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Related: Jennifer Aniston’s Go-To Moisturizer Takes ‘Years Off’ the Face, Per Shoppers

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[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Beef Season 2]

Netflix’s hit series Beef, from creator Lee Sung Jin, returned to the streamer for Season 2, taking viewers to an all-new country club location. With all eight episodes now available to binge, Collider’s Steve Weintraub spoke with director Jake Schreier about his thoughts on the finale, Season 2’s themes and message, and the show’s final shots.

This season, Beef is back with an all-new ensemble cast. At a luxurious country club, a young, newly engaged Gen-Z couple, Ashley (Cailee Spaeny) and Austin (Charles Melton), accidentally witness a concerning fight between their Millennial boss, Joshua (Oscar Isaac), and his wife, Lindsay (Carey Mulligan). The young couple becomes ensnared in their boss’s unraveling marriage and coercion, as the four of them vie for the approval of their billionaire owner, Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh-jung). This season also stars Mikaela Hoover (Superman), William Fichtner (Talamasca: The Secret Order), Seoyeon Jang (Butterfly), and Song Kang-ho (Parasite).

As for future projects, Schreier also shares details on Marvel’s upcoming untitled X-Men movie, which he’s serving as director of after successfully helming last year’s Thunderbolts*. The filmmaker will once again reunite with Beef collaborators Lee and Joanna Calo, and discuss the “less-trodden” path their team is aiming for with the movie. Check out the full conversation in the video above or the transcript below.

‘Beef’ Season 2 Is Built Around Cycles, Repetition, and Samsara

Schreier says “there is no great victory” in the Season 2 finale.

Image via Netflix

Coming into Beef Season 2, I’ve seen the whole show, and this is a jokey thing, but is the message of Season 2 don’t drink anything unless you’ve opened it yourself?

SCHREIER: [Laughs] That would certainly be wise, I think. Yeah.

The other thing: Is the message of Season 2 that the rich are always going to win?

SCHREIER: I think what Sunny’s going for in the ending and that I thought was so interesting was I don’t know that we see it quite as a win, that if you really think about that very last shot, if we’re talking about spoilers and the samsara, that was something that he and Grace Yun, our wonderful production designer, talked about so much in the season. It’s this idea that we’re all sort of trapped in this cycle, and the Chairwoman Park is trapped in it, as well, and that there’s a tinge of sadness to that ending.

So, it isn’t necessarily a victory, even if, in normal terms, who lives, who dies, you might look at it as the upper hand, but when you kind of step back from it and look at it on the level of this wheel and this idea of being trapped, there is no great victory in that, and that some sort of acceptance of that cycle is important for all of our characters.

In Episode 1, there is a shot of Oscar [Isaac] and Carey [Mulligan] walking out of the club, and there’s a symmetrical shot in Episode 8 of Charles [Melton] and Cailee [Spaeny] walking out, sort of the same thing. Talk a little bit about that composition of how you’re setting it up in Episode 1, and you’re ending it in Episode 8.

SCHREIER: From the beginning, Sunny was really interested in cycles, and this idea of the past repeating itself. There are lots of really interesting, great hidden writing gems where Cailee starts to appropriate language that we’ve heard Oscar [Isaac] say or that we’ve heard Carey [Mulligan] say from before. But I think knowing a sense of where it was going to go, we actually didn’t film those on the same day, but we knew in designing the shots for the opening sequence of [Episode] 1 that there was going to be this kind of echo and repetition of that happening in [Episode] 8, with the slight exception that when they get in the car in Episode 1, that moment is sort of balanced towards Carey, because it’s about her frustration and anger that’s going to explode over the course of the cold open.

In [Episode] 8, we’re leaving it on the two of them, so it’s a more balanced shot of the two of them in the car. But that’s something that Sunny and I spend a ton of time talking about, is the minute shot structure of how to enforce those kinds of ideas of whose scene it is and how are we showing the repetition of this, and how are we visually dramatizing those ideas of the cycles that they’re going through? Obviously, the opening shot that starts on ants and then reveals them, that’s a mirror of itself, as well.

I wanted to bring that up. In the script, is it exactly that we are watching a close-up of ants crawling? How does that get figured out?

SCHREIER: We filmed a version of it on the day, and then we ended up on another day doing our macro close-ups of those ants. Again, obviously, throughout the script, there is this idea of bugs in a lot of different places, and this idea, obviously, if the show is about that kind of battle between the individual and the collective, and forming a partnership with someone and how much you hold on to yourself within it, starting it with an image of bugs that have a hive mind, I think, was really fascinating to him. So, it was fun to kind of dramatize that and then watch that get smushed as we move into our long opening take.

Jake Schreier Reveals the Secrets to ‘Beef’s Success

“These are all such incredible craftspeople and artists in their own right.”

One of the things about this show is that it’s just something where every department, from cinematography to actors, is just firing on all cylinders. What is it like in the month or two leading up to filming? Because everything is so good, and if it were easy to do this, everyone would do it, but it’s impossible. So, what is the secret sauce going on behind the scenes that is able to make this happen?

SCHREIER: I think it’s sort of what you said, and I think it was one of the great lessons of Season 1 of Beef and something that we tried to take onto Thunderbolts*, which is that if you are lucky enough to work with collaborators that are that strong, and you’re on a set with people where everyone is pushing each other to be better and better, and there’s just such an amazing group of people that make this show, then even if it is a month before and you’re running around it — I mean, I was in post on Thunderbolts*, so it’s like stepping out of the mix to go to set — when you have collaborators that good, that’s what elevates it. If everyone is really bringing their best and they’re the best at what they do, and we just have so many department heads, if you go through it, like James Laxton and Grace Yun, who I’ve talked about, or Finneas [O’Connell’ coming in the season. These are all such incredible craftspeople and artists in their own right that when you pair that with Sunny, who cares so deeply and is writing something so personal to him, but that can also work on a broader level, if we’ve been successful, then that’s what does it.

I’m so curious, what are your thoughts on the way the season ended in terms of what all happened?

SCHREIER: I think it’s fascinating. It was something that we talked about from the start. Sunny had this loose idea of where he wanted things to go, and then as he gets into the details of writing it, more and more of those details get revealed. The very last shot we didn’t actually add until later, because it felt like we needed something even bigger to encapsulate what he was going for.

But I think that that concept, again, that there are these ups and downs and these cycles in life, and you can see the patterns repeated in all of these couples. And again, this idea of the samsara and that the only way to escape it is to accept it, and going for this idea of acceptance, which might not be the most traditional way. And the season, like you said, you might think that, “Oh, the rich won,” and again, I don’t think that he sees it that way or that we see it that way.

One of the things for me about Beef is Sunny and I have been friends for years, and friends before we made this show. To get to see your friend make work that is so personal, but is also obviously on this large platform, and go for these ideas that don’t feel as obvious or as expected, and get to help them try to bring that to life like that feels like a really special opportunity.

By the way, I’m totally joking about the rich thing. I just want to be clear I’m messing around.

‘Beef’ Season 2 Hits Different at Every Age

“I hope those conversations are really fun.”

Image via Netflix

Season 1 sparked a lot of conversation about anger, identity, and modern life. What conversations do you hope Season 2 sparks?

SCHREIER: I think what’s going to be really fascinating about this season is to see the way in which different generations watch it. A couple weeks ago I was sick and I did a full Mad Men rewatch, and it plays so differently now that I’m older than the first time I watched it when it came out. We’ve seen even a little bit of how everyone who watches the show maybe gravitates towards a different character that they kind of choose to view the narrative through, and I think that could be a really interesting conversation.

Then also, obviously, this season is about relationships, and nothing could be more relatable to people who watch. Everyone’s been through a version or many versions of those. So, I think seeing yourself or seeing aspects of your life reflected in all of the different parts, and finding times where you might look down on a certain character and then come around to looking at the narrative through their eyes, I hope those conversations are really fun.

I’ve had this conversation with so many people. When you watch Casablanca when you’re 20, it means nothing. You watch Casablanca when you’re 30, completely different movie.

SCHREIER: Yeah. Yeah.

I’m just about out of time, but you know I’m fascinated by the editing process. How was editing Season 1 compared to Season 2? I didn’t speak to you for Season 1. Did either season go through big changes in the edit, or is the script so tight that it’s really just little bits here and there?

SCHREIER: The scripts are tight. There’s clarifying a few moments here or there, or maybe a pickup here or there, but predominantly you’re watching, more or less, what Sunny and our wonderful writers’ room wrote.

The particulars of the way it’s edited, there’s a kind of almost house style that we developed. I had this idea about unbalanced coverage where, in a dialogue scene, it’s never just evenly weighted, the shot and reverse shot. It’ll be closer to one character and further from another, and then sometimes even transfer within scenes. In Season 1, that was a little easier to do just because any scene that Amy or Danny was in was their scene, versus anyone else that was in it, it would become balanced when the two of them are together.

Here, we have four perspective characters, and sometimes even sex. So, just really trying to be cognizant on set and really huddle with Sunny and talk about whose seen this was, and should it transfer at any point, and then going in with the editors and really holding on to that structure, and enforcing that, and getting a sense of, like, where is that working and where do we need to make it stronger, and how is that playing if we’ve made some of those decisions in production of how we want to weight it in post as far as who’s perspective we’re viewing each of these moments through? Those conversations got a lot more complex in Season 2 just because of that larger cast of perspective characters.

Marvel Wants ‘X-Men’ to Feel “New and Different”

Jake Schreier and the team are turning to the comics to take a “less-trodden” path.

Image via Marvel Comics

COLLIDER: I heard rumors that you are also directing things for Marvel. I think you might have done a movie for them, and you might have something coming up.

JAKE SCHREIER: I might be making something for Marvel, yes. A movie called X-Men, I think.

Exactly. I thought Thunderbolts* was awesome, and you worked so well in what I call the Marvel machine. I’m just curious, what did you learn from making Thunderbolts* and working in that environment that you’re absolutely taking with you to X-Men?

SCHREIER: I guess mainly that it’s not a machine. What we think of as “the machine” is a group of people who are really lovely people who care deeply about what they make. We talked a lot about, in Thunderbolts* press, how Kevin was always like, “Do something different with this. Make it different. What can we bring to it?” There’s no house thing that you have to do. And I think that having the familiarity with them and getting to go back in and think about what to do next, it’s just exciting to think about how that could be applied on an even bigger scale.

One of the things I’m so curious about is that I believe you’re coming out in 2028, and you’re going to be coming out after Secret Wars. How are you planning on keeping the secrets, or the casting, or whatever it may be, under wraps when you’re going to be filming before Secret Wars is out? Have you guys already thought about, like, how do we keep the mystery, or is it like, well, we just have to accept that things are going to get out, and it is what it is?

SCHREIER: It’ll all be filmed in a black box, and we’re all just going to live in it and not emerge until we’re done with the movie. No, I mean, certainly the studio has a lot of experience with these things and how to try to hold on to what’s really most important. I can say that we’ve talked about it and we’ve thought about it, but I probably shouldn’t say any more than that.

I totally get it. For fans, where are you in the process?

SCHREIER: We’re still developing. One of the exciting things that’s tying into Beef is that Sunny, or Lee Sung Jin, and Joanna Calo both worked on this season — obviously, this is Sunny’s show — and Joanna worked on this season, as well, and we worked together on Season 1 of Beef and also on Thunderbolts*, have come in and are working on a draft right now, which is really, really exciting to be able to put that group of people together again.

I also think just having the time to sit back, I’ve just been digging into so many of the old comics and the entire [Chris] Claremont run, and just going through stuff and really trying to think about, like, “What can we do well that feels new and feels different, and that hasn’t been done well before,” obviously, because there’s such an incredible cinematic tradition of these comics, but what can we do and how can we put our own stamp on what that is?

This is obviously not going to be a one-and-done situation, so how much when you guys are working on the script, are you thinking about a track of where this is all going to go? Because it is going to eventually go somewhere.

SCHREIER: Obviously, first things first, we have to make one great movie, but we always have an eye as we’re talking about it to what are the different places that this can go? What are the places that it’s been in the comics? What hasn’t been explored as much, and how can that be incorporated? And what are some of the different avenues that we could take that feel like a less-trodden path that we could go down? But those ideas are always out there as we have the discussions.

Related

Good News ‘X-Men’ Fans: The Movie Reboot’s Writer Is a Huge Gambit Fan [Exclusive]

He’s about to make a name for himself.

One of the things that I’m so curious about is getting a more accurate Wolverine in the movie, which means a short king. How much have you guys discussed that, and is it something that you think will happen?

SCHREIER: [Laughs] I think when it comes to any specifics, I’m gonna plead the fifth on that, if that’s okay.

What is Sunny bringing to the table? Because he’s such a fucking amazing writer, and I would imagine that he’s adding a lot, if you could touch on that.

SCHREIER: One of the things that I love so much about Sunny’s writing in Beef, and that he and Joanna are both so great about — she co-created The Bear, one of the most interesting shows on television right now — is that ability to take these very small interpersonal dynamics and explode them onto this much larger canvas.

In Season 1 of Beef, and people will see in Season 2, it always starts from the personal, and when you go back, and you read all of X-Men, and you see how much of it was also, obviously, the ideology is a huge part of what drives the narrative, but also the interpersonal. There’s a soap opera quality to it, when you go back and read those original comics, that I think having writers who understand both of those things and how to drive that ideology from more personal rifts, if we can get all of those things right, then in a way, that’s the thing that will feel most honest to what X-Men can be.

Beef Season 2 is available to stream on Netflix now.

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Release Date

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April 6, 2023

Network

Netflix

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Showrunner

Lee Sung Jin

Directors

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Hikari, Jake Schreier, Kitao Sakurai, Lee Sung Jin

Writers

Alice Ju

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Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage centers around an age-gap romance — but do stars Emily Osment and Montana Jordan feel the years between them?

“Not really, to be honest,” Osment, 34, exclusively told Us Weekly at CBS Fest on Wednesday, April 15. “There’s a few TV shows that he doesn’t know about but other than that, it’s kind of it.”

Osment pointed out that her onscreen husband is mature — and it helps that he is already a dad at 23. While looking ahead at the second half of season 2, Osment teased where Georgie and Mandy’s relationship could end up.

“They really love each other. There’s no doubt about that,” she noted. “And I think it’s pretty clear that they have really great chemistry, and you want them to work. We’re all hoping that the first marriage is the same to people as the second and third [marriage].”

Related: ‘Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage’ Cast’s Quotes About Couple’s Age Gap

Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage picks up where Young Sheldon left off — but how will the couple’s controversial age difference play a role on the show? Viewers originally met Georgie (Montana Jordan) and Mandy (Emily Osment) on The Big Bang Theory prequel series, which aired from 2017 to 2024. After Sheldon’s (Iain Armitage) older […]

Viewers originally met Georgie and Mandy on The Big Bang Theory prequel series Young Sheldon, which aired from 2017 to 2024. As The Big Bang Theory viewers know, it has been mentioned that Georgie has been married several times. This has subsequently concerned fans rooting for Georgie and Mandy, but Osment has urged viewers not to give up hope.

“Just personally, I hope it takes them a really long time to get there,” Osment exclusively told Us in December 2025 about her hope for the hit CBS show. “Hence the title, everybody knows that that’s coming at some point — and it keeps people watching a little longer.”

Osment prefers a lengthy build-up, adding, “Personally, for me, I’d like to see it have some legs before they break up.”

Despite also being “worried” about the fictional couple’s future, Osment chose to focus on the positive, adding, “I am saying this [based on] nothing at all. We get the scripts about 12 hours before we read it at the table. So we have no idea what’s coming down the pipeline ever.”

Osment acknowledged at the time that Georgie and Mandy’s age gap could play a role in their marriage falling apart. “We can maybe assume it’s because of the age difference. It could be that and a whole bundle of other stuff,” she noted.

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The actress credited the sitcom for telling grounded stories about the ups and downs couples face in a marriage.

“It could be anything, but I have this inkling that it may have something to do with him soon becoming the tire king of Texas,” she added. “We know from The Big Bang Theory that he’s the most successful tire God, basically. When people become really successful in their job, sometimes it can affect their home life.”

Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage airs on CBS Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET and episodes are currently streaming on Paramount+.

It may not be Memorial Day yet, but the fashion markdowns sure feel like it. Retailers like Amazon, Old Navy, Nordstrom and Macy’s are overflowing with major fashion deals for no reason — other than to help Us stock our spring and summer wardrobes. I’m talking sleek Adidas sneakers for 48% off, silky satin pajamas for just $12 and so much more.

Chic sandals, trendy jeans and luxe-looking bags are just a few highlights, but you’ll also find plenty of dresses, blouses and comfy sneakers on sale. The only so-called ‘catch’ is that these undercover deals are selling out fast. I narrowed down the best 20 deals that are *actually* worth your dollars, so snag ’em before they’re gone!

Best Weekend Sales: April 17-19, 2026

Old Navy

My Favorite: Instead of sweats, opt for this cool-mom T-shirt dress that’s just as comfy, but much more stylish. 100% cotton fabric makes it breathable enough for every to-do on your list. Oh, and it’s only $12!

Amazon

My Favorite: Everyone’s wearing red this spring, and these sporty Adidas sneakers nail the aesthetic. Cloudfoam cushioning supports walking, running and touring Europe, per reviewers.

Nordstrom

My Favorite: My mom just got these wide-leg NYDJ jeans, and at 30% off, I’m grabbing a pair for myself. They’re comfy around the tummy and thighs, flowy around the ankles and tailored where it matters most.

Macy’s

My Favorite: It’s wedding guest dress season and this flattering wrap dress is the perfect uniform. It works for all venues, including church, beach and garden. Plus, you might wear it to the office the following Monday.

Related: PSA: Amazon Just Dropped 19 Chic, Boutiquey Spring Blouses — From $8

If you want your closet to look like a Hamptons boutique showroom, you’re in the right place. Amazon just dropped chic, expensive-looking blouses that will instantly elevate your wardrobe for every activity, from running errands to leading work presentations. The real kicker? Our top-tier picks start at just $8! These newly launched finds are super […]

Medical dramas have been popular for as long as the medium has existed, but they only occasionally reach a threshold of realism, with shows like The Pitt reflecting that. While there are some shows that may nail the science behind specific cases or faithfully depict an element of the medical process, it is rare for a show about doctors or nurses to authentically explore the all-consuming nature of the profession. It’s not that hard to see why. Healthcare workers frequently deal with physical danger and mental health risks, and it is hard to relate to characters who are consistently put in situations in which they have authority over people’s lives. This Is Going To Hurt is by no means an easy series to watch, but it does depict its protagonists as three-dimensional characters, rather than just larger-than-life heroes that lack any flaws. Even if the show takes place 20 years in the past, it is at the forefront of discussions about the medical profession that are even more relevant today.

This Is Going To Hurt has an advantage over other medical dramas that attempt to be more grounded because it is based on the memoir of the same name by the former OBGYN doctor Adam Kay, who also served as the creator and writer of the series. Ben Whishaw stars as a lightly fictionalized version of Kay during his time at an NHS hospital in 2006, where the stressful working environment forced him to account for the well-being of both his patients and staff. This Is Going To Hurt is a very ambitious series that uses creative filmmaking techniques to examine Kay’s perspective, presenting him as an empathetic, yet flawed protagonist. While it serves as an eye-opening experience for a majority of the audience.

‘This Is Going To Hurt’ Is an Unflinching Look at Mental Health in Hospitals

This Is Going To Hurt examines how lonely the medical profession can be, and the series uses a radical means of breaking the fourth wall to show how Kay copes with the pressure of his position. While most instances of fourth-wall breaking are done for comedic means, Kay’s addresses to the audience are important in explaining the complex process he has for evaluating the severity of cases, choosing which patients to see first, and interpreting mixed messages from his peers and superiors. Whishaw has a sharp sense of humor that results in some instances of dark comedy, but the effect of having him speak directly to the audience is also quite sad. Kay is a character who can’t be vulnerable, as any perceived weakness on his part could negatively affect the less-experienced workers who look up to him, or could result in concern from the patients. As a result, Kay can only speak inward as a means of communicating the internal feelings he is unable to put into words. It’s a very dark theme, but it also helps make Kay into a more compelling character, as his outward persona is more aggressive.

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Making babies is a tough business.

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Although he’s an amazing actor in everything from Women Talking to the James Bond films, Whishaw gives his best and most singular performance ever in This Is Going To Hurt, as it is hard to imagine anyone else in the role. Kay is someone who has to manipulate his behavior based on which patients he is meeting and what their needs require of him. While he is willing to be soft and charming with older women who are confused by the advanced technology, he also has to assume a protective, parental role when working with children, especially those who come from unsafe homes. However, Kay also has strict moral lines that he will not cross, which puts his career in jeopardy. Kay’s refusal to admonish a racist patient may be an ethically sound decision, but it does create consequences in the workplace.

‘This Is Going To Hurt’ Is a Didactic, Creative Approach to a Medical Drama

Image via BBC

This Is Going To Hurt is set in an era where the perils of healthcare weren’t as widely accepted, and the series sheds light on the impact that the intensive working environment has on junior staffers, many of whom suffer severe breakdowns. What’s fascinating about the show’s approach is that it features an impressive ensemble cast, but chooses to examine the supporting characters purely from Kay’s perspective. As a result, he experiences the same shock as the audience when unexpected circumstances emerge that call for his attention. As much as Kay wants to be there for every member of his staff, he simply cannot fulfill that many responsibilities at once.

This Is Going To Hurt is also framed in a unique light because the series premiered in the aftermath of COVID-19, which opened many people’s eyes to the selfless work ethic of those working in critical care facilities. Perhaps the most moving aspect of the show is that Kay is so adjusted to being ostracized and called out that any instances in which he is personally thanked are enough to rekindle his passion for his chosen craft. Multiple seasons set in the world of This Is Going To Hurt may have been too strenuous an emotional burden, but its seven episodes create a rich, compelling drama that is as informative as it is moving.

Loud cities, rowdy neighbors, a partner who snores — there’s no shortage of nighttime sounds that keep you out of REM. But the right sleep aid makes all the difference, and Ozlo’s noise-masking earbuds do so using science. They’re $100 off!

These Ozlo Sleepbuds are designed to block out disruptive sounds using neuroscience-backed soundscapes. But they do much more than help you sleep. One happy called them “a quality-of-life enhancer,” and once you try them, you’ll see why. Between the smart sound technology, comfortable feel and expanded capabilities, these buds are already in the cart.

Get the Ozlo Sleepbuds for $249 (originally $359) at Ozlo! 

Whether you’re dealing with barking dogs or the neighbor’s leaf blower, these earbuds adapt to your environment to masterfully block sound. From falling to staying asleep, they deliver. The technology works all night long to keep you snoozing, so you can trade morning grogginess for an energized start.

Plus, unlike bulky headphones, these smart earbuds are so sleek that you might forget you’re wearing them — that is, until you wake up feeling revitalized. They have a small, comfortable design that’s even side-sleeper-approved, making them a no-brainer no matter how you rest.

Better yet, the Ozlo earbuds go beyond sleep sounds. You can stream audiobooks and meditations, set alarms and even listen to the news. And with up to 10 hours of battery life, you don’t have to worry about mid-dream disruptions.

“We live near the beach and often there [are] barking dogs first thing on a morning that wake you up,” one reviewer wrote. “That’s if you are not already awake from a snoring partner. The Sleepbud sounds drowns out the problem, and I get a good sleep. One other advantage is getting off to sleep, or back to sleep if you wake up. The streaming ability allows you to listen to a book or podcast . . . they are a massive benefit and quality-of-life enhancer.”

These innovative Sleepbuds are the ticket to better overall health, supporting faster recovery, enhanced focus and better moods, all tied to better sleep. They make the perfect gift for wellness enthusiasts, busy moms and everyone in between.

And at $100 off, you can snag a pair for yourself and someone else on your list!

Get the Ozlo Sleepbuds for $249 (originally $359) at Ozlo! 

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 22 seconds ago

There’s nothing quite like returning to a guilty pleasure film; it’s the cinematic equivalent of raiding the fridge at 2:00 am and making a sandwich so unhealthy it would give Scooby and Shaggy diabetes. Sure, you could watch something more enriching, just like you could eat something other than meat covered with every sauce and topping that you own, but where’s the fun in that? Sometimes, the heart wants what the heart wants, even if that happens to be (let’s face it) pure cinematic junk food.

Recently, I returned to one of my ultimate guilty pleasure foods: Fanboys, the film about Star Wars nerds trying to see The Phantom Menace before its release. With a 33 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s fair to say that most people consider this film a serious stinker. But I’ve always enjoyed how the movie embraces the cringe of both its premise and its characters, effectively leaning into the goofiness that made us fall in love with Luke, Leia, and Han in the first place. Watching Fanboys now also reveals the biggest problem with the Disney era of Star Wars: the desperate need to make a dorky franchise seem cool.

Get Into The Garbage Chute, Fanboy!

Most of Fanboys is a tribute to the Original Trilogy, which makes sense: in this ‘90s set film, the prequels have yet to come out. Of course, Fanboys came out in 2009, four years after the Prequel Trilogy ended. The creators were very well aware of how much fans largely hated George Lucas’ follow-up film, so they ended Fanboys with a bit of cheeky meta-commentary. As our characters settle in to watch The Phantom Menace on the big screen, one of them broaches a once-unthinkable proposition right before the credits roll: “What if the movie sucks?”

That line hits differently now that Disney has released its own Sequel Trilogy of Star Wars movies. In the wake of those film failures, there has been plenty of critical reappraisal of the prequels. Some of this comes from younger audiences who grew up with those movies and have a nostalgic fondness for the foundational schlock of their childhood. But a surprising amount of the reappraisal comes from older fans who once mercilessly bashed movies like The Phantom Menace. Those fans have decided that, in retrospect, passionate Star Wars movies from an honest weirdo are better than dispassionate Star Wars movies made by a soulless company.

Force Choking The Critics

As one of those older fans, I kept thinking about this comparison when watching Fanboys. To be clear, this is a film that is filled with flaws: the humor is broad, and much of the raunchier stuff (added at Harvey Weinstein’s request, no less) is simply gross rather than engrossing. However, most of the bad jokes were written from the perspective of the titular fanboys, and they collectively manage to do something that I thought was impossible. Namely, the humor of the film captured what it was like to be a Star Wars fan in the ‘90s. 

The characters debate about whether Boba Fett was actually cool, get advice from Harry Knowles, strike out with women, and generally act like a gaggle of homeschooled kids whose only teacher was a VCR. Some of the jokes and even the performances are rough around the edges (seriously, Kristen Bell is acting circles around her colleagues), but that’s part of the charm: like the best of the worst bad B-movies, all of this came from creators who are deeply passionate and had something to say. In this way, they effectively channel the quirky excesses of George Lucas himself when he was making the soon-to-be-hated prequels. 

The Nostalgia Menace

In The Phantom Menace, does it really make sense for Qui-Gon Jinn to trust his life to an idiot with a speech impediment? Of course not, just like it doesn’t make sense for him to risk the fate of an entire planet on the child slave that he ends up buying and bringing back to the Jedi temple. The craziness continued with Attack of the Clones, which had Obi-Wan Kenobi solving huge galactic conspiracies by talking to the weirdo owner of his favorite diner. In Revenge of the Sith, meanwhile, Anakin murders a zillion children because he got an “IOU” on saving Padme from a boss who now has resting monster face.

All of these are bonkers creative decisions by George Lucas, but that’s part of what makes the prequels special. The man is always swinging for the fences, and even when the bat doesn’t connect, it’s fun to watch each swing. You can’t ever really predict where Lucas is going to go with this story, just like you can never predict what will happen next to the titular protagonists of Fanboys. There’s a certain magic to that, and watching this fannish comedy unfold has the same bizarrely captivating quality as listening to your craziest friend tell his most unhinged story.

E-Girl And Her Podracer Boyfriend

Compared to the prequels, Disney’s Star Wars sequels are depressingly flat. You can feel the corporate meddling at every step, from transforming The Force Awakens into a soft reboot to bringing Palpatine back for sheer nostalgia value. There is no actual creative vision behind these movies because the company doesn’t care about creativity: they just care about keeping fans happy enough to keep buying endless Funko slop. Lucas might have gotten rich by selling toys, but he didn’t worry all that much about pandering to fans; instead, he jammed his prequels with anything and everything he found interesting, giving us a trilogy truly unlike any other ever made.

While Fanboys pokes very gentle fun at the prequels, it has something important in common with those films: it’s filled with every crazy idea that the creators can jam into it. Major cameos from heavyweights like William Shatner and Carrie Fisher exist alongside scenes where our heroes learn life lessons from hookers. The film has poignant things to say about life and death, but it also has time to make our heroes strip down to impress a local gay bar (their own personal Mos Eisley). The whole thing is a surprisingly complex meditation on friendship, though this can be hard to notice when, say, Kristin Bell is dressed as slave Leia.

Much like the Star Wars prequels, Fanboys is very flawed and divisive, but it was made with honesty and passion from quirky creators who had a genuine vision. That alone gives the film more rewatchability than the Disney-era Sequel Trilogy. If you’d like to see just how funny fan humor can be, or maybe you want to relive the glory days of ‘90s Star Wars fandom, you’re in luck. Fanboys is currently streaming on Tubi, which should honestly consider making a new slogan based on everyone’s favorite galaxy far, far away: “the free will be with you. Always.”

When Outlander debuted in 2014, its success was the furthest thing from guaranteed. Even with the ardent fanbase surrounding Diana Gabaldon‘s bestselling novels of the same name, the only notable figure attached to this ambitious adaptation was developer Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica). Over the next 12 years and eight seasons, Starz’s resident flagship achievement blossomed into a televised staple that earned the goodwill of loyal book readers, seduced new viewers in droves, and catapulted stars Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan into the realm of household-name fame.

Even at the time, Season 1’s widespread success left little room for doubt that a familiar, fresh, and enduring concoction had emerged essentially from nowhere. Describing Outlander as a special experience or a landmark love story risks tipping over into hyperbole. With all due respect to its accomplished peers, however, no other long-standing historical romance has yet to achieve captivating quality, emotional intimacy, and thrilling adventure on the same scale.

‘Outlander’ Seamlessly Blends Multiple Genres Without Sacrificing Its Romantic Heart

Founded in the mid-90s as a film-based cable network, in 2005, Starz followed HBO, Showtime, and AMC’s trend-setting example by investing in original programming. It initially won eyeballs for 2010’s steamy Roman gladiator drama Spartacus and the swashbuckling Black Sails, but Outlander‘s breakthrough success arguably put Starz on the map in terms of high-concept, high-quality series worthy of serious consideration. Moreover, how the production applied the artistic lessons it naturally took from the watercooler phenomena that shifted television as we know it (The Sopranos, The Wire, Breaking Bad) proved the channel deserved to stand alongside its acclaimed competitors.

A genre hybrid, Outlander masterfully bridges hyper-prestige aesthetics (focused seasons with shorter runtimes, meticulous costumes, sprawling location shoots, Bear McCreary‘s instant-classic score and theme song) with historical grime, Scottish mythology and fantasy lore, unreserved performances, operatic twists, and one of the small screen’s consistent romances, filtered almost entirely through a woman-centric perspective. Making the gritty politics and unmitigated violence of various historical backdrops tantamount to Outlander‘s fictionalized tension increases the immersion factor, lends the ever-ratcheting stakes an air of unpredictability, and draws in demographics who might otherwise turn up their nose at a romance with a capital R. Still, where other adaptations might dilute their romantic origins as a tactic to appeal to the broadest possible audience (or out of embarrassed disdain), Outlander‘s powers-that-be rarely, if ever, fail to prioritize the franchise’s narrative foundation.

The emotionally charged nature of 20th-century nurse Claire (Balfe) and 18th-century Scottish Highlander Jamie Fraser’s (Heughan) star-crossed love affair is simultaneously fragile, irrevocable, and rife with all-consuming devotion. Likewise, while Outlander‘s plot twists always take risks, it plays things safe precisely where romance conventions demand it should: keeping Claire and Jamie united. Once Claire overcomes her initially conflicted guilt, the Frasers’ dramatic friction emerges from miscommunication, shared grief, external-force separations, longing, their feisty tempers, and the visceral cost of forging a committed life together, rather than TV’s traditional system of break-ups and reunions repeated ad nauseam. Destiny might cast the couple as soulmates, but defying every conceivable odd requires blood, sweat, and tears effort: establishing honest trust, maintaining healthy affection, navigating ongoing compromises, and survival.

Related

’Outlander’ Showrunner Confirms Whether Fans Will See Tobias Menzies’ Frank in the Final Season

Showrunner Matthew B. Roberts and executive producer Maril Davis also discuss the incredible accomplishment of telling the epic eight-season story.

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‘Outlander’s Timeless Romance Has Changed Television for the Better

Although a romance between two heterosexual individuals means the series isn’t the height of progressiveness, Outlander‘s influence has altered the mainstream game regarding egalitarian depictions of sexual intimacy long before modern zeitgeist hits like Bridgerton or Heated Rivalry. Certain unfortunate decisions do make the series’ representation imperfect; the proliferation of sexual assault storylines quickly becomes a plot-device trope rather than a character-driven exploration of trauma. Yet in the same era that Game of Thrones garnered backlash for its dual objectification of women’s bodies and their emotional distress, Outlander neither diminishes nor vilifies its heroine’s voracious desire and the pursuit of her pleasure. Surrounded by constant danger, the Frasers’ bedroom is a sphere of guaranteed agency for Claire. More than being a resounding improvement in visual media’s exploitative habits, Outlander preserving this element accurately reflects romance novels’ revolutionary appeal; at the risk of making a blanket statement, underrepresented demographics crave the genre’s raw recognition and wish-fulfillment empowerment.

On that note, there’s no overlooking Outlander‘s most triumphant secret ingredient — Balfe and Heughan’s chemistry. Viewers keep returning for the trial-by-fire comforts of Claire and Jamie’s bliss as much as they do for the tenderness, the tartan, and the time travel. The fact that both actors keep unearthing new layers to characters they know like the back of their hand is additional icing on the cake. Even if Season 8’s story doesn’t conclude with across-the-board satisfaction, Outlander‘s legacy remains timeless.

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Outlander

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Release Date

2014 – 2026-00-00

Showrunner

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Matthew B. Roberts

Directors

John Dahl, Metin Hüseyin, Jamie Payne, Stephen Woolfenden, Anna Foerster, Brendan Maher, Brian Kelly, David Moore, Jennifer Getzinger, Mike Barker, Philip John, Joss Agnew, Lisa Clarke, Jan Matthys, Ben Bolt, Charlotte Brändström, Christiana Ebohon-Green, Denise Di Novi, Douglas Mackinnon, Julian Holmes, Norma Bailey, Richard Clark, Justin Molotnikov, Stewart Svaasand

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  Jack Tarlton

  Kenny Lindsay

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  John Sessions

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  Arthur Duncan

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Michael B. Jordan is still getting used to hearing himself called an Oscar winner. Appearing at CinemaCon for the first time since taking home Best Actor at the Academy Awards, the “Sinners” star admitted the title hasn’t quite sunk in after being introduced with the honor onstage.

The actor’s win also carried a deeper note, as he used his acceptance speech to acknowledge the Black actors who paved the way before him.

At CinemaCon, Jordan used the moment to debut a trailer for “The Thomas Crown Affair,” an upcoming romantic heist film he is set to star in.

Michael B. Jordan Relishes Oscar Win At CinemaCon

Some titles don’t lose their shine, and for Jordan, “Oscar winner” is clearly one of them. Fresh off his Best Actor victory at the Academy Awards, the 39-year-old couldn’t hide his excitement when he was introduced onstage as an “Academy Award winner” during Amazon’s CinemaCon panel.

“I don’t think that will ever get old,” he said, per DiscussingFilm.

It’s been just a month since Jordan picked up the trophy for his dual role as twins Smoke and Stack in “Sinners,” beating out a stacked field that included Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, and Wagner Moura.

Fans Weigh In On Jordan’s Oscar Moment

Fans had plenty to say about Jordan soaking in the moment, and not all of it was straightforward praise. While many applauded his journey, others couldn’t resist a little sarcasm as the Oscar buzz continues to follow him.

One X user joked, “Don’t worry, it won’t get old because we’re still waiting for the first one to actually match the hype. CinemaCon award energy is strong, though.”

Another chimed in, “Lmaoooo bro still cheesing like he just got the call yesterday.”

Others kept it more celebratory. “Much respect. Of course, it shouldn’t get old, and other actors feel the same way. Congratulations to MBJ again for an epic and well-deserved win!” one fan wrote.

Michael B Jordan Previews New Film At CinemaCon

Jordan wasn’t just at CinemaCon to bask in his recent Oscar glow; he also came with a first look at what’s next. The actor unveiled footage from his upcoming film “The Thomas Crown Affair,” where he stars opposite Adria Arjona.

In the trailer, Jordan steps into the role of Thomas Crown, a seasoned art thief who pulls off a daring heist involving a priceless Sunflowers painting from a museum. But the job becomes complicated when he finds himself drawn to Arjona’s character, the investigator tasked with tracking him down.

“Tell me something, does this billionaire thing really work?” her character asks during a dinner date.

“Usually,” Crown coolly replies.

Jordan Says Role Was Years In The Making

Jordan revealed the role wasn’t just another project, but one he had been chasing for years. “The Thomas Crown Affair” marks a fresh reboot of the franchise, following the 1968 original and its 1999 remake, both centered on a thrill-seeking billionaire art thief locked in a high-stakes game with an investigator.

The new take leans into that same mix of slick action and romance, with Jordan seen racing on a track, cracking open a massive vault, and going head-to-head with multiple adversaries. One standout moment even shows him scaling a skyscraper while strapped to a cable.

Reflecting on how long the idea has stayed with him, Jordan admitted, “I’ve been daydreaming about making this movie for years,” adding that he first saw the 1999 version when he was just 12.

“I wanna be in a movie like that one day,” he recalled thinking at the time, per Entertainment Weekly.

Michael B. Jordan’s New Film Slated For 2027

Jordan confirmed that “The Thomas Crown Affair” is slated to hit theaters on March 5, 2027. As he continues shaping the project, Jordan shared that revisiting the 1968 original helped him better understand the character’s deeper motivations.

“He didn’t just steal, he was making a statement,” Jordan said of Thomas Crown.

The “Fruitvale Station” star is pulling double duty on the film, both starring and directing, marking his second time behind the camera after “Creed III.” He also emphasized the importance of casting the right co-star, explaining he needed someone who could “match [Thomas’] intelligence, his intensity, his charm” before bringing Adria Arjona onstage.

“I’m the luckiest actress to be a part of this movie,” Arjona said. “I truly am.”