The idea of a “Glee curse” has lingered for years, fueled by the tragic deaths of three cast members. While some continue to point to those heartbreaking losses as evidence the show is “cursed,” Kevin McHale is pushing back against the narrative, arguing that it unfairly overshadows the lives of those involved.
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The “Glee” curse narrative emerged following the deaths of some cast members. It gained traction following the release of the three-part miniseries, “The Price of Glee,” in which the tragic passing of Cory Monteith, Mark Salling, and Naya Rivera were explored.
Kevin McHale, who played Artie Abrams in the musical TV series, took to X on July 29 to share his thoughts about the so-called curse surrounding the show.
“Let me log off today because the way too many of you talk about real people who have passed as a ‘sacrifice’ or a ‘curse’ in regards to a tv show is f-cking diabolical and untethered from any sort of humanity or reality. get f-cked,” McHale wrote.
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Many agreed with the actor’s sentiment. One user noted, “It’s so f-cking disrespectful to their memory and to their families and friends.” “When entertainment starts making people forget they’re talking about actual human beings, it’s time to step away from the screen,” another added.
The Actor Previously Talked About The ‘Curse’
In an interview on “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show” in 2024, McHale discussed the so-called curse, admitting that they make jokes about it.
“The amount of times we’ve said some things that everyone gets really quiet, we’re like, ‘No no. Understand, if we don’t laugh about this, we will all just be sad, cause it’s insane. It really is crazy,” McHale said.
The actor added he wasn’t superstitious and didn’t believe in curses. As for what happened to his “Glee” co-stars, he said they were just coincidental. “I just think a lot of unfortunate, really horrible accidents do happen,” he stressed. Later, he said there’s nothing to be gained by believing “Glee” is cursed.
Three ‘Glee’ Main Cast Members Passed Away Tragically
Is the curse of Glee real?
Cory Monteith died at age 31 from an accidental drug and alcohol overdose.
Cory Monteith (Finn Hudson) passed away in 2013 due to an accidental overdose. The loss was a big blow to the cast and crew, and it was written into the fifth season of “Glee.” The show intentionally left out his character’s cause of death, and the cast sang emotional tributes to honor his memory.
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Mark Salling (Noah “Puck” Puckerman) faced legal troubles in the years before his death. In late 2015, he was arrested for possessing thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse materials. Salling agreed to a plea agreement and pleaded guilty in 2017. He died by suicide in January 2018, a few months before his sentencing hearing.
Naya Rivera (Santana Lopez) died of an accidental drowning in 2020. She went out boating on a lake with her then-4-year-old son, who was later found alone in the boat. Authorities concluded that the actress helped her son back into the boat before she drowned.
Several Of The Show’s Crew Members Also Died
“The Price of Glee” also mentioned the deaths of some other people associated with the show. An assistant director and a props crew member both died of a heart attack. A rigger and production assistant died by suicide, and a stand-in for actor Matthew Morrison died in a vehicular accident.
Many fans heavily criticized the docu-series for leaning into the “curse,” saying it exploited real-life tragedies for the sake of entertainment. Amid the backlash, a writer for the documentary claimed some “Glee” cast and crew were involved in the project, which was refuted by McHale, Chord Overstreet, and Jenna Ushkowitz.
“I think that’s all bullsh-t. I think anybody that knows anything about that show and experienced it doesn’t have anything to do with that from what I know,” Overstreet said.
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Is Ryan Murphy Rebooting ‘Glee’?
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It has been more than a decade since “Glee” aired its final episode, and co-creator and showrunner Ryan Murphy teased it may be time to reboot the series.
“That show is interesting because it’s come back around. So many young people now watch it. And I’m like, ‘Maybe we should revisit that show’,” Murphy told PEOPLE.
While he didn’t confirm that a reboot is in the works, Murphy seems keen on the idea of creating “a new incarnation” of the Emmy-winning musical series.
2026 has been one of the biggest years of Matt Damon’s career — possibly the biggest, which says a lot when you’ve had the career that he has. Damon opened 2026 by reuniting with his long-time friend and collaborator Ben Affleck for The Rip, the Netflix original crime thriller that dropped back in January. The film picked up over 100 million views before it finally lost steam in March. Damon followed his work in The Rip with the most ambitious project of his entire career, The Odyssey, the new historical epic from director Christopher Nolan. The film is already shattering records at the box office on its way to becoming one of the highest-rated movies of all time. Damon may be one of the best actors of all time, but not all of his projects are certified hits.
Back in 2021, when the movie industry and the world as a whole was still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, Damon starred in a largely forgotten drama that’s making a comeback on streaming. Damon features alongside Camille Cottin and Abigail Breslin in Stillwater, which earned less than $20 million at the box office due to the social distancing restrictions and theater closings happening at the time. With The Odyssey now out in theaters, fans are naturally curious to check out some of Damon’s recent work, and although Stillwater is not currently on streaming in America, the film is picking up steam on VOD in a handful of countries around the world. It’s quietly becoming one of the biggest VOD hits of the summer.
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Collider Exclusive · Taylor Sheridan Universe Quiz Which Taylor Sheridan Show Do You Belong In? Yellowstone · Landman · Tulsa King · Mayor of Kingstown
Four worlds. All of them brutal, complicated, and built on power, loyalty, and the price of survival. Taylor Sheridan doesn’t write heroes — he writes people who do what they have to do and live with the cost. Ten questions will reveal which one of his worlds you were made for.
🤠Yellowstone
🛢️Landman
👑Tulsa King
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⚖️Mayor of Kingstown
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01
Where does your power come from? In Sheridan’s world, everyone has leverage. The question is what kind.
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02
Who do you put first, no matter what? Loyalty in Sheridan’s universe is always absolute — and always costly.
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03
Someone crosses a line. How do you respond? Every Sheridan protagonist has a line. What matters is what happens after it’s crossed.
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04
Where do you feel most in your element? Sheridan’s worlds are as much about place as they are about people.
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05
How do you feel about operating in the grey? Nobody in a Sheridan show has clean hands. The question is how they carry the dirt.
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06
What are you actually fighting to hold onto? Every Sheridan character is fighting a war. The real question is what they’re defending.
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07
How do you lead? Authority in Sheridan’s world is never given — it’s established, maintained, and constantly tested.
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08
Someone new arrives and tries to change how things work. Your reaction? Every Sheridan show has an outsider disrupting an established order. Sometimes that outsider is you.
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09
What has your position cost you? Nobody gets to where these characters are without paying for it. The bill is always personal.
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10
When it’s over, what do you want people to say? Sheridan’s characters all know the ending is coming. The question is what they leave behind.
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Sheridan Has Spoken You Belong In…
The show that claimed the most of your answers is the world you were built for. If two tied, both are shown — you’re complicated enough to straddle two Sheridan universes.
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🤠 Yellowstone
🛢️ Landman
👑 Tulsa King
⚖️ Mayor of Kingstown
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You are a Dutton — or you might as well be. You understand that some things are worth protecting at any cost, and that the modern world’s indifference to history, to land, to legacy, is not something you’re willing to accept quietly. You lead from the front, you carry your family’s weight without complaint, and when someone threatens what’s yours, you don’t escalate — you finish it. You’re not cruel. But you are absolute. In Yellowstone’s world, that combination of ferocity and loyalty doesn’t make you a villain. It makes you the only thing standing between everything that matters and everyone who wants to take it.
You thrive in the chaos of high-stakes negotiation, where the money is enormous, the margins are thin, and the wrong word in the wrong room can cost everyone everything. You’re a fixer — the person called when a situation is already on fire and needs someone with the nerve to walk into it. West Texas oil country rewards exactly what you are: sharp, adaptable, unsentimental, and absolutely clear-eyed about what people want and what they’ll do to get it. You’re not naive enough to think this world is fair. You’re smart enough to be the one deciding who it’s fair to.
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You are a Dwight Manfredi — someone who has served their time, paid their dues, and arrived somewhere unexpected with nothing but their reputation and their wits. You adapt without losing yourself. You build loyalty through respect rather than fear, though you’re not above reminding people that the two aren’t mutually exclusive. Tulsa King is for people who are still standing when everyone assumed they’d be finished — who find, in an unfamiliar place, that they’re more capable than the world gave them credit for. You don’t need a throne. You build one, wherever you happen to land.
You carry the weight of a system that is broken by design, and you do it anyway — because someone has to, and because you’re the only one positioned to do it without the whole thing collapsing. Mike McLusky’s world is for people who are comfortable operating where there are no good options, only less catastrophic ones. You speak every language: law enforcement, criminal, political, human. That fluency makes you invaluable and it makes you a target. You’ve made your peace with both. Mayor of Kingstown belongs to people who understand that keeping the peace is not the same as being at peace — and who do the job regardless.
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What Is ‘Stillwater’ About?
Stillwater follows a rugged man named Bill, who travels from Oklahoma to France to help his daughter, who is in prison being framed for murder. Bill is the definition of a fish out of water, and he couldn’t be further from the comforts of home in this story, but it forces him to confront how far he’s willing to go to protect those he loves. The film is reminiscent of what fans have seen writer Taylor Sheridan pull off in recent years with his movies and shows, especially with its focus on a grizzled blue-collar worker from Oklahoma. Stillwater earned solid scores of 75% from critics and 71% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.
Check out Stillwater on VOD platforms like Prime Video and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Matt Damon’s future projects.
Chicago Fireis going through some cast changes — which means not everyone is returning for season 15.
The One Chicago franchise has been known for making headlines over the years as cast members often come and go across all three shows: Chicago Fire, Chicago Med and Chicago P.D. Before Chicago Fire returned for season 15, multiple outlets confirmed that Joe Miñoso was leaving the hit NBC series.
Off screen, showrunner Andrea Newmanexited the show after more than a decade.
Newman, who worked on Chicago Fire for its entire 14-season run, confirmed her departure in April, with coexecutive producer Victor Teran taking over the role. Newman joined Chicago Fire after the pilot as coexecutive producer before being promoted to executive producer. She was then named coshowrunner before becoming the sole showrunner in 2023.
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“Working at Chicago Fire, with the absolute best cast and crew in the business, has been the highlight of my career,” Newman said in a statement. “Like so many others, I was inspired to get into TV writing because of Dick [Wolf], so what a thrill it’s been to work with him and the amazing Wolf team of Peter Jankowski, Rebecca McGill and Anastasia Puglisi. I’m so grateful to them, Derek Haas and the NBC and Universal execs who have been so supportive of the show all along the way. After 14 years, you really do become a family and working with this group will always feel like home.”
Jankowski, meanwhile, released a separate statement, which read, “We’re sad to say goodbye to Andrea. She’s been at the center of the heart and soul of Chicago Fire since the beginning, and the show thrived under her watch. We’re grateful for her commitment to the development of the next generation and know the show will be in great hands with Victor taking the reins.”
While not everyone will remain on Chicago Fire, there is no show without Kinney’s character, Kelly Severide.
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David Eigenberg
Eigenberg is expected to return as Herrmann in season 15.
Christian Stolte
The expectation for now is that Stolte returns as Mouch.
Joe Miñoso
Miñoso played firefighter Joe Cruz since Chicago Fire premiered in 2012. According to reports, the actor is expected to appear in several episodes during season 15 before his exit.
Miranda Rae Mayo
Since Mayo has played Stella on Chicago Fire since 2016, the expectation is that she sticks around despite the possible shakeups behind the scenes.
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Hanako Greensmith
Greensmith is expected to remain on the show as Violet.
It is never easy to unexpectedly say goodbye to your favorite characters — and 2026 has featured an influx of shocking departures on our TV screens from Grey’s Anatomy to Virgin River. Virgin River fans were surprised when showrunner Patrick Sean Smith confirmed multiple characters were written off the show after season 7. Marco Grazzini addressed […]
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Jocelyn Hudon
The assumption is that Hudon will be back as Lizzie again.
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Da’Vinchi
Da’Vinchi joined the next season as Marcus Burke, according to Deadline. Da’Vinchi will portray a new firefighter candidate who is described as “roguish and funny with a wry sense of humor, and also a little defiant.”
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Dermot Mulroney
Mulroney was missing for several episodes in season 14 when he was written off the show with a story line that required him to be off screen. Mulroney appeared on Chicago Fire as Dom Pascal until Rob Morgan took over his position at Firehouse 51. Mulroney returned in the May 2026 finale after his future in the franchise seemed unclear.
He is expected to return in season 15 to wrap up his story line.
Ariana Grande has got fans debating the inspiration behind her latest song!
The sensational singer/actress sent fans into a frenzy after releasing “Bad Thing (Bunny Hop)” on Friday, July 31, as part of her new album, “Petal.”
The steamy lyrics had many believing Ariana Grande wrote the song for Ricky Alvarez, her ex-turned-current boyfriend. The former couple reunited following the end of the entertainer’s romance with Ethan Slater.
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The song in question made waves after its Friday release, with the official visualizer and lyrics dropping on YouTube. The track featured what appeared to be Grande’s confessions about a lover she’s head over heels for, with some of the words hinting at Alvarez.
The song’s second verse read: “You know you make a real good boyfriend. In my dreams, and in real life. Meet you by the staircase where we fell in love, let’s do it twice.” There were also lyrics about Grande wasting time with other men while her lover was “a good boy through all of this noise.”
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The catchy chorus saw Grande asking if the man has “been this fine the whole damn time,” with another verse noting their chemistry “never used to be like this.” The love confession sent fans spiraling on X, with many theorizing she wrote the song for Alvarez, as it seemingly depicted their situation.
Fans Speculate The Inspiration Behind The Singer’s ‘Bunny Hop’ Title
Although Grande’s new song is titled “Bad Thing (Bunny Hop),” the words bunny hop did not appear in the lyrics. Some fans speculated the track’s title was a hard launch of the singer’s rekindled romance with Alvarez, with one X user writing:
“Guys, she was dating Ricky during the time she was cosplaying as a f-cking playboy bunny, like come on.”
The fan’s comment referenced Grande’s 2016 “Dangerous Woman” album cover art, where she posed in a black latex rabbit mask. Another X user agreed with the theory, claiming the singer added “Bunny Hop” to the song’s title to reference her relationship with Alvarez during her “Dangerous Woman” era.
The Song’s Lyrics Have Fans Screaming Ricky Alvarez
The theories continued, with more fans arguing that the song’s lyrics pointed to Alvarez. An X user pointed out that Grande mentioned the word “twice” and “a staircase” where they fell in love. “It takes me back to the honeymoon tour when he was always there for her by the stage staircase,” they wrote.
A fellow supporter noted the song was about Alvarez and his intimate relationship with the “Sam & Cat” alum. Someone else claimed the lyrics showcased Grande’s regret of not choosing the dancer sooner. When an X user argued the song wasn’t about Alvarez, a fan disagreed, stating:
“In the lyrics she talks about ‘trying a second time.’ And bunny hop is that expression for someone who jumps from one relationship to another. So it makes sense that it’s for Ricky.”
The Entertainer’s Ex Was Blindsided By Her New Relationship
Days before Grande dropped her new song, The Blast reported that her rekindled romance with Alvarez was not something her ex expected. The duo’s relationship began trending months after her separation from her “Wicked” co-star, Ethan Slater, was announced.
An insider claimed Slater learned of their rekindled relationship through mutual friends, while another source noted the couple’s romance was not a rebound. They alleged that Grande and Alvarez had connected during her relationship with Slater, but they never crossed the line.
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The source explained that the singer began connecting more with Alvarez as her romance with Slater ended, rekindling their friendship before it became something intimate. Another source claimed the dancer was grateful for a second chance and was “very happy being back in her life.
Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez’s Relationship Timeline
Grande and Alvarez reportedly first crossed paths in 2014 when the latter joined the entertainer’s backup dancers. They went from performing together at the Radio Disney Music Awards to hitting the road for Grande’s 2015 Honeymoon Tour.
Cosmopolitan reported that they first sparked dating rumors in June 2015 when they shared a kiss onstage during a performance at New York City Pride. The following month, she and Alvarez sparked controversy for the doughnut-licking incident.
In 2016, they attended The Creators Party, presented by Spotify, as a couple, with Grande opening up about their romance in an interview months later. However, their relationship did not survive the rest of the year as they broke up in July.
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Did Ariana Grande write “Bad Thing (Bunny Hop)” for Ricky Alvarez?
John Cusack became a bona fide movie star as a teen, but over the years he has opted to live a quieter life.
Cusack made his film debut in 1983’s Class. One year later, he appeared in Sixteen Candles alongside Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling and Anthony Michael Hall. His performance led to him starring in Better Off Dead, The Sure Thing and Say Anything.
While Cusack cemented himself as a teen idol in the ‘80s, the actor started to expand his horizons. He pursued roles in various genres including the crime thriller Grifters, black comedy Grosse Pointe Blank, romantic comedy Serendipity and more.
Cusack has appeared in fewer projects in recent years. His last film credit is for the film Fog of War, which was released in 2025. The following year, Cusack explained why he stepped away from acting during a rare appearance at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026.
While some of today’s biggest A-listers got their start in the ’80s, many of their famous contemporaries in the “Me” decade live quieter, more low-profile lives today. From Tom Cruise, who bravely donned those tighty whities in Risky Business, to the boys and girls of the Brat Pack, click through to see which stars got their big breaks in the 1980s — and see where they ended up!
“I wanted to tell a story, but I didn’t want to negotiate telling a story,” he said while explaining his graphic novel Momo. “When you ask somebody to put $20 or $30 million into a bank account [to finance a film], they want to have an opinion and they’re afraid and all that stuff.”
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Keep scrolling to see what Cusack has been up to since stepping out of the spotlight:
John Cusack Makes Rare Appearances at Screenings of His Past Films
Every once in a blue moon, Cusack will make an appearance at a screening for one of his previous movies and do a Q&A for fans. In January 2026, the actor showed up for a showing of Serendipity at the Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall in Munhall, Pennsylvania, as well as a screening for Say Anything in El Cajon, California. More recently, he attended a screening for Grosse Pointe Blank in Chicago back in June 2026.
John Cusack Wrote a Graphic Novel
During Comic Con 2026, Cusack proudly shared that he wrote a graphic novel titled Momo.
“I got this beautiful, wonderful artist, Ignacio [Noé], to do the illustrations,” he said at the time, per Variety. “Nobody edited anything I wrote or what he drew, and so, it’s really a piece of work done by two people. … It was just me and Ignacio’s story, and that doesn’t happen today. It’s an anti-algorithm thing, like, there’s no committee and there’s no computer up in Seattle that’s poll-testing it.”
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John Cusack Is a Political Activist
Cusack identifies as a Democratic Socialist. He has been candid about being anti-war and speaking out against President Donald Trump. On his Instagram page, Cusack frequently collaborates with the Freedom of the Press Foundation to advocate for spreading the truth.
John Cusack Is Selective About His Projects
The actor candidly shared at a 2025 screening for Say Anything that he doesn’t enjoy how the movie industry has prioritized making sequels or reboots.
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“I was lucky that I never had the desire, or no one asked me to do any sequels. There’s one that I think would be interesting to do, which would be 1408,” Cusack quipped, per People. “Just because … I think today, you know, most movies suck. There’s still the horror psychological, you know, that Rod Serling kinda stuff. That’s still pretty pure. If you can pull off something like that, it’s fun.”
Since DeenTheGreat’s arrest in May, the streamer and boxer hasn’t missed a beat with his content or boxing journey. From releasing new music on YouTube with Adrien Broner to participating in the 45-Day Locked-In-Thon, he’s remained active despite his ongoing legal case. Now, there’s a major update as Deen faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted in connection with an alleged yacht incident in Miami. His lawyer is now speaking out on the latest developments.
As previously reported, court documents obtained by TMZ allege the charges stem from a May 27 yacht incident in Miami. Prosecutors claim DeenTheGreat, whose legal name is Nurideen Shabazz, became involved in a physical altercation with a woman aboard the yacht.
According to the alleged victim, Destiny Aleman, Deen became upset after other men tried talking to her aboard the yacht. She claimed Deen grabbed her forearm while she was recording the interaction, leaving a minor scratch before allegedly taking her phone.
The yacht owner reportedly turned over security footage to police, which authorities say showed Deen allegedly grabbing Aleman multiple times. Police were reportedly waiting at the dock when the yacht returned, and authorities say Deen’s account did not match the footage.
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If convicted of the felony robbery charge, Deen could face up to 15 years in prison under Florida law. The charges remain allegations, and no conviction has been reported.
DeenTheGreat’s Attorney Addresses The Charges
DeenTheGreat’s lawyer, Richard L. Cooper, is speaking out after the streamer faces up to 15 years in prison following felony robbery and misdemeanor battery charges in Miami. Cooper says he believes the case will be dismissed and expects it to be resolved soon.
In a statement to TMZ, Cooper said, “On May 27th Deen was arrested and charged with a 2nd degree felony which carries a maximum of 15 years in a Florida prison. This is nothing new. However, we still anticipate that this case will be dismissed by the prosecutors in short order. We look forward to resolving the case next week.”
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DeenTheGreat Reacts Amid The Latest Update In His Case
When the news first surfaced, DeenTheGreat appeared upset during a live.Many supporters flooded his comment section on Kick.. While responding to reports about the case, he shared that he was in contact with his lawyer.
Moments later, after noticing an update to the report, he said, “TMZ weird asf for that. But they just updated it tho, we good. Cuh Free B***tch. 1st it was Free Cuh, now it’s Cuh Free.” He also took to X account writing, “Know the facts #CuhhFree”
Bunnie Xo is embracing a fresh start following her divorce from Jelly Roll, throwing herself into new career opportunities and personal projects.
As she explores television ventures, returns to education, and focuses on her personal growth, the podcast host has been open about life after the split from the country singer.
Despite ending their nearly decade-long marriage, Bunnie Xo and Jelly Roll have maintained a close friendship, insisting there was no betrayal involved in their breakup.
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Bunnie Xo is embracing a fresh start following her divorce from country star Jelly Roll, with new projects, career opportunities and personal goals reportedly keeping her busier than ever.
According to a source who spoke with People Magazine, the “Dumb Blonde” podcast host has been spending time in Los Angeles meeting with television producers, agents and production companies as she explores new opportunities in the entertainment industry.
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The insider claimed Bunnie is actively “taking a ton of meetings. She’s meeting with agents, TV agents, and production companies. So she’s going full-blown Hollywood.”
They described her as highly motivated and determined to build the next phase of her career, suggesting she has fully immersed herself in new business opportunities since the end of her marriage.
Bunnie, whose real name is Alisa DeFord, officially finalized her divorce from Jelly Roll earlier this month after the singer filed to end their marriage in May. The former couple had been together for nearly a decade.
The Influencer Teases Reality Show and Opens Up About Her ‘Hot Girl Summer’
Before the divorce was finalized, Bunnie hinted on her podcast that several major projects were already in development.
Among them was a potential reality television series centered on a shared living compound she plans to create with a close-knit group of friends.
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“We’ve got big things happening,” she said at the time, teasing that cameras could eventually follow the group’s move and adjustment to their unconventional living arrangement.
In recent weeks, Bunnie has also shared updates about her personal life with followers, including undergoing a breast augmentation procedure and purchasing a new Rolls-Royce.
Bunnie Xo Says There’s An ‘Ice Box’ Where Her ‘Heart Used To Be’
During a July episode of her podcast, Bunnie spoke candidly about life after the split, joking that she was enjoying a “hot girl summer.”
While she confirmed she is not currently in a relationship, she revealed she shared a kiss with reality star Dylan Wolf during Fourth of July celebrations.
“So what, I got kissed under the f-cking fireworks? I hope I get kissed under f-cking 10 more fireworks shows,” she said.
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“But I’m not dating anybody,” Bunnie continued. “I do not want to be with anybody. There’s an ice box where my heart used to be. That sh-t is chained up, trust me.”
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Bunnie has since revealed plans to return to school through Arizona State University, where she intends to pursue a double major in fields she has not yet publicly disclosed.
“I have the mental capacity to want to learn right now, so I’m going to do that,” she said. “Going back to college for me is a huge deal.”
Her social media activity has reflected that same outlook. During a recent trip to Los Angeles, she shared photos and videos of outings with friends, later joking on TikTok that she had entered her “healing era” while singing along to Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me.”
Despite the end of their marriage, both Bunnie and Jelly Roll have maintained that there is no animosity between them.
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A source previously told People that neither party wanted a prolonged legal battle and that they approached the divorce with mutual respect.
“They both wanted to handle the divorce with respect for one another,” the source said. “[Jelly is] a very generous person by nature and wanted to make sure the divorce was handled fairly and respectfully.”
Although they have gone their separate ways, both have indicated they remain on good terms as they move forward with their lives.
Bunnie Xo Says Jelly Roll Remains Her Best Friend Despite Divorce
Despite ending their marriage, the former couple has continued to emphasize that they remain close and are committed to maintaining a positive relationship moving forward.
Addressing the split on an episode of her “Dumb Blonde” podcast, Bunnie revealed that she and Jelly Roll still plan to expand their family together through surrogacy. “We’re going to co-parent together. J is my best friend. Like, this isn’t what you guys think this is,” Bunnie said.
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Bunnie also pushed back against speculation surrounding the breakup, insisting that infidelity played no role in their decision to part ways. “Nobody cheated on the other person,” she explained. “It’s literally just we served our purpose for each other.”
She went on to speak candidly about the emotional toll of their fertility journey, revealing that she experienced multiple embryo losses while trying to conceive during the marriage. “It wrecked me emotionally, spiritually, physically.”
With Christopher Nolan’s The Odysseynow in theaters, earning enthusiastic reactions and making waves at the box office, audiences are once again embracing Homer’s timeless epic. But Nolan’s film isn’t the only modern story to explore the difficult journey home after war. FX series The Old Man hits on classics, both in film and literature, to impress upon viewers a memorable story that far outshines the action/adventure show’s first impression.
Show creator JonathanSteinberg (Black Sails) is no stranger to creating memorable adaptations, and The Old Man comes across as better than the novel. The series converses with classical stories like Homer’s Odyssey and classic films like Apocalypse Now to create an entry in a long list of epics that deal with a personal journey home after wandering deep into unfamiliar territory. The show might initially appear to be another action series for jingoists who want to see someone who killed Soviets in a past life get his due. Still, the series stands out in its genre by resonating with a universal longing to return home.
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Dan Chase’s Journey Mirrors Homer’s ‘Odyssey’
The show opens with Dan Chase, played by Jeff Bridges, living a quaint life in upstate New York with two dogs. Of course, we soon learn that he is living off the grid, forced into hiding after crossing the wrong people during the Soviet-Afghan War. He has lost his wife to Huntington’s, and he has rarely seen his daughter. His situation is akin to being stranded, much like the hero Odysseus from The Odyssey on Calypso’s island. Both stories open with a character who found returning from war was a difficult, if not impossible, task.
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Collider Exclusive · Universe Personality Quiz Which Iconic Universe Do You Belong in the Most? Star Wars · Lord of the Rings · Harry Potter · Game of Thrones · Star Trek
Five legendary universes. Five completely different visions of what the world could be — or already was. One of them is the world your instincts, your values, and your particular way of existing were built for. Eight questions will tell you which one.
🚀Star Wars
💍Lord of the Rings
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🧙Harry Potter
👑Game of Thrones
🖖Star Trek
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01
What gives your life its deepest sense of meaning? Every universe is built around a different answer to this question.
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02
Which kind of world do you most want to inhabit? The environment shapes who you become. Choose carefully.
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03
How do you prefer your conflicts resolved? The shape of a world’s conflicts tells you everything about its soul.
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04
Who do you want beside you when things get difficult? Your ideal companions reveal the world you were made for.
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05
What is your relationship with power? How you seek, wield, or resist power is the map of who you are.
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06
How does your universe treat good and evil? A world’s moral architecture tells you more about it than any map.
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07
What role would you naturally fall into? Every universe has archetypes. Which one fits you without trying?
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08
What do you ultimately believe about the future? The answer to this is the clearest window into which universe already lives inside you.
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Your Universe Has Been Chosen You Belong In…
Your answers point to the iconic universe your values, your instincts, and your particular way of seeing the world were built for. This is where you would find your people — and your purpose.
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A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
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You believe in the cause — in the idea that freedom is worth fighting for even when the odds are impossible and the empire is vast.
You are drawn to the moral clarity of a universe where hope itself is a form of resistance.
You’d find your people in the Rebellion — a ragtag coalition of true believers held together by conviction more than resources.
Star Wars is fundamentally a story about ordinary people choosing to matter in an extraordinary conflict — and that is exactly your kind of story.
The Force may or may not be with you. But the will to use it for something larger than yourself certainly is.
Middle-earth
Lord of the Rings
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You understand, in the deepest part of yourself, that the journey matters as much as the destination — and that the world’s beauty is worth protecting even at great cost.
Middle-earth is a world of ancient wonder, deep friendship, and a darkness that only retreats when enough small acts of courage accumulate.
You would thrive here because you value the fellowship more than the glory — the road more than the arrival.
Tolkien’s universe rewards patience, loyalty, and the willingness to carry something heavy across a very long distance.
Those are not burdens to you. They are simply how you move through the world.
The Wizarding World
Harry Potter
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You believe that love, loyalty, and doing what’s right are not naive sentiments — they are the most powerful forces in any world, magical or otherwise.
The Wizarding World is a place of wonder hidden in plain sight, where learning is transformative and the bonds you form at school follow you into every battle.
You would flourish here because you take both the magic and the friendships seriously — and you understand that one without the other is incomplete.
Harry Potter’s universe ultimately rewards those who choose to stand for something even when standing is terrifying.
That choice — made quietly, without guarantee — is something you understand completely.
Westeros · The Known World
Game of Thrones
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You see the world clearly — its power structures, its hypocrisies, its brutal arithmetic — and you are not paralysed by that clarity. You use it.
Westeros is a world that rewards intelligence, adaptability, and the willingness to understand that every alliance is also a negotiation.
You would survive here — possibly thrive here — because you don’t confuse the world as it is with the world as you’d like it to be.
Game of Thrones is a story about what happens when the idealists and the realists collide. You are sharp enough to know which one lasts longer.
Winter always comes. You are already prepared.
The United Federation of Planets
Star Trek
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You believe the future is worth building — that curiosity, cooperation, and the expansion of understanding are not just ideals but the most practical path forward for any civilisation.
Star Trek is a universe where the questions matter as much as the answers, and where encountering something utterly alien is cause for wonder rather than fear.
You would belong here because you are fundamentally optimistic about what intelligence and decency can achieve — while being honest about how hard that achievement is.
The Federation is the universe’s most ambitious thought experiment: what if we actually got better?
You don’t just hope that’s possible. You think it’s the only thing worth working toward.
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If you are unfamiliar, Odysseus is saved by some kindness from Zeus, who practically forces Calypso to free him. Still, he is waylaid by Poseidon as soon as he sets sail from the island, with a storm that blows him off his expected path home. Similarly, we see Chase get unstranded. He starts reconnecting with his daughter over the phone. He also goes to the doctor to take precautionary steps to prevent mental decline. Still, he is brutally reminded that he has not yet come back from war, at least not fully, when an assassin breaks into his home, forcing him to begin the long journey back to a semblance of a life he can call home.
With The Old Man, we get to see an epic unfold before our eyes and see Chase’s return home from Afghanistan through flashbacks. This evokes The Odyssey again, which largely comprises Odysseus’ narrative of how he got from Troy to Calypso’s island and the story of his final return by way of the Phaeacians. Chase’s stopover with Zoe McDonald is close in shape to Odysseus’ stop with the Phaeacians. Initially, Chase hides his true identity from Zoe, and she takes her to him and offers help. When she eventually learns his true identity, like Alcinous to Odysseus, she still wants to help him. This episode also serves the dual purpose of showing what it is Chase longs for by giving him a fleeting moment of a stable, suburban lifestyle.
You also learn that Chase’s daughter, Emily, is secretly FBI Agent Angela Adams (AliaShawkat), one of the agents tasked with tracking down Chase. Firmly implanting her with the people who thought her father was dead and are now plotting his demise places Emily/Adams parallel to Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, who must thwart the suitors who have taken over his father’s home.
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‘The Old Man’ Season 2 Deepens Its Story About Homecoming
Jeff Bridges as Dan Chase in a doorway with a gun in Season 2 of The Old ManImage via FX
Season 2 expands the series’ central journey by taking Chase and Harold Harper directly into Afghanistan as they search for Emily, whose complicated identity becomes even more central to the story. While the first season focuses on Chase being pulled out of hiding and forced to reckon with his past, the second and final season confronts him with the people, relationships, and consequences he left behind.
The journey home is no longer just about Chase finding safety or returning to the life he once knew. Like Odysseus, Chase discovers that reaching home does not necessarily mean his wandering is over. Across its completed two-season run, The Old Man continually asks whether someone shaped by war can ever truly return to the person they were before it.
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‘The Old Man’ Also Draws From ‘Apocalypse Now’
The Old Man also has some similarities with the film classic Apocalypse Now, itself an Odyssean journey. In Apocalypse Now‘s opening, we see Martin Sheen‘s character of Captain Willard struggling with flashbacks and hallucinations in his hotel bedroom. We get similar insight into Dan Chase. The Old Man opens with scenes of Chase struggling to sleep, grappling with hallucinatory visions of his dead wife. Both scenes evoke a lost feeling. Both Willard and Chase know that they are not where they want to be in life, but neither knows if returning from war is even possible.
One telling moment in Apocalypse Now comes as Willard is thinking about his crew’s longing for home, and he states, “Trouble is, I’d been back there, and I knew that it just didn’t exist anymore.” Just like Willard longs for the jungle, it seems that Chase cannot put his past behind him. He still keeps two highly trained dogs and a cache of arms with him in his idyllic, upstate New York life. He cannot imagine going back to a situation that resembles his life before getting involved in the Soviet-Afghan War.
Through flashbacks, we also see that Chase served as a Colonel Kurtz-type character, portrayed by MarlonBrando. Colonel Kurtz was the man Captain Willard is tasked with assassinating for having gone rogue during the war to fight the Viet Cong with his cadre of warriors. Chase apparently also took a path of his choosing during the Soviet-Afghan War, choosing to back a militant rebel leader and funnel intelligence assets his way in the name of killing Soviet soldiers.
It is almost an alternate ending where Kurtz survives well into adulthood with Willard, his assassin, lurking behind closed doors. In this way, FBI Agent Harold Harper (John Lithgow), who was the Chief of Station during the war and is tasked with hunting down Chase, serves as a Captain Willard-type character. Just as Willard doubts whether there is any sense in killing Kurtz, Harold is unsure that his orders surrounding Chase during the war were just. As the two characters in Apocalypse Now serve as mirrors to one another, so do The Old Man‘s Agent Harper and Dan Chase.
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‘The Old Man’ Is a Modern Epic Worth Revisiting
The way The Old Man delves into the depths of the incitement to journey and the universal aching for home sets it apart from other entries in the retired-veteran-that-still-kicks-butt genre. This television series transformed a decent novel with catchy characteristics into a wonderful piece of television. Across its two seasons, The Old Man created an entertaining, sometimes pulpy epic that used espionage and action to explore the lasting consequences of war. Now that Nolan’s The Odyssey has brought Homer’s story back to theaters, The Old Man deserves to be revisited as another ambitious adaptation of the themes that have made the ancient epic endure: war, wandering, family, and the painful search for home.
Rosie O’Donnell is giving fans a picture of what it would be like to see her take over daytime TV screens once more.
The TV personality is actively plotting her comeback to full-time daytime television, with her team already pitching concepts to network executives.
This comes shortly after O’Donnell shut down rumors of an impending return to late-night TV hosting, noting that the rumors were “completely untrue.”
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During a candid discussion on the “Tangle” podcast, O’Donnell shared that her representatives are actively holding discussions to secure her a permanent spot back on air.
Reflecting on her vision, she explained that a future project would draw heavy inspiration from her original talk show rather than modern Hollywood-driven formats.
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“It would look a lot like my old show, to tell you the truth. I think America wants nostalgia. I think what they don’t want is celebrity culture. I think celebrity culture is dead in America,” she stated, as seen in a clip shared on social media.
Instead of following standard promotional circuits, O’Donnell intends to prioritize positive human-interest features, live theatrical performances, and lighthearted interactive games to offer viewers a sense of relief.
She added that her goal is to “bring back hope” and “bring back an hour of peaceful joy.”
Given the current shift away from broadcast syndication, she noted an openness to partnering with a streaming service. However, she emphasized that any official debut will wait until Donald Trump leaves office, because that’s when she would like the “healing” to begin.
O’Donnell’s revelation on her return to daytime TV came shortly after she addressed widespread reports regarding her future in late-night broadcasting.
The rumors began circulating after network announcements confirmed that she will take on a hosting role on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in August. However, she used social media to clarify her plans, dismissing claims that she is being set up for a permanent role on the late-night program.
O’Donnell labeled the speculation “funny and completely untrue,” explaining that her personal schedule makes a full-time late-night commitment unfeasible. She also revealed that her current priority is relocating overseas to Ireland, where her youngest child is scheduled to begin eighth grade.
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The Blast further confirmed that although she made it clear that she wasn’t interested in late-night hosting, she expressed interest in the prospect of daytime TV hosting.
Rosie O’Donnell Decided To Quit Her Talk Show After Hitting A Financial Milestone
O’Donnell’s prospective plans for a daytime comeback come as a welcome announcement to fans, who had to say goodbye to her during her departure from “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” over two decades ago.
According to The Blast, the 64-year-old recently reflected on ending her program in 2002 after six successful seasons. She revealed that discovering her personal fortune had hit nine figures was the exact moment she chose to step away.
“When I heard that [number], I thought, ‘OK, now I’m done,’” O’Donnell recalled, sharing that reaching $100 million satisfied all of her financial needs. Once she realized her wealth was sufficient to support her family, philanthropic endeavors, and personal causes, continuing the daily grind of television hosting lost its appeal.
Rosie O’Donnell Confessed To Rewatching Her Infamous Clash With Elisabeth Hasselbeck
Building on her reflections about returning to daytime television, O’Donnell has also revisited some of her most talked-about moments from her previous network runs.
The former daytime host recalled a tense argument with Elisabeth Hasselbeck that captivated viewers nearly two decades ago, admitting that she still occasionally revisits the clash to connect with how she felt in the moment.
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O’Donnell named Hasselbeck as her most “problematic” co-host, pointing to their 2007 argument on “The View” over the Iraq War as a defining rift, as reported by The Blast.
Despite the explosive ending played out live on national television, she noted that she and Hasselbeck maintained a good rapport right up until that final broadcast. She then admitted that she still watches the viral clip occasionally to recall her mindset during the confrontation.
The Former TV Host Opened Up About Using GLP-1s For Weight Loss
In addition to discussing her television career, O’Donnell has been candid about her personal health journey and lifestyle management.
She recently shared details regarding her weight loss experience using GLP-1 medications, crediting a deliberate approach for her success, per The Blast.
By prioritizing a slow, step-by-step transition, she was able to achieve her long-term wellness goals while steering clear of the uncomfortable physical symptoms that frequently accompany the treatments.
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While common side effects of these popular weight-loss drugs can include severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and appetite loss, O’Donnell shared that she completely avoided these adverse reactions by being intentional about her dosing schedule. She also paced her treatment and paired it with healthier eating habits.
When you put action and comedy together, it’s entertainment magic for a TV show. You get a nice mix of intensity with high-flying fight and car chase scenes combined with funny moments to lighten the mood. It’s a delicate balance that not every show gets right.
The best action comedy shows of all time, including one series that dates back to the ’80s and plenty of others from the 21st century, toe the line between the two genres wonderfully. They keep you engaged without feeling exhausted after watching only fight scenes with no reprieve. A healthy dose of laughter goes a long way to break up the intensity.
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10
‘The Tick’ (2016–2019)
The Tick looking at his reflection in the back of a spoon.Image via Prime Video
The second live-action series based on the comic-book character, alongside the 2001 series, The Tick is one of the Prime Video shows fans felt were canceled too soon. The superhero comedy follows the invulnerable superhero, played by Peter Serafinowicz, as he fights crime in his city alongside his nervous sidekick Arthur (Griffin Newman).
The buddy dynamic between these two men and the challenges they face trying to take down the supervillain The Terror (Jackie Early Haley) keeps things exciting. The Tick received rave reviews, praised for both the high-octane action and the tongue-in-cheek humor. It’s a great balance for a show that didn’t get enough viewers to keep going, even inspiring a fan campaign to bring it back after cancellation.
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Joe Seanoa as Sweet Tooth in Twisted Metal.Image via Peacock
When you have a show where one of the main villains is a maniacal clown named Sweet Tooth voiced by Will Arnett (played by Joe Seanoa) and another (in Season 1) is Thomas Haden Church playing a former mall cop turned power-tripping agent, how could it not be funny? Twisted Metal leans heavily into humor through its story set in a post-apocalyptic world. John Doe (Anthony Mackie) is a delivery driver using his trusty car to travel through dangerous terrain and transport items back and forth among communities. When he meets Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz) and community leader Raven (Neve Campbell) gives him a highly dangerous assignment with the promise of entry into her community if he succeeds, the challenge is too tempting to pass up.
Twisted Metal, one of the most underrated comedy shows of the 2020s so far, takes you on a wild ride, literally, though high-speed car chases and epic fight scenes among an eclectic mix of eccentric characters. With the addition of Anthony Carrigan as the villain Calypso in Season 2, it ups the ante to more dangerous, terrifying, and comical levels. The series, based on the Sony Interactive Entertainment vehicular combat video game franchise, wonderfully blends action with comedy.
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8
‘Ash vs Evil Dead’ (2015–2018)
Ash (Bruce Campbell), Pablo (Ray Santiago), Brandy (Arielle Carver-O’Neill) and Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo) behind an overturned car in Ash vs Evil Dead.Image via Starz
Decades after the Evil Dead franchise movies, Bruce Campbell returns to reprise his role as Ash Williams in Ash vs Evil Dead. The story takes place 30 years after the events of 1992’s Army of Darkness, Bruce is now working as a stock boy in a convenience store. His life has taken a turn as he’s broke and alone. But he has the chance to be a hero again when the Evil Dead rises, and it’s up to him to save humanity…again.
Ash vs Evil Dead is a horror comedy, but there’s plenty of action to mix things up amidst the funny and scary moments. The series lasted for three seasons, and it was filled with nostalgia for fans of the franchise, earning an almost perfect Rotten Tomatoes critics score. Campbell is a horror icon, and having him return as an older, messier version of himself alongside quirky new friends reminds you of why the films were so good in the first place. Another level of fun is added to the series with the use of old-school practical effects instead of computer graphics.
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7
‘MacGyver’ (1985–1992)
Angus MacGyver (Richard Dean Anderson) wearing sunglasses on ‘MacGyver’.Image via ABC
MacGyver is one of those action adventure series that is unintentionally funny in many ways. The title character, played by Richard Dean Anderson, is a secret agent who can fashion just about anything into a weapon or a tool to solve a problem. This is thanks to his vast scientific knowledge. But what he does at times is so far-fetched, it’s no wonder the concept became fodder for a Saturday Night Live sketch called “MacGruber,” which ended up turning into movies and a parody show as well.
Falling more into campy than traditional comedy territory, MacGyver made you laugh because it took itself seriously when some of the things MacGyver did were far from believable. You had no choice but to suspend belief and just go with it. A man using a Swiss Army knife, duct tape, and absurd science can’t possibly be taken seriously. But was it entertaining? Absolutely.
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Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz Which Action Hero Would Be Your Perfect Partner? Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt
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Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn’t work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.
🎖️Rambo
🍸James Bond
🏺Indiana Jones
🔧John McClane
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🎭Ethan Hunt
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01
You’re dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner? The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.
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02
You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel? How you get there is half the mission.
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03
You’re pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do? This is when you find out what someone is really made of.
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04
The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest? Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.
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05
How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission? Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.
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06
Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them? The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.
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07
Things go badly wrong and you’re captured. What do you trust your partner to do? Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.
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08
What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn’t replace? A great partner fills the gap you didn’t know you had.
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09
Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with? No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.
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10
It’s the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now? The last question is the most honest one.
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Your Partner Has Been Assigned Your Perfect Partner Is…
Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.
Rambo
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Your partner doesn’t talk much, doesn’t need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you’ve finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You’ll never need to ask if he has your back. You’ll just know.
James Bond
Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it’ll take you a moment to remember what’s actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You’ll never be bored. You’ll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.
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Indiana Jones
Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar’s eye and a brawler’s instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn’t matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you’ll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.
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John McClane
Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren’t so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.
Ethan Hunt
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Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you’ve finished reading the briefing, and the plan he’s settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn’t exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.
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6
‘Peacemaker’ (2022–2025)
John Cena went from pro wrestling to acting, and his track record in the latter has been pretty good so far. But arguably no project is as big as Peacemaker, where he plays the title character from the DC Extended Universe, a vigilante who ironically believes that the only way to achieve peace is through violence.
He’s obnoxious and aggressive, showrunner James Gunn referring to him bluntly as a “piece of s**t” and the “world’s biggest douchebag.” Cena knows how to play the heel, so to speak, and he does it so well in this superhero series, bringing a comedic flare to even the most violent scenes. Ending after two seasons, Peacemaker is a superhero show even non-superhero fans can get behind.
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5
‘Barry’ (2018–2023)
Barry Berkman and Gene Cousineau standing onstage together in Barry.Image via HBO
Bill Hader proved his comedic chops in Saturday Night Live, and he carried that talent over to Barry, a tragicomedy crime series that combines heavy subject matter with intentional humor. He’s the title character, a depressed former marine and veteran who works as a hitman but yearns for more from life. He stumbles upon an acting class and finds a hidden passion. Despite finally finding a sense of purpose, however, Barry’s other job is catching up to him. And keeping his past a secret from his new friends isn’t going to be easy.
The very premise of Barry, one of the funniest HBO shows of all time, is hilarious. A hitman travels to Los Angeles to take out a target and ends up in a class of misfits hoping to fulfill their dreams of becoming an actor? It sounds so ludicrous, yet it works. There’s a softness and vulnerability to the character that’s juxtaposed by the violent things he does. As Barry interacts with others outside his usual realm, the messiness of life combined with the innocence of others he meets clash in the best possible way.
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4
‘Chuck’ (2007–2012)
Yvonne Strahovski and Zachary Levi in the NBC series ‘Chuck’Image via NBC
The show that made Zachary Levi a star. He plays Chuck Bartowski in Chuck, a computer service expert at a consumer electronics chain store who took this low-level job after being expelled from Stanford on false charges. He’s stagnant in his life until his former roommate Bryce (Matthew Bomer), who now works as a CIA agent, steals the CIA and NSA database and the only remaining copy accidentally gets downloaded to Chuck’s brain via subliminal encoding. Suddenly, Chuck becomes a crucial asset, and the beautiful CIA officer Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) is sent to investigate and use him to thwart attacks.
Chuck possesses the formula for a great action comedy with an unwitting protagonist thrust into the world of espionage and danger that’s unlike anything else he’s ever seen. This chain store IT guy is now fighting terrorists while being plagued with flashes of information that he can’t control. You get it all with Chuck, which aired for five seasons and earned glowing reviews throughout its entire run. It’s a modern-day spy comedy that’s perfectly tailored to geek culture.
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3
‘Cobra Kai’ (2018–2025)
Johnny Lawrence eats a pretzel in Danny LaRusso’s face in Cobra Kai.Image via Netflix
Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) is the comedic gem of Cobra Kai, a 30-year sequel to The Karate Kid that reunites him with his former teenage karate rival Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) as they train a new generation of kids in rival dojos. You can’t help but laugh heartily throughout the show, though it also has some dark and emotional moments too, especially in the final season.
Of course, as a martial arts comedy drama and one of the greatest action shows on Netflix, there are tons of fantastically choreographed fight scenes, from one on one battles on the mat to huge house parties that break into fights. The story is heartwarming, too, not to mention filled with nostalgia. While Cobra Kai is a little campy, it’s beautifully written from start to finish.
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2
‘Fallout’ (2024–Present)
Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins in Fallout Season 2 Episode 4Image via Prime Video
I watched the first two seasons of Fallout to date without any prior knowledge of the video game franchise on which it’s based. I was surprised by how charming, witty, and funny it is, especially in Season 1. The post-apocalyptic drama follows Lucy (Ella Purnell), a naïve young woman who leaves her underground bunker for the first time to venture out into the desolate wasteland above in search of her kidnapped father. She meets all sorts of dangerous people along the way, including the terrifying bounty hunter The Ghoul (Walton Goggins), who she eventually teams up with to achieve their mutual goals.
There’s lots of violence in Fallout as the characters fight enemies, from humans in mechanical Power Armor to mutated cockroaches known as Radroaches. Lucy’s infectious optimism juxtaposed by The Ghoul’s hardened, no-care attitude make for plenty of laughs. But there’s comic relief at every turn thanks to other characters, too, like Thaddeus (Johnny Pemberton), a squire who is turning into a ghoul and dealing with it as best he can, and Annabel O’Hagan‘s over-the-top performance as the villainous Stephanie.
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1
‘The Boys’ (2019–2026)
Antony Starr as Homelander between Chace Crawford as The Deep and Nathan Mitchell as Black Noir in The BoysImage via Prime Video
Arguably, no show captures the blend of action and comedy as well as The Boys, though it comes with a healthy dose of vulgarity, profanity, and gore as well. The satirical superhero show depicts a modern-day world where Supes with special powers are run by megacorporation Vought International. The company is out for its own interests and expanding its power, however, and not interested in having the superheroes be actual heroes. But not everyone realizes that.
The Boys is as much political satire as it is a parody of superhero stories, so there’s a lot of thought-provoking commentary behind its stories and themes. The action is heightened since it involves people being able to fly, run faster than the speed of light, shoot lasers from their eyes, even rip out someone’s guts with tentacles from their stomachs. It’s easy to see how this ties into a level of humor as well. The 10/10 Prime Video show isn’t for everyone. But if you don’t have a weak stomach and can appreciate the political commentary (it’s not subtle), the five seasons will be worth your while.
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