Minority Mindset

In the first season of Andor, Brasso was presented as a working-class resident of the planet Ferrix. Actor Joplin Sibtain played the character in nine episodes over the show’s first two seasons, but Brasso’s story ended in Season 2, Episode 3. Despite delivering a fantastic performance as Brasso, Sibtain wasn’t the first actor considered for the role.

The Amazon MGM Studios film, Play Dirty, launched on Prime Video on October 1, 2025, and has been a hit ever since, consistently ranking among the top 10 most-watched movies. Currently, it’s the eighth most popular title on the platform, positioned between the horror film The Woman in the Yard and the James Bond movie No Time to Die. Written and directed by Shane Black and adapted from the Parker novels by Donald E. Westlake, Play Dirty stars Mark Wahlberg as a professional thief planning his most ambitious robbery yet. Here’s what the movie is about:

The dinner conversation in St. George continues with Marciano and the women, and both he and Jessi have been cleared of any wrongdoing in that area. Jessi faces tough questioning about whether she’s been truthful, both about the situation with Marciano and about Demi. This leads to a discussion about how lie detectors actually work – they even wonder if a small, polite lie, like complimenting a questionable outfit, would register. It’s a healthy level of skepticism, and I appreciate everyone questioning things. Jessi steps away to call Jordan, and the conversation doesn’t go well. He was aware of the lie detector test but is angry that Marciano is even there. Honestly, he should be upset with the show’s producers, not turning this into a dramatic storyline to prove he’s trying to save his marriage. It feels less like a fight for his marriage and more like just a fight, period.

The second season of The Vince Staples Show, which recently premiered, uses the story of O.J. Simpson – reimagined as a character named James Brown, but clearly inspired by both O.J. and Jim Brown, and also a completely made-up person – to explore complex ideas. Staples himself is hard to categorize when it comes to his artistic influences. He’ll mention admired filmmakers like Roy Andersson, then quickly admit he still loves Back to the Future III. His comedy often feels like a playful challenge, leaving you wondering if he’s being serious or not – and sometimes, he isn’t, and sometimes he is.

Like the rest of this season of The Golden Bachelor, Mel remains a pretty passive presence, while the women around him consistently bring the energy, charm, and even some impressive wardrobe solutions to keep the show interesting. I’ve teased Mel before – and enjoyed his skepticism about stingrays – but this episode is particularly tough for anyone rooting for him. Seriously, are there even Mel fans out there? (Melniacs, let me hear you!) It’s clear the producers are working hard to salvage the rocky Fantasy Suites and create a satisfying finale. Ultimately, I think the show would be much better if they just removed the expectation of an engagement.

Here’s the latest on what’s happening with the Real Housewives of Potomac. Fans are wondering how involved Karen Huger and Dr. Wendy Osefo will be this season. Huger recently completed a sentence for a DUI, and Wendy, along with her husband Eddie, is currently facing fraud charges while out on bail. Despite these legal issues, Wendy is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion called “Potomac Takes Vegas” alongside Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Tia Glover, Angel Massie, Monique Samuels, Keiarna Stewart, and Stacey Rusch, which will be streamed on Saturday, November 15.

The latest episode of “Thanatos” finds Aggie researching the concept of Thanatos – in Greek mythology, the god of peaceful death, and in Freudian psychology, the drive towards death. This exploration happens as Abbott meets with a group of shady hackers, led by Simone, to unlock files he took from Nile’s computer. Simone isn’t interested in money; she wants a future favor, with no strings attached. This feels like a bad deal, especially considering what happens to Abbott – accepting Bitcoin would have been simpler, and this favor will likely cause problems for him even after he’s gone. It also seems odd that Abbott couldn’t have just hired some younger, financially motivated hackers to do the job.

The first season of the show was a quick success for HBO Max, thanks to its realistic portrayal of dedicated doctors facing the challenges of a busy emergency room and its unique, real-time storytelling. Because of this popularity, it was expected that The Pitt would be back for a second season.