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‘Masters of the Universe’ Can’t Replace One of the Greatest ’80s Toy Shows

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The 1980s were a veritable golden age of toy-based cartoons, especially in the action-figure-driven category. Many success stories grew out of that era, including Masters of the Universe, and its spin-off, She-Ra: Princess of Power, The Transformers, ThunderCats, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. However, the arguable king of the 1980s toy-based cartoons was the classic, animated series for Hasbro’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. G.I. Joe led the pack through the formative decade of “toyetic” action-adventure animated shows, but Hollywood still struggles to get G.I. Joe right.

A Collaboration Between Hasbro and Marvel Comics Gave Birth to the Revamped Version of ‘G.I. Joe’

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Duke leads the Joes into battle in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.
Image via Hasbro

Although Hasbro’s line of G.I. Joe military-themed toys dates back to the 1960s, many fans and children of the 1980s who grew up with the IP know that the “Real American Hero” version of G.I. Joe derived from a collaboration between Hasbro and Marvel Comics, at a time when Hasbro wanted to revamp its G.I. Joe trademarks. Ultimately, the late former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, as he explained in NYC Graphic Novelists, put together a creative team including himself, Larry Hama, Archie Goodwin, and Tom DeFalco, who broke the stories and came up with a new concept for what became G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.

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Ultimately, under their new concept, G.I. Joe would serve not as a nickname for a soldier, but as a codename for an elite, anti-terrorist unit. As Shooter described, “Maybe it’s like a secret squad of the best soldiers and sailors and airmen. They’re all in this secret group, and they fight terrorists and have special technology.’” Hama came up with many of the character names and would eventually become the writer of the original A Real American Hero comic series published by Marvel Comics.

Besides creating the popular 3.75-inch action figures for Marvel’s new comic, Hasbro also helped finance new animated commercials that advertised the series. The animated commercials proved so popular that an episodic animated series inspired by the new comics and action figures was commissioned, produced by Marvel and Sunbow Productions. Thus, the popular G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero animated series was born, debuting in 1983 with “The M.A.S.S. Device” miniseries, ushering in a new cartoon legend.

One of the things that’s still so striking about the 1980s G.I. Joe show, even to this day, is its incredibly diverse, eclectic, and unique cast of characters, including men and women from all walks of life and various nationalities. The troops in G.I. Joe were assembled from the best of their respective fields, with characters who specialized in everything from guerrilla warfare and ranged combat to underwater and naval battles, to pilots and airmen. G.I. Joe truly represents the melting pot culture that is America, and it spotlights those Americans coming together, fighting to defend their nation against a common enemy in COBRA. With such a large and diverse cast, there was a G.I. Joe for every type of kid.

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Although the plots of the animated series were far less mature, dark, and intense than Marvel’s original comic series, some episodes of the 1980s show proved to be quite serious and provocative for their time. Series standouts easily include the two-parter, “Worlds Without Ends,” which finds a group of Joes transported to an alternate dimension where COBRA has succeeded and taken over the world, enforcing a brutal, fascist regime across the globe. In a dark scene, Steeler (Chris Latta) finds the open graves of the dead bodies of that dimension’s Joes, who were all wiped out by COBRA. The episode reinforces the importance of G.I. Joe’s work in fighting COBRA, especially for Steeler, who was growing weary from the two sides’ never-ending struggle. From time to time, G.I. Joe featured layers of nuance and pathos rarely seen in kids’ cartoons of the era.

Hollywood Constantly Struggles To Adapt ‘G.I. Joe’

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Still of Snake Eyes, from Snake Eyes
Image via Paramount Pictures

Hollywood has struggled to find success in its multiple attempts to adapt G.I. Joe to the big screen, first with the 2009 live-action movie, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and its 2013 sequel, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, which achieved mixed results. Then came the absolutely awful live-action spin-off, Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, in 2021. The 2009 movie attempted to force goofy personal backstories with Cobra Commander (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), The Baroness (Sienna Miller), and field leader Duke (Channing Tatum). The romance from the comics between Snake-Eyes (Ray Park) and Scarlett (Rachel Nichols) is sadly abandoned in favor of Scarlett and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans).

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Something that all the live-action G.I. Joe movies have in common is that they failed to capture the magic of the cool characters that Larry Hama, Marvel Comics, and Sunbow Productions created, along with the more compelling elements of the G.I. Joe versus COBRA conflict. Additionally, A Real American Hero is very much steeped in 1980s values and Americana — something that does not always align with today’s values, and Hollywood creators struggle in attempting to recreate. Additionally, the Snake Eyes movie utterly fails in realizing the cool backstories of Snake Eyes (Henry Golding) and Storm Shadow (Andrew Koji), two of G.I. Joe’s most popular and iconic characters, making Snake Eyes come off like a selfish, amoral jerk. With Hollywood so desperate to reboot iconic properties over and over again, perhaps one day, someone will finally understand how to recapture the magic of G.I. Joe’s most popular era of A Real American Hero and bring it to life on the big screen.

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Leonardo DiCaprio & Tobey Maguire Dance to Ice Cube at Super Bowl Party

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Leonardo DiCaprio & Tobey Maguire
Kick It Before Kickoff at Wild Super Bowl Party

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No Star Trek Villain Has Ever Topped ‘Deep Space Nine’s Most Sinister Enemy

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Avery Brooks as Benjamin Sisko in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

The very first villain that the crew of the USS Enterprise ever faced, in The Man Trap,” the first episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, didn’t even appear to be one, but, at least to Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley), looked like his old flame Nancy Crater (Jeanne Bal), where Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and Crewman Darnell (Michael Zaslow) see a slightly older Nancy and a completely different woman altogether, respectively. Only it turns out ol’ Nancy is actually a shapeshifting, vampiric creature, one who feeds off of the salt in living beings (and officially kicks off the disposable red-shirt trope).

Ever since, the Star Trek franchise has had more than its share of memorable villains: the Gorn, the Borg, and, of course, the legendary Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban). Q (John de Lancie), who plagued the crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation, is another, although he is more scoundrel than outright villain. But the franchise’s best, and most sinister, villain is from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo). And it’s not even close.

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‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s Dukat Checks All the Boxes

Dukat is the primary antagonist of the series, appearing in both the first and last episodes, and in 35 out of 176 episodes in total. You simply don’t get mileage out of a villain like that, without falling into parody, unless the villain is imposing, charismatic, and, most importantly, unpredictable. And Dukat checks all the boxes, and more. He’s a large, imposing figure, devoid of color and free of any softness in his visage to speak of, commanding attention from those in the series and from the audience, through disarming charm and chilling terror alike.

Prior to the events of “Emissary,” the series’ first episode, Dukat, a Cardassian, held the title of Legate, akin to Admiral, and stood as the head of the tyrannical government that oversaw their occupation of the planet Bajor and commander of Terok Nor, a Cardassian space station hovering above Bajor. However, after the Bajorans forced the evacuation of Cardassian forces from Bajor, he is not only demoted to Gul (Captain), but cedes Tarok Nor to the Federation, who dub the station Deep Space Nine. Dukat takes the evacuation personally, not the first time challenges to his narcissism dictate his reactions — his obsessive need to change Sisko’s (Avery Brooks) disdain of him into respect is a perfect example.

Avery Brooks as Benjamin Sisko in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine


‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ Used Its Most Iconic Episode To Say Something Much Darker

This is one of the many reasons why it’s considered the best Trek spinoff.

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He’s blackmailed the crew of Deep Space Nine, attempting to use the impending self-destruction of the station to gain approval for a Cardassian garrison to be placed on board, a means of reestablishing a Cardassian military presence on the station, eventually allowing for him to regain control. While it didn’t work then, his alignment with the Dominion, and subsequent leadership of it, allowed Dukat to recapture Deep Space Nine, effectively starting the Dominion War, in “Call to Arms.” And, while possessed by a Pah-wraith, he kills beloved character Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) in “Tears of the Prophets,” and aims to kill his own daughter, Tora Ziyal (Cyia Batten) in “Indescretion.” Those acts alone earn Dukat the dubious honor of one of Star Trek‘s great villains.

‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s Dukat Is Complex

It’s what sends him to the top of the list that cements Dukat’s status. While entirely self-serving, Dukat has often done “good” things, showing a depth of character that goes beyond the black hat, making him unpredictable and deeply nuanced. He allied himself with Sisko, going behind the back of the Cardassian Central Command to assist in finding the truth behind the bombing of a Cardassian transport, uncovering a conspiracy involving the Maquis and their leader, a rogue Federation officer, in “The Maquis.” He teams up with Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) to take out a Klingon ship that destroyed a Cardassian outpost, before going on a one-man attack against the Klingons. And, instead of killing his daughter, he spares her life, being overcome with affection, and takes her home despite her being a disgraced half-Cardassian/half-Bajoran, standing by his decision, despite it ultimately costing him everything he has.

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Yet his most sinister and villainous trait is in believing himself to be a hero. This is revealed in Season 6’s “Waltz,” when Sisko and Dukat find themselves stranded together on a deserted planet. As they talk, he explains that, as leader of the occupying Cardassians on Bajor, he was benevolent and had nothing but goodwill for his people. Yes, Bajorans died under his tyranny, but not as many as under his predecessors, somehow justifying in his own twisted mind that it counts as kindness. He wants Sisko — again — to respect him, but Sisko calls him out for his hypocrisy. Dukat loses it, admitting that he was wrong and should have killed all the Bajorans, who lacked the respect to know how good they had it under him, not even erecting any statues in his honor to recognize his actions. A villain who can’t, or won’t, recognize he’s a villain is the mark of the truly chilling and sinister. As far as true villainy goes, there’s no keeping up with this Cardassian.

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Ashanti & Nelly Heat Up Super Bowl Party With ‘Body On Me’

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Ashanti & Nelly Bring The Romance To The Stage With 'Body On Me' Performance

At this point, Ashanti and Nelly hold two titles: one of the internet’s favorite couples and the best spin-the-block duo in history. Fans flooded comment sections after videos surfaced of them performing at the Fanatics Super Bowl Party in San Francisco, California on Feb. 7. Love filled the air, the vibes were on a 1000, and their throwback hits were the icing on the cake.

RELATED: Hawt Mom Life! Ashanti Shares Glimpse Of Her & Nelly’s Baby Boy In 45th Birthday Recap Footage (VIDEO)

Love Was In The Air As Ashanti & Nelly Took Over The Fanatics Super Bowl Party

Ashanti and Nelly took it all the way back to 2008 when they hit the stage at the Fanatics Super Bowl Party. The husband and wife had the crowd lit as soon as they popped out to perform their hit ‘Body On Me.’ The parents were feeling the vibes too — dancing onstage and putting on a full show. Ashanti was fully in her element, even backing it up on her hubby at one point while he cheesed extra hard. Fans kept their eyes glued on their love fest, but other social media users couldn’t help but peep Travis Scott turning up behind the DJ booth — and honestly, we see why. Peep the video below.

 

Throwback Hits & Real Love Had Fans In Their Feelings

The Shade Room’s comment section was flooded with heart-eyes and fire emojis as fans crowned Ashanti and Nelly the ultimate spin-the-block champions. See some of the reactions below.

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Instagram user @glammedbyree wrote, My heart is literally smiling 😍” 

Instagram user @summysum wrote,Greatest comeback love story 😍” 

While Instagram user @7lissanj2 wrote,Ashanti and Nelly they so freaking cute 😍 their love growing stronger every single day just look at their chemistry.”

Then Instagram user @glamqueentalishakaye wrote, Travis Scott is so me in the background 😂 this is STILL my song! Ashanti looks bomb AF per usual!! 🔥” 

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Another Instagram user @dejaahbrielle wrote, “My inner child is so happy for Ashanti 🥰” 

Instagram user @imjustbeinghonest4 wrote, These people haven’t stopped smiling since Nelly walked across that stage at the Versuz😂❤️🙏🏽” 

Then another Instagram user @danielle_nicolewinn wrote, I’m cheesing so hard for them❤️❤️LOVE THIS!” 

Lastly, Instagram user @dammnrobert wrote, The best spin the block in US history.” 

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Nelly Set The Bar High With An Anniversary Surprise For Ashanti

The Haynes always have fans gushing over their love and romantic vibes, and that energy never lets up. Back in December 2025, Nelly had Ashanti — and the internet — living after he showed out for their second wedding anniversary. Ashanti posted a video on Instagram revealing that Nelly did his big one, decking out a room with roses, tall candles, and rose petals covering the floors. The rapper also came through wit ha huge bouquet topped with a “Happy Anniversary” sign. Ashanti looked shook, covering her mouth before pulling her hubby in for the biggest hug as she walked down the hallway. “Living in the moment all day yesterday (and night) 12/27/25 I love you babe!! @nelly.” To make it even cuter, their son Kareem popped up holding his mom’s hand right in the middle of the rose petals.

 

RELATED: Aww! AShanti Melts In Nelly’s Arms After His Romantic Wedding Anniversary Surprise (VIDEO) 

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Green Day, then and now: See Billie Joe Armstrong and the band over 35 years later

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Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool have kept the band together (and thriving) for three decades and counting.

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Tom Cruise’s Nailbiting Sci-Fi Thriller Will Soon Launch From a Free Streamer

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A collective wonder and intrigue with the universe and galaxy beyond our own has long been an obsession for humankind. Even before we began sending astronauts into space all those decades ago, our fascination with the stars has captivated even the earliest versions of our species. With that in mind, it’s no wonder that the mysticism and fixation of space has become such a source of inspiration for authors, filmmakers, and composers. In the late 1800s, H.G. Wells released one of the greatest pieces of science fiction when he penned the novel The War of the Worlds. The story behind the book was a simple but brilliant one as it followed the invasion of Earth by Martians who were not only smarter than humans, but also much more developed.

In the years that would follow, Wells’ work of fiction became a must-read for anyone remotely interested in the sci-fi genre. It also became a catalyst for chaos when, in 1938, Orson Welles read the book as an installment for CBS Radio Network’s The Mercury Theatre on the Air. The Citizen Kane director’s depiction of the terrifying tale was enough to send folks over the edge as many flew into a panic believing the events were happening in real time. Just a little over a decade later, Byron Haskin would unleash the first on-screen adaptation with the Gene Barry and Ann Robinson-led The War of the Worlds, which became the first of many feature-length productions based on Wells’ novel.

While so many of these adaptations are worth checking out, one of them will soon leave our world behind when it bows off Pluto TV at the beginning of next month. Over the next few weeks, we’d urge you to set some time aside and stream Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, which features Tom Cruise in a leading role. Putting a different spin on the original book, Spielberg’s take centers on Ray Ferrier (Cruise), a dockworker living in New York City, who is hoping to rebuild the strained relationship with his two kids after their mother drops them off for the weekend. Instead, an alien invasion rocks the planet to its core, with Ray immediately snapping into protection mode to ensure he and his children find their way to safety.

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Who Else Starred in ‘War of the Worlds’?

With Cruise leading the charge in the nail-biting action flick, numerous other familiar faces gather to take on the extraterrestrial threat in War of the Worlds, including a very young Dakota Fanning in one of her earliest roles. Additionally, the ensemble includes Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin, Tim Robbins, Lisa Ann Walter, Rick Gonzales, and more.

Head over to Pluto TV before March 1 to stream War of the Worlds completely free of charge.


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Release Date

June 29, 2005

Runtime
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116 Minutes

Writers

Josh Friedman, David Koepp, H.G. Wells

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“The Pitt” star admits she'd never seen “Seinfeld” before booking a role on the sitcom: 'I was living under a rock'

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Katherine LaNasa, who polygraphed Jerry Seinfeld in a classic season 6 episode, says she “just didn’t watch a lot of TV” at the time.

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Sullivan’s Crossing Season 4 Trailer: Maggie, Cal Argue Over Secret Husband

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The first look at season 4 of Sullivan’s Crossing hints at issues between Maggie and Cal after the arrival of her secret husband.

In a trailer released on Friday, February 6, Maggie (Morgan Kohan) says she was “finally in a good place” with Cal (Chad Michael Murray) before Liam (Marcus Rosner) arrived to Sullivan’s Crossing.

Maggie asks why Liam is there, to which he replies, “Can’t a husband pop in to check on his wife?”

Cal, meanwhile, questions why he didn’t know about Liam.

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Who Is Liam on Sullivans Crossing Maggie Husband Reveal Explained Marcus Rosner Morgan Kohan Chad Michael Murray


Related: Who Is Liam on ‘Sullivan’s Crossing’? Maggie’s Husband Reveal Explained

Sullivan’s Crossing took a surprising turn when Cal met Maggie’s secret husband — but who exactly is Liam? Season 3 of the hit series, which started streaming on Netflix in August 2025, initially hinted at Maggie’s (Morgan Kohan) ex when she mentioned Liam (Marcus Rosner) to Lola (Amalia Williamson) as a summer fling she had […]

“I would have thought you would have mentioned being married before,” he mentions before another scene has Maggie discussing how she’s “happy now” with Cal.

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Based on the book series by Robyn Carr, Sullivan’s Crossing follows neurosurgeon Maggie after she moves back home to rural Nova Scotia to reconnect with her estranged father, Sully (Scott Patterson). The brief getaway turns into Maggie making plans for a future in Sullivan’s Crossing with love interest Cal.

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Courtesy of Jessie Redmond / CW/Freemantle / Everett Collection

Season 3 of the hit series, which started streaming on Netflix in August 2025, threw a wrench in Maggie and Cal’s relationship just as they were getting to a good place. After arguing about whether Maggie was taking things too slow, they made plans to move in together — just as a new guest named Liam checked into Sullivan’s Crossing.

Liam then approached Maggie and revealed he was her husband, which came as a surprise to both Cal and Us. Showrunner Roma Roth later teased what viewers could expect from the show moving forward after the shocking reveal.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that Sullivan’s Crossing is returning for a fourth season,” Roth said in a statement after the finale aired. “Seeing it resonate with a global audience and watching the ratings climb have been a dream come true. Season 4 will explore themes of change and transformation so you can expect a whole new set of exciting and emotional challenges for Maggie and Cal.”

Kohan also shared her reaction to the twist.

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Who Is Liam on Sullivans Crossing Maggie Husband Reveal Explained Marcus Rosner Morgan Kohan Chad Michael Murray


Related: Meet the Season 4 Cast of ‘Sullivan’s Crossing’ After Secret Husband Reveal

Season 4 of Sullivan’s Crossing will be picking up the pieces after Cal met Maggie’s secret husband — but who else is expected to appear? Based on the book series by Robyn Carr, Sullivan’s Crossing centers around neurosurgeon Maggie (Morgan Kohan) after she moves back home to rural Nova Scotia to reconnect with her estranged […]

“I remember hearing a little bit [about Liam early in season 3]. I didn’t know they were married,” Kohan told Swooon in July 2025. “There started to be talk when we filmed the scene with Lola and having summer flings. I knew that he was going to be coming into it, but I didn’t really know when or in what capacity. That cliffhanger was so much fun for me to read as well.”

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Kohan acknowledged that Maggie’s trepidation about getting serious with Cal could have come from her past with Liam, adding, “I feel like it came up so last minute that I didn’t really have time to think about it, but I think it definitely would. It makes a lot more sense, for sure, for her to be more hesitant.”

The actress noted that she was just as in the dark about Liam’s role in season 4 as the audience.

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“At the same time, I still don’t know the history, so who knows when we get to find out a bit more of that information, what he really means that he’s her husband and all that kind of stuff,” she continued. “I mean, there’s gonna have to be a few conversations had [between Maggie and Cal]. It’s going to be a trust thing to have to build up again because that is a pretty big thing to leave out.”

Sullivan’s Crossing is currently streaming on Netflix. Season 4 premieres on CTV and Crave Canada in spring 2026.

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Chris Pratt Had A ‘List Of Directives’ Before Getting Remarried

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'GOTG' Star Chris Pratt References Jesus On Dealing With Haters: '2,000 Years Ago, They Hated Him Too'

Actor Chris Pratt is opening up on the “list of directives” he made with Katherine Schwarzenegger before they got married. The couple tied the knot in 2019 and now share three children together. The “Guardians of the Galaxy” star recently shared a little known secret about his marriage, revealing that they went to couples counseling before tying the knot in order to set some ground rules.

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Chris Pratt Reveals He Went To Couples Counseling Before Getting Married

'GOTG' Star Chris Pratt References Jesus On Dealing With Haters: '2,000 Years Ago, They Hated Him Too'
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During an appearance on Rob Lowe’s “Literally! With Rob Lowe” podcast, the “Jurassic World” star revealed that premarital counseling helped his marriage before it even began.

“A part of getting married at St. Monica [Catholic] Church is doing premarital counseling,” Pratt told his “Parks and Recreation” costar, as per Entertainment Weekly. “We did like six sessions with this guy who was, by the way, the best thing in the world.”

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“If you’re somebody who’s thinking of getting married, you should definitely follow this,” he continued. “They ask you questions you would not even think to answer until you’ve been married for eight years, and then something comes up, and you’re like, ‘What do you mean? That’s what you think about that?’ And then you have to negotiate it then. Like re-negotiating every landmine.”

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Chris Pratt Describes Premarital Counseling As ‘Really Great’

Chris Pratt with Katherine schwarzenegger
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Describing the experience as “really great,” he explained how they “came up with this whole list of directives” that they were going to have in their partnership and wedding. This allowed them to confront potential disagreements before they actually happened.

“One of them was that we were gonna play Christmas music on November 1, and that we were gonna take the Christmas tree down December 26,” he explained. “We talked about it beforehand. So now we’re on board.”

Lowe, who has been married to Sheryl Beroff since 1991, said that Pratt’s “list of directives” sounded like a “great idea.”

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Chris Pratt Was Previously Married To Anna Faris

Anna Faris, Chris & Jack Pratt at a movie premiere
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During their conversation, Pratt continued to praise the benefits of going to therapy before getting married.

“And that way, if you have an issue, you talk about it, and you hash it out, every single one,” Pratt continued. “If you agree on it, you move on. But if there’s things you disagree on, you hash it out, and you do the work” to understand your partner.

Confronting disagreements head-on was especially important to Pratt, as this was not his first marriage. The actor was previously married to “Scary Movie” actress Anna Faris from 2009 to 2018. They share one son: Jack, 13. Pratt and Schwarzenegger welcomed three children together: daughters Lyla, 5, Eloise, 3, and son Ford, 1.

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Chris Pratt Feels ‘Shaken’ As New Movie Flops

Chris Pratt seen at the Jimmy Kimmel show looking dapper
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As The Blast previously reported, the “Passengers” actor is starting to worry that his days in Hollywood might be numbered. His latest movie, “Mercy,” received negative reviews from critics and failed to bring in audiences at the box office.

“Chris is panicking. Full stop,” one source told The Daily Mail in early February. “This is the first time he’s really feeling his age in Hollywood—and it’s shaken him.”

“He always thought he had another decade of bulletproof stardom,” another insider divulged. “Now he’s looking around and realizing the parts aren’t coming like they used to.”

A third source said that Pratt has now become “obsessed with box office numbers and Rotten Tomatoes scores” as a result of the film’s poor performance.

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Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn crashes while competing on torn ACL, dashing comeback hopes

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The women’s downhill was won by Vonn’s U.S. teammate Breezy Johnson.

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Sigourney Weaver’s R-Rated 90s Psychological Thriller Is A Devious Game Of Cat And Mouse

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Sigourney Weaver's R-Rated 90s Psychological Thriller Is A Devious Game Of Cat And Mouse

By Robert Scucci
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1995’s Copycat is one of those movies that should be in heavy rotation if you’re a true crime fan who also enjoys a solid psychological thriller. Like a proto version of Mindhunter, it leans into the lore surrounding heavy hitters like Albert DeSalvo, The Hillside Strangler, David Berkowitz, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Ted Bundy, but every single reference is filtered through the perspective of a strung out criminal psychology expert as she aids two homicide detectives in tracing a copycat killer who mimics the MOs of the serial killers who inspired him.

Through this framework, and with the help of Sigourney Weaver’s on-screen chemistry with Holly Hunter and Dermot Mulroney, Copycat becomes a fun murder mystery thriller that manages to appeal to both casual moviegoers and true crime buffs alike.

A Killer On The Loose, An Expert Trapped Inside Her Trauma

Copycat 1995

Copycat first introduces us to the trauma that forces criminal psychology expert Dr. Helen Hudson (Sigourney Weaver) into a reclusive lifestyle. Suffering from agoraphobia and drinking her way through each day, Dr. Helen is the ultimate authority on serial killer behavior. That authority comes at a cost after her dangerous run-in with escaped killer Daryll Lee Cullum (Harry Connick Jr.) during one of her lectures, an encounter that forces her to value her safety and privacy above everything else. While she still has a passion for her research and criminal profiling, Dr. Helen suffers anxiety attacks at the mere thought of leaving her luxury apartment, effectively trapping herself inside her own expertise.

When a string of murders begins to plague San Francisco, Inspector Mary Jane “M.J.” Monahan (Holly Hunter) and her partner, Inspector Ruben Goetz (Dermot Mulroney), are tasked not only with finding the culprit behind the slayings, but also with keeping the possibility of a serial killer under wraps in order to avoid sparking unnecessary public hysteria.

Copycat 1995

This is where the magic really happens in Copycat. Dr. Helen Hudson is a force to be reckoned with. Her pattern recognition and ability to profile on the fly as new evidence comes to light is intimidating to say the least. She initially helps M.J. and Ruben begrudgingly, but soon becomes just as consumed with the case as they are. M.J. is the inverse of Helen in almost every way. She lacks the years of experience needed to draw the same immediate connections, but makes up for it by trusting her instincts and acting decisively when it matters most.

As they work together, M.J., Ruben, and Dr. Hudson realize they are dealing with a serial killer whose MO is defined by the absence of one. Rather than developing his own methodology, the killer meticulously recreates the murder techniques and crime scene imagery of the serial killers he idolizes. By constantly changing his approach, he stays one step ahead of the inspectors hunting him, all while dropping increasingly unsettling hints that Dr. Helen Hudson herself is his ultimate target, for reasons that are not immediately clear.

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The Perfect Intersection Of True Crime And Fiction

Copycat 1995

While Copycat leans heavily into true crime to build its internal logic, you do not need to be a true crime junkie to appreciate what it’s doing. References are limited to the most well-known real-life killers, giving casual viewers enough context to understand the stakes without requiring a post-watch research spiral.

The procedural details the film leans on are delivered in self-contained bursts of criminal profiling that are easy to follow, allowing viewers to simply sit back and watch the mystery unfold. The film never feels like it’s testing the audience or showing off its homework.

Copycat 1995

In other words, if you’re into shows like Mindhunter but less interested in the kind of granular breakdowns found in something like Last Podcast on the Left, Copycat strikes an ideal balance. It’s a rock-solid thriller that doesn’t require a crash course in the macabre to fully appreciate, and its slow-burn mystery keeps the tension simmering from start to finish.

Copycat is currently streaming for free on Tubi.


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