Movies

As a huge TV fan, I’ve noticed that shows set in specific cities don’t always make the location feel real. And the medical drama genre? It’s been done so many times. Take Grey’s Anatomy, for example. They’re always dealing with massive disasters in Seattle, but honestly, you’d barely know it is Seattle unless they randomly mention the Space Needle. It’s different with shows like the original ER. Chicago wasn’t just a backdrop; it felt like a character. That show really captured the city’s spirit. The Pitt isn’t quite as deeply rooted in its setting as something like Mare of Easttown—Kate Winslet’s accent was amazing—but I really appreciate how much effort they put into making Pittsburgh feel authentic. As a Pittsburgher, I can definitely tell they’re trying, and it shows. It’s cool to see Noah Wyle back in a show that clearly has a similar spirit to ER, where he first got his start as Dr. Carter way back in ’94.

The Lord of the Rings is unique because the actors involved genuinely love the films as much as the fans do. People like Christopher Lee and Andy Serkis are known for their deep connection to the original trilogy. Recently, Viggo Mortensen shared his favorite scene, and it perfectly captures the essence of his character, Aragorn.

One streaming show that didn’t last was Turner & Hooch. It continued the story of the popular Tom Hanks movie about a U.S. Marshal and his canine partner, this time investigating the death of the marshal’s father. The series premiered on Disney+ in June 2021 as part of the service’s initial offerings, but was taken down in May 2023.

During the company’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call, co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters clarified that they aren’t opposed to releasing films in theaters. They explained that their main focus has been on quickly expanding their streaming service. Sarandos stated:

We’ve been considering the future of electricity, and it’s going to be quite dynamic. There will be significant changes, some positive, and all of it will have a noticeable impact.

According to messages obtained by People, Jenny Slate was unhappy with her co-star, Justin Baldoni, during the promotion of It Ends with Us. She reportedly asked her team to ensure she wouldn’t have to participate in any joint interviews or events with him. Slate also expressed her concerns to Jamey Heath, the CEO of Wayfarer Studios, Baldoni’s production company.

You know, I was reading what Ben Affleck had to say – he and Jennifer Lopez are always together, it’s sweet – and he was really praising the series Adolescence on Netflix. He actually said it was one of the best things they’ve ever produced, and what struck him was that it didn’t rely on any of those typical streaming tricks to hold your attention. He basically thinks it proves you don’t need all that stuff to get people hooked – good storytelling is enough!

Jeff Gaspin, Netflix’s head of unscripted series in the U.S. and Canada, recently told Vulture that he had one key requirement before signing on to the show: live audience voting. He wanted viewers to act as a fourth judge during the performances, not afterwards, and to be able to vote easily using their remote controls. He challenged Netflix’s product team to create a voting system that could handle millions of simultaneous votes, and they delivered within 24 hours. According to Gaspin, they’ve been perfecting this feature for the past year.

Netflix is launching a new live competition series called Star Search tonight. Unlike previous talent shows the streamer has tried, like last year’s Building the Band, Star Search will air live each week, allowing viewers to vote for their favorite contestants in real-time. New episodes will be broadcast live on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET, and audiences can vote using their TV remotes or the Netflix app on their phones.

Just like Charmed, many rebooted supernatural shows didn’t quite live up to expectations and could benefit from another try, both for new viewers and existing fans. With so many shows making comebacks these days, a second chance could really work for these programs.