The Ultimatum is centered around established couples fighting for their relationships — but is everyone still together or have some broken up?

Netflix’s hit series follows real-life couples who enter “trial” marriages with a new partner before deciding whether they’re ready to get engaged to their original connection. After finding success, The Ultimatum returned for season 4 in July 2026 with plenty of drama, surprise exits and potential splits.

Hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey previously teased how The Ultimatum compares to other reality success stories including Love Is Blind.

“It’s gonna sound weird,” Nick told USA Today in 2022. “But the stakes almost feel a little higher in Ultimatum because these are people who have been together for a period of time.”

Related: ‘The Ultimatum’ Season 1 Cast: Where Are They Now?

The first season of The Ultimatum made waves when it premiered, but did the bold premise work for any of the couples? The Netflix show followed eight duos on the brink of an engagement. After an Ultimatum is issued by one person in the relationship, they began a trial marriage with one of their costars, […]

He continued: “The emotional anxiety in the room was palpable, like you could feel it, it was an emotional roller coaster. And we were on it.”

Vanessa, meanwhile, recalled how she and Nick were a lot “more vulnerable” with this cast.

“We were more open with them,” she said. “There were multiple dinners where we sat down and had a glass of wine with them and were just talking about the process and what we’ve experienced in our lives.”

Scroll down to find out whether your favorite The Ultimatum couple is still together:

Edris Khalieque and Jessica Grace Booker

The couple got engaged early on in the experiment after Edris got jealous of Jessica Grace exploring new connections.

Killian Grondin and Ashley Wilson

Despite getting into multiple heated fights on the show, Killian and Ashley are currently still together on the show.

Luke Wesselhoff and Monica Payne

The pair were involved in trial marriages — but still found their way back to each other.

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Related: ‘The Ultimatum’ Season 2 Cast: Where Are They Now?

Season 2 of The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On had its fair share of drama — until the end. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly […]

David Atkinson and Casey Douglass

After being paired off with other people, David and Casey appeared to remain together on screen.

Blake Robertson and Hayley Hendrich

While the duo are often at odds, they have remained by each other’s side so far.

Alex Johnsen and Jebin John

The pair became the first in franchise history to be kicked off the show after Jebin passed a secret letter, which broke rules against off camera communication.

The last few years have been rather hit or miss for Jason Statham, who has headlined a couple of solid hits, but has also starred in high-profile misfires. His latest movie, Shelter, underperformed at the box office earlier this year, but appears to have redeemed itself on the PVOD market. Statham’s previous two movies — The Beekeeper and A Working Man, both directed by David Ayer — were hits, grossing $160 million and nearly $100 million worldwide, respectively. Before that, he starred in the sci-fi action sequel Meg 2: The Trench, which grossed almost $400 million worldwide. But Statham’s other franchise offering tanked miserably; what made its underperformance even more disappointing for the action star was that the movie was constructed around his character.

It was released theatrically in 2024, the fourth installment of a long-running action franchise that began in 2010 with Sylvester Stallone at its center. Stallone and Statham both returned for two subsequent sequels, but with Stallone reaching an age where intense action was becoming difficult for him to perform, it was decided that the franchise should be handed over to Statham. The experiment didn’t pay off, with the movie in question grossing only $51 million worldwide against a reported budget of $100 million. The action sequel is currently streaming on Paramount+ in the United States, but it’ll be removed from the platform soon.

Here’s How Long You Have Left to Watch Jason Statham’s Soft Reboot

We’re talking, of course, about Expen4bles. The movie was released nearly a decade after the third film, which was infamously leaked online ahead of its release. Despite that, however, The Expendables 3 grossed more than $200 million worldwide. Expend4bles was directed by Scott Waugh, and it features an ensemble cast that includes Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, 50 Cent, and others. The movie received poor reviews, and now holds a 14% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s consensus reads, “Solid work from Jason Statham and some halfway decent set pieces aren’t enough to make up for Expend4bles‘ lackluster action and cheap-looking effects.” You can watch the movie on Paramount+ until August 1. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

September 15, 2023

Runtime

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103 minutes

Writers

Max Adams, Kurt Wimmer, Spenser Cohen, Tad Daggerhart

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Producers

Jason Statham, Jeffrey Greenstein, Jonathan Yunger, Kevin King Templeton, Les Weldon, Yariv Lerner

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Whew, Roomies! Things are getting messy on and off the campus at Streamer University. Queen Naija’s ex, Chris Sails, entered the chat as folks continued talking about Clarence’s visit to DreamDoll’s dorm during the streaming event. Now, Chris is sliding in with a message for Dream, weighing in on all of the college chaos.

RELATED: Whew! Queen Naija Reacts After Fans Peep Clarence In DreamDoll’s Dorm At Streamer University (VIDEOS)

Chris Sails Enters The Chat With A Message For DreamDoll

Okay, so BOOM! Chris Sails recently hopped on social media with a message for DreamDoll before weighing in on Clarence pulling up to her dorm while attending Streamer University with Queen Naija. Chris told Dream it was cool if Clarence couldn’t be in her room, but joked that he could come through since he’s single. From there, he kept shooting his shot at Dream, telling her he’s been following her on social media for a minute and hopes she sees his message.

“But back to you, DreamDoll, like what’s up like. You know I couldn’t make it, so twin had to take my spot. You ain’t even follow me back, I know you gonna see this,” he continued. “You know what’s up, I’m single, you know what I’m saying, baby.”

After that, Chris cracked jokes about Clarence, saying he looked way too comfortable kicking it in Dream’s dorm. “Aye, nah. Bro was in there mad comfortable. Twin was in there mad comfortable […] pulled his seat up.” Chris added, “Bro, chill. But chat leave my n***a alone.” He also admitted he wished Kai Cenat had invited him to Streamer University and claimed he would’ve taken over the whole campus if he got accepted. “I would’ve took over. I would’ve been the main character on my granny.” 

Now, Why Is Everyone Talking About Clarence Being In DreamDoll’s Dorm?

If you’ve been out of the loop, Roomies, let us put you on game. The internet started popping OFF after fans peeped Clarence kicking it in DreamDoll’s dorm during Streamer University. Folks wasted no time running back to Queen Naija with the tea, and she ended up confronting Clarence about what went down. Clarence assured her that nothing serious had happened in Dream and Jordyn Lucas’ dorm and explained that he had only stopped by to grab a drink.

Queen later admitted that the situation got under her skin because folks in her livestream chat kept blowing her up about Clarence’s whereabouts. At first, she thought people were making it up just to stir the pot. More videos later surfaced showing Queen and Clarence talking things through. Clarence argued that he feels like people are holding him to a different standard, saying Queen could make connections at Streamer University, but everyone had a problem when he did the same.

Queen Chops It Up With Dream After Clarence’s Viral Visit

After speaking with Clarence, Queen cleared the air with DreamDoll during Bible Study. Queen made it clear that she had no beef with Dream and explained that the comments in her livestream chat fueled her reaction. Dream admitted she initially felt like Queen was “clip farming,” but Queen doubled down and said she never had any bad intentions — she really reacted because of the things people kept telling her.

RELATED: All Good? Queen Naija Clears The Air With DreamDoll After Clarence’s Viral Dorm Visit (VIDEOS) 

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie.

Despite all the comments made about “reimagining” the material, Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie has been surprisingly good. While there are some things that die-hard fans of the original series (and lovers of Laura Ingalls Wilder‘s novels) may not adore about the new reboot, there’s one element that we simply cannot get enough of. Mr. Edwards has always played a big part in the Ingalls’ journey out west, and the new streaming reboot honors that role by elevating the character, played in this iteration by Warren Christie, to new heights.

Netflix’s ‘Little House’ Offers a Different Perspective on Mr. Edwards

In the original Little House books, Mr. Edwards was always described as a stalwart friend to the Ingalls and a genuine blessing. However, on television, he has generally been portrayed as a man with demons. The books don’t get much into it, but both series adaptations depict him as a lonely widower grieving the loss of his family, which is why he lives alone in the Midwestern hills. In the original series, this comes in the form of Victor French‘s Isaiah Edwards, who reveals that his wife and daughter died of smallpox before the events of the series, turning him into a recluse. The Netflix reboot takes the whole thing a step further by connecting the loss of Edwards’ family to his service in the American Civil War, as they died from cholera while he was away. It’s with this tragic revelation that Christie can elevate the character (named John Edwards here), using his tragic past as a historical anchor that reminds the viewer of what many lost in the War Between the States.

Edwards’ tortured exterior and haunting past stick with him even as he finds joy, fulfillment, and friendship with the Ingalls. His history on the battlefield reveals that he’s not a man to be trifled with, nor is he willing to back down from a fight he knows he can win. However, unlike French’s take, Christie’s Edwards cannot function without taking regular sips of whiskey from a flask. He doesn’t drink simply due to grief (as was the case at times with Isaiah Edwards), but as a coping mechanism to deal with the physical symptoms generated from his personal tragedy. In short, he uses drinking as a mask for his undiagnosed PTSD rather than as an antidote for sorrow. This puts him at stark odds with Caroline (Crosby Fitzgerald), not because of basic religious virtue or appearances, but because of the risk he may inadvertently pose to Charles (Luke Bracey) and her daughters. Even more tragic is that the new Little House on the Prairie reveals that John Edwards didn’t just have a wife and child, but two daughters, with one named Laura. Naturally, this contributes to his deep kinship with young Laura Ingalls (Alice Halsey), even as it complicates his struggle to protect her.

In many respects, Christie’s Edwards is quite different from what we recall from French’s portrayal, though perhaps it’s more in step with Wilder’s initial description in the novel. In Little House on the Prairie, Wilder describes Edwards — who may have been a composite character based on the historical Edmund Mason and a Mr. Brown, who each lived in Independence around the same time — as “lean and tall and brown.” That certainly better describes Warren Christie than Victor French. But it’s not just the cosmetic differences that matter here. Unlike French’s Edwards, Christie’s interpretation is of a younger man who has allowed himself to be hardened by life, actively willing to alienate those around him. It’s only by allowing himself the grace of familial ties in the form of Charles and his daughters that Edwards finds life worth living again.

Mr. Edwards Is Vital to Both Versions of ‘Little House on the Prairie’

In the original Little House, Isaiah Edwards was known for his cheerful disposition and willingness to put his own sadness aside for the benefit of others. Sure, he dealt with more personal tragedy than most, but he always stuck by Charles (Michael Landon) and Laura (Melissa Gilbert) no matter what. Yes, sometimes Charles had to beat some sense into him, but whenever he got over his own fears and failures, he was right back beside the Ingalls where he belonged. But that’s where Netflix’s reimagining makes Edwards a bit more interesting. Christie’s John Edwards wrestles with similar notions, but more often believes it’s easier to abandon the Ingalls and watch from afar rather than fight to remain in their lives. It’s a chilling addition to his character that makes Edwards not only a more tragic figure, but perhaps more heroic as well when he finally steps up and returns to save Mary (Skywalker Hughes) and Laura from a few vagabonds in the second episode.

No doubt, Victor French is probably the first person to come to mind when you imagine “Mr. Edwards,” but Warren Christie’s performance has proven itself quite worthy of the association. As Edwards continues to find his place with the Ingalls family, recovering from his trauma from the war and grief over the loss of his family, the “wildcat from Tennessee” has firmly wormed his way into our hearts. However Little House on the Prairie continues into its highly-anticipated second season, we know that Mr. Edwards won’t be far behind the Ingalls on their next journey.

Jania Meshell has shown off her growing baby bump just days after announcing that she’s expecting her third child.

RELATED: Jania Meshell Shares Strong Messages Amid Blasting Social Media Page For “Lying” About NBA YoungBoy Allegedly Being Abusive To Her

Jania Meshell Shows Off Her Growing Baby Bump

During the early hours of Saturday, July 18, Jania Meshell took to her Instagram Story to share a photo of herself with her more than 3.3 million followers. Furthermore, the initial photo showed her standing in front of a bathroom mirror as she posed, showing off her full body, wearing a pink bra and shorts set. Furthermore, in a follow-up post, Meshell showed off her side profile as she rubbed her baby bump.

Social Media Reacts

Social media users reacted to the footage of Jania Meshell’s baby bump in TSR Teens’ comment section.

More On Jania Meshell’s Recent Baby Announcement

As The Shade Room previously reported, in April, Jania Meshell took to the internet to respond to a user who speculated that she was pregnant. At the time, a photo of her had surfaced, reportedly from a family funeral.

Then, earlier this week, Meshell seemingly let the cat out of the bag — not only revealing that she and Dejounte Murray are expecting their second child together. (She shares her eldest child with NBA YoungBoy.) But also revealing that they’re expecting a baby boy.

RELATED Congrats! Jania Meshell Confirms She & Dejounte Murray Are Expecting Another Child & They Reveal The Gender! (PHOTOS)

Steven McBee Jr. admits he felt a nudge from his loved ones to settle down with Allie Eklund before their split earlier this year.

“Inherently, there’s a little bit of pressure because my family is who I hang out with,” Steven, 33, exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, July 16. “And so they’re all married up, starting their families.”

The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys star explained it was a “combination” of loving Allie, 29, so deeply and his brothers’ being wifed-up that made him feel ready for marriage before their ultimate breakup in April. (Cole McBee is engaged to Kacie Adkison, with whom he shares one daughter, while Jesse McBee is married to Alli McBee and also has one daughter.)

The McBee Farm & Cattle Co. CEO admitted, “I don’t hang out with single friends or anything like that. So there’s a little bit of pressure on that end.”

Steven, however, noted that after watching back season 3, which was filmed in fall 2025, his brothers, Cole, Jesse and Brayden McBee, were actually pushing for him to pump the brakes on his and Allie’s relationship.

“I’m also seeing a lot of learning lessons as far as me moving a little too quickly and my family saying, ‘Hey, you better slow down a little bit and make sure,’” Steven said of the “bittersweet” episodes he’s seen. “And I threw all caution to the wind and was like, ‘I’m ready to get married.’”

While his family dynamic did play a part in Steven’s eagerness to get hitched himself, he told Us that his connection with Allie was an even bigger reason he thought it was time to settle down — even though they’d only been dating a few weeks when he started talking about proposing to his siblings.

Related: ‘McBee Dynasty’ Recap: Steven Wants to Marry Allie 2 Weeks After Dating

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Steven McBee Jr. went from zero to 100 with girlfriend Allie Eklund on the latest episode of The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys — revealing his plans for a proposal just weeks after meeting in person. “Mom texted me this morning and said, ‘She’s like a boy moms’ dream,’ Steven, 33, told Jesse McBee’s wife, […]

“Allie was pretty spot on with everything that I was hoping to find in a woman,” Steven shared. “So I was like, ‘Hey, this is it. I found what I’m looking for. I’m good. Like, there’s no time to waste here. Let’s just do it.’”

He noted that the influencer “checked all the boxes” at the time, so he was all in.

During the season 3 premiere of McBee Dynasty, which aired in June, fans were introduced to Allie, a content creator from Texas. Her debut included her first trip to Steven’s family farm in Missouri and their first kiss — which was on camera.

“I wasn’t even aware that that moment was going to happen on camera,” Allie exclusively told Us earlier this month about the unplanned kiss. “We had gone on multiple dates before that, had been talking for weeks prior, and it just happened to line up where we kissed on camera.”

Allie noted it was a “very authentic way of just life,” insisting it “wasn’t intentional” that they shared that moment with the world.

“It was my first time on reality and TV, so a first kiss on a national level is definitely not normal. Which I feel like you can kind of see in my reaction to it,” she added.

Related: Steven McBee Jr. and Allie Eklund Talked Engagement Before Stagecoach Drama

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Steven McBee Jr. and Allie Eklund were planning their future together before cheating accusations blew up their relationship. “They had only been dating for about seven months but did talk about getting engaged this year,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly after McBee, 33, sent shockwaves by accusing Eklund, 29, of cheating while at the […]

When the cameras stopped rolling in winter 2025, Allie and Steven continued to date. However, they hit a bump in the road in April when Steven publicly accused Allie of cheating with another man while she was at Stagecoach Music Festival in California.

Allie denied the allegations and although Steven later issued a public apology for his actions, the pair split for good that same month.

Despite the drama, Steven told Us on Thursday that he has liked seeing his and Allie’s love story unfold on TV even if it didn’t end well.

“I’m grateful for, you know, seeing how happy I was at the time, what I thought the future would hold,” he said. “I’m grateful for what that feeling felt like, and now obviously hindsight’s 20-20.”

Steven confessed, “I hate the fallout. I hate my role in a lot of the fallout. I wish things would have just been handled internally and privately. Obviously, we are where we are now, and we can’t take the past back.”

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Allie, for her part, said she didn’t need “closure” from Steven following their split, telling Us in July that she’s closed that chapter.

“When I realized that it was a pattern [on his part] and it wasn’t circumstantial, this was really just the icing on the cake for me. And it was it. There’s no conversation to be had, no closure left,” she shared. “Like, that’s closure enough for me. And when he asked me to have a conversation, a closure conversation, I denied it because there’s when your actions and your words don’t line up. There’s nothing that I can do with that. So, you know, I wish him the best from afar.”

The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys airs on Bravo Mondays at 9 p.m. ET.

We all love a good mystery thriller. It’s our chance to escape into a crime-filled world, playing a detective as we attempt to solve the mystery. If there is one mystery writer in the modern era who has delivered a world of excellent content, look no further than Harlan Coben. The brilliant mind behind some of your streamers’ highest-charting hits, the American author is, to say the least, prolific.

Having written dozens of novels that bring twists and turns around every corner, many of the titles have been adapted for serialized purposes. Though they may not all be extraordinary, they’ve certainly become a guilty-pleasure genre within thrillers. Adapted in many countries in a variety of languages, one thing they all have in common is the ability to keep you intrigued from start to finish. We’re going to celebrate his televised bibliography as we determine the best series in the greater Harlan Coben Cinematic Universe.

17

‘Caught’ (2025)

Image via Netflix

Coben might be American, and his work tends to be transported to the UK, but that doesn’t mean all of his work has to follow the same formula. In 2025, Caught became the first Latin American adaptation of a Coben piece. Set in Bariloche, Argentina, Caught follows investigative journalist Ema Garay (Soledad Villamil), who has built a successful career by catching criminals who have eluded justice. But her latest story hits closer to home. Working alongside social worker Leo Mercer (Alberto Ammann), Ema gets a tip into the disappearance of a 16-year-old girl that makes Leo the primary suspect. With the entire justice system gunning for him, Ema might be the only person who believes his innocence. But as she pursues the truth, she unravels a web of interconnected mysteries that puts her life in direct danger.

Regardless of language, Caught is typical Coben. There are elements that make it a strong series, but what Caught lacks is an immediate, original, and engaging hook. With a pretty murky first episode, Caught drudges along as twists and turns tend to pop out from nowhere simply for the sake of it. Coben’s stories are almost all fragmented, eventually uniting down the line, but Caught seemed to suffer more than normal. What shines through is that, no matter the language or location, you can sense Coben’s unique voice.

16

‘Gone for Good’ (2021)

Image via Netflix

Based on one of Coben’s earliest works, the French-language series has all the markings of a classic Coben thriller. Gone for Good follows Guillaume Lucchesi (Finnegan Oldfield), who spends his summers at his family estate on the French Riviera. During his trip in 2010, he witnessed the murder of his girlfriend and his older brother. Ten years later, on the eve of his mother’s funeral, Guillaume proposes to his new girlfriend, Judith (Nailia Harzoune), who suddenly disappears the next day. The past and present collide as Guillaume is thrust into a brand-new mystery to discover the truth about Judith and where she may have gone.

The five-part series has an engaging and riveting hook that immediately moves into a swiftly paced drama. Moving the location to France was a seamless transition. Gone For Good does a lot of time-hopping, which is good for developing a tense story that sets up a stronger overall narrative, but it just needs a bit more nuance and purpose. It’s not necessarily confusing, but it stalls the action at times. If you’re eager to watch every Coben series, regardless of language, Gone for Good is a decent time; otherwise, you can probably skip.

15

‘Just One Look’ (2025)

Image via Netflix

Like many of Coben’s mysteries, it’s the darkest secrets of ours that tend to become the most destructive. Set in Warsaw, Poland, Just One Look follows Greta (Maria Dębska) as her life is upended when a disturbing photo mysteriously surfaces, connecting to the disappearance of her husband, Jacek (Cezary Lukaszewicz). As she digs into what happened, Greta confronts buried truths, past traumas, and her own hazy memory to save her husband. But that might mean discovering a marriage that was not what she thought.

Thanks to its worldwide Netflix release, Just One Look charted quite quickly, as Coben series tend to do. But if you had Coben fatigue at the rate that his series have been churned out, you might have passed this one up. The adaptation of the 2004 novel is led by Dębska, who delivers a solid performance. With an American writing perspective told in a Polish setting, Just One Look works, but it lacks a bit of the universality that other Coben shows contain.

14

‘The Five’ (2016)

Image via Sky1

One of Coben’s first series to be created for the screen and not a direct adaptation, The Five is a thriller that takes audiences from the past to the present. Childhood friends Mark Wells (Tom Cullen), Danny Kenwood (O. T. Fagbenle), Slade (Lee Ingleby), and Pru Carew (Sarah Solemani) are reunited when DNA evidence left at the murder scene of Annie Green is revealed to be that of Mark’s younger brother, Jesse (Alfie and Harry Bloor), who disappeared 20 years prior, believed to be killed by serial killer Jakob Marosi (Rade Serbedzija). Through an intricate web of trials and tribulations, the four childhood friends search in hopes of finding Jesse alive.

A true, “I know what you did 20 years ago” story, The Five is Coben at his earliest. And for that, The Five drops a few spots down. Though it has strong acting and solid storytelling, The Five lacks the bells and whistles that later entries tend to have. Despite some clunky dialogue and hokey moments, however, The Five is a steadfast mystery. Should you go back in time and watch all of these shows in release date order, The Five will leave you slightly satisfied and eager to reach the Netflix era as soon as possible. The Five is story first, emotions second.

13

‘Hold Tight’ (2022)

Image via Netflix

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For the most part, Coben’s stories are contained in their own universe, but two pieces share the same world and timeline: Hold Tight and The Woods. In the unofficial sequel to The Woods, Pawel Kopiński (Grzegorz Damięcki) and his now-wife, Laura (Agnieszka Grochowska), find themselves connected to the primary story through Pawel’s daughter, Kaja (Agata Labno). Her boyfriend, Adam Barczyk (Krzysztof Oleksyn), suddenly goes missing after their friend Igor dies. The race is on to find Adam, and his mother, Anna (Magdalena Boczarska), will go to great lengths to do so.

With action, suspense, and a killer plot, Hold Tight is a decent non-English language adaptation, but, dare I say, on the verge of being too stale and predictable. With some major changes from page to screen, including gender and age, Hold Tight lives on its own. There are some strong story elements, but the series meanders a bit too much. It’s not as engaging as some of the other entries, especially the one it’s connected to.

12

‘Harlan Coben’s Shelter’ (2023)

Image via Prime Video

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Created for Prime Video, Shelter was inspired by Coben’s 2011 young adult novel. Shelter follows Mickey Bolitar (Jaden Michael) as he starts a new life in Kasselton, New Jersey, following the death of his father. While there, he becomes entangled in the mysterious disappearance of Ashley Kent (Samantha Bugliaro), a student at his school, which leads him to discover a dark underworld in the quiet suburban community. An absorbing thriller, the intensity helps the series thrive as the fast-paced mystery keeps you glued to your screens.

The key difference between Shelter and nearly every other Coben entry on this list is that Shelter is young adult-focused, not just in the audience but in the central character. The mystery unfolds through the eyes of protagonists much younger than Coben’s other main characters, making Shelter a bit of an enigma. The strength of Shelter lies in the chemistry and dynamics, especially between Michael as Mickey, Abby Corrigan as Emma, and Adrian Greesmith as Spoon. Plus, appearances from Constance Zimmer, Tovah Feldshuh, and Missi Pyle make it a worthy watch. Intended to be a multi-season run, Shelter was unfortunately canceled after a single season.

11

‘Lazarus’ (2025)

Image via Prime Video

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One of the most promising concepts in the Coben collection was 2025’s Lazarus. The horror-thriller follows psychiatrist Joel Lazarus (Sam Claflin), who returns home to his family’s house following the apparent suicide of his estranged father, Jonathan (Bill Nighy). Haunted by the unsolved murder of his sister 25 years earlier, Joel goes down a rabbit hole, convinced his father wouldn’t have taken his own life, only to be followed by unsettling phenomena and disturbing visions. A visually stunning and artfully crafted mystery, Lazarus had all the makings of a masterpiece but fell into some convoluted directorial execution.

Don’t get it twisted, Lazarus is a fun watch. Watching the typically grounded Claflin descend into madness was an extraordinary experience. The issue with Lazarus was its storytelling. With distinct timelines jumping in and out, maintaining order and comprehension was not its strongest suit. And when you’re dealing with a pair of “Dr. Lazurus,” you have to pay keen attention to whether the father or son is being referenced. Diving into the world of supernatural horror was a logical next step for Coben. Lazarus still has a labyrinth of mysteries to explore, but the mood does not make up for the preposterous plot.

10

‘The Woods’ (2020)

Image via Netflix

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Time for a foreign language triumph in the Harlan Coben Cinematic Universe! In the Polish thriller The Woods, the story is divided into two time periods. In August 1994, at a summer camp in the woods, Pawel Kopiński (Hubert Milkowski) chaperons his younger sister’s camper, Kamila (Martyna Byczkowska). In September 2019, Pawel (now played by Grzegorz Damięcki), a Warsaw prosecutor and recently widowed single father, reconnects with his camp sweetheart, Laura (Agnieszka Grochowska). After a body is discovered surrounded by newspaper clippings about Pawel, he’s called in to identify the deceased. It’s only then that we learn that at that fateful summer camp, two people were murdered and two went missing, including his sister. Pawel investigates the case and digs deeper to learn that his sister may still be out there. A swiftly moving series with red herrings galore, The Woods helped kick off the Netflix domination of Coben mystery thrillers.

The biggest downfall of the series is the way the exposition is layered, as it’s not as natural as one might like. Once you get past that and dive into the mystery in the present, The Woods is a satisfying story. The Woods is an example of where characters triumph over tropes, though the classic Coben staples are alive and well. The transition from New Jersey to Poland was seamless, though selfishly, an American edition of The Woods would be a thrilling watch. Critically approved but audience thrashed, The Woods suffers from the language barrier when it should be on a must-watch list.

9

‘No Second Chance’ (2015)

Image via TF1

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How far will you go to save your own child? Just ask Dr. Alice Lambert (Alexandra Lamy). In this shocking miniseries, Alice goes to fix a bottle for her daughter when two gunshots ring out, and everything goes black. A week later, Alice emerges from a coma, and a nightmare reality awaits as her husband has been murdered, and her baby is missing. Suspected by the police and hunted by ruthless hitmen, Alice refuses to give up, turning to Richard (Pascal Elbe), her first love and a former criminal investigator. No Second Chance was a twisted tale that kicked off the Coben obsession around the world.

Based on his bestselling novel, No Second Chance became an instant hit in France. A harrowing story of corruption, social inequality, and the resilience of true love, the series makes a smart and bold choice of swapping genders, turning the protagonist into a woman. Lambert’s hunt for her daughter is the key cog in the story, and it’s truly her journey that draws you in. While many Coben thrillers seem to have the same law enforcement character archetypes, No Second Chance has a standout in Hippolyte Girardot as grouchy detective Cyril Tessier.

8

‘Stay Close’ (2021)

Image via Netflix

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A true Coben classic is 2021’s Stay Close. The eight-part series finds three seemingly random individuals whose lives become intertwined by an unsolved case. Photographer Ray Levine (Richard Armitage) inadvertently captured an image of a shadowy figure running in the woods. Then there is Megan Pierce (Cush Jumbo), a mother of three, who is about to be wed to her fiancé, Dave Shaw (Daniel Francis). Meanwhile, Michael Broome (James Nesbitt), a detective investigating the disappearance of a young man, Carlton Flynn, discovers the disappearance happened exactly 17 years after another missing persons case of his that went unsolved. So, how are these three strangers connected to Carlton’s missing-person case? In typical Coben fashion, the puzzle is completed at the end.

From psychopathic musical-theater-loving assassins, Barbie and Ken (Poppy Gilbert and Hyoie O’Grady), to bumbling detectives Broome and Cartwright (Jo Joyner), Stay Close is an outright thrill ride — and one that doesn’t spare much for the imagination if you’re on the queasy side. Stay Close layers in just enough camp to make it enjoyable and not too weighty. Plus, the addition of Eddie Izzard in the ensemble helps boost it to the next level. Jumbo is a satisfactory lead, but it’s Armitage and Nesbitt, true staples of Coben’s, who manage to tackle the material best.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 10 seconds ago

Possibly no TV series ever made has had such a meteoric rise and epic fall as The X-Files. The early seasons captivated ‘90s audiences with a potent combination of sexy lead actors and stories about alien abductions and government conspiracies. The franchise arguably hit a high point with the first movie, The X-Files: Fight the Future. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there. Later seasons got progressively worse, and David Duchovny eventually left the show for good. He came back for the worst revival in television history, one that followed up on some of the revelations of the second movie, The X-Files: I Want To Believe.

Whereas Fight the Future advanced the complex mythology of the series, I Want To Believe was modeled more after the series’ monster-of-the-week episodes. Unfortunately, the monster was weaksauce, and the film’s vestigial ties to some of the stupider lore really dragged it down. But could this failed film be one good edit away from being a banger? Chris Carter seems to think so. Last year, he teased that he was working on an R-Rated director’s cut of the film, one that brings it to bloody life like never before. Now, fans will be able to judge for themselves: The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn will begin streaming on Hulu on August 14.

Somehow, Mulder And Scully Returned

The X-Files: I Want to Believe is a movie where Mulder and Scully have long since left the FBI; she’s a doctor, and he’s a hermit. But when an FBI agent gets kidnapped, and a Catholic priest starts seeing her in psychic visions, the Bureau gets Mulder to consult on the case because of his prior experience with all things spooky. Unfortunately, the PG-13 movie was a flop: it has a 32 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and audiences alike. It also earned only $68.4 million against a $30 million budget, with its box office likely suffering because it premiered only one week after Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.

It’s a movie so bad that most X-Files fans would rather forget that it exists. However, when Chris Carter appeared on David Duchovny’s Fail Better podcast last year, he said that he was working on an R-rated director’s cut and hinted that it would premiere on streaming. “Now I have a chance to go back and make the scary movie that I always intended to make,” he said. “It’s not just doing a director’s cut to do a director’s cut. It’s really kind of bringing to life something that for me was on the page and never got to the screen.”

It’s Alive!

For better or for worse, the teasing is over. Previously, the new cut (titled The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn) was set to debut on Disney+ in June, but it got quietly yoinked off that streamer’s schedule to make time for some last-minute tweaks. Now, the movie is set to premiere on Hulu on August 14. While Carter is excited to show us his original vision for this flawed sequel, it’s not yet clear how it will differ from the theatrical version. It’s also not clear what the weird new title is about, though many think it’s a hint that Carter has, Frankenstein-style, cobbled together a new film out of assorted footage that had been left on the cutting room floor.

Will this director’s cut from Chris Carter leave fans screaming “it’s alive,” or will we just want to burn the movie with fire? Like Mulder always says, the truth is out there. And we can find out together: The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn premieres on Hulu on August 14. Here’s hoping it can help to erase the stink of Season 11 from our collective minds!

Some Bridgerton fans have been concerned about potential recasts — and now a former cast member is addressing the chances of them returning to the show.

Calam Lynch, who played Theo in season 2, was asked whether he was asked to come back, to which he told Swooon on Wednesday, July 15, “I mean, I don’t know. I loved doing the show, I really did.”

Lynch, 31, didn’t rule Theo returning for Eloise’s season.

“I’ve always felt that people like Jess Brownell, who runs the show, and Chris Van Dusen before her, know what’s best for those characters,” he continued. “And I think there’s a beauty to it being what it was.”

Related: Why Are ‘Bridgerton’ Fans Worried Characters Will Be Recast After Changes?

Bridgerton has gone through some onscreen recasts and book changes, which has caused some fans to worry that more main characters will look different in future seasons of the hit Netflix series. Based on Julia Quinn‘s book series, the Regency show follows different members of a wealthy family as they each search for love in […]

While Lynch hasn’t heard anything, he suggested how Theo could come back, saying, “If it was really intentional and thought about and done in a really subtle, interesting way, then of course. I love Claudia Jessie so much, she’s so great, and I love working with her, and all of that cast, they’re all great, but I dunno, it was a long time ago …”

Eloise’s near-romance with Theo ended abruptly and wasn’t addressed again. Her love story with Phillip (Chris Fulton) is expected to serve as the inspiration for season 5, which is based on Julia Quinn‘s To Sir Phillip, With Love novel.

“I don’t necessarily know how they’re gonna spin it or write it or what they’re going to keep and change,” Quinn exclusively told Us Weekly in February. “I love her story.”

She continued: “He’s got two kids who she has got to wrangle, which is awesome. The fact that Eloise is going to have an instant family is awesome. His twins are pretty ruthless to her so I hope they keep stuff like that in.”

When asked whether Fulton — who appeared in seasons 1 and 2 — would reprise his role or if a new actor would be brought in, Quinn noted that she doesn’t know the plan after changes have been made in other adaptations.

Quinn also addressed the chances of younger siblings Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) and Gregory (Will Tilston) being played by other actors by the time it’s their turn to be at the center of their own seasons.

“It’s funny because they were, like, 12 and 13 when they started. If you asked me that back then [about the same actors playing them as adults], I’d be like, ‘I don’t know.’ But when I saw them again at the premiere, they were both drinking wine,” Quinn told Us. “They’re both 18 now and Will was there with his girlfriend.”

The author pointed out that there were still a few years before It’s In His Kiss and On the Way to the Wedding will be featured with their own seasons.

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“Jess [Brownell] has said the next two seasons will be either Eloise and then Francesca or Francesca and then Eloise, which makes sense. It takes a few years to film, so by the time we get to Hyacinth and Gregory, the actors are going to be well into their 20s,” Quinn explained. “So I think it’ll probably be OK. Will it be weird that we knew them when they were 12? We see child stars grow up all the time.”

Quinn said there’s a lot for fans to look forward to, adding, “As a writer, it was hard to write those two books at first. I really had to let them grow up in my mind a bit and that was hard for both of them. I was really glad it took several years — but even so — I can’t remember how much time passed in the writing. I really had to let them grow up. It was tough.”

Bridgerton is currently streaming on Netflix.

The phrase “classic” is used relatively when describing contemporary shows, given that television is an evolving medium that has changed significantly in the last decade. While the dawn of premium cable used to be seen as the single most defining evolution in how shows are funded and received, streaming has completely shifted the way that the market works. It is now not uncommon for shows to be treated like blockbuster films with massive budgets, A-list talent, and marketing campaigns that begin years in advance. It’s exciting that there is so much innovation that is done on the small screen, as it has opened up more opportunities in a time when the theatrical market is under stress due to the perilous limited release strategies that have made high-quality films inaccessible to those outside of major cities. However, increased budgets and attention do not necessarily make for an immediate jump in quality.

It’s a little bit unusual to think about shows from only two decades ago being now viewed as “classics,” but they do fit that definition when compared to the sheer amount of content that is released regularly. Streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, and Disney+ will greenlight, renew, and cancel shows at such an alarming rate that it’s impossible to keep track of them all; given that most households subscribe to at least three or four streaming services, there is more content that they have access to than anyone could hope to watch within their lifetime. As easy as it is to be lured in by the promise of new shows that were made to address contemporary subjects, it’s worth diving into the past to rediscover the series that helped build the foundation on which modern television is based.

5

‘Twin Peaks’ (1990–2017)

Image via ABC

Twin Peaks is the most influential show in history because David Lynch completely changed the way that audiences interacted with stories told on the small screen. Lynch disagreed with the format of crime procedurals that dismissed the plight of the victim by turning them into a “case of the week” and wanted to dig into the way that a shocking act of violence actually impacted a community. Twin Peaks told the serialized mystery of “Who killed Laura Palmer?” — the character is a high school prom queen played by Sheryl Lee. Although the show begins as a straightforward investigation into those within her hometown who may have been involved, it evolves into an epic drama about the community itself and how this one burst of violence reveals the ugly truths that lie beneath the surface.

Twin Peaks had a “water cooler effect” because it engaged new viewers with its mysteries and secrets, creating one of the first passionate fandoms. Although the series was cancelled at the end of its second season, Lynch believed strongly in continuing the story and directed the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, which retold the events set right before the show from Laura’s perspective. The film was a financial disappointment that initially vexed fans who had wanted a firm conclusion to the cliffhanger that had ended Season 2, but it has steadily been appreciated as a masterpiece. Lynch finally returned to Twin Peaks in 2017 for a third season on Showtime that ranks among the most experimental, challenging, and complex works of filmmaking ever made and stands as the perfect swan song because it was his last major project.

4

‘The Sopranos’ (1999–2007)

Image via HBO

The Sopranos is perhaps the show most often cited as “the greatest of all time,” and for good reason. David Chase wanted to create a complex psychological drama about a deeply disturbed anti-hero who struggled with the pressures of raising a family, and he merged it with his interest in Italian gangster films. The Sopranos did for mafia-related shows what The Godfather trilogy did for crime cinema; it took a genre that was otherwise considered to be “trashy” and turned it into an epic about loyalty, faith, human frailty, and the death of the American dream. James Gandolfini’s performance was brilliant because he showed vulnerability and humor within a monstrous character, all whilst making it abundantly clear that Tony Soprano was a psychopath who could never be perceived as a hero.

The Sopranos is the rare show that retained a consistent level of quality throughout its run, as it managed to get even more stylistically experimental as it went along. Season 2 showed the thematic and psychological depths the series could go to with “Funhouse,” and Season 3 offered the perfect “one-off” episode with the classic “Pine Barrens,” but it was in the Season 5 episodes “The Test Dream” and “Long Term Parking” that Chase revealed the tragic, mythic storytelling he was aiming for. While initially divisive, The Sopranos’ finale “Made in America” was the perfect way to end the series.

3

‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)

Image via HBO Max

The Wire was a novelty among HBO shows because it was never a massive ratings hit and failed to get much attention from the Primetime Emmy Awards during its run, having only gained the support of critics and niche fans. However, everyone who saw The Wire came away impressed with what David Simon had achieved, making it an essential HBO show. Since Simon was a former crime reporter in Baltimore who had over a decade of experience, he was able to create a highly realistic series about the intersectionality between different infrastructures involved in the drug trade. By heightening the complexity with each season, The Wire felt closer and closer to reality as it went on.

The Wire is the rare show that offers a tremendous amount of practical information regarding the way that American law works, but it’s also highly entertaining and has at least a dozen of the greatest characters in television history. While it’s possible that the show could have gone on for longer had HBO allowed Simon to expand into a Season 6, the five installments that do exist are must-watches for anyone who considers themselves to be a serious television fan.

2

‘The Shield’ (2002–2008)

Image via FX

The Shield was a show that was ahead of its time and now feels more relevant than ever before. While American television has often lionized the role of law enforcement by treating cops as heroes, The Shield exposed the dark side of police corruption through the terrifying anti-hero Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), a member of the LAPD strike force who is involved in both personal intimidation and taking down even more dangerous criminals. The series wrestled with the role that someone like Vic had, as he could both be used as a blunt instrument for good and initiate scandals that caused the entire city to collapse. The Shield refused to give its audience any easy answers, and its ambiguity has only made it age better.

The Shield succeeded in growing in scale with each subsequent season and managed to draw in award-winning guest stars like Glenn Close and Forest Whitaker to make appearances. There might not be a “bad” season of The Shield, but the series finale “Family Meeting” is one of the best of the century, as it offered the most thematically resonant closure for one of the bravest, most confrontational crime shows ever made.

1

’24’ (2001–2014)

Image via FOX

24 redefined what a thriller show could look like because of its novel structure, made even more impressive because it aired on a network that didn’t have the advanced resources of premium cable. Every season of 24 consisted of 24 episodes, with each corresponding to the hour of a single day; the show progressed in real time, allowing audiences to be swept up in the adventures of the CIA counterterrorist agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) as he got to the root of various conspiracies and threats against the American public. The fact that the series began right after 9/11 only fueled the political fire, turning the series into a lightning rod of controversy. Although it might be easy to look at anything from the past that features problematic behavior and claim that it “hasn’t aged well,” 24 didn’t necessarily advocate for Bauer as a flawless hero; in fact, the show often explored the deep-seated corruption in American politics and questioned whether the end justified the means.

24 proved to be a successful franchise that frequently attracted notable actors for guest star roles and was surprisingly able to keep itself on a healthy pace with new seasons released on a yearly basis. A television film was released in-between seasons as a placeholder during the WGA strikes, and Sutherland reprised his role for an extended miniseries in 2014 that, thus far, serves as the final appearance by Bauer. Although there have been rumors about a potential reboot or continuation, it remains to be seen if 24 can be adapted into the modern television era. Nonetheless, it’s a great product of its time, and one that remains more gripping, exhilarating, and emotionally fulfilling than a vast majority of the content that streamers are releasing today.

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24

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Release Date

2001 – 2010-00-00

Showrunner

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Robert Cochran

Directors

Robert Cochran

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Writers

Robert Cochran

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