Entertainment

As a cinema enthusiast, I must say, this season has truly captured my heart! After Padma’s departure, there’s been an unexpected yet comfortable shift, making Kristen’s hosting role feel even more natural, and the show itself seems to be gracefully evolving. Even challenges as whimsical as the hockey idiom one kept my excitement high. However, with the penultimate episode filled with endless Olympic promotions and a tournament-style elimination determining the final three contestants, I must admit, I’ve started to feel a tad cranky.

It seems that even though filming for season three of And Just Like That … was already finished before its premiere, some fans’ criticism about the confusion surrounding Carrie and Aidan’s long-distance relationship may have played a part in shedding light on the dynamics of their situation this week. In essence, we may have inadvertently influenced this development! Thank you, Carrie (and Aidan), for giving us something to talk about. Interestingly, despite planning these arrangements, it appears Aidan himself was oblivious to them. As for whether they can sustain their relationship with the current setup for five years, my guess is no way. However, at least Aidan apologized for being too strict and made amends by making up for the missed phone-sex conversation last week.

There’s plenty of tension for Viall to navigate during this reunion special: Whitney Leavitt has returned to the MomTok community, causing Mikayla Matthews some discomfort; Jen Affleck and Zac Affleck continue to work through their marital issues; Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortenson have blocked each other online once more. And that’s just scratching the surface of the cast, not even mentioning the drama surrounding Villa! The press release hints at “unseen footage and a shocking announcement” from both MomTok and DadTok on Hulu, and let’s hope the surprise isn’t another appearance by Marciano.

The first trailer for the musical “Kiss of the Spider Woman” was released on June 5th. Jennifer Lopez plays Aurora, who is dressed in full glamour from the world of musical theater, complete with fedoras, blonde wigs, and a striking gold gown. However, her beauty stands in stark contrast to scenes depicting two Argentine prisoners, portrayed by Diego Luna from “Andor” and Tonatiuh (“Carry On”). After discovering a poster for the “Spider Woman” in his cell, it becomes apparent that Tonatiuh’s character, Luis Molina, is using the story of Jennifer Lopez as an escape from his own reality.

As a dedicated viewer, I can’t help but notice the prevalence of the trauma narrative in today’s TV shows and broader culture. What was once striking has now become commonplace, even formulaic. Each character seems to have a backstory riddled with pain, and this history often intertwines intricately with the current plotline. It’s as if every character has one tragic event in their past, which is then multiplied by the number of similarities with their present circumstances, giving us the story. This narrative carries such a strong impact and longevity because it mirrors the harsh reality: Life can be incredibly tough, and these experiences often shape who we are.

The renewed enthusiasm for Joel might stem from his recent health issues. Diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a condition that accumulates fluid in the brain, he has had to cancel several upcoming performances. This condition, being a disorder of the brain, can be quite frightening, but Joel has reassured Howard Stern that he is “not dying.” In his words, “getting old isn’t great, but it’s better than being cremated.” It’s comforting to know that despite his health struggles, his wit and humor remain as sharp as ever. Throughout the documentary, Joel is often seen seated behind a piano or nearby with a vape in hand.

Following the defeat of the main antagonist, the Doctor managed to extract Belinda and their miraculously created child, Poppy, from the mysterious Zero Room. However, the act of saving the day led to the unintended consequence of erasing Poppy from existence due to her being a wish-child. In a selfless move (perhaps heroic), the Doctor decided to relinquish his Fifteenth incarnation to restore Poppy back to life, leaving Belinda to raise her on her own. The Doctor then retreated to the TARDIS for regeneration. Suddenly, everyone’s beloved scallywag, Rose Tyler, appeared in his place with a cheerful greeting, “Oh, hello!” before the screen went black.

In the latest season’s fifth episode, Representative Steve Cohen, who serves on the aviation subcommittee where Fielder previously raised an issue, addressed Fielder’s concerns with Captain Jody Reven, head of Southwest Airlines Pilots Association. Reven dismissed Fielder’s worries, stating that pilots receive extensive training and regularly discuss this topic. Essentially, he suggested the matter was resolved by saying, “We’re well-trained, we have yearly discussions about it.” The House Committee’s official account on X platform shared the conversation with the caption, “Nathan Fielder’s question has been addressed!

In 2020, DeSorbo and Berner began co-hosting the “Giggly Squad” podcast. DeSorbo’s rising career eventually led to a breakup with her boyfriend from “Southern Charm”, Craig Conover, who was not happy about her embarking on a 60-city podcast tour in fall 2024. As DeSorbo explained during season nine, if a man of his age stated he wanted to focus on his career for a few more years, it would be viewed as wise and strategic. However, when a woman does the same thing, people react with fear. Since then, DeSorbo has published a book with Berner and launched her own loungewear line called Daphne, named after her cat. True to form, DeSorbo used her departure announcement as an opportunity to subtly promote her future projects, saying “You haven’t seen the last of me, I promise. There’s so much more we have planned, but for now, you can always find me and Daphne in my bed.

In the late 2000s, the Mission: Impossible series played a significant role in keeping Tom Cruise’s career afloat as numerous scandals tarnished his public image and caused him to lose a substantial portion of his fanbase. As the movie industry was shifting towards a model focused on franchises, this singular film series became Cruise’s lifeline. Poor performances from films like Knight and Day, Valkyrie, and so on didn’t faze him because he always had another installment of Mission: Impossible in the pipeline, such as Ghost Protocol, Rogue Nation, and more recently, Fallout. Essentially, Cruise was following the typical strategy of stars by balancing riskier projects with proven successes. However, given his status as Tom Cruise, these endeavors carried a higher level of anticipation and importance.