Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for The Vampire Lestat finale.

Tonight, The Vampire Lestat comes to a close — not with a bang (unless you count that final shot), but with a quiet reflection on some of the most impactful moments of the past two seasons. Lestat’s (Sam Reid) head may be getting toted around by Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian) in a bowling bag, but internally, he’s grappling with his biggest failures as both a vampire and a human. Meanwhile, Louis (Jacob Anderson) is faced with Armand’s (Assad Zaman) unique attempt to clear the air between them — to make “Armands,” in his words, even if it occurs in the most twisted fashion possible. Although the episode wraps up with Lestat and Louis ultimately back in one piece, there’s a looming sense that an even bigger threat still lies ahead.

Before the premiere of “The Failures,” Collider had the opportunity to speak to several cast members from The Vampire Lestat, including Bogosian and Zaman, about their characters’ most crucial moments in the episode. Over the course of the interview, which you can read below, the co-stars break down Daniel and Armand’s respective motivations for carrying out their grisly plan, what fuels Armand’s decision to leave his mark on Louis, how much they know about where the story is heading in a potential fourth season, and more.

COLLIDER: Eric, as much as Armand really lays out his motivation for this plan and the emotions at the heart of it, where did you land on what’s driving Daniel to be a part of it?

ERIC BOGOSIAN: Look, first of all, Daniel is completely thrown off by all the information that’s coming at him, and he’s a new vampire. It’s a lot going on here, so he’s grasping at something that can protect him. I think two things are going on. One, he’s grasping at his anger, and that fuels what is going to end up happening. Eventually, even the anger will get stymied when the bowling bag gets taken away from him, so now that will rocket him into hopefully another season where he gets to be even angrier.

I also think that Armand’s power is way stronger than Daniel has even suspected. He is under his thrall. Daniel is mesmerized by Armand. Armand is pulling out all the stops on this one, and he’s definitely got his spiderwebs around Daniel’s brain and soul. So, I think he just gives into it for a while. Basically, he believes he’s committing murder, which would be pretty finalizing. They decapitate the two main people so that Armand and Daniel can have their own TV series without these guys anymore. We can move on and get rid of them. They’re way more interesting.

ASSAD ZAMAN: You’d watch that, Carly, wouldn’t you?

Oh, absolutely. 100%.

Assad Zaman Explains Armand’s “Surprising” Reaction to Louis in ‘The Vampire Lestat’s Finale

“You see a glimpse of that little boy for a moment.”

Image via AMC

One moment that did move me, though, and I think you can see moves Armand, is when Louis switches to telepathy and starts talking about Arun and that he’s sorry for never giving Armand the love that he needed in their relationship. Is there a specific part of his speech that catches Armand off guard, or is everything Louis says in that moment just building to that reaction from him?

ZAMAN: The sort of surprising beginning of that is when [Louis] says, “You and I didn’t talk about it very much.” That’s the first gateway into an acknowledgment and a confession that Armand wasn’t aware that was going to come and wasn’t really ready for. This has been really hard to keep to myself, because we all know that we’ve been leading to this, but I’ve had to try and sort of hold back on what Armand’s motivations were and why he was doing this, and what he wants to get out of it. It’s a really difficult thing for him to hear from the person he thought was the love of his life, acknowledging him in a way, and acknowledging Arun, when no one else has.

Even though some of the information Armand will always keep, and Armand will always feed information, and it will always be littered with lies and manipulation, I think Louis knows the most about where he’s been, but never really acknowledged it at the time. Armand never really got that acknowledgment, and so to get it in that last final moment was a really unexpected blow, and I think it really displaces him. You see a glimpse of that little boy for a moment.

He does it beautifully. I read that last script, and I remember reading his monologue once, and then I never looked at it again. I purposely didn’t want to ever look at that monologue again until I heard it from Jacob. The first time he did it in the space, it was just gorgeous. It really moved me, like properly moved me.

Eric, you already referenced the moment when Raglan and the Talamasca show up to take custody of Lestat’s head. There’s been a bit of a give-and-take between Daniel and the Talamasca over the seasons, but at the end of that scene, he bares his fangs at Raglan, and I was curious about your read of that interaction.

BOGOSIAN: I see it as he’s cornered. He has no choice. He has to give it up. But this is a warning that he is also capable of violence. Now, who is he warning? Raglan has been kind of an unknown entity in terms of whatever powers he has. Very early on, when we started working on this show, we all came to understand that the vampires are not human, that we should think of them as another type of being, and beings that follow their own rules. The rules are that we can commit violence without thinking, more like a wolf or something. We may not necessarily do the thing that’s in our best interest at any given moment, because we’re just inherently violent and we’re inherently killers. So, Daniel is doing something there, and it’s just like he’s snarling. I mean, it’s a snarl. We never got the snarl sound right, unfortunately, but we tried. [Laughs]

For me, all of what goes on in the last beat is all about pulling back the elastic band to shoot into another season, which I hope we get to, and motivate Daniel into a more intensely powerful and difficult vampire, which was my dream from the very beginning. Assad’s gotten to be a difficult and enigmatic vampire from the get-go. I had to put in that whole year of all that false humility.

Which, by the way, you know that I didn’t know what he was doing? Nobody ever explained it to me, and then when they finally did explain it, I still didn’t know everything. I hadn’t read every single word of everything that’s been written by Anne Rice about the relationship between them, and so then they sort of had this sneaky fun with me of, like, “Oh, you’ll see what’s happening. We’re going to go some places.” I’m like, “What? What are you talking about?” And [Assad] just loves this stuff. He gets a big thrill out of it. Because the thing with Assad is that he plays this really evil guy, but he’s actually a really nice guy, but really deep down, he’s a really evil guy. Really, at his core, he is actually evil.

No, I don’t believe that. [Laughs]

BOGOSIAN: Thank God he’s not supernatural, or I’d be in trouble.

ZAMAN: No, no. I learned very early on that the most evil people are the ones that seem the nicest because they break into you. They break into your vulnerabilities.

I have to get your thoughts, Assad, on the decision Armand makes to carve the A into Louis’s chest. He heals Regina and lets her go free, and Louis is ultimately put back together as well, but why do you think Armand makes that his final act before leaving?

ZAMAN: Because Armand can never truly do something for someone without his signature or his initial there somewhere, and I don’t mean that literally. This time, we saw a literal initial, but in every sense, even when he’s the most sincere, a little bit of the psychopath, the sociopath, always comes out, and I think that’s just another weird psychotic thing that he just had to do. I don’t know if there’s any sort of deeper meaning behind it except, “Thank you for acknowledging me. I let you go. We’re done. Also, here. Don’t forget I was in there. Don’t forget that.” I think that’s just more for himself.

He’s always going to be that weirdo. He’s always going to be a bit of a psychopath, and that’s because of his trauma. I think anyone who’s gone through and suffered and sort of had to weave in and out of snake-like behaviors and be abused and abuse themselves, I don’t think they ever really lose that. It’s a mental illness, and I don’t think they ever really lose it in a way. I don’t think his speech, that moment, was going to suddenly turn Armand into a good person now. I don’t think, going into Season 4, we’re going to see a massive shift in Armand. I think we’re going to see some different things, but this is part of his nature. His illness is there, and it’s always going to be there, and that’s a little sign of that.

‘The Vampire Lestat’s Eric Bogosian and Assad Zaman Tease What To Expect From Season 4

“Rolin [Jones] kind of made some light suggestions for where we’re going to be.”

Image via AMC

Lestat and Louis have been reassembled by the end of the episode, but did you two have any conversations at all about where you think Armand and Daniel have slunk off to?

ZAMAN: Rolin [Jones] kind of made some light suggestions for where we’re going to be. Did he say anything to you, Eric?

BOGOSIAN: He doesn’t talk to me.

ZAMAN: [Laughs] It’s only because I hound him a little bit, and he drip-feeds me information. But if we know the books, we know the main thing that’s happening next season is we’re going to be introducing Akasha, and I think that’s going to bring everyone from their little side plots and side quests into the fold. Armand and Daniel are very much part of that.

But I think there is also room to explore their relationship outside of that. We’ve joked about a couple of things that we want to see that we didn’t get to see this season, like how Armand specifically trains Daniel to be out in the sun. We talked about those being quite fun scenes to explore.

BOGOSIAN: And we’ve never been physically intimate. We also didn’t see how I got turned in the first place. There’s a lot of generating things for Daniel that we don’t see. Why is he doing this documentary? Where’d that come from?

The weird thing about it, as we talk about it more and more, is that those three guys, Lestat, Louis, and Armand, they got problems. They’ve got issues, as a friend of mine would say. Daniel, even though he’s definitely made a wreck of his life, he’s actually not psychotic or anything. He’s just kind of an asshole. Very ambitious, but not anything on the scale of these guys. So, maybe I can improve on that.

All episodes of The Vampire Lestat are now streaming on AMC+.

Mel C wed Australian model and filmmaker Chris Dingwall, and fellow Spice Girl Victoria Beckham played a special role in one of the biggest moments of her life. The singer had an intimate ceremony in Australia, followed by another celebration in the U.K., and she wore dresses designed by Posh Spice on both occasions. The reveal offers a glimpse into the close friendship the Spice Girls have maintained over the years.

On July 18, Mel C and her partner, Chris Dingwall, celebrated their marriage with a countryside wedding in England. The ceremony followed a private wedding in Sydney, Australia, though the date of their first celebration has not been publicly disclosed.

Sporty Spice admitted that although she loved attending other people’s weddings, she didn’t grow up dreaming about her wedding day. At one point, she even thought she would never walk down the aisle. Mel C and Dingwall started dating in 2023, and she said, “The spark was immediate.”

For her legal ceremony in Australia, Victoria Beckham came to the rescue. The two were having dinner when Mel C shared that the Victoria Beckham-designed dress she ordered didn’t fit well, and there was no time to alter it. Beckham had the exact dress in her wardrobe in the right size and lent it to her friend.

The singer said she loved the simplicity and femininity of the number, telling British Vogue, “Victoria’s dress was my something borrowed. It was very special, having her there.”

Victoria Beckham Designed A Custom Dress

When Beckham learned that Mel C would be having a wedding celebration in the U.K., she offered to create Mel C’s dream wedding dress. She took inspiration from the first dress the singer wore and kept it simple.

“Victoria wanted to make it much more personal to me,” Mel C said, adding that the designer sourced vintage lace that was “dyed to the perfect shade.” The dress had a low back and a modest train, which suited Mel C’s style.

Sporty Spice shared how much she loves Beckham’s designs and how Posh Spice was excited to create her dress.

Inside Mel C And Chris Dingwall’s Relationship

Mel C and Dingwall connected on the membership-based dating app Raya in 2023. The singer shared that she was in a “really good place” in her life at that time, and the filmmaker’s calming presence was just what she needed. The couple has been inseparable ever since.

The former Spice Girl also revealed how Dingwall fit well in her and her daughter’s lives. She shares her 17-year-old daughter, Scarlett, with her former partner, Thomas Starr. “We’re pretty resilient the two of us, we’re a team. For anybody coming into our world… it was going to be tough, and he just fits perfectly. It’s a beautiful dynamic,” Mel C said.

In an interview on the “Life Uncut” podcast, the singer described her partner as a “gentle soul.” “He’s quietly on the sidelines being uber supportive,” she gushed.

Chris Dingwall Proposed In Mallorca

In July 2025, the couple went on holiday to Mallorca, where Dingwall popped the question. Despite being happy in her relationship, getting married was not on Mel C’s radar, but the proposal was a welcome surprise.

Mel C recounted the day of the engagement, revealing that they indulged in a tasting menu at the hotel they were staying at. Afterward, they headed back to their room, where she was met with a spread of lit candles. “It was beautiful, just the two of us. He couldn’t believe I was surprised, but I was floored,” Mel C said.

The singer felt tying the knot with Dingwall was a step in the right direction, despite never having thought of marriage in the past. “I’ve had this awakening in my 50s… When you’re my age, you’re like… I actually want to experience all of the things.”

Three Spice Girls Attended Mel C’s Wedding

Mel C’s official wedding photo.

Four Spice Girls and Victoria Beckham designed Melanie’s wedding dress.

What I really really want is an iconic Spice Girl Reunion Tour ♥️ pic.twitter.com/M72hFXkvNJ

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— The British Prince (@freedom_007__) July 19, 2026

The Spice Girls had a mini reunion at Mel C’s wedding in England, but Beckham was missing. The fashion designer was by her husband’s side in the U.S. at the FIFA World Cup.

Mel B (Scary Spice), Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice), and Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) posed for pictures with the beautiful bride, much to the delight of their fans.

Many have been longing for a Spice Girls reunion for years, and while some members of the group have expressed their desire to have one, scheduling conflicts, individual careers, and the challenge of getting all five members on the same page have stood in the way.

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While a full reunion remains uncertain, the Spice Girls have continued to prove their bond through occasional get-togethers and support for one another over the years.

David Beckham and now-wife Victoria Beckham first met at one of his Manchester United soccer games in 1997, instantly sparking a connection.

“I am not into football at all,” Victoria quipped in her husband’s Beckham docuseries, which premiered on Netflix in October 2023. “I wasn’t into football then, I’m not into football now. But I’d seen pictures of him in magazines, and he was obviously a very good-looking boy. The fact I went to the games really was just to, kind of, some would say ‘stalk’ him.”

Victoria attended the game with former Spice Girls bandmate Melanie Chisholm, where they were invited out onto the field before the match. After the game, David made his move and the rest was history.

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Amid her romance — and eventual marriage — with David, the fashion designer was frequently spotted in the stands to cheer him on.

“It was fun. I had big boobs, I had big hair. It was a moment in time,” Victoria recalled in her 2025 eponymous docuseries. “We were the WAGs and they were HABs [Husbands and Boyfriends]. Us ladies were shopping, and we were owning it.  … I look at those pictures [of me] and I smile.”

Keep scrolling for Victoria’s most iconic game day outfits:

The 1990s were the heyday for the multi-camera sitcom. Some of the greatest comedies of all time aired during that time—Friends, Seinfeld, Frasier, The Nanny, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. These are the shows we know and love and continue to watch on repeat. Then there are those great sitcoms that were forgotten yet deserved to be in the same conversation—3rd Rock From the Sun, Wings, NewsRadio. But what about those shows that were forgotten, and for good reason? That’s what we’re here to discuss.

Being forgotten is one thing, but not even holding up over time is another. The ten titles on this list have aged like milk. These shows feature terrible premises, poor caricatures, and concepts that have since become antiquated. These shows are iconic for all the wrong reasons. The ’90s were a time when every big-name star leaped onto the small screen for a television vehicle. They were car crashes, so be prepared to see some legends during some of their career low points. Many of these shows have been wiped away from memory. Others you can find on YouTube. No matter what, they’re too terrible to be believed. How many do you remember?

‘Ask Harriet’ (1998)

Image via FOX

Once upon a time, drag was used as a punchline. In the ’90s, it was used in a wholesome manner by the beloved Mrs. Doubtfire. Then there was Fox’s abysmal Ask Harriet, which proved that when handled without care, it’s just sexist and unfunny. Created by David Cassidy, Jonathan Prince, and Billy Riback, Ask Harriet follows Jack Cody (Anthony Tyler Quinn), a chauvinistic male sportswriter, who loses his job and cross-dresses as a woman to get hired as a newspaper advice columnist. To keep his new position, he is forced to maintain his female alter ego, “Sylvia Coco,” at staff meetings and public appearances. There was only so much disbelief that could be had when the drag in question was what was presented.

The plot bore an eerie resemblance to Tootsie, but there was absolutely no charm to it. For those young adults who grew up with Boy Meets World saw Quinn, best known for playing Mr. Turner, in an entirely new light. Alongside Quinn, the cast included Lisa Waltz as his ex-girlfriend, Melissa Peters, who originally fired him, and the iconic Ed Asner as Mr. Russell, the mogul who owned the paper. Despite a 13-episode order, there was no hope for the ill-conceived show, which only broadcast five. The series relied on outdated, cringey gender politics and a drag conceit that alienated viewers because of how it was portrayed. In a time in which drag has become mainstream, it comes as no surprise that the show holds a 0% Rotten Tomatoes score.

‘Can’t Hurry Love’ (1995–1996)

Image via CBS

Hangout comedies were all the rage once Friends found its faithful following. A year after NBC had their hit change pop culture, CBS tried their hand at a similar format. The result was Can’t Hurry Love. Created by Gina Wendkos, the series followed the everyday dating exploits in Manhattan and centered on Annie O’Donnell (Nancy McKeon), an intelligent 28-year-old woman navigating the dating scene in NYC alongside her carefree roommate and friend, Didi Edelstein (Mariska Hargitay), a sexy divorcee known for dispensing dating advice. The men in Annie’s life include Roger Carlucci (Louis Mandylor), a womanizing colleague, and Elliot Tenny (Kevin Crowley), one of Annie’s married co-workers who often joins in on the misadventures. The show was conceptualized as a female-led urban ensemble series, but it simply could not compete with the ladies of Friends.

The show was widely panned as an uninspired knock-off of its NBC rival. The “single in the city” trope was rushed to production without care, resulting in it being filled with tired stereotypes, predictable plot points, and dumbed-down humor. Sadly, it was proof that the former The Facts of Life star was incapable of leading a series as she was still seen as Jo Poliniaczek more than half a decade later. While it did hold strong with The Nanny as its lead-in, Can’t Hurry Love was canceled after a single season. It’s sadly forgotten because it couldn’t hold up to its contemporaries. Perhaps television history wouldn’t be the same if Can’t Hurry Love hadn’t succeeded, as it wouldn’t have freed up Hargitay to star as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit! If you have the urge to find the pilot, it’s a laugh to see Hargitay sex it up as she records an answering machine message on the technological relic like a call girl. A far cry from the powerful Olivia Benson we adore today.

‘Good & Evil’ (1991)

Image via ABC

There are many credits that Susan Harris will be celebrated for. Soap, Benson, Empty Net, and The Golden Girls, just to name a few. But one show that she may not want to be remembered for is the short-lived 1991 comedy Good & Evil. Hoping to find the funny in soap operas once again, Good & Evil satirized the genre as the story revolved around two wealthy sisters with opposing personalities and their bitter rivalry over the inheritance of the family’s cosmetics empire. Teri Garr played Denise, the casually cruel and conniving CEO, while Margaret Whitton played Genny, the sweet and respected scientist. Through dark, zany humor focused on jealousy, backstabbing, and power struggles between the siblings, including their shared romantic interest in handsome Dr. Eric Haan (Lane Davies), Good & Evil may have worked had it not had one fatal flaw.

Good & Evil‘s intent was to be a campy, soap-opera-style parody. Unlike her more lighthearted comedies, Good & Evil was a tad too cynical, which was not what audiences craved. There was no doubt that Harris knew how to craft a comedy, but Good & Evil was a jarring mix of mean-spirited comedy that leaned straight into offensive territory. Though it had a fun ensemble, which included Seth Green, Marian Seldes, and Brooke Theiss, there was only one thing the show was remembered for. Good & Evil was heavily scrutinized by the National Federation for the Blind for its portrayal of supporting character George (Mark Blankfield). George was a blind psychologist but was portrayed as a bumbling, slapstick figure who constantly knocked things over in a cartoonish manner. With swift backlash for a deeply demeaning portrayal, ABC pulled the plug after airing only six of the 13 ordered episodes.

‘Herman’s Head’ (1991–1994)

Image via FOX

The overall concept of Herman’s Head was quite strong, leading to a three-season run. Unfortunately, the execution by today’s standards is a tad uncouth. Created by J.D. Lobue and Greg Antonacci, the Fox sitcom follows Herman Brooks (William Ragsdale), an aspiring writer working as a fact-checker at a Manhattan publishing company. From all outward appearances, Herman embodies the young man on the fast track. However, his contrasting personality traits inside his head are constantly working and bickering. They include Angel (Molly Hagan), representing compassion, sensitivity, and his moral compass; Wimp (Rick Lawless), representing fear, insecurity, and anxiety; Genius (Peter Mackenzie), representing intellect, logic, and wisdom; and Animal (Ken Hudson Campbell), representing lust, hunger, and primal impulses. Outside his head, Herman is surrounded by quirky, colorful characters, including Jay Nichols (Hank Azaria), his best friend and self-proclaimed ladies’ man, Heddy Newman (Jane Sibbett), his manipulative, social-climbing co-worker who uses her attractiveness to get ahead, Louis Fitzer (Yeardley Smith), a neurotic fellow fact-checker, and Mr. Paul Bracken (Jason Bernard), the eccentric boss. Herman’s Head was a high-concept classic that does not hold up today, becoming a far cry from a concept that did work: Inside Out.

The surreal comedy was exactly what Fox was looking for. The show had instant allure with its connection to The Simpsons, which both Smith and Azaria were a part of. It had a similar referential humor that was even parodied on the animated sitcom. But that style of funny was better suited to a cartoon. Herman’s Head relied on crude gender stereotyping, extremely early ’90s lad culture, and overall flawed and cringeworthy brain caricatures. The primary draw was the “Greek chorus” inside Herman’s head, but these avatars exposed some chauvinistic traits that, without the conceit, would have made Herman unsavory. But you forgave Herman when Jay was the outright womanizer sans comedic characters to laugh at. Through his objectification and misogynistic edge, it was an Azaria character who lacked genuine charm. Herman’s Head was certainly not just a product of its time tonally, but its cramped production created a rough edit. The echoey headset is hard to watch back today, which looked like abysmal local-access television. Herman’s Head will forever be a mixed bag entry from the decade, but sadly, it does not hold up as much as it should.

‘High Society’ (1995–1996)

Image via CBS

Imagine being a cheap imitation of another show, thinking you could get away with a sanitized version of a raunchy, anarchic British cult hit. That’s exactly what High Society was. There was no way the Larry Levin-created sitcom would ever be as brilliant as Absolutely Fabulous. In High Society, the sitcom followed the decadent and outrageous lives of two wealthy New York women, Ellie Walker (Jean Smart), a spoiled, man-chasing author of best-selling, trashy romance novels, and Dott Emerson (Mary McDonnell), a divorced, successful publishing executive. Then there’s Val Brumberg (Faith Prince), a bubbly former college friend who moves into Dott’s swanky Fifth Avenue apartment after leaving her husband. Tension ensues, leading to campy, decadent, and rude humor that made Absolutely Fabulous the hit it is, only weaker than its predecessor. Unfortunately, over time, the show has largely been forgotten, becoming a blip on the stars’ resumes.

High Society was meant to be the safe replacement for If Not for You, starring Elizabeth McGovern and Hank Azaria, who play two individuals who fall in love with one another despite being involved with other people. But when the show that you replace the slightly taboo premise with is a watered-down version of a British staple, it’s not going to fully find its footing. The struggle in the writing is that it didn’t go far enough. The series relied on crude, shock-value jokes meant to be edgy. But it was seen as forced rather than pronounced. Rather than create two chaotic characters as they did with Eddie Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley), Smart’s Ellie was the crass and selfish, hard-drinking, erratic one, while McDonnell’s Dott was meant to ground her. It was a formulaic Odd Couple dynamic that undermined the intended tone. Between High Society and the similarly swiftly canceled Style & Substance in 1995, starring the aforementioned Nancy McKeon, it seemed like Smart’s sitcom run was one. The 21st century was when we finally gave Smart the chance to be the leading lady we knew she could be on television.

‘Men Behaving Badly’ (1996–1998)

Image via NBC

One of the other most quintessential comedies out of the UK in the ’90s was Men Behaving Badly. Unlike the previous series, the States just took this premise and attempted to Americanize it. And it turned out badly. Created by Matthew Carlson based on Simon Nye‘s creation, Men Behaving Badly centers on “guy code.” Two unapologetic, beer-chugging bachelors, slacker Jamie (Rob Schneider), and more put-together Kevin (Ron Eldard), are roommates and best friends. While they are perfectly content wallowing in their own immaturity, their partners and neighbors are constantly attempting to civilize them. Avoiding responsibilities and indulging in perpetual adolescence, Men Behaving Badly was a creatively neutered remake of an edgy sitcom that pushed the bounds in the wrong direction.

The premise was far too risqué for network television, so significant creative changes were made. Morally repulsive and borderline inappropriate, Men Behaving Badly was toned down, which made it incredibly worse. The original series was raunchy, crude, and filled with alcohol-soaked humor. By trying to play the middle, the comedy came across as uncomfortable. Especially in terms of Jamie, who was unapologetic, anarchic, and toed the line of stalker behavior. In hindsight, the persistent immaturity and far-too-casual sexism are difficult to take. It was so tone-deaf that three main cast members—Eldard, Justine Bateman, and Julia Campbell— departed, though salary demands were the official reason. But even with Ken Marino as Steve Coprin replacing Kevin, the mass exodus was felt. NBC let it stay for two seasons, but even that was too much for viewers to handle.

‘Over the Top’ (1997)

Image via ABC

It’s a shame that, looking back at it, a show like Over the Top flopped so gloriously. Of the 12 ordered episodes, ABC only chose to air three. Fortunately, Tim Curry fans circulated them all for the world to see. But the reason this show makes this list isn’t necessarily its content, but rather the behind-the-scenes antics that tarnished its potential. Created by Michael Katlin and Nat Bernstein, Over the Top follows Simon Ferguson (Curry), an eccentric, down-on-his-luck actor who gets fired from a soap opera. Broke and needing somewhere to turn, he moves into The Metropolitan, a Manhattan hotel run by his ex-wife, Hadley Martin (Annie Potts), where he mooches off her kindness. The show centered around Simon adapting to a chaotic household that included Hadley’s rebellious teenage daughter, Gwen (Marla Sokoloff), and good-hearted son, Daniel (Luke Tarsitano). Inside the hotel, there is Robert McSwain (John O’Hurley), the infrequently-seen hotel investor who has a crush on Hadley, Rose (Liz Torres), the no-guff assistant manager of the hotel, and Chef Yorgo Galfanikos (Steve Carell), a Greek immigrant who is obsessed with presenting the perfect meal while exuding a manic temperament. While the show sounds like a perfect ’90s sitcom, the executive meddling behind the scenes became a black cloud.

The show was doomed from the start. The original pilot was not set in a Manhattan hotel but in an upstate New York bed-and-breakfast. That pilot featured different actresses as Gwen and Rose, Natanya Ross and Debra Jo Rupp, respectively. But the premise wasn’t the problem. There were heavy rumors swirling that ABC only optioned the series because of the romantic entanglement between executive producer Robert Morton and ABC’s new head of programming, Jamie Tarses. With the order to retool and overhaul the script, Over the Top was flawed. The trouble was that, rather than a will-they-won’t-they dynamic, Curry’s Simon was an abrasive ex-husband who was only present to cause chaos. Even though the premise reflected the co-stars’ real-life relationship as neighbors, their chemistry in the story struggled. It was a waste of talent as Curry was forced to overact. Now, the only one to outshine him in that department was Carell, who played into the Greek stereotype, accent and all. While the show did help slowly boost his profile, it was a tad on the offensive side in hindsight.

‘The Norm Show’ (1999–2001)

Image via ABC

Following a triumphant run on Saturday Night Live, it was inevitable that Norm Macdonald would front his own show. But looking at it today, it’s nearly impossible to sit through. Created by Bruce Heldord and the comedian himself, The Norm Show, or colloquially called Norm, follows Norm Henderson (Macdonald), a disgraced former professional hockey player banned for life from the league for gambling and tax evasion. To avoid a prison sentence, Norm is forced to perform five years of community service as a caseworker in a social services office. Unprepared and completely untrained, Norm relies on his sarcastic, mischievous, and cynical charm to navigate bureaucracy and help his eccentric clients. He is aided by his strait-laced, by-the-book best friend and co-worker, Laurie (Laurie Metcalf), and their neurotic colleague, Danny (Ian Gomez). His roster of clients includes Taylor (Nikki Cox), a former prostitute who credits Norm with turning her life around and eventually joins the office staff. With a reliance on cynical humor, The Norm Show became wildly dated quite quickly.

The show’s premise is of a man seeking redemption for egregious crimes, but he doesn’t quite do so. Macdonald’s character was defined by arrested development and a profound lack of maturity, a toxic archetype that was more grating than endearing. The show relied on Macdonald’s smart-ass sarcasm and signature trolling. The humor thrived on controversial topics like self-loathing, bad sex, and failed relationships. While the show had some behind-the-scenes turmoil, including receiving the Friday night “death slot,” the writing quality deteriorated, leading to desperate, bizarre plot shifts. Yes, Norm suddenly developed the ability to read minds. The Norm Show may have been seen as ahead of its time to some, but Norm’s brand of comedy didn’t work in a network television setting.

‘The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer’ (1998)

Image via UPN

It’s quite terrifying to think The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer was ever allowed on television, but the ’90s were a wild decade. The ill-conceived UPN comedy from Barry Fanaro and Mort Nathan followed Desmond Pfeiffer (Chi McBride), a sharp-witted, Black English nobleman who flees gambling debts in England to become a valet to President Abraham Lincoln (Dann Florek) in the White House during the American Civil War. The show used the Civil War-era setting as a spoof of the 1990s Clinton administration and contemporary pop culture. It featured a highly satirized and historically inaccurate take on the Lincoln White House. Desmond is surrounded by eccentric figures and must navigate the politics and romance while serving as the only sane individual in the group. There certainly is room to mock the Lincolns, as seen with Cole Escola‘s Oh, Mary!, which may have been inspired by Christine Estabrook‘s emotionally unstable, flirtatious Mary Todd Lincoln. But alas, this show faced criticism before an episode even aired.

The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer was met with immediate protests and public backlash. Several African-American organizations, as well as the Los Angeles City Council, called for the show to be canceled before airing, arguing that a comedy set against the backdrop of American slavery was in incredibly poor taste and trivialized a tragic period of history. To try to mine humor from American slavery and the Civil War, paired with forced, superficial satires of the contemporary Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, the series was always in poor taste. It was misguided from the start. Even if you gave it leeway and tried to compare it to the British satire Blackadder, the humor largely fell flat, with caricatures of historical figures that alienated viewers across the political and cultural spectrum. In the end, the original pilot was pulled, and only four episodes aired before the next work gave the show the final axe.

‘The Single Guy’ (1995–1997)

Image via NBC

As previously discussed, every network hoped to capitalize on the hangout comedy success of Friends. Even its own network! If Can’t Hurry Love was the female-led version, The Single Guy was the male-led version. Created by Brad Hall, the sitcom centered on Jonathan Eliot (Jonathan Silverman), a struggling New York City novelist searching for his dream woman. Surrounded by quirky married friends, Trudy and Sam Sloan (Ming-Na Wen and Joey Slotnick), and an eccentric doorman, Manny Córdoba (Ernest Borgnine), who dispenses unsolicited advice, the show chronicles his humorous daily mishaps with romance and urban life. The show was meant to be Friends with a marriage perspective, hence why Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) made a random cameo. Sandwiched in between Friends and Seinfeld, The Single Guy was not Must-See TV.

Even with Hall in charge, the series was derivative. Rather than cultivating a unique identity, the show’s Manhattan-set neuroticism and cynical relationship humor felt dated even during its original two-season run. Becoming a clone served as its fatal flaw. But it didn’t go as hard as the Jerry Seinfeld-led series. It was virtually the PG version. To make matters confusing, Hall’s wife and Seinfeld star, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, popped up. Just not as Elaine. She was among the revolving door of cameos of famous and soon-to-be stars, including Larry Miller, Jack Black, Conan O’Brien, Marie Osmond, Paula Abdul, Emilio Estevez, Jenna Elfman, Molly Shannon, and Don Rickles. When ratings slipped after network meddling, writers abruptly dropped major supporting characters, including Matt (Mark Moses) and Janeane (Jessica Hecht), and added new ones, completely shattering any semblance of attachment. At the end of the day, it was cynical relationship advice dispensed by the married characters that framed singlehood purely as a transitional waiting room for marriage. That couldn’t be further from reality today.

Stephen Colbert broke his social media silence for one very sweet and oh-so sentimental reason.

Colbert, 62, returned to social media for the first time in several weeks on Sunday, July 19, taking to Instagram to share a photo of his adorable pooch resting on a chair.

“Happy 7th Birthday, Benny,” Colbert wrote in text over the pic of the dark brown Boykin Spaniel, marking his four-legged family member’s special day.

Colbert’s post comes nearly two months after he said goodbye to The Late Show With Stephen Colbert following its cancellation by CBS.

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The network announced in July 2025 that the show would be ending, with the network sharing at the time that the decision was not “related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount” but was instead due to finances. Colbert broke his silence on the cancellation at the time.

“Before we start the show I want to let you know something that I found out just last night. Next year will be our last season,” he said during a July 2025 taping as the audience booed. “I share your feelings. It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.”

He continued, “I do want to say that the folks at CBS have been great partners. … And I’m grateful to the audience, you, who have joined us every night, in here, out there and all around the world.”

In the show’s final episode, Colbert shared a message to fans.

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“I talked to the audience beforehand, and tonight I thought I’d talk to the audience in here [the Ed Sullivan Theater] and the audience out there at home,” he said in May. “This show, I want you to know, has been a joy for us to do for you. In fact, we call this show The Joy Machine because to do this many shows, it has to be a machine.”

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Colbert, who took over as host of The Late Show on CBS in 2015 and succeeded David Letterman, went on to thank fans for watching the show through the years.

“I just want to let all y’all know in here and out there how important you’ve been to what we have done. The energy that you’ve given us, we sincerely need that to have done the best possible show we could have for you for the last 11 years,” he said. “You’ve given it to us, we’ve given it all right back to you.”

He continued, “We love doing this show for you, but we really, really love is doing the show with you. Now, I’ll say to you what I’ve said to every audience for the last 11 years, and I’ve meant it every time: Have a good show. Thanks for being here. And let’s do it, y’all.”

There’s been a heated debate over whether Hollywood still has movie stars, but there are still some people who can draw audiences to theaters based on their presence alone. At the top of the pack is Michael B. Jordan, who’s racked up an impressive number of roles over the years. There’s his turn as Adonis Creed in the Creed franchise, portraying one of Marvel’s most layered antagonists as Erik Killmonger in Black Panther, and the dual role of Stack and Smoke in Sinners. It’s that last role that won Jordan an Oscar, but it’s not the first time he displayed the intensity needed for an action role.

That honor goes to Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse. Based on the novel of the same name, Without Remorse stars Jordan as John Kelly, a former Navy SEAL who is attacked in the middle of the night by a group of Russian soldiers who murder his wife. Kelly sets out to avenge his wife, covering a tangled web of secrets in the process. Jordan isn’t the only big name attached to Without Remorse, as its screenplay was co-written by none other than Taylor Sheridan. While Sheridan might have made some significant changes to Without Remorse‘s story, he crafted a searing action-thriller that let Jordan show off his range.

‘Without Remorse’ Showcases A Different Side To Michael B. Jordan

Image via Prime Video

Prior to Without Remorse, Michael B. Jordan was best known for his magnetic presence, whether it was his breakout role in Chronicle or bigger movies like Creed and Black Panther. Without Remorse shows that he could deliver some fiery intensity in his performances, which helps sell Kelly’s desire to avenge his wife. This is especially prominent in a scene where Kelly corners a corrupt Russian diplomat, then lights said diplomat’s car on fire and locks himself inside until he gets the names of the assassins who came after him. Though it might seem like a far cry from his previous work, Jordan admitted in an interview that he tries to put a little of himself in every role he plays.

“You take these roles that aren’t written specifically for [you] because they have a platform, and you inject yourself and your experience into the character. That’s the Trojan horse.”

Kelly’s intense dedication to his mission would match the same intensity that Jordan brought to Sinners a few years later. It’s also a key indicator that you’re watching a Taylor Sheridan project, as most of his characters tend to share that trait. In fact, one could argue that Sheridan built his entire television empire on the idea of men willing to go to any length to hold onto what’s theirs. Yellowstone had John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and his family fighting to hold onto their ranch, while Tulsa King and Mayor of Kingstown both zeroed in on men in positions of power willing to lie and kill to hold onto that power. Given that Tom Clancy also tends to write these types of characters in his books, it’s no surprise that Sheridan gravitated to Without Remorse.

A Sequel To ‘Without Remorse’ Is In The Works

Despite a less-than-stellar critical rating of 45% on Rotten Tomatoes, Without Remorse is slated to receive its own sequel. The seeds for that sequel are sown in the movie’s final moments, where John Kelly — now calling himself “John Clark” — reveals that he’s gathering operatives for a project called “Rainbow.” Fans of Tom Clancy’s work know that Clark is referring to Rainbow Six, the counter-terrorism unit consisting of soldiers from across the globe. The upcoming Rainbow Six movie assembled its own all-star team, including director Chad Stalheski (John Wick, Highlander). While updates on Rainbow Six have been slow, it more than likely won’t involve Taylor Sheridan as he’s set to leave Paramount for Universal, co-writing another military thriller with Call of Duty. If you’re still counting down the days until Reacher returns, then give Without Remorse a watch.

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Release Date

April 30, 2021

Runtime

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110 minutes

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Justin Bieber needed a little pep talk before taking the pitch at the 2026 World Cup Halftime show. Thankfully, he had some seasoned coaches to hype him up.

During the Sunday, July 19, halftime performance in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Jason Sudeikis dressed as the beloved fictional soccer coach Ted Lasso alongside onscreen sidekick Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt).

After Sudeikis, 50, said to Hunt, 54, that they needed someone who could “bring the love,” Bieber, 32, appeared on screen with his guitar. Hunt then held up a screen that read, “JB” with the iconic Ted Lasso “Believe” sign taped on it, reading, “Beliebe.”

“Alright young man, let’s go. It’s your big shot,” Sudeikis told Bieber before his performance. “OK, now listen to me. Go out there. Don’t be nervous. Nobody’s watching, alright? Make us proud.”

Bieber nodded along before transitioning to sing his hit 2025 track “EVERYTHING HALLELUJAH.” The musician concluded his performance by altering the lyrics to say, “It’s the World Cup hallelujah,” smiling for the camera.

As his song came to an end, Shakira then took the stage to perform “Dai Dai,” the proceeds of which go to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, with Burna Boy.

“The World Cup has been part of my journey for a long time, so being invited to perform at the first-ever halftime show feels incredibly meaningful,” Shakira told Vogue in an interview published on Sunday. “To get up and perform this song on the world’s biggest stage is going to be electric.”

For the performance, Shakira stunned in a custom Roberto Cavalli look — which was a call back to her 2010 World Cup closing ceremony performance of “Waka Waka,” something she called a “full circle moment.”

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Shakira was then joined by a children’s chorus and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to sing “We Believe.” As the camera pulled back from the field, the word “Love” was displayed. Madonna, BTS and the Muppets also took the stage earlier in the halftime show as defending champions Spain took on Argentina.

While the halftime show was star-studded, the stands were also filled with several celebs including Kylie Jenner and boyfriend Timothée Chalamet. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and wife Brittany Mahomes also smiled for a photo inside a private suite.

Ahead of the game, Jennifer Hudson took the stage to sing a rendition of the national anthem. When the song came to an end, cameras panned to President Donald Trump — and was loudly booed by fans in attendance. The president sat in a private suite with wife Melania and FIFA president Gianni Infantino for Sunday’s game.

Inventing Anna star Julia Garner made her first public appearance following her reported breakup from husband Mark Foster at the thrilling 2026 World Cup final.

Garner, 32, walked the red carpet solo at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Sunday, July 19, where Argentina and Spain faced off for the FIFA championship trophy. As she took in the match, Garner brought the edge in a black, leather bomber jacket with coordinating mini shorts tucked into a white T-shirt.

Garner, who accessorized her look with a small black clutch and peep-toe pumps, wore her blonde locks in a curled pixie ‘do.

Three days before her World Cup appearance, news broke that Garner and Foster, 42, quietly separated after six years of marriage. (Neither Garner nor Foster publicly addressed their relationship status at the time. Us Weekly reached out to reps for both stars for comment.)

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Julia Garner and musician Mark Foster offered glimpses at their romance before their split. “In our first conversation, we realized that my grandmother lived in the same small town that his dad lives in, just outside of Cleveland,” the Ozark alum recalled to Vogue in March 2020, noting they kept running into one another during […]

Garner and the musician, who were last spotted together at a Hollywood afterparty in October 2025, had been together since 2018.

“In our first conversation, we realized that my grandmother lived in the same small town that his dad lives in, just outside of Cleveland,” Garner recalled to Vogue in 2020 of her first date with Foster, noting they kept running into one another during the Christmas holiday. “It kind of became a tradition.”

Foster popped the question in May 2019 after 10 months of dating before the pair said “I do” in a New York City courthouse wedding that December.

“I started freaking out because I was getting married in 10 days and had nothing to wear,” she told Vogue of the lead-up to the ceremony, which followed in Garner’s parents’ footsteps. “When I was on a lunch break in my [Ozark] trailer, I went on Instagram, and I got a DM from Danielle Frankel asking me if I had found a dress.”

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Garner continued, “I wrote her back, and we exchanged numbers. The next day we spoke on the phone, and I felt like I’d known her forever. It was an Instagram miracle!”

For the intimate nuptials, Garner wore Frankel’s coincidentally titled “Julia Dress.”

“I’d been a fan of Danielle’s for a while…even before we started planning for the wedding,” Garner added at the time. “I first heard about her when she was nominated for the Fashion Fund award. After that, I started following her on Instagram. Her pieces have everything I love. They’re beautiful, modern, smart, classic, edgy, original, flattering and powerful.”

Lisa Ann Walter may play a beloved teacher on TV, but her dedication to those within the profession goes back long before Abbott Elementary aired.

The actress, 60, sat down exclusively with Us to talk about her family’s history in teaching and how it shaped her decision to become the “Head Teacher” for the debut of the BIC Supply Ride Bus Tour that brings free classroom supplies straight to educators.

The SAG award winner might have chosen the spotlight over the classroom but grew up watching her mother spend 40 years working with students as a public school teacher, and years later, her own daughter, Delia, followed the same path.

“Being the daughter of a teacher and the mother of a teacher, and watching what they go through…watching how they fight for their kids, and struggle to get the meaningful essentials that they need to create a good classroom environment — our tax dollars don’t cover it,” she told Us.

But it’s not the first time she has candidly opened up about the toll the job takes on teachers. In a previous interview with Us, Walter spoke about how teachers had “been so under fire” in previous years, sharing how there has been a decline in public appreciation for educators, with rhetoric that seemed to change overnight, from gratitude to criticism.

That same struggle she channels directly into her work on ABC’s Abbott Elementary as Melissa Schmmenti, the feisty, street-smart teacher at an underfunded Philadelphia school. In the show, her character is known for being a fearless advocate for her students in need — and off-screen, Walter is fighting for the same cause.

“Even if I wasn’t in the job that I’m in on Abbott, I would want to support this,” she said. “I would want to try to advertise it and help get the word out. But luckily, being in the position that I’m in, in the public eye, I get to do things that draw attention to things that I think are really important, and this is absolutely top of the list.”

Showing up for children is a habit that hasn’t stayed confined to a script for Walter, who’s built an acting career out of playing characters who do exactly that, like her beloved role as Chessy, the fiercely devoted nanny in The Parent Trap.

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“It’s really important to not just say we honor you, teachers; we think that you do a great job,” she told Us. “[BIC’s] putting their money literally where their mouth is… That’s meaningful to me. That’s why I did it three years ago and why I’m doing it again.”

The BIC Supply Ride Bus Tour will travel directly to teachers, delivering free classroom essentials at each stop. This year’s tour builds on the 2023 NYC back-to-school “Supply Closet” pop-up event, which Walter’s was also a part of. This time around, the tour is expanding beyond New York City with new stops in Austin, Atlanta and Chicago. Teachers nationwide can also enter for a chance to receive their own supply package at bic2school.com.

“All of us either have been to school, are going to school, or have kids in school, and some people teach school,” she continued. “So it is something that affects all of us, and it’s actually something that we could kind of fix easily. But luckily, there are companies like BIC who are stepping in from outside and just saying, ‘Here, let’s try to help.”

President Donald Trump’s appearance at the 2026 World Cup Final was met with a loud — and unmistakable — reaction from the crowd.

After Jennifer Hudson performed a gorgeous rendition of the U.S. national anthem at the Sunday, July 19, championship game, Trump, 80, was shown clapping while standing from his section inside Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

As the camera panned to him, Trump was audibly booed by the audience. He watched the match — where defending champs Argentina faced off against Spain — beside his wife, Melania, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Weeks earlier, Trump made headlines when he called Infantino to review the red card given to United States men’s national team player Folarin Balogun after the round of 32 game.

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“All I did was ask for a review. I didn’t say, you have to do this,” Trump said at a White House media briefing earlier this month, per ESPN. “This man is a smart, tough man, Gianni Infantino. He’s a smart, tough man, and his stock has gone through the roof because the job he has done has been great. I feel like we have to have all the best players on the field.”

Trump called Balogun’s one-game suspension, which a player automatically faces with a red card, “very unfair.”

“How do you penalize them for a game that hasn’t been played?” Trump said, noting that the red card was a “horrible” call. “I didn’t think it was a foul. I thought it was two great athletes that crashed each other and got entangled.”

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“I saw the play, and I’m a person that loves sports … that wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction … this referee, who is a little bit suspect if you check his past. He made a call that nobody could believe … he’s our best player, or one of our best players. And he gave him a red card. I didn’t know what that meant,” he continued. “Yes, I asked for a review by FIFA. [Balogun] didn’t do anything wrong, and he’s our best player or one of our best players.”

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After Trump’s comments, FIFA later announced that Balogun was able to play. “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” Trump wrote via X at the time.

At the time, the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “astonished” by the decision, per AP News. The United States men’s national team ultimately lost the round of 16 matchup against Belgium.