If you’re looking for your next favorite drama, look no further than the streamer whose channel originated the Golden Age of Television.

On HBO Max, you can find plenty of compelling shows to dig into: crime dramas like The Wire, fantasy shows like Game of Thrones or medical melodramas like The Pitt.

But today we want to talk to you about Industry. The hit financial thriller recently debuted its fourth season, and it has fans in a chokehold. Indeed, the show is well worth the buzz and obsessive online takes.

Watch With Us breaks down for you why Industry should be your next binge-watch this February.

Related: 35 Best Shows on HBO Max Right Now (January 2026)

HBO Max subscribers may not have a better month in 2026 than they will in January. There aren’t going to be a lot of times when it has a debut of a new Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and a new season of The Pitt. Thank You! You have successfully […]

The High-Stakes Drama Is Invigorating

Industry season 1 begins by focusing on university graduates accepted for entry-level employment at the prestigious London investment bank Pierpoint. At Pierpoint, business is beyond cutthroat, and the financial jargon, betrayal, histrionics, cursing and sexual indulgence may remind some viewers of The Wolf of Wall Street. Pierpoint grads not only have to adapt or die, but they also have to prove their worth during the first six months, after which the company executes “Reduction in Force Day,” when grads will either be let go or hired full-time. The first season starts with a shocker when a recent graduate kills themselves in one of the company bathrooms.

The remaining grads — Harper Stern (Myha’la), Yasmin Kara-Hanani (Marisa Abel), Robert Spearing (Harry Lawtey) and  Gus Sackey (David Jonsson) — have to fight their way to the top, which includes plenty of double-crosses, sexual affairs, cheating and otherwise doing whatever it takes to cement themselves at Pierpoint. The constant drama of the show keeps things interesting even when you don’t really understand the concepts that anyone is talking about. That’s what makes a good drama — the mechanical details about banks and finance aren’t important, because the emotional drama is always present between the characters. You always understand the stakes at hand.

The Cast Is Both Sexy and Talented

As Industry has gone on, its narratives have become even more wild and salacious, with season 4 boasting the series’ most thrilling and insane arcs yet. But from the jump, the show makes it clear it’s not just a story about making it in the financial world: it’s also about beautiful, crazy people having sex with each other.

Of course, the cast isn’t just good to look at; it helps that they’re genuinely talented. As Harper, the show’s initial focal point, Myha’la steers the ship with sultry verve and confidence, at first acting as the audience proxy by being a fish-out-of-water. But Harper undergoes a subtle transformation in season 1 that isn’t really a transformation — it’s revealing who she was all along.

The rest of the cast does an excellent job at portraying characters who are deeply flawed, compelling people. Yasmin is a rich girl with daddy issues, Robert is an alcoholic who is estranged from his father, Gus is from a wealthy family, conflicted in his career goals and forced to deal with the immediate emotional fallout of the grad suicide that partly acts as the show’s inciting incident.

And the cast keeps changing, with Lawtey and Jonsson long gone and new additions Kit Harington, Max Minghella and Kiernan Shipka providing even more “WTF?” moments and Emmy-worthy performances. The main thing with Industry, though, is that there are no wholly good characters, just as there are no wholly good human beings. And of course, hot people with lots of problems in proximity together are bound to get a little wild.

‘Industry’ Offers a Voyeuristic Look Into a Nightmarish World

Part of the thrill of watching Industry is getting a window into a world that seems highly unappealing to most people, to the point where it’s hard to understand why anyone would even want to do it in the first place (well, because money…we get it). Still, it’s fun, in a voyeuristic sort of way, to glimpse into this type of career path that hinges on cultivating an atmosphere of intensity and ruthlessness. Indeed, Industry’s creators come from finance backgrounds, and they drew directly on their own experiences when crafting the tone of the show.

Related: 21 Must-Watch Drama Shows on HBO Max Right Now (February 2026)

HBO Max dramas are some of the best of the best, from the channel that brought us Golden Age of TV classics like The Sopranos, The Wire and Mad Men. This January, Watch With Us has added two fantastic shows to our master list that you have to check out. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms […]

On its surface, you might not think that “investment banking” would be a brutal business because banks are boring, right? But that couldn’t be further from the truth, and the Cross Product Sales (CPS) floor at Pierpoint is more like the killing floor. Thus, as with watching horror movies, there’s something fun, in a macabre sort of way, about watching a show that revolves around a world so stressful, traumatizing and horrible.

But Industry isn’t just characters emotionally abusing each other for no reason; the show offers thoughtful commentary on the nature of ambition, systemic corruption and moral erosion. Sometimes the most monstrous creatures are human beings, and Industry is a fascinating (and erotic) exploration of these real-life monsters.

Stream Industry now on HBO Max.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 13 seconds ago

This may sound like a controversial opinion, but if you’re trying to warn the woman you’re infatuated with that she’s being stalked by a potentially dangerous third party, there are better ways to communicate that than stalking her yourself. 1984’s Body Double, written, directed, and produced by Brian De Palma, drives this point home through its protagonist’s voyeuristic tendencies, none of which do him any favors when he finds himself peeping from afar, then snooping where he shouldn’t be snooping, and finally suspected of murder for a crime he didn’t commit. There’s no real reason to believe he’s guilty, yet he keeps showing up in the wrong places at the worst possible times.

Body Double succeeds as a neo-noir thriller, and its erotic edge makes sense in a world of aspiring actors obsessed with appearances and making the right connections. There are genuinely uncomfortable moments, but the heart of the story is cautionary. Not every opportunity is created equal, and sometimes your best instincts seem like your worst when you’re caught in the middle of a murder conspiracy you were pulled into by proxy. When you sense something terrible is about to happen, you have to question not only your own motives, but the motives of peers who may be involved in something much bigger than you realize.

You Might Remember Me From Thrillers Like “Peeping Tommy Knockers,” And “Is Voyeurism Really A Crime?”

Body Double first introduces us to Jake Scully (Craig Wasson), an aspiring actor who just lost his latest gig for an embarrassing reason. He’s cast as Dracula in a B movie, but his claustrophobia causes him to botch his coffin scenes every time his director yells “action.” To make matters worse, he walks in on his girlfriend having an affair shortly after losing the job, and since she’s the leaseholder, he suddenly has nowhere to live.

In what feels like a stroke of good luck, Jake meets Sam Bouchard (Gregg Henry) in an acting class, and they quickly hit it off. Sam, another struggling actor who knows what it’s like to live in the trenches while chasing steady work, offers Jake an opportunity. After landing a cushy housesitting gig for a wealthy friend where all he has to do is water plants while living rent free, Sam lets Jake take his place because he’s booked a better job that prevents him from doing it himself.

On his way out, Sam shows Jake the owner’s telescope, which overlooks the Hollywood Hills and points directly into Gloria Revelle’s (Deborah Shelton) bedroom window, where she can be seen dancing half-nude like clockwork every night. Without thinking much beyond how much fun it’ll be to ogle a stranger from afar while crashing in a cliffside, flying-saucer-shaped house that resembles Troy McClure’s place in The Simpsons episode “A Fish Called Selma,” Jake starts sneaking peeks whenever he can.

Unfortunately for Jake, this is where things get messy in Body Double. During one of his nightly spying sessions, he realizes somebody else is watching Gloria, and it looks like he’s waiting for the right moment to hurt her. Instead of contacting the authorities, Jake takes matters into his own hands and follows Gloria wherever she goes. He is an unemployed actor, after all, so he has plenty of time to kill during the day. 

The Skin Flick Connection

All of this in Body Double culminates in Gloria’s murder. Naturally, Jake, the man who’s been peeping on her and trailing her around town all week, becomes a primary suspect. Unsure how to clear his name or find the real killer, Jake spends a night drinking whiskey straight from the bottle and watching porn. That’s when he notices the woman in the video he’s watching has the same tattoo on her buttocks that Gloria had, leading him to suspect she was a paid actor posing as Gloria, though he can’t definitively prove it.

After learning the actress’ name is Holly Body (Melanie Griffith), he tracks her down through her agency and befriends her under false pretenses, hoping to figure out why she would pretend to be Gloria and put on a show specifically for him to see from his living room window.

Body Double is one of those noir thrillers that keeps dragging you into places you’d rather not go. Like Jake, you’re pushed into uncomfortable situations that seem to lead nowhere, until the mystery blows wide open and the conspiracy reveals how deep it runs. Is Jake on the verge of a psychotic break after losing his job and his home, or is his new friend setting him up to take the fall for murder?

To experience all of the erotic misdirections that Body Double has to offer, you can stream it for free on Tubi as of this writing.

Former British prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was previously stripped of his royal titles because of his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Years later, the former Prince Andrew is seeing the inside of a jail cell over those same links. And to top it off? His arrest date, Feb. 19, marks his 66th birthday.

RELATED: Whoa! Jeffrey Epstein Files Begin Surfacing As DOJ Releases New Photos Showing Alleged High-Profile Connections

What Police Have Said About The Former Prince Andrew’s Arrest

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing in his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. However, concerns about the former prince’s links to the late Epstein have dogged the royal family for more than a decade. Still, the arrest of a monarch’s brother was an extraordinary development. The arrest has no precedent in modern times and will no doubt put more pressure on the crown.

Thames Valley Police confirmed that officials arrested a man in his 60s from Norfolk, in eastern England, per the Associated Press. The agency covers areas west of London, including Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home. It did not identify the suspect, which is standard procedure in Britain. When asked to confirm if Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested, AP reports that the agency pointed to its statement. For context, Mountbatten-Windsor moved to Charles’ estate in Norfolk after he was evicted from his home near Windsor Castle earlier this month.

Policing commentator Danny Shaw told the BBC that in most cases, suspects are held between 12 and 24 hours. At that point, official either press charges or release suspects pending further investigation. The absolute longest the former prince can be held for is 96 hours. But this would require multiple extensions from senior police officers and a Magistrate’s Court. It is unclear what time Andrew was arrested. AP reports that the former Prince Andrew will wait for his police interview in “a cell in a custody suite” with just “a bed and a toilet.”

“There’ll be no special treatment for him,” Shaw said.

How The U.S. Aided In Andrew’s Arrest

Thames Valley Police previously said it was “assessing” reports that the former Prince Andrew sent confidential trade reports to Jeffrey Epstein in 2010. At that time, Andrew was Britain’s special envoy for international trade. Local police picked up the reports tip after the U.S. released millions of pages of documents last month from the  Justice Department’s investigation into Epstein. In those pages, there’s correspondence between Andrew and Jeffrey about said reports and more.

“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,” Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement. “We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”

Police also said they were searching two properties. The arrest came after pictures circulated online that appeared to show unmarked police cars at Wood Farm with plainclothes officers gathering outside. That farm is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s home on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

King Charles III Speaks Out

After the arrest, King Charles III said the law must take its course in the investigation and agreed to cooperate. Also, he sought to reassure the British public that he would continue to serve them.

“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” the king said. “As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter.” He addressed the British public, saying: “My family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”

He signed the statement Charles R., in line with the convention that British monarchs use to sign their names. The R. stands for rex, Latin for king. The late Queen Elizabeth II forced Mountbatten-Windsor to give up royal duties and end his charitable work in 2019. At the time, he tried to explain away his ties to Jeffrey Epstein during a catastrophic interview with the BBC. But more details about the relationship emerged in a book published last year. In response, Charles stripped him of the right to be called a prince and ordered him to move.

Last week, Buckingham Palace announced that it was ready to cooperate in the event of a police inquiry into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Jeffrey Epstein. King Charles was forced to act after the pages from the U.S. release revealed the extent of his brother’s relationship with Epstein. That relationship continued long after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Family Of Prince Andrew’s Late Victim Reacts To His Arrest

To note, the allegations being investigated on Thursday are separate from those made by Virginia Giuffre. She previously revealed she had been trafficked to Britain to have sex with Andrew in 2001, when she was just 17. Giuffre died by suicide last year. Her family praised the arrest of the former British Prince, saying:

“Today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty.” The family added, “He was never a prince. For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you.”

Craig Prescott, a royal expert at the University of London, called the arrest the “most spectacular fall from grace for a member of the royal family in modern times.” The last time a senior British royal was arrested was almost 400 years ago, during the reign of King Charles I. At the time, there was a growing power struggle between the crown and Parliament. After the king attempted to arrest lawmakers in the House of Commons in 1642, hostilities erupted into the English Civil War. That war ended with victory for the parliamentary forces of Oliver Cromwell. Meanwhile, Charles was arrested, tried, convicted of high treason and beheaded in 1649.

RELATED: Russell Wilson Clears The Air After Allegedly Being Named In Newly Released Jeffrey Epstein Files

Associated Press writer Danica Kirka contributed to this report via AP Newsroom. 

A General Hospital LEAK said that Peter August (Wes Ramsey) is indeed alive and is back from the dead, just like his two siblings are. The leaker also said Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) has known all along that Peter is alive. Plus, we may have a lookalike doppelganger twist.

Aside from these tidbits, details were very scant, but I’ve got some ideas to talk to you about. I want to dive into how this Peter return might happen based on another part of the leak.

Valentin Cassadine’s Secret Role in Peter August’s Survival on General Hospital

Before we dig into this, I just want to clarify, as I always do, that this is a leak, which puts it in the rumor category, not the spoiler category until ABC or General Hospital officially says so. However, the source has a proven track record.

They’ve been spot on about things like who killed Sam McCall (Kelly Monaco), Michael Corinthos (Chad Duell) exit, and other things that I’ve reported here. I feel confident in sharing this info. Not everything they leak manifests, but a lot of it does.

Our source says Peter August is still alive, which makes perfect sense because his previously dead siblings, Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) and Nathan West (Ryan Paevey), are also back to the land of the living.

Even more importantly, the leaker also said Valentin knows Peter is still alive. Apparently, Valentin is sitting on some other secrets as well, which is cryptic. I’m wondering if it’s more than just knowing that Peter survived.

The Complex History and Guilt of Valentin Cassadine on GH

It could be that Valentin helped Peter survive. If you remember your history, Valentin always felt responsible for Peter. He saw him as a son, mentored him, and genuinely cared about him. Valentin stepped in and protected Peter from Cesar Faison (Anders Hove) since birth as much as he could.

That is because Valentin always felt guilty; he is the reason Faison found out that Peter even existed right after he was born. If you recall, Valentin initially thought Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) was Peter’s mother. Anna actually suspected it too because it turns out her evil twin sister, Alex Devane Marick (Finola Hughes), is actually Peter’s mother.

There was a storyline involving Anna having some of Alex’s memories implanted into her. That is why Anna thought she was Peter’s mom. Peter actually hoped that Anna was his mom because she was kinder to him than his own mother.

Analyzing the Death of Peter August in Switzerland

Valentin was involved in Peter’s life pretty much since he was born and has always been protective of him. I suspect that Valentin would do whatever he could have done to help Peter survive that incident and keep him hidden away from all those people who rejoiced that he was dead—including Anna, the woman Valentin loves.

Just to be clear, this leak is not about the nightmare appearance when P

Wes Ramsey did that one episode and played Peter while Anna was hallucinating in that room under Wyndemere. This is a whole other thing. The leak says Peter is back in the flesh, well and truly alive.

He supposedly died on February 23rd, 2022, which makes next week the four-year anniversary of his death. Peter died in Switzerland after he had kidnapped Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms) and was going to shoot her. Felicia Scorpio (Kristina Wagner) whacked Peter with a tire iron, and he died shortly after that from the head injury.

How the WSB Could Have Faked Peter August’s Death on General Hospital

Anna did not call an ambulance or get him medical help. Instead, she sat there and watched Peter die. Anna pretty much wanted him dead because she knew Maxie and little Bailey Lou Jones (Miley & Riley Plonski) would never be safe as long as he was alive. At the time, he seemed truly dead.

But think about it: so did Britt and Nathan. There are some red flags that have me thinking this leak is legit. The biggest red flag is that Peter’s body was taken from that scene in Switzerland by the WSB. They could have frozen him, revived him, or used any of the methods the WSB knows.

The WSB has a history of shady doings. Think about what Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) is doing right now. They’ve always been dodgy; it just depends on who is in charge. Plus, Victor Cassadine (Charles Shaughnessy) was close to Peter and had deep ties to the WSB, which he used to run.

The General Hospital Rumor: Two Nathans and a Doppelganger Twist

Victor could have gotten hold of Peter’s body, revived him, and stashed him somewhere. At the time of Peter’s death, Valentin was off dealing with his own drama after Victor had kidnapped him. Valentin was off-screen when Peter died, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know exactly what happened to the body.

The other big red flag is that Nathan and Britt are back from the dead. So why not a trifecta? Bringing back all three of Faison’s kids from the dead has me wondering if Peter’s comeback ties into the theory that there may be two Nathans: a real one and a fake one.

That could explain Britt’s strange and strong reaction when she first saw Nathan back from the dead. Her reaction wasn’t that of a sister thrilled to see her long-dead brother. Britt looked worried and scared, especially when Felicia and Damian Spinelli (Bradford Anderson) decided to let James West (Gary James Fuller) meet him. It seemed like Britt didn’t trust her brother.

The Theory of Peter August’s Plastic Surgery Transformation

Once I started thinking about whether the Nathan and Peter leaks were related, another thing dawned on me: what if the “fake Nathan” is actually Peter, and he had plastic surgery to look like his brother?

This makes sense because after Faison killed Nathan, we saw Peter slide into Nathan’s life. He was there when James was born and got involved with Maxie. Peter was also jealous of how much everybody adored Nathan. Faison was insanely hard on Peter, which helped drive him off the deep end.

There was a recent scene where Nathan was talking about his dad drilling him with science flashcards. That did not align at all with the man who raised Nathan. That was another big red flag that had people scratching their heads.

Nathan West and the Potential for an Emmy-Winning GH Performance

We might have had Wes Ramsey back just for that one flashback with Anna, and now we may have Ryan Paevey doing double duty. Maybe he will play both parts: Peter and Nathan. We might get flashbacks of the real Peter after his death plotting and planning, or a flashback of Ryan as Peter after the surgery, pulling off the bandages to reveal Nathan’s face.

It would make sense that Peter would want to disguise himself as Nathan because he was so obsessed with Maxie. Nathan was the great love of Maxie’s life, and she even told Peter that she only settled for him because he was the closest thing to Nathan. This version of him who is crushing on Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins) might be the real Nathan.

But if there is a second Nathan who is actually Peter, he might try to swap places with the real Nathan to be with Maxie. I think it would be really cool if this leak turns into a spoiler. I like the idea of Peter being back but looking like Nathan with Nathan playing both parts. I think that would be Emmy bait.

By Jennifer Asencio
| Published 40 seconds ago

The mid-1990s were a golden age of space opera. Two of the best shows of this genre were Star Trek’s Deep Space Nine and the independent series, Babylon 5. Both shows centered on a space station with all the drama, diplomacy, and war of such a setting. The conflicts of both shows are compounded by the existential horror of knowing there are forces at play that are larger and incomprehensible than the “human” mind can process.

We are introduced to both settings following major conflicts, and the recovery that comes after is often dark and filled with its own dread. Both series confront the harsh realities of war and occupation. The depth of the stories expressed is what makes these two shows stand out above the rest. Both ask us questions on guilt, innocence, and the price of survival.

The Name Of The Place Is Babylon 5

Babylon 5 begins in the aftermath of the Earth-Minbari War with an unsteady peace on the titular neutral-zone station. The Narn Homeworld was recently liberated from the Centauri Republic. Other minor powers are shown wanting a voice in station politics and to stop any wars. As the series progresses, the stakes are continually raised, with much of it framed by the Narn-Centauri conflict reigniting.

Overarching the politics of these various alien races are the machinations of the galaxy’s eldest races and the games they play. The Vorlon Empire has existed for millions of years and wanted to bring order to a chaotic galaxy. Resisting them is an even older species: the boogeymen of the series, the Shadows, with ships as black as the void of space. It is considered an ill omen to see even a shadow of their vessels. This ancient species believed that evolution began through chaos and conflict. Believing in the power of flesh and bioengineering, their ships were alive.

From the start of the series, audiences can feel the depth of lore. The ideologies of the Vorlon and the Shadow feel like universal truths. In Babylon 5’s clever cyclical storytelling, the young replace the old. Conflict will always happen. Order will always stand against disorder as the interests of the various alien species collide.

Come To Quark’s, Quark’s Is Fun

Meanwhile, at the start of Deep Space Nine, the Federation has taken over the former Cardassian station, Terok Nor, now known by the titular Starfleet designation. The station becomes the hub of new exploration when a wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant is discovered nearby.

Early seasons build on the recovery of Bajor and continued issues with the Cardassian Union. Meanwhile, the plot slowly introduces the Dominion threat, first through the Vorta and later through their Jem’Hadar shock troops. Eventually, it becomes a fully blown war, taking up the later seasons of “DS9.”

The story of Deep Space Nine is not typical of many shows set in the Star Trek setting. It has a long, continuously evolving plot despite having individual episodes like any other Star Trek show. Characters experience true devastating loss, with episodes showing lists of lost vessels with crew either confirmed killed or missing. It cast the long, dark shadow of war across the remaining seasons of the show, raising questions about morality and ethics in the face of an unrelenting enemy and the lines they are willing to cross to ensure victory.

Parallel’s Beween DS9 And B5

There are many similarities between these two series: themes, settings, and conflicts, starting with the Earth-Minbari War and the Cardassian withdrawal of Bajor. Simmering tensions brewing between groups leads to active war in both series. Even the elder alien races are comparable: the Vorlons and the Shadows in the universe of Babylon 5 mirror DS9’s Dominion, led by the shapeshifting Changelings who view solids as bringing chaos and disorder. 

Another parallel between the two shows is that we, as fans, are treated to some of the best dramatic acting in all of science fiction. Scenes between the Narn ambassador G’Kar and the Centauri ambassador Londo Mollari on Babylon 5 reveal a history that predates what we are initially shown, as seen in their emotion and pain over the love for their people and their home worlds. It mirrors the ongoing verbal duel between Captain Sisko and Gul Dukat as they debate their roles in history, how they will be remembered, and the motivations of their actions.

Babylon 5 Journeys Into Darkness Deep Space Nine Avoids

Perhaps the biggest difference between the two shows was the tone. Babylon 5 showed us a darker, more dystopian future. Despite the darkness, sorrow, and loss during Deep Space Nine, the characters remained Starfleet. They still acted nobly even when an easier path existed but crossed moral or ethical lines. Babylon 5 showed us more clearly the flaws, the inhumanities, and failures in its main characters.

The similarities between the shows eventually led to a lawsuit, but the creator of Babylon 5 ultimately decided not to pursue it so that both shows could succeed. We should be thankful that, as fans, we got to experience a quality of programming that is lacking in current productions.

All that we have been lectured on, with modern norms pushed into places where they really don’t fit, like questions on race, colonization, and violence: these were all handled on two 1990s space stations with nuance lacking in modern science fiction. Fans of one will vastly enjoy the other, and both series are the real inclusive utopias today’s programming only wishes it could aspire to.

Check them out where you can: Deep Space Nine is part of Paramount Plus’s Star Trek collection, and Babylon 5 just got absorbed by YouTube.

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LaMelo Ball walked away uninjured after being involved in a two-car crash in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday. However, video footage of the accident has since surfaced. So far, social media is shook and dissecting the driving skills of the Charlotte Hornets point guard. Even Hazel E had a lil’ something to say.  Meanwhile, LaMelo has yet to break his silence since driving away from the accident site in a separate vehicle.

RELATED: Anthony Joshua Breaks His Silence As Driver In Fatal Nigeria Car Crash Faces Charges (PHOTOS)

Details About LaMelo Ball’s Charlotte Car Crash

According to The Shade Room, a police report was not immediately made available after Wednesday’s crash. Video of the accident shows Ball driving his camouflage-colored, custom-made Hummer across an intersection before he and another driver collided. This happened shortly before 5 p.m., according to footage obtained by WSOC-TV in Charlotte.

BREAKING: We have obtained footage of the LaMelo Ball crash in Uptown Charlotte @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/BUgJrRCeZa

— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) February 18, 2026

The station and TMZ later posted video of LaMelo Ball, wearing an aqua-colored Hornets hoodie, getting out his truck and into another car before the driver pulled off. Police were on the scene at the time.

LaMelo Ball was spotted dipping into a Lamborghini after his car crash in Charlotte. https://t.co/Zs01mG6iEL pic.twitter.com/PPmyvWvC3X

— TMZ (@TMZ) February 19, 2026

There was no information available on the person in the other car involved in the collision. Video shows the driver calmly get out of his car and walking toward LaMelo Ball’s truck, which had the left front tire missing.

SEE ADDITIONAL CRASH FOOTAGE BELOW. 

Lamelo Ball SWERVED into oncoming traffic 🤔 pic.twitter.com/iGl9rsEu92

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) February 19, 2026

LaMelo Expected To Play In Hornets Game After Accident As Hazel E Reacts To Crash Footage (UPDATES)

The Hornets held practice earlier in the day on Wednesday. Charlotte, which has won 10 of its last 11 games, is scheduled to host the Houston Rockets on Thursday night as teams return from the All-Star break. As of Thursday morning, LaMelo Ball was not listed on the team’s injury report. This means, per the Associated Press, he is expected to play just one day after the two-car crash.

Meanwhile, in The Shade Room’s comment section, Hazel E stopped by with a jokey joke. She quoted LiAngelo Ball’s song ‘Tweaker,’ writing:

“I might swerve on the corner whoaaa ohhh ohhhhh 🤌🏽.”

Ball’s Driving History Resurfaces On Social Media

As mentioned, the accident has supporters and critics digging into LaMelo’s past driving habits. This includes sharing videos of him allegedly running red lights and resurfacing a May 2024 lawsuit in which a mother accused him of running over her 11-year-old’s foot in October 2023 with his purple Rolls Royce. The family demanded $25,000, but in Feb. 2025 LaMelo denied being at fault for the child’s broken foot and emotional distress, and sought for the family to pay his attorneys’ fees.

I was waiting for this compilation to start circulating again. But yea it was only a matter of time the way he drives man. Risky. https://t.co/uoLrsaMWwe

— kakarot (@ShadBoogie) February 19, 2026

LaMelo Ball is just the latest to professional sports athlete to be involved in a car accident in Charlotte, North Carolina. Former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton fractured his back following a 2014 crash in which he flipped his black pickup truck near Bank of America Stadium. That’s less than a mile from where Ball’s accident occurred.

And in 2024, Panthers current backup quarterback Andy Dalton injured his thumb when he was involved in a two-car accident in Charlotte. Additionally, former Hornets guard Bobby Phills was killed in a car crash at age 30 following a practice on Jan. 12, 2000.

RELATED: Whew! Larsa Pippen Responds After Fans Speculate That She’s Dating LiAngelo Ball (PHOTO)

AP Sports Writer Steve Reed contributed to this report via AP Newsroom. 

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 22 seconds ago

One of the few things that even the biggest fanboys and harshest critics of Starfleet Academy can agree on is that Oscar-winning actor Paul Giamatti is the best thing about the show. His Nus Braka has proven to be a downright frighteningly competent villain, one who some have compared to franchise greats such as Gul Dukat. Unfortunately, in a recent appearance on The D-Con Chamber Podcast, Giamatti dropped a major bombshell: that he won’t be appearing in Season 2 of Starfleet Academy.

This is unfortunate because preliminary data suggests that Giamatti’s character may be the only thing that can save this struggling show. Starfleet Academy has consistently failed to make the Nielsen Top 10 list of streaming shows (something that Strange New Worlds once did with regularity), and it regularly fails to make even the Top 10 streaming list on Paramount+. However, the day after the premiere of “Come, Let’s Away” (an episode featuring the return of Giamatti’s character), FlixPatrol reports that the episode landed on the streamer’s list of Worldwide Top TV Shows, and Amazon Channels reports that it held the number one slot on the Top 10 Overall list. 

In the short term, this is good news for Starfleet Academy, a show desperately in need of both better buzz and more viewers. In the long term, though, the fact that Giamatti was seemingly the key to audiences flocking to this episode may be the kiss of death for this new Star Trek series. That’s because the Oscar-winning actor recently made it clear that he won’t be returning to the show under any circumstances. 

Paul Giamatti recently appeared on The D-Con Chamber Podcast, and he bluntly told hosts (and former Enterprise actors) Dominic Keating and Connor Trinneer that he “was not around” for Starfleet Academy’s second season. His use of the past tense is due to the fact that the second season of this new Trek spinoff has already been largely filmed, with only the season finale (which will be personally directed by co-showrunner and controversial executive producer Alex Kurtzman) left to shoot. 

Star Trek Is Losing Paul Giamatti

Does this mean that Nus Braka is going to die, possibly at the hands of Holly Hunter’s impossibly chill chancellor? Nope: according to Giamatti (who admitted to his podcast hosts that he “probably shouldn’t” tell them this), the villain is “still alive” by the end of Season 1. He noted that “something could be done with him” if the writers wanted to and expressed optimism that “if it goes another [season], perhaps I will be back around.”

Based on the recent streaming numbers, though, there may not be a Starfleet Academy to come back to. Season 1 hasn’t been able to consistently draw viewers, but the return of Paul Giamatti’s character helped one of the show’s most recent episodes become a Top 10 hit. His inevitable appearance in future Season 1 episodes may be a similar draw for audiences, but the show is going to lose all of these Giamatti superfans when he doesn’t appear in the second season at all. 

He Might Just Take Starfleet Academy With Him

Plus, Giamatti might have hit the nail on the head with his doubts about Starfleet Academy getting a third season. While it was originally conceived as lasting four seasons (to match the four-year educational journey of its cadets), the show has not yet been renewed for Season 3. That renewal is unlikely to happen if the streaming numbers don’t improve, and there are already rumors that Paramount has quietly axed the show and that the second season will be its last.

Should Starfleet Academy fade away, Paramount will have only themselves to blame: they were wise to hire an Oscar-winner like Paul Giamatti for their new Star Trek show, but they then failed to feature him in enough episodes to save Season 1. Now, his complete absence from Season 2 may seal the show’s fate entirely. That just leaves one question: when Starfleet Academy dies, do you think Paramount will stuff its corpse into a torpedo tube and fire it off into space, Spock-style?