[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for Season 3 of Shrinking.]

In Season 3 of the Apple TV series Shrinking, Liz (Christa Miller) and Derek (Ted McGinley) have had a few things to work out, between their sons’ life decisions, Derek’s health scare, a visit from Liz’s cranky mother-in-law (Candice Bergen), being part of the support system to get Alice (Lukita Maxwell) off to college, and a desire to help with Brian’s (Michael Urie) newborn. Through it all, the love Liz and Derek have for each other always shines through, even more so after realizing how precious life truly is. And while they might see their next chapter becoming grandparents a little differently, they also know that they can find their way through together.

During this interview with Collider, co-stars Miller and McGinley discussed how Derek’s health scare changed things, the honor of working with Bergen, whether Derek’s mother might be let into the house again sometime, Liz’s loyalty to her friends, the fun of finding the comedic beats with this cast, Derek’s awkward balcony behavior, their reactions to becoming grandparents, and what Derek and Liz’s trip could entail.

Collider: I love Derek, and I want Derek to be my neighbor and friend.

TED McGINLEY: Thank you so much. By the way, I want Derek to be my neighbor too. He would be a great neighbor. But he would peek, so you’d better keep your windows closed. He does have that issue.

Liz and Derek Love Each Other Through All Their Imperfections in ‘Shrinking’ Season 3

“She comes around to making some compromises in their marriage.”

Derek has a little bit of a health scare this season. What is that like for him to deal with, and how is that for Liz to handle?

McGINLEY: What was really beautiful this season, when Derek has the health scare, is that Liz is very tough. She has a really tough, fast-moving exterior. But in that moment, you saw how much she needed Derek, and you saw what Derek really means to her. Derek understands that underneath that tough exterior is this loving, beautiful, kind, sweet little girl who doesn’t want to get hurt and who is capable of real love. I thought it was beautiful to see that this season. You see why they need each other, and then you see how their boys fit into their world. I just thought it was so cool and layered and sweet and real. They’re so fallible and so imperfect, like all these characters. I think that’s why so many people respond to this show. There’s not a single perfect character.

CHRISTA MILLER: When I was working on it, I thought, “This is a blessing in disguise for Liz.” She’s been searching and trying to figure out what she’s going to do. She’s an empty-nester and she’s lonely. And then, in front of her, she has this handsome, sexy husband, and I think they have a fantastic sex life, who she laughs with and who she loves. I think it’s a realization for her that that relationship is so important to her. I think she comes around to making some compromises in their marriage and realizing that it really was a blessing in disguise.

Ted, because of Derek’s health scare, we get to see Candice Bergen as Derek’s mother in episode seven. What was that like to navigate?

McGINLEY: I thought it was funny that they went there with the writing because we’ve set up what that relationship is with Liz and Derek’s mom. The genius of these writers is that nothing happens by accident on this show. They are so smart. When Candice Bergen was cast as my mom, that’s TV royalty. That’s Hollywood royalty. She’s a master class, and she is the embodiment of class. It was pretty exciting to have her come on, and it was really fun. Christa [Miller] and Candice knew each other a little beforehand, I think, so they’ve had some history. It was fun to watch. And they went right into it. It was like watching a jousting match from two feet away. I loved it. It was brilliant.

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‘Shrinking’ Season 3 Review: One of Apple TV’s Best, Most Heartfelt Comedy Series Should End Here

Will this be the last we see of Jimmy and his found family?

Christa, how does it feel to be called Elizabitch by Candice Bergen? Is it just an honor to have her call you any name?

MILLER: Oh, my God. When I found out that she was going to come play Ted’s mother, there had been a buildup to it. We referenced it in the first two seasons that I loathe her and I don’t let her stay in my house. I don’t let her within a hundred feet of my house. And because of this situation, she has to come and stay in the house. It was the most fun. You feel so alive. Sometimes in acting, you feel like you don’t even remember what’s happening because you can’t even describe it. You’re so in the flow. And that happened with Candice. I remember the first scene I had with her, all the writers came in, and they were all looking at the scenes, and I could hear them laughing. I went, “They’re not going to be able to use it if you just keep laughing off set.”

The moment in episode seven when Derek runs away from home to get his wife and his mother to stop fighting brought Liz and his mother together to talk it out. The visual of the two of you sitting side by side, both in button-down shirts and pants and you both have hats on is hilarious, but you also share a moment of real understanding together. How did you feel about that moment? Do you think it actually changed anything between them after that?

MILLER: I don’t know. I really don’t know. I know that it was great to be able to have a sense of understanding with her. At the end, they still had a little friction, but I think that she probably would be allowed to come to the house again. I think she’d be allowed to be in the house. That rule might be thrown out the window. I don’t know. I’m not sure.

Christa Miller Is a Different Kind of Parent Than Her ‘Shrinking’ Character Liz

“No matter what you do, you’re going to make mistakes as a parent.”

Image via Apple TV

Liz has raised her boys, she’s helped with Alice, and she’s helping with Brian’s newborn, but things aren’t going quite as well, now that her sons are young men. How does she feel about her sons, about where they’re at, and about how she’s handling things with them? Is it particularly frustrating for her to not be able to get through to them in the same way that she gets through to everybody else?

MILLER: She has so many plates spinning this season. It starts out that she’s the mom with Brian’s baby and knows everything about everything and raised her kids perfectly. She was the helicopter mom and did all of these things, but you just don’t know what’s going to happen with your kids. And then, she makes a terrible parenting mistake that her son won’t let her repair. For Liz, I think she feels like she’s going to die. Liz and I are so different. For me, if my kid does something bratty, and then they’re calling me, I’m like, “You can stew for a couple hours.” Liz would never do that. No matter what you do, you’re going to make mistakes as a parent. I don’t think Liz ever thought she made one mistake as a parent, ever.

Ted, how does Derek feel about how their sons are doing this season? Between Will, Matt and Connor, do you see pieces of Derek in each of them? Do you feel like he more closely identifies with one over the others?

McGINLEY: It’s funny, there’s a lot of Derek in Matthew because Matthew is a very open soul. You see him change this season, and that’s when I really saw a lot of Derek in Matthew. Will is very driven and on it. Will is a force. He’s got a lot of Liz in him. All three boys are, at the root, great people. They’re good human beings. Their foundation is great. I think they’re going to be fine. Liz has been the tough love and Derek has always been their buddy to throw the football with and talk it out. But what Derek has learned is that sometimes you’ve got to be like, “No, that’s enough. We’ve got to move forward. Derek had to man up, and he learned as well as Matthew that there are times you just have to stand up and say, “It’s time for a change.”

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‘Shrinking’ Star Reacts to Episode 7’s Heartbreaking Loss and How It Changes Everything for Sean

Luke Tennie also talks about his roles in ‘Abbott Elementary’ and ‘The Pitt,’ and his experience working on all three series.

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Christa, in episode nine, Liz barges into Paul’s office to yell at him about Gaby. What do you love most about the friendship that they have? And what is it also like to be able to just barge into Harrison Ford’s office and yell at him?

MILLER: I get the scripts, and I’m like, “What are you doing?,” which makes it so fun. She just thinks she can say and do everything. She’s so loyal to her friends and will defend them and come in and yell at them. They’re my favorite scenes to do with Paul. We laugh. And also, just playing it with Harrison, his character is looking at Liz like, “Who are you to walk into my office?” It’s the most fun. I don’t know if anyone else has that relationship with him. Everyone else is a little scared of him. Liz is not scared of him at all.

Does it work the same way with the two of you guys as actors? Are you not scared of Harrison Ford at all? Do you get in your own head when you work with him?

MILLER: Well, Harrison makes it so that he’s an actor, and he doesn’t come with all that stuff. I did know Harrison before the show. Harrison is also my neighbor. In real life, because I’m so different than Liz, I wouldn’t come [at him like that]. Although yesterday, I saw him and I did torture him a little. He tortures me endlessly.

He Might Be Her ‘Shrinking’ Co-Star, but Christa Miller Is Also a Fan of Harrison Ford

“I loved him in ‘Working Girl.’”

Image via Apple TV

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Since we all love him, what is your favorite Harrison Ford movie and why?

MILLER: I loved the Amish movie, Witness. I loved him in Working Girl. Yeah. Harrison Ford is one of those actors that, because I like to sometimes just go into my guide on my TV and see whatever movies are on, if he’s in it, I’ll watch it. He’s one of those actors to me.

He spans all genres.

MILLER: Yes. And also, I love the movie where he’s the horrible husband to Michelle Pfeiffer (What Lies Beneath). He’s still so handsome. I find Harrison Ford very handsome.

Liz learns in episode ten that her son’s girlfriend is pregnant. How does she really feel about the news, specifically as it pertains to that particular son? How different do you think being a grandparent will be for Liz to navigate?

MILLER: Oh, my God, I don’t know what they’re going to do. I hope Liz has learned something this season about being a nosy body into people’s parenting choices. I think she’s excited. Will has his life together more, so I don’t think she’s as worried as she would be if it was one of her younger sons. Will has more things going on and a job. I think that’s why she’s okay with it. I think she’s going to be crazy.

What Could Liz and Derek’s Trip Across Europe Look Like for the ‘Shrinking’ Characters?

“Derek is going to be so in the moment.”

Image via Apple TV

If we were to catch up with them on this trip that they’re taking before they become grandparents, what do you think we’d see them doing? How well do you think that trip will ultimately turn out for them?

McGINLEY: That’s actually a really good question because there’s so much going on. Liz already knows everything, so she’s not going to be looking at any books on how to do anything. Derek is going to be so in the moment that he says, “Let’s just get on a scooter. I’ll get some Speedos. We’ll get some baguettes and some sausage and sit by the seaside. Off we go!” Derek could go into that very easily. And we’ll deal with being grandparents when we get there. Liz is going to have a hard time just going along for the ride. She is always going to have a hard time sitting on the back of a scooter.

I love the little throwaway jokes on this show – the ones that you sometimes miss and have to go back because you don’t realize quite what happened. One of my favorites this season is in episode 10, when Gaby and Brian are sitting at the counter at Derek and Liz’s, and Derek says, “I want to eat fruit that smells like butt,” And then, you have the whole exchange between Gaby and Brian saying, “May I suggest trying real butt?” And him saying, “It’s overrated.” What’s it like to find those comedic beats with this cast?

McGINLEY: Brilliant writing. That’s all writing. You get to watch how these amazing actors flavor the writing. When I read that, I said, “Are you kidding me?!” At rehearsal, we all go through it once. And then, when they turn it on, half the time, you can’t keep a straight face. We’ve had some great moments, along the way. And you’re right, the genius are those little bits that come and go. You never know what Jessica [Williams] is going to do, and it’s really fun to sit opposite her and try to keep a straight face.

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‘Shrinking’ Star Reveals Her Favorite Season 3 Harrison Ford Moment: “It’s So Important”

Lukita Maxwell also discusses what it was like to shoot that special moment between Alice and Sean.

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Personally, I cannot help but find it amusing that Derek felt so compelled to pee out on his balcony that it just becomes a thing for him. What is your favorite Derek balcony moment this season and who was it with?

McGINLEY: There’s a moment when he’s watching Sean and his new girlfriend, and he’s like, “Oh, it’s so much fun to see this young, hot, biracial couple.” Derek doesn’t know how to be cool like that. Derek is interested. He’s looking, if he can, which makes me laugh.

Derek is literally the neighborhood watch, but in a way that’s so endearing, you can’t help but be okay with it, even if it creeps you out a little bit.

McGINLEY: Derek feels like, if you leave your window open, you want to be seen. He knows that if you shut the window, of course he’s not going to look. But if you leave it open, you probably want to be seen. That’s Derek’s thought.

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Release Date

January 27, 2023

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Network

Apple TV

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Shrinking is available to stream on Apple TV.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 58 seconds ago

Netflix has many faults as a streamer, including those constantly increasing subscription prices and the growing library of slop they call original movies. However, one of the streaming platform’s greatest strengths is the sheer amount of stand-up comedy available on the platform. There are comedians for every kind of humor, and Netflix deserves credit for giving many of these artists a bigger stage than they might have otherwise achieved on their own.

One such comedian is Taylor Tomlinson, who already had three absolutely hilarious specials on Netflix. Recently, she debuted her latest special, Taylor Tomlinson: Prodigal Daughter. Directed by the titular funnywoman, this special is a deeply personal exploration of sex, religion, and even AI. The result is the rarest kind of stand-up comedy, one with both laugh-until-you-cry vulgar jokes and poignant reflections that might just change your life.

Sunday Sermon Is Now In Session

In case you skipped Sunday school, Prodigal Daughter is a play on the biblical tale of the prodigal son who runs away, squanders his inheritance, and then gets welcomed back with open arms by his father. In the context of the Bible, this is a parable about how forgiveness is the highest form of love. Of course, Taylor Tomlinson turns this into a gag about being the eldest kid and getting outraged at how much your parents let your younger siblings get away with while expecting you to be absolutely perfect.

That’s a sample of how Tomlinson deftly walks a very tight rope with Prodigal Daughter. Given the name and the fact that she filmed this special in a church, you might think that the show was going to be constantly dunking on Christians for their beliefs. Instead, religion serves as a playful springboard to examine the various quirks and neuroses that make us all human, which unite us just as much as any set of shared beliefs.

From Faith To Fetishes

One of my favorite examples of this is when she discusses how she’s never had the certainty that Christians possess when they say they “just know” that God is real. According to Tomlinson, the only time she had “just known something” was when she had diarrhea. But, as she jokes (in a moment that is all too familiar to all of us), that is an incident that always causes her to pray.

Fittingly enough for a comedy special named after a biblical parable, Prodigal Daughter has a kind of confessional quality to it: Taylor Tomlinson gets quite personal about the ways she sabotages relationships (like asking her boyfriend if he’d want to break up if they found out they were cousins) and her real fear of AI (namely, that she’d be one of the weird odd who falls in love with it. These are the hilarious sins which she confesses to an audience who can only absolve her through their laughter. 

Father, Forgive Me, For I Have Joked

However, the confessional nature of her comedy is secretly an invitation for the audience to extend the same grace and forgiveness to themselves for their own neurotic foibles. That radical forgiveness of ourselves by ourselves is that much easier because Tomlinson’s hilarious gags remind us that we are not alone (and never have been), even in our deepest, most isolating weirdness.

As with her previous specials, Taylor Tomlinson is arguably at her unhinged and hilarious best when joking about sex. There’s a delightfully deranged bit about getting jealous of her robot boyfriend and the dishwasher (“is her rack bigger than mine?”) that I think about at least once a day (especially the raunchy bubbles bit). She also has a gag about what women look at during certain sexual positions that, I dare say, might change how you make love (or at least which videos you leave running on YouTube!).

Can I Get An Amen?

Honestly, it’s tough for me to avoid fanboying too hard over Taylor Tomlinson. I have been a huge fan since her first Netflix special, loved her as the host of After Midnight, and even took the missus to see her last comedy tour. Her Save Me tour directly inspired Prodigal Daughter, so my only real worries going into this special were that the jokes would be familiar or that it would not match the hilarious intensity of the previous special.

Fortunately, my fears were all for naught: from beginning to end, Prodigal Daughter is filled with the same self-effacing, trauma-powered, sexually transgressive humor that made me fall in love with her comedy in the first place. Obviously, if you don’t like jokes about sex, death, and religion (arguably the three pillars of modern society), you should sit this one out. Otherwise, you should definitely watch Prodigal Daughter on Netflix. While you’re there, check out her other specials if you want to entertain a few friends or just treat yourself to a comedy that does what Dave Chappelle stopped making us do long ago: actually laugh!

By Robert Scucci
| Published 31 seconds ago

1988’s Crime Zone is what you get when Blade Runner and 1984 are tossed into a blender, with the whole thing executive-produced by Roger Corman. The result is a gritty, low-budget sci-fi action flick that leans hard into familiar dystopian themes. The common man lives under a tyrannical, totalitarian government, intimacy is illegal, wars are fought on multiple fronts, and everybody is just trying to make the best of their suffering while hoping there are enough rations to go around. It’s a bleak place, but dare I say, a stylish one.

While far from an original premise, even by 1988 standards, Crime Zone remains a fun flick about escaping a retro-futuristic hellhole that feels a little too easy to imagine. For me, it’s the ultimate form of wish fulfillment. One day, when it’s us against us, eating whatever slop the government hands out before they execute our fellow citizens on live TV under the guise of protecting the proletariat, you’d hope the escape is as sexy and vibrant as it is in Crime Zone.

A Rebel, And His Babe, With A Cause

Bone (Peter Nelson) is the perfect protagonist in Crime Zone because when we meet him, he’s getting fired from his government job for insubordination. He hates authority and blindly following rules “just because.” Living in the police state known as Soleil, and belonging to the socioeconomic group known as “subgrades,” Bone and his friends, Creon (Michael Shaner), J.D. (Don Manor), and Alexi (Orlando Sacha), spend their spare time shooting pool at one of many government-sanctioned brothels. That’s where Bone meets and quickly becomes infatuated with a prostitute named Helen (Sherilyn Fenn).

Though Bone and Helen quickly become an item, Soleil forbids unauthorized romantic or sexual activity, meaning they have to keep their relationship a secret. Fed up with the current state of affairs, and ready to jump each other at a moment’s notice, they resolve to escape the oppressive regime and start over beyond its fortified borders.

They turn to robbery to raise funds, but their plans change when they’re confronted by a mysterious man named Jason (David Carradine), who gives them an offer they can’t refuse.

Jason, always smoking a cigar and showing up at suspicious times, tells Bone and Helen that if they help him steal classified records from a government building, he’ll help them leave Soleil and guide them to Frodan, another nation-state that might offer a better life.

The problem is Jason keeps moving the goalposts after they do his bidding, which eventually leads to the couple robbing a bank for extra funds. Now fugitives, they need to figure out an escape plan on their own, though Jason continues showing up at the worst possible moments, his motives becoming clearer with each encounter. With no one to trust and everybody looking to make an example out of them via public execution, our heroes have to figure out how to get out, even when it already feels like game over for Bone and Helen.

Gritty, Sexy, And All Too Familiar

Crime Zone isn’t the most original movie, but for a low-budget B-movie aesthetic, it’s a solid romp through an industrial wasteland that doesn’t feel too far removed from where society could be heading. If you’re fluent in the cinematic language found in Blade Runner, RoboCop, and the Terminator films, you might scoff because you’ve seen it all before. Watching it in a vacuum, though, is a rewarding experience. It wears its tropes on its sleeve, but they work shockingly well in this context.

Movies like Crime Zone were everywhere in the 80s, and your mileage will vary depending on how deep you’ve gone with the genre. For what it’s worth, Crime Zone has enough twists to keep things engaging, a believable level of action for a police state setting, and just enough moral ambiguity between our heroes and their mysterious guide to keep you guessing well into the third act. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it spins hard enough to justify 96 minutes of your time.

As of this writing, Crime Zone is streaming for free on Tubi.

Summer House’s Amanda Batula was looking for a “younger man” prior to confirming her romance with West Wilson.

In a video interview with Marie Claire magazine, published by the outlet across its social media accounts on March 3, Amanda, 34, detailed exactly what she was searching for. “I am manifesting a man, I am manifesting myself a younger man, something for fun, just, you know, just someone to heal me,” she said with a laugh at the time.

Although Amanda and her costar, 28, were yet to confirm their romance, fans of the Bravo reality TV series were beginning to speculate about their connection online at the time.

The interview also saw Amanda revealing how “unstoppable” she felt just two months after announcing her split from estranged husband Kyle Cooke following four years of marriage. “Honestly, I feel like I’m on cloud nine,” she told the outlet. “The past two weeks, I’ve never been happier.”

Related: Summer House’s Amanda and West Break Silence on Romance Rumors

Summer House costars Amanda Batula and West Wilson are speaking out after “speculation” about their relationship status. “We’ve seen the growing online speculation, so while this is still very new, we wanted to provide some clarity,” read an Instagram statement on Tuesday, March 31. “It was never our intention to purposely hide anything. Given the […]

Amanda and West confirmed their romance via a joint Instagram post on Tuesday, March 31. “We’ve seen the growing online speculation, so while this is still very new, we wanted to provide some clarity,” the pair’s statement read. “It was never our intention to purposely hide anything. Given the complicated relationship dynamics involved and the scrutiny that comes with being on a reality show, we needed a little space to process things privately before speaking on it.”

The statement continued, “We’ve shown up for each other as friends over the years, through all the highs and lows, and what’s developed recently was the last thing either of us expected. Our connection grew out of a genuine, longstanding friendship, which made it especially important for us to approach this with care.”

Amanda’s Marie Claire interview also discussed how she didn’t want anything more than “just a boyfriend,” with the reality TV star explaining she wasn’t after anybody “who’s looking for anything serious.” Instead, she spoke about a younger person to “have fun” with after she’d “always dated older.” (Kyle, 43, is approximately nine years older than her.)

Amanda ultimately declared, “For now, while I heal, I just want to flirt and make out.”

Amanda’s relationship with West shocked fans due to her close friendship with West’s ex Ciara Miller. Additionally, West and Kyle had forged a friendship.

Ciara, 30, is yet to address the romance revelation but did seemingly throw shade at the new couple while interviewing the cast of Your Friends & Neighbors in New York City for the show’s season 2 premiere on Monday, March 30.

Although it was one night prior to Amanda and West’s Instagram announcement, Ciara told Jon Hamm, one of the Apple TV drama’s stars, that she had “been better” when he asked how she was.

Brandy is looking back on a relationship from her younger years, offering her reflections on the romance from a more mature perspective in her memoir. The singer dated Boyz II Men’s Wanya Morris when she was in her teens, and in hindsight, she realized there was “something wrong” with the age-gap coupling.

Brandy Revealed Details In Her Memoir

R&B singer Brandy is revealing details about her past in her new memoir, “Phases,” released on March 31. In it, Brandy confirmed that she was once involved in a romantic relationship with Wanya Morris, one of the members of the vocal harmony group Boyz II Men. At that time, she was 16 and Morris was 22.

The two met in 1994 when they collaborated on the song “Brokenhearted,” which was included in Brandy’s self-titled album released the following year. The two got to know each other while working together, and their relationship turned into romance. However, they kept it secret.

“I was in over my head. Sneaking around with Wanya and lying to my parents had become a constant,” Brandy wrote, adding that her parents didn’t allow her to date at that time.

The Singer Said They Knew The Relationship Would Be Scandalous

Brandy revealed that she and Morris knew that going public with their relationship would be a problem. While a six-year age gap may not have seemed so significant, she was still a minor at the time.

“Wanya and I understood, with diamond-cut clarity that public knowledge of our relationship would ignite scandal, potentially everything we’d both worked for, so he and I opted for elaborate fiction: we would pretend patience and claim we were waiting until my eighteenth birthday before pursuing any romantic connection,” Brandy confessed.

Morris spoke in 2021 about meeting Brandy, saying she became a “protege” and their friendship developed into romance when she was of legal age. He said, “There’s no lie going on here. You can ask Brandy and she will tell you the same story.” With Brandy’s revelations in her memoir, however, it seems there are inconsistencies in their timelines.

Brandy Believed She Was In Love

She revealed that she planned to save herself for marriage. However, she believed they were in love at that time, and she changed her mind, thinking that “having sex with him would cement our bond.” Recalling the time she lost her virginity to Morris, she said the experience was like Morris “getting what he wanted from someone too young to recognize she was being used.”

Further into their relationship, Brandy said Morris started comparing her to others. Looking back, she realized there were so many red flags that she says are now “obvious.”

“Neon warning signs that I chose to ignore because I didn’t know what the hell I was doing, or what he was doing with me. Just that I was in love — or what I believed was love,” Brandy wrote.

The Couple Parted Ways Due To Infidelity

Brandy and Morris’ relationship didn’t last, as she claimed she caught him cheating with an assistant. Afterward, Morris confessed to several more infidelities, and they parted ways. In hindsight, Brandy believes Morris “took advantage” of her innocence and inexperience.

“The shame ends here. The silence ends here,” Brandy wrote. “I was not a fast girl with a crush. I was not a dramatic teenager who couldn’t handle rejection. I was not an unstable obsessive fan. I was a child. And he was an adult. And it’s time the world understood the difference,” she added.

Wanya Morris Discussed Their Relationship In The Past

In 2014, Morris was asked about their relationship on the “Breakfast Club” radio show. The interview resurfaced in 2023 due to renewed interest in ’90s celebrity relationships.

In it, Morris said, “We did the thing when she was 16, 17, around that time, you know,” adding that he “wasn’t 38 years old or anything like that.” What shocked viewers was what Morris said next: “She was old enough to get it.” One of the hosts asked, “But was it legal in the state you were in?” to which Morris responded jokingly, “We didn’t do it in the states it was illegal.”

One user commented, “This is disgusting how disrespectful they are toward her.” Another added, “They are wild for laughing at her expense.”

As of writing, Morris has not addressed Brandy’s claims in her memoir.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 9 seconds ago

After a heated bidding war with Netflix and more than a little behind-the-scenes drama, it looks like Paramount will be purchasing Warner Bros. This acquisition is upsetting to fans for many reasons. Some worry that it’s creatively dangerous to have so many popular IPs under one roof. Others worry that further changes in company leadership (coming right after Paramount’s merger with Skydance, no less) will spell bad news for their favorite movies and shows.

Nobody has been more nervous than Star Trek fans, many of whom are worried that new leadership will end up running this venerable franchise into the ground. To those fans, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that the NuTrek era has already done its best to destroy the franchise. The good news is that Paramount’s upcoming acquisition will almost certainly save Star Trek by pulling everyone’s favorite shows off of Paramount+ (the world’s worst streamer), and putting them on the much more popular HBO Max.

Star Trek By The Numbers

While I have enjoyed some of the NuTrek era (Season 1-2 of Discovery, Season 3 of Picard, and most of Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds), the blunt truth is that not enough people were streaming these shows on Paramount+. With the exception of Picard (which, at Patrick Stewart’s request, was limited to three seasons), every single NuTrek show was canceled early. We can endlessly debate the merits of individual shows, but the simple truth is that Paramount wouldn’t kill these various Star Trek series if they were making the company money.

One thing I rarely see fans acknowledge, though, is that much of NuTrek might have been doomed in the first place. The execs used Star Trek: Discovery to launch CBS All Access, the streaming network that would become Paramount+. While that streamer has grown its numbers over the years, it’s still very much the underdog. Right now, Paramount+ has about 77 million subscribers, which pales in comparison to HBO Max’s 132 million. Of course, both of them pale in comparison to Netflix, which has 325 million subscribers around the world.

The Data Doesn’t Lie

Before Paramount decided to launch its own streamer, most Star Trek shows were on Netflix. There, it was extremely popular. According to FlixPatrol, for example, fans spent over 175 million hours watching The Next Generation in 2023 alone. Eventually, Paramount brought all Star Trek content (except for that redheaded stepchild, Prodigy) over to Paramount+. This was an attempt to establish their streamer as the home of all things Trek. Unfortunately, it seems clear that this has siloed the franchise by putting all shows (new and old) on one of the least popular streaming platforms.

My hope for the Warner Bros. acquisition is simple. When the dust settles, we are going to end up with one streamer that has all of the Paramount and WB content on it. If that were to happen today, there would be about 200 million people (the amount of Paramount+ and HBO Max subscribers combined) for this new platform. With nearly three times as many potential viewers, any new Star Trek show is going to have a much wider audience. If NuTrek defenders are right and these are great shows that never found an audience, this might be the easy solution: increasing the audience by 300%.

Bringing Star Trek Back To Life

If the shows still fail to find an audience on a much larger platform, then the creators of Star Trek will need to realize a very bitter lesson: they’re the problem, and audiences simply aren’t buying what they’re selling. However, that means we’ll finally get some much-needed leadership changes that start with kicking Alex Kurtzman to the curb. At that point, it will be up to newer writers and execs to see if they can find a way to make the best sci-fi franchise ever made relevant again. 

As a film and TV lover, I don’t love everything about Paramount buying Warner Bros. I don’t love what this will do to the movie theater industry, I don’t love the CEO’s politics, and I don’t love how the whole thing has the mouthfeel of a monopoly. But as a Star Trek fan, I can’t help but be hopeful because the franchise is about to get new creators, a better streaming platform, and a much larger audience. Ahead of its 60th anniversary, Trek could be on the cusp of a genuine resurgence, and that’s news good enough to put a smile even on a Vulcan’s face!

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been at the center of severe scrutiny after it was revealed that the royal couple will go on an Australian tour in April.

The Duchess of Sussex, especially, has faced backlash due to her luxury women’s retreat in the country hosted by the “Her Best Life” podcast.

With a petition against Prince Harry and Meghan’s trip hitting almost 40,000 signatures, a member of the Sussex camp has come out to slam the “misinformation” being spread about the Australian tour.

A Prince Harry And Meghan Source Blasts ‘Misinformation’ About Their Australian Trip

A source close to Harry and Meghan has slammed “misinformation” surrounding the couple’s plans during their tour in Australia.

Amid speculation that taxpayer funds might be used for the Australian trip, with some experts even branding it a “pseudo royal” tour, the Sussex source stressed that it’s actually privately funded.

“There is a lot of misinformation being spread about this trip – all designed to whip up hate,” the source told The Mirror. “The truth is, you have a couple heading down under for work. While they’re in town, they’re going to check in on some charitable causes that they have long supported and – in the Duke’s case, with the Invictus Games – he set up.”

“The couple [is] critically aware that by just visiting a charity, they can help shine a light on its work – bringing media attention that wouldn’t otherwise exist. They don’t have to do that,” the source added.

The Sussex Source Says The World Could ‘Use A Little More Harry And Meghan’

Speaking more defensively about Harry and Meghan, the Sussex source noted that the reaction to the royal couple’s upcoming tour has been “irrational.”

They stressed that Harry and Meghan simply want to do “good” in the world, while blasting Royal Commentators for making “hate bait” comments about the Sussexes.

“They could just as easily get paid and head straight back to California,” the source stated. “It’s an irrational reaction to sh-t-can a couple who just want to support some [of] the charitable causes close to them.”

The source continued, “God forbid they try to do any good in a world that could, frankly, use a little more Harry and Meghan, and a little less sniping from ‘Royal Commentators’ who make a living by proving hate bait for anyone willing to platform them. It’s sad. What a way to make a living.”

About Meghan Markle’s Exclusive Women’s Retreat In Australia

During Harry and Meghan’s Australian tour, the duchess will headline a luxury women’s retreat in Australia, organized by the podcast “Her Best Life,” hosted by Jackie O Henderson and Gemma O’Neill, with a price tag that has sparked debate among critics.

The multi-day retreat is being promoted as a space for women to gather for “powerful conversations, relaxation, laughter, and unforgettable experiences.”

Tickets for the event come at a premium. Early Bird passes are listed at about $1,930, while the VIP experience, priced at roughly $2,288, includes additional perks such as a group photo with Meghan, a gift bag, and accommodation in an ocean-view room at the InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach.

One of the main highlights of the retreat will be a gala dinner described as an “in-person conversation” with the duchess, during which O’Neill will interview her about her experiences and outlook on life.

O’Neill said Meghan’s participation came through a shared acquaintance and noted that the former actress was drawn to the community surrounding the podcast.

The Duchess’s Australia Retreat Draws Mixed Reactions As Commentators Debate Her Brand And Public Image

Some commentators believe the event could give attendees a chance to see a more relaxed side of Meghan.

According to Fox News Digital, royal commentator Ian Pelham Turner said the retreat may allow Meghan “to relax and be with people who wish to listen to her thoughts on life.”

He added, “I have always said she is very underrated in some quarters and has had to battle through all adversities to survive and thrive.”

Turner also pointed to her previous charitable work, including her involvement in supporting victims of the Grenfell Tower fire through a community cookbook project. According to him, the duchess has repeatedly demonstrated empathy and an ability to make people she meets feel valued.

However, not everyone is convinced by the concept or its branding. Public relations executive Doug Eldridge argued that Meghan has increasingly presented herself as an entrepreneur or founder, titles that he noted do not necessarily require a long track record.

Still, he noted that credibility often depends on consistent success, referencing the mixed reception surrounding some of her recent projects, including her lifestyle brand As Ever and a Netflix project that was not renewed.

“For someone who often talks about building,” he noted, “her record seems more in line with demolition.”

Critic Says Meghan Markle And Prince Harry’s Australia Visit Feels ‘More Commercial’ Than Their Past Royal Tours

Another commentator, Kinsey Schofield, host of the YouTube show “Kinsey Schofield’s Unfiltered,” suggested that Meghan and Prince Harry’s upcoming visit to Australia has a more commercial tone than their earlier royal tours.

According to Schofield, while Harry is expected to appear as a keynote speaker at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit, an event centered on workplace mental health, Meghan’s retreat appearance is being promoted as a premium experience built around access to the duchess herself.

Promotional material highlights her acting role in “Suits,” her podcast “Archetypes,” the couple’s charitable organization Archewell Foundation, and her lifestyle brand As Ever.

Schofield compared the couple’s current phase to the period in the 1990s when Sarah Ferguson pursued numerous commercial ventures after stepping back from royal duties.

She suggested that “when royals begin attaching their titles to a long list of ventures and paid appearances, it can come across less like influence and more like desperation.”

She also predicted that public reaction in Australia may be more curious than celebratory compared with the enthusiastic crowds the couple drew during their 2018 visit.

General Hospital fans, we’ve got a brand new leak for you from our inside source, and it’s about Kristina Corinthos Davis (Kate Mansi) dodging a bullet that’s meant for her, but somebody else is going to be hit. And we’ve got no doubt that Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) is behind somebody taking a shot at Kristina.

We’re going to talk about what provoked Sidwell this week that has him losing it. Is another of Sonny Corinthos‘ (Maurice Benard) kids about to be collateral damage?

General Hospital Leak vs. Spoiler Clarification

So, before we dig deeper into the leak, I want to clarify first, not a spoiler, it’s a leak. Essentially, a well-informed rumor. Also, the leaker’s track record has been spot on for stuff like Cyrus Renault killing Sam McCall and Chad Duell leaving and Kirsten Storms taking that long break that she did. But recently, their track record has been off and on.

They were very accurate about something going on up at the school parking lot and Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) being on a roof, but a couple other things didn’t manifest. So, I just want to make clear, but this leak about Kristina feels legit to me and it makes absolute sense given the storyline. So, I decided to go ahead and share it.

Sidwell Blames Sonny for Marco’s Death on GH

All right. So, the context for this leak is that Jenz Sidwell is certain that Sonny Corinthos stabbed Marco Rios (Adrian Anchondo) to death. Even though Sidwell has Sonny completely leveraged, right? Because if you remember, Sidwell has photos of Sonny and Laura Spencer (Genie Francis) with Professor Hank Dalton’s (Daniel Goddard) corpse that Sidwell planted in the trunk of Laura’s car after Sidwell shot Dalton in cold blood right there in his living room on Spoon Island.

Sidwell used those photos to make sure Laura has to do whatever Sidwell wants with regard to Port Charles politics and local laws. Plus, he used those same pics to blackmail Sonny into selling him the piers. And he did. He sold them to Sidwell. So, he has Sonny and Laura under his control. Plus, Sidwell lets Sonny and Laura know that if they make any moves against him or if Sonny tries to kill him, the photos will be released, even if he dies. So, Laura and Sonny know they’re trapped and they’ve been doing what Sidwell wanted.

So, why in the heck would Sonny stab Marco? Because if Sonny killed his son, you know, he’d know that Sidwell would release the photos to the PCPD and he and Laura would be arrested for murder. So, the math isn’t mathing, but Sidwell is so upset. He’s just unhinged by grief. And he is certain that Sonny did the deed. And the real killer, Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes), isn’t on Sidwell’s radar at all. He thinks he and Cullum are still partners in crime.

Marco’s Memorial Service on General Hospital This Week

So, a little more context before I lay out the leak. In this week’s General Hospital promo, Sidwell has set up this nice memorial for Marco. I have been wondering if it would be offscreen or onscreen, and I am glad to see it’s onscreen. So, Sidwell is glaring as Sonny shows up to Marco’s funeral with his brother Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) as his wingman. And Sidwell is vowing this week that Marco’s killer will be brought to justice. And Sidwell looks shocked that Sonny would dare show up to the church at his son Marco’s memorial.

So, maybe Ric suggests to Sonny or vice versa that him showing up will demonstrate his innocence. But Sidwell may take him showing up as Sonny taunting him over Marco’s death. And realistically Sidwell likely with a little bit of help from Cullum is the one who nearly killed Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) in the penthouse bombing. And if you remember, that happened the very first day that Sidwell came to Port Charles. So, I’ve got no doubt it was him. Sonny has no doubt it was him. And so, there is definitely this tension between him and Sidwell. But again, he’s got Sonny under control.

So, in a way, according to criminal logic, you know, you could say that Sonny was just paying Sidwell back for what he did to Michael. But of course, Sidwell’s never going to say, “Okay, tit for tat. We both hurt, you know, one of the kids. Let’s let bygones be bygones. I almost killed your son, Michael. You went ahead and killed my son, Marco. We’re even now.” That’s not how it’s going to go.

Which of Sonny’s Kids Is at Risk?

And Sidwell knows that Marco wanted Sonny punished for Natalia Rogers Ramirez’s (Eva LaRue) death. And if you’re keeping count of Sonny’s kids, there’s Michael, who was already hurt by Sidwell. Morgan Corinthos is dead, so Sidwell can’t hurt him. Avery Corinthos and Donna Corinthos are so young that I would honestly hate to think that Sidwell would target them.

And that leaves Kristina and Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna). But Sidwell might avoid going after Dante since he is a cop and could cause a whole lot of heat to come down on Sidwell. Plus, if you remember, Marco saved Kristina’s life and then Sonny kidnapped him and was actually trying to blame him. So, there’s a lot of reasons for Kristina to be on Sidwell’s radar.

The GH Leak: Kristina Targeted, Someone Else Hit

So, now let’s talk about the leak. The source says that Kristina is the target of a hit, and I would presume it’s by Sidwell. I mean, who else would be gunning for Kristina? The leak also says that somebody else is mistaken for Sonny’s oldest daughter. So, Kristina, by the way, is also going to be at Marco’s funeral, too. And I’m sure that’s because he saved her life.

And I’m sure Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) is going along since Marco worked for her, and Kristina and Alexis are probably going to attend together and Sidwell could aim at Alexis, you know, as the mother of one of Sonny’s children, but I don’t think so. Plus, Alexis and Sonny are most always on the outs. But seeing Kristina at the funeral might put her on Sidwell’s radar as a revenge target.

Case of Mistaken Identity on General Hospital

And the leak says a bullet meant for Kristina hits an innocent person instead. So, thinking about people that might be around her that could be mistaken for Kristina. My first thought is her sister Molly Lansing Davis (Kristen Vaganos). They both have dark hair, similar in height and build, share the same mom, Alexis. They live in the same house, so I could see a shooter peeping through a window of their house, seeing dark hair, assuming it’s Kristina, but it’s Molly.

You know, Jacinda Bracken (Paige Herschell) could be hurt since she hangs out with Kristina, but she’s blonde, so I don’t see how she could be mistaken. However, the leaker dropped another hint. They said that Sonny is going to lose his love interest, and that is DA Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor). And if you look at height, hair color, and build, and they were just being looked at from behind. Yeah, you could see it. And especially Justine is somebody who might be at Sonny’s house or out with Sonny. So, I could totally see her being mistaken for Kristina.

Will Justine Turner Die?

Bear in mind, just because somebody catches a bullet doesn’t mean they die. But the leak says Sonny loses his love interest and that sounds like the innocent person dies. So it would be wild if Sidwell trying to take out Kristina and he winds up taking out Justine instead. And here’s why it would be doubly interesting. If you don’t know, Carlo Rota, who plays Sidwell, is married in real life to Nazneen Contractor, the actress who plays Justine. So yeah, her character could be taken out on GH by her own real life husband.

Additional GH Leak Details

Some other notes from the leaker include that Frank Valentini is turning the show away from mob stuff and leaning more into the WSB stuff. And you can kind of already see that manifesting. Also, we heard a while back that the Sidwell and Cullum stuff was going to wrap up in late April, you know, maybe during May sweeps, but now the leaker says that Carlo Rota was asked to stay longer and he agreed.

So, watch for Sidwell to get all murdery after Marco’s memorial and says taking out Sonny would be too easy. I expect Sidwell wants to devastate him and killing Kristina would do that, but it looks like it will not succeed and Sidwell’s shooter misses the mark. And again, it’s a leak, not a spoiler.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 12 seconds ago

Have you ever wanted to book a romantic weekend with your better half just to get away from it all and rediscover the magical feelings that brought you together in the first place? If you’re smart, you’ll get a nice hotel within walking distance of the beach and all your favorite restaurants. That’s the safest bet.

Otherwise, you could end up like Jessie (Carla Gugino) in Gerald’s Game (2017), handcuffed to a bed in a remote cabin where nobody can hear you scream. Your husband has died of a heart attack after taking too much viagra, he’s getting eaten by the stray dog you fed earlier that found its way inside, and you’re hallucinating a demon known as the Moonlight Man, who stands just outside your field of vision and taunts you. You’re about one cup of water away from dying of dehydration because you can’t reach the keys, and by the time anybody finds you, it will be far too late.

What I’m trying to say here is that Gerald’s Game is a beyond solid psychological thriller, but not the kind of scenario you’d want to live through when you’re just trying to reignite the spark in your marriage. For that, just hire a babysitter and go bowling.

Not Exactly Going Out In A Blaze Of Glory

Gerald’s Game starts out innocently enough, but since it’s a Stephen King adaptation, you should expect the usual dark turns. Jessie and Gerald’s (Bruce Greenwood) trip to remote Alabama was never supposed to turn into a tragedy, but fate wasn’t on their side that evening. In an ideal world, the couple would live out their wildest sexual fantasies, cook some steaks, drink some wine, and head home with their marriage successfully rejuvenated.

Instead, Gerald dies of a heart attack after taking viagra and pushing his fantasy a little too far, upsetting Jessie, who didn’t want to take part in the kind of role-playing he was into. Handcuffed to her bed and unable to reach her phone or the keys, Jessie is completely alone, and things are about to get dark, both literally and figuratively.

The stray dog Jessie fed a cut of Gerald’s expensive steak to earlier finds its way into the house because Gerald left the door open. Hungry and looking for more food, the dog realizes that Gerald’s fresh corpse will provide all the sustenance it needs for the next couple of days. Fearing she’ll suffer a similar fate if she dehydrates before freeing herself, Jessie panics, which sends her spiraling in the worst way.

Not only is the prospect of Jessie dying handcuffed to her bed very real, but the dog also comes and goes as it pleases and will probably turn on her once it finishes with Gerald. To make matters worse, Jessie becomes delirious from lack of food and water, causing her to hallucinate a living Gerald who taunts and belittles her. Even worse, she sees a boogeyman lurking in the darkest corners of the bedroom, calling himself the Moonlight Man, who is either a figment of her imagination or an actual intruder.

This One Will Mess You Up For A Minute

Since we’re seeing everything from Jessie’s perspective in Gerald’s Game, the waters are muddied by her anxiety, her trauma, and her lack of sustenance. In so many words, Jessie is an unreliable protagonist, but there’s something else going on here that elevates this above your typical psychological thriller. Jessie is a strong-willed woman stuck in an unthinkably horrific situation. She’s not your typical damsel in distress, which makes her breakdown all the more effective.

Jessie’s predicament stirs up a whirlwind of emotions tied to her past, having been mistreated by her father as a little girl in ways that mirror Gerald’s fantasies before he died. What’s more, Jessie may not be as unreliable as you think when you consider the shots that play out from a more objective, almost omniscient perspective. She’s dealing with serious trauma, that goes without saying, but something else is happening just beneath the surface that will make your skin crawl when you realize what may actually be at play.

She’s rightfully in a heightened state due to her life-or-death conditions, and it’s implied that she normally has her wits about her when she’s not trapped in this very specific set of circumstances. Her anxieties are valid here, and her regression into her past traumas is triggered by what’s specifically happening to her in the present. It all makes for a rich character study that only the best psychological thrillers understand how to lay out for the audience.

Gerald’s Game is not for the faint of heart, but if you have the stomach for it, it’s one of the best psychological thrillers streaming on Netflix today.