Movies

The practice of using a flashback episode right before a season finale has become so common in TV dramas that it’s time to stop. It’s been done so many times that it’s lost its impact. But more importantly, this trope highlights a frustrating trend in recent television: characters are often reduced to simple puzzles. Instead of complex individuals, we get predictable explanations for their behavior – she’s mean because of loss, he’s violent due to childhood trauma. These explanations feel lazy and rob the characters of depth.

Both Mike Flanagan’s work and adaptations of Stephen King stories had a strong year, despite somewhat disappointing box office numbers. Most of the films received excellent reviews from both audiences and critics. Plus, 2025 saw the start of a promising trend: more successful TV adaptations of Stephen King’s novels.

According to Variety, the movie Wicked: For Good is expected to make between $150 and $180 million during its opening weekend in the United States and Canada. If it reaches the higher end of that estimate, it would be the biggest domestic opening of 2025, surpassing A Minecraft Movie ($162 million) and the live-action Lilo & Stitch ($146 million).

CBS recently announced that Billy Burke and Stephanie Arcila are leaving Fire Country after being part of the show from the beginning. This news surprised many fans, but for different reasons. Vince’s death was a shock, especially considering his important role as a leader both at Station 42 and within his family. Gabriela’s departure felt more predictable, as her storyline, particularly her relationship with Bode, had been developing in that direction over the past year.

While at Comic Con Liverpool with his former Smallville co-star Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum discussed the possibility of continuing the series. He explained that he, Welling, and the show’s creators, Al Gough and Miles Miller, are all interested in revisiting Smallville, but they need the right opportunity and a compelling pitch before moving forward.

The creator of the show appeared on the podcast Dark Passengers: A Dexter Podcast. He didn’t reveal much about the plans for Season 2, but he did say a popular character from the first season will be returning.

Netflix’s reality TV shows haven’t consistently maintained their initial high quality. Because of this, I doubted Season 2 of Squid Game: The Challenge would be as good as the first season.

“Slow Dying” doesn’t just focus on the plot; it also explores the characters’ feelings and the difficult situations they’re in. Consider Malik, who seems clumsy and unsure of himself. He’s waiting for a response from the hitman he hired to kill Amos, and while he waits, he receives a video call. It’s Dinah, and she’s asking about her mother. Even though Malik and Steph share some lighthearted banter, the conversation turns serious when Steph – unaware that Dinah’s parents are deceased – asks Malik how he would feel if his own child were in a similar situation. He glances at a photo of his son, and a wave of emotion crosses his face. From an outside perspective, Malik appears to be a devoted family man. He knows all the words to a children’s song that both Dinah’s son and she enjoy, and his office contains reminders of family life – a dog bed, a leash. However, the brutal nature of his work has eroded his goodness. Perhaps his awkwardness is simply a sign of his genuine self trying to remain intact.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Noah Thornton, committed to Landman for at least four years, discussed how long the show might continue. When asked if it could run for a decade, he said the show would likely end when they ran out of fresh ideas for future storylines.

I was completely hooked by All Her Fault! Sarah Snook, who you might know from Succession, is fantastic as Marissa, and the connection she has with Dakota Fanning is just amazing. It did really well on Peacock, and everyone’s been wondering if they’ll make another season – I’m definitely hoping they do and can’t wait to see what happens next!