Travis Kelce and brother Jason Kelce delivered an entertaining live show for fans of their podcast, “New Heights.”

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, 36, and the retired Philadelphia Eagles center, 38, hosted a live installment of their popular podcast at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday, June 15.

While Travis’ fiancée, Taylor Swift, didn’t make it in person to the event — she instead stayed back in New York City and was spotted arriving at Electric Lady Studios — the NFL star found a way to honor the pop star in his own special way. In the hours before the live show began, a parody movie poster of the 1990 rom-com Pretty Woman was displayed on stage, per footage circulating online. But instead of stars Julia Roberts and Richard Gere being featured, it was Travis and Swift, with the title reading, Pretty Man.

The inside joke spawns from a 2025 episode of “New Heights,” where Travis joked he was living out a gender-swapped version of the beloved film by being with a “high-class” woman like Swift. (The movie follows a successful businessman who hires a Hollywood escort to be his companion for the week before the pair end up falling in love.)

“That’s why me and Julia Roberts — when I met Julia — it felt like we were the same person. She spoke to me in this movie,” Travis joked at the time. “I’m just an NFL stripper, that’s it — just an NFL hooker, man.”

Despite being in the NFL offseason, the “New Heights” live event comes amid a busy time for Travis. Career-wise, he participated in a Chiefs mandatory minicamp in Kansas City, Missouri, from Tuesday, June 9, through Thursday, June 11, and released his and Jason’s book, No Dumb Questions: And All of Our Dumbest Answers, on June 2.

In his personal life, Travis has been enjoying downtime with his fiancée, Taylor Swift, with date nights in New York City and Cleveland in recent weeks. The couple are also counting down to their highly anticipated wedding. Although details are still under wraps, the nuptials are expected to take place before Travis begins Chiefs training camp in late July.

In April, Us Weekly exclusively revealed that Travis and Swift, 36, are working together to plan their big day.

“They’re both involved and making decisions together,” a source told Us at the time, adding that the pair are “focused on actually enjoying the process rather than getting caught up in the pressure” as their wedding approaches. “They’re keeping things light.”

According to the insider, the bride and groom “have both been very laid back” about the planning after making “a conscious decision not to let it cause any tension between them.”

As for Travis’ desire to participate, the source added, “Taylor thinks it’s cute that Travis cares about a lot of the details.”

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Related: What We Know About Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s Wedding So Far

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are gearing up to say “I do.” The couple announced their engagement in 2025, sharing a photo of Kelce down on one knee as he popped the question to Swift. “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the pair captioned their Instagram post at the time. Since […]

To keep the specifics private, Travis and Swift “aren’t even sure they will” mail hard-copy invitations to their guests. Regardless, “their closest friends and family know the venue and the date,” the insider noted, “even if nothing formal has been sent out.”

Meanwhile, the duo’s families are “letting Taylor and Travis do their thing and aren’t getting too involved or giving too many opinions.”

For his part, Jason has been vocal about his aspiration of standing beside his younger brother when Travis and Swift exchange vows.

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“Hopefully I’m the best man. We’ll see. Trav has a lot of friends,” he said on a September 2025 episode of the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast. “I’m just hoping to get the opportunity.”

Later that year, Jason addressed whether he was “prepared” to make a best man speech at Travis’ wedding.

“Time will tell if there is one or anything like that,” he replied during a December 2025 appearance on Good Morning America. “I’ve been given no details on that front, but however I’m involved, I’ll be happy to be. I’m just happy for those two.”

Movies and musicals take our normal, ho-hum human experiences and turn them into ginormous explosions of emotion. On their own, these forms provide catharsis, but when you combine them? Buckle your culture-lovin’ seatbelts, baby. Movie musicals have been around since the very beginning of film history, which begins with the borrowing of devices and talent from the creators of stage musicals. With the ability to finesse and craft set pieces you simply could not in a real-life time-and-space theatrical setting, movie musicals like The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain, and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg became the symbols of filmic creativity, ingenuity, prestige, and good old-fashioned popcorn fun.

But as we’ve made our way into this 21st century, beginning with the year 2000, the movie musical has become something of an exception rather than a rule of cinematic expectations and impulses. In other words, when a contemporary movie musical comes out, it “means something.” These are the 25 best movie musicals of the 21st century, celebrating the glory of music, dance, and losing oneself in the magic of cinema.

25

‘The Greatest Showman’ (2017)

Image via 20th Century Studios

The one requirement for The Greatest Showman is to simply accept that it is not (nor does it really attempt to be) a truthful account of P.T. Barnum’s life, which is oddly fitting given its main character. Instead, The Greatest Showman constantly shoots for uplift and joy with a terrific litany of songs from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul constructed with some really artful and impressive direction from Michael Gracey, making his feature debut.

You also have a terrific cast leaning into this version of Barnum’s story, with Hugh Jackman perfectly endearing as the sweet-if-misguided showman. Like any good musical, these songs are bound to get stuck in your head, but you’re not going to mind when you’re fist-pumping to “This Is Me” for the 400th time. —Matt Goldberg

24

‘Pitch Perfect’ (2012)

Image via Universal Pictures

The 21st century has been dominated by pop music, and in that way, 2012’s Pitch Perfect may be one of the musicals that best encapsulates the dominating musical taste of an era. Directed by Jason Moore and written by Kay Cannon, the film started as a witty twist on the boon of competitive a capella groups but, somewhere along the way, morphed into a sharp college comedy packed with killer renditions of pop songs.

Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick and scene-stealer Rebel Wilson lead an effortlessly charming cast that’s heavy on both vocal and comedic talent. The sequels fell far short of the same kind of magic that made Pitch Perfect a hit, but the first film still stands as a tremendously watchable and catchy good time. —Adam Chitwood

23

‘Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping’ (2010)

Image via Universal Pictures

There’s some confusion about what exactly qualifies a film as a “musical.” It feels like the correct answer is somewhere along the lines of “any film featuring non-diegetic musical numbers performed by the characters to explain their motivations and advance the narrative,” but that definition would exclude movies like Sing. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, the 2016 comedy from The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer), isn’t a musical in the classic sense, but it is 100% a comedy about music, featuring roughly a dozen hilarious original songs by narcissistic fictional megastar Connor4Real (Samberg).

The film follows Connor as he embarks on a massive tour to promote the release of his hotly anticipated sophomore album. In addition to being a razor-sharp satire of pop music superstars and the superficial lifestyle of social media influencers, the songs are legitimate bops, and many of them are performed in elaborate stage numbers that are both funny as hell and quite impressive. It also features a number of fun cameos from the music industry, including standout bits involving Adam Levine, Seal, and Justin Timberlake. —Tom Reimann

22

‘Dancer in the Dark’ (2000)

Image via Fine Line Features

Dancer in the Dark, like many of Lars von Trier’s movies, can feel overly, even unfairly punitive. Björk‘s leading character is a poor factory worker with an eye condition and a desire to stop her son from suffering what she has as a result of vile circumstances and, more tellingly, vile human nature. Her suffering happens in unsparing, grimly constructed detail; one of von Trier’s more smeary Dogme 95 works shot on gnarly DV tape.

But if you stare amid this path toward human annihilation, you will find a ton of beauty, escape, and one of the wildest usages of the musical form. When the banal evils of Björk’s life become too much to bear, she subsumes herself into a musical fantasy world. Suddenly, the colors brighten, the cameras become more intentionally composed, and the world turns into a song-and-dance fantasia where things dip their toes into the pool of “making sense.” This dichotomy in styles, in truth versus fantasy, makes for a gripping, gritty watch, a film that retains a blunt power of efficacy in all kinds of emotional directions. —Gregory Lawrence

21

‘Frozen’ (2013)

Image via Disney

Frozen is clearly one of Disney’s most popular and most successful films in the 21st century, but it’s also one of their best. The movie feels like an adaptation of a Broadway musical, even though it’s really a loose adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen. Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel create real magic with their voices in service of a familiar but unexpectedly fresh take on sisterhood.

The songs drive the story, and songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez expertly weave a tale of rejection, familial love, and acceptance throughout this phenomenal soundtrack. “Let It Go” was a years-long earworm for a reason, but the childlike wonder of “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” and the silly hilarity of “In Summer” solidify this as one of the best musicals and musical soundtracks of the 21st century. —Adam Chitwood

20

‘Happy Feet’ (2006)

Image via Warner Bros.

George Miller‘s odd, dark, and often fun animated look at the lives of singing and dancing penguins belongs on this list if for no other reason than this: when the film was screened for Prince to get his approval to use his song “Kiss,” he ended up liking it so much that he wrote an original song for it. The concept of a movie musical is baked into the core DNA of Happy Feet, as we learn an important fact about penguins previously unknown to the human world — when adult penguins are trying to find their perfect mates, they sing their “heartsongs” to find out what songs might be compatible.

The mash-ups of pop/rock favorites like “Boogie Wonderland,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Somebody to Love,” “I Wish,” and more are very solid, with the added bonus of the great voice cast lending their vocal talents. While some slight emotional scarring may occur after viewing (those seals were scary), Miller remains a master of the slightly disturbing but ultimately charming family film. —Liz Shannon Miller

19

‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’ (2018)

Image via Universal Pictures

There are classic sequels that are regarded as vast improvements over their predecessors. Then, there’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, which takes the Godfather Part II approach of being both a sequel and a prequel to the first film. The first film was cute and charming, basically feeling like a group of great actors just going on vacation to Greece and doing an epic week of drinking, dancing, and karaoke singing while someone brought a camera along. However, Here We Go Again actually feels like a proper movie.

The story has some nuance to it, the characters have depth and arcs to them, and the actors actually look like they’re trying. And even if you lose one Meryl Streep, you win Lily James, Andy Garcia, and freaking Cher — and Cher makes everything better. This is as close as you get to a contemporary take on a classic Hollywood musical-turned-summer blockbuster. The musical numbers actually move the story along through visual storytelling while the choreography is shot like classic MGM musicals, and there are some visually impressive camera movements and editing tricks done to merge timelines and story threads. —Rafael Motamayor

18

‘Moana’ (2016)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

With a resume of beloved Disney animated musical classics that includes The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, writers/directors Ron Clements and John Musker hit the mark again with 2016’s Moana. This time with a musical assist from Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda, who co-wrote the film’s songs alongside Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina. The result is a charming, catchy-as-hell reinvention of the Disney princess narrative.

Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) isn’t your average fairytale princess ready to risk it all for love; she’s the future leader of her people, an ambitious, clever, and athletic hero chosen by the ocean for a mythic adventure that brings her face-to-face with the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson). The mythology and magic that made Clements and Musker’s previous films such favorites are on full display, but Moana‘s not-so-secret weapon is the enchanting soundtrack, a fusion of traditional music and belting Broadway numbers. —Haleigh Foutch

17

‘The Muppets’ (2011)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

2011’s The Muppets gives fans of these felt-constructed mischief-makers (and Kermit, who’s just trying to hold the mischief together) everything they’d want in a musical comedy version while charting identities of their own. The Muppets, featuring star and co-writer Jason Segel, is full of heart, its standout songs being tearjerkers like “Pictures in My Head” and Oscar-winner “Man or Muppet.”

A successful reinvention of a classic and beloved formula, The Muppets gives a broad, clean overview of what the titular characters can provide. Moreover, this charming and contagious musical makes audiences keenly aware of the prodigious talents of director James Bobin and songwriter Bret McKenzie. —Gregory Lawrence

16

‘Wicked’ (2024)

Image via Universal Pictures

The massively popular musical Wicked took its sweet time to get to the silver screen, but the wait was worth it — for the most part, anyway. Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba, the notorious green witch who forms an unexpected bond with the pink-obsessed Galinda (Ariana Grande) and discovers dangerous secrets about her land and the mysterious wizard who rules it.

Although suitably larger-than-life, Wicked is also surprisingly stale and lacking in the whimsy and charm of its stage source material. The grey, washed-up cinematography fails to convey the magic of Oz, so it’s up to the lead actresses to sell the fantasy aspect of the story. Luckily, Erivo and Grande rise to the challenge, doing justice to these iconic characters and ultimately making Wicked a worthwhile offering with irresistible songs and a few jaw-dropping sequences. —David Caballero

Bunnie Xo clapped back at rumors that her marriage was troubled less than a year before her estranged husband Jelly Roll filed for divorce.

“Someone said the other day, ‘They used to always be together, and now you never see them together,’” Bunnie, 46, said in an August 2025 episode of her “Dumb Blonde” podcast. “I’m like, ‘Do you guys not know that for the past six months [that] I’ve been trying to make a baby?’”

Us Weekly confirmed on Monday, June 15, that Jelly Roll (real name: Jason Bradley DeFord), 41, filed for divorce from Bunnie (real name: Alisa DeFord) in May in Tennessee after nearly a decade of marriage. On the same day, Bunnie made a cryptic Instagram post about finding her “sparkle” again.

Us has reached out to representatives of both stars for comment.

The podcaster previously responded to marriage speculation after Jelly Roll had a whirlwind summer in 2025, including headlining a European tour with Post Malone and even meeting Pope Leo XIV during a visit to Vatican City.

At the time, Bunnie Xo insisted she wasn’t able to join her husband on the road because they were exploring fertility options. (Jelly Roll shares son Noah Buddy, 9, with ex Melisa Ann Cowell and daughter Bailee Ann, 18, with ex Felicia Beckwith.)

“My husband has to work to f***ing bring home the bacon,” Bunnie told podcast listeners last August. “Luckily, I get the luxury of working from home. He doesn’t. He has to make appearances, but I literally have been on IVF meds for f***ing six months and going through heartbreak and f***ing so much s***.”

She added, “That’s why you haven’t seen me [because] mama’s about to pop out. I gotta remind them. I might even do a sexy photoshoot and piss off all the f***ing [haters].”

The former couple did resume making public appearances together earlier this year, including stepping out for a pre-Grammy gala in January and then exchanging PDA on the red carpet of the music industry awards show in February.

Also in February, Bunnie Xo opened up in her memoir Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic about how she and Jelly Roll rebuilt their marriage after he cheated several years ago. (Jelly Roll described his infidelity as “one of the worst moments of my adulthood” in an October 2025 appearance on the “Human School” podcast.)

Bunnie exclusively spoke to Us about why she was honest with her readers about the “betrayal” she felt over her husband’s cheating.

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Related: Bunnie Xo Fires Back at Critic Blasting Her for Staying With Jelly Roll

Bunnie Xo clapped back at an Instagram commenter who criticized her for staying with her husband Jelly Roll after he had an affair. “It takes a stronger woman to face pain head-on, do the work, and rebuild with the man she loves instead of running or gossiping,” replied Bunnie Xo (real name Bunnie DeFord). “Growth […]

“I don’t think anybody can just snap out of it. It is a process. You’re literally grieving and you’re heartbroken but you’re still in love with this person. Even though the affair is a part of the book, it’s not our story,” she told Us in February. “It’s literally what catapulted us into who we are today and I think that readers [of her memoir] need to definitely consume it, chew on it and think about it. But they also see what we’ve made from that entire situation. It completely changed who we are as humans and how we looked at love.”

Jelly Roll confessed to People later in February that it was “rough at times” to read Bunnie’s candid memoir.

“We went through a lot of pain and having to go through it together, but reading the
whole book and seeing where it ended at is really touching,” he added. “I’m just proud of her for telling her story so unapologetically. I mean, she talks about everything fearlessly, from domestic assault to sexual assault. I’m just proud of her. She’s so brave.”

Corey Feldman is undergoing medical testing after suffering a frightening health emergency while flying back to Los Angeles. 

The former child star reportedly became seriously ill during a flight from Chicago, prompting medical attention in the air before paramedics met him upon landing. 

The alarming incident comes just days after Feldman reunited with his beloved “Stand by Me” co-stars for anniversary events and months after he publicly addressed the controversy surrounding his exclusion from a tribute honoring late filmmaker Rob Reiner.

Corey Feldman was rushed to a hospital after experiencing what sources described as a serious medical issue aboard a flight bound for Los Angeles on Monday afternoon.

According to TMZ, the actor became ill while returning home from Chicago and was examined by a doctor who happened to be on the flight. 

Sources told the outlet that physicians believe the condition may be related to pancreatitis or gallstones, though Feldman is still undergoing tests to determine the exact cause.

The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that emergency personnel responded to the airport after receiving a call involving a passenger experiencing a medical emergency. 

A spokesperson said a 54-year-old male was transported to a local medical facility for additional evaluation and treatment. It was later confirmed that the patient was Feldman.

The alarming situation unfolded just as the actor was wrapping up a busy weekend of public appearances tied to one of the most beloved films of his career.

Feldman Reunited With ‘Stand By Me’ Cast Days Earlier

Just before the health scare, Corey Feldman had been traveling for a pair of special events marking the 40th anniversary of the classic coming-of-age film “Stand by Me.”

The actor reunited with former castmates Jerry O’Connell and Wil Wheaton, along with host Dan Pasternack, for live anniversary celebrations in Indiana on Saturday and Chicago on Sunday.

Directed by Rob Reiner, the 1986 film follows a group of childhood friends who embark on a journey to find the body of a missing boy. 

The cast also famously included the late River Phoenix, whose performance remains one of the film’s most memorable elements.

The anniversary celebrations carried extra emotional weight this year, as they arrived months after the tragic deaths of Rob and his wife Michele Reiner.

Corey Feldman Addressed Oscars Tribute Controversy

The anniversary events also gave Feldman an opportunity to address lingering feelings about being excluded from the tribute to Rob during the 98th Annual Academy Awards in March.

Many viewers were surprised when O’Connell and Wheaton appeared on stage as part of the tribute while Feldman was absent.

Reflecting on the situation, the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” star told Entertainment Weekly, “I think Jerry and Wil did what had to be done.”

While he downplayed the significance of missing the brief segment, he admitted he wished participants had been given a greater opportunity to speak from the heart.

“It was a fleeting moment, so I don’t feel like I missed much at all,” Feldman said, adding, “I personally was probably maybe a little bothered by the fact that nobody got to speak or do or say anything from their own heart.”

Feldman acknowledged that “it is what it is,” while also admitting that “it felt a little bit like a family reunion I wasn’t invited to.”

Feldman Mourned Rob Reiner’s Tragic Death

Although Corey Feldman acknowledged feeling left out, he emphasized that the larger tragedy remained the deaths of Rob and Michele.

“We’re not going to use this time to go into my feeling about that,” Feldman said regarding the Oscars controversy. Instead, he focused on the tragedy itself.

“Instead I just want to say that I’m with the rest of us, we’re all very destroyed that things went down the way they did, losing Rob when we all thought he’d be joining us at some point for this tour and it’s a tragedy,” he added. 

Rob and his wife were killed inside their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025. 

Corey Feldman Previously Responded To Being Left Out

Prior to the Academy Awards, a source revealed that Feldman was deeply hurt by being excluded from the tribute.

The insider claimed to the Daily Mail that he viewed the omission as a major “slap in the face” and had hoped for an opportunity to publicly honor the filmmaker he admired.

According to reports, both O’Connell and Wheaton weren’t happy about the omission either. They allegedly contacted Academy organizers seeking answers about Feldman’s absence from the tribute.

Sources claimed the pair believed Feldman should have been included and were frustrated when their inquiries reportedly received no response.

Before the ceremony took place, Feldman briefly addressed the issue directly on social media.

“HI FOLLOWERS & SUPPORTERS, I JUST WANT 2 BRIEFLY MENTION THIS WHOLE OSCARS THING!” he wrote on X.

He continued, “YES ITS TRUE THAT I WAS NOT INVITED, I UNDERSTAND MANY BELIEVE ITS DUE 2 BEING OUTSPOKEN ABOUT THE ABUSE I SUFFERED AS A CHILD & THE CAMPAIGN 2 SILENCE ME.”

However, Feldman quickly redirected attention away from himself.

“HOWEVER THIS ISNT ABOUT ME! ITS NOT MY MOMENT @ ALL! ITS ABOUT THE TRAGIC LOSS OF R FRIEND ROB REINER & HIS MEMORY,” he wrote.

Murder mysteries have always intrigued audiences. Their form may change, but the interest stays the same. Decades ago, avid readers tore through the pages of whodunits by Agatha Christie or locked-room mysteries by Edgar Allan Poe, and today they listen to serialized true crime podcasts. There’s always going to be an appetite for mysterious murders, and films have helped to satiate it for many years. Even well into the 21st century, we’re still getting whodunits, true crime classics, and all other manner of murder mysteries.

The last 25 years might not be the most prolific the genre has ever been, but there’s certainly a fair level of quality to the films. Some of the best murder mysteries made since 2001 are among the best ever made, period. They’ve come from some of the most famous living directors, both domestic and international, and they cross over with noir, comedy, and even science fiction. These are the greatest murder-mystery movies of the last 25 years, ranked.

10

‘The Kid Detective’ (2020)

Image via Levelfilm

Despite its title, this one isn’t a family-friendly mystery movie. Though it takes inspiration from the likes of Encyclopedia Brown, The Kid Detective is a definitively adult affair about regret, guilt, and redemption. It’s darkly comedic but also profoundly sad, anchored by a terrific lead performance by Adam Brody. It’s easily the most underrated of any murder mystery movie to come out in the last 25 years, and it’s ready for rediscovery.

Abe Applebaum (Brody) was once a child detective and local celebrity. However, he’s since devolved into drug and alcohol abuse as an adult in arrested development. He’s haunted by the disappearance of his childhood best friend, whose case was never solved. When he’s approached by a teen looking to solve her boyfriend’s murder, he sees it as a second chance, but he’s hampered by his amateurish methods. There’s a genuinely enthralling mystery at the heart of The Kid Detective, one that ties into the trauma of its lead character, giving it an unexpected but wholly welcome emotional complexity.

9

‘Wind River’ (2017)

Image via The Weinstein Company

Before Taylor Sheridan became an ego-driven millionaire consumed by his own Yellowstone creation, he was an actor turned surprisingly sharp writer of modern crime classics like Sicario and Hell or High Water. He followed those films up with his directorial debut, Wind River, which carries many of the same themes of his work while integrating an intriguing murder mystery element. Set on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming, the film is a neo-Western mystery that addresses the overlooked violence perpetrated against indigenous populations, and specifically indigenous women.

After the body of a young woman is found frozen on the reservation, FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) is called in to investigate. She joins forces with Fish and Wildlife Agent Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner), and together the two uncover a larger conspiracy on the reservation. While there are the workings of a white savior complex within the film, it benefits from giving solid supporting roles to indigenous actors and from drawing attention to the violence perpetrated against them. It isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly a more empathetic and believable crime thriller than Sheridan’s most recent Western soap operas.

8

‘Mystic River’ (2003)

Image via Warner Bros.

Dennis Lehane is a novelist synonymous with Boston-based crime thrillers. His work has been successfully adapted to the screen in mystery thrillers from major directors like Martin Scorsese and Ben Affleck. The first filmmaker to tackle Lehane’s work was Clint Eastwood for the emotionally devastating drama Mystic River. Tackling heavy subjects such as sexual abuse and generational trauma, the film was a major comeback for Eastwood as a director and won two Academy Awards for its performances.

Three Boston boys’ lives are forever altered when one of them is abducted and abused by two men. Years later, those boys have grown into vastly different men. Jimmy (Sean Penn) is an ex-con turned family man, Sean (Kevin Bacon) is a cop struggling to keep his marriage together, and Dave (Tim Robbins) is still broken by his abduction. When Jimmy’s daughter is murdered, and Dave returns to his wife the same night covered in blood, the mystery opens old wounds and threatens to shatter the lives of all three men. Mystic River is a potent thriller with powerhouse performances and stripped-down direction that makes it a must-watch.

7

‘The Secret in Their Eyes’ (2009)

Image via Distribution Company

This 2009 Argentinian crime drama is a haunting portrayal of guilt, trauma, and repression with political undertones that uses a non-linear structure to tell an impactful murder mystery involving a decades-old cold case and the cumulative effect it has on one man. Set in two distinct periods, with the main investigation taking place in 1975 and its reckoning over two decades later, in 1999, the film uses the political unrest and violence that occurred between those two points in time in Argentina to inform the frustrations of its characters and the stagnation of their investigation. The Secret in Their Eyes was a dramatic success, winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film, and it inspired a pale imitation remake, but this original is still far more effective and powerful.

In the ’70s, Benjamín Espósito (Ricardo Darín) investigates the assault and murder of a young woman, vowing to her husband that he will find her killer. They quickly target a suspect, but through a combination of professional blunders and political machinations, he goes free and escapes justice. Decades later, Espósito seeks closure from the case, and the film builds to a darkly cathartic ending. The Secret in Their Eyes is a murder mystery where the mystery lies not only in the identity of its killer but also in how one can serve justice in an unjust world.

6

‘Gosford Park’ (2001)

A satire of the British class system in the early 20th century as well as a darkly comedic murder mystery, Gosford Park is the perfect synthesis of the sensibilities of director Robert Altman and writer Julian Fellowes. Inspired by the writing of Agatha Christie and featuring a stellar ensemble cast that fills out its cast of upstairs and downstairs characters, it’s a gorgeously crafted murder mystery that prioritizes its characters over its plot, but is nonetheless wickedly entertaining. It was Altman’s final masterpiece and one of the best films of the 2000s.

Set on a lavish estate in the English countryside where a group of wealthy guests has collected for a social gathering, tensions are already simmering between them when one of them is murdered. The death exposes secrets among them and increases the divide between the upper-class guests and lower-class staff. The film is handsomely photographed by cinematographer Andrew Dunn, and Altman shot with two cameras running simultaneously to capture spontaneity in his cast. Gosford Park is a classic manor murder mystery made with acerbic wit.

5

‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ (2005)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

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Shane Black became famous as a screenwriter of buddy action movies like Lethal Weapon and The Last Boy Scout. After taking a long career hiatus from Hollywood, he returned to the genre with the comedic neo-noir two-hander Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. It stars Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer as an odd couple trying to solve a murder in Hollywood and features Black’s signature quippy dialogue. Despite the punchy dialogue and a pair of pitch-perfect performances, the film wasn’t an immediate success but has since developed a well-deserved cult following.

Harry Lockhart (Downey) is a two-bit thief who stumbles into the Hollywood scene by accident after posing as an actor, leading his path to cross with private eye Perry van Shrike (Kilmer), whom he is supposed to shadow for a proposed movie role. When the two witness a car get dumped into a lake with a body in the trunk, they unwittingly become part of a much larger mystery. Loosely based on the Bret Halliday novel Bodies Are Where You Find Them and inspired by the work of Raymond Chandler, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is one of the best Hollywood murder mysteries out there, and it trades jokes and bullets with the best of Black’s signature work.

4

‘Minority Report’ (2002)

Image via 20th Century Studios

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Based on the cerebral short story by Philip K. Dick, Minority Report is a sci-fi noir thriller set in a future where crimes can be predicted and prevented before they’re committed. As the first collaboration between Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise, the film has all the requisite excitement and set pieces you’d expect, but also some very dark undertones in its story of free will versus determinism. It is also famous for its surprisingly accurate predictions of future technology, many of which have become reality since its release.

John Anderton (Cruise) is the head of the Precrime program in Washington, D.C. Using three psychic individuals known as precogs, they have been able to prevent all premeditated murders for several years. When Anderton himself becomes the next accused suspect, he goes on the run to clear his name and solve the mystery of his intended target, which exposes a deeper conspiracy. With a desaturated style evoking classic noir and slick sci-fi action, Minority Report is one of the most entertaining murder mysteries of the 21st century, and it’s only gotten better with age.

3

‘Knives Out’ (2019)

Image via Lionsgate

Rian Johnson helped reinvigorate the whodunit genre with the clever crime comedy Knives Out. As an homage to and subversion of the mystery genre as a whole, the film introduced audiences to gentleman sleuth Benoit Blanc, who has since gone on to lead his own franchise. Every entry has been its own entertaining mystery, but the first is still the best. It’s a whodunit that tells you everything about the murder up front, only to continually pull the rug out from under you with increasing hilarity.

When famed author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) dies by apparent suicide, it seems like an open-and-shut case. In comes Blanc (Craig), the famed detective who has been anonymously summoned to Thrombey’s estate to suss out the real killer. While Blanc is the star of the film, the protagonist is Thrombey’s nurse, Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), who is suddenly thrust into the middle of the author’s greedy family when she is named as the sole recipient of his fortune. Knives Out is steeped in social commentary, but that never drags down its narrative or prevents it from being a whipsmart piece of entertainment. It’s led to one of the best franchises of the 21st century, and hopefully audiences will be treated to even further Blanc mysteries.

2

‘Memories of Murder’ (2003)

Image via CJ Entertainment

Bong Joon Ho is one of the most exciting filmmakers to emerge in the 21st century, and he’s delivered modern masterpieces such as Parasite, The Host, and Snowpiercer. Before all those films, he directed the true crime-inspired Memories of Murder. Inspired by the play Come to See Me by Kim Kwang-lim, which itself was inspired by the real-life Hwaseong Serial Killer, the film was produced and released before the actual murders had been solved, which gives it an open-ended mystery that haunts its characters.

In the 1980s, a series of sexual assaults and murders brings together local cop Park Doo-man (Song Kang-ho) and seasoned detective Seo Tae-yoon (Kim Sang-kyung), who conflict over their methods and are equally frustrated by the continual obstructions that impede their investigation. The film offers a keen observation of the culture of South Korea at the time and is filled with a dreary atmosphere amplified by its muted color palette and desaturated visuals. As with all of Bong’s films, it combines disparate tones and genres into a more eclectic whole, and its ending is suitably haunting.

1

‘Zodiac’ (2007)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Another true crime classic based on real murders, David Fincher‘s masterpiece Zodiac, differs from Memories of Murder in that its central mystery has yet to be solved, and it also adheres much closer to the facts of its real-life case. While the film is an undeniably enthralling procedural, its power lies not in the capturing of the Zodiac killer, but in the details of the crimes and the time they occurred in. It’s a film of obsession, made by a notoriously meticulous filmmaker, and it’s about as detailed and perfect a crime thriller as has ever been made.

Set in gorgeously recreated San Francisco in the ’60s and ’70s, the film follows cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), journalist Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), and detective Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) as they individually investigate the killings attributed to the mysterious Zodiac Killer, who taunts them with his letters sent to the city’s newspapers. The film refuses to make its story more palatable through Hollywood invention. There are no car chases or grisly reinventions of the killings, only tense interrogations, harrowing recreations of the crimes based on survivors’ testimony, and one nerve-wracking scene involving a very paranoid man and a basement. Zodiac is a haunting thriller that somehow leaves you feeling gratified with the incompleteness of its murder mystery.

Jennifer Garner just wore the most relatable Disneyland outfit. The actress strolled through the parks in these vibrant Brooks running sneakers, paired with classic blue jeans and a simple tee. It’s celebrity-rich mom style, theme park edition.

Garner is a longtime fan of Brooks running sneakers, but her latest Glycerin 23 kicks might be the chicest yet, and she showed Us how to wear them without the 5K vibes. They gave her Disneyland getup a fun, sporty flair, and we’re copying the formula for walks, travel days and everything in between.

Get the Brooks Glycerin 23 Neutral Running Shoes for $170 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

These Brooks Glycerin 23 running sneakers come in a punchy colorway that adds a pop of personality to any low-key getup — right on par with the bright sneaker trend that’s having a serious resurgence. Bright and sassy, they’ll be your first-pick shoes all season.

Related: Jennifer Garner‘s Colorful Sundress Nods to a Divisive But Chic Retro Style

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Jennifer Garner rarely leans into polarizing styles, but her latest colorful sundress left the internet chatting. The verdict is in: With Garner’s approval, ombré is making a comeback. We found her retro look for only $30 on Amazon! Garner wore a flowy gradient-style sundress, a simple black cardigan and a structured leather tote. The dress […]

Style aside, these neutral running shoes feature a nitrogen-infused midsole, extra forefoot cushioning and breathable knit fabric. The result? A plush feel and bouncy toe-offs, whether you’re strutting around town or hitting the trails. The supportive fit and softer landings make them a favorite for logging miles, even if that mileage is at a theme park.

One happy shopper shared, “The cushion is on another level. There is so much soft support! I threw on these shoes and walked 18 miles at the zoo, first time wearing them. Not ‘broken in.’ No problem. These don’t need to be broken in. They fit perfectly from the start.”

Chic, comfortable and colorful enough to feel current, Garner’s Disneyland look is a reminder that the right sneakers can do all the heavy lifting.  Whether your next big walking day involves a theme park, a city weekend or just a long list of errands, these celeb-approved sneakers make the miles disappear.

Get the Brooks Glycerin 23 Neutral Running Shoes for $170 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more running sneakers and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

Related: Martha Stewart‘s Summer Slip-Ons Are Oddly Chic — Get Her Exact Pair!

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If you’ve ever wondered what sneakers, wedges and loafers would look like as one shoe, Martha Stewart just showed Us. Her summer slip-ons deliver plush comfort with a design worth photographing, making them an incredible upgrade to any summer wardrobe. Somehow, Stewart’s exact shoes are under $100! In a recent Instagram post, Stewart posed in […]

Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo were brutally honest about the ups and downs of their relationship throughout their near decade-long marriage.

Following two stints in jail — Jelly Roll (real name Jason Bradley DeFord) was arrested for aggravated robbery at 16 and served one year before being incarcerated for drug dealing at the age of 23 — the “Save Me” singer found The One with Bunnie (full name Bunnie DeFord), whom he wed in 2016.

He also found a caring stepmother for his two children, daughter Bailee and son Noah, from prior relationships.

The couple have been each other’s rocks as their respective careers have flourished. Bunnie launched her “Dumb Blonde” podcast and media company in 2020. Jelly Roll, meanwhile, became a rising star in country music in 2020 after starting his career as a hip-hop artist in 2003.

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“My shooting star 💫 You’ve dreamt your whole life of being where you are today. You manifested, did the work & now my sweet Antioch boy is living his dream,” Bunnie gushed via Instagram in November 2023 ahead of Jelly Roll’s 2023 CMA Awards performance. “I LOVE YOU. I admire you. I’m so proud of you! You are exactly where you’re supposed to be. Let’s take ‘em to church tonite baby!!! 🏆🏆.”

In June 2026, Jelly Roll shocked his fans by filing for divorce from Bunnie.

Scroll down to see Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO’s love story from the beginning:

2015

The pair met at one of Jelly Roll’s Las Vegas shows.

August 2016

The twosome tied the knot at a Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas nearly one year after first crossing paths.

May 2020

“It takes a special kind of woman to raise a kid that isn’t her child and still treat the child as if she was. Bunnie is that special woman, outside of the social media, outside of the podcast, and all the business endeavors she does and helps me with, Bunnie is a beautiful soul,” Jelly Roll wrote via Facebook alongside a photo of his wife with his daughter, who began living with the couple in 2016. “She is kind, patient and caring. Over the years watching her relationship with Bailee blossom into this beautiful mother daughter bond that it has become has been nothing short of magical.”

He gushed: “I have truly been blessed with the best partner I could’ve asked for in life. You are the epitome of a good mom and deserve more credit than anyone because you didn’t have to step up to the plate the way you did. You chose to step up and man you have knocked it out of the park. Thank you, Mama Bear — we love you.”

November 2022

“We hit it off. She said she fell in love with the saddest eyes in the room,” the “Need a Favor” singer told Taste of Country Nights host Evan Paul in November 2022 of how he met his partner. “I’m not going to act like I shot my shot. She kind of shot hers. We had mutual friends. She said, ‘Yo. Just plug me in with Jelly.’ And I hit her on some other s–t. I was like, ‘Yo. I’m going to be coming out to shoot some content and video stuff. She was like, ‘Yeah! C’mon!’ I was like, ‘Cool, well I’m living in my van, so I’ll leave now.”

Later that month, the pair made their red carpet debut at the 2022 CMA Awards in Nashville.

April 2023

Bunnie sang her husband’s praises after he won three CMT Music Awards for Male Video for the Year, Male Breakthrough Video of the Year and CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year for his hit “Son of a Sinner.”

“You were sent here to destroy stereotypes & blaze the trail for all the have nots,” she wrote via Instagram. “Saying I’m proud of you has to be so redundant after all these years, so tonight, per usual- I stand in awe of you. The pied piper of lost souls, the melancholy maestro … tonight was your night. Hell, if we’re being honest, 2023 has been your YEAR. You filled their hearts with love & brought ‘em to church handsome. Can’t wait to see what’s next.”

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July 2023

Jelly Roll penned a “Bunnie appreciation post” via Instagram in honor of her launching her podcast and leaving her past as a high-end escort behind her for good. “A lot is often said or made about my story, but the truth is, I’ve never been moved more by a story than the story of my wife,” he shared. “To watch what this woman has overcame and her passion and determination to be something better has inspired me from the moment I met her. She saved me in one of the darkest times of my life. She has been nothing but supportive.”

The former rapper recalled: “I watched her build her own platform, her own podcast and her own team with ZERO help from me. She wanted to do it on her own, she didn’t want to be just ‘Jelly Roll’s wife’ she wanted to build her own empire to empower women and share her story in hopes that it could motivate others to believe that they could change their lives and be happy. … Watching you take this thing to the moon has been nothing short of incredible to watch — so so so so happy for you baby. Let’s keep changing the world a little at a time.”

August 2023

The couple renewed their vows in Las Vegas. “7 years ago my wife and stumbled into a little chapel in Las Vegas. 7 years later we walked into that same little chapel and renewed our vows … my only regret on the night we got married was I never got to see her in a dress. We made that right,” Jelly Roll wrote via social media after the magical night. “I may have never gave my wife the wedding she truly deserved but I plan on giving her the life she deserves for the rest of it. I love you more anything mama bear. You are my anchor.”

Bunnie shared photos from the intimate ceremony, calling her spouse her “missing puzzle piece. My safe space. The man that makes me dance in my feminine energy. My best friend, my hero & the greatest man I’ve ever known.” She added: “Cheers, to lucky #7 & so many more. & like I’ve always told you — he house always wins baby 🎰 🎲.”

November 2023

Jelly Roll received a standing ovation after winning the CMA Award for New Artist of the Year. During his speech, he gave his spouse a shout-out and reeled off an inspirational message for fans everywhere.

“Country radio, what’s up baby? I got a thousand people to thank, but most importantly, My Lord and my wife. I love you so much, you changed my life, baby,” he gushed. “There is something poetic about a 39-year-old man winning New Artist of the Year. I don’t know where you’re at in your life, or what you’re going through. But I want to tell you to keep going. I want to tell you success is on the other side.”

February 2024

A source revealed to Us Weekly that the couple had managed to keep each other grounded as Jelly Roll’s career continues to blossom.

“He’s having a blast, and so proud to show off his wife. Now they feel like they’ve overcome so much together,” the insider shared, adding that they “have an ‘us against the world’ mentality.”

April 2024

Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO attended the 2024 CMT Awards where he took home all three awards he was nominated for including Video of the Year, Male Video of the Year and CMT Performance of the Year.

While accepting his third award, Jelly Roll gave a shout out to his wife.

“My beautiful wife, Ms. Bunnie DeFord, I am blessed to have you as a partner,” he shared. “You find beauty in broken things and I love you.”

October 2024

In his 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me feature for Us, Jelly Roll said that he and Bunnie like to keep things low-key when they have time to themselves. “We’re on the road constantly, so my ideal date night with Bunnie XO is getting to spend a day at home,” he explained.

May 2025

Ahead of the ACM Awards, the couple attended a Lainey Wilson concert, where Jelly Roll pulled his wife on stage to dance to Wilson’s hit “4x4xU.” In a TikTok caption, Bunnie wrote, “Giving into the moment, bc I’m learning memories are priceless. … He always [knows] how to make me have the biggest smile.”

That same week, they attended the 60th annual ACM Awards, where they cuddled up on the red carpet before Jelly Roll performed with Shaboozey.

August 2025

Bunnie playfully supported Jelly Roll via Instagram after he lost nearly 200 pounds. “When you have to check and make sure he’s still your squish after all the weight loss,” she wrote alongside a video body-slamming her husband. Bunnie added the caption, “Bestie #jellyandbunnie.”

That same month, Bunnie revealed why fans hadn’t seen her and Jelly Roll together for a few months. “I’m like, ‘Do you guys not know that for the past six months [that] I’ve been trying to make a baby?’” Bunnie explained on the August 8 episode of her “Dumb Blonde” podcast.

“My husband has to work to f***ing bring home the bacon,” she continued. “Luckily, I get the luxury of working from home. He doesn’t. He has to make appearances, but I literally have been on IVF meds for f***ing six months and going through heartbreak and f***ing so much s***.”

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Bunnie concluded, “That’s why you haven’t seen me [because] mama’s about to pop out. I gotta remind them. I might even do a sexy photoshoot and piss off all the f***ing [haters].”

February 2026

The couple were all smiles at the 2026 Grammy Awards, with Bunnie rocking a red lace gown while Jelly Roll donned an all-black look.

June 2026

Us Weekly confirmed that Jelly Roll filed for divorce from Bunnie Xo after nearly a decade of marriage. Hours before the news broke, Bunnie posed in lingerie on her Instagram Story and posted the caption, “She’s getting her sparkle back.”

Bunnie Xo made some cryptic Instagram posts hours before news broke that her husband Jelly Roll filed for divorce.

On Monday, June 15, Bunnie (real name: Alisa DeFord) posed in lingerie for her Instagram Story and included the intriguing caption, “She’s getting her sparkle back.” In a separate Story, she shared the quote, “Come here, let me show you what love feels like.”

The Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic author also posted a video of her lip-synching to Nickelback’s hit “How You Remind Me.” The music video for the 2001 alternative rock track features singer Chad Kroeger’s girlfriend literally disappearing from his life while the song itself is widely interpreted to be about a toxic relationship.

“I was sitting in the basement of my old house in 2000, having just got into a big argument with my girlfriend,” Kroeger, 51, revealed to Louder in December 2025. “So I guess I was feeling pretty jaded at the time. I wanted to write some lyrics that were a slap in the face to her. Even though I do say in the song that I love her, I kinda wanted to throw her a back-handed slap. So I was being very direct, and yelling into the microphone so that she could hear what I was saying.”

Related: Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO Have ‘Overcome So Much Together’

Jelly Roll and his wife, Bunnie XO, keep each other grounded as the country singer continues to prosper. “For all his recent success, Jelly Roll remains exceedingly humble,” a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. “He’s having a blast, and so proud to show off his wife.” The insider tells Us […]

He went on, “I was shouting lines like ‘It’s not like you to say sorry’ and ‘This is how you remind me’ and I was trying to be nasty, trying to put in these really sarcastic lines. Then she opened the door, and she was like: ‘What’s that? I really like it’. So it kinda defeated the object of what I was doing.”

Us Weekly reported on Monday that Jelly Roll (real name: Jason Bradley DeFord), 41, quietly filed for divorce from Bunnie on May 18 in Tennessee.

Us reached out to representatives of both stars for comment.

Bunnie and Jelly Roll have gone through their share of ups and downs throughout their marriage. The “Son of a Sinner” singer welcomed his son Noah Buddy with ex Melisa Ann Cowell the same month he tied the knot with Bunnie in August 2016. (Jelly Roll and ex Felicia Beckwith also share an older daughter, Bailee Ann, who was born in 2008.)

The former couple also opened up very publicly about rebuilding their marriage after Jelly Roll cheated several years ago.

“We didn’t know how to love each other properly,” Bunnie admitted to Us about her husband’s infidelity in February. “We both were raised in opposite households but weren’t taught how to love correctly. A lot of that gets brushed over [but] as a child, he wasn’t taught how to love properly and I wasn’t taught how to love or receive love.”

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During an October 2025 episode of the “Human School” podcast, Jelly Roll described his infidelity as “one of the worst moments of my adulthood.”

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“I wish our story would’ve went in the way that it never had an affair. I’m proud of who we are today. I truly am,” he confessed.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie were most recently spotted together at the 2026 Grammy Awards in February, where they cuddled and showed PDA on the red carpet.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated 1 hour ago

As a Doctor Who fan, I recently felt like I was trapped in an episode of this beloved sci-fi series. That’s because, as soon as the BBC confirmed that the show was getting canceled, I entered some kind of bizarre time loop. My social media feeds were filled with people breathlessly claiming that Doctor Who was canceled because it was overly woke. Hadn’t I been here before, listening to the same arguments about how progressive messaging killed a progressive sci-fi show? Yup. The same thing happened three months ago, when Paramount announced that Starfleet Academy was canceled, effectively killing active production on Star Trek TV shows for the foreseeable future.

When that happened, many critics claimed that Starfleet Academy had been canceled because it was an overly woke show, what with its gay Klingon and characters endlessly talking about their emotions. Now, those critics are claiming that Doctor Who (which, like Trek TV, is on indefinite hiatus) was canceled because of its own wokeness, what with its openly queer Doctor and proud identity politics. However, wokeness didn’t kill either of these franchises; bad writing did. At the end of the day, both of these fantastically expensive sci-fi series were canceled because not enough people were watching. As Discovery’s Tilly might say in the cringiest possible way, that’s the power of math, people!

The End Of Two Eras

Right now, Star Trek and Doctor Who are in the same boat. Starfleet Academy was the only Trek show in active production; after it was canceled, Paramount (under new, post-merger leadership) decided to pivot entirely to movies. It could be a long time before we see a new Trek on television. Last time Paramount pivoted this IP to film, there was a 12-year wait between shows. Now, Doctor Who is effectively canceled because the BBC is looking for someone else to produce the show (Disney declined to renew their own production deal last year). Last time Doctor Who went on hiatus, there was a 16-year wait between shows.

So, Doctor Who and Star Trek are in the same boat: on hiatus for the foreseeable future. Another major thing that these shows have in common is that haters claim they were canceled because of their “woke” content. Doctor Who, for example, prominently features a queer Black actor, a trans supporting character, and preferred pronouns. Starfleet Academy, meanwhile, has multiple gay characters, polyamorous Klingons, and a dude prominently wearing a skirt. Once these shows got canceled, many critics pointed to this aforementioned content as the reason they got the axe, citing the oldest, dumbest axiom of the internet: “go woke, go broke!”

Woke From The Beginning

Star Trek has, of course, been woke from the beginning: the first pilot episode featured a strong female commander, the Original Series featured a multiracial crew, featured an interracial kiss, and so on. The franchise retained such progressive wokeness throughout the decades, and while Starfleet Academy was no more woke than what came before. What it was, however, was very badly written. The progressive messaging of this show is that much more noticeable because it’s that much louder and on the nose. This would be bad enough even if the show were otherwise well-written. Unfortunately, the poor writing and sometimes nonsensical plotting of Starfleet Academy ensured that obvious identity politics sometimes overshadowed everything else. 

Similarly, Doctor Who has been very visibly woke since the NuWho era began back in 2005. These early seasons featured a male Doctor kissing his flamboyantly gay Companion, spouting anti-war messaging, and emphasizing that major corporations are evil.; nonetheless, it was successful enough to warrant nearly two decades‘ worth of new episodes. Fast-forward to the Disney era of Doctor Who, and the show hadn’t gotten any more woke. The Doctor was still kissing dudes, war was still bad, and corporations were still evil. Written well, none of this offends anyone, regardless of politics. Written poorly, the virtue signalling gets so loud that it’s tough to make out the message of any given episode. 

The Numbers Are Ugly

Simply being woke would never be enough to get the respective Star Trek and Doctor Who fandoms to turn on their favorite franchises. After all, the franchises have each been woke for decades. But being badly written can destroy these brands in very short order. For example, both Trek and Who tried to pander to a wider audience, but this backfired. Old-school fans just stopped tuning in, feeling like what they saw onscreen no longer resembled the franchise they fell in love wth. Meanwhile, poor marketing and diminishing name recognition meant these shows didn’t gain any new fans. The result? A show that ends up bleeding money.

Paramount never really releases streaming numbers, so it’s impossible to know exactly how many people watched Starfleet Academy. Notably, it never cracked the Top 10 Nielsen streaming originals list. Citing an unnamed source, Mike Stoklassa of Red Letter Media claimed that Season 1 only got a cumulative number of 400,000 viewers, which averages out to 40,000 views per episode. Meanwhile, the first season reportedly cost $100 million, averaging out to $10 million per episode. At the end of the day, it’s just math: because Starfleet Academy cost a small fortune to make and didn’t attract enough viewers, it got the axe. 

The Juice Ain’t Worth The Squeeze

The same can be said for Doctor Who. Showrunner Russel T. Davies had a way bigger budget than he otherwise would have, thanks to Disney. They covered half the costs; the episodes featuring Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor reportedly cost between $8.5 million and $10.5 million. That’s about three times what it cost to make Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Who episodes. However, these new episodes failed to crack the Nielsen top 10. And on the BBC, Gatwa reportedly lost about a million views from season to season, culminating in a Season 2 finale that garnered only 2.25 million views. Like Starfleet Academy, it’s not worth making super expensive episodes if nobody is watching them.    

Wokeness didn’t kill these franchises because they’ve been woke since before most of their haters were born. But each franchise tried in vain to appeal to broader audiences, creating shows that drove away old fans while failing to recruit new ones. Old-school fans of Star Trek and Doctor Who were very accustomed to woke messaging, but it was usually packaged with stellar writing. Continuous poor writing drove away the base of each show until there was nothing left but a handful of diehards. Sobering as it is, the creators of Trek and Who just learned a brutal lesson: you can’t have a successful blockbuster show with only a handful of fans.