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10 Most Iconic Movie Franchises of All Time, Ranked

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Shrek in the first Shrek movie.

Movies. What can be said that hasn’t been said likely a trillion times over by almost every voice in the world by now? Film has not only helped shape pop culture as we know it, but it’s helped the world—social and political climates alike—as the medium continues to evolve and grow. With that, there are specific franchises that have helped lead the charge.

Whether they’ve become the highest-grossing franchise on the planet, changed the world and pop culture as they know it, or are simply extremely beloved by all, these movie franchises are quite easily some of the most iconic there are. Without these franchises, the world simply would not be what it is today.

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10

Shrek (2001–)

Shrek in the first Shrek movie.
Shrek in the first Shrek movie.
Image via DreamWorks Animation

One of the most impactful and high-quality animated series of all time is quite easily the Shrek collection of films. With the likes of Pixar and Disney Animation at the head of the animated film game at the time, the first entry in the series. Shrek totally changed the game and offered a project that was not only for children, but appealed to the adults as well, with crude humor that could go over kids’ heads while adults could bask in the humor.

Animation was proven to not just be for the kiddos. Everyone can enjoy it. This makes it not only iconic, but very important to the entire animated film space. Shrek tells a heartfelt story with every entry, and pushes for self-acceptance for all audiences. It’s a great franchise all around and has done so much for cinema.

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9

Jurassic Park (1993–)

Actor Sam Neill as Alan Grant, standing out in the rain, distracting a T.rex with a flare in Jurassic Park.
Actor Sam Neill as Alan Grant, standing out in the rain, distracting a T.rex with a flare in Jurassic Park.
Image via Universal Pictures

Starting as a novel three years prior to the film in 1990, the Jurassic Park franchise has grown to become one of the most famous horror/action series. First brought to life by Steven Spielberg, the first Jurassic Park was one of the most unique horror films of the time (and many argue still is in the modern day), and since, it has grown into a major motion picture action franchise.

Some enjoy the new, more action-oriented Jurassic World saga of the franchise, and some definitely do not. Regardless of this, the franchise has not only made a plethora of money at the box office with every entry, but has one of the largest directional shifts in a film franchise to this day. Love it or hate it, this has made the Jurassic Park franchise pretty iconic.

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8

Avatar (2009–)

Avatar fire and ash  - a Na'vi warrior aiming a bow and snarling
Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) growling menacingly in ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’
Image via 20th Century Studios

James Cameron absolutely changed the game for visual effects in film in 2009 with his massive hit, Avatar. It is still, even in 2026, the highest-grossing movie of all time (though it did battle it out with Avengers: Endgame for a bit), which alone makes it super iconic. This has led to Cameron becoming one of the most hailed directors in the current film landscape.

With every movie that releases in the series—most recently Avatar: Fire and Ash—Cameron proves the worth of this franchise and the audience shows him that with how many people come out to see them. There seems to be no stopping this director or this series from being one of the best their is, and no one is complaining.

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7

Harry Potter (2001–2011)

harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban.jpg
Students gathered and looking shocked in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter is another franchise that was birthed from a largely popular book series. Upon release in 2001, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone introduced audiences to the Wizarding World, and they almost instantly fell in love. One of the biggest appeals of the series was that audiences got to grow with these kids, with each new movie bringing a new year to Hogwarts, and another year of the kids’ lives.

Getting to see an evolution like this in characters and plot had people massively invested in the franchise. Something like this hadn’t really ever been seen in film before. It was an exciting experience, and keeps the series feeling memorable to this day. People feel profoundly connected to these characters, which has kept the series alive to this day.

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6

James Bond (1962–)

Bond aiming a gun at the camera with the barrel look around him in Casino Royale
James Bond (Daniel Craig) aims his gun and shoots down the barrel of the camera in the iconic James Bond franchise staple shot in ‘Casino Royale’ (2006).
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

One of the longest-running film franchises of all time is the action-packed spy series known as James Bond. This is a super special series that has held its longevity by consistently introducing new actors as the titular character for each new saga. Not many other franchises decide to take on this strategy, making James Bond stand out among the rest.

This has led to many different interpretations of the character over the decades—different actors and different stories through them all. Having a franchise that seemingly never dies is a great idea on the studio’s part, as it keeps people invested in what could come next and who could be the next actor to portray the great super spy himself.

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5

Batman (1966–)

Batman standing in a smokey space in Batman
Batman 1989, Michael Keaton as Batman emerging from shadows on a rooftop
Image via Warner Bros.

Much like James Bond, superhero films have taken on a similar approach when it comes to keeping their franchises alive—changing actors as the franchise evolves. Batman is one of the most popular superheroes of all time, so it only makes sense that his films seemingly never stop coming out. He’s a favorite among many and has had some incredible evolution over his cinema tenure.

Some younger audiences may not know that, at the beginning, he was far goofier than he is now, via the Adam West adaptation. As the franchise has grown, it’s gone on to hold some incredible films—The Dark Knight by Christopher Nolan being known as one of the best superhero movies of all time—and that’s proof of how quality the Batman franchise has always managed to be.

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4

Spider-Man (1977–)

The three Spider-Men are about to attack in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The three Spider-Men are about to attack in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

With the well-known fact that Spider-Man is the most profitable superhero of all time, it stands to reason that Marvel Comics and Sony Pictures Entertainment (the owners of the Spider-Man movie and partial television licensing) would want to start and keep making Spider-Man movies to break the box office. Spider-Man is one of the most relatable and beloved superheroes because he’s an everyman, which makes him appealing to audiences and keeps them coming out to see him in action. Also, not to many people’s knowledge, but it—like many of the other most iconic franchises out there—Spider-Man also holds one of the longest-running franchises out there. He’s had minor live-action films far before his 2002 theatrical debut.

Whether he’s being played by Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Tom Holland, or one of the many portrayals in the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse franchise, the character always delivers something great. Maguire’s first Spider-Man movie served as one of the first high-flying superhero movies of the modern age that set the standard alongside X-Men, the huge legal deal between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment to get the character involved in the Marvel Cinematic Universe proved how important the character is to the industry, and the excellence of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse redefined the cinematic animation space forever. The proof in the pudding of Spider-Man’s worth makes his franchise more than iconic.

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3

The Lord of the Rings (2001–2014)

Frodo on the floor about to put on the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Frodo on the floor about to put on the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Image via New Line Cinema

Arguably the most popular and earliest high-stakes action/adventures fantasy franchise is none other than Peter Jackson‘s The Lord of the Rings. Based on the novel by the legendary author, J. R. R. Tolkien, these films (which include the eventual prequel series, The Hobbit) arguably changed film forever when they first released in 2001 thanks to how much they changed the realm of visual/special effects to achieve creating a world like this.

Before James Cameron did so with Avatar, The Lord of the Rings shifted the ground beneath everyone with how it accomplished its visuals. Not to mention, they’re some of the greatest fantasy stories told in cinema, much like their reputation in the literature space. These movies are beloved to this day—to the point that they continue to get re-releases in theaters everywhere every once in a while.

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2

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008–)

The Final Battle of 'Avengers: Endgame,' with portals opening in the sky.
The Final Battle of ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ with portals opening in the sky.
Image via Marvel Studios

When Iron Man debuted in 2008, the world changed forever, as it was graced with one of the largest, most expansive, highest-grossing, and most beloved cinematic franchises/universes of all time. The MCU is, to this day—a whopping 18 years later—always looked forward to, even in its less than ideal eras. A handful of its movies are among the highest-grossing of all time, and the impact this world has had on pop-culture is profound.

The likes of Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), and dozens more have become some of the most popular cinematic characters of all time. It’s pretty dang hard to argue with the facts in the box office numbers and the critical reception of almost every movie.

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1

Star Wars (1977–)

Luke Skywalker in the Tatooine deserts in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) marches up a small dirt mound outside his dusty farm house on Tatooine to gaze up at the planet’s two setting suns in ‘Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope’ (1976).
Image via Lucasfilm

Much like how The Lord of the Rings is one of the greatest fantasy stories ever told, the Star Wars franchise is one of the greatest science fiction stories ever told. This series has completely set the standard and defined how sci-fi stories are told 49 years post-original film release. Star Wars is exceptionally long in tenure and provided many films and television series over the decades.

Star Wars‘ impact on not only film, but sci-fi storytelling as a whole, is unlike anything seen in modern cinema. The legends of the Skywalkers, Mandalorians, its many empires, and more are unforgettable and continue to be looked forward to, even after the Skywalker Saga has ended (the saga that started the series in the first place). There’s just no replacing Star Wars.

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Beyond the Gates Early Spoilers March 2-6: Anita Battles Major Setback & Leslie Flaunts Her Victory

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Beyond the Gates Spoilers: Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie) - Dana "Leslie" Thomas (Trisha Mann-Grant)

Beyond the Gates spoilers for March 2 – 6, 2026 reveal Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie) struggling and Dana “Leslie” Thomas (Trisha Mann-Grant) showboating.

We always start with what is coming the rest of this week and then we talk about what’s coming next week.

Celebrating Beyond the Gates’ One-Year Anniversary and Ashley’s Career Milestone

On Wednesday, February 25th—just a quick note, by the way, if you didn’t know it—Beyond the Gates celebrated its one-year anniversary on Tuesday, February 24th. Man, what a year! I expect them to need a U-Haul to gather up all the daytime Emmys they are going to win at the next awards ceremony. I think they may sweep or just clean up.

Also, it is Ashley Morgan’s (Jen Jacob) work anniversary as she celebrates her first year at Garland Memorial. She and Chenise Valjean (Tiara Wilkins) are talking about the past year and all that has happened. Speaking of Ashley’s past year, her ex, Derek Baldwin (Ben Gavin), also gets some screen time as he makes a decision about what to do for a job now that his time as a firefighter is over.

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Derek’s New Career Path and Leslie’s Clinic Power Plays on BTG

I wonder if Leslie is going to wind up hiring Derek. If so, I wish him so much grace. Related to that, Eva Thomas (Ambyr Michelle) is annoyed with Leslie, who’s yapping about the clinic and telling Eva that she’s going to show her how you do real business. Leslie says, “Watch and learn.” We know she and Derek get into it. This may be when Leslie and Derek can iron things out and decide if they can work together.

Beyond the Gates Spoilers: Jacob’s Undercover Crisis – Will Isaiah Blow His Big Brother’s Cover?

Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges) is getting deeper and deeper undercover. Now he is embedded with the plasma ring red market people, but then he runs into his younger brother, Izaiah Hawthorne (David Lami Friebe), while on the job. Jacob’s cover could be blown. He asks why Izaiah is out in that dodgy corner of town, and Izaiah tells his big brother he could ask him the same.

Cat and Tomas Face a Relationship Crossroads over Living Arrangements on BTG

Katherine “Kat” Richardson (Colby Muhammad) wants to know if she can stay forever after Tomas “Tom” Navarro (Alex Alegria) said Kat can come over to his place whenever she wants. Kat wants to know if Tomas still wants to live together. If you remember, he asked Kat to move in about four months ago, back in December, but she told Tomas, “No, it’s too fast.”

This time, he seems a little offended. He wants to know Kat’s motives, and it looks like Tomas may tell her no. He wants Kat to choose him for him, not by default or as a second choice because Chelsea Hamilton’s (RhonniRose Mantilla) moving out to move in with her fiancé and Kat doesn’t want to crash alone in her Aunt Dani Dupree’s (Karla Mosley) guest house.

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Thursday Beyond the Gates Spoilers: Mysterious Visitors and Leslie’s Self-Promotion

On Thursday, February 26th, a “no” from Tomas might be why Kat is suddenly hyper-focused and ranting about Laura Peterson’s (Destiny Love) car accident that nearly killed her almost a year ago. Leslie has avoided any consequences for it, which of course is not okay. Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne (Arielle Prepetit) checks in with Ashley and updates her on Jacob moving out. Will Naomi mention that Jacob is undercover and that’s why he did it, or will Naomi be cryptic just because of any potential risk?

Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman) and Dani Dupree have a visitor they were not expecting and don’t want to see. It could be Leslie or it could be Hayley Lawson (Marquita Goings). Meanwhile, Leslie engages in some self-promotion. She is showboating about something. Now, it could be about her new clinic that she’s funding or some other insanity. I definitely could see Leslie trying to piggyback off the attention that Anita has gotten because of the cancer.

Anita’s Brave Cancer Journey Shakes the DMV After Gayle King Interview

Speaking of which, Gayle King’s interview with Anita has energized the whole DMV. We’re going to be getting lots more breast cancer awareness as this rocks on, which is great. Awareness for that is wonderful. I wonder if Anastasia (Timeca M. Seretti) is going to be petty or sympathetic since she was one of the people pushing gossip saying that Anita was drunk at the club when she was actually suffering side effects of chemo. I wonder if Leslie is going to try and get closer to Anita to sponge off that residual attention because she’s just awful.

Friday BTG Drama: Cat’s Confrontations and Vanessa’s Dating App Dilemmas

On Friday, February 27th, Kat amps up a nasty confrontation with Eva and Leslie. Kat may be upset by Tomas and lashing out at Eva, but it’s clear the two of them are living rent-free in Kat’s head. I hope long-term that she and Eva develop a real bond as sisters, but it seems impossible—especially as long as Leslie’s around.

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Chelsea has a blowup with a cousin. My money is on Kat and not Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) because Kat is in a mood. She’s so enraged, in fact, that Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson (Daphnee Duplaix) and Dr. Ted Richardson (Keith D. Robinson) are quite concerned about their daughter. Vanessa McBride (Lauren Buglioli) tries to cheer up Nicole. I wonder if this is about Anita’s interview and all the attention and stress that came with it, but it was unavoidable.

It’s kind of ironic; I noticed that Vanessa was defending her escort app to Nicole, who was horrified by the idea that she would look for a date for Samantha Richardson (Najah Jackson) on there. Then ironically, Vanessa’s daughter wound up with a date from the Heart Attach app. That whole scene with her and Joey Armstrong (Jon Lindstrom) discussing it featured some clever dialogue: “Do as I say, not who I do.”

Mysterious Meetings and Smitty’s Pursuit of the Plasma Ring

Izaiah is asked to meet with someone and it surprises him. Maybe it’s his dad, Police Chief Elon Hawthorne (Malachi Malik), who’s not exactly a fan of his son. Or maybe it’s tied to the plasma case because Izaiah has a background in shady DMV goings-on. Bradley “Smitty” Smith (Mike Manning) catches up with an old friend, and I wonder if this might be tied to him poking into the plasma case as well.

Beyond the Gates Spoilers: Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie) - Dana "Leslie" Thomas (Trisha Mann-Grant) Beyond the Gates Spoilers: Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie) - Dana "Leslie" Thomas (Trisha Mann-Grant)
Beyond the Gates Spoilers: Anita Dupree – Dana “Leslie” Thomas

Looking Ahead to March 2nd: Anita’s CBS Morning Show Aftershocks on Beyond the Gates

The week of March 2nd through the 6th, we expect lots more aftershocks from Anita’s stunning CBS Morning Show announcement about her cancer, the stage it’s in, and how scary everything is. I thought that interview segment was done really well. It was perfect. I thought I was watching an episode of the real CBS Morning Show. They don’t always do stuff that well on soaps.

I expect Leslie to come over with flowers, a plant, and fake sympathy. I hope she’s not going to be making tacky comments about Anita being the second articulate who might lose her life since her mom, Barbara, was the first to pass away. And I trust that Leslie is going to make everything worse on Anita while she says she’s trying not to.

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Undercover Dangers and the Hunt for Justice in the Red Market

Smitty and Jacob may both be in danger doing this red market plasma sting. I wonder if somebody we know is linked to this ring. I hope Joey’s not, but you never know with him. Lynette Wise (Domini Madison) is feeling pretty good about her cover-up con targeting that poor homeless guy that Joey paid off and sent away, but he smells a rat.

I do suspect Joey’s going to figure out Lynette and Hayley are in cahoots. I also expect Joey to confront Randy Parker (Maurice P. Kerry) about a false suspect, but he may keep Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett) in the dark. Joey may just tell him people jump bail all the time. The problem is Bill still wants justice because the alleged mugger disappeared from the DMV.

Final Spoilers: Vernon’s Protection and Cat’s Growing Frustration on BTG

Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis) does all he can to protect Anita now that her big secret is out and there are a lot more eyes on them. Meanwhile, Hayley thinks she got away with everything, but I doubt it. The bottom line is Lynette is never going to go away and get her hand out of Hayley Lawson’s purse. They have got to do something about that girl.

Kat’s frustrations grow and I wonder if the family’s going to stage an anger intervention. Is Tomas going to circle back around to Kat and tell her yes, he wants her to move in? Randy’s on edge and hoping the scrutiny is over, but Joey’s likely going to dig into him more. We will have to wait to see if Derek starts working with Leslie at her clinic.

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Why Selena Gomez And Benny Blanco Divorce Calls Are Absurd

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Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco at Lakers vs Heat game

When Benny Blanco launched his new “non-podcast,” he likely expected chatter about celebrity guests and spontaneous songwriting.

Instead, the internet fixated on his bare feet and a rumored on-camera fart.

Within hours, the conversation escalated from jokes to calls for Selena Gomez to divorce him.

It was absurd, revealing far more about online culture than the couple themselves.

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Benny Blanco Podcast Moment Sparks Cancel Culture Reflex

Let’s be honest. The outrage was never about hygiene but about the thrill of piling on.

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One critic wrote, “He’s the most disgusting person I’ve ever seen in my life, seriously, it blows my mind that Selena is with this f-cking creature.”

Another added, “The fact that his feet are ACTUALLY that filthy makes me sick to my stomach. Like Selena girl what’s going on?”

A third chimed in, “He’s a whole superstar with a massive fanbase and still can’t handle hygiene? Fame doesn’t replace manners.”

The escalation did not stop there. Some users went further, demanding that Gomez leave him.

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“Once again, Benny has embarrassed Selena and y’all wonder why I can’t stand his disgusting -ss,” one person wrote, while another added, “Selena needs to divorce him and find someone better.”

Take a pause and consider that. A fan asking a couple to divorce over dirty feet.

We live in a culture that treats minor imperfections like moral failings. Instead of laughter or indifference, the reflex is cancellation.

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It is a digital mob mentality disguised as moral superiority.

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Hollywood Divorce Rates Are Already High Enough

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco at Lakers vs Heat game
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

If people truly cared about relationships, they would not casually chant for breakups over non-issues.

The CDC reports the U.S. divorce rate was 2.4 per 1,000 population in 2022.

Hollywood’s numbers are often higher. According to 2017 U.S. Census data, about 23% of married couples in the United States divorce, with rates of 20% for men and 26% for women.

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In contrast, the average divorce rate among Hollywood celebrities is about 52%, roughly double the general population, with 50% for men and 62% for women.

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That is the real crisis. Yet instead of encouraging stability, growth, and grace, the internet now cheers for separation at the first sign of embarrassment.

Calling for a couple who have not even been married a year to divorce over dusty soles is not concern. It is spectacle.

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Benny Blanco And Selena Gomez Have Been Judged Before

Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco at Oscars 2025: RED CARPET
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

This is not the first time Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco have faced public scrutiny.

Fans have questioned the pairing based largely on looks rather than character or compatibility.

The narrative was shallow then, and it remains shallow now.

What changed? Nothing. The same culture that once said Gomez “deserved better” because of aesthetics is now saying she deserves better because of feet.

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Relationships are not beauty contests nor are they hygiene tribunals.

The Love Is Real And The Demands Are Pointless

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco hugging
Instagram | Selena Gomez

There is no credible evidence that Selena Gomez is unhappy.

On the contrary, her public appearances with Benny Blanco suggest affection and ease.

Hence, demanding divorce does not give strangers control over their lives, as marriage is not a voting system.

Fans can dislike a podcast moment. They can joke. They can scroll past. However, what they cannot do is dictate the future of two adults who clearly care for each other.

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Suggesting that Gomez should dismantle her marriage because some viewers were “grossed out” wastes emotional energy on something they do not own.

The truth is simple. Blanco and Gomez will not divorce because strangers disliked his feet.

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Benny Blanco ‘Non Podcast’ Innovation Got Lost In The Noise

Benny Blanco Reveals His Secret To Never Getting A Hangover
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Delroy Lindo sees “Sinners” as more than just horror — and how he crafted one of the movie's most profound scenes

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The veteran actor also tells EW why he chose to distance himself from the possibility of getting an Oscar nomination this year.

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7 Best ‘Simpsons’ Episodes Parodying Oscar-Nominated Movies

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Bart and Homer lie on the grass and look up towards the sky in The Simpsons episode Barthood.

It’s Oscar season, and there are some pretty interesting movies nominated for 2026. Cinephiles can prepare for the upcoming ceremony by watching the films they haven’t seen, but why not supplement that by watching some television too? Specifically The Simpsons. It just reached a new milestone (which some would call remarkable and others would call tragic): its 800th episode. Most of the material worth watching isn’t so recent, but one through line you can be sure of is that the writers often throw in references to movies all throughout the sitcom’s history. Inevitably, many of these come from Oscar-nominated feature films.

Even when the sitcom aired its first episode in 1989, there was a ton of Academy-worthy material to use for Simpson stories, and the writers likewise used a ton of it. Well, as the show kept getting renewed and renewed, more and more fantastic award-nominated and award-winning material became ripe for the picking. Of course, the giants of cinema don’t always lead to great jokes, but they often do in The Simpsons‘ greatest works. There are even some episodes that dedicate a large chunk of their plots to sending up one such Oscar-nominee. The following seven episodes arguably make up the best of the bunch, showcasing intriguing sides of the whole family: Bart (Nancy Cartwright), Homer (Dan Castellaneta), Lisa (Yeardley Smith), Marge (Julie Kavner), and even Maggie. These aren’t ordered by the quality of the movies or quantity of award nominations; having one nomination is enough. It does help for the episode to pay homage to more than one Oscar-nominee, but mostly these are just excellent episodes that use their source material to the fullest.

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1

“Barthood”

Season 27, Episode 9

Bart and Homer lie on the grass and look up towards the sky in The Simpsons episode Barthood.
Bart and Homer lie on the grass and look up towards the sky in The Simpsons episode Barthood.
Image via FOX

Season 27’s “Barthood” is the experimental Simpsons episode that’s based on the experimental 2014 film Boyhood by Richard Linklater. The movie was filmed over the course of about 10 years as all the actors got older, and it represents a fascinatingly realistic and heartfelt portrayal of a boy’s childhood. Similarly, “Barthood” jumps around to the most formative points of Bart’s upbringing. As it starts with him younger than he is in the canon (which this episode is not), this proves to be one of the strongest Simpsons episodes set in the past. “Barthood” is also unique in how it explores Bart’s life when he’s older, which likewise makes it one of the best Simpsons episodes set in the future.

Boyhood was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor for Ethan Hawke, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. It even won an Oscar—the tremendous Patricia Arquette, specifically—for Best Supporting Actress. It’s also worth noting that Linklater has a 2026 Oscar-nominated movie with Ethan Hawke called Blue Moon, for those interested in checking that out before this year’s Oscar ceremony.

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“Cape Feare”

Season 5, Episode 2

Sideshow Bob in a military uniform and bicorne hat on The Simpsons.
Sideshow Bob in a military uniform and bicorne hat on The Simpsons.
Image via FOX

By far one of the most famous Simpsons episodes you can find, “Cape Feare” has a title that’s extremely close to the title of the film it parodies: Cape Fear. When Sideshow Bob (Kelsey Grammer) is unwisely released from prison on parole (despite having the hilariously menacing “Die Bart Die” tattoo on his torso), he goes after Bart Simpson. At this point in their rivalry, Bart has already had Sideshow Bob arrested for framing Krusty (Dan Castellaneta) and trying to blow up Aunt Selma (Julie Kavner)—so Bob has a bone to pick with him. He’s out for revenge, similar to how the antagonist of Cape Fear wants revenge on the lawyer who got him convicted.

J. Lee Thompson‘s original version from 1962 did not earn any Oscar nods, but Martin Scorsese‘s chilling 1991 remake sure did: Robert De Niro and Juliette Lewis were both nominated for their performances. No surprises there; De Niro, with a southern accent, is terrifying (as Killers of the Flower Moon makes even clearer), and Lewis puts in one of the best teenage performances of the decade. Alas, no wins. Still, the movie is worth watching. It also led to this Simpsons classic, which manages to capture some of the terror of Scorsese’s underappreciated thriller without sacrificing any laughter along the way.

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3

“Marge on the Lam”

Season 5, Episode 6

Marge Simpson and Ruth Powers driving away in 'The Simpsons' Season 5 episode "Marge on the Lam"
Marge Simpson and Ruth Powers driving away in ‘The Simpsons’ Season 5 episode “Marge on the Lam”
Image via FOX

Arguably the most impressive entry from Season 5, “Marge on the Lam” is largely about two women who grow a touching bond. The matriarch of the Simpson family befriends neighbor Ruth Powers (Pamela Reed), who is having a rough divorce. Marge isn’t the most adventurous person in the world, which is part of the original character’s charm, but this entry provides her with an arc that steadily uses the power of friendship to steer her onto the wild side. Without losing any of the sitcom’s trademark humor, it’s one of Marge’s best storylines by a mile.

Soon she and Ruth are on the run from the cops, which turns this into a magnificent parody of Ridley Scott‘s feminist road movie Thelma & Louise. While the pair of friends in the film are on the run for much darker reasons, the episode nonetheless marries humor with pathos in a way that adeptly touches on the movie’s themes. Thelma & Louise garnered six Academy Award nominations: Best Actress for its dynamic duo Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. Screenwriter Callie Khouri wound up winning the Original Screenplay Oscar, and deservedly so.

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“Bart of Darkness”

Season 6, Episode 1

Bart looks shocked as he stands next to a telescope in The Simpsons episode Bart of Darkness.
Bart looks shocked as he stands next to a telescope in The Simpsons episode Bart of Darkness.
Image via FOX

The Simpsons‘ sixth season premiere is “Bart of Darkness,” a title taken from Joseph Conrad‘s novella Heart of Darkness. However, neither that nor Francis Ford Coppola‘s adaptation, Apocalypse Now, seem to have anything to do with the story. As Bart breaks his leg trying to dive into the family’s overcrowded pool, he falls and breaks his leg on the ground. Unable to swim and claim the glory of popularity that Lisa now basks in, he recedes to his room and watches with suspicion a very distressed Ned Flanders (Harry Shearer) next door. Bart is convinced this man killed his wife, and it’s both funny and suspenseful as he enlists Lisa to help him get to the bottom of this mystery.

Sound familiar? That’s because it’s based on Alfred Hitchcock’s incredibly well-crafted Rear Window, which somehow received only four nominations at the 1955 Oscars: Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography (Color), and Best Sound (Recording). And it won…none of them? Well, just another example of the Academy making mistakes. Granted, Rear Window had to compete with On the Waterfront, but the total lack of wins and meager number of nominations is still ridiculous. At least this Simpsons episode helps make up for that a little.

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“Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington”

Season 3, Episode 2

Lisa takes a picture with a senator in The Simpsons episode Mr Lisa Goes to Washington.
Lisa takes a picture with a senator in The Simpsons episode Mr Lisa Goes to Washington.
Image via FOX

When Lisa signs up for a national speech contest, she works her way into the final round. It’s held in D.C., hence the story’s title “Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington.” Sometimes an episode’s title doesn’t line up with the material in the story itself. Not the case with this season three gem, which bases its story off of Frank Capra‘s 1939 political masterpiece Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Just as Mr. Smith (James Stewart) goes from wide-eyed newbie to disillusioned critic, Lisa quickly and compellingly learns that American politics can be a brutal game indeed.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a giant of cinema, and it had a good run at the Oscars with a whopping 11 nominations: Outstanding Production (now called Best Picture), Best Director, Best Actor, Best Writing: Screenplay, Best Writing: Original Story (another old-school oddity), Best Supporting Actor for Claude Rains and Harry Carey, Best Art Direction, Best Film Editing, Best Music: Scoring, and Best Sound Recording. As it was up against Victor Fleming‘s titans The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind, our film only won an Oscar for Best Writing: Original Story. Nevertheless, neither of those movies ever did (nor ever will) get such a hilarious and cinematic treatment from The Simpsons.

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6

“You Only Move Twice”

Season 8, Episode 2

A person with a large gift basket at the front door as the Simpsons look on in The Simpsons You Only Move Twice.
A person with a large gift basket at the front door as the Simpsons look on in The Simpsons You Only Move Twice.
Image via FOX

“You Only Move Twice” is one of the greatest Simpsons parody episodes of all time. There’s so much packed into this story that there’s no time for things to make sense. Homer is quickly offered a better-paying job at Globex Corporation, and the Simpsons swiftly cast off their old lives for paradise at Cypress Creek. If you thought the Springfield Powerplant was problematic, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Homer’s boss (a famous Albert Brooks performance) is essentially a James Bond supervillain. As the audience witnesses sidesplitting action pieces, Homer casually walks around without even realizing what’s going on.

Given how this parody works more as a mix of Bond tropes than a focus on one specific Bond, and given how this story’s Mr. Bont is clearly a parody of Sean Connery‘s Bond, we’ll only list the Oscar-nominated entries in the franchise that starred Connery. 1964’s Goldfinger won for Best Sound Effects, 1965’s Thunderball won for Best Visual Effects, and 1972’s Diamonds Are Forever was nominated for Best Sound. Interestingly, the episode is named after “You Only Live Twice” (which also starred Connery), but that didn’t receive any nominations.

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7

“A Streetcar Named Marge”

Season 4, Episode 2

Marge Simpson and Ned Flanders in 'The Simpsons' Season 4 episode "A Streetcar Named Marge"
Marge Simpson and Ned Flanders in ‘The Simpsons’ Season 4 episode “A Streetcar Named Marge”
Image via FOX

Season 4’s “A Streetcar Named Marge” is absolutely stuffed with Academy-worthy allusions. As Marge tries out for the coveted role of Blanche DuBois in a local musical adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire, her relationship with Homer is movingly compared to that of Stella (Kim Hunter) and Stanley (Marlon Brando). This was the first film to win three of the four acting Oscars, which is already amazing. But it also won Best Production Design, and received a whopping eight more nominations on top of that: Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, Best Sound Mixing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor (somehow Brando didn’t win), Best Director, and obviously, Best Picture.

“A Streetcar Named Marge” is such a parody-pallooza that even its subplot is based on a movie that got an Oscar nod. As Maggie and some other babies try to retrieve their pacifiers from an evil daycare woman, everything from the action to the teamwork to the music tells us this is a send-up of 1963’s The Great Escape (nominated for Best Film Editing). If that weren’t enough, the end of that plot thread features an epic reference to another 1963 classic called The Birds — which also received an Oscar nomination (for Best Special Effects). Needless to say, when it comes to Simpsons Oscar-movie parodies, “A Streetcar Named Marge” truly belongs on the podium.


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The Simpsons
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Release Date

December 17, 1989

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Network

FOX

Directors
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Steven Dean Moore, Mark Kirkland, Rob Oliver, Michael Polcino, Mike B. Anderson, Chris Clements, Wes Archer, Timothy Bailey, Lance Kramer, Nancy Kruse, Matthew Faughnan, Chuck Sheetz, Rich Moore, Jeffrey Lynch, Pete Michels, Susie Dietter, Raymond S. Persi, Carlos Baeza, Dominic Polcino, Lauren MacMullan, Michael Marcantel, Neil Affleck, Swinton O. Scott III, Jennifer Moeller


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    Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)

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    Julie Kavner

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    Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)

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The 16 best shows on Starz to dive into this weekend 

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There’s more awaiting you on Starz than the upcoming season of “Outlander.”

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How Gene Roddenberry Made Will Riker’s Family Life Terrible

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By Chris Snellgrove
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Commander Riker is a fan-favorite character on Star Trek: The Next Generation because he’s a funny, take-charge leader who continues the James T. Kirk tradition of bedding the finest babes in the galaxy. In fact, it’s fair to say that Riker is largely defined by his relationships, including his slow-burning romance with Deanna Troi that culminated in his marriage. However, Troi isn’t necessarily the most important relationship in Riker’s life: instead, the most important relationship is the one he had with his father, who shaped the future Starfleet officer into the man he eventually became.

Unfortunately, the two had a very contentious early relationship, and Kyle Riker abandoned his son when Will was only 15 years old. They reunited and eventually reconciled in the Season 2 episode “The Icarus Factor,” but director Robert Iscove was disappointed in how things played out onscreen. The reason for that is simple: Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry placed so many restrictions on character conflict that it was impossible to accurately portray the reunion between this contentious father/son duo.

To Seek Out New Life And New Daddy Issues

Iscove was a first-time Star Trek director, and he took the job of directing “The Icarus Factor” because he was a huge fan of The Original Series. That show was set during the 23rd century, while The Next Generation was set in the 24th century, and he learned the hard way what a difference a century can make. According to Iscove (as recorded in Captain’s Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Voyages), Roddenberry believed that “we’ve all kind of resolved those feelings of anger” by the 24th century, and this made it hard to direct “an emotional piece” between a son and the father who “deserted Riker for 25 years.”

The director didn’t mince words about how annoying Roddenberry’s restrictions were, claiming they made the conflict between Kyle and William Riker “very hard to play.” He went on to note that “if you’re not going to serve the resentment and anger, what happens once the two of them get together, you can’t serve any real human drama.” The episode certainly had the potential for major drama: both men were haunted by the death of Will Riker’s mother, and the future commander was doubly tormented by his father ditching him at the tender age of 15.

Fake Sports, Real Emotions

That didn’t really happen, though, as “The Icarus Factor” made their conflict rather literal. The two donned goofy costumes and duked it out in a fictional Japanese sport, with the Starfleet officer venting some of his bitterness before they finally reconciled. That reconciliation was very disappointing to audiences because it didn’t feel earned: they weren’t able to really hash out their differences or overcome lingering resentment, all because the man who created Star Trek thought humanity had moved beyond the kind of emotional conflict that those watching The Next Generation would have preferred.

Director Robert Iscove would have preferred more emotional conflict as well, and he went on to lament that “The Original Series was much more humanistic in its approach.” He was disappointed with how “The Icarus Factor” turned out, and he never returned to the franchise, even though producers kept offering him opportunities to direct additional Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes. Like Riker, powerful people kept pulling out the chair for him, but he had no real interest in sitting down. 

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A Bittersweet Victory For The Writers

As longtime Star Trek fans know, this is a tale that has a bittersweet ending: after Gene Roddenberry became suddenly ill and then tragically passed away, his old rule about avoiding conflict between humans went out the airlock. The Next Generation began adding more conflict before Deep Space Nine took things to the next level, and NuTrek shows like Starfleet Academy have major character conflict built into their creative DNA.

Sadly, this change was too late for Commander Riker, whose daddy issues and reconciliation were ultimately hampered by the storytelling rule that nearly ruined TNG before it could become must-see TV.


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Timothy Busfield’s Wife Melissa Gilbert Slammed For ‘Embarrassing’ Video

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Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield at Los Angeles Mission Christmas Eve For The Homeless

Melissa Gilbertis facing criticism online after sharing an upbeat, inspirational video while her husband, actor Timothy Busfield, remains at the center of serious criminal allegations. The former “Little House on the Prairie” star posted a clip of herself singing and dancing to a motivational song on social media, but the timing, coming amid Busfield’s ongoing child sexual abuse case, sparked mixed reactions from viewers. While some supporters praised Melissa Gilbert’s positivity, others accused her of being out of touch with the situation surrounding her family.

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Melissa Gilbert’s Video Sparks Mixed Reactions Online

Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield at Los Angeles Mission Christmas Eve For The Homeless
ravis Wade/WENN.com Newscom/ MEGA

Melissa Gilbert shared the video through her lifestyle brand, Modern Prairie, which typically features homemaking and lifestyle content. In the clip, she sings and dances to Des’ree’s song “You Gotta Be,” an uplifting track with lyrics about resilience and strength. However, what appeared intended as an encouraging message quickly drew criticism from some commenters, who questioned the tone given the controversy involving her husband.

“I hope you sing that to yourself because you are delusional,” one person posted. “Stop embarrassing yourself,” another commenter wrote. Similarly, someone else posted, “How embarrassing,” as another wrote, “There is none so blind as one who will not see.”

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“You need not to do this,” another comment read while others urged her to stop entirely, writing, “Please stop.”

Despite the backlash, some supporters defended Melissa Gilbert in the comments. “You are precious! Love that song,” someone wrote as another chimed in with, “I absolutely love your positive energy. You are strong, sweet, kind and talented and you love your family… nothing could be better.”

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Timothy Busfield Faces Serious Criminal Charges

Busfield was indicted by a grand jury on February 6 and is accused of inappropriate contact involving two twin boys on the set of “The Cleaning Lady” while filming in Albuquerque between November 2022 and spring 2024. The alleged victims, identified only as VL and SL in court documents, were minors at the time of the alleged incidents. Busfield has pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual contact with a child and has strongly denied the allegations.

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A warrant was issued for his arrest last month, after which he turned himself in to the authorities. He was later released from custody, with Melissa Gilbert present in court.

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Allegations Detailed In Court Documents

Timothy Busfield
OConnor / AFF-USA.com / MEGA

According to a criminal complaint, one of the boys told a forensic child interviewer that Busfield touched his “private areas” on set when he was seven years old. The child alleged the incidents occurred multiple times between filming sessions and continued when he was eight years old.

The boy’s twin brother also told investigators he had been touched by Busfield but did not initially report it because he feared getting into trouble, according to the complaint.

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Busfield Denies Allegations, Claims Revenge Motive

Timothy Busfield and Melissa Gilbert
Jordan Hinton/Image Press Agency/MEGA

Busfield has consistently denied wrongdoing and maintains the accusations are false. His attorneys have argued the claims stem from retaliation by the boys’ parents after the children were removed from the television production.

Before surrendering to authorities, Busfield addressed the allegations in a video shared by TMZ. “I’m going to confront these lies. They’re horrible. They’re all lies, and I did not do anything to those little boys, and I’m going to fight it,” he insisted.

However, prosecutors have presented a different perspective in court. Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch described the evidence as “strong and specific” during a January 20 hearing. “The boys’ allegations are supported by medical findings and by their therapist,” the ADA said. “Their accounts were specific and not exaggerated.”

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“Heated Rivalry” star Conner Storrie shows off impressive accent skills beyond Russian — but there's 1 he won't do

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Bold and Beautiful Early Spoilers March 2-6: Ridge Unleashes His Fury & Steffy Reels from Shock

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Bold and the Beautiful Spoilers: Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) - Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood)

Bold and the Beautiful spoilers for March 2 – 6, 2026 see Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) lashing out and Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) stunned.

On early edition day, we start with what’s coming the rest of this week, then we get into what is coming next week. So let’s dive in.

Bold & the Beautiful: Ivy’s Manipulation and the Electra-Will Breakup

On Wednesday, February 25th, it is the last day of sweeps. Electra Forrester (Laneya Grace) is telling RJ Forrester (Brayan Nicoletti) about her situation with Will Spencer (Crew Morrow) and Dylan (Sydney Bullock). She says that Will said nothing inappropriate happened with him and Dylan. RJ wants to know if Electra thinks otherwise. And Electra says she trusts her aunt Ivy Forrester (Ashleigh Brewer).

She shouldn’t. That trust is quite misplaced since Ivy stole Electra’s letter, grabbed Will’s necklace. And staged what looked like a breakup message. The idea is that he ripped the necklace in half or something. RJ tells Electra that something’s wrong with Will if he won’t do whatever he has to do to be with her.

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Then RJ is going to kiss Electra. Again, we’ve got Ivy snooping and watching. It looks like Will is also going to see the kiss. I think Ivy might set the stage for Will to see Electra lip-locking with RJ. Ivy is completely manipulating the situation to get them together because she is bent on getting Will and his inappropriate behavior away from Electra.

The Battle for Eric’s Designs: Ridge vs. Bill and Katie on B&B

Over at Will’s place, he reluctantly tells Dylan she has to leave his house first thing in the morning. This is a decision I’m sure Will is going to regret once he sees Electra kissing RJ, but Will initially caves to the ultimatum Electra gave him about Dylan. Will might go up to Forrester to tell Electra he told Dylan she has to go, but then he’s going to see RJ with Electra.

I think that’s going to be the game changer. Ivy could even take things a step further and try to get Will fired from Forrester. She could tell Steffy that Will’s cheating and that Electra is traumatized. Electra is a more valuable employee, so Will may get fired or walk away because he’s disgusted.

At the Spencer Publications office building, Bill Spencer (Don Diamont) reiterates for Katie Logan (Heather Tom) that Eric Forrester‘s (John McCook) designs belong to them and to Logan. Katie’s looking pretty stressed out about this. She wants Eric to work for them on the best possible terms and doesn’t want him to feel like his hand is being forced. Bill’s not going to have it; they have a contract and he’s going to enforce it.

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Brooke and Ridge’s Conflict with the Logans on B&B

Meanwhile, Ridge sarcastically is snarking to Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) that, once again, Katie didn’t do anything wrong and she’s the victim. Brooke says Katie stole the Logan name and she stole Eric. Ridge and Brooke are going to do a whole lot of “we’re completely right and Katie’s completely wrong.”

I do think Brooke should have owned up to her role and Ridge’s role in driving Eric over to Logan. Katie did concede on a couple of points and was offering an olive branch, but Brooke just slapped it out of her hand. She will not acknowledge that she and Ridge did anything wrong. You don’t surprise party retire someone; they might have a literal coronary.

Despite Ridge making peace with Eric and promising respect, he went and told Bill and Katie that Eric’s not working with Logan anymore. We’ll find out what Eric has to say about that because that’s not a message he gave Ridge to deliver. Eric just told Ridge to stop treating him like a child, but then Ridge went and quit on his behalf. I don’t think that’s going to fly.

Bold and the Beautiful Spoilers: Daphne Discovers Ivy’s Deceitful Plan

On Thursday, February 26th, we’ve got Daphne Rose (Murielle Hilaire) getting an eyeful of something she’s not supposed to. She already saw Ivy doing the thing with the letter. I don’t know if she’s going to see something more or see Ivy eavesdropping, but Daphne is going to figure things out. Ivy tells Daphne, “Don’t you dare tell anyone about this!”

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Meanwhile, Electra shares huge news with RJ. And she may tell him that she and Will are officially done. This is all part of Ivy’s deceitful plan. Spoilers say it works like a charm and succeeds by Thursday. This is clearly to break up Electra and Will and push Electra and RJ closer on Bold and the Beautiful.

On Friday, February 27th, Ivy is doing even more plotting. I really want Daphne to intervene and tell somebody what’s going on because Electra needs to know her aunt cannot be trusted. Plus, Dylan hears shocking info from Will.

Bold and the Beautiful Spoilers: Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) - Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) Bold and the Beautiful Spoilers: Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) - Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood)
Bold and the Beautiful Spoilers: Ridge Forrester – Steffy Forrester

Bold and the Beautiful Weekly Spoilers: March 2nd – 6th

Will told Dylan she had to move out, but after he sees Electra and RJ kissing at Forrester, he may tell Dylan she can stay since Electra chose some other guy. Will and Dylan are going to have a close moment at the beach house this week.

During the week of March 2nd through the 6th, we’re going to see Will getting closer to Dylan thanks to all of Ivy’s scheming. Daphne has to decide if she will spill the beans about Ivy or not. I wonder if she will at least tell Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor) or her bestie Steffy.

RJ keeps trying to get closer to Electra. She may be a little cautious because she just broke up with Will, but Ivy is going to encourage Electra to go ahead and jump right in with RJ. Ivy is unhinged and intent on making sure there’s no way for Will to reconcile with Electra. Ashleigh Brewer is going to be going out on maternity leave soon, so I wonder how much more chaos Ivy is going to cause before she’s offscreen.

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The Logan Family Feud and the Secret Designer Reveal on B&B

Katie is still reeling from her nasty fight with Brooke, and I think it’s not going to stop. Katie is hurt and Brooke is going to keep kicking her while she’s down. Donna Logan (Jennifer Gareis) is going to be on high alert to make sure Eric doesn’t get stressed out again. John McCook said in an interview that Eric is not sick; that was just a one-off stress reaction.

Hope Logan (Annika Noelle) is going to be devastated to hear about the Logans being ripped apart. Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton) is going to get an earful from Bill and Katie about what went down. We’ll find out if Eric is going to stick to his contract and whether Katie is going to bring in someone like Deke Sharpe (Harrison Cone) to help Eric so he can do the work without the stress.

Eric told Ridge he’s coming home to Forrester Creations, but John McCook said Eric will come back on his own terms and in his own time. He may stick with Katie short term. We’re also due for an update on Deacon Sharpe (Sean Kanan), Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown), and Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig). Finally, word is going to spread about Eric being the secret designer at Logan. Everybody at Forrester is going to be gobsmacked. And Steffy may be especially hard hit.

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Days of our Lives Early Spoilers March 2-6: Abe Hatches New Scheme & Steve Races Against Time

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Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Abe Carver (James Reynolds) - Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols)

Days of Our Lives spoilers for March 2 – 6, 2026 divulge Abe Carver (James Reynolds) is plotting and Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols) being absolutely frantic.

spoilers for March 2 – 6, 2026s we always do on early edition day, we start with what’s coming the rest of this week and then we dive into what is ahead next week.

Days of Our Lives Mid-Week Drama: Ariana’s Meet Cute and Liam’s Shady Dealings

On Wednesday, February 25th, it is the last day of sweeps, by the way. Arianna “Ari” Horton (Marissa Reyes) has a meet cute with Liam Selejko (Hank Northrop) and she kisses his cheek. The single criminal dad may regret taking money from Vivian Alamain (Louise Sorel) and possibly also taking money from Stephanie Johnson‘s (Abigail Klein) kidnapper now that things are looking up in his life.

We’re also going to see Holly Jonas (Ashley Puzemis) playing mean girl to Ari, who is going to lay into her and tell Holly the attitude is not cute and to drop it now. Plus, Liam gets an offer from EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel). This may be something like an ultimatum, like “come clean or else.” He may offer a payment to Liam, understanding that he’s broke.

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I think EJ is worked up about him taking money to help with the DiMera kidnappings. This is unless, before this happens, they sus out that Liam may have done some dirty work for Stephanie’s stalker, like delivering the photo frame, if they fingerprint it or something. Plus, Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) is there to encourage Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez), but that could make her feel even guiltier for planting the bug, wrecking Titan, and then lying to cover it up. Now Gabi is getting into a romance with Philip while still lying by omission every single day right to his face.

The Search for Stephanie Johnson and the Secret DiMera Lab Mystery on DOOL

Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn) and Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering) are going to join in the search for Stephanie. We know that EJ said the cops could search the lab, but there’s also the super secret lab within the lab. I’m wondering if this is when Rafe sneaks in and sees the big blue human test tube while he’s searching for Stephanie.

Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) has that ISA tool to read the code on the door, but EJ said that he would let her brother open up and give them access to the lab to just check and see if Stephanie is there. Meanwhile, Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) is trying to convince Dimitri von Leuschner DiMera (Peter Porte) of something.

I wonder if it’s to give up on getting evidence in Alamainia since none is forthcoming. Vivian won’t see Dimitri and things are looking really bad. Leo may think that Dimitri just needs to cut bait and run.

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Sophia Choi’s Blackmail Scheme and Rachel Black’s Legal Jeopardy on Days

Meanwhile, Sophia Choi (Rachel Boyd) blackmails Rachel Black (Alice Halsey). We’re going to see the tween getting a call, and Sophia tells Rachel she has to give Holly a gift, but Rachel can’t tell Holly that it’s from Sophia. I don’t know if it’s more of those nice skin supplements or if it’s something even worse. If Rachel gets into trouble, it could mess up her hearing and then she’s going to wind up in juvie or back in Bayview.

Thursday’s Emotional Fallout: Holly Jonas’ Viral Scandal and Chanel Dupree’s Health Scare

Thursday, February 26th, we’ve got Tate Black (Leo Howard) comforting Holly. She’s already distraught about the video of her just screeching at the sorority girl and the whole trending “Holly Jonas is a b-word” hashtag. Plus, Holly is of course upset that Ari chewed her out and that she’s doing well with Rush while Holly is not. Holly is the one who brought Ari into the whole Rush thing.

Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) tells Chanel Dupree (Raven Bowens) that he’s sorry so he won’t make it a habit. This may be about him missing the doctor appointment. Of course, right after the appointment, while she was talking to Paulina Price (Jackée Harry), Chanel started having some cramps. I think she’s just stressed out over everything that’s going on. Hopefully, the baby’s going to be just fine.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Abe Carver and EJ DiMera’s Secret Pact Over the DiMera CEO Position

EJ and Abe Carver (James Reynolds) talk about their shady little side deal they have going on about the DiMera CEO job that nobody but the two of them knows, unless EJ DiMera maybe told Rita Lesley (Maggie Carney). As we know, EJ wants Johnny to keep running DiMera long-term because he sees that as a doorway back into his son’s life.

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Meanwhile, Abe wants his son Theo Carver (Cameron Johnson) out of DiMera for good. He doesn’t want Theo to come back as CEO, and reviving Lexie Carver (Renee Jones) may play into all this. Theo, meanwhile, continues to get support from his stepmom, Paulina. If Theo wants to resume the CEO position and thinks that his health recovered enough to do it, Paulina may say, “Follow your gut.” But that might tick Abe off. The timing of it coming before Lexie Carver awakens on Days of our Lives, I don’t think, is any coincidence.

Friday DOOL Spoilers: Is Jeremy Horton Really Stephanie Johnson’s Kidnapper?

Friday, February 27th, we’ve got Steve and Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu) out searching for Stephanie along with everybody else. The kidnapper has stashed Stephanie in some kind of industrial-looking store room. The cop that was drugged described a generic doctor, saying the guy was tall with light eyes.

Jada prompted him and asked the cop, “Could it be Jeremy?” because he knows what Jeremy Horton (Michael Roark) looks like because of the BOLO, and the cop says yes. So, case closed, I guess. With everybody making assumptions, Leo and Dimitri have some concerns to discuss. I wonder if Leo will push Dimitri to just take his money and run so he won’t be locked up for the kidnapping.

The Return of Owen Kent and Steve Johnson’s Frantic Search on Days

Meanwhile, Stephanie tries to get free. She’s tied to that chair and stashed away in that icky store room. All this Jeremy stuff is insane. Steve showed Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes) a photo of a man wearing a mask who was dressed similarly to Jeremy on Halloween as a mad scientist. Again, I think Spirit Halloween in Salem probably sold more than one of those outfits.

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Julie sees it and immediately was certain that Jeremy is guilty. His face wasn’t shown. I don’t think that’s enough to get an arrest without his face being shown or some identifying characteristic like a scar or a tattoo. Alex Kiriakis (Robert Scott Wilson) and Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) head out looking for Stephanie as well. Brady helped save Stephanie from Owen Kent (Wes Ramsey) years ago, if you don’t remember.

Plus, on Friday, Owen Kent is back. Very soon, Steve grabs a guy in the park with a black hoodie expecting Jeremy. But it’s Owen. I think Jeremy being in a black hoodie on the most recent episode is just another red flag that this is ultimately Owen. It may be next week though when we see Steve get a hold of Owen.

Early Spoilers for March 2-6: Overdose Fears and the Lexie Carver Reveal on Days of Our Lives

The week of March 2nd through the 6th, we have to worry about whether Holly is going to overdose again. Signs point to a hospitalization for Holly soon. She’s taking very strong medication that was not prescribed for her. Ari keeps thinking about hunky Liam and she may go looking for a date with the older single dad.

I wonder if Gabi is going to find enough handwriting samples for Rafe to have the FBI lab prove the divorce document was faked. Rafe is nearly ready to try out his new Versix combo serum soon. Plus, It’s nearly time for EJ to show Paulina who he’s got in the tube and shock her. My guess remains that it’s Lexie Carver.

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Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Abe Carver (James Reynolds) - Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols)Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Abe Carver (James Reynolds) - Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols)
Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Abe Carver – Steve Johnson

Shawn-Douglas Brady and Jack Junior (JJ) Deveraux Face Mortal Danger While Stefano DiMera’s Will Surfaces on DOOL

Shawn-Douglas Brady (Brandon Beemer) and Jack Junior (JJ) Deveraux (Casey Moss) may face danger as they work with Liam to find the scarred man who hired him. Klaus should be in Salem soon to tie off loose ends, and he may be the shooter who wounds Shawn, but he may have actually been aiming for Liam.

It’s nearly time for Stefano DiMera’s will to be read. EJ is certain he knows what’s in it, but does he really? Or did Stefano pull some last-minute shenanigans and alter the will? Stephanie is still missing and Owen Kent is in town. We’ll finally get a better glimpse of who’s responsible for all of these deeds. Stephanie and everybody else assumes it’s Jeremy. I still don’t think it is. We’ll find out.

Romance for Brady Black and Sarah Horton as Alyvia Alyn Lind Exits the Show on Days

Brady and Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey) are ready to make love and that may drive Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) to extremes. We know Alice Halsey is leaving. As of June 11th, 2025, she was on the set of her new show, “Little House on the Prairie,” doing table reads. They are taping nine to ten months ahead. We should see her wrapping as Rachel in the next, I’m guessing, four to six weeks.

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