It has been over a year since Shōgun arrived on FX and Hulu and took the world by storm. With dozens of awards (including 18 Emmys – a new record), so much recognition, and a massive following by TV viewers and folks with a Hulu subscription, the global sensation is returning for a second season in the near future despite initially being planned as a limited series. And with the more we learn about Shōgun Season 2, the more I’m getting excited, especially with this whole time jump business.
Though I am all kinds of pumped up to see the return of Hiroyuki Sanada’s Lord Toranaga and Cosmo Jarvis’ John Blackthorne, I must admit that I’m also a tad bit anxious about the show coming back to the airwaves and one of the best streaming services around. Come along with me as I work out everything that has me stoked and apprehensive about the return of one of the best TV shows in recent memory.
(Image credit: Katie Yu / FX)
I Feel Like I’m Obligated To Say I’m Beyond Excited For More Shōgun
The Bear and Reservation Dogs, this expertly crafted show’s first season was on the same scale as Game of Thrones (it was even compared to the HBO fantasy series ahead of its debut), and it never let me down.
That said, I feel like I’m obligated to say that I’m beyond excited for more battles, more political intrigue, more complicated relationships. And maybe, just maybe, please hold off on any more of those unexpected and heartbreaking character deaths this time around. But we all know that’s not going to happen with a show like this.
(Image credit: Katie Yu / FX)
And I’m Thrilled To Experience The Continuation Of Lord Toranaga And John Blackthorne’s Respective Stories
Shōgun Season 1 gave viewers a lot to love, especially when it came to the incredible and deeply impactful character arcs for the likes of Lord Toranaga, John Blackthorne, and Anna Sawai’s Toda Mariko (RIP). I can’t wait to see how the stories for the surviving characters continue when the show returns in the future. When we last saw Toranaga and Blackthorne, they were preparing for an epic battle after the lord of Kanto revealed his big secret, and the Anjin was starting to rebuild his ship and an accompanying fleet.
With so much unfinished business set to be resolved, it felt like Shōgun ended in a way that concluded enough to be considered a great standalone limited series while also teasing just enough for future seasons, and I’m so glad it was the latter in this situation. But now I’m over here just trying to figure out where these two instantly iconic characters will go from here.
(Image credit: FX)
The Whole ‘Time Jump’ Business Has Me Intrigued
When I first read a Deadline report about Shōgun Season 2 having a time jump and picking up 10 years after the events of the Season 1 finale, I was admittedly more than a little intrigued. Not picking up directly after the first season ends is a bold choice by creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, and I have to applaud them for not throwing viewers directly into the future Battle of Sekigahara, the conflict heavily teased when things left off.
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How much has Japan, and the world around it, changed in the decade between the two seasons? How has the relationship between the two main characters changed? Is it stronger, strained, or non-existent? The unknown of the next season (where is the jumping off point?) has me excited for what’s to come.
(Image credit: FX)
But At The Same Time, The Big Jump Has Me Kind Of Bummed
However, I am also a little bummed out that we’re going to be missing out on so much of what happened in the immediate fallout of of Lord Toronaga’s brilliant chess game with his enemies near the end of Shōgun Season 1. I know I just went on about how a time jump opens a lot of doors for the story to continue, but I hope we don’t get a lot of talk like in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, where Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker joked about all their crazy adventures instead of showing the audience.
It’s a minor complaint, but a complaint nonetheless. We had so much momentum in the final moments of the show’s first season, and I hope we don’t have to spend an entire episode alluding to crazy moments, battles, and adventures we’ll probably never get to see.
(Image credit: FX)
I’m Also A Little Concerned About The Second Season Not Being Based On James Clavell’s Novel
Perhaps my biggest concern about Shōgun Season 2 is the fact that, unlike the first installment, it won’t be based on James Clavell’s massive novel, but instead will be an original new chapter, whatever that means. While I do have faith in series creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks’ vision for the show moving forward, the past has shown us that deviating from the source material doesn’t always end up being received all that well.
I mean, just look at the later seasons of Game of Thrones, which had to fill in the gaps as George R.R. Martin had yet to finish The Winds of Winter (he still hasn’t, by the way). This resulted in a massive drop in quality for the once-beloved series, and audiences turned on it in the final two years of its run. Hopefully, Shōgun doesn’t fall into that category with these changes.
(Image credit: Katie Yu / FX)
Shogun Started Out As A Limited Series, And I Hope The Show’s Spark Isn’t Lost In A Second Season
As several of my colleagues pointed out in early 2024, Shōgun started out incredibly strong (and didn’t let off the gas) when it premiered last year, a time in which we all thought it was going to be one-and-done limited series like Chernobyl, The Queen’s Gambit, or When They See Us. However, now that the show is being turned into a proper series with a new season (and most likely more to follow if it’s successful) on the way, I hope that the show’s spark isn’t lost or at least muddled down due to having more episodes to fill.
Again, I could be totally wrong here, and my anxiety about multiple seasons watering down the impact of the show could be nothing more than unsubstantiated fears. However, I’m still going to be worried and cautiously optimistic about the future of the series until I’m shown otherwise. I hope I’m wrong.
Only time will tell what’ll happen with Shōgun moving forward. Though I’m a tad bit anxious about it, I’ll be there the day it drops, ready to go back to Japan for at least one more adventure.
Is it just me, or have people been overly negative when it comes to how the new Predator looks in Predator: Badlands?
Well, as somebody who has watched every Predator movie, all I have to say is, I don’t care what anybody else has to say. I’m super PUMPED for this movie.
And, because of the relatively recent trailer, I have a few reasons why.
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
First Off, Predator: Badlands Is From The Same Director Of Prey, And Prey Rocked
a big change for the franchise with its protagonist being a Predator, I was thrilled. But, when I heard that Dan Trachtenberg was returning to direct, I was over the moon!
Any Predator fan will tell you: 2022’s Prey (which we gave a glowing review) was phenomenal, and Trachtenberg directed it (In fact, he also directed the upcoming animated film, Predator: Killer of Killers, mostly in secret, so there’s that, too).
So, with Prey being such a banger, and Killer of Killers looking like a phenomenal entry in the series, I will honestly follow Trachtenberg anywhere he goes when it comes to this franchise. He seems to have a really good handle on it.
more than the Alien franchise), and so anytime we get something new, I get excited. But, there’s one other reason why that recent trailer really got me pumped.
have been negative about how this new Predator looks, with some people thinking that he looks weak.
But, do people not realize that he’s not supposed to look like an alpha? He’s meant to be an outcast, and he’s completely out of his depth. Instead of purposely traveling to a distant planet to hunt the world’s best warriors, he’s being tested.
This is a really cool premise! I love that this is a Predator trying to prove himself, and that he’s pretty green when it comes to the actual hunt.
Plus, I love the way he looks, as he appears intimidated in that one shot that people keep harping on. A Predator that finds himself struggling? Now that I can’t wait to see.
What do you think? For more news on Predator: Badlands (and other upcoming sci-fi films), be sure to swing by here often.
Summer is a little over a month away, which means one of CBS’ keystone reality shows is about to hit the 2025 TV schedule. Big Brother fans probably don’t need any reminders, of course, as there’s no shortage of Season 27 discussions about and what fans want to see the most while losing hours on end of sleep through streaming with Paramount+ subscriptions. One viral tweet request recently rose above the rest, and I have to agree that I’m on board with older Houseguests coming into this season.
Big Brother is a game that favors the young, especially for those wanting to win BB through competitive dominance. That said, being a “comp beast” is rarely as entertaining for fans, at least compared to other ways that Houseguests can dominate. Case in point, look at how many people rallied behind this post highlighting an exchange between Season 26 Houseguests Matt Hardeman and Angela Murray:
???????????? #bb27 needs to casts more people age 50+ they make good tv ngl #bb26 pic.twitter.com/DUm0eH2AaPMay 3, 2025
she turned me into a fan by the end simply because of how entertaining it was to watch her spiral, with the live feeds offering that much more to gawk at.
Of course, Angela was a Houseguest with some TV experience, so her age may not have factored too strongly into her entertaining gameplay. That said, I think there’s something to be said about Big Brother bringing in older Houseguests, rather than loading every season with single twentysomethings who are just as invested in finding a showmance as they are in winning the game.
I’d be interested to see if Big Brother would take influence from The Bachelor franchise’s spinoff The Golden Bachelor, with a season in which every Houseguest was above a specific age. I’m honestly not sure how younger fans would respond to an entire cast loaded with olds, as it were, or if there are even enough applicants who would fit the bill and be able to drop everything in their lives to take part.
The theme and twist of Big Brother Season 27 has been a topic of debate as of late, as CBS teased a reveal for the premiere date is imminent. Typically, the announcement features some vague clue toward either the theme or twist, which can have a great impact on the game. This is especially true for those who are fans of Have-Not Rooms, of which we’ve seen some truly horrific ones to stay in over the course of the show.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for some clues that point to more Houseguests of a certain age. But as always, I’ll continue to expect the unexpected until something official is shared.
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Big Brother is on the way to CBS this summer for Season 27, and I know we’re all hoping to see the A.I. Arena twist return in some fashion. For more on that, see what Season 26 winner Chelsie Baham had to say about the twist after speaking to CinemaBlend.
Dina Pregancy News Leads To Sex And Morning Cuddling
After learning that Ellie isn’t actually destined to become a carnivorous monster, Dina’s emotional dam fully burst, and her first move was to drop the admission that she’s pregnant. BLAMMO.
Obviously, two life-changing developments coming together in such short order meant that the characters involved had to do the same, if you catch the drift I just sloppily lobbed out there.
I don’t even feel right talking sleazily about that scene at all, given the snuggles and candid conversation that takes place the following morning. From talking about Ellie’s bite(s) and scar to Dina’s frankness about Jesse and her pregnancy, I fully believe that these two characters exist and are in love.
(Image credit: Max)
Also, Isabela Merced came through and possibly topped her earlier quote highlight after Ellie questioned her urinating on a pregnancy test.
“That’s how it works. I don’t just randomly piss on stuff.” – Dina
Ellie learns things in the most interesting ways sometimes.
2025-05-05T01:45:03.134Z
Horrors Worse Than Cordyceps
Ellie waking up to no doubt filthy water dripping on her face is kind of scarier than bloaters. But only for that one second when you have no idea what it is.
2025-05-05T01:41:54.865Z
Major Change: How Dina Discovers Ellie’s Immunity + The Theater
(Image credit: Max)
The video game also uses Ellie seemingly sacrificing herself to save Dina as the catalyst, but instead of giving audiences a scene filled with infection spores and a broken gas mask, viewers watched Ellie shoving her arm into one of the monsters’ mouths so deflect it from biting Dina.
As far as changes go during an episode that mirrored the game so expertly, I give this one my bite-shaped stamp of approval.
Going right back around to game similarities, seeing the introduction of the theater play out in such a dramatic way rocks. It’s a major location in the game, so I expect the same for the series. Hopefully they clean it up a bit.
2025-05-05T01:38:02.913Z
The Dreaded Subway Tunnel Massacre
(Image credit: HBO)
Despite being in a relatively large section of an abandoned subway, this particular Last of Us scene feels incredibly claustrophobic thanks to the flares and need for silence. And then, you know, because of all the horrifying monsters that come pouring in with a shocking amount of speed and agility.
I wish we could have seen more of the WLF soldiers being torn apart, but I guess I’ll have to settle for my butthole tensing up while watching Ellie use presumably her final bullets on the runners bursting through the windows.
(Image credit: HBO)
I also do not have the upper body strength to have pulled myself up the way that Ellie did, so I can’t truly put myself in her shoes after that point, because my own would have been toast.
2025-05-05T01:33:14.524Z
Ellie Stabs A Dude In The Neck
One of the video game’s most-used moves involves quietly walking up behind a threat and sticking a bladed shiv into their necks, causing ample blood spatter.
Seeing Ellie do it to one of the WLF soldiers here was another great nod to a game-specific action. Do such deadly wonders never cease?
2025-05-05T01:30:47.062Z
Ellie And Dina Find The Horrors At The TV Station
Watching The Last of Us characters being forced to enter buildings and areas through upper-story windows never gets old. If only Ellie had more trouble pushing one of those doors open.
No time to think about that, though, because there are all those hanging bodies to be horrified by. As well as the “Feel Her Love” message on the wall written in blood. Very gross.
(Image credit: Max)
Isabela Merced delivers what I predict will be an episode-best line with:
“What the fuck is wrong with Seattle?” – Dina
Yeahhhhh. Adding onto the list of “video game moments I love to see in live-action,” hearing the WLF soldier barking out at his troops to “fan the fuck out” and find the threats is so good. As well as hearing them call out that areas are clear. Doesn’t need to be anything complicated to match right up with the source material.
2025-05-05T01:25:36.708Z
The Strange Benefits Of The Apocalypse
Isaac’s interrogation goes everywhere that a prestige TV show, but I didn’t necessarily expect to see Jeffrey Wright delivering a monologue about Williams Sonoma and the conduction strengths and weaknesses of copper pans vs. cast iron.
But I did expect to see him using those pans to inflict all kinds of pain on the nude and bloodied Seraphite. And yet he didn’t, really, only burning the back of the Scar’s hand before eventually shooting him through the head.
Isaac couldn’t handle hearing his victim’s logical arugment that for all the WLF soldiers that joined the Seraphites, the opposite never happened.
2025-05-05T01:20:43.920Z
The Music Store – Ellie’s Take On “Take On Me”
(Image credit: HBO)
One of the most picture-perfect scenes early on in The Last of Us Part II comes when Ellie and Dina find the music store, and I’m oh so happy to say that Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced turned every emotion three-dimensional during the sequence.
I wasn’t sure if Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann would stick with Aha’s ’80s staple “Take On Me” for TV. All the more so given Ashley Johnson’s soul-enriching delivery in the game:
Ashley Johnson, Chris Rondinella – Take on Me | The Last of Us Part II: Covers and Rarities – YouTube
Watch On
All the props in the world to Ramsey for bringing the same vulnerability and non-performative performance as her digital counterpart. Very nice. Very moving. Very Ellie.
“All those lessons from Joel.” – Ellie
“He tought you well.” – Dina
“He did.” – Ellie
And then cue all the sobbing as she leaves that perfectly maintained guitar in that gorgeous setting, presumably never to be played again.
2025-05-05T01:14:51.905Z
Ellie Talking About Astronauts
Gotta love Ellie following her tank hatch maneuvering with some talk about astronauts. Non-gamers aren’t going to expect where Ellie’s love of the Space Race comes into play, but it’s a sequence I cannot wait to see in live-action.
In the meantime, we can just enjoy stellar quips like this:
“Yeah, these guys were just assholes killed by other assholes.” – Ellie
Ellie is as full of truths as that tank was full of burned-up assholes.
2025-05-05T01:11:56.540Z
Happy, Proud Rainbow Town
(Image credit: Max)
It’s depressing to think about Ellie and Dina not knowing that rainbows were a symbol for LGBTQ+ equality, and would no doubt question those letters in relation to the WLF.
2025-05-05T01:10:13.732Z
Dina And Ellie: Seattle Day One
It really rocks seeing the video game timeline so directly referred to, especially with Weston’s Pharmacy in the background. And also especially when yeast infection jokes are involved. Wait, I didn’t mean to say “especially” in that one.
2025-05-05T01:09:02.607Z
Bye Bye FEDRA Dingleberries
Well it took all of no time for Isaac to show domination. Not only did he blow up a vehicle full of testosterone-stuffed FEDRA junkies, but he also aligned with “the fight,” as it were.
(Image credit: Max)
So maybe he’s a hero or something, since he did save that one very green soldier from dying with his compadres.
“Now make your choice.” – Isaac Like a Muhfucka
Not that I expect either of these guys to maintain their sanity over the next eleven years.
2025-05-05T01:05:28.321Z
Isaac Is Here, A.K.A. FEDRA Soldiers Suck Just As Much In Live-Action
The Last of Us is great at bringing in characters whose deaths you hate to see coming, but hot damn, this lineup of FEDRA clowns deserves an instant shutdown, save for JEFFREY WRIGHT, MOTHERFUCKERS. Ahem, sorry. Love this dude.
The award-winning actor brought life to Isaac in the video game, and brings even more gravitas to the live-action role. Especially when he’s making pompous asshats eat their words.
2025-05-05T00:59:13.018Z
Welcome Note
I can’t wait to see what Isaac has in store for his followers and his enemies in this episode. That’s all I’ll say for now, though, as not to ruin anything with my own hopes.
Star Wars Day isn’t considered a national holiday, though it often feels it should be, given how many notable Hollywood icons acknowledge and celebrate it. (Not to mention the A+ pun that sparked it all.) One of the biggest sci-fi actors of all time, William Shatner doesn’t seem capable of letting the pop culture observance pass without reminding his millions of geeky followers that Star Trek still reigns supreme.
While plenty of Trekkies enjoy Star Wars, and it’s safe to say debates about franchise superiority aren’t quite as fervent these days as they once were, it’s always fun to see playful razzing taking place between the two fandoms. Shatner is a master at tongue-in-cheek trolling, and put his skills to work informing Star Wars fans who their real father is:
I just want to make things clear… Who’s your Daddy @starwars?Me! ❌⭕️‼️ Daddy Bill pic.twitter.com/ljZ6OPZ8vEMay 4, 2025
George Lucas during the creation of Star Wars. Lucas shared in an interview for the documentary Trek Nation (via GeekTyrant) that his space opera franchise “stood on the shoulders” of Trek, and that his love for that sci-fi series factored into his creation of Han Solo, Princess Leia and the rest.
While I wouldn’t be so bold as to say upcoming Trek shows we’ll watch with a Paramount+ subscription influence the upcoming Star Wars shows on Disney+, I can see William Shatner’s logic here. If George Lucas was a Trekkie, and admits to the original series was an influence on the trilogy, then it tracks that he’s all of our daddies. I’m not going to be as dramatic as Luke Skywalker and shout It’s not true, but rather move forward and get to know my new daddy better.
And while it’s true that Star Wars definitely dominates at the box office while Star Trek has struggled to provide updates on the next batch of theatrical plans, there are some facts we can’t ignore. For example, even with its stance of diplomacy and working for the greater good, it’s safe to say Starfleet would’ve handled the Empire much better than the Rebel Alliance did.
Also, which franchise had one of its biggest stars actually travel to space, and which franchise only had its star congratulate the aforementioned celebrity for doing so? As one of the few private citizens to have seen Earth from above, It’s hard to deny William Shatner is the “daddy” of sci-fi fans.
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All jokes aside, there’s nothing wrong with loving Star Wars more than Star Trek, or the other way around, or loving them both equally. The important thing is that both franchises are arguably the strongest they’ve ever been in their runs, and both played a role in making “being geeky” a mainstream personality trait these days. You don’t need a paternity test to prove that, though If William Shatner was actually saying he was my father I would probably ask for one.
Nearly all things Star Wars-related are available to stream with.a Disney+ subscription, while Star Trek‘s character reign supreme over on Paramount+.
Spoiler Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for The Eternaut. If you’ve yet to watch the sci-fi series, please check it out with a Netflix subscription.
When the year started and I took a look at all the upcoming book-to-screen adaptations, I had no idea that an Argentine sci-fi, The Eternaut (El Eternautain Spanish), would come out of nowhere on the 2025 TV schedule and catch me off guard like this. But that’s exactly what happened when I checked out the 2025 Netflix series about the residents of Buenos Aires struggling to survive an apocalyptic city after a mysterious snowstorm killed most of the population before being invaded by aliens.
binge-worthy Netflix show over the course of a couple of nights, I have some major questions I need answered if we get a second season.
Again, spoilers follow…
(Image credit: Netflix)
Where Are The Aliens From And What Do They Want With Earth?
Though you don’t find out until the fourth episode, The Eternaut is about an alien invasion by a mysterious extraterrestrial species hellbent on taking over the planet (or at least the South American continent). For the most part, these aliens look like giant beetles that you’d see in Starship Troopers (ironically enough, both take place in Buenos Aires, but I digress), outside of a mysterious leader with all those fingers and hands controlling everything seen in the last few moments of the sixth and final episode.
Never in The Eternaut is it revealed where these giant bugs came from, what’s up with the all-controlling leader, or what they want to do with the planet. At first, I thought they wanted to kill everyone with that toxic snow shown in the show’s trailer, but then it’s revealed that they can take control of humans and have them do their bidding. If we get a second season, I hope that the aliens’ origins and motivations are explored in great detail.
(Image credit: Netflix)
Were Juan Salvo’s Visions Hallucinations Or Forgotten Memories?
Throughout The Eternaut, Juan Salvo (Ricardo Darín), essentially the main character of the series, goes to great lengths to find his wife, reunite with his daughter, and ensure that humanity survives the ensuing alien invasion. Every now and again, Juan has what appear to be either hallucinations or memories he’s long forgotten about, or a combination of the two. Just about every episode has Juan witnessing crashing asteroids (later revealed to be the aliens), nightmarish environments, and so much death.
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And while one section is revealed to be Juan uncovering a deep-buried memory of his days in the military (this explains how he remains so calm and takes so many great shots with an old rifle or handgun), the others are left ambiguous. There’s a moment at the end of the season finale where the protagonist tells another survivor that he had been through this before, but it’s never stated explicitly if this was from an experience or a vision. If a second season joins the ranks of upcoming horror TV shows at some point, I hope the character’s mysterious origins are further explored, or at least made more clear.
(Image credit: Netflix)
Is Clara Just Another Person Under The Aliens’ Control, Or Is She Part Of Something Bigger?
Near the end of The Eternaut’s fifth episode, it is revealed that the aliens have taken control over some of the humans and are using them to do their bidding (like the attack on the shopping-mall-turned-refugee-camp). And in the final episode, it is implied that Juan Salvo’s daughter, Clara (Mora Fisz), is one of those chosen by the invaders. Though she never outright confirms anything or tries to kill anyone like the others under their mind control, Clara does have an ominous look on her face just before the credits roll in the finale.
So, this got me thinking – is Clara just another survivor being controlled by the aliens, or is she part of something bigger? The way the show focuses on her character, as well as all the strange occurrences and lapses in her memory, leads me to believe that there are bigger things in store for Clara moving forward.
Though nothing has been confirmed regarding a second season of The Eternaut, it’s hard to imagine Netflix would end a story at what seems to be the halfway point. But when more information is announced, I’ll be there to dig through it.
