plot and complicated characters who embody the restlessness of West Texas’ Permian Basin (yes, the same place that the Taylor Sheridan drama Landman is set). While Yellowstone is a show that often lets its characters ride into the sunset (and scot-free of the consequences of their actions), Three Burials puts both rancher and border agent through the ringer as they are confronted by the horrors of their actions. As a result, their lives will never be the same.

If you’ve been on the prowl for a new neo-Western drama, one that’s been utterly forgotten by time itself, then The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada is the feature to sink your teeth into. It’s thoughtful, violent, and very specific, but an interesting tale nonetheless. While Taylor Sheridan may offer a more bleak look at the modern American west as the world continues to change, Tommy Lee Jones gives us the perfect cowboy quest that offers just a little bit more. The film doesn’t just prove that Jones is capable as a director (in only his second feature), but it gives the audience hope that, perhaps, even the worst aren’t beyond redemption.

Witney Carson has revealed the reason she was absent from the Dancing With the Stars tour stop in Utah.

“Utah peeps. I’M SO SORRY I CAN’T be there for the Utah shows. I had the Steve Irwin Gala performance with Robert [Irwin] booked last year,” Carson, 32, wrote via her Instagram Story on Saturday, May 2. “If I could be in two places at once I would be! I love you all so much!!”

Carson went on to share several clips from the Steve Irwin Gala, which she attended alongside husband Carson McAllister and their two children: sons Leo, 5, and Jet, 2. The event honors the legacy of the late wildlife expert and conservationist, who died in 2006 after suffering an injury by a stingray while filming a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef.

“At the Steve Irwin Gala tonight supporting our favorite family!” she wrote via her Instagram Story on Saturday. “Such an honor to be here.”

Carson joined the DWTS tour as a special guest from April 21 to 30 alongside former partner and season 34 Mirrorball champion Robert, 22.

“Our last dance, that freestyle, was our way to say thank you to everybody who’s been on that journey,” Robert said on Good Morning America in November 2025, referring to his freestyle routine. “We just knew we had to make it work because it was the way to just say, ‘We’re so grateful for this experience.’”

For Carson, winning felt “so different” this time around. (The pro dancer took home her first Mirrorball Trophy with now-host Alfonso Ribeiro in 2014.)

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“The first time I won, I was 19 years old — and now I’m 32,” Carson said at the time. “I have kids now, and to celebrate with them and my husband was so special.”

Related: Witney Carson Cries Over ‘DWTS’ Season 34 Win: ‘Overcome With Emotion’

Dancing With the Stars pro Witney Carson is especially thankful this Thanksgiving season after clinching her second mirrorball trophy. “I seriously have no words. I’m just, like, coming off all the adrenaline and the messages have been incredible,” Carson, 32, said in an Instagram video shared Thursday, November 27, while getting ready for her family’s […]

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Since the season came to an end, ABC announced that the competition will return for season 35 with celeb contestants Ciara Miller and Maura Higgins. Robert will also be hosting spinoff show Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, with the goal of finding the next pro dancer for the main broadcast. Pro Mark Ballas and his mother, Shirley Ballas, will also join the series — set to premiere this summer — as judges.

“Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro features 12 exceptional up-and-coming dancers who move into one house and compete in a grueling audition process,” a logline reads. “[They are] all vying for a coveted spot as a pro dancer on season 35 of Dancing With the Stars.”

Storage Wars star Darrell Sheets’ son, Brandon Sheets, has broken his silence after his father died at age 67.

“My heart is so broken. I love you, Dad, and I will do my best to live in your honor and respect our family,” Brandon wrote via Instagram on Thursday, April 30. “Let’s all continue to build those memories and keep the legacy that is Darrell (The Gambler) Sheets.”

Us Weekly confirmed on April 22 that Darrell died by apparent suicide. In addition to Brandon, Darrell is survived by his daughter, Tiffany Sheets.

“I can’t answer everyone’s questions or concerns right now,” Brandon continued on Thursday, referring to his dad’s death. “I think we all just need time to process and remember all the good that my father was and will continue to be through my son and I.”

He concluded, “The love we all have for this man and all his kindness is only a small portion of who he truly is.”

Darrell’s Storage Wars costars offered their support in the comments section.

“I’m truly so sorry for the incredibly painful loss that you and your family have to endure,” Brandi Passante replied. “Sending you love and hugs from afar.”

Darrell’s ex-wife Kimber Wuerfel has also shared her condolences after the A+E star’s death.

“I haven’t had the words until now. Thank you for all the love, prayers and condolences, it has meant more than I can say,” Wuerfel wrote via Instagram on Thursday. “Darrell gave us so many moments of laughter, connection and life. May the memories you hold of him stay close to your heart, as mine will stay with me forever.”

She concluded, “From our family to yours, thank you. We will make an announcement in the future, for those who wish to participate in a service.”

Related: ‘Storage Wars’ Cast Reacts to Darrell Sheets’ Death by Suicide at Age 67

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The cast of A&E’s reality series Storage Wars has come together to mourn their late costar Darrell Sheets following his death at age 67 from suicide. Lake Havasu City, Arizona, police confirmed to Us Weekly on April 22 that officers responded to calls about a “reported deceased individual” earlier in the day and subsequently “pronounced […]

Darrell appeared on Storage Wars, where cast members bid on abandoned and unopened storage lockers at auctions in the hopes of finding high-valued treasures, from 2010 and 2023.

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“We are saddened by the passing of a beloved member of our Storage Wars family, Darrell ‘The Gambler’ Sheets,” a spokesperson for A&E told Us last month. “Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Days after his death, the April 25 episode of Back to the Locker ended with a somber tribute to Darrell.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Actor Wilson Cruz is reacting to former The Hills star Spencer Pratt gaining in the polls as he attempts to become the next mayor of Los Angeles.

“I can’t believe my BELOVED LA is willing to be this f***ing stupid,” Cruz, 52, wrote via his Instagram Stories on Sunday, May 3, over a screenshot of a recent social media post from Pratt, 42, celebrating the success of his mayoral campaign.

“Number 1 on the ballot. Number 1 in the polls,” Pratt wrote via Threads. “Let’s save LA. VOTE PRATT TODAY.”

A community note highlighted various claims about Pratt, who some have deemed a “conspiracy theorist” for allegedly believing the earth is flat and that the deadly 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, was a “false flag” operation.

Related: Celebrities Who’ve Run for Office: Spencer Pratt, Farrah Abraham and More

Spencer Pratt is running for mayor of Los Angeles — but he’s not the only celebrity to try their hand at politics. Pratt announced the news on January 7, 2026. “The system in Los Angeles isn’t struggling, it’s fundamentally broken,” Pratt, 42, said at the “They Let Us Burn” public demonstration, via the New York […]

On January 30, after announcing his candidacy for L.A. mayor on the one-year anniversary of the deadly Palisades fires that destroyed his home, Pratt responded to claims he peddled conspiracy theories.

“If they’re resorting to calling you a conspiracy theorist, you know they have no real argument,” the former reality star said at the time, before attacking California Governor Gavin Newsom.

“The truth is, Gavin is like a magician — he does all the weird stuff with his hands to distract you while money just disappears,” Pratt continued, before citing the movie the 1998 film The Big Lebowski. “Tens of billions in homelessness, problem only gets worse … where’s the money Lebowski?”

Like fellow reality tv star-turned-politician President Donald Trump, Pratt’s campaign has been the subject of some scandal as the mayoral hopeful gains political momentum. After Pratt released a recent ad filmed outside the homes of two of his opponents — incumbent Karen Bass and Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman — the reality TV star was slammed for being “reckless.”

Mayor Bass accused Pratt of doing his “best Trump impression,” while Raman called the ad an “unnecessary” political stunt.

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Still, nothing seems to be slowing Pratt down — he has received an influx of campaign cash from former Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, a bump in the poll numbers and an increase in celebrity support, including an endorsement from podcaster Joe Rogan, who helped get President Trump elected twice.

Political commentator and former The View cohost Meghan McCain has even gone so far as to predict that Pratt will win the highly contentious mayoral race.

“I’m actually really excited,” fellow The Hills alum Audrina Patridge exclusively told Us Weekly on Friday, May 1, of her former costar’s political ambitions. “He impressed me. I listened to some of his interviews, and at first when I heard, I was like, ‘Wait, is he really doing it? Is it a joke? Is it real?’ But he is, and he is very intelligent, and I think that he would make a lot of change to L.A. and he would follow through with what he said.”