General Hospital reveals Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) having mysterious conversations with Ava Jerome (Maura West) and being very secretive about something. However, it may not be the big betrayal that his brother Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) assumes that it is.

So, we are going to dig into what is really going on with Ric and whether he is up to something sketchy or it is some other sort of secret. A big secret, maybe a bad secret, but not necessarily something to do with Sonny. Let’s get into it.

Sonny Catches Ric In a Lie on General Hospital

All right, so this week we saw how upset that Sonny was after he caught Ric in a lie. So, Sonny had Ethan Lovett (Nathan Dean Parsons) doing some recon for him and he reported back to Sonny that Ric had an intense conversation with Ava at the Metro Court. But Ethan was inflating what he saw.

He was making wild guesses almost about what Ric and Ava were talking about. It was kind of a whole pile of assumptions and Sonny did push back on that to some extent because it is clear that Ethan wants Ric out of the way so that Ethan himself can have Sonny’s focus and his influence. And Ethan is keeping big secrets. So ironic, right?

Sonny Catches Ric in a Lie on GH

But things took a turn when Sonny asked Ric where he was when Sonny knew that he was actually chatting with Ava at the Metro Court. And Ric said he was at the DA’s office for a meeting. But Justine confirmed to Sonny that Ric was never up at the office for any reason.

So, Sonny jumped to the conclusion that Ric is betraying him. And he told Justine this was Ric’s last shot to be his brother and now he blew it. Thankfully, Justine talked Sonny down and said just because Ric’s keeping a secret, it doesn’t mean it’s something harmful to Sonny.

And we know he leaps to conclusions that aren’t right routinely. So, it is kind of easy to understand why though he assumes the worst because Ric has done genuinely awful things in the past. He definitely betrayed Sonny more than once before. This time though, Ric seems different.

Is Ric Dying of a Blood Disease on General Hospital?

And based on some spoiler/rumor/leak chatter that I heard, I don’t think that he’s betraying Sonny at all. We shared a couple of leaks recently from a reliable source about a rumored upcoming Ric storyline. The leaker said that Sonny’s brother is dying of a blood disease. Now, I’m not saying Ric will die, but the rumor that was tipped to us said it’s a life and death medical crisis. And based on a couple of conversations Ric’s had recently, it honestly seems plausible.

So, last week when Ava and Ric spoke, almost none of their conversation was seen or heard. We saw a little bit, but we didn’t hear what they were saying. Basically, we heard Ric say that Ava will be happy with this news he has. And then the next day, Ric was on the phone with Ava saying he wants to go through with it, but Ric said that there has to be absolute secrecy. So, at the surface, it sounds dodgy. And since Sidwell’s seeing Ava, you might think, “Oh, okay. Ric’s plotting against Sonny with her.” But I think this has nothing to do with his brother.

Why Would Ric Be Talking to Ava About This?

Here’s what I suspect is going on. Remember, Ava, Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn), and Christina held Ric hostage in Alexis’s basement for a month, strapped to a gurney with a ball gag in his mouth. Ric even referenced that moment when he told Ava he wouldn’t keep her hostage for too long, which was a nice little nod.

So, after Cody got him free, Ric went over to General Hospital and they ran some medical tests. And those tests might have turned up something suspicious, maybe something that Ric was supposed to follow up on, you know, and it could be that he finally did follow up on it or got some more symptoms, you know, and something concerning has turned up.

So, I wonder if he told Ava that she would be happy with his news because the news is that Ric is sick or the news is that he actually needs to thank her for the kidnapping because this has come out. Um, you know, Ava still resents him for loving Elizabeth instead of her and of course for making that cash grab to cut Ava out of the blackmail scheme. So, the question is why would Ric be talking to Ava about this? Well, the leak said Ric had a blood disease and Ava has experience with that. Do you remember?

General Hospital: Ric Needs Medical Advice from Ava?

So, I wonder if Ric was asking Ava to put him in touch with her doctors. In case you forgot, back in 2015, so 11 years ago, she was diagnosed with terminal leukemia and Silas Clay (Michael Easton) treated her in secret and made sure that Ava got a life-saving bone marrow transplant from her daughter Avery, who was very, very young then. And after that, Silas was murdered. So, I’m sure Ava’s found another oncologist by now. Leukemia, like Ava had, is a blood disease.

And that’s the kind of illness Ric is rumored to have. So, he might be asking Ava about her doctor and you know how that whole thing went. Post-cancer, by the way, you still have to get checked out like annually, semi-annually, depends. So, I’m sure she’s got an oncologist for that follow-up. And so Ric might have called Ava, asked her to get him in with her doctor, but ask her to keep it a secret.

Ric May Not Want Anyone to Know Until He’s Sure on GH

If this is about Ric’s medical crisis, I’m guessing he wouldn’t want anybody to know until he knows for sure that he is sick, you know, what stage it is, what options he has. What would be ironic is that he may owe Ava and the ladies a thanks for kidnapping him. Otherwise, Ric might have not gotten medical testing done and the blood disease might have gone undetected until it was way too late to treat.

I also think he lied to Sonny about where he was because if Ric’s sick, I’m guessing Sonny’s on the list of people that Ric wouldn’t want to tell until he finds out all the information, what his options are. So, that’s why I think he lied to Sonny about where he was.

So, I do think that his brother’s going to push Ric away and be suspicious and then Sonny finds out that he is completely in the wrong about this. I also think Ric might be pushing forward with Elizabeth at a greater speed. Because he may worry his time with her could run out.

I do think that Ric is sincere in caring about Sonny and wanting to be his brother. I think legit Ric being kidnapped. And left to marinate in his own dark thoughts and regrets over his life choices for a full month really did affect him. I think he had a big epiphany and I think he’s sincere about his brother and Elizabeth too.

General Hospital: Sonny May Be in for a Shock

And Justine encouraged Sonny to find out why Ric lied to him and not assume that it’s a betrayal. She said, you know, we all have secrets. Makes sense. So, we’ll find out soon if the leaker was correct and maybe Ava setting up a doctor referral and Ric really might be sick. So, I do suspect Sonny’s going to feel one heck of a shock when he finds out Ethan was wrong and overblowing things and Ric has not betrayed him at all. And in fact, Sonny may feel really bad soon because his brother Ric might be fighting for his life before all is said and done.

The notion that Data never uses contractions – often brought up in Star Trek – isn’t true and never really has been.

By Michileen Martin
| Published 7 seconds ago

If you’ve watched enough Star Trek: The Next Generation, then you know Data (Brent Spiner) never uses contractions. You’re probably also aware that this aspect of the android has helped the heroes in some precarious situations; particularly when someone else has been disguised as their positronic colleague. The only problem is that Data has always used contractions, including in episodes in which the writers bend over backwards to let us know that he never uses contractions.

The Season 1 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Datalore” establishes the rule that Data can’t use contractions. In other words, he will always say “I am” rather than “I’m,” “cannot” rather than “can’t,” “should not” rather than “shouldn’t,” etc. It’s the use of contractions that tips off Wesley (Wil Wheaton) that Data’s twin Lore has incapacitated him and taken Data’s place.

Likewise in the Season 4 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Future Imperfect,” Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) is able to detect treachery in part because of Data using a contraction. Riker is led to believe that he’s 15 years in the future and suffering from memory loss, and while he’s already gotten hints that someone is trying to fool him, the proverbial final straw is when Data says “can’t” instead of “cannot.”

In Season 3’s “The Offspring” Data and Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) both act like they just saw Santa Claus dating the Tooth Fairy when Data’s daughter Lal (Hallie Todd) says “I’ve” instead of “I have,” leading her father to believe she has exceeded his programming. Much later, in one of the final episodes of Star Trek: Picard, Geordi (LeVar Burton) is amazed to hear Data say, “we’re” rather than “we are.”

The thing is that ever since the series premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Data has used contractions. When the elderly Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) is curious about his nature, Data tells him “I’m an android.” When Data is one of the crew members transported to Q’s (John de Lancie) courtroom, Data quips to Picard (Patrick Stewart), “At least we’re acquainted with the judge.

Now, to be fair, since “Datalore” is the Star Trek episode that establishes Data doesn’t use contractions, some might argue it isn’t fair to nitpick when he used them before that episode. But even in “Datalore” he uses them. After Lore’s deception is uncovered, Picard asks Data if he’s all right and the android answers, “Yes sir. I’m fine.”

Again in “The Offspring,” another Star Trek episode that makes a big deal out of Data not using contractions, Data uses contractions. When speaking to Picard of Admiral Haftel, Data says, “I’m forced to wonder how much experience he had as a parent when his first child was born.” And this is well past the establishment of the rule in “Datalore.”

What’s the lesson to be learned here? Nothing, really. Except maybe every now and then it’s better to pay more attention to the shiny spaceships and the ray beams than the dialogue.

Hot off partnering with Collider to bring his genre-focused digital series The Séance back to the Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival, Alex Noyer has set the date for his latest directorial effort. We can exclusively share that his folk horror flick Love Is the Monster is set for a North American release on June 23. Cranked Up Films, a division of Good Deed Entertainment, focused on independent, high-concept genre fare, will be rolling the film out to screens in the U.S., while Raven Banner Entertainment handles the release in Canada. It marks just his second feature after debuting in 2021 with the body horror hidden gem Sound of Violence.

Helmed by Noyer, who also co-wrote the script with his Sound of Violence collaborator Hannu Aukia and Blair Bathory, Love Is the Monster takes place in Finland, where struggling couple Ana (Madeline Zima) and Justin (Leonardo Nam) have gone on an exclusive retreat together. The pair is still grappling with infidelity and has made the trip during the country’s midsummer season to seek guidance from a mysterious and charismatic healer who draws upon the mythology of Lempo, an ancient goddess of love and fertility. However, their attempt at repairing their relationship soon spirals into something far more sinister, as the fractures between Ana and Justin are exploited, and pagan rituals force them into a fight for survival. It all culminates in Ana’s horrifying discovery that she was ultimately meant to play a part in resurrecting Lempo.

Zima and Nam bring a bit of star power to the main couple as they attempt to escape whatever the healer has planned for them. The former was a recurring presence on Showtime’s Californication and has previously enjoyed roles in the 2017 Twin Peaks revival, Doom Patrol, and, more recently, the second and now final season of CBS’ Watson. Nam, meanwhile, is best remembered as Livestock Management employee Felix Lutz from HBO’s Westworld, though he’s also appeared on the big screen in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and has worked with Disney on multiple occasions for Descendants: The Rise of Red and Marvel’s Werewolf By Night. In an official statement, Nam expressed how the folklore-infused story intrigued him and, ultimately, appealed to him on a deeper level with its complexity.

“Making this film was such a pleasure and such a wild ride. What attracted me most was how beautifully it intertwines folklore, love, and the psychological questions human beings across cultures have wrestled with since the beginning of time. It’s visually striking and unsettling, but also deeply human in the way it explores intimacy, desire, and the unknown. I’m incredibly proud to have been part of bringing Alex’s vision to life alongside Madeline Zima and the entire team. On a personal level, it meant a great deal to step into a lead role like this as an Asian man, in a space where we so rarely get to be seen as complex, desirable, romantic, and central to the story. I hope audiences discover a film that is both haunting and emotionally resonant, and fully surrender to the ride.”

Who Else Is Involved in ‘Love Is the Monster’?

Rounding out the cast for Love Is the Monster are Kimberly Sue-Murray (The Boys), Moe Jeudy-Lamour (Ted Lasso), Kristina Tonteri-Young (Warrior Nun), Milla Puolakanaho (Attack on Helsinki), and Sheila McCarthy (Women Talking). Behind the camera, Laurence Gendron joins Noyer and Aukia as a producer. In the director’s eyes, there’s no better time to send the folk horror to screens. “Releasing Love Is the Monster during Finnish midsummer couldn’t be more fitting, as it’s when our story unfolds,” Noyer added in his own statement. “While a real trip to Finland is far less eventful, our devious goddess Lempo is ready to welcome audiences. We’re thrilled to partner with Cranked Up Films, Good Deed, and Raven Banner to bring this strange and twisted film to our viewers.”

Noyer’s latest originally made its debut as an official selection at last year’s Screamfest Horror Film Festival, which has been one of Hollywood’s premiere platforms for independent horror for years now, elevating projects like Paranormal Activity and The Grudge. Both Cranked Up and Raven were eager to roll out the red carpet for the film, with Marco DiSilvio saying on behalf of the former, “We are thrilled to add this amazing film to the Cranked Up Films family, and can’t wait for audiences to embrace this thrilling folk horror experience.” Raven Banner managing partner Michael Paszt further praised Love Is a Monster as the perfect fit for their catalog, having previously backed the recent Deathstalker remake and the Canadian horror darling Foreigner.

“Raven Banner is excited to bring this original folk horror to Canadian audiences. Alex has delivered a bold genre film that aligns perfectly with our passion for distinctive, filmmaker-driven work”

Love Is a Monster premieres on Digital in North America on June 23. Check out the trailer in the player above.

Sanctuary, the first show filmed entirely on green screen, is free to stream on Pluto and Tubi.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 2 minutes ago

The internet was used to release “webisodes,” micro-budget television shows put together by determined artists. One of the best was Sanctuary, an eight-episode sci-fi series out of Canada.

SyFy was so impressed that it purchased the rights and made a television series out of it that ran for four seasons, from 2008 to 2011. Today, every episode is available to stream on either Pluto or Tubi, with no subscription fee and no additional charge. Great news, as the show was the first of its kind to be filmed entirely on a green screen.

Sanctuary starred Stargate-SG1‘s Amanda Tapping as Dr. Helen Magnus, the head of the Sanctuary network that provides a safe haven for Abnormals, mythical beings including mermaids, Bigfoot, and plenty of original creations for the show. Joining Tapping were Robin Dunne as Dr. Will Zimmerman, Emilie Ullerup as Ashley Magnus (Helen’s daughter), Ryan Robbins as Henry the lycanthrope tech genius, and Christopher Heyerdahl as Big Foot and also John Druitt, though he was known by the name “Jack” for part of the 19th century.

In addition to Abnormals pulled from myth, legend, and folklore, Sanctuary included historical figures, from a steampunk-powered Dr. Watson (Peter Wingfield) to Druitt being the real Jack the Ripper, and best of all, the delightfully deranged vampiric Nikola Tesla, played by Jonathon Young. This strange alchemy powers the first few seasons of Sanctuary as the team battles against the Cabal, a group that wants to use Abnormals for a nefarious purpose.

As with the inventive Farscape, the tight-budget constraints of a series put an emphasis on character and snappy dialogue over action sequences, giving Sanctuary a throwback feel to what sci-fi television used to be. That is, of course, except for the high-tech behind its production, since only a handful of episodes include physical sets. Other than those few episodes, the rest of the series was entirely shot on a green screen with high-definition digital cameras, the first of its kind to do so.

To help make Sanctuary a success, Amanda Tapping gave up extra pay as an executive producer, instead having her money go towards the creation of digital sets. The show was a passion project for all involved, and it shows, even if it didn’t elevate the genre as Battlestar Galactica did just a few years earlier, at its worse, it’s still a solid show that plays with the monster of the week format.

Standout Sanctuary episodes include Season 2 Episode 9, “Penance,” which features Amanda Tapping’s old co-star Michael Shanks as an Abnormal working with the mob. The multi-part season finale, “Kali,” includes a dance number, while Season 1, Episode 11, “Instinct,” plays with the found-footage genre by showing the episode through the camera of a news crew that wanders across an Abnormal hunt.

Halfway through the series, the “monster of the week” is scrapped to instead focus on an epic storyline about Hollow Earth, which significantly increases the show’s cast, adding new characters from another offshoot of humanity, including Adam Copeland (WWE’s Edge) as a Resistance fighter, and Adam Worth (Ian Tracy), the inspiration behind Jekyll and Hyde. At the same time, Sanctuary’s visual effects take a step up, with the impressive Hollow Earth city and a series of massive monsters taking center stage.

Not as funny as Eureka or Warehouse 13, but not as dark as Battlestar Galactica, Sanctuary strikes a balance between Syfy’s other original shows while embracing the “do more with less” philosophy of other Canadian shows, such as Lost Girl and Bitten. Easily binge-able thanks to Pluto and Tubi, the 59 episodes that make up the series will fly by, and though there was supposed to be a Season 5 that never happened, don’t worry, there’s a definitive ending.

Now’s a good time to watch Sanctuary, as MPCA reported a few years back that Amanda Tapping is on board for a revival series now that the rights have been purchased from NBCUniversal. There hasn’t been much news on the show since, except that they were looking around for executive producers, but as with her other famous series, fans are hopeful for a return to the world of Abnormals and twisted literary figures at least one more time.

Gwyneth Paltrow can’t seem to escape controversy!

Over the years, the Goop founder has repeatedly found herself at the center of backlash over her opinions and even some of her brand’s decisions.

Most recently, she sparked reactions after questioning society’s fascination with wealthy tech men. As criticism over those remarks continues, another controversy tied to her brand has resurfaced online. 

Paltrow’s health-focused delivery restaurant sparked fresh controversy last weekend after sharing a collaboration campaign on social media with Anna Delvey.

The clip opened with a close-up of an ankle monitor strapped to a pair of legs in stockings and black heels as a doorbell rang in the background. The video transitioned to show the brand’s paper bag sitting outside a closed door. 

Dressed in a white blouse tucked into a black skirt, convicted fraudster Delvey opened the door. “Can’t go out? Don’t be so dramatic,” she told the camera before slowly shutting the door.

Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, became infamous for posing as a wealthy heiress to infiltrate elite social circles while scamming banks and hotels. 

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She was convicted in 2019 and served 19 months in prison before being released to house arrest in New York City in 2022, where she is required to wear an ankle monitor, according to the Daily Mail.

Fans Blast Gwyneth Paltrow Over Collaboration With Anna Delvey

The post gained attention as several internet users accused the Oscar winner of giving a criminal a platform. 

One fan pointed out, “So this is….glamorizing crime.” A second observer highlighted Delvey’s crime history, writing, ‘She scammed a bunch of people, and I can’t even believe she’s a ‘celebrity.’ Come on, Goop! Do better!”

While this social media user called the ad “distasteful,” a second branded it “horrible,” before warning, “Stop platforming criminals.”

This critic added, “Glorifying a con artist (who preyed on regular people, not just the wealthy) is an interesting look that says a lot about this company. What, are you hoping to get lessons in grifting from her?”

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Another observer chimed in, “I don’t like promoting a criminal!” while this fan called the post “not goop-like.”

As fans continue to criticize Paltrow’s affiliation with Delvey, it adds to the backlash she received over her remarks about society’s obsession with tech billionaires. 

During a discussion with Kara Swisher in a recent episode of “The Goop Podcast,” Paltrow questioned why people idolize “these super rich white dudes” who influence society without concern for the consequences of their actions.

In no time, Paltrow received heat as many critics saw her comments as hypocritical. Per The Blast, some internet users pointed out the irony, given that the 53-year-old business mogul is extremely wealthy and comes from a privileged background, she is also part of the elite class she criticizes.

How Gwyneth Paltrow’s Comparison of Her High-Profile Exes Caused a Stir

With Paltrow once again under fire, controversial comments are nothing new for the “Iron Man” actress. Three weeks ago, a resurfaced clip from her appearance on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast caused a stir online after she opened up about intimate details involving exes Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck.

According to The Blast, Paltrow described Pitt as the “love-of-your-life” type, while calling Affleck “technically excellent.”

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While some fans applauded her honesty and willingness to speak openly about such intimate matters, others criticized her for oversharing personal details.

“Shame on her. This is just so inappropriate. All she does is kiss and tell,” one user wrote. Another noted that if Pitt ranked his exes publicly, the online rage would likely be more.

The ‘Glee’ Alum Opened Up About Returning His To Old Habits 

When she isn’t making headlines with bold revelations, Paltrow is sharing candid confessions.

During a January 6 appearance on Amy Poehler’s “The Good Hang Podcast,” the “Marty Supreme” actress admitted that she missed smoking and hinted at returning to it. 

She noted that despite her wellness-focused image, she always enjoyed smoking and may finally give in to the urge to continue. “You know, I decided when I’m like 87, I’m going to start smoking again,” she told Poehler, per The Blast.

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