“Euphoria” continues to spark ongoing conversation and intense fan reaction, and the third episode of the current season features the most jaw-dropping moment yet.

After weeks of anticipation, the wedding of Cassie Howard and Nate Jacobs, played by Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi, respectively, finally arrived, and to say it was filled with drama is an understatement.

If you have been keeping up with the current season of HBO’s hit show “Euphoria,” you’re aware that Nate Jacobs is in serious debt — and the effects of his not paying said debt finally came to a head on what was supposed to be the happiest day of his life.

After exchanging vows and officially becoming husband and wife, Nate is visited by an angry loan shark during the wedding reception that he owes $600,000 to, who provided a stern warning of what was to come. 

However, Nate likely didn’t expect to lose an extremity in the process.

As the couple returned home, they were greeted by the loan shark and one of his henchmen, who promptly beat Nate to a pulp, and finished the job by…wait for it…cutting off his pinky toe.

Fans immediately reacted online to the bloody and gory scene.

“The way I would divorce Nate and his toeless foot with the quickness after all of this is insane. You ruin[ed] my wedding day,” one user in the “Euphoria” Reddit forum wrote.

“ngl cassie having a breakdown that she’s bleeding and completely unconcerned / paying no mind to nate being violently assaulted was hella funny,” another user shared.

“Honestly, my favorite episode of season 3 so far!,” a fellow Redditor wrote. “All the tension building up in the wedding for the moment that Nate gets beaten in his home with Cassie was INSANE!”

Others noted that the scene made them a bit sick to their stomach.

“Cutting off his toe got me good god damn,” one commented. “I thought they were gonna just rip off his toenail, which is also bad, but wow,” another remarked. 

“Yeah, I was just sitting down to eat dinner too,” a third wrote. “nah fr i had to look away, also the background music while they were all screaming made me so uneasy,” another commenter shared.

Fans Previously Shared Their Excitement Of What Would Happen At The Wedding

As the wedding served as the basis for Cassie’s much-criticized OnlyFans storyline, fans anticipated what would happen once the big day finally arrived.

In the “Euphoria” Reddit forum, fans let loose ahead of the episode, sharing what they think will happen and what they hope will occur.

“I’m so ready for this episode, but I swear to god Cassie will make me die of cringe by the time this season is over. Their wedding dance looks horrifying,” a Redditor wrote. “The wedding already looks like a disaster, and I’m here for it,” a second user shared.

Another noted a moment in the episode’s teaser that pointed to comments from the previous season.

“Cassie’s mom saying ‘you’re my masterpiece,’ when she’s in her tight white wedding dress, is an exact parallel to Cassie’s parents saying ‘you’re perfect,’ when she was a tween in a tight white romper – just before they sent her out to be leered at and fondled by adult men,” the user commented.

“Okay, I’m actually so ready for this episode. Jules’s ‘remember me,’ also having the whole cast together,” a Reddit user wrote. “We’ll finally see what has changed between all of them, and not just in bits and pieces.”

“I have a theory about the Cassie & Maddie storyline,” a fellow user began. “I think she won’t screw Cassie during the wedding, but after. We saw that Cassie deleted her account after Nate found out, BUT from trailers we can also see that it’s not the end of her career…She definitely continued working with Maddie.”

Backlash And A Four-Year Hiatus Have Not Impacted Euphoria’s Ratings

According to Variety, episode two of the current third season of “Euphoria,” which aired April 19, amassed 8.5 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max in its first three days. Those numbers match the viewership of the April 12 season premiere. 

Additionally, the global total for “Euphoria” season three has surpassed 20 million viewers to date, a 68% increase from the second-season premiere in the same timeframe.

Tom Hanks was a proud dad while jamming out to son Chet Hanks‘ performance at the 2026 Stagecoach Festival.

“When you watch Chet Hanks and realize his dad is next to you,” read the caption of a fan’s TikTok video, which showed Tom, 69, in the crowd as Chet’s band Something Out West took the stage inside the Toyota Music Den on Saturday, April 25.

Tom was seen mouthing the words to the song “You Better Run,” which notably pays homage to his Oscar-winning movie Forrest Gump.

Something Out West consists of Chet, 35, and bandmate Drew Arthur. The music video for “You Better Run” was released in 2025 and showed Chet in a suit sitting on a bench with a box of chocolates. The band then performed on a shrimp fishing boat named Jenny before Tom joined Chet on the bench.

Related: Chet Hanks’ Ups and Downs With Dad Tom Hanks and Their Famous Family

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have an enduring love story for the ages, but their relationship with son Chet Hanks has been less rosy. Chet has said he feels “blessed” for his privileged upbringing as the son of two acclaimed stars but has opened up about the toxicity of spending his formative years in the […]

Tom, who shares Chet with wife Rita Wilson, has supported his son’s creative ventures over the years. Chet, meanwhile, has been candid about how having famous parents affected his childhood — and his life now.

“I’ll tell you something about my childhood. People think that being Tom Hanks’ son, like, I would grow up feeling like I was the s***,” Chet said on the 2024 season premiere of MTV’s Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets. “I actually grew up feeling completely f***king worthless.”

The musician didn’t blame his experience on his famous parents.

“People treated me like, ‘You must think you’re better than me,’ when I didn’t. I just wanted to be friends with everybody and be treated like everybody else,” he told his costars. “But what am I supposed to do? Walk through the doors and be all meek and timid? That was a mind f*** for me to deal with.”

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Chet continued, “If you do walk in through the door and you’re like, ‘Here I am mother f***er,’ then it’s like, ‘Oh, look at you arrogant son of a bitch.’ I did internalize all that negativity. Maybe I am f***ing worthless, you know what I’m saying?”

According to Chet, it was a “battle” for him “mentally and emotionally just to be able to walk outside, look someone in the eye and say, ‘What’s up? I’m Chet.’”

Chet has since found success with shows such as Netflix’s Running Point. Before the second season premiered on Thursday, April 23, Chet agreed when Us Weekly suggested at the Los Angeles premiere that his parents — or brother Colin Hanks — should make an appearance on the show with him.

By Joshua Tyler
| Published 15 seconds ago

The 1990s were a golden age for science fiction, but even in the decade of infinite space awesomeness, no one in 1994 thought that the year’s 15th biggest movie would become the foundation for decades of sci-fi shows. But that’s exactly what happened with Stargate. 

For a time, Stargate seemed on the verge of challenging Star Trek and Star Wars for geek franchise supremacy, until it was ripped apart by Hollywood executives determined to turn it into something else. When fans revolted, it ended everything, and it’s only now, 15 years later, that this legendary sci-fi franchise might finally make a return. 

This is why Stargate Atlantis failed.

The Perfect Spinoff

Set during and after the events of Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis follows an international expedition that discovers the lost city of Atlantis. The myth is real, but the city isn’t on Earth. Instead, it’s an outpost built and long ago abandoned by the powerful Ancients in the distant Pegasus Galaxy.

Colonel John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) and scientist Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Tori Higginson) lead a team through the stargate to explore the city and restore it to working order. Along with the team is Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) and a big ensemble, which would in season 2, even include a pre-fame Jason Momoa.

Rodney McKay Is One Of Sci-Fi’s Best Characters

We need to pause here to talk about just how great David Hewlett’s performance as Rodney is. He is, without question, the best character in Stargate, but also one of the best characters in science fiction. If Stargate Atlantis were given the respect it deserves, it would be mentioned alongside top-tier science fiction characters like The Doctor, Garak, Data, and maybe even Spock.

Rodney McKay is arrogant, impatient, and openly dismissive of anyone he considers less intelligent, but he’s also the person everyone relies on when things go wrong, which is constantly. Despite his abrasive personality, he evolves over the course of the series, showing loyalty, courage, and flashes of genuine humility. The core of the character is contradiction: he’s self-centered but dependable, cowardly but repeatedly heroic, and deeply insecure beneath the arrogance.

Every second Rodney’s on screen in the show is instant fun. If every episode were just David Hewlett on screen for 41 minutes, that would probably work, but the cast is a big ensemble.

Stagate Atlantis Was Killed While Succeeding

The Stargate franchise was firing on all cylinders, doing everything it could to feel like a cohesive, connected universe. It was working, and fans were loving it.

Stargate Atlantis was a hit for The Sci-Fi Channel, back in the days before it changed its name to the inferior “SYFY” with two Y’s. It was getting critical recognition too, in the form of four Emmy nominations.

Stargate’s flagship series, Stargate SG-1, was, by this point, off the air, but the franchise seemed to be in good hands with Stargate Atlantis. Then, out of nowhere, it was canceled at the end of season 5.

Amazingly, for a cable sci-fi series, the crew was allowed to end the show on their own terms, delivering a satisfying conclusion. It’s important that Atlantis does have a clear ending, so for any new viewers worried about yet another sci-fi classic cut short, don’t worry about it. However, ending it after five seasons was not the original plan for the show, and it’s not what the show’s producers really wanted. 

Laying Blame For The Show’s Cancellation

The show’s early ending is partly my fault, and partly the fault of people like me. It’s only in the last few years that I’ve gone back to the world of Stargate. I watched SG-1 religiously when it aired, but to my shame, when Stargate Atlantis was first around, I didn’t pay any attention to it; I was too busy with Battlestar Galactica. In the days before easy streaming, catching everything on TV was difficult, and sometimes viewing habits were shaped by when you were available to watch. Many chose Battlestar Galactica.

The people in charge noticed. Execs at the SyFy Channel and Stargate’s production company, MGM, were apparently doing the same thing. They chose Battlestar Galactica, too. In fact, they became so obsessed with BSG that they decided to turn Stargate into it.

Never mind that Stargate had almost nothing in common with Battlestar Galactica, the higher-ups decided that was their direction. So, in 2009, SyFy and MGM canceled Stargate Atlantis after five seasons.

Turning Stargate Into Battlestar Galactica

The show’s ratings were still strong, and so was the response. But the network execs didn’t want Stargate Atlantis anymore, so the series was shut down, and all those resources were shifted to development on a new show called Stargate Universe.

Stargate Universe would basically abandon everything Stargate’s shows had spent decades establishing. It was set aboard a lost alien ship, with no connection to the larger Stargate world.

It didn’t work. Stargate fans were outraged at the cancellation of a beloved show in its prime and even more outraged when it was replaced by something that seemed like exactly what it was: a cheap attempt to cash in on the success of a totally different science fiction franchise.

While there was talk of a Stargate Atlantis direct-to-DVD movie, similar to those produced for Stargate SG-1, it never happened. Those plans were canceled when MGM entered bankruptcy in 2010, killing funding for further productions.

Why Stargate Fans Quit

These many broken promises and tonal changes caused Stargate fans to give up on Stargate as a franchise. Many refused to give the new show, Stargate Universe, a chance. While it did improve over time, the series never received enough support from former Stargate Atlantis viewers to match that show’s ratings. The Stargate Atlantis audience felt they’d been stabbed in the back, and, understandably, did not show back up.

Stargate Universe lasted two seasons before it too was canceled. The Stargate TV franchise, which had been going strong for decades and for a while seemed on the verge of supplanting Star Trek as the biggest geek universe, died with it. All because greedy Hollywood executives refused to embrace the success of Stargate Atlantis.

Stargate Rises From The Ashes Of Atlantis

Now, fifteen years later, work has begun on bringing Stargate back, with a new streaming series. It’s not a reboot, but a continuation. Joseph Mallozzi, along with much of the original Stargate Atlantis creative team, is involved.

It’s a tacit admission by Hollywood that Stargate Atlantis never should have been canceled in the first place. Maybe it’s not too late to right that wrong. In an era where scripted sci-fi television is floundering, it may be up to Stargate to save us all.

Kylie Jenner is facing major heat online after sharing a personal “gratitude list” that didn’t sit right with fans. The 28-year-old reality star posted a mirror selfie to Instagram Stories with a running list of things she’s thankful for, but followers quickly noticed that items like coffee, spray tans, and even her Birkin collection appeared before her children.

Kylie Jenner Faces Backlash As Fans Slam ‘Gratitude List’ Ranking Kids Below Luxuries

The list included everything from “coffee hallelujah” to “birkin wall hallelujah,” with Stormi and Aire appearing further down, something fans didn’t let slide. After the post circulated on social media, reactions came pouring in.

One user wrote, “The kids should be first,” while another added, “YOUR children deserve better. Imagine in a few years’ time, seeing that your own mother picked her handbags and spray tan over you.”

Others were even more blunt, with one commenting, “Spray tans before her kids is wild. But tbh, I’m surprised she listed her kids at all.” Another wrote, “She only listed them to save face, she DGAF.”

“OH MY GOD. This is honestly shocking. How unaware can you be to not only admit that but post it for the world to see. Spray tans over your kids?!!” another user added.

Jenner Slammed Over Cat Post As Fans Question Missing Dogs

The criticism comes just weeks after Kylie Jenner was slammed for another social media post, this time involving her pet cat. Fans accused the beauty mogul of treating the animal like an accessory after she shared photos cradling the cat while showing off her diamond nails and a flashy leash.

Questions also resurfaced about her previously owned dogs, with one user asking, “Genuine question: Where are her dogs??? Is this cat just what fits her aesthetic this year? I wonder when she’ll get bored and move on to something else.”

Kylie Jenner Named In Ex-Housekeeper Lawsuit Alleging ‘Toxic’ Work Environment

Amid the online backlash, Kylie Jenner is also facing legal trouble tied to her business operations. In April 2026, a former housekeeper filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, accusing the 28-year-old reality star and her companies of fostering a “toxic and abusive work environment.” The plaintiff, Angelica Hernandez Vasquez, alleges she experienced “severe harassment and discrimination,” including being targeted over her Catholic faith.

According to the filing, Vasquez claims she was told that “Catholics are horrible people,” and was repeatedly “belittled and humiliated” in front of coworkers due to her race, national origin, and religion. She also alleges she was assigned difficult tasks and subjected to demeaning treatment, including an incident where a clothes hanger was thrown at her.

The lawsuit names Jenner as a defendant, though she is not accused of direct misconduct. Two companies, Tri Star Services and Maison Family Services, are also listed, with claims that they were responsible for the alleged workplace conditions during Vasquez’s employment from September 2024 to August 2025.

Ex-Housekeeper Claims Retaliation And Emotional Distress In Ongoing Lawsuit Against Jenner

The lawsuit also alleges that Angelica Hernandez Vasquez worked at the home of Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner’s boyfriend, during her employment, but she alleges that she was not reimbursed for mileage or transportation expenses.

According to the filing, Vasquez says she raised concerns about her treatment in November 2024, but claims her complaints were met with mockery from supervisors and “no remedial action.” Instead, she alleges the situation worsened, with ongoing mistreatment and retaliation.

After raising concerns, she claims that she faced retaliation, including false accusations and disciplinary warnings. She ultimately resigned in August 2025 and says she continues to suffer emotional distress. The case includes allegations of religious discrimination, retaliation, and emotional harm, and is now pending in court.

Kylie Jenner Stays Focused On Business And Romance Amid Online Backlash

Despite the online drama, Kylie Jenner has been staying active with her business ventures, recently promoting a new Kylie Cosmetics launch with bold campaign photos.

She’s also continued to make headlines for her relationship with Timothée Chalamet, which has remained one of Hollywood’s most talked-about romances since the pair first sparked dating rumors in 2023 following her split from Travis Scott.

Months after the 2026 BAFTAs, the BBC is again facing intense public backlash after a racial slur was broadcast during two separate news bulletins on Radio 1. 

The corporation has issued an apology for the incident, which involved the use of an unedited song by rapper Childish Gambino during its news programming.

This latest blunder comes after the network was condemned for a similar oversight, involving Tourette’s syndrome advocate John Davidson, during its coverage of the BAFTA Awards.

The BBC has come under fire once again after the N-word was aired during two Newsbeat bulletins on Monday afternoon. The offensive term was heard at 12:45 p.m. and again at 5:45 p.m. during reports focused on the recently released “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”

To soundtrack the items, editors used a track by American rapper Childish Gambino, who stars in the film alongside Chris Pratt and Anya Taylor-Joy. However, the production team was reportedly unaware that the lyrics in the selected clip contained the derogatory slur.

Following the broadcasts, a BBC spokesperson expressed deep regret, stating, “We are very sorry this was broadcast. We should not have included this clip in this news report.” 

According to the Daily Mail, a source described the situation as an “appalling oversight in the edit suite,” noting that the wrong version of the song was chosen and standard checking processes were ignored. 

This mistake is particularly sensitive as it follows a major controversy involving the same slur during the edited broadcast of the annual BAFTA Awards. During that event, disability campaigner John Davidson, who has Tourette’s Syndrome, was heard using the N-word while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage.

An Independent Review Slammed BAFTA Oversight

The recent failures in the BBC’s edit suite reflect broader organizational issues highlighted during a deep dive into the broadcaster’s earlier awards show controversy.

Following the public outcry over the BAFTA Film Awards broadcast, an independent investigation conducted by RISE Associates uncovered some structural weaknesses within the organization. 

The review, commissioned by the BAFTA board, found that the chaos during the live event resulted from poor planning and a lack of proper escalation procedures, rather than any deliberate malice, per The Blast.

According to the report, there were cracks in how crises were coordinated and how information was passed up the chain of command. 

What The BBC Said About The BAFTA Slur Breach

In light of the controversy, the BBC took responsibility for the incident. The organization admitted that its failure to censor a racial slur during the BAFTA Film Awards was a significant breach of editorial standards. 

Following an investigation into the February ceremony, the BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) confirmed that the broadcast of the N-word was a “serious mistake.”  

According to The Blast, former director-general Tim Davie also attributed the error to confusion within the editing truck, where producers reportedly failed to recognize the specific interjection at the moment.

The Tourette’s Advocate Struggled With Bad Luck Following The Incident

While the BBC continued to manage its administrative failures, Davidson also endured significant personal agony following his involuntary outburst during the awards ceremony.

The Tourette’s campaigner saw his life thrown into turmoil when he returned home to Scotland, only to discover that his property had been burgled. 

According to director Kirk Jones, thieves broke into Davidson’s shed and stole his bicycle, which is his primary means of transportation since he does not drive.

Jones highlighted the emotional whiplash Davidson experienced, noting how he went from receiving a standing ovation in the auditorium to being forced to leave amidst widespread upset, per The Blast.

The director emphasized the cruel unpredictability of the neurological ailment, explaining that a single day for Davidson can shift from moments of inclusion and joy to “awful” and “nasty” experiences. 

John Davidson Explained That He Had No Control Over His Tics

Despite the personal hardships following the ceremony, Davidson remained committed to educating the public about the realities of his condition. In a candid interview, the activist spoke openly about the physiological mechanics behind his involuntary outburst at the awards show. 

Davidson explained that his condition leaves him with almost no choice but to tic. While some individuals with Tourette’s syndrome can briefly suppress their tics, he noted that he has almost no ability to hold them back once the pressure builds up, as reported by The Blast.

Davidson also admitted that his stomach dropped the moment the slur came out, realizing the impact of the word even as he remained powerless to stop it.

Colman Domingo isn’t backing down as criticism around “Euphoria” Season 3 continues to build.

The actor pushed back on the growing backlash, suggesting viewers are reacting to the show’s signature unpredictability, a trait he says has been there since day one. But not everyone agrees, with some fans insisting the Sam Levinson-led series has strayed far beyond its original direction.

Domingo is standing firm behind “Euphoria” despite the growing backlash surrounding the HBO drama’s third season. During a recent appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” the actor addressed the criticism directly.

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The actor revealed that many fans have actually reached out to say they’re “happy” the show is back after its four-year hiatus, even if the wait left them frustrated at the time.

At the same time, Domingo acknowledged that not everyone is on board with how the story is unfolding. Calling the reaction “complicated,” he pointed to the show’s nature as a “wild, crazy, and beautiful show,” suggesting that the very unpredictability now drawing criticism has always been central to its identity.

Colman Domingo Claps Back At ‘Euphoria’ Critics

Seth Meyers pointed out that fans originally embraced “Euphoria” for its uniqueness and unpredictability, making the current backlash over those same qualities feel “funny.” While the show continues to lean into that unpredictability, some viewers have pushed back, arguing that this season’s direction isn’t landing the same way.

Domingo, however, had a clear response. Explaining the show’s creative core, he noted that everything is anchored in Zendaya’s character struggling with addiction.

“Well, at the center of the show is an addict, so it has the personality of an addict, it will constantly change,” Domingo said. “It won’t be reliable.”

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Fans Say Colman Domingo Is ‘Missing The Point’

The conversation didn’t stop there, as viewers quickly took to social media to push back on Domingo’s defense of “Euphoria,” with many arguing that the issue is execution.

“Love a good straw man argument. I don’t think people are disappointed because it’s not predictable. They are disappointed it’s gone off the rails completely,” one Reddit user wrote.

Others echoed that sentiment, suggesting the show’s shifting direction feels disconnected rather than intentionally chaotic.

“Yeah, and I love him, but even the other actors were confused about their new storylines. It’s still interesting, but it’s odd — the acting is what’s saving it, not the plot lol,” another user shared.

A third added, “God, they are so off. It’s not the unpredictability. It’s the constant shifts in narrative that don’t match what we were previously given.”

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‘Euphoria’ Season 3 Faces Mounting Backlash

Season 3 has quickly become one of the most criticized releases online, with viewers and critics arguing that Levinson leaned too heavily into shock-driven storytelling, including repeated themes of humiliation and graphic scenes.

The new installment introduces a major five-year time jump, following Zendaya’s Rue Bennett as she tries to settle a dangerous debt owed to her dealer, Laurie, while on the run. Elsewhere, Sydney Sweeney’s Cassie is raising eyebrows with an OnlyFans storyline, while Jacob Elordi’s Nate has drawn criticism for feeling disconnected and underdeveloped compared to previous seasons.

Sam Levinson Explains ‘Euphoria’ Season 3 Delay

Levinson has shed light on why “Euphoria” took so long to return.

Speaking at the premiere, the director explained that multiple setbacks slowed production, including industry-wide strikes and the loss of key figures tied to the show. He specifically revealed that the death of Angus Cloud forced him to completely scrap an earlier version of the script and rethink the story moving forward.

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

He added that while scheduling challenges with the show’s in-demand cast played a role, the real delay came from trying to honor those who had passed.

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“Some people asked why it took so long between seasons two and three,” Levinson added. “There were obvious factors… But the real time was in trying to figure out how to find a way to pay respect to those who we lost.”

The end of each month signifies both an exciting new selection of movies coming to streaming libraries, but also the sad departure of many other fantastic picks.

Thankfully, there’s still a little over a week left to get in some choice viewings before April gives way to May.

Watch With Us has put together a list of three great but underrated thrillers leaving platforms like Netflix and HBO Max at the end of April that you should prioritize squeezing in while you still have time.

Our picks include a modern Western crime saga, a twisty science fiction drama and a stylish neo-noir from the ’80s.

Related: 23 Must-Watch Thrillers on Netflix Right Now (April 2026): ‘Clika’ and More

In April 2026, Netflix is still one of the best streaming libraries if you’re looking for a great thriller to watch. Watch With Us has curated a list of our favorite thriller movies on Netflix, including top picks like Gerald’s Game, Trap House, Green Room, and more. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email […]

Toby Howard (Chris Pine) is trying to give his family a better life while keeping their ranch from foreclosing, so he goes into criminal cahoots with his short-tempered ex-con brother and Tanner (Ben Foster) to execute a series of heists targeted at the bank that’s threatening to take away their home. Unfortunately, the brothers have relentless Texas Ranger Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) on their scent, accompanied by his equally tough partner Alberto Parker (Gil Birmingham). Although Marcus is only weeks away from retirement, that won’t stop him from confronting the brothers in true cowboy fashion: in a climactic showdown, guns blazing.

The screenplay for Hell or High Water comes straight from the brainchild of the Yellowstone Cinematic Universe, Taylor Sheridan, who unsurprisingly makes this riveting crime story a true neo-Western for the modern era. The slow-burn unfolding of the narrative is played out to perfection in the detailed script and the richly textured characters, who are embodied naturalistically by Bridges, Pine, Foster and Birmingham. Though Hell or High Water did receive an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, it’s far too slept on. If you love movies like No Country for Old Men and Bone Tomahawk, be sure to check this one out.

Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson) is a computer search engine programmer who wins a contest to spend a week at the lavish estate of his company’s CEO, tech entrepreneur Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac). Little does Caleb know, he hasn’t actually won any vacation. Instead, he was intentionally chosen to act as a guinea pig for Nathan’s latest technology: a highly intelligent humanoid robot named Ava (Alicia Vikander). Through his administering of the Turing test on Ava, Caleb discovers the true extent of her consciousness — and she is far more self-aware than either Caleb or Nathan realizes.

Alex Garland (likely most known for screenwriting 28 Days Later) makes his feature directorial debut with the stylish and cinematic indie film Ex Machina, a philosophically minded sci-fi that questions the nature of  human empathy and “God complexes.” The movie trades CGI-heavy special effects for simplistic yet effective designs, with sleek visuals, a sharp script and tremendous performances from Gleeson, Isaac and Vikander. If you haven’t yet given Ex Machina a shot, it doesn’t take long into the runtime to understand why many feel it’s one of the top science fiction films of the 21st century.

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Dogged U.S. Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William Petersen) swears revenge on violent counterfeiter Eric “Rick” Masters” (Willem Dafoe), the man who killed Chance’s partner in action. So, he sets out to find Masters alongside his new partner, John Vukovich (John Pankow). Though Vukovich is far more by-the-books than Chance is willing to be, that doesn’t stop Chance from turning to unorthodox methods to get his payback. But when Chance enacts a scheme to ensnare Masters, the resulting violence causes the death of an undercover cop, and Chance’s relentless obsession with Masters only becomes more dangerous.

Related: 7 Must-Watch Sci-Fi Movies on Prime Video Right Now (April 2026)

Mercy may not have made a splash in theaters during its release earlier this year, but this sci-fi flick is now a streaming hit on Amazon Prime Video. Its arrival is fortuitous because Prime Video shed some great sci-fi movies at the end of March. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter […]

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To Live and Die in L.A. comes from legendary auteur director William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The French Connection), but it’s a lesser-celebrated installment in the director’s acclaimed body of work. The movie bears the distinction of being the source of the Wang Chung hit “To Live and Die in LA” (which some may recognize now as the theme for Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney), but it’s also replete with killer car chases, a masterful sense of stylistic flair, dynamic pacing and a memorably slimy villain in Dafoe’s Rick Masters. To Live and Die in L.A. is a defining ’80s neo-noir you can’t skip out on.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 9 seconds ago

Ever since Starfleet Academy was canceled, the discourse around the show has grown more intense. Vicious battle lines have been drawn between two groups: the older fans who wanted the show to be more like Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the younger fans who praised the franchise for trying something new. Many of that second group have grown particularly shrill, blaming small-minded haters for why their favorite new sci-fi show got canceled. The first group, however, maintains that they just wanted a Star Trek show and not a teenage drama that just happens to be set in space.

What may surprise you, though, is that network executives warned Star Trek about creating a Starfleet Academy-style show over 60 years ago. When NBC was determining which episodes of The Original Series should air first, execs decided they didn’t like “Charlie X” because it focused on an adolescent boy with superpowers. As written in These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One, those executives thought this made the show seem like nothing more than a teenage melodrama set in space. They decided against showing “Charlie X” as the first episode, but thanks to its low postproduction costs (everything took place aboard the Enterprise), it ended up being the second episode ever.

Teen Drama In Space

In retrospect, “Charlie X” was a solid episode. Sure, it felt a bit more like The Twilight Zone instead of Star Trek, but Robert Walker did a great job as the titular Charlie. Plus, this episode was basically a one-off, and no other Original Series episode would channel those same “teen drama” vibes. However, 60 years later, Alex Kurtzman and the other architects of NuTrek ignored what those NBC executives said way back when and decided to give us the ultimate sci-fi teen drama show: Starfleet Academy.

Since Starfleet Academy’s cancellation, there has been endless discourse over why the show got canceled. Everyone knows it got the ax because it didn’t get enough viewers to justify its exorbitant production costs, but why did fans avoid this new show in a way they didn’t avoid, say, Picard or Strange New Worlds? For many fans of old-school Trek, the reason they hated SFA was that it looked like a teen drama in space. Ever since the first previews hit, that’s exactly what these fans dreaded the new show would be, and it justified those fears at every turn.

Star Trek Meets Dawson’s Creek

In-between delivering some life-and-death Star Trek misadventures, Starfleet Academy focused on wacky teen hijinks at every turn. This included prank wars with fellow students, silly love triangles (will the gay Klingon end up with the twink thug or the bisexual disaster?), bar fights, and multiple arcs (for Caleb, SAM, and Genesis) about everyone’s respective mommy and daddy issues. It was what all the skeptics feared: a CW-style teen melodrama that just happened to have the Star Trek name attached to it.

Given its sudden cancellation, it’s reasonable to assume that most fans rejected the new show (there are unconfirmed reports that it averaged only 40,000 viewers per episode). They rejected it because it didn’t feel like Star Trek in the way that Strange New Worlds (itself a direct prequel to The Original Series) or even Picard did. In this way, the fandom validated what those NBC executives tried warning Trek producers about 60 years ago: that this new sci-fi venture needed to be more than a reskinned version of a teenybopper soap opera.

Modern franchise producers like Alex Kurtzman have learned their lesson. Starfleet Academy is clearly not what the fandom wants. Paramount has seemingly learned this lesson as well, and they are preparing to effectively relaunch the entire franchise with a brand new Star Trek movie that ditches the Kelvinverse continuity. At this point, nobody knows exactly what the movie will be about. But based on the new Star Trek spinoff’s failure, it’s a surefire bet that it won’t focus on teen melodrama in space!