Steve Howey is leaving High Potential but did his character, Captain Wagner, die before season 3?

During the season 2 finale, Wagner (Howey) was shot and left bleeding out as first responders were called to help. It wasn’t clear whether he survived before news broke that Howey, 48, was exiting the hit ABC series. (Howey was previously cast in upcoming seasons of Off Campus and Ransom Canyon, so he could potentially be written off the show.)

Deadline later confirmed that the season 2 finale marked the last episode as a series regular for Howey. The actor initially wasn’t expected to return due to him signing a one-year deal.

Wagner’s story has not been fully determined yet though and there is a chance Howey could come back as a guest star at the beginning of season 3 to wrap up his arc.

Related: Which ‘High Potential’ Stars Are — And Aren’t — Returning for Season 3?

High Potential is returning for a third season — but not everyone is coming back after that surprise cast exit. The hit ABC series, which premiered in September 2024, follows Morgan (Kaitlin Olson), a high-potential intellectual who teams up with the LAPD to assist the department in solving murders. Morgan gets paired up with Karadec […]

Howey previously teased his arc on the show while speaking exclusively to Us Weekly in September 2025, saying, “Nick comes in and does ruffle some feathers. But his motives and his intentions are not to do that. He wants to help and we start seeing that in different episodes.”

He continued: “That was my fear and my concern. When you have such a lightning in the bottle strong dynamic of these characters, throwing in another character can potentially thrown that off. I’m still working on not doing that. This is going to evolve into something really cool. We don’t know about the chemistry with Nick and Morgan. Obviously there is [something]. But as he’s incrementally gaining more trust with the department, hopefully it gets better and better.”

Howey, for his part, was thrilled at the chance to join one of his favorite shows.

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Related: Shocking TV Exits Through the Years

All good things must come to an end, even when it comes to TV. Over the years, many television stars have suddenly left their roles — while others have been cut from a series without much notice. Anna Faris announced in September 2020 that she was leaving CBS’ Mom after starring as the lead character […]

“The first season was amazing. It is not your usual procedure. I love the insert shots and I love their style. But I have friends in real life that are police officers and are part of the sheriff’s department. So I talked to them and they definitely made fun of me because that’s what they do,” he told Us. “I’m taking my own leeway a little bit about who this guy is and that comes from the writers about who his family is and how they were in law enforcement and now in politics. So he has something to prove to the department and to himself. So it’s fun to work on it and see what comes out of it.”

The decision about Wagner’s future on the show will be made after a new showrunner is found. News broke in March that showrunner Todd Harthan exited the show to focus on the upcoming live-action adaptation of Christopher Paolini’s young adult [YA] book series The Inheritance Cycle. The adaptation — titled Eragon — is cocreated with Paolini and Harthan will serve as coshowrunner alongside Todd Helbing.

High Potential, meanwhile, has been renewed for a third season. All episodes are currently streaming on Hulu.

The crime thriller genre is one of the busiest on streaming, with some of the most popular shows today featuring grizzled problem-solvers facing personal demons on the hunt for justice. However, few of these are better than Ben Watkins‘ Cross, which premiered its second season with three episodes back on February 11. Since its Season 2 debut, this adaptation of James Patterson‘s long-running novel series dropped another five acclaimed episodes, all culminating on March 18 with the finale, “Quemar,” directed by Edward Ornelas.

Led by Aldis Hodge‘s quick-witted, suave detective, Cross Season 2 somehow raised the bar from a stellar first outing, no doubt helped by the eye-catching addition of Scream and Five Nights at Freddy’s favorite Matthew Lillard to the cast. The second season ensemble also included Isaiah Mustafa, Alona Tal, Samantha Walkes, Juanita Jennings, and Caleb Elijah, with the likes of Tiffany K. Guillen, R. T. Thorne, Stacey Muhammad, and Craig Siebels joining Ornelas in directing duties. A synopsis for the second season reads, “Cross is in pursuit of a ruthless vigilante who is hunting down corrupt billionaire magnates.”

Excitingly, and perhaps unsurprisingly, it was announced that Cross had been renewed for Season 3 on the day of the second season finale, with the pursuit of America’s most dangerous killers far from over. Peter Friedlander, Head of Global Television at Amazon MGM Studios, said in a statement about the renewal, “From the beginning, Cross has captivated audiences with its layered characters, pulse-pounding suspense, and emotionally grounded storytelling. Aldis Hodge has delivered a definitive portrayal of Alex Cross, anchoring the series with depth, intelligence, and heart.”

‘Cross’ Has Hit a New Streaming Milestone

Despite it now being almost a month since the second season ended, Cross is continuing to prove popular and hold onto its place in the American streaming charts. At the time of writing, the series has officially surpassed the 50-day mark on the Prime Video top ten. Sadly, in the global top ten, Cross has been overtaken by the likes of the acclaimed fourth season of Invincible, which tops the charts both globally and in the U.S. Other popular shows on Prime Video include the video game adaptation Fallout, the up-and-coming Hero Fiennes Tiffin team-up with directing veteran Guy Ritchie on Young Sherlock, Scarpetta starring Nicole Kidman, and others.

Cross is available to stream on Prime Video. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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November 14, 2024

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Prime Video

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Directors

Craig Siebels, Nzingha Stewart

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Ben Watkins

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Alex Cross

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The third season of “Euphoria” is finally set to debut on HBO, but the prolonged delay leading up to its release reportedly became a growing frustration for its lead, Zendaya. Insiders claim much of that tension was directed at creator Sam Levinson, who was said to be at the center of the holdups.

While production setbacks have been publicly linked to the 2023 actors’ strike and the tragic passing of Angus Cloud, sources claim there’s more brewing beneath the surface. Reports suggest tensions within the cast, including rumored disagreements between the “Dune” actress and Sydney Sweeney.

Zendaya Frustrated With Sam Levinson Over ‘Euphoria’ Delay

Zendaya is said to have reached a breaking point with Levinson over the long-delayed third season of “Euphoria.”

With the installment finally set to premiere on HBO, fans were quick to notice that the “Spider-Man” star was no longer credited as an executive producer, a role she held in the first two seasons. The change reportedly stemmed from the actress’s reduced involvement in the script development process, though she still played a key role in approving the overall storyline.

According to a source who spoke to Vanity Fair, her packed 2025 schedule made it difficult for her to commit behind the scenes fully.

Still, reports suggest the Emmy winner grew increasingly frustrated with Levinson as delays dragged on, especially after she intentionally kept space in her calendar for “Euphoria,” only for production setbacks to derail those plans.

Zendaya Is Not The Only Dissatisfied ‘Euphoria’ Star

The frustration surrounding delays on Season 3 of “Euphoria” doesn’t appear to be limited to Zendaya.

At the show’s recent premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, several cast members raised eyebrows when they noticeably did not join Levinson on stage, an unusual move for a major series launch.

While the stars were present and seated for the screening, many reportedly skipped red carpet interviews, avoided group photos, and kept interactions to a minimum.

Meanwhile, longtime collaborator Labrinth appeared to fan the flames with a cryptic Instagram post suggesting he was breaking the collaboration.

“Double f—k ‘Euphoria.’ I’m out. Thank you and good night,” he wrote.

How Levinson ‘Responded To Zendaya’

Amid all the chatter, Levinson addressed the delays that plagued Season 3 of “Euphoria” during the show’s premiere.

According to Levinson, a mix of industry-wide disruptions and personal losses played a major role in slowing down production.

“The fact that we’re actually here and we’re able to pull this season off, that’s nothing short of a miracle,” he said, per Vanity Fair.

He went on to explain that while the 2023 actors’ strike and the challenge of coordinating a high-demand cast contributed to the gap between seasons, the deeper delay stemmed from the emotional weight of losing members of the “Euphoria” family.

The Death Of Angus Cloud Affected The Script

The long gap between seasons of “Euphoria” was further complicated by heartbreaking losses within the cast, most notably the death of Cloud.

The actor, who played fan-favorite drug dealer Fezco, died from an accidental overdose in July 2023 at just 25 years old. His passing had a profound impact on Levinson, who admitted that the loss reshaped the show’s direction.

“When Angus died, it was tough. I loved him deeply, and I fought hard to keep him clean,” the filmmaker said.

A Fourth Season Is Highly Unlikely

After the breakout success of “Euphoria,” many of its cast members quickly became some of Hollywood’s most in-demand names. This, unironically, made a potential fourth season increasingly difficult to pull off.

Behind the scenes, Levinson also faced his own time constraints. The creator became heavily involved in “The Idol,” a project starring The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, despite initially not being expected to take on such a hands-on role.

Zendaya has in the past hinted that she kept her schedule flexible in hopes of returning to “Euphoria.”

“I will say, I have been off for a couple of years… I’ve been open, just waiting,” Zendaya told Vanity Fair in December 2024.

Sweeney echoed similar frustrations at the time, revealing she had to pass on major opportunities to remain available for the series.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 5 seconds ago

Confession time. I only just now gave Showdown in Little Tokyo a proper watch because I’m lazy, and it’s not streaming on any of the platforms I subscribe to. I host a bad movie podcast with one of my best friends from middle school, and we spend our time railing on bad movies. My co-host absolutely despises The Crow, while I’ve written about the 1994 masterpiece on this site multiple times because it’s the best revenge movie ever made. In an effort to antagonize me, he suggested we review 1991’s Showdown in Little Tokyo, which, despite its 33 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, is just another Brandon Lee masterpiece that I now need to make sure everybody watches because it’s just that awesome.

Until this past weekend, The Crow was my only Brandon Lee reference point, and now I’m bummed out because had he lived through The Crow’s production, he would have been one hell of an action star who would have smoked the competition. This movie has everything you’d ever want to see in a buddy cop comedy, and it’s all thanks to Brandon Lee’s charisma, along with his chemistry with Dolph Lundgren.

Buddy Cops Gonna Buddy Cop

Showdown in Little Tokyo is the ultimate odd-couple comedy once you’re introduced to its protagonists. First, we have Chris Kenner (Dolph Lundgren), an American who was raised in Japan and hates American culture. His new partner, Johnny Murata (Brandon Lee), is an American of Japanese descent who doesn’t care much for tradition. They’re both martial arts experts, and they’re both tasked with taking down members of the Iron Claw yakuza clan operating out of Los Angeles.

Here’s where it gets personal. Chris recognizes the leader of this very clan, Yoshida (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), as the man who killed his parents when he was a child. To complicate matters, Yoshida is a ruthless crime lord who plans to distribute methamphetamines through a brewery he’s using as a front. Ready to kick ass and take names, Chris and Johnny throw hands, empty magazines, and fight their way through Yoshida’s henchmen. 

Along the way, Chris falls for a lounge singer named Minako (Tia Carrere), who’s caught between her career and the criminal world surrounding it, and of course this adds another layer of complications to the premise. Not only do we have a revenge arc, we’ve got a damsel in distress who’s instructed to “shoot anything she sees moving” seconds after being taught how to hold a shotgun.

A Boilerplate Plot Elevated By Its Charismatic Leads

If you’re a fan of the Lethal Weapon, Bad Boys, and Rush Hour franchises, you’ll find that Showdown in Little Tokyo follows all of the same beats, and its storyline is pretty standard. Two guys who shouldn’t stand each other are forced to work together to take down the same bad guy. Nothing new to see here. But within this framework, you get some of the most effortless chemistry you’ll ever see between two leads in this genre. Dolph Lundgren had already established himself as an action star, but this was Brandon Lee’s first major American film role in the United States. He’s so confident from the moment you’re introduced to him that you’d think he had been operating at this level for years.

The one-liners between Lundgren and Lee are corny by design, and you can tell they both understand it’s on them to carry the show. I’m not trying to throw shade at writers Stephen Glantz and Caliope Brattlestreet, or director Mark L. Lester, but the actual story in Showdown in Little Tokyo is about as unremarkable as it gets. It works because you can feel its leads winking at the audience, even if they’re not literally doing it. There are plenty of jokes about how well-endowed they are below the belt, and every exchange lands with a smirk.

When lines like “You have the right to be dead,” and “There are more bad guys than we’ve got bullets” get thrown around by Brandon Lee, right before Dolph Lundgren arms himself to the teeth with swords and daggers, it’s obvious you’re not supposed to take movies like this too seriously. You’re supposed to sit back, let the stars chew the scenery, and watch them start blasting.

Showdown in Little Tokyo delivers this in spades, and it’s a shame that it’s currently hidden behind a paywall. Having thrown down four dollars for this one for research purposes, I don’t regret the rental. If you’re a fan of Brandon Lee, Dolph Lundgren, or buddy cop comedies in general, just know that this one has earned its keep as a cult classic and is worth the purchase. And then you can weep over the fact that we could have had so many more Brandon Lee action movies if his other masterpiece didn’t claim his life. 

Showdown in Little Tokyo SCORE

As of this writing, Showdown in Little Tokyo is available on-demand through YouTube, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Fandango at Home.

Everyone loves a good fantasy series—a product that will take the audiences off their couches and whisk them away to another world unlike their own, because sometimes, the real world is a bit too hard. However, if someone’s going to spend their time in another world, it had better be a good one. One of the best in television history is the series known as Supernatural. It has its critics, sure, but it’s also hard to argue with the whopping 15 seasons they received—even crossing over with the Scooby-Doo franchise.

This doesn’t mean that Supernatural is the greatest fantasy series ever created (well, to most people), though. There have been some iconic, phenomenal television shows from the fantasy genre over the decades, and that’s provided audiences with plenty of them finding themselves being better than one of the pinnacle shows, Supernatural. Whether they’re in a world that reminisces ours, one way far back into the ages of knights, or even a steampunk-ish reality, all of these shows have something that sets them above the rest. Yes… even Supernatural.

‘Arcane’ (2021–2024)

Image via Netflix

One of the greatest series that Netflix originals has ever put out is, without a doubt, the fantasy/science fiction series, Arcane. It’s been able to take over the world because it takes the best of both fantasy and sci-fi genres and merges them into an amazing animated fantasy series with a steampunk makeup job. Based on the fantasy world built within the video game franchise, League of Legends, Arcane is exciting and thrilling. Fans of this franchise would never have guessed it’d birth something like this project, in the best way. This two-season journey made the ever-vast and diverse universe of League of Legends accessible to so many other people who have never touched or even heard of the actual game.

Audiences fell in love with the likes of Vi (Hailee Steinfeld), Jinx (Ella Purnell), Ekko (Reed Shannon), Viktor (Harry Lloyd), Jayce (Kevin Alejandro), and the many other characters in this universe almost immediately in 2021. The way that the show pretty much perfectly blends fantasy with the other steampunk elements that contrast it in all the best ways makes it so engrossing. While it may not last a massive 15 seasons, the two that it did stay on the air for are more than worth the watch and leave viewers feeling satisfied. With the journey they went on. Would people have taken more seasons of Arcane? Most definitely. But many would argue that where it ended is very fulfilling and wrapped things up neatly.

‘Games of Thrones’ (2011–2019)

Based on the extremely popular book series by George R. R. Martin—similarly titled, A Game of Thrones—this HBO show is one of the most impactful and important shows in television history. Game of Thrones was the biggest show in the world for quite some time. It brought record viewership to the studio and that popularity led to an ever-increasing budget, which made it have some of the largest scope on T.V. The first season’s budget was estimated to be somewhere between $50 million and $60 million, eventually leading to the last season having a budget of roughly $15 million per episode. With a budget like that, some amazing content was produced.

While people didn’t enjoy some of the last season, that doesn’t mean that the seven that came before that weren’t awesome. There’s a reason it’s not only become one of the largest television shows ever made, but one of the biggest fantasy franchises, period—up there with The Lord of the Rings. It’s hard not to love something with this much love, care, and effort placed into it. Everyone in the cast—who all gave almost perfect performances—and crew clearly had so much dedication to the series, trying to make it the best it could be (for most of the series). No series is perfect, no, but for the majority of its run, Game of Thrones feels like it came pretty close. Success at the scale and density this series experienced doesn’t just come out of nowhere. It has to be earned, and this show certainly did.

‘Adventure Time’ (2010–2018)

Image via Cartoon Network

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If people are looking for proof that animated shows for all audiences can stand up against and even be better than live-action ones, they need to look no further than the likes of Adventure Time. It has all the makings of a show that can be viewed by younger audiences (goofy humor, bright colors, etc.) but also includes plots, themes, and messages that older audiences can not only enjoy, but that they can relate to, as well. These factors are all the most important things that are needed to make a successful animated series, also making Adventure Time a show that helped set the standard for modern 2010s cartoons—fantasy or otherwise. Adventure Time was so successful that it got to run an incredible 10 seasons, a whole eight years. The world is beyond fun, with diverse biomes all across their planet that are fun, funky, and very fantasy-inspired.

The lighthearted tone is a huge part of what makes it so enjoyable to such a wide array of audiences, and, even to this day, it remains one of the best fantasy shows out there, given how much it can stand out among the rest. It’s not an easy genre to stand out in, either, which makes Adventure Time all the more impressive in the long run. Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio) and Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada) are a duo that are super entertaining to watch, and their friendship solidifies itself as the beating heart of the show. Everyone loves a sweet, “hopecore” show about friendship and how important it is.

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ (2026–Present)

Image via HBO

With how successful Game of Thrones ended up being, it only makes sense that HBO cashed in on that success and branched it off into a franchise, based on other works by George R. R. Martin. The most successful and well-received of the two that have come after the 2011 show is, without a doubt, this year’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. This project takes a far more grounded and intimate approach to storytelling in comparison to Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, which has helped people connect to it more, and invest deeper into the characters. After two whole shows that have gigantic casts with multiple protagonists, getting to sit back and take a journey with just two

Following the two underdog characters known as Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a prequel to Games of Thrones and a sequel to House of the Dragon. This newborn series shows that the franchise from George R. R. Martin has the potential to keep living, despite what some thought after the first prequel series’ second season. The world in this universe is a vast one filled with many characters left to meet and stories left to tell. People want more Game of Thrones and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is proof of why exactly that is. Regardless if one thinks the franchise as a whole should continue, almost everyone who’s seen it can say that, without a doubt, they want to see more of Ser Duncan the Tall and the ever-lovable Egg.

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (2005–2008)

Image via Nickelodeon

Avatar: The Last Airbender is not only a great fantasy series, but is genuinely one of the greatest television shows ever put on screen, still being hailed as such over 20 years after it aired for the first time. The animation—done by the exceptional Nickelodeon Animation Studio—is fluid, fast-paced, and extremely expressive. It’s one of the most well-animated Nickelodeon shows of all time. That, paired with the beautiful, anime-based art style, makes Avatar: The Last Airbender a visual marvel the entire way through. Thousands of frames from this series could be hung on the wall of an art gallery, and the art only continues to get better, sharper, and cleaner as the series progresses into its second and third seasons.

To make matters better, on the other hand of the series—directing and storytelling—there’s just as much quality, if not more so. Avatar: The Last Airbender can be a genuine masterclass in good storytelling, character writing, and natural-feeling dialogue work. Not to mention, the same that was said about this show’s art applies to writing, too—it truly does only improve as the episodes goes on and the characters and plots are allowed to grow and expand. Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the creators of the series, created something that branched into a franchise that truly feels like it had the legs to last for a very long time, still being actively developed today. All of this was only made possible because of how genuinely amazing Avatar: The Last Airbender truly is, and the way that it has stood the test of time to still be one of the best of the best to this very day.

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Avatar: The Last Airbender

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Release Date

2005 – 2008

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Nickelodeon

Showrunner

Michael Dante DiMartino

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Directors

Giancarlo Volpe, Ethan Spaulding, Lauren MacMullan, Dave Filoni, Joaquim Dos Santos, Anthony Lioi

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It’s no spoiler to reveal that Ruth Ellis (Lucy Boynton), the lead character in the new four-episode crime show A Cruel Love,  died by hanging on July 13, 1955. Ruth was a real woman who committed a very real crime: She shot her lover, David Blakely (Laurie Davidson), on Easter the year of her death. But what led the nightclub hostess to carry out such a horrible act?

That’s the question behind A Cruel Love, BritBox’s excellent true-crime drama that explores Ruth’s motivations behind David’s murder, the subsequent trial that dominated the tabloid press and her death by execution, which is still the last time a woman was put to death for her crimes in the United Kingdom. 

This story has been told before, most notably in the 1985 film Dance with a Stranger, but never as absorbing and detailed as it is here. As Ellis, Boynton is never better playing a woman left with few options in life. The show convincingly evokes a period when scandal could ruin reputations and a crime of passion could captivate a still-innocent public.

“Real Housewives of New Jersey” OG Teresa Giudice has had a contentious relationship with her brother, Joe, and his wife, Melissa Gorga, for years on air. Today, however, the trio is in the best place they’ve been in a long time. On an episode of the “Couple Things” podcast, Giudice touched on her surprise reconciliation with the Gorgas and shared her hopes for the future.

Teresa Giudice Is Taking ‘Baby Steps’ With Brother, Joe, And His Wife, Melissa Gorga, After Years Of Feuding

According to a previous report from The Blast, Giudice, Gorga, and Dolores Catania are returning to “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” following a nearly two-year hiatus. Despite cameras going back up, it’s unclear whether Giudice will actually shoot with Joe and Melissa.

“It’s baby steps and we’re not sure if we’re going to film together or not,” Giudice said. “Bravo hasn’t said anything. But, if we do … there’s a running joke that I don’t watch my show, but this time I’m going to definitely watch it.”

For those who may be unfamiliar, Giudice has feuded with her family on the show since the early 2000s. Things took a sharp turn, though, in 2024 when they decided they wanted nothing to do with each other.

“You know what the best thing to do is? Forget about me, I will forget about you. That’s it. Do your thing, leave me alone, leave everybody alone, live your f–king lives,” Joe said during an episode.

Teresa Giudice Hopes They Will Have ‘Each Other’s Backs’ During The Upcoming Season Of ‘Real Housewives Of New Jersey’

Now that they’re officially on good terms, the show can move forward. However, Giudice said that she doesn’t want drama with her family this time around.

“Hopefully, we’ll both have each other’s backs. That’s all I want. I love that. I want to show America what my family was really about, how I was raised. My brother and I always had each other’s backs,” she said.

Melissa Gorga Opened Up About Reconciling With Teresa Giudice At BravoCon 2025

Giudice’s reconciliation with Joe and Melissa came just before BravoCon 2025. At the massive fan convention, Melissa opened up about their relationship, saying she and her husband were “relieved” that things were moving in the right direction.

“I saw my husband’s relief, and for me, that’s the most important thing. It’s the siblings, and it’s the kids, and this trickles down,” she told Us Weekly. “To see the relief in Joe’s eyes and in his face, to me, I’m like, ‘I’m game. Let’s go. Let’s do this.’”

According to The Blast, Melissa believes things will be different this time around, given that the families are in a much different place. “Let’s just say that… everybody’s working on it. We’re working on it. We’re trying to move forward and we’ve, you know, hashed a lot of things out privately without all of this. And I think that’s a good thing,” she said.

Major Changes Coming To Bravo Ahead Of Season 15 Of ‘RHONJ’

While Melissa, Giudice, and Catania are all set to return to “RHONJ,” several familiar faces have already announced their departures.

Margaret Josephs, who spent seven years on the show, got candid about her exit in an Instagram post, saying she reached the decision to move on after much self-reflection.

“I’ve been thinking about a lot of different things, and I am moving on from The [Real] Housewives of New Jersey,” she said.

Josephs went on to say the “timing” was right, noting that she was working on other projects. “I realized I have to spend more time with my family, work on my designing, and just take a break and move on,” she finished.

Before she officially closed the door on the “Real Housewives,” a source close to the show claimed Josephs was fired from the series after refusing to work with Giudice and her husband, Luis Ruelas.

“She’s a dynamic personality who has made a splash on RHONJ since joining the series, and of course, there are many fans who want her back,” the insider said. “But she’s not willing to compromise her personal values or be around people she feels wish her family harm, as she said on the last episode of the show.”

Bravo figurehead and “Real Housewives” executive producer Andy Cohen also commented on the casting news and praised the “three queens” who signed back on for another season.

While he didn’t share any other details, Cohen said getting “RHONJ” back into production was a difficult challenge.

“This has been a journey. We have gone through, this has been a long and winding road to get to this place and I’m very excited. What we owe you is a good show, so that’s what we want to deliver,” he said.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 7 seconds ago

When I fired up Thrash (2026), I immediately knew people were going to hate this movie for all the wrong reasons. Within a day of its Netflix premiere, Rotten Tomatoes had already delivered its death blow, with critics and audiences alike tanking Thrash’s reputation overnight with a 37 percent approval rating across the board. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what went wrong here, but I’m going to break it down anyway because it’s a fascinating look at the at moviegoers who may not be in on the joke, or simply don’t want to be.

Thrash Was Released With A Straight Face

Thrash plays like a straight-up disaster thriller. A category 5 hurricane absolutely destroys an east coast town. Then, out of nowhere, there are bull sharks circling submerged houses under the leadership of a great white that will stop at nothing to eat anything in its path. Everybody panics. A lot of people die. The storm rages on, and a series of convenient plot devices fall into place at just the right moment.

At face value, Thrash sounds like any other low-budget B-movie thriller, but there’s one key distinction. The film was written and directed by Tommy Wirkola, best known for writing and directing the Dead Snow films, both of which are horror satires. He also directed 2022’s Violent Night, a black comedy action flick starring David Harbour as a violent, alcoholic Santa Claus who also happens to be a Viking warrior with a taste for extreme brutality.

With that context in mind, Thrash becomes a lot more fun because it has a perfect poker face. Every character plays everything completely straight, despite the fact that it’s all clearly ridiculous.

How do I know this? I don’t, not for sure. I avoid reading about films before watching them because I like forming my own opinions. I just want to experience the thing. But right off the bat, I was reminded of 2008’s The Happening, M. Night Shyamalan’s most misunderstood film. People criticized the wooden acting and absurd premise, but it was never meant to be taken seriously, no matter how straight-faced Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel play it.

Thrash operates in the same lane. When the hurricane hits, the levee breaks, and sharks become the primary threat, why else would a tanker truck full of animal blood that just so happens to be in the area conveniently spill to chum the water? I’m all for plot devices moving a story forward, but when it’s that on the nose, coming from a filmmaker known for subversion, it feels intentional.

Signs Of Satire Aplenty

Here are some other clues that tell me Thrash is in on the joke. Our protagonist Dakota (Whitney Peak) has agoraphobia and refuses to leave her house when an evacuation order is issued. Flooding. Sharks. Doesn’t matter. Meanwhile, her uncle, Dr. Dale Edwards (Djimon Honsou), just so happens to be a marine researcher who conveniently has everything he needs to show up at the perfect moment to save her, right when she’s about to overcome her fears because she’s not certain help is on the way.

Then there’s Lisa (Phoebe Dynevor), who is nine months pregnant and stranded in town. If you’re thinking it would be unfortunate for her water to break, forcing her to give birth in shark-infested floodwaters, with her placenta essentially functioning as bait, you’re not going to believe this. That is exactly what happens.

There’s also a separate plotline involving foster siblings Dee (Alyla Browne), Ron (Stacy Clausen), and Will (Dante Ubaldi), who live with their abusive foster father, Billy (Matt Nable). Billy uses his stipend, that’s meant to raise his foster kids, to stockpile expensive steaks in his downstairs fridge along with an arsenal of weapons and explosives that are obviously going to come into play later.

Not Getting The Joke Doesn’t Make It A Bad Movie

Every scenario in Thrash is pushed as far as it can go. Every character is one-dimensional to a fault until they’re forced to face their problems head on. Every setup pays off exactly how you expect. Everyone in this world behaves like they’re unaware of this, while fully committing to every trope you see coming, and they do it all with a completely serious tone.

One quick look at the Rotten Tomatoes reviews tells me people simply don’t get this movie, and it may take time for audiences to catch up with it. One review says, “The sharks are the best actors.” Others go with, “Thrash = Trash! Worst movie I’ve ever seen in my life,” and “Condolences to leading lady Phoebe Dynevor who deserved better.”

It’ll be interesting to see how time treats Thrash. Even now, people still don’t fully appreciate The Happening for what it is, despite its creator going on record saying it was always meant to play like a big-budget B-movie. Tommy Wirkola is being more subtle here because Thrash is marketed as a straight survival thriller, but it’s also not his fault if you’re not picking up on the obvious wink and nod he’s going for here.

If you want to be in on the joke, you have to meet it halfway. Nobody is going to spell it out for you. But if you’re avoiding the film because of the early reviews, I’d seriously reconsider.

Go into Thrash knowing exactly what it is: an intentionally schlocky B-movie meant to sit somewhere between Jaws and Sharknado. It’s trying to be serious and ridiculous at the same time. Within that framework, it works shockingly well. You just have to understand what you’re getting into, because the delivery is so deadpan you might miss it entirely if you don’t know who’s behind it.

Thrash is a Netflix Original and is currently streaming with an active subscription.