NCIS put the spotlight on Agents Parker (Gary Cole) and McGee (Sean Murray) back in Season 22 as they tackled their own individual storylines that led to major outcomes for the series. Even though these two took up the bulk of the runtime and, subsequently, our attention, they weren’t necessarily responsible for the most memorable moments on the show. In this case, that distinction actually belongs to Agents Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) and Knight (Katrina Law). At this point, these two have bounced off each other’s energy for a couple of seasons, creating a heartwarming friendship that is always a pleasure to watch. But it was in Season 22 that the duo proved that they’re the best pairing on the flagship show, not only because of their endless capacity for wry comedic relief, but also due to how solid their bond has become. Although that relationship might evolve into something more romantic, at its core, this duo has always been the best even when they were purely platonic.

Torres and Knight Have Always Had the Strongest Chemistry in ‘NCIS’

Torres and Knight have always effortlessly had banter, and that is what sets them apart. The characters’ dynamic is aided by the on-screen chemistry between Valderrama and Law, which translates perfectly to the relationship Torres and Knight share. But what’s most compelling about their humor in regular episodes of NCIS is how casually they are littered into the script because these two never miss a chance to verbally elbow one another in the ribs, often accompanied by a withering stare as a response. This makes their jokes unexpected and that much more enjoyable.

Of course, the writing plays into their interactions, as their dry quips are always clever enough to be interesting but never facetious and always relatable. This makes them more than just comic relief, especially during Season 22, where their personal arcs weren’t as consequential as those of Parker and McGee. That’s not to say they didn’t successfully fulfill the role of comedic relief, as they became that levity that we need as a reprieve from Parker’s visions and McGee’s obsession. However, watching their relationship slowly grow showcases a different side to the show.

Torres Dates Knight’s Sister in ‘NCIS’ Season 22

In NCIS Season 22, one of the standout storylines for Torres and Knight is when Torres starts dating Knight’s sister, Robin (Lilan Bowden). The mystery of who Torres is dating unravels over NCIS‘s month-long break, as it is revealed that Torres is dating someone new during the Christmas episode “Humbug,” and then we see him texting an unknown person. But we don’t find out until the next episode, “Baker’s Man,” that it is Robin. This plot point becomes a source of awkwardness between Torres and Knight, which lends itself to its own kind of comedy, especially as the secret is passed through a chain of intermediaries, including Jimmy (Brian Dietzen) and Kasie (Diona Reasonover), as the two avoid each other.

The two already had their relationships under a microscope even before Torres began a relationship with Robin. We saw Knight navigating her break-up with Jimmy, while Torres decided he wanted to make good use of his new gym regimen by hopping on dating apps. The fact that Torres starts dating Knight’s sister a couple of episodes after she helped him build a dating profile has its own flavor of ironic humor, but it also makes the conversation they finally have at the end of “Baker’s Man” feel more significant.

Despite claiming it was “no big deal,” Torres was actually uneasy about impacting the team’s dynamics with his new relationship. Meanwhile, Knight was more worried about her sister’s erratic behavior and the impact that it would have on Torres. Granted, she was also concerned that Torres would just be another face in the string of “bad boys” Robin dated, but the fact that she reacts to this news by giving equal thought to both her sister and her friend demonstrates how close she is to Torres. What could have been a moment that caused unnecessary drama in a different show ends up being one of the sweetest moments of the season, bringing forth the underlying mutual respect they have for each other. The growth we see between these two in Season 22 laid the groundwork for their relationship to grow organically in Season 3, even as it teased that the relationship could venture beyond just friendship.

‘NCIS’ Season 22 Sees Torres and Knight Get Married

Image via CBS

The second scene that proves Torres and Knight are the best duo in NCIS also involves their love lives, but in an unexpected way. Funnily enough, the episode right after the one where Knight learns of Torres’ relationship involves the pair having a fake wedding during an undercover operation. Even though they had a wedding ceremony with a painful-looking kiss to seal the deal — and in Parker’s beautiful house no less — the actual marriage license was fake… right? In the penultimate episode of that season, we find out that they were actually issued a license, making it a legally binding wedding — Torres and Knight were officially married.

Naturally, their immediate instinct was to recoil in disgust and quickly sort out an annulment, but they changed their tune once they discovered the bounty of perks NCIS offers to married couples. It takes a certain kind of friendship to be able to happily stay married out of convenience, even for a day, while dating your “wife’s” sister. It emphasizes how comfortable they are with each other in their personal lives, as well as out on the field. Their subsequent no-brainer to annul the marriage when they eventually find out a married couple cannot remain on the same team is also heartwarming, especially since Knight just came back from REACT at the start of the season.

Considering that Season 23 teased the potential of a romantic relationship between these two, with showrunner Steven D. Binder suggesting in an interview with TVLine that that potential might become a reality, it’s important to look back on the key moments that prove just how strong Torres and Knight are, even when romance wasn’t a key factor. And after that surprising twist for Torres in the Season 23 finale, it is guaranteed that there will be more moments to come from NCIS‘ best partnership.

All episodes of NCIS are available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.

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Release Date

September 23, 2003

Showrunner

Donald P. Bellisario

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Directors

Dennis Smith, Terrence O’Hara, Tony Wharmby, James Whitmore Jr., Thomas J. Wright, Michael Zinberg, Arvin Brown, Rocky Carroll, Diana Valentine, Leslie Libman, Tawnia McKiernan, Colin Bucksey, William Webb, Bethany Rooney, Alrick Riley, Jeff Woolnough, Alan J. Levi, Lionel Coleman, Martha Mitchell, Peter Ellis, Michael Weatherly, Edward Ornelas, Stephen Cragg, Tom Wright

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Writers

George Schenck, Frank Cardea, Jesse Stern, John C. Kelley, Jennifer Corbett, Christopher Silber, Reed Steiner, Nicole Mirante-Matthews, Jack Bernstein, Scott J. Jarrett, Matthew R. Jarrett, Kimberly-Rose Wolter, Don McGill, Gil Grant, Frank Military, Nell Scovell, Steven Kriozere, Brian Dietzen, Kate Torgovnick May, Jeff Vlaming, Sydney Mitchel, Katie White, Richard C. Arthur, Laurence Walsh

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  Sean Murray

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  Timothy McGee

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  david mccallum

  Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard

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Influencer Katelynn Ordone and her husband, Jaelan Ordone, have officially separated after the death of their son.

Katelynn confirmed to People on Sunday, July 12, that she and Jaelan are divorced. One day earlier, Katelynn shared photos featuring an unidentified man via her Instagram while reflecting on her return to social media after her son’s untimely death.

“As many of you already know … I’ve had a hard time coming back to social media since losing Preston. I’ve struggled to even pick up my phone to capture new memories, knowing he won’t be in any more of them,” Ordone wrote via Instagram on Saturday, July 11. “It has been 443 days since my baby boy has been in heaven. There have been so many ups and downs, and while I’m still not ready to share everything with the world again just yet, I’ve finally started picking up my phone again and capturing new memories more often.”

She continued, “Even though it’s still hard, I’m grateful I’ve reached this point because I know that’s what Preston would want. I truly believe he wants his mama to continue finding joy until we meet again someday.”

Related: Influencer Katelynn Ordone Is Ready to Tell Her ‘Truth’ After Son’s Death

Influencer Katelynn Ordone has returned to social media following her self-imposed online hiatus to grieve the death of her 2-year-old son, Preston. “I decided to take a break from social media about a month ago because I was really struggling mentally,” Ordone, 26, said in a Tuesday, January 13, Instagram video. “I needed to check […]

Katelynn shared that she has a “new memory” she’d like to share with her followers, while posting photos of her smiling on a beach with a man.

“I hope to keep sharing more as I’m ready,” she wrote. “Thank y’all so much for all the love, support, and grace you’ve shown me through all of this.”

News broke in April 2025 that Preston died in a single-vehicle car crash. He was 2. Both Katelynn and Jaelan were in the car at the time of the accident and sustained injuries, while daughter Paisley was at school during the incident.

“Katelynn has multiple broken bones. She had a very bad concussion. She walked for the first time today,” family friends of the pair said in a video at the time. “Jaelan had to have emergency surgery on one of his legs, he has rods in them, pins in them. They’re both at different hospitals.”

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Related: Why Influencer Katelynn Ordone Is Taking Online Break After Son’s Death

Katelynn Ordone is pressing pause on social media months after the death of her 2-year-old son, Preston. “Most of y’all know, I’ve obviously been really struggling mentally since losing my son Preston [in] April of this year,” Ordone shared via Instagram on Friday, December 26. “I wanted to come on here just to let everybody […]

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The St. Tammany Parish coroner’s office shared one month later that Preston died from “blunt force injuries due to a motor vehicle crash,” with his death categorized as accidental. Katelynn, for her part, has shared that she has no memory of the accident.

“I don’t have any memory of the accident. I don’t have any memory of 2-3 days after the accident,” she said via TikTok in July 2025. I don’t have much memory of being in the hospital until towards the end. I suffered a traumatic brain injury and lost a lot of my memory.”

One month earlier, Katelynn paid tribute to Jaelan on Father’s Day. “Happy Father’s Day to the best daddy out there,” she wrote via Instagram in June 2025. “No holiday will ever feel the same without our Preston, but all he ever knew was love from his daddy. We may not understand now but we will see him again one day🤍.”

There’s no guarantee that a show will retain a consistent level of quality throughout its run, as declines are common. There are some shows that would nearly be considered masterpieces had they not run for too many seasons and diluted their story. There’s no “ideal” number of seasons that a show should have, as it is all dependent on the story at hand; a shorter number of seasons just means that the creators are more economical in their storytelling.

There is more pressure on shows to end early today because streaming services don’t want to ward off potential viewers who might be hesitant about binging too many episodes. Given that the salaries increase for cast and crew over time, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that distributors will do everything in their power to make their shows as cheaply as possible, regardless of what the repercussions are for the story. Fortunately, some short thriller shows prove that less really can be more, delivering gripping stories that wrap up within five seasons or fewer without sacrificing quality.

10

‘Andor’ (2022–2025)

Image via Disney+

Andor is the boost of adrenaline that the Star Wars franchise needed because it felt like a grounded spy thriller, and not just another spinoff that had more to say about the Skywalker saga. Although it is technically a prequel to the disappointing spinoff film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Andor is a political drama that explores the funding, formation, and rise of the Rebel Alliance through the eyes of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a secret agent who is radicalized by the spymaster Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård).

Andor offered a grittier look at the galaxy far, far away by showing how the Galactic Empire operates and revealing how multiple resistance groups fought amongst themselves before the Rebel Alliance became a uniting force to take down the threat of the Death Star that would appear in the original Star Wars trilogy.

9

‘The Pitt’ (2025–Present)

Image via HBO Max

The Pitt is one of the best medical shows ever made because it completely changed the way that the genre is approached. While most medical shows tend to be more procedural and are often quite melodramatic, The Pitt spends each season centered on one shift and explores all the conflicts and chaos that emerge in a Pittsburgh hospital over the course of 15 hours.

The Pitt has been praised by real medical professionals for its accuracy, as well as its complex look at issues such as addiction, burnout, and abuse that are common among hospital employees. Although both seasons of The Pitt are masterpieces in their own right, the show has already been renewed for Season 3 and has managed to release on a regular schedule without the multi-year gap between seasons that has caused such disappointment in the streaming era.

8

‘Severance’ (2022–Present)

Image via Apple TV+

Severance is a twisty, clever science fiction thriller with a fun “mystery box” premise, a good deal of dark comedy, and some sly social commentary regarding the all-consuming nature of work and the different personas people take on depending on which circles they are in. It doesn’t take long to get hooked by Severance because of how stylish it is, but the show manages to get even deeper when it reveals more details about the mysterious employer and what its intentions are.

Severance is the type of sci-fi show that feels necessary right now because it imagines a future that is not all that improbable and serves as a warning about what could happen if technology becomes more powerful. Although there is a clear ending in mind, it’s not yet clear whether there will be more of Severance after Season 3 airs.

7

‘Hannibal’ (2013–2015)

Image via NBC

Hannibal is a perfect psychological thriller that did the impossible by adapting the Thomas Harris novels without feeling like a pale imitation of what Jonathan Demme did with his Best Picture-winning masterpiece The Silence of the Lambs. Hannibal made a brilliant casting decision in getting Mads Mikkelsen to play the titular Dr. Lecter, but Hugh Dancy is equally terrific in the role of FBI Agent Will Graham.

Hannibal was shockingly able to air on NBC, despite featuring graphic violence and often taking very experimental story decisions. Although the show was cancelled far too soon, creator Bryan Fuller did create a perfect finale that closed the door on this specific iteration of the universe. It’s not only a great adaptation of a beloved novel series but also one of the best contemporary crime thrillers that have tried to unpack the psychology of serial killers.

6

‘The Bear’ (2022–2026)

Image via FX

The Bear might be campaigned at the Emmys as a comedy series, but it is without a doubt a thriller about the intense, cutthroat world of high-end restaurants. What’s impressive is that The Bear was able to use the half-hour episodic format to feel fast-paced and energetic, but still had the momentum needed to create well-defined characters, portrayed by an incredible ensemble of actors.

The Bear was an incredible showcase for its actors, none of whom were massive stars when the series began, with Jeremy Allen White’s portrayal of Carmy instantly ranking among the best modern television characters. Although the show slowed down towards the middle of its run, Season 5 was a great conclusion that ended the series on a bittersweet, yet hopeful note by retaining focus on the original characters and opening the door to see what their futures might look like.

5

‘Industry’ (2020–Present)

Image via HBO

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Industry is a brilliant deep-dive into the modern world of economics that explores the fundamentally broken nature of the contemporary financial markets, and has managed to increase its stakes with each season. The series began as a coming-of-age drama of sorts about young traders who are discovering the potential for their futures, but it has only gotten more ambitious with each season.

Season 4 was the best season yet because it explored the intersection between government trading, fraudulent business practices, and an insidious new app used to scam millions of hapless viewers. Although it’s hard to imagine how the series could improve upon itself given how much it has succeeded thus far, the impending Season 5 is set to be the final chapter and will close out this fascinating story about how much the world has changed in the 21st century.

4

‘Rome’ (2005–2007)

Image via HBO

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Rome is one of the most underrated HBO shows of all time, and would likely be ranked among its upper tier of classics had it not been prematurely cancelled after only two seasons. Although the story of the Roman Empire would seem like too complex a historical era to encapsulate in any show, regardless of its scope and scale, Rome made the smart decision to center its focus on the rise and fall of Julius Caesar in Season 1, with the alliance between Mark Antony and Cleopatra being the storyline in Season 2.

Rome was an immersive and multifaceted series that explored the perspectives of all of those living among the Roman Empire, and not just those in positions of power or influence. Even if it didn’t expand beyond Season 2, Rome laid the groundwork for epic storytelling that would set the stage for Game of Thrones.

3

‘The Knick’ (2014–2025)

Image via Cinemax

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The Knick is a brilliant medical thriller that looks at the dawn of modern medical science as it began in the early 20th century, where a drug-addicted doctor (Clive Owen) tried to lead groundbreaking research during a period of significant social upheaval. The Knick had been praised by medical professionals and historians alike for its accuracy, as creator Steven Soderbergh did a tremendous amount of research to ensure that his depiction of New York in the 1900s was as authentic as possible.

The Knick is one of the rare medical shows that treats its protagonist as a genuine antihero, and Owen’s performance is among the best that he has ever given. Anyone who is a fan of the precise, electrifying style that Soderbergh has embodied throughout his career owes it to themselves to check out The Knick, which is still a bit of a cult hit that deserves more viewership.

2

‘This Is Going to Hurt’ (2022)

Image via BBC

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This Is Going to Hurt is a brilliant single-season drama that is both created and inspired by the life of Adam Clay, an OBGYN doctor who led a hospital in Great Britain during a particularly challenging period within the nation’s healthcare system. Clay is portrayed by Ben Whishaw, who is able to capture the personality of a genius, yet singular practitioner who clashes with the mandates he’s required to follow from medical boards that don’t have the experience with patients that he does.

This Is Going to Hurt is an inventive alteration of the formula for medical dramas because it breaks the fourth wall by having Clay speak directly to the audience. This allows Whishaw’s performance to be even more vulnerable because of the personal insights he gives about the burden he is under, especially when mental health issues begin to arise among the nurses under his employment.

1

‘Legion’ (2017–2019)

Image via FX Productions

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Legion is a comic book adaptation for those who think they have “superhero fatigue,” as the show was able to redefine what the genre looked like with its experimental, surrealist approach. Although it is technically based on an obscure run of X-Men comics, Legion is not connected to the film in Fox’s universe or anything in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It tells the story of David Haller (Dan Stevens), a mutant who has been diagnosed as schizophrenic because his power is to have multiple personalities.

Legion is a mature series that deals with weighty themes about legacy and fate, but it’s also an eye-popping visual treat with unique action sequences, creative dance numbers, and several jaw-dropping reveals. It makes for a thrilling three-season binge because there is very little filler and a dynamic cast that spreads the wealth.

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Legion

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Release Date

2017 – 2019-00-00

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Showrunner

Noah Hawley

Directors

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John Cameron, Michael Uppendahl, Noah Hawley, Tim Mielants, Dana Gonzales, Charlie McDowell, Andrew Stanton, Dennie Gordon, Ellen Kuras, Keith Gordon, Hiro Murai, Jeremy Webb, Ana Lily Amirpour, Larysa Kondracki, Sarah Adina Smith, Daniel Kwan, Arkasha Stevenson

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Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 4.

House of the Dragon has been absolutely on fire with Season 3, and not just because it’s dominating HBO Max’s streaming charts. The Game of Thrones prequel has thus far proven the skeptics wrong after a long wait between seasons. The reason can be traced back to the three truly sensational episodes that the hit fantasy series opened with in its return.

“Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood” kicked things off with the epic Battle of the Gullet, which resulted in heavy casualties among both the heroes and villains of Westeros. Things took an even more consequential turn in “Queen’s Landing” as Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) finally claimed the Iron Throne after two seasons of vying for it. The series embraced a more experimental approach with “Rhaenyra Triumphant,” which offered a bold and complex perspective on inheriting a kingdom already in shambles. Now, Episode 4 has the unenviable task of succeeding three dynamite installments, so is it able to keep the momentum going?

Ormund Hightower Is the Game of Thrones Universe’s Next Big Villain

After a brief introduction in the initial episodes, the next chapter of House of the Dragon spends a good deal of time familiarizing audiences with Ormund Hightower (James Norton), who just recently tricked Rhaenyra and Daemon (Matt Smith) by giving them a lowborn boy disguised as Alicent’s (Olivia Cooke) youngest son, Daeron. Anticipating that Rhaenyra will eventually learn the truth, Ormund’s forces have completely taken over a town southwest of King’s Landing, called Tumbleton, and the locals are none too happy. Ormund, being a conniving manipulator and braggart, couldn’t care less about any unrest, as he has other things to worry about, such as keeping watch over the real Daeron (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth).

Following his siege on Harrenhal, where he killed Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale) before sustaining wounds himself, Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) and his dragon Vhagar are missing in action — and Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) only passes on the information that Rhaenyra has taken King’s Landing, much to Ser Criston Cole’s (Fabien Frankel) chagrin. Ormund, who reacts to a raven delivering the news from Gwayne (Freddie Fox) about as well as you’d expect, knows that their forces would be completely overrun without the might of Vhagar at their side; Daeron’s much smaller dragon, Tessarion, won’t be able to do much against much larger and older dragons like Syrax and Caraxes.

Back in King’s Landing, Rhaenyra is still struggling in her new position as queen, especially knowing that there are not two, but three claimants to the Iron Throne unaccounted for. After suggesting that Ser Manderly (Dan Fogler) be named the new Master of Coin (setting him up to take the fall for the treasury being effectively empty), Rhaenyra seeks Alicent’s counsel to find out everything she can about Ormund. With little knowledge of who her cousin is today, Alicent isn’t much help, though she does mention that Ormund has a strange aversion to strong odors, which could prove useful when the time is right. What she hasn’t yet divulged to Rhaenyra, though, is the fact that Helaena (Phia Saban) is concealing a pregnancy.

Daemon Discovers the Truth About Sheepstealer in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Episode 4

After evading their captors, Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) are taking something of a trip down memory lane, returning to the battle site at Rook’s Rest. It’s there that Aegon finds the corpse of his beloved dragon Sunfyre, now being used as a tourist attraction by a band of local rogues. While mourning Sunfyre, Aegon insists that his dragon is still alive before pocketing one of his scales. Rook’s Rest, meanwhile, has been overrun by all manner of scavengers, the leader of whom is particularly cruel and stubborn. It’s not an ideal setting for the would-be king, but with options running thin, this is where they decide to make their base for now.

Elsewhere, Daemon makes his way to the Vale to collect on the promise of 10,000 men that Lady Jeyne Arryn (Amanda Collin) made to Rhaenyra in exchange for the protection of a dragon. Unfortunately, not only does Daemon fail to achieve that goal, but his dragon, Caraxes, also senses something far more surprising: his daughter, Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell), and her rogue dragon, Sheepstealer, hiding in a nearby cave. Daemon is shocked to learn that Rhaena is the rider responsible for Jace’s (Harry Collett) death and knows this will incense Rhaenyra, so he devises a plan to keep Rhaena’s identity a secret.

Daemon returns to King’s Landing with the charred head of a shepherd he killed, whom he claims was the rider of the rogue dragon at the Battle of the Gullet. Rhaenyra is understandably confused about who this person is and how they managed to tame a wild dragon in the first place, but right now, the queen has bigger fish to fry. Not only has Lord Corlys (Steve Toussaint) departed after Rhaenyra refused his request to legitimize his heirs, but Ulf (Tom Bennett) informs the queen that dissenters have reignited rumors that her first three children are illegitimate. In response, Rhaenyra orders the Goldcloaks to round up anyone suspected of spreading these “lies.”

Ormund’s Plan Is Revealed in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Episode 4

Image via HBO

Ormund has still been very much a mystery since his debut in House of the Dragon, but his ultimate plan is revealed in the episode’s closing moments. While Aemond and Aegon squabble for control, Ormund wants Daeron to become king, since the boy is fully under his influence. Ormund gives Daeron a final test by forcing him to execute the civilian he had previously appeared to pardon, signifying a major shift in Westeros’s ongoing power struggle.

Overall, Episode 4 is much, much slower compared to the first three, and doesn’t move the needle greatly. Ormund is a somewhat interesting new antagonist to follow, but he hasn’t fully come into his own yet, unlike Aemond or Criston. Still, even the best seasons have a few filler episodes, and it seems the battle for the best fantasy world on TV is only just beginning.

House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 4 is streaming now on HBO Max.

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Release Date

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August 21, 2022

Network

HBO

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Showrunner

George R.R. Martin

Directors

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Clare Kilner, Geeta Patel

Writers

Gabe Fonseca

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  Fabien Frankel

  Ser Criston Cole

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Pros & Cons

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• Rhaenyra takes another step into Mad Queen territory.
• Daemon gets to be crafty again.
• Aegon’s return to Rook’s Rest is an emotional highlight.

• Ormund hasn’t come into his own yet as a villain.
• Episode 4 lacks the momentum of the first three.
• Aemond is still missing.

Sam Reid‘s global tour as a rock god is nearing its end. Tonight, AMC and AMC+ released the penultimate episode of The Vampire Lestat, and it was a heavy one. The third, renamed season of Interview with the Vampire has thus far followed Lestat as his band rose to superstardom, and thus gave him unparalleled influence over humans and vampires alike in the wake of the Great Conversion. Last week, however, saw him reunite with his love, Louis (Jacob Anderson), and stir up some emotions, thanks to an imposter pretending to be Claudia (Delainey Hayles). With Episode 6, titled “Montreal,” the duo was forced to confront some painful truths, and for the occasion, everyone’s favorite undead rocker had a new soul-bearing ballad prepared.

Collider can exclusively share a new behind-the-scenes video that breaks down the complexities of Lestat’s latest single, “Brutal Love.” Compared to his more swaggering, David Bowie-inspired tracks like “Long Face” or his upbeat cover of Billy Idol‘s “Dancing With Myself,” the new song slows things down to let Reid’s voice shine with some hauntingly beautiful vocals. It’s one of many original pieces with music and lyrics by the show’s acclaimed composer, Daniel Hart, but the most important aspect that gives it metaphorical fangs is where it’s placed in Episode 6. Lestat performs it with the lights down low, violins in the background, and with both Louis and Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle) in the audience watching on.

In the breakdown, Reid remembered being blown away by “Brutal Love” from the moment he first heard it, but also recalled how much meaning it gained with two important people from Lestat’s life listening along. The beauty of it, he believes, comes from lyrics that leave it initially unclear whether the immortal rock deity is singing it to his mother or the man with whom he’s forged such a stormy, yet inherently unbreakable bond. Ehle found it especially delicious playing things out firsthand, depicting the initial contentment of Gabriella until she slowly realizes she isn’t the most important person in the room. Lestat made this an anthem to his and Louis’ turbulent love, one that not only encapsulates everything they’ve been through in the series but also where they are now.

‘The Vampire Lestat’s Music Remains Key to Its Future

After two acclaimed seasons centered on Louis, The Vampire Lestat, under showrunner Rolin Jones, has once again wowed critics by adapting Anne Rice‘s sequel novel and telling Lestat’s side of the story, in all its glitz and glam. Tracks like “Brutal Love” have been an integral part of that success, helping to forge a new persona that still echoes the immortal vampire’s past and passion for music. In addition to helping him express his feelings for Louis, it’s also been the key to connecting Lestat with the vampiric queen herself, Akasha. In an interview with Collider’s Carly Lane after Episode 5, Sheila Atim teased how that rock star phase could shape the future of Interview with the Vampire and expressed her hopes that music will continue to be an integral part of the series as it looks to the Season 3 finale and beyond.

“I can’t say much because there’s still a lot to be worked out and discovered there between us as a team. I probably think a bit of all of those things. They connect over music. Yes, she senses him and wants him to come and be the keeper, but the thing that really wakes her up is his music, his love of music, his passion for wanting to learn instruments. Then, here we are, all these hundreds of years later, and now he’s a rock star, and not only is he a rock star, but he’s singing about her.

That already is like the perfect tinderbox for something very, very exciting in terms of how she feels about that, [and] why she comes back into his life. It’s also painful, but I think it’s going to be fun. I hope the music continues in some way — not in the same way necessarily, but in some way, because it’s so at the heart of their connection, and it’s just a very potent, emotive… Everyone can connect to that. Through song, you can tell similar stories. So, I’m excited about that.”

The Vampire Lestat Episode 6 is now streaming on AMC+. Check out our exclusive sneak peek in the player above and visit The Vampire Lestat’s official page on Spotify or other music platforms to listen to “Brutal Love” and other new tracks as they drop in the show.

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Release Date

2022 – 2024-00-00

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Network

AMC

Directors

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Levan Akin, Alan Taylor, Craig Zisk, Emma Freeman, Keith Powell

Writers

Jonathan Ceniceroz, Coline Abert, Eleanor Burgess, Ben Philippe

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  Jacob Anderson

  Louis de Pointe du Lac

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By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 27 seconds ago

For some unexplained reason, the success of Batman in 1989 kicked off a wave of retro superhero movies with The Rocketeer, The Shadow, Dick Tracy, and finally, The Phantom. Starring Billy Zane as The Ghost Who Walks, it was a complete flop that has since become a cult classic. In 2009, Syfy decided that the tiniest amount of critical reevaluation was enough to greenlight a backdoor pilot for an ongoing The Phantom series. Instead of embracing the classic 1930s design as the Zane film did, this new series updated The Phantom for the modern era by embracing, what else in 2009, parkour. 

A New EXTREME Phantom

General Hospital star Ryan Carnes put on the new EXTREME crimefighting suit as Kit Walker, the 22nd Phantom, recruited by Bpaa Thap in the island nation of Bangalla to slam evil. You might have noticed already why The Phantom didn’t catch on. Since it was a backdoor pilot disguised as a miniseries, it spends most of the runtime on world-building, including the Singh Brotherhood, which is The Phantom’s traditional villain, and their evil plan to brainwash people using cable TV set boxes. 

The villain’s master plan has aged worse than Dominic Toretto stealing TVs in the original The Fast and the Furious. And yet, even that has aged better than the EXTREME parkour and motorcycling stunts of Kit Walker’s Phantom. It was a good attempt to update the old skintight purple suit, but switching to a design with a short shelf life means that by the time the miniseries aired, it already looked ridiculous. 

No One Liked The Redesign

The Phantom revival series crashed and burned when it aired and was never picked up to be a full series. Despite the parkour and EXTREME style, the miniseries attempts to update the classic hero and at least tries to do something different. Sure, they left behind everything that fans loved about the 1996 film, and fans of the classic hero were incredibly disappointed by the “Marvel 2099” redesign, but they tried. And that counts, right? 

The backdoor pilot tells a complete story from start to finish and sets up future conflicts between The Phantom and The Singh Brotherhood that almost 20 years later, we’ll never get to see. To say that the reaction to The Phantom’s 2009 TV movie was disastrous would imply anyone watched it in the first place. By then, superhero fans had experienced Iron Man, and the era of cheap superhero television was over. 

Syfy Has Buried The Phantom 2009

Even today, fans of The Phantom will gush over the Billy Zane box office flop while warning newcomers to the Ghost Who Walks fandom that the Syfy series pilot can easily be missed. Marvel and DC are struggling to get their B-list stars noticed in theaters, never mind a pulp comic hero from the 1930s who never broke into mainstream pop culture. The purple bodysuit is a tough sell. 

The 2009 Syfy television movie/backdoor series pilot has been lost to the digital ether. It’s not streaming on any platform, but it did receive a DVD/Blu-Ray release that can be found dirt cheap from second-hand retailers. 

The far superior 1996 Billy Zane movie The Phantom is streaming free on Tubi.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 29 seconds ago

Whenever a director or a producer decides to turn a classically male character into a woman for a modern retelling, it’s usually pushed back by fans of the original. Turning Starbuck from a man played by Dirk Benedict to a woman played by a then mostly unknown Katee Sackhoff was a huge risk that paid off big for Battlestar Galactica, but when Elementary announced Watson would go from John to Joan, the outcry could be heard from space. Not only did Lucy Liu absolutely kill it as Joan Watson, but the series held back one of its other twists: Natalie Dormer, fresh from playing Anne Boleyn on The Tudors, would be Holmes’ love interest, Irene Adler, and in a move that turns Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s subtext to text, Moriarty. 

A New Take On A Classic

In the classic detective stories, Moriarty is Holmes’ evil nemesis, as smart and as cunning as the Detective, but devoted to using his intellect for crime. Elementary with Johnny Lee Miller, than mostly known for playing Zero_Cool in Hackers, subverts expectations with the revelation that Irene and Moriarty (given the first name here of Jamie) are one and the same. Dormer and Miller’s chemistry was palpable from the very first flashback scene of them together while she’s pretending to be Irene, and it keeps going, though it’s mostly one-sided. 

A twist to the twist is that Moriarty purposely took advantage of their gender roles to seduce Holmes, make him fall in love with her, and use that information to remain one step ahead of him as she builds her criminal empire. Elementary plays it coy with the two communicating mostly via letter, which works for both the narrative, and Dormer’s career exploding thanks to Game of Thrones a few years after her first appearance on the series. If Hollywood is going to change a character, this is how to do it right.

Elementary’s Joan Watson Is The Best Version Yet

Lucy Liu won fans over through her interpretation of Watson from the very first set of episodes. As Sherlock’s sober companion, Joan struggles with helping him solve cases and battle his addictions at the same time, during the entire seven season run. Sherlock can’t change and grow during that time due to the Doyle estate’s licensing agreements, but Joan was instead able to go from disgraced doctor and sober companion, to a brilliant analytical detective in her own right. Often, it can feel like she’s the real main character of the series, which isn’t a bad thing, for a show with 154 44-minute long episodes it helps to fluctuate between two leads. 

Both Liu and Dormer excelled at their gender flipped characters. One would be impressive enough, but for Elementary to pull off both while making it work to enhance the story and not merely as stunt casting, is just showing off. For characters who have been adapted over and over again, even as rodents and gnomes, the CBS procedural tried something different and for once, it worked.

Elementary is available to stream on Paramount+.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 25 seconds ago

Heroes has become shorthand for unfulfilled potential. It’s the poster child for a series that has an amazing first season and a disappointing, well, everything else. The exception has always been the highlight of Season 1, the highlight of the series, and the episode that elevated superhero television, “Company Man.” Putting the focus on Jack Coleman’s H.R.G (Horn-Rimmed Glasses) for an entire episode was such a success that everyone involved submitted the episode for Emmy consideration. 

The Whole Season Led Up To Company Man

For the entire first season of Heroes, Coleman’s H.R.G was working in the margins with his partner, The Haitian (Jimmy Jean-Louis), abducting those with powers, killing them if needed, and using The Haitian’s ability to wipe memories when needed (including a brutal application of how a man meet his deceased wife). The reveal that he’s Claire Bennet’s (Hayden Panettiere) father, Noah Bennett, complicates the whole “save the cheerleader, save the world” mission. And then Heroes layered on another twist, by revealing H.R.G. wasn’t a bad guy, he was a company man. 

Former officer Matt Parkman (Greg Grunberg) and Ted (Matthew John Armstrong) break into Noah’s home and take him hostage, along with his entire family. Between the present day scenario and flashbacks to Bennett’s earliest days with the Primatech Paper Company (including Chirstopher Eccleston as his first partner, right before he became The Doctor), it’s clear that as much as Bennett is a company man, his real loyalty lies with his family. 

In one episode, everything we knew about “The Boogeyman” goes right out the window, and H.R.G., Noah Bennett, becomes the complicated heart of the series. If the rest of Heroes was able to develop characters as well as the first season did Bennett, it would be remembered as a landmark television series, instead of one of the most disappointing series of all time.

Heroes Was Never This Good Again

Jack Coleman is able to sell Bennett’s real fear and concern for his indestructible daughter when she runs into the house to stop an exploding Ted. Two scenes later, the ruthless, calculating super hunter makes the choice to save Claire from the Company, and in the process, gives up his own life. It’s the type of performance that in 2006, we never saw on a show about superheroes. Smallville would get there, but everyone knew that was a show about Superman. Heroes was an unknown quantity, and unlike the adventures of young Clark, it was an ensemble series.

“Company Man” became the blueprint for creating an individual showcase out of an ensemble series. It moved the overall myth arc forward, changed the audience’s perception of Noah Bennett, and stressed the importance of Claire through not only her powers, but her now mysterious parentage. It set Heroes up for success, and 17 episodes into the first season, rejuvenated the growing audience clamoring for answers to the show’s mysteries. 

September will mark 20 years since the debut of Heroes. Though it’s been overshadowed by the rise of the Arrowverse and the MCU’s various streaming shows, it was the first attempt to take superheroes seriously on network television. The first season was appointment viewing, and despite Marvel’s best efforts, you can argue “Company Man” is still the highlight of superhero television.

Heroes is now streaming on Netflix.

Madonna is undoubtedly in a class of her own.

The singer, 67, made history after her recently-released album Confessions II topped the Billboard 200 chart — the 10th No. 1 that the Queen of Pop has earned throughout her illustrious career.

Madonna is the only artist aside from The Beatles who has earned 10 No. 1 albums on the Billboard chart.

Confessions II, which dropped on July 3, is Madonna’s highly anticipated follow-up to 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor.

Related: Madonna Through the Years: Pop Stardom, Motherhood and More

Since releasing her debut album in 1983, Madonna has rarely been out of the public eye — and she’s never stopped delivering floor-filling pop hits. Born in Bay City, Michigan, in 1958, Madonna — whose full name is Madonna Louise Ciccone — started dancing as a kid after convincing her dad to let her study […]

“I was supposed to make a movie about my life. I worked on my script for two years and spent two years at Universal Studios with the line producers doing budgeting and casting. We had a falling out, me and Universal, regarding budget,” Madonna told Interview magazine last month, revealing how she decided to return to the recording studio. “I’ve had an extraordinary life. I’ve had a huge life, so I needed a big budget.”

As Madonna sought other ways to fulfill her creative streak, she contacted former collaborator Stuart Price.

“I thought the world is in a very dark place and people need to dance. I hadn’t worked with Stuart for a long time,” she recalled to the outlet. “We’d just done the Celebration Tour together, but besides that, I didn’t really see or speak to him for probably 15 years. I was living in New York and I reached out to him, thinking, “What if we tried to make Confessions on a Dance Floor: Part II, and reenter the world of inspirational dance music?” So I came to London and went to his studio, and we were just playing around to see if there was magic between us.”

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The spark between Madonna and the producer was still there, soon crafting a slate of dance that felt “good” amid a series of personal struggles.

“I went through all this darkness in the beginning, writing these songs with Stuart, and then we went full circle, and I’m like, ‘Okay, now what happens? How do we get out of this?’” she quipped. “What happens when you walk into a nightclub or walk onto the dance floor or go to a rave? [Life] can be [heavy], but I always push through and I’m a survivor.”

Madonna celebrated her album, and its incredible Billboard feat, with a “Club Confessions” pop-up in New York City presented by MISTR on Saturday, July 11. During the event, the pop icon performed “School” and “One Step Away” for the crowd.