Ginny & Georgia’s Brianne Howey and husband Matt Ziering have officially become a family of four.

“Our whole world just got a little more whole 💛🌼,” Howey, 37, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, August 16.

Alongside the message, Howey posted a selfie of her smiling as the little one — who sported a floral-printed outfit — lay on her chest.

Howey previously announced her pregnancy in May, sharing a mirror selfie of the actress wearing a strapless yellow gown while cradling her bump.

Related: Her Peach! Ginny and Georgia’s Brianne Howey Is Pregnant

Her Georgia peach! Ginny & Georgia’s Brianne Howey is pregnant and expecting her first child with husband Matt Ziering. Howey, 33, took to social media on Thursday, March 16, to announce the exciting news. “@boss show with my forever new +1 🥰🤎 thanks for having us! Loved every second of the new collection #hugoboss,” she […]

“Here we grow again 💛,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. “Happy Mother’s Day!”

Howey and Ziering first crossed paths in 2015 while at a bar with friends. After five years together, the pair got engaged and planned to tie the knot in 2020. Howey and Ziering had to postpone their ceremony until the following year due to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

The couple became parents when they welcomed their first child, a daughter, in 2023. At the time, Howey shared a photo of her smiling in the hospital with the newborn on her chest.

“My whole world just got a whole lot sweeter. And smaller. Welcome my little love 💛,” Howey wrote via Instagram in 2023.

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Related: Brianne Howey Teases the ‘New Sides’ to Ginny and Georgia in Season 3

Get ready, peaches — Ginny & Georgia season 3 will bring an array of twists and turns. “We see entirely new sides of Ginny and Georgia,” star Brianne Howey exclusively told Us Weekly at the 2025 WWD Style Awards on Friday, January 3. “I feel, like, [it’s] surprising ’cause we’ve already seen so many sides […]

Last month, Howey opened up to Us about how her relationship with her husband has evolved over time.

“The first five years we were together, we weren’t married, we didn’t have a child, we didn’t have a dog yet,” she told Us. “I think it’s a really beautiful thing to continue to grow individually, but also together.”

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Howey shared that her bond with Ziering has only deepened since becoming parents. “Watching him step into all of these roles of husband and dad makes you appreciate each other more, because you don’t always know what the future holds,” Howey said. “Getting to watch it unravel in the moment and stay present and grateful for it all has been such a beautiful, reassuring, but also surprising journey to be on. I’m so grateful.”

Howey also noted that it’s “never lost on [her]” that her husband is able to travel with her, especially now that they have a daughter, and that it “means so much.”

“I feel like when I am away working, I’m able to rely on our partnership and our teamwork, and I’m able to focus on work because I know he’s there, doing all the things that I’m not able to do in those moments, whether it’s bathtime, bedtime or drop off,” she said.

Pirates of the Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer has confirmed he is in talks with Johnny Depp about reprising his iconic Jack Sparrow role.

“We’re talking to Johnny, we’re working on a screenplay and hopefully we can get this done,” Bruckhemier, 82, said during a Sunday, August 16, interview with Deadline at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California.

The outlet also reported that “solid sources” claimed Captain Jack Sparrow, whom Depp, 63, portrayed in the first five Pirates of the Caribbean films, will serve as a “side character” in what will be a sixth installment “evolution” of the franchise.

An all-new protagonist, believed to be portrayed by Margot Robbie, per the outlet, will reportedly star as the new Pirates lead.

Related: Breaking Down Johnny Depp’s Life 2 Years After Amber Heard Trial

It’s been two years since Johnny Depp’s highly publicized defamation trial with ex-wife Amber Heard. On April 15, Depp, 60, stepped onto the red carpet outside the Curzon Mayfair theater in London to promote Jeanne du Barry, his first feature film since 2020. After posing for some photographs, the actor — showing off a new […]

Bruckheimer, who has served as lead producer on the Disney franchise since 2003’s Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, told Entertainment Weekly in August 2025 that he had kicked off discussions about Depp returning for a sixth film. The news came as a surprise to fans at the time after Depp testified during his 2022 defamation trial with ex-wife Amber Heard that Disney had cut ties with him in 2018 following allegations of abuse against Heard, 40.

Depp has repeatedly denied all allegations of abuse made against him. Both Depp and Heard were both found liable by a jury for defamation against each other.

Bruckhemier told Entertainment Weekly last year, “If he likes the way the part’s written, I think he would do it. It’s all about what’s on the page, as we all know.”

More recently, Depp made a surprise appearance at Comic-Con, an event where Disney film and television projects often dominate, in San Diego last month while promoting his upcoming film Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol. (The film, scheduled for a November 13 release, is a Paramount Pictures, not a Disney production.)

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Depp showed up to Comic-Con wearing full makeup and costume while embodying his forthcoming character of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Related: Johnny Depp Morphs into Captain Jack Sparrow for Sweet Hospital Visit

Johnny Depp brought back Captain Jack Sparrow during a recent visit to a children’s hospital. Depp, 61, showed up at the Donostia University Hospital in San Sebastian, Spain on Thursday, September 26. The actor was decked out in full costume as his famous Pirates of the Caribbean character, including the iconic garb and luscious locks. […]

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In April, Depp’s Ebenezer costar Ian McKellen told Variety that Depp was in “spankingly good form” while filming the project. “Effervescent, funny, irreverent, serious — all at the same time. It was a bit of a love fest, really. I fell in love with him. He’s very obliging to his fellow actors. [There was] a wonderful feeling on the set,” McKellen, 87, said to the outlet at the time.

In the film, which is based on Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol, Depp and McKellen are joined by Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Severance’s Tramell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Harry Potter star Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit, and Sam Claflin and Daisy Ridley in unspecified roles.

Dutton Ranch has found success on Paramount+ while going through some major changes including cast drama and other surprise shakeups.

The hit Paramount+ franchise started with Taylor Sheridan‘s hit series Yellowstone, which premiered in 2018. Fans got to know Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser’s characters, Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, who had a decades-long relationship enduring peaks and pitfalls. The original show came to an end in 2024, later expanding its universe with Luke Grimes’ CBS show Marshals and Dutton Ranch.

Dutton Ranch quickly found success when it premiered on Paramount+ in 2026. Off screen, there were some changes including a showrunner swap. After the show was renewed, Reilly and Hauser weighed in on where the show could go from here.

“I think we’re taking it one season at a time,” Reilly told The Hollywood Reporter in July 2026 about the spinoff’s future, before Hauser noted, “This has been a beast. We haven’t had any time to even think about it either. We literally filmed [until] the end of March and we’ve been on the road selling the show.”

Related: Is Yellowstone’s ‘Dutton Ranch’ Returning for Season 2 Amid Pregnancy Twist?

Yellowstone‘s spinoff Dutton Ranch ended with some shocking twists — including a pregnancy reveal — but is the show returning for season 2? The hit Paramount+ franchise started with Taylor Sheridan‘s hit series Yellowstone, which premiered in 2018. Fans got to know Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser’s characters, Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, who had […]

Reilly hinted there might be a story line in place — at least for season 2.

“I think we have some ideas about season 2, with where we left season 1,” she shared. “We can’t talk about the ending, but we’re super excited about where it goes and so we already know sort of where the beginning is and that’s exciting.”

Keep scrolling for everything to know about the Dutton Ranch changes:

Showrunner Swap

Weeks before Dutton Ranch’s debut in May 2026, Us confirmed that Chad Feehan will not return as showrunner after completing work on season 1. Puck News reported that Feehan, who created Lawmen: Bass Reeves with Sheridan, stepped away from Dutton Ranch after alleged friction with series stars Hauser and Reilly, among others.

Sheridan and his producing partner, David Glasser, along with the two leads, were allegedly more unhappy with how Feehan ran the production than with the scripts. None of them have publicly addressed the speculation about the drama. Benjamin Cavell was brought in to take over as showrunner for season 2.

“Showrunners change all the time. This business is about adapting,” Hauser told The Hollywood Reporter in June 2026. “We’ve been doing this for a long time. Things change. People move on.”

Reilly had a similar outlook on the shakeup.

“It was a really difficult but really satisfying show to make,” she said. “And so was Yellowstone. So is anything worth making. We’re all creative minds and we all work together and I’m so proud of that.”

Ed Harris’ Reaction to His Season 1 Story Line

Deadline reported that Harris is expected to return in the sophomore season after he previously revealed he has a two-year deal for Dutton Ranch and the outlet noted that there is an option for a third season.

Harris’ issues were allegedly largely related to the creative aspect of the show. After his character, Everett McKinney, was barely featured in season 1, Harris candidly shared he was not happy with how his role began.

“Midway through this first season, I was ready to say, ‘Get me the f**k out of here,’ to tell you the truth,” the actor said in an interview with Variety in July 2026. “I didn’t feel like I was being used. I felt a bit misled.”

Harris shared that he told the Dutton Ranch crew that he felt “underused and inconsequential” and claimed that he was told he “will have a little bit more to do” next season.

“It was just a little frustrating, to tell you the truth. When I watched it, I watched this season, and it’s fine,” he admitted. “I thought it was pretty good. I felt fine about what I did in it and it seemed like I was relatively important to the story. But the doing of it did not feel that way.”

Us reached out to Paramount for comment at the time.

Related: Which ‘Dutton Ranch’ Stars Are, Aren’t Returning After Season 2 Changes?

Dutton Ranch is officially renewed — but not everyone is coming back in season 2. Paramount+’s hit franchise started with Yellowstone, which premiered in 2018 and introduced viewers to the fictional Dutton family. The show came to an end in 2024, expanding its universe with Luke Grimes‘ CBS show Marshals and Dutton Ranch. “As Beth […]

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Character Changes

Jai Courtney likely won’t be back in season 2 after his character was killed off. Other characters who suffered from onscreen deaths include Hart Denton‘s Chet and Ray McKinnon‘s Dwight.

Taylor Sheridan’s Absence

Sheridan began his TV empire with Yellowstone, which aired from 2018 to 2024. He was an executive producer on Dutton Ranch but wasn’t involved in the day to day duties of crafting the show.

Reilly, who plays Beth, reflected on filming season 1 without Sheridan being as active behind the scenes, telling The Hollywood Reporter in July 2026, “I was very uncertain of what this would be without his words. I didn’t know if it was gonna work. I didn’t know if she was going to work. It was like a part of the character had to die in order for me to begin her again.”

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Reilly was grateful for the challenge.

“Everything comes to an end, and his time with these characters as creative leader, it ended. So there was a moment where we were trying to figure out, ‘How do we do this without him?’” she recalled. “That’s what season one of this was, and he’s really proud of us for doing it.”

Reilly continued: “We talk to him now about what the next season could be, and he wants to be involved. So that feels like we earned this second season from all the work we’ve done before, and that’s the thing I’m most proud of.”

Nick Reiner has been denied access to a $1.5 million trust fund set up by his late parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, as he awaits trial for their murders.

Nick, 32, initially sought to access his share of the trust in June, arguing that he should have received half of that sum when he turned 30 in September 2023. The trust was established by Rob and Michele for their son upon his birth in 1993.

Both Nick and the trustees have filed new paperwork with a California Superior Court in recent days as he continues to fight for a payout, according to documents obtained by Us. In early August, lawyers for Nick’s previous and current trustee — Paul Kanin and Jodi Pais Montgomery — sought to block him from receiving any money from the trust due to California’s “Slayer Statute.” (The New York Times was the first to report the news.)

The “Slayer Statute” law states that “a person who feloniously and intentionally kills the decedent is not entitled” to any financial assets or property from the person or people they killed.

Related: L.A. District Attorney Reveals If Nick Reiner Case Is Death Penalty Eligible

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Montgomery’s lawyers stressed that Nick’s “urgency is real, but it did not arise in a vacuum.”

“It arises from the deaths of his parents, the very settlors of the Trust at issue, and Nick is presently accused of causing those deaths,” the trustee’s lawyers argued. “While Nick is presumed innocent of that accusation (and nothing in this Response and Objection should be read to suggest otherwise), no one, not this Court, nor the parties, knows how the criminal proceedings against Nick will ultimately resolve.”

Per her lawyers, Montgomery is “bound by the same fiduciary obligations as any trustee” to “reasonably administer the trust by its terms and to preserve and protect the trust property.”

The trustee stated that “no distribution [of money] should be made until the Court resolves whether” the “Slayer Statute” applies in this instance since any such payout would be “irreversible.” (Nick has pleaded not guilty to killing his parents, Rob and Michele.)

“Nick’s status as an incarcerated beneficiary does not convert a discretionary support standard into an on-demand entitlement,” as stated in the docs.

Lawyers argue that Nick’s claim fails because his needs are being met while he’s behind bars, including with legal representation by a public defender, and he’s not entitled to private counsel paid for by the trust.

“Nick is incarcerated and his basic needs — housing, food, medical care — are being met by the State. He is represented in the underlying criminal matter by the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, appointed counsel to whom Nick has a right and who continues to represent him.

“To the extent Nick’s damages theory rests on the unavailability of private counsel of his choosing, that theory fails as a matter of law: a criminal defendant has no entitlement to the specific private counsel of his choice at the trust’s expense.

“Nick cannot manufacture damages out of a preference for retained rather than appointed counsel where his fundamental needs, including the right to legal representation, are indisputably being met.”

If Nick is denied access to the trust, his siblings, Romy Reiner and Jake Reiner, would become “contingent remainder beneficiaries,” per the trustee.

In his own declaration to the court, Nick acknowledged that he allowed the trustee to hold off distributing his share of the trust at age 30 “until such time as [I] desire[d] to receive distribution.”

“I did not give my consent to any Trustee of my Trust to withhold, defer, or retain my Age-30 Distribution indefinitely as ‘property of the Trust,’” he countered. “I did not ask or authorize my mother to give such consent on my behalf, and I do not recall signing or being asked to sign any document giving that consent.”

Reiner is now seeking one-half of the total $1.5 million in his trust, plus interest, to be released immediately so he can pay legal fees ahead of his double murder trial, as well as add money to his jail commissary. (Nick is being held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles as he awaits trial.)

“I have never understood anything I did (or did not do) to constitute giving the Trustee my consent to indefinitely withhold my Age-30 Distribution from me and retain it as property of the Trust even after I have asked for it, and it was not my intention to consent to that,” he wrote. “As I have stated in my Petition and other documents, I would like for my money to be released and I ‘desire to receive’ it, with the accrued interest and income.”

A spokesperson for the trust declined to comment when reached by Us.

Related: What Did Nick Reiner Say to Bill Hader? Inside Their Christmas Party Exchange

Nick Reiner allegedly had a strange encounter with former Saturday Night Live star Bill Hader hours before he allegedly murdered his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. Multiple media outlets reported that both men attended Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party on December 13, 2025. According to Rolling Stone, the Reiners asked if they could bring […]

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Nick’s attorney, Anita P. Wu, told The New York Times, “The ‘Slayer Statute’ requires a determination, not a mere accusation. Nick is presumed innocent and has been convicted of nothing.”

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On Wednesday, August 12, Nick was formally indicted on first-degree murder charges for allegedly killing his parents on December 14, 2025. He pleaded not guilty to the two murder charges, as well as two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder by means of lying in wait once the indictment was unsealed.

“This was a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. “The indictment unsealed today also adds a special circumstance allegation that the defendant committed the murders by means of lying in wait. We hope that by having a grand jury return an indictment in this case, it will bring us one step closer to a trial and achieving justice.”

Us reached out to Nick’s attorney for comment on the legal fight over his trust.

Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for Lanterns Episode 1.

HBO’s Lanterns has finally arrived with a premiere that could have major ramifications for James Gunn‘s wider DCU. Before getting to that, however, the show’s first episode introduces viewers to the characters who will be leading this particular story — and, in terms of the genre, think neo-Western detective drama, only if said detectives had access to a green power ring that could conjure anything within the boundaries of their own imagination.

Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) is globally known as the Green Lantern when the series first introduces him, kicking around as the protector of Earth decades before Superman (David Corenswet) shows up, but by 2016, he’s fully aware of the fact that the Guardians of the Universe, who are in charge of the Green Lantern Corps, are teeing up his potential replacement. John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) is a relatively green (no pun intended) recruit with greater ambitions of wearing the ring himself one day, but his straight-laced demeanor clashes with Hal’s untraditional approach to training.

When the two are unexpectedly thrown into a murder investigation in Rushville, Nebraska — a town that Hal has a personal connection to — it leads them down a path to an even bigger and darker conspiracy with little in the way of reassuring answers. But if you thought that was the entirety of Lanterns‘ plot, think again. The final moments of the premiere jump ahead a decade to 2026, where John is summoned back to Rushville by local sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) and makes a shocking discovery there: Hal Jordan, dead by a single gunshot to the head.

Ahead of the Lanterns premiere, Collider had the opportunity to speak with several members of the show’s cast and creative team, including co-creators Damon Lindelof and Tom King. Below, the co-writers of Episode 1 reveal which comic book runs had the biggest influence on the show and where Lanterns sits in terms of the greater DCU continuity, and also share a message for fans who might be shocked and maybe even a little upset about Hal’s apparent demise.

COLLIDER: This is obviously rooted in a lot of comic book lore, but I think the show itself is telling a really interesting and unique story, and I was curious about whether there were any ways you wanted to intentionally embrace the comic inspirations for the viewers — whether that’s narrative choices, stylistic choices, anything along those lines?

DAMON LINDELOF: I’ll let you dive in because, normally, I’m the most comic booky person in the room, but I have this rare experience to not be.

TOM KING: It was always important to constantly be like, we’re not just making a cop show where they happen to wear rings. This is a show about Green Lanterns in a cop show, with me always going back to the source material and to the thousands of men and women who have made this material and love this material, and what they loved about it and what made it shine, from when Green Lantern’s first concept was created in 1942 to when Hal came on in the early ‘60s, to when John came along in the ‘70s, and then looking back at that stuff. So, you see it running through the whole thing.

John’s origin story is deeply tied to his first appearance by Neal Adams and Dennis O’Neil. I think Kyle [Chandler]’s sort of brilliant, bravura performance is very much tied to that Gil Kane, John Broome, Silver Age, 1960s optimism, but then bringing something new to it, something that only you can do on TV and be like, this is not just a comic book brought to life — this is a TV show that exists to be an incredible TV show.

Part of that’s just personal, working with Chris [Mundy] and Damon, who have grown up in this medium and know how this medium works, and know how, when you turn on a TV show, you’re inviting another family into your room, and they’re sitting on the couch with you, and making that essential to the heart of it, too.

Damon Lindelof and Tom King Explain Where ‘Lanterns’ Sits in the DCU’s Overall Timeline

“We had to accommodate and make sure that everything kind of fit together…”

Image via HBO

[Lanterns] exists in its own space, but there are ties to the greater DC universe here and there, and the show establishes that Hal has been the Green Lantern for a while when we’re first introduced to these characters. What were those conversations like with James [Gunn] about how this fits into the overall timeline that they’re creating?

LINDELOF: I’ll answer it, even though the story starts with Tom. James and Peter [Safran], when they first took over at DC, they brought together a brain trust of comics writers, television writers, film writers, people that they trusted, to kind of begin to iterate what their vision was, and the projects that would relate from that. But all of that was already happening after James had written the Superman script, in which Guy Gardner was Green Lantern. And so, I think in the body of that meeting, Tom first pitched True Detective with Green Lanterns — and, very specifically, Hal and John in some sort of a buddy cop, Training Day, “I’m showing you the ropes” kind of scenario. So, all of that predated me coming in.

But clearly, as soon as I heard it, my question was some version of, I think, yours, which is like, “Well, if Guy is the Green Lantern of Earth, then where is Hal? Why aren’t they talking about him?” And James was like, “What do you think? The sky’s the limit.” And we very quickly started iterating. “Well, Hal’s probably still alive, so maybe he’s retired. Or, wait a minute, is he alive? And what about John? Don’t we want John to be Earth’s Green Lantern? He’s so cool.”

So all of those conversations organically started to kind of come around the spirit of, “How do we understand that in the present day of the DCU, the one that Superman is kind of a backdoor pilot for?” And James really, when he and Peter took over, [was] saying, “We’re not doing origin stories, we’re going to hit the ground running. This is a fully baked world, and Clark and Lois are already a thing, and the Justice Gang, people know who Mister Terrific is and who Guy Gardner is and who Lex Luthor is. And then you have the Peacemaker universe, as well, which was kind of up and running. I think the second season of Peacemaker had already been largely written when we started — at least, you were telling me about it…

KING: Yeah, Creature Commandos, Peacemaker, and Superman.

LINDELOF: …when we were starting in the Lanterns room. So, we had to accommodate and make sure that everything kind of fit together, but I would also say that once James and Peter heard our pitch on how we were going to answer these questions, they were super-duper excited. And to some degree, under Chris’s leadership, we were siloed, but at the same time, DC was constantly reading all of our material, weighing in. Really, a positive creative partnership, but they kind of let us cook, as it related to who was going to end up with the ring at the end of our season.

‘Lanterns’ Co-Creators Want Fans To Keep Watching After Episode 1’s Brutal Cliffhanger

“I think we’re willing to absorb the boos from the audience in the first inning, as long as we still have a shot at winning the game.”

Image via HBO

To bring it back to the Hal of it all, I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring up the way the premiere ends, with a moment that I think is going to surprise some viewers. I know we can’t get into how everything is going to wrap up, but what I will ask is whether there’s any reassurance you can offer fans who might be confused, or maybe a little upset, by that particular story choice and how it’s going to play out throughout the season.

LINDELOF: Well, I’ve had no experience with the fans being upset with me or confused by anything that I’ve ever done, so that’ll be a first, and I’ll just have to kind of learn the ropes.

KING: I feel like you just admitted to not opening my emails.

LINDELOF: [Laughs] And you haven’t been through that either.

KING: No, no, no, never.

LINDELOF: In all seriousness, the first thing [is] that Tom and I looked at each other when we were even kicking around the idea of killing Hal, and we were like, “We can’t do that. Everyone’s going to hate us. It feels gimmicky.” But Mundy actually was like, “I don’t think that it does feel gimmicky. I think that it will actually infuse the entire story with a lot of emotionality, especially if the audience understands that John and Hal were not in a good place at the time that Hal died.” Traditionally, in comic books, my understanding is that these characters can’t die. But if we’re doing something that’s supposed to be grounded, maybe this is something that we have to do? Then we’re like, “Yeah, but we’re still going to get blamed for it!”

But we gradually started coming around to it. And I think because we were so reluctant to do it and because we’re fans, and at the same time, we get our turn to run with the baton of these amazing characters, but also just as fans, Hal means something to us, too. So, we basically started reframing the question in terms of, yes, on Sunday night, are we willing to acknowledge that a lot of people are going to be angry, that if we were watching this and not making it, that we would be saying, “I waited this long for another live-action version of Hal, having not gotten him since the Ryan Reynolds film, and then basically 50 minutes after getting me to fall in love with Kyle Chandler, you’re killing him off? Fuck you.”

I guess our feeling is, let’s see how you feel at the end of Episode 8, and if you still feel like it was exploitative or unnecessary, or that it wasn’t exactly what had to happen in order for this story to get told, then we deserve it. But I think we’re willing to absorb the boos from the audience in the first inning, as long as we still have a shot at winning the game.

KING: Yeah. And I’m with the audience here. Like, I love Hal. I adore that character.

LINDELOF: I love Hal, too!

KING: I adored writing him. I don’t know if you’ve met Kyle Chandler. He’s fairly charming.

LINDELOF: He’s very charming.

KING: He’s absolutely wonderful. And I was the guy who turned off the show after the Red Wedding and was like, “Never again!” And so, I have been there. I may have even yelled at the television over Lost once or twice.

LINDELOF: Reasonable.

KING: But yeah, this is a show that we’re trying to make as close to reality, and sometimes you lose the things you love, and sometimes the stakes are that high in reality, and they’re supposed to be that high in our show. So, as much as I love that and making a show that’s about the real world, that’s about our loves and our losses, we have to write about the losses. The love and the loss are both part of this story.

New episodes of Lanterns premiere Sundays on HBO and HBO Max.

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Lanterns

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Release Date

August 16, 2026

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HBO

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Hayden Panettiere, the beloved actress who entertained audiences across television and film for over three decades, has died at the age of 36. Over the course of her too-brief career, she played Heroes‘ “save the cheerleader, save the world” Claire Bennett and Kirby Reed in the Scream franchise, and voiced Kairi in the video game series Kingdom Hearts.

Born on August 21, 1989, Panettiere had her first on-screen acting role before she was a year old, in a Playskool TV ad. She landed her first major roles in soap operas, including One Life to Live and Guiding Light, and went on to appear on series like Ally McBeal, Malcolm in the Middle, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and films like Remember the Titans and Racing Stripes. She became a household name when she debuted as Claire Bennett on the superhero serial Heroes, becoming the show’s breakout character.

That fame translated into big-screen roles, including Bring It On: All Or Nothing, I Love You Beth Cooper, and the tomboyish Kirby Reed in the slasher sequel Scream 4, which became one of her most iconic roles. After Heroes‘ conclusion, she starred in the country music drama Nashville as rising star Juliette Barnes. She was also a noted voice actress, playing Princess Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life and lending her voice to the hit video game series Kingdom Hearts and the acclaimed horror game Until Dawn.

Panettiere took a lengthy hiatus from acting following the birth of her daughter, amid struggles with addiction and postpartum depression. In recent years, Panettiere reprised her role as Kirby in Scream and Scream VI. Her final screen role was the thriller Sleepwalker, which was released earlier this year.

Panettiere was a devoted activist for a number of causes, including environmentalism, preventing spousal abuse, and statehood for Washington D.C. Her representatives shared a statement following her death: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.” No cause of death has yet been given. Panettiere was predeceased by her brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, who died at age 28 in 2023, and is survived by her daughter. Collider extends our sympathies to Panettiere’s friends and family.

Ariana Grande made her Wicked fans’ dreams come true when she brought costar Cynthia Erivo onstage for her nearly-complete tour.

While in London for the Sunday, August 16, stop of her Eternal Sunshine Tour, Grande, 33, belted out the lyrics to Wicked’s “For Good” beside Erivo, 39, per fan footage.

Variety reported that Grande and Erivo, who starred in the films as Glinda and Elphaba, also sang “Happy Days.”

Grande is currently across the pond for the final shows of her successful Eternal Sunshine Tour, promoting her seventh studio album of the same name. The shows are set to conclude after 10 dates at London’s O2 Arena on September 1.

Related: Ariana Grande Credits Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo for Helping ‘Heal’ Her

Ariana Grande credits her Wicked costar Cynthia Erivo with helping her to “heal certain parts” of herself. Grande, 31, and Erivo, 37, spoke about their friendship in an interview with The New York Times that was published on Wednesday, November 6. “I feel really inspired by her fierce ability to be truthful and protect herself,” […]

Grande is preparing to take a step back from the public eye at the conclusion of her tour and amid ongoing concern for and scrutiny over her body size, weight and perceived health.

“Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour,” a rep for Grande told People in a statement earlier this month. “She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny.”

The message continued, “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

Due to her public hiatus, Grande is no longer appearing in the West End revival of Sunday in the Park With George, where she was starring opposite Wicked costar Jonathan Bailey. Grande, for her part, addressed the news while onstage in Chicago earlier this month.

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Related: Cynthia Erivo Addresses Protecting Ariana Grande From Fan at Premiere

Cynthia Erivo has spoken out after her quick defense of Ariana Grande during a fan encounter at the Singapore premiere of Wicked: For Good. “I wasn’t really thinking,” Erivo, 38, told Today on Thursday, November 20. “I just wanted to make sure my friend was safe.” While Erivo and Grande, 32, walked the red carpet […]

“Sometimes when a story comes out that’s not directly from me, things can get a little blown out of proportion, so I just wanted to speak to my fans directly tonight, because I love you so much,” she said. “The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing. It is something that I had decided, a plan I had quietly made a long time ago, and it’s a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place.”

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Grande debunked fan theories that “‘negativity’ was ruining things for me,” adding, “I want you to know that many things can be true at the same time. Boundaries can need to be set, human beings can need a break sometimes, and also, this can be and will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional career.”

She continued, “No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will be able to distort my reality or be more real to me or not as real to me than this love that we share and how it feels to make art with people that I love and respect. Absolutely nothing will change that.”

For Grande, her tour has been “the most healing, beautiful, corrective, magnificent, special experience of my life.”

Back in the day, sitcoms had a certain vibe. A je ne sais quoi that, even today, has a timeless element to it. Perhaps it was the situational storytelling week after week or the energy stemming from the live studio audience. Whatever it was, there’s a reason why classic sitcoms continue to be our go-to when we need a pick-me-up.

Many of the sitcoms of yore inspired many of the shows of today. Perhaps it was a leading lady who broke the mold of what a female comedian could be. Maybe it was proving the strength and unity of a solid ensemble cast. Or possibly it was creating a universe so farfetched that it opened up our imaginations to laugh. Whatever it may be, if you’re looking to do your sitcom history, these iconic classic sitcoms must be watched once in your life.

‘Three’s Company’ (1977–1984)

Image via ABC

Now, listen. You have to consider the times in which many of these shows were created before judging them through a completely modern lens. The premise of Three’s Company may be a tad unconventional and politically incorrect today, but in the late ’70s, when there was still a stigma regarding sexual liberation and sexuality in general, it made for a hilarious concept for a sitcom. The story followed three single roommates, Jack Tripper (John Ritter), Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt), and Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers), as they put up a ruse that Jack is gay, as the complex’s owners, Stanley and Helen Roper (Norman Fell and Audra Lindley), will only allow the three of them to stay on the belief that Jack was gay. In reality, he was a Lothario. Through hilarious hijinks and fantastical farces, when you heard the lyrics, “Come and knock on our door,” being sung, you instantly knew that comedy was indeed waiting for you.

Three’s Company may seem “tame” to today’s audience, but at the time, when many sitcoms were family-oriented, it was verging on adult content. Homosexuality was often used as a punchline, but being an out gay man was not as accepted and liberating as it is today. Additionally, when it came to the female characters, especially the trio of blondes, including Jenilee Harrison as Cindy Snow and Priscilla Barnes as Terri Alden after Somers’ departure from the series, the ditzy “dumb blonde” archetype reigned supreme.

With Ritter and DeWitt remaining with the series from start to finish, the other major casting change was when the Ropers departed for their own spin-off and were replaced by Don Knotts as the new building manager, Ralph Furley. There are essentially two iterations of Three’s Company, so if you’re looking to start somewhere, the series is best known for its time when Knotts and Ritter graced the screen together. If there’s one thing to take away from Three’s Company, it’s the exceptional physical comedy by Ritter. This was a generation of sitcoms where watching a man fling himself about was comedy gold. And Ritter made it look effortless.

‘The Facts of Life’ (1979–1988)

Image via NBC

Now, while we may not be here to talk about the all-time greatest sitcom theme songs, I assure you that if we were, The Facts of Life would be high atop the list. “You take the good. You take the bad. You take them both, and there you have the facts of life.” So profound, and so apropos to the show. Initially a spin-off of Diff’rent Strokes, The Facts of Life followed Charlotte Rae‘s Mrs. Edna Garrett as she became the housemother of Eastland School, an all-girls boarding school. Throughout the series, Mrs. Garrett would be on hand, giving her girls life advice as they grew up and dealt with every social and personal issue imaginable.

Now, once again, times were different. You may often hear of shows swapping out actors, characters, or stories following the filming of a pilot, but The Facts of Life went an entire season before shifting gears and shrinking the cast. Before the iconic quartet of Tootie (Kim Fields), Blair (Lisa Whelchel), Natalie (Mindy Cohn), and Jo (Nancy McKeon), The Facts of Life had a much larger ensemble cast, which included a young Molly Ringwald. Not only did it end up being the best decision for the series, but it also opened up the window for greater stories to be told. The care that the series took when it came to the complexity of challenging issues spoke to the generation watching. There was no topic The Facts of Life was unafraid to tackle. Because of its sentimentality towards social issues while celebrating adolescent friendship, The Facts of Life is necessary viewing.

‘The Jeffersons’ (1975–1985)

Image via CBS

It took quite some time before visibility and representation were “movin’ on up” toward the top of the television charts. Not since Amos ‘N’ Andy had television had a sitcom that featured Black actors in leading roles. A year after Good Times debuted came The Jeffersons. The sitcom was historic in the ’70s as it celebrated the portrayal of a successful African American family, something that, at that time, was uncommon on-screen. Using it as the basis for laughs, The Jeffersons followed Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) and her husband George (Sherman Hemsley), as they moved on up from Queens to Manhattan to a “deluxe apartment in the sky.” Along with their black maid Florence (Marla Gibbs), and their neighbors Tom and Helen Willis (Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker), the show was a non-stop laugh fest that changed television history in the process.

A spin-off of All in the Family, The Jeffersons evolved into a long-running classic sitcom all while touching on extremely topical stories ranging from interracial marriage, racism, and being transgender. The show was also one of many to repopularize old-style ethnic humor. Though marred by controversy during its ten-year run for its occasional dips and laps, falling into stereotypical tropes, The Jeffersons opened the door for future Black-led sitcoms, thanks to their willingness to be unconventional.

‘All in the Family’ (1971–1979)

Image via CBS

It’s no secret that Norman Lear was a genius when it came to creating everlasting sitcoms. Arguably, one of his greatest, if not the most successful, was All in the Family. Revolving around a working-class family, the series was one of the most influential for its use of tackling complex issues head-on, something unheard of on mainstream network television at that time. Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor) is an outspoken, narrow-minded, prejudiced “against everyone not like him” man who is married to the sweet and understanding Edith (Jean Stapleton), whom he treats dismissively. Their daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers), is a feminist, married to Michael (Rob Reiner), who emulates the counterculture of the ’60s. The series watches as the two couples clash through a battle of the generations.

Archie Bunker is a monumental character because he represented many viewers, while also becoming the representation of something other viewers couldn’t stand. By tackling things like racism and the Vietnam War through a comedic tone and multiple perspectives, it opened up the opportunity for viewers to have real-life conversations. When discussing historic television moments, many people point right to Sammy Davis Jr.’s appearance when he kisses Archie. The series was a cultural phenomenon. You can head to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and see Archie and Edith’s chairs on display. Of course, we simply cannot neglect the impact the series has had on modern television. Just look at the Family Guy theme. It references All in the Family!

‘Gilligan’s Island’ (1964–1967)

Image via CBS

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While most series on this list live in a realistic realm, Gilligan’s Island took viewers on a comedic journey to a place a bit more far-fetched. Gilligan’s Island tells the tale of seven castaways’ struggle to survive on an island when their boat is shipwrecked. With a company of clashing personalities, hilarious antics, and the plight of unsuccessful attempts at escape, Gilligan’s Island allowed you to sit right back and be glad you were not them!

So, who were the stranded seven? The show’s theme song told you straight away! You had Gilligan (Bob Denver), Captain Jonas Grumby the Skipper (Alan Hale Jr.), Thurston Howell (Jim Backus), a millionaire, and his wife, Lovey Howell (Natalie Schafer), Ginger Grant (Tina Louise), a movie star, the professor Roy Hinkley (Russell Johnson), and Mary Ann (Dawn Wells), who didn’t get a moniker in the lyrics, simply her name.

The series was known for its running gags of using everyday items in ridiculous manners, dream sequences, and a cavalcade of guest stars. The series eventually spawned board games, trading cards, pinball machines, and the never-ending debate between Ginger and Mary Ann. Even having solid ratings during its initial run, Gilligan’s Island has seen even more popularity during its run in syndication. Thanks, Nick at Nite and TV Land! Fun fact: the first season of Gilligan’s Island was originally filmed in black and white, only to be colorized for syndication. Another fun fact: During the rise of reality television, TBS attempted to mash up Gilligan’s Island with Survivor to create The Real Gilligan’s Island. The show watched as individuals competed on a remote island while portraying one of the archetypes of the original series. Shockingly, it did last for two seasons.

‘Cheers’ (1982–1993)

Image via NBC

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and that place is Cheers. As one of the most successful shows of the ’80s, the Boston-based sitcom showcased the nightly haunt of the barflies and employees of the titular bar. Spanning 11 seasons, Cheers was one of those shows built upon a solid ensemble cast. Featuring the likes of Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Perlman, George Wendt, John Ratzenberger, Kelsey Grammer, Woody Harrelson, and Kirstie Alley, among others, Cheers became the show in which you truly felt part of the gang.

Not only was it a ratings juggernaut, but it was also one of the most highly decorated sitcoms of its time. Though it was less likely to move the needle on topical themes, Cheers was one of those shows you watched for extraordinary characters with stories that were long-lasting. There was the will-they-won’t-they romance of Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long). You had best friends, Norm (Geroge Wendt) and Cliff (John Ratzenberger), reminding you why best friends rule. Carla (Rhea Perlman) hilariously battled with anyone who crossed her path. The list goes on, but it’s safe to say that Cheers was a well-crafted, character-driven series.

‘The Golden Girls’ (1985–1992)

Many sitcoms tend to focus on the same blueprint. Whether it be office-based shows or family-focused comedies, it was hard to break the mold when the formula was already working. Then came The Golden Girls. Not only was it a fully female-led series, it focused on women of a certain age. As one of the most beloved series of all time, The Golden Girls was groundbreaking, giving four established actresses yet another notch on their already strong resumes. Celebrating the “golden years” through humor, friendship, and cheesecake, The Golden Girls followed divorcee Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur), her retirement home-escapee Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty), and the widowed Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan) and Rose Nylund (Betty White).

Though many were devastated by the ending of the original series, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia did live on through a brief spin-off, The Golden Palace. Even adding the likes of Don Cheadle and Cheech Marin couldn’t give it more than a season of life. That being said, The Golden Palace is sometimes aired during the main show’s airing in syndication. Nevertheless, The Golden Girls has lived on through syndication, merchandise, and restaurant pop-ups. Turn on the TV at almost any hour, there will likely be one network playing an episode.

‘The Brady Bunch’ (1969–1974)

Image via ABC

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There is absolutely no other classic sitcom that has had such a stronghold quite like The Brady Bunch. Even as a family-focused sitcom, The Brady Bunch was quite unique as it celebrated the modern blended family. The Brady Bunch was the story of a lovely lady named Carol (Florence Henderson), who was bringing up three very lovely girls, Marcia (Maureen McCormick), Jan (Eve Plumb), and Cindy (Susan Olsen) and a man named Mike Brady (Robert Reed), who was busy with three boys of his own, Greg (Barry WIlliams), Peter (Christopher Knight), and Bobby (Mike Lookinland). Oh, and don’t forget the absolutely iconic housekeeper Alice (Ann B. Davis).

Through five seasons, a few spin-offs, reunion films, and some satirical theatrical films in the ’90s, The Brady Bunch has truly lived rent-free in our nostalgia. The series was known for some iconic quotes, memorable performances, and dreams of living life in the iconic Brady house, all while maintaining scandal-free and family-friendly entertainment. The series was groundbreaking for the time, which included the visual of Mike and Carol’s sleeping arrangement. Another show that has survived for generations through syndication, The Brady Bunch‘s impact on American pop culture is unfounded.

‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ (1970–1977)

Image via CBS

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They say that laughter is the best medicine. I can attest to that. A few years ago, I was suffering from a nerve issue in my back that prevented me from having full mobility to walk. During that year, I needed some mindless activity to help distract me from the pain, and I discovered The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Little did I know, I was in store for a binge-watch that I wish I could experience for the first time again. The Mary Tyler Moore Show is one of the greatest sitcoms ever written. Led by Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Richards, the series was a groundbreaking sitcom that gave a divorced, independent, working woman the power to be a central character on a show.

Following Mary’s time working at WJM alongside the likes of her boss, Lou Grant (Ed Asner), and her home life, featuring her upstairs neighbor, Rhoda Morgenstern (Valerie Harper) and landlady Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman), The Mary Tyler Moore Show was more than a workplace series; it was a revolution. The ensemble-driven series was expertly performed as they navigated through Mary’s life. The characters were so brilliant that three of them were even given their own spin-offs.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show truly changed television, as it was a liberating show that happened to be sophisticated and timely. The conversations that were had throughout its run were done so with humor and gravitas. It was a pioneering female-led series that continues to inspire other women in comedy. When I tell you this show is truly a laugh-out-loud sitcom, I mean it.

‘I Love Lucy’ (1951–1957)

Image via CBS

On October 15, 1951, television history was made when CBS debuted I Love Lucy. Groundbreaking may not be a strong enough term to express how I Love Lucy changed the entertainment industry. Lucille Ball was a star before she had the opportunity to prove to the network that they needed a show starring her and her husband, Desi Arnaz. Taking a chance on the pair, history was made. While there are incredible stories about the production of the series, the background behind the show was truly meant for film. If it weren’t for Ball, many of our favorite funny women today wouldn’t exist.

I Love Lucy followed Lucy and her bandleader husband, Ricky Ricardo, and their best friends, Fred and Ethel Mertz (William Frawley and Vivian Vance). Whether it was finding herself in hilarious situations or watching the husband and wife’s antics, I Love Lucy was non-stop comedy. But it was also pioneering. Ball was the first woman to appear pregnant on network television. It was one of the first series to be filmed in Los Angeles and to be filmed before a live studio audience. And many of its scenes have been replicated and paid homage to throughout history. The candy factory alone could top a list of the greatest sitcom moments. If you love sitcoms, you must start here.

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I Love Lucy

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Release Date

1951 – 1957-00-00

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Directors

William Asher, Marc Daniels

Writers

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Bob Carroll Jr., Madelyn Pugh, Bob Schiller, Jess Oppenheimer, Bob Weiskopf

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• 

  Lucille Ball

  Lucy Ricardo

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As far as supernatural TV shows go, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the most beloved and well-known. Premiering in the late ’90s, the show brought powerful female protagonist Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) to the forefront of mainstream television and allowed her to take the reins of her own story. To this day, Buffy remains one of the most influential characters ever created. Her strength, style, and sense of humor blend to create an unforgettable heroine. While many shows have tried to replicate the lightning-in-a-bottle effect that Buffy the Vampire Slayer captured during its run, none have come quite as close as the supernatural Western series Wynonna Earp. In fact, if you find yourself missing Buffy and the rest of the Scooby Gang’s shenanigans, Wynonna Earp is your next ideal binge-watch.

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Wynonna Earp’ Follow Similar Plots

It’s easy to compare Buffy the Vampire Slayer to any supernatural series with a prominent female main character, but Wynonna Earp actually shares enough plot similarities with Buffy to make it a fitting modern-day companion piece. Buffy the Vampire Slayer follows Buffy, a teenage girl who is deemed “the chosen one,” or, more fittingly, “the Slayer.” It’s explained that in every generation, one girl is chosen by fate to battle demons, vampires, and other dark entities in an effort to keep the world safe from evil.

Wynonna Earp follows the titular Wynonna Earp (Melanie Scrofano), the great-great-granddaughter of the legendary Wyatt Earp. On her 27th birthday, she returns to her hometown and inherits a power that has been passed down through generations of Earps. Her role is to return revenants – the reincarnated outlaws killed by Wyatt Earp – to Hell. Accompanied by her sister and her great-great-grandfather’s immortal best friend, Doc Holliday, Wynonna attempts to keep the revenants from taking over the world.

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Wynonna Earp’ Have Similar Structures

Both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Wynonna Earp follow “monster-of-the-week” arcs, meaning each episode focuses on a different villain. However, there is usually a larger storyline that unfolds throughout each season before being wrapped up in the finale. This format is common in television, especially in supernatural shows. Popular series like Charmed, The X-Files, and Supernatural have all embraced the format, delivering eerie villains who appear for a single episode to wreak havoc on the main characters. Given that Buffy is the Slayer, this format was a no-brainer for the show, and Wynonna Earp adapts it just as well, introducing creative demons ready to be taken down all over again.

But don’t worry about needing to know the Wyatt Earp lore to understand and enjoy Wynonna Earp. Much like in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the setting is practically a character in itself, helping to fill in many of the narrative blanks. In Buffy, the town of Sunnydale sits on the Hellmouth, making it a hotspot for supernatural activity. This is a major plot point from the beginning to the end of the show, since there is quite literally no escaping it. Similarly, Wynonna Earp’s setting of Purgatory has a deep-rooted history that goes all the way back to Wynonna’s great-great-grandfather. Because of this, the show frequently reveals details about the past and explores Wynonna’s struggle with the feeling that her family’s legacy is haunting her, making the story accessible even to viewers who aren’t well versed in the history of Wyatt Earp.

‘Wynonna Earp’ Is the Modern-Day ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’

Image via Tubi

The shows’ biggest difference is the ages of their protagonists: Buffy is a teenager when her series begins, while Wynonna is already an adult. Despite this age gap, they share many of the same struggles and apprehensions. Throughout Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s run, Buffy struggles with her fate as the Slayer while still trying to find herself as a young woman and make the most of her youth. Meanwhile, despite being older than Buffy, Wynonna finds it difficult to accept the fate handed down to her by her ancestors. Both struggle to make personal sacrifices and accept their “chosen one” status, and throughout their respective series, they grapple with their roles before slowly learning to embrace them.

There is also the obvious difference in genres: Wynonna Earp is a supernatural Western, whereas Buffy the Vampire Slayer is more of a supernatural coming-of-age series with a much more comedic tone. But those differences are part of what makes the shows such great companion pieces. So, if you’re a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan who has been looking for a series that captures the same feeling, Wynonna Earp may be exactly what you’ve been craving.

Wynonna Earp is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

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Release Date

2016 – 2021-00-00

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Network

SyFy, Space, CTV Sci-Fi Channel

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Showrunner

emily andras

Directors

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Ron Murphy, April Mullen, Brett Sullivan, Grant Harvey, Peter Stebbings, Jem Garrard

Writers

Caitlin D. Fryers

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