Taylor Swift clearly knows the power of a neutral sandal. The star often favors heeled versions when going out, and her latest versatile style — block-heeled sandals in classic black — is one you can wear over and over again. That kind of versatility is what drew Us to find a nearly identical version of the summer-ready shoes with a price tag that’s under $25.

While out in New York City, Swift wore a pair of open-toed sandals with two front straps and thick block heels. Aside from its secure, height-boosting base, the shoe’s dark tone and ventilated silhouette made it a practical choice for the warm summer season. Similarly, this budget-friendly version (currently on sale for $23!) features thick heels, wide front straps and thin toe straps, creating a modern cutout look.

Get the Pennysue Block Heel Square Toe Mules for $23 (originally $27) at Walmart! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Related: Taylor Swift’s Red-Accent Buckle Sandals Will Be Summer’s ‘It’ Shoe Style

Taylor Swift and the color red go together like peanut butter and jelly. The showgirl is known for her signature red lipstick and frequently integrates the bold hue into her wardrobe. Case in point, she just stepped out in buckle-style sandals for a stroll through Manhattan, and the romantic pair had burning red details we […]

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This backless style is easy to wear, as it can be slid on and off, no extra straps or laces required. The affordable pair is also instantly elevated by its subtly transparent front straps, which provide a dash of slick, glossy texture. Like Swift’s sandals, the chunky heels and neutral color can be dressed up or down, and since its heels aren’t toweringly tall, they can be effortlessly worn from day to night, too.

As Swift showed, this summer-ready shoe looks especially chic when paired with other neutral colors. During her evening at the members’ club Zero Bond, the singer coordinated her footwear with a small black handbag, beige trousers, and a white button-down shirt cinched with a thin black belt. The affordable version would look equally sharp in an all-neutral outfit with similar shades, such as a shirtdress or lightweight trousers and a silky blouse. For date nights or cocktail hour, a midi or mini-length dress with subtle accessories would also create a breezy, effortless look.

The practical shoe’s adaptable features also make it approachable for daytime wear. The combination of textures and height would bring a polished touch to a casual top or T-shirt with jeans. If you work in an office, they’d also create a clean base for a printed blouse and skirt or trousers while on the job.

The warm-weather-friendly shoe is a hit with customers as well. One shopper with narrow feet shared that the silhouette is “comfortable yet stylish,” and “goes with everything.” Another noted that the footwear, which they originally bought for a bridal shower, can be worn with “jeans or a dress” and is “perfect [for] daytime or a night out.”

When it comes to footwear, this effortless sandal style’s practical, polished details make it an MVP you’ll reach for time and time again. The pair’s versatile color and shape are easy to wear from day to night, with a bonus height boost from thick, walkable heels. Plus, with Swift’s stamp of approval, the summertime sandal is a style that’s fit for any occasion — no paparazzi required.

Get the Pennysue Block Heel Square Toe Mules for $23 (originally $27) at Walmart! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Related: Taylor Swift’s Sandals Are Over $1,000 — Copy the Look for 98% Less

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We’re always looking to Taylor Swift for outfit inspiration — and her latest might just include her most approachable shoe style yet. During a recent outing, the pop star wore eye-catching heeled sandals that retail for over $1,000, but we found a nearly identical version at a price that’s 98% lower. While out in the […]

ABC has ordered a Grey’s Anatomy spinoff set in rural Texas — but how many other follow-up shows have there been?

The medical drama, which premiered in 2005, is focused on the personal and professional lives of surgical interns, residents and attendings at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital a.k.a Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital a.k.a Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Due to the nature of the show, Grey’s Anatomy has become known for its wild twists that often result in cast exits. The show’s success has also paved the way for several spinoffs including Private Practice and Station 19.

In May 2026, news broke that ABC scored a follow-up to Grey’s Anatomy, which will be set in rural West Texas. The upcoming series will be cocreated, written and executive produced by Shonda Rhimes and Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Meg Marinis. Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo is also executive producing the new offshoot, which will premiere midseason 2027.

Related: ‘Grey‘s Anatomy‘ Behind-the-Scenes Drama: A Timeline

Grey’s Anatomy has captivated audiences since its March 2005 premiere, but sometimes, what was going on behind-the-scenes of the series was more dramatic than what went down in the fictional hallways of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. “I do my best and we all do our best. It’s actually, the journey of it has been quite […]

“I am incredibly excited to expand the Grey’s Anatomy universe,” Marinis said in a statement. “This opportunity will bring new characters and stories to life that will embody the same heart, emotion and connection audiences have loved from Grey’s for more than two decades — all set in my home state of Texas. I am so grateful to Shonda Rhimes for creating this dynamic world and feel so fortunate that I get to be a part of it.”

The show will be built around a new group of doctors but likely would be connected to Grey’s via one or more characters — potentially Debbie Allen’s Catherine Fox.

Keep scrolling for a breakdown of each Grey’s Anatomy spinoff:

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Related: How the New Slate of Medical TV Shows Differ From Each Other

Colin Bentley/CBS Is it just Us or are there a lot of new medical TV shows coming our way this fall? Luckily, Us Weekly compiled a full list and compared each one to see which series is the best fit for which fan. There’s just something about a show set in a hospital that has […]

‘Private Practice’

The initial spinoff, which aired from 2007 to 2013, took place at Seaside Health & Wellness Center and chronicled the life of Kate Walsh’s Dr. Addison Montgomery as she left Seattle Grace Hospital in order to join a private practice.

‘Station 19’

Set in Seattle, the series focused on the lives of the men and women at Seattle Fire Station 19. It featured Jason George from Grey’s and ran from 2018 to 2024.

Unnamed Rural Texas Series

Deadline confirmed in May 2026 that ABC gave a straight-to-series order to the untitled medical drama, which is described as “an edgy drama about a team at a rural West Texas medical center — the last chance for care before miles of nowhere.”

Michelle Pfeiffer is revealing the reality behind the idyllic setting of her hit show The Madison.

The three-time Oscar nominee shot the Paramount+ drama, created by Yellowstone’s Taylor Sheridan, in rural Montana, which meant getting back to basics.

“There is no bathroom. Even the outhouse is not real. There’s no AC, there’s no plumbing, there isn’t anything,” Pfeiffer, 68, shared in an interview with the Los Angeles Times published on Monday, May 18. “But it is breathtakingly beautiful. It is glorious.”

“It took a while [to adjust],” she said. “It was all a little bit rushed for everyone. So there weren’t certain things, sort of accommodations, set up. We didn’t really have trailers there because they were shooting 360 [degrees], so they couldn’t have a bunch of trailers around. So there really was no place for us to sit.”

Pfeiffer added, “There was no bathroom nearby. There was no food. In the winter, it was cold [and] it was like, ‘Could we have a heater?’ And in the summer, it was like, ‘Could I get an umbrella because the sun’s really intense?’”

In The Madison, Pfeiffer plays Stacy Clyburn, the matriarch of the Clyburn family, who relocate from New York City to Montana in the wake of patriarch Preston Clyburn’s death. The cast includes Kurt Russell, Matthew Fox, Patrick J. Adams, Beau Garrett and more.

Pfeiffer previously revealed she signed on to star in the series before there was even a script.

“I committed to it without even having read anything. It was really just him explaining the scope of the character and kind of the outline of where it was going,” the actress told Entertainment Tonight in March.

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Related: Will Taylor Sheridan’s ‘The Madison’ Return for Season 2 on Paramount+?

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The Madison just wrapped up its first season — but will there be a season 2? Taylor Sheridan‘s hit series concluded on Saturday, March 21, after airing six episodes across two weeks. The Madison followed the Clyburn family from New York City, who “relocate to the Madison River valley of southwest Montana for emotional recovery […]

Pfeiffer continued, “I said, ‘Well, I’d really love to read something.’ And he said, ‘No, I really like to cast it first and then I write.’ I said, ‘Well, I’d really like to read something and then I commit.’ We went back and forth over a couple of weeks like that, and then I realized I wasn’t going to win this argument and I was either going to have to commit or give it up.”

The Madison’s first season, consisting of six episodes, premiered in March. The show was quietly renewed for a second season, also consisting of six episodes, before it premiered. Season 2 has already filmed, but a premiere date has not yet been announced.

Following the success of season 1 on Paramount+, the network renewed The Madison for a third season in April.

Britney Spears is once again facing intense public scrutiny after newly released 911 calls painted a troubling picture of the singer’s behavior before her DUI arrest earlier this year.

Drivers who contacted police described frightening moments on the road as Spears allegedly swerved through traffic in California.

The disturbing reports have resurfaced concerns surrounding the pop icon’s personal struggles and ongoing recovery journey.

The newly released emergency calls offered a tense account of the moments leading up to Spears’ March 4 arrest for driving under the influence.

Multiple callers contacted authorities after allegedly witnessing dangerous driving behavior involving a black BMW reportedly being driven by the singer.

One caller told dispatchers in a 911 call Page Six obtained, “I’m reporting an erratic driving person. They are driving a BMW.”

The individual then explained that the vehicle appeared to be moving unpredictably on the road. According to the caller, the BMW was swerving “in and out of lanes” while “erratically slamming on the breaks.”

Another witness claimed the situation quickly became alarming as the vehicle nearly collided with other drivers. The caller said, “It almost side swiped a couple of vehicles. It’s driving at high speeds. I’m worried they’re going to crash with somebody.”

A second driver also contacted the California Highway Patrol with similar concerns. The caller stated, “Possible drunk driver. It is a black BMW. They’re randomly breaking in and out of the lanes.”

The witness further alleged that the vehicle “Almost side swiped three or four vehicles. I am loosely trailing them.”

Rehab Decision Followed The March Arrest

Weeks after the arrest, Britney Spears reportedly made a major personal decision regarding her health and well-being. On April 12, the singer checked herself into rehab for substance abuse treatment.

Sources close to Spears insisted the move came directly from her own desire to improve her situation rather than outside pressure. One insider told Page Six, “This was her own choice.”

The source explained that the treatment process was not tied to one specific issue, adding, “This isn’t about one substance in particular, it has a dual purpose. … this is about Britney putting her mental health first and taking some time for herself to focus on the things that are important to her.”

Another comment from the insider suggested Spears was committed to taking accountability and focusing on recovery. The source said, “She’s dedicated to working on her health. This is something she really wants to do for herself. This was her own decision.”

The singer’s rehab stay became one of the biggest celebrity stories of the spring as supporters expressed concern over her emotional state following months of headlines surrounding her personal life.

Britney Spears Accepted Reduced Charge In Court

Spears’ legal case later took a different direction when her attorney appeared in Ventura County Superior Court on May 4. Rather than moving forward with the original DUI charge, prosecutors agreed to reduce the case to a “wet reckless” offense.

The reduced charge is commonly used in situations involving first-time offenders, low blood alcohol levels, and incidents where no injuries or crashes occurred.

As part of the agreement, Spears received one year of informal probation. She was also ordered to complete a three-month alcohol education program totaling 30 hours.

Her attorney, Michael Goldstein, publicly addressed the outcome after the hearing. Goldstein told Page Six, “Through her plea today, Britney has accepted responsibility for her conduct. She has taken significant steps to implement positive change which is clearly reflected in the Ventura County District Attorney’s decision to reduce the charge in this case and dismiss the DUI.”

He also shared appreciation for the support Spears has received since the arrest became public. Goldstein added, “Britney appreciates this discretion and is also grateful for the outpouring of support she has received.”

The legal development was viewed by some as a sign that Spears was attempting to move forward after a difficult few months.

Restaurant Incident Sparked Fresh Concern

Despite reports claiming Britney Spears has been “doing really well” following rehab, another headline-making incident surfaced earlier this month after witnesses alleged the singer caused a disturbance at a Los Angeles restaurant.

Entertainment journalist Jeff Sneider described bizarre behavior allegedly displayed by Spears during dinner service. He claimed, “The woman sat down and proceeded to make a lot of woofing or barking noises and just throw a lot of outbursts.”

Sneider also alleged that Spears appeared to still be holding a knife while speaking animatedly at the table. According to him, the singer may have “forgot[ten] to put down her silverware.”

While Sneider insisted he did not feel physically threatened, the situation still shocked diners nearby. He recalled, “I wasn’t threatened or anything like that. But when she eventually left, I turned around and was like, ‘Holy s–t, that was crazy!’ to the entire section.”

Another woman reportedly reacted much more fearfully to the situation. Sneider claimed the woman said, “She had a knife and came toward me. I thought she was going to stab me.”

Britney Spears’ Rep Denied Wild Knife Claims

Following the growing attention surrounding the restaurant incident, Spears’ representative strongly denied the more dramatic allegations being shared online.

A rep for the singer insisted the encounter had been misrepresented. The spokesperson said, “This is completely blown out of proportion. Britney was enjoying a quiet dinner with her assistant and bodyguard. She was simply telling the story about how her dog was barking at the neighbors.”

The representative also pushed back on suggestions that Spears endangered anyone during the outing.

The rep explained, “At no point did she put anyone in danger with a knife. She was cutting her hamburger in half.”

Even so, the combination of the DUI calls, rehab stay, legal troubles, and latest restaurant controversy has kept Spears firmly in the spotlight during another turbulent chapter in her public life.

dySister Wives star Kody Brown has a tendency to move from one topic to another, which often has little to do with the subject at hand. In a new social media post, he does this once again when he divulges some info about his siblings harassing him to do something.

Kody Brown Doesn’t See Sister Wives Like Other Polygamy Shows

Kody Brown speaks to a Sister Wives fan who claims polygamy shows are her guilty pleasure. This started Kody on the road to explaining why his TLC series is different from all the rest of the polygamy shows offered today.

He suggests that many of the shows about polygamy are toxic, which is unlike Sister Wives. Then he describes his series as a show about a loving family. Now this newer polygamy documentary series has emerged, which Kody has yet to see. But he believes it follows suit with the rest of the polygamy shows, except for his, of course.

Kody’s Siblings

The name of the new show is Trust Me, and it is billed as a documentary, Trust Me—The False Prophet. Kody said his siblings are harassing him to watch it. He claims he’s heard that this new series demonstrates a “creepy side” to polygamy.

Kody talks about this in a Cameo video that he made for a fan. The Sister Wives star then suggests to this fan that she watch it. It sounds like he believes it will demonstrate the contrast between his show and all the other ones depicting the polygamous lifestyle.

While Kody Brown’s siblings weren’t part of the Brown family series, we got a fleeting glimpse of a couple of his brothers throughout the Sister Wives seasons. And once in a blue moon, he also talked about them on Sister Wives.

Sister Wives: The Other Shows Are Different

Kody suggests his TV show wasn’t about toxic behavior. Instead, it was about the love of an unconventional family. However, he did say he thought his family was fun. And then he added how “it was fun until it was not fun.”

But did he forget how some of his less-than-stellar behavior found its way onto the Sister Wives screen? Not to mention what his three ex-wives had to say about the treatment they endured from their shared hubby.

He now says he chose to do the Sister Wives show because polygamy is seen as very cultlike. Kody said he never saw his church like a cult. He defines a cult as “easy to get into and hard to get out of.”

He says his church was just the opposite. With his church it was hard to get into and “super easy” to get out of. He just “walked away” from his church. So, they were nothing like a cult, Kody declared.

Why Harass Kody to Watch the New Show?

So, why would his siblings want Kody Brown to watch Trust Me? Kody never said why he thought they were riding him to tune in. According to the description offered by Rotten Tomatoes, this documentary is about a cult expert and her videographer husband embedding themselves in one of the groups that make up Utah’s FLDS community.

What they discovered was called “disturbing.” Anyway, when this fan shared her guilty pleasure of watching shows about polygamy, Kody jumped right in with this documentary, suggesting she could watch it. And then shared how his siblings want him to watch it as well.

Head back to Soap Dirt for the latest buzz on Sister Wives.

This week, Watch With Us has decided to look back at some of our favorite shows of the 1980s.

If you’re still only beholden to modern television, you don’t yet know what delights await you in the 1980s.

The fact is that some of the best TV shows ever made came out in the ’80s. The seminal Cheers and Taxi, and the iconic Star Trek saga, The Next Generation.

The Watch With Us team has put together our five favorite ’80s shows and where you can watch them right now.

Related: 7 Best Fantasy Movies of the 1980s, Ranked From Least to Greatest

Sci-fi blockbusters like the Star Wars trilogy and Back to the Future may have ruled the ’80s, but it was also a golden age for fantasy movies. This was a decade when Hollywood wasn’t afraid to make some big swings in the fantasy genre, many of which remain among the best ever made. The Watch […]

Sam Malone (Ted Danson), a former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, runs Boston’s own popular watering hole, Cheers. Thus, Cheers follows Sam and the many diverse employees, customers and friends with whom he interacts every day on the job at his bar. The colorful characters include waitress Diane (Shelley Long), who works there while studying in grad school, psychiatrist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and bartender Woody (Woody Harrelson).

Cheers was nearly canceled for poor ratings in its first season, but it became the ultimate comeback kid in subsequent seasons, consistently topping the ratings charts and winning an impressive 28 Emmys. The success of the show helped to kickstart the career of Harrleson, while also spurring the equally successful spin-off show, Frasier, centered on Frasier Crane and his life in Seattle. Cheers is still beloved for its comfy atmosphere and top-tier comedy writing.

This legendary sitcom led by Betty White, Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty and Rue McClanahan follows four much older women living together in Miami, as they experience the joys and irritations of aging. There’s the headstrong Dorothy (Arthur), her mother Sophia (Getty), the man-hungry Blanche (McClanahan) and practical-minded Rose (White). Together, these broads may butt heads, but they’re always there for one another when it counts.

The Golden Girls is an ultimate feel-good comfort sitcom, with top-to-bottom charismatic performances from the leading ladies and moments that are sure to make you laugh out loud. At the time, the show was groundbreaking for its progressive depiction of older women navigating things like sex, dating and friendship, smashing stereotypes about aging.

The Emmy-winning Taxi chronicles the lives of a group of New York cab drivers, the employees of the Sunshine Cab Company. Largely set in the company’s Manhattan fleet garage, the eclectic characters of Taxi include their overbearing dispatcher Louis (Danny DeVito), struggling actor Bobby (Jeff Conaway), aspiring boxer Tony (Tony Danza), receptionist Elaine and mechanic Latka Gravis (Andy Kaufman). Only Alex (Judd Hirsch) considers cabbing his profession, believing that it’s what he will spend the rest of his life doing.

Taxi is still widely regarded as one of the best comedy shows of all time and one of the best shows of all time, period. The show boasts a terrific blend of sharp, character-driven comedy and genuinely tender drama. The memorable performances, including those from Hirsch, DeVito and Christopher Lloyd in particular, have continued to be seen as iconic, in characters that are hilarious, complex and deeply relatable.

The galactic explorations of the crew aboard the USS Enterprise-D take center stage in this second live-action series in the Star Trek franchise. Nearly a century after Captain Kirk (William Shatner) finished his original five-year mission, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) now carries on Kirk’s legacy as he explores brave new worlds with his eclectic crew, including Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton).

The massive success of Star Trek: The Next Generation brought with it not just an all-new generation of viewers into the Star Trek fandom, but also helped to lay the groundwork for the subsequent spinoff shows that have continued on for the past few decades. It is still frequently considered one of the best TV shows of all time, praised for its well-written, intellectual sci-fi stories and terrific ensemble cast.

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Former model Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) is scammed out of her money by her accountant and finds herself bankrupt and out of work. In an unconventional way to try to make money again, she opens up a private detective agency. Maddie partners herself up with a snarky P.I. named David Addison (Bruce Willis), and together the mismatched pair investigates cases at the Blue Moon Detective Agency — while also slowly falling in love.

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Related: A Guide to TV Reboots and Revivals Through the Years

From sitcoms and game shows to dramas and cartoons, the list of TV reboots and revivals is a long one. Waiting to Exhale and Conan the Barbarian are both films being made into TV shows, while Gilmore Girls was transformed into four seasons for its Netflix revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, which […]

Moonlighting served as the breakout role for Willis and helped to restart Shepherd’s career. It was also groundbreaking at the time for its ambitious combination of comedy, drama, mystery and romance; an atypical genre-mashup for a TV show back then, that was also notable for its deployment of fourth-wall breaking. In fact, Moonlighting is still considered one of television’s first successful “dramedies.”

By Chris Sawin
| Published 22 seconds ago

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first Star Wars film released theatrically in nine years, and the first to be based on a Disney+ property. While the film doesn’t feel quite as slapped together or as rushed as Moana 2, which was also originally conceived as a television series, The Mandalorian and Grogu fails to make the big-budget film feel any different than any season of The Mandalorian.

The film was initially imagined as The Mandalorian’s fourth season. Instead, co-writer and director Jon Favreau decided to turn it into a theatrical film. Taking place between the events of Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi and before the sequel trilogy, Din Djarin/The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) is now bounty hunting for The New Republic. His bond with Grogu has grown even stronger, and his little apprentice is getting more powerful.

This review does contain storyline spoilers. If that sort of thing bothers you, please read at your own risk.

Too Safe To Truly Hit Hard

Answering to Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver), The New Republic is searching for the whereabouts of Commander Coin, whom they have very little information about apart from his name. The Mandalorian is forced to work with the Hutt Twins on a rescue mission for Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White), Jabba the Hutt’s son, from planet Shakari in order to gain information on Coin.

The story is lackluster at best, which is sad since writers Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Noah Kloor are capable of creating something that doesn’t feel so safe. The main plot is essentially that The Mandalorian has grown soft due to his bond with Grogu. He’s decided to be a good guy and works for The New Republic.

The film is basically him bouncing from one bounty-hunting job to another until he gets the Rotta the Hutt job. He knows the Hutts’ reputation and that no one should disobey them, but he does just that, and everything that happens afterward is because he couldn’t complete the initial job as he was asked to do.

Most of this comes from his meeting with Rotta the Hutt. Expecting the worst, Rotta is rather kind despite his imposing physique. He’s nice to Grogu, and he’s nothing like Jabba. The Mandalorian makes an empathetic decision over a business-related one and pays the price.

In between all of this is the film’s insistence on pointing out how reckless The Mandalorian is on missions. On at least three separate occasions, either Din Djarin himself or Colonel Ward refers to his actions as “messy” and implies that everything has hit the fan, but at least the main goal was accomplished. It’s very much a concept borrowed from the Lethal Weapon or Dirty Harry films.

Clonking And Bonking

The film has two major stunt coordinators: J.J. Dashnaw (The Equalizer 2, The Matrix Resurrections) and Mandy Kowalski (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Wonder Woman). The credits between Dashnaw and Kowalski imply that the two not only know how to piece together an entertaining action sequence, but also to throw in a little variety over the course of a couple of hours.

Apart from the opening battle and The Mandalorian’s fight with Embo, the action in the film grows redundant and stale rather quickly. Most of the action is a lot of clonking and bonking, accentuated by signature pew-pew plasma blasts from a blaster pistol or rifle. Rinse and repeat, and then mix it up by throwing someone off a cliff, and that’s the extent of the action choreography here.

There are a couple of chases thrown in for good measure, and a different character or two to try to make things interesting. Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios (Steve Blum) from Star Wars Rebels pops up and bounds off the ceilings and walls while fighting, similar to Beast from The X-Men, but none of the action feels memorable or unique.

Grogu and the Anzellan, Babu Frik, have such weird movements in the film. Jon Favreau has stated that he incorporated puppeteering and stop-motion into The Mandalorian and Grogu, but these little guys look like they’re hopping around on strings the majority of the time, like they’re auditioning for a Team America: World Police sequel.

There are two giant droids in The Twins’ lair that are brought to life through stop-motion animation. What makes the segment even cooler is that it was likely done by Tippett Studio (Mad God, the original RoboCop films). These giant droids give off gargantuan Iron Man vibes, especially the Mark I’s creation in the cave, which isn’t too much of a stretch since Favreau directed that film as well.

Not The Triumphant Return Star Wars So Desperately Needs

The issue with this film is that it hints at ideas for potential Star Wars films that are immediately more promising than this. Shakari has this futuristic city nightlife in the rain aesthetic, not unlike Blade Runner, which immediately makes you crave a gritty Star Wars noir film, or a modern western that at least somewhat resembles Lone Wolf and Cub.

Rotta’s chemistry with both The Mandalorian and Grogu makes it seem like he’d be a worthy addition to their adventures. Since Grogu doesn’t talk and Rotta is basically all muscle, the dynamic between the three of them in other adventures could be really exciting and entertaining. While the film we received does capitalize on this to some extent, it’s a watered-down version that feels very Marvel; we’ll see Rotta later, but only in a smaller role or as part of some other project several years from now.

Embo is the coolest character featured in the film. Originally introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Embo is a Kyuzo bounty hunter and has an anooba named Marrok assist on his hunts. He’s hired by the Twins to bring in The Mandalorian after the Rotta rescue mission goes a different route. The issue is Embo is cool, but he doesn’t really do much of anything. He eventually has a full-blown fight with The Mandalorian and is technically a highlight of the film, but he’s still forgettable. It feels like he’s a strong background character, is liked by fans, but is still transitioning to becoming relevant.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is not the triumphant return to the big screen that the franchise was looking for. It’s watchable, but it’s incredibly monotonous, has nothing substantially important occur, and feels like an afterthought even in comparison to the television series it’s based on.

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU SCORE

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu forces its way into theaters May 22.

The first reactions to Amazon MGM’s Masters of the Universe are finally here, and the early buzz is sounding far more positive than many fans expected.

Following the film’s world premiere, several early reactions praised the movie for fully embracing the larger than life fantasy insanity that made the original franchise iconic in the 1980s. One of the most talked about reactions described the film as “gloriously campy, wildly entertaining, and nonstop fun from beginning to end,” with many viewers praising director Travis Knight for understanding exactly what fans wanted from a live action He Man movie.

The film stars Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam/He Man alongside Jared Leto, Idris Elba, Camila Mendes, and Alison Brie. The story follows Adam returning to Eternia after years away in order to confront Skeletor and reclaim his destiny as the most powerful man in the universe.

A major theme appearing throughout reactions is the movie’s willingness to lean into the colorful fantasy tone of the original cartoons and toy line instead of grounding everything in realism. Some viewers are already comparing the film’s energy to modern fantasy blockbusters, pointing to its oversized visuals, cosmic mythology, and unapologetically fun approach to the material.

Masters of the Universe [credit: Amazon Studios]

Interestingly, “campy” is clearly being used as a compliment this time around. The franchise has always carried a certain level of over the top fantasy charm, and many fans online seem relieved that the movie did not attempt to strip away that identity. Discussions across social media have praised the film for embracing the weirdness of Eternia rather than trying to reinvent it into something overly dark or self serious.

The premiere itself also featured a major full circle moment for longtime fans when original 1987 He Man actor Dolph Lundgren appeared alongside Galitzine on the red carpet holding the iconic Sword of Power.

Amazon MGM appears to be positioning Masters of the Universe as one of its biggest theatrical releases of 2026, and based on these first reactions, the studio may finally have a genuine crowd pleasing fantasy franchise on its hands.

Masters of the Universe arrives in theaters on June 5, 2026.