by admin | Jun 14, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles
like we saw in the immaculate episode 7 that turned a simple lore question into an emotional exploration of grief and love. And yet, this season also showed the pitfalls of trying to do a show like “Lost” without the benefit of having 22 episodes in a season — like episode 8 failing to provide a meaningful side story without making it feel like filler. Still, the highs far outweighed the lows, with moments like Irving B. (John Turturro) having a big breakdown at Woe’s Hollow providing one of the best scenes in the show so far.
Of course, by far the single greatest moment in all of “Severance” came in the finale, when Tramell Tillman’s Mr. Milchick brings in without a doubt the strangest department at Lumon, Choreography and Merriment, to celebrate Mark S. (Adam Scott) reaching 100% on the Cold Harbor file. It is undoubtedly one of the best scenes in television in 2025, a moment that took everything that was already bizarre and great about the famed Music Dance Experience of the first season, and the moment that cements Mr. Milchick as the MVP of “Severance.”
It might surprise you to learn, then, that Tramell Tillman was not immediately enthusiastic about the Choreography and Merriment moment. As he told Entertainment Weekly, “I was reticent about doing the whole choreography at all, because we did the Music Dance Experience in season 1,” Tillman said. “So I didn’t want to try to recreate this thing. But then Ben told me there’s a marching band, and I can’t say no to that. I’m like, ‘Let’s do it!'”
Choreography and Merriment was a personal opportunity for Tramell Tillman
Apple TV+
For Tillman, the opportunity to perform with the Choreography and Merriment department was also a personal opportunity. The actor attended two historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in his younger days, but despite HBCUs being renowned for their marching bands, Tillman never got to partake in that tradition. “I was always fascinated by the bands, and I never had the opportunity to play in the band,” he said. “I definitely didn’t have the opportunity to direct one. So this was my opportunity, and I enjoyed every minute of it.”
The big musical scene of “Severance” season 2 is not just hilarious and bizarre — how long was that department training and practicing in the off chance they would be needed for this? — but it is also technically impressive. The juxtaposition of the oppressively neat and symmetrical ’60s-inspired Lumon office with a huge crowd of noisy performers doing an elaborate choreography — including doing a giant Mark S. banner that is completely impossible to see from the ground — is exhilarating. It’s a sequence inspired by an underrated 2002 coming-of-age teen flick, one with fantastic camera work that knows when to go from confusion and desperation in Mark S. and Helly R. (Britt Lower) as they plan their escape, but also captures the sheer fun of Mr. Milchick in leading this choreography.
by admin | Jun 14, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles
best-selling authors like Stephen King aren’t exempt from such censorship, as his mildly political, totally non-explicit book “The Dead Zone” has also been banned by numerous schools solely because it’s a horror story.
When asked about the repeated book ban, Chbosky once told the National Coalition Against Censorship that he was deeply saddened by it, as it robbed children of an experience that could have made them feel a little less alone:
“It’s been so many times [the book bans] that I’ve honestly lost count. I know it’s made the American Library Association’s top 10 list five times, so it’s happened a lot […] I was sad because you publish a book, in part, to end the silence about certain issues. But then certain people object, and they try to censor your book, and all of that is just silence. I know what the book has meant to certain kids because I’ve been getting letters from them for well over a decade. So, every time this happens, I just think about that one kid in the community who could really use the book.”
Let’s dive deeper into the reasons why Chbosky’s novel is considered inappropriate for school libraries, and how the contents of the book (as well as its film adaptation, which stars a certain “Harry Potter” veteran) actually hold up against these concerns.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower has always been at the center of (trite) controversy
Lionsgate Films
In 2012, Chbosky (who also helmed “Dear Evan Hansen”) directed a movie version of “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” which does a competent job of conveying the bittersweet complexities of the original novel. In the film, Charlie (Logan Lerman) unwittingly deals with debilitating post-traumatic stress while navigating high school, finding comfort in his relationships with his fellow students Patrick (Ezra) and Sam (Emma Watson). But while Sam and Patrick do their best to be an emotional anchor for Charlie, they are mired in their own problems rooted in identity, loss, and dwindling self-esteem.
Chbosky’s film is unflinching in its approach to exploring these uncomfortable emotions, creating a journey so hard-hitting and poignant that it achieved cult classic status shortly after its release. On the critical and commercial front, the movie did pretty well (grossing $33.3 million against a $13 million budget) and was praised for its committed central performances, along with its ability to address heavy topics with incredible nuance.
Alas, such nuance has been lost on the folks who’ve eagerly sought to get Chbosky’s book banned since it was published. According to the Marshall University Library, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” has been banned in American schools for reasons ranging from its “profanity and descriptions of drug abuse, sexually explicit conduct, and torture” to its mentions of homosexuality and “offensive content” in relation to Patrick. Even in cases where the book wasn’t completely banned, its presence in school libraries was often challenged (and, in some cases, retained) from 2003 to 2023.
While these concerns are egregious enough, some schools banned “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” solely on the grounds of it being “disgusting,” which is clearly a knee-jerk reaction to the complex themes Chbosky explores in the novel. Moreover, it should be made clear that none of these topics are handled in a way that’s sensational or gratuitous; they’re simply part of the story and its characters’ tumultuous journeys, which are treated with a deliberately dispassionate sense of empathy. Censoring such a poignant literary experience severely limits a child’s understanding of adolescent discomfort, along with the sweet high of friendships that start to feel a lot like home.
by admin | Jun 14, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles
“South Park” is known for its adult humor and unapologetic irreverence. It’s not a series anyone would ever expect to see retooled for children. However, in Kuwait, that’s exactly what happened. Not only was a Kuwaiti rip-off of “South Park” developed for young audiences, but the series was so successful it went on to spawn a spin-off series – something the real “South Park” has never achieved.
“South Park,” created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, rose from humble beginnings. Parker and Stone created the world of “South Park” in two animated short films in the 1990s, made using simple cardboard cutout animation. When one of these shorts went viral – one of the first online videos to do so – the series was picked up by Comedy Central and arrived on TV in 1997. “South Park” went on to find success globally, laying the foundations for the creation of “Block 13,” Kuwait’s blatant “South Park” rip-off.
“Block 13” was created by Nawaf Salem Al-Shammari and debuted on Kuwait Television in 2000. The series was developed after “South Park” was banned, perhaps unsurprisingly, in Kuwait for its offensive jokes about Islam. “Block 13” copied many of “South Park’s” character designs almost exactly, though characters’ clothing was changed to better reflect Kuwait. Instead of emulating “South Park’s” adult humor, though, “Block 13” was targeted at families and children of all ages. The series only ran for 3 seasons, but was popular enough that it is still rerun on Kuwait Television every Ramadan.
Kuwait’s South Park rip-off launched a spin-off
Kuwait Television
Although “Block 13” only ran for 3 seasons, the series was a huge success in Kuwait. It was a significant series for the country too, in that it was the first animated series ever produced in the Arab States of the Persian Gulf. Much like “South Park,” the series dealt with current real-world issues affecting its audience through comedy, though in a much tamer way. And while “Block 13” was aimed at younger audiences, its humor didn’t completely lose its edge. Abboud, the series’ version of Eric Cartman, was still subject to jokes about his weight, while Saloom, the series’ version of Kenny McCormick, was still regularly killed in ludicrous accidents.
After “Block 13” concluded, the series spawned the spin-off “Qatouta and Kaloob” in 2003. The series followed Qatouta, a purple cat, and Kaloob, the pet dog of Honey on “Block 13” (possibly an amalgam of “South Park’s” Craig Tucker and Butters Stotch). The series featured a handful of cameo appearances from “Block 13” characters too. Though a second season was planned and due to air on Alrai TV, budget restraints led to its cancellation.
Despite “Qatouta and Kaloob” failing to launch a season 2, the success of “Block 13” has continued. The series received a reboot, titled “13th Street,” in 2022. The series features a more polished animation style and reunites many of “Block 13’s” creators. The series is still running on VO, Dubai TV and Dubai streaming platform, Awaan.
by admin | Jun 14, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles
too many live-action remakes of animated projects. More often than not, these remakes merely take away the uniqueness, the endless imagination and possibilities, and the exquisite visual styles of their source material and reduce them to bland, visually uninteresting live-action movies without personality. Even the best ones struggle to reach the heights of their animated counterparts.
Sure, their continued existence makes sense commercially, but creatively every studio in Hollywood is going about things all wrong here. Why turn great animated movies into dull live-action slop when you could just turn an already fantastic live-action project into an even better animated one? “The Animatrix” fulfilled the promise of the world and the visual language of “The Matrix” (and moved the franchise closer to its anime origins), while “Star Wars” animation continues to prove that “Star Wars” is best when it’s animated.
This brings us to “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off,” which is not a remake but a remix of both Bryan Lee O’Malley’s “Scott Pilgrim” graphic novels and Edgar Wright’s 2010 live-action film adaptation “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” “Scot Pilgrim Takes Off” is also of the best anime of the 2020s and an improvement on O’Malley’s comics and Wright’s movie alike (each of which, to be clear, is quite good in its own right).
The show starts out as a pretty faithful retelling of both the “Scott Pilgrim” comics and film, only to take a wild detour and tell a story that re-contextualizes the entire franchise, giving side characters newfound depth and nuance while shining a light on characters that didn’t get their due previously. Plus, the whole thing looks gorgeous, with a vibrant color palette and a kineticism in the movements that could only be achieved in animation.
Which made the news that Netflix would not be making additional seasons of “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” all the more tragic for me.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off was self-contained but could’ve continued
Netflix
Netflix didn’t give a reason for the cancellation of “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off,” which actually had pretty good viewership. In the second half of 2023, the anime was the fourth most-watched anime “franchise” on Netflix based on the total hours watched over the hours available (per Anime News Network). Still, the fact that it had a not-inexpensive star-studded cast and still came in fourth place after shows like “Demon Slayer” (which Netflix does not pay to produce) meant “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” was simply too expensive an investment.
That being said, it’s not like the show was left on a cliffhanger. Creators Bryan Lee O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski envisioned the first season as a complete, self-contained story. It essentially adapted the entirety of the “Scott Pilgrim” comics (or, rather, its own version of them) and gave satisfying endings to every character and story arc. Still, the finale did leave the door open for storylines that could have been explored in future seasons.
“It’s self-contained for now. We loved what we did. We put it all in there. We don’t have any ideas lying on the floor. We pretty much put them all in,” as O’Malley told Rolling Stone around the time of the show’s premiere. “I never say never, but right now, it seems like it would take about 50 different miracles simultaneously for another season to happen.”
What Scott Pilgrim Takes Off season 2 could have been about
Netflix
“Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” ends with Gideon (Jason Schwartzman) failing to kill Matt Patel (Satya Bhabha) in retribution for stealing his company and Matt deciding to just give it all back to Gideon because he thought running a company was boring. Then, in a mid-credits scene, we see Gideon and Aubrey Plaza’s Julie (who had been dating Gideon for a while) sitting in a dark and ominous room filled with countless screens plotting against Scott (Michael Cera) and Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) all menacingly. “Time for the real games to begin,” Gideon says as the screen turns black, with Julie chiming in, “The Goose is loose: honk, honk, f***ers!”
We don’t need to know what happens next for the story to feel complete, but it’s still a bummer to think that we could have seen Gideon and Julie work together to take down Scott and Ramona. This, of course, doesn’t necessarily mean another League of Evil Exes plot; season 1 made it clear Ramona’s exes had moved on from their feelings for her. Instead, season 2 could have been about something entirely original, which is both exciting and unfortunate. Perhaps there would’ve been another time-travel story or maybe even a multiverse storyline. Or, based on their final lines of the show, what if Gideon and Julie had become a Jigsaw-like expert in torture and sadistic games in a more horror-centric sequel? We may never know.
by admin | Jun 14, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles
“Play It Again, Bob” (opposite Thomas as Bob Hope) was spot-on, as was his David Brinkley (particularly when he sparred with Thomas’ Walter Cronkite on “Point Counterpoint”). His original characters were amazing as well, with DJ Gerry Todd, a “video technology” enthusiast, becoming one of the show’s most reliably funny kooks.
Though “Strange Brew” initially failed to catch on beyond the “SCTV” fan base, Moranis blasted through to the mainstream the following year as accountant Louis Tully in “Ghostbusters.” Within two years, he deftly segued from a smarmy music manager in “Streets of Fire” to a hirsute, horn-dog vacationer in “Club Paradise” to the meek caretaker of a person-eating plant in “Little Shop of Horrors.” In 1989, Moranis became the unlikely face of a franchise in the surprise blockbuster “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” and drove Steve Martin up a wall as a pseudo-intellectual power parent in “Parenthood.”
Moranis had it in him to be a great dramatic actor, too, but his priorities shifted in 1991 when his wife, Ann Belsky, died of cancer. In 1997, he stepped back from acting. As he told USA Today in 2005, “I’m a single parent and I just found that it was too difficult to manage to raise my kids and to do the traveling involved in making movies. So I took a little bit of a break. And the little bit of a break turned into a longer break, and then I found that I really didn’t miss it.”
This is why fans were so stoked this week when it was announced that Moranis would be reprising his role of Dark Helmet in the forthcoming sequel to Mel Brooks’ “Spaceballs.” This will mark his first feature appearance since 1997’s “Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves,” but it will actually be his third go-round as Dark Helmet. And this is probably news to everyone who doesn’t watch the ABC sitcom “The Goldbergs.”
Dark Helmet invaded a teenager’s bedroom in The Goldbergs
ABC
Seven years ago, Moranis was persuaded to once again lend his voice to the galactic villain who did battle with the rogue Lone Star (Bill Pullman) in Brooks’ beloved spoof. The scene in question arrives at the end of the season 5 episode “Spaceballs,” and finds young 1980s kid Adam Goldberg (Sean Giambrone) crossing Schwartz sabers with Moranis’ character. During their fight, a copy of “Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money” falls out of Dark Helmet’s cape. The two then pause their duel so that Helmet can pitch Adam on his idea for the sequel (in which he, of course, triumphs).
While Moranis did not don the actual costume for this appearance, it was fun to hear him play the pompous, deeply insecure bad guy once again. Kind of. As /Film’s Ethan Anderton noted when the episode aired, Moranis’ voice portrayal is somewhat different from the one he gave in 1987. It just doesn’t quite sound like Dark Helmet. I’m not suggesting he phoned in his work here, but it’s just off enough to make the whole scene feel kinda disappointing.
So while I’m 100% stoked that we’ll get to see Moranis back on screen in the “Spaceballs” sequel (actually, it’s not confirmed that he’ll be on set in the flesh), I hope that this doesn’t wind up being one of those nostalgia-trip sequels that should’ve simply been a cast reunion at a fan convention. We’ll have to wait until 2027 to find out.
by admin | Jun 14, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles
Adam Sandler’s long-awaited “Happy Gilmore 2.” Other streaming movies on the menu this summer include “Echo Valley,” Spike Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest” (which earned raves at last month’s Cannes Film Festival), and “The Old Guard 2.” Again, I wish I could watch all of these in a movie theater, but streamers need exclusives to drive subscriptions, so we’ll just have to live with this current state of play.
One movie that wasn’t on my radar at all heading into the summer just debuted on Prime Video, and it appears to be worth touting because it’s A) an original, and B) is getting great reviews. What is this not-based-on-a-pre-existing-IP wonder?
Deep Cover is an action-comedy with an improvisatory twist
Netflix
When I first saw that “Deep Cover” was the third most popular movie on Prime Video right now, I initially thought Bill Duke’s 1992 tough-as-nails neo-noir starring Laurence Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum was finding a new audience. While you can rent Duke’s film via the service, it’s a completely different “Deep Cover” that’s drawing eyeballs.
This brand new film stars Bryce Dallas Howard as a stand-up comic and improv teacher who’s asked to assemble a team of actors capable of helping the Metropolitan Police carry out sting operations. These amateurs, of course, wind up getting in way over their heads, at which point they find their lives are very much in jeopardy.
This sounds like a big-budget variation on Richard Linklater’s excellent “Hit Man” from last year, and why wouldn’t you want to give it a shot when it’s got a cast that includes Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed, Ian McShane, Paddy Considine and Sean Bean (place your bets on whether his character survives to the end credits)? Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly (“Safety Not Guaranteed,” “Jurassic World”) came up with the idea, and the British comedy duo of Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen (aka The Pin) wrote the screenplay. The film currently holds a 92% Fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, which, if this sounds like your kind of action-comedy, should merit a watch.
So, round up your friends and family and enjoy what could be the streaming sleeper hit of the summer.
