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Buffy’s Most Heartbreaking Plot Twist Was Inspired By History’s Darkest Devil Story

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Buffy’s Most Heartbreaking Plot Twist Was Inspired By History's Darkest Devil Story

By Chris Snellgrove
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In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel is a character stricken by a very specific curse: as a vampire, one of his victims’ families gives him his soul back, forcing him to constantly experience the crushing guilt of everyone he has ever hurt or killed. To make things worse, there was a catch to this curse that served to twist the knife in Angel’s heart. Specifically, if he ever experiences a moment of true happiness, he would lose his soul and once again become Angelus, one of the scariest vampires the planet had ever known.

All of this makes Angel (played by David Boreanaz) one of the most complex and fascinating characters in television history, and many Buffy fans have wondered where showrunner Joss Whedon got the idea for this gut-wrenching curse. But you don’t have to look far to discover the answer: as it turns out, Whedon drew inspiration from one of the most famous stories in all of literature. You see, Angel’s curse is very similar to what we see in the tale of Faust, better known as the original “deal with the devil” story.

What A Terrible Night For A Curse

If your memories of English class are a little fuzzy, here’s a quick primer: Faust was originally a German legend about a man who, despite his success, simply wanted more out of life. In order to get it, he made a deal with the devil in which he would get all of the worldly knowledge and pleasures that he could ever want. But after a life of experiencing what amounted to Heaven on Earth, his soul would go straight to Hell once he died.

Multiple authors have adapted this German folktale, and the most famous was created by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He added his own twists to Faust’s pact with the devil, including Faust making a very special wager: he will become a servant in Hell only if the Devil can provide him with a moment of true happiness that he would want to last forever. This unexpectedly happens when Faust begins dreaming of people working together to make the world a better place; this moment of happiness damns his soul, but he is effectively saved by God, who rewards Faust with salvation because of his righteous dream of human harmony.

The Most Tortured Vampire In History

Needless to say, there is plenty of parallelism between what happens to Goethe’s Faust and what happens to Angel in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Once his soul is restored, Angel does his best to atone for all the terrible acts that he committed as a vampire. But once he experiences a moment of true happiness (which happened, awkwardly enough, during sex with Buffy), he loses his soul, becoming once more a terrible monster who damns himself with each transgressive act.

Arguably, Angel is also the beneficiary of the same divine grace that saved Faust: after losing his soul and becoming Angelus, he enacts a plan meant to plunge the entire world into Hell. Buffy stops him, but only after Willow successfully restores his soul. This leads to the most heartbreaking moment in the entire series, in which Buffy has to kill the only man she has ever loved, sending him to a hell dimension in order to save every human on the planet.

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He is inexplicably resurrected in Season 3, and there is never an official explanation given for who or what brings him back from Hell. But one very prominent fan theory is that he was brought back by The Powers That Be, the same mysterious group of cosmic powerhouses who ensured Angel met Buffy. Later, they gave prophetic visions to Doyle, the demon who helped Angel become a champion of the helpless once he moved to Los Angeles.

Angel was originally condemned to Hell thanks to a very Faustian curse, and he may have been saved in the same way: by divine powers that rewarded his dream of making the world a better place. Either way, it’s clear that the tale of the most iconic vampire in Buffy the Vampire Slayer was influenced by the original deal with the devil story, one that has been influencing storytellers for centuries. Even though most fans never clocked it, this means that the hottest TV show of the ‘90s is forever connected to a German folktale that became popular nearly 500 years ago!


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‘Will Trent’ Season 4 Brings Back a Fan-Favorite Character in Its Best Episode Yet

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Iantha Richardson as Faith Mitchell in Will Trent Season 4 Episode 5

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Will Trent Season 4, Episode 7.After its intense two-parter that saw the GBI and APD uncover a massive pharmaceutical conspiracy together, Will Trent returns to normalcy this week. The GBI investigates a murder case that takes them on the path of looking into a serial killer team, while the APD’s weekly case is a hilarious one involving a skunk. The episode also sees the return of one of my favorite side characters: Paul Campano (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), a former foster kid who grew up with Will (Ramón Rodríguez) and Angie (Erika Christensen).

In Season 4, Episode 7, “Call Paul,” Paul returns for the first time since Season 1 when his neighbor, Joelle Hornbaker – with whom he was having an affair – is murdered with a nail gun. Paul helps Will and Faith (Iantha Richardson) investigate in what is one of the season’s funniest episodes, as well as one of the darkest. After keeping himself distracted for the last handful of episodes, working on a serial case brings up memories of James Ulster (Greg Germann) for Will, causing him to have dissociative episodes.

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In ‘Will Trent’ Season 4, Episode 7, A Difficult Serial Killer Case Brings Back Paul Campano – and Memories of James Ulster

While investigating Joelle’s murder, Will finds himself going too deep into the scenarios he usually envisions to solve a murder. He can’t stop picturing himself as the killer in visions where he enjoys it, and where Ulster encourages him to embrace his “true nature” as a killer. Paul was Joelle’s neighbor, and he saw a man leaving her home around the time she was killed, which he shows Will with a hilarious drawing. Paul looks very guilty because he was having an affair with Joelle, and he broke up with her the night before she was killed, but Will knows that he’s innocent. Will and Paul have such a fun and silly dynamic, and it fits perfectly into this episode, especially in contrast to Will’s much darker internal struggle.

The GBI figures out that the nailgun that killed Joelle belonged to a man who was previously brutally murdered with a baseball bat, and clearly by someone he knew. Will goes deep into a vision to investigate these two murders, but it takes a major toll on him, as he starts to feel too closely aligned to the killers. Will is able to figure out that both victims were killed by a team of two killers. A well-meaning but misguided Paul makes an advertisement through his business to search for the killer, but this just makes him a target, and the killer tries to shoot him. To keep Paul safe, Will is tasked with letting him stay at his house. Angie comes over to visit, and the three of them have dinner together, and they look back on their childhoods. During this conversation, Will calls out Paul for bullying him as a kid, but Paul insists Will started it by beating him up first.

Iantha Richardson as Faith Mitchell in Will Trent Season 4 Episode 5


‘Will Trent’s Latest Episode Introduces a New Love Interest That Sparks Major Jealousy

The jealousy arc has begun!

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Will is called in for another case in the middle of the night while he’s having more intrusive, violent visions. Will realizes that this case is the first victim of these killers, who was murdered with his own hedge clippers. Will gets stuck in a violent dissociative episode where he almost attacks Paul with the hedge clippers, thinking he’s Ulster. Paul handles this really well and is able to calm Will down with help from Betty (Bluebell). Will’s next clue makes him realize that all of the victims were using jugs of water from the same company. The next morning, Will and Paul go to investigate at the water facility. There, Will meets the manager and one of the killers, Blair Anson. The other killer is a GBI crime scene specialist, Travis Nash. Will and Paul wind up in an intense confrontation with the killers, where Will almost kills Travis, but Paul steps in to hit Travis with a water jug, and Will arrests Travis.

Paul Campano is such a great character anyways, but his reappearance this episode is more than just a fun cameo. Because of his history with Will, he’s able to connect with Will and get him to open up in a way that nobody else can. Paul tells Will that Will beat him up as kids after he pointed a toy gun at Will, and Will realizes that this had triggered his PTSD from his former foster home, where he had to shoot his abusive foster father. This was a dissociative episode that Will had forgotten, just like he’d had earlier that day. In a vulnerable moment, Will admits how hard it is for him to “stay on the right path” in spite of his past trauma and dissociations. He tells Paul that he understands the killers, feels a lot of the same rage, and even wanted to kill Travis. Paul tells Will that everyone with their background has the same struggle, and that Will is choosing to use his pain for good. Paul encourages Will to keep fighting it and doing the work anyway, even though he acknowledges how much of a toll this takes on Will.

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In ‘Will Trent’ Season 4, Episode 7, The APD Investigates a Murder Involving a Skunk

Kevin Daniels as Franklin and Erika Christensen as Angie in Will Trent Season 4 Episode 7
Kevin Daniels as Franklin and Erika Christensen as Angie in Will Trent Season 4 Episode 7
Image via ABC

Angie, Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin), and Franklin (Kevin Daniels) investigate the suspicious death of a driver who got into an accident, left his car, and then had an allergic reaction after being pepper-sprayed. All the while, Ormewood and Franklin are stressing about the upcoming department softball game, because they’ll have to replace Angie this year because she’s pregnant. They soon figure out that the driver, Ben, was on Facetime with his girlfriend, Luna, while driving. Because Ben wasn’t paying attention, he hit a skunk with his car – and it was a pet skunk belonging to a woman who calls herself the Skunk Mother online.

The APD brings the Skunk Mother in for an interrogation, and she admits that she broke Ben’s windshield with a rock after he hit her skunk with his car, and then he started angrily coming at her, so she pepper-sprayed him. Angie and Franklin realize that the Skunk Mother didn’t kill Ben and that Luna’s story doesn’t add up. Angie and Franklin bring Luna in, where she admits that she came to the scene of Ben’s death and saw him having an allergic reaction. Instead of helping him, she killed him while he was having a reaction, because he was planning to leave her for someone else. The storyline ends well for everyone: with Luna getting arrested, the Skunk Mother bringing her healing skunk to the APD with thank you cookies, and Ormewood and Franklin finding Angie’s softball replacement in a new rookie named Sam Atkins.

Will Trent airs Tuesdays at 8:00 P.M. EST on ABC.

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Will Trent

The best episode so far in an already strong season, with both comedy and a serious character study.

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Release Date

January 3, 2023

Directors
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Howard Deutch, Eric Dean Seaton, Holly Dale, Lea Thompson, Patricia Cardoso, Sheree Folkson, Bille Woodruff, Erika Christensen, Gail Mancuso, Geary McLeod, Jason Ensler, Mark Tonderai, Paul McGuigan


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    Ramón Rodríguez

    Will Trent

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  • Headshot Of Erika Christensen

    Erika Christensen

    Angie Polaski

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Pros & Cons
  • This episode brings back Mark-Paul Gosselaar’s Paul Campano for a hilarious storyline that leads to some important conversations between him and Will.
  • This episode continues with the deeper character study of Will’s character in the wake of his disturbing conversations with Ulster earlier this season.
  • This episode is very funny, with sharp and clever dialogue throughout.
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General Hospital: Lucas Puts His Life on the Line to Secure Britt’s Medication?

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General Hospital: Lucas Jones (Van Hansis) - Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud)

General Hospital reveals Lucas Jones (Van Hansis) pretty much scared of who his boyfriend really is. Now that he overheard threats to Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) life, I suspect that Lucas is not going to believe anything Marco Rios (Adrian Anchondo) says, and he knows it’s just going to be more lies.

Lucas might turn on Marco, go against him, go behind his back, and actually help Britt. And it could prove very dangerous for Lucas.

Lucas Jones Overhears the Truth About Marco Rios and Jenz Sidwell on General Hospital

So, recently Marco was on the phone with Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) discussing taking Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) out. He was standing out on the parapet and that’s when Lucas came out and heard him.

He had already overheard Marco telling Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) that if Carly Corinthos Spencer (Laura Wright) hanging around, she might see Britt in the catacombs and she might be a problem, which sounded quasi-threatening to me. But then Lucas also overheard Sidwell saying he and Cullum found a way to make Britt cooperate.

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Sidwell said they’re keeping Britt’s life-saving Huntington’s meds away from her and they’re giving her just one dose at a time until she completes the project. Of course, Lucas was absolutely horrified by what he overheard in the living room.

Red Flags and Confrontations at Wyndemere on GH

To make matters worse, Pascal (Marc Forget) was lurking and he saw Lucas before he rushed out the door. You know, he was distraught. He left. He went to General Hospital and he opened up to Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and she told Lucas, “Go back, pack your bags, get out of Wyndemere ASAP.”

So he realized Liz was right. And Lucas went back to get his things. That’s when he overheard Marco saying another horrible thing. Lucas was ready to walk out. And then Marco got rough with him. That was a red flag. And then he tried to twist it around and brought up his mom’s suicide and was begging Lucas to stay with him.

Britt warned Marco that things weren’t going to go well. Yeah. He was annoyed when Britt told him that, but she’s like, “Look, Marco, believe me.” And she told him Lucas would find out what he’s up to and that Marco was going to lose Lucas.

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The High Stakes of Britt Westbourne’s Huntington’s Disease on General Hospital

And what, like an episode or two later? You know, Marco’s worst fears are coming true since Lucas now knows Marco is neck-deep with Sidwell’s criminal activities when he had assured Lucas he was completely innocent, wasn’t involved with what Sidwell was doing.

And Lucas also now knows that Britt’s life is in danger if she doesn’t finish Cesar Faison (Anders Hove) final project. I mean, second, even if they have her do the work, if they continue to withhold Britt’s medicine or cut her off after the project is done. Then her Huntington’s disease will come back and she’ll suffer dire ending consequences. And I feel like they would probably let Britt die or kill her just to tie off loose ends.

So Marco insisted to Lucas that he wasn’t the one that threatened Britt. That’s his father, Sidwell, that did it. And of course, the difference between those two things is meaningless to Lucas.

Lucas Feels Guilt Over Carly and Defending Marco on GH

He thinks that Marco is just as guilty because he’s standing by and doing nothing while Sidwell is threatening to kill Britt if she doesn’t get Faison’s work done for them. And of course, Lucas feels like a complete fool because he defended Marco to everybody, especially Carly.

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She was right about Marco and he got upset and Lucas turned his back on his sister. And now he feels guilty about the way he behaved towards Carly and of course really, really angry at his boyfriend.

Marco begged Lucas to not give up on him and swears that he’ll be better. And Marco said he has to get through this project. And then he swore to Lucas he’ll have nothing more to do with any of his father’s dealings.

A Fake Reconciliation and a Plan to Save Britt

But Lucas wanted to know about Britt. You know, he had questions about her, too. So, it’s obvious that Lucas is worried about her. And Marco swore that Britt would be done with Sidwell once the project is over. I don’t buy it though.

And of course, Lucas and Britt have never really gotten along. Recently though, Lucas suggested to Britt they call a ceasefire and play nice. And they’ve both been really trying. They’ve been professional at work. They’ve been pleasant.

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And now what’s becoming clear is that Lucas really feels bad for Britt. She is trapped and her life is literally on the line and Lucas feels terrible for believing all the lies that Marco told him. Lucas seems done, but Marco was begging him, you know, “please believe me, please don’t leave.”

And Lucas agreed. He said he’ll give Marco another chance. And then Lucas even hugged Marco. But the look on Lucas’s face suggests he doesn’t mean it. Not one bit. And then this week, we’ve got Carly talking to Lucas, and I think he’s going to tell Carly she was absolutely right about Marco.

General Hospital: Lucas The Unlikely Hero in the Catacombs

So, what I think Lucas might do next is pretend he’s giving Marco another chance and he will stay at Wyndemere, but I think that’s so he can find a way to get Britt’s meds for her and watch out for her safety. That way Lucas can help get Britt out from under Sidwell and Cullum and honestly also Marco.

I think Lucas wants to help Britt because he feels bad for her because she has this debilitating disease. And I think Lucas may also feel guilty that he didn’t realize the danger Britt was in.

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He questioned why she was out at Spoon Island and thinks she’s just, you know, like other people because she’s led them to believe it—that she’s taking money by doing a private practice thing for Sidwell so that there’s an explanation for her to be out there.

But the bottom line was it was all happening right under Lucas’s nose. And of course, he’s got nothing to actually feel guilty about, but I can see him betraying Marco and helping Britt.

Reverse Engineering the Huntington’s Medicine with Brad Cooper

So Lucas might let Marco think he’ll stay and just they can be together. They’ll ride it out till the project is done and then put this behind them. But I think at the same time, Lucas is going to get down into those catacombs and try his best to get his hands on Britt’s meds.

So in a surprising twist, Lucas might be the one who saves Britt and gets those meds so they can be reverse-engineered for Britt. Even if Lucas isn’t able to get the whole supply, you know, all that’s needed really is one vial.

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And I’m pretty sure Lucas is going to tell Britt he knows everything. He knows what’s going on with Sidwell. And Lucas may say he knows she’s being forced to work at Wyndemere to stay alive. And from there, Britt might come clean.

She and Lucas might swap info and she may tell him that Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) was going to reverse-engineer her meds. And then Lucas may jump on board and pick up with that and take over. I mean, Britt and Lucas could actually wind up being genuine friends in the end, despite the messy past with Brad Cooper (Parry Shen), that’s kind of a residual issue for them.

General Hospital: Lucas Jones (Van Hansis) - Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) General Hospital: Lucas Jones (Van Hansis) - Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud)
General Hospital: Lucas Jones – Britt Westbourne

The End of Marco and Lucas and the Return of Brad

As for Marco, whether Lucas can help Britt or not, I am pretty sure that Lucas is going to dump Marco in the end. It’s hard to imagine there’s any way Lucas would forgive him and stay with him. I mean, Brad did bad stuff, but Marco is in a whole other league of bad.

Also, Jason’s leaving in just a few weeks because Steve Burton is taking a lengthy hiatus, and that may have forced a rewrite to this story rather than Jason doing the reverse engineering and all that. It could be Lucas.

You know, maybe Brad comes in and he works with Lucas and Britt to reverse-engineer the meds. We have heard that Brad is supposed to be back in March around the time that Jason exits.

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So, we’ll see. But Lucas is the last person that Britt expects would help her. But it would be a really soapy twist. I think the writing’s on the wall for Marco and Lucas and they’re going to split soon.

But also, since Pascal saw Lucas eavesdropping, I think that he will go tell Sidwell that Lucas is a problem. And since Pascal is creepily fixated on Marco, you know, Sidwell might tell Pascal to kill Lucas.

You know, tell him that Marco’s boyfriend needs to have an unfortunate accident. But hopefully Britt and Lucas both survive this and he can help find her meds and save her life.

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Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun Sing Karaoke

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Sydney Sweeney
Karaoke Date With Scooter!!!

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‘Baywatch’s Biggest Heartthrob Returns for Stephen Amell’s Reboot Series

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Baywatch (1989)

25 years after ending, Baywatch is finally coming back in a big way (we’re just pretending the Dwayne Johnson movie didn’t happen). Fox is officially rebooting the series and already has some serious star power involved, with Arrow and Suits LA star Stephen Amell confirmed to lead the new iteration of Baywatch, playing the classic character of Hobie Buchanon. That certainly set the precedent for other characters to be recast in the lifeguard procedural, but that isn’t going to be the case for one crucial character.

Fox has reportedly cast David Chokachi, who was a major presence in the original series from 1995 to 1999, for a role in the upcoming reboot series. Chokachi originally played the part of Cody Madison — the fan-favorite lifeguard who, like the rest of the cast, became a pop culture icon for his striking good looks. The news also confirms that David Chokachi will continue playing the role of Cody Madison, now a mentor to Hobie and the owner of a local restaurant. The official description of Chokachi’s character reads as follows:

“Cody runs The Shoreline, the unofficially official Baywatch bar-and-grill, and still puts on the red trunks for the occasional shift saving lives. He’s a mentor to and a friend, providing a second home for his fellow lifeguards… and always offering free wings after a big save.”

Hobie’s upgraded role to the series lead and Chokachi’s casting seem to all but confirm that Fox’s new take on Baywatch will be a continuation of the original series rather than a from-the-ground-up remake. That’s great news for fans as, in addition to Chokachi’s Cody Madison, this also makes it easier for other series mainstays, like David Hasselhoff‘s Mitch Buchanon and Pamela Anderson‘s C.J. Parker, to potentially make an appearance. However, regarding the former, the descriptions so far suggest that Mitch Buchanon won’t be as active a player as he was in the original series, potentially being killed off or retired. Still, it doesn’t fully rule out a return for Hasselhoff. A description for Hobie’s elevated role in the Baywatch reboot reads as follows:

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“Hobie’s world is turned upside down when Charlie, the daughter he never knew, shows up on his doorstep, eager to carry on the Buchannon family legacy and become a Baywatch lifeguard alongside her dad.”

‘Baywatch’ Isn’t the Only Reboot of a Classic Series in Development

Reboots continue to be all the rage these days, as several other classic shows like Baywatch are also on the way. Over at Baywatch‘s old stomping grounds at NBC (the network that initially and infamously cancelled the now-hit show after a single season before it was revived), Bones icon David Borneaz is set to lead a highly anticipated revival of The Rockford Files — the ’70s detective procedural led by James Garner. The other half of Borneaz’s Bones duo isn’t getting left behind either, as Emily Deschanel is set to lead her own NBC crime procedural, making for something of a network reunion between the two stars.

Fox’s Baywatch reboot is now in development. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.


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Baywatch (1989)

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Release Date

1989 – 2001-00-00

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Directors

Gregory J. Bonann, Douglas Schwartz, Gus Trikonis

Writers
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Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, Gregory J. Bonann

Franchise(s)

Baywatch

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Legendary Western Icon Gets an Ambitious Sci-Fi Makeover in New Netflix Series

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Legendary Western Icon Gets an Ambitious Sci-Fi Makeover in New Netflix Series

In 2023, western television tycoon Taylor Sheridan turned his attention away from the fictional Dutton family of Yellowstone and 1883 to tackle a real Lawman. Specifically, he explored one of the first African American Deputy U.S. Marshals west of the Mississippi — the legendary Bass Reeves — with the aptly named Lawmen: Bass Reeves at Paramount+. Created by Chad Feehan with Sheridan as an executive producer, the series followed the exploits of Reeves, played by David Oyelowo, as he forged his legacy as a former slave who rose to become one of the greatest heroes of the Old West. By all means, it was a success, earning rave reviews from critics and audiences alike and garnering a Critics’ Choice Award and Golden Globe nomination for Oyelowo.

Now, Netflix is taking a stab at the frontier icon, though not in a way anyone could’ve expected. Instead of going for a more historical angle like Feehan’s series, the streaming service’s new series takes place in an alternate reality Steampunk West, where it’s not just outlaws that are terrorizing people, but also machines and supernatural horrors that only a truly legendary lawman can tackle. Titled Bass X Machina, it’s the latest addition to the platform’s ever-growing slate of adult animation, promising plenty of action as Bass plays judge, jury, and executioner to the greatest threats to his family on the frontier. With every bit of justice he dispenses, however, he may end up jeopardizing the lives of everyone he’s fighting to save.

Bass X Machina was announced with two images that give a preview of this hardened version of Bass, who’s dressed every bit like the lawman he’s based on, save for having a mechanical right arm. The shots establish a world even harsher than the West that so many throughout history braved to start a new life, where even such powerful figures known for their heroism in reality are far from untouchable. Alongside the first look, Spider-Verse and Bullet Train favorite Brian Tyree Henry was tapped to voice this new version of Bass and serve as an executive producer. Henry has been killing it in animation for a while now, whether as Miles Morales’ father, Jefferson Davis, or as a young Megatron in the acclaimed Transformers One, and he’s also surrounded by a killer cast for the new series, including Janelle Monáe as Glory, Tati Gabrielle as Dana, Cree Summer as Ahni, Chaske Spencer as Lighthorse, Currie Graham as Rivenbark, and Starletta DuPois as Etta.

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When Will ‘Bass X Machina’ Release?

Animation for Bass X Reeves is being done by South Korea’s Studio Mir, which previously worked on other Netflix animated hits like Devil May Cry and Skull Island. The series hails from a team including executive producers LeSean Thomas, Jennifer Wiley-Moxley, and Chad Handley, in addition to Henry. Monáe is also bringing some musical talent along with her, with Roman GianArthur and Nate Wonder from her Wondaland Arts Collective creating original music for the series. The wait to see this wild twist on such a familiar lawman won’t be overly long, as Netflix confirmed it’s due to release on the platform on October 6.

Stay tuned here at Collider for more on Bass X Machina as its release draws nearer. Check out the first images in the gallery above.

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‘Valley’ Alum Jax Taylor Has Been Sober For Over A Year

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Wearing a suit

Jax Taylor is one of the most talked-about alums from Bravo’s “Vanderpump Rules,” having been on the show for eight seasons until 2020. Following a hiatus, the network selected him to be a part of the cast of the “VPR” spin-off series, “The Valley.” However, near the end of the show’s second season, he announced he would not be returning, leading many fans to assume he had been fired. Now, a new report says the controversial reality star has turned his life around amid his divorce from Brittany Cartwright.

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A New Report Says ‘Valley’ Alum Jax Taylor Is Doing Really Well

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Jax Taylor

“The Valley” premiered on Bravo in March 2024, with Taylor and Cartwright among the cast. The show garnered considerable buzz, however, many agree that it became too dark in its second season, partly because of Taylor. Now, several months after announcing that he wouldn’t be on season three, an insider has told US Weekly that things are looking up for the father of one.

The source said, “He’s doing really well. Jax has been sober now for over one year and 3 months. He had even stopped smoking weed, and it’s been six months.” The insider has stated that he has since relocated to a new home but remains near Cartwright and their young son.

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They also stated that he has “completely transformed his life,” noting, “He doesn’t go out and is very intentional with who he spends his time with. [He] lives a very quiet life and spends a lot of his time with Cruz [his son] and close friends that are on a similar path.” The insider added that the “Valley” alum is “the healthiest he’s ever been” and that others in his circle have noticed the positive changes.

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The Former Bravo Star Recently Confirmed His Move

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Lisa OConnor/AFF-USA.com / MEGA

Taylor reportedly moved out of the home he shared with Cartwright in August 2024. However, as the insider noted to US Weekly, the former “Vanderpump Rules” star recently moved again. He confirmed the news on Instagram in February 2026, posting a video of the move and highlighting the company he used for assistance.

Taylor said in the caption of the post, “New chapter. Grateful to @roadwaymoving for making this move smooth and stress-free from start to finish. Here’s to new beginnings.”

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Fans Are Happy To See Taylor On Social Media Again

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THE GARRETT PRESS / MEGA

Fans reacted not only to the move but also to seeing Taylor active on social media again. One person said, “I’m so happy to see you posting again, been wondering how you’re doing.” Someone else wrote, “Bro looks so healthy! After carrying reality TV for the past decade, he deserves to have people carry his furniture.”

Another person said, “Jax, I need to see you on ‘Traitors’! I’ve missed the number one guy in the group on my tv.” Someone else wished him luck, saying, “As you pack up this chapter and begin another, I hope you feel surrounded by strength and reassurance. Stay strong. Sometimes the most beautiful things come after the hardest transitions. Good luck!”

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Finally, another fan said, “Good luck @mrjaxtaylor in this new chapter, rooting for you & your boy & Brittany that everything is going well as coparents.”

The Reality Star Announced His Exit From ‘The Valley’ In 2025

Season two of “The Valley” concluded in August 2025, however, in July, ahead of the finale and reunion, Taylor announced he would not be returning for the show’s third season. Per Bravo, he said in a statement, “After an incredibly challenging year and many honest conversations with my team and producers, I’ll be stepping away from the next season of The Valley.”

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He added, “Right now, my focus needs to be on my sobriety, my mental health, and coparenting. Taking this time is necessary for me to become the best version of myself – especially for our son, Cruz.” This came after fans of the show called for his removal, including with a Change.org petition.

Since then, the cast has filmed the show’s third season, and it is expected to air in 2026.

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Hannah Polskin Shares Why Pink, Gwyneth Paltrow, and More Celebs Are Filling Their Homes With Her Livable Art

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Hannah Polskin Shares Why Pink, Gwyneth Paltrow, and More Celebs Are Filling Their Homes With Her Livable Art

Home is where the art is! MTV Cribs may be off the air, but one thing you’ll find in celebrity homes today is Hannah Polskin’s livable art. 

From paintings and sculptures to murals and functional décor, the artist’s freeform creations bring texture, peace, and personality into stars’ everyday spaces.

Among those collecting her work: Pink, Gwyneth Paltrow, Amy Schumer, Chlöe Bailey, and Emmanuelle Chriqui. 

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“I’ve been making art for as long as I can remember. … My mom would tell you I’ve been drawing these shapes since I was little. …They come from an intuitive place rather than a thought-out plan. … I tend to fall in love with certain loops and curves, and I’ll revisit them over and over again,” she tells ET.

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Blending fine art and design, Polskin works with wood and stone to make pieces that spark a response the moment someone enters a room.

“These aren’t just decorative objects; they’re vessels for feeling. … The undulating shapes emit the same kind of grounding energy that resonates with people. … I love when a place feels edited, but warm. … I’m always chasing calmness,” the Los Angeles, California based designer explains.

Hannah Polskin

For Polskin, this means weaving creativity into everyday life with art that isn’t just reserved for a gallery wall.

“My pieces are designed to feel like they’ve always belonged there. … So much of my work comes from what I personally want to live with at home, and everything is cohesive,” the Savannah College of Art and Design alum says.

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Her must-haves? “I love the idea of adding an artistic ritual around a banal activity.  … Get a glimpse at your reflection in one of my full-length mirrors as you’re coming and going or use my Tissue Sculpture to dispense tissues through a giant wooden egg before blowing your nose.”

Hannah Polskin

And when it comes to advice for aspiring artists and collectors alike, Polskin keeps it simple: follow instinct over perfection.

“I find my art comes out best when I let my hand roam freely and don’t attach an expectation. … I’m deeply inspired by curves, negative space, weight, and balance. … I’ll have sketching sessions in the midst of leftover scraps of wood, and it really opens my mind up when I’m starting something new.”

She recommends, “Pluck that thing from inside your head, get it out into the world, and don’t worry about the rest. … It’s important you really love the work, especially if you’re the one who will be looking at it every day. … The best collections feel personal.”

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Bold and the Beautiful: Ridge’s Interference Backfires – Forces Eric to Walk Away!?

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Bold and the Beautiful: Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) - Eric Forrester (John McCook)

Bold and the Beautiful has Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) finding out Eric Forrester‘s (John McCook) big secret this week. And when he does, Ridge is going to explode.

Let’s talk about how they’re going to probably force Eric to quit designing for Katie Logan (Heather Tom) at Logan.

Tension Rises at Logan as Eric Forrester Faces Production Delays on Bold and the Beautiful

This week there’s just a perfect storm of bad circumstances. Bill Spencer (Don Diamont) and Katie are talking with Eric about when the collection is going to be ready. He doesn’t want to be rushed and tells Bill and Katie that perfection takes time. Katie gets that because she’s worked at Forrester and understands it, but Bill is not a patient guy.

There’s some debate over the materials and Eric is not happy. Bill had to remind him they can’t use the same suppliers that Forrester Creations uses, even though those are better fabrics, because that would risk the big secret about Eric being the designer at Logan going public.

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Bill said he had to make an executive decision. Katie was pressing Eric, saying they need some idea of when they can launch, but at the same time, she says she’ll do whatever she can to support him. Bill says he wants to be respectful of Eric, but he’s also pushing to launch Logan as fast as possible.

Eric’s Revenge Against Ridge Drives the New Logan Collection on B&B

Eric didn’t like the way the designs looked on the models. He said it’s all wrong and the work is shoddy. He wants everything to be perfect, but Bill snapped and said they can’t keep delaying the launch.

Eric clapped back, insisting he won’t do this if it can’t be done right. He’s very wrapped up in making this collection better than Forrester. Eric wants to show Ridge up because he forced Eric out.

Ridge Forrester Questions Eric’s Mysterious Stress Levels on Bold

Meanwhile, Ridge was over at Forrester telling Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) that the doctor he and Eric share is worried about his dad’s stress levels. Of course, Ridge is wondering how Eric is stressed out. He thinks he’s retired and playing pickleball.

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Ridge thinks that Eric is enjoying being retired and hanging out with Donna Logan (Jennifer Gareis), not doing anything stressful. Here’s what I wonder: why is Eric’s doctor breaking the law and blabbing about his private health matters to Ridge? That’s not okay—not one little bit.

Donna Logan Struggles to Keep Eric’s Secret from Ridge

Donna showed up over at Forrester Creations and Ridge asked why Eric is so stressed. And Donna is nervous and covers, saying Eric misses being at Forrester, which is true enough. She said he’s just trying to start a different future.

Ridge wondered what that meant because it was cryptic. Donna was hustling out of there because she didn’t want Ridge to lob any more questions she had to dodge. She headed over to Logan, where Eric was telling her how bad his first look was at the dresses that came out of production.

Bold and the Beautiful: The Deadly Physical Toll of Eric Forrester’s Fashion Startup

Once Donna was alone with Eric, she started telling him she’s really worried about all the stress he is under. Donna wants to know if the job is getting to him. It kind of is, but I think he also feels obligated.

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Meanwhile, Katie was telling Bill she doesn’t want to push Eric, but Bill says they have to get this launch done. Katie thinks that keeping the secret from the family is a bad idea because it’s just very stressful on Eric, and we can see that happening on Bold and the Beautiful.

Donna and Eric left Logan and headed home. Donna brought up the doctor’s concerns about his stress levels, and Eric shares my opinion about this. He’s upset that his doctor violated his HIPAA privacy, but Donna kind of brushed it off and was going on about his health.

Ridge and Brooke Discover the Truth About Logan Designs on B&B

Donna’s worried about what working for Katie and Bill could do to Eric. She thinks it’s too much. Eric admits he does not like working with Bill and can’t stand it. But there’s also a lot of ego at play because Eric doesn’t want Ridge to think he was right to kick him to the curb.

Eric admits he is overwhelmed and would be happier if he was still at Forrester. He’s working at a startup, which is stressful, versus an established company where everybody bows down to him.

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Donna tells Eric she wants him to quit Logan. Later this week, Ridge and Brooke find out that Eric is the lead designer for Logan. It’s actually Katie and Bill who tell them.

Medical Emergency on Bold and the Beautiful: Eric Collapses During Heated Ridge Confrontation

I’m betting that Katie and Bill spill primarily because Katie’s concerned about Eric, especially because he has breathing problems on Tuesday. Donna wants him to go to the hospital. We know Ridge is going to be seething when he finds out that Eric is working for Katie and Bill.

From there, there’s really only two paths to take. First, because of his anger at Ridge and because he wants to teach his son a lesson, Eric may decide to press on and keep working for Katie despite the health issues. By the end of this week, Eric is raging at Ridge, saying that Ridge is trying to take this away from him.

Will Deke Sharpe Join Logan to Save Eric’s Last Collection?

Katie could come up with a way to give Eric what he wants: to keep designing with less risk. She could bring Deke Sharpe (Harrison Cone) in and help Eric complete what’s probably his very last collection, and then Logan gets its fashion show. That way Katie can launch and Eric can have his big last design hurrah.

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The other way this could go: Ridge puts down his foot like he loves to do, thinking he’s in charge of everybody. He may demand that Eric quit Logan. I expect Ridge to rage at Bill and Katie and claim they’re trying to kill his dad. I think he’ll go all out trying to force Eric to stop.

Bold and the Beautiful: Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) - Eric Forrester (John McCook)Bold and the Beautiful: Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) - Eric Forrester (John McCook)
Bold and the Beautiful: Ridge Forrester – Eric Forrester

The Future of Logan Designs on B&B: Rivalry or Ruin for Katie Logan?

Things are going to get worse because when Eric is arguing with Ridge, there’s another incident and Eric’s health gets a lot worse. He’s going to collapse, struggling to breathe. Ridge is calling out to somebody to dial 911.

After this incident, I feel certain that Ridge is going to try to force Eric to quit Logan. A lot of other people will back Ridge up on that. Not only will he demand Eric quit for his health, but I think Brooke’s going to back up her husband, and Donna is also going to take their side because she doesn’t want to lose Eric.

By the end of this week, Ridge and Brooke get a confession from Eric. He wanted to do this one last collection at Forrester, but then Ridge shoved him out and wouldn’t even look at his designs. The big question now is whether Logan Designs can survive this crisis. If Eric steps away, then Katie’s got no designer and her company could be dead in the water—which she would still prefer over Eric working himself to death.

Bold and the Beautiful Spoilers: Can Brad Bell Deliver the Drama?

Ridge has been low-key hoping that Katie was going to fail. He kept saying she was in over her head. In addition to being concerned about Eric, I am quite certain Ridge would happily sabotage Logan because he despises Bill.

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If Katie’s company is dead by the end of February sweeps, I’m going to be a little frustrated because they built it up as this big rivalry and that hasn’t happened. It’s very typical of Brad Bell’s writing to build up to something dramatic and then it poops out. I hope Katie gets her launch.

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Kristin Cavallari Revisits Divorce ‘Pain’ After Revealing Dating Preference

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Kristin Cavallari at 2021 MTV Movie

Kristin Cavallari reflects on her feelings post-divorce, digging into her emotional side.

The media personality got candid, sharing her story and highlighting her experience after she and her now ex-husband pulled the plug on their almost seven-year marriage. Revealing the takeaways from that phase of her life, she looks back on the heartache that accompanied her growth.

Kristin Cavallari was married to former professional footballer Jay Cutler. They met in 2010, tied the knot in 2013, and remained together till 2020. The couple shares three kids: sons Jaxon and Camden, and a daughter, Saylor.

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Kristin Cavallari Shares Lessons From Her Divorce 

Kristin Cavallari at 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival
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Cavallari recently opened up about her experience during her divorce from Cutler a few years ago. She shared that there were a handful of lessons the experience taught her, although it was painful, noting that she learned to stop being a control freak.

The media personality shared that she has come to realize that going through hard times is necessary because they help one appreciate the good times.

Stressing that there is indeed beauty in pain, she recounted when she tried to shut off her feelings. “I didn’t wanna feel anything. I wanted to push everything away. I was like, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine. I’m the tough girl,” she said.

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She detailed her experience on a recent episode of her “Let’s Be Honest” podcast, disclosing that at that time, she did not know how to ask for help or feel vulnerable. Cavallari said she allowed herself to go through the emotional roller coaster and live through the pain, not run from it.

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“And thank God I did, because that was where the majority of my growth and life came from. The pain, and the hurt, and the suffering are there to teach us something,” the podcaster added.

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The Media Personality Shared That Her Divorce Fueled Growth 

Kristin Cavallari 2022
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The podcaster continued, stating that trying to run from pain was a disservice to oneself, as beauty lies at the end of the path. Last year, she spoke to US Weekly, revealing the growth she had experienced after the divorce, which was finalized in 2022.

She said that the years spent apart from her ex-husband have been instrumental in her growth as a person.

“I think growing up and realizing that what I had done previously wasn’t working for me and I needed to figure out what needed to change to set up the second half of my life to be really peaceful,” Cavallari revealed.

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The former lovers spent about a decade together as they met in 2010 but got married in 2013, a year after their eldest son, Camden, was born. Ultimately, they decided to call it quits in 2020.

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The Mother-Of-Three Revealed A New Requirement On Her Dating List

Kristin Cavallari in blue dress
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Cavallari previously got candid about her getting back into the dating pool, sharing what she now considers a red flag in a man.

She noted that a man without kids or the desire to have some is a no-go for her, and this made the list due to her experiences as a mother. “Someone who doesn’t have kids and doesn’t want any, I’m like, ‘You won’t understand my life,’” the mom of three explained. 

As shared by The Blast, Cavallari gave insight into her line of reasoning, stressing that motherhood broadens a woman’s emotional perspective, and a potential partner without children might find it hard to relate, thereby causing friction in the relationship. 

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The ‘Laguna Beach’ Alum Wants Nothing To Do With Insecure Men

Kristin Cavallari seen out in NYC IN May 2019.
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Cavallari’s list of preferences grows longer as she gets into dating head-on. In addition to men without kids, the podcaster has some career preferences too. She shared previously that she does not want men in the acting niche because she views them as generally insecure.

She described actors as a “bunch of nerds,” explaining that in her opinion, they usually lacked confidence, hence they were not her type. “Typically, actors are very insecure, and I think that’s why they become actors, because they’re seeking outside validation,” the media personality noted.

The podcast host disclosed that another reason she was not into actors was that she had no interest in having a long-distance relationship. Busy schedules and frequent traveling were a red zone in her books.

The Blast reported that even though the acting career was a major turnoff for her, she still found some actors, like Brandon Sklenar, physically appealing.

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Kristin Cavallari Claimed She Walked Out Of Her Marriage Without A Penny From Her Ex

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Netflix Has An Unrated Comedy That Makes Funerals Funny

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Netflix Has An Unrated Comedy That Makes Funerals Funny

By Robert Scucci
| Published

Normally, I’m perfectly okay when a Jay Baruchel vehicle gets tanked by critics because there’s something about the characters he portrays that irritates me to no end. After watching 2007’s Just Buried, I had a similar revelation about him that I recently had about Justin Long. Justin Long is often typecast as a jerk because he’s so good at playing that guy. Similarly, Jay Baruchel has an innate ability to play a hapless wiener who you just want to give a swirlie.

I know my thinking is wrong here because actors like Baruchel and Long get typecast in these roles precisely because they’re exceptionally good at them. The reason I don’t like their characters is because they’re not supposed to be likable. This isn’t an indictment of who they are as real people, but a celebration of the talent they bring to the table and how well it works when applied correctly.

Just Buried 2007

Though Just Buried’s 33 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes would lead you to believe this isn’t one of Jay Baruchel’s finer hours, I’m going to respectfully disagree. It’s one of the few movies where he gets top billing (2013’s This is the End being the other one) that I’d actually recommend to anybody curious about what he has to offer.

A Deadly Inheritance

Jay Baruchel’s Oliver Whynacht (pronounced “why not”) is more charming in Just Buried than the critics would have you think. Summoned to a small town in Nova Scotia for his father Rollie’s (Jeremy Akerman) funeral, Oliver, a grocery store delivery boy with no real prospects on the horizon, is shocked to learn he’s inherited his entire estate, including the struggling funeral home Rollie owned and operated. What Oliver doesn’t realize is that the business is facing bankruptcy because rival owner Wayne Snarr (Christopher Shore) has been poaching all of his potential clients from the nearby retirement home.

Just Buried 2007

Rollie’s widow, Roberta (Rose Byrne), who works as the embalmer, quickly befriends Oliver, and the two hit it off. Their budding friendship is tested when Oliver, who gets a nosebleed whenever he’s stressed, accidentally runs over a pedestrian after a couple of drinks at the bar. Terrified he’ll go to jail for vehicular manslaughter, Oliver learns that Roberta is not only a skilled embalmer, but also the town’s coroner and Police Chief Knickle’s (Nigel Bennett) daughter.

After staging the scene to look like the pedestrian suffered a fatal fall during one of his nightly walks, Roberta handles the autopsy, giving Oliver his first customer at the funeral home when the victim’s wealthy family comes to pay their respects. This creates a twofold problem. First, locals grow suspicious about the man’s death, meaning potential witnesses may need to be dealt with, something Roberta seemingly has no qualms about. Second, Roberta suggests sabotaging Wayne Snarr so they can get the funeral home’s books back in black once they’re the only game in town again.

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Just Buried 2007

The body count in Just Buried keeps climbing because Oliver and Roberta want to protect themselves, but they also realize they’ve stumbled onto a disturbingly effective business model. Dead people need funerals, funeral homes need dead people, and Roberta knows how to make people dead as if she’s been quietly planning something like this long before Oliver came into the picture. Oliver, whose nose starts bleeding whenever pressed by Chief Knickle, becomes the primary suspect in the string of deaths. Roberta, given her unique position in a small town where everybody knows everybody, remains calculating enough to stay one step ahead of the authorities.

Expert-Level Escalations 

What makes Just Buried far better than its reputation suggests is how perfectly Jay Baruchel is cast as Oliver Whynacht. Everything I dislike about Baruchel’s on-screen presence in films like 2010’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice translates perfectly here. Every time Oliver gets in trouble, I expect him to start huffing and puffing before blurting out “gee whiz,” or something equally irritating. In this film, that personality trait works because he’s not reluctantly embarking on a magical adventure, but instead spiraling through a steadily escalating situation that could land him behind bars for the rest of his life.

Just Buried 2007

Rose Byrne’s portrayal of Roberta Knickle is equally commendable here. At first, she comes off as an eccentric yet helpful accomplice in the incident that kicks off the gruesome chain of events in Just Buried. As Oliver spends more time with her, it becomes clear she’s a low-key psychopath whose reach and influence over the community is far wider than anybody would ever expect. The result is a morbidly hilarious mystery thriller that’s sharper and funnier than it has any right to be.

Just Buried is currently streaming on Netflix.

Just Buried 2007


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