By Jennifer Asencio
| Published 32 seconds ago

It should go without saying that a show called The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin might just be about the famous wizard, but the show is not about the wizened old man we all know from King Arthur stories. Rise of the Merlin tells a different origin story: the story of the young man who will someday become Camelot’s advisor. Featuring all the drama, romance, and action of Arthurian legend, the show centers around Merlin’s efforts to help the Pendragon brothers, Aurellius and Uther, gather the forces of Britain against invasion by the Saxons in the 6^th century.

Newcomer Tom Sharp plays the title role, and I got to ask this incredible actor some questions about the show for GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT. I’ve previously reviewed and commented about the show and its themes, and have interviewed other actors from the show.

Tom Sharp’s Early Career

The first thing I wanted to know about was Tom’s experience leading up to his casting as Merlin. What got him into acting? Like most actors, he admits, “I grew up obsessively watching films. As a boy, I’d happily burn through a load of VHS tapes on repeat, and a trip to the cinema was special.” But it was more than just watching movies for the Merlin lead. “My family introduced me to a wide variety of genres & classics at a young age, which sparked my imagination… I consider it my ‘unofficial training.’”

Hope and determination were important elements in Tom’s career, too. “Acting was considered a pipe dream where I grew up,” he explained, “and with no industry connections, it wasn’t until my 20’s that I considered taking the leap. Independently, I began leading short films and on stage in small indie theatre, whilst trying to get my foot in the door for years… a lot of ‘trial & error,’ taking risks and relying on my instincts.”

Becoming Merlin

For Tom, the role of Merlin was a big leap, since he was a relative unknown. “I applied independently to the series without an agent via a self-tape,” he told me.

And the suspense went on. “After a few weeks of sending off endless Merlin tapes, production flew me to Budapest last-minute for a final audition in person. I had a pleasant dinner afterwards with the producers and directors, but they didn’t give me any answer when I was there, so I assumed the worst, expecting a NO after I flew back. However, when I returned home, I received a call from producer Dallas Sonnier (Bone Tomahawk and Dragged Across Concrete) telling me I got the job and am needed back in Budapest ASAP for what he described will be my ‘Most challenging five months EVER!’… and he wasn’t wrong.”

Naturally, the actor was thrilled to land not just his first lead role, but the lead on an ambitious, well-produced project. “Landing a production of this size for the first time, let alone the lead, was wild,” he told me. “When I applied online to the opening casting call, I didn’t know the scale of it and the script was kept under wraps, obviously. Once I knew it was Merlin, and it dawned on me what this was, I dove in. An opportunity of this size for a lot of actors I know is RARE, and my mantra has always been when something like this finally comes along, that I’d go all out and not leave saying ‘if only.’”

Since movies were such a family affair, there was plenty of joy to go around for the budding actor. “My parents’ reaction to when I landed the role was the best and meant the world. I gave a thumbs up to my Mum & Dad, who both broke down with joy – my favorite memory!”

Tom Sharp’s Approach To Playing Merlin

Once he got on set, he had to get to know the character. What did he think of the venerable magician in his younger years? “I really like how young Merlin grows from a naive, rebellious, and curious lad to a more wild and deeply rooted figure after living with the hill folk,” he said of Merlin’s history. “They taught him to ‘see and heal,’ appreciate the world around him, and [that] ‘the rhythm of life flows through him.’”

He continued, “Merlin’s a deeply flawed character, but has so many admirable qualities. For instance, he could easily rule as High King himself unopposed in a tyrannical position with his power and immortality, yet he doesn’t want it and fears losing control and hurting the ones he cares for. Constantly doubting his destiny, he humbly says ‘perhaps they saw through me to another,’ obviously foreshadowing Arthurian Legend. I really admire him.”

The young Merlin wasn’t all wisdom and counsel. He had a lot of extremes, from stoic to furious to deeply in love to deeply grieving. What was it like for Tom to be playing all of those emotions? “Episode 6, ‘Gaineda’ was my most important episode and has a special place in my heart,” he said of the emotional story of Merlin’s romance with his bride.

“It’s the full hero’s journey, Merlin’s core story, as he goes through every event and emotion. It’s beautifully tragic. When reading the script, I knew this was the ‘tent pole’ of the series, it was vital I land this episode else the character and show would fall apart. Playing opposite Brett Cooper (Gaineda), Steve Varnom (Custennin), and Lynn Hunter (Gern-Y-Fhain) was an absolute joy, which made the job a lot easier. I kept an eye peeled in the film schedule every time a scene from 6 would pop up. It was very challenging, very rewarding, and I was very relieved how it all turned out.”

The Mystery Of Merlin’s Yellow Eyes

I often wondered about Merlin’s distinctive yellow eyes. In some scenes, they were very prominent, and in others, they were very natural. I asked Tom about the use of colored contact lenses, and found out there were none.

“I didn’t wear contact lenses,” he revealed. “They changed the color of my eyes to gold digitally, which I’m very thankful for. You connect to actors on screen through their eyes. The problem with colored contact lenses is the pupil is fixed and won’t dilate when emotional or in different lighting, which is very disconnecting to the audience. We tested it before filming and it looked very wrong. Digitally changing the eye color only was the best decision the producers made, allowing my eyes to dilate naturally and connect with the audience.”

Conveying The Burden Of Immortality

Every good actor puts something of themselves into their part, and Tom Sharp is no exception. I asked him about his own contribution to the character, and he told me, “I’d constantly look for clues in the script and ask questions. For example, in Episode 3, ‘A Fatherless Child,’ Merlin narrates, ‘They say Merlin is Mad’ and ‘the future and past are known to him.’ I didn’t want to simply play him crazy, I wanted to know ‘how mad?’  After all the events and tragedies he has lived through – being abducted as a child, the murder of his loved ones, killing 500 men, his constant visions and how he stares into the fire zoned out like a soldier returning from war… to me his ‘madness’ is PTSD. That was the biggest puzzle piece and gave me a foundation to build upon and make this mysterious figure relatable to the audience.”

Tom explains, “Plus, he’s burdened with immortality, an incredible loneliness as he will outlive everyone, including loved ones, so he keeps everyone at a safe distance. I let the filmmakers deal with the magical elements whilst I focused purely on his humanity. He’s not ‘happy go lucky,’ he’s stoic, but when you threaten the ones he cares for, he snaps, and when he’s around loved ones, he softens. Again, for his voice, his immortality and power come into play, he has all the time in the world so his voice glides, he doesn’t need to bark.”

Living Out Every Boy’s Sword And Sorcery Dream

Some of acting is hard work, and some of it is really fun. With all the conditions the actors had to endure, contrasted with getting to do cool stuff like sword fighting and simulate medieval battles, I asked about what he enjoyed and what was hard to do.

“I grew up watching epics like Braveheart, Gladiator, Last of the Mohicans, Lord of the Rings, and to get to play this genre is every boy’s dream,” he explains. “Charging into battle or running with a wolf or giving a speech to an army with exploding sets and practical effects, whilst on location was a blast.”

Not everything was paradise, he admitted. “Filming was either brutally hot or bitterly cold, yet it was all worth it.” Fans of Rise of the Merlin appreciate both his endurance for these conditions and the powerful optimism that drove him through.

With this in mind, I asked him what scenes he enjoyed from the show, both on set and off. “There were many scenes I loved, especially the second half of Episode 6; however, the very final scene of Episode 7, ‘The Last True Bard,’ is easily my favorite. Without spoiling anyone who hasn’t watched it yet, it was a very surreal out-of-body moment for me because it’s so iconic. We shot that in the middle of the night in freezing, snowy conditions, but I was so euphoric afterward. When it happened, all I could think of was my journey here and my family, which was very rewarding watching it back with them. I’ll never forget it. Whatever the future may hold, I can look back and say, ‘I did that!’”

As the main character of the show, Merlin got to be in every setting the series offered, from the otherworldly Ynis Avallach to the mysterious hills of the Fain Hawk, the spectacular Goddeu set, and the epic final battle. I wondered where he liked filming best. “Budapest is gorgeous and I encourage everyone to visit,” he suggested. “But I have to say the many locations in Italy were breathtaking. One of my favorite shots is riding through Gran Sasso, Italy with Alex Laurence Philips, where Pelleas looks back and sees Merlin riding alone talking to himself just as the sunlight rolls in. That, paired with Kyle McCuiston’s stunning soundtrack, is beautiful.”

The looming mountain vista and lonely green plains provided an ethereal setting for Merlin to be talking to a ghost that Pelleas couldn’t see.

The Brotherhood Of Merlin

Cast and crew who post on social media have spoken proudly of the camaraderie on set and even after production was over. I asked Tom about the “Brotherhood of Merlin” and if he made any new bonds on the set.

“Absolutely,” he confirmed, adding, “We pretty much all stay in contact on a daily basis. It was an incredibly challenging shoot, and we were all in the thick of it together. The cast had a rigorous boot camp before filming, involving horse riding and fight training in the intense Hungarian sun. It was tough, but we all bonded and supported each other from Day One.”

Tom Sharp’s Bright And Shining Future

Now that filming is over, I asked Tom what was next. “It’s very early days, but I’m open to anything,” he told me. But he’s in it for love of the game: “Whether it be Merlin again or something completely fresh, whether it’s another big production or an indie arthouse production, I’m good.”

While I was getting this interview together, I decided to finally replace my lost copies of the Stephen Lawhead novels The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin. The second novel is called Merlin, and familiar golden eyes gazed back at me from its cover. I asked Tom how it felt to be the new face of the book as well as the show, and this was big news.

“I didn’t know about the books; they were purely a surprise,” he confessed. “Having my face on a book cover was never on my bucket list, but it is certainly welcome and an honor. It’s a great addition on the family shelf.”

Malcolm in the Middle fans have watched the beloved cast change on and off screen for years ahead of the show’s revival

The sitcom, which ran from 2000 to 2006, followed a dysfunctional working-class family. It starred Frankie Muniz in the lead role as child prodigy Malcolm. In addition to Muniz, Bryan Cranston, Jane Kaczmarek, Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield will Malcolm in the Middle usweekly. In addition to the main cast, Kiana Madeira, Anthony Timpano, Vaughan Murrae and Keeley Karsten have been cast in key roles as well.

“25 years since we premiered Malcolm in the Middle. I’m so excited… that I may have peed just a little bit,” Cranston and Kaczmarek said in a December 2024 announcement post. “What a delight that I get to yell at that kid again! We’re very, very excited about coming back together and seeing what this family has been up to.”

The revival was written by Linwood Boomer, who created the original series. It will chronicle Malcolm (Muniz) and his daughter as they are “drawn into the family’s chaos when Hal (Cranston) and Lois (Kaczmarek) demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party,” according to a press release.

Before the series premiere in April 2026, Muniz recalled past efforts to bring the show back.

“I think I had put a tweet out in 2015, [saying], ‘It would be so cool to see where Malcolm and his family are.’ I couldn’t believe the response and how [many people] went crazy for that,” Muniz exclusively told Us Weekly in September 2025. “I called Linwood Boomer, and he was like, ‘No, I like how it ended.’ Bryan and I talked about it, and he took the lead in making it happen. It took 10 years.”

Muniz had no hesitation about signing onto the project.

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“People go, ‘You don’t want to get pigeonholed [as] one character.’ But I’m like, ‘Wherever I go in the world, people know Malcolm, and they love the show and that family,’” he added. “I was in Mexico two months ago, and literally, people were crying to me [over] how it changed their family dynamic. The timing wasn’t perfect because I’m now a full-time NASCAR driver, but I wasn’t going to say no because of that.”

Muniz continued: “Having stepped away from Hollywood a bit to focus on other things and get the opportunity to jump back into it in a big way was awesome. At times, you take things for granted … now I try to put more effort into everything.”

Keep scrolling to see the show’s cast then and now:

Chris Brown and Usher have fans offering up their wallets without hesitation after their surprise announcement on Friday (April 10). The entertainment icons are going on tour together! Yup, you read that right! After years of fan requests, the singers are coming together for an R&B show like no other. As expected, social media users are losing their minds with reactions!

RELATED: Another One? Chris Brown Has Fans Thinking A Tour Might Be Coming

Breezy Announces New Album 

Back in March, Chris Brown had fans digging for clues about his next music move after sharing a cryptic post. “ALL IMA SAY IS MAY,” he wrote on Instagram Stories. From a new album to another Breezy tour, the speculations were all over the board! At that point, fans were still chattin’ about the energy he put into ‘Breezy Bowl XX,’ which honored his 20 years in the music industry.

On Thursday (April 9), Breezy revealed that he’s dropping his next album on May 8th. For now, he blessed fans with what seems like the album’s first single, ‘Obvious.’

Chris Brown & Usher Surprise Fans With Tour

Now, it seems we finally know what MAY meant! A new album AND a legendary tour. Breezy first teased on Thursday via IG Stories that he “had something to tell” on Friday. Then, amid dropping the R&B tour news, he posted on the same platform, writing, “Y’all not ready,” with fire emojis. The announcement, a video, was posted on his and Usher’s Instagram feeds early Friday morning. It shows two masked men hopping on motorcycles and speeding to link up as they pass by fans receiving alerts on their phones. It ends with the two men, revealed to be Chris Brown and Usher, stepping into an elevator. Usher says, “It’s time, and Chris Brown responds, “Hell yeah.” Then, the doors open to a stage with a cheering crowd in front.

Social Media Sounds Off With Reactions To Tour

In our lil’ corner of the internet alone, the roommates filled up TSR’s Instagram comment section with the quickness! After just an hour, 15,000 comments piled in. From talks about securing their tickets to what bills they’re putting off to do so, keep reading to see how folks are receiving the tour announcement. And on X and Threads? Same energy!

@simplyt_errica commented, “In my best K-Ci voice 🎶🗣📢 TAKE MY MONEY…. I’ll see ya’ll there!!! 😫😒😂”

@bighomieblocks commented, “GETTING MY TICKETS NOWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWW.”

@iamgeorgiareign said, “Just put my birkins, my car and my sister up for sale😭😭😩😩 idgaf.”

“My landlord is just going to have to understand,” @rnb.radar added.

“I got a kidney available for anyone who may need it😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 lord help meeeeee,” @breezygotjuice wrote.

“Just paid my credits cards off and I said I wasn’t going to touch them again. Nevermind I take that back 😂,” @viva_glam_kay said.

“Idc what I gotta spend I’m going if I gotta sit in the sky!!😢,” @__muvax3 commented.

“BAYBEEEEEE!!! This is going to be amazing & worth every dime!!🔥🔥🔥,” @angee128 predicted.

“Show sold out before the tickets even go on sale,” @markethpryor said.

@officiial_kemaa commented, “Now I have to dip my chip in my savings again… lorda mercy.” 

@braidsbydessi added, “Dear Klarna and Afterpay…” 

“I’m gonna have to donate blood for these tickets, but I WILL be there 😂😂😂😂😂,” @_.theoriginalvictoria._ wrote.

It doesn’t matter if it up being more than the sum of its parts when the parts are this good.

By Joshua Tyler
| Published 14 seconds ago

Defining just exactly what Cloud Atlas is, is nearly as hard as explaining why it works as well as it does. I can tell you that the movie tells six separate short stories by mixing them together and attempting to draw connections to them.

Two of those stories are hard science fiction. One involves a future where genetically engineered women are used as slaves. The other involves an even farther-off future where civilization has fallen, and the last remnants of humanity seek to escape.

As directed by The Wachowskis, the directing duo behind The Matrix trilogy, the connections between all six stories work spectacularly, though the threads between them, beyond an inexplicably recurring birthmark and the recurrence of the same actors playing characters of different ages and sexes, are fairly thin. This shouldn’t work, but it does.

It works because each of these short stories is so engaging that the world going on outside fades away in whatever moment you happen to be in. It works in a broader sense, too, because Cloud Atlas has grander ambitions than simple storytelling. There are big ideas here, ideas too big to be told with only one tale. Unfortunately, not all of these big ideas always ring true.

The idea that does is the one that most clearly links all six stories together. The thing all six have in common is the idea of people working together to defy conventions.

Whether it’s a white man (Jim Sturgess) helping an escaped slave (David Gyasi) in the past, a group of elderly nursing home patients hatching a plot to escape an evil nurse (Hugo Weaving), or a villager (Tom Hanks) in a far off future defying the devil (Hugo Weaving) to help a visitor (Halle Berry) send an SOS, every story follows rule breakers. Sometimes, doing the right thing means breaking with tradition.

If that were the only big idea in Cloud Atlas, then maybe I wouldn’t have walked away feeling a little muddled. But it tries to cram so many big ideas into its stories that those tend to muddy the tenuous connections the film forms on its own.

I’m not sure it matters, though, that the movie never coalesces into the soundly constructed, ideological whole I wanted it to be. The truth is, I’m not even sure if that’s what Cloud Atlas directors Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski, and Tom Tykwer are going for.

If you’ve read any other reviews of the film, you’ll find that no one really seems to understand what Cloud Atlas is. If you watch it, you probably won’t either.

What I can tell you is that there’s not a boring moment in it, anywhere. Spend time with Cloud Atlas, and you’ll be entranced, excited, and utterly engaged by one of the most ambitious movies of its time. It doesn’t matter if Cloud Atlas ends up being more than the sum of its parts when the parts are this good.

Released in 2012, Cloud Atlas was the last good movie the Wachowski siblings made together. They made one more attempt at collaborating, but the result was the disastrous 2015 sci-fi movie Jupiter Ascending. Now, they work separately, and their days of collaboration seem to be over.

The fallout from the BAFTA Film Awards controversy continues to ripple through the entertainment world, as a damning independent review reveals what really went wrong.

What should have been a celebratory night quickly spiraled into chaos, leaving organizers, broadcasters, and audiences grappling with uncomfortable truths about planning, accountability, and oversight.

BAFTA Review Reveals Structural Weaknesses

An independent investigation into the awards ceremony uncovered serious cracks in the system that contributed to the widely criticized on-air moment.

The review, commissioned by the BAFTA board and conducted by RISE Associates, highlighted “a number of structural weaknesses” in planning, escalation procedures, and crisis coordination.

While the findings were critical, the board emphasized that “it did not find evidence of malicious intent on the part of those involved in delivering the event. We accept its conclusions in full.”

Still, the absence of ill intent did little to soften the broader implications.

The report, made available to The Hollywood Reporter, clarified that BAFTA’s internal systems were not robust enough to handle unexpected incidents, particularly in a live broadcast environment where timing and responsiveness are crucial.

BAFTA Apology Acknowledges Deep Impact

In the wake of the controversy, BAFTA issued a sweeping apology that addressed multiple communities affected by the incident.

The organization stated, “We apologize unreservedly to the Black community, for whom the racist language used carries real pain, brutality, and trauma; to the disability community, including people with Tourette Syndrome, for whom this incident has led to unfair judgement, stigma, and distress; and to all our members, guests at the ceremony and those watching at home. What was supposed to be a moment of celebration was diminished and overshadowed.”

The statement didn’t stop there. BAFTA also confirmed, “We have written to those directly impacted on the night to apologize.”

These acknowledgments showed the wide-reaching consequences of the incident, which went beyond a single moment on stage and ignited broader conversations about responsibility and sensitivity in global broadcasts.

BBC Faces Backlash Over Broadcast Failure

The controversy didn’t just stop with BAFTA. The BBC, which aired the ceremony, came under intense scrutiny for allowing the offensive language to make it to viewers despite a built-in delay.

Following its own investigation, the broadcaster’s Executive Complaints Unit delivered a blunt verdict earlier this week.

As The Blast reported, the unit stated, “The ECU found that the inclusion of the n-word in the broadcast (which was also streamed live on iPlayer) was highly offensive, had no editorial justification and represented a breach of the BBC’s editorial standards, but that the breach was unintentional.”

This conclusion placed the BBC in a delicate position, acknowledging the seriousness of the mistake while maintaining that it was not deliberate.

Former director-general Tim Davie had earlier described the incident as “a genuine error,” attributing the oversight to confusion during the editing process.

Despite these explanations, the backlash highlighted growing expectations for broadcasters to exercise tighter control over live and near-live content.

BAFTA Editing Breakdown Explained By BBC

Further details about the mishap revealed a breakdown not in policy, but in execution.

BBC chief content officer Kate Phillips shed light on how the moment slipped through the cracks.

She explained that the production team “did not hear the n-word at the time it was said and therefore no decision was taken to leave the word within the broadcast. The ECU accepted this was a genuine mistake.”

Phillips also pointed out that the team had successfully edited out another instance of the same word, adding that this was done “especially as the team did correctly identify and edit out a subsequent use of the same word, in line with the protocols that were agreed in advance of the event regarding offensive and unacceptable language.”

This explanation painted a picture of a system that, while theoretically sound, failed at a critical moment when vigilance mattered most.

BAFTA Streaming Delay Fuels Outrage

If the initial broadcast sparked concern, the delayed removal of the footage only intensified public anger.

The unedited version remained accessible online longer than expected, compounding the damage.

The ECU did not mince words, calling the delay a “serious mistake” and noting that “The fact that the unedited recording remained available for so long aggravated the offense caused by the inadvertent inclusion of the n-word in the broadcast.”

Kate Phillips addressed this issue as well, explaining, “There was a lack of clarity among the team present at the event as to whether the word was audible on the recording. This resulted in there being a delay before the decision was taken to remove the recording from iPlayer.”

The prolonged availability of the clip raised serious concerns about internal communication and crisis management, exposing gaps that extended beyond the initial mistake.

Ultimately, the review makes one thing clear: while the incident may not have been intentional, it exposed critical vulnerabilities in both BAFTA’s event planning and the BBC’s broadcast processes.

As both organizations promise reforms, the spotlight remains firmly fixed on whether meaningful change will follow or if history could repeat itself.

It’s not always easy to be the new kid on the block, but Fire Country’s debut spin-off, Sheriff Country, has proved that it’s here to stay. Now, six months after its debut episode promised audiences a different side to the in-universe town of Edgewater, California, the Morena Baccarin-led series is also showing that while it might have connections to the flagship series, it can proudly stand on its own. Each week, we’ve watched as the title has taken over global charts for its network home at CBS and, as we head into the fourteenth installment of its debut season, audiences have even gotten the crossover event they had long been hoping for with last week’s two-parter.

There’s no rest for the wicked and there’s certainly no slowing down for the brave first responders behind the primary story of Sheriff Country either. After last week’s chaotic installment that saw a group of children kidnapped and held captive, things aren’t getting any easier for Baccarin’s Sheriff Mickey Fox and the rest of her team on tonight’s episode titled “Show of Force.” Spirits are riding high in Edgewater during the town’s Blood Moon Festival, with its residents eager to take in one of nature’s most gorgeous sights. But, lurking and operating from the shadows, a serial killer goes after young women, throwing Mickey into a game of cat and mouse.

Ahead of the episode’s premiere later tonight, Collider is thrilled to unveil a sneak peek at the pulse-pounding story that brings a serial killer to Edgewater. Unfortunately for Mickey, a psychopathic murderer won’t be the only thing she’s dealing with after she’s forced to pick up the pieces when Hank (Ian Quinlan) loses his service vehicle. In our first look, Edgewater’s Sheriff sits her officer down for disciplinary action — but he isn’t the only one facing her wrath. While Hank may have been responsible for carrying out the hot-headed move that lost him his vehicle, Mickey is even more annoyed with Deputy Boone (Matt Lauria), who was the commanding officer at the time of the incident.

What’s Next for ‘Sheriff Country’?

The end of Sheriff Country’s first season is just around the corner, with its finale set for May 22. Over the next few weeks, audiences will tag along with the dutiful crew of first responders on a slew of new emergencies and, with Season 2 already receiving a green light, there’s even more where that came from in CBS’ fall block.

Watch our sneak peek of tonight’s episode of Sheriff Country above.

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October 17, 2025

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Matt Lopez

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 1 second ago

Star Trek: First Contact is generally considered the best of the Next Generation movies, one that pitted Captain Picard and his erstwhile crew against their most implacable foe: the Borg. Fans love the movie, but one thing that many of them hate is the inclusion of Alice Krige’s Borg Queen. Her very existence as an individual makes no sense in a Collective where everyone shares the same hive mind. On top of that, she’s a walking time paradox, repeatedly dying onscreen only to pop up in future TV shows whenever the writers needed a cheap Big Bad reveal.

However, Star Trek’s stupidest villain was almost fixed by the franchise’s first prequel. Recently, a number of writers and producers for Star Trek: Enterprise got together for Trek Talks, a livestream telethon that helps raise money for the Hollywood Food Coalition. Together, they revealed a number of rejected episode pitches that would have electrified the fandom. Arguably, the most ambitious of these pitches would have been an origin story for the Borg Queen, one that had the potential to answer burning questions Trek fans have been debating for decades. 

The Borg Queen’s Origin Story

During the Trek Talks stream, Enterprise writers Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens revealed they wanted to “have another Borg show, but bring in the head of Starfleet Medical, which would be played by Alice Krige.” Krige, of course, played the Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact, and the franchise has never revealed any details about who or what she was before being assimilated. In Reeves-Stevens’ story, we would see her Starfleet Medical bigwig “choosing to join the Collective,” and they wanted the episode to explore “what goes through the mind” of a person making such an insane choice to abandon both their individuality and their humanity.

Sadly, Reeves-Stevens didn’t elaborate on their pitch beyond those details, so all we know is that this Enterprise episode would have been a Borg Queen origin story explaining how this mechanical monarch was once the human head of Starfleet Medical. Still, I can’t help but think that this episode would have made her character much more palatable to the average fan. That’s because a well-written episode could answer fans’ biggest questions about this character while more organically integrating her into Star Trek canon.

Attack Of The Drones

For example, the Borg we first saw in The Next Generation spoke with a singular hive mind, and the concept of individuality was completely alien to them. That’s what made Picard’s assimilation so shocking. Not only did these bionic baddies target everyone’s favorite captain, but they turned him into a mouthpiece for their coldhearted collective. The Enterprise episode that Reeves-Stevens pitched could explain how and why the Borg learned the value of having an individual spokesperson. Furthermore, showing Krige’s character volunteering to join these villains might offer context for why the Borg Queen in First Contact wanted Picard to surrender himself willingly rather than be assimilated against his will. 

Additionally, a Borg Queen origin story might finally help fans nail down a timeline of how and when Starfleet first learned about the Borg. In The Next Generation, Q is seemingly responsible for introducing Starfleet to this new threat by flinging the Enterprise deep into Borg territory. However, the Voyager episode “Dark Frontier” later revealed how Seven of Nine’s parents were Federation scientists eager to study the Borg, a race they mostly knew about through whispered rumors. The Enterprise episode “Regeneration” retconned things even further by revealing that Zefram Cochrane warned people about the Borg seen in First Contact, but he later recanted after his claims were dismissed as tall tales from a known drunk.

Resistance Is Futile (She Brought Cuffs)

This has led to lingering questions, like how long have Starfleet and the Federation officially known about the Borg? Unofficially, who was keeping tabs on these villains? Were shadowy figures (like Section 31) cross-referencing Cochrane’s tall tales with stories from El-Aurian refugees and Captain Archer’s own account of hostile, cybernetic beings? Right now, all of this is a mystery, one made more frustrating because it involves Star Trek’s most famous villains. Had we gotten this Enterprise episode, it might have cleared that mystery up for fans while making it easier for future writers (say, the Picard writers) to do more with the Borg Queen than have her show up and make evil speeches.

Early on Enterprise was viewed as a major letdown for Star Trek fans. But it started to get really good in its fourth and final season, and the Borg Queen pitch from Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens proves that this show still had some great stories to tell. Had we gotten this episode and more like it, Enterprise might have gone on to become one of the franchise’s most successful series. If nothing else, it could have avoided decades of fan squabbles over who and what the Borg Queen is and what she offers to the Collective beyond being (let’s face it) dommy mommy eye candy for drones and fans alike. 

Happy New Music Friday! The weekend is here, which means more streaming, new playlists and the best that music has to offer — and ET has you covered for everything in between.

Coachella kicks off today with headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, Karol G, and Anyma. Fans can tune in via Coachella’s YouTube Channel to see seven stages featuring a lineup that includes Addison Rae, BIGBANG, BINI, Clipse, David Guetta, FKA twigs, Jack White, Kaskade, KATSEYE, Major Lazer, Laufey, The Strokes, Teddy Swims and more. The livestream will begin at 4pm PT each night.

CBS and Dick Clark Productions announced that Queen Latifah will host the 52nd American Music Awards on May 25. This will mark 30 years since her AMAs hosting debut when she was a co-host in 1995. She shared, “I am so excited to return to the American Music Awards stage to host this year. It’s been an incredible year for music and there is no better place to celebrate than in Vegas.”

Women lead nominations for the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards. Megan Moroney leads with 9 nominations, followed by Miranda Lambert with 8, Ella Langley with 7, Lainey Wilson with 7, Chris Stapleton with 6, Zach Top with 5 and Cody Johnson with 4. More performers have also been announced — Kacey Musgraves, Little Big Town and Miranda Lambert will join previously announced performers Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson and Riley Green. The awards will stream live on May 17 on Prime Video.

The Latin Recording Academy announced that Daddy Yankee will be the 2026 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. He will be honored for his nearly three-decade career as a singer, songwriter and performer within the urban genre, as well as for his humanitarian efforts. Daddy Yankee shared, “This recognition from The Latin Recording Academy is a dream come true. It means a lot because it represents more than just a successful career; it’s recognition of years of discipline, struggle, faith and commitment to our culture.” He will be celebrated at a private gala on November 11 in Las Vegas, as part of Latin GRAMMY Week.

Lady Gaga and Doechii released their new song “Runway,” the first piece of music from The Devil Wears Prada 2. The song was written by Bruno Mars, Jaylah Hickmon, Lady Gaga, Andrew Watt, Henry Walter, Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II and Jayda Love, and produced by Bruno Mars, Andrew Watt, Cirkut and D’Mile. The song marks the first collaboration between Gaga and Doechii.

Hilary Duff has released “Come Clean (Mine),” a re-recorded version of her 2003 hit single. The track will be featured in “The Reunion: Laguna Beach” which premieres April 10 on The Roku Channel. The song will also be included on Hilary Duff – (Mine), a brand new collection of newly re-recorded renditions of Hilary’s great hits, out on April 18 exclusively for Record Store Day 2026.

16 year old country singer Maddox Batson is currently on his Live Worldwide Tour 2026 and made a stop at The Wiltern in Los Angeles this week, which was his 100th show.

Simone Ashley has announced her debut EP, Songs I Wrote In New York. Best known for her starring roles in “Bridgerton” and “Sex Education” and upcoming films “The Devil Wears Prada 2” and “Peaked,” Ashley reconnects with her early foundations in music. Before acting, music and performing were her earliest forms of creative expression. Simone shared, “I’ve found a confidence in knowing what kind of women and artist I want to be – that feeling really kept me company whilst in the studio writing and recording these songs.”

Plus, new music from Ella Langley, KATSEYE, Anitta, Shakira, Laufey, Snoop Dogg, Foo Fighters, DJ Khaled, Kehlani, Missy Elliott, Teddy Swims, Anyma x LISA, Marshmello, Thomas Rhett, Josh Groban, Maya Hawke, Melanie C, Cruz Beckham and more.
 

“Runway” – Lady Gaga & Doechii

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Dandelion – Ella Langley

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“PINKY UP” – KATSEYE

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“Come Clean (Mine)” – Hilary Duff

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“Choka Choka” – Anitta & Shakira

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10 Til’ Midnight – Snoop Dogg

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“Of All People” – Foo Fighters

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“One of Them” – DJ Khaled feat Futre & Lil Baby

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“Back and Forth” – Kehlani feat Missy Elliott

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A Matter of Time: The Final Hour – Laufey

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“Mr. Know It All” – Teddy Swims

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“Bad Angel” – Anyma X LISA

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“Where We Go” – Marshmello & Thomas Rhett

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“waste your pain” – Cruz Beckham

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“FREE” – Simone Ashley
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“As Time Goes By” – Josh Groban

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“Bring Home My Man” – Maya Hawke

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“Awake Tonight” – AFROJACK, David Guetta, Sia

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“Attitude” – Melanie C

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Superbloom – Jessie Ware

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“You Still Move Me” – Marie Osmond & Dan Seals

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“Who Will You Follow” – Evanescence

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“Already There” – Young the Giant

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Cruel World – Holly Humberstone

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“Don’t You Worry Babe” – Belle and Chain

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SIGNALS – BINI

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“Sick Of Love” – Lykke Li

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wHIMSY! – DESTIN CONRAD
 

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“Fare Thee Well” – David Nail

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“stuck” – Saint Harrison

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“God Winks (moments)” – Annie Bosko

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KEYVITUP – KEYVITUP

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“SAME SH!T” – Isaiah Rashad

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“Damn Good Actress” – Tiffany Stringer

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80 Acres – 80 Acres

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Joy Next Door – The Maine

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“Carrie Bradshaw” – Kylie Cantrall

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