By Robert Scucci
| Published 2 hours ago

Have you ever heard of the 1973 alien invasion exploitation mystery sci-fi comedy thriller, The Hidan of Maukbeiangjow? Wow, what a sentence. I’ll bet you haven’t, but you may have heard of it after it was renamed Invasion of the Girl Snatchers when it was released in 1985. I’ll bet those chances are still pretty slim, though. If you want to seek the film out on Tubi, just know that it has the original release date but the updated title. My guess is whoever was in charge of marketing wanted audiences to know they were watching a 70s movie, but also knew nobody would click on it if it had the original title. I know I wouldn’t have.

Heck, at least they got me to click on this one because it’s pretty brutal, but not without its charm. Stylistically, it’s all over the place. There’s a kidnapping sting operation, hapless detectives, and, for some reason, an alien death cult with a plan to replace beautiful women with alien doppelgangers, though for reasons that are never quite made clear.

As for its genre, you can call it sci-fi, but this thing is mostly a comedy of errors. As a feature film, it stinks like a paper mill, but there are enough standalone moments to make it worth watching. Not because of the alien plot, but because of how the detectives handle themselves. It’s supremely stupid all around, which is probably why a movie with a title like The Hidan of Maukbeiangjow now resides in the darkest corners of Tubi.

The Bra That Got Away

Invasion of the Girl Snatchers starts in, and spends most of its time in, a seedy motel room. Detective Sam Trowel (Hugh Smith) is running a sting operation to take down a drug and human trafficking ring with the help of his right-hand man Kaspar (Ele Grigsby), safecracker Frederick (David Roster), and a bruiser of a bodyguard named Noname (Harlo Cayse). They’re staying in a room connected to the alleged kidnappers’ room, and they’re going to send an undercover woman named Ruthie (Carla Rueckert) wearing a tracking device hidden inside her bra.

The plan is simple. Ruthie wears the tracking bra, gets whisked away by the kidnappers, and Sam and his crew track her down to their headquarters in the hopes of finding more abducted women who need to be rescued. Bing, bang, boom. It couldn’t be a simpler operation. There’s just one problem: Ruthie gets abducted while topless, so the whole operation goes to hell.

To make matters worse, we learn that we’re not dealing with an ordinary human trafficking ring, but some sort of death cult led by an evil sorcerer named Aph (Charles Rubin), who is enslaved by and reports directly to an alien named Utaya (McCain Jeeves). In case you’re wondering where the movie got its original title, the evil lair where they run their racket is known as The Hidan of Maukbeiangjow.

As far as I can tell, Ruthie gets killed by Aph after a painfully long ritual involving ratchet straps, black paint, and chanting. She’s not actually dead, however, but instead replaced by an alien that now lives inside her. Dazed and disoriented while trying to operate its new human suit, the alien meets up with another alien using a woman’s body as its host. Together, they plot against Sam, Kaspar, and the rest of the gang, who are just as confused about everything as I was while watching Invasion of the Girl Snatchers.

It’s Really Funny Though

While the storytelling in Invasion of the Girl Snatchers leaves a lot to be desired, I quite enjoyed the motel scenes involving Detective Sam Trowel and his cohorts because it’s basically a stoner comedy. Freddie spends most of the movie smoking joints and messing up the investigation, while Sam, a by-the-books but not particularly bright detective, constantly gets in his own way.

For example, when he plays the tape containing his mission briefing, it says it’s going to self-destruct in three seconds. It doesn’t self-destruct in three seconds, so he shoves it in his back pocket to play it safe. During one of the chase sequences later in the film, the tape finally explodes, and his reaction basically boils down to, “Man, what a day I’m having!”

It’s not high-brow stuff, but there’s always a built-in charm to botched sting operation plots because as much as you want to root for the good guys, it’s infinitely more amusing to watch them fail over and over again on their way to eventually solving the case. These characters play off each other well in that campy B-movie kind of way, but the alien plot is too out there and too underutilized to make the movie feel complete.

I’m all for low-budget alien movies, but the budget here is virtually nonexistent. The most expensive prop was probably the cassette player. The scenes involving reanimated women possessed by aliens aren’t without humor, but I think everything would have landed stronger if the women were simply brainwashed by a cult and the movie leaned harder into being a straight-up hard-boiled detective comedy.

INVASION OF THE GIRL SNATCHERS SCORE

If you’re into the idea of watching something that’s not entirely great but certainly has its moments, you can stream Invasion of the Girl Snatchers for free on Tubi as of this writing.

The recent back-to-back box-office success of Obsession and Backrooms appears to have overshadowed a couple of other horror movies. The more recent of the two, Passenger, didn’t really stand a chance anyway. It had the misfortune of opening in the wake of Curry Baker‘s movie, which had already become a box-office sensation. However, a slightly older horror movie opened to excellent reviews and seemed to be doing just fine commercially when Obsession and Backrooms rewrote the rulebook. The movie in question recently debuted on digital platforms for rent and purchase, and immediately found a spot on the domestic top 10 chart.

The movie premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March, and was released theatrically by Neon on May 1. It went on to gross a solid $23 million worldwide against a reported budget of $5 million. Directed by Damian McCarthy, the movie follows an American author on a trip to a creepy family-run hotel in rural Ireland. Once he arrives at the hotel, the author is explicitly warned not to go near the honeymoon suite, where, he is told, there lives a witch. He brushes the warnings off as “hokum,” but soon discovers that there may be some truth to the superstition after all. Combining the claustrophobic chills of The Shining with the haunted house goofiness of the best Scooby-Doo stories, the movie is now available on the PVOD market.

A Third Horror Movie Deserves to be in the Same Conversation as ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’

We’re talking, of course, about Hokum. Starring Adam Scott as the American writer, the movie holds a “Certified Fresh” 89% critics’ score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “A classic haunted house story enriched with atmospheric folklore and perfectly-timed shocks, Hokum further solidifies writer-director Damian McCarthy as a modern master of horror.” Collider’s review praised McCarthy’s direction and noted that the movie “doesn’t overcomplicate itself, but rather, it sticks to the classics: strange figures moving in the dark, claustrophobic scenarios, and the old trusty jump scare.”

According to FlixPatrol, Hokum emerged as one of the top five titles on the domestic Apple TV chart following its home video debut this week. It’s worthy of being in the same conversation as Backrooms and Obsession. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

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May 1, 2026

Runtime

101 Minutes

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Director

Damian McCarthy

Writers

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Damian McCarthy

Producers

Derek Dauchy, Mairtín de Barra, Roy Lee, Julianne Forde, Steven Schneider, Ruth Treacy

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The decision to expand Taylor Sheridan‘s sprawling Yellowstone franchise to linear television appears to have paid off, even without the hit-maker’s direct creative involvement. The Yellowstone franchise began in 2018 with the titular series, which ended its five-season run rather abruptly in 2023 following reports of behind-the-scenes disputes between Sheridan and star Kevin Costner. Since then, Sheridan has delivered the hit prequels 1883 and 1923, in addition to continuing his success streak with a string of other, non-Yellowstone titles. However, with his Paramount contract partially expired, he isn’t creatively involved with the two latest installments of the franchise — at least not to the degree he’s accustomed to. This is a major change from the norm, given that Sheridan had earned notoriety for eschewing traditional TV writers’ rooms and commanding an atypical level of creative authority on his projects.

Dutton Ranch, which premiered on Paramount+ on May 15, has remained the streamer’s number one title for weeks despite Sheridan’s hands-off approach. Recently, several of the show’s cast members — James Eddie, Sterlin English, Marc Menchaca, and Juan Pablo Raba — made the rather surprising revelation that they never met Sheridan on set at all. The show was also marred by the firing of creator Chad Feehan, who reportedly clashed with leads Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly, and Sheridan himself. Sheridan was reportedly even less involved on the Yellowstone franchise’s first linear series, Marshals, which premiered on CBS in March and has since emerged as one of the most popular shows on TV.

Was Taylor Sheridan Involved in the Day-to-Day Functioning of ‘Marshals’?

According to the latest Nielsen ratings, which track television viewership data for the week of May 18 to May 24, Marshals remained the second-most-watched narrative series on television. It drew 6.5 million viewers for the week, during which it delivered its season finale and trailed fellow CBS procedural Tracker. Marshals has achieved this feat despite mixed reactions from audiences. The show, starring Luke Grimes as Yellowstone‘s returning Kayce Dutton, holds a 45% critics’ score and a 27% audience score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Marshals confines Kayce Dutton within a dim procedural that lacks the narrative spark and intrigue that Yellowstone managed instantly, making this one ham-fisted trek.” The show’s creator, Spencer Hudnut, told the Television Critics Association earlier this year that he tried not to mimic Sheridan’s writing. “I don’t think I’d be sitting here if he had to be involved in a day-to-day way,” he said. “That was never the setup. But he’s certainly there for us when we need him.”

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2026 – 2026-00-00

Showrunner

Spencer Hudnut

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Spencer Hudnut, Tom Mularz, Dana Greenblatt

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General Hospital delivers Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) protecting Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna). But director Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) is still a threat. Because he wants Jack dead. So, Nina may take things further and go to greater lengths to save Jack.

And an important first step is getting Cullum banned from Turning Woods. We’re going to talk about how and why Nina and Jack may get into a marriage of convenience to keep him alive and to frustrate and thwart Cullum. Let’s get to it!

A Marriage of Convenience Coming to General Hospital

All right. So, recently we reported a leak and this is from our source that’s generally pretty reliable and they said there was a marriage of convenience coming soon to General Hospital. And the one clue they gave was that it was not going to be Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) and Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart), which is who you might think of first. And given what’s going on, I actually suspect it may be Nina and Jack who get hitched.

Jack’s Hidden Secret at Turning Woods

After Nina accidentally stabbed Jack with a syringe full of Drew Cain‘s (Cameron Mathison) paralytic, of course, he was rushed to General Hospital. But thanks to Nina refusing to inject him again, even though Willow Tait Cain (Katelyn MacMullen) wanted Nina to do it.

We know that Jack doesn’t have locked in syndrome. He is obviously just faking it. And because Cullum is scheming and plotting and wants to kill Jack, he’s continuing to fake it so that Cullum thinks he’s harmless. But Jack spoke to Nina and that’s why she started helping him. And if you remember, Willow wanted Nina to keep injecting Jack to keep him locked in just like she’s got Drew. But when Jack talked to Nina and revealed that he wasn’t really locked in, she just couldn’t do it.

So, now she’s lying to Willow who thinks she is continuing to inject Jack. But she isn’t. So the last time Nina went to see Jack at Turning Woods, you know, she was supposed to inject him again. But she squirted the syringe into a plant instead. And Nina recently told Jack that she is his only way out of this mess. And she could very well be right, even more than she even realizes herself.

Cullum’s Medical Control Over Jack on GH

So, Cullum told Jack that he saved himself by having a stroke. Because now he’s neutralized without Cullum lifting a finger. And if you remember, he told all the medical people that he is Jack’s medical proxy, which I’m guessing is probably a forgery. But Cullum knows that Jack can’t speak up to deny it. And at this point, Cullum’s decided to go ahead and kill Jack, get him off his plate as a future complication. But Cullum’s got to be careful.

So, after he threatened Jack, you know, he panicked over what Cullum said and asked Nina to go to Valentin for help. And now it looks like Carly and Valentin are actually considering it. But their help might not happen in time. And the most important thing is to block Cullum’s access to Jack right now.

Jack and Nina’s Marriage Strategy on General Hospital

As his medical proxy, Cullum can come and go just like he’s family. But if Jack pretends, “Oh, I just got my ability to speak back,” he could change his medical proxy over to Nina. And to add another layer of protection, Jack and Nina could get married while he is still at Turning Woods. And from there, as Jack’s devoted new wife, Nina could take over all the medical decisions. She can block Cullum from getting into Jack’s room. Period. And if she wanted, Nina could even take Jack out of Turning Woods. She could bring him home with her to continue his recovery. And of course, Cullum would be outraged if he lost his power over Jack. And I’m sure even at that point, Cullum would still be plotting to kill Jack, even if this happened.

However, it would be a lot harder for Cullum to murder Jack with Nina gatekeeping and her having a close and watchful eye on Jack. And I think Nina could be a real thorn in Cullum’s side. Jack and Nina being in a marriage of convenience would also come in handy if there were any sort of charges. You know, that way Jack and Nina can’t be questioned by any governmental agency about each other’s activities. Because of spousal privilege. And they can’t be forced to testify against each other for any past or future legal or criminal issues.

GH Shocker: How This Would Shake Up Port Charles

But of course, if Jack and Nina do get hitched, it would flip Port Charles upside down. So many people would be absolutely floored, especially Carly and Valentin. I think their heads would kind of explode if their exes got hitched. Not that Carly or Valentin wants their exes back. I don’t think they would be jealous. But I think they might be salty. Carly made it clear to Jack that she hates him for recruiting Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) into the WSB and putting her daughter at risk. And Valentin hates Jack for turning on him after decades of friendship.

Plus, Carly hates Nina. Full stop. And that feeling is mutual. So, marrying Jack might put a smile on Nina’s face. Becauseshe knows how much it would irritate Carly and also Valentin because Nina freaked out a little and was snarking at Carly over her sloppy seconds. I don’t think Valentin or Carly would care that much if they got married because, you know, we can see they’re falling for each other. I don’t think Valentin though is going to want Nina in danger and her aligning with Jack would definitely put her right in the middle on Cullum’s radar as a complication to be dealt with.

And I’m sure lots of people would have strong opinions about a Jack and Nina marriage. Of course, Willow would be stunned. But Nina could play that off and tell her daughter she’s doing it to protect her. And I think Josslyn would be stunned. Because Jack’s her boss and he was dating her mom, Carly. And Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) might feel some kind of way about Nina getting married to Brennan.

A Potential GH Love Story

Bottom line, Jack and Nina tying the knot would rattle the whole town, all of Port Charles.  And it would infuriate Cullum and would take away his power. And I think that would be the most dramatic outcome. I like the idea of Jack and Nina getting hitched for unromantic reasons and then wind up falling improbably in love. I like that.

And a huge red flag that it’s plausible is that Cynthia Watros mentioned in a recent interview that she sees a potential romantic future for Nina and Jack and Cynthia said she’s all for it. She made a joke about there not being a lot of eligible bachelors in Port Charles. That’s why they have to overlap. And she and Carly have several men in common. There’s been Franco Baldwin, (Roger Howarth) Sonny, Jasper Jacks (Ingo Rademacher), and Drew just for starters. And now, of course, there’s also Valentin. And that means Jack might be next, if it plays out the way I think it’s going to.

Enemies to Lovers on General Hospital

I love a good enemies to lovers trope. And if you remember, Nina and Jack used to hate each other after she went to him to get help for Willow and then he was wanting her to spy on Charlotte Cassadine (Bluesy Burke) to get Valentin and she didn’t deliver and he was getting very hateful with her. So Nina marrying Jack after putting him in the hospital and after all the stuff he has done and said to her is super soapy.

Even though it wasn’t intentional on Nina’s part that he wound up having that stroke, it still happened. And we all know that she’s known for her impulsiveness. So, I could see Jack and Nina talking and her suggesting this marriage out of left field as a Hail Mary scheme to protect Jack. So, we’ll see.

Y’all! Daphne Joy has the internet doing a double-take after dropping a bold new video that made it very clear she’s not here for the opinions—or the doubt. The clip, which quickly started making rounds online, shows her confidently shutting things down in a way only she can, while also giving followers a moment they definitely didn’t expect.

RELATED: Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop? Daphne Joy TURNS Heads After Using Diddy Song To Tease More Risqué Videos Of Herself

Daphne Joy Lets Us Know How She Really Feels

In the video shared to her Instagram, Daphne Joy appears in a brown silky dress paired with heels and sunglasses, wearing her long dark hair down as she faces away from the camera and twerks in what looks like a sunny backyard setting. Behind her, a sliding glass door reflects trees, blue skies, and daylight, adding to the laid-back but confident vibe. She also directly addressed viewers in the comments after some questioned whether the clip was AI-generated, making it clear with a simple response: “ai could never baby,” confirming the moment was very much real and unfiltered. And, the clip was paired with a cheeky caption that read “kiss here.”

Folks Flood Comments with Mixed Reactions And Theories

Folks quickly ran to The Shade Room’s Instagram comment section and absolutely cut up over Daphne Joy’s video, with reactions all over the place. Some users speculated she might be soft-launching an OnlyFans, while others defended her, saying she’s beautiful and can do whatever she wants with her content.

One Instagram user @theicebergslim wrote, “OnlyFans soft launch🤝“

This Instagram user @jryanjl joked, “That good ol church dress 👗 😂😂😂”

And, Instagram user @ladydebdarling added, “She said IDGF about my son going into 8th grade 😂”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @candaceadina said, “I don’t understand girl are you a victim or tryna build your clientele?“

While Instagram user @kaekaekenette shared, “My girl said yeah my tape got leaked and what about it !!???“

Then, Instagram user @dominiquechinn commented, “The woman is beautiful and fine 😍😍”

Why This Moment Sparked So Much Conversation?

As previously reported, on Tuesday, Daphne Joy returned to Instagram with a brief but highly intimate clip that immediately drew attention for its bold tone and provocative framing. The video featured on-screen text reading “Watch… don’t touch,” while she appeared in a blue lingerie set, posing confidently, at times turning away from the camera in a way that briefly revealed topless nudity from the back. She captioned the post, “would u watch..?” with Diddy’s ‘I Need A Girl (Pt. 2)’ playing in the background, further fueling online discussion around the clip’s intent and timing.

In the aftermath of the video going viral, previously resurfaced claims and statements surrounding an alleged leaked intimate tape involving Daphne Joy, Diddy, and Sly Diggler continued circulating online. DJ Vlad also weighed in at the time, confirming the tape’s authenticity based on a prior interview involving Sly, adding another layer to the ongoing discourse. Meanwhile, Daphne posted a statement on her Instagram before quickly deleting it, where she described emotional distress, said she “never consented” to the filming, and alleged she faced blackmail and extortion attempts tied to the footage.

Just in time for the FIFA World Cup, Hot Pilates founder Shannon Nadj is giving her celebrity-loved workouts a sporty summer makeover with soccer-inspired classes.

Think: stability balls standing in for soccer balls, plenty of lower-body work, and exercises designed to have clients feeling more like athletes than ever.

“We’re bringing a fun, energetic team atmosphere into the studio,” Nadj tells ET while celebrating the launch of her Bikini Body World Cup Challenge.

“Expect challenges that focus on agility, coordination, balance, and endurance, which are all qualities that are essential in soccer. The goal is to celebrate movement and community while creating a workout that feels playful and engaging.”

While the classes will still deliver the signature full body burn Hot Pilates regulars know and love, expect a little extra attention on legs this month.

“We’ll definitely incorporate lower-body work because strong legs are essential for athletic performance, but every class will include core strength and cardio as well,” the fitness instructor explains.

“Soccer requires power, endurance, balance, and agility, so we want participants to feel energized, challenged, and strong while having fun with the World Cup-inspired theme.”

Of course, no great workout is complete without the right soundtrack, so instructor Laurel Galanter has curated playlists inspired by the global tournament, featuring artists and genres from around the world.

The soccer influence extends beyond the studio floor and into Nadj’s closet.

“When you walk in feeling confident and put together, you tend to carry yourself differently. There’s an energy shift,” she notes.

“Wearing something that makes you feel strong and comfortable can help boost motivation, create a positive mindset, and make movement feel even more enjoyable.”

And when it comes to her own game-day uniform?

“I love keeping it simple and elevated,” she shares. “A sleek lululemon set paired with a soccer-inspired jersey, team colors, or sporty accessories creates a fun nod to the World Cup while still feeling polished and performance-focused. It’s all about blending style, comfort, and functionality.”

Nadj is also paying it forward this month through a partnership with lululemon, which will provide one aspiring instructor with full tuition to the Hot Pilates Mat Training program.

“Participants will learn movement fundamentals, anatomy, cueing, class programming, and how to confidently lead and connect with others,” she says.

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“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Amanda Frances recently discussed costar Dorit Kemsley‘s home potentially going up for auction. Now, the “Unburdened” writer is responding to the first-season housewife and giving an update on where they stand following season 15 of the show.

Kemsley appeared on an episode of “Page Six Radio” in June 2026 to promote her new memoir. While on, the host mentioned how Frances said she contemplated buying Kemsley’s home as it’s currently in limbo.

When asked where they stand today, she stated, “No, we don’t talk.” Regarding what Frances said, Kemsley responded, “I mean, I find that really cringe, but I think a lot of the things that come out of her mouth are kind of cringe.”

From there, she discussed her overall take of Frances, saying, “I wasn’t getting authentic vibes. That was the issue that I had.” Kemsley then stated that Frances portrayed her life as being “perfect,” before saying, “That’s not real.”

Dorit Also Says Amanda Only Talked About Her Business On The Show

The “RHOBH” star continued her assessment of Frances following her stint on season 15. However, this time she explained that the “Housewives” newbie never opened up about her personal life. According to her, “She had a lot of opinions, but really every time we wanted to talk about her, it was about her business.”

She continued, “And it was only about her business.” Then, Kemsley told the hosts that she initially hoped to be friends with Frances. However, their “RHOBH” costar, Sutton Stracke, informed her that Frances had been speaking ill behind her back.”

In the end, she added, “However, I don’t think that b-tch is going to be buying my house anytime soon.”

Amanda Frances Had Much To Say

Frances appeared on “The Viall Files” in June 2026. During it, Nick Viall mentioned Kemsley’s home, saying he believes she’ll lose it. In response, Frances claimed, “I mean, sometimes I consider buying it.” After being asked if the home was her style, she stated that it was too modern in design for her.

They then joked about renovating the home before Frances said, “I don’t think it would be a fun renovation for us.” After that, they began discussing Kemsley’s divorce with PK Kemsley.

She claimed, “I think she just wants him to look bad, and I think she wants everyone to side with her because he stopped being the provider.”

Dorit Recently Claimed Her Home Was Not At Risk Of Foreclosure

PEOPLE obtained court documents in May 2026 that show the “RHOBH” star accusing her estranged husband of using foreclosure as a tactic to force a sale of the home. Per her attorney’s filing, “there is no real risk of foreclosure.”

They claim PK “has ample ability to honor his financial obligations, including making timely payment of the mortgages.” Dorit’s legal team also called PK’s request for an order to sell the home “baseless.”

Her legal team also threatened to “inform the court of PK’s unwarranted litigation tactics, and she will seek relief and sanctions associated therewith.” In the meantime, she is requesting that his updated financial records be admitted into evidence. However, he and his legal team claim it will further delay the process.

The ‘RHOBH’ Star Gave An Update On Her Status With The Cast

Kemsley appeared on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” on June 3 to promote her book, which was released the day prior. Per Us Weekly, while on, host Andy Cohen asked which of her “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” costars had congratulated her.

According to her, “Just Boz,” highlighting her friend, Bozoma Saint John. She added, “So funny.” As fans will recall, Kemsley wasn’t in a great space with the majority of her costars when season 15 of RHOBH concluded in May 2026.

However, she gave an update on her friendships with Kyle Richards and Erika Jayne during her “Page Six Radio” interview. Regarding Jayne, whom she’s recently texted, Kemsley explained, “There’s a lot of love there. There’s a lot of love, there’s a lot of history.”

She added, “You know, prior to that one moment in Italy, Erika and I — we never had a cross word. We’ve always been good.” Kemsleys said about Richards, “I thought we really turned a corner. So then to feel that, I felt blindsided, and that’s exactly how I felt by Erika in Italy.”

However, the two ladies have not spoken since filming the “RHOBH” season 15 reunion. Currently, it’s unclear when season 16 will go into production and who will return.

Young and the Restless gives Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) officially giving back Newman Enterprises this week, which to be honest, many fans find a very lackluster ending to the storyline, and I tend to agree.

And after she does it, she’s griping to Michael Baldwin (Christian LeBlanc) that she just lost everything. So once again, Phyllis has got to figure out what to do with her life. So, we’re going to talk about what big and wild moves Phyllis makes now that her corporate thievery is at an end.

Phyllis Loses Everything on Young and the Restless

So, before we get into it, I will say something I’m seeing a lot of recently on soap social media, both in posts and comments and replies to posts is that fans want to see less of Phyllis on Y&R, not more.

Many viewers feel like Michelle Stafford is getting way too much screen time and that we are watching the non-stop Phyllis show. All those complaints aside, and I don’t necessarily disagree, I don’t think Josh Griffith is going to slide Phyllis to the back burner. Michelle Stafford is clearly one of the headwriter’s favorites and he writes a lot for her on Young and the Restless. So, with that in mind, let’s look ahead.

Victor Gets Newman Enterprises Back on Y&R

This week, Phyllis gives Newman back to Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) because Phyllis finally realized she’s got no choice. She’s up against a wall and it’s give it back to Victor or go to jail. Once she signs it over, Phyllis is complaining to Michael, poof, everything is gone. She’s got nothing. She’s hit rock bottom and it sucks to be her. So, Michael thinks her kids may forgive her. But at this point, Phyllis is just really, really frustrated. And she even went off on Christine Blair Romalotti (Lauralee Bell) and let her have it for accepting faked evidence, calling her Victor’s puppet.

But we all know she did the crime, but she’s not going to do the time. So, Phyllis is basically at loose ends right now and she’s drifting. And that has me wondering what is coming next because she’s got to start pretty much completely over from ground zero. Right now, she’s got no man, no job. She’s living in a hotel and she’s got no direction in life. Since stealing Victor’s company, you know, she was living large, living a lie, and basically flying by the seat of her pants. And now what?

Phyllis’s Professional Options on Young and Restless

So, first off, let’s talk about the professional front. We can see Phyllis shamelessly circle back to Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) and ask him for a job. Phyllis might offer to manage the GCAC for Cane since he owns it and she’s already living there because she’s going to need some sort of job. Now that the charges against Phyllis are dropped, they’ll be dropped against Cane also. And Phyllis ran her own hotel, the Grand Phoenix. So, honestly, she would be perfect for that job. So maybe Cane will cut her some slack and hire her and he might enjoy being Phyllis’ boss.

Alternatively, I’m pretty sure Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) would give her a job at Crimson Lights pouring lattes, but I don’t think Phyllis would ever decide to be a barista working for Sharon. And in a really stunning move, I could see Phyllis maybe going to Victor and asking him for a job since she was just running his company. And Victor has a grudging respect for Phyllis now because she actually did best him even though she wound up having to cave and had to give the company back in the end.

Victor May Help Red Out on Y&R

Plus, she just saved Nick Newman ‘s(Joshua Morrow) life and Victor is truly and deeply grateful for that. And he is indebted to her. He has expressed that verbally right to her face. So, you never know. He might throw Phyllis a bone and let her work at some minor subsidiary at Newman Enterprises. You know, put her in office in the bathroom like he did before. Didn’t he do that to Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) years ago? So, I could definitely see that happening. Her asking maybe not Victor saying yes.

We may also see Lauren Fenmore Baldwin (Tracey E. Bregman) offer Phyllis a job at Fenmores. By the way, Lauren’s been Phyllis’ ride or die for a while. And even though Lauren didn’t agree with Phyllis stealing Newman Enterprises from Victor, we saw that Lauren still accepted Phyllis’s offer to work there with her.

And Lauren stuck with Phyllis until the bitter end. Lauren really did everything she could to help and support Phyllis. So, we know that Lauren’s been this amazing friend to her. And now that Phyllis doesn’t have anything going on in her life and no job, no source of income, I think Lauren would do anything to help Phyllis. So, I could definitely see Lauren offering to bring Phyllis on board at Fenmores. And honestly, I think it’d be really cool if Lauren and Phyllis were working together again. That was kind of fun. And Lauren is good for Phyllis. She’s a positive influence and Michael is too most of the time.

Phyllis’s Romantic Prospects on Young and the Restless

And on the personal front, I think Phyllis is going to be a big part of Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) redemption story. She might start out as his friend and it may eventually turn romantic. Phyllis seems to feel protective of Matt and she wants to help him. Phyllis was even worried about what would happen to Matt if she went to prison because she’s pretty much the only one in Matt’s corner, except of course for Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk), and she would likely do Matt more harm than good.

So, I think we’ll see Phyllis and Matt’s friendship continue to develop. Phyllis might help Matt navigate this new and scary life now that he remembers what a monster he was. And of course, he doesn’t want to be that guy anymore. So, I think we could see Phyllis and Matt helping each other, getting closer, and then organically evolving from friendship to a full-fledged romance. I mean, we know that those two have chemistry because they were a very popular couple over on General Hospital years ago.

Another romantic prospect that Phyllis might try is to make a play to get back with Nick. Right now, Phyllis is furious that Nick was going to turn her into the cops and lie. But Phyllis also thinks that when Nick was saying all this that it was the drugs talking. And just like she wants to help Matt, Phyllis might actually want to help Nick.

Plus, Phyllis may think because she saved Nick’s life that somehow she’s back involved with him. You know, got her claws back into him. So, Phyllis might pursue Nick before she gets involved with Matt. And, you know, from there, Phyllis might move on to Matt if Nick shoots her down, which I’m certain he will. I don’t think he wants Phyllis. Not at all.

Phyllis and Her Family on Y&R

Finally, circling back to what Michael said, another thing that Phyllis may do now that she gave Newman Enterprises back to Victor is to try and get close to her family again. Phyllis may reach out to her kids, Daniel Romalotti (Michael Graziadei) and Summer Newman (Allison Lanier), and you know, Phyllis may act like she decided to do the right thing.

When in reality, with Nick threatening her like that, Phyllis was cornered and she had no choice. She didn’t give back Newman to be a moral or decent person. But Phyllis might tell Summer and Daniel that she did it for those reasons. And Phyllis might also say that she gave it back because Summer and Daniel wanted her to.

You know, they wanted Phyllis to do the right thing, give Newman back to Victor, give back what she stole, and just be a decent person. So, they might be skeptical, and I doubt a reconciliation would happen overnight, but Daniel and Summer might at least be willing to talk to Phyllis rather than completely cutting her out of their lives.

So, I think she has some things to look forward to. I don’t think we’re going to be seeing less of her, and I’m sorry if you don’t like that if you’re one of the people on social media, but I think this is where we’re headed.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 1 hour ago

I’ve got to say that my life is pretty good these days, as the biggest problem I’m having lately is looking up information about obscure sci-fi flicks on Tubi only to realize they all have multiple titles depending on the markets they were trying to reach. One such Fred Olen Ray film, 1995’s Cyberzone, loves to change the stationery, as it also exists as Droid Gunner and Phoenix 2. Really, none of these titles work, and I would much rather call it Blade Runner with Sex Bots, but that would be too on the nose.

The reason I constantly seek out schlocky, trashy B-movie titles like Cyberzone is because they’re just so fun and outside the box. You can expect that from any one of the over 200 Fred Olen Ray joints in his filmography, but this one is absolutely bonkers compared to 1988’s Terminal Force while still carrying the same sleazy energy that keeps bringing me back to his filmmaking.

Oh, Jack! Fetch Me My Sex Bots!

Cyberzone is a straight-up blast and wastes no time introducing us to Jack Ford (Marc Singer), a futuristic bounty hunter living in the year 2077. Fifty years prior, an 8.9-magnitude earthquake destroyed the West Coast, submerging California entirely and making Phoenix, Arizona, the busiest sea and spaceport on the New West Coast. Jack spends his days hunting down androids for chump change, but his life changes when he’s offered the gig of a lifetime. He’s summoned by the exceedingly wealthy Mr. Reginald (Cal Bartlett), who operates out of the same set used in Bio-Dome (1996).

Mr. Reginald lives in a fortified suburb, far removed from Jack’s stomping grounds, which are irradiated, polluted, and relegated to the dregs of society, where every man fends for himself. Mr. Reginald has deep pockets, and he needs help tracking down his four pleasure bots, which were stolen by an intergalactic smuggler named Hawks (Matthias Hues), who plans to deliver them to a crime lord named Chew’Bah (Robert Quarry), who lives beneath the newly constructed New Angeles, an alleged utopia that forbids any form of carnal pleasure. In Chew’Bah’s ideal world, he’ll have a monopoly on sex, drugs, and gambling, giving people what they want, but at a steep price.

Jack is reluctantly teamed up with a robotics expert named Beth (Rochelle Swanson) because he’s not trusted to bring the fembots back in one piece. The problem is that Jack doesn’t trust Beth to fend for herself in the futuristic ghettos, where bodies are sold as currency and she could easily be sold into slavery for $10,000. It’s a classic odd-couple setup because Beth claims to be fluent in martial arts thanks to her extensive simulated training protocols, but she dresses like a sheltered bureaucrat.

Since this is a Fred Olen Ray film, we know that Beth is actually an absolute smoke show, and when she’s forced to throw hands, she’s not only competent but frighteningly good at close combat, impressing Jack, who just wants to finish the job and collect his bounty.

The Humor Comes From Lack Of Enthusiasm

While it’s obvious that Cyberzone has taken more than a few pages from the Blade Runner playbook as far as its aesthetic goes, we get more of a buddy-cop experience here. Jack and Beth’s dynamic evolves into your typical romantic tug-of-war because they come from two very different worlds, but the real charm comes from Matthias Hues’ portrayal of Hawks, the most reluctant smuggler you’ve ever seen in a film.

When he first successfully captures the sex droids under the guise of “reconfiguring their oral programs,” he couldn’t look more bored. The only things he cares about are making sure his ship reaches its destination in one piece and collecting his fee. He’s surrounded by babes who will do anything he wants, and he brushes them off on several occasions because they’re distracting him from his navigation system. The look of frustration on his face is not only palpable but reliably hilarious every time this happens.

Beth’s shift from prude bureaucrat to smoking-hot femme fatale of the wasteland is sudden, but she leans fully into it when it’s time to deliver a proper beatdown, and her character arc is surprisingly satisfying when all is said and done. She evolves from a blissfully ignorant cog in a sanitized world into a ballsy heroine after finally catching a glimpse of how the other side lives.

As you would expect, the special effects in Cyberzone are crude, but they succeed in getting the job done. If anything, a big-budget production might actually take away from its charm. Thanks to its willingness to lean fully into its schlock and awe delivery instead of trying to be something it isn’t, Cyberzone remains a memorable outing because it embraces its sleaziness while operating within a familiar retro-futuristic framework that any sci-fi fan can get behind.

As of this writing, you can stream Cyberzone for free on Tubi.