Because many Netflix viewers watch shows all at once, some may have already finished the first part of Stranger Things season 5. Early reactions on sites like IMDb have been good. However, looking at other ways to measure how well the show is doing, Stranger Things season 5 appears to be part of a concerning pattern happening with Netflix shows.
Thomas Jane recently told Comic Book Movie that he’d love to revisit his role as the Punisher from the 2004 movie, potentially in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars films. He shared his enthusiasm, recalling how much he enjoyed making a short Punisher film called ‘Dirty Laundry’ and how grateful he was to be a part of the character’s world, as he’s a lifelong comic book fan.
The February issues of Marvel Comics will introduce Lady Deathstrike, a new version of Wolverine’s dangerous foe, in Ultimate Wolverine #14. This issue, written by Chris Condon and illustrated by Alessandro Cappuccio, will also kick off the events leading to the Ultimate Wolverine’s final battle, which will happen two months later. You can see the main cover art by Cappuccio and a variant cover by Netho Diaz in the gallery below.
If you’re looking for a new show, consider Blue Lights, a Northern Irish police drama now streaming on BritBox. Its third season recently became available in the U.S. It’s a compelling, fast-paced series about everyday police officers navigating their jobs, personal lives, and community issues. What sets it apart is its unique look at Irish culture and long-held political conflicts, offering a fresh perspective compared to American police shows.
The team is starting to take bigger risks because they’re running out of time, as Will explains. He’s discovered he can access a sort of shared consciousness, giving him visions of what Vecna is planning. He and Robin have learned Vecna intends to kidnap more children, and his next target is Derek Turnbow – everyone calls him that, and honestly, he’s not the brightest kid. Even Holly, who is usually easygoing, can’t stand him. After this discovery, the team – Hopper, Eleven, and the others – regroup at the Squawk to discuss their next move. It’s worth noting that Holly was easily fooled by the evil monster Vecna and strangely trusts someone no one else can see.
As a movie fan, it’s clear we’re getting a lot of content based on video games these days! But I’ve noticed something interesting: straight-up adaptations of game stories – where they just take the plot and make it a movie – aren’t doing so well. What is working are movies and shows that are inspired by games, borrowing ideas and the overall feel without directly retelling a specific game’s story. Honestly, the inspired stuff is much more successful than those direct adaptations.
As a lifelong Doctor Who fan, I’ve always been a little surprised by how few official crossovers there actually are. That’s why the ones we do get feel so special! Sometimes the Doctor is fully part of another show’s story, but other times it’s more subtle – a quick reference, an Easter egg, something that just suggests the Time Lord might have popped in. From the very beginning of Doctor Who, all the way through to Russell T Davies’ latest run, there have been connections made with other TV series – little nods to the Whoniverse appearing in unexpected places.
Emilie Blichfeldt’s film, The Ugly Stepsister, centers around Elvira and Alma, who are adjusting to life with their stepfather, Otto, and new stepsister, Agnes – who isn’t thrilled about the blended family. After Otto’s sudden death, their mother, Rebekka, becomes the head of the household. Determined to secure her family’s future, Rebekka focuses on finding a husband for her eldest daughter, Elvira, and will stop at nothing to make her presentable for the royal ball. This story might seem familiar, but this time, the phrase ‘anything goes’ is taken to the extreme. You can now watch The Ugly Stepsister on Hulu, and find a detailed description of the film below.
The story picks up right after the last episode, with the Demogorgon breaking into Holly’s bedroom. Her dad is golfing, and her mom is relaxing with a glass of wine and listening to ABBA, so neither of them hear Holly screaming as the creature tries to drag her into the Upside Down. Holly manages to escape into the bathroom, but the Demogorgon follows close behind. Incredibly, Karen manages to submerge herself and Holly under the bubbles in the bath – which seems physically impossible, but okay! If that were my only option, I wouldn’t stand a chance. Luckily, this buys them enough time for Ted to come inside after noticing the lights flickering. Unfortunately for Ted, he tries to fight the Demogorgon with his golf club and ends up getting badly injured and thrown across the room.
At the end of season four, the team suffered their first real defeat against the forces of the Upside Down. While they managed to hurt Vecna – Eleven battled him mentally, Hopper, Joyce, and Murray destroyed demogorgons and Mind Flayer particles in Russia, and Nancy, Steve, and Robin physically attacked him – Vecna still succeeded in his plan. He told Eleven they had already lost, and unfortunately, he was right. Although they temporarily stopped him, his scheme to open four gates and destroy Hawkins came to fruition when Max died. Even though Eleven briefly revived Max, she remained in a coma, and the fourth gate opened, causing the Upside Down to bleed into Hawkins. The season ended with the town covered in eerie snow and a dark cloud, signaling a truly bleak outcome.