Ari Fletcher is making it clear she’s not here for the commentary when it comes to her role as a mother. The influencer recently found herself responding to a conversation about her son, Yosohn, and his relationship with his father, rapper G Herbo. And let’s just say…Ari had a few things to get off her chest.

RELATED: Okay! Internet Users Are Sharing Their Thoughts After Ari Fletcher Flexed Her New Whip! (PHOTOS + VIDEO)

Ari Fletcher Claps Back At Comments About Yosohn

This week, Ari hopped into the comments section of an Instagram post captured by Live Bitez after seeing folks weigh in on her and Herbo’s co-parenting situation. One user claimed, “I see him more with Herb than I do with Ari,” while another pushed back, writing, “No you don’t stop the cap.”

Ari then responded directly, making it clear she felt the comments had crossed a line. She wrote:

“Ho* no tf you don’t he get him for entertainment purposes don’t ever come at me as a mf parent ho I DO THIS MOM SHIT GET YALL LOW LIFE A** MISERABLE A** OUTTA HERE ALWAYS WORRYING ABOUT WTF I GOT GOING ON.”

Social Media Has Entered The Chat

Meanwhile, folks quickly ran to Live Bitez’s Instagram comment section and ran it up with reactions to Ari’s remarks. While some felt Herb caught a stray in the exchange, others suggested it’s possible Ari’s words were taken out of context and that there may be more to the situation than what made its way online.

One Instagram user @mellow.angel.u9r said, “Dang Herb really took that stray 😂”

This Instagram user @dremurro wrote, “Unprovoked disrespect fueled by a stranger. Yikes!”

And, Instagram user @thaats.drea commented, “Ari literally always has her son like I’m confused”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @queeen_reyes claimed, “That could mean he’s with her for school drs appts and daily things while he goes with his dad for vacations birthdays and holidays aka entertainment !? Dang ya so quick to run with a narrative 😭😅”

While Instagram user @plzstopbeingmessy shared, “Yoshon stays weeks at time at Herb house. And he has also taken him on family vacations. And visits him in ATL. Both of them love their son…”

Finally, Instagram user @toeshagreen added, “The internet be real bullies it’s sad”

Ari Fletcher Has Words For Her Parenting Critics

And if Ari’s latest clapback feels familiar, that’s because sis has been here before! Following the chatter surrounding her parenting, Ari took to X with a series of posts making one thing clear: watch your mouths when it comes to her son, Yosohn. The influencer addressed speculation about whether Yosohn lives with her, pushing back on folks who felt entitled to question her role as a mother. Ari also responded to criticism over not posting Yosohn’s first day of school, reminding social media that she doesn’t have to share every moment of her son’s life online just to prove she’s present.

RELATED: Ari Fletcher Shows Off Massive New Ring & Some Internet Users Can’t Stop Mentioning G Herbo & Taina Williams (VIDEOS)

These days, Christopher Nolan is a brand unto himself and a walking advertisement for the IMAX format. But it’s easy to forget that, because of how well regarded the films are, he cut his teeth on superhero movies. Long before Oppenheimer and The Odyssey, Nolan earned Hollywood’s trust by taking Batman seriously — and Hans Zimmer believes the success of those movies directly enabled Nolan to make one of his most ambitious originals.

Speaking exclusively with Collider, Zimmer argued that Nolan wouldn’t have been given the money to make Inception if his Batman movies hadn’t first become such enormous successes. The Dark Knight ultimately passed $1 billion worldwide, while Inception followed two years later and earned $839.8 million globally. Funnily enough, Zimmer says that despite the extraordinary scale of Inception, he and Nolan approached the movie with something closer to an independent filmmaking mentality:

“You know something? We treated it a bit like that. Chris and I come from independent movies, from English independent movies. One of the beauties of working with Chris was always that it didn’t feel like working within the Hollywood system; it felt like working with an independent filmmaker. Then there came a point where they poured a little bit more money on us. That’s the perk of doing well, I suppose. You get a few extra pennies.”

But Zimmer doesn’t believe Nolan would have received those “extra pennies” without Batman. “But if you think about it, Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk — Chris’s work is masterful, but it’s odd,” said Zimmer. “Had we not done the Batman movies, and had they not become as successful as they did, I don’t think anybody would have given Chris the money to go and do Inception. I loved Inception. I always thought of it as a movie about shared dreaming and a great time-travel movie. There have been so many time-travel movies that I think have failed miserably at actually doing it right, and I thought Chris did a really good job.” That’s an understatement, though. As Nolan went on to prove with Oppenheimer and The Odyssey, he managed to turn a $160 million original science-fiction movie about dream infiltration into a worldwide blockbuster.

Hans Zimmer Is Taking His Nolan Scores Back on the Road

Zimmer’s long association with Nolan will also be represented as the composer takes Hans Zimmer Live – The Next Level to North America in 2027. The new production sees Zimmer performing alongside 19 musicians in a show designed to transform his movie scores for the live environment rather than simply reproduce their theatrical recordings. The North American leg begins in Hartford, Connecticut, on February 17 and runs through April, following a European run that sold out 50 shows across 17 countries.

Hans Zimmer Live – The Next Level begins its North American run on February 17, 2027. Tickets go on general sale September 25 at 10 a.m. local time.

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Release Date

July 16, 2010

Runtime

148 minutes

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Franchise(s)

Inception

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General Hospital fans, we have got a hot new leak about what is next for Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) after her heartbreaking split from Jason Morgan (Steve Burton). And this rumor also pulls in hunky Aussie Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) Today we are going to talk about Britt’s drunken disaster.

New General Hospital LEAK

You know that saying that the best way to get over one guy is to go get under another one. Remember that because with that in mind, we’ll get into this rumor about Britt trying to get over Jason and how Tristan may be involved on General Hospital. Before we dive in though, I always like to start any reporting on a leak by reminding you this is not an official spoiler.

These are leaks from our source who has a very solid track record. They told us Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober) was Sam McCall’s (Kelly Monaco) killer, that Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) was going to die, lots of other juicy and accurate tidbits. But we are calling it a rumor, not a spoiler, because their record’s not one hundred percent. In addition to the leak about Britt, we’ve got some other juicy details on other characters and storylines. So, let’s talk about all of this.

Britt Devastated on GH

Our source says that hot on the heels of her split with Jason, we’ve got Britt really down in the dumps and something big is supposed to happen between her and Tristan. Point of fact, our leaker told us Britt and Jason were going to break up once Steve Burton was back to General Hospital after his long break and that has now manifested. So, one more accurate leak from them that we reported to you guys. Now they are telling us that Britt’s so upset about Jason not believing her that she couldn’t help Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) when she was held by Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes). Jason simply does not believe Britt and she is devastated.

Jason knows one hundred percent that Anna tried to kill Britt but he thinks Anna would have stopped. Britt does not agree and so Jason defending her would be killer Anna is just too much for Britt. So we have heard that there is an incident between handsome Dr. Tristan and devastated, very upset and still traumatized Britt.

General Hospital Hints at Britt & Tristan Romance

We know that General Hospital chemistry tested Kelly Thiebaud with Dean Geyer. And Britt and Tristan have been giving a whole enemies to lovers vibe because remember they got off on the wrong foot.

If you recall when Britt first met Tristan at Bobby’s Diner, that was after Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) had tossed Britt’s stuff and rented her room out to Tristan. That was at the time Britt was on the run with Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr). And of course, Britt was livid and she tried to tell Tristan, “That’s my room, not yours.” They both got a really bad first impression of each other.

So, red flags were there from the start. But Britt and Tristan are getting along much better. He and Britt are doctors. They have to coexist at General Hospital. And Tristan was very worried about Britt recently because Tristan knew from Anna that she lured Britt out to the woods to kill her. Anna told Tristan the ugly truth. But it was under doctor patient confidentiality and he was very sympathetic to Britt when she was having a meltdown at work.

Britt’s Track Record on GH

And we expect to see lots more of Tristan with her soon. If you recall, the last time that Britt had a big blowup with Jason was when he broke things off with her to marry Carly a few years ago. And when they split that time, Britt wound up having drinks with Jasper Jacks (Ingo Rademacher) at Charlie’s Pub and then Britt and Jax had a one night stand.

That was back in 2021. So, what the leaker said happens is very much in character for Britt. The leak says, “Tristan and Britt have a few drinks and then a one night stand. I expect it to be at the Brown Dog Bar this time. It’s pretty funny. Jax is Australian and so is Tristan. So Britt may just have a thing for Aussies.”

Tristan Undercover on GH?

However, our source also says that Tristan’s assignment from the WSB is to monitor Britt and report if she has any contact with Cesar Faison’s (Anders Hove) old organization. I don’t think Britt’s involved with anything to do with Faison. Britt despises her dad. She doesn’t want to be linked to Faison. But if this one night stand between Britt and Tristan happens and evolves into a romance, the fact that Britt was Tristan’s assignment, I don’t think is going to sit well with Britt because, you know, she’ll find out. And that could be really problematic if she ends up falling for Tristan.

But right now, Britt is hurting. She suffered major trauma at Anna’s hands and then felt like Jason wasn’t sympathetic. Plus, Britt really loved Jason, yet he chose another woman over her, a woman that was going to kill her. So Britt’s at an emotional bottom point when she runs into Tristan while drinking. I think this could be really interesting. But that’s all we have now on that.

More General Hospital LEAKS

Now, we’ve got leaks on other storylines and for other characters. Our leaker says that Anna is correct that the threat tied to Cesar Faison did not end with Faison’s death. And of course, we all know that the organization saved and recruited people, hoping to tap into their knowledge of the tentacles of Faison’s organization. They say that Jenz Sidwell’s (Carlo Rota) company SR was one of those Faison tentacles and Josslyn is investigating another.

So either JJ itself is another tentacle and maybe Jax didn’t know or one of the subsidiaries under JJ are linked to Faison. This is a whole second WSB storyline. Our source also says Jason has Liesl attacked in Pentonville and they said that Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) will accidentally get caught up in it. I do take this one with a grain of salt because Jason is out of the mob enforcer business. However, Jason might do it for revenge for Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) getting burned to a crisp.

Sidwell Escapes from GH

Another bit of the leak says after this attack, Sidwell winds up at General Hospital and the leaker said that Liesl is going to escape. Also, rumor has it that a trio of villains are coming to General Hospital and that Hudson Parker (Troy Lennon Appel) is the first. The word is that Hudson’s boss arrives on screen before the end of the year. I’m really hoping that Jerry Jax is coming back.

I would love to see him as Hudson’s boss. We’ll see. We also heard that they did have a backstory for Joe Fitzpatrick (Jonathan Bennett) about him being undercover for the FBI in Port Charles. But the leaker said that storyline had been abandoned. And we also heard that Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard)’s attempt to leave the mob hits a snag. We heard that and then it was reiterated in the fall spoilers, so it seems accurate.

General Hospital: Willow Put in Ferncliff

Plus, the leaker also reiterated that Willow Tait Corinthos (Katelyn MacMullen) is going away. They said she’s sent to Ferncliff later this fall, which makes perfect sense because with Jack dead, her leverage against Drew Cain Quartermaine (Cameron Mathison) is gone. He already warned Willow that Jack being MIA is bad news because Drew wants revenge. Also, Willow has other issues because fall spoilers say Michael Corinthos and Tracy Quartermaine team up against her.

So, she already asked Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) why she and Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard) were talking the other day. We know Willow’s sniffing around about Chase. And when she finds out he and Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton) are split up, that’s going to be problematic. So, we’re also looking at more on Drew’s revenge for Willow and for Nina trying to drown him and for Nina helping Willow keep Drew locked in.

Kia Killed Off GH

So, all of this combined when it comes out could push Willow into a total mental breakdown. We’ve also heard there’s angst ahead for Emma Scorpio Drake (Braedyn Bruner) and Giovanni Palmieri (Giovanni Mazza).

The leaker also told us Kai Taylor (Jens Austin Astrup) is killed off this fall by Trina Robinson‘s (Tabyana Ali) stalker. They said it happens close to Halloween, which would hit really hard for November sweeps, and it’ll be even worse if Kai’s friend Quinn is Trina’s stalker. But we’ll see how it all works out. Our source has a good track record, so I expect many of this leak to go from rumor to spoiler soon.

The Bold and the Beautiful reveals that Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor) wants Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) to be his and Daphne Rose (Murielle Hilaire)’s fake surrogate to hide the fact that Steffy is pregnant with Carter’s baby.

We just saw Steffy tell Carter no, but apparently that’s not stopping him. This surrogacy scheme is pushing forward and when Steffy and Carter are busted and the truth comes out, the fallout is going to be epic. Today we’re going to talk about the troubling aftermath from Carter and Steffy’s fake surrogacy scheme.

Bold and the Beautiful: Carter Horrifies Steffy

Although Carter pleaded with Steffy to agree to this fake surrogacy plan to save their marriages, Steffy said no. She told Carter she cannot give up her baby, but he is so desperate he left Steffy and went back to Forrester Creations and started selling it to Daphne. And her initial reaction was shock, but I do think she’ll agree with Carter. It’s a perfect idea because Daphne wants a surrogate they know and trust. Friday spoilers have Steffy caught off guard.

And I think it’s by Daphne telling Steffy how excited she is to hear from Carter that Steffy is going to be their egg donor and surrogate. So, it sounds like Carter does an end run that puts Steffy in the position of telling Daphne, “Oh, okay. Yeah, I’m your surrogate.” Or Steffy will have to say, “I can’t do that because I’m already pregnant with Carter’s baby because he and I cheated on you and Finn Finnegan (Tanner Novlan).” So, we’re going to see Steffy cornered and basically forced into Carter’s scheme is how I think it’s going to go. I think Steffy will be ticked off about it. And of course, we know that Carter and Steffy’s secret is going to come out.

The Doctors Get Suspicious on B&B

Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig) or Finn may look at Steffy’s medical records and see that something is off. Nosy Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown) may poke around and find out. The reveal could even be delayed until Steffy delivers the baby and then the timing is off to align to a post Monaco surrogacy. You know, somebody could overhear Carter and Steffy because people love to talk about secrets at Forrester with the door cracked. So, it doesn’t really matter how it comes out. We know it will and the after effects are going to be insane. So many lives will be affected.

Let’s talk about who’s going to be hit hardest. So the first person is Steffy. She does not want to lose Finn. And I’m sure Steffy will say she wanted to tell the truth and she only did this scheme to protect Finn and the kids and that Carter made her. But Steffy’s going to lose the moral high ground with everybody, including Hope Logan (Annika Noelle) and Katie Logan (Heather Tom) and Sheila.

I think Steffy may end up losing everything. Finn may walk out, especially since he forgave Steffy for her one night stand with Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton) in that paternity incident. And Steffy has shredded Finn over Sheila because of the Monaco thing, then cheated and then lied to Finn’s face. And Steffy was plotting to give away her baby behind Finn’s back by the time this scheme sets in. So Steffy’s life’s going to be wrecked.

Bold and Beautiful: Carter Loses It All

The second person obviously affected is Carter, the mastermind of this insane scheme. He will lose his job at Forrester, lose his wife Daphne, lose his best friend Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) all at once, and what happens to Carter and Steffy’s baby? Big question. Carter and Daphne will probably split, so will Carter and Steffy share custody, and Daphne’s cut out is just messy.

You know, Carter can claim, “I was just trying to give Daphne a child.” And Carter may beg Daphne to even keep it secret so Ridge doesn’t fire him. But I think Ridge will assume Carter took advantage of Steffy just like Ridge assumed that Bill Spencer (Don Diamont) took advantage of Steffy in their one night stand. It’s all going to be messy.

Bold and the Beautiful: Daphne Absolutely Devastated

And the next person to be heavily impacted, of course, is Daphne. There’s the double betrayal of Carter cheating with her best friend Steffy and then Carter using Daphne’s baby dream to cover up the cheating. Steffy and Carter are both lying to Daphne’s face. They’re going to be doing it for months to come. So Daphne may ruin Carter and Steffy, publicly expose what they did.

Daphne could name and shame them, and that would really hurt Forrester‘s brand even more. We expect that Carter will be fired. Steffy will be in the doghouse at work. Daphne may cancel the fragrance line. That would be a huge financial hit for Forrester.

All because of Steffy and Carter’s one night stand. The knife in the back is Daphne wanted a surrogate she can trust, and she cannot trust Steffy. We may see Carter trying to negotiate with Daphne and say, “Look, I’ll just move to Paris with you. Anything you want, just don’t out us.” But I think she will.

Finn Goes Ballistic on B&B

And now, let’s talk about Finn. Not only did Steffy cheat on Finn, but Steffy wanted to keep this baby from the cheating, which means Finn would be raising the product of Steffy’s tryst with another man. Now, she could have come clean, confessed to being pregnant, and just lied and said it was not Carter, but some random dude. That would at least protect Carter’s marriage. But since Steffy has been so demanding on Finn about every little thing and he always gives Steffy her way, I think Finn’s going to be crushed and he’s going to feel stupid and he’s going to be mad.

He’s been singing Steffy’s praises like she’s a saint. Finn wants his birth mom, Sheila, in his life, but because it makes Steffy uncomfortable, he gave up on that wish. Finn always does everything Steffy wants every time. And this is the ultimate betrayal. And it’s even worse because Steffy did almost the same thing with Liam. So Finn may walk out because he can’t be with Steffy after he’s shown all this loyalty and she’s just lied to him.

Bold and the Beautiful: Li Turns Her Back on Steffy

Next on the list is Li Finnegan (Naomi Matsuda). She’s a big fan of Steffy’s. Supports their marriage, but Li hates cheaters, so she may turn on Steffy. Obviously Li won’t let this slide. She loves Finn and I think she’s very fair where Steffy’s concerned because Li doesn’t side with Finn just because he’s her son. But in this case, obviously she has to.

And then of course there’s Ridge. He’s going to be reeling that Steffy got pregnant by Carter, his COO, his best friend, a guy Ridge sees as a brother. Ridge may view this as a huge betrayal from Carter, one of many. You know, first he got with Hope, then she and Carter pulled the coup and Carter took Ridge’s family company from him on Bold and the Beautiful. And now Carter slept with Steffy and then manipulated her into this insane surrogacy scheme. Ridge already asked Daphne if it matters who helps her and Carter have a baby as long as they get the kid and he meant it.

But when Ridge learns this was all a cover up, he may feel like they made him look complicit. Daphne may even turn around and ask Ridge, “Is that why you told me this? Did you know that Carter cheated with Steffy?” I think Ridge is going to lose his mind. I think he’s going to punch Carter and then fire him. And also Ridge may never look at Steffy the same way after all this comes out.

Bold and Beautiful: Sheila Hits the Jackpot

The last person to talk about with this fallout is Sheila. Even if she doesn’t expose Carter and Steffy’s surrogacy scheme, we know that Sheila is opportunistic and she may use this as a way to get closer to Finn. And if Sheila does expose Steffy, it will probably be because she wants Finn and Hayes in her life. And that is something that Steffy has been blocking. So Sheila may blackmail Steffy or just outright expose her if Sheila is the one to find out.

But if somebody else exposes the one night stand and the surrogacy scheme, Sheila may just run to Finn, offer sympathy, support, and worm her way into his life while he’s estranged from Steffy. There were some spoilers a while back saying the Monaco trip leads to life-changing things that involve Sheila. And one of the big pieces of fallout could be that Finn demands that Steffy accept Sheila into their lives in exchange for Finn not walking out on their marriage. This is all going to be so soapy and so messy.

Goodreads is a popular site for logging and rating books, meaning it can be a solid source of new reading recommendations. The highest-rated novels on the platform tend to be classics and bestsellers, often works with wide commercial appeal, but it’s still interesting to see which titles its users love the most.

With that in mind, this list looks at the top-rated sci-fi books on Goodreads, from the cosmic absurdity of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy to the political horror of 1984. There should be something here for almost every kind of genre fan.

10

‘The Martian’ (2011)

Image via Ballantine Books

“I’m pretty much f—ed.” It’s no surprise that Andy Weir‘s fast-paced, problem-solving-based thriller made the Goodreads Top 10. In it, astronaut Mark Watney is accidentally left behind after a violent dust storm forces the Ares 3 crew to evacuate Mars. Injured but alive, he discovers that he has limited supplies, no immediate means of contacting NASA, and nowhere near enough food to survive until another mission arrives. Fortunately, he’s a botanist and mechanical engineer with an almost superhuman ability to remain funny while confronting probable death.

From here, the plot becomes a succession of problems and ingenious solutions. A big part of the fun here (as in the movie) is watching Watney try to MacGyver his way out of tricky situations. He grows potatoes using Martian soil, modifies equipment, attempts to establish communication with Earth, and continually improvises around new disasters. Weir explains enough of the underlying science to make those solutions convincing without ever sacrificing narrative momentum.

9

‘Ready Player One’ (2011)

Image via Crown Publishing Group

“Videogames are the only thing that make life bearable.” In the bleak 2040s, teenager Wade Watts is among the millions obsessed with finding an Easter egg hidden somewhere inside the OASIS, an enormous virtual universe, by its deceased creator, James Halliday. Whoever discovers it will inherit Halliday’s enormous fortune and control of his company. The problem is that Halliday designed his hunt around an encyclopedic knowledge of the pop culture he loved, particularly games, movies, music, and television from the 1980s.

Wade’s discovery of the first major clue transforms him into a celebrity and puts him in direct competition with both other “gunters” and the sinister corporation IOI. Along the way, the book serves up high-stakes dystopian adventure, along with a nostalgic celebration of nerd culture. Classic movies, Dungeons & Dragons lore, and obscure 1980s arcade gaming all become integral to the plot.

8

‘Ender’s Game’ (1985)

Image via Tor Books

“Humanity does not ask us to be happy. It merely asks us to be brilliant on its behalf.” Earth has fought two devastating conflicts against an alien species known as the Formics, and military leaders are searching for a commander capable of winning the next one. The young Andrew “Ender” Wiggin’s unusual empathy and strategic ability make him an ideal candidate… and therefore a child whom adults are willing to manipulate relentlessly. Recruited into a brutal orbital Battle School, Ender is isolated and systematically broken down by military authorities to shape him into the ultimate weapon.

He’s also caught in a profound inner conflict. He possesses a terrifying capacity for calculated violence alongside an intense desire for peace and love. Author Orson Scott Card uses that premise to delve deep into themes of war, tragedy, xenophobia, and the difficulty of communication, going way beyond the usual ‘humans vs. aliens’ tropes.

7

‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ (1969)

Image via Dell

“All this happened, more or less.” With this one, Kurt Vonnegut uses time-warping sci-fi elements to tell an allegorical, deeply personal anti-war story. In Slaughterhouse-Five, protagonist Billy Pilgrim has become unstuck in time. One moment he’s an optometrist living in postwar America; the next he’s a POW in Germany, an elderly widower, a frightened child, or an exhibit inside an alien zoo on the planet Tralfamadore. At the center of Billy’s life is the bombing of Dresden, which Vonnegut himself survived as an American soldier.

The fractured timelines serve as a strong metaphor for PTSD, and the way trauma memories can extend their tentacles into the present. That said, the book doesn’t get too overly heavy, thanks to Vonnegut’s short, punchy sentences (the whole novel clocks in at under 200 pages) and deadpan humor. By treating historical atrocities with a sense of bizarre irony and cosmic absurdity, he highlights just how irrational and senseless human cruelty truly can be.

6

‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ (1979)

Image via Pan Books

“Don’t Panic.” Arthur Dent is having a terrible Thursday. His house is about to be demolished to make way for a bypass, his friend Ford Prefect turns out to be an alien, and before Arthur can properly process either development, Earth itself is destroyed to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Things become considerably stranger from there, as Arthur encounters the two-headed galactic president Zaphod Beeblebrox, the relentlessly cheerful Trillian, and the terminally depressed robot Marvin.

The whole book treats the universe as an enormous cosmic joke. Author Douglas Adams stuffs the novel with ideas that other sci-fi writers might build entire books around and then uses them for punchlines. There’s the Babel fish, the Infinite Improbability Drive, Vogon poetry, and a supercomputer designed to calculate the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything. It’s simultaneously entertaining and genuinely philosophical.

5

‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ (1985)

Image via Anchor Books

“Better never means better for everyone, he says. It always means worse, for some.” Before it was a hit show, The Handmaid’s Tale was a provocative, much-analyzed novel. In it, the United States has become a totalitarian theocracy where women’s lives are rigidly determined by their social and reproductive roles. For Offred, that means becoming a Handmaid, assigned to a powerful Commander and expected to bear his child. She remembers the world before Gilead, but attempting to bring it back looks like a fool’s errand.

The dystopia works because it’s not all that far-fetched or speculative. Writer Margaret Atwood draws on real-world examples of sexism and oppression, extrapolating believable elements of religious extremism, political fear, surveillance, control over language, and the gradual erosion of rights. Not for nothing, The Handmaid’s Tale has exerted a grip on the cultural imagination for over four decades.

4

‘Brave New World’ (1932)

Image via Horizon Ridge Publishing

“But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.” Not every dystopia needs secret police kicking down doors. Aldous Huxley‘s Brave New World imagines something potentially more disturbing: a society whose inhabitants have been conditioned so thoroughly that most of them don’t want to rebel. In the World State, rampant consumerism is encouraged, lasting relationships are discouraged, and unhappiness can be chemically suppressed with a little pill.

This ‘softer’ vision of totalitarianism was a marked contrast with most sci-fi dystopias at the time, though one could make the case that it was ultimately more prescient. Indeed, some parts of the book now hit a little too close to home, particularly its portrait of citizens who surrender their individuality and critical thinking willingly, content to while away their lives with cheap pleasures and shallow entertainment.

3

‘Fahrenheit 451’ (1953)

Image via Ballantine Books

“It was a pleasure to burn.” This classic has been let down by some mediocre movie adaptations, but the original novel remains solid. In the future society imagined by Fahrenheit 451, books have been outlawed, and firemen are responsible for finding and burning them. Our protagonist, fireman Guy Montag, initially performs that duty without seriously questioning why. Then he meets Clarisse McClellan. Clarisse’s curiosity destabilizes him because she asks questions his society has largely forgotten how to ask. Is Montag happy? Why do firemen burn books? What was the world like before?

The dystopia here is often summarized as a warning about censorship, but Fahrenheit 451 is equally interested in why a society might cease valuing complex ideas before authorities need to destroy them. Constant entertainment, shortened attention spans, discomfort with challenging ideas, and a preference for easy gratification all contribute to the cultural decline surrounding Montag. A cautionary tale.

2

‘Animal Farm’ (1945)

Image via Penguin Essentials

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” While some might quibble with whether Animal Farm can really be classed as sci-fi, there’s no denying the book’s power. With it, George Orwell compresses the bleak tendencies of political revolution into a remarkably short allegorical novel. The plot kicks into gear when the animals of Manor Farm decide they’ve finally had enough. Inspired by a vision of a society free from human exploitation, they overthrow farmer Mr. Jones and establish a new order built upon equality.

For a brief moment, the revolution appears to have worked. Then the pigs begin taking charge. Soon, principles are corrupted, rules change almost imperceptibly, and history is rewritten. Failures are blamed on enemies and privileges become necessities for the ruling class. Here, Orwell was specifically satirizing the Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalinism, but Animal Farm has endured because its observations about political power extend beyond one historical context.

1

‘1984’ (1949)

Image via Secker & Warburg

“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” Claiming the top spot on Goodreads’ sci-fi rankings, with an average score of 4.21 out of 5 across 5.7 million ratings, is 1984, far and away the most influential dystopian story the genre has ever produced. Main character Winston Smith lives in Oceania, where the Party controls not only people’s actions but their understanding of reality. They continually rewrite history to suit today’s narrative and have tools for bending dissident minds to their will.

Indeed, the scariest thing about the dictatorship here is that they don’t simply want people to obey but to actually believe the government’s lies. In telling that story, Orwell introduced a ton of concepts that have since become political shorthand: Big Brother, doublethink, thoughtcrime, Newspeak, Room 101, and the Thought Police, to mention just a few. A political sci-fi masterpiece.

This interview contains spoilers for the first two episodes of ‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story.’

Ian Brennan is one of the most prolific writers and producers working today. Best known for his collaborations with Ryan Murphy, his resume includes everything from the musical coming-of-age series Glee to the horror-dark comedy Scream Queens to the crime drama anthology Monster. Focusing on a different famous killer each season, Monster has previously focused on Jeffrey Dahmer, Ed Gein, and the Menendez Brothers.

The newest season moves to uncharted territory by focusing on a female killer, Lizzie Borden (Ella Beatty), who was technically acquitted in 1892 for murdering her parents with an axe. This season takes on a more overtly comedic tone than others, playing with both the repression and witty vernacular of the Victorian era. It also tracks female rage in the more distant past through the story of Elizabeth Báthory (Vicky Krieps) and more present-day with Aileen Wuornos (Sarah Paulson).

Collider got a chance to speak with Brennan about taking on the story of Lizzie Borden. During the conversation, Brennan discussed the research he did (and didn’t) do, integrating a more modern soundtrack, the intense casting process, the scrapped Monster stories, whether he’d ever revive Glee, and more.

‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story’s Creator on Finding the Season’s Darkly Comedic Tone

“That repressed Victorian environment lends itself to a lot of irony.”

COLLIDER: This is the fourth show in the Monster series, and it feels like a bit of a departure in tone. I’m curious how you landed on doing a more dark comedy bend. Did you ever consider a more traditional dramatic approach?

IAN BRENNAN: It varies season to season. Part of it was we felt we were sort of underindexed on women. We definitely felt like it was the time to tell the story of a female killer. Part of the tone had a lot to do with the time period. Writing in the constraints of that repressed Victorian environment lends itself to a lot of irony. There are a lot of things that are clearly happening but going unsaid, and I found myself tickled throughout a lot of it. A lot of the story, for whatever reason, has a dark, comedic tone. It was maybe a little bit less pronounced, but there was that same tone in parts of Dahmer, of the Menendez brothers, of Gein as well — sort of a dark humor that sits below it here — here, it’s just a little bit more pronounced.

What was your research process for this like? And was there anything specific you found out during it that you found particularly surprising or interesting?

BRENNAN: I try not to watch anything. I try not to look at anything else that’s been put to screen. I try to go through as much of the primary source material as I can. I was surprised by how much I felt for her, even while the research led me closer and closer to [the end]. She was acquitted, but I find it really hard to believe that she didn’t do the crime. The circumstances are so strange — it just doesn’t make any sense otherwise. But I really felt bad for her and felt so intrigued about why she would do that. She was a young woman who was in a cage her whole life. The more I learned about her, the more I sort of felt for her, and the more what she did made a strange sort of sense.

I want to talk about the music choices, because I feel like it gives it such a distinct tone. Why did you want to include these female punk hits, especially of the ‘70s and ‘80s?

BRENNAN: We wanted to touch on the idea of female rage not being just one isolated event, but something that reaches into both the deep past and also into the present. When Aileen Wuornos enters the picture, it’s just magnificent. It felt important to us to keep drawing the line to say that this isn’t just a historical thing — this is something that is happening today. The repression that drove her crazy and made her do this horrific act, it’s still there. It’s still around us. Women only had the vote in 1920, and there are still people — half the internet — who would like to go back to that. It’s a myth to think that’s somehow in our past. Also, in general, you run such a risk of letting it feel like a stuffy period piece. Something about adding music, when it’s right, immediately makes it feel more contemporary.

‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story’s Creator Breaks Down the Grueling Casting Process

“It’s such magic when you see that kind of chemistry on screen.”

Image via Netflix

I really loved this sapphic romance at the center of everything. Ella and Vicky have such amazing chemistry. What was the casting process for them like? Did you do chemistry reads?

BRENNAN: No, we didn’t. I just worked with Vicky, who we loved. Max, Ryan, and I just adore her and respected her from afar even before working with her. The role of Lizzie was a much wider net. We looked, and looked, and looked, and looked, and looked, and looked, and honestly, seeing Ella’s tape — she’s like the only person who could have done it. She’s the only person I was like, “That’s it,” and I knew right away. It was, like, seven seconds in. You’re like, “Oh, that’s her.” But yeah, you can never tell how actors are going to mesh or if they’re going to get along, but it’s such magic when you see that kind of chemistry on screen. You never quite know whether that’s going to be there, and it was immediate right away.

They’re incredible together. Obviously, your whole lead cast is great, but I really loved the supporting cast. You have Billie Lourd come in, you have Jessica Barden. Can you talk about casting those women, in particular? They make such a splash in just a few scenes.

BRENNAN: They’re so, so great. I hadn’t worked with Billie in ages — not since Scream Queens — and I adore her. It was Ryan’s idea. He was like, “What about Billie?” It’s great when it’s someone you’ve worked with before. It makes the writing easier because you can hear them, and then you have Billie Lourd in your ear, which is hilarious.

We were so lucky with this ensemble. In that sense, it’s so lucky for me to get to work with Ryan because everyone would give their eyes and teeth to work with him. You really get the pick of the litter, and as soon as someone gets mentioned in the writers’ room, it’s like the next day, they’re on board. We’re very, very spoiled.

I want to talk about the extended story scenes with Elizabetta and the Furies. I feel like that’s such an interesting narrative choice, especially to have that depicted and not just Bridget telling the story. Can you talk about including and crafting those scenes? They’re so visually interesting.

BRENNAN: Yeah, they’re super fun. It’s sort of a trope that I end up doing a lot in my work with Ryan. I think, dramaturgically, they’re a nice break, and they sort of expand the story in a way. When an internal subplot is narrated, you can move through it really quickly, and it can be super visual. Sometimes, writing them feels more like crafting a music video — technically, you can get a little bit more definitive about writing what the shots are, and you get to direct those things as a writer a little bit more.

It was only in researching Lizzie that I knew about her. I didn’t really know who Elizabeth Bathory was, and I didn’t know that she’s as much of — possibly even more of — an inspiration for Dracula than Count Vlad in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. I did not account for how formative and how historically important that story was, and it sort of put a female underline beneath the whole proceeding. It’s essentially like, “Hey, remember this?” Being able to tell that story as the background of the current story just made a lot of sense. It added some depth and rationale to the whole thing.

And then, when we jump forward in time and get to the character of Aileen Wuornos, you sort of realize, “Oh wow. This threat of female rage is not some aberration. That’s part of our history. That’s part of human nature,” which is a really interesting thing to land on, and I think it gives the show a lot of depth.

‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story’ Creator on Scrapped Seasons and a Potential ‘Glee’ Reboot

“I’ve probably written four abandoned starts to the series.”

The Monster anthology has covered a wide array of stories. What cases do you think would be interesting to take on next? Is there anything buzzing around in your mind?

BRENNAN: There always is, and then we always move off of it. We thought about doing Luigi, which is fascinating. The Unabomber is interesting. BTK is fascinating to me. Sometimes they show up in each other’s stories. Gacy shows up in Jeffrey Dahmer’s story. Ted Bundy shows up in Ed Gein’s story. He’s a fascinating, strange subject. The Green River Killer. Zodiac Killer. They’re all interesting.

What’s so interesting about this series is how there are so many killers and murderers to choose from, but so few of them are stories that you want to spend six to seven hours unpacking. That’s really been my experience. The thing that stands out to me working on a show like this is how few killers are interesting at all. They’re mostly not. Most murders are not. They’re just horrible, and there’s nothing interesting about them. They’re just awful. So it’s a really tricky line to walk. You know when you happen upon it — when it’s a story kind of makes you lean in. There’s nothing more horrific than what Jeffrey Dahmer did, but it’s also completely fascinating.

That’s the only difficult part of this show — trying to land on something. Once we do, the crafting of it is much easier. That’s the easy part. Figuring out what we’re writing, that’s the tricky part. So we’ll see. It always changes. We always go through, and we make a lot of false starts. I’ve probably written four abandoned starts to the series. The hardest part of my job is landing on one.

I grew up a huge Glee fan. Ryan Murphy recently said he’s potentially open to doing a reboot, so I have to ask: is that something that you would be open to and interested in as well?

BRENNAN: The answer is yes. For the longest time, it didn’t feel like the right time, and for some reason, lately, it has. I don’t know what’s in the water, but yeah. Watch this space.

Oh, I will be watching it closely. Is there a specific artist or song you think is particularly well-suited to get the Glee treatment?

BRENNAN: Oh, god. I always like classic rock. That’s what I always liked the most. I feel like we didn’t do enough Boston.

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is now streaming on Netflix.

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Release Date

September 17, 2026

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Network

Netflix

Directors

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Max Winkler, Sarah Adina Smith

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Donna Mills is embracing an unexpected new chapter at 85, and her fans on OF already have a very specific request for what they want to see next.

The “Knots Landing” star revealed that fans have made an unusual request on the adult platform, which she plans to fulfill.

Donna Mills’ debut on OF has attracted considerable attention since she joined the platform in July, describing it as another way to connect directly with the people who have followed her career.

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Mills talked about the fan request she received on OF during an appearance at the September 13 book release party for “Hollywood Tails: Famous Faces & the Dogs They Love.”

Speaking with Us Weekly, she explained that most of the requests she receives are not necessarily what people might expect.

“Well, the only request that’s really different is they want to see me stomping the grapes,” Mills said. “You know, I have a vineyard, so they want to see me with my bare feet stomping the grapes, which is coming soon.”

The actress has apparently decided to give subscribers what they asked for.

The vineyard request is particularly personal because it connects her online content with something already part of her everyday life rather than requiring her to create an entirely different persona for the platform.

The Actress’s OF Move Came As A Surprise To Many

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Mills announced her new OF venture in July, surprising some fans who associate the platform primarily with adult entertainment.

However, she has made it clear that her plans are centered on sharing personal moments, behind-the-scenes memories, and a closer look at her life.

“It’s simply another platform to spend quality time with the people who’ve supported me throughout my career, while staying true to who I am,” she told Variety.

During a conversation on OF’s “Creators Inc.” podcast, Mills shared more about her decision to start posting content on the popular platform, claiming the people on there “want to know me.

“They want to know what I do during the day when I’m home,” she stated, per People Magazine. “They want to see my home. They want to know much more about my personal life than we ever experienced back in the ’80s and the ’90s.’”

“They seem to want to see me without makeup when I go to bed at night, when I get up in the morning. I don’t know if I’m going to let them see that,” Mills continued. “But that kind of thing, the personal life that I lead, and they just want to be part of it.”

Donna Mills Has Already Made ‘Many Six Figures’ Since Joining The Platform

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The response has been much bigger than Mills anticipated. The actress told Us Weekly that she made “many six figures” in her first month on the platform.

“It’s amazing to me that everybody is so excited about this. I was totally surprised,” Mills said. “I didn’t think that it would cause such a stir, but it has, and it’s nice.

She continued, “I mean, the way I feel about it, it’s exciting. It’s a new chapter. It’s a new beginning.”

That financial response has added another surprising dimension to a venture Mills initially approached as a new way to communicate with longtime supporters.

The Actress Says Age Should Not Be A Limitation

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For Mills, the conversation around the adult platform is also connected to a broader message about aging. She has repeatedly pushed back against the idea that women become less visible or relevant as they get older.

“That’s the message that I’d like to get out to people and to women in particular,” she told Us Weekly. “Because women are kind of pushed aside after a certain age, and you don’t have to be.”

She has described this stage of her life as a fresh beginning rather than a period when she should step away from new opportunities.

At 85, Mills said this is a “new time of life, and it can be as exciting as any other time.”

That outlook has become an important part of how Mills talks about her online presence, particularly as her unexpected move to OF has generated attention far beyond her existing fan base.

The Iconic Actress Is Making Sure To Stay Active Even At 85

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Mills has also linked her approach to aging with staying physically active. She maintains a demanding routine that includes cardio, 100 sit-ups a day, leg lifts, stretching, and frequent tennis.

“I have a ballet barre in my little gym,” she explained during a chat with Fox News, adding that she rides a bike for 45 minutes to an hour and sometimes plays tennis five times a week.

As for her diet, she stated: “I’ve always been anti-sugar. The former dancer has credited her ballet background with giving her discipline and healthy habits that she has carried into later life.

The Young and the Restless pivots as Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) and Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle) cannot stay away from each other. They are having a full-blown secret fling. It’s getting a little wild, and neither of them wants to stop.

But Kyle and Victoria know it has to stay a secret. And that means that Kyle and Victoria are going to get busted because secrets always come out. We’re gonna talk about who catches Kyle in bed with Victoria and exposes their tryst.

Young and the Restless: Kyle & Victoria Get Kinky

So, this week, Kyle and Victoria met again over at the Riverbend Motel and they had a super spicy romp where Victoria took control and she blindfolded Kyle and played little games with ice cubes. And at this point, Victoria and Kyle admit the truth that Victoria can’t stop thinking about Kyle and he’s in the same boat. Bottom line is Victoria and Kyle do not want to stop this fling. But they also know if the secret comes out, the fallout is going to be explosive. So, we’re going to talk about who’s the worst person to catch Kyle and Victoria getting frisky and expose their affair.

First off, we got to talk about Claire Grace Newman (Hayley Erin). If she catches Kyle and Victoria getting steamy, that would be dramatic. But honestly, Claire’s not the worst person to find out. I mean, yeah, Kyle was Claire’s first boyfriend and her first love. Kyle took her virginity and he asked Claire to marry him. So, when she finds out Kyle’s sleeping with her mother, I think Claire will be upset, but I don’t think she’ll be rapidly furious. I don’t see her finding out about Kyle and Victoria and then Claire screaming, making a scene, or going nuts on her mom and Kyle.

Claire Horrified on Y&R

I think Claire will be understandably stunned, but I think she’d listen and let Victoria and Kyle explain. They would say they never meant for it to happen and that Victoria and Kyle didn’t mean to hurt Claire. So, I don’t think she’ll rage. I doubt she’ll look at Victoria and Kyle the same way again after that. But Claire has already moved on with Holden. So, yeah, Claire might take steps. She might move out of the Newman house so that Victoria can have Kyle over or whoever she’s dating without Claire feeling awkward and she would have her own place where she could have Holden over.

And of course, there’s always the chance that Claire might go full crazy like her aunt Jordan and want revenge on Victoria because you can’t forget Claire was raised by Jordan and groomed to be a tool for revenge against the Newman. So, this incident could flip a switch in Claire. She does have a dark side. However, I really think Claire has changed and I don’t see her looking for revenge against Kyle and Victoria, but you never know.

Young and Restless: Nikki Busts Kyle & Victoria

Another person who might handle it better than most is Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott). I think she’d be appalled to find Victoria with Kyle, partly because Nikki may worry about the impact on Claire. I think Nikki would ask Victoria, “Of all the people you could sleep with, why Kyle?” Nikki might ask Victoria, “Why take Kyle, the man who almost married your daughter Claire, into your bed?” But I think Nikki’s larger concern would be Victor Newman‘s (Eric Braeden) reaction to finding out that Victoria was with yet another Abbott male.

Young and the Restless: Nikki Worries about Victor

Because, as you know, Victor still hates Jack Abbott. (Peter Bergman). He still hates Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson). And it’s problematic. But if Nikki caught Kyle and Victoria in the act, I don’t think she’d tell anybody. Nikki would not want to be the one to hurt Claire or infuriate Victor. But I do think Nikki would tell Victoria, “End this immediately before it starts a war between their families.”

Nick Flips on Y&R

So, another person to consider busting them is Victoria’s brother, Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow). So, Nick may find out Victoria shagging Kyle. I think we’d see Nick go into overprotective brother mode about Victoria. And I also think Nick would be judgmental of her and Kyle for getting into this fling. Nick might blast Victoria for being reckless. Knowing this could ignite a war.

Nick is fighting to stay clean every day. And I don’t think that Nick finding out Victoria and Kyle are together would push Nick back to using pills again, but it might trigger a struggle. But Victoria might push back on Nick because honestly, he doesn’t make good romantic choices either.

Young and the Restless: Adam Blackmails Victoria

Now, it could be Victoria’s other brother, Adam Newman (Mark Grossman), who finds out she’s sleeping with Kyle. And if he were still old, dark Adam, I totally think he’d use Victoria’s fling as leverage to get something from her. But Adam and Victoria called a truce. They get along after being at odds for years when we saw things were rocky with Adam and Victoria. But at this point, I think Adam prefers having a functional sibling relationship with Victoria. So, Adam is not a bad choice to find out about Victoria and Kyle because I think he’d keep it a secret, especially from Victor because he knows their dad would go nuts.

Now, we also have to consider it could be an Abbott who finds out. One of Kyle’s family may catch him with Victoria. After all, the first time Kyle did the deed with Victoria was in Jack’s office at Jabot. They’re sneaking around at the motel right now, but Victoria might jump on Kyle in the Jabot office again. And then Jack spots them. You know, Victoria might go up there to see Kyle and then they decide to get frisky at his workplace.

And this time they forget to lock the door and then Jack or Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters) and Jack both walk in and bust them. Diane would be absolutely horrified. Both his parents might think Victoria is using Kyle for some anti-Abbott plot. I do think Jack would blast Kyle and call him reckless, knowing that Victor would go ballistic and would have another reason to declare war on the family. But in the end, if Kyle and Victoria have caught feelings by then, I think Jack would accept it.

Young and Restless: Patty Learns the Truth?

Also, since Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) is creeping around Genoa City, there’s a chance she could catch Kyle and Victoria, especially since she knows Matt Clark (Roger Howarth)’s at that motel and Patty might show back up there to see him. So, she might spot Kyle and Victoria and tape them and use it as leverage. You know, Patty might try to blackmail Kyle and demand he help her stay out of prison on Young and the Restless. But, I don’t think there’s any way Patty would get help from Kyle because she just tried to kill both of his parents. So, I tend to think Kyle would tell Victoria, “Okay, we got to come clean before Crazy Patty tells because I’m not playing games with her.” Kyle may say, “We just got to face the music.”

Young and the Restless: Victor Goes Nuclear

Now, let’s talk about the worst possible person to walk in on Kyle with Victoria. That is Victor Newman. Because we know the mustache will go absolutely nuclear. He would probably scream at Kyle to get his grubby Abbott hands off of his daughter Victoria. And then Victor would immediately start plotting to destroy Kyle. Victor would take aim at Kyle both personally and professionally, and Victor would punish Victoria. She jokingly told Kyle the other day that she’s overdue for Victor to disown her again. I think that was foreshadowing.

After all these years after he and Victoria split up, Victor still hates Billy Boy. And if Victor found out Victoria went and got into bed with another Abbott, that’s a deal breaker. I expect Victor would fire Victoria as CEO of Newman. I think Victor might throw Victoria off the ranch property. Nikki would be mad. I still think he would do it. And then Victor would declare war again on the Abbotts. So, here’s hoping that anybody but the mustache is the one to find out Kyle is with Victoria.

In 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary became the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest in just seven weeks. As intense as their experience was, the story of that climb has not always been told with a level of balance that reflected the actual experience. While Hillary became the name history books would print as the climb’s victor, in Western retellings, Tenzing was often reduced to just the “Sherpa” who worked beside him. But that’s all changed with director Jennifer Peedom’s Tenzing from Apple TV Studios, which gently but firmly corrects that imbalance. It never turns its historical tale into a lecture, but it does give Tenzing the space to be seen as who he fully was: a husband, a father, a climber and most of all, a dreamer who never gave up.

While that dream passes through three actors who play Tenzing at different stages of his life, the film’s most moving moment belongs to Tenzin Dalha, who plays the renowned climber in his early 20s. Midway through the film, Tenzing has finally been given the chance to work as a Sherpa, but upon sharing the news with his wife, Dawa (Thinley Lhamo), he falls into her arms and cries. It’s a simple moment, but Dalha makes every bit of that relief visible without overplaying it. Those tears come from years of wanting something, being turned away from it, and still refusing to let his dream go.

The nearly two-hour feature finds its heart not just in dreaming big, but in working and holding out unwavering hope of reaching something when the world doesn’t exactly make room for you. And while Tenzing occasionally takes its time with its story, Peedom tells it with enough warmth, humor, and heart to make the journey worth it.

What Is ‘Tenzing’ About?

Image via Apple TV

Moving across different stages of Norgay’s life, from his childhood (Samdrup Dorje Lama) in the Himalayas to his formative years as a young adult (Dalha), Tenzing follows the titular character’s respect and admiration for Chomolungma — the Tibetan word for Mount Everest. He never once sees it as a conquest, but rather a sacred symbol reminiscent of home. As Tenzing gets older (Genden Phuntsok), climbing becomes less of a distant dream and more of a life that he actively pursues. With the help of expedition secretary Jill Henderson (Caitríona Balfe), he starts getting opportunities to join climbing teams and eventually becomes one of the most experienced men on the mountain.

By the time Colonel John Hunt (Willem Dafoe) recruits him as head Sherpa for the British attempt, Tenzing has already climbed Everest six times, but sadly never reached the summit. This time, though, he asks to be treated more as a member of the team, rather than someone just supporting their efforts. That final expedition is where the movie really finds its legs, both emotionally and visually. Tenzing finds an unexpected partner (and friend) in New Zealand mountaineer Ed Hillary (Tom Hiddleston), an individual who also feels like an outsider. As the pair find common ground and immense respect for the expedition, theirs becomes one of the film’s sweetest relationships.

In addition to the characters’ relationships, the cinematography is a real standout. As Peedom sets it up, the mountain never becomes just scenery sitting politely in the background. Stefan Duscio’s visuals make Mount Everest feel beautiful but also genuinely frightening, often shrinking its climbers against long stretches of snow and rock. It’s gorgeous in every way but also very humbling to watch them disappear into such a sprawling landscape. Across the film’s 125 minutes, it’s clear that reaching the summit is not just about strength or trust, but also about recognizing the mountain is bigger than you are.

Phuntsok and Hiddleston Make ‘Tenzing’ Feel Lived-In

This is a movie that is, in every way, Genden Phuntsok’s. He never needs to force his performance to make a point, which makes Tenzing all the more likable. Sprinkling in warmth and mischief, Phuntsok balances the weight of the mission with a real sense of who Tenzing was beyond it. There is also a calmness to his performance that makes the character feel present, even when he’s saying very little. In those moments, there is so much happening in his eyes, particularly when grief slips into the story or when Tenzing looks toward Chomolungma.

Meanwhile, Hiddleston is just as smart in the way he approaches Hillary. Never once does he overpower Phuntsok or turn Hillary into a more familiar, recognizable face from history books. But while the two are amazing in their respective roles, one of the greatest joys of Tenzing is watching Hiddleston and Phuntsok’s characters grow together. It makes their friendship all the more believable too, rather than something whipped up for the final act. That payoff comes when the pair reaches the summit; their bond feels less like a historical footnote, and more like the natural endpoint of everything they built together. And like any truly sincere actor, Hiddleston understands how this is Tenzing’s story, so he isn’t interested in wrestling it away from Phuntsok.

The supporting cast fills out this world without overcrowding it. Lhamo gives Dawa a nice warmth that makes her relationship with Tenzing all the more grounded, while Balfe brings a light touch to Jill, especially in the film’s funnier moments with the young adult Tenzing. And Dafoe’s John offers a lot more warmth than expected. He’s firm and demanding, but never reduced to some stiff British authority stereotype; there is genuine care in how he leads his team, almost like a good coach who knows when to push and when to trust those on the field. All working together, this cast keeps Tenzing feeling like a story about humanity, instead of a polished history lesson.

Peedom’s Documentary Background Gives ‘Tenzing’ Its Edge

Image via Apple TV

In terms of stylization and format, Tenzing’s nonlinear structure ends up being one of its smartest choices. This could have easily become distracting, as the film moves neatly between Norgay’s childhood and the summit, but Peedom’s background in documentary filmmaking gives these transitions a more observational feel. She is good at catching the truth between people, whether it’s the pauses, a look, or even the small reactions that say more than a speech could. It’s this setup that also helps the movie avoid feeling like a checklist of important moments from Tenzing’s life we need to be aware of.

All that said, where Tenzing does stumble is in how much it clearly admires its subject. That is not a bad thing, but for a biopic, it polishes Tenzing into a hero so thoroughly that the film sometimes leaves little room for the messier parts of his existence. And there is clearly a complexity sitting right there as the film underscores tension between Tenzing and his Sherpa peers, who treat him differently for speaking English or having previously climbed the mountain. But it’s never fully dug into, even with that resentment simmering below the surface. Instead, it just resolves itself without much issue.

Some ideas also circle back more than they need to, and the pacing slows in spots because of it. But even so, those stretches never completely stall the film. Thankfully, Peedom knows when to break up heavier material with humor or let the danger of the expedition take over — there are definitely a lot of those nail-biting moments. It’s at these points that Tenzing has a strong physical presence that pulls you in through sound and picture. From the crunch of boots against snow or the sharp crack of a mountaineering ice axe, the elements Tenzing and his team are up against add a level of exhaustion and tension that feels close to home.

More importantly, Peedom never loses sight of what it takes to make those moments work. By the time Tenzing and Hillary reach the summit, the scene is one of the film’s best and most heartwarming because it makes every moment before it all the bigger. While the film could be touted as a portrait of faith and hard work, it’s also about the people who carry that dream with you. And when Tenzing reaches the top, it earns every emotion waiting there.

Tenzing will stream on Apple TV on October 16.

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Director

Jennifer Peedom

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Writers

Luke Davies

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Producers

Emile Sherman, Liz Watts, Iain Canning

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Pros & Cons

• Genden Phuntsok gives a quiet, deeply expressive lead performance.
• Hiddleston makes Hillary a generous, compelling partner to Tenzing.
• Jennifer Peedom gives Tenzing Norgay’s story the perspective and emotional weight it deserves.
• The mountain sequences are gorgeous, tense, and genuinely immersive.

• The pacing drags in a few stretches.
• The film admires Tenzing so much that it sometimes smooths over the messier parts of who he was.

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Days of Our Lives sees that Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey) is soon facing both professional and personal challenges and it is because of the contaminated drug mess and EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) and it looks like it’ll be Xander Cook (Paul Telfer) who saves her this time and that could change everything for him and Sarah.

And let’s talk about how Xander steps up during Sarah’s upcoming drama and how it changes things for her, Xander, and Brady Black (Eric Martsolf). Because it looks like Sarah is attacked soon and things get really dark for her.

Days of our Lives: Johnny Freaks Out

Recently, George O’Halloran called Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) because they needed a desperate crisis management meeting about DiMera Pharmaceuticals. George made Johnny really nervous when he showed him the complaint about tainted batch that he and EJ were covering up.

And George said a doctor from Salem University Hospital filed an anonymous complaint with the FDA against DiMera Pharmaceuticals. It alleges the company made a tainted batch of the drug and that people’s lives may have been taken. Sarah thinks they are to blame for at least two deaths, possibly more.

This is exactly why EJ tried to fire Sarah before. EJ was trying to get out in front of this and so George told Johnny about the complaint and there’s more details. It says that DiMera Pharmaceuticals not only manufactured arsenic-contaminated drugs but then DiMera illegally disposed of it on Smith Island and tainted the local water supply. So George and Johnny both know all these allegations are true. But they wonder how the FDA found out. But there’s little doubt Sarah’s behind the anonymous complaint.

George can’t reach EJ. Because he’s in Rome right now, he needs Johnny to step up as CEO and handle this new mess. Even though EJ was the one running DiMera Pharmaceuticals at the time and oversaw the cover up, it’s all falling on Johnny as the current CEO since Theo Carver (Tyler Joseph Andrews) wants nothing to do with this. It is still Johnny’s responsibility to handle all of this. Because he’s the boss.

Johnny on Camera on DOOL

Now, meanwhile, Brady and Sarah just told Xander that they saw a reflection of Johnny on the hospital security cameras the night EJ’s son left the arsenic clue on Sarah’s desk that saved Holly Jonas‘s (Ashley Puzemis) life. And then Sarah told Xander she and Brady thought it was a good idea for her to file the anonymous complaint to the FDA. And of course, Xander got immediately anxious.

He worried that Sarah’s rash action has put her life at risk. Xander thinks she and Brady were totally wrong. Xander thought that they had all agreed not to let EJ know they’re onto the contaminated drug cover up and Xander thinks EJ is going to figure out Sarah registered the complaint. Plus, Xander, Sarah, and Brady already suspect EJ figured out they’re looking into the tainted batch.

But Sarah pointed out if EJ’s in panic mode, he’s more likely to make a mistake. So far, EJ’s done well covering his tracks. And of course, it helps that Julie Williams accidentally helped EJ cover his tracks by having the well on Smith Island decontaminated. And EJ and Rita Lesley (Maggie Carney) made sure that Develin St. John, the Salem water guy, can’t follow up.

So Brady then told Xander that DiMera Pharmaceuticals needs to be in the spotlight for this drug coverup, especially since they think the FDA is on their side now. But Xander isn’t quite so sure that the three-letter agency can do anything. Because it looks like EJ has already gotten away with it.

Days of our Lives: EJ Plays Dirty

The DiMera Pharmaceuticals records have been scrubbed and George and EJ made sure the contaminated drugs were dug up from Smith Island and properly destroyed this time. And I’m sure if Sarah keeps raising a ruckus, that’s when we’re going to see EJ playing really dirty. You know, EJ may bribe people at the FDA or other agencies to help cover up and bury the mess. Plus, Sarah hopes that there are witnesses too afraid to speak up before that will come forward if there’s enough publicity.

And in the end, Xander blames Brady for this. The Kiriakis family has lost everything because of EJ. And now Xander worries that Sarah has a huge target on her back. EJ doesn’t play nice when people come for him or his family or DiMera Enterprises and Sarah is front and center. She is in harm’s way and Xander can’t believe that she and Brady were so irresponsible and put her at risk.

Sarah in Danger on DOOL

But basically Sarah let her emotions get the best of her. Because of EJ, she almost lost her niece Holly and Sarah couldn’t save her patient Destiny who seems to have taken tainted drugs. And Sarah suspects at least one more death is at EJ’s door. Because of these drugs. Even though Sarah’s sorry she and Brady didn’t check with Xander before they filed the FDA complaint, their feeling now is the damage is done.

So Sarah, Brady, and Xander have no idea that Johnny and George already figured out Sarah’s the one who sounded the alarm. But it wasn’t hard to figure out. Johnny and George both knew Sarah was poking around since the moment Holly got sick. And EJ already told George he thought Sarah was going to be a problem. But Johnny wonders how well EJ covered his tracks. There’s really no way of knowing. Not yet.

If the FDA can link DiMera Pharmaceuticals to some poisonings, that could be the end of their company and it would mean time in Statesville for Johnny and EJ and George O’Halloran for doing this nasty cover up scheme. There’d be huge fallout. But it may not all fall on the DiMera family. Because fall spoilers for Days of Our Lives say that Sarah faces attacks professionally and personally and Xander and Brady work together to protect her.

However, Xander is the one who risks everything to save Sarah. And she may wind up physically at risk. You know, George is ruthless like EJ and they are going to start with a plan to deny and deflect. But if that doesn’t work, George may play hard ball. And with EJ back soon, he’ll get into the game, too.

Sarah Targeted on Days

Already, Sarah faced firing once from EJ. And of course, he can’t fire Sarah now because he lost control of the hospital. EJ may take a page from Sarah’s playbook and make an anonymous complaint against her, pretending to be a patient that she did wrong somehow. But it’s EJ lying and faking the complaint. But if it’s anonymous, they can’t prove it didn’t happen. And depending on how serious a complaint it is, it could affect Sarah professionally. And I suspect EJ is going to try and rope Johnny into this.

Now, he would never agree to hurt Sarah. But Johnny may participate in tarnishing Sarah’s reputation. I’m sure Johnny would rather see Sarah damaged professionally than something bad happened to her personally because of EJ. Because Johnny’s dad might do something way more serious. He may kidnap and disappear Sarah. I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time she had a vacation on DiMera Island.

If you remember, Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) conspired with Gwen and they dumped Sarah there and drugged her out of her mind. So, when Xander risks everything for Sarah, that may be when she sees the light, breaks up with Brady, and rides off into the sunset with Xander and their daughter Victoria. Hopefully, in the end, Sarah comes out of this safe and sound, and we see her reunited with Xander after he saves her from EJ’s awful antics. And if we’re lucky, Johnny may stop lying and roll over on EJ and won’t let his dad get away with any of this, especially not with harming Sarah personally, professionally, or in any other way.