By Jennifer Asencio
| Published 5 seconds ago

Like a lot of Survivor fans, I tuned into its 50^th season premiere on February 25, 2026, expecting more of the production elements that have diminished the show for many fans. Season 50 is subtitled “In the Hands of the Fans” because fans got to vote on game elements, and the results of their votes are to be revealed during the season.

It is also a returnee season, which is the main thing that motivated me to watch it: I’ve been watching since season 1 released in 2000, and I’ve seen every season multiple times as I introduced my friends to the show. I may have criticized the direction Survivor has taken in the past, but I still watch it every season, and the returnee seasons tend to be a lot of fun, even in the “new era.” I’m very glad I’ve stuck with the show because Season 50 is already promising to be more than just a shameless attempt to draw viewers.

24 Iconic Players In Three Tribes

24 former players started the game across three tribes. If you know your Survivor, you know that even the “new school” players in this cast are among the best.

Cila, in orange, has nerdy Christian, firefighter Joe, golden boy Ozzy (excuse me, he’s playing as “Oscar” now), the wacky Rick Devens, social queen Cirie, the strategic Emily, original cast member Jenna, and recent winner Savannah.

The purple team of Vato has cowboy Colby, lawyer Kyle, the offbeat Q, fanboy Rizo, the negotiator Angelina, the analytical Aubry, the intelligent Genevieve, and true survivor Stephenie.

Kalo is the blue team and consists of “dragonslayer” Coach, strongman Jonathan, youthful Charlie, prestige producer Mike, hero mom Chrissy, puzzle champ Kamilla, content creator Tiffany, and famously big-toed Dee.

While the season is devoid of names like Boston Rob, Sandra, Rupert, and Tony, that’s fine: we’ve seen a lot of them and not enough of some of the players competing now. Plus, personalities like Jenna, Colby, Ozzy, Aubry, and Cirie are just as embedded in Survivor’s lore and history as any of them. The newer cast was also well-chosen, relying on players who really competed in their seasons rather than choosing feel-good stories.

These Contestants Are Here To Play, Not Talk About Their Feelings

Opening with a beautiful tribute to past seasons that included beloved players we’ve lost over the years, the premiere episode dove right in with a fire challenge that was reminiscent of those from its early days. It was awesome to feel like I was watching Survivor again. This was heightened when Jeff told the tribes they’d have to compete for supplies, a match that pitted past rivals Ozzy and Coach against one another again and continued a story that has echoed over seasons.

Meanwhile, back at camp, the contestants all socialized and started to cluster into alliances. Jonathan, now destined to appear in the next season of The White Lotus, bonded with Mike, Coach, and Chrissy. Colby started out disliking Rizo but couldn’t help growing endeared to the young superfan. Cirie drew attention for her early elimination, sparking the gameplay that earned her a spot not only in Survivor history but also in Big Brother and Traitors.

Everybody got along, but the episode didn’t wallow in the “Kumbaya” vibe I’ve criticized about the past few seasons. People talked, evaluated one another, and got ready to play. No sad back stories, no compelling motivations: these two dozen people are here to play.

The Worst Twist In Survivor History

When Tribal Council took place with an hour left in the show, I braced myself for a stupid twist.  During this final hour, they did introduce the infamous Billie Eilish Boomerang Idol, but that wasn’t the worst twist of the game. What was arguably the worst twist in Survivor history (you’ll get this “joke” when you watch) left me a little sad, but definitely eager for more.

The combination of castaways this season is already providing interesting and compelling television without any of the garnishes that production seems to think enhance the show. Sure, there are some advantages here and there, and numerous ads featuring needless celebrity callouts and appearances have already warned us all that there will be more.

The ones introduced so far have fallen into the hands of such an intriguing cast that they show promise rather than diminishing the game’s integrity. One hopes the rest of the season will continue that way, because I am not the only fan disenchanted with the overabundance of advantages and twists that have taken over the game in recent years. Like a lot of Survivor fans, I’m wondering what the hell Mr. Beast is doing there.

A Combination Of Survivor’s Best

Comparisons have been made between older seasons, middle seasons from approximately 20 to 39, and the more recent seasons of 41 to 49. The gameplay has evolved into “old school,” “new school,” and “new era.” Normally, these play styles clash, with one style prevailing over the other. The best part about this season, if the premiere is any indication, is that the players are so far combining the best of all three eras of the game.

“Season 50: In the Hands of the Fans” is off to a good start that seems to recall all the best elements of the game. Hopefully, it continues to exclude the worst, because the premiere gave fans everything they’ve been asking for and little of what they hate. If it continues the way it started, this might be a season for the books.

Survivor is on CBS on Wednesday nights at 8 pm, and then available for streaming the next day on Paramount+.

Bridgerton has made some surprising book changes over the years — including cutting Francesca’s pregnancy and miscarriage from the story.

During season 4, which concluded on Thursday, February 26, Francesca (Hannah Dodd) mourned husband John’s (Victor Alli) death while briefly assuming she was pregnant. Francesca was forced to undergo an exam, which is when she found out she wasn’t expecting a baby.

The revelation was a departure from Julia Quinn‘s When He Was Wicked where Francesca miscarried weeks after John’s death.

“Ultimately, I think John’s death and the funeral are already in so many ways such a departure from the tone of the show,” showrunner Jess Brownell told Swooon. “I think episode 7 has hints of lightness, but it is a much darker version of Bridgerton in a way that I think is really interesting, and especially in the way we get to watch the family come together.”

Related: How Did ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 Kill Off [Spoiler]? Surprise Death Explained

Bridgerton concluded season 4 by killing off a major character. Warning: Spoilers ahead for Bridgerton season 4 part 2 During part 2, which aired on Thursday, February 26, Francesca’s (Hannah Dodd) husband, John (Victor Alli), died in his sleep. The pivotal moment changed the trajectory for the rest of the season as Francesca mourned her […]

Brownell referred to the miscarriage as “too morbid” to add, saying, “We’re still very interested in honoring the fertility story line. It’s something we tried to honor this season, and we will continue honoring in her future season.”

She continued: “But yeah, the miscarriage just felt like, for the screen, a bit too far. I think it would be difficult for Fran to come back from all that.”

Quinn, meanwhile, also weighed in on the evolution from her original idea.

“I think [Francesca’s] emotions are the same. I have experienced pregnancy loss. I had three failed pregnancies between my two children,” she told the outlet. “And so I wrote her character very deeply from my own experiences. And I think changing up sort of how her loss happened really doesn’t affect her grief with that.”

Quinn praised how Bridgerton navigated John’s death. “Almost five years ago, I lost my dad and my sister to a drunk driver, so that is obviously a very sudden thing, just like Francesca,” she noted. “I thought they handled it really well, especially the sense of bewilderment. Because I think when you do lose somebody suddenly, there’s a surreal aspect to it.”

Elsewhere in her interview, Brownell explained why the show moved up John’s death after introducing him earlier on screen, to which she replied, “I think that the main motivation behind that was to allow us ample time to grieve John. Wherever Francesca’s season falls, we always felt like, to have John’s death happen within her season, it was going to feel too rushed for her to deal with the grief.”

She concluded: “I think for Benedict and especially for Violet, the loss of John reminds them that we all are only here for a short period of time and love is the most important thing we can pursue.”

Bridgerton is currently streaming on Netflix.

If we’re just talking about people who deserve Oscars, the list is endless. There have been a myriad of creatives—from actors to directors to composers—throughout the Oscars’ existence who have contributed so much to cinema that recognizing their work with a little golden statuette feels only natural. Sometimes, though, people who deserved to win an Oscar end up doing so for the wrong movie.

Whether it’s Kevin Costner sweeping at the 1991 Academy Awards or Al Pacino earning what can only be seen as a career Oscar, these instances prove that the Academy doesn’t always get it right, even when the people whose achievements they’re recognizing are deserving in a vacuum. I can’t bring myself to be upset about the fact that these people won Oscars, but I do wish it had been for a different film.

8

Kevin Costner — ‘Dances With Wolves’ (1990)

Oscars: Best Directing and Best Picture

Image via Orion Pictures

Though best known for his legendary work as an actor, Kevin Costner has also stepped behind the camera on a few noteworthy occasions, though none more noteworthy than his directing debut, the Western epic Dances With Wolves. The film is fantastic—one of the most perfect Westerns on HBO Max, in fact—and that’s how it made its way to seven Academy Award victories.

In almost any other year, Costner’s Best Directing and Best Picture wins would have been nothing to complain about. The only problem is that Dances With Wolves came out in 1990, the same year that Martin Scorsese made one of the greatest films of all time, Goodfellas. Great though it may be, Dances with Wolves pales in comparison to Goodfellas in virtually every department, and as such, the fact that Costner won his two Oscars for it stings a little.

7

Ennio Morricone — ‘The Hateful Eight’ (2015)

Oscar: Best Original Score

Image via The Weinstein Company

Calling Ennio Morricone one of the greatest musicians that have ever graced the silver screen with their compositions would be an understatement. The legendary Italian composer, orchestrator, and conductor composed some of the greatest scores in film history, some of them Oscar-nominated (like The Mission), some not (like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly). Morricone won an Honorary Oscar in 2006, but the only competitive Oscar victory of his career came in 2016 for Quentin Tarantino‘s The Hateful Eight.

The Academy is well known for giving out legacy wins (Oscars for people who have been long overdue for one) in the acting categories, but a Best Original Score legacy win? Uncommon, but not unheard of. Case in point: Morricone. Hateful Eight is an extraordinary movie, one of Kurt Russell‘s best thrillers, and probably Tarantino’s most underrated, but its score isn’t its biggest strength. The main theme song is excellent, but outside of that, The Hateful Eight isn’t even among the top 10 Morricone scores. The composer put out dozens of works before this that were far more deserving of an Oscar win.

6

Mahershala Ali — ‘Green Book’ (2018)

Oscar: Best Supporting Actor

Image via Universal Pictures

2018 was probably the weakest year of the 2010s for cinema, but there were still several films more deserving than Green Book of the year’s Best Picture Oscar. There’s really no element of satisfaction in that victory that, not even a decade later, has already aged like warm milk. Mahershala Ali‘s second Oscar win, on the other hand? He’s one of the greatest actors working in Hollywood today, but Green Book was not the movie that he should have become a sophomore Oscar recipient for.

Ali is fantastic in Green Book, certainly one of the only good parts of the movie, but the script doesn’t really give him much nuance to work with. Furthermore, it is a clear instance of category fraud, as Ali’s presence in the movie is clearly a leading one, so clearly, in fact, that he’s the Supporting Actor winner with the ninth most screentime in history. There’s no denying this actor’s talent, but there were far more deserving alternatives in contention at the 2019 Oscars, from Sam Elliott in A Star Is Born to Richard E. Grant in Can You Ever Forgive Me?

5

Guillermo del Toro — ‘The Shape of Water’ (2017)

Oscars: Best Directing and Best Picture

Image via Searchlight Pictures

A master of dark fantasy and one of the greatest Mexican filmmakers in history, Guillermo del Toro is undoubtedly one of the most entertaining directors working today. His filmography is filled with exceptional gems, both fantasy and otherwise. Though The Shape of Water is by no means his magnum opus, it sure is one of his best films, yet the fact that it was the one that landed him two Oscar victories is peculiar, to say the least.

It’s not that The Shape of Water is bad. On the contrary, it’s a beautiful and sweepingly romantic tale that screams “del Toro,” and adding one more to the small list of fantasy movies that have won Best Picture is a welcome change of pace. But on the one hand, it was by no means the best film of 2017, with competitors Get Out arguably being superior in virtually every department. On top of that, if there was any film that del Toro should have won an Oscar for, it was Pan’s Labyrinth, one of the greatest fantasy films ever made. Instead, the movie didn’t even get nominated for Best Picture, and it lost Best Foreign Language Film.

4

Rami Malek — ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (2018)

Oscar: Best Actor

Image via 20th Century Studios

Advertisement

Rami Malek is an exceptional actor, as he’s proven across things like Mr. Robot and the recent Nuremberg. He’s such an exceptional actor, in fact, that his caricaturistic performance in Bohemian Rhapsody feels like a strange hiccup in quality in his career. In quality, sure, but definitely not in acclaim. Malek steamrolled the 2018-19 awards season, eventually making his way to the Dolby Theater stage.

It has aged as one of the most disliked Oscar wins ever, since Malek’s performance here feels more like a half-baked impression than a true transformation into Freddie Mercury, fake teeth and all. It’s hard to complain about the fact that the lovely and immensely talented Rami Malek has an Oscar stashed away somewhere in his home, but did it have to be for such a so-so performance in such a mediocre film?

3

Danny Boyle — ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ (2008)

Oscars: Best Directing

Calling Danny Boyle “versatile” would be like calling The Dark Knight the best film of 2008. It’s a take so glacially cold that it’s more of a statement of fact, really. From cult classics like Trainspotting and 28 Days Later to underrated masterpieces like 127 Hours, the director has made some excellent and sharply distinct work. Often, however, Boyle can be pretty hit-or-miss, and Slumdog Millionaire, sadly, is more of a miss than a hit.

Still, the film made its way to a baffling eight Academy Award victories, the second most of any movie of the 2000s (after the record-breaking 11 that The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King snatched). 2008 had one of the worst Best Picture lineups ever, anyway, but Boyle’s Best Directing win was particularly bizarre. He examines this story that’s been criticized as poverty porn with a keenly Western gaze, and his homage to Bollywood cinema feels more incidental than well-calculated.

2

Al Pacino — ‘Scent of a Woman’ (1992)

Oscar: Best Actor

Image via Universal Pictures

There’s no denying that Al Pacino is one of the most colossal acting talents of his generation, the kind of thespian who defined Hollywood acting for generations to come. By the time the ’90s rolled in, he was long overdue for an Oscar, having lost in the past for very much Oscar-worthy performances like the ones in The Godfather Part II, Serpico, and Dog Day Afternoon. As such, when the actor starred in Scent of a Woman and delivered a bombastic, larger-than-life performance as a blind veteran, the Academy simply couldn’t look away.

They probably should have. Pacino’s 1993 triumph was one of the most infamous legacy wins in the history of the Oscars, and it hasn’t aged particularly well. It’s generally agreed that that year’s Malcolm X had one of the greatest performances of all time in Denzel Washington‘s portrayal of the eponymous historical figure, and that Pacino winning over Washington simply because of the Academy’s past failures to recognize his work was a travesty.

1

Jamie Lee Curtis — ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ (2022)

Oscar: Best Supporting Actress

Image via A24

Never, throughout the 44 years that she’d been acting in feature films by the time 2022 came around, had Jamie Lee Curtis ever screamed “Oscar material.” But then, the Daniels‘ Everything Everywhere All At Once came out and took the world by storm, partly thanks to Curtis’ vibrant, amusing, and surprisingly heartwarming supporting performance as a grumpy IRS agent. Even then, though, it seemed like Stephanie Hsu had a far bigger shot at getting up on the Dolby Theater stage come 2023 Oscars night.

Somehow, that didn’t happen. With a performance that’s hardly more than comedic relief, well-executed though it may be, Curtis made her way to an Oscar in another one of the most infamous career wins in the awards’ history. She’s a fantastic actress who’s been delivering strong, timeless work for decades, and as such, it’s not easy to be upset at the fact that she has an Academy Award—at least in a vacuum. But looking at the stacked Supporting Actress race for the 2022-23 season, it would be wild for anyone to point at Curtis as the strongest in the competition. Anyone except the Academy, apparently.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 40 seconds ago

 Part of what made Babylon 5 a unique sci-fi experience is that J. Michael Straczynski wrote the entire story in advance. There were pitfalls he didn’t expect, such as losing series lead Michael O’Hare after only one season, but there were also successes he couldn’t have foreseen, most notably, the Minbari Warrior Caste member Neroon turning into a fan favorite.

If JMS had seen this coming, maybe Neroon would have appeared in more than five episodes during the course of the series. As it is, every single one of his appearances was turned into a highlight of the episode, if not the entire season. 

The Minbari’s Greatest Warrior

Neroon was brought to life by John Vickery, an accomplished stage actor who also appeared multiple times on Star Trek in the 90s as various aliens. His distinctive voice brought a level of authority and gravitas to Neroon, whether he was threatening humans, praising humans, or extolling the noble virtues of the Minbari Warrior Caste. The space station Babylon 5 was used by hundreds of different species on a daily basis, and to Neroon, all of them were inferior to the Minbari. 

In his first appearance, Neroon investigates the disappearance of the Minbari leader Bramner’s corpse, with Babylon 5 Security Chief Michael Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) as his prime suspect. The two reach an accord, and for once, Neroon starts to appreciate humanity. Then came his duel with Ranger Marcus Cole (Jason Carter) in “Grey 17 is Missing.” Cole is completely outclassed by Neroon, one of the greatest warriors in the galaxy, and yet, Cole is willing to risk his life in the service of Delenn (Mira Furlan), a member of the Minbari Religious Caste. Both survived the duel to the death, but, as Neroon admits, a part of himself died in the battle. 

One Of Sci-Fi’s Best Character Arcs

“Grey 17 is Missing” is Neroon’s third appearance on Babylon 5. In his ensuing appearances, it’s clear that the boisterous warrior is a little different. He’s more open to Delenn and the Religious Caste, and when the Minbari Civil War heats up, he’s working towards a peaceful accord. On the surface. As viewers find out, he has his own goals for the Minbari while remaining true to the traditions of the Warrior Caste. Neroon’s last appearance on the series is one of the show’s best moments and the perfect way to end his story. Except it comes in Season 4. 

Babylon 5 was going to end with Season 4, so JMS moved events up to get to the show’s endgame before cancellation. The Season 5 renewal threw off his plans, and while some things were able to be delayed (notably Londo and the Centaurians), Neroon and the Minbari wrapped up too early. Fans were denied more time with the noble warrior, but then again, the calling of his heart was religious, the calling of his honor was war. Five episodes were all it took for sci-fi’s greatest character arc. 

You can stream Babylon 5 on The Roku Channel or on YouTube, but we don’t suggest that. 30 years later, John Vickery’s work as Neroon is part of why it remains one of the best sci-fi shows of all time. 

J.I The Prince of N.Y
Saves Nurse Buried in Snowstorm

Published
March 1, 2026
10:53 AM PST

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 58 seconds ago

For actors, performing in Star Trek is often a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they quickly gain a legion of new fans, and they can spend a lifetime appearing at nerd conventions filled with hungry autograph seekers. On the other hand, they might need those convention appearances when they inevitably get typecast as their famous sci-fi character.

Every now and then, though, Star Trek actors break free of their famous franchise and show us what they can do in entirely different genres. A great example of this is Green Room (2015), a viscerally disturbing horror film featuring veteran spacers Patrick Stewart and Anton Yelchin. If you want to see what happens when these two set their acting phasers to “stunning,” all you have to do is stream its macabre madness for yourself on Netflix.

When Horror Goes Punk

The premise of Green Room is that after a punk band’s gig gets canceled, a radio host finds them an alternate venue with one big catch: it’s a neo-Nazi bar. After they play, the band discovers a dead body in the titular green room, and that’s when everything goes to hell. Just like that, a band of traveling musicians just trying to make a name for themselves are caught in a fight for their lives against unflinching foes who won’t stop until they are six feet in the ground.

Green Room has a few surprising names in its cast, including Imogen Poots (best known for 28 Weeks Later) and Alia Shawkat (best known for Arrested Development). But in terms of young leads, nobody in this film is killing it quite as much as Anton Yelchin (best known for the 2009 Star Trek), who helps give this punk rock film its beating heart. Meanwhile, Patrick Stewart (best known for Star Trek: The Next Generation) does his best to rip that heart out, giving an absolutely chilling performance as the film’s ultimate Big Bad.

From Box Office Bomb To Critical Darling

Sadly, Green Room was a box office bust when it first came out, earning only $3.8 million against a budget of $5 million. Losing the studio money like this ensured that we would never get a proper sequel, which is a shame because this is one of the most unsettlingly effective horror films of the modern age. Fortunately, the film eventually established itself as a cult hit, and the growing number of fans soon joined the legion of critics who had already dubbed Green Room a modern masterpiece.

When Green Room came out, it quickly won over professional reviewers with its electrical intensity and charismatic performances. On Rotten Tomatoes, it had a rating of 90 percent, with critics praising the film for its intelligent execution of a brilliant genre script. They also spoke highly of Star Trek veterans Patrick Stewart and Anton Yelchin, whose immense talents help to highlight the generation gap at the heart of this movie’s surprisingly trenchant commentary on the intersection of punk music and Neonazi violence.

This Film Is Nonstop Tension

Part of why this movie works is that it leaves you in a constant state of tension that is punctuated only by horrific acts of brutal violence. This isn’t a horror film where the characters have fun vibing out until they are picked off, one by one, by some faceless killer. Instead, Green Room keeps its protagonist on the edge of their seat, and we are right there along with them; when the hammer finally drops, you’ll let out the breath you didn’t realize you were holding, if only so you can finally scream.

Additionally, the violence of Green Room is that much more impactful because everything is gritty and down to Earth. This isn’t a movie filled with stylized action, quippy one-liners, or lantern-jawed heroes saving the day; rather, it’s a movie in which our flawed heroes constantly make mistakes, which is that much more horrifying because everyone in this film is just one screw-up away from death. When (not if) death comes for your favorite characters, it’s in the form of unpolished violence sure to give you some serious nightmares.

Scream Me Up, Scotty!

At the center of those nightmares will be Sir Patrick Stewart, who is delightfully cast against type as a Neonazi leader who never met a problem he couldn’t solve with murder. His performance is electric, and he commands your attention every moment that he’s in the frame. That’s the genius of his casting, of course: for audiences used to seeing him as the genial Captain Picard, it’s wonderfully perverse to see his commanding presence and hear his confident baritone coming out of a character who is pure evil incarnate.

Will you agree that Green Room is one of the most terrifying tales of the modern age, or would you rather tell this Nazi punk film to f*** off? The only way to find out is to grab the remote (it’s in the green room, next to the snacks) and stream it for yourself on Netflix. Afterwards, you may finally learn a lesson that horror movies have been trying to teach us since The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: there’s nothing scarier in America than the terrors you’ll find in a small town!

Sami Sheen
Soaks Up The Sun in Malibu!!!

Published
March 1, 2026
8:25 AM PST
|
Updated
March 1, 2026
9:20 AM PST