Tesekhi is speaking out after fans criticized her emotional breakdown during a recent livestream. The reality star was streaming while getting her hair done on camera. The moment led folks to wonder whether drugs had anything to do with her actions and choice of words.
Tesehki Responds After Fans Question Her Emotional Livestream
Recently, Tesehki hopped on her Instagram Story after a clip from her livestream went viral. The footage showed her getting her hair done before suddenly breaking down in tears. While scrolling on her phone, she could be heard saying, “You need to be better people. You people are f*****g evil!” She then told her hairstylist she was seeing certain stuff on television. Right after that, her stylist decided to end the stream, but just before it cut, Tesehki seemingly flipped the middle finger.
The clip immediately had fans talking about what was happening behind the scenes and whether she was under the influence. Tesehki apparently peeped the comments and later responded in a post on her IG Story. She said she felt hurt and disappointed that people would assume she was doing drugs. However, she admitted she had two shots of Hennessy before streaming, and overall, she was having a rough moment and became super emotional.
“Why does a person have to be on drugs to have a mental break Down?!” she wrote in part. “I’m always strong for everyone else and just wanted to be weak for once.”
Support Pours In For Tesehki After She Addresses Rumors
Even with all of the backlash Tesehki caught for her livestream, fans still flooded The Shade Room Teens’ comment section with love and support. Plenty of folks praised her hairstylist for cutting the session short, while others said they didn’t see anything wrong with her crying on live.
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Instagram user @bruhjustinj wrote, “Mental health is sum serious no matter what position u in.”
Instagram user @j.cole_62 wrote, “Definitely understand this! ❤️”
While Instagram user @monay.j__ wrote, “I understand sista! 🥺💛💛💛 for some reason people think you’re not allowed to have feelings!”
Then, Instagram user @iam.hazela_ wrote, “People can’t cry anymore?”
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Another Instagram user @shaythechosenone_ wrote, “🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽”
Instagram user @notantoniovelaz wrote, “Respect to the hairstylist, for protecting the Brand like a real one!!!”
While another Instagram user @chelseathedoll wrote, “This why I stopped drinking brown 😩😭”
Then another Instagram user @big_toekyo wrote, “Now he is a real friend Seki keep him around ❤️”
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Finally, Instagram user @ kaella_bella_godschild wrote, “That’s a friend. He ended her live.”
Tesehki Pops Out Serving A Lewk
Prior to going viral for her stream session, Tesehki previously had fans talking when she dropped some photos on Instagram. She posed in a full-brown outfit — a cropped jacket with a pleated skirt, while soft glam tied it all together. Her comment section quickly filled up with heart-eyes and fire emojis with fans saying she definitely popped out and showed them she’s really THAT Girl!
Eric Dane’s friends are rallying around his family following his heartbreaking death, after a “hard-fought” battle with ALS … launching a GoFundMe page in the wake of the actor’s passing.
The fundraiser, created on Friday, includes the same message the family shared on the day of his passing. Noting he leaves behind his devoted wife Rebecca and two teenage daughters Billie and Georgia … adding his illness progressed “far more quickly than anyone could have imagined.”
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The tribute ends by saying “any contribution, no matter the size, will help provide stability during this incredibly difficult time” and that the proceeds would go towards supporting Eric’s wonderful daughters and their future needs.
Among those stepping up in a major way is Sam Levinson — creator of one of Eric’s last roles in the hit HBO show “Euphoria” — who donated $27,000 to the fundraiser.
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Even as his own health declined, organizers — labeled as “Friends of the Dane Family” — say he remained committed to helping others facing the same fight and became a passionate spokesperson for the ALS community.
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Eric’s legacy now extends beyond Hollywood — remembered not only for his work on screen, but for the strength and advocacy he showed during one of the toughest battles of his life.
Netflix
As we previously reported … the “Grey’s Anatomy” star sat down for a “Famous Last Words” Netflix interview before his death — the understanding was it would be released once he died — and he looked into the camera and spoke directly to his kids.
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Eric announced he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly referred to as ALS, back in April 2025 … he passed away on February 19, 2026 at the age of 53.
Barry Manilow is rushing back to the stage after undergoing surgery for lung cancer but he says his doctor is advising him to reschedule his first batch of scheduled arena shows.
The singer posted the health update on Friday and said he’s just not able to make it through a 90-minute concert at this time … and is rescheduling all his shows scheduled between Feb. 27 and March 17.
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Barry went under the knife a little over a month ago, and he says he’s been running on the treadmill three times a day. He says he can sing only three songs before needing to stop.
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He says he’s hoping he’s able to take the stage at the end of March for some shows in Las Vegas before more arena shows in April on the East Coast.
Barry says his surgeon told him his body has been through hell and needs time to heal.
Britney Spears seems to have had a carefree time at the beach recently … because in a snap she just posted, she’s totally naked!
Brit posted the picture Friday night, showing she is clearly a supporter of sun’s out, bun’s out … but she made sure to cover her crack with a rose emoji. Tasteful!
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Of course … this is not that shocking from Britney … who has been posting some wild and sexy pics and videos of herself for a while now.
Brit didn’t caption the post … and frankly, she didn’t need to because her bare bod was doing all the talkin’.
Jennifer Connelly looks off camera in Once Upon a Time in AmericaImage via Warner Bros.
Robert De Niro and gangster epics go hand-in-hand. Do we love when he branches out and flexes his comedic and sci-fi chops? Sure. But at the heart of his career are multiple mafioso-centered movies that have solidified a place in history. His tough guy persona shined through in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part II, which many cinema buffs would consider to be a rare case of a sequel that’s better than the original. Along with exploring the criminal underbelly through future productions, including Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas and Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables, the actor also has a penchant for digging into all things New York City.
A native to the city that never sleeps, De Niro’s early years undoubtedly informed the thespian he would eventually blossom into. Not only does the heart and soul of the Big Apple run through his veins, but his family’s Italian background has given him plenty of insight into how he would go on to portray Italian Americans in the many gritty and heavy drama roles he has taken on over the decades. From Taxi Driver to Mean Streets, A Bronx Tale and The Irishman, De Niro amplifies the bustling vibes and the cultural melting pot of the place that he calls home whenever he’s been given the opportunity.
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Soon, audiences will be able to see one of the performer’s more under-the-radar New York-centered titles when Once Upon a Time in America lands on free streamer Tubi on March 1. Not only is the gangster epic a classic in De Niro’s strong docket of projects, but it also marks a crossover between the award-winning actor and celebrated Sergio Leone, who is best known for the foundational building blocks he laid for the classic spaghetti Western genre. Set in 1918 when different groups of Americans were fighting for their slice of the pie in New York City, the movie follows the lives of a group of friends who assemble a Jewish gang in hopes of boosting themselves to the top of the organized crime business. The heartbreaking film focuses on the ups and downs of friendship, love, grief, and heartbreak when those you care for the most stab you in the back.
Who Else Stars in ‘Once Upon a Time in America’?
Starring opposite De Niro in what would become Leone’s final feature before his death is a lineup that includes James Woods (Casino), Joe Pesci (Home Alone), Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey), Burt Young (Rocky) and Jennifer Connelly (Requiem for a Dream).
Once Upon a Time in America gets a second chance at success on Tubi on March 1.
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Release Date
June 1, 1984
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Runtime
229 Minutes
Writers
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Harry Grey, Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Enrico Medioli, Franco Arcalli, Franco Ferrini, Stuart Kaminsky, Sergio Leone
Eric Dane and Alyssa Milano had a brief romance that turned into a decades-long friendship.
Dane and Milano dated in the early 2000s before he landed a role on Charmed, which starred Milano, Holly Marie Combs and Rose McGowan. After splitting up, Dane went on to marry wife Rebecca Gayheart in October 2004. Milano, for her part, wed husband David Bugliari in August 2009.
Following their split, Dane and Milano remained cordial over the years. In April 2025, Dane revealed he was diagnosed with ALS. The Grey’s Anatomy alum died the following year at age 53.
“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS. He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world,” a statement from the Dane family read. “Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered always.”
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After news broke of Dane’s death in February 2026, Milano paid tribute to her late friend.
“I can’t stop seeing that spark in Eric’s eye right before he’d say something that would either make you spit out your drink or rethink your entire perspective,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. “He had a razor-sharp sense of humor. He loved the absurdity of things. He loved catching people off guard.”
Keep scrolling for a look inside Dane and Milano’s friendship over the years:
2000s
Alyssa Milano and Eric Dane dated in the early 2000s. The pair enjoyed a night out at the 2003 premiere for the movie Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.
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2003-2004
Eric Dane joined the cast of Charmed in season 5. Dane played Jason Dean, who was a love interest for Milano’s character Phoebe Halliwell. Dane was on the WB series for two seasons.
2024
During a July 2024 episode of Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, Eric Dane opened up about his past romance with Alyssa Milano.
“I had a massive crush on Alyssa when I was 14. By the time I was 28, and we were dating, I wasn’t a child anymore and she was a person. A lovely wonderful person,” he recalled. “We dated for a little bit and she was obviously doing the show Charmed. She asked me if I wanted to be on it. I think I ended up doing like 10 episodes.”
Dane joked that his role was limited because they “broke up” in real life.
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2026
After news broke of Eric Dane’s death, Alyssa Milano sent her condolences to his family in a touching tribute.
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“When it came to his daughters and Rebecca, everything in him softened. He carried them with him even in rooms where they weren’t present,” she wrote via Instagram. “You could see it in the way his voice changed when he said their names. A breathtakingly beautiful family.”
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Milano also looked back fondly on her memories with Dane.
“The spark. The mischief. The tenderness he kept guarded but never totally hidden,” she continued. “He convinced me to get my pixie cut and my nose piercing. He also was with me on the walk when we found Lucy, my beloved rescue chihuahua. He called me “Milano,” as if it was the only part of my name that mattered. My heart is with the people who were lucky enough to be his home.”
Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for The Pitt Season 2 Episode 7 and includes discussion of sexual assault.
The Pitt has baked certain principles into its modus operandi from the start: depicting realistic operations, highlighting rare conditions and overlooked organizations, and confronting for-profit healthcare’s systemic failures. If the series didn’t keenly understand that characters must carry a story’s themes, not the other way around, then its efforts would likely fall short of its daunting agenda.
This week, Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa) and a new patient, Ilana Miller (Tina Ivlev), are the vehicles through which Season 2’s seventh episode broaches sexual assault. The series has delicately touched upon human trafficking and suspected child abuse before, but Ilana’s case exemplifies The Pitt‘s “form follows function” style at its most profoundly, searingly humane — detailing a medical procedure, assisting an overlooked patient, and confronting pervasive cultural harm with the sensitivity, integrity, and urgency it requires.
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‘The Pitt’ Season 2 Avoids Stereotypes With the Series’ First Sexual Assault Patient
Before filming The Pitt Season 2, LaNasa studied at both the Rape Treatment Center and the Stuart House. She told US Weekly, “It’s the place that I would want to go or bring my loved one if something like that were to happen to them. […] I’m asking every way to do something so that it looks accurate. But the response makes me realize how much thought and care go into every single aspect of the exam, of the interview, of all of it. They even gave me feedback on the dialogue.”
LaNasa’s preparation suggests she grasped the ferocious moral responsibility at hand, as does episode director Uta Briesewitz and co-writers Kirsten Pierre-Geyfman and R. Scott Gemmill‘s painstakingly precise construction. Dana’s tenderness, while professional, isn’t condescending or performative. She takes her time explaining every step of the extensive program for Ilana’s sake; she considers her patient’s well-being and strives to alleviate as much fear and intimidation as humanly possible, not protract Ilana’s dehumanizing torment.
Where many less adept series have diminished the aftermath of a rape into a plot device with a swift resolution, Episode 7’s exacting care legitimizes Ilana’s visceral trauma. And in a disarmingly effective choice, Pierre-Geyfman and Gemmill switch to another scene before Ilana describes the circumstances in any detail beyond the location. Most of the intimate forensic gathering also occurs offscreen, while the narrative context and camera blocking ensure Ilana’s brief nudity reads as non-sexualized as the series’ standard approach to graphic anatomy. The Pitt regards a fictional survivor’s humanity with the highest esteem. Choosing respectful restraint over graphic exploitation means both the societal indictment and the interpersonal empathy the series strives to convey leave a far more eviscerating impact.
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Dana Guides ‘The Pitt’s Realistic and Compassionate Approach to Sexual Violence
The one chilling detail that does emerge wordlessly confronts the patriarchal structures that continually enable and perpetuate rape culture. Ilana once considered her drunken attacker a friend; both of them attended the Fourth of July barbecue alongside their wider social circle. Male acquaintances and family members constitute the majority of documented real-world perpetrators. Almost as many individuals and institutions choose to protect violent abusers, citing alcohol impairment as some blameless excuse for actively chosen cruelty. Viewed from a macro lens, the survivors don’t matter.
The two also explain Whitaker’s newfound confidence and what Santos’ polarizing personality is really rooted in.
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But they matter to Dana. Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi) and Emma Nolan (Laëtitia Hollard) help form a crucial support network, but it’s the tough-as-nails charge nurse with astounding compassion who operates as Ilana’s focal point. There’s never a moment where her experience as a certified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner becomes a disaffected routine. She reassures Ilana of her safety and her power over the situation, requests her consent at every turn, and provides every possible resource. One woman reaches across an invisible emotional gulf to comfort another, palpably anguished woman.
Unsurprisingly, Dana’s tireless advocacy and protective instincts keep guiding Emma by example. Last week, Emma asked Dana why she remains in this profession despite the cost to her spirit. Patients like Ilana answer the younger nurse’s question. To that end, the moment Dana grants her white-knuckled composure a private reprieve is a staggering example of LaNasa’s understated brilliance. Make no mistake, though, because Episode 7 couldn’t prevail without Ivlev’s remarkable work. Her tremulous, defensive physicality actualizes Ilana as an achingly vulnerable human who happens to represent a diverse community. The Pitt Season 2 has eight episodes left, yet this week immediately cements itself as something haunting and unspeakably necessary.
I love a solid B movie as much as the next guy, but sometimes low-budget charm isn’t enough to sustain a feature-length film. For every Alienator and Dead End Drive-In, there’s something like 1993’s Mandroid, a movie that muddies the waters with a ham-fisted sci-fi plot. Mandroid has all the right trappings but none of the execution, making it one of those films that’s not “so bad it’s good,” but rather “so bad you start wondering why you’re still watching.”
It’s not that Mandroid is inherently terrible. It has potential. But it’s such a mess thanks to less-than-adequate acting, laughable special effects, and a plot that barely makes sense even though you understand exactly what it’s trying to accomplish.
A Remote-Controlled Robot Riot
Set in post-Cold War Russia, Mandroid centers on Dr. Karl Zimmer (Robert Symonds) and his partner Drago (Curt Lowens), who develop the titular robot. In simple terms, Mandroid is a human-sized machine controlled through a headset and gloves, essentially turning its operator into a real-world avatar. The idea is to use the robot to conduct scientific experiments too dangerous for humans, specifically to synthesize a powerful superconductor by combining volatile substances.
Zimmer, along with daughter Zanna (Jane Caldwell), sees enormous practical applications for Mandroid. They intend to hand the technology over to the United States in good faith with assistance from Agent Joe Smith (Patrik Ersgard) and Dr. Wade Franklin (Brian Cousins), who have ties to the CIA.
Drago, however, has more sinister ambitions. He plans to steal Mandroid and sell it to the military for his own gain. The tension between these two camps escalates into a violent showdown, with only one clear victor by the end. Will Mandroid be used in pursuit of scientific progress, or will it be reprogrammed into a killing machine unlike anything we’ve seen before?
Mandroid Looks Pretty Cool, Though
Despite its lack of meaningful effects work, Mandroid itself looks cooler than it has any right to. It’s a sleek, black humanoid robot, and while it’s obviously a guy in a suit, the design is futuristic enough to sell the premise. Once the central conflict kicks in, the screenplay’s ambition quickly outpaces what’s actually on screen because the budget simply isn’t there for the kind of epic showdown it’s aiming for.
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That’s where B movie charm usually saves the day. Films like Alienator succeed because they lean into their camp. Even when the acting is shaky, the schlocky delivery lands with audiences who value concept and charisma over execution.
There’s usually something tangible to grab onto with a great B movie. I’m disappointed to say Mandroid doesn’t quite have that X-factor. It’s fine for what it is, but the material might have worked better as a short in an anthology series instead of a full feature. The nuts and bolts are there. The assembly just leaves a lot to be desired.
As of this writing, Mandroid is streaming for free on Tubi.
Young and the Restless spoilers for next week reveal Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) is returning to Genoa City furious and Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle) flipping the script with a bold new plan to get back the Newman’s assets.
We have the latest Y&R spoilers for the week of February 23rd, including Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic) and Devon Hamilton Winters (Bryton James) on a mission to find Lily Winters (Christel Khalil), and Daniel Romalotti (Michael Graziadei) in big, big trouble. Plus, the threat of Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) is looming.
Young and the Restless: Nate and Devon Search for the Missing Lily
All right, let’s start with the Winters family. At the end of this week, Nate is catching up with Devon at Society. They’re talking about Dominic Chancellor (Ethan Ray Clark) and being happy he’s home safe, but Devon and Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway) are really angry because Mariah Copeland (Camryn Grimes) is walking around free. That ankle monitor keeps her in Genoa City, but it doesn’t keep her away from Dominic, the kid she kidnapped.
The guys are also talking about Devon and Abby getting increasingly angry at the Mariah situation and debating whether she belongs in prison versus a mental institution. They’re just all worried about Dominic and any residual threat.
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Turns out Devon is also increasingly worried about his sister, Lily. He tells Nate they haven’t heard from Lily in a while now. Devon thought Lily went to a spa, but it’s been weeks and they haven’t heard from her. So Nate and Devon are questioning: is it time to get worried about where she’s at?
Victor Newman’s Disappearance and Lily’s Secret Location on Young and the Restless
Next week over at the Chancellor Mansion, Nate and Devon check in with Abby and they tell her that they need to leave town. They think they have a lead on what happened to Lily and they want to go check it out. Abby says, “Do whatever you got to do. Make sure everybody’s safe.”
Here’s what I wonder. If you recall, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) abruptly disappeared from Genoa City by the end of this week. Adam Newman (Mark Grossman), Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow), and Victoria—none of them knew where Victor crept off to. If you remember, he threatened Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) again and said, “Get Phyllis to give back this stuff or else Lily pays.”
I wonder if Victor went to see Lily to talk things through with her. I agree with Adam in suspecting that Victor promised to give Chancellor to Lily if she did this, but Phyllis doesn’t even have that now—Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) does. Not that I think Victor would have honored his word anyway, but maybe he went in person to tell Lily what’s happening and to say, “I need you to stay hidden longer.”
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Young and the Restless: Is Victor Holding Lily Winters Captive?
Worst case, because Nikki is so worried about Victor doing a bad thing, maybe he went and changed Lily’s voluntary fake kidnapping into a real kidnapping and has her locked away. Lily might have decided, “Okay, this is enough. I’m not going to keep staying off the grid. If you didn’t get it done by now, that’s it.” Victor may say, “Oh, well, no, that’s not the end of it.”
I don’t put it past him. Everything they own and have and want is gone, so there are no depths to which Victor will not sink. What’s interesting is then Devon and Nate may find Lily somewhere that Victor has stashed her. That means the whole Winters family would be absolutely furious with the Newman’s family.
I think the rest of Victor’s family would be upset, too, because Nikki was telling Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) and Noah Newman (Lucas Adams) this week she’s very worried Victor is off doing something shady. And he might well be.
Nick Newman Spirals with Illegal Drugs and Aggressive Behavior
Speaking of shady, Nick just stepped onto a dark path. He took the first step. We knew it was coming, but as of the end of this week, it looks like Nick has popped his first fentanyl. If you recall, he was in a lot of pain and he told Nikki and Sharon that he needed to go home and take a pill because he said he left his bottle there.
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Then Nick came back with a lot more spring in his step. He looked like he was in less pain, but he was acting way off-kilter. He told them he had one pill left in his bottle but said he needs to get more. But we know he lied to Sharon and Noah because he was out of the prescription pills. He’s got no refills and I bet the doctor won’t write it.
The thing that Nick had, though, was that big baggie of illegal drugs that Matt gave him. Sharon’s worried because Nick is not acting like he took a pain pill like she’s used to seeing. Instead, he’s twitchy and he sounds weird. Honestly, he’s being more aggressive than usual. Sharon mentions this to Noah and now they’re both on high alert and keeping an eye on Nick.
Young and the Restless Spoilers: Phyllis Summers – Victoria Newman
Victoria Newman Plots Revenge Against Billy and Phyllis
Meanwhile on Young and the Restless, the Newman’s family debated the timing of Victor jetting off because it came at the same time that Phyllis left Genoa City. At the same time, Victoria is cooking up her own vengeful plan to punish Billy and Phyllis and force them to give back what they took.
Victoria is going after their kids. She already hit out at Billy; she sent their kids off to boarding school and he was really ticked off about that. Next, Victoria is planning to get Daniel Romalotti and Summer Newman (Allison Lanier) on the Newman family side because she knows that will devastate Phyllis.
That’s kind of interesting because Cane already thought of that approach. He went to Daniel looking to get him to help force Phyllis’s hand to give stuff back. Plus, Cane is calling Phyllis to try and reconcile with her, which I find highly suspect. Nikki doesn’t think Victoria’s plan is going to work, but honestly, I think Nikki might be selling Victoria short.
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Phyllis Summers Returns to Explode at Daniel Romalotti Jr.
I suspect that either Victoria or Cane’s plan to get Daniel as an ally is successful because next week Phyllis is back in town and she blows up on her son. Daniel and Tessa Porter (Cait Fairbanks) are at Crimson Lights playing guitar and chilling. Phyllis barges in there, fresh off her trip, and lays into Daniel.
She uses his full name, Daniel Romalotti Jr. That’s when you know your mom’s mad, when you get the full name. Phyllis is raging at Daniel next week that she won’t forgive him for this. I can’t wait to find out what he did to infuriate Phyllis, and I’m here for it.
Hot on the heels of her return, guess what? Victor is also back in Genoa City and he’s got bad, bad news for the Newman’s family. It has nothing to do with their business, which is all bad news. The new bad news that Victor delivers to the family is personal.
Matt Clark Escapes Custody as Nick Goes into Beast Mode
He tells everybody that Matt Clark has disappeared. The guy got out of police custody and took off. Nick, of course, goes into beast mode and says that Matt could be anywhere, even on the ranch property right now. Nick wants to know how this is happening and he’s going to come completely unhinged next week.
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Between Matt getting loose and the fentanyl, it’s about to get crazy with him, basically just like Noah and Sharon were worried was going to happen. Despite Matt being on the loose, I don’t expect to see him for a couple of more weeks because Roger Howarth only recently returned to tape at Y&R and there’s like a four-week tape-to-air delay.
There is a lot of action going on next week. We also have the last three episodes of February Sweeps, which wraps up on Wednesday. So, check for that and be sure to watch our full weekly spoilers video that comes out this weekend, plus our predictions and two-week spoilers. It’s going to be good stuff the week of February 23rd through the 27th. Do not miss a minute of Y&R.
Starfleet Academy’s sixth episode (“Come, Let’s Away”) was a standout tale that ditched the series’ infamous tryhard humor to deliver a tight action/adventure thriller. As someone who had been hard on the show before, I was morbidly curious if that grimdark outing represented the new normal. Would this Star Trek spinoff finally start taking itself seriously in every episode, or would the series be returning to sloppy comedy form?
The seventh episode (“Ko’zeine”) managed to surprise me, and not always in a good way: this story brought goofy comedy back to the forefront, but the humor is less forced and all the more fun for it. Plus, the episode channels the vibe of both indie coming-of-age films (like Garden State) and wedding rom-coms (like My Best Friend’s Wedding) into an uneven episode that packs plenty of character development. As a result, “Ko’ziene” is a deep improvement over earlier Starfleet Academy episodes, but it fails to pack the high-octane thrills and equally high stakes of “Come, Let’s Away.”
Spring Break Is Finally Here
The general premise of “Ko’ziene” is that the various cadets are headed home for Spring Break, but things quickly go awry for three of our heroes. Caleb has no family to return to, so he decides to stay aboard the Athena, trying to take his mind off the injuries sustained by his telepathic girlfriend when she successfully saved him from the Furies. She is recovering on Betazed, and Caleb is having trouble composing the right message to express his feelings; however, he gets a welcome distraction from Genesis, whose decision to steal back aboard the Athena hides a shocking ulterior motive.
Meanwhile, the B plot is that Jay-Den sees Darem getting abducted, and he follows the kidnappers to discover a rather insane surprise. You see, Darem has been nabbed by his own people as part of an ancient ritual, and he is about to marry the woman he was betrothed to many years ago. Jay-Den now has to serve as his best man, but that means he has to avoid a romantic getaway in Ibiza with Kyle, his himbo War College boyfriend.
Taking Aim At The Series’ Awful Humor
Before you say it, I want to let you know I get it. If you’ve hated most of Starfleet Academy up until this point, then “Ko’zeine” sounds like a double serving of the show’s two most annoying aspects: awkward romance and teen angst. However, this outing is better than earlier episodes this season for the simple fact that the writers are finally showing a bit of restraint with the show’s attempts at comedy.
Sure, there are still some overly goody bits here, like Caleb’s ears swelling up in a bit straight out of Star Trek (2009). Oh, and he and Genesis chase down a “warp snail” in a low-speed chase sequence so silly that it belongs in Lower Decks. As for the wedding plot, we get a few equally cartoony, overly trope-y bits, like Darem’s elaborate wedding suit tearing and him having a Bridezilla-esque freakout.
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Mostly, though, this Starfleet Academy episode puts the forced humor into a dampening field, allowing the more serious elements of the story to have more impact. We get to see Caleb processing his feelings for Tarima in a surprisingly earnest way; he cares for her but doesn’t know how to express his feelings, which is relatively realistic for a teenage boy dealing with his own traumatic baggage. Jay-Den has to confront the depth of his romantic feelings and a potential love triangle, all while learning that his swaggering bully/classmate crush is a secret simp back home.
Star Trek Goes Indie
What holds everything together, though, is that returning Trek director Andi Armaganian shoots the A plot and the B plot through the lens of two very different genre films. Jay-Den and Darem get a wedding-based rom-com story, one that mines humor out of cultural misunderstandings and the two characters’ grudging mutual affection. Caleb and Genesis, however, get a twee coming-of-age adventure that shamelessly channels beloved indie hits like Garden State and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
Needless to say, your enjoyment of these plots will hinge largely on your enjoyment of the genre stuff. Personally, I like my wedding comedies to be driven more by winking charisma (like in The Wedding Singer) or raunchy punchlines (like in Wedding Crashers), so I was left just a tad cold by the Jay-Den/Darem B plot. The actors get some fun lines and have a decent chemistry with one another, but their plot line veers a bit too much into the space lanes of a good, old-fashioned soap opera for my taste.
A Weirdly Moving, Weirdly Thoughtful Episode
By contrast, I found the A plot with Caleb and Genesis weirdly moving in large part because the script knows when to pull back and just let these characters vibe out. As if in answer to all those fan complaints about the show’s overly vulgar modern slang, this episode mostly has these characters speaking to one another like actual adults. This contrasts nicely with the shenanigans they get up to (Genesis is hellbent on breaking into the Athena’s bridge), and it sets up the essential dichotomy of Starfleet Academy: that these cadets have the potential to be Picard-style movers and shakers, but like Jean-Luc at this tender age, they still have a lot of growing up to do.
In terms of visuals, this episode has some of the most creative camera angles we have seen so far; instead of action shots designed to make you dizzy, “Ko’zeine” provides dynamic shots of Caleb and Genesis bonding, all while a mellow alt soundtrack punctuates their light interaction with hints of profundity. Granted, I’m a Millennial who absolutely lovedGarden State, and that might make you want to take your phaser off stun before shooting me. But I thought this episode perfectly channeled that film’s sense of epic ennui; the idea that everything is meaningless and meaningful all at once for characters who have their whole lives ahead of them and a lifetime of baggage behind them.
Feelings Frequencies Open, Captain
There are no chilling monologues like we got in “Come, Let’s Away,” and unlike that earlier adventure, nobody’s in danger of suddenly declaring “Zo’Keine” one of their favorite Star Trek episodes. But this is a surprisingly earnest, surprisingly honest slice-of-life tale that adds surprising depth to some of the show’s most one-dimensional characters. It’s a thoroughly entertaining (good, not great) tale, one that signifies that Starfleet Academy has overcome most of its growing pains and is ready to finally provide episodes that capture the ephemeral highs and haunting lows of life as a young person.
A fun, unpredictable story that dynamically transforms several of the show’s best characters without disrupting franchise lore? As a Star Trek fan, you could do a lot worse!
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