As the U.S. Men’s National Team prepares to take the world stage, soccer legend Landon Donovan is keeping expectations grounded while still believing Team USA is capable of making serious noise. The former U.S. soccer star and current broadcaster opened up about the team’s World Cup potential while speaking to reporters, including The Blast, during a celebrity shift at Raising Cane’s new Inglewood Flagship Restaurant on Tuesday, June 9.

When asked what fans should realistically expect from the U.S. this summer, Donovan admitted there is plenty of potential, but cautioned that making a deep run in the tournament is no easy feat. “They are capable of beating any team,” Donovan said. “That is happening. Soccer’s a unique sport, and one goal can be the difference between how things go.”

However, Donovan stopped short of predicting a Cinderella story for the Americans. “What’s realistic is probably winning one or two knockout [games],” he explained. “The challenge is, can you do it twice in a row, three times in a row, four times in a row, five times in a row against world-class teams? That’s the part that’s hard.”

The soccer icon pointed out just how difficult sustained success on the international stage truly is, noting that only a select few nations have ever managed to win the tournament. Still, Donovan believes this version of the U.S. squad has the ability to surprise people.

Donovan Says Christian Pulisic Has Opportunity To Make History

Donovan also weighed in on the growing conversation surrounding U.S. soccer star Christian Pulisic and whether he could someday surpass him as the greatest American player of all time.

When asked about recent comments from soccer analyst Alexi Lalas, who suggested Pulisic could eventually claim that title, Donovan acknowledged the possibility, especially if the team delivers a memorable run. “He absolutely has that opportunity and he’s capable,” Donovan said.

According to Donovan, a standout tournament on home soil could elevate Pulisic’s legacy to another level. “If this team gets to quarterfinals or semifinals, has this miraculous run, and he scores four goals or five goals or six goals and becomes one of the stars in the tournament, that is miles better than anything any of us [did],” Donovan said.

Landon Donovan Says This World Cup Feels Bigger Than Ever

For Donovan, this year’s tournament carries a deeper significance, especially with matches taking place in the United States. Reflecting on his own first World Cup experience in 1994, Donovan recalled attending a match as a kid and realizing the sport was much bigger than he ever imagined. “In ’94, I went to my first World Cup game,” he said. “The first time in my life, my eyes were opened to this bigger world that I didn’t know existed.”

Now, Donovan believes millions of young fans could experience that same spark. “There will be millions of girls and boys who watch this summer and go, ‘Oh my God, I want to be like them,’” he said.

While Donovan admitted he’s feeling nervous ahead of the tournament, he said excitement outweighs everything else. “I am nervous,” he admitted. “I’m also really optimistic and excited.”

Donovan Says World Cup Finally Feels Real

Although Donovan has experienced the pressure of the World Cup as a player, he admitted this year’s tournament feels different now that he’s preparing to cover the action from the broadcast booth.

The former soccer star, who is set to head to Mexico City to call the opening match, said the magnitude of the moment only recently began to sink in. “Honestly, this week did,” Donovan said when asked when the tournament finally started to feel real. “Probably yesterday … we were doing my podcast and we’re like, ‘Oh my God, it’s three days.’”

Landon Donovan Admits He Still Feels Deeply Connected To Team USA

Donovan said seeing Los Angeles transformed by World Cup energy also made the moment hit harder. “Driving up here and seeing Hollywood Park and SoFi … when I flew over, I was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s here,’” he said. “I’m seeing World Cup stuff everywhere.”

Despite no longer being on the pitch, Donovan admitted he still feels deeply connected to Team USA and remains emotionally invested in the sport’s continued growth. “I care deeply, deeply, deeply about this,” Donovan said. “This opportunity is bigger than anything that’s ever been presented to us.”

Dean Cain is facing backlash after appearing to laugh at a viral meme mocking “Supergirl” star Milly Alcock’s appearance. The former “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” actor sparked outrage online after responding to a social media post that compared the 26-year-old actress to Cha-ka, the ape-like character from the 1974 television series “Land of the Lost.” The exchange quickly gained traction among superhero fans, many of whom accused Cain of unnecessarily targeting Alcock as she prepares to lead one of DC’s biggest upcoming films.

The controversy began after a user on X, formerly Twitter, shared an unflattering image of Cha-ka alongside a photo of Alcock and asked, “And why does she look like this guy?”

Cain responded to the post with: “Dang it… I laughed,” followed by a smiling emoji.

The reaction immediately drew criticism, particularly from fans who argued the longtime “Superman” actor should have defended a fellow DC star rather than join in on the joke. “What a fantastic way to kill your legacy, @RealDeanCain,” one critic wrote. “And what a glorious way to lose the respect of millions of kids that looked up to you three decades ago. What a disgrace.”

Another fan claimed Cain’s behavior had permanently changed how they viewed his time as Superman. “Your Superman performance is never going to be looked back upon fondly, your bitter jealousy has tainted any legacy you had left,” another person wrote.

As criticism mounted, Cain later clarified that he “never said she was ugly,” though he appeared largely unfazed by the backlash surrounding the viral exchange.

Milly Alcock Previously Opened Up About Scrutiny Toward Women In Franchises

The backlash comes months after Alcock acknowledged she expected criticism ahead of the “Supergirl” release, particularly after her experience starring in HBO’s “House of the Dragon.” Speaking to Vanity Fair in April, Alcock reflected on the intense scrutiny women often face inside major fandoms.

“It definitely made me aware that simply existing as a woman in that space is something that people comment on,” she said. “We have become very comfortable having this weird ownership of women’s bodies. I can’t really stop them. I can only be myself.”

Her comments later sparked debate online, with some critics comparing Alcock to “Snow White” actress Rachel Zegler, another young star who found herself at the center of franchise backlash.

Rachel Zegler Also Faced Intense Scrutiny Over Appearance And Identity

Like Alcock, Zegler faced intense scrutiny while stepping into an iconic role, later admitting the criticism surrounding Disney’s 2025 live-action “Snow White” became deeply personal. Because of her Colombian heritage, Zegler faced aggressive pushback from critics who argued Snow White should be portrayed by a white actress.

Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar, the actress admitted the reaction was difficult to process, especially because she had previously faced criticism while starring as Maria in 2021’s “West Side Story.” “I was told I wasn’t enough of one thing for ‘West Side Story’ and too much of another for ‘Snow White,’” Zegler shared.

The actress said the experience left her questioning how mixed-race performers are perceived in Hollywood and online spaces. “I grew up proud of being Colombian,” she said. “Eating the food, wearing the dresses, drinking the coffee, doing all the things that were so intrinsic to who I was as a kid and who I am as an adult.”

Still, Zegler admitted public reaction sometimes made her feel caught between identities. “I do think there’s an argument to be made that, in the public eye at least, when you’re two things, you’re simultaneously nothing,” she explained. “But I refuse to assimilate for anybody else’s comfort.”

For some fans, the criticism surrounding both Zegler and Alcock highlights a growing pattern of intense scrutiny aimed at young women stepping into iconic franchise roles.

‘Supergirl’ Already Faces An Uphill Battle At The Box Office

The Alcock-Cain controversy also arrives as anticipation builds for “Supergirl,” the second theatrical release in DC’s rebooted cinematic universe.

Alcock briefly appeared in last year’s “Superman,” which grossed more than $618 million worldwide and served as an introduction to her upcoming standalone film. However, early projections suggest “Supergirl” may struggle to match that momentum.

According to Deadline, the movie is currently tracking for a $55 million opening weekend, significantly below the $125 million debut of Superman last year. The outlet also reported the film carries an estimated production budget of roughly $175 million, excluding marketing costs.

James Gunn Also Addressed ‘Supergirl’ Criticism Head-On

As debate surrounding “Supergirl” continues online, director James Gunn has also found himself stepping in to address criticism tied to the film.

Gunn, whose 2025 “Superman” movie sparked backlash from some conservative viewers over its immigrant origin story, recently responded directly to online discussion surrounding Alcock’s appearance as Kara Zor-El.

After social media users questioned aspects of the character’s look, Gunn defended the creative choices behind the reboot while offering an in-universe explanation. “As explained in ‘Superman,’ the same way she gets drunk, she goes to a planet with a red sun. Not to mention, she was raised on a chunk of Krypton, so didn’t even experience superpowers until her teens,” Gunn wrote on Threads.

Despite the online criticism, “Supergirl” is still expected to be a major test for DC’s evolving cinematic future when it hits theaters later this month.

Joshua Jackson can’t help but praise longtime friend Katie Holmes after they worked together on the upcoming movie Happy Hours.

“It takes many hands to make a movie. And I am thankful to every hand that touched this one. But … this is a Katie appreciation post,” Jackson, 47, captioned an Instagram post on Tuesday, June 9. “It is because of her light that all those hands were brought together. Because of [the] generosity of her spirit that she wanted to bring this wonderful, loving, hopeful story into the world.”

He continued, “Because of her tenacity that she shepherded it from the blank page through the editing room and onto that screen last saturday night. Because she is such an incredible friend that she made the space for us to be able to play together again after all these years.”

The summer of 2025 brought Dawson’s Creek fans into a frenzy when it was announced that Jackson and Holmes, 47, would reunite onscreen for the upcoming movie. The film is set to be part of a trilogy, which follows a couple deciding if their relationship is worth a second chance.

It marks the first time they acted together since Dawson’s Creek came to an end in 2003. Jackson and Holmes played Pacey and Joey, respectively, in the show and briefly dated offscreen for about a year following the show’s debut in 1998.

“I was amazed when we were kids and she was the bravest most raw of us telling the truth in every moment,” Jackson continued in his Tuesday Instagram caption. “And I am amazed now to watch her as a leader, with the same commitment to kindness, strength through compassion, to truth and the essential hopefulness of existence.”

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Dawson’s Creek alums Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes are channeling their inner Pacey and Joey more than two decades after the show’s finale. Jackson, 47, and Holmes, 46, were all smiles while reuniting on the set of her new untitled movie in New York City on Monday, July 21. Jackson rocked a green button-up jacket […]

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He concluded, “I hope you all enjoy this movie as much as I did. And you can be amazed by her too. P.S. had to crop out some annoying dude who wouldn’t leave her alone.”

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Jackson and Holmes’ new movie debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday, June 6. The two held hands while walking the red carpet and chatting with reporters about their longtime connection.

“The time that we spent together when we were young is very precious to both of us,” Jackson told reporters. “And [it] is like one of the core personal and professional relationships in my life.”

He added, “I was both flattered and very excited to have the opportunity to come back and share this space with you after all of these years.”

Claressa Shields has responded to a critic who told her she was “pressed” after Remy Ma‘s latest rap verse.

RELATED: Oop! Claressa Shields Claps Back After Folks Go IN On Her Recent Baecation Footage With Papoose (WATCH)

Claressa Shields Responds To Critic Who Says She’s “Pressed” After Remy Ma’s Latest Rap Verse

On Monday, June 8, Claressa Shields took to X, formerly known as X, to share a few words. “🤣 I’ve been addressed by name in songs. Maybe like 6 songs now. If a b!tch ain’t saying my name she not dissin me. Cause I’ll 100% diss anybody back! Just Say my name like Destiny’s Child ! #PapRightHere #claressashields #Ms8MillionDollarWoman #ClaressaVsEverybody 🥳🤪”

One X user appeared to believe Shields’ words were about Remy Ma, who was recently featured on the remix of French Montana and Max B’s ‘Ever Since U Left Me.‘ Additionally, the user wrote:

“You so press about Remy you thinking she dissing you ..you so damn delusional 😭”

This led Shields to immediately reply.

Social Media Weighs In On Claressa Shields’ Response

Social media users entered TSR’s comment section to share their thoughts on Claressa Shields’ response.

More On Remy Ma’s Latest Rap Verse

As The Shade Room previously reported, earlier this month, French Montana, Max B, and Remy Ma teased the visuals for their ‘Ever Since U Left Me’ remix. The visual featured the trio doing street-side freestyles, at a specific line dropped by Remy caught major attention.

“Always the one never the two, told him find something stupid to play with, he picked you,” she rapped.

RELATED: Bars On Sight? Remy Ma Seemingly Takes Shots At Papoose & Claressa While Debuting New Look In Spicy Clip (VIDEO)

Former Penn State football long snapper Kyle Vasey was hospitalized and his fiancée, Corinne More, was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Colorado. 

“Kyle was the victim of a terrible accident while out walking with his fiancée,” Kyle’s parents, Bruce and Shelly, shared in a GoFundMe created amid their son’s road to recovery. “A pickup truck negligently drove off the road and ran them down, going approximately 45 mph. The driver turned around to check out the damage he caused, then cowardly fled the scene.”

The former Penn State player endured “multiple fractures” all over his body, according to the GoFundMe. 

The driver, 28-year-old Adam Bauserman, was eventually taken into custody after the tragedy, which happened on June 3. Bauserman was already driving with a suspended license from a previous DUI when he struck three pedestrians who were walking on the sidewalk. 

Related: University of Kentucky Football Player Nic Smith Found Dead at 20

University of Kentucky football player Nic Smith was found dead on campus, the school announced on Monday, June 8.  School spokesman Jay Blanton said the University of Kentucky Police Department received a call around 10 a.m. on Monday reporting that a student had been found dead in a residence hall. Smith’s death was announced later […]

More, 35, did not survive, while Kyle was seriously injured. Dianne Windes, 72, was the third victim. She was reportedly walking in the opposite direction of the couple and hospitalized with serious injuries, per CBS News.

Deputies did not detect signs of intoxication, but are waiting on Bauserman’s blood test results for confirmation. At the time of the crash, Bauserman is believed to have been driving roughly 48 miles per hour. 

When he was tracked down by authorities, CBS News reported that Bauserman asked police, “Do you know if I killed the man?”

A doctor stated in an affidavit that Kyle is at substantial risk for permanent disfigurement or death. 

“His left arm was the only limb not injured,” the fundraiser explained. “He has 3 spine fractures and 4 broken ribs. So far he has had six surgeries. At this point, he’s still on a ventilator and is sedated to help manage the pain while his body recovers. Thankfully, there was no major head trauma, and everyone is optimistic about his physical recovery. However, it is expected to be a long road of recovery.”

Witnesses allege that Bauserman intentionally aimed his vehicle at all three pedestrians, which Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly addressed.”This was a horrific scene,” Weekly told CBS. 

“If we can prove that, we’ll certainly do that, but at this point we have no indication of that,” he said.

Related: CBS Sports Employee Dead at 31 After Crash During Memorial Championship

Bryce Adair, a production assistant for CBS Sports, has died after being involved in a car crash while working the 2026 Memorial Championship.  The single-car accident happened on Wednesday, June 3, near the site of the tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Adair was transported to Columbus’ Riverside Methodist Hospital, where he […]

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The GoFundMe has raised over $24,000 at the time of this story’s publication. 

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“At this time, we are asking for your thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery of his body, heart, and mind,” Kyle’s parents wrote. “However, any donations to help with his ever-climbing medical bills would be greatly appreciated.”

Kyle played at Penn State from 2018 to 2019. He agreed to a contract with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent after graduating, but he never saw professional action. 

In recent years, Kyle has been working as a real estate agent in Denver. 

A mother and father in Iowa were arrested after their 10-year-old child was allegedly found malnourished and locked up inside of their home.

Andrew C. Warrington and Kellie J. Warrington have been charged with first-degree kidnapping, child endangerment, willful injury and neglect or abandonment of a dependent person, according to Scott County jail records viewed by Us Weekly.

The victim’s identity has not been publicly revealed due to them being a minor. However, KWQC reported that the child was just 10 years old.

Andrew, 48, and Kellie, 47, allegedly “knowingly and secretly confined” the child in a bedroom for an extended period of time, according to Scott County arrest affidavits viewed by Our Quad Cities. The conditions of the bedroom were stark and did not include any furniture for the child to rest on.

The parents allegedly didn’t allow the child to use the bathroom, as well as deprived them of light, food and water during their confinement.

Andrew and Kellie reportedly concealed the situation by not allowing the child to attend medical appointments or mental health appointments and removed them from church activities, per the affidavits.

The lack of stimulation “for large periods of time [resulted] in both mental and physical torture” for the victim, according to court records viewed by Our Quad Cities. The child was also said to have suffered head injuries during their time trapped in the room.

“Without medical intervention, (the child) was at risk of death,” the affidavits claimed.

After authorities learned of the situation, the child was treated at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, according to KWQC. The current status of their health is unknown.

It is not currently clear how authorities became aware of the situation or how long an investigation into the matter lasted before Andrew and Kellie were arrested.

Andrew and Kellie were arrested on Friday, June 5, and are currently being held at Scott County Jail on $2 million cash-only bonds as of Tuesday, June 9. Both Andrew and Kellie are expected to attend a preliminary hearing on June 16.

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It is not currently clear if Andrew and Kellie have entered pleas or retained legal counsel following their arrests. The Scott County Sheriff’s Department did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding the arrests.

The investigation into the case remains ongoing.

If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit ChildHelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential, and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Invincible is, without a doubt, one of the most popular superhero animated series of all time. In the vein of The Boys, this Prime Video show is brutal, bloody, and vulgar. However, it is filled to the brim with far more heart, love, and soul that helps define this series as one not of ridiculous gore and shock value, but telling a story about heroism, the price of it, and what it means to truly be one as a young person.

Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) is very well-written and the world around him is also very well-established. Not only does Invincible have the writing of the original Invincible (2003) comic series writer, Robert Kirkman, behind it, but a bunch of new writers helping out now, as well. Having a whole writer’s room supporting the show and giving new ideas and reframing old ones has helped Invincible become something even more amazing than the original book, in some people’s opinions.

10

“A Deal with the Devil”

Season 3, Episode 2

Image via Prime Video

One of the most complex and interesting characters in Invincible isn’t just Mark Grayson, but none other than Cecil Stedman (Walton Goggins). No other episode fully depicts this like the likes of Invincible Season 3, Episode 2, “A Deal with the Devil”. The divide that inevitably comes between Invincible and the old, but badass man, is one of the best conflicts in the series. After the betrayal of Nolan Grayson (J.K. Simmons)—Omni-Man—Cecil’s trust in Viltrumites and, honestly, powerful people in general, is at an all-time low. Not to mention, the episode also depicts an origin of sorts for Stedman.

All of this culminates in a conflict that pulls the two apart. When it’s revealed that Cecil has been working with both Darkwing II (Cleveland Berto) as an agent and D.A. Sinclair (Eric Bauza) to create the ReAnimen—two people he considers to be vile killers—Mark flips out and attacks him, causing him to reveal his hand that he has implanted anti-Viltrumite technology in Mark’s head—a total invasion of privacy. This severs their alliance for seemingly good and puts Mark completely on his own, as well as sewing conflict in the members of the new Guardians of the Globe.

9

“I Thought You Were Stronger”

Season 2, Episode 8

Image via Prime Video

Despite the fact that it sometimes suffers from mid-season slumps in animation quality, the Invincible team always goes all-out for their big finales, and the finale for Season 2, Invincible Season 2, Episode 8, “I Thought You Were Stronger” is a great example. This is one of the first times that Mark’s family is genuinely put in danger, and it causes him to put to test all moral standards that he holds for himself as Angstrom Levy (Sterling K. Brown) severely harms his mother, Debbie Grayson (), and holds her and his little brother hostage.

Not only does this result in an awesome fight, but it features Mark being sent to tons of other universes, including a great reference to Spider-Man and the story the two have together in the comics, as seen in Marvel Team-Up #14 (2005). Now Agent Spider (Josh Keaton), the Web-Slinger is voiced by none other than Josh Keaton, voice of The Spectacular Spider-Man himself. With a great cameo and phenomenal fight, the Season 2 finale is one to remember.

8

“Don’t Leave Me Hanging Here”

Season 4, Episode 8

Image via Prime Video

The Season 4 finale—Invincible Season 4, Episode 8, “Don’t Leave Me Hanging Here”—emphasizes the fact that not only does Invincible thrive in action-based conflict, but the narrative-based conflict, as well. After the terrible fight with the Viltrumites and being gone from Earth for so long, Mark deals with the emotional fallout of it all, and is given a horrible choice.

Mark doesn’t just discover that Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs) was pregnant and had to make a difficult choice all on her own (causing him to feel extremely guilty), but he finds out that the Viltrumites have secretly invaded Earth, and Grant Regent Thragg (Lee Pace) comes to him with a choice: fight him now and let Earth be destroyed and conquered, or allow his people to live and breed on Earth, doing nothing about it and letting the planet live another day. It’s a terrible position to be in and, while he resists at first, Mark accepts. After a whole episode of what seems like PTSD causing him to think he’s seeing Thragg, the eventual reveal of the real deal is executed masterfully.

7

“Don’t Do Anything Rash”

Season 4, Episode 7

Image via Prime Video

Everyone loves a good battle-oriented episode and one of the best comes in the form of Invincible Season 4, Episode 7, “Don’t Do Anything Rash” as Invincible, Oliver Grayson (Christian Convery), Nolan, Tech Jacket (Zoey Deutch), Battle Beast (Michael Dorn), Space Racer (Winston Duke), and the Coalition of Planets raid Viltrum to face the Viltrumites head-on. While the fight seems like it’ll go alright at the beginning, nothing goes the way they hoped it would.

This fight with the Viltrumites is brutal and has gigantic repercussions for the rest of the series and the characters present in the fight. Not only is Thaedus (Peter Cullen), leader of the Coalition, murdered, but Oliver is gravely injured, seemingly dead until revealed to have a chance at recovery. This episode also ends in the destruction of the entire planet of Viltrum, ripping almost everything Thragg loved away from him.

6

“It’s About Time”

Season 1, Episode 1

Image via Amazon

A good pilot can define whether a series will find success or not and the pilot of Invincible, Invincible Season 1, Episode 1, “It’s About Time” is an amazing one. While it may start out seeming like the standard superhero series with a bit of brutal The Boys flair, the big twist at the end of the episode solidifies this as a show that will be subverting expectations and unlike what people believed it would be in the majority of the first entry in this series.

After Mark has his big “first fly” as Invincible, in his new suit, set to an awesome soundtrack, audiences watch as his father, the ever-beloved Omni-Man, murders the Guardians of the Globe in cold blood. Why does he do this? No one is sure, and that leads to a mystery and season-long conflict that has viewers invested from start to finish.

5

“What Have I Done?”

Season 3, Episode 7

Image via Prime Video

The “Invincible War” arc from the comics is one that fans of said source material were looking forward to being animated more than most parts of the series up until this episode. Invincible Season 3, Episode 7, “What Have I Done?” depicts Angstrom Levy’s attack on the world via an army of evil Invincibles from across the multiverse in hopes of destroying the Invincible name for good.

This doesn’t just showcase how easy it would be for Mark to take over the planet if he wanted, but how much he is genuinely stronger than his fellow heroes. While a lot of them have died by the end of the episode, the hero can only stop the invasion for good by locking both Angstrom and the leftover Invincibles in another dimension. It’s a brutal episode that doesn’t just ruin the name of Invincible, but ends up in the death of Red Splode (Jason Mantzoukas).

4

“Give Us a Moment”

Season 4, Episode 5

Image via Prime Video

Conquest (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Is. Back. He isn’t just simply back, but he’s back and badder than he’s ever been. As the team is assembled by Allen the Alien (Seth Rogen) and Nolan, soon leaving Earth and heading to space to face the Viltrumite Empire, Mark finally gets his rematch with Conquest… and it doesn’t go as anyone hopes.

When the two go face-to-face again, Mark manages to actually kill Conquest this time, but at a terrible cost. In one of the most brutal, gory, and hard-to-watch scenes in the series, as he chokes Conquest to death, the evil Viltrumite slices the young protagonist’s abdomen open and pulls out his guts. Mark doesn’t give in and kills Conquest, but it puts him into a coma that will come to last for months.

3

“It’s Been a While”

Season 2, Episode 4

Image via Prime Video

When Mark is called to an alien planet to help them, he finds someone he could have never, ever expected to see there: his father, Nolan. Having not seen him since their big fight at the end of Season 1, when he fled Earth after beating Mark almost to death, the young man, understandably, doesn’t have a great reaction to seeing his dad again. To make matters worse, his good ‘ol pops reveals to him that he’s had another son with a member of the alien race on the planet he’s been residing on.

Although, at the end of the day, Mark is still grateful to see his father because, well, he’s still his father. Audiences get to see where Nolan went and what he did after leaving Earth, getting to witness the fact that he’s actually on a path to redemption and the call on Mark to save this planet was genuine. This is because the Viltrumites are coming and Nolan genuinely doesn’t want the people of this planet to suffer the way Earth did with him. So, together, in a fight scene that is absolutely iconic, father and son team up to take on the oncoming Viltrumites and save the planet. Nolan is taken, and Mark is left with his new baby brother.

2

“I Thought You’d Never Shut Up”

Season 3, Episode 8

Image via Prime Video

The finale of Season 3, features one of the best, most brutal, and hard-hitting battles in all of Invincible. After Conquest comes to Earth at the end of the previous episode, he and Mark finally get to fight, and it’s an episode-long trading of blows that is unlike any other in the entire show—potentially only rivaled by that of his fight with Nolan in the Season 1 finale.

Invincible Season 3, Episode 8, “I Thought You’d Never Shut Up” is meant to show not just Mark, but the viewers how truly unrelenting the Viltrumites are. Conquest doesn’t hold back for a single second and almost kills young Oliver, and full-on murders Atom Eve. He doesn’t even begin to entertain talking with Mark and the hero is only able to “kill” him by smashing his head into him over and over (after having almost all of his limps immobilized and broken). Thankfully, Atom Eve doesn’t fully die, but this fight leaves Mark in a space that redefines how he sees heroism as a whole.

1

“Where I Really Come From”

Season 1, Episode 8

Image via Prime Video

There’s truly zero question about the fact that the best episode of Invincible, to this very day, is Invincible Season 1, Episode 8, “Where I Really Come From”—aka the big finale of the first season outing. When Nolan’s villainy is finally revealed, it seems as if no one stands a chance against him besides his own son, Mark. Before they fight, though, Nolan tries to avoid this outcome by explaining to Mark, as the title states, where he really comes from.

It’s here the audience and the young hero finally get to hear the truth about Nolan and the Viltrumite race. Because he’s a good person, Invincible immediately denies this plan to take over the planet and fights his father, who is still abundantly stronger than him. In reality, it’s an episode of Nolan beating the ever-loving snot out of his son and almost murdering him. Not to mention, the fight ends in the best monologue in the series from the villain that is still quoted today. Until the end of time, this episode will remain unforgettable.

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Invincible

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Release Date

March 26, 2021

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Network

Amazon Prime Video

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By Robert Scucci
| Published 5 seconds ago

This past weekend, I celebrated my birthday by going to see The Book of Mormon for the first time at The Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC). My wife bought us tickets, which I have not looked up the price for because I don’t want to have a heart attack, and I finally checked off the last box I needed to earn the best kind of bragging rights: to the best of my knowledge, I’ve finally seen every single project that Trey Parker and Matt Stone have their names attached to.

I have my own La-Z-Boy BASEketball (also a gift from my wife), and I fall asleep to the sound of the South Park DVD mini-commentaries more than I’d ever care to admit publicly. I’ve watched all of their college skits, and even the ill-fated and short-lived Princess series that the duo animated with Macromedia Flash.

The one thing that was missing from my life was The Book of Mormon, and for a pretty stupid reason. When the musical premiered in 2011, I was fresh out of college (read: broke) and starting to do that whole “career” thing (read: trying to move out of my parents’ house). So what it comes down to is that I’m cheap, and even though I would take the occasional trip to NYC to play shows with my bands, I never jumped at the opportunity to see the damn thing until this past Sunday.

I’m overjoyed to report that, as somebody who will blindly consume everything Trey Parker and Matt Stone put out, I’m more than willing to forget about Seasons 27 and 28 of South Park because The Book of Mormon is their magnum opus, and it’s not even close. The version of the play I saw didn’t feature any of the original cast, but the production was such a well-oiled machine that I don’t think that matters much. The songs hit hard, the jokes lit up the room with laughter, and I’ve never had so much fun cackling at other people’s misfortune because it’s all framed so wholesomely.

All About Mormons

This is where I come clean and admit that I’ve never attended the theater outside of the occasional high school trip when I was in the symphonic band and got dragged to the opera or symphony while competing. I was relieved when my wife told me I didn’t need to wear a tie or anything like that, and even more stoked when I found out I could order a hot dog and a Diet Coke for a nominal fee. The theater itself was beyond efficient. The only comparison I have in recent memory is a typical movie theater trip, where the concession line could potentially take you away from the film you’re trying to see for a not insignificant amount of time.

TPAC has a firm cutoff for stragglers, which worried me, but to their credit, they belted out concessions like nobody’s business. After looking for parking during CMA Fest (we gave ourselves plenty of time, relax), we were getting down to the wire.

The play itself is exactly what you’d expect from Trey Parker and Matt Stone. If you’re a longtime fan of South Park, you already know exactly what they think about the Mormons after watching the Season 7 episode “All About Mormons” (dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb-dumb!). The thesis presented in that episode is a simple one: the religion itself is often criticized for claiming that Jesus Christ visited the Americas, and that its scripture came from golden plates that only Joseph Smith could see and translate. It doesn’t hold up to scrutiny, but the flip side is that Mormons are also considered some of the kindest and most wholesome people you’ll ever meet, so that’s the tradeoff.

The Book of Mormon pushes this sentiment to extremes when the young, naive, and idealistic Elder Price and Elder Cunningham are shipped off to their first two-year mission assignment. Elder Price is dead set on going to Orlando, Florida, but as luck would have it, he’s paired with Cunningham, an emotionally immature pathological liar who means well but can’t help getting himself into heaps of trouble when left unsupervised.

They quickly learn that they weren’t adequately trained to handle the very real, very deadly problems awaiting them in Uganda, where a warlord named General Butt-F*cking-Naked rules with an iron fist and everybody fears for their lives. It’s a perfect odd-couple, coming-of-age story that uses the Mormon religion as its vehicle to show the insurmountable odds stacked against these young missionaries, and how they handle them as two kids from Utah who have, up until this point, lived very sheltered lives.

It Holds Up, Even If I’ve Never Seen It Before

My biggest fear going into The Book of Mormon for the first time was whether the humor would still land. Generally speaking, most things that were considered irreverent or offensive just a few years ago seem tame by today’s standards, especially when they’re rooted in topical humor. It’s the reason I think South Park’s most recent run may have been funny in the moment but won’t hold up 10 years from now as anything worth revisiting.

Heck, in the South Park documentary, 6 Days to Air, Matt Stone commented on the show’s early seasons and compared them to Yo Gabba Gabba! when discussing what they’re allowed to get away with now. With that in mind, my enthusiasm was guarded, but the conflicts presented in The Book of Mormon are not only as old as time, they’re universal. There is still civil unrest in developing countries, and young men and women still do missionary work, meaning the entire premise holds up without feeling dated.

As for the humor itself, it’s shocking how many different people were into The Book of Mormon. Songs like “Hasa Diga Eebowai” hilariously, and profanely, spell out the kinds of perils the characters face in Uganda, but then you get naively wholesome songs like “Sal Tlay Ka Siti,” which is all about starting fresh in the elusive and mythical paradise known as Salt Lake City, Utah. There’s really something for everybody here so long as you don’t mind a gratuitous amount of curse words peppered through each song and dance number. 

Understudy Didn’t Break The Illusion

Between Act I and Act II, the role of Elder Cunningham was swapped out, and we were told over the loudspeakers that Jacob Aune would be replaced by Keith Gruber for the remainder of the musical. For what reason? I don’t know. Aune was magnetic, and his boisterous presence and enthusiasm for messing everything up for Elder Price (Ethan Davenport) never felt phoned in. I wondered if he fell ill or something because, if he was fighting off whatever caused the change, I couldn’t tell at all.

Honestly, the set changes were so efficient, even with the lights completely killed at times between musical numbers, that I wondered if Aune had been injured while everybody was shuffling around backstage and had to be swapped out quickly, though I’m only guessing here. His understudy, despite having brown hair instead of red and a noticeably different build, didn’t miss a beat. I’m no expert, but when one of the leads is swapped out right before his character’s big number, “Making Things Up Again,” and the show continues without a single hiccup, I’ll always be impressed.

It was also a treat to see two very talented individuals portray the same character, which allowed me to see what each performer brought to the table and how they contributed to the overall show. I’m calling this experience a treat because I’m notoriously cheap, and this will probably be the only time I venture out to see The Book of Mormon. I felt like I got a two-for-one deal!

The Book of Mormon was everything I thought it would be, and it may very well be Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s crowning achievement. Just like the most timeless South Park episodes, the musical doesn’t lean on topical humor, and its jokes will still land another 15 years from now. I watched elderly women laugh their asses off at jokes about maggots living in a poor Ugandan’s scrotum, and people my age cover their mouths when Elder Cunningham finally converts Nabulungi after essentially telling her that Mormonism is Star Wars.

I got lost twice looking for the bathroom line during intermission, and at one point I spit up my Diet Coke during “Hello! (Reprise)” toward the end of the musical. Don’t worry, I caught it in my shirt, and nobody was harmed.

If you’re like me and hate crowded places but love all things Trey Parker and Matt Stone, you owe it to yourself to check out The Book of Mormon, which is currently running shows all over the country as part of its 15th anniversary celebration.