On 90 Day Fiance, Forrest chooses to go home with his mom instead of staying in the Philippines with Sheena to start a life together. Laura Nevenner too makes a tough choice but Birkan surprises her with his response. Trisha gets a hard truth from Rick Van Vactor. And Elise Benson has an epic meltdown while cascading down a waterfall. Let’s break it all down in this recap of Season 8, Episode 18 Emergency Exit.

90 Day Fiance: Forrest Listens to His Mom

On 90 Day Fiance, Forrest stands by his decision to stay with Sheena in the Philippines. Until his mom Molly delivers a scathing takedown of the plan. Sheena even leaves the table for a breather. Molly lays it to Forrest. He can’t stay in the Philippines and find work. She suggests he return with her to the United States and go through some government sponsored training. And then work on getting a K-1 visa for Sheena to come to the U.S.

Forrest fights back on 90 Day Fiance. But his mom won’t stop. Continuing to mock Sheena and tell Forrest to think with his head. Sheena sobs and Molly has zero empathy. Forrest starts to wear down under Molly’s tirade. And by the time they get back to the apartment for the final night in the Philippines, he’s sold that his mom is right. He tearfully tells Sheena that he’s going home the next day with Molly and Dev.

Forrest promises he will set a plan in motion and if he can’t get her to the U.S. he will return to the Philippines. But Sheena rightly has her doubts since Molly is so manipulative with her son. And makes it clear she doesn’t trust Sheena. The next day they head to the airport. Molly is smug while Forrest and Sheena share a tearful goodbye.

90 Day Fiance: Birkan Puts Laura on the Spot

Laura Nevenner spent the night alone after a fight with Birkan over her BFF Michal. Birkan feels betrayed by Laura after Michal admitted it was Laura who came onto him and not the other way around. Birkan actually enjoyed hanging out with Michal. And thinks he’s a good guy. But he’s not okay with Laura’s role in the friendship. Laura pouts in the hotel to production. But Birkan agrees to talk so she stops for some street food and coke as a peace offering.

Birkan is cold at first. Laura explains that she fibbed about who hit on who because she feared he would ask her to end the friendship. He asks if she would do that for him. She pauses but ultimately says yes. Birkan says ok. But then clarifies he wouldn’t want her to cut Michal out of her life. He suggests they remain friends. But just that. And not continue a “weird” friendship. Laura is relieved and they hug and agree to move forward.

Before The 90 Days: Rick Van Vactor Can’t Let Go of His Ex

After a fight at the airport over a text from his ex, Trisha is no longer speaking to Rick Van Vactor. But, Trish has agreed to talk to Rick on 90 Day Fiance. Rick sheepishly approaches Trish. Who is tired of his nonsense and questions his betrayal. Rick is wishy washy. Suggesting it’s Trish who he really loves. She questions how that can be since he was texting his ex while he was with her and her family.

Rick waxes over the relationship with the ex to production. They met on vacation and it just kind of fizzled due to distance. But it’s obvious he’s feeling something for her. Trish fires off an ultimatum: block the ex or she will walk away for good. Rick gets teary eyed and says he can’t block her. Trish demands to know why. And he chokes up and says that while he wants to stay with Trish, he can’t deny he has feelings for his ex and won’t block her. So, she blocks him and walks away.

90 Day Fiance: Elise Goes Overboard

Elise Benson’s time in Australia is winding down on 90 Day Fiance. In an attempt to cement things with Josh Lawson, she wants to FaceTime with his son. He agrees to try and arrange it. Elise wants to appeal to Josh’s love of outdoor adventure. So she arranges an abseiling outing without really understanding what it entails. So she’s shocked to find she’ll be jumping into freezing cold pools of water, careening down waterfalls and gasp getting her hair wet.

She goes along, but before long it’s disastrous. She’s freezing and her hands are numb. Not to mention she’s terrified once they send her rappelling down a waterfall attached to a cord. Elise screams bloody murder and puts her fingers in her mouth. Her helmet cam captures the whole meltdown. Finally Elise descends into the water below. And immediately receives medical attention. Josh rushes to comfort her in spite of thinking she was just being dramatic at first.

While recovering on the drive back, Josh gets a text from his son’s mom on 90 Day Fiance. She’s not cool with letting Elise FaceTime with their son. Elise gets dramatic about it and complains again about being cold. Josh says he wouldn’t blame her for “walking away” and runs off to grab her a sweater. Later she gets froze out again while dressed like a casino cocktail waitress in a windy restaurant. This time the waitress provides a blanket. Josh claims he’s in love with her. But she’s unable to say it back.

TLC Couples Face the Future

Rounding out this 90 Day Fiance recap are Stig Da Artist and Aviva Duhamel. It’s just hours before Aviva is to return to the U.S. and Stig changes the game plan. Instead of making their home in Belize as they discussed multiple times, he now wants to come to America. Aviva is annoyed by this but ultimately agrees. Later, Stig reveals he wouldn’t mind relocating to Houston, Texas. He’s got family there after all. And an ex.

Before The 90 Days couple Annalyn Fox and Jovon Fox renew their vows. But not until after Annalyn chides him for not having vows prepared and not buying her a ring. But Jovon earns points when he delivers short but sweet vows and surprises her with the very ring she wanted. Till next time!

Kandi Burruss Announces Her 11-Year Marriage Is OVER… She and Todd Tucker Are Officially Separated! 

Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker are officially going their separate ways after more than a decade of marriage.

“After deep thought and a lot of prayer, I’ve made the decision to move forward with a divorce. This is a difficult and emotional time, but my focus remains on protecting my peace, being the best mother I can be, and co-parenting with love and respect,” Kandi tells PEOPLE in an exclusive statement.

“I’m stepping into a new chapter pouring into my work, my family, and my own growth. I’m grateful to everyone who supported us throughout the years, and I ask for privacy, grace, and understanding as we navigate this transition with our family.”

Kandi, 49, and Todd, 52, met during filming of The Real Housewives of Atlanta in 2011. They got engaged in January 2013 and tied the knot the following April. The pair share two kids — Ace, 9, and Blaze, 5 — along with Kandi’s daughter Riley, 23, and Todd’s daughter Kaela, 29, from previous relationships.

But fans had been speculating about trouble long before the announcement. Rumors started swirling at BravoCon, and social media detectives quickly began connecting the dots. Kandi’s followers noticed her Instagram profile had quietly dropped “Tucker,” reverting back to simply “Kandi Burruss.” While some wondered if she ever consistently used the hyphenated name, Bravo’s own website still lists her as “Burruss-Tucker,” adding more mystery to the mix.

Adding fuel to the fire, Todd was noticeably absent from BravoCon 2025 in Las Vegas — even as Kandi received the Wifetime Achievement Award. Fans questioned why her husband of 11 years wouldn’t show up for such a major milestone.

Kandi’s acceptance speech also raised eyebrows. She told the crowd she “appreciates all the support, especially now,” leading viewers to believe something was happening behind the scenes. Fans also clocked that Kandi ditched her wedding ring throughout the three-day event. People also claimed Todd hasn’t been wearing his either.

And just weeks before the split, Kandi openly discussed their “bedroom life,” insisting threesomes had never caused issues in their marriage and that you can have a successful marriage while doing threesomes. In hindsight, fans now say the comment may have hinted at deeper problems.

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Nancy Zhāng is an Entertainment Blogger for All About The Tea. Nancy covers hot topics, recaps and celeb news. She loves to multi-task as a writer and a private chef. She received a B.S. in Mass Communications from LSU. Nancy’s married and the proud mom of 2 German Shepherds.

CBS clearly isn’t done building out the NCIS universe just yet. The franchise has been a network staple for years, but even by its standards, this latest move feels like a pretty fun surprise. LL COOL J has already drifted in and out of the wider franchise since NCIS: Los Angeles wrapped, enough to keep fans wondering whether Sam Hanna still had a bigger future in this world. Now we know he does. CBS has officially ordered NCIS: New York, with LL COOL J returning as Sam as the franchise heads to a brand-new field office this fall.

In the new series, Sam returns to his hometown of New York City, where he’ll partner with a roguish agent played by Scott Caan and help lead a new team taking on high-stakes missions tied to one of the most vital cities and ports in the world. The series will air Tuesdays at 9 p.m., right between NCIS at 8 p.m. and NCIS: Origins at 10 p.m., before NCIS: Sydney takes over that later slot in midseason.

The pilot comes from The Pitt creator R. Scott Gemmill, who also served as showrunner on NCIS: Los Angeles for seven seasons after writing across the show’s full 14-season run. Byron Balasco, creator of Kingdom, will serve as showrunner on the new series, giving NCIS: New York a mix of longtime franchise experience and a fresh voice.

This new move also makes those comments from last year feel a lot more interesting in hindsight. After LL COOL J’s guest return to the flagship NCIS, executive producer Steven D. Binder told TV Insider:

“I, as a showrunner, say LL always has a place at NCIS. They all do. They’re all great. They’re pros. We love having them. It’s just people have very busy schedules, especially he does. So, making it work is a logistical challenge and probably the bottleneck more than anything to why you may or may not see more. Not because there’s not a desire and a will, just because scheduling is very difficult.”

Around the same time, Diona Reasonover, who plays Kasie Hines, told Collider, “It’s always so much fun when Sam comes and, kind of like, disrupts the normal flow of the team. I think that his kind of involvement in the case…I’m not sure if we could have the case without him.”

Looking back now, those comments feel less like simple support for a guest comeback and more like an early sign that Sam Hanna was never really done with the franchise.

NCIS airs on CBS and streams on Paramount+.

Judge Rules Wendy and Eddie Osefo Will Face Fraud Trial Together!

It was a busy morning inside Maryland’s Carroll County Circuit Court as Real Housewives of Potomac stars Wendy and Eddie Osefo made an unexpected pivot in their fraud case.

Despite filing separate motions last month, the couple asked the judge on Tuesday to move forward as co-defendants, according to a boots-on-the-ground report from The What Else Is Going On podcast. The judge approved the request. The pair were arrested in October on more than a dozen fraud charges each after prosecutors accused them of staging a burglary at their home and submitting false insurance claims for luxury items. Wendy and Eddie had previously requested separate trials and argued their arrests were “illegal.”

Their next hearing is set for December 19, and prosecutors are expanding their probe.

Court filings state the couple have “approximately 40 credit and/or debit cards,” including some tied to businesses and aliases such as “Pam Oliver” and “Eddie Hennessy,” which they argue were used to “mask their identity.”

The Osefos’ legal team pushed back, calling the request a “fishing expedition.” Prosecutors countered that the financial records may show “excessive spending” and are relevant because “insurance fraud is a financial crime.” Eddie’s attorney, Joseph Murtha, said prosecutors are still “looking for something they haven’t figured out after 18 months.”

Shortly after reports circulated, the couple released a joint statement accusing police of mishandling the original burglary report. Their attorneys said police “failed to properly investigate… despite clear indications of a break-in” and showed “bias against the Osefo family.” They also argued the couple was met with “silence for over 18 months” despite cooperating.

The statement criticized investigators for exposing the family’s private financial information, calling it “deeply unjust,” and said the State only began investigating “after charging the Osefos,” which they described as an “irregular approach.” Their team argued the disclosures “serve no lawful purpose and invite conclusory opinions.”

They also denied ever using aliases on financial applications, calling that allegation “false and misleading” and explaining that such names were used only “for the delivery of packages… to safeguard the identity of very public figures.” The statement added that claims about their debt exaggerate the situation and that misleading the public “has compounded the harm.”

The couple was first arrested on Oct. 10.

Investigators say the Osefos claimed luxury items were stolen while they were in Jamaica, but that some pieces were later seen on social media or had been previously returned for refunds.

The Real Housewives of Potomac airs Sundays at 8/7c on Bravo.

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Days of Our Lives early weekly spoilers for April 20th through the 24th thrill with Joy Wesley‘s (AlexAnn Hopkins) baby bombshell exploding and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) is completely shocked.

As we always do on early edition day, we start with what’s coming the rest of this week. Then we dive into next week.

Days Of Our Lives Spoilers Wednesday, April 15th: Gwen Threatens Dimitri

So, on Wednesday, April 15th, we’ve got Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) threatening her estranged husband, Dimitri von Leuschner DiMera (Peter Porte). I expect that he is going to back out of that divorce deal that he made with Gwen when he told her that’s fine.

Go have the papers drawn up. And this is because Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) dumped him. Dimitri hates Gwen right now. And he seems to hate Leo at the moment. He’s having a brill temper tantrum. So, there’s honestly no telling what Dimitri could do, what lengths he will go to.

Brady Pub trivia night is in high gear with Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu) and Theo Carver (Cameron Johnson) on a team and their arch rivals, Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) and Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) on another. I expect to see Theo fantasizing about Gabi yet again.

He’s also worried about Lexie Carver (Nikki Crawford) and unfortunately that has made him take a step back from DiMera when he was using his position as CEO to try and get closer to Gabi. But he’s also sitting on that secret that could break Philip and Gabi up.

DOOL Spoilers: Leo Gets a Happy Surprise

Leo is delighted to see baby Trey when he bumps into Chanel Dupree DiMera (Raven Bowens) and Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) in Horton Town Square. And of course, they already ran into Javi Hernandez (Jacob Martinez). So, good stuff. And speaking of Johnny’s caught off guard by Chanel, she really surprises him.

This may be about EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel), about DiMera stuff. I wonder if Chanel is going to tell him that Theo is acting dodgy and she’s worried about what his motive was from stepping back as DiMera CEO when he really likes the job.

Days Of Our Lives Spoilers Thursday, April 16th: Kristen And Sophia Plot Against EJ

Thursday, April 16th, we’ve got Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) meeting up with little sociopathic schemer Sophia Choi (Madelyn Kientz). And she Kristen is telling Sophia about the revenge plan against EJ and how she thinks it should go. And of course, she fully expects Sophia to destroy EJ or else.

So, this week, while they’re in the park, Sophia is telling Kristen that she’s got a plan, but she needs additional resources. So I worry I hope she doesn’t give Sophia a gun or something. And then Kristen drags Sophia into the bushes and Kristen is holding on to her lapels and terrifying Sophia. But it might just be because Kristen thinks somebody is eavesdropping or walking up on them, which Cat already did before.

Days Spoilers: Maggie Furious & Bonnie Humiliated

Xander Kiriakis Cook (Paul Telfer) and Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow) are back to plotting. And of course, Maggie Kiriakis (Suzanne Rogers) is super mad at both of them. And Bonnie Kiriakis (Judi Evans) is totally humiliated. But I wonder if Justin will also be mad at Xander and Kate.

Or will he understand it from a legal standpoint? Because as Bonnie said, he wondered this could happen. Maggie is going to comfort Bonnie, but she can’t stop what’s in motion and filed, and I doubt Xander and Kate would let her anyway.

EJ, though, may come up with a legal counter punch against them because this all makes Johnny look bad. Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) and Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey) spend some romantic time together, and Xander’s going to see them looking all loved up and is going to eat at his broken heart.

Johnny frustrates Chanel and I wonder if he thinks she’s trying to get Theo to change his mind about being CEO. Plus, Javi wants the truth from Leo, you know, and the thing is he really does want Javi and not Dimitri. He has had a full breakthrough.

And we’re going to see Leo telling Javi he wants to be with him and Leo telling Javi, “It’s always you for me.” But of course, Javi was dating that guy in Texas. And of course, don’t forget we have recast Javi coming in about six to eight weeks.

But also, I think Javi is going to demand to know why he was alone in a hotel room in Alamania with Dimitri and helped him break out of police custody. Those are not easy questions for Leo to justify the answers to.

DOOL Spoilers Friday, April 17th: Theo Tells Marlena About Lexie

On Friday, April 17th, we’ve got Alex Kiriakis (Robert Scott Wilson) taking Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein) by surprise and things go badly. Hopefully she didn’t get the gun she wanted because if Alex startles her, Stephanie might get trigger happy. But also, if Alex is doing something he thinks is surprising, but she takes it as controlling, this isn’t going to go well for him.

EJ and Kristen are arguing, again, not too surprising. Also, this week, EJ tells somebody this week that family is his one and only priority. And Paulina Price (Jackée Harry) is venting to Belle. Obviously, it’s going to be about EJ. They both hate him and they want to take him down. But Paulina is also worried about the big Lexie secret that she is sitting on and somebody is going to find out on Friday about it.

Days of our Lives Spoilers: Gwen & Xander Try to Distract Themselves

Gwen and Xander enjoy some cheeky fun, but she is annoyed about her Dimitri divorce snag and not getting the alimony she wants. And Xander, of course, is jealous over Sarah and Brady. So, these two might use each other to forget their troubles.

And Theo stuns Marlena. If you remember, Theo made an appointment to see Doc. He called on Tuesday to make the appointment. By the end of the week, Theo is with Marlena, and she cannot believe it when Theo says his mom, Lexie, is alive on Days of our Lives.

And Theo may go ahead and drop EJ’s name, talking in session to Marlena because doctor-patient confidentiality ties her hands on everything but a future crime. But this sounds like a crime that’s already been committed.

Days Spoilers Week of April 20th-24th: May Sweeps Kicks Off

Then the week of April 20th through the 24th, we have May sweeps kicking off, you guys. It’s going to run April 23rd through May 20th. And there’s some big storylines. They’re going to be pushed right to the front burner. So Kristen and Sophia set their diabolical plan in motion.

So, EJ better watch it. Cat makes the final arrangements for the Will reading. Connor Floyd debuts as recast Chad DiMera on Tuesday, April 21st, just a couple of days before sweeps kicks off, but we might even get a glimpse of him on Monday.

They like to actually drop people in on the day before that they announce the day of their debut. Rumor has it Thomas and Charlotte may be aged up and the will reading is going to be coming soon. I think EJ may be gob smacked. I wonder if Stefano changed the will and EJ didn’t know or if Vivian pulled some forgery stunt.

Days of our Lives Spoilers: Jeremy Exits & Lexie’s Return Shocks Marlena

Jeremy Horton (Michael Roark) is absolutely thrilled that Stephanie turned to him. And to his credit, Jeremy didn’t rub it in Alex’s face. And if Jeremy gets more threats from Alex, it might actually set Stephanie off. But Jeremy is done the week after this. I love Michael Roark, but he’s a busy guy.

I think his last day is April 29th. Also, I do wonder if Jeremy will come back or maybe we get a recast of Jeremy so he can keep causing issues for Stephanie and Alex. So, I’m also wondering what happens after Theo tells Marlena about Lexie because a lot of people at the hospital knew there was a power drain.

Everybody now knows about the person pod, which means Marlena can do the math on that and figure out that Lexie was in the person pod. And if she demands to see Lexie, I wonder if EJ will comply. He might because he already showed Paulina. He already showed Theo. So, he knows it’s going to come out.

Days of our Lives Spoilers: Joy Wesley Returns with Massive Shocker

Plus, AlexAnn Hopkins is back as Joy Wesley and she’s got a huge baby bombshell to drop on her ex, Alex Kiriakis. And of course, this is the absolute worst time for it to happen because his marriage is hanging by a thread. Brady and Sarah keep getting closer, but in the long run, he’s not going to get the girl.

Theo keeps looking for a way to get Gabi. EJ is going to be blindsided when the plot against him explodes. And the question is, when is Lexie really going to wake up? Because Dave handed out a fake spoiler saying that she wakes up, but that was only in Theo’s dream. So, we should be getting a real awakening in May sweeps.

Katy Perry is reportedly under investigation by Australian police following shocking allegations made by Ruby Rose. Page Six reported the update just days after Ruby’s claims went viral. Rose accused the ‘I Kissed A Girl’ singer of rubbing her bare vulva on Rose’s face inside a nightclub in 2010. While Rose claimed to have evidence and witnesses, Perry’s rep has called the claims false.

RELATED: Jourdin Pauline Says She Plans To Take Lie Detector Test Amid Sexual Assault Claims Against Tylil James (VIDEOS)

What Did Ruby Rose Accuse Katy Perry Of Doing? 

Ruby Rose launched her sexual assault claims against Katy Perry on Sunday. First, she replied to a Complex article which highlighted Katy Perry’s reaction to Justin Bieber’s Coachella performance. Rose replied, “Katy Perry [sexually] assaulted me at Spice Market nightclub in Melbourne. Who gives a sh*t what she thinks.” In another post, the ‘Orange Is The New Black’ actress revealed she was in her early 20s when the incident happened.

“I’m now 40. It has taken almost 2 decades to say this publicly,” Ruby Rose wrote on Threads. “Though I am grateful to have made it long enough to find my voice, it just shows how much of an impact trauma and sexual assault takes. Thank you for seeing me.”

Another reply, per PEOPLE, said that Katy Perry saw Ruby Rose resting her head on her friend’s lap in the nightclub “to avoid her,” then suddenly the singer, “bent down, pulled her underwear to the side and rubbed her disgusting vagina on my face until my eyes snapped open and I projectile vomited on her.” 

The actress continued to reveal details as fans asked questions about the incident. She confirmed she didn’t file a report at the time. However, she welcomed a lawsuit from Katy Perry , doubting it would actually happen. “She won’t, because it happened, I have photos and it was literally in public and witnessed by multiple people. Plus there is so much more that happened in the years leading up to her silly song she won’t want me discussing. The psychological manipulation is strong with that one.” 

Ruby Rose said she turned the nightclub incident into a “funny little drunk story” while telling it publicly because she “didn’t know how else to handle it.” Also, Perry later allegedly agreed to Rose secure her US visa, and Rose kept what happened “a secret.”

Katy Perry’s Rep Slams “Dangerous” Allegations 

On Monday (April 13), a rep for Katy Perry shut down the sexual misconduct allegations. The rep also called out Ruby Rose, claiming she has a history of making baseless accusations.

“The allegations being circulated on social media by Ruby Rose about Katy Perry are not only categorically false, they are dangerous, reckless lies. Ms. Rose has a well-documented history of making serious public allegations on social media against various individuals, claims that have repeatedly been denied by those named,” the rep reportedly said, per PEOPLE.

Melbourne Police Involved Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

On Tuesday (April 14), Ruby Rose circled back to Threads to double down on her sexual assault allegations against Katy Perry. She had followed through on a previous post about taking the matter to the police, and her Tuesday post served as a “last update.”

“As of this afternoon, I have finalized all of my reports. This means I am no longer able to comment, repost, or talk publicly about any of those cases, or the individuals involved. It’s going to look like I am ignoring everything from supportive messages, to other people’s experiences, but I’m not,” Ruby Rose wrote on Threads. “This is a standard request from the police and in many ways, quite the relief. I can start the healing process now. And temporary move forward. I love you all so much.”

That same day, the Acting Sergeant of Victoria Police, Paul Hogan, gave a statement to Page Six on the matter. Hogan confirmed an investigation is underway.

“Melbourne Sexual Offenses and Child Abuse Investigation Team detectives are investigating a historical sexual assault that occurred in Melbourne in 2010,” Hogan said. “Police have been told the incident occurred at a licensed premises in Melbourne’s Central Business District.”

Katy Perry has spoken out against Ruby Rose’s claims aside from her rep’s statement. However, also on Tuesday, she reportedly shared her 2013 song, ‘By The Grace of God’, on Instagram Stories with the message, “I love you.”

RELATED: Bill Cosby Found Liable For Sexually Assaulting Donna Motsinger In 1972, Jury Awards Nearly $60 Million

By Robert Scucci
| Published 31 seconds ago

After watching 2021’s Kate, the almighty algorithm threw 2022’s The Gray Man onto my radar, and I can’t say Ryan Gosling has ever disappointed me, so I figured I may as well give it a shot. He has a built-in level of charisma that lets him do his thing, and most of the time it lands. Going into the Russo brothers’ film expecting to see $200 million well spent on action sequences, with the added bonus of Gosling in the mix, I didn’t quite know how things would play out, but I had a hunch I wouldn’t feel let down.

But here’s the problem with straight-to-streaming action thrillers. Films like The Gray Man never get much time on the big screen, and they kind of need it if you want to enjoy them at the highest level. Across roughly 400 theaters, the film only brought in $454,023, which isn’t really its fault. It had a very short run across a disproportionately small number of screens, meaning it was never meant to recoup its budget this way. It’s a Netflix Original, designed to pull huge numbers on streaming.

The reason I see this as a bad thing is because this is an expensive movie. MCU expensive. Waterworld expensive. When that much money goes into blowing stuff up in spectacular fashion, I want to see it on a giant screen. Living in an apartment, I don’t have a fancy audio setup because my neighbors would murder me if I did, and my 44-inch TV is fine for most things, but less than stellar when entire city squares are getting leveled with all guns blazing.

Long story short, The Gray Man is a lot of fun, but it would be even more fun if you could watch it the way it was meant to be seen.

Let’s Not Get Bogged Down By The Details

The Gray Man also has an extremely convoluted plot. Not in a “too many twists” kind of way, but it’s a “load up the guns, spray and pray” kind of movie that would have been better served by simplicity. It’s executed well, but as side characters keep getting introduced in the second and third acts, part of me gets annoyed that I can’t fully shut my brain off because there’s always a new name or face to keep track of after the blasting has already started.

Ryan Gosling is a black ops agent known as Sierra Six, formerly Courtland Gentry. He was locked up as a minor after murdering his abusive father, and CIA officer Donald Fitzroy (Billy Bob Thornton) decides he’s the perfect candidate for a second chance. The deal is simple: Courtland works for him in exchange for his freedom, knowing he’ll be dealing with some very dangerous people.

Once things get rolling, Sierra Six teams up with Agent Dani Miranda (Ana de Armas), and the first mission we see involves assassinating a target named Dining Car (Callan Mulvey). Complications arise when the job goes sideways and Dining Car reveals he’s also part of the Sierra program before succumbing to his wounds. A flash drive gets passed off with vague instructions, and the wild goose chase begins, centering on CIA officer Denny Carmichael (Regé-Jean Page), who sends a swarm of operatives after Six and Dani to retrieve it.

Along the way, we get more backstory on Six’s relationship with Donald and his niece Claire (Julia Butters), who Six previously worked security detail for. This obviously becomes important later because more collateral has entered the equation. The scenes between Six and Claire offer a surprisingly wholesome break from the chaos in Prague, and they’re a welcome addition.

From here on out, you pretty much know the deal. Double crosses stack on top of double crosses, things explode, and there’s so much inter-agency confusion over who’s good and who’s pulling the strings that you almost wish they’d ease up on the exposition and just keep blowing stuff up.

Solid, Pulse Pounding Action Thriller

The Gray Man’s budget absolutely shows on screen from start to finish. The action sequences are gorgeously shot (something that’s not always consistent across Netflix Originals), and at one point Sierra Six is standing on top of a moving tram, firing through the roof while tracking targets through reflections in nearby windows as the city flies past. This comes after he’s handcuffed to a railing in a town square, picking off attackers before they even get a chance to take him out.

Ana de Armas wielding a shotgun after throwing hands is also worth your time because she fully commits when the moment calls for it.

The only real issue I have is the film’s tendency to overload its premise with complexity for the sake of it. Most people don’t turn on action thrillers to do mental gymnastics. At least I don’t. I love psychological thrillers when I want things to get murky, but with action movies, I just want to sit back and watch things explode.

The convoluted plot isn’t a dealbreaker, just a nitpick. Some people enjoy sprawling shadow government conspiracies. It’s just not really my thing, so take that with a grain of salt. It’s still a great watch, just not one you can fully sink into the couch for and completely turn your brain off.

The Gray Man is a Netflix Original, and you can stream it with an active subscription.