The 2025 TV season not only brought us the second half of Outlander Season 7, but also introduced the first season of Outlander: Blood of My Blood. This prequel spin-off tells the story of Claire and Jamie’s parents as they explore Scotland in the early 1700s and navigate the challenges of unexpected time travel.
However, many fans are familiar with a completely different side of Martin Short. Long before Only Murders in the Building brought his career renewed attention in 2021, Short appeared as Sebastian Ballentine in the Season 6 episode “Pure” – a character presented as a psychic. Ballentine wasn’t just manipulative and unsettling; he turned out to be one of the most frightening villains in the history of SVU. Viewers accustomed to enjoying Short’s comedic skills found it genuinely scary to see him use his charm for something so dark and menacing.
Earth-X was first presented in 1973 as a two-part Justice League of America story. In it, the Justice League and the Justice Society journeyed to Earth-X to assist Golden Age heroes. Characters such as Uncle Sam and the Ray called upon DC’s greatest heroes for help. The story concludes with Red Tornado venturing into space to destroy a “mind control ray” on a satellite-which housed a robotic Adolf Hitler-that was being used to control the planet. This original version of Earth-X didn’t feature evil counterparts of famous DC heroes. However, when the concept was revisited, that element was added.
It’s not surprising he held her in such high regard, considering her many successful and perilous missions for British intelligence. From the beginning, she was deeply involved, even skiing across mountains to connect with the Polish resistance and sneak out microfilm. She was remarkably versatile, sometimes acting as a sex worker, at other times as a school teacher, and she pursued her assignments with a frequently reckless determination. Her last mission, in 1944, placed her behind enemy lines in France, tasked with securing an arms shipment for the resistance, a task that put her own life at risk.
The film follows grieving widower Andrew Blake ( John Malkovich) who travels to the French chateau where he first met his wife, hoping to find some solace. However, the chateau and its owner, Natalie Beauvillier ( Fanny Ardant), have fallen on hard times financially. A case of mistaken identity arises when Blake is confused by the housekeeper (the late Emilie Dequenne) for an applicant responding to a butler advertisement. This sets off a series of comedic errors, and Blake unexpectedly goes along with it, seeing it as a distraction from his grief and lack of purpose after retirement. From there, much of the humor stems from further misunderstandings and the instructions given to him by other characters. However, much of this feels forced – one scene features Malkovich in drag that feels like a random, over-the-top costume choice – and the film ultimately centers around the predictable and developing romance between Blake and Beauvillier.
I’m excited to share that Bloodsport is currently available to stream on Tubi, and it’s really gaining traction! Right now, it’s the ninth most popular movie on the platform. This 1988 film, directed by Newt Arnold, was a huge breakthrough for Jean-Claude Van Damme, really launching his career. It was his first big hit, and it opened doors to roles in films like Kickboxer, Double Impact, Hard Target, and the beloved Street Fighter. He even had a cameo on Friends and starred in a ton of Coors Light commercials! It’s great to see this classic getting so much attention again.
Daryl Dixon boasts stunning visuals and set designs – exactly what you’d hope for from a post-apocalyptic show filmed in France and Spain. A key to this is the show’s commitment to shooting on location. Thankfully, iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre remained untouched, thanks to the clever use of CGI. This was all made possible by the warm reception from France and Spain, and by casting local actors to authentically portray their cultures and traditions.
Belgian director Tim Mielants delves deeper into Steve’s struggles to reveal his kindness and desire to help these challenging young boys in the new Netflix series. This marks the third time Murphy has worked with Mielants, following previous projects and the 2024 film Small Things Like These. Murphy and Mielants have developed a strong working relationship, consistently delivering impactful stories from simple premises. With Steve, they explore the realities of working within a school dedicated to helping troubled boys, all unfolding over a single day. The series is both an exposé of the difficult experiences of emotionally vulnerable children and those who care for them, and a character study that allows Murphy to showcase his sincerity. Steve delivers a powerful and honest impact, leaving a lasting impression with its moving conclusion.
Fans have been discussing an episode of Peacemaker called “Ignorance is Chris” online for weeks. The season started with John Cena’s Christopher Smith finding a new dimension that seemed perfect – a place where his father and brother were still alive, and where Emilia Harcourt might return his feelings, something she doesn’t do in his own world. However, as viewers guessed and Chris eventually learned, this dimension is actually Earth-X, a timeline where the Nazis won World War II and conquered the planet. Following this shocking discovery, there’s another popular DC story that explores the dangerous world of Earth-X that fans might want to check out before the final episodes of Peacemaker air.
While Terminator 2 may be a grander, more impactful, and emotionally moving film, it wouldn’t exist without The Terminator. The first film created Sarah Connor’s character arc, established the core story, and launched Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career as an iconic action star. The sequel might be considered superior, but it’s important to remember that the original is the foundation for everything that came after.