Related: Sabrina Carpenter Poses Nude for ‘Rolling Stone’ After Album Cover Backlash
Advertisement
Epic movies don’t get a whole lot better than Lawrence of Arabia, and neither do movies generally speaking, really. It’s a difficult one to talk about because all the things it does, it does incredibly well, so reviewing or analyzing Lawrence of Arabia really just feels like listing off the things that you can find in almost any movie. There is acting in Lawrence of Arabia, and it’s fantastic. There is cinematography in Lawrence of Arabia, and it is beautiful. There is music in Lawrence of Arabia, and it is excellent. See where it goes? It goes nowhere. So, what’s more interesting is looking at the epic genre specifically, and playing a bit of a game that involves asking the question of whether any other film of a similar scope/scale/runtime not only equals Lawrence of Arabia, but arguably surpasses it. They said it couldn’t be done, and maybe they were right. But there is going to be an attempt here, regardless.
Sorry in advance for causing potential outrage. What’s best to remember here is that four pretty much perfect movies are being juggled here at once, and Lawrence of Arabia is one of those airborne balls. It’s impressive that those other balls are there, though, and are being thrown around at the same time, all the while being just as deserving of one’s attention as the, uh, Lawrence of Arabia ball. Does this make sense? It doesn’t really, does it? Maybe it shouldn’t. Maybe this is a particularly risky endeavor, but anyway, enough with delaying the inevitable. These epics are all at least as amazing as Lawrence of Arabia, and perhaps even ever so slightly better (all of them 10/10s, but some potentially more 10-worthy than others).
10 years on from Lawrence of Arabia, The Godfather did for crime/gangster epics what that movie did for war epics. Also, both won Best Picture at the Oscars, and proved very deserving of that award for their respective years. With The Godfather, you have what’s essentially the opening act of an eventual three-part tragedy, all of those parts about the Corleone crime family, with the first movie being arguably the most perfect. The Godfather Part II does complicate things a little, though. In some ways, it might be even better than The Godfather, or at least it can be called more of an epic, since it is longer overall and covers a greater span of time, thanks to its use of flashbacks throughout. But The Godfather (1972) is still very much an epic, and certainly isn’t lacking, by any means, when it comes to ambition. It juggles quite a few different characters and narrative threads, all while seamlessly transferring main character status from Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) to his son, Michael (Al Pacino), in a way that feels organic, and it makes sense that later films, then, are focused on Michael and his downfall, in contrast to how Vito rose beyond the status (or lack thereof) he had earlier in his life.
When it comes to crowning the best crime movie of the 1970s, it usually boils down to either The Godfather or The Godfather Part II.
Also, similarly to Lawrence of Arabia, you’re pretty much overwhelmed with things to praise, when it comes to The Godfather, and it’s another instance of a film where just about everything is indeed praiseworthy. When it comes to crowning the best crime movie of the 1970s, it usually boils down to either The Godfather or The Godfather Part II, and there are only a handful of gangster movies made since 1972/1974 that could be considered on the same level. And few of them are as epic in scope as The Godfather and its sequel (see the excellent Goodfellas, for example, which is an ambitious and very confident film, but not really an epic in the conventional sense). You can’t go wrong with anything here, in this first Godfather movie, and though it’s a different sort of epic to Lawrence of Arabia, if you want to compare them anyway, The Godfather might well be a tad better.
It should be stressed that this is a different War and Peace from the English-language version that starred Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda, and came out in 1956. That one was certainly an epic, with a runtime of almost 3.5 hours, but it was dwarfed by the War and Peace adaptation from about a decade later, which is technically a four-part film with a combined runtime of just over seven hours. That might sound excessive until you remember how long War and Peace (the novel by Leo Tolstoy) is, and if anything, condensing it all to just seven hours is quite the screenwriting achievement. It naturally can’t adapt everything, but you do get a lot here, with the backdrop being the Napoleonic Wars, and the story centering on a handful of characters who have their lives changed by said conflict. You get a bit of war, and a bit of peace (well, the peace side of things is only comparatively peaceful, since there’s quite a bit of romantic and social turmoil explored throughout).
There might not be any other films that feel as big as War and Peace does, and that’s the reason it’s here. If it didn’t have a literal unlimited budget, then it at least looked as though it might’ve, especially when you get to the massive battle sequences and take in just how many extras were used throughout. How anything was even coordinated at such a scale is mind-boggling, and then even when there aren’t battle sequences being captured, so many other scenes go way grander in scope than you might expect (like all the lavish ball scenes). Sergei Bondarchuk directed this mammoth film while also being one of the stars (playing Count Pierre Bezukhov), so that’s a massive achievement worth admiring, too. Life is short, yes, and the idea of watching a seven-hour movie might sound daunting, but it really is finding the time for something like War and Peace, as there is nothing else like it (within the epic genre or otherwise) out there, really.
You should watch more than one samurai movie, but if it really only can be one, for whatever reason, it’s good to go with Seven Samurai. There are probably 700 things about this movie that are great, but if you want just seven, to be cute and stuff, how about: (1) it’s well-paced, (2) it’s epic but also personal, (3) the stakes are always high, (4) the characters are memorable, (5) the acting’s phenomenal, (6) the climax is incredible, and (7) it’s massively influential. Its influence becomes obvious when you watch it, especially if you’re already familiar with a good many action movies made since 1954, since Seven Samurai told a big story and told it perfectly, all the while fully defining the ideal structure for an action movie made on such a scale. The premise here involves townspeople hiring warriors to defend their town from an incoming bandit attack, and across the three acts, you have the formation of a team, then the planning of a battle, and then, finally, the battle/showdown itself.
It all sounds quite simple when you lay it out like that, and in a narrative sense, Seven Samurai is kind of straightforward, or at least easy to label as approachable/efficient. But telling a story, even a simple one, with such clarity is no easy task, and Seven Samurai’s plot only feels familiar nowadays, in the first place, because of all the movies that were influenced by Seven Samurai. It’s also far from the only masterpiece Akira Kurosawa ever directed, and if you’re talking epics, then Ran (1985) is almost just as good, but Seven Samurai does remain his most well-known, acclaimed, and influential film for good reason. Actually, for many reasons. At least seven, maybe as many as 700. It’s not 700 minutes long, but it is lengthy, at about 207 minutes, and none of them are wasted. There’s a lot that can be learned from the writing and filmmaking on offer here, but there’s also so much to just be entertained by, with this being remarkably engrossing for a movie that, at the time of writing, isn’t actually far off from being three-quarters of a century old (essentially timeless stuff, in other words).
April 26, 1954
207 Minutes
Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Brad-Culpepper-Monica-Culpepper-Survivor-031726-tout-4912263066384a7896c526261055ce49.jpg)
The former Syracuse Orange quarterback died on March 14 following a dirt bike accident. He was 28.
Sabrina Carpenter proved she shines no matter what shade of hair she rocks.
Carpenter, 26, was unrecognizable while posing for Perfect Magazine in a brunette wig on Tuesday, April 7. Her hair, which was much darker from her signature honey blonde mane, was worn down and straightened. Her look was finished with short bangs cut above her eyebrows.
Carpenter complimented her wig with a black manicure and soft makeup, including rosy cheeks, light pink lips and mascara.
Fans went wild over her look via social media. “Omg didn’t even recognize her!! ❤️,” one wrote, while a second added, “ooo the black hair looks good.” A third commented, “Full on shape shifting ❤️.”
While chatting with the publication, Carpenter, who was styled by fashion editor Katie Eleanor Grand, opened up about her dark makeover, sharing, “I love to play dress up. This shoot was really fun for that reason.”
She added, “We got to really try some looks that I’ve never tried before. Lots of wigs, lots of different makeup for me, lots of shapes that maybe I wouldn’t normally wear. I can just play a little bit more with editorial. It was really fun.”
Carpenter also got candid about her upcoming gig headlining Coachella on Friday, April 10, and April 17, which she manifested two years ago while performing on the same stage.
“Now, two years later, we’re back,” she said. “And I think that’s what makes this show feel really, really surreal: getting to celebrate all the songs that have come after it, and just how many lives they’ve lived since they’ve come out.”
Photographed by Bryce Anderson, Carpenter continued, “When I’m on stage, there’s a button. I think it’s been this way ever since I was young. And when you’re singing these songs, whether these songs be your personal stories or songs you wrote about other people, in that moment, it really becomes a show.”
Carpenter explained, “I’ve always been able to differentiate when I get off stage. I am a human being. I’m a 26-year-old girl. I’m hormonal. I’m emotional. I’m dealing with a lot of stuff. For me, it really just has been compartmentalising the moments where I feel like the show must go on and then moments where I can really allow myself to be a little all over the place and allow that to be OK.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said late Tuesday he’s pulling back on his threats to attack Iranian bridges, power plants, and other civilian targets. His decision depends on Iran agreeing to a two-week ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also said Iran has proposed a “workable” 10-point peace plan that could help end the war the U.S. and Israel launched on Feb. 28. Early Tuesday, Trump threatened that “a whole civilization will die tonight,” doubling down on an 8 p.m. EST deadline to reach a deal.
In a post on his social media site, Donald Trump said Iran could agree “to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz” and said that he’d then “suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks.” He cited conversations with Pakistani officials as the basis for these negotiations.
The update was shared at 6:32 local Washington D.C. time, about an hour and a half from his deadline. Also, the president said in his post that Iran has presented “a workable basis on which to negotiate.”
“Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE! The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East. We received a 10 point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate. Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated. On behalf of the United States of America, as President, and also representing the Countries of the Middle East, it is an Honor to have this Longterm problem close to resolution. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” the Truth Social post said.
Donald Trump had previously threatened Tuesday that a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran fails to meet his latest deadline to strike a deal. His terms include reopening the strait through. During peacetime, a fifth of hte world’s oil is transported through it.
Since the war began, Trump has repeatedly imposed deadlines linked to threats, only to extend them. Tehran previously rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal by Egyptian, Pakistani and Turkish mediators. The nation sought a permanent end to the war.
Tehran’s representative at the U.N., Amir-Saeid Iravani, said the threats “constitute incitement to war crimes and potentially genocide.” Iravani also said Iran would “take immediate and proportionate reciprocal measures” if Trump launches devastating strikes.
For context, the U.S. and Israel have battered Iran with attacks targeting its military capabilities, leadership and nuclear program. Iran has responded with a stream of strikes on Israel and Gulf Arab neighbors, causing regional chaos and outsized economic and political shock.
Early Tuesday, Iran’s president said 14 million people, including himself, have volunteered to fight. The president said his volunteers are ready to sacrifice their lives behind the nation.
More than 14 million proud Iranians have so far registered to sacrifice their lives to defend Iran. I too have been, am, and will remain devoted to giving my life for Iran. https://t.co/B9GBHAAEMu
— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) April 7, 2026
Additionally, a general in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard general warned that Iran would “deprive the U.S. and its allies of the region’s oil and gas for years” and expand its attacks across the Gulf region if Trump carries out his threat.
Iran was standing on business, despite Trump saying that U.S. forces could wipe out all bridges in Iran in a matter of hours. Trump also claimed the U.S. could reduce all power plants to smoking rubble in roughly the same time frame.
Late Tuesday, Pakistan’s prime minister urged Trump to extend his deadline by two weeks to allow diplomacy to advance. In a post on X, Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has been leading negotiations, also asked Iran to open up for two weeks the Strait of Hormuz.
Before the deadline, airstrikes hit two bridges and a train station. Also, the U.S. hit military infrastructure on Kharg Island, a key hub for Iranian oil production. It was not clear if airstrikes against Iran on Tuesday were linked to Trump’s threats to widen the civilian target list. At least two of the targets were connected to Iran’s rail network. Additionally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli warplanes struck bridges and railways in Iran. Tehran, Iran, fired on Israel and Saudi Arabia, prompting the temporary closure of a major bridge.
Trump’s shocking threats between Easter Sunday and Tuesday did not seem to account for potential harm to civilians. His words prompted Democrats in Congress, some United Nations officials, French officials and even scholars in military law to say such strikes would violate international law.
In Rome, Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday that the threats were “truly unacceptable” and that such attacks would violate international law. Also, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that attacks targeting civilian and energy infrastructure could constitute a war crime.
Associated Press reporters Bassem Mroue, Jon Gambrell, Mike Corder, Samy Magdy, Seung Min Kim and Michelle Price contributed to this report via AP Newsroom. International-based writers David Rising, John Leicester, Rod McGuirk, Natalie Melzer also contributed. Additional contributors: Farnoush Amiri at The United Nations; and Konstantin Toropin, Joshua Boak and Will Weissert in Washington.
What Do You Think Roomies?
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/robert-f-kennedy-jr-040726-34e18729c9614920b6bc22d414cc8ed2.jpg)
The new biography used interviews and RFK Jr.’s private diaries to discuss challenges and tragedy with his second wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Arsenio-Hall-Comedy-Store-2023-Jay-Leno-amfAR-Las-Vegas-2024-040726-b5dbb93469934ea5a8addc113b133f08.jpg)
In spite of their public feuding in the 1990s, Hall considers Leno a “big brother” after he took him under his wing when he came to Hollywood.
After months on the road and nearing the final stretch of her global “Mayhem Ball Tour,” Lady Gaga was set to deliver another high-energy performance in Montreal. But just hours before showtime, everything changed. Lady Gaga abruptly canceled her Monday night concert, leaving fans stunned as she revealed a sudden health setback had forced her off stage at the last minute.

The Grammy-winning star took to Instagram Stories on Monday to break the news, revealing she is currently battling a respiratory infection that has worsened in recent days. “Hi everyone. I’m so sorry to share that I’m unable to perform tonight and have to cancel the show,” she wrote.
Gaga explained that despite trying to push through, her condition ultimately forced her to step back. “I’ve been fighting a respiratory infection for the past few days and doing everything I can to rest and recover, but it’s gotten worse,” she revealed, adding that her doctor “strongly advised” her not to perform.
She also noted she wouldn’t be able to deliver the level of performance fans expect. “My doctor has strongly advised me not to perform today and to be honest I don’t think I could give you the quality of a performance today that you deserve,” Lady Gaga said.

The singer made it clear how difficult the decision was, expressing deep regret over canceling the show. “I know how deeply disappointing this is, and I truly could not feel worse about letting you down,” she wrote. “I’m so sorry to everyone who made plans to be there and support me.”
She also reflected on her time in Montreal, calling her previous shows there “magical and deeply meaningful. To everyone who was coming tonight, I’m absolutely heartbroken and so sorry.”

At the time of her announcement, Gaga had not shared details about rescheduling the canceled show or issuing refunds, leaving fans waiting for further updates. The canceled performance was set to be her third show in Montreal, following appearances on Thursday and Friday.
The cancellation comes as Gaga nears the end of her massive “Mayhem Ball Tour,” which kicked off in July 2025. The global tour, supporting her sixth studio album Mayhem, has taken her across the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Asia before returning to North America for its final leg.
Up next, she is scheduled to perform two shows in Saint Paul, Minnesota, before wrapping the tour in New York City.

Lady Gaga originally hadn’t planned to extend her run of shows, but fan response quickly changed that. When she announced the “Mayhem Ball Tour” back in March of 2025, Gaga revealed that the “incredible response” to her album Mayhem inspired her to keep the momentum going beyond her initial dates in Singapore.
“We chose arenas this time to give me the opportunity to control the details of the show in a way you simply can’t in stadiums, and honestly, I can’t wait,” she wrote on Instagram. “This show is designed to be the kind of theatrical and electrifying experience that brings MAYHEM to life exactly how I envision it. The MAYHEM Ball Tour is officially coming your way. See you soon, monsters.”

While her ongoing tour continues to make headlines, Lady Gaga’s show-stopping 2026 Grammy Awards performance almost didn’t happen. Despite ultimately taking the stage on February 1 with a rock version of her hit “Abracadabra,” and walking away with two trophies, the pop icon came close to skipping the performance altogether due to scheduling challenges.
“There was one point a few weeks before the show that we thought we might have to lose her from the show because she just was like, ‘I just don’t see how I can,’” Grammys executive producer Ben Winston revealed.
At the time, Gaga had just wrapped a series of shows in Japan as part of her “Mayhem Ball Tour,” leaving little to no time for rehearsal. “Unlike everybody else who had time to rehearse offsite or with their dancers or band or creative team, she couldn’t,” Winston explained. “She was literally on stage.”

To make it work, Gaga and her team pivoted creatively, ditching a large-scale production in favor of a more stripped-down, rock-inspired performance centered around her at the piano. “It was so different, so original, so spectacular,” Winston said.
The last-minute adjustment ultimately paid off, delivering one of the night’s most memorable performances despite the behind-the-scenes uncertainty.
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published

As a franchise, Star Trek is full of episodes that are hard to understand. Sometimes, this is because of all the weird technobabble. You can only hear someone mention tachyons and deflector dishes so many times before you zone out. More often, though, it’s hard to understand an episode because you don’t understand why a character made a surprising decision. This can make Star Trek feel like a horror movie because you find yourself screaming at the screen, wondering why supposedly smart people are making nothing but dumb decisions from beginning to end.
A prime example of this is “Non-Sequitur,” a Voyager episode where Harry Kim wakes up back on Earth. Instead of being stranded in the Delta Quadrant, he’s engaged to the girl of his dreams and generally living his best life. However, he risks it all to restore the timeline so that his best buddy, Tom Paris, can have meaning in his life again. Kim’s decision to ruin his own life for his friend was baffling to everyone, including the actors. But Kim’s shocking choice perfectly defines what Voyager is all about: standing fast to your ideals, no matter the cost.

“Non-Sequitur” is an episode where Harry Kim seemingly has it all. After his shuttlecraft starts shaking, he suddenly wakes up in a different timeline where he never joined Voyager’s crew. Instead of enjoying a happily ever after with his old flame (and now fiancée) Libby, however, he becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to him. That obsession reaches a fever pitch when he finds out that Tom Paris never made it to Voyager and has become a drunk, bitter has-been. After getting Paris’ reluctant help, the two restore the timeline and rejoin Voyager on its 70-year mission to get home.
It’s a standout episode of Star Trek: Voyager and arguably the first really great Harry Kim episode. However, it can be hard to suspend your disbelief when watching “Non-Sequitur,” especially if you put yourself in Kim’s shoes. For most people, being separated from all their friends and family for the better part of a century is one of the worst things that could ever happen to them. This is an episode where Harry seemingly got a second chance at living an infinitely happier life, but he ultimately threw it away to return to the bleak status quo of his existence in the Delta Quadrant.

Interestingly, both Ensign Kim actor Garret Wang and Libby actor Jennifer Gatti had the same questions about why the heck Kim would ever want to return to Voyager. Eventually, producer Jeri Taylor revealed the answer in an old interview with Cinefantastique: “The big thing is finding his friend Tom Paris is dissolute, because of this whole change,” she said. “Kim may be living a lovely life with his girlfriend, but it is at the cost of his friend’s happiness, and it just isn’t right. He is too much a young man of principle and integrity to indulge himself when it is at the expense of others.”
Arguably, this perfectly encapsulates the values of Star Trek: Voyager. As an idealistic and principled Starfleet officer, Harry Kim couldn’t screw over his best friend just to make his own life better. Just like Janeway couldn’t use the Caretaker to take her ship back home because she knew it would doom the Ocampa. Kim’s moral dilemma isn’t all that unique. In the finest Trek tradition, he must choose between happiness and duty, and he doesn’t hesitate to choose duty.

Is that message more than a bit cheesy and impractical? Of course. But let’s face it: we watch Star Trek because these characters are aspirational. They give us hope that, hundreds of years from now, humanity will have evolved beyond petty selfishness in the collective pursuit of bettering ourselves.
Harry Kim did something that none of us would have done in his place, and that’s the point. He’s modeling how to be a better man. In this way, “Non-Sequitur” is more than a solid Voyager episode: it’s also the embodiment of this franchise’s greatest ideals, perfectly defining everything that fans love about Star Trek.
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published

Critics and social media pundits have been quick to frame the modern era of Star Trek as the franchise’s most progressive. Often, that’s cited by NuTrek defenders as one of the best reasons to watch each series. Those defenders are wrong. Star Trek has never been less progressive than it is right now.
To find out where the disconnect is, all an objective observer need do is take a look at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Before NuTrek started giving itself credit for being open-minded, Deep Space Nine was regarded as the most progressive entry in Star Trek’s canon, and it still is.

Why is Deep Space Nine Star Trek’s most progressive show? It had the franchise’s first Black captain in a leading role, and the show found clever ways to explore modern issues of race through episodes like “Far Beyond the Stars.”
Compare this to Discovery, which got progressive brownie points for making Michael Burnham the franchise’s first Black, female captain in a leading role. That might sound similar, except Sisko wasn’t treated as a black Captain; he was treated as a great character, being played by a great actor, breathing life into great writing.
That didn’t happen with Michael Burnham. While Sonequa Martin-Green was excellent as Michael Burnham, she was frequently hampered by bad writers who had nothing to say about race or racism but were eager to shout, “Look who we put in the captain’s chair!”

Sisko wasn’t the only progressive character in the series. The prominent Trill character Dax effectively served as an allegory for trans people. Sisko originally knew her as a curmudgeonly womanizer, Kurzon Dax, and their friendship remained the same when she became a beautiful young woman.
Over the course of the show, Deep Space Nine offered surprisingly nuanced allegories exploring what it is like to become another person and how that affects how you are treated. Compare this to Discovery, which introduced an explicitly trans Trill (Gray Tal) and did little with his character, instead focusing on the nonbinary character Adira Tal.

While it was tough to pull off in the Rick Berman era of Star Trek, Deep Space Nine even managed to squeeze in some bisexual characters in the form of Bashir and Garak. When Andrew Robinson read about Garak introducing himself to Bashir, he decided the Cardassian had a sexual interest in the young doctor and acted very flirtatiously. This created a subtext that the characters were gay (or, as Robinson claimed, “omnisexual”), and Lower Decks even showed alternate universe versions of Garak and Bashir ending up together.
For DS9 fans curious about these characters’ seemingly mutual attraction, their every interaction was filled with a delightful “will they, won’t they” energy. The queer coding of Bashir also added a frisson of tension to his friendship with Chief O’Brien (especially when, in “Extreme Measures,” Bashir suggests O’Brien likes him more than he likes his wife). Compare all of this sexual tension to NuTrek, which presented gay romance as stable-but-boring (like with Stamets and Culber in Discovery) or loudly one-dimensional (like with Jay-Den in Starfleet Academy).

When Kira agreed to have O’Brien and Keiko’s baby, Keiko pushed her husband to spend intimate time with Kira, including giving her massages. Eventually, O’Brien and Kira developed a mutual attraction that they agreed not to pursue because he’s a married man.
In retrospect, it really looks like Keiko wanted the three of them to become a throuple, and the modern fandom enjoys this (admittedly brief) acknowledgment of polyamory and the ways love and sex might be different in the future. Compare this to NuTrek, whose exclusive embrace of monogamy makes shows like Discovery and Starfleet Academy seem downright conservative.

These examples from Deep Space Nine underscore why modern Star Trek isn’t nearly as progressive as Alex Kurtzman and his supporters think it is. Remember when Spock said that “logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end”? Well, the storytelling corollary to that is “diversity is the beginning of progress, not the end.” Just throwing someone other than a white, straight, male into a role doesn’t magically make a show progressive unless you use them to tell interesting stories exploring complex ideas.
Star Trek made waves by casting a Black man and a woman in leading roles decades ago, and those shows used those characters to explore questions of race and femininity while pushing back against negative cultural stereotypes. Discovery cast a Black woman in a lead role and made her alternate between crying and giving inspirational speeches. That’s just bad storytelling, and her combination of race and gender doesn’t retroactively make the storytelling any better.

Similarly, Discovery and Starfleet Academy prominently featured gay characters but gave them remarkably little to do as a couple. Discovery controversially killed Culber off (don’t worry, he got better after Paramount did the “kill your gays” trope) and focused very little on their relationship. Starfleet Academy focuses even less on Jay-Den’s romantic relationships outside of quick cut shots, instead just putting him in a skirt and calling it a day. It’s tokenism disguised as progressivism, which is offensive on the face of it and infinitely less rewarding than DS9’s more veiled (thanks, Berman) attempts at presenting queer relationships.
All these years later, Deep Space Nine remains the gold standard of progressive Star Trek storytelling simply because it used its diverse characters to tell exciting stories that challenged the status quo. NuTrek wants credit for being progressive simply because it includes these characters, but these series fail to do anything interesting with them, instead telling bland stories that are mostly Trek in name only. Now that Paramount is moving forward and taking the franchise in a new direction, we can only hope they slingshot into the past and take their storytelling cues from DS9, the decades-old show more progressive than Alex Kurtzman could ever conceive of.
Bravo’s In the City cast is full of familiar faces, returning stars and a few newcomers.
The network dropped the show’s first trailer on April 7, and fans got a first look at some of the Summer House stars living their real life in New York City. Aside from Lindsay Hubbard, Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula, former Summer House stars Andrea Denver and Danielle Olivera are returning to TV. They’re joined by nine other cast members to make up a full friend group in the Big Apple.
The trailer teased the ups and downs in Amanda and Kyle’s relationship, which led to their split. The former couple announced their separation in January after four years of marriage.
“Who was in our apartment last night while I’m asleep?” Amanda asked Kyle in the trailer. “Do you know how many times you’ve cheated on me?”
Elsewhere, the duo appear to have a tense conversation about their divorce.
“We don’t have a prenup, but if you come for me, I’ll come for you,” Amanda said. Kyle replied, “That would be a losing battle.”
Fans also saw a glimpse of Summer House star West Wilson hugging Amanda. Days before the In the City trailer was released, Amanda and West — who was previously dating Summer House star and Amanda’s best friend Ciara Miller — confirmed their romance.
Keep scrolling to meet the cast of In the City:
Meghan Markle’s move to trademark As Ever in Australia ahead of a visit with Prince Harry has sparked questions about the lifestyle brand.
Experts say expansion may reflect slower-than-expected U.S. growth, especially after Netflix stepped back.
Despite strong indications of a global expansion, a spokesperson for Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand remained while addressing the growing speculations.

After recently filing a trademark for her As Ever brand in Australia, just ahead of an upcoming visit with her husband, Prince Harry, Meghan’s latest business move is sparking fresh questions about the state of her lifestyle venture.
Speaking to Page Six, PR expert Kayley Cornelius described the expansion as both strategic and potentially reactive.
“Meghan Markle filing a trademark for her As Ever lifestyle brand in Australia feels like a very deliberate move, but it also points to a bigger picture when it comes to how the brand is currently performing in the US,” Cornelius said.
According to the expert, entering a new market like Australia could suggest the brand isn’t “delivering the level of success” expected in the United States.
She also pointed to reports that Netflix has stepped back from its involvement, which may limit As Ever’s ability to scale locally, particularly when it comes to launching new products or growing the brand in a meaningful way.
“In that context, branching out into a new market starts to feel less like a choice and more like a necessity to avoid the brand stagnating,” Cornelius added.

Despite concerns, Australia presents clear potential for Meghan. Cornelius noted that the country’s lifestyle trends and consumer habits align well with As Ever’s identity.
In addition, the public’s perception of Harry and Meghan is generally more neutral, which could make it easier to build trust and connect with a new audience.
“It is a market where they are already well known, but perhaps not as heavily scrutinized,” Cornelius noted.
Timing, too, she noted, appears to play a role. “Launching or introducing the brand in Australia alongside that kind of high-profile exposure is a smart way to generate interest and momentum,” Cornelis said.
She continued, “It is not just about cracking a new market, it is also about creating an opportunity to bring in new revenue streams and potentially attract further investment at a time when that may be needed.”
Even so, the expert stated that the expansion carries weight. Success in a receptive market like Australia could seemingly open doors for global growth. On the other hand, if the brand struggles to gain traction there, it may raise broader concerns about its long-term direction.
“In that sense, this expansion feels very much like a make-or-break moment,” she added.

Last month, a spokesperson for As Ever shut down speculation that Meghan was preparing to expand the brand internationally, describing claims of an Australian launch as all “speculation.”
In a statement to Us Weekly, the representative stressed that “no decisions have been made about when or where international expansion might take place.”
They added that while global growth is part of the brand’s long-term vision, entering new markets requires careful planning.
For now, the spokesperson hinted that developments are still in progress, urging observers to “watch this space.”

The speculation comes at a pivotal moment for As Ever, which is stepping into a new chapter following the end of its partnership with Netflix.
The streaming giant had previously supported the brand financially at launch, under a deal separate from Meghan and Harry’s content agreement.
Both sides confirmed the split last month, describing it as a natural progression. A spokesperson for As Ever expressed gratitude for the early support, noting that the brand experienced “meaningful and rapid growth” in its first year and is now ready to stand on its own.
Netflix echoed that sentiment, highlighting Meghan’s vision for celebrating simple, elevated everyday moments, while emphasizing that independence had always been part of the long-term plan.

Despite the buzz surrounding its products, from signature jams and rosé wines to herbal teas and edible flower sprinkles, As Ever remains accessible only within the U.S., with shipping limited to all 50 states.
That decision has raised questions, particularly in the United Kingdom, where Meghan once lived during her time as a senior royal. However, brand and culture expert Nick Ede believes the strategy may be “deliberate.”
Speaking to the Daily Express, Ede explained that both public perception and market conditions likely play a role. He suggested Meghan’s influence in the UK may not be as strong as it once was, making it a less appealing market for now.
He also pointed out that the British retail space is already saturated with celebrity-backed lifestyle products, particularly in categories like rosé wine, where names such as Kylie Minogue and Lady A have established a firm presence.
Beyond competition, he noted that some of As Ever’s offerings, like decorative flower sprinkles, may not immediately resonate with UK consumers, further complicating potential demand.
Steven Gerrard disagrees with Gary Neville over ‘shock’ Chelsea and Arsenal claim | Football
No Jackpot Winner and $194 Million Prize Rolls Over
Weekend Open Thread: Spanx – Corporette.com
Gold Price Prediction: Worst Month in 17 Years fo Save Haven Rock
Three Gulf funds agree to back Paramount’s $81 billion takeover of Warner, WSJ reports
India men’s 4x400m and mixed 4x100m relay teams register big progress | Other Sports News
Expert Picks for Every Need
Login and Checkout Issues Spark Merchant Frustration
How Long Can You Drive With Expired Registration? What Florida Law Says
No Jackpot Winner, Prize to Climb to $231 Million
Commonwealth Fusion Systems leans on magnets for near-term revenue
Drawing Tablet Controls Laser In Real-Time
Ripple rolls out enterprise crypto treasury platform for corporates
Massimo Dutti Offers Inspiration for Your Summer Mood Board
Why It’s Partnering, Not Issuing
Wings Over Scotland | The quality of mercy
Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. (AKBA) Discusses Pipeline Progress and Strategic Focus on Kidney Disease Treatments at R&D Day – Slideshow
Debenhams Occasion Dresses for Girls 2026 Collection
Steal Gary Woodland’s subtle power move for longer drives
Battery Tester Outperforms Cheaper Options
You must be logged in to post a comment Login