Fire Country isn’t the only CBS show currently going through a surprising showrunner change.

News broke in January 2026 that showrunner Tia Napolitano was leaving after multiple onscreen departures.

“Tia has been instrumental in helping both build and steer Fire Country, which not only became a top series, but is also the foundation of a growing universe,” CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach and CBS Studios President David Stapf said in a joint statement. “We’re grateful for all her contributions and tireless work, and look forward to collaborating with her on future projects.”

Napolitano was with the show since its 2022 premiere on CBS. Before her exit, Napolitano spoke exclusively to Us Weekly about what fans could expect from the remainder of the fourth season.

“[You should] be worried. We’ve got Bode and Tyler in a fire shelter in the middle of a blaze. Those things are built for one, there’s two lives in there,” Napolitano shared in December 2025. “And we’ve got Jake and his brother over the side of a cliff. You see how many times that vehicle goes over and over. We see heads hit hard surfaces.”

Napolitano teased that “those are not easy things to come back” from, adding, “We’ll watch our people fight to get out of there.” She also revealed there was a “huge twist” coming in the midseason premiere.

The showrunner change came after budget cuts led to Billy Burke and Stephanie Arcila‘s exits. Elsewhere at the network, NCIS‘ prequel series NCIS: Origins and FBI spinoff CIA also faced some shakeups behind the scenes.

Keep scrolling for a breakdown of the changes:

‘Fire Country’

Napolitano released a statement in January 2026, which read, “I am beyond proud of the past four seasons of Fire Country. All of my gratitude to our cast, crew, writers, producers, fans, and of course CBS and CBS Studios. It’s been a beautiful ride!”

Multiple outlets including Deadline reported that a replacement for Napolitano hasn’t been found yet.

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‘NCIS: Origins’

It was confirmed in January 2026 that co-showrunner Gina Lucita Monreal is departing from the show at the end of season 2. David J. North will remain and will serve as sole showrunner in her absence.

“Gina has been an important beloved member of the ‘NCIS’ family for many years,” CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach and CBS Studios President David Stapf said in a joint statement. “We are incredibly grateful to her for helping launch and steer NCIS: Origins, and bringing these incredible characters and stories to life. We look forward to working with her again in the future on new projects, and know the creative foundation she helped build will continue to thrive.”

Monreal released her own statement about the surprise exit. “It’s been the biggest honor of my career to write NCIS: Origin’ alongside my incredible co-showrunner and friend David North,” she wrote. “I want to thank Amy Reisenbach, David Stapf, and everyone at CBS Network and Studio for their support.”

She continued: “To have had this opportunity to work again with the incomparable Mark Harmon, Sean Harmon, our writers, and the best cast and crew in the business — how lucky am I? I can’t wait to see what this extraordinary group cooks up for season 3.”

‘CIA’

In April 2025, CBS gave CIA a straight-to-series order starring Tom Ellis and Nick Gehlfuss. Originally planned for a fall 2025 premiere, CIA was pushed to midseason after Warren Leight replaced FBI: Most Wanted‘s David Hudgins as showrunner.

The changes kept coming when Michael Michele, one of the series’ leads, left in November 2025. Days later, Eriq La Salle left the series as executive producer. He was attached to CIA since its conception and directed the pilot before his exit.

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Johnny Cash hardly needs an introduction; the American-born singer and songwriter was known for his deep voice and defiant persona. During his lifetime and after his death, he became one of the most influential icons in American music history. His many successful songs, such as “One Piece At A Time”, “I Walk The Line” and “Ring of Fire”, have added to his credentials as a raw storyteller and musician with deep emotional depth. But when it came to who Cash felt was the best musician and entertainer of all time, Cash named none other than the king of rock ‘n’ roll.

Johnny Cash Called Elvis Presley the Best Performer of All Time

In 1968, following his widely televised comeback special, several media outlets proclaimed Elvis Presley the most outstanding living music performer. The title of greatest music performer was not given without merit to the then 33-year-old. By the time of his tragic death in 1977, Presley was already one of the best-selling solo artists of all time. To his credit, he achieved seventeen number-one singles and eight number-one albums, starred in seventeen top-ten films, and won three Grammy Awards. But it’s not only fans and music critics who were enthralled by Presley’s artistry. There was another famous musician, too, who sang the praises of the “Blue Suede Shoes” singer, and that was none other than Johnny Cash.

As ardent fans will know, Cash and Presley were not only comrades in the music industry but were also close friends. “They were part of the driving force that created rock and roll. My dad and Elvis were friends; they worked side by side when Elvis was at Sun Records. [Of course,],” revealed Cash’s son during an interview with the Express UK. “Elvis went on to make his films and some more music later on, and they never worked together again after the 1950s. They each had their own individual, unique traits as artists. Dads reached in different directions than Elvis’ did, enduring a legacy as a long-standing artist, having resurgences and renaissances throughout his life. Dad carried on, and he made music up until the very end. In some way, his legacy’s quite a bit different, but he always appreciated and loved Elvis.”

But beyond their friendship, Cash also admired Presley’s art above all else. And he made the admission nearly 21 years after Presley’s death, during a rare appearance on The Late Late Show. When the show’s host, Craig Ferguson, asked Cash, “Of all the performers you’ve seen in action, who do you reckon was the best?” Cash, who stared straight at the camera, answered plainly: “Elvis Presley.” When asked to elaborate, Cash stated that “He [Presley] had a lot of rhythm, he was a very good singer and a fabulous performer. And the way he moved the people…” Cash then went on to recall his first encounter with the king of rock n roll: “When he was 19 years old, that’s when I toured with him for the first time,” said Cash. “And not only did the girls love Elvis, but every man backstage was standing in the wings watching Elvis…He had that charisma, that magic that a great performer needs to get the people right there.“

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Elvis Presley Snubbed This Other Contemporary Artist

Elvis Presley may have admired and considered Johnny Cash a friend and respected peer, but the often temperamental artist didn’t extend that same grace to everyone. Case in point, Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, who had long been a fan and admirer of Presley’s. During the early 1970s, when both artists were at the height of their fame, Wilson, who was busy recording music at the famed RCA Studios in Hollywood, got wind that Presley was there at the same time recording music with James Burton, he jumped at the chance to meet his idol.

According to Burton’s account of the fateful incident, Wilson asked him to facilitate the meeting: “He said, ‘Oh! Please, please take me to meet Elvis’. I took him in, and he walked up to Elvis and was just looking at him. And Elvis stuck his hand out to shake hands, and [Wilson] couldn’t move.” However, the meeting went from bad to worse after Presley’s friend Jerry Schillling revealed that as a starstruck, Wilson’ stood there in awe of the king of rock ‘n’ roll. The very private Elvis clearly showed no recognition of the Beach Boy and became a little angered that his security team had let a stranger wander in. “Elvis was very upset with us, thinking, ‘How did this guy get in here, and who is he? So Brian said, ‘I’m recording next door. Would you come over and listen?’ And Elvis looked at us; almost in spite of us, since this guy had gotten through. He said, ‘Yeah, I’ll go over.’” Schilling then stated that as the duo headed to the other recording studio, Wilson moved to playfully karate chop Elvis’ arm to break the ice. Presley then reportedly swiped Wilson’s arm away with no look of joviality on his face. “I knew he knew karate, and he karate chopped my arm so hard,” explained Wilson during his visit to Late Night With Jimmy Fallon in 2012. . “And he goes, ‘I’m leaving, I’m leaving,’ and he split. And that was it.”

Something about twin energy always hits different, and D’Lila and Jessie Combs just reminded the internet why they stay in their own lane. The Combs twins popped up online serving a look that had folks doing double takes. From the coordination to the confidence, the girls made it clear they came to shake the room—together.

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Matching Fits, Matching Faces, No Misses

In a new TikTok video, D’Lila and Jessie took to social media and proved once again that they are still THAT duo. Rocking matching chocolate-brown bodysuits, the twins posed like pros while serving synchronized face beats that were flawless from every angle. To seal the deal, they accessorized with matching nameplate necklaces—each customized with their own names—because why not remind everybody exactly who’s who while still looking identical?

The vibe only got stronger as the twins posed like they were mid–photo shoot, effortlessly moving in sync and giving camera-ready confidence. Their new hairstyle instantly stole the spotlight, framing their faces perfectly and adding even more heat to an already polished look. Between the sleek styling and undeniable chemistry, it was giving mirror image realness in the best way.

Comments Section Goes Up For The Twins

Naturally, the internet couldn’t get enough. Fans flooded TSR’s comments with fire emojis, heart eyes, and nonstop praise, calling the twins “tea.” Many viewers were quick to say the girls are all their mom Kim Porter. Meanwhile, others pointed out that the coordination, matching looks, and twin energy are exactly what we live for.

One Instagram user @theacaciamcbride said, “😍 I love that there’s a subtle difference in color and style. They look AMAZING!“

This Instagram user @keeorher wrote, “I know they was mad when they seen the colors was different.“

And, Instagram user @menamonroe added, “They’re so tea 😍😍😍”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @imanid4e shared, “I wish their mom could be here to see how beautiful they are omg🥹I know she’s smiling down🕊️”

While, Instagram user @_texasmarie commented, “I wanna be a twin next life. 🥰😌”

Finally, Instagram user @seankendii said, “They look just like they’re MOTHA 😍”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUbxwRRgcSR/?img_index=1

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UPDATE, 2/8/2026 at 12:00 a.m. ET:

Home Alone star Daniel Stern’s misdemeanor prostitution case has been dismissed in Ventura County, California.

A spokesperson for the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to Entertainment Weekly on Friday, February 6, that Stern, 68, took the necessary steps to have the first-time offense dropped.

“The defendant did what he was supposed to do,” a District Attorney’s Office rep said. “He completed his education class and earned a dismissal. This is our standard disposition for first-time prostitution offenses.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Twyla Atmore informed the presiding judge, Paul Baelly, in court on Friday that the charge was being dismissed because Stern completed a “diversion program.”

Stern’s attorney Blair Berk subsequently told the California Post that the actor was looking forward to putting the ordeal behind him.

“The case was dismissed with prejudice as it should have been from the start and we’re very pleased,” his lawyer said.

Us Weekly has reached out to Stern’s representative for comment.

Original Story Below:

Home Alone star Daniel Stern has been charged with one misdemeanor count of soliciting prostitution.

Stern, 68, was officially charged with “engaging and agreeing to engage in prostitution” in Ventura County, California, on Monday, January 12, according to documents obtained by Us Weekly. His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13.

The actor was reportedly at a hotel in Camarillo, California, on December 10, 2025, when law enforcement issued him a citation for soliciting prostitution, according to police documents obtained by TMZ on January 9. Per the report, Stern was not detained or arrested in connection with the incident.

“From what I understand, he was cited at the location and released,” attorney and spokesperson Joey Buttitta told People at the time.

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Us Weekly has reached out to Stern’s representatives for comment.

Stern starred as infamous “wet bandit” Marv alongside Joe Pesci and Macaulay Culkin in 1990’s Home Alone and its subsequent sequel, 1992’s Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. He has been married to his wife, Laure Mattos, since 1980, and the couple recently renewed their vows in a surprise ceremony during a 2019 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, They share three children: daughters Ella and Sophie and son Henry Stern, who is a California State Senator.

In October 2025, Stern made headlines when he was hospitalized for an undisclosed medical emergency. He was reportedly assessed by firefighters at his California home and eventually transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later released, according to TMZ. A rep later confirmed the Wonder Years alum was in good health.

Stern is not the first Home Alone star to face legal trouble. Devin Ratray, who portrayed Culkin’s older brother in both movies, was arrested in December 2021 after an alleged drunken altercation in an Oklahoma City hotel where he allegedly pushed, punched and pressed his hands against his ex-girlfriend’s throat and mouth. He was later charged with felony domestic assault and battery strangulation, as well as misdemeanor domestic assault and battery.

Ratray was released on a $25,000 bond and initially pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea to avoid jail time. He ultimately pled guilty to two counts of domestic violence in February 2024. He was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to complete a Batterers Intervention Program, as well as to undergo a drug/alcohol assessment, according to court documents.

“I am relieved that this chapter in my life is coming to an end, but the scars and trauma will never fully heal,” a statement from Ratray’s ex-girlfriend read during court proceedings, which she did not attend. “No one should have to endure the fear and pain that I’ve experienced at the hands of someone they once cared for.”

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“I want to make it clear that even one incident of domestic abuse is one too many,” she continued. “No one should ever have to endure the physical and emotional abuse that I went through. I hope that by speaking out and sharing my story, I can encourage others to seek help and speak out against domestic violence. I want to send a message that abusers will face consequences for their actions and that victims deserve to be heard and believed.”

New behind-the-scenes details from The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte reveal that The Acolyte’s most unsettling character — the Stranger — carried a surprising nickname during production, one inspired by one of Jake Gyllenhaal’s most iconic films. According to the book, the Stranger, portrayed on screen by Manny Jacinto, was referred to internally as “Frank” during preproduction. The nickname was a direct nod to Frank the Bunny, the eerie, grinning figure from Richard Kelly’s 2001 cult sci-fi film Donnie Darko.

The reference wasn’t incidental. It became a creative shorthand for the tone and psychological discomfort the team wanted the Stranger to evoke — something uncanny, unsettling, and difficult to emotionally place.

Why the Stranger Was Called “Frank” During ‘The Acolyte’s Production

As The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte makes clear, the Stranger is one of creator Leslye Headland’s most personal creations. Headland describes the character as a vessel for her own philosophy around freedom, identity, and belonging.

“In ‘Night,’ he says something that I would say is a good summation of how I feel moving through the world, which is that all he wants is freedom. When he says, ‘the Jedi say I can’t exist,’ there is something about my experience in the world that has felt that way to me. Sometimes walking through life, with its highs and lows, can feel like you’re not allowed to be yourself, that you have to follow certain rules of society. To be free of that is something I find really enticing.”

That emotional core directly informed the Stranger’s visual design — particularly his mask. Concept artists explored a wide range of disturbing imagery while developing the Stranger’s look, but one element remained constant from the earliest conversations: the grin. “That was very important from the beginning,” said creature effects supervisor Neal Scanlan. Headland immediately follows that thought in the book, explaining why the smile was non-negotiable.

“There’s some psychological thing that happens to your brain when you see a smile like this one.”

During preproduction, that unsettling smile led designers to nickname Jacinto’s character “Frank,” referencing Donnie Darko’s grinning, inhuman figure. For weeks, the image haunted the costume and creature departments as artists searched for the right balance between something never-before-seen and something that still fit within Star Wars’ established visual language. The final helmet emerged from a deeply collaborative process. “The Stranger’s mask is a good example of how a lot of the design elements come out of some combination of creators,” Headland said. “The final helmet is a collaboration of at least four departments — creatures, costumes, the stunt team, and visual effects — working together.”

The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte is available now. Stay tuned at Collider for more.

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Release Date

2024 – 2024-00-00

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Showrunner

Leslye Headland

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Directors

Leslye Headland, Alex Garcia Lopez

Writers

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Leslye Headland, Charmaine De Grate, Kor Adana

Franchise(s)

Star Wars

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