For years, critics of Meghan Markle have pushed the theory that the Duchess of Sussex never intended to fully embrace royal life and instead influenced Prince Harry to step away from the monarchy. But a new royal book is pushing back on that narrative.

In “Divide & Rule,” author Catherine Mayer challenges claims that Meghan entered the Royal Family with a secret agenda, disputing suggestions that she convinced Harry she would settle into royal duties only to later pull him away from his family. Instead, Mayer argues the reality behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure was far more complicated.

According to Mayer, one popular theory, promoted by critics including Meghan’s biographer, Tom Bower, and royal photographer, Arthur Edwards, suggests Meghan always intended to separate Harry from royal life.

The narrative alleges Meghan led Harry to believe she would accept the role of a working royal while privately planning a very different future. But Mayer says her own reporting uncovered a different story. “My own research, which has included conversations with deeply informed sources, produced a different picture,” Mayer writes.

Rather than manipulation, Mayer describes “two people, naively optimistic that they could develop their own interpretations of the royal job, thrown off balance as they hit resistance and swiftly developing a siege mentality.”

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Reportedly Wanted To Reimagine Royal Life

According to the book, Harry and Meghan initially had no intention of abandoning royal service altogether. Instead, Mayer suggests the couple hoped to carve out a more modern version of royal work while maintaining their support for Queen Elizabeth II. At one point, the Sussexes reportedly envisioned living abroad while continuing to serve the Crown “still doing work for the Queen, but beyond the reach of the press.”

Mayer also argues that Meghan appeared to thrive in many aspects of royal life despite criticism from palace insiders. “Her in-laws might recoil from her hugs, but strangers on the street leaned into them,” the author writes, suggesting Meghan naturally connected with the public.

Meghan Markle Was Reportedly Viewed As ‘Too Political’

The book also addresses criticism that Meghan was viewed by some within royal circles as overly political. However, a well-informed source cited by Mayer suggested Meghan never viewed herself as rebellious.

Instead, the source claimed Meghan’s public support of the #MeToo movement in 2018 stemmed from the belief that ending sexual harassment was a mainstream goal rather than a political statement. Still, tensions reportedly escalated as Harry and Meghan encountered resistance from palace officials while attempting to shape a new role for themselves inside the institution.

Mayer writes that, unlike couples who balance one another out in moments of conflict, Harry and Meghan often reacted similarly under pressure. “Where some couples moderate each other’s responses, the one more inclined to conciliation, the other to confrontation, Harry and Meghan share similar reflexes,” the author writes.

Why ‘Megxit’ Eventually Became Unavoidable

According to Mayer, palace officials increasingly viewed Harry and Meghan as unpredictable during a pivotal period for the monarchy. With Queen Elizabeth II aging and future transitions to King Charles III and Prince William looming, palace priorities reportedly shifted toward stability. In that environment, Mayer claims that some insiders began to see the Sussexes less as an opportunity for modernization and more as a potential risk.

The book claims concerns grew that Meghan “would not have respected boundaries” and that Harry and Meghan risked becoming “more Andrew-and-Sarah than Anne-and-Timothy.” As tensions mounted, Mayer argues the institution focused less on helping Harry and Meghan expand their role and more on containing them.

For the author, “Megxit” was not the result of a master plan, but the breakdown of a relationship between two people who believed they could reshape royal life and an institution unwilling to bend with them.

Meghan Markle Is Compared To Princess Diana

Elsewhere in “Divide & Rule,” Mayer also draws striking comparisons between Meghan and the late Princess Diana, arguing Prince Harry’s fears about history repeating itself may have shaped many of the couple’s decisions.

According to the author, Harry became increasingly protective of Meghan as media scrutiny intensified, believing his wife faced many of the same pressures his mother endured during her years inside the monarchy.

Mayer writes that Harry sought to protect Meghan “in a way he could not protect his mother,” while also suggesting Meghan’s growing public backlash mirrored the criticism Diana once faced before eventually becoming one of the most beloved figures in royal history.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated 28 seconds ago

The ‘90s were a heady time for movie lovers. We got new sci-fi masterpieces like The Matrix, brilliant genre deconstructions like Pulp Fiction, crowd-pleasing blockbusters like Independence Day, and so much more. But we also got something very unexpected: the renaissance of raunchy films. Movies obsessed with sex and vulgar punchlines were a staple of the ’80s, but they had started to die out by the beginning of the next decade. The late ‘90s brought back the raunchy sex comedy genre with American Pie, kicking off a decade-long revival that finally died out when movie studios got nervous about making R-rated comedies.

Of course, nothing happens in a vacuum. Have you ever wondered why American Pie was such a breakout hit? It’s largely because of another movie that came out just one year earlier: There’s Something About Mary (1998). This is the movie that took dirty sex comedies to the next level with some of the grossest gags ever put on film. Before this, it would have been unthinkable for a mainstream movie to include a joke about a woman accidentally using semen to style her hair. Fortunately, the Farrelly Brothers taught us just how funny sex could be, and you can now stream their raunchy magnum opus on Netflix.

Raunchy And Romantic

The premise of There’s Something About Mary is that a magazine writer (Ben Stiller) is still pining over the high school crush he never got to date. He hires a private investigator (Matt Dillon) to track her down, but the plucky PI ends up falling head over heels for this stunning woman (Cameron Diaz).  Soon enough, the writer and the detective are both vying for her affection, which leads to one madcap romantic mishap after another. Arguably, these mishaps are the best part of the movie, allowing the filmmakers to examine modern anxieties about sex and dating through the lens of vulgar, slapstick comedy.

Surprisingly, the movie has a wholesome core and crunchy themes about finding true love. Don’t get me wrong, every scene has at least one raunchy gag that you’d hate to watch with your parents in the room, so this isn’t an overly sentimental story. But it’s also not overly nihilistic, and it presents the main character’s search for love as a Quixotic quest for self-fulfillment. That makes his struggles relatable, and the characters’ romantic struggles are arguably more relatable than ever before. You might not notice, though, because you’re too busy laughing at some of the grossest gags of the entire decade!

The Grossest Gags Of the ‘90s

There’s Something About Mary was clearly inspired by raunchy films from earlier decades, including classics like Animal House and Porky’s. However, those movies were typically content to simply flash some nudity, make a few vulgar quips, and call it a day. By comparison, There’s Something About Mary took gross-out gags to the next level in scene after scene. For example, Ben Stiller’s character misses a date because his balls get caught in a zipper. Other scenes include semantics surrounding self gratification, and the heady combination of foot fungus and Slim Jims (talk about a road snack!).

Of course, it’s impossible to talk about There’s Something About Mary without focusing on its most notorious moment: the infamous “hair gel” scene. Stiller’s character decides to “flog the dolphin” before a date with Diaz’s character in order to take the edge off. Later, she finds some of the mess he made on his ear, which he claims is just hair gel. Taking him at his word, she puts it in her own hair, resulting in a very sticky situation for her lovely lady locks. It’s a jaw-droppingly hilarious gag, one that helped cement (especially if you let it dry!) Cameron Diaz as one of Hollywood’s funniest and sexiest women. 

A Star Is Born 

There’s Something About Mary isn’t Cameron Diaz’s first film. She actually made her Hollywood debut as the blonde bombshell love interest in The Mask. However, it was this later role that established her as one of Hollywood’s most beloved leading ladies. After all, everyone already knew she could act and that she was absolutely gorgeous. But it was There’s Something About Mary that proved that she was game for the absolute craziest scenes, and she pulled them off with the same poise and grace that made her Hollywood’s favorite girl next door. In a movie filled with acting greats like Ben Stiller and Matt Dillon, she effortlessly gives the best performance.

The success of There’s Something About Mary transformed Cameron Diaz into a bankable movie star. She subsequently headlined major film franchises like Charlie’s Angels and more experimental films like Vanilla Sky, but she never forgot her raunchy comedy roots, which is why she starred in films like The Sweetest Thing and Sex Tape. To this day, Diaz is the best part of almost any project she joins, but she wouldn’t be in nearly so many things without the success of There’s Something About Mary, a film that’s a bit like her character’s “hair gel”: sometimes sweet, often salty.

The Rom-Com, Redefined

Dudes everywhere celebrated when There’s Something About Mary came out. It wasn’t just because there was a new movie with unforgettable gags, a quotable script, and a smokeshow of a lead. No, dudes were celebrating because this film transformed their least-favorite genre: the romantic comedy. Far too many rom-coms are bad at both the “rom” and the “com,” giving us warmed-over relationship platitudes centered around bland, inoffensive jokes. However, There’s Something About Mary blends hilarious jokes with a genuinely sweet (albeit insanely unconventional) love story. It’s a film that men and women alike can enjoy and spend a lifetime quoting at each other.

Do you need a little more raunchy comedy in your life? Maybe you want to gawk at Cameron Diaz in her prime, or just get the most unhinged haircare secrets ever caught on film? Whatever the reason, now is a perfect time to grab a beer and stream There’s Something About Mary on Netflix. It’s a perfectly imperfect, R-rated blockbuster about sex, dating, and love. It also offers some important life lessons to all of the men watching it. For example, after watching what happens to Ben Stiller’s character early in the film, you’ll always, always be careful when zipping up your pants!

By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 49 minutes ago

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, which means John Carpenter has been flattered more than most people. The genius behind Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween, The Thing, and Big Trouble in Little China is one of the most imitated directors of all time. One film got a little too close for his tastes though and he took the writer to court, who happened to be another famous director, Luc Besson. Luc Besson’s 2012 film Lockout was derisively described as Escape from New York in space, and Carpenter agreed, taking the Frenchman to court over the movie. 

Escape From New York In Space

Escape from New York stars Carpenter’s frequent collaborator Kurt Russell as Snake Plisken, the eye-patch wearing convicted tough guy to take on a mission to save the President from a New York turned into a gigantic prison complex. Lockdown stars Guy Pearce as Marion Snow, a convicted felon sent to a gigantic space prison to save the President’s daughter, Emilie,  (Maggie Grace) and clear his name in the process. Don’t worry, it gets worse. 

Frank Doubleday’s great performance as the Duke of New York’s second Romero in Escape from New York is replicated in Lockout with Hydel, played by Joe Gilgun, the psychotic second in command who ends up stealing every scene he’s in. There’s also a ticking clock: in Escape from New York, it’s the impending murder of the President and then embedded explosives, while in Lockout, it’s a CIA officer willing to blow up the station to cover his tracks. Copying one or two elements could be overlooked, that’s how we got Torque, but following Carpenter’s suit, a French court ruled in his favor. 

Carpenter filed suit in 2015, three years after Lockout bombed in theaters but managed to make some money on home media. The French court ruled in his favor against countryman Luc Besson, who made the choice to appeal. Prior to the appeal, Besson and his production partners were ordered to pay €20,000 to Carpenter, €10,000 to his writing partner Nick Cave, and €50,000 to StudioCanal. After the appeal was struck down, the court increased the total damages to €450,000. 

Lockout Is Dumb Fun

Lockout isn’t a bad movie, it’s a perfectly fun dumb action movie. Guy Pearce does a great Kurt Russell impression, and the action set pieces are, again, fun but dumb. Had Luc Besson directed the film with the manic energy he brought to The Fifth Element and Lucy, it would have been far more over the top and memorable instead of the perfect lazy Sunday afternoon streaming movie for fans of the Cleveland Browns.

One particular cringey scene takes place after Marion has saved Emilie, where they have to disguise her. This involves a sudden cut to Guy Pearce with offscreen noises from Maggie Grace as he rubs black oil and cuts her hair, then she stands back up in the next cut with black hair and a short haircut. No one thought Lockout would have one of the most blatant edits in movie history, but here we are. 

Audiences largely avoided Lockout which was saved financially by the overseas market. Making $32 million, it didn’t lose money, but a budget of $20 million before marketing costs means the profit was very slim. We were never going to get another Guy Pearce Marion Snow film even before the lawsuit. 

The Future Of Escape From New York

Lockout is currently free to stream on Tubi and time has been kind to this film. It’s the type of sci-fi action we need more of, though Alan Ritchson’s War Machine on Netflix has helped fill that gap. It was a one-and-done, but on the other hand, Escape from New York is about to become more relevant. 

The good news for fans of Snake is that a sequel is in development. The bad news is that Zach Snyder is writing and directing it. Will it be the Snyder who gave us Army of the Dead and 300? Or the Snyder who wrote Sucker Punch and Rebel Moon?

Do you prefer cozy British whodunits, staple American television with the FBI involved, or a fresh take on the classic literary character, Sherlock Holmes? With these detective shows that will keep you hooked from start to finish, you’ll find all of these and more. You might even discover new shows you haven’t heard of before or be reminded of something you’ve had on your watchlist for a while.

All of these detective shows (and, to be honest, the best detective shows) have one thing in common: the exceptional ability to keep you glued to the screen from beginning to end. With these shows, you’ll notice that not all of them have ended yet, heightening the excitement for new episodes and seasons.

‘Father Brown’ (2013–Present)

Image via BBC

Father Brown is now the longest-running daytime drama in BBC history, having aired over one hundred episodes and still going strong, demonstrating its enduring comfort appeal. It’s not gritty or shocking, just endlessly watchable television, the kind that feels like a hot cup of tea (or cocoa if tea isn’t your thing). Mark Williams is excellent as the unassuming detective-priest, and the show’s pacing makes it an ideal palate cleanser between heavier dramas. It’s cozy, but it’s also addictive; each episode is a well-crafted mini-mystery that respects your intelligence while tucking you in for a relaxing night of binge-watching.

In the sleepy Cotswolds village of Kembleford, Father Brown (Williams) rides around on his bicycle, solving murders with a combination of keen insight, empathy, and a surprisingly sharp grasp of criminal psychology. He’s a Catholic priest first, a detective second, and his approach to crime is to understand the sinner rather than simply catch the culprit. Adapted from G.K. Chesterton‘s short stories, the show is packed with period details, witty humor, and deeply satisfying whodunit episodes. With a fantastic recurring cast, Father Brown presents a new case every episode, always with a moral compass pointing towards redemption.

‘White Collar’ (2009–2014)

Image via USA Network

White Collar was a hit for USA Network, running for six seasons and sparking persistent revival rumors, which culminated in a recently confirmed reboot featuring the majority of the original cast. Matt Bomer‘s charisma is undeniable, and the supporting cast, including the late, great Willie Garson as Neal’s partner-in-crime Mozzie, is universally adored. White Collar works because it never gets too dark or too silly but always gets right to the emotional core: an unlikely friendship between a man who believes in the law and a man who has spent his life breaking it. It’s a show you’ll fire up for the detective/mystery aspect and keep watching for the heart.

White Collar follows the charming and brilliant con artist Neal Caffrey (Bomer), who escapes from a maximum-security federal prison with only months left on his sentence and is quickly caught by the same FBI agent who put him there, Peter Burke (Tim DeKay). But Neal has a proposal: make him a consultant for the FBI’s white-collar crime division, and he’ll use his criminal genius to help catch other, more serious criminals. The chemistry between Bomer’s irresistible criminal and DeKay’s frustrated detective is what drives this glittering, fashionable caper-of-the-week series. Stretched into six seasons, it’s Catch Me If You Can with sleek suits, art forgery, hidden treasures, and the never-ending suspense of a con artist who might be planning his own great escape.

‘Poker Face’ (2023–2025)

Poker Face came with a bang, since Rian Johnson‘s reputation as a detective/mystery creator was still fresh after the Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion. Poker Face‘s first season was a critical success, with praise for its clever reimagining of the mystery-of-the-week formula. Each episode features a parade of fantastic guest stars as killers who vastly underestimate Natasha Lyonne‘s seemingly befuddled Charlie Cale. The show is a sun-drenched, retro-chic journey through America’s strange margins, anchored by Lyonne’s effortlessly cool performance. It’s a rare detective show that makes you feel like you’re simply hanging out with a very perceptive friend who also happens to solve murders.

Poker Face follows Charlie Cale (Lyonne), a woman on the run who possesses a supernatural ability: she can tell when someone is lying, though she’s not sure why. Running from a dangerous casino owner, she moves from one dusty roadside town to the next, working odd jobs in casinos, barbecue joints, and dilapidated motels while stumbling across a murder every week. The show is reminiscent of the great “howcatchem” shows of the 1970s, such as Columbo, in which the crime is revealed right away; the fun is watching Charlie uncover alibis with her great instincts and observation skills.

‘Young Sherlock’ (2026–Present)

Image via Prime Video

Advertisement

Young Sherlock debuted on Prime Video in March 2026 and quickly became a global streaming hit, earning rave reviews and a quick second season renewal. Hero Fiennes Tiffin plays the young Sherlock Holmes with heart and energy, and the show’s gorgeous period production design creates a visual feast. Critics have praised its balance of intellectual deduction and genuine adventure, and Guy Ritchie’s signature style ensures that even the quietest scene hums with tension and a sense of playfulness. The cast is exceptional, with Tiffin’s uncle Joseph Fiennes playing Sherlock’s father, Silas, but the standout is Irish actor Dónal Finn, who portrays James Moriarty in a compelling and utterly captivating performance.

Ritchie’s return to Arthur Conan Doyle‘s world is a high-energy origin story in which Sherlock Holmes is portrayed as a brilliant, reckless nineteen-year-old employee at Oxford University, rather than a student. Young Sherlock finds the future consulting detective dealing with his first major mystery after Princess Shou’an’s (Zine Tseng) scrolls containing priceless scrolls of Sun Tzu‘s The Art of War are stolen. There is no Watson, either; the show delves into Holmes’ origin story with Moriarty, where rifts become more apparent over time, but the chemistry between Tiffin and Finn is so strong that you’ll wish their story could last a little longer. It’s a Sherlock who is still learning how to fight and demonstrates empathy, heart, and affection, drawing a distinction between Benedict Cumberbatch‘s sociopath and Robert Downey Jr.‘s rambling chaos.

‘Bosch’ (2014–2021)

Image via Prime Video

Bosch is a quiet hit that has amassed one of the most devoted fan bases in streaming history, having aired for seven seasons on Amazon Prime Video and spawning a thriving spinoff. Titus Welliver‘s Harry Bosch embodies the hard-boiled detective: terse, principled, and somewhat tragic. The procedural cases are compelling, but the serialized arcs are where the show really shines. It’s the definition of “just one more episode,” and with ten seasons (including Bosch and its sequel, Bosch: Legacy), it’s a lengthy, satisfying binge.

Harry Bosch (Welliver) is an LAPD homicide detective with a haunted past; his mother was murdered, and he spent his childhood in foster care. He is motivated by truth and justice, and he works on cases intuitively, relentlessly, and with determination. The seven-season series, based on Michael Connelly‘s best-selling novels, is a masterclass in slow-burn police work. Later, in the sequel series Bosch: Legacy, Bosch shifts to private investigation, still pursuing justice, except this time operating outside the system. It’s fun and the epitome of a hardworking detective show that delivers on all accounts.

‘Unforgotten’ (2015–Present)

Image via ITV

Unforgotten is widely regarded as one of the finest British crime dramas ever made. Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar have the most natural, unforced chemistry of any detective pairing on television, and their calm, empathetic approach to policing contrasts sharply with the flashier, more violent procedurals. Unlike most short crime series from the UK, Unforgotten has had six seasons so far and has been renewed for a seventh in 2025. It is a show that depicts solving a crime as a long, slow process of bringing justice to those who have been forgotten, rather than the thrill of the chase.

Each season of Unforgotten begins with the discovery of a long-buried corpse, raising the question of who the person was and why they were killed. DCI Cassie Stuart (Walker) and DI Sunny Khan (Bhaskar) lead the investigation, gradually revealing decades of secrets while navigating their own personal struggles. The show is deeply compassionate, treating each victim as a human being whose life was important and each suspect as someone carrying the burden of the past. The show’s title refers to the long-gone victims, portraying them as “unforgotten,” as they are to their families and loved ones. It’s a fantastic work of detective fiction that will keep you hooked.

‘Blue Lights’ (2023–Present)

Image via BBC

Blue Lights premiered to rave reviews in 2023, and Seasons 2 and 3 followed, with a fourth on the way. Critics have praised this Northern Irish thriller as one of the best police dramas in years, citing its authenticity, lack of cliché, and deep empathy for both the officers and the communities they serve. The cast, led by Siân Brooke, is consistently excellent, and Game of Thrones fans will recognize Richard Dormer, who played Beric Dondarrion in the epic. Blue Lights is a detective show in the broadest sense; its protagonists solve crimes, but the true mystery is how to be a decent person in a world where decency is alien. It’s gripping, compassionate television that will captivate you from the start.

Blue Lights follows three rookie police officers in modern-day Belfast who discover that the job is less about catching masterminds and more about surviving each shift in a city haunted by the Troubles. Grace (Brooke), Tommy (Nathan Braniff), and Annie (Katherine Devlin) are probationary constables thrust into a world of paramilitary intimidation, community distrust, and a constant sense of danger. The show is a deeply human ensemble drama that follows their steep, often terrifying learning curve as they discover that policing is, at times, just about getting home at the end of the day.

‘Line of Duty’ (2012–Present)

Image via BBC

Line of Duty ended in 2021, with its finale attracting over 15 million viewers, breaking records and cementing the show’s legacy as one of the most successful British dramas of all time. The show’s popularity has remained high, and creator Jed Mercurio and stars Vicky McClure, Martin Compston, and Adrian Dunbar have agreed to make another season, set to premiere in 2027. Thanks to Mercurio’s brilliant pacing, each season of Line of Duty is a six-episode sprint with cliffhangers so brutal you’ll go through several episodes in one sitting. If you haven’t yet sweated through an AC-12 interview, clear your schedule. You’re about to.

Line of Duty is a crime thriller that follows AC-12, a unit tasked with investigating corrupt cops. Each season adds a new, complex case to a slowly unfolding conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of law enforcement. The interrogation scenes are long, tense, dialogue-driven standoffs in glass-walled rooms, representing television at its most electrifying. Superintendent Ted Hastings, DI Kate Fleming, and DS Steve Arnott became icons, and Dunbar received a mural dedicated to him and his character in his hometown of Enniskillen, which has a well-known mural walk.

‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)

Image via Netflix

Mindhunter is one of the best shows of the 21st century, but it’s not a traditional detective show; there are no car chases or last-minute evidence reveals. Instead, it’s a slow, deliberate journey through the psychology of murder. Fans continue to campaign for a third season, but the show remains in indefinite limbo, which somehow makes its 19 episodes feel even more precious; there have been recent discussions of a potential Season 3, but David Fincher, the showrunner, keeps things quite cryptic. Mindhunter is not a quick fix; it requires your full attention, rewards patience, and leaves you feeling unsettled in ways you can’t quite articulate, but you’ll feel hypnotized by its beauty and quality.

Mindhunter is set in the late 1970s and follows FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), as well as psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv), as they pioneer the art of criminal profiling by interviewing incarcerated serial killers. The interviews with real-life monsters like Ed Kemper, Charles Manson, and Son of Sam are unsettling and mesmerizing, shot with Fincher’s signature precision, dark sheen, and attention to period detail. If you want a detective show that delves into the minds of both the hunters and the hunted, this is it.

Advertisement

Mindhunter

Release Date

Advertisement

2017 – 2019

Network

Netflix

Advertisement

Showrunner

Joe Penhall

Advertisement

Directors

David Fincher, Carl Franklin, Andrew Dominik, Andrew Douglas, Asif Kapadia, Tobias Lindholm

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 30 seconds ago

Here’s a somewhat embarrassing connection: I’m a big fan of TV Tropes, the website that catalogues all of the different narrative building blocks that go into our favorite shows and movies. One of my favorite tropes is “Harsher In Hindsight,” which is pretty self-explanatory: this refers to media moments that didn’t seem so weird at the time but that are downright uncomfortable to watch now. Pretty much no show is safe from this trope, including Star Trek: The Next Generation. That’s because it has one episode that you pretty much can’t watch without thinking about the 9/11 terrorist attacks!

The episode in question is “The High Ground.” The show’s producers had insisted that TNG needed a little more action and adventure, so the writers busted out the most reliable TV villains of the ‘80s and ‘90s: terrorists! On paper, this episode was meant to be a callback to The Original Series, with a relatively simple framing of heroic good guys stopping sneering bad guys. Unfortunately, prominent plot points like enhanced interrogations, terrorist bombings, and even a hidden image of the Twin Towers all serve to retroactively make fans think of 9/11 and the subsequent War on Terror.

A Second Phaser Blast Has Struck The Bridge

The plot of “The High Ground” begins when the Enterprise delivers medical aid to a war-torn planet. Soon, terrorists set off a bomb, and when Dr. Crusher tries to treat the wounded, she gets abducted. At the terrorist base, Crusher discovers that their secret weapon is a special teleporter that serves as a double-edged sword: it allows them to circumvent shields and force fields, but it also damages their DNA. The terrorist leader unsuccessfully tries to bomb the Enterprise, but he does manage to abduct Captain Picard as a hostage. The crew discovers the terrorist base, and the planetary security chief saves Picard by killing the head terrorist.

Aside from the prominent inclusion of terrorists as villains (this is the one and only Star Trek: The Next Generation episode to do so), why does “The High Ground” remind fans of 9/11? For one thing, the alien planet’s response to a terrorist attack is an uncomfortable preview of America’s own actions during the War on Terror. After the initial bombing, the planet’s security chief orders very harsh interrogations of anyone she thinks is sympathetic to the attackers. This makes the Enterprise crew uncomfortable, and it makes viewers uncomfortable when they compare this to America’s notorious “enhanced interrogation” (read: torture) of terror suspects. 

“High Ground” Was An Inside Job

Questioning and potentially harming people for their alleged support of groups the government disapproves of is also an uncomfortable preview of our present world, too. Recent federal legislation like NSPM-7 has ensured that you might be added to domestic terrorism watchlists for engaging in activities or simply making social media posts that are deemed critical of the country or of capitalism. Even if you agree with the security chief’s interrogation of suspected terrorist sympathizers in “The High Ground,” this Star Trek: The Next Generation episode is a reminder that wars on terror never end; rather, the government simply broadens the definition of “terrorist” until nobody is safe.

Of course, the primary reason that “The High Ground” makes us think of 9/11 is because of a surreal cameo by the Twin Towers. When Picard and Riker visit the security chief, there are planetary surveillance monitors in the background that rotate through different images. Rather than create entirely new alien vistas, the producers decided to ever-so-slightly modify images of various Earth cities. Look closely, and you will see buildings that look uncannily like the World Trade Center’s famous Twin Towers. It’s uncomfortable enough to see them in the wake of 9/11; however, seeing them in the one and only terrorist episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation is downright insane!

Aside from its connections to 9/11, “The High Ground” is a weak episode. The producers got their wish: this episode is filled with exciting action. But the story had no cool twist or hidden message, and legendary Star Trek: The Next Generation writer Ronald D. Moore put it best when he said that “We didn’t have anything interesting to say about terrorism except that it’s bad.” Nobody really needed that message when the episode came out in 1990, and they definitely didn’t need it after 2001. As a lackluster episode with uncomfortable 9/11 parallels, “The High Ground” remains one of the weakest stories in what is otherwise the show’s strongest season.

By Robert Scucci
| Updated 1 hour ago

One of my biggest gripes about modern film discussion is how older generations always say that the new stuff coming out is never as good as the alleged Golden Age they came up in. One thing I’ve noticed, though, is that the falloff they’re talking about always seems to happen at the exact moment they stop digging deep. What’s even more amusing about this way of thinking is how conveniently everybody forgets that every single generation pumps out equal amounts of cinematic gold and crap, but we’re less inclined to remember lesser films like 1957’s The Unearthly, which you can currently stream for free on Tubi.

Looking back at The Unearthly as a modern viewer, it’s not terrible. At least not as terrible as the complete absence of critical ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, coupled with an abysmal 11 percent Popcornmeter score across more than 250 reviews, would suggest. My statement still stands, though: this movie came out during the Golden Age of cinema and is all but universally considered a total clunker.

Personally, I find The Unearthly’s availability on streaming refreshing. It’s easy to look at the past through rose-colored glasses when we only preserve the bona fide classics. Thanks to the film’s accessibility, we can now explore a completely different flavor of low-budget sci-fi horror B-movies, and for that I’ll always continue to root for Tubi for being brave enough to stream this stuff for all of us to enjoy.

The Unearthly Isn’t Nearly As Terrible As Its Reputation Suggests

At its heart, The Unearthly is a sort of Frankenstein story about a mad scientist named Dr. Charles Conway (John Carradine), who spends all of his time focused on longevity research. With the help of his assistant, Dr. Sharon Gilchrist (Marilyn Bueferd), his dim-witted enforcer, Lobo (Tor Johnson), and his supplier, Dr. Loren Wright (Roy Gordon), Dr. Conway tests his wild theories about gland manipulation on people he believes are transients with no meaningful familial connections. But he’s so blinded by his dedication to unethical science that he’s not particularly good at covering his tracks.

It doesn’t help that Dr. Wright’s approach to abducting humans involves offering treatment for what actually ails them before referring them to Dr. Conway. Grace Thomas (Allison Hayes), for example, is seeking treatment for depression and melancholy, but Dr. Conway couldn’t care less about actually helping his patients. He just wants to play God with their bodies now that he’s made some forward progress with his most recent case, Harry Jedrow (Harry Fleer), who is technically still alive, but hardly what one would consider a conscious human being. To make matters worse, Jedrow’s sister is actively searching for her missing brother.

Of course, for this film to work, we need even more people to disrupt the dynamic, and we’re introduced to Danny Green (Arthur Batanides), who wants treatment for his anger management issues, and Natalie Andries (Sally Todd), who hopes to recover from her most recent nervous breakdown. Joining in on the fun is an escaped convict named Frank Scott (Myron Healey), who, after being properly outed by Conway, can either agree to subject himself to his experiments or turn himself over to the authorities.

With the whole cast of characters primed to discover the truth behind Dr. Conway’s practice, we’re now ready to watch disaster unfold. This involves people suspecting foul play, lots of whispered conversations behind closed doors, active but secret test subjects refusing to stick to the script, botched escape attempts, and plenty of unintended comedy from Lobo lumbering around the place letting everybody know that it’s “Time for go to bed.”

Not High Art, But A Serviceable Relic

If I had to compare The Unearthly to anything modern, I’d say it plays more like a standalone episode of an anthology series than a full feature-length film. Clocking in at just 73 minutes, the movie doesn’t even have enough time to wear out its welcome, but it certainly spends all of that time being as melodramatic as possible. We have a bunch of cocksure gentlemen trying to figure out the depths of Dr. Conway’s insanity, and a bunch of hysterical damsels in distress getting shackled up and experimented on.

The film’s ending also plays out like something you’d see in The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror. The only difference is that the final reveal is supposed to be shocking and horrifying, but it’s delivered so flaccidly that it feels like an afterthought.

At the end of the day, nobody needs to watch The Unearthly because, in the decades before and since, there have been plenty of iterations of this kind of story, all of which vary in quality. It’s not terrible, though, and it’s worth a look if you want to see how low-budget sci-fi horror was made during this alleged Golden Era of cinema.

Or, who knows? The reason I have such an ongoing obsession with straight-to-video sci-fi thrillers from the late 80s and early ’90s is because there are so many hidden gems that never saw the light of day. The same can be said for any decade. While I don’t think I’ll be writing letters home about The Unearthly, it remains a fun blast from the past that doesn’t require much of a commitment to burn through on a rainy day, and it’s enough to keep me digging for some overlooked gold.

As of this writing, The Unearthly is streaming for free on Tubi.

Mel B is getting candid about how dance helped improve her mental health after leaving her reported abusive relationship with producer Stephen Belafonte. In a new interview, the Spice Girls group member also spoke about the key to staying physically and mentally healthy.

Speaking with PEOPLE, Mel B opened up about a recent Zumba class she led at the SXSW event on June 2. At the end, “Wannabe” singer said that dancing, especially Zumba, has been a life-changer for her.

“Because I had a 10-year very abusive marriage, when I got out of there, I had to piece my life back together,” she said. “Trauma doesn’t really leave you and your body keeps that trauma in.”

According to Mel B, real name Melanie Brown, dancing has given her a sense of “freedom” she didn’t have while in her relationship.

Mel B Opens Up About How She’s Stayed Healthy By Having An Active Lifestyle

Mel B is no stranger to dancing or being under the bright lights. She shared with PEOPLE that she was trained as a dancer; however, Zumba allows her to feel something entirely different.

“… this is just so much more free and you can just put your own personality on it, and it’s a good way of keeping fit and moving,” she said. ” And that’s what I love to do.”

For Mel B, she’s also discovered that staying healthy is easier than some might believe it to be. “I think just moving and keeping some kind of movement in your body is so key to being healthy,” she said, adding, “At the end of the day, who wants to be a couch potato?”

Zumba Makes Mel B Happy

In addition to finding freedom through Zumba, Brown, 51, said that the style of exercise just makes her “happy” and has had a positive impact on her day-to-day.

“It just makes you happier because you can choose your own music, you know, everything’s in the count of 8, so it’s really kind of easy to follow,” she said before sharing what she’s learned with those who are wanting to live a healthier life.

“Do something that speaks to you,” she stated. “I think just being able to get your body moving, however you interpret it, whatever music, it just makes you a little bit happier. I think that’s important.”

The Singer Detailed The Abuse She Suffered In A Past Relationship

During her appearance on a previous episode of the “Mad Sad Bad” podcast, Mel B opened up about the “manipulation” she dealt with while in a previous relationship.

The singer explained that she would often deal with her ex-partner doing things, such as moving her diamond earrings from the bed side table and placing them in the refrigerator, only to berate her about being “irresponsible.”

“… and I’d question myself, maybe I did put them in the fridge,” she said before admitting she dealt with upsetting manipulation tactics frequently.

“A lot of that went on and I literally felt like I was going mad and I would double check myself… almost like you were living in a fantasy world where I know that that wasn’t there before and I know where my coffee mug is,” she said.

According to Mel B, there’s a lot of “self-doubt” when you’re in an abusive relationship, considering abusers seek out people they can control.

“They find you when you’re either at your most vulnerable or when you’re at your happiest,” she said. “It’s a challenge to them to see how they can get you and how they can then start to manipulate and it doesn’t happen all at once.”

Scary Spice Wants A Reunion

According to a previous report from The Blast, Mel B is holding onto hope that she and her Spice Girls band mates will reunite one day for a massive tour featuring their biggest hits.

“In a perfect world, we’d already be on tour right now, touring the whole entire world,” she said. “I’m always ready to go on tour with the Spice Girls. I wouldn’t be sitting here if it weren’t for my other four girls, if I weren’t part of that kind of girl power crazy roller coaster ride.”

While the group had plans to reunite for a 30th anniversary, it all came crumbling down due to reported scheduling demands and group tension. However, stranger things have happened in the entertainment industry, so fans should never say never!

The internal investigation into the relationship between New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and former Athletic NFL insider Dianna Russini reportedly remains ongoing nearly two months after its launch. 

The Athletic’s senior editor, Steven Ginsberg, held an all-hands meeting with the staff last week where he provided an update, according to a story published by Page Six on Sunday, June 7.

“It’s going to take a few more weeks,” Ginsberg reportedly told his staffers. “There’s just a lot to go through, and we obviously want to take our time and be careful doing that. We will update everybody when we get to the end of that. We’ve also said that if we find anything that needs to be corrected, we will correct it along the way.”

Us Weekly has reached out to The Athletic for comment. 

Related: Mike Vrabel Poses With Wife Jen as Their Son Tyler Announces His Engagement

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and his wife, Jen, posed together in celebration of their son Tyler’s engagement, in the shadow of the head coach’s scandal involving NFL reporter Dianna Russini.  “The most perfect engagement surrounded by the people I love most,” Tyler’s fiancée, Mariah Romano, shared via Instagram on Sunday, June 7.  […]

The outlet announced that an investigation had been opened on April 11, four days after Page Six published photos of Vrabel, 50, and Russini, 43, together at a luxury resort in Arizona in March. 

Vrabel has been married to wife, Jen, since 1999, while Dianna and husband Kevin Goldschmidt have been married since September 2020. Vrabel and his wife share two sons, Tyler and Carter, whom they welcomed in 2000 and 2001. Russini and Goldschmidt share sons Michael and Joey, born in August 2021 and October 2022.

“The Athletic is investigating the conduct of a senior N.F.L. reporter, Dianna Russini, after the publication of photographs that showed her with Mike Vrabel, the head coach for the New England Patriots, according to a person familiar with the inquiry,” The Athletic’s own reporting said. “The Athletic’s editorial guidelines require that their journalists avoid any activities that pose a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict, so as not to call into question their credibility.”

In a meeting with his staff later that month, Front Office Sports reported that Ginsberg “acknowledged that communications could have been more clear” when it came to the investigation into Russini and Vrabel. 

Ginsberg reportedly read from a prepared statement “lasting about 10 minutes” and did not take any questions from staffers. 

When the first batch of photos of Vrabel and Russini were published, Ginsberg supported Russini vehemently. 

“These photos are misleading and lack essential context,” Ginsberg said at the time. “These were public interactions in front of many people. Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at the Athletic.”

Subsequent photos were later released of Vrabel and Russini from over the years, including images of the pair kissing at a New York City bar in March 2020. 

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

Russini resigned from her position as The Athletic’s senior NFL insider on April 14. 

“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published,” Russini said in a written statement shared via social media. “When the Page Six item first appeared, The Athletic supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful. In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts.”

Russini continued, “Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete. It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept. Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30. I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.”