Robert Zemeckis‘ Back to the Future was not only the biggest movie of 1985, taking in $190 million at the box office, but nearly four decades later, it’s one of the most loved movies ever made. It turned lead Michael J. Fox into one of the biggest stars on the planet in the ’80s and made everyone want their own DeLorean (even if they were known for not running very well). Despite its success, Back to the Future had many issues getting onto the screen. Zemeckis and co-writer Bob Gale had trouble getting anyone to make it, with even Disney turning it down because they were uncomfortable with the storyline of a mother falling in love with her future son.

When it did finally go into production, it was not with Fox as Marty McFly, but actor Eric Stoltz. When the latter was fired, most of the movie had to be re-shot with Fox. Some of Back to the Future‘s issues were found in the script as well. For example, the cool DeLorean time machine we all love was originally going to be some immobile refrigerator-sized box. Imagine how that would’ve gone! Then there’s the exciting finale where Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) sends Marty back to 1985. Originally, it was going to be much different, with Marty McFly driving through a nuclear explosion! So what happened?

How Does ‘Back to the Future’ End?

Image via Universal Pictures

The inciting incident of Back to the Future sees Marty McFly accidentally transported back to 1955 after he uses the DeLorean to escape terrorists. Not only is he now stuck in a world he doesn’t exist in (it’s a little hard to come by plutonium in the ’50s… or any time), but he ruins his birth when he messes up the moment his pervy dad-to-be, George (Crispin Glover), meets his mother, Lorraine (Lea Thompson), while spying on her with binoculars. The ultimate nightmare occurs when his mother becomes smitten with Marty, but overcoming all of that awkwardness doesn’t matter if he can’t get back to his time.

The third act of Back to the Future is a triumph, partly due to George standing up for himself and earning Lorraine’s love, and partly due to how 1955’s Doc Brown decides to get Marty back to his future. Knowing the exact time lightning is going to strike the Hill Valley clocktower, he rigs a wire to the clock, with the plan being for Marty in the DeLorean to snag it right as the lightning strikes, giving the time machine enough power to operate. You don’t become one of the greatest movies of all-time without everything going wrong in the most suspenseful fashion (and of course, this plot hole), but it all works out at the end and Marty is sent back to 1985, though an alternate one where his family is now successful and not the people he once knew. How is Back to the Future not considered a tragedy? As thrilling of an ending as this was, Back to the Future almost did something entirely different.

What Was ‘Back to the Future’s Original Ending?

Originally, Back to the Future was going to have an entirely different ending. In 2016, 113 unknown storyboards, drawn by Andrew Probert, the film’s artist, were found which explored an ending never shot. They ended up being sold for $6,000, but were first shown to the public. What is found in them gives this classic movie a finale way more insane than a lightning strike. What’s more wild than that? How about a nuclear bomb?

In the storyboards, the military is preparing for a bomb test in the desert. Several men are standing in the bomb test tower when they look out to see a DeLorean racing toward them. Doc Brown, who is on a radio, has timed it out just right for Marty to race into the test site as the bomb is going off. There are some similarities to the filmed ending, with Doc Brown finding the letter warning of his death in 1985 and the hunk of junk car not wanting to start, but everything else is different, as a timer ticks down to 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and then the bomb explodes right as Marty hits 88 miles per hour.

When it goes off, we watch as the fake city is nuked to nothing inside a mushroom cloud. We then move to 1985, where people are gathered around where the test site once stood for a tour. As a guide speaks to them about rumors of the strange phenomena that occurred there, there is a flash of light and a gust of wind as the DeLorean reappears. Marty McFly is home, and his DeLorean, which could barely even start, somehow survives a nuclear bomb. And why wasn’t such an over-the-top ending used for Back to the Future? Co-writer Bob Gale told The Collider Podcast in 2020 that it all came down to money. The studio wanted to cut $1 million from the budget, and one scene, more than any other, was going to be the most expensive. Gale said:

“And the most expensive thing was going on location and building this town. And we said well, if we can cut that out – if we can cut going on location and building a town and do something on a location that we already have, namely the backlot, that would save us $1 million easy.”

‘Back to the Future’s Original Ending Would’ve Robbed the Film of Its Triumphant Note

Universal Pictures /Courtesy Everett Collection

The ending filmed for Back to the Future isn’t just a cost-cutting measure: it features a triumphant ending for Marty and Doc Brown. There’s a palpable sense of dread hanging over the entire story. Doc is gunned down by the Libyans. Marty gets stuck in a time he’s clearly unfamiliar with. Oh yeah, and there’s the whole “he has to get his parents back together, or he’ll literally fade out of existence.” But Marty winds up changing the future so that George and Lorraine are successful, and Doc Brown even survives — having learned that not every change to the timestream is a cataclysmic one. If the original ending with the nuclear bomb had been kept in, it would have cast a shadow over the ending. Nobody wants to think about nuclear warfare when watching a time travel comedy.

There’s even one more change to the ending — Doc was originally supposed to rip up Marty’s note and toss it into the DeLorean. Editor Andrew Probert convinced Gale to have Doc stuff the scraps into his jacket instead, feeling it would make his survival in the present a genuine surprise. “If you’re not ready for it, you overlook the fact that he skips past the point of the letter … because it’s no longer important,” Probert told Syfy WIRE. “So Bob says, ‘Okay storyboard that and we’ll see how it works.’ So I did and it worked.” Indeed, this adds to the more triumphant vibe surrounding the ending.

‘Back to the Future’s Ending Proves That Bigger Isn’t Always Better

What big Hollywood blockbuster would even have their character survive a nuclear blast anyway? That’s absurd. Oh, wait, that’s right, our old pal Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) made it through a nuclear blast by hiding in a fridge for an infamous scene in 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Ironically though, that moment may have been taken from Back to the Future. According to actor Jon Cryer, who auditioned for Marty McFly, the script he read was different from the finished film. In it was a scene where Marty is on the nuclear test site and has to hide when a bomb goes off, so he hides inside a fridge. “Does this sequence sound familiar to anyone?” Cryer asked in a 2020 tweet.

Steven Spielberg took a lot of grief for that scene. Indiana Jones is a hero, but a realistic one. Sure, he can go through a lot and live, but having him be able to withstand a nuclear bomb was so far-fetched and silly that it took viewers out of the movie and also made the hero invincible. If he can live through that, why should we ever worry about him? The same can’t exactly be said with Back to the Future since this scene happens right at the end of the film, but it still would have been a bad idea. Yes, Back to the Future centers around time travel and a dude who must make out with his mom, but it’s still set in a world that has limitations and feels like a version of a believable reality. Doc Brown is not J. Robert Oppenheimer, but rather, he is just an eccentric local scientist. A sportscar can’t handle a nuclear bomb, and he knows that. We as the viewer know that as well.

Bigger isn’t always better, and Back to the Future proved that with their alternate idea. Marty and Doc have nothing to do with a nuclear bomb other than driving into it, but instead we get scenes of Doc Brown building an extensive miniature version of Hill Valley just to show Marty how his clocktower theory will work, which gives us the great line of, “Please excuse the crudity of this model. I didn’t have time to build it to scale or to paint it.” With the nuclear bomb ending, we also didn’t get everything going wrong on the clocktower, as the line came unplugged, and Doc had to rush to get it refastened, even sliding down it and getting electrocuted by the lightning strike. The ending we get is of two people trying their best with something they made themselves, which is a lot more fun than what was originally planned.

The Back to the Future Franchise Had a History of Removing Darker Moments

Image Via Universal Pictures

Thankfully, the original nuclear blast ending to Back to the Future was never filmed, but there are darker scenes from the franchise that were actually put on camera and can be seen today, although Robert Zemeckis wisely chose not to add them to the final cut. In Back to the Future Part II, Marty ends up in an alternate reality where Biff (Thomas F. Wilson) is now rich, having been given the sports almanac from the future. Rather than using that money for good, he has instead built a giant casino and tower for himself while a crime-ridden Hill Valley rots around him. In a deleted moment, when Marty goes to confront this alternate Biff, he runs into his brother Dave (Marc McClure), who is now a haggard-looking alcoholic. Before Marty can help him, his brother runs off.

In a deleted scene for Back to the Future Part III, the darkness went even further, when the 1855 Hill Valley Sheriff (James Tolkan) is shot dead by Buford Tannen right in front of his young son. It’s done to make Buford more of a threat, but wisely it was removed from the final film.

There’s a reason why the Back to the Future trilogy endures four decades later. That’s because these movies are meant to be fun, and serve as an adventurous escape from reality where we know everything’s going to be okay in the end. We lose that joy if we’re meeting alcoholic siblings, seeing lawmen shot, or using a nuclear bomb to save the day. Back to the Future didn’t need that. All it ever needed was Marty McFly and Doc Brown.

Back to the Future is available to watch on MGM+ in the U.S.

After Antoine Fuqua’s musical biopic, Michael, returned to the top of the box office charts last weekend, capitalizing on the sharp week-to-week decline of the action sequel Mortal Kombat II, its place at the summit of the domestic ranks is sure to be short-lived. This is due to the hotly anticipated theatrical arrival of The Mandalorian and Grogu this weekend, as Pedro Pascal‘s bounty hunter makes the jump from the small to the big screen.

A certainty to take home the box office crown, The Mandalorian and Grogu is being considered the spiritual opening of this year’s summer of cinema. However, a summer of streaming is also ready to begin, with some of the best movie options available from the comfort of your own home. So, without further ado, here’s a list of three movies you should stream this weekend on Netflix.

For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows and movies on Netflix.

Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.

1

‘Ladies First’ (2026)

If big-budget sci-fi isn’t your cup of tea, then Netflix has an exciting new movie that might prove to be your perfect weekend watch. Directed by Thea Sharrock and written by Natalie Krinsky, Cinco Paul, and Katie Silberman, Ladies First follows Damien Sachs (Sacha Baron Cohen), a male chauvinist who has all the wealth and power he could want. On the verge of becoming CEO of his company, Damien awakens in a parallel world run by women and is forced to go head-to-head with the fearless Alex Fox (Rosamund Pike).

A remake of the film Je Ne Suis Pas Un Homme Facile, Ladies First is a hilarious new addition to the Netflix catalog that you simply must watch. Starring two of the best modern actors in Cohen and Pike, alongside a stellar supporting cast including Tom Davis, Charles Dance, and Emily Mortimer, this easy-viewing, 90-minute comedy is perfect to help you relax this weekend.

2

‘Nope’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 83% | IMDb: 6.8/10

For one of the most underrated horror stories of the decade, this weekend, Netflix has you covered. Written, directed, and produced by Jordan Peele, Nope follows a pair of siblings, played to perfection by Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, as they witness a strange, sci-fi phenomenon whilst trying to make ends meet in Agua Dulce, California.

Frequently likened to Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Jaws, this blend of sci-fi and horror manages to neatly nail both genres without ever feeling generic. As the follow-up to his jaw-dropping debut Get Out, Nope was always set to face particular scrutiny. Four years on, and it is clear that this is a film that deserves another shot by the many who dismissed it.

3

‘Safe Haven’ (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes: 13% | IMDb: 6.7/10

After a particularly long week, perhaps all you require is something simple to easily indulge in. For a film that doesn’t need much attention and can be pleasantly enjoyed on a lazy Sunday, why not try Safe Haven? This feel-good romance follows a woman with a mysterious past as she is forced to come to terms with her demons after meeting a widower in Southport, North Carolina.

Scoring a decent box office haul in 2013, Safe Haven is packed with enough drama and romance to fall headfirst into. Like The Summer I Turned Pretty meets Colleen Hoover‘s It Ends With Us, this adaptation of Nicholas Sparks‘ 2010 novel is bolstered by a shocking twist that, although perhaps somewhat unbelievable, is sure to leave your jaw on the floor.

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Release Date

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February 14, 2013

Runtime

115 minutes

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Director

Lasse Hallström

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As Episode 4 of Rivals Season 2 lands on streaming today, fans of the raunchy Disney+ series can’t help but look ahead to where things might be headed for one of the central couples. Especially when the first half of the season has not been particularly kind to Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) or Taggie O’Hara (Bella Maclean).

The current state of affairs is, of course, entirely because Rupert put the kibosh on their burgeoning romance in Episode 1 by becoming Cameron Cook’s (Nafessa Williams) white knight in her moment of need. While last week’s three-episode premiere gave a glimpse into what a coupled Rupert and Taggie might look like, the joy of their day out with his children was swiftly snatched away, and this week continues to leave the fan-favorite couple at odds. But fear not, we have a scintilla of new intel about the impending hunt ball, which will — hopefully — at long last push Rupert and Taggie into each other’s arms. Perhaps, quite literally, if the details we’ve eked out are anything to go by.

Collider’s Michael Zimmermann caught up with Hassell and Maclean earlier this week while the duo and their co-stars, Williams and David Tennant, were in New York City to support the launch of Season 2. Armed with questions about the iconic hunt ball, which Disney+ has been mercilessly teasing fans with by way of featurettes, news segments, and behind-the-scenes snaps, Zimmermann got two rumors confirmed in swift succession.

Will “Lady in Red” Appear in ‘Rivals’ for a Second Time?

While chatting with Hassell, the star revealed that the hunt ball “had a very special guest singing cameo,” all but confirming The Sun’s exclusive reporting that Chris de Burgh will perform his song, “Lady in Red,” during the episode. While The Sun stated that the song would be performed during a wedding scene, it makes far more sense for de Burgh to perform “Lady in Red” during the hunt ball, considering the song — and the ball itself — are part of a pivotal scene in the late Dame Jilly Cooper’s novel, which sees Rupert and Taggie’s romance move forward. It also wouldn’t be the first time the pair swayed to the tune, as the song featured in Season 1, Episode 3, too. Hassell did claim that he wasn’t sure if this bit of news had been revealed yet, so perhaps Rivals has another surprise in store if this musical cameo isn’t a perfectly-timed de Burgh appearance. After all, he also teased that “there’s quite a lot of dance numbers that I don’t think you’d expect.”

Maclean opted to be quite tight-lipped about the hunt ball with Zimmermann, revealing only that “there are a lot of animals in the hunt ball.” However, she also revealed that there was “a lot of spinning” for her, which conveniently ties into something she recently mentioned in an interview with British Vogue. During the junket for the series, she told the magazine that she “nearly threw up” while filming a sequence where she had to hold the camera and spin around in a tight dress. The scene seemingly included Hassell, whom she joked called for a bucket for her to puke in. Within that conversation, Hassell also revealed that it was a “really big Taggie moment” with “a lot [of] stuff going on underneath,” which does sound like the hunt ball scene from the book. We also know that Taggie will be clad in a red dress for the hunt ball, furthering the theory that the “Lady in Red” moment will indeed come to fruition.

It may not be a lot, but while Rivals fans endure a RuTag drought, it’s nice to know that the pair may actually end up together by the end of Season 2 — even if the series is going to make audiences wait the better part of a year for those scenes.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on Rivals and be sure to check out Zimmermann’s conversations with the cast.

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Release Date

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October 18, 2024

Network

Disney+

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Directors

Dee Koppang O’Leary, Alexandra Brodski, Elliot Hegarty

Writers

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Clare Naylor, Mimi Hare, Kefi Chadwick, Dare Aiyegbayo, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Laura Wade, Marek Horn, Sophie Goodhart

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NASCAR legend Kyle Busch appeared to be in good spirits at his last red carpet event with his wife, Samantha Busch.

Kyle attended the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Charlotte, North Carolina, alongside Samantha, 39, in January — four months before his death was announced on Thursday, May 21.

The couple attended the event to throw support behind Kyle’s older brother, Kurt Busch, who was being inducted into the Hall of Fame on the night.

NASCAR announced via a statement that the professional driver died after being hospitalized with what his family described as a “severe illness.” He was 41.

Related: NASCAR Legend Kyle Busch’s Family Guide: Meet His Wife, Their 2 Kids

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch leaves behind his wife, Samantha Busch, their two children and his brother Kurt Busch following his shocking death at age 41. “We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sport’s greatest and fiercest drivers,” NASCAR announced […]

“We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sport’s greatest and fiercest drivers,” NASCAR said in a statement via X on Thursday. “We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community.”

Kyle is survived by Samantha, whom he married on New Year’s Eve in 2010 as well as the couple’s son, Brexton, 11, and daughter, Lennix, 4.

Posting via her Instagram in August 2023, Samantha shared details about how she met Kyle, noting she is often asked about their initial meeting.

“16 years ago (this Indy weekend) the promo model agency I worked for sent me down to Indianapolis to work for Chevy getting people hyped up for the races. I was going into my senior year of college at Purdue at the time, a sorority girl and no big surprise not the sportiest of types. So I can honestly say it was my first time at a race track!” she wrote.

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Samantha explained that she and the other promotional team employees were assigned various tasks for the day in the sweltering heat. When a PR lady asked if she wanted to go for a ride in one of the cars – which had air con – she said yes. She assumed Kyle, who was driving, was also a promo employee.

Related: How NASCAR’s Kyle Busch Spent His Final Days Before Sudden Death: Details

Before Kyle Busch’s unexpected death, the NASCAR driver spent his final days with loved ones and competing in his sport. NASCAR confirmed that Busch died at age 41 on May 21, 2026, after being hospitalized with a “severe illness.” “We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a […]

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“I hopped in the car and the first thing I said when I saw him in his Chevy tee and ice cold car was, ‘Wow you got a way better assignment then I did.’” she wrote. “He looked at me funny assuming I knew who he was and we were off. I did most of the talking, big surprise, and then invited him to hang out with a group of us going out that night to which he declined bc he had to work. Little did I know he had a truck race. So I thought that was the end of that until Mr. Shy had someone ask me for my number.”

Samantha added, “We talked on the phone for 4 months before seeing each other and going on a date and the rest is history! Fast forward another 16 years and here we are with 2 kids! Love ya babe 😍.”

By Robert Scucci
| Published 25 seconds ago

Whenever I fire up a film distributed by Troma Entertainment, it means one of two things: I’m about to be thoroughly amused or thoroughly upset. 1986’s Nightmare Weekend somehow manages to fall into both categories while also making little to no sense. It’s one of those movies where you have to look up the cast and character names afterward just to keep everybody straight, and even then, you’re still left trying to figure out what the hell it was all about.

As a result, my interpretation of this film is going to be mostly vibe-based because I honestly have no clue what’s going on. Every time I think I understand what the filmmakers are trying to accomplish, I somehow end up even more baffled and confused.

Girls, Girls, Girls!

Okay, so here goes. In Nightmare Weekend, there’s a mad scientist named Edward Brake (Wellington Meffert) working on a groundbreaking behavior modification system. I think he wants to test it on his assistant Julie’s (Debbie Laster) dog, but the verdict’s still out on that one. Julie, meanwhile, wants to use the technology, which consists of a supercomputer that somehow turns found objects into silver balls that make people foam at the mouth and die, or something, to conduct torturous experiments on college girls.

Edward’s daughter Jessica (Debra Hunter) has her own high-tech computer named George that she operates alongside a talking puppet, not realizing she’s directly interfering with the experiments and causing all hell to break loose. She also goes roller skating whenever she needs to squeeze in some cardio, and I genuinely can’t think of any other reason for those scenes besides showing off some leg while getting her out of the house.

Bikers, college girls, and just about everybody else hang out at a bar/general store called Stage Stop, where people copulate on top of pinball machines while a chauffeur named Ralph (Scott Proctor), who’s explicitly told not to drink and drive while transporting test subjects to Edward’s house, spends the entire movie sneaking swigs liquor from a flask concealed between slices of bread.

As the film meanders along, Jessica falls in love with Julie’s assistant Ken (Dale Midkiff), but nothing really comes of it after she consults her computer and puppet friend for relationship advice, and then a bunch of people die. At least, I think that’s what happens in Nightmare Weekend, but please don’t quote me on that.

A Beautiful Trainwreck

Like most films distributed by Troma Entertainment, you have to be built for movies like Nightmare Weekend. It’s exploitative, violent, completely nonsensical, and endlessly amusing. People do things, things happen to those people, and most of the time they’re naked. Sometimes they turn into goo. There’s plenty of grinding and writhing to go around, but every 10 minutes or so, you’ll still find yourself asking, “What the hell am I actually watching?”

The 1-star and 10-star reviews I’ve read all seem to agree that Nightmare Weekend offers a truly one-of-a-kind viewing experience, and I’m inclined to agree. Hell, some of the 1-star reviews spend more time talking about how awesome the movie is than criticizing it, but the people writing them are self-aware enough to realize they enjoy something so aggressively inaccessible that they feel obligated to warn everybody else first. If that sounds like your kind of afternoon, you can stream Nightmare Weekend for free on Tubi as of this writing.

Kerry Washington has ‘Scandal’ fans rooting for a real-life version of “Olitz” after her sweet birthday shoutouts for Tony Goldwyn. Years after the show wrapped, the Hollywood stars have continued to tease their obvious chemistry. Recently, Tony celebrated his 66th birthday, and Kerry didn’t miss the opportunity to send well-wishes to the “pretend love of [her] life.” As expected, fans are eating the moment UP, hoping for another round of Olivia Pope and Mr. President on-screen — and, maybe one day, off-screen.

RELATED: Kerry Washington Reveals How She Kept Her Engagement Private Over A Decade Ago

Kerry Washington Posts Shoutouts For Tony Goldwyn On His 66th Birthday

As mentioned, Tony Goldwyn welcomed his 66th chapter of life on Wednesday (May 20) and Kerry Washington celebrated his new era with multiple birthday shoutouts. On Instagram, she shared five throwback photos from what appears to be their time filming ‘Scandal.’ Many of the shots are silly and friendly.

Kerry captioned the post, “To the “Itz” in our beloved “Olitz”, Happy Birthday @tonygoldwyn!!!!! ❤️ P.S. maybe one day we’ll take a normal picture together…😂😜😍” In the comment section, Tony replied, “Who needs normal?? Love you KW!! ❤️❤️❤️”

Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn reposted the same post on their Instagram Stories. He added three red heart emojis to his repost. Then, on Threads, Washington again dropped a shoutout with a slightly different caption and visual. She shared a video of her fake singing behind Tony while he gives her no reactions…at least for most of the clip. A little over halfway through, he breaks character and smiles. Her caption on the Threads post said:

“Thank you for being my friend, and pretend love of my life, @tonygoldwyn ❤️ HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎊”

‘Scandal’ Fans React To Kerry & Her “Work Husband”

By now, roommate, you can imagine that her comment sections on both platforms are in shambles! Fans are loving the birthday energy, while also standing on the opinion that the love is wayyy past pretend or platonic. Despite such speculations, they’ve both said over the years that their chemistry is rooted in friendship and collaboration. Nonetheless, here’s a look at how the fans aren’t buying THAT story and crafting their own narratives, instead.

 

 

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Yes, Kerry & Tony Are Married To Other People In Real Life

While Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn’s chemistry appears undeniable, they each have real-life romances with other people. Washington has been married to former NFL player Nnamdi Asomugha since 2013, but they keep their relationship and family life super private. They have two children together, a daughter and a son and Asomugha also has a daughter from a previous relationship.

Meanwhile, Goldwyn has been married to Jane Musky, a production designer, since 1987. They celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary on April 18. Tony and Jane have two daughters together. In 2019, he said on the ‘TODAY’ show that Jane is “the most incredible human being” he knows. Adding, “…She is just a very salt of the earth person… I knew when I was 21 when I met her, I better hang on because I’ll never come across this again.” 

RELATED: Aht! Aht! Cheyenne Bryant’s Comment Section Is Split After She Shares Message About “Miserable People” (VIDEO)

In 2017, Netflix debuted quite the unique animated series. For eight seasons, Big Mouth used a constant stream of raunchy sex jokes to tell a coming-of-age story about a group of kids going through puberty. It may have ended in 2025, but if you miss the cartoon’s crude humor, you’re in luck, because it’s back… sort of, as Big Mouth series creators Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin, and Jennifer Flackett are returning with Mating Season. Trade awkward preteens for talking animals, and you have a very similar show — at least on the surface. Beneath all the expected innuendo and constant humping lies something quite sweet.

‘Mating Season’ Hails From the Creators of ‘Big Mouth’

From the very moment Mating Season begins, you can tell that this is a creation by the Big Mouth masterminds. The theme song, Elvin Bishop‘s “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” plays over a cut of real-life footage of animals knocking boots, similar to Big Mouth‘s opening, which utilized “Changes” by Charles Bradley. Once we meet the characters, the direction is clear: Mating Season is going to be just as dirty. Josh (Zach Woods), a giant brown bear, should be the most intimidating beast in the forest. Instead, he’s weak, his self-esteem destroyed by a relationship where his girlfriend was cheating on him. Josh’s best friend, Ray (Kroll), is the exact opposite, a raccoon who never stops trying to score with anything that moves. In Mating Season, animals don’t stick to their own species. That’s confirmed early on when Ray gets awkwardly stuck to a skunk.

Yet the Netflix series isn’t only interested in its male characters. Fawn (June Diane Raphael) is a deer who falls easily, only to get her heart stomped on by cheaters and those who can’t commit. Her best friend is a fox named Penelope (Sabrina Jalees), in search of same-sex love even though she doesn’t know how to find it. Put this foursome together, and you have a happy little group against a sitcom-like backdrop. In every episode, the gang gets themselves into some sort of trouble before ending the day hashing it out at their favorite bar, fittingly called The Watering Hole.

‘Mating Season’s Crude Humor Isn’t That Shocking Anymore

The main issue with Mating Season is that its type of humor has been done before. Sausage Party even did it on the big screen long before Big Mouth. After the success of both projects, animated characters being foul and bumping uglies isn’t all that shocking anymore. This doesn’t mean Mating Season isn’t fun — if Big Mouth was your type of comedy, you’ll love its sense of humor. There are plenty of sexual situations, but this time, there are even fewer limits. Big Mouth‘s writers still had to hold back a bit, given the show’s younger human characters, but Mating Season, with its cast of wildlife, can get away with just about anything.

One wise move that Mating Season makes, however, is that it still exercises just enough restraint with its comedy. Once you go over the line, there’s no coming back, but every scene becomes one gag or one-liner after another in an effort to top what came before. The series isn’t desperate for viewers’ attention — if you’re here, you know what you’re getting — but what it does do effectively is build its jokes around the types of characters involved. When Fawn takes up with a wolf named Dylan (Timothy Olyphant), for example, she gets frustrated when he starts marking his territory — including her — by peeing on everything.

‘Mating Season’ Is Held Together by Its Characters and A-List Cameos

Image via Netflix

Big Mouth‘s X-rated jokes were the way into the show, but the characters became the reason to stay. Mating Season‘s laughs might not be as big as what came before, but what it does do just as well, and arguably even better at times, are its relationships. Instead of infighting and drama, Josh, Ray, Fawn, and Penelope truly care about each other. Josh and Ray are like brothers with nothing in common, while Fawn and Penelope raise each other up rather than bring each other down. It’s surprisingly wholesome for a series that is otherwise anything but.

Mating Season is also boosted by its cameos, including several big names playing the animals the main foursome interact with for the series’ biggest conflicts. Olyphant’s Dylan is a recurring character as the ex-boyfriend Fawn can’t let go of, while Seinfeld legend Jason Alexander plays Fawn’s father, a buck with a younger girlfriend whom he brings to his ex-wife’s funeral. They’re joined by the likes of David Duchovny, Jack McBrayer, Sarah Silverman, Aidy Bryant, Vanessa Bayer, Mark Duplass, and many others. It’s a big forest out there with a lot of bonkers personalities, whether it be Ray’s wild mom or the unusual animals he and Josh meet at a commune in a situation that quickly devolves.

Mating Season doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and any fan of Big Mouth has seen it all before, but because the new series doesn’t need to rely on shock value, it can get straight to what it wants to do without feeling forced to compete with the past. In other words, Mating Season is its own beast, with four hilarious and easy-to-root-for characters trying to figure it out. (They still haven’t succeeded by the end of Season 1, which means a renewal should definitely happen.) Bring on more getting it on.

Mating Season is now available to stream on Netflix.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly dealing with emotional strain following King Charles’ visit to the US, with insiders claiming the trip resurfaced long-standing tensions within the royal family.

As public attention once again turns toward the Sussexes’ relationship with the monarchy, sources say the couple privately struggled with the optics of the visit and its wider implications.

Meanwhile, palace insiders claim King Charles is quietly hoping to repair the deepening divide between his sons, Prince Harry and Prince William, with behind-the-scenes reconciliation efforts underway.

Prince Harry And Meghan Feel Emotional Strain After King Charles’ US Visit Reopened Royal Tensions

Harry and Meghan are said to be experiencing emotional strain following King Charles’ high-profile visit to the United States, with sources telling OK! that the trip has been “deeply triggering” for the couple, as long-standing tensions with the royal family resurface

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and now live in California, have come under renewed public attention after Charles’ four-day state visit with Queen Camilla.

The trip included ceremonial receptions, diplomatic engagements, and meetings with senior US political figures, with images of the monarch appearing relaxed and in high-profile company circulating widely.

According to insiders, the public nature of the visit and the personalities involved have made it particularly difficult for Harry and Meghan to process.

One source claimed the situation has had an unexpected emotional impact on the couple, saying it has “brought up a lot of difficult emotions” and left them unsettled.

While Harry is said to understand that his father’s role “requires him to engage with whoever is in power, regardless of past comments or personal tensions,” the source added that understanding the duty of the monarchy does not necessarily ease the emotional response.

The Sussexes Are Reportedly Feeling ‘Vulnerable’ After The Monarch’s US Visit

The same insider suggested that what has been especially challenging is the lack of public acknowledgment of past criticisms directed at the couple, which they feel has gone unaddressed and continues to fuel a “narrative they feel is unfair” behind the scenes.

Another source described the couple as trying to manage mixed emotions, balancing personal sensitivities with a desire to remain composed.

They claimed Harry is attempting to view the situation through the lens of his father’s responsibilities as monarch, but that the experience has nonetheless reopened old wounds, and “left both him and Meghan feeling vulnerable and under scrutiny again.”

For Meghan in particular, the insider noted that there is frustration over what she perceives as continued negative commentary about the couple, with little visible pushback or defense from official channels.

“She and Harry are essentially suffering a form of PTSD over Charles’ U.S. visit,” a source claimed.

Prince Harry Keeping Silence Over The Matter As Strained Relationship With King Charles Remains Unresolved

Despite the emotional reaction described by sources, Harry is said to be deliberately avoiding public responses, preferring not to escalate tensions further.

However, those close to the situation suggest the developments have placed added strain on both him and Meghan privately.

The King’s visit itself was widely regarded as a diplomatic success, featuring a formal White House reception, a speech to Congress, and several engagements across Washington and New York, including tributes at the 9/11 memorial and meetings with community leaders focused on social development initiatives.

Even so, attention has repeatedly shifted back to Harry’s absence and his continued distance from his father.

The last known meeting between the King and the Duke of Sussex reportedly took place in September during a brief private tea at Clarence House, following a long period without contact.

Since then, attempts to rebuild their relationship have remained slow, with ongoing complications within the wider royal family said to be hindering progress.

King Charles Is Pushing For Prince William And Harry’s Reconciliation Ahead Of The Duke’s UK Return, Source Claims

Meanwhile, Palace insiders say Charles is deeply affected by the ongoing rift between his sons, with those close to him suggesting his personal hope is to see Prince William and Harry reconcile and restore some form of family unity.

While the idea of a breakthrough may seem distant, reports in the Daily Mail suggest efforts toward reconciliation could already be taking shape behind the scenes.

According to the publication, the King is keen for both sons to rebuild their relationship before the situation becomes irreversible, with support from his newly appointed deputy private secretary, Theo Rycroft.

Rycroft, a former diplomat who joined the King’s office in February, has reportedly already made a strong impression within the Palace. He is described by insiders as discreet and highly capable in handling sensitive matters, qualities that have earned him the informal nickname “Mr Nice Guy.”

The King’s New Depute Private Secretary Has Made It His ‘Mission’ To Reunite The Feuding Brothers

Sources claim Rycroft views the ongoing breakdown between the brothers as unnecessary and has privately described the situation as “ridiculous.”

He is also said to have made repairing the relationship between William and Harry his “number one mission” with hopes of encouraging dialogue between them.

According to the report, attention is expected to turn to Harry’s planned return to the UK in July for preparations ahead of the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, which could present a rare window for engagement.

Rycroft is believed to be exploring the possibility of arranging a meeting between Harry and King Charles during that visit, with the longer-term goal of gradually opening the door to talks that could eventually include William as well.