Great thriller shows will have viewers constantly on the edge of their seats, with frequent twists and turns, and cliffhanger endings to every single episode. Thriller shows make an excellent watch for those looking to be entertained, or who are interested in a binge-watch that will have them running to the next episode after each one ends. These shows are impossible to predict because they are always throwing viewers for a loop.

There are many iconic thriller series, and the 21st century has had some amazing additions to this genre. These series have seen the introduction of complex and messy characters, compelling and toxic dynamics, and clever and shocking plot twists. From murder mysteries to twisty mind-bending series to messy antihero tales, these are the seven most addictive thriller TV shows of the 21st century.

7

‘You’ (2018–2025)

Image via Netflix

Based on the series of novels by Caroline Kepnes, You follows a seemingly nice and ordinary guy named Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley), who works in a bookstore. Joe soon becomes infatuated with Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail), a grad student and aspiring writer whom he meets one day at work. The twist is that, when Joe falls for someone, there’s nothing he won’t do for “love,” including stalking and killing.

Each season of You sees Joe becoming enamored with a different target and doing everything he can to get close to the person. This includes hiding his past, learning everything that there is to know about his new love, and getting rid of anyone who can be an obstacle to their potential relationship. You is a suspenseful and wildly entertaining series that brings viewers into Joe’s mind, giving them a close look at his obsession and infatuation.

6

‘Bad Sisters’ (2022–2024)

Image via Apple TV+

Based on the Belgian series Clan, Bad Sisters is a dark comedy thriller about the five Garvey sisters: Eva (Sharon Horgan), Grace (Anne-Marie Duff), Ursula (Eva Birthistle), Bibi (Sarah Greene), and Becka (Eva Hewson). The first season takes place over two timelines. In the past, Grace was married to a horrible, abusive man named Jean Paul (Claes Bang). In the present, Jean Paul has just mysteriously died, and Grace’s sisters are desperate to cover up their role in his death.

Over the course of the past timeline, Jean Paul pushes the sisters to their limits, until they have no choice but to start planning his murder. They have no experience, though, so the whole process is more trial and error. Bad Sisters has a dark and sharply funny sense of humor, but it is also a deeply compelling and intense thriller series. In the past timeline, the sisters have to deal with Jean Paul’s worsening threats against them while trying to figure out a way to make it stop. In the present, they have to try to hide their possible involvement from the insurance agents looking into Jean Paul’s death.

5

‘Barry’ (2018–2023)

Image Via HBO

Barry is another phenomenal dark comedy thriller series. It follows Barry Berkman (Bill Hader), a former Marine who’s been lost and directionless since returning home. He works as a hitman for his handler and family friend, Monroe Fuches (Stephen Root), but he feels unfulfilled in this lifestyle. After following a target to an LA acting class, Barry suddenly falls in love with acting, and he becomes determined to find a way to balance these two very different lives.

Each season of Barry is an intense and carefully crafted installment that takes the series in an even darker direction. While the series is very funny, it is also very suspenseful, as outside threats in Barry’s world as a hitman pose a danger to the new life that he’s found. With each episode, Barry gets more entangled in both his life as a hitman and in the many lies that he has constructed in order to try to keep it a secret.

4

‘Yellowjackets’ (2021–Present)

Image via Showtime

Yellowjackets is one of the most addictive thriller series, both of the 21st century and of all time. The series follows the Yellowjackets, a girls’ high school soccer team whose plane crashed on the way to Nationals, leaving them stranded in the wilderness for a year and a half. The show takes place over two timelines: the past, when the Yellowjackets are stranded, and the present, where the survivors have all tried to move on in the 25 years that have since passed.

Both of the Yellowjackets‘ timelines are incredibly intense and impossible to look away from. At the center of the show is the question of how far their time in the wilderness pushed the Yellowjackets, not just to survive, but to gain power and a connection to the wilderness. In the present, everything that they’ve tried to bury from that time in their lives starts to resurface, and they have to figure out how to keep it all hidden.

3

‘Severance’ (2022–Present)

Image via Apple TV+

Severance takes place in a dystopian future where nearly everything is controlled by a powerful and corrupt company called Lumon Industries. Mark Scout (Adam Scott) is a grieving widower who chose to become one of Lumon’s severed employees, getting a procedure that separated his work self from his outside self. Now, Mark’s “innie” is confined to a life only at work, while his “outie” has no idea what he really does.

There is no 21st-century thriller series with better plot twists than Severance. The series starts off with multiple main storylines that hint at something larger without revealing much to the viewer. It soon starts to unravel these storylines, giving a deeper look into just what Lumon is doing, both on the severed floor and outside of it. Severance is an intense and mind-bending thriller series that is perfect for binge-watching and will leave viewers on the edge of their seats.

2

‘Revenge’ (2011–2015)

Image via ABC

Inspired by Alexandre Dumas‘ The Count of Monte Cristo, Revenge tells the story of a woman named Amanda Clarke (Emily VanCamp), who has gone undercover using the name Emily Thorne. When she was a child, Amanda had to watch her father, David (James Tupper), be framed and arrested for a crime that he didn’t commit. He was later killed in prison, and now, she is back in the Hamptons to get revenge on the people responsible for what happened to him.

Over the course of Revenge‘s four seasons, Emily carefully and deliberately pulls off complex and well-thought-out revenge plans on each of the many people who contributed to framing David and getting him arrested. At the center of it all is the powerful Grayson family, the main culprit in David’s framing, but they are also the most difficult people to take down. Revenge is an intense and exciting thriller that sees Emily willing to cross nearly every line to get revenge, as she fights to keep the people around her from figuring out what she is really up to.

1

‘How to Get Away With Murder’ (2014–2020)

How to Get Away With Murder is one of the most addictive thriller series ever. Each season starts with a flash-forward to a murder that the main characters played some role in covering up. The series then goes back in time to the events leading up to that murder. In the first season, successful lawyer and law school professor Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) chooses five of her students to intern at her law firm. In the flash-forward, Annalise’s students cover up the murder of her husband, Sam (Tom Verica).

Each season of How to Get Away With Murder is an intense and suspenseful installment that sees Annalise and the “Keating Five” working on cases and investigating an overarching murder. All the while, they wind up getting entangled in impossible situations that eventually lead to them having to cover up another murder, which they may or may not have taken part in committing. The series is a truly addictive and entertaining watch, and it always keeps viewers guessing.

Jessi Draper may be stepping into a brand-new chapter, and this time, it could include romance. Following a highly publicized split from her soon-to-be ex-husband, Jordan Ngatikaura, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star is putting herself back out there in a big way as a featured guest on “He Said G Said: Star Crossed,” the matchmaking series hosted by former reality stars Giannina Gibelli and Blake Horstmann. And according to the hosts, Jessi’s dating journey may have led to something surprisingly real.

The episode, which was released today, June 4, follows Jessi Draper as she navigates life after heartbreak and opens herself up to the possibility of finding love again, something Giannina Gibelli and Blake Horstmann said she was more than ready for.

Unlike many reality TV dating setups, Jessi wasn’t recruited for the experience; she sought it out herself. “She reached out to us,” Gibelli revealed during an interview with The Blast, explaining that Draper had been interacting with content surrounding “Star-Crossed” before finally making her interest known.

“She was like, ‘You know what? I need a good man. This sounds so fun,’” Gibelli shared, admitting she initially wasn’t sure how serious Draper was. But after continued conversations, it became clear the “Mormon Wives” personality was fully invested in giving love another shot. “She was all game,” Horstmann added. “She was like, ‘Let’s do it. Find me a man.’”

For the pair, helping Jessi find a meaningful connection felt like an easy “yes,” especially after watching parts of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” and getting a glimpse into her life online. “We were just like, yeah, she deserves better,” Gibelli said.

Why Weston Richey Felt Like The Right Match

When it came time to find Jessi a potential partner, the duo said one name quickly rose to the top: Weston Richey, known to reality TV fans from “Perfect Match.”

According to the hosts, Jessi made it clear she wasn’t just casually dating; she wanted a “man.” “We just felt like he was a man,” Horstmann said of Weston, describing him as grounded, positive, and mature.

The hosts also felt the pairing made sense because both Jessi and Weston are independent and successful in their own right. “She’s a business owner. She’s very independent,” Horstmann explained, noting that Weston shared similar qualities. “I felt like they wouldn’t be intimidated by each other’s successes or pasts.”

Gibelli agreed, adding that Weston’s calm demeanor could offer balance to Jessi during a particularly chaotic season of life. “He is very much that grounding type of personality,” she said.

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Sparks Flew Faster Than Expected

While reality dating shows are often filled with awkward silences and uncomfortable small talk, Gibelli and Horstmann said Jessi’s experience unfolded very differently. In fact, things appeared to click so naturally that the hosts felt like they barely needed to do their jobs. “After a while, I literally just threw my cards away because I was like, we don’t even need to be here anymore,” Gibelli admitted.

According to the hosts, Jessi and Weston quickly began bouncing off each other in conversation, effortlessly carrying the date without much guidance. “We were just watching a date,” Horstmann added.

For a show built around blind matchmaking, the easy chemistry was an encouraging sign, and potentially a promising one for Jessi’s future.

Draper’s Divorce Took A Painful Public Turn

Jessi’s dating journey comes after a deeply turbulent chapter in her personal life. Jordan Ngatikaura filed for divorce from Draper in March 2026 after five years of marriage. At the time, Draper publicly claimed the filing “blindsided” her, saying the two had allegedly agreed to wait before sharing the news with their children.

The split quickly became messy and public.

Inside Jessi Draper’s Highly Public Divorce Drama

Draper later appeared on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, where she alleged Ngatikaura emotionally abused her, hacked her social media accounts, and blackmailed her. She also shared screenshots that she claimed showed her estranged husband using escort services and attending sex parties during their marriage. Ngatikaura has not publicly responded to those specific allegations.

The divorce followed an already rocky stretch for the couple, who previously separated after Draper admitted to an emotional affair with “Vanderpump Villa” star Marciano Brunette before briefly attempting reconciliation through therapy. “I definitely would change having an affair,” she previously shared. “I definitely wouldn’t want to do that again, especially publicly. Definitely a huge mistake.”

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Since then, Draper has been candid with fans about healing, focusing on herself, and re-entering the dating world. And if “Star-Crossed” is any indication, her love life may finally be taking a hopeful turn.

Check out the full episode, now streaming on YouTube.

Roommates, time is flying, especially for our favorite celebrity kids! The latest one to gag the internet with her growth and accomplishments is Royalty Brown. And her parents, Chris Brown and Nia Guzman, came together to celebrate her sixth-grade graduation, sharing a sweet family photo online. On stage, Royalty took a moment to speak on how she wants to be a role model to her four younger siblings.

RELATED: Chris Brown & Nia Guzman Link Up For Royalty’s Birthday As Cozy Clip With Jada Wallace Continues To Go Viral (WATCH)

Chris Brown & Nia Guzman Pose In Photo With Royalty As She Honors Her Siblings

On Wednesday (June 3), Chris Brown shared a family shot on Instagram Stories featuring his firstborn, Royalty, and co-parent, Nia Guzman. All three were smiling in the photos. The 12-year-old had her hair flowing in highlighted waves and wore a light pink, strapless, short dress with a matching scarf and heels. Breezy and Nia both pulled up casual in jeans and a black tee and green top, respectively. Chris captioned the photo, “MY BABY GRADUATED,” adding red heart emojis.

Meanwhile, Royalty’s sister, Zillah, posted a video of her on the graduation stage at Sierra Canyon in Los Angeles. The school boasts a past and current student population that includes celebrity children, from the Kardashians to LeBron James kids. When Royalty took the mic, she spoke about how her older sister Zillah —Nia Guzman’s firstborn — was a role model for her and how she wants to be the same for her siblings.

Royalty Celebrates 12th Birthday With Her Parents

When it comes to Royalty Brown, her parents don’t miss an opportunity to come together to celebrate her! About a week before graduating, they all celebrated her 12th birthday at a birthday dinner. Even Ammika Harris’s son, Aeko, whom she shared with Chris Brown was present.

Separately, Nia shared footage of the party, dubbed Roechella and featuring a desert theme. She had face painting, bounce houses, festival food stations, a pool and even a performance stage at the event. She also appeared to be flooded with birthday gifts. It’s unclear if Chris also attended the birthday party.

Chris Brown Recently Celebrated Academic Accomplishments

That said, Royalty isn’t the only Brown celebrating recent academic wins. In late May, Breezy revealed that he had received an honorary doctorate of philosophy in visual and performing arts from Harvest Christian University. Fans went wild over photos he shared at the ceremony.

Then, this week, he seemingly responded to shade about the honorary aspect of his doctorate. He shared a photo of the Masters of Fine Arts in Arts Entrepreneurship he earned from the same university in 2022. His caption said, “I DID ANOTHER THING. MASTERS. I MOVE IN SILENCE, BUT TRY TO GROW IN PUBLIC.” 

RELATED: Dr. Breezy! Chris Brown Pops Out With Honorary Degree & Fans Are Putting Some Respect On His Name (PHOTOS)

Latto has seemingly addressed rumors alleging that 21 Savage is still married to Keyanna Joseph, the mother of his two sons.

RELATED: Did Latto Just Reveal Her Baby’s Gender On Her New ‘Big Mama’ Album? Fans Think So!

Latto Seemingly Addresses Rumors Alleging 21 Savage Is Still Married To Keyanna Joseph

On Thursday, June 4, ‘The Breakfast Club’ released their sitdown interview with Latto via YouTube. About five minutes into the conversation, Loren LoRosa brought up 21 Savage which led Latto to begin blushing. When asked why she became less private about their relationship, she explained that recent “milestones” have prompted them to have to be a little more open.

As the conversation continued, Latto also revealed that their baby girl has “changed” 21 Savage. From there, LoRosa mentioned Latto recently hanging out with the mothers of 21 Savage’s other children. She explained that they came together celebrate one of their children’s 5th grade graduation.

Before the conversation on 21 concluded, Latto seemingly addressed rumors speculating he’s still married.

“What people don’t know, they gon’ make up but… he not in — I don’t even want to say it. It’s like, that’s his story to tell. I’m not 21 Savage… We happy, we do what works for us, and people make up what they don’t know. That’s what I’ll say,” Latto explained.

Swipe below to see clips from throughout the conversation.

Social Media Reacts To Her Speaking On Rumors Of 21 Savage Being Married

Social media users slid into TSR’s comment section with reactions to Latto’s comments on her relationship with 21 Savage and the marriage rumors.

RELATED: Issa Bae Watch?! Social Media Speculates 21 Savage Also Has Latto’s First Name Tattooed (PHOTOS)

More On Latto, 21 Savage & Keyanna Joseph

As The Shade Room previously reported, Latto revealed she was expecting her first child in March. At the time, Keyanna Joseph, the mother of 21 Savage’s sons, and his speculated “wife,” appeared to positively react to the news.

By mid-May, 21 Savage appeared to confirm the arrival of their little one, per The Shade Room.

A few days later, Keyanna Joseph appeared to post a photo alongside Latto and Kei, the mother of 21 Savage’s daughter. Then, Kei shared footage of their outing.

More recently, Latto revealed she gave birth to a baby girl and even shared a carousel of content showing her off. Keyanna Joseph, who has remained silent on her status with 21 Savage, appeared to continue showing love to Latto and her little one, also liking these photos.

RELATED: Mother Of 21 Savage’s Two Sons Seemingly Shows Love To Latto After She Shares First Photos Of Her Baby Girl

Joe Bradley knows his history on Below Deck Mediterranean is tumultuous — to say the least — but that didn’t stop him from trying to redeem himself this season despite personal struggles and a falling out with friend Nathan Gallagher.

“I’m in this industry to win. I know what I’m capable of in terms of professional capabilities. At this point, I’m absolutely thriving,” Joe exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of Below Deck Med‘s return on Monday, June 8. “Captain Sandy gave me the call — and regardless of who the bosun was going to be — I didn’t mind.”

Joe’s main focus was making Captain Sandy proud. “I can take it on the chin,” he added. “I need to do a job at the end of the day — and I know I do it well. So I wasn’t scared. I was ready with everything. Every inch of effort and motivation, I was ready to join that boat.”

In a not-so-surprising turn of events, Joe’s once close friend Nathan was once again his bosun. But while their first season together in 2024 sparked a friendship, they ultimately were at odds by the time they reunited one year later.

Related: Below Deck Mediterranean’s Biggest Drama Through the Years

As soon as you step foot on a Below Deck Mediterranean charter yacht, you’re guaranteed one thing: a whole lot of drama. Throughout its Bravo run, crew members like Captain Sandy Yawn, Hannah Ferrier, Malia White and more have been know to butt heads with each other — all with the purpose of delivering a […]

“I’m a very passive person. So if you put me in any situation, at the end of the day, I’m here to do a job — regardless of any relationship on board,” he explained. “I’m going to make sure Captain Sandy is happy with me and happy with my capabilities.”

Joe revealed to Us that he was navigating personal issues before joining Akira One, saying, “My mom got diagnosed [with a health issue] and I went to look after [her], so I didn’t go back into work after season 10. She’s OK now. She had four tumors and it has been a battle. … But the beauty of this life is that this is my only financial income. The yachting industry has not only saved my life, but it’s quite literally [saved] my mom’s life financially. It’s a blessing.”

The deckhand used that positive perspective when choosing to return to Below Deck Med — despite the possible backlash from viewers.

“You will see a level of growth [this season] because I felt it. You will see that I’m comfortable in my own skin on board. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a bit boisterous at times,” he continued. “That’s where Nathan [and I differ]. I can actually be social, but I have a good time as well and do my job well. You will see growth and you will see a level of change because I’m fed up with all these [love] triangles now.”

As Below Deck Med viewers know quite well, Joe was entangled in a love triangle in season 9 with Elena Dubaich and Bri Muller. He later found himself in trouble during season 10 due to his connections with both Kizzi Kitchener and Victoria SanJuan, with the latter leading to Nathan cutting ties with Joe because of how he handled the situation.

“I’ve learned my lesson and I really do hope that you see it on this season. My job is my main priority,” he told Us before addressing the strong offscreen reaction to his presence in the franchise. “I’m going to say my [biggest] regret right now was the situation with Victoria, I could have handled that very differently. I could have handled that in a mature manner.”

He continued: “I was just boisterous. Obviously, we haven’t had any contact yet. But if I could sit down with her today, I would apologize. If she allows me one day to actually get all around and say I’m sorry for what I’ve done, I will do that.”

Joe wasn’t as surprised by the strong reaction from viewers.

Related: Biggest ‘Below Deck‘ Feuds — and Where the Relationships Stand Today

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Viewers have had a front row seat to some of the biggest reality TV feuds since the Below Deck franchise debuted. The show’s spinoff series Below Deck Mediterranean shocked viewers when Hannah Ferrier and Captain Sandy Yawn‘s inability to see eye to eye turned into the most memorable firing to date. Since the captain joined […]

“I understand it’s not a comfortable position — even just being a viewer. Watching myself back, I have learned from the situation. I’m really focused [on] my job right now,” he shared. “I am taming it down [in my romantic life on board] to just being one person. I don’t need to be greedy anymore. I’ve had my and I’m just ready to get the job done.”

In addition to his romantic life, Joe had to face Nathan after they fell out of touch. Joe clarified that he tried to get in contact with Nathan beforehand when seeing that he was about to welcome a baby with their former coworker Gael Cameron. Joe didn’t hear back from Nathan before they reunited in season 11.

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“It doesn’t bother me in the slightest. At the end of the day, I can’t say too much, but I know who Nathan is. He’s a horrible little man, so his words don’t affect me,” Joe said. “So going into the season, what I am going to say is I went in with chest high — regardless [of] who was there. … I work my absolute [hardest]. I work my hardest every single day.”

Looking ahead, Joe is hopeful that the work he put into season 11 could lead to another return — maybe this time as a bosun. “I have never been so ready in my life,” he told Us.

Below Deck Med airs on Bravo Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.

Marciano Brunette made a surprising confession about why he would support The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives‘ Jessi Draper hooking up with other guys — despite their own romance.

“I would say that currently we are dating, but we are not exclusive,” Marciano, 33, said in a clip from the Wednesday, June 3, episode of Hulu’s “Get Real” podcast when asked about his and Jessi’s relationship status. “Hence the point of you asking a girl to be your girlfriend. I have not done that.”

Marciano revealed he wouldn’t take issue if Jessi, 34, found a connection with another guy.

“I told her that’s 100 percent OK [if she went out and hooked up with someone else]. Am I going to be happy about it? No, I am not,” he admitted. “But I am not going to tell her what to do until she’s ready to actually get into another relationship. Then we can have that conversation.”

The Vanderpump Villa star has prioritized “supporting her as a friend first.” He also hinted that he is falling in love with Jessi, who replied in the clip’s comments section, “My little green flag.”

When The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives premiered in 2024, Jessi was married to Jordan Ngatikaura, with whom she shares kids Jagger, 5, and Jovi, 2. The pair faced various challenges in their relationship — including Jessi’s emotional affair with Marciano.

“We had been dealing with the affair for about six months behind closed doors. No one knew. During those six months, it got worse than it ever had. [Jordan] was blackmailing me. He was threatening to send my texts to Marciano out to the world,” Jessi said on “The Viall Files” podcast in November 2025, claiming the drama was addressed on the show but didn’t make the final edit. “Anytime I did anything he didn’t agree with, he had it on his TikTok drafts and he was like, ‘I’m going to post it.’”

Jessi continued: “It was so toxic. I remember the day I left him, it got to a point where he was recording me and he’s taunting me and I was chasing him around the house. We were just screaming at each other. It was so bad.”

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Related: Mormon Wives’ Jessi and Jordan Ngatikaura‘s Relationship Timeline

Jessi Ngatikaura’s marriage to Jordan Ngatikaura made headlines after she admitted on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives that she had an affair with Marciano Brunette. The couple started dating and got married before the hit Hulu series premiered in September 2024. During the first season, Jessi’s personal life wasn’t in the spotlight, but that all […]

Marciano, meanwhile, weighed in on both Jessi and Jordan’s claims about their issues.

“When you’re told something, obviously, I was very sympathetic to Jessi. But seeing it is way different,” he told Us Weekly in December 2025. “I think just seeing it all in general, I was like, ‘Oh, now I can really understand what you guys were going through.’ It’s a really difficult situation and it was tough to watch. I felt like I obviously played a huge hand and not making it look good for either of them. Hence why I’ve since said I live with regret by doing that.”

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Jessi and Jordan, 28, gave their marriage another chance, but news broke in March that Jordan filed for divorce from Jessi after five years of marriage. (He also filed a restraining order, which was denied.)

As Jessi and Jordan’s split continued to get more contentious, she rekindled her relationship with Marciano. The couple, however, have clarified that they were keeping things casual.

“I’m single, going through a divorce, and dating around, having fun,” Jessi told E! News at the 2026 American Music Awards last month, where she walked the red carpet with Marciano.

In addition to Matlock returning later than usual, the hit CBS series will be going through some surprise shakeups to further the plot.

During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly at the MPTF NextGen Summer Party on Sunday, May 31, Jason Ritter teased what fans can expect from season 3, saying, “I know that it exists. I know that it’s coming.”

Ritter, 46, who plays Julian, noted that he hasn’t “heard very much about it.”

“I think I’ve heard that there will be a time jump, but who knows how long exactly,” he hinted. “I think we’ll be seeing a lot of character shakeups.”

Related: Matlock’s Planned Season 3 Time Jump Explained After Major Schedule Change

Matlock isn’t just getting a schedule change — but a time jump as well. “Season 3 will not pick up directly [after the season 2 finale],” creator Jennie Snyder Urman told Deadline. “It’ll be six months to a year, I would say.” Urman also confirmed this in an interview with TVLine, teasing how Matty (Kathy Bates) […]

As Ritter pointed out, Julian’s trajectory would likely change the most after his arrest, sharing, “Certainly for my character, we ended the last season with me in a little bit of trouble. So we’ll see if I’m able to hold on to my law license or if I have to recreate myself.”

Season 3 would also open the door for new faces.

“I know that the team of writers that we have are always so wonderful and they always come up with the best case scenario,” Ritter told Us. “Every time I think I know where something’s going, they surprise me in the best possible way so I just can’t wait to open the gift of season 3 — along with everybody else.”

He continued: “No, we don’t have scripts yet. I think we start shooting maybe in September so the writers are taking a good long time to really make sure that they have season 3 right.”

CBS previously announced its schedule in April with viewers noticing some substantial changes. Ghosts, Matlock and NCIS: Sydney received a shakeup by having their premieres moved to 2027 for midseason. They will join the new show Einstein, which is finally premiering in 2027 as well.

Matlock’s time slot will be given to Elsbeth to allow Cupertino to premiere on the same night. NCIS: Sydney, meanwhile, is moving to midseason as NCIS: Origins — which received a shorter episode order — takes over to pair off with NCIS: New York.

“I asked for it [to be pushed] with the network. We had a talk,” creator Jennie Snyder Urman told TV Insider ahead of the second season finale in April. “I just feel like we had so much stuff to think about because we really landed the plane on this, and we really thought that was important because we didn’t want to keep dragging out the same story, and the characters have to get to someplace real emotionally.”

Urman, 50, confirmed that season 2 would wrap up the Wellbrexa story line, which meant a complete “reset” for the series.

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“When we took this two-hour finale and really paid a lot of things off, what came with that was I’m going to need time after that to really build the architecture so that we have it for the next seasons,” she teased. “I’m excited about it, but I am also grateful because we needed a little bit of time.”

Urman addressed possible disappointment from viewers, adding, “Sad for audiences, but actually really good for me and the writers because I want us to plot this new mystery and make sure it’s airtight.”

She continued: “We had a lot of pieces going in, so we really had to create this new piece of it. I feel lucky that the network’s giving us time to get it right because I don’t want the quality to drop.”

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 23 seconds ago

One of the questions I frequently find myself coming back to is who the scariest villains in all of Star Trek are. The Borg are an obvious possible answer. As robot zombies, their very existence is kind of spooky. Plus, they are relentless and nearly unstoppable, even in the face of advanced Starfleet technology. However, you could make a case that the Dominion are truly the most frightening bad guys because they are designed as an evil mirror image of the Federation. What could a group as powerful as the Feds do without morals? Why, conquer a quarter of the galaxy, of course!

We saw that play out in Deep Space Nine, a show which spent two and a half seasons ramping up the tension before the final two seasons focused on a massive war between Starfleet and the Dominion. This evil organization was first mentioned in the Season 2 episode “Rules of Acquisition,” during which the writers had no idea exactly who or what the Dominion would be. In order to keep fans from endlessly speculating about this new group or guessing how important they would be, producers decided to hide these villains in plain sight. That’s the real reason why they were first mentioned in one of the silliest episodes ever made!

Meet Star Trek’s Creepiest Bad Guys

“Rules of Acquisition” was one of the most divisive kinds of Deep Space Nine stories: a Ferengi episode. These episodes tended to be designed as broad comedies, which rubs some fans the wrong way. Sometimes, these episodes even annoyed writers and producers who thought that Star Trek should stick to telling relatively serious sci-fi stories. At any rate, “Rules of Acquisition” was a story in which the Ferengi Grand Nagus Zek wanted to open business relations in the Gamma Quadrant. Once he learns that means doing business with the Dominion, the alien tries (and fails) to learn everything he can about this mysterious empire.

The Dominion was only created because Deep Space Nine wanted to explore the Gamma Quadrant for the first time, something that became more important because the spinoff Voyager was going to constantly explore the Delta Quadrant. As reported by the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion, future DS9 showrunner Ira Steven Behr understood that exploring the Gamma Quadrant would also differentiate his show from previous Trek series. “The existence of the Gamma Quadrant next door to Deep Space Nine would not help the series if it remained just unexplored space,” he said. “They did three years of that on The Original Series, and seven years on The Next Generation. We needed to define that space.”

Hidden In Plain Sight

There was just one problem. The writers knew nothing about the Dominion except for the name when “Rules of Acquisition” was written. If they made a big deal about the Dominion, then fans would begin endlessly speculating, and we all know how that goes: the eventual villain reveal would be disappointing compared to what everyone whipped up in their heads. Therefore, the writers did something very clever: they hid the first mention of the Dominion in a comedic Ferengi episode. After all, it’s hard to clock that this mystery group is going to define the entire series when there’s a will they/won’t they subplot about Quark and his thirsty, crossdressing employee!  

The plan worked, and almost nobody watching the first broadcast of “Rules of Acquisition” understood how important the Dominion was going to be. This gave the writers and producers time to fully flesh out these iconic villains before they made their first onscreen appearance in the Season 2 finale “The Jem’Hadar.” Even then, it was hard to guess how these baddies were going to reshape the show and help transform Deep Space Nine into the best Star Trek series. Fortunately, their earliest mention was hidden in the last place you’d expect to find something important: an episode where Quark nearly gets imprisoned for treating a woman as anything but a naked bang maid.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 52 seconds ago

From the very beginning, Star Trek embraced progressive ideals that risked angering the more conservative audiences of the time. The Original Series, for example, made a Black woman a main character at the height of the Civil Rights era. It also featured a prominent Japanese character when post-World War II racism was still in full swing and added a Russian character at the height of the Cold War. Later, shows like Deep Space Nine took bigger swings by making a Black man the captain, and Voyager did the same thing by putting a woman in charge, nearly 30 years after TOS insisted there could be no female Starfleet captains.

However, there was one final frontier that the Golden Age of Star Trek didn’t dare explore, and that was featuring openly gay characters. There are multiple people responsible for this decision. Historically, franchise creator Gene Roddenberry was opposed to including gay characters because he worried about offending the network and the fandom. After his death, new Trek guru Rick Berman reportedly did his best to quash multiple gay characters and stories. However, that didn’t keep the writers from occasionally sneaking coded moments past the goalie. For example, the Deep Space Nine episode “Rules of Acquistion” features Dax being fully accepting of a Ferengi who loves Quark, even when she thinks that the Ferengi is a man!

Star Trek‘s Sneaky Sexuality

For this weird tale to make sense, we’re gonna have to slingshot around the sun and visit different Star Trek eras. In an interview with PBS, gay franchise icon George Takei said that he spoke to Roddenberry about including any openly homosexual characters. He claims that Roddenberry really wanted to do it but worried he was “walking a tightrope” with viewers, pointing out that Kirk and Uhura’s interracial kiss “was very controversial.” When The Next Generation came out, there were unconfirmed accounts that Roddenberry promised various groups that he would include gay characters, but that never happened.

After Roddenberry died, Rick Berman became the final word on Star Trek. Unfortunately, he allegedly did everything he could to quash gay representation in the franchise. This included reportedly killing a David Gerrold TNG script which featured gay characters and a clear AIDs allegory. Berman also killed the Bashir/Garak relationship on DS9 despite the actors being into it. Later, he even put out a press release to kill rumors that First Contact’s Lieutenant Hawke was gay. Eventually, prolific TNG and DS9 writer Ronald Moore seemingly alluded to Berman, telling Fandom the only reason there were no gay characters in the franchise is that “people in charge don’t want gay characters in Star Trek, period.”

The Latinum That Dare Not Speak Its Name

So, what does all of this have to do with “Rules of Acquisition,” a largely forgotten Deep Space Nine episode? This episode features a female employee of Quark’s, Pel, who has the hots for her boss. However, thanks to synthetic lobes, she presents herself to the galaxy as a male. She’s passing as a dude when she confesses her love for Quark to Dax. The science officer was perfectly fine with Pel expressing his love for a man, a simple action that helped normalize same-sex relationships in the 24th century. It’s not as loud and proud as it could have been, but getting this moment past Rick Berman was a small miracle.

After this, Deep Space Nine got more progressive in terms of gay representation. Dax kisses another woman in “Rejoined,” for example. In “Chimera,” Quark cracks a meta joke about a “Changeling Pride” demonstration. Meanwhile, the DS9 Mirror Universe is filled with queer versions of characters, including Kira, Ezri Dax, Garak, and even Worf, most of whom dress like they’re headed to the local sex dungeon. Is all of this campy and mostly catering to straight dudes who like to see women making out? Sure. But DS9 still had better gay representation than any Star Trek show until Discovery, and it all started with Dax quietly normalizing gay relationships, right under Rick Berman’s nose!