Jack Ryan used to be one of Hollywood’s most recycled protagonists, with four actors across five films and absolutely zero staying power. Then Prime Video handed the role to a guy best known for staring at a camera on NBC’s The Office. John Krasinski has now logged more time as Tom Clancy’s CIA analyst than Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin, Ben Affleck, and Chris Pine combined, logging four seasons and 32 episodes of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan on Prime Video.

Instead of dropping auditioning action heroes into constantly rebooted IP, creators Carlton Cuse and Graham Roland took their time, building an entire series around Krasinski’s on-screen charm and surprising physicality. The character is better for it, and so are the fans, which makes the franchise’s next act even more exciting.

Jack Ryan Needed a Long-Form TV Evolution Beyond the Movie Reboots

To understand why Krasinski’s take on the desk-junkie-turned-globetrotting-spy works so well, we have to look at all the Jack Ryan replicants that came before. Baldwin introduced the character in The Hunt for Red October and promptly handed the keys to Ford, who headlined two films before Affleck slid in for The Sum of All Fears and Pine wrapped the character’s theatrical era with Shadow Recruit.

Each iteration treated Jack Ryan like a relay baton — passed off before anyone could get totally comfortable in his shoes. The stories reset, the supporting casts evaporated, and whatever emotional stakes the previous actor had built got recycled or outright trashed. The IP survived, but no one had the narrative resilience to make the literary icon their own.

All 4 Seasons of Prime Video’s ‘Jack Ryan’ Build a More Human Hero

Krasinski’s Jack Ryan did the opposite. When the series premiered in 2018, Ryan was a desk analyst dragged into the field by a terror plot he’d flagged before anyone else was even paying attention. The Suleiman storyline of Season 1 gave Krasinski a protagonist who was right about everything and trusted by almost no one. It also gave audiences an in. That first installment felt a bit like fans were learning who this new interpretation of the character was, right along with the actor playing him.

By Season 2, Ryan had graduated to an entanglement in Venezuelan election interference, a conspiracy that required him to operate with far less institutional cover than before. Season 3 sent him fully rogue across Europe, chasing a Cold War sleeper agent conspiracy, wanted by his own government, and running on nothing but instinct. Here, Krasinski got to unravel, throwing everything he had at the character (and at those many action sequences). Come Season 4, the crisis moved closer to home, with CIA corruption dismantling the institution Ryan had spent three seasons trying to serve, putting Krasinski in the tough spot of taking all of his external work from seasons past and turning it internal.

What’s notable across all of it isn’t just the geopolitical plotting; it’s the way Krasinski fine-tunes Ryan’s particular brand of exhaustion and conviction depending on where the season’s crisis is coming from. Jack Ryan navigating domestic betrayal is different than Jack Ryan operating behind enemy lines, and Krasinski understands that distinction well enough to play each version as its own thing rather than defaulting to a single setting.

What ‘Ghost War’ Means for the Future of John Krasinski’s Jack Ryan

Image via Amazon MGM Studios

Now comes Ghost War, directed by Andrew Bernstein from a screenplay by Aaron Rabin and Krasinski himself, from a story by Krasinski and Noah Oppenheim, which means the actor has graduated to actively shaping what the character does next. The cinematic continuation brings back Wendell Pierce and Michael Kelly alongside a new addition in Sienna Miller. The setup involves Ryan and the team confronting a past danger they thought they’d taken care of, meaning Krasinski will once again pull from the well he’s built to add a new layer to the character.

Now obviously, actors like Ford, Baldwin, and even Affleck brought something to the character during their tenures, but Krasinski’s been able to blend his comedic ability, growing dramatic chops, and hard-earned physicality to make his Ryan multifaceted in a way none of the others were. His good-natured response to a question posed during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where the host quizzed him on which actor he’d best in a fight, is proof of why his take on the CIA hero just works. While he jokingly said he’d fight all of them at once, he named Ford as the one who’d give him the most trouble. Which is both the correct answer and a fairly good encapsulation of why Krasinski has become the definitive version of the character — he’s self-aware enough to know he’s in rarefied, slightly absurd company, and confident enough not to pretend otherwise.

None of this is to suggest Prime Video’s Jack Ryan belongs in a conversation with the prestige spy drama heavyweights. What it has done is build a franchise around a single performer’s ability to carry continuity across years. That’s something five films with four actors never managed. Ford would probably win in a fight, but Krasinski has the longest run, and in franchise terms, that matters.

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Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan

Release Date

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2018 – 2023-00-00

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Prime Video

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Showrunner

Carlton Cuse

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Directors

Jann Turner, Andrew Bernstein, Dennie Gordon, Kevin Dowling, Lukas Ettlin, Patricia Riggen, David Petrarca, Phil Abraham, Carlton Cuse, Morten Tyldum

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Vivica A. Fox is pushing for a third “Kill Bill” movie more than two decades after the franchise first captivated audiences. The actress is actively manifesting another installment, expressing hope that director Quentin Tarantino will eventually return to the iconic story. Fox also reflected on how thrilled she was to land a role, recalling the intense and grueling training she underwent to prepare for her action-heavy scenes.

Tarantino previously entertained the idea of another “Kill Bill” movie, but later changed his stance, saying the story was complete.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Vivica A. Fox expressed her desire for “Kill Bill 3.” In “Kill Bill Vol. 1,” released in 2003, Fox portrayed the role of Vernita Green, aka Copperhead, an elite assassin-turned-housewife.

The saga follows former assassin Beatrix Kiddo (Uma Thurman), known as The Bride, as she exacts revenge on the five people who betrayed her, including Copperhead. The Bride killed Copperhead in an action-packed fight in the latter’s kitchen, with the scene ending in Vernita’s daughter, Nikki, seeing the carnage.

“I’d love for us to be able to do Kill Bill 3 soon,” Fox said. Despite her character’s death, the 61-year-old actress said she could return as a presence warning her daughter. At the end of their fight sequence, The Bride addressed Nikki, saying, “When you grow up, if you still feel raw about it, I’ll be waiting,” implying that she’s expecting the girl to avenge her mother’s death.

Fox also presented the idea of appearing in a flashback sequence if “Kill Bill 3” gets made.

Vivica A. Fox Felt Like She Was Training For The Olympics

Fox performed almost all of her own stunts in her fight scene, except for falling on the glass table. According to the actress, she underwent six months of intense training as preparation.

In an interview for Cocoa Butter in 2025, Fox said the choreographed fight was “vicious,” and she went down several dress sizes. “I literally went from like a size 8/10 down to a size 2. I couldn’t even hold onto the weight,” she explained.

The actress also reminisced about that time with the Daily Mail, saying, “I thought we were like training for the Olympics, but everyone was so dedicated, check their egos at the door, and that’s why the film has become a classic.”

While her character died in “Kill Bill Vol. 1,” Copperhead returned for “Kill Bill Vol. 2” in flashback sequences.

Vivica A. Fox Keeps In Touch With Quentin Tarantino

The actress was asked whether there have been discussions about a third “Kill Bill” movie. “Keep putting it out there in the universe, we just need for Quentin to pick it up and make another,” she responded.

Fox said she had been in contact with the director over the years, and they also see each other at various events. The actress gushed about being cast in “Kill Bill,” expressing how “thrilled” she was to have had the opportunity to work with other stars, including Thurman, Lucy Liu, and Daryl Hannah. She also praised Tarantino, saying, “His contributions as a filmmaker is just undeniable.”

Quentin Tarantino Had An Idea For ‘Kill Bill Vol. 3″

In an interview with Andy Cohen on “Radio Andy” in 2019, Tarantino was asked about the possibility of a third “Kill Bill” movie. At that time, the filmmaker said he had just discussed it with Thurman, revealing that he had an idea.

Tarantino said that he’s toying with the idea of what happened to The Bride after the events in the two movies, but doesn’t want a nonsensical plot. “She doesn’t deserve that. The Bride has fought long and hard,” he explained.

Despite not revealing details about his idea, he shared his timeline, saying, “Now I have an idea that would be interesting. I wouldn’t do it for a little bit. It would be like at least three years from now, or something like that. But it is definitely in the cards,” he said.

The Director Shut Down The Idea Of ‘Kill Bill Vol. 3’

Tarantino teased fans in the years following, even sharing the potential plot for the third movie. In a 2021 appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” the director said it would be set 20 years after the events in Vol. 2, focusing on The Bride and her daughter, B.B.

“The idea of casting Uma and casting her daughter, Maya, and the thing would be f-cking exciting. I mean, Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) is still out there, Sophie Fatale (Julie Dreyfus) got her arms cut off, she’s still out there. They all got Bill’s money. Gogo (Chiaki Kuriyama) had a twin sister, her twin sister could show up,” Tarantino said.

In a 2024 episode of the “Club Random Podcast” with Bill Maher, however, Tarantino firmly said he’s not doing “Kill Bill Vol. 3.” The director believes the story had a logical conclusion and told Maher, “I did it, I killed Bill.”

Hayden Panettiere has broken her silence after her estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, called her “entitled” ahead of the release of her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.

“It was so false,” Panettiere, 36, told Entertainment Tonight of her mom’s statement in an interview published on Monday, May 18. “When people ask me about the relationship, if there’s any hope for the future, I always say I leave that door cracked open in case.”

The Heroes alum continued, “Because who doesn’t want a relationship with their mother? You pray for it and hope it eventually comes. But she slammed that door pretty hard in my face. She has very clearly prioritized herself, which I should not be shocked by.”

Us has reached out to Vogel’s team for comment.

Last week, Vogel released a statement slamming Panettiere’s upcoming book, saying that the allegations that their relationship is rocky were put out to “sell books.”

“There is a personality ‘style’ which manifests as a need for control, entitlement and a lack of empathy,” Vogel told Page Six on Thursday, May 14. “The major fear is that someone will see through the mask they present to the world and discover who they truthfully are.”

Vogel, who previously managed Panettiere’s career, claimed that “this condition cannot be ‘fixed’” regardless of “continual efforts to support” or “comfort,” alleging that there was “20 years of trauma” between them.

Vogel’s remarks came nearly a week after Panettiere exclusively shared in her Us Weekly cover story that she is estranged from her mother.

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“Unfortunately, we don’t have a relationship right now,” she explained. “But that doesn’t mean that I don’t leave the door open for the opportunity to present itself one day. It’s hard for me to say, but I’ve chosen to be brutally honest.”

In her memoir, which drops on Tuesday, May 19, Panettiere opens up about her struggles in Hollywood. The Nashville alum shared that she felt pushed by her mom during the early days of her career.

“It’s so ingrained in me to be a people pleaser. I went on set, and it was all about being professional, nailing it and always hitting my mark. I had to be perfect. It was nice to hear positive feedback from people like the directors or producers, but without [my mom’s], nothing else mattered,” she claimed to Us ahead of the book’s release. “I felt like I had an identity crisis at 12 years old. I didn’t know who I was.”

“One Tree Hill” alum James Lafferty has expressed his desire to compete in the upcoming Season 35 of “Dancing with the Stars.” However, it hinges on one condition, and he asked his fans to help him fulfill the goal.

Lafferty starred on the teen drama series “One Tree Hill” for nine seasons, after which the actor focused on directing, writing, and producing. The two seasons of his crowdfunded TV show, “Everyone Is Doing Great,” were recently licensed by Netflix, and the actor is hopeful for a third season.

Kyle Cooke and estranged wife Amanda Batula made their first public appearance together since their drama with Summer House costar West Wilson erupted earlier this year.

The former couple — who announced their separation in January — posed together on the red carpet at the New York City premiere for their Summer House spinoff show, In the City, on Monday, May 18.

Footage obtained by Entertainment Tonight showed Amanda, 34, gesturing towards Kyle, 43, as they took photos for the press. Kyle then put his arm around his estranged wife’s waist before they both smiled for the cameras.

The Bravoverse melted down on March 31 when Amanda and West, 31, confirmed they were exploring a “connection” after repeatedly denying they were dating.

“We’ve seen the growing online speculation, so while this is still very new, we wanted to provide some clarity,” they wrote in a joint statement. “It was never our intention to purposely hide anything. Given the complicated relationship dynamics involved and the scrutiny that comes with being on a reality show, we needed a little space to process things privately before speaking on it.”

Amanda and West went on, “We’ve shown up for each other as friends over the years, through all the highs and lows, and what’s developed recently was the last thing either of us expected. Our connection grew out of a genuine, longstanding friendship, which made it especially important for us to approach this with care.”

“As our feelings evolved, we wanted to take time to understand exactly what we were feeling,” they concluded. “We also recognize that this has had an impact beyond just us and never wanted our actions to cause any hurt or be perceived as careless. We truly appreciate the understanding and respect as we navigate this.”

Amanda and West have since been spotted together several times on romantic outings, including packing on the PDA for the Kiss Cam at a New York Yankees game in April. (Kyle reacted to the Kiss Cam video by admitting that he was “not prepared to see” his ex kissing her new beau so publicly.)

Numerous questions remain over the exact timeline of Amanda and West getting together. While Summer House fans should get answers during the upcoming season 10 reunion, West insisted there was no “overlap” with any other relationships when they got together. (West previously dated Summer House costar Ciara Miller.)

“There was no overlap,” he said on the April 20 episode of his and Sophie Cunningham’s “Show Me Something” podcast. “I know there’s a thousand different theories on the internet right now, but that is one thing that for sure did not happen. Everyone was single.”

West additionally clarified that he and Amanda realized things were “maybe a little bit serious” in February.

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Since that time, West’s ex Ciara — who is also Amanda’s former best friend — claimed that he may have also slept with married Real Housewives of New Jersey alum Jenn Fessler, though West and Jenn have both strenuously denied the allegation.

Meanwhile, Bravo viewers will get to see the drama surrounding Kyle and Amanda’s separation play out on the new series, In the City, which follows them and their friend group in New York City. The Summer House spinoff sees Amanda and Kyle reunite with Lindsay Hubbard, Daniella Olivera and Andrea Denver, as they are joined by pals Nick Barber, Katie DeLuca, Georgina Ferzli, Whitney Fransway, Eoin Heavey, Kenny Martin, Gavin Moseley, Yvonne Najor and Lexi Sundin.

In the City premieres on Bravo Tuesday, May 19, at 9 p.m. ET, following the Summer House season 10 finale at 8 p.m. ET.

A miniseries is the perfect structure for a psychological thriller, because it tells a twisty story over the course of a handful of episodes, culminating in a shocking and unforgettable ending. Some of the best psychological thriller shows have been miniseries, from Sharp Objects to The Undoing to Behind Her Eyes. These shows slowly unravel major mysteries and introduce new ones at the same time, condensing it all into a single season.

Psychological thriller miniseries are rightfully a popular subgenre of television, but there are several phenomenal ones that never gained the attention that they deserved. One of the most binge-worthy psychological thriller series of recent years is Netflix’s severely underrated Echoes. The intense thriller series is seven episodes long, and it is a true nailbiter from start to finish.

What Is Netflix’s ‘Echoes’ About?

Echoes follows two adult twins, Leni and Gina McCleary (both played by Michelle Monaghan), who have always been extremely close. They keep a shared journal, will do anything to protect each other, and are closer to one another than even their husbands. Every year, on Leni and Gina’s birthday, they switch places and live the other’s life for the next year. At the start of the series, Leni is living as Gina, a wealthy writer in Los Angeles who is married to a therapist named Charlie (Daniel Sunjata). Gina, meanwhile, is living as Leni, on the family farm back in their hometown of Mount Echo, Virginia, with Leni’s husband, Jack (Matt Bomer), and her daughter, Mattie (Gable Swanlund). The past year has seemingly gone as smoothly as ever, and their next birthday is approaching, which will be when they have to switch back. Suddenly, though, Gina — whom everyone else believes is Leni — goes missing.

Leni then drops everything to go back to her hometown for the first time in a year, where her husband and daughter still believe that she is missing. In disguise as Gina, Leni investigates Gina’s disappearance to try to figure out whether she ran away or was taken. Through looking into Gina’s death, Leni has to face some complicated wounds from the past. This includes difficult memories of the twins’ mother’s death, an incident that paralyzed their other sister, Claudia (Ali Stroker), from the waist down, and a church fire that they both witnessed as teenagers, in which a man was killed. Echoes jumps through time over the course of its seven episodes, slowly revealing bits and pieces from Leni and Gina’s lives, while also untangling the messy web that the twins’ lies and swapping got them both into, leading up to Gina’s disappearance. It all builds up to an explosive conclusion that bridges the main narrative with flashbacks from the past, tying everything together in an excellent moment of payoff.

‘Echoes’ Is the Perfect Series To Binge-Watch in One Night

Echoes is a mind-bending and clever series that starts with the simple premise of a woman going missing and her twin sister desperately looking for her. At the core of Echoes, though, is the disturbingly close and codependent bond of Leni and Gina. The two of them share everything and always have, from their jobs to their spouses, to Mattie. Nobody else knows about their annual switching, so the two of them have learned to perfect the art of disappearing into one another and leaving their former selves behind. Where Leni ends, and Gina begins, is a blur, and Echoes is structured in a way that, a lot of the time, even viewers cannot tell which twin is really which.

There are a number of complex mysteries at play that could all have to do with Gina’s disappearance, like Jack and Leni’s money troubles, Gina’s mysterious new job, and the deeply rich and painful past of the McCleary family. Most of all, though, it’s clear that there is a darker undercurrent to Leni and Gina’s shared lives and regular switching. No longer is their plan able to go off without any problems, and as their perfectly-crafted joint lives start to fracture, major twists are revealed along the way. Echoes is the perfect binge-watch because it will keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end with its constant twists and turns. The whole series can be viewed in under seven hours, and it’s an excellent choice for those who love a messy and unsettling mystery.

Echoes is available to stream on Netflix.

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Echoes

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Release Date

2022 – 2022-00-00

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Network

Netflix

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FBI season 8 ended with a massive cliffhanger — and a big change for one special agent. So, what’s next for OA and the team?

Warning: Spoilers below from season 8, episode 22, of FBI.

“Whether the wrongdoer is inside the FBI or outside, we will always find a way to do what is right. It’s kinda his whole thing,” Zeeko Zaki, who plays Omar Adom “OA” Zidan, exclusively told Us Weekly of the explosive Monday, May 18, season 8 finale.

Zaki, 36, also teased that based on his character’s surprising conclusion, season 9 of FBI could pose a threat to OA’s constant push to do good.

“I’m sure some lines will be crossed,” he teased to Us of what’s to come.

During Monday’s episode, the FBI team was forced to work with old foe Anna Vorpe’s team (Claire Coffee), who follows her own rules, while trying to get back a stolen bioweapon and prevent an outbreak in New York City.

After the team failed to secure the lethal pathogen before a bus full of civilians were infected, they had to pivot and try and find the antigen that had also been stolen. As soon as OA and his partner, Special Agent Maggie Bell (Missy Peregrym), got hold of the case, Anna’s team turned on them, beating both OA and Maggie to a pulp. Anna’s team claimed they had their own “orders” and rushed off with the pathogen to give it to their boss.

Once back at headquarters, the entire FBI team was told that “today never happened” and to never speak of the incident again.

OA and Maggie were visibly upset by the idea that the infected civilians were now collateral damage, especially after their new director cryptically informed the team that the bus was “moved” to allegedly “treat” them.

OA didn’t accept the director’s explanation, calling him a “disgrace” to the bureau, which led him to be fired on the spot.

“We all have our limits, and so does OA,” Zaki exclusively told Us of the pivotal scene. “It’s fun to watch him hit that wall. And I can’t wait to see where I go from here.”

OA doesn’t fight back, though — instead he goes into the bullpen to say goodbye to ASAC Jubal Valentine (Jeremy Sisto), who is in complete shock over the decision.

While OA’s direct boss, SAC Isobel Castille (Alana De La Garza), remained silent during the dramatic moment, Special Agent Stuart Scola (John Boyd) started to tear up over the idea of OA leaving.

Maggie stopped OA before he left the building, saying, “I cannot lose you too,” referring to the death of her sister earlier this season.

OA responded, “You’re never going to lose me, Mags,” before seeing himself out.

To add insult to injury, OA was approached later that night at a bar by Anna. She told him a sob story about why her team needed the antidote more than the civilians that were exposed to the city, claiming their deaths would be “for the greater good.”

In a surprising twist, Anna then offered OA a spot on her taskforce, who she said works “off the books” for the Department of Defense.

At the end of the episode, OA made a call while staring at Anna’s business card, hinting that he might be considering the position — even though the villainous Anna was partly to blame for his firing.

“I’m in,” OA said when Maggie and Isobel pick up the phone on the other end, revealing that OA will be joining Anna’s strike team and seemingly helping the FBI take her down once and for all.

“I like to think that was always the plan,” Zaki told Us of the plot twist to have OA get axed but have both Maggie and Isobel know it was going to happen. “Step one was to get fired, and step two … let’s say we’re lucky it worked out.”

Zaki noted that although fans can breathe a little easier knowing that OA’s partner Maggie and his boss, Isobel, know he’s going undercover with Anna’s team, the rest of his pals have no clue what’s going on.

“We are trying to protect everyone as much as we can and their jobs. So what they know won’t hurt them,” Zaki explained. “But I can’t wait to see how they react when they find out.”

When it comes to what OA will be like as a member of Anna’s off-the-books team, Zaki said his moral compass will be tested. The actor, however, noted he hopes for “some bloody revenge” on strike team member Devon, who was responsible for beating OA up during the finale.

“At the end of the day he will always choose his righteous path … fingers crossed,” Zaki said of OA, who is open to running the FBI one day — assuming he gets out of this twisted position alive next season.

Zaki, who has been on the series since the premiere in 2018, told Us that season 9 will be a challenge for everyone, confirming that he doesn’t know who Maggie will be partnered with while OA is absent.

His goal, however, is “always deepening Maggie and OA’s relationship.”

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Zaki also pointed out that fans might see more of possible love interest Special Agent Zara Ushruf (Pardis Saremi), who took the heat for OA earlier this season when he went a little rogue.

“I’m excited to see where Zara goes. She is so fun to work with,” he teased. “And I hope, in the first episode, at least we get to see OA on the other side for a little while.”

FBI returns for season 9 on CBS fall 2026.