By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 13 seconds ago

Sabotage, blackmail, extortion, it’s all another day at the office for the political representatives onboard Babylon 5. The intergalactic space station is supposed to be a neutral zone for trade, commerce, politics, negotiations, and all manner of diplomatic activity, but early on during Babylon 5’s run, viewers learned how dirty politics can get in the 23rd century.

“Born to the Purple,” the third episode of Season 1, is the first of many episodes to focus on the Centaurian Ambassador, Londo Mollari (Peter Jurasik), this time, he’s fallen for the classic spy move: the honeypot. 

Women Were Always Londo’s Greatest Weakness

It’s a classic move in real-world espionage that exploits sexual relationships for the purposes of blackmail and information gathering. In “Born to the Purple” Londo finds himself smitten by a gorgeous Centauri dancer, Adira Tyree (Fabiana Uderno), to the point that he’s abandoned diplomatic duties, including the crafting of a peace treaty with the Narn and his future best friend forever, G’Kar (Andreas Katsulas).

That’s an unintended side effect of her attention. The plan hatched by Adira’s owner Trakis (Clive Revill, the original voice of Star Wars Emperor Palpatine) is to steal the Purple Files and blackmail the Centauri into doing everything he wants. 

The Purple Files contain information on the highest ranks of the Centauri government, including secrets that very powerful, very important individuals don’t want to be made public. Londo is, allegedly, an important Centauran, and also an easy mark.

Adira manages to scan his brain while he’s sleeping off the drugs she slipped him, gets the information, and then has a change of heart and betrays Trakis. Trakis responds by convincing Londo she’s really a Narn agent and uses the lovestruck fool to help track down where she’s hiding. 

While Londo and Sinclair infiltrate the Dark Star club, G’Kar and Talia Winters (Andrea Thompson) meet with Tarkis to verify that he has the Purple Files. Talia uses the old psi-corp trick of saying, “don’t think of what I’m about to tell you,” and gets the location of where he kept Adria. The ability to read minds feels like a cheat code in a world of political espionage. 

Adira is eventually recovered, and her ownership papers are taken from Trakis, allowing her to stay, as a free woman, with Londo onboard Babylon 5. She breaks his heart when she decides to go to a Centauri planet instead. One day, she’ll return for Londo. 

The Honeypot Has Been Used Throughout History

“Born to the Purple” is the first hint at the incredible chemistry between Londo and G’Kar when they give the exact same advice to their subordinates at the negotiating table: “Don’t give away the home world.”

It’s a glimpse into the depths that hide beneath Londo’s foppish appearance and his unique view on the world of love. As a standalone episode, there’s not a lot connecting it to the rest of Babylon 5 outside of the fantastic character moments that would eventually define the series. Not every episode has to push the mythology arc forward, something that creator J. Michael Straczynski was well aware of, and the episode’s writer, Larry Ditillio, helped lay the foundation for the revelations of later seasons. 

Honeypots like Adria were used in actual, real-world espionage and popularized by Russia during the Cold War. Watch The Americans, and you’ll quickly realize most of their spy work involved pretending to be in relationships with the target.

An argument could be made that poor Anne Boleyn from The Tudors is an early historical example. If anyone on board Babylon 5 would fall head over heels for the honeypot, it would be Londo, and if anyone could eventually convince a honeypot to come back to him, it’s also Londo.                  

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 22 seconds ago

If you know much about Star Trek: Voyager, then you know that nobody on the cast complained quite as much as Garrett Wang. The Ensign Kim actor sometimes had very righteous gripes, like when he revealed how the writers allegedly fat-shamed him and Robert Duncan McNeil by writing their recent weight gain into a script. Sometimes, his complaints are shocking, like his unsubstantiated claim that he was told to underact by Rick Berman in order to make the show’s aliens seem more realistic.

In fact, when he repeated a version of that complaint to a TV Guide reporter, who dutifully reported that a Star Trek actor was badmouthing his own TV show. To this day, Wang is convinced that this snafu is why he never got a chance to direct. Fortunately for the actor, not all of his complaints fizzled out. If we had never complained about the writing for his character being boring, then rockstar writer Brannon Braga would never have created “Non-Sequitur,” arguably one of the best episodes to ever feature Ensign Kim.

The Squeaky Wheel Gets The Grease

What is “Non-Sequitur” about? In this tale, Ensign Kim awakens in San Francisco to discover that he never joined the Voyager crew and, thus, never got stranded in the Delta Quadrant. He still has his memories from his time aboard ship, but it’s easy enough to forget all of that in the arms of his hot girlfriend. But his absence from Voyager also meant that Tom Paris lost his spot on the ship, becoming a drunken loser with no purpose. In the ultimate “bros before hoes” moment, Kim teams up with Paris to restore the timeline, ensuring that their bromance will continue on the other side of the galaxy.

“Non-Sequitur” is a very solid Star Trek: Voyager story, especially if (like me) you’re a big fan of both Harry Kim and Tom Paris. As it turns out, though, this episode would never have been written if Garrett Wang hadn’t complained to writer and producer Brannon Braga. As the actor confessed to The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine, this episode “was the result of me going into the production office and saying….When is Harry gonna get the girl? When is he gonna have the action?” Braga responded, “Don’t worry about it,” and went on to create “Non-Sequitur.”

Too Cool For Pool

Generally speaking, Wang was quite happy with the finished result because it delivered everything he wanted. The altered timeline of “Non-Sequitur” gave Ensign Kim a cute girlfriend, and it let him kick a little butt once he decided to return reality to the way things were before. He also gets to become a full-on action hero, stealing a runabout, escaping Starfleet pursuit, and even beaming out into the vacuum of space, all in a desperate bid to restore the timeline. 

However, this wouldn’t be a Garrett Wang story if there wasn’t one more complaint. According to the actor, he asked Brannon Braga to intersperse all the action and romance “throughout that year,” hoping Kim would become a more dynamic character throughout Season 2. Instead, Braga “put it all in one episode.” Fortunately, “Non-Sequitur” served as a fun showcase for Wang’s abilities as an actor, one that almost (but not quite) made up for what he really wanted: a promotion for his eternally underused, eternally underacting ensign.

It’s not easy to make a thriller show as gripping, suspenseful, mysterious, and engaging as all the best ones always are; and it’s even more complicated to make a thriller show where every single episode, no matter what it contributes to the show’s overall narrative, is an absolute masterpiece. Thankfully, for fans of thriller television, however, there are noteworthy masterpieces that achieve such a feat.

These are all among the greatest thriller shows of their respective era. Some HBO classics, like Oz, others modern British gems like Broadchurch, others excellent miniseries like The Night Of. No matter what subgenre of thriller it belongs to or what kind of story it tells, a show that manages to deliver banger after banger over the course of its run is one that’s an instant must-see.

‘Broadchurch’ (2013–2017)

Image via ITV

Created by Chris Chibnall, the British crime drama Broadchurch stars the legendary David Tennant and Olivia Colman, who play two detectives solving a case that sends the media into a frenzy. No one does crime dramas like the Brits, and this one is easily among the nation’s best. Well-shot, slow-paced, and exquisitely mysterious, it’s a masterpiece that everyone who loves the genre should check out at least once.

Every single episode of Broadchurch is phenomenal, as proven by the fact that each of the show’s three seasons was met with great critical acclaim. This is one of the best detective TV shows with great acting, building an atmosphere of small-town intrigue that’s as gripping as it is emotionally compelling. Every episode of this masterful police procedural feels like it’s effectively building up to something greater.

‘Narcos’ (2015–2017)

Image via Netflix

One of Netflix’s first original shows was Narcos, a crime drama chronicling the exploits of Pablo Escobar, played by Wagner Moura, and the many other drug kingpins who plagued Colombia through the years. It’s one of the most nearly-perfect crime shows ever made, bolstered by a star-studded cast and writing so great that it hardly matters that the show is practically devoid of any sympathetic characters—you can’t help but be fascinated by their conflicts.

Over the course of three exceptional seasons, Narcos remained high-concept drama television-making at its most ambitious and addictive, helping to popularize the concept of binge-watching in the streaming era. Every episode is sharply written and acted, mostly well-researched, and richly complex, making for a series that feels like it keeps evolving into something bigger after every single episode cuts to credits.

‘Bodyguard’ (2018)

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The BBC political conspiracy thriller Bodyguard is one of those single-season thriller TV show masterpieces that show why the genre is so widely acclaimed. Led by Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes, who deliver a pair of towering lead performances, it’s a show so exceptional that fans have been clamoring for a second season for years. Whether it will ever actually materialize remains to be seen; but even if not, it’ll still be remembered as one of the best thriller series of the 2010s.

Pulpy, psychologically complex, and almost overwhelmingly suspenseful, the whole show feels like a ticking time bomb whose time of explosion is a total mystery. That keeps every episode brimming with tension, which allowed Madden and Hawes to really show off their acting chops, and directors Thomas Vincent and John Strickland to display a masterful understanding of what makes a thriller show like this work.

‘Dark’ (2017–2020)

Image via Netflix

Dark is a show so complex, so profoundly layered, and so intentionally mind-bending that you almost need a notebook to keep track of the whole thing as you watch. But it’s also incredibly addictive, wildly creative, and tautly written. So tautly written, in fact, that it’s worthy of the utmost admiration that over the course of three incredible seasons full of paradoxes and parallel universes, the writers managed to culminate in one of the best sci-fi show finales of the last 10 years, which left no loose ends and zero plot holes.

That’s precisely what makes it so that Dark‘s every episode feels like a masterpiece; one that simultaneously adds to the greater whole yet feels entirely self-contained. It’s one of the most impeccably constructed sci-fi series of all time, and there isn’t a single moment in it that’s not visually impressive, full of fascinating characters, and rewarding in its intellectually challenging nature.

‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)

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Fans of the practically-flawless Mindhunter are still upset that Netflix cancelled this Joe Penhall and David Fincher true-crime masterpiece after only two short-lived seasons. However, that makes it so that this is one of the best crime shows to binge in a single week, which has to count for something. Whatever the case, this gem about a pair of FBI agents who launch a research project to interview imprisoned serial killers and understand their psychology will forever be remembered as one of the greatest crime shows of the 2010s.

Instead of functioning as a case-of-the-week type of show, Mindhunter intelligently makes its story feel like a more serialized, masterfully slow-burning psychological drama. That format, mixed with the psychological depth and complexity of each episode, as well as the excellent performances and production values, makes it so that the whole show makes you go “that was a masterpiece!” after every single cut to credits.

‘Dexter: Resurrection’ (2025–Present)

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Showtime’s Dexter was one of the most popular crime shows on television throughout its whole run from 2006 to 2013—at least until the series got to its finale, one of the most hated of any mainstream 21st-century show. Seven years later came Dexter: New Blood, a sequel that tragically also had a finale fans despised. Now, we’re getting Dexter: Resurrection, and so far, things are looking remarkably promising.

Irrefutable proof of that is the fact that this threequel is one of the highest-rated shows of the 2020s on IMDb, with an impressive score of 9/10. This is, of course, still a pretty new show, and there will be plenty of chances for it to go off the rails in the future (knock on wood). At the moment, however, Resurrection‘s every episode has been a masterpiece, much like all fans of Dexter were hoping.

‘Oz’ (1997–2003)

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Oz is not only one of the best prison shows ever made, but also one of the most groundbreaking crime dramas and thrillers in the history of the small screen. It was the first one-hour dramatic television series produced by HBO, and it ran for six consistently masterful seasons. It’s hugely commendable that a show which has almost 60 episodes doesn’t have a single one that’s anything less than a masterclass of dramatic television.

The show invented prestige television before The Sopranos established the term itself, with a relentlessly intense tone and a delightfully theatrical structure. As brutal as it may often be, though, Oz tackles its themes and complex characters with tremendous courage and admirable humanism. That heart of gold is what makes it such a perfect show, where every single episode is a must-see.

‘The Night Of’ (2016)

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If there’s any network that has constantly proven to be a master of crime and thriller miniseries, it’s HBO, whose The Night Of is far and away one of the greatest miniseries of the 21st century thus far. Based on the first season of the 2008 British series Criminal Justice, the show stars an incredible Riz Ahmed, whose tour-de-force performance anchors the whole thing throughout.

It’s one of the most nearly-perfect thriller shows ever, a hyper-focused slow-burn tragedy that turns the police, legal, and court work of its story into some of the juiciest drama imaginable. Every episode evolves the story in a way that’s irresistibly engrossing, all done with a technically stunning atmosphere and a structural tightness that even most miniseries aren’t capable of achieving.

‘Chernobyl’ (2019)

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The HBO miniseries Chernobyl is not for the faint of heart. In exploring the story of the 1986 nuclear disaster in the titular Ukrainian city, the show holds back no punches, making it an absolutely brutal watch. But as stomach-testing as it may be, Chernobyl is still a masterpiece; and over the course of its five episodes, it builds itself up as perhaps the greatest miniseries in history.

It’s no surprise that every single one of Chernobyl‘s episodes is among the highest-rated TV episodes on IMDb. Form, theme, and structure are all perfectly aligned in this beautifully acted, visually striking, technically faultless gem of a show. Scary, thrilling, suspenseful, and deeply dramatic, it’s one of the greatest masterclasses in thriller television that the world has ever seen, without a single dead spot in any of its episodes.

‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)

Even 13 years after its conclusion, many people still call Breaking Bad the single greatest TV show ever made—and for good reason. Created by the brilliant Vince Gilligan, it serves simultaneously as a gripping character study, a suspenseful drug crime thriller, and an adrenaline-pumping neo-Western that does all manner of fascinating things with the tropes of every genre it falls into.

It is, indeed, one of the best TV drama masterpieces of all time, and it’s not even close. The story of Walter White and Heisenberg (Bryan Cranston) is one as engrossing as it is tragic, and every single episode contributes something absolutely essential to that arc—yes, even “Fly,” the show’s lowest-rated episode on IMDb, which is consequentially one of the most underrated episodes in TV history. Some are slow-burning, some are action-packed, some are hugely suspenseful, some are emotionally cathartic; but every single episode of Breaking Bad is an undeniable masterpiece.

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Breaking Bad

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Release Date

2008 – 2013-00-00

Network

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AMC

Showrunner

Vince Gilligan

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Directors

Vince Gilligan, Michelle Maclaren

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Sullivan’s Crossing has gone through some surprise cast changes — and twists — but is the hit show returning for season 4?

Based on a book series by Robyn Carr, Sullivan’s Crossing follows neurosurgeon Maggie (Morgan Kohan) as she returns to her hometown in rural Nova Scotia. She finds herself reconnecting with estranged father, Sully (Scott Patterson), newcomer Cal (Chad Michael Murray) and more members of the community.

Sullivan’s Crossing was previously renewed for a fourth season, which premiered March 22, 2026, on CTV. After airing in Canada, the hit show will follow up with April 20, 2026, on The CW and then on Netflix presumably in the summer once the show wraps up on cable.

Before its premiere, Us Weekly broke the news in March that Patterson would not be reprising his role when season 4 returns.

“Season 3 of Sullivan’s Crossing ended with Sully leaving for Ireland, beginning a new chapter in his life. Season 4 picks up the next day, with Sully still overseas,” Sullivan’s Crossing executive producer and showrunner Roma Roth exclusively told Us. “While he isn’t physically present in this season, the character remains an important part of the world with the potential to be included in future seasons should that align with the ongoing creative.”

In response, Patterson hinted at what caused his surprising departure, writing via Instagram, “The creative differences were becoming untenable and I just sadly realized that the show was not something that I could agree to continue.”

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Related: Sullivan‘s Crossing‘s Shocking Cast Exits After Scott Patterson Departure

Scott Patterson isn’t the only Sullivan’s Crossing star who has made a shocking departure from the show. Based on the book series by Robyn Carr, Sullivan’s Crossing centers around neurosurgeon Maggie (Morgan Kohan) after she moves back home to rural Nova Scotia to reconnect with her estranged father, Sully (Scott Patterson). The brief getaway turns […]

Patterson clarified it wasn’t his choice to leave Sullivan’s Crossing.

“It’s unfortunate that it is now being implied that they moved on from me/Sully when the fact is the complete opposite, and those who sadly already have spoken out are also fully aware of this fact, and yet chose to say otherwise,” he continued. “I was not intending to make any statement but the fans of the books and the show deserve to know the truth as I have always been respectful of those who support this industry by watching and loving these characters we are so dang lucky and blessed to portray and bring to life.”

Seasons 1 through 3 of Sullivan’s Crossing are currently streaming on Netflix. Season 4 premieres on The CW April 20 at 8 p.m. ET

FBI Special Agent Brittany Garcia is the one who provided the “facts” presented in the criminal complaint against Pooh Shiesty, his father Lontrell Williams Sr., rapper Big30, and six others. The doc is 31 pages long, accusing the group of conspiring to and committing kidnapping. It spares no details about what allegedly happened to at least three victims, including Gucci Mane. From a Staples pit stop to fingerprint evidence left behind, here are seven WILD criminal allegations pulled from the complaint pages!

RELATED: Prosecutors Reveal Everything Allegedly Stolen By Pooh Shiesty & His Conspirators In Gucci Mane Kidnapping Case

For context, here are the names of everyone accused: Lontrell Williams Jr. (Pooh Shiesty), Lontrell Williams Sr. (Pooh’s dad), Rodney Wright Jr. (Big30), Demarcus Glover, Damarian Gipson, Kordae Johnson, Darrion McDaniel, Terrance Rodgers and Kedarius Waters.

1. Pooh Shiesty’s Dad Allegedly Printed Contract At Staples

As previously reported, Pooh Shiesty allegedly held Gucci Mane at gunpoint, forcing him to sign and date his contractual release on January 10. About two hours before arriving at the studio to meet Gucci Mane, Pooh Shiesty and Williams Sr. stopped at a Staples in Frisco, Texas (pages 12-13). That visit is listed as probable cause in the federal government’s case.

Surveillance footage shows the dad entering the store at 1:50 p.m. after parking near the front. After entering Staples, he walked straight to the copy/printer machines. Investigators pulled a receipt that shows a transaction at 1:59 p.m. at the printer/copy section, the same time Williams Sr. was near the machines.

“Due to the close timing of this visit to Staples prior to the offense, the fact that Williams Sr. went straight to the printing area of the store, and the timing of the receipt confirming a transaction occurred while Williams Sr. was at or near these printers, investigators believe that Williams Sr. and Williams Jr. went to Staples for the purpose of printing off the contractual release that was presented to R.D. (Gucci Mane),” the criminal complaint says, page 13.

2. Pooh Allegedly Stole Gucci Mane’s Wedding Band

The kidnapping and robbery of Gucci Mane and other victims allegedly happened in two rooms: the studio control room and recording room. Shortly after entering the building at 3:43 p.m., the nine defendants split up. Pooh asked Gucci to speak privately, and those two, plus Big 30 and Williams Sr. went into the recording room while two victims and six alleged co-conspirators stayed in the control room.

Inside the private room, Pooh Shiesty allegedly forced Gucci Mane to sign and date his release form at gunpoint. Meanwhile, Big 30 recorded a video of Gucci announcing the “release” on a cellphone. After he got his contract signed, Pooh Shiesty then robbed Gucci Mane of his wedding ring, watch, earrings, and cash.

RELATED: From Co-Signs To Controversy: A Look Back On Pooh Shiesty And Gucci Mane’s Business Relationship (VIDEOS)

3. Co-Conspirators Watched TV With The Victims Before Robbery

As mentioned, six alleged co-conspirators and two victims, M.M. and B.P., were in the studio control room during the contract signing. They were all chilling, watching football together. B.P. offered the alleged conspirators liquor purchased earlier that day. At least two of them poured up in red Solo cups. M.M. peeped the tense scene in the recording room and texted Gucci’s head of security. However, it seemingly didn’t lead to immediate action.

“M.M. and B.P. could see inside the recording room and initially believed R.D. and Williams Jr. to be discussing business, but as M.M. saw the conversation intensifying, he texted C.W. (who was still in the music studio’s lobby),” per the criminal complaint (page 6).

4. Pooh Shiesty Allegedly Held A Gun To A Victim’s Head

After the forced contract signing, Gucci Mane, Pooh, Pooh’s dad and Big30 left the recording room and joined the others. That’s when Demarcus Glover, Damarian Gipson, Kordae Johnson, Darrion McDaniel, Terrance Rodgers and Kedarius Waters allegedly pulled out “handguns or AR/AK style pistols” on M.M. and B.P.

B.P. was robbed of his wallet, chain and 1017 necklace. Also, Darrion McDaniel allegedly threatened to shoot him for moving, but Pooh Shiesty told him not to, per complaint pages 7-8.

Speaking of Pooh Shiesty, we know he allegedly pointed a gun at Gucci Mane. However, he also “placed the barrel of a firearm to the back of B.P.’s head and ordered him and [Gucci] to leave the control room and the studio through the west entrance of the office building,” per page 9. Gucci responded by asking his two security guards, who had forced their way in but were outnumbered, to escort them to his vehicle.

5. Alleged Co-Conspirators Left Fingerprints At The Crime Scene

As said, two alleged conspirators accepted B.P.’s offer to drink liquor in the control room. Those Solo cups later helped investigators place two men at the crime scene. On Jan. 16, 2026, a Forensic Fingerprint Expert ran latent prints from the scene through the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). The results came back the same day. Damarian Gipson left his left ring finger on a Solo cup, while Terrance Rodgers left his right thumb on another Solo cup, per complaint page 18. In addition to surveillance footage, the latent prints put both men at the crime scene.

6. Pooh Had His Shiesty On During The Kidnapping & Robbery

During this alleged kidnapping and robbery, Pooh Shiesty stayed true to his stage name! In the criminal complaint (page 19), Gucci Mane, M.M. and B.P., who all identified Pooh by his legal and stage name, described what he was wearing during the offense. He allegedly wore “a black Nike brand ‘shiesty’ mask, black hooded shirt, and black pants.” 

7. Alleged Conspirators Flexed Stolen Goods On Social Media

Surveillance footage from the studio building allegedly shows Terrance Rodgers exiting with M.M.’s stolen Louis Vuitton bag. A few days later, on January 15, Rodgers allegedly posted a video on the Instagram account @_Damfool375, wearing a “Batman” Rolex that looked similar to the one M.M. reported stolen and provided proof of purchase and photo evidence of.

Additionally, M.M. identified Demarcus Glover‘s Instagram account as @_twinncmo_. The morning after the kidnapping and robbery, Glover shared an Instagram Stories post flexing “a large amount of cash and a Rolex visually similar to the one stolen from M.M.” Also, he tagged his location in the post as Dallas, Texas, per complaint page 23. Later that same day, Glover and Damarian Gipson appeared in a video “flashing large amounts of money and a watch,” per complaint pages 23-24.

Several days later, on January 17, another IG Stories post showed Glover “with a Rolex that appears identical to the one stolen from M.M.” In the post, he claimed he “got a new rope.” Two days after that, on January 19, Glover posted videos “wearing a necklace with a ‘1017’ pendant that appears identical to the one stolen from B.P.,” per complaint page 24.

RELATED: Surveillance Images Show Key Moments From Gucci Mane Kidnapping As Pooh Shiesty’s Lawyer Speaks Out (PHOTOS)

Former “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah is getting candid about how her reported crimes had a major impact on her two sons, Sharrieff Jr. and Omar.

Jen Shah was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison in 2022 after pleading guilty to her role in a telemarketing fraud scheme that left a number of elderly and vulnerable victims emotionally scarred.

Why Jen Shah Had Her Two Sons Write Impact Letters To Her While She Was In Prison

Speaking with PEOPLE in her first interview since being released from custody, Shah, 52, stated that she took many steps to fully understand how her reported crimes affected more than just her.

To start, the former Bravo star said that she asked her family, Sharrieff Shah, and their two sons to write impact letters to her, detailing how her reported actions made them feel.

“I needed to know how I hurt them,” Shah said. “I needed them to be honest with me and tell me everything. I needed to hear that raw feedback, because that’s the only way you grow and heal. You can’t get better if you don’t know what you did.”

Jen Shah Said Her Children Were Apprehensive About Writing Impact Letters To Her

Shah explained that her sons, who were showcased in the first three seasons of “RHOSLC,” didn’t feel comfortable telling their mother about how she hurt them.

“They were like, ‘Dad, I don’t want to hurt mom’s feelings,’” Shah said, later revealing that she had second thoughts about what she was asking of them.

However, Shah’s husband, known as “Coach” to Bravo viewers, told their children that being honest about their feelings was for the best.

“And Coach told the boys, ‘You’re doing this for Mommy,’” she said.

Jen Shah Cried Many ‘Tears’ After Hearing What Her Sons Had To Say To Her

Fans are sending Gabrielle Union love and prayers as she confirmed her father, Sylvester “Cully” Union Jr.’s passing. The actress shared the heartbreaking news in an emotional post on social media.

RELATED: Still THAT Couple! Gabrielle Union & Dwyane Wade 11th Years Of Marriage, Leaving Us In Our Feelings (VIDEO)

Gabrielle Union Shares Heartfelt Tribute Amid Her Father’s Passing

Late on Saturday night, Gabrielle Union shared the sad news of her father, Sylvester “Cully” Union Jr.’s passing on Instagram. She posted a video showing throwback moments with him, along with photos of him spending time with her daughter, Kaavia James Union Wade, and her husband, Dwyane Wade. In her caption, she told fans he passed away on Friday, April 3 after struggling with dementia. She said nothing prepared her for the loss and explained how the disease kept her holding onto hope that the man she once knew would return.

“First it’s repeating words or forgetting little things here or there, then BOOM, he can’t swallow or walk. The them that you know gets smaller and smaller. You hold out hope for sustained eye contact or a smile; even a hand squeeze can make you feel like they could come back to you “normal” at any second. It’s brutal and it’s what he experienced, but it wasn’t who he was,” Union wrote.

Union Reflects On Her Dad’s Legacy

Gabrielle Union went on to praise her father, sharing that he made friends everywhere he went and always brought life to any room. She highlighted his strong work ethic and reflected on the many lessons he taught her over the years.

“Through every step of his life, my Dad was surrounded by love and support from his ever-growing village. I swear he never met a stranger, just friends he hadn’t met yet. A lifelong, die-hard Nebraska fan, he taught me the values of teamwork, a fierce work ethic, and that you are only as strong as your weakest link, so tend to them first,” Gabrielle continued.

She also called her sisters heroes for their unwavering support and thanked the medical teams for giving him the best care. Union also said she will miss her father but knows his love for her is eternal. “I know I’m not the first or last Daddy’s girl to go through this, and I’m sending love and healing to anyone suffering the loss of a parent. I know his love is eternal and will find me in every realm.”

Social Media Sends Gabrielle Love & Prayers

After Gabrielle Union shared the news of her father’s passing, fans flooded The Shade Room’s comment section with reactions. Many offered condolences, while others shared their own experiences of losing loved ones to dementia.

Instagram user @thegiftofkay wrote, “Wow you truly never know what battles people are carrying.” 

Instagram user @aprnbeauty wrote, “Sending condolences this is sad 😢” 

While Instagram user @simplyjonettad wrote, “The joy he must have given you, the smiles are demonstrated all over your face. Sending my condolences 🕊️” 

Then Instagram user @createdbydarby wrote, “With Dementia, you lose the person twice. Praying for anyone else’s family that’s been impacted by this horrible disease.” 

Another Instagram user @amazingly_jenjen wrote, “It’s brutal 😢😢I’m dealing with that with my mom and I cry everyday 🙏🏾💔” 

Instagram user @tasha_s_sayless wrote, “Dementia is brutal 😞 Hope there’s a cure someday.”

Then another Instagram user @kimmymar wrote, “Losing a Parent is devastating 😢. Some take theirs for granted !! Love on them while you have them 🙏🏽” 

Finally, Instagram user @w1ll1am_m05l3y wrote, “Very sorry to hear about your Father’s passing. I send my deepest condolences and please know that your family is in my prayers 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾” 

RELATED: Still That Gworl! Social Media Goes WILD Over Gabrielle Union’s Flawless Unfiltered Selfie (PHOTO) 

Blake Lively appeared nervous in a resurfaced interview clip where she was asked about her chemistry with Justin Baldoni on the set of “It Ends With Us,” and how she was “sometimes the intimacy coordinator” in certain scenes they shared together.

It comes after a judge dismissed most of the actress’s claims against her former co-star, including the sexual harassment charges she leveled against him.

Sources say Blake Lively plans to fight till the end, but there are concerns that the aftermath of the case may negatively impact her Hollywood career.

Blake Lively Was Asked To Weigh In On How She Acted As An Intimacy Coordinator

An unearthed interview clip has seemingly revealed the awkward moment Blake Lively got visibly nervous and uncomfortable when she was asked about her on-screen bond with Justin Baldoni.

The former co-stars have been at loggerheads since 2024, when the 38-year-old actress filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against him and also accused him of launching a smear campaign to tarnish her image.

In the clip, Lively sat down beside “It Ends With Us” creator Colleen Hoover and co-star Brandon Sklenar, and was asked to weigh in on her chemistry with Baldoni and how she seemed to have been the coordinator of some of their intimate scenes.

“Talk to me about how sometimes you were even the intimacy coordinator in some of those sexier scenes,” an Access Hollywood journalist asked.

“That shouldn’t be happening, by the way, I just want to be clear,” Lively replied, per the Daily Mail. “You should not be the intimacy coordinator, and you should definitely hire intimacy coordinators, which we did have, thank goodness.”

The Actress Looked ‘Flustered’ In The Resurfaced Clip Discussing Intimate Scenes With Justin Baldoni

After Lively’s response about hiring intimacy coordinators, the interviewer doubled down on her question, telling the actress she was teaching Justin “how to pull” her in.

However, the “Gossip Girl” star became “flustered” and asked the interviewer where she had seen such a scene play out, putting up an awkward laugh while toying with a strand of her hair.

The book author, Hoover, then added, “I actually saw that too, that was on Instagram yesterday.”

“Yeah, I mean, I think romance is really important,” Lively replied before going on a short rant about how, as actors, they’re supposed to tell the story well and make people “feel,” but they’re supposed to do it in a way that’s “safe and respectful for all.”

A Judge Dismissed Most Of Blake Lively’s Claims

Four months after the awkward interview, Lively accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her on the set of the film, which he denied and countersued her.

However, her case suffered a blow recently after Judge Lewis Liman dismissed 10 of the 13 charges she filed against him, including the sexual harassment charge.

The judge ruled that she could not pursue certain sexual harassment claims under federal law because she was technically an independent contractor rather than an employee during the production.

He also explained that the claims didn’t hold water under California laws because the filming where the actor allegedly sexually harassed her was carried out in New Jersey.

“None of these acts or occurrences provides the ‘substantial connection’ to California needed to sustain Lively’s sexual harassment claims,” Judge Liman wrote in his 152-page opinion.

That leaves the actress with three charges to pursue, namely breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation, which will all proceed to a civil trial in New York on 18 May.

The Actress Is Not Backing Down Despite Legal Setback

Meanwhile, sources close to the “A Simple Favor” actress have shared that she’s not backing down and plans to fight till the end.

A member of her legal team, Sigrid McCawley, recently stated that the case “has always been and will remain focused on the devastating retaliation and the extraordinary steps the defendants took to destroy” Lively’s reputation.

Explaining that Lively plans to testify during the trial and would continue “to shine a light on this vicious form of online retaliation,” McCawley noted that the reason the sexual harassment charge was dropped was “not because the defendants did nothing wrong,” but because of some technicality in the case.

Lively herself also spoke out on the loss, stating, “The last thing I wanted in my life was a lawsuit, but I brought this case because of the pervasive RETALIATION I faced, and continue to, for privately and professionally asking for a safe working environment for myself and others.”

She continued in her statement, “I hope the Court’s decision shows others that, as unfathomably painful as it is, you can speak up.”

“I will never stop doing my part in fighting to expose the systems and people who seek to harm, shame, silence, and retaliate against victims,” the actress added.

Justin Baldoni’s Lawyers Revealed They Are ‘Very Pleased’ With The Recent Development Amid Their Legal Battle With Blake Lively

Baldoni’s lawyers have also expressed their satisfaction with the recent development while restating their commitment to seeing the case through in court.

“We’re very pleased the court dismissed all sexual harassment claims and every claim brought against the individual defendants: Justin Baldoni, Jamey Heath, Steve Sarowitz, Melissa Nathan, and Jennifer Abel,” lawyers Alexandra Shapiro and Jonathan Bach told the Daily Mail.

“These were very serious allegations, and we are grateful to the court for its careful review of the facts, law, and voluminous evidence that was provided,” they continued.

The lawyers added, “What’s left is a significantly narrowed case, and we look forward to presenting our defense to the remaining claims in court.”

The fantasy genre as a whole is often associated with feel-good, magical adventures that can be experienced by audiences of all ages. Even the films that veer into more widely-appealing blockbuster filmmaking like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter have inherent strengths to younger audiences. However, while many of the most popular fantasy movies may be for audiences of all ages, that hasn’t stopped filmmakers from creating some striking fantasy experiences tailor-made for adult audiences.

Whether it be through overwhelming blood content, overt sexual content, or difficult and uncomfortable themes, these fantasy films bring the magic of the genre to its brink in bringing to life films that are the complete tonal opposite of their family-friendly brothers. These films have managed to be celebrated as masterpieces of the genre through their blending of high-concept fantasy elements with a more mature execution that is required of filmmaking that can’t be appreciated by kids.

10

‘The Northman’ (2022)

Image via Focus Features

While not a horror film like his other cinematic masterpieces, Robert Eggers‘s The Northman is still one of the most ruthless and blood-soaked fantasy films to have ever been released. The film follows the young prince of a Nordic kingdom having his path to glory cut short after his uncle betrays his family, murdering his father and kidnapping his mother. After escaping and spending years honing his craft as a Viking warrior, the prince returns on a path of vengeance against his uncle.

The magnitude and scale of this Viking epic helps make it one of the most explosive fantasy action films out there, feeling both grounded in its style and visuals while also bombastic in its execution. The film also doesn’t hold back in terms of the gruesome nature of Vikings as a whole, with the first act pillaging scene especially going all out, not just in terms of ruthless action, but top-notch violence and gore. This entertaining Viking film has cemented its status as the go-to cinematic outing of the historical fantasy icons.

9

‘Mind Game’ (2004)

Image via Asmik Ace Entertainment

Japanese animation has been a source of exceptional family-oriented fantasy masterpieces for generations now, with the likes of Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro being among the most acclaimed animated fantasy movies of all time. Conversely, Mind Game is a premier example of how Japanese anime is also capable of creating wild, unrestrained adult stories within the fantasy genre. However, the film’s adult content never gets in the way of the overwhelming fantastical energy that it overwhelms the audience with.

The film follows an awkward loser who, after an encounter with the Japanese mafia, ends up losing his life in the most embarrassing way possible. However, this only proves to send him on a journey to heaven in back, unexpectedly having a second lease on life that he decides to live to the absolute fullest, not held back by any sense of danger or embarrassment. It makes the absolute most out of the creativity of the fantasy genre while also filling itself to the brim with lots of violence and sexual content.

8

‘Flesh + Blood’ (1985)

Image via Orion Pictures

While Paul Verhoeven is often celebrated for his various sci-fi masterpieces with the likes of directing Robocop, Total Recall, and Starship Troopers, Flesh + Blood predates all of these films as a wildly underrated 80s fantasy film. The film follows a band of medieval mercenaries taking revenge upon a Lord by kidnapping the woman his son is engaged to. As plague and warfare are laying waste to the kingdom, the mercenaries decide to bunker down in a castle and await the impending counterattack from the Lord.

Flesh + Blood goes all out in terms of showing off the brutality and gruesome nature of the fantasy medieval period, not sugar-coating the ruthless nature of its mercenary characters or their actions. While Verhoeven’s signature sense of wild spirituality and satire makes the film a fun watch, this doesn’t take away from the deeply mature nature of its content, including an overwhelming amount of gore and sexual violence.

7

‘All of Us Strangers’ (2023)

Image via Searchlight Pictures

While many of the most adult-oriented fantasy films will go about their adult content with an overwhelming amount of gore or sexual content, All of Us Strangers is more squarely focused on grounded, mature themes and symbolism designed for an adult audience. The fantasy drama follows a lonesome man who, after a chance encounter with his mysterious neighbor, finds the rhythm of his everyday life forever altered. As he takes a visit to his childhood home to recollect his mind, he ends up making an unlikely connection with his parents despite them dying when he was a child.

While the fantasy elements are certainly more subdued compared to the types of wild, high-concept fantasy worlds that normally find success in the genre, they are present enough to amplify the emotional weight and thematic resonance of the film as a whole. All of Us Strangers certainly has its fair share of sex scenes and on-screen drug use that make it not worth watching for kids, but young audiences wouldn’t connect with the film’s more philosophical filmmaking anyway.

6

‘Excalibur’ (1981)

Image via Warner Bros.

Standing as the gold standard for many R-rated fantasy masterpieces for generations, Excalibur has the exact right mixture of classic fantasy storytelling with wild, R-rated action and violence that made the film a massive hit and an icon of 80s fantasy. The film chronicles the life and death of King Arthur (Nigel Terry), following his quest to bring together the Knights of the Round Table and various other quests across the medieval era.

Excalibur continues to have a substantial legacy in the decades following its release, often being considered one of the first true examples of a great R-rated fantasy film and one of the go-to adaptations of the quests of King Arthur. While the Arthurian tales have been adapted to more family-oriented experiences over the years, Excalibur has a sense of brutality and weight to its action and setpieces that do justice to the dark, medieval energy of the film.

5

‘The Witch’ (2016)

Image via A24

One of the absolute simplest yet most effective ways to create a striking, memorable fantasy movie experience that shouldn’t be viewed by children is to mix the fantasy elements with the horror genre. In terms of sheer craft and execution of utilizing fantasy and magical elements to create a bone-chilling horror experience, nothing comes close to the masterfully woven brilliance of Robert Eggers’ debut film, The Witch. A film that helped catapult the very notions of elevated horror that persist in modern horror, The Witch is a masterclass of tension and slow-creeping dread.

The film is as much about the haunting witchcraft elements looming over the family as it is about the aggressive infighting and distrust that breaks the family apart in the wake of pain, loss, and overall confusion as to how and why these things are occurring to them. It proves to be one of the most grounded and gritty takes on a witchcraft story to date, tactfully utilizing its fantasy elements for maximum emotional impact.

4

‘The Green Knight’ (2021)

Image via A24

While it may seem a bit backward to tell a gritty, adult take on a classic Arthurian tale that is often taught to young children, The Green Knight massively excels thanks to its evolution and growth of this tried-and-true classic fantasy story to the modern era. The film largely follows the classic tales of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel) most notably his daring quest and game against the Green Knight, with his looming fate being held over him for the majority of the film.

It would be one thing for the film to simply retell the original Arthurian stories exactly as they were originally told, yet with a mixture of dynamic visuals and storytelling craft from director David Lowery, this medival classic becomes a modern-day fantasy masterpiece. A major part of this upgrade comes in its adoption of more adult themes and visuals, most notably in more visceral violence and sexually charged moments. It’s also probably the only medieval film to feature literal ejaculate on-screen, so that has to count for something.

3

‘Evil Dead II’ (1987)

Image via De Laurentiis Entertainment Group

In terms of fantasy horror filmmaking that holds nothing back in terms of not only gore content but electrifying screen-presence and entertainment, Sam Raimi is in an absolute league of his own, with no singular film exemplifying this quite like Evil Dead II. It builds and improves upon the original film in just about every conceivable way, not only in terms of technical craft but in terms of overall filmmaking and stylish execution. It’s one of the most bombastic horror comedies ever made, reveling in its madness and blood-soaked glory every step of the way.

While Evil Dead II may ironically have the same wild, goofy nature of a cartoon that children would absolutely love to watch, the overwhelming abundance of gore and violence easily makes this a difficult watch for any child. Still it’s this frankly over-the-top usage of blood that has made the Evil Dead franchise as a whole so iconic among horror fantasy films, with this initial sequel still being the absolute height of the franchise.

2

‘Being John Malkovich’ (1999)

Image via USA Films

One of many strange and otherworldly concepts brought to life by legendary screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, Being John Malkovich takes its fantasy premise to its absolute extremes in terms of psychological examination and reflection upon human nature as a whole. The film follows the consequences of the discovery of a mysterious portal that allows people to enter the mind of acclaimed actor John Malkovich, as people find themselves becoming obsessed with experiencing the world through Malkovich’s eyes.

The initial fantasy premise is already wild enough as is, yet the film takes so many strange twists and turns that it becomes an intricate work of art, with each moving piece building off of each other to create a striking and highly memorable portrait. It’s already well too complicated for many children to experience, and that’s before considering the fair amount of sex scenes featured in the film. This perfectly written fantasy movie continues to be some of the absolute best that the genre has to offer in a contemporary setting.

1

‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

No singular filmmaker has so distinctly cemented himself as one of the head visionaries of gothic, dark fantasy filmmaking made for adults like Guillermo del Toro. It would be incredibly easy to fill this entire list with masterful adult-oriented fantasy films that the visionary has directed, yet for the purposes of this list, nothing comes close to his timeless dark fantasy masterpiece, Pan’s Labyrinth. It stands as the absolute pinnacle of what an adult-oriented fantasy film can be, unrestrained by having to appeal to young children and creating a stylish, otherworldly exploration of madness and thematic perfection.

Pan’s Labyrinth has grown to be so beloved and acclaimed in the two decades since its release that it is often considered the definitive height of dark fantasy as a subgenre of traditional fantasy storytelling. The visuals still hold up tremendously to this day, as its beautiful original world building is second-to-none and exemplifies the very best that fantasy filmmaking is capable of.