Entertainment
‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ Most Unexpected Twist Yet Rewrites the Sitcom
Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for ‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ Episode 2
Summary
On the surface, NBC’s newest sitcom, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, is about a disgraced football star (Tracy Morgan) trying to rewrite his legacy. But it’s also about the guy holding the camera because, as these first two episodes prove, millennial filmmaker Arthur Tobin (Daniel Radcliffe) is not just there to “document” the former athlete. He’s there to poke around until that scar talks.
It’s why Episode 2’s “Nittany Means Big” hits as hard as it does. In Monday’s latest half-hour, we learn that Arthur isn’t satisfied with the clean version of Dinkins’ “food poisoning game.” Once he notices Reggie has Penn State newspapers dated before the game even happened, it’s all over, and the truth gets dragged into broad daylight, where we learn of a mascot theft plan, a gross trash-water escape, and vomiting that wasn’t a freak accident so much as a natural consequence of trash-water.
As Erika Alexander’s Monica accidentally gives away a crucial tell while Arthur interviews her for the documentary, the award-winning actress frames what that does to Reggie perfectly in an interview with Collider. “That’s the beginning of him showing that he’s an unreliable narrator about his own life,” she says as Reggie’s reaction is pure Reggie — anger, denial, and control-freak panic. But Morgan’s take on Alexander’s note is almost weirdly sincere: “Nah, the blow was to the public… The lie was to the public.”
It’s that denial that series co-creator Robert Carlock also points out that Reggie and Arthur share in common, and more so than their clashing egos. As the former showrunner for 30 Rock puts it, they both have “a scandal, a failure, or something that they feel like they need to get past.”
In our exclusive interviews with actors Morgan and Alexander, alongside showrunners, Carlock and Sam Means, we unpack how Episode 2’s “food poisoning” reveal rewrites Reggie’s myth, why Monica’s been carrying the fallout for years, how Arthur’s own scandal fuels his obsession with the truth — and what all of it sets up as the fallout only gets messier in the remaining eight episodes this season. Including those 30 Rock Easter eggs you might have spotted!
Erika Alexander Says the “Food Poisoning” Truth Proves Reggie’s an Unreliable Narrator
Reggie can’t take the truth behind the “food poisoning game,” and Monica’s buried frustration starts to surface in a way that changes everything.
COLLIDER: Episode 2 sort of reveals the truth behind the food poisoning game, and it reframes Reggie’s legend. Is the bigger blow that he lied to the public, or that he’s been lying to himself about what kind of player or person he was?
MORGAN: Nah, the blow was to the public. I know who I am! I know what I am. The lie was to the public. That was the bigger blow — when you betray the public. I play football! They believed in me! And then I gambled.
ALEXANDER: And you know what? That’s absolutely the truth. That’s the beginning of him showing that he’s an unreliable narrator about his own life. And they both shared the lie. Actually, she accidentally gave it away when Tobin was interviewing Monica. She didn’t mean to, but then suddenly it just pokes holes in a person that’s kind of tired of being a pincushion. Tracy doesn’t want all this stuff. He’s mad at her. He’s like, “Why did you tell him that?” And she’s right because Reggie can’t take it.
MORGAN: She called him a bearded infant.
ALEXANDER: [Laughs] Well, you know, that’s a pretty correct description.
The 10 Wildest Fake TV Shows and Movies on’ 30 Rock,’ Ranked
’30 Rock’ left its audience wishing these series and movies were real.
Yeah, it is. [Laughs] Erika, Episode 2 makes it very clear that Monica has been carrying a lot of the history. What’s the one thing that you say you would say that she refuses to say out loud because she knows it would change everything?
ALEXANDER: I think that maybe as a woman and a protector of her family, she has dreams of her own, and that she’s tired of sort of sacrificing them for the messes that Reggie Dinkins keeps causing in her life, and she wants that freedom. She’s right about the agency, and she wants that. I think she’ll refuse to say it, but maybe that’s her journey is to start to get more for her life and not just work for her ex-husband.
MORGAN: She ain’t going nowhere.
ALEXANDER: You see how it is?
MORGAN: She said that in the pilot. She said she don’t need me. I said, “Good, then go on with your bad behind.”
ALEXANDER: Tania, do you hear this?
MORGAN: And when I was outside with the radio, what happened? She came back to Papa. I had the radio, and she refused to let me put the album on, and she came right back to me.
ALEXANDER: What’s that syndrome called when a person can’t leave their torturer?
Stockholm syndrome.
ALEXANDER: Stockholm syndrome.
MORGAN: Stockholm!
ALEXANDER: That’s exactly what she’s got. [Laughs]
MORGAN: Stockholm in the house!
ALEXANDER: And he’s happy about it, Tania.
MORGAN: Stockholm in the house!
Robert Carlock Explains How Far ‘30 Rock’ Easter Eggs Can Go Without Overdoing It
Carlock explains the Easter eggs, and Sam Means co-signs that while the nods are fun, the show’s goal is still to be its own weird thing.
COLLIDER: I read an interview where Tina Fey, who is the show’s EP, said there are 30 Rock Easter eggs throughout the entire first season. What was the rule for you guys? How far should you go before it stops feeling like the same universe and becomes something new?
ROBERT CARLOCK: That’s a great way of putting it. I hadn’t thought of it. Part of it, to be honest, is like, “Well, we need a name for this wine. Well, we already have the Donaghy Estates label. Legal has already cleared it.” We did try to do one Easter egg that we tried to put in. We needed a name for a fancy store, and in the 30 Rock world, there was a store called Vattené, which means “go away” in Italian. Evidently, since then, someone has started a clothing store called Vattené, so it didn’t clear! Our own stupid name didn’t clear.
When does it get to be too much? I’m not sure. I don’t want this to be in the same universe as 30 Rock. I think maybe eventually, in Season 7, Tracy Jordan will play Reggie in the movie or in a sketch on The Girlie Show. But we do want it to share that DNA at the very least. It is a little nod both to hopefully people who liked that show and enjoy finding those little things, but also the promise of this is going to be a weird take on the world we live in and be full of jokes.
In Episode 2, that is the first time the show really punctures Reggie’s mythology with the truth behind the food poisoning game. When you built that reveal, what did you want the audience to realize about the stories that Reggie tells himself versus everyone else?
CARLOCK: There is a level of this. One of the reasons, Tania, that we wanted the characters to include the maker of the documentary, and for everyone to be aware of the documentary, is that idea, which I think is so prevalent today, where people are able to photograph themselves and celebrate themselves and promote themselves so easily and so readily. At its heart, this is a family comedy, but there is a level that you’re getting at, which is that theme of the way we try to present ourselves to the world. Reggie and Arthur, as well, and Monica, you discover, all have really significant reasons in their lives for wanting to maybe change the narrative that’s emerged, and take control. The show is about redemption and second acts, and that plays into it.
SAM MEANS: Yeah, what he said.
How Daniel Radcliffe Helped Fine-Tune Arthur for ‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’
Means says Arthur was built for Radcliffe from day one, but the real magic is the Tracy-Daniel “feedback loop” once they’re in scenes together.
Sam, Daniel [Radcliffe] has such a specific comedic sort of rhythm. Did the Arthur character change when you saw Daniel in the part?
MEANS: That’s interesting, because we have worked with Daniel before. He was on the [Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt] interactive, and then he was also a voice on our animated show, Mulligan, so we’re very aware of his comedic chops, and we are excited to bring those to broadcast television, because I feel like a lot of people might not be familiar with them.
CARLOCK: And we wrote Arthur for him.
MEANS: Exactly. So from go, when we imagined the character of the director, the sort of self-important director coming in with his own agenda, we had Daniel in mind. So, it is very much written for him, but at the same time…
CARLOCK: You’re always learning.
MEANS: Yeah. Seeing him and Tracy together and how they interact, especially, creates a feedback loop. And we always consider the characters on our show as a collaboration with the actors who played them, and he’s very thoughtful about the character. He, maybe more than anyone, is coming to us having read the script and thought about it, with thoughts about his character and where it should be going, and even about jokes for other characters. He had cut a joke once for Tracy after the table, really just for room, just for time, and he came to us and said, “I really miss that joke.” [Laughs]
CARLOCK: And we put it back.
That pairing is not obvious. That’s what I love so much about ensembles, and this show does it so well. When you put them all together, there are different comedic elements, like when you put Bobby [Moynihan]’s character with Erika [Alexander]. There is something to be said for seeing different layers, so I do appreciate that.
‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ Will Stay Messy, but Relationships Are Going To Shift
Carlock says the fun is “shuffling the deck,” pairing characters who shouldn’t work together until they suddenly do, starting with a Rusty-Monica twist next.
If these first two episodes are proving that it’s never really a neat comeback story, what’s the next big turn that you’re excited for viewers to see that changes how we understand Reggie and Arthur’s partnership?
MEANS: I think one big thing is their relationship with each other. Obviously, they’re very, very different people, but they do have the same thing in their past, a scandal, a failure, or something that they feel like they need to get past, and they need redemption for. So, even though they’ll always be butting heads about what the documentary should be about, and on a very personal level, what a good life is. They also have this commonality and this common ground that, over the course of the season, even if Arthur is trying to push back against it on a professional level, ends up with them becoming friends.
CARLOCK: I think it’s a sort of a lesson, and you touched on it in your previous question, too, and we learned at 30 Rock, which is, how do you create an ensemble where there’s a ton of disagreement about what sandwiches to order and politics, and also all this overlap? And one of the really fun things about 30 Rock was like in Season 5, saying, “What would a Frank-Jack story be like?” and sort of going in immediately and just knowing the skills that these actors had, and saying, “What’s a Rusty-Monica story?” and realizing, “Oh, that can work. He has something to give her.” Surprisingly, it’s a sort of dating story in the third episode. Anyway, just shuffling the deck and seeing what the characters bring out of each other.
MEANS: Right off the bat, we wanted to get Monica and Brina together to hopefully subvert that ex-wife and new wife story that you might expect from the two of them, and also let their characters exist in a world that’s not defined necessarily by Reggie.
This interview has been edited and abridged for clarity and length.
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins airs Mondays at 8:30 p.m. EST on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock.
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins
- Release Date
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January 18, 2026
- Directors
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Rhys Thomas
Entertainment
When does “Dune: Part 3 ”come out? All about the sci-fi epic’s time jump, new characters, and more
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Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya return as Paul and Chani.
Entertainment
Mystikal Pleads Guilty To Third-Degree Rape, Faces 20 Years
Mystikal has pleaded guilty to third-degree rape in connection with his 2022 arrest. He appeared in a Louisiana courtroom on Tuesday, March 17, officially entering his plea after prosecutors downgraded the charge from first-degree.
RELATED: Victim Claims Mystikal Forced Her To Pray With Him To Rid Her Body Of “Bad Spirits” Before Allegedly Raping Her
Mystikal Pleads Guilty To Third-Degree Charge In Connection To 2022 Arrest
The 55-year-old rapper, whose real name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, faced 10 criminal charges, including first-degree assault. USA Today reports a first-degree rape charge can mean life in prison, while a third-degree conviction carries up to 25 years. On July 30, 2022, authorities arrested Mystikal after a woman at the emergency room accused him of rape and battery. The incident also led to nine other charges, including battery and false imprisonment. During his March 17 hearing, prosecutors filed “nolle prosequi” notices, officially dropping those charges and deciding not to pursue them further.
Here’s How Long Mystikal Could Spend In Jail
According to PEOPLE, Mystikal now faces up to 20 years in prison. The court set his sentencing date for June 15. The musician. became a lifetime registered sex offender after his 2003 sexual assault conviction, which led to his arrest and charges at the time. After his 2003 battery conviction, he served six years in federal prison and was released in 2010.
A Break Down Mystikal’s 2022 Case & Past Convictions
The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office announced his arrest in August 2022 after authorities responded to a local hospital about an assault. At the hospital, detectives interviewed the victim, who reportedly suffered minor injuries. The incident reportedly started with a financial dispute at Mystikal’s home. Police ended up searching his home in Prairieville, Louisiana, home and reportedly found evidence supporting the victim’s account. Sheriff’s Detective Garret Keith also told prosecutors that an examination found wounds consistent with rape.
Before his current case, Mystikal served six years in federal prison for a 2003 sexual battery conviction and was released in 2010. In 2017, he faced new charges and spent 18 months in jail before getting released on a $3 million bond.
RELATED: Mystikal Formally Pleads Not Guilty To First-Degree Rape, False Imprisonment And More Charges Following July Arrest
What Do You Think Roomies?
Entertainment
Real Housewives of Miami Paused by Bravo After 7 Seasons
The Real Housewives of Miami has been put on pause for the second time in its history.
A source confirmed to Us Weekly on Wednesday, March 18, that Bravo is not moving forward with an eighth season of RHOM at this time. The most recent seventh season wrapped up in October 2025 with a shocking three-part reunion where “friend of the housewives” Adriana de Moura accused costar Julia Lemigova of cheating on her wife, Martina Navratilova, with a “Haitian mortician.” (Lemigova, 53, subsequently admitted that she’d already told Navratilova, 53, about having “a certain situation” prior to the season 7 reunion.)
Us has reached out to Bravo for comment.
The Real Housewives of Miami was first paused after the conclusion of its third season in 2013. Peacock revived RHOM for season 4 in 2021 before the series moved to Bravo for its two most recent installments.
Bravo’s decision to pause the reality series comes two weeks after Andy Cohen addressed the future of the franchise on Radio Andy.
“I love Miami,” Cohen, 57, insisted in February. “I think we’re looking at how to keep it as fresh as possible and that’s kind of the only story. You have to remember! We’ve got … nine Housewives going right now, so what you don’t want is something sitting on the shelf so long.”
The Real Housewives executive producer went on, “I always think there’s a benefit in waiting. If there’s no rush to get it on the air, I always think there’s a benefit in waiting, and then when it comes back, everyone’s like, ‘Oh my god! How great it’s finally back.’”
Cohen suggested at the time that Miami might have a similar trajectory as The Real Housewives of New York City, which was temporarily benched while Bravo worked out a new cast. (Filming resumed on RHONY earlier this month with popular cast members Sai De Silva, Erin Lichy and Jessel Taank, plus newcomers Hailey Glassman, Erika Hammond and Daisy Toye and the return of Carole Radziwill as a “friend of the Housewives.”)
“It’s been at least a year since that last [RHONY] reunion, at least, and there was a period [with] Atlanta seasons that was a year, or something like that,” Cohen pointed out on Radio Andy. “This happens sometimes in the Bravosphere that there’s maybe a longer wait for news … so that’s where we’re at [with Miami] right now.”

Alexia Nepola and Marysol Patton on “The Real Housewives of Miami” season 5. Courtesy Peacock / Courtesy Everett Collection
The seventh season of The Real Housewives of Miami aired between June and October 2025, as Alexia Nepola, Lisa Hochstein, Guerdy Abraira, Larsa Pippen, Lemigova and newcomer Stephanie Shojaee were joined by “friends” de Moura, Marysol Patton and Kiki Barth.
While the season 7 reunion aired, Alexia’s estranged husband, Todd Nepola, filed a $10 million defamation suit against Bravo for allegedly using his name and likeness without authorization, per People. TMZ reported in December 2025 that Todd, 53, filed to dismiss his lawsuit against Bravo with prejudice.
Amid the lawsuit drama, Alexia, 58, exclusively opened up to Us in November 2025 about where she stood with Todd. (Us reported in March 2025 that Alexia and Todd were “still together” despite reaching a deal to finalize their divorce. They tied the knot in December 2021.)
“We are speaking. Yes, we’re on speaking terms,” Alexia told Us while attending BravoCon 2025 in Las Vegas. “I prefer it that way because I like to be good with people. Life is too short and fragile, and I like things to be good. I need to feel good about myself.”
All seven seasons of The Real Housewives of Miami are available to stream now on Peacock.
Entertainment
Jerry O’Connell Reveals He’s Done With Podcasts After His Viral Comments
Jerry O’Connell‘s days doing podcasts are likely over following his viral appearance on Bill Maher‘s “Club Random” podcast, where he made some eyebrow-raising remarks.
The actor revealed that his wife, Rebecca Romijn, and their daughters got “physical” with him after he made comments about former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris‘ 2024 campaign.
Jerry O’Connell’s confession has since been met with mixed reactions, prompting him to announce that he’s quitting podcasts.
Jerry O’Connell Swears Off Podcasts After Comments About His Family And Politics

O’Connell has declared that he is quitting doing podcasts following his recent appearance on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast, where he revealed his wife and kids got “physical” with him because of a comment he made about the Democratic party and Kamala Harris on election night in 2024.
“Okay. @ClubRandom_ was my last podcast. Can’t do anything right. @x is mad at me. My family is mad at me,” the actor wrote on X in response to a post claiming Maher made fun of him for attending one of Harris’ rallies and being a donor.
It remains to be seen if O’Connell is for real about his decision to quit making podcast appearances, as he said in the same post that the only podcast he’ll “ever do again” is the “Pardon My Take” podcast, where he’ll discuss fantasy football.
But then, Meghan McCain encouraged him to give himself grace, as it’s not easy to speak publicly on politics, before telling him not to “say no to the possibility of coming on” her own show someday.
“Okay, I’ll do @MeghanMcCain pod BUT THAT IS IT. And @PardonMyTake,” O’Connell replied.
What The Actor Said About His Wife And Daughters Getting ‘Physical’ With Him Over Politics

In his viral appearance on Maher’s podcast, O’Connell detailed how his wife Romijn and their children “became physical” with him after he made a critical comment about Kamala Harris’ emergence as flagbearer of the Democratic party before she lost to now-President Donald Trump.
“I said something along the lines of ‘There was no planning. This is what they get. There should have been a primary.’ I said something along those lines, you know, like I was just spitballing ideas,” the actor recalled, per The Blast.
He continued, “It was a shock. My wife and daughters, without saying anything, became physical with me. They were filled with rage.”
“So if I am being careful with you in how I say things, yes, I live in California. I live with not one, not two, but three people who, if I made any kind of joke, they’d become very angry with me,” O’Connell added.
Jerry O’Connell Said His Wife Doesn’t Touch Him Unless She’s ‘High’

Elsewhere in his chat with Maher, O’Connell revealed that his wife only becomes affectionate with him when she is high.
The conversation started as he told the comedian to get “higher than you’ve ever been on any episode” and blow smoke in his face, to which Maher said he’ll be “happy” to. However, the focus then switched to O’Connell’s habit.
“I don’t smoke myself, but I live with someone who does — vapes, actually,” he said, referring to his wife, Romijn.
He added: “The only time my wife finds me appealing is intimate with me … the only time my wife — what’s the word? — touches me is if my wife takes a hit off that pen.”
The Actor Reveals How He Keeps The Peace With Rebecca Romijn

O’Connell and Romijn have been open about how their marriage works, once sharing that finding the “humor” in everything is the secret to their long-lasting relationship.
During an interview with the Daily Mail, Romjin said, “I guess we just keep on laughing. Keep it light. You have to lighten up about everything. You have to be able to move on quickly.”
However, O’Connell noted that his method is actually to avoid conflict with the actress, saying, “If there’s an argument brewing, I try not to engage.”
Romjin didn’t agree with him, joking that he’s “not very good at that,” but O’Connell insisted, “I’m very good at that! I disengage!”
He further explained that whenever tensions rise, he gives his wife some space by leaving their home.
“I ran out! If I think a fight is happening, I run! My wife is also a Scorpio. It’s a different situation,” O’Connell stated.
Jerry O’Connell Credits Wife For Helping Him Quit Smoking

One thing’s for sure, O’Connell loves his wife, and they seem to have unconventional ways of getting things done at home.
The “Big Bang Theory” actor previously opened up about how her threats to refuse him intimacy pushed him to quit smoking for good.
In his February appearance on the “Work In Progress” podcast with Sophia Bush, O’Connell explained that he struggled with nicotine addiction for decades and that he tried to stop the habit to no avail.
However, when he finally turned to hypnosis, he hadn’t “had a ciggy in, like, 14 years,” crediting his wife for instigating the whole thing.
“My wife said she would not touch me if I smoked, and that lasted about two months,” he recalled, per The Blast. “I thought it was a joke. Then, after, like, two weeks, there was no physical contact. After about three and a half weeks, I was like, I gotta do something.”
Entertainment
Zendaya revives 2015 Oscars dress — yes, the one that ignited the Giuliana Rancic “Fashion Police” scandal
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The actress was inspired by the rhyme “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” for the Los Angeles premiere of “The Drama.”
Entertainment
Dave Grohl Opens Up About Taylor Hawkins’ Death
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl is still grappling with the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins in 2022, sharing that the grief is still hard to process. The band is set to release a new album, and Grohl shared that it was a necessary outlet for coping with the loss, much like how he turned to music following the death of Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain decades earlier.
Dave Grohl Is Still Making Sense Of Taylor Hawkins’ Passing

Grohl is speaking out for the first time about the death of his bandmate and close friend, sharing in an interview with Mojo Magazine how, nearly four years later, he is still processing Hawkins’ absence.
The singer said Hawkins’ death was “never meant to be,” adding, “That threw our world upside down and made me question everything about life, that it was so unfair. I still have a hard time making sense of it,” the frontman explained.
Hawkins passed away in 2022 while the Foo Fighters were in the middle of their South American tour. The drummer called his hotel’s front desk complaining of chest pain, and he was found unresponsive in his room. Paramedics were immediately called, but they were not able to revive the drummer. Per The Blast, he passed away from a cardiovascular collapse, and 10 substances were found in his body.
Dave Grohl Suffered Another Loss Shortly After
Following Hawkins’ death, the Foo Fighters cancelled the rest of their tour and took a much-needed break. Five months later, Grohl experienced another loss. His mother, Virginia Grohl, passed away at 84 years old.
Grohl was with her mother until the time of her passing and shared that he turned to music, or else he “would explode.” “She was the most important person in my entire life. So I thought this had to be the most important music I ever made,” he said, referring to the song “The Teacher,” which was included in the 2023 album “But Here We Are,” Foo Fighters’ first record after their drummer’s death
As Grohl shared, one of his biggest fears was that his mother would pass away while he was gone on tour, but thankfully, he was able to take care of Virginia and spend time with her before her death. “I was there, and we were there together,” he noted.
Dave Grohl On Making Music Without Taylor Hawkins

Following the loss of two important people in his life, Grohl and the Foo Fighters went back to record music. As he told Mojo Magazine, the band had an idea about recording their next album live, but there was no one behind the drum kit.
“We’d hit the chord and play along to these drums. But there was no one there. There was just this void, and we were desperately trying to fill it,” he explained.
Instead of finding a drummer for the album, Grohl took over and played the drums himself. The frontman was credited as the band’s drummer in the Foo Fighters’ first two albums, but let Hawkins take the reins after he joined the band in 1997.
The Frontman Said Making Music Saved Him

Before finding success with the Foo Fighters, Grohl was the drummer for the grunge band Nirvana. The band’s lead singer, Kurt Cobain, died by suicide in April 1994 at the height of the band’s popularity.
Grohl had a difficult time with Cobain’s death, at one point even distancing himself from music. “I really couldn’t even turn on the radio, and I put the instruments away. Even hearing music hurt,” Grohl said in an interview.
The musician wanted to get away for a bit, and while driving, he passed by a hitchhiker who was wearing a Cobain shirt. He took that as a sign that he couldn’t “outrun” his grief, and that was when he decided to record some of the songs he wrote, which Cobain had approved of before his death. “I had to do it to survive, to get on with life. And I’m glad I did,” he shared.
Foo Fighters’ New Album
After Hawkins’ death, it made sense for the Foo Fighters to continue making music together as they realized it was something they “needed” to do. “Because it had saved us once before,” Grohl shared, referring to forming Foo Fighters after Cobain’s passing.
The Foo Fighters’ new album, “Your Favorite Toy,” will be released on April 24. They introduced their new drummer, Ilan Rubin, who replaced drummer Josh Freese after his short time with the band.
Entertainment
Say Goodbye to Your Weekend, Hulu’s 2-Part Sci-Fi Thriller Is Crushing Again
Season 2 of Paradise had a lot to live up to after the first season’s thrilling twists and turns. But, as the series continues to reign supreme as the #1 show on Hulu in the US, per FlixPatrol, it seems the series has once again found its groove. Season 2 of Paradise first premiered on February 23, 2026, and has been safely in Hulu’s Top 5 TV shows ever since.
But while the streaming success is only a continuation of the love fans felt for the show in Season 1, it certainly is telling. After all, Paradise‘s two seasons are close to being polar opposites to one another. While Season 1 explores life and unrest inside a post-apocalyptic bunker, while Season 2 ventures out into an unknown world, and shows what everyone without the presidential bunker ticket had to do to survive. Both seasons are different in so many ways, but they’re both becoming streaming hits.
The Major Risks Are Paying Off for ‘Paradise’ Season 2
In Season 1 ofParadise, aside from flashbacks with President Cal Bradford (James Marsden), the series takes place almost entirely inside the post-apocalyptic bunker. In Season 2, however,Sterling K. Brown‘s Secret Service agent Xavier Collins goes outside for the first time in years, and sees what’s left of life after the world’s been covered in volcanic ash. But it’s not just the setting change that presented a risk to Season 2,the writing of the show also took some hefty gambles.
For starters, the first episode of the series, titled “Graceland,” introduced entirely new characters, including Shailene Woodley‘s Annie and Thomas Doherty‘s Link. Together, the new characters started to build a tapestry of what life was like for those who survived, and how people have become hardened and distrusting, and even vengeful, as time went on. At the end of the episode, Xavier reappears onscreen, which rejoiced fans as well as connected Annie’s journey to the plot and characters from Season 1. Therefore, not only did Paradise‘s genre pivot from a political thriller in Season 1 to a survivalist series in Season 2, but it kept viewers guessing with new adventures, new backstories and new characters.
So far, Season 2 has released six out of its eight episodes, each of them either following the political aftermath inside the bunker, or Xavier’s unwavering search for his wife Teri (Enuka Okuma) outside of it. In Episode 6, the series took another sharp turn and focused on its most deadly character: Jane (Nicole Brydom Bloom). By unpacking her difficult upbringing, and the first signs that she’s as ruthless as viewers thought, the series not only makes their most heartless character into a multidimensional one, but shows the type of enemy Xavier and Link will soon be up against.
Season 2 Is Building to an Explosive Finale
Six episodes into the second season and Paradise still has a lot of questions to answer, and plots to finalize. After all, while expanding the scope of the show allowed for a more complete view of the world, it opened the series and exponentially grew the number of storylines. In Meredith Loftus‘ review of the season for Collider, for instance, she states that while Season 2 definitely enhances the world-building done in Season 1, it also becomes the series’ biggest weakness. “This results in certain storylines being sidelined for one to two episodes at a time,” Loftus stated. Among the examples of lesser explored storylines are Former Vice President Henry Baines (Matt Malloy) attempting to establish his authority, or Dr. Gabriela Torabi’s (Sarah Shahi) investigation into Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson). These subplots weren’t fully explored, and never allowed viewers to fully engage with them like the others.
What that means is that the final two episodes of Paradise Season 2, which will premiere on March 23 and March 30, will have a lot to answer for. In just two episodes, the series should address some major plot points, like what Link’s intentions are in the bunker, what Xavier and Terri will do now that they’ve been reunited, what Sinatra will do following Baines’ murder, how Terri and Gary (Cameron Britton) ended their partnership, and much more. With so much to wrap up, the final two episodes of the show will surely be non-stop and packed with revelations left and right.
With all that said, while creator Dan Fogelman certainly took risks in Season 2 of Paradise, the series has continued to be a streaming hit, leaving fans at the edge of their seats and gasping at the needle-drop revelations. Season 3 of the series has already been confirmed, so while there’s still a lot to address in the last two episodes of the series, we’re sure cliffhangers and unanswered questions will be a major part of the finale too.
Put These Shows on Ice — The Collider TV Quiz!
Tomorrow is the last day of winter, so let’s bundle up one last time for a wintry mix of some of the coldest television settings we’ve ever seen.
- Release Date
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January 26, 2025
- Network
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Hulu
- Showrunner
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Dan Fogelman
- Directors
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Gandja Monteiro
- Writers
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Jason Wilborn
Entertainment
Nicole Kidman’s “Berserk” 8-Part ‘Reacher’ Successor Bamboozles ‘Young Sherlock’ on Prime Video
Another year, another Nicole Kidman-led streaming series that ticks all the algorithmic boxes. Kidman’s new show, Prime Video’s Scarpetta, has emerged as an instant hit on the streamer, much like her previous pulp blockbusters. Based on a book series by Patricia Cornwell, the show stars Kidman as the titular forensic pathologist who uses her superior intellect to solve seemingly unsolvable crimes. The show also features Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale, Ariana DeBose, and Simon Baker in supporting roles; three episodes of its eight-part debut season were directed by David Gordon Green. While reviews for Scarpetta have been mostly positive, the audience doesn’t seem to be as enthusiastic.
However, this didn’t stop them from tuning in following Scarpetta‘s release on March 11. According to FlixPatrol, the crime-thriller emerged as the number one title across Prime Video immediately after its debut. In doing so, it replaced Guy Ritchie‘s Young Sherlock at the top of the streamer’s viewership charts. Young Sherlock was released a week prior to Scarpetta and had been maintaining the number one position throughout that period. It holds a “Certified Fresh” 84% critics’ score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Young Sherlock doesn’t aim to recreate Conan Doyle’s work, rather, it takes pride in its liberal adaptation, delivering Guy Ritchie’s signature blend of precise entertainment, sly style, and ingratiating characters.”
Put These Shows on Ice — The Collider TV Quiz!
Tomorrow is the last day of winter, so let’s bundle up one last time for a wintry mix of some of the coldest television settings we’ve ever seen.
In the Mood for More Nicole Kidman TV?
Scarpetta, on the other hand, has a 71% critics’ score and a 50% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. In his review, Collider’s Aidan Kelley wrote that it has “all the makings to be the streamer’s next great detective series” despite venturing into “silly territory” on occasion. The critic for The Times wrote that the show gets quite “berserk” towards the end. Kidman got her first taste of blockbuster long-form success with HBO’s Big Little Lies. She went on to star in Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers, HBO’s The Undoing, the Paramount+ series Lioness, Netflix’s The Perfect Couple, and Prime Video’s Expats. She will soon star alongside Elle Fanning, Nick Offerman, and Michelle Pfeiffer in the upcoming Apple TV series Margo’s Got Money Troubles. You can watch Scarpetta on Prime Video and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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March 11, 2026
- Network
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Prime Video
- Showrunner
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Elizabeth Sarnoff
- Directors
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David Gordon Green, Charlotte Brändström
Entertainment
9 Episodes After Ulster’s Death, ‘Will Trent’ Has Officially Found Its Next Great Villain
Will Trent has had a number of excellent and disturbing villains in its four seasons so far, but there has never been one quite as memorable as James Ulster (Greg Germann). Ulster was first introduced at the end of Season 1, as a successful lawyer who Will Trent (Ramón Rodríguez) met during the investigation into the serial killer who was responsible for the death of Will’s mother, Lucy (Raiany Silva), back when Will was born.
Will soon learned that Ulster was that killer, and he stayed in prison until his escape at the start of Season 4. Ulster was killed soon after by his ex, Susan (Michaela Watkins), but his memory has continued to haunt the protagonist through Will’s visions. Will Trent has been without its main villain for the bulk of this season (two months in the show’s timeline), but its latest episode, “He Lives!” has just introduced a worthy successor: Ulster’s biological daughter, Adelaide (Mallory Jansen).
‘Will Trent’ Has the Perfect Ulster Replacement in His Daughter, Adelaide
At the start of “He Lives!”, Will meets with his therapist, Dr. Roach (Margaret Cho), and tells her that he is still struggling with visions of Ulster. Whereas Will usually imagines visions of those involved in the cases he’s investigating, he can’t stop seeing a vision of Ulster, who taunts him and comments on the cases. Will is already struggling with Ulster’s voice in his head when he investigates the murder of someone who was killed with Ulster’s signature method of sewing the victim’s mouth closed and painting their nails red. Even more disturbing, the victim has the same name as Will’s uncle, Antonio Morales (John Ortiz).
While checking on Antonio in Puerto Rico, Will crosses paths with FBI Agent Lana Elkie, who ends up tagging along with him this episode. Back in Atlanta, the GBI and APD figure out that the most recent victim was killed by a James Ulster superfan who’d written to Ulster and gotten a letter back after Ulster died, containing murder instructions from someone claiming to be him. When Antonio goes missing and his lover is killed, Will and Lana go to look for him and bond along the way. Will finds a disturbing mannequin recreation of his birth and Lucy’s death, and as he gets closer to finding Antonio, he’s attacked by venomous spiders. Back home, Faith (Iantha Richardson) learns that Ulster had a journal that was left to his biological daughter, Adelaide Trevins. Ulster had never had a relationship with Adelaide or wanted to, but this didn’t keep her from writing him letters and trying to connect with him.
‘Will Trent’ Finally Delivered This Season’s Biggest Payoff in a Perfect 42 Minutes
The answer was the simplest one this whole time.
The entire search for Antonio in Puerto Rico turns out to be a setup by Adelaide, who killed the real Lana Elkie and has been pretending to be her this whole time. Adelaide has a vendetta against Will for two reasons: she blames him for arresting Ulster, and she resents the fact that Ulster treated Will like his child in a way he never did with her. She tries to kill Will, but he’s a step ahead of her, even though she gets away while Faith and Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin) are rescuing Will from his collapse due to the venom. As it stands, Adelaide is still running free, and she’s clearly not going to stop until she gets the vengeance that she’s seeking against Will.
Ulster Continues To Impact ‘Will Trent’ Through Both Will and Adelaide
Will still hasn’t been able to get James Ulster out of his head, but since his death, Will Trent hasn’t yet had a major villain. Adelaide is the perfect replacement, not just because she’s Ulster’s daughter, but specifically because he never accepted her as a child or a protégée. Ulster always saw Will as his son, and even in his final moments, he hoped that Will would embrace his dark side and follow in his footsteps. Ulster had everything he wanted from Will in Adelaide, his own biological child, but he never embraced her as his successor. Like Ulster, Adelaide is willing to murder in cold blood, and there are no lines she won’t cross. Although Ulster was motivated by a sick desire to kill and then arrange the bodies to fit his vision, Adelaide is seemingly more interested in revenge than the actual act of killing itself.
Adelaide is the perfect new villain for Will Trent because she fills Ulster’s place as a brutal killer with a special interest in Will, but she also has this particular anger in her that comes from being neglected by Ulster for so long. Will got exactly what Adelaide wanted from Ulster, and he threw it aside, so she won’t be able to let go of her revenge mission against him. Jansen previously played a fantastic and ruthless villain before on Galavant, and after just one episode, she’s already the perfect new villain for Will Trent as Adelaide Trevins. Adelaide may have gotten away for now, but she won’t be able to stay away from Will, and this could very well be her downfall in the remainder of Season 4.
Will Trent airs Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Entertainment
Zoinks! “Scooby-Doo” live-action Netflix cast revealed
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Mckenna Grace, Abby Ryder Fortson, Maxwell Jenkins, and Tanner Hagen are the new faces of Mystery Inc.
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