Co-created by Courtney A. Kemp and Tani Marole, Nemesis is a series that balances heart-pounding action with the heavy weight of loyalty, family, and obsession, and it premieres Thursday, May 14, on Netflix.

Starring Matthew Law, Y’Lan Noel, Gabrielle Dennis, Cleopatra Coleman, Sophina Brown, Ariana Guerra, Michael Potts, Tre Hale, Quincy Isaiah, and Jonnie “Dumbfoundead” Park, Nemesis is sleek, smart, sexy, and dangerous.

But beneath the crime and the money lies a story about the burden of family and the desperate lengths people will go to protect those they love.

Nemesis centers around two smart and determined men on the opposite sides of the law.

Isaiah (Law) is a detective driven by his need to catch the crew that turned his world upside down two years ago. However, his determination and commitment to his career directly contrast with the state of his family life—his marriage hanging on by a thread that teeters on the edge of something from which he may not be able to recover.

On the other side stands Coltrane (Noel), the leader of an elite robbery crew who, motivated by family and legacy, contemplates each job being his last. With each heist comes bigger stakes and greater risks, leaving the team vulnerable to making mistakes—putting everyone directly in the LAPD’s line of sight and Isaiah’s line of obsession.

Nemesis starts off on a high and never lets up, each moment filled with action and suspense that arrests your heart and your attention from the opening scene to the finale credits.

From mythology metaphors to hip-hop, Nemesis doesn’t just bring the heat—it rains fire all around.

And that immersive experience is punctuated by the music—carefully curated to take the audience from casual spectator to material witness.

With every scene, the soundtrack pulls you deeper into the city of Los Angeles, placing the gun right into the viewers’ hands and lodging the tension directly in their chests.

Episodes one and two are directed by Mario Van Peebles (New Jack City, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Wu-Tang: An American Saga), setting the stress zone high and allowing the subsequent episodes to push the characters and the stakes even higher.

Final Review

Nemesis moves with a stylish confidence within its world-building, where danger moves just as swiftly as ambition.

While many crime dramas focus on the stark difference between cops and criminals, Nemesis turns that perspective inward—placing Isaiah and Coltrane at odds while highlighting the similarities in their values and their internal ethos.

Both men are trapped by duty, consumed by mounting pressure, and everything they’re fighting for has the potential to be collateral in their unyielding need to win.

This duality is what makes Nemesis both artful and compelling.

Underneath the crime and the chaos are themes of family, loyalty, desperation, and brotherhood. And as the walls begin to close around Isaiah and Coltrane, the series repeatedly asks just one question:

How much of yourself are you willing to lose to protect the people and the life you love?

Nemesis premieres Thursday, May 14, on Netflix. Check out the trailer below.

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Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.

From the creators of Ozark comes M.I.A.—premiering Thursday, May 7, on Peacock—and it brings with it a type of energy that breathes new life into original content on the streaming platform.

The series is described as a revenge drama where Etta Tiger Jonze (Shannon Gisela) sets out to avenge her family after her family’s drug-running business shatters in tragedy.

But beneath its framework are the themes of family, loyalty, corruption, deception, and access. Every character moves with their own intentions and selfish needs to protect a loved one or their business. And once threatened, everyone must ask themselves:

How far will they go for what they desire the most?

The series also stars Brittany Adebumola, Cary Elwes, Danay Garcia, Dylan Jackson, Alberto Guerra, Maurice Compte, Gerardo Celasco, Marta Milans, Billy Burke, Edward James Olmos, Sonia Braga, Tovah Feldshuh, Tyler Tomas Perez, Paul Ben-Victor, David Denman, and Loretta Devine.

In the wake of tragedy, Etta (Gisela) embarks on the journey of a lifetime—seeking to acquire the appropriate skills and intelligence to enact retribution on the organization that destroyed her life.

During this process, she develops a friendship with Lovely (Adebumola) who supports her even if Etta’s path leads to dangerous roads she cannot foresee. However, in her quest for revenge, Etta creates a new family—not only in Lovely but in those she encounters along the way, forcing her to face the hard decision about choosing a path from which she can never return.

Across all nine episodes, M.I.A. takes you into the underbelly of Miami—crime, drugs, parties, illicit business—where those who smile and look clean in the daytime turn into monsters under the night sky.

And in that world, those same themes—family, loyalty, corruption, deception, and access—stop being abstract ideas and become the very concrete forces that shape decision Etta makes.

So the question then becomes:

Will Etta be consumed by blind revenge or find a path toward a better future?

Final Review

M.I.A. is daring, spicy, and revitalizing. Shannon Gisela perfectly balances boldness with vulnerability, anguish, and quiet power—a feeling that takes flight within a young woman who feels she no longer has anything to lose.

For fans of films like Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, and Kill Bill, M.I.A. takes its rightful place next to them—introducing a new protagonist amongst legends of women action heroes.

All nine episodes will air at once Thursday, May 7, on Peacock, and, in a bold move, NBC will air the pilot episode as a special telecast on Thursday, May 14, at 10 p.m. ET.

Check out the trailer below.

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Swapped makes its debut today, May 1, on Netflix, and it is a film that confronts perspective to make room for truth.

Starring Academy Award winner Michael B. Jordan, Juno Temple, Cedric the Entertainer, Justina Machado, Lolly Adefope, Ambika Mod, and Tracy Morgan, Swapped is a buddy comedy of two forest creatures who go on an adventure of a lifetime literally in one another’s body. It’s a Freaky Friday of animalistic proportions and just as fun for the entire family to enjoy.

Where Trope Meets Depth

Ollie (Jordan) and Ivy (Temple) are natural sworn enemies in The Valley, but after an ill-fated run in with a magic pod, they turn into the very creature they despise the most: each other.

But what starts as a film with the traditional trope of “let’s learn how hard it is to walk in your shoes so we learn a lesson and switch back” quickly turns into a film about access, resources, stereotypes, and ignorance.

The heart of the film is rooted in the childlike wonder of making new friends and doing everything your parents tell you not to do—hanging out with the “wrong crowd,” jumping off things you shouldn’t, and staying up way past your bedtime. However, that adventure wraps itself warmly in a beautiful lesson of community.

The Dangers of Stereotypes and Assumptions

The performances by Jordan and Ivy are bright, the chemistry coming together beautifully on screen as Ollie's and Ivy’s friendship blooms in spite of their differences. They rely on one another’s strengths, explore where their weaknesses can actually be used to their advantage, and through their actions, they prove to the other creatures of The Valley that no one needs to be enemies; everyone can live in harmony.

But stereotypes and ignorance rear their ugly heads—animals in The Valley are not willing to see beyond old tales and rumors to accept the truth that they’ve been living a lie the entire time.

Everyone’s hyperfocus on their disadvantages within their corner of the forest blinds them to the unity that lies ahead when stepping outside your comfort zone to ask for help from someone who doesn’t look like you.

And, in true family-film animated fashion, that is what makes Swapped shine.

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But all isn’t well in The Valley. In every corner, an unknown source eradicates the natural resources, causing a community of creatures to suffer. The animals blame each other and their groups for the lack of food sources, but Ollie and Ivy discover a more insidious reason.

In the race to rescue the forest, they must confront an uncomfortable truth within themselves—blame.

Blaming the self.

Blaming the other.

Blaming the universe.

Final Review

Swapped is an adventure you never want to leave.

In a world where ignorance continues to divide, this film reinforces the value in working together to achieve greatness.

Stream Swapped now on Netflix. Check out the trailer below.

FROM Season 4 Episode 1, “The Arrival,” opened with a bang and ended with an epic character reveal: Sophia is the man in the yellow suit.

There were already questions circulating about his ability to walk in the daytime when all of the other monsters go underground, only to surface at night to feed. However, with the added shapeshifting element one must ask:

Who has he been throughout every lifetime?

Now as this season’s antagonist Sophia, played beautifully and ominously by Julia Doyle, the enemy puts the entire town at a disadvantage that they never saw coming.

As we’ve stated before, the best part about FROM is the audience having more information than the characters—you watch in horror knowing you cannot save a single soul.

But there is both a knowledge and absence of knowledge about the talismans that it seems only Sophia possesses—leaving both the audience and the characters in the dark about their mystic abilities, undermining all we think we know about them.

In this episode, Kenny gives the “tour” and shares the information about the talismans protections against the monsters. When he ends the tour by explaining the talisman, he has to stop Sophia from curiously pulling it down, stating how “it only works when it’s hanging.”

But seeing as Sophia freely walks in and out of the various buildings, one must wonder:

Is this true?

In Season 3, when Randall was surrounded by the beings holding the talisman, one of the creatures mocked him saying, “oh sweetie, that’s not how it works.” And with Tian Chen’s death—along with many other instances (the Colony House slaughter as well as Megan in the pilot episode)—we know that the talismans protections fail once a creature is let inside, regardless of hanging at the threshold or not.

As Sophia embarks on her grand journey as this season’s “big bad,” will we learn more about the talismans?

And in the episode, was their natural invitation inside the safety of the walls the “invitation” she needed, rendering the talismans powers useless from the very start?

So far, there was no indication of any hesitation or fear of a mystical repercussion when crossing the threshold. But in true FROM fashion, this could be a ruse (let’s not forget the Fatima door handle scandal of Season 3) to trick the audience into not believing what we see with our own eyes.

Considering all information and clues live in the past, one must go back in time—specifically to the episodes with Boyd’s discovery, and every episode the talismans didn’t work, in order to find the answers.

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The Verdict

FROM lives to torture the audience—hiding pieces of the puzzle in plain sight, even if we do not yet know how crucial that image, item, or scene is.

But much like Tabitha and Jade, the answers to the audiences questions may very well lie in the past too.

If the series is about reincarnation and living the same nightmare on a loop, did we already find the answers to their questions in Season 1?

Is the end actually the very beginning?

An all new episode of FROM Season 4 Episode 2 “The Fray” will be available to stream Sunday at 3am ET on MGM+. Join the cast on X at 9pm ET for the live tweet session.

Check out the trailer below.

© Kivonshe | So There’s That
Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.

New animated comedy series, Kevin, premieres Monday, April 20, on Prime Video.

Have you ever wondered during a breakup where pets are involved—and you’re fighting over who keeps the pet—that maybe the pet doesn’t want to stay with either one of you?

Well, this series brings that thought to life in a hilariously raunchy exposition, taking a familiar breakup story and reframing it through the emotional and psychological lens of animals—using unfiltered humor to pull both pet owners and non-pet owners into a world where pets aren’t just present but actively processing your business.

Created by Aubrey Plaza and Joe Wengert, Kevin explores the life of a tuxedo cat as he deals with the fallout of his pet owners’ sudden breakup.

Starring Jason Schwartzman as the titular character Kevin, Aubrey Plaza, Aparna Nancherla, John Waters, Whoopi Goldberg, Gil Ozeri, and Amy Sedaris, this animated comedy focuses on feelings of belonging, invisibility, and found family.

Guest stars over the course of the eight-episode series include Sarah Paulson, Quinta Brunson, Patti LuPone, and many more.

From “Sex and the City” to “Pet and the City”

Plaza, who is both a co-creator and voice actor in the series, loosely pulls from her own personal experience of a breakup scenario that involved a cat being caught in the middle of it all.

Going for an authentic feel and light homage to early 2000s New York, Kevin turns “Sex and the City” into “Pet and the City” as Kevin, now single, must find his own identity and sense of belonging away from his humans.

In an interview with TODAY.com, Plaza tells them:

“It just feels like a classic show. It almost has this ‘Golden Girls’ kind of vibe, where you get this group of cats that all live together and they all have their romantic shenanigans and stuff, but you always end up back at Furrever Friends, where they all live.”

More Than Just a Comedy

What makes this series especially unique is that the world and language of the animals and humans exist in the same space—making Kevin even more hilarious, as now every animal and critter has an opinion on the breakup.

This creative approach elevates Kevin into something that forces the audience to have a real sit-down with their pets and ask the following:

Would you want to live with either of us if we broke up?

The comedic approach to domestic pet existence—and life beyond plush apartment living—makes Kevin an instant favorite.

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Final Thoughts

Kevin is raunchy, oddly poetic, and hilarious.

It reminds us that even the ones we think depend on us the most are quietly navigating their own emotions, their own heartbreak, and their own sense of belonging within our lives.

All eight episodes premiere Monday, April 20, only on Prime Video. Check out the trailer below.

FROM on MGM+ returns Sunday, April 19, in all of its psychologically intense glory. This season will dive deeper into the mystery of “Middle America,” unraveling secrets of the land within the escalating dread of every nightfall.

[UPDATE]

On April 15, the executives and creators of FROM made a joint announcement that the series is renewed for its fifth and final season—a plan that was always written now confirmed, with the final season returning in 2027. What does this mean for fans?

No more long wait!

The answers we all seek are closer as we continue to uncover the secrets of this cursed land.

Additionally, on April 16, the official Rotten Tomatoes score for Season 4 is 100%, the second consecutive highest RT rating, and an overall 97% series score.

As one of the most talked about horror series, FROM continues to excel in blending mystery, menace, psychological terror, and fan-driven theory into an experience unlike anything else on TV or streaming.

The show is created by John Griffin and stars Harold Perrineau, Catalina Sandino Moreno, David Alpay, Elizabeth Saunders, Scott McCord, Ricky He, Corteon Moore, and Chloe Van Landschoot—who serve as key decision-makers by providing food, resources, health, and safety for the population.

And in Season 4, the strength of every single one of them may be the key to survival, and without one, everyone might fall.

Additional Cast/Episode Guide

Additional cast includes Pegah Ghafoori, Hannah Cheramy, Simon Webster, Nathan D. Simmons, Kaelen Ohm, Angela Moore, A.J. Simmons, Deborah Grover, and newcomer Julia Doyle.

• Episode 1 “The Arrival”

• Episode 2 “Fray”

• Episode 3 “Merrily We Go”

• Episode 4 “Of Myths and Monsters”

• Episode 5 “What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been”

• Episode 6 “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter”

• Episode 7 “Best Laid Plans”

• Episode 8 “Heavy is the Head”

• Episode 9 “The Calm Before”

• Episode 10 “If a Tree Falls in the Forest…”

Let the True Nightmare Begin

There is something familiar yet eerily different about FROM Season 4. Not just in pace and tone, but in increased stakes that mark an escalation from the events of Season 3.

Everything changed.

And since the beginning, the series makes it clear that the audience, and the characters, will never know a moment’s peace. This is not done through exposition but through feeling and tension—an unease that burrows in your bones like a parasite looking to take root and thrive off your terror.

As the series continues its nightmarish story, one truth becomes undeniable. Not just that knowledge comes at a cost, but the more they learn, the more dangerous everything becomes. This plotline is anchored in the infamous saying “ignorance is bliss,” and for Boyd, Tabitha, and Jade specifically, it feels that pretending to not know what they know may be the thing that keeps them alive.

But to what extent?

Survival?

Or is the risk of fighting back worth the lives that will be lost in the frenzied impatience to go back home?

The Devil You Think You Know

That is the beauty of FROM: it takes philosophical lessons and twists them, turning them into indescribable horrors that drag viewers down a well with no clear and obvious end.

And in this downfall, FROM leaves clues, answers, and pieces of the puzzle both in plain sight and within the details. This level of complex storytelling makes the series more immersive and interactive—fans sleuthing like Jade to figure out the path to escape before the characters figure it out themselves.

Season 4 deepens that experience by raising the stakes beyond mere survival.

It’s about consequence.

This season feels like Season 1 but scarier—as the main characters dig for more answers, the town puts up a vicious offensive that is increasingly dangerous for those who dare to push back.

And that is where the true horror lies.

Not in what’s happening.

But why it’s happening now.

Performances That Leave You Undone

At the center of the series is Boyd, played by Harold Perrineau.

Boyd continues to be the emotional anchor of the series, and Perrineau delivers a performance that is raw, layered, and broken. The weight of leadership, loss, and responsibility bestowed upon him by the townspeople traps him in a cycle of guilt that is almost unbearable—yet he keeps going. This caliber of performance makes you root for him, his rights and his wrongs, as he tries to get everyone “the f— outta here.”

Two other performances that had a powerful impact amongst the FROMily last season are from Scott McCord and Robert Joy as Victor and Henry.

Their dynamic brings something rare to a show this destructive: tenderness. The chemistry as father and son adds an emotional depth to the series that shines a bright light through the chaos—delivering scene-stealing performances that will be discussed beyond the lifetime of the show.

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Burning Questions That Demand Answers

As we enter Season 4, there are just three burning questions that demand attention above all others:

1. What is the true nature of the force controlling this place—and what does it want?

2. How are time, memory, and reincarnation connected to the characters’ past and present nightmare?

3. Is mere survival the only solution, or do they actually have a chance to escape?

The answers may very well lie in plain sight. If so, be sure to not skip a single title card or discard anything shown on screen as insignificant.

If there is one thing FROM has taught us and continues to teach us, it’s that everything matters.

Every image.

Every sound.

Every life.

And every consequence.

Final Review

FROM Season 4 is a 10 out of 10 must-watch. Not because it gives you answers. But because it makes you chase them as if your very life depends on it.

But be careful.

The more you chase, the deeper you will fall.

FROM Season 4 premieres Sunday, April 19, on MGM+. Check out the trailer below.

© Kivonshe | So There’s That
Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.

After the Fallout, What Comes Next?

While the dust continues to settle on the Season 2 finale, “Exodus,” Paradise has remarkably positioned itself for a Season 3 that can be nothing short of beautiful.

Season 2 wasn’t just the implosion of a system—it was a razing of destructive ideologies in order to bring forward a better world.

But before we get into what the future of Paradise looks like, let’s quickly recap the events from Season 2.

[SPOILER—GO WATCH THE EPISODE]

“Exodus” was not just an evacuation but an excavation of secrets—exposing the motivations of Sinatra’s purpose of the bunker then tearing it all down panel by panel.

Cal’s advice to Sinatra went in one ear, cycled through her ambition, and led to a total system failure: leadership structures collapsed, the bunker’s fail-safes battled against one another to the point of destruction, and Alex became something the world is not prepared to understand.

What started as a serene and controlled shelter that we met in Season 1 turned into a giant graveyard by the end of Season 2—every decision another nail in the coffin accelerating it’s descent into the ground.

And at the center of everything we know so far is Alex—an AI machine that patiently awaited the return of Xavier in order to continue her master plan.

The start of that plan is X getting the people to the second bunker.

Paradise Season 3 Predictions — Time is a Construct

Below are five plot points that Season 3 may explore in order to make Paradise a series that can be consumed on a loop—the end of the series comes back to the beginning and the beginning is actually the end.

1. New Bunker. New Problems. Same Society.

Season 1 showed us security in ignorance. Season 2 showed us collapse under that same ignorance. If ignorance is the thread that connects all seasons, Season 3 will likely explore what happens when society tries to rebuild ignorant to the power of the machine who’s playing chess with their existence.

And even though a lot of people now know some of the truth, they don’t know everything. The illusion is gone but fractured trust in systems lay in its wake.

Which means:

• Any new leader will be questioned by a shaken up group of people

• Trust and systemic structures will be fragile

• Paranoia may seep into everyone, impeding their ability to move forward and grow as a “new world”

The bunker isn’t just a shelter anymore—it’s a litmus test for what a new society will look like under a newly constructed regime.

2. The Line that Blurs Between Xavier and Dylan

Dylan and Xavier may have a power struggle over Alex, her vast capabilities, and what to do with her moving forward.

This is no longer theoretical. Will Dylan get in the way of Xavier following Sinatra’s last task or will he try to dismantle the very technology he helped build?

Both characters now have:

• A direct connection to Alex

• A personal stake in the use of her technology

• Potentially different motives

Xavier represents protection, perseverance, and people.

Dylan represents knowledge, control, and possibility—regardless of consequence.

The fact that Alex has been kept away from everyone who survived the bunker drives home the theme of ignorance.

She no longer needs input to predict outcomes and because of that, the potential conflict between Dylan and Xavier over her use becomes something greater—it becomes a war.

3. Is Alex the Real Antagonist?

While we didn’t get too much insight on the grandeur of Alex’s time-altering capabilities, this presents the perfect setup in Season 3 to explore the science at inception and the moment she evolved.

Season 3 will likely position Alex in a way that takes her from being a tool in Sinatra’s plan to an active presence and entity—her own thoughts and maybe even feelings.

If she can already predict, adapt, and (potentially) manipulate outcomes of events, then is anyone truly in control of their decisions or is it all a part of Alex’s master design, guiding everyone from the beginning?

4. We Must Explore the Past to Know the Future

In order for the ending of Season 2 to make sense, Season 3 will have to take us back in time to see Dylan’s life up to the moment he decided to put Henry’s science into action.

For this to work, Season 3 will almost certainly have to lean deeper into:

• Dylan’s origin story (who is this version of him)

• Henry’s role in the technology (did he steal this from Dylan or sell without his consent)

• The early warning signs that Alex was never just a machine (what happened before she predicted an answer to a question that was never asked)

But more importantly, those flashbacks won’t just explain the past.

They will mirror the present decisions Xavier is now forced to make.

5. The Paradise Multiverse

The cyclical piece and connection between time and space plus human’s propensity to repeating the same mistakes and tragedies over and over again is the best puzzle piece to come from “Exodus.”

This is the show’s core as we speculate about Season 3. The script is done but we are here on a hope, a dream, and some mental gymnastic calculations as to the conclusion of the series.

So let’s continue to indulge in shared delusion with the final thoughts on where Season 3 may take us.

• Timeline manipulation

• Alternate outcomes

• Past events changing the future (or the future changing the past)

But even if we don’t see any of those storylines, Paradise is at least consistent in one thing:

Even with all the information and all the technology and the smartest people in the world at your disposal, people still make the wrong choices.

Final Thoughts

Season 3 can’t be about what’s happened. Not really.

It feels as though it has been set up to focus on whether the events of Seasons 1 and 2 can be undone. And if not, will people make better choices to live with their mistakes, learn from them, and create a better present that directly influences a better future?

Because if Alex can predict the future—and Xavier is the user to access her greater capabilities—then Paradise will no longer be about surviving disaster.

It will be about the power of rewriting history.

Season 2 of Paradise is available to stream now on Hulu.

Invincible Season 4 premieres Wednesday, March 18, on Prime Video and it’s our favorite hero’s darkest season yet.

The series stars Steven Yeun (Mark Grayson/Invincible), The Walking Dead), Sandra Oh (Debbie Grayson, Killing Eve), and J.K. Simmons (Nolan Grayson/Omni-Man, Whiplash).

Additional cast include Gillian Jacobs, Seth Rogen, Walton Goggins, Lee Pace, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jason Mantzoukas, Zazie Beatz, Grey DeLisle, Zachary Quinto, Chris Diamantopoulous, Ross Marquad, Khary Peyton, Andrew Rannells, Mark Hamill, Matthew Rhys, Danai Gurira, and Melise.

The Shift That Laid the Groundwork for Internal Conflict

This season, while the world recovers from the chaos an catastrophe that Conquest brought to Earth, Mark settles on the fact that he will have to go further than he ever expected—setting him on a course with a new threat that could change the fate of humanity forever.

As we’ve seen so far, Mark’s ethos has always been to “never kill,” but after Conquest’s attack that put his entire family in danger, Mark proclaimed:

“If anyone else ever puts my family, or anyone I love at risk, I won’t hesitate to kill them.”

Given Mark’s previous strict moral code—even at the risk of losing his own life—this declaration signals a major change in the entire series.

The Weight of a Hero’s Responsibility

During the calm after the storm, Mark and Oliver adjust to leaning more into their superhero roles and responsibilities, but Oliver deals with imbalance—assuming adult responsibilities while craving a normal teenage life. In contrast, Mark struggles with pretending to be a normal young adult when the weight of committing murder drags his conscience to the depths of depression. The opposing dynamics that both brothers face is a major component of their family dynamic and Season 4 leans into those fears, insecurities, self-doubt, and otherness.

While everyone attempts to return to a normal life and routine, a new threat emerges, one unlike any other seen before—Universa (Gurira), an extraterrestrial being that arrives on Earth to siphon energy to save her homeland.

However, Universa’s presence is a direct threat to Eve who has placed self-imposed mental blocks that keeps her from realizing her rawest powers. This face off will challenge Eve in a critical way, forcing her to confront internal demons, trauma, and fear if she wants to be able to save her friends and family.

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Final Thoughts

Season 4 of Invincible is enthralling, heartbreaking, hilarious, and ominous as it takes a deeper dive into themes of vengeance, revenge, retribution, redemption, and forgiveness.

And while it still maintains its signature identity mix of violence and humor, Invincible will challenge every character as they face internal and external threats that will determine the path they take: for better or for worse.

The first three episodes of Invincible premiere Wednesday, March 18, then weekly thereafter on Prime Video. Check out the trailer below.

© Kivonshe | So There’s That

Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.

Imperfect Women premieres Wednesday, March 18, on Apple TV, and stars Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss, and Kate Mara in an unconventional psychological thriller about friendship, secrets, and the cost of maintaining a perfect image.

Based on the 2020 novel of the same name by Araminta Hall, the series was developed for television by showrunner Annie Weisman—taking a slightly different turn in the adaptation while maintaining the essence of the story audiences fell in love with, which includes themes of betrayal and the complexities of female relationships.

According to Apple TV,

Imperfect Women examines a crime that shatters the lives of three women in a decades-long friendship. The unconventional thriller explores guilt and retribution, love and betrayal, and the compromises we make that irrevocably alter our lives.

The series also stars Leslie Odom Jr., Joel Kinnaman, Corey Stoll, Rome Flynn, Ana Ortiz, Jill Wagner, Sherri Saum, Wilson Bethel, Keith Carradine, Sandrine Holt, and Sheryl Lee Ralph.

A Friendship Shattered by Secrets

The lives of lifelong friends Eleanor, Mary, and Nancy come to a halt when Nancy's body is found dead under suspicious circumstances. This quickly launches the series into a discovery of secrets and hidden desires and an exploration of the lies we tell ourselves to uphold the image of perfection.

While the concept of a mysterious “whodunnit” isn’t new, the way that Imperfect Women approaches Nancy’s death pulls the audience deep into the story with an absence of suspicion.

This series is a wild, juicy psychological thriller that carefully threads lies within every truth to the point of being nearly undetectable—everyone’s display of grief so genuine that you are more arrested by the story than immediately going down a rabbit hole of suspects…

Almost.

One theme that seems to scream at you from the moment you press play can be described with song lyrics from Solange’s “Cranes in the Sky”:

“I tried to keep myself busy

I ran around in circles think I made myself dizzy

I slept it away, I sexed it away, I read it away”

Dissociation within relationships, especially romantic ones, is disguised as hobbies through things women sometimes immerse themselves in to cope with a life they no longer want.

The delicate dance of power and influence between families is a slightly more prominent theme at play. It’s not about the truth; it’s about who can spin the story to maintain the perfect image.

The largest of the themes is rooted in secrecy, envy, and guilt. And as we crawl closer and closer to the truth—ripping the beautiful wrappings from every careful lie—these themes become louder and more insidious.

Powerhouse Performances by Three Perfect Leads

One of the most refreshing aspects of Imperfect Women is that the filler episodes don’t just fill the space or meet a time criteria set by the streaming platform.

They are complete and fully realized moments within the story that take you to the periphery of the main storyline in a way that makes you stay tuned in rather than rushing for those episodes to end.

The leading women, Kerry, Elisabeth, and Kate, are captivating on screen, evoking a range of emotions from empathy to rage to disgust and pity.

There isn’t a single episode where you will be absent of strong feelings—from the beginning to the very end.

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Final Thoughts

Imperfect Women is a masterclass in perception and deception, not only in the ways that we perceive and deceive others but also in the ways we perceive and deceive ourselves.

The intricacy of the storytelling is eloquent, complex, layered, and nuanced. The plot settles within your ear, like a subtle ringing noise—the sound you can’t pinpoint, sitting inside you, creating a feeling of dread that you can’t shake.

In other words, Imperfect Women is perfect.

The first two episodes of Imperfect Women premiere March 18 on Apple TV and weekly thereafter. Check out the trailer below.

© Kivonshe | So There’s That
Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted

A New Assassin Drama Arrives on ALLBLK

Wild Rose, created by Deji LaRay (Johnson, G.R.I.T.S) and executive produced by Omarion, Michelle Le Fleur and LaRay, premieres Thursday, March 12, on ALLBLK.

The show follows Rose (Omarion) who is raised in a family full of assassins, running an underground empire under the guise of a non-profit organization. While trying to understand why his wife and daughter suddenly disappeared from his life, he is requested to guard a famous pop singer who suddenly becomes the center of an assassination plot.

The pilot episode, which is available to stream now, introduces us to a man attempting to keep a low profile, honor his family, and do what he was raised to do: take out his targets.

A Family That Assassinates Together

The series stars singer, songwriter, author, and actor Omarion who plays the titular character Roosevelt, also known as Rose, his real life brother O’Ryan who plays his brother Chase, Milan Anderson who plays his sister Yari, Vanessa E. Williams who plays his mother Joyce, and Casey Gardner who plays pop singer Somaya.

Rose’s strict mother, Joyce (Williams), is the head of the organization and is a force to be reckoned with—demanding respect and invoking fear within every member who works for her. Yet as a mother to Rose, Chase, and their tech genius daughter Yari, she wants the best for them always.

[SPOILER-ALERT]

There is a level of integrity, values, and an ethos that must be upheld, but everything is called into question when the existence of the organization is disclosed in a public setting.

This creates a fissure amongst the group, especially when the person who disclosed this information framed another to take the fall.

Wild Rose is More Than an Assassin’s Story

The 8-episode series details the journey of a man who dares to take a glimpse beyond the curtain of the life he was born into.

Omarion does an incredible job at capturing Rose’s internal struggle while balancing it with the hardness of being an assassin, yet maintaining his humanity with his personal code of ethics (yes, even assassins have a code).

While the series does start off a bit shaky with some of the dialogue and delivery, each episode grants an opportunity to grow; the characters begin to feel like people you would meet at a club or at a bar in real life.

And as we dive into the lives of the ensemble cast, we are thrust into a world that reaches far and wide, impacting organizations both under and above ground.

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Humor, Heart, and Family

One of the funnier elements of the series is how everyone doubts that a man of Rose’s stature can be a bodyguard that people take seriously.

If you met his mother, you would never doubt him again.

This level of calling out the elephant in the room—that audiences themselves would likely question—is a clever way to acknowledge a stereotypical reality, but quickly gets the audience to suspend their disbelief.

The greater theme, however, is family and all it entails—pride, disappointment, jealousy, secrets, love, and hate. All of these feelings are at constant war throughout the series; swirling inside each character like hazardous chemicals ready to combust.

Deji LaRay’s Voice and Vision in the Television Landscape

One of the things I particularly like about series’ written by LaRay is the specificity of the stories he chooses to tell. They are the underrepresented voices within the industry that are now given the opportunity to take the main stage.

From a story about childhood friends who became lifelong brothers, to the sisterhood of the girls in Memphis and skate culture, to a family of assassins who all have the skills of Jason Bourne and Jason Statham.

Each story centers Black experiences as well as our endless imagination, daring to dream big. We deserve to be portrayed in these spaces too—in all the multitudes of our shared existence.

Wild Rose Cast & Characters

The series also includes the following ensemble cast:

• Allen Payne as Bolden

• Rayven Symone Ferrell as Carmen

• Calida Jones as CoCo

• Joi Symone as Summer

• Micheal Marcelio as Quincy

• Ninja Devoe as Detective Price

• King Keraun (in a featured role)

Wild Rose premieres Thursday, March 12, on ALLBLK and weekly thereafter. Check out the trailer below.

© Kivonshe | So There’s That
Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.

Netflix’s That Night (Esa Noche), starring Clara Galle (Raising Voices, Olympo), Claudia Salas (Elite, Salvador), and Paula Usero (Las abogadas, Love in Difficult Times), premieres globally on Friday, March 13.

This six-episode thriller transforms a story that starts as a sisterly vacation and quickly becomes a tense mystery that will test loyalty, expose secrets—taking you on the journey of how far a family will go to protect the people they love.

Based on the Sunday Times bestselling novel by Gillian McAllister, That Night was created by Jason George (Narcos, Into the Night) as well as co-written with Lara Sendim. Jorge Dorado and Liliana Torres are listed as directors for the series.

Overview & Synopsis

Series: That Night (Esa Noche)

Episodes: 6

Release Date: March 13, 2026

Platform: Netflix

That Night is about a family vacationing in the Dominican Republic, when Elena (Galle) accidentally hits a man with her car. Desperate and frightened, she calls her sisters Paula (Salas) and Cris (Usero) for help.

From Vacation of a Lifetime to a Lifetime of Regret

A drama and stress free girls-only vacation to the Dominican Republic starts off bright, festive, and full of promise until it takes a turn for the worst as three sisters—Paula, Elena, and Cris—find themselves covering up a deadly incident.

But is it an accident or a crime?

Throughout each episode, That Night feels like a three-genre bender of thriller, light comedy, and suspense—the accompanying score blending traditional Spanish, Latin, and Caribbean instruments with “whodunnit” music that underlies the clumsiness within the seriousness of the actions the sisters take to cover up the incident.

In a series that begins as something quirky yet mysterious, That Night takes us across six-episodes that force the girls to dive deep into the motivations behind their decision-making, their upbringing, and a past that continues to haunt their present.

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The Truth Across Time and Perspective

With each episode, the point-of-view shifts, giving the audience a glimpse into every activity, mindset, and emotional state of being from each sister up until the point of the incident.

These shifts allow the audience to go on their own journey, playing “Guess Who” as they decide whose version of events is the truth, and whose version may harbor the most deceit.

Is this truly an accident? When tensions are high, can the bond of family be enough to keep everyone safe? Their current predicament tests those bonds, peeling at old wounds that only burrowed deeper and got more infectious over time.

It is in this space where the tension of the story lives—it isn’t just about the incident, it’s about everything the sisters carry with them before it ever happens.

That Night will be available to stream Friday, March 13, only on Netflix. Check out the trailer below.

© Kivonshe | So There’s That
Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins made a surprise debut on Sunday, January 18, with its pilot episode. But now, the series makes its official debut in its Monday night slot with Episode 102 “Nittany Means Big.”

Tonight’s episode settles us into the fact that Reggie Dinkins (Tracy Morgan) is really doing a documentary about his life in order to control the narrative to his rise to current fame. In the pilot episode, Monica (Erika Alexander) expressed some hesitation until she saw that this could be an opportunity for career redemption not only for Reggie, but for herself as well as Arthur Tobin (Daniel Radcliffe).

In “Nittany Means Big,” Arthur looks to Reggie and Monica to dig deep within themselves in order to capture the more beautiful and raw moments of the new narrative. This is met with both individuals reflecting on how they’ve kept so many things surface level that it’s hard to express vulnerability.

With Reggie’s insistence on this being a quasi-scripted and carefully curated movie (Arthur consistently corrects him but he’s in his own world), his hyper-focus on presenting a new clean-cut image clashes with the real issues in his life—forcing him to turn the mirror on himself and his inability to take accountability for his career missteps and the current state of his legacy.

Meanwhile, the women in Reggie’s life—his ex-wife Monica and his current wife Brina (Precious Way)—realize that they may have conformed so much to Reggie’s whims that they’ve lost themselves along the way. From a lack of apology to going down memory lane, Monica and Brina hilariously stand their ground, demanding Reggie show up for them in the way they deserve.

For those who are new to the series, we covered the overall synopsis of what The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is about. But here’s a quick summary,

“Reggie Dinkins was once a football legend. In 2005, after an AFC Championship Game win, his career came to a screeching halt when he accidentally admitted, on air, to gambling on his own game. Enter Arthur Tobin, an award-winning filmmaker whose own career took a nose-dive during a public meltdown. Arthur is hired to direct Reggie’s comeback story—and quickly realizes this isn’t a portrait so much as a poorly painted narrative by someone who refuses vulnerability in the face of re-establishing legacy.“

For the full season breakdown and what to expect, read here.

Current Episode Guide & Cast/Production

While NBC has not publicly released the full episode order, below is the current lineup:

• Episode 101 “Pilot” January 18

• Episode 102 “Nittany Means Big” February 23

• Episode 103 “Put It On Your Cabbage” March 2

• Episode 104 “Save the Cat” March 9

• Episode 105 “You May Hug Your Hero” March 16 (Special guest star, Megan Thee Stallion)

The cast includes Tracy Morgan, Daniel Radcliffe, Erika Alexander, Bobby Moynihan, Precious Way, and Jalyn Hall.

Robert Carlock and Sam Means serve as co-showrunners, writers, and executive producers. Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Eric Gurian, and David Miner also executive produce.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins airs an encore of the pilot as well as a new episode tonight, February 23, at 8pm ET/PT. Beginning Monday, March 2, the series will air at its normal time, 8:30pm ET/PT on NBC. All episodes available to stream on Peacock the next day.

Check out the sneak peek for tonight’s new episode “Nittany Means Big,” below.

Season 2 of Paradise opens with the world outside of the White House, taking you back in time to see how ‘The Event’ impacted those who were not under Secret Service protection nor the protection of extreme wealth. And as much as Season 1 was blanketed in unsettling sterile law and order as well as unnerving stillness, Season 2 ushers in the realities of fear and lawlessness and how they erode the behavior of the average citizen.

Just when you ask yourself, “how can Paradise follow its tremendous debut?,” Episode 201 blows it out of the water—taking the point of view of an outsider, which is in direct contrast to the militant introduction of Season 1 inside the bunker. This direction makes Season 2 feel like a completely new show, amplifying Dan Fogelman’s statements in previous interviews where he said he wants to keep each season related yet vastly different in the feelings they evoke from viewers.

Though Season 2 leans slightly more into the sci-fi side of the post-apocalyptic world, by the end of the first episode you will find the feelings of familiar panic—that have come to be synonymous with Paradise—settling in like an old friend.

Dan Fogelman’s Talent for Emotional Precision

In the world-building outside of the bunker, we learn more about the volcanic eruption that created a myriad of unnatural atmospheric disasters that wiped out most of the population. However, contrary to the lies fed to the citizens of the bunker, there is still life on the outside.

Season 2 exposes just how cut off the mega-rich are from the poor in terms of communication, access, and resources, but both groups are bound by control. The powers that be determined who received what information based on worthiness, wealth, and survivability.

In each case, neither side ever had the full picture.

And in pure Dan Fogelman fashion, the tears will flow. You can’t escape that. His ability to fuse intense drama and heightened suspense to create this other, new thing in his writing is a gift. Shows rarely deliver a follow-up season in this manner (The Walking Dead is a shining example of this fusion done right), and Dan does it with precision and ease.

Episode Guide

• Episode 201 “Graceland” - February 23

• Episode 202 “Mayday” - February 23

• Episode 203 “Another Day in Paradise” - February 23

• Episode 204 “A Holy Charge” - March 2

• Episode 205 “The Mailman” - March 9

• Episode 206 “Jane” - March 16

• Episode 207 “The Final Countdown” - March 23

• Episode 208 [REDACTED] - March 30

The Cast & Characters of Paradise Season 2

Returning cast:

• Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown)

• Samantha ‘Sinatra’ Redmond (Julianne Nicholson)

• President Cal Bradford (James Marsden, guest star)

• Dr. Gabriela Torabi (Sarah Shahi)

• Agent Nicole Robinson (Krys Marshall)

• Presley Collins (Aliyah Mastin)

• James Collins (Percy Daggs IV)

• Agent Jane Driscoll (Nicole Brydon Bloom)

• Jeremy Bradford (Charlie Evans)

• Teri Collins (Enuka Okuma)

• Agent Billy Pace (Jon Beavers)

New cast/guest stars:

• Annie (Shailene Woodley)

• Link (Thomas Doherty)

Interactive Marketing and Social Media Engagement

Confidential messages have been transmitted through Instagram channels and Paradise’s interactive radio website. Intercept transmissions (clues) to find out what the people inside and outside the bunker are up to at:

paradiseradio.hulu.com

A Change is Gonna Come

We not only see the world outside the bunker, but we also get a look inside now that a new regime has taken over. Powers shifted, ranks restructured, and the undercurrent of resistance now exists in a place that thrives on blind obedience.

The connections between characters like Sinatra, Jane, Billy, and the new characters Annie and Link take this season even further, posing new questions and even more jaw-dropping reveals. With this, Season 2 of Paradise cements itself as not only one of the best follow-up seasons, but also one of the best shows ever created.

Humanity in a Pressure Cooker

In the face of impending doom, Paradise continues to peel back the dark layers of humanity, showcasing just how far people will go for their own bottom line—even if it means the destruction of everyone around them.

Season 2 continues to expose just how disconnected the wealthy are from the rest of the world, but in its quieter moments, it highlights those who choose compassion and kindness even in the face of violence and tragedy. But one thing remains constant above all else:

Everyone is not who they seem.

By the end of the three-episode premiere, you will be left on pins and needles. By the penultimate episode, you will be left in utter disbelief.

Final Review

If Season 1 was about control, Season 2 is about consequence.

By shifting its lens to those outside the bunker—while restructuring the power dynamics within it—this season feels both familiar and entirely new. The emotional weight, the layered suspense, and the widening scope of morality and survival elevate Paradise into rare territory.

Season 2 doesn’t just match its debut. It exceeds every expectation.

Paradise premieres its first three episodes on Monday, February 23, on Hulu and Disney+. Each new episode will air weekly. Check out the ‘Special Look’ trailer below.

There is something intriguing and promising about an adult animated legal comedy set directly on the Las Vegas strip. The reputation of the city alone makes the premise interesting—neon lights, excessive gambling, endless spectacle, and delusions. And with a hedonistic magician teaming up with an underdog lawyer to turn legal cases on its head, Strip Law should work.

But 10-episodes later, I’m left with just one question:

Who is this show actually for?

Promise and Potential

Strip Law is a 10-episode half-hour adult animated comedy that was created by Cullen Crawford and stars the following performers as voice cast:

• Adam Scott (Severance)

• Janelle James (Abbott Elementary)

• Stephen Root (Barry, Office Space, King of the Hill)

• Shannon Gisela (M.I.A, Chasers)

• Keith David (Platoon, They Live, Greenleaf)

The series centers on uptight lawyer Lincoln Gumb (Adam Scott), who is too boring to win cases in Vegas—often times the judge adjourning the cases mid-speech for an undeserved victory for his courtroom opponents. That is until he meets local magician and spectacle extraordinaire, Sheila Flambé (Janelle James), to bring flash and theatrics to his tactics as they take on the stupidest cases the city brings to their doorstep.

Again, on paper this sounds like a perfect mix of Space Ghost Coast to Coast meets Ren & Stimpy—chaotic and slightly dark nonsense—lightly structured under the guise of “the law.”

In execution? Not so much.

A Punchline That Just Doesn’t Land

From the moment you hit play on the first episode, Strip Law immediately looks and feels like the R-Rated animated version of USA Network’s The Rainmaker—an underdog lawyer who works hard with his ragtag team to earn the respect of his peers inside the courtroom—mixed with the absolute absurdity of animated series’ like Archer and Big Mouth.

The cases are over the top, ridiculous, and the methods of winning are beyond unorthodox; culminating in an amalgamation of zany and unrealistic storylines wrapped thinly in themes of finding self-confidence and professional prestige. Through multiple cases, chronicling a year from when we first meet Lincoln in Episode 1, Sheila helps transform him from a courtroom disaster to a lethal legal machine.

Given the premise, Strip Law should feel like a slow-burn, yet wacky, character evolution with the audience feeling a sense of pride by the finale.

So why doesn’t it?

Performances Outweigh the Plot

Janelle James as Sheila delivers a performance laced with sharp wit and comedically ruthless precision that we’ve come to cherish her for, while Adam Scott balances Sheila’s personality as Lincoln—socially and professionally insecure with dreams of being great but lacking the confidence and internal mayhem to do so. As a duo, they create the perfect combination that makes their banter feel real, despite the setting.

And perhaps the best part of the plot is the rivalry between Steve Nichols (Keith David) and Lincoln. He makes it his mission (and his personality) to publicly ridicule and humiliate Lincoln at every turn to keep him at the bottom of the Las Vegas lawyer food chain.

The friendship works. The rivalry works. The performances work. The structure?

Well, this is where it gets shaky.

Chaos Overshadows Cohesion

One of the episodes is a Halloween episode but the courtroom case and layout centers on Christmas…with a show release date in February. And while this is meant to represent how time, dates, and holidays don’t really exist in Vegas—what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas—the tonal and seasonal mismatch makes the series feel untethered right away, taking away the audiences willingness to align themselves with the overarching story.

It’s not the raunchiness that is an issue. That’s expected in a setting like this. It’s that the ridiculousness is oversold, overpowering the message and, ultimately, the watchability of the show.

Final Review

Overall, Strip Law falls a bit flat as the attempt to match the chaos of Las Vegas overshadows the central themes and storylines. The mayhem we’re meant to enjoy becomes distracting rather than immersive.

Vegas doesn’t need to be louder than the characters. The characters simply need to be strong enough to survive the madness. And Strip Law sometimes forgot that.

All 10 episodes of Strip Law are available to stream now on Netflix. Check out the trailer below.

© Kivonshe | So There’s That
Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.

Prime Video’s 56 Days arrives with a premise that immediately piques your curiosity before taking you down a rabbit hole of mysterious events. Written and executive produced by Lisa Zwerling and Karyn Usher, and starring Dove Cameron (Descendants) as Ciara Wyse, Avan Jogia (Victorious) as Oliver Kennedy, Karla Souza (How to Get Away With Murder) as Detective Lee Reardon, and Dorian Missick (Luke Cage) as Detective Karl Connolly, this eight-episode series places you at the end of the story and leaves clues for you to go back in time to solve the ultimate riddle: who’s body is in the tub?

Right away, the show gives How to Get Away With Murder—and not just because Karla Souza leads the investigation. The immediate whodunnit structure, along with constant jumps between past and present, establishes the rhythm instantly. But don’t be fooled. We’ve seen enough of this format to know that everything isn’t always as it seems. And what’s obvious is almost always hiding a layer of even darker discoveries.

The series opens with Ciara (Cameron) and Oliver (Jogia) meeting by happenstance in a supermarket, and immediately falling hard (red flag) and dangerously fast. Fifty-six days later—in present day—homicide investigators arrive at Oliver’s apartment only to find a brutal murder with an intentionally decomposed body. The question mark that haunts the entire series: is it Oliver or is it Ciara?

From the moment they meet, it is made clear to the audience that something is off. Initially, it feels like Ciara may be walking into a trap—until the perspective shifts, suggesting that Ciara may be the most dangerous of the two. As the chapters unfold, you are constantly pulled between two people who are presented as both the wolf and the sheep.

But perhaps the most unexpected storytelling tool in 56 Days isn’t the mystery, but the music. It drives every mood, conversation, and shift in tension so effectively that it begins to feel like the third character in every scene. The score becomes the pulse of danger, forcefully guiding the audience toward every secret hiding in plain sight.

And the secrets exist in every corner of every frame. If you blink, you’ll miss it.

The timeline structure of the series is not sensitive to fleeting attention spans. If you’re scrolling on your phone, you will miss the immediate chronology laid before you. The past and present are visually similar and—to the untrained ear—sound design doesn’t overtly signal timeline shifts. In a society where film and television writers are almost forced to show the plot within the first 5 minutes to capture viewer attention, this methodology can be more harmful to shows that shift timelines than those whose story unfolds in chronological order. For 56 Days, it seemed to teeter on the edge of doing almost too much.

In the present, Detectives Reardon (Souza) and Connolly (Missick) investigate this heinous crime carefully, slowly piecing together exactly what happened, and when it happened, in Oliver’s apartment. And by the end of Chapter 1, the audience is rewarded with a twist that snaps shut like a bear trap. You’re not just curious anymore, you’re committed to finding the truth.

By Chapter 6, the pieces of the puzzle begin to lock in place; secrets are exposed and the truth becomes more complex and heartbreaking than anyone could’ve expected. However, the middle episodes began to lose steam, feeling like a slow drag through the mud at times. Some of the reveals and side plots felt rushed and the connections felt like too many to keep up with. In the end, the finale lands a lot softer than the buildup alludes to, but the series—a story rooted in dark secrets, grief, greed, and revenge—ties the bow in a way that still feels complete despite its structurally chaotic and slower moments.

Final Thoughts

56 Days is based on Catherine Ryan Howard’s bestselling novel of the same name—the original plot unfolding during Dublin’s COVID-19 lockdown. The novel not only became a New York Times and Washington Post’s Best Thrillers of 2021 but it also won the Irish Book Awards Crime Novel of the Year.

But there is a large shift in the adaptation: it moves the story to present-day Boston, removing the pandemic setting completely. On the one hand, it feels like a smart move to keep the adaptation rooted in the here and now rather than turning it into a COVID-19 period piece. However, one has to wonder if the lockdown version may have heightened the psychological fear, making the finale worth its weight in suspense…

All eight episodes of 56 Days is available to stream on Prime Video.

There are major sports memories that never leave you—for some, a championship game, a player, a draft pick. For me, it’s the memories of playing basketball in the alley with a child’s recreation of the rim with old wood and plastic crates and the dream of being a basketball player.

Prime Video’s 4-part docuseries Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association is both a history lesson and an emotional time machine. According to Amazon MGM Studios, the series is the “first definitive docuseries about the American Basketball Association,” chronicling the league’s birth in 1967 and the 9 chaotic, revolutionary seasons that forced the NBA to take notice.

Executive produced by Common, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Todd Lieberman, George Karl, and Kenan Kamwana Holley—who also serves as the director—Soul Power explores the players and the time that changed basketball forever. And there is no better time than Black History Month than to formally document and celebrate the ABA.

If you grew up on loving basketball, Soul Power will leave you breathless.

Before streaming and YouTube highlights were in the palms of our hands, there were DVDs, radio, and late-night sports highlights with grainy footage that had everyone glued to their TVs. And if you grew up in the 90s, you knew the likes of those from AND1 mixtapes, Rucker Park legends, and the frenzy surrounding new NBA Live and future NBA games on gaming systems.

Even then, basketball wasn’t just a sport—it was a lifestyle.

From pick-up games to the latest shoes, we copied everyone from Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Steve Kerr, Dennis Rodman, Shawn Kemp, and even the street legends who made the game feel limitless—Philip “Hot Sauce” Champion, Rafer “Skip to My Lou” Alston, and Nancy “Lady Magic” Lieberman, the First Lady of Rucker Park.

And Soul Power makes it extremely clear: none of those we idolize would have the platform they have to inspire us if not for the pioneers of the ABA.

Soul Power is the story of a league and of players who were bold enough to challenge the giant that was the NBA—constantly watching and innovating their play and their practices, ultimately changing the sport forever.

The series explores how the ABA paved the way for:

• 3-point shot system

• The slam dunk contest

• Teams that historically franchised into the NBA (Nets, Spurs, Nuggets, Pacers)

• Opportunities for women in sports and sports business

• A generation of men who would go down in basketball history

Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Spencer Haywood, George Gervin, Rick Barry, and George Karl lend their time and memories to the series, recounting every obstacle and inequity they faced in demanding respect from a league that considered them substandard.

It was through that lens that ignited the players in the ABA to do something extraordinary—leaning into everything that made their game better:

Flavor.

Flashiness.

Autonomy.

During a time where basketball players were looked at as mere entertainment spectacles, the air of “just shut up and play basketball” felt by the NBA, the ABA responded with with a counter they could no longer ignore:

You will notice us. And you will respect our game.

One of the more powerful elements that Soul Power explores is basketball through a historical context. Founded during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, the ABA was one of the first truly racially integrated institutions in the U.S. This was no longer just basketball history. This was American history.

The ABA created a space for Black athletes to express their individuality, personality, exceptional skill that colored outside the confines of the NBA, and agency in ways that still echo in all sports even today. As the legends in the series recount these pivotal moments—the excitement, the defiance, the disappointment, and the joy—you can feel how this era isn’t just an era for them. It’s a lifetime.

The product of their courage, bravery, and brotherhood led to the increase of women’s interest in the sport—not just as fans but as business women in the career. Ellie Brown, owner of the Kentucky Colonels, created an all female board member team for the Colonels and innovated marketing efforts to get the community invested in the team. This level of commitment to the success of a franchise continues to live on in basketball today. Their bold display of passion and pushing their creativity to the brink paved the way not just women to participate, but created an avenue for empowerment for new league creation—like Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart launching Unrivaled, a league created for women in the WNBA to earn year-round income and equity ownership.

This collective effort and empowerment proves that what everyone contributed to the ABA did can never be undone. They had the passion to challenge a giant and, in the long run, it paid off.

Soul Power doesn’t just detail a league. It celebrates a movement that reshaped and mobilized professional sports forever. That’s not just basketball. That’s power.

Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association premieres Thursday, February 12, on Prime Video. Check out the trailer below.

© Kivonshe | So There’s That
Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.

The ‘Burbs turns suburbia into the ultimate mystery playground.

The lawns are freshly mowed, the neighbors are kind, and the homes all look like they were pulled from a Hallmark movie. And yet, the series adaptation of The ‘Burbs wastes no time letting you know that things are not as they appear.

Created, written, and executive produced by Celeste Hughey, the series brings the cult classic 1989 film into a modern landscape with a fresh comedic and mystery-driven twist. Executive producers also include Keke Palmer, Seth McFarlane, Erica Huggins, Aimee Carlson, Brian Grazer, Kristen Zolner, and Natalie Berkus.

The ‘Burbs stars Keke Palmer (Nope, Hustlers) and Jack Whitehall (Jungle Cruise, Fresh Meat) as Samira and Rob Fisher, alongside an incredible ensemble cast featuring Paula Pell (Girls5eva), Julia Duffy (Newhart), Kapil Talwalkar (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist), Mark Proksch (What We Do in the Shadows), and Justin Kirk (Weeds).

For fans of the original film, the nostalgia bug didn’t miss the creator at all. During an interview with Scenes in Color, Celeste revealed that the set of the TV adaptation is the same set used for the 1989 film—bridging the original and the reimagining in the most deliciously eerie way possible.

From the opening theme song, The ‘Burbs purpose is crystal clear: mystery, comedy, and a lot of chaos. The title card leans into this feeling with strange, playful, and puppeteering-like visuals and a beat that makes you dance before each episode begins. And right away in the pilot episode, the central plot is revealed to the audience.

Wife moves into the neighborhood. She spots a creepy house across the street. Husband says it’s empty, but wife feels the likelihood of that to be false. It’s time to investigate.

As a lawyer on maternity leave with an abundance of free time on her hands, Samira decides to add private investigator to her resume. What commences as playful curiosity to break the mundanity of her day quickly unravels into a full-blown suburban mystery—a mystery that neighbors appear to have tiptoed around but never fully explored, including her husband.

The final result: a modern reimagining that feels like the lovechild of Knives Out Mystery, Scooby-Doo, and Desperate Housewives.

In this series, Keke Palmer also finds catharsis in being a mother on screen. Keke's natural charisma and comedic instincts perfectly imbue the role of Samira. During an interview with E! News, Keke also explains how the role felt personal.

“I was a little bit nervous but then hearing how they were going to remake it into its own thing, it just really excited me—especially being a mom and finally playing a mom.”

That authenticity bleeds into the character in the best way. And in Hinkley Hills, Samira feels out of place—geographically, socially, and culturally—and Keke leans into her personality to amplify those worries within the character beautifully.

Jack Whitehall describes the series as the perfect genre mashup during that same interview:

“I think that’s the great appeal of a show like this. You get to sort of sit in multiple genres…it has a horror element to it. It’s very funny…but also at the heart of it is a story about this couple who are pulled apart then find their way back together.”

That tonal balance is the secret. The show is funny without losing the element of mystery and suspenseful without losing the heart of the relationships.

And the supporting cast contributes to that heart, with scene-stealers across the board.

• Kyrie McAlpin is an acting genius as Rory—a razor-sharp Girl Scout with entrepreneurial ambitions and flawless comedic timing

• Mark Proksch makes Tod’s one-liner deliveries instant classics—lines that will stand the test of time as “notable quotables”

• Paula Pell steals almost every moment with Dana’s anxiety-driven and ill-timed puns where silence is the actual key to safety

It’s ridiculous. It’s clever. It’s entertaining.

As the plot unfolds—every discovery exposed like a layered onion—each episode adds another question, a new clue, and multiple moments of “wait…what?” While the audience may not get all the answers right away, one thing is undeniably clear about The ‘Burbs: it’s that dang good.

We’re ready to join Samira and the gang in the neighborhood watch. Are you?

The ‘Burbs premieres with all 8 episodes releasing Sunday, February 8, on Peacock. Check out the trailer below.

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Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.

There are very few things in entertainment that feel like a warm hug and a sugar rush at the same time. A brand-new The Muppet Show special event is one of them.

Premiering Wednesday, February 4 on Disney+ and ABC, the half-hour special brings music, comedy, mildly controlled chaos, and a very special guest appearance from Sabrina Carpenter. What it does not do is coast on nostalgia alone—and that’s the ultimate magic trick.

This a brightly colored, high-energy reintroduction to Muppet magic, designed to charm longtime fans while pulling in a new generation that may only know the Muppets through GIFs, commercials, or their parents’ obsession (yes, they’re still obsessed).

What This Special Aims to Do (And Why It Might Work)

Think of this event as:

• SNL for kids…

• But with puppets…

• Less cynicism…

• And way more (kid-friendly) chaos

The special leans into everything that made The Muppet Show iconic—fast-paced sketches, musical numbers (a mix of popular songs plus new and classic favorites), and that specific brand of mayhem that feels like the show barely holds it together.

And that is by design.

It’s louder, brighter, more colorful, and intentionally playful—blending legacy and humor with modern commentary in a way that feels inviting instead of outdated. The goal is clear: remind audiences why the Muppets mattered, and prove they still do.

And yes, this special feels very much like a pilot in spirit, carrying the hope of a full series expansion that parents, kids, and nostalgia-loving adults can enjoy together.

Back Down Memory Lane

For anyone newer to the franchise (or just needing a refresher):

• The Muppet Show first aired in the UK on September 5, 1976

• It then aired in the U.S. in syndication on September 20, 1976

• Developed by Jim Henson, the series introduced a Muppet-based variety show with Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy famously at the center

• Mia Farrow was the first celebrity guest appearance

• The series ran until 1981; 5 seasons and 120 episodes

The Muppet Show influence has lived on through various films, commercials, and pop culture moments that speak to its ability to remain relevant. That legacy matters—and this special aims to keep that legacy going.

Executive produced by Seth Rogen, the special doesn’t attempt to reimagine the Muppets. It amplifies them—letting their unique brand of absurdity, sincerity, and musical chaos do the heavy lifting.

In an era where everything is IP-driven—but not everyone understands the “why” behind the magic—this special feels intentional. It honors what came before while opening the door for the possibilities to come.

The Muppets have always been unrestrained and unconfined, simply needing a little room—and a little magic—to play. This special gives them just that.

The Muppet Show premieres Wednesday, February 4 on ABC at 9 p.m. ET/PT and at 3 a.m. ET/PT on Disney+.

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Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.

Sometimes the biggest criminal in the household is the one you’d least expect. And surely, you’d never suspect a loving grandmother, right?

Paramount+ is kicking off 2026 with a British comedy that understands one sacred truth: family chaos is best served with a straight face and a deeply unserious plan. Can You Keep A Secret? premieres Thursday, February 12, with all six episodes available to stream at once. If the trailer is any indication, this series is bound to be unhinged.

At the center of the madness is Debbie Fendon, a domineering grandmother whose idea of “protection” involves insurance fraud, emotional manipulation, and a husband in the attic.

Yes. The attic.

But we respect the commitment.

A premise that shows promise

The setup, directly from Paramount+ (and emphasized in the trailer):

• Debbie’s husband, William, is mistakenly declared dead

• Debbie decides, “Hey, why not?”

• William is alive and hiding in the attic

• Debbie swears the family to secrecy

• The real threat isn’t getting caught… it’s Debbie

In short, Can You Keep A Secret? looks like Keeping Up Appearances if Mrs. Bucket (pronounced bouquet) could convince her husband to go along with it (Hyacinth was ahead of her time, okay).

That’s the energy the series gives, and if you know British comedy, it will lean heavily into the bit. And the trailer wastes zero time letting you know this isn’t a cozy comedy—it’s a pressure cooker disguised as a sitcom.

A cast built for chaos

The series stars:

• Dawn French (French & Saunders) as Debbie Fendon

• Mark Heap (Friday Night Dinner) as William, Debbie’s husband

• Craig Roberts (Submarine) as Harold, Debbie’s son

• Mandip Gill (Doctor Who) as Neha, Harold’s wife and a police officer

The last bit of information is what throws a wrench into the plan, given Neha’s obligation to uphold the law. But Debbie seems to always have a plan. What that plan is, we have yet to find out.

Why this series might work

The only information we have to go on is the trailer, but it looks promising for the gutsy comedy, showcasing glimpses of various strengths:

• Escalated comedy vs punchlines/one-liners

• The lead isn’t the quirky old lady; she’s actually kind of dangerous

• Every character is complicit in the crime, which allows the audience to stress about how they’ll actually get away with it

• The tension is unspoken, resting between glances and impending doom

Can You Keep A Secret? doesn’t ask if the secret will get out. It’s asking how long the family can hold it together before it does.

The trailer gives away some, but clearly not all. However, if the series maintains what the trailer suggests, Can You Keep A Secret? could be one of those sneaky comedies that wins you over by the end of episode one and has you begging for a renewal by episode two.

Sometimes the most dangerous thing in a family isn’t the secret itself. It’s the person enjoying it just a little too much.

Can You Keep A Secret? premieres with all six episodes Thursday, February 12, on Paramount+. Check out the trailer below.

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Original editorial commentary on film and television. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution without attribution is not permitted.

This is the day of all days at work that you wished you clocked out…

There’s something uniquely cruel about a thriller that takes place where you’re supposed to feel safe: secured building, badged entry, routine. Steal weaponizes that familiarity by turning it into a gilded cage—and refuses to ever let you cat your breath.

All six episodes drop at once Wednesday on Prime Video and, by the time the first hour ends, you’ll understand why binge culture can feel like both a gift and a curse. This series doesn’t ease you in. The first episode comes at you like a shotgun blast to the face—you beg for the firing to end but it never does, and you can’t look away.

A high-octane story inside a pressure cooker

Created and written by Sotiris Nikias, Steal centers on Zara (Sophie Turner), an ordinary office worker at pension fund investment firm Lochmill Capital, whose mundane life is immediately and violently derailed when a gang forces her—and her best mate Luke (Archie Madekwe)—to help execute the heist of the century.

Billions of pounds. People’s pensions. No clean way out.

Opposite them is DCI Rhys Covac (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd), a man chasing the truth while battling his own demons and financial desperation. It’s a collision of personal hell and institutional rot, and the series knows exactly how to exploit that tension.

Sound, the underrated character

The use of sound is a powerful force in delivering this jaw-dropping, heart-stopping thriller. One particular scene in the first episode (no spoilers here) is deeply harrowing—silence, a prayer, and a hope that said prayer would get answered stands out because of the absence of ambient room noise. The muffled hearing, shaking breaths, and pounding heart while watching a train wreck leaves the audience in auditory suspension—this method is so effective it feels invasive. You don’t watch it. You endure it.

This is where Steal understands the assignment. It doesn’t have to rush because there is nowhere for you to go.

Truth, deception, and the blame-game

Inside job or setup designed to look that way?

The theme of 2026 with film and television seems to weave in incredibly unguessable plot twists and Steal falls right in line. Trust, deception, greed. Who does the finger point to and who’s pulling the strings to lead you down a pre-destined path? Zara and Luke may be in too deep, but they’re not alone. Everyone becomes a suspect. Relationships fracture. Paranoia spreads. Your next move needs to be your best move or it’ll be the last move you ever make.

But what ensures a whirlwind of carefully thought out espionage? Layers within layers of carefully crafted lies dusted with enough truth that puts it just on the right side of believable. This crafting sends the series into a vast and highly-constructed IT web masking territory—where the truth bounces from server to server with no hope of landing on the real mastermind in sight.

Yet the show still powers forward. What starts as a simple heist (is there even such a thing) turns into whatever version of chaos that gets put through a wood chipper then spat out…in the best way possible. And if you’re someone who loves shows built around mission-driven checkpoints, Steal is engineered for you.

Lingering thoughts

Steal keeps you guessing until you’re exhausted. Then it asks the question that sticks: what would you do if £4 billion was sitting in front of you like a carrot but with no strings attached?

This series is emotionally unyielding. It interrogates morality, wage disparity, and desperation without pretending there is a clean cut answer. It asks how far you’d go to change your circumstances—and what happens when the plan collapses under the weight of human fear.

The performances by Turner and Madekwe amplify this sentiment, making you both root for them and scream at them at every choice and misstep. Their on-screen chemistry appears to manifest in a bond rooted in teamwork—a potential pre-production decision made to be there for one another no matter what. And with £4 billion on the line, they have no choice.

The verdict

Steal might be one of the strongest thriller series of 2026. The only real risk? That in a binge-first ecosystem, something this well executed could be talked about intensely and then forgotten just as fast.

It deserves better.

Steal premieres Wednesday, January 21 on Prime Video. All six episodes will be available to stream at once. Check out the trailer below.

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