Former United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem‘s husband, Bryon Noem, is at the center of a growing scandal involving allegations that he’s explored online fetish communities.

Byron was accused of speaking with models in the “bimbofication” on online forums, referring to individuals who have undergone surgical enhancements to look like dolls.

“Ms. Noem is devastated,” a spokesperson for Kristi said in a March 2026 statement. “The family was blindsided by this, and they ask for privacy and prayers at the time.”

Keep scrolling for more details:

Related: Kristi Noem’s Husband Allegedly Thought About ‘Leaving’ Her for Dominatrix

Former United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem‘s husband, Bryon Noem, allegedly told a dominatrix that he was willing to leave his wife for her. “He really liked a confident woman,” Bryon’s alleged dominatrix, Shy Sotomayor, told the Daily Mail in an interview published on Friday, April 10. “I don’t embrace the airhead, ditzy […]

Initial Reports About Bryon Noem Surface

In late March 2026, the Daily Mail published photos of Bryon Noem allegedly dressed in pink hot pants and wearing fake breasts apparently made of balloons. He was also pictured wearing green leggings in another set of images obtained by the outlet.

The outlet reported that Bryon allegedly paid $25,000 to chat with online models in the online “bimbofication” scene, which involves people who use silicone injections and various surgical enhancements to appear doll-like. He allegedly sent a message to one model and shared his love for “huge, huge ridiculous boobs.”

Kristi Noem responded to the allegations through a spokesperson.

“Ms. Noem is devastated,” the spokesperson told the New York Post in a March 31, 2026 statement. “The family was blindsided by this, and they ask for privacy and prayers at the time.”

An OnlyFans Model Claims Bryon Noem Offered Her Money

The allegations deepened when OnlyFans model Nicole Raccagno claimed she had been in contact with Bryon Noem, who allegedly offered to finance a breast augmentation for her.

“I f***ing want to pay it,” Bryon allegedly wrote to Raccagno, according to text messages obtained by the Daily Mail in March 2026. “You’re the one that I love. I would love to marry you.”

Raccagno, who goes by “Plastic Trophy Bimbo” online, claimed she started interacting with Bryon in 2020, when he allegedly subscribed to her OnlyFans page under the name “Jason From Chicago.” Bryon allegedly paid $1,500 per month to view Raccagno’s content.

“The arrangement was he’d get all my videos for $1,500 every month, to help me pay half my rent,” she told the Daily Mail. “He would never say no to me. He had to pay for my fillers, my Botox. Whenever I was not looking like a hot bimbo, he would give me money.”

Bryon has not publicly addressed the allegations.

Bryon Noem’s Alleged Dominatrix Speaks Out

Bryon Noem’s alleged dominatrix, Shy Sotomayor, told the Daily Mail in April 2026 that Bryon claimed that he would leave wife Kristi Noem for her.

“He really liked a confident woman,” Sotomayor said. “I don’t embrace the airhead, ditzy personality that a lot of bimbos do. I expect to be worshipped, not degraded.”

Sotomayor claimed that she connected with Bryon in 2025, during which he reportedly said that he could see them both “leaving [their] spouses for each other” and asked to be called “Crystal.”

“I was just jaw to the floor, thrown for a loop that he wanted to be called that,” Sotomayor said, acknowledging that “Crystal” sounds similar to Kristi’s name. “[It is] so close to her name, when he could have gone with Stephanie or something.”

Sotomayor revealed that Bryon agreed to pay $20,000 to meet in person, though neither the payment nor the meeting actually took place. She further alleged Bryon did pay her $7,600 in November 2025 for her services.

Megyn Kelly Claims That Byron Noem Attempted to Go to Rehab

Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly claimed on an April 2026 episode of her podcast that Bryon Noem once attempted to enter a rehabilitation program for alleged sex addiction.

“I can report that he was — he texted — I have been reliably told by a source and sent the text messages which my source, who I believe, has provided to me that he attempted a 12-step program for sex rehab,” Kelly said on The Megyn Kelly Show. “It was a place called Pure Desire, and it incorporates the 12 steps. We looked that up to see if that was a known rehab place in South Dakota and we found that it’s, like, a ministry.”

Kelly claimed that she obtained a screenshot of an alleged text from Byron.

“I’m entering a therapy program. Much needed and much overdue. 40 days,” the text apparently read. “I appreciate the conversations we had in getting to know you better. You seem like a great person. I’m a work in progress!”

According to Kelly, Bryon did not complete the program.

Who Is Byron Noem’s Wife?

Kristi Noem and Bryon Noem have been married since 1992, tying the knot in Watertown, South Dakota. They share three children: daughters Kassidy and Kennedy and son Booker.

Kristi briefly served as the secretary of Homeland Security during President Donald Trump’s second term in the White House. Trump, who fired her in early March 2026, has since addressed the accusations against Byron.

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“They confirmed it? Wow, well, I feel badly for the family if that’s the case, that’s too bad,” Trump told the Daily Mail on March 31, 2026. “I haven’t seen anything. I don’t know anything about it. That’s too bad, but I just know nothing about it.”

Us Weekly reached out to both Bryon and Kristi for comment.

This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.

The Wrong Turn franchise is part of the low-budget horror boom of the 1990s and early 2000s. The films followed a similar pattern where strangers find themselves in a dangerous part of the country after taking a… wrong turn. The movies were not well received by critics, with many in the franchise receiving low ratings — if any — on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. However, they delivered pure horror fun with their twists, suspense, and gore. There are seven movies in the franchise, with the latest being released five years ago.

Wrong Turn 7 (2021) is one of the franchise’s top-rated films, with a 64% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The other top-rated installment is the second one at 67%. Wrong Turn 7 is now available to stream on Prime Video, and the movie is making waves. Streaming data from FlixPatrol shows it has found a sizable audience, ranking sixth on the streamer’s global chart at the time of writing. It’s still quite a distance from dethroning the number one film, Crime 101, and it might not.

Wrong Turn 7 is a slight departure from the other movies but follows similar beats. It takes place in the backwoods inhabited by a secluded community. While hiking, Jen (Charlotte Vega) and her friends encounter one such community after taking a wrong turn. Named The Foundation, this community of mountain dwellers is bent on protecting their centuries-old way of life by any means necessary. The task for Jen and her friends is to stay alive until her father (Matthew Modine) can find them, but that’s easier said than done. The film marked Alan B. McElroy‘s return to the franchise after he started it in 2003 by writing the first film. Wrong Turn 7 was directed by Mike P. Nelson and also stars Adain Bradley (Darius), Emma Dumont (Milla), Vardaan Arora (Gary), Dylan McTee (Adam), and Daisy Head (Edith), among others.

Will There Be ‘Wrong Turn 8?’

Image via Constantin Film

Hollywood loves success stories, and whenever a cult classic like Wrong Turn or Final Destination sees renewed interest, another installment is almost guaranteed. So what does that mean for this franchise? “I had planned two more films, so there would be a trilogy, based around this idea of The Foundation and these characters,” B. McElroy said in an interview when asked what the future looks like for the franchise. “I’d love to finish it and see it all come out the way I wanted.”

Stream Wrong Turn on Prime Video in the U.S., and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

January 26, 2021

Runtime

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120 minutes

Director

Mike P. Nelson

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Writers

Alan B. McElroy

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Franchise(s)

wrong turn

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Tron is a film that’s a study in contrasts. Upon its release, it received mixed reviews but went on to become a cult classic, not to mention part of a watershed moment in science fiction history. It revolutionized visual effects, yet most of Disney’s animation department didn’t want to work on it. It’s even spawned two sequels, Tron: Legacy and Tron: Ares, with each film receiving a wildly different reception upon release. Yet Tron‘s strangest claim to fame is inspiring the short-lived sci-fi television series Automan, especially since that series cribbed its entire visual language and plot ideas from the movie.

Automan follows Walter Nebicher (Desi Arnaz Jr.), a brilliant but socially awkward police officer who works in the computer programming department. Desperate for action, Nebicher creates artificial intelligence in the form of “Automan”, a holographic being (Chuck Wagner) that can fight crime with Nebicher’s help. The two work together to solve crimes, while also passing Automan off as a FBI agent that befriended Nebicher. Even by the standards of 80s-era television, Automan was utterly ridiculous — and it didn’t help that it felt like the poor man’s version of Tron.

‘Automan’ Owes Its Concept & Visual Language to ‘Tron’

Image via ABC

Automan‘s debt to Tron is evident in its premise, which features a human being and a computer program joining forces, to the vehicles that Automan uses. Both the “Autocar” and the “Autochopper” feature the same glowing blue hues as the original Tron, and Automan even wears a blue suit similar to the programs in Tron‘s Grid. To its credit, Automan did try to introduce some original ideas. One of those ideas involved Automan merging with Nebicher to form a singular being that possessed the former’s abilities and the latter’s intelligence. Chuck Wagner would later talk about what drew him to Automan in a documentary chronicling the series’ creation:

“I loved the script. I loved the honesty and simplicity of the script…I approached it really honestly and it was a gift, but my focus, my imagination, and my whole life had geared me toward superheroes. So this was like a magical signpost, and the fact that I got cast was a real blessing.”

Automan also boasted a superstar creator in Glen A. Larson, who brought some of the ’80s biggest television shows to life. In addition to creating the original Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Larson was also the man behind Knight Rider. Much like Automan, Knight Rider features a cool car and a cutting-edge sci-fi concept, as the car is powered by a living computer. What separates the two shows is that Knight Rider had the charismatic presence of David Hasselhoff; despite the best efforts of Chuck Wagner and Desi Arnaz Jr., Automan lacked the same flair as Larson’s other productions.

Related

The Untold Story: The Production Challenges of ‘Tron: Ares’ and Its Evolution From ‘Tron: Ascenion’ [Exclusive]

Screenwriter Jesse Wigutow, who serves as EP for ‘Daredevil: Born Again,’ also drops exciting details for Seasons 2 and 3 of the Disney+ series.

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‘Automan’ Lasted for a Single Season

During its short-lived run, Automan ran into a combination of problems. Not only were its special effects extremely costly, but it was also crushed in the ratings by other shows. Its biggest competition was the spy series Scarecrow and Mrs. King, which, ironically, featured Bruce Boxleitner ​​​​​​— Tron himself — in a starring role. Another factor that contributed to Automan being relegated to the annals of sci-fi history is the fact that, for years, the only place you could get the complete series on DVD was in the UK. That would eventually change in 2015, when Shout! Factory released the entire series on DVD.

Despite its short run, Automan showed a fair amount of promise. The idea of a digital being taking human form would be explored in other television series, most notably with the iconic anime Ghost in the Shell. Automan was also proof that Tron had plenty of appeal, whether it was the cutting-edge visuals or the potential in its story. Time will tell if someone manages to unlock that potential, but considering Tron: Ares exists, this is far from the worst thing someone’s done with the Tron franchise.

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1983 – 1984-00-00

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Kim Manners, Winrich Kolbe, Allan Burns, Allen Baron, Bruce Seth Green

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Sam Egan, Larry Brody, Bruce Kalish, David Garber

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Whew, Roomies! Things between Drew Sidora and Ralph Pittman are far from over. Folks are tuned in as Drew just came through with a major update amid their ongoing divorce.

RELATED: Drew Sidora Reportedly Ordered To Move Out As Custody Ruling Shakes Up Divorce Battle With Ralph Pittman

Drew Sidora Speaks Out Amid Divorce And Custody Update

Drew Sidora is breaking her silence following reports that she has been ordered to vacate the Georgia home she shares with her estranged husband by May 31. In a statement shared to social media, Drew kept things focused on her role as a mother, making it clear where her priorities lie. She shared that she and Ralph Pittman are committed to co-parenting and doing what’s best for their children. Drew also emphasized that she’s choosing to move forward with grace, while continuing to show up as the best mom she can be despite the public nature of their situation.

Taking to X, Drew set the record straight, sharing:

“Good morning. Some details regarding my divorce have recently become public, although the process is not yet finalized. During this time, Ralph and I are committed to co-parenting and doing what’s best for our children. While certain things are beyond my control, my focus remains on showing up every day as the best mother I can be. Living in the public eye comes with challenges, but I’m choosing to move forward with grace, growth, and intention. My children are my priority, and I’m committed to leading with love, peace, and positivity. There is no ill intent toward anyone just a continued focus on healing, evolving, and becoming the best version of myself.”

Fans Share Mixed Reactions In The Comments

Folks wasted no time running to The Shade Room Instagram comment section and sharing their thoughts. Some said Drew Sidora doesn’t owe anyone an explanation, while others pointed out that just because the dad has custody doesn’t mean the mom did anything wrong.

This Instagram user @prettydarkskin_witdimples commented, “A man won’t be your peace but they will take it!“

And, Instagram user @heatheralexia_ said, “Something is off for a mom to not receive primary custody of her kids. Maybe it’s just her unstable work schedule.“

While Instagram user @_sunshiineex4_ claimed, “Girl you don’t owe nobody nothing. It’s 2026 🗣️🗣️”

Then Instagram user @saaphyri added, “Word to the wise NEVER DIVORCE IN GEORGIA.. it’s a man’s state“

The Instagram user @_littyandwitty joked, “Drew have a blast. ❤️😂”

Lastly, Instagram user @itsjustnitza said, “Just bc he has custody, doesn’t mean there HAS to be something wrong with her…“

What Exactly Is Drew Sidora Speaking Out About?

Now, let’s get into what Drew Sidora is speaking out about. As previously reported, a judge has ordered her to move out of the Georgia home she shares with Ralph Pittman by May 31, with both of them continuing to split household expenses in the meantime due to their current financial situation. On top of that, things get even more layered as the court reportedly granted Ralph primary physical custody of their children during the school year, while Drew will have weekend parenting time starting in August—though they will still share joint legal custody.

The update is just the latest twist in their ongoing divorce, which has been playing out since they filed dueling petitions back in March 2023. However, Drew’s legal team made it clear this isn’t the final word, noting the current ruling is only temporary as the case is still actively being litigated—meaning this situation is far from over.

RELATED: Okay, Sis! Drew Sidora Sparks Reactions After Flexin’ Her Vocals To Kehlani’s ‘Folded’ (WATCH)

A surprising detail has emerged in the ongoing legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni and it involves none other than Taylor Swift. According to newly filed court documents, Lively’s legal team submitted additional evidence that includes what has been described as “a Taylor Swift cookie recipe that was linked in other correspondence,” adding an unexpected twist to the high-profile case.

Taylor Swift has long been known for her love of baking. The pop star’s chai sugar cookie recipe famously went viral years ago, becoming a fan-favorite among Swifties and widely shared across social media. More recently, she’s reportedly leaned into sourdough baking, making homemade bread for friends and family.

Justin Baldoni’s Team Pushes Back On New Evidence

In response to the latest filings, which include Taylor Swift’s cookie recipe, Baldoni’s legal team has asked the judge for more time to review the materials, which reportedly include dozens of exhibits.

His representatives have also downplayed the likelihood of the recipe being presented in court, stating it “is exceptionally unlikely” to be shown to the jury during the trial, which is set to begin May 18.

Alongside the recipe, Lively’s submission reportedly includes personal photos with Swift and a speech about her husband, Ryan Reynolds.

Witness List Expands As Trial Date Nears

As the case intensifies, Lively has expanded her witness list to include Reynolds, who has publicly supported her throughout the legal dispute. He is expected to testify about issues related to production and promotion, as well as alleged retaliation and damages tied to the case.

Lively herself is also expected to take the stand, along with Baldoni, after both parties declined settlement efforts earlier this week.

Additional names on Lively’s witness list include her sister Robyn Lively and “It Ends With Us” co-stars Jenny Slate and Isabela Ferrer. She has also identified several individuals connected to Baldoni, such as former podcast co-host Liz Plank, former publicist Stephanie Jones, and PR manager Melissa Nathan, as potential witnesses.

Meanwhile, author Colleen Hoover has been listed as a possible witness, though her testimony is expected to be delivered via deposition rather than in person.

Legal Fight Heats Up As Baldoni Objects To Witnesses

Baldoni’s team has raised objections to several proposed witnesses, including Hoover, arguing her testimony should not be included since she was not present during the film’s production.

They have also pushed to exclude certain claims made by Slate, asserting that any prior issues had already been resolved.

The legal battle stems from a lawsuit filed by Lively in December 2024, in which she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, retaliatory conduct, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Taylor Swift’s Connection Adds To The Legal Drama

Swift’s name has surfaced multiple times throughout the case. The singer was drawn into the situation after Baldoni’s legal team sought access to communications between her and Lively, including text messages and emails. In one exchange, Lively reportedly referred to herself as a character from “Game of Thrones” and described Swift as one of her “dragons.”

There have also been claims that Swift was present during a meeting at Lively’s New York penthouse related to script changes, though sources close to the singer have denied she had any prior knowledge of the gathering. According to those sources, Swift arrived unaware that a meeting was taking place and later felt “exploited” by the situation.

Trial Set To Begin Amid Growing Tensions

Baldoni recently scored a major legal win after a judge dismissed the bulk of Lively’s claims, but not necessarily on substance. The court ruled her sexual harassment allegations couldn’t proceed because she cited a California law, despite the alleged conduct taking place in New Jersey. The judge made it clear, however, that the decision was not based on whether her claims were valid.

The court also threw out Lively’s defamation claim, which centered on statements made by Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, including accusations that she fabricated the situation. In total, 10 of Lively’s 13 claims against Baldoni were dismissed.

As more evidence keeps dropping and both sides brace for court, this legal showdown between Lively and Baldoni is only getting messier. With the May 18 trial date looming, even something as random as a cookie recipe tied to Swift proves just how wild this case has become.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 32 seconds ago

You want the really short review of They Will Kill You? Here it is: “We’ve got Ready or Not at home.”

As a movie about a young woman (played by Zazie Beets) who must fight for her life against rich devil worshipers, it’s clear that this film was inspired by Ready or Not, a film in which a young woman (played by Samara Weaving) must, well, fight for her life against devil worshipers. The blunt truth is that They Will Kill You really suffers from the inevitable comparison: Ready or Not had better kills, better humor, and better characters, and the sequel (which brought the awesome Kathryn Newton into the mix) arguably perfects this quirky narrative formula. By comparison, They Will Kill You comes across like someone is frantically copying a better student’s paper.

With that said, it’s a fairly good copy. Zazie Beets (who genre nerds will best know for her appearances in Joker and Deadpool 2) is really great in the role of a young woman who infiltrates a wealthy household as their latest maid. It turns out that she is on a mission to rescue her little sister, and she’s spent the last decade in a particularly brutal prison. Constant fighting with other inmates has given her the kind of fighting skills that would make John Wick blush, but she must now fight the ultimate foe: Satanists who, through a demonic pact, seemingly can’t stay dead.

Destined For A “Cult” Following

As you have probably sussed out, They Will Kill You doesn’t really have a lot of plot to get in the way of the movie. The highly unoriginal premise is just an excuse to get our main character into a series of memorable fights with bland characters. Interestingly, the fights are heavily flavored by martial arts movies; while Ready or Not favored more realistic combat, often emphasizing Samara Weaving’s vulnerability against stronger, better-armed foes. They Will Kill You transforms Zazie Beets into a borderline superhuman kung-fu star who never truly seems like she’s in danger because she is infinitely more dangerous than her enemies.

That’s not inherently a bad thing, of course: if you want to see a gorgeous woman engage in scene after scene of ultraviolence, They Will Kill You is an entertaining, nonstop thrill ride. Beets imbues her character with passionate intensity that makes every kill feel transgressively intimate, which helps make up for how bland almost everyone she fights is. Plus, the film as a whole is anything but boring: once the barebones plot is established, almost every single scene is nonstop, stylized violence that you can’t tear your eyes away from.

She Didn’t Start The Fire

The result is a mixed bag of a movie, and how much you enjoy it will depend on your sensibilities as a film lover and simply what you’re in the mood for at the time. As a “turn your brain off” action picture, They Will Kill You is stunning: we get killer fight after killer fight, all of which culminates in a demonic showdown that’s as fierce as it is funny. Horror fans will enjoy all the buckets of blood Zazie Beets spills, and Quentin Tarantino fans will enjoy high-energy battles that were very clearly inspired by Kill Bill.

If you want something more, though, you’re out of luck. The plot (minus a few very fun twists near the end) is depressingly by the numbers, and Beets is basically the only actor who gets to shine. This is a film that also stars genre heavyweights Tom Felton and Patricia Arquette, but they are given so little to do that they feel like just another pair of blood-soaked set pieces. The attempts at quirky humor (the kind that Ready or Not excelled at) often fall flat, and even the breathless action scenes get repetitive over time. This is ultimately a film that only has one gear, and whether or not you enjoy it depends greatly on what your expectations are.

Obviously, having watched Ready or Not 2 recently, I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed by They Will Kill You, a movie that copied that Samara Weaving franchise’s core idea without adding much to the formula. But “little” is the operating word here: Zazie Beets does her best work yet as the lead, the action is fun and memorable, and the climax is bonkers in the best possible way. Is all of this highly derivative of better films? Of course! But for better or for worse, They Will Kill You is the best unoriginal movie you will ever see.

Yellowstone‘s Luke Grimes moved out to Montana — but why was it met with some backlash by locals?

Grimes rose to fame playing Kayce Dutton on Yellowstone, which ran from 2018 to 2024. He reprised the role for CBS’ Marshals spinoff, which came years after Grimes relocated from Los Angeles to the Bitterroot Valley in Montana.

The actor and his wife, Bianca Rodrigues Grimes, moved in 2020 after Grimes fell in love with the area after Yellowstone. The decision to start fresh was met with a surprising reaction from his neighbors.

“I was going up there three or four months out of the year, and then anytime we’d get done filming, and I’d come back here, it sort of felt like I was leaving home rather than going back home,” Grimes told Fox News Digital in February. “It was just a gear change that slowly happened over a course of a few years and then, yeah, my wife and I just fell in love with it and decided to live there.”

Related: ‘Yellowstone‘ Cast’s Dating Histories

Yellowstone may not always have romance at the forefront of the story, but Kevin Costner and Luke Grimes are just some of the cast members who found love off screen over the years. Costner, for his part, met Cindy Silva while they were both in college in 1975. After three years of dating, the duo […]

Grimes later revealed that some of the Montana locals haven’t been as welcoming to him and his family. (Grimes and his wife welcomed a son in 2024.)

“I can’t go to bars there anymore ‘cause whatever that one idiot is, is at the bar, and he can’t wait to start a fight with me,” he shared on the Joe Rogan Experience in March. “Just like can’t wait to do it because it’s like a win-win for him, you know? He gets to sue me or something. I don’t know, but it’s a lose-lose for me.”

Grimes continued: “The valley that I live in, we had some people come visit us. Our friends from California drove out, and we went on a hike, and we were in their car. And they had, you know, Cali plates. We get off the hike, and someone had written ‘go back’ in the dust on their car. Like, people are super weird about it. So I don’t tell anyone exactly where I’m at because they would get really mad at me.”

Related: Yellowstone‘s Offscreen Drama Through the Years: On-Set Tension and More

Yellowstone is known for its over-the-top plot lines and complicated family drama, but the show’s cast and crew has also been involved in plenty of offscreen controversy over the years. Since the Paramount Network series premiered in June 2018, actors along with cocreator Taylor Sheridan have fended off criticism that the show is written with […]

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At the time, Grimes also addressed criticism that Kayce isn’t a Dutton who deserved his own Yellowstone spinoff, Marshals.

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“I’m my own worst critic,” Grimes told Entertainment Weekly in February. “I was like, ‘If you take a poll of who people want to have a spinoff, I don’t know if Kayce would be top of that list. I think there’s other characters that they would rather see.’”

Grimes used that as motivation, adding, “So there was a fire under me. Like, it has to be good. If it’s not good, I’d rather not do it. We tried really hard to make sure that any of the original Yellowstone fans would have something to grasp onto.”

He continued: “But if you’d never seen Yellowstone, we wanted this show to make sense on its own as well. I think we accomplished that as much as we possibly could.”

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 58 seconds ago

Stargate SG-1 took a few seasons to find its footing, which is why Season 1 is so uneven, from the R-rated Showtime pilot to “Emancipation,” the cast and crew had to figure out how the show’s world was going to work and where the SG-1 team fell into the grand scheme of things. Episode 6, “The First Commandment,” broadens the world with the introduction of SG-9, except it’s after the unit was wiped out, and now the SG-1 team has to clean up their mess.

In doing so, they re-enact the plot of Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam War classic, Apocalypse Now, the first of many times when the series bases plots off the classics. It mostly works, too, except there’s one Samantha Carter-shaped problem at the center of the episode. 

Going Native And Playing God

“The First Commandment” kicks off with the remnants of SG-9, another exploratory unit under Stargate Command, after their leader, Captain Jonas Hanson (William Russ) convinced the native tribe he was a God. His plan is to force the construction of a temple and turn on an abandoned Goa’uld device that will “turn the sky orange.” It’s deduced to be a solar radiation shield, necessary for survival on the planet where the solar radiation levels are so high that it will burn anyone to a crisp if they stay in the sunlight for too long. It’s a simple plot about an officer going native, exactly the sort of thing Star Trek’s Federation designed the Prime Directive to prevent, but it’s complicated by Carter (Amanda Tapping) revealing Hanson is her ex-fiancée.

After saving a native boy from Hanson’s soldiers, Carter is brought face-to-face with her ex, and the problem he faces as he can’t figure out how to turn on the solar shield. He admits that he hope sone day, she’ll become his goddess, mere seconds before threatening to kill every single cave-dweller and then the two of them. Yet, when Carter has the chance to kill him, she hesitates and can’t make the shot. 

Hanson still wants to make a grand display for his followers. An activated Stargate looks like the gateway to heaven to undeveloped civilizations. Using the portal as an execution device, Hanson attempts to drop Jack (Richard Dean Anderson) and Teal’c (Christopher Judge) into one without the safety of an IRC signal. Instead, the solar shield is activated by the team, and Hanson is tossed into the Stargate to his death by his own followers. It’s poetic, it’s a little darker than 90s fans expected of their sci-fi, and it’s proof that early on, no one knew what to do with Samantha Carter.

Stargate SG-1’s Growing Pains

Carter would go on to become one of the franchise’s most important characters, with appearances in every series, and her role only decreased when Amanda Tapping became the lead of Sanctuary. “The First Commandment” puts her in the role of Willard from Apocalypse Now, the assassin sent to take out Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), who, similarly, can’t make the shot (for different reasons, but the spirit is there). Stargate SG-1 could have given her the same role, the same results, without her having been engaged to Hanson. It’s an unnecessary wrinkle that’s close to having her role listed as “girl” back when the writers thought she needed a man to play off of. 

Later seasons would rehabilitate Carter’s character, and there’s a reason why she appears in every series: she became the breakout character of Stargate SG-1. It took a while, and there were some growing pains to get there, but later episodes, such as Season 7’s “Space Race,” let Carter be Carter, and the result is some of the stories in the series. 

Stargate SG-1 ended its run as an ensemble series, with every character important to the team’s dynamics, even after the addition of Farscape stars Ben Browder and Claudia Black. The first few seasons have awkward episodes for each of the main cast, but the end result is worth the journey to get there. 

By Chris Sawin
| Updated 12 seconds ago

Faces of Death began as a 1978 snuff film disguised as a mondo horror/documentary with the appeal that all of the deaths in the film were authentic. Some fake sequences were produced, but the film utilized pre-existing footage of actual death and the horrors that followed afterward.

Despite facing various controversies and being banned in many countries, the first film proved a massive success ($35 million at the box office on a $67,000 budget), and Faces of Death quickly became a franchise.  The film would spawn three legitimate sequels, three “sequels” that were highlight reels from previous films (only one included new footage), and a Fact or Fiction entry that disproved some of the franchise’s more well-known scenes. There are also two more entries, but Faces of Death VII is Nick Bougas’s 1989 film Death Scenes, with a new title, while Faces of Death 8 is a bunch of random gore sequences from all over the world with no narration and no credits.

The New Faces Of Death

The franchise had been dead for 25 years until the film was reimagined and released in 2026. Directed by Daniel Goldhaber and co-written by Goldhaber and Isa Mazzei (CAM, How to Blow Up a Pipeline), Faces of Death follows Margot Romero (Barbie Ferreira, Euphoria), a content moderator for Kino Moderation. Kino is presented like an online platform similar to TikTok, with a comment section that mirrors Instagram.

It’s Margot’s job to flag inappropriate internet videos, whether they’re too sexual, feature drug use, or are too violent. Even though she’s only had the job for a couple of months, Margot has already seen everything and is kind of desensitized to the nastiness of the internet. She typically allows a lot of the violent content she sees because it is noticeably fake.

A beheading video sticks with Margot more than the others, and a few days later, an electrocution video in the same style follows. Soon after, a man’s head is bludgeoned by two hammers held by mannequins before they scalp him and pretend to eat his brains. Margot wants to go to the police, but Josh (Jermaine Fowler, Night Patrol), her boss at Kino, doesn’t want the negative reputation for the platform and is still convinced none of it is authentic.

Arthur Spevak (Dacre Montgomery, Stranger Things) is kidnapping famous influencers and TV personalities. He injects them with fentanyl, holds them captive in cages, and then murders them in a way that mirrors a death from the original Faces of Death. Arthur uploads every one of his kills to Kino and is gaining a following. Since Kino has no intention of tracking what could be a murder spree being uploaded to the internet, Margot decides to take matters into her own hands.

The film is trying to say something about society. Everyone is glued to their phones these days, with an attention span of less than 10 seconds. Doom scrolling has become the new channel flipping, and everyone scrolls to the next thing if something doesn’t grab them immediately. Various forms of entertainment are available to us at our fingertips, and we take them for granted.

Faces of Death touches on how cruel we’ve become. People are dying just to make content, and nobody cares. It’s not them or anyone they know, so it serves them right. They’ve gotten what they deserve, and the person holding the phone is on to the next trend or video.

Nobody Cares If These Characters Become Train Jelly

But the issue is you don’t give a good Goddamn about anyone in this film. Everyone is an asshole, and you’re no more invested in Margot’s gay and horror film-obsessed roommate named Ryan (Aaron Holliday) than you are in Margot’s boss, Josh.

Margot’s big back story is that her best friend died while they were trying to make a viral video. They were dancing on train tracks as a train approached, and she slipped on gravel and became train jelly. Meanwhile, Arthur’s motivation is that people love remakes, and Kino seemed like a great place to gain a following. Margot even pulls the original Faces of Death VHS off the shelf and watches it in the film.

A Questionable Script Which Relies On Reddit

The film’s writing is questionable. Half of the film sees Margot turning to Reddit for answers, while the other half feels like it’s Barbie Ferreira staring at the camera, her mega unibrow screaming louder than any dumb facial expression she makes.

The Arthur Spevak character is poorly fleshed out. He’s a germaphobe, but that aspect literally leads to nothing. Dacre Montgomery also has the strongest performance in the film, but he’s a poor imitation of Patrick Bateman overall.

There’s also a sequence where Arthur is trying to intimidate his caged victims by angrily feeding them pizza. And later, Margot brushes her teeth with black toothpaste so intensely that you think her toothbrush is going to break in half. The fact that Ryan’s lipstick knife is the savior of the film on three separate occasions that can’t be detected by anyone or anything is so incredibly infuriating, too.

Throw This Cast In A Volcano

Meanwhile, Ferriera’s performance rides on her shrieking like a rabid marmot that also apparently chain-smoked since it became sentient in the womb; by the time the inevitable confrontation between Arthur and Margot finally arrives, you don’t root for a clear winner. You lust for a fictional double murder or some gruesome natural occurrence to swoop in and eject these two irritating jackasses directly into the sun or nearest volcano. Never has the giant foot from Monty Python’s Flying Circus been needed or craved more.

You’d think that a horror film like Faces of Death would at least have some decent kills, but even those are uninspired and are more straightforward than anything else. Faces of Death feels like a lazy reboot; controversy has been replaced with apathy, and a cast of characters and performances you want nothing more than to reach through your screen and slap the s**t out of. Even the film’s meta aspects feel shoehorned in just to get that forced meme reaction: Leonardo DiCaprio enthusiastically pointing at the screen, a moment that is met instead with dizzying eye rolls and extreme facepalming.

Faces of Death (2026) is now playing in theaters.