Tom Segura has become a popular podcast host in addition to his work as a stand-up comedian. With multiple comedy specials and tons of friends in the industry including Bert Kreischer and Bill Burr, Segura has a lot of connections. But, as big as he is on stage, Segura has long had the ambition to make movies. Some of his ideas came together as the beginning of what became his new Netflix series, Bad Thoughts.

Bad Thoughts is a six-episode series of interconnected short films that tackle the intrusive thoughts we all have, but cross the line of what we think in our imaginations, but would never act upon. Some shorts are multi-part stories that cross episodes, while others are brief, standalone films that work. Segura’s series has mock trailers, celebrity spoofs, and original ideas while featuring recognizable actors including Shea Whigham, Daniella Pineda, and Dan Stevens. Each episode contains hilarious films resembling Black Mirror or The Twilight Zone, crossed with Key & Peele.

Tom Segura chatted with me for almost half an hour about his new series and where the ideas came from. The comedian has some film projects in the works, but directed some of these shorts himself. He talked about the line between funny and too much and how lucky he was to get some actors on board. Segura also discussed support from Netflix and the role that Jason Momoa played in one particular short. Check out the full interview in the embed above.

Bad Thoughts is now streaming on Netflix.

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Murderbot is not quite as vicious as the title suggests. Based on the series by author Martha Wells, Murderbot is a blend of science fiction and comedy that follows the title security android as it works for and alongside human beings despite not liking their species very much. Told across eight, half-hour episodes, Murderbot is a faithful adaptation of the first story in The Murderbot Diaries and should make fans of the source material very happy. With a great cast including a group of famous actors in minor roles, Murderbot is one of the most fun series of the year.

Murderbot follows the main character, an android played by Alexander Skarsgard, as he hides the fact that he hacked himself and no longer needs to preserve human life. Preferring to watch his favorite television series, the series is full of voice-over narration by Murderbot as he complains about the idiot humans he works for, including Gurathin (David Dastmalchian), who suspects Murderbot may not be what they think he is. With alien monsters as a threat and rival human factions, Murderbot must choose whether to work with his human employers or save himself.

I talked with the cast and creators of Murderbot about the new series. Showrunners and directors Chris and Paul Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy) talked about changes they needed to make from the books and whether they have a long-term plan to adapt all the books in The Murderbot Diaries. Tamara Podemski spoke about how her character, Bharadwaj, felt as one of her first truly comedic roles. Akshay Khanna, who plays Ratthi, spoke about the physical humor and stunts he got to participate in. Tattiawna Jones and Sabrina Wu, who play Arada and Pin-Lee, talked about the relationship elements between their characters and whether they felt the series was a glimpse into what fundamental societal norms are like in 2025. Noma Dumezweni talked about playing Dr. Mensah as a good and truthful person. In contrast, David Dastmalchian discussed whether he viewed playing Gurathin as a villain or a troubled guy. Alexander Skarsgard talked about the appeal of playing Murderbot and how he imbued the character with

Murderbot premieres with two episodes on May 16th on Apple TV+.

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In the decade since Mad Men went off the air, Jon Hamm has proven himself a talented comedic actor in equal measure with his dramatic talents. From Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver and Ben Affleck’s The Town to movies like Keeping Up With The Joneses and Bridesmaids, Hamm has proven himself a big-screen star. His small-screen work, including Fargo and Landman, has been equally impressive, but his new Apple TV+ series Your Friends and Neighbors harkens back to the role that made him a star.

In Your Friends and Neighbors, Hamm plays Andrew Cooper, a wealthy hedge fund manager who is unceremoniously fired. Living a divorced dad of two, Coop realizes his finances are in dire straits and decides to start stealing from his rich neighbors. As he learns the secrets of those around him, Coop’s double life begins to close in as he risks everything to make a little more money.

I chatted with the creator and cast of Your Friends and Neighbors about the new series, which has already been renewed for a second season. Stars Olivia Munn and Amanda Peet talked about why we enjoy seeing rich people behaving badly while also looking at the feel-good act of keying a car. Mark Tallman talked about how much fun it is to have Jon Hamm insult you, while Aimee Carrero looked at the great character of Elena and how she is a counter-perspective to that of Coop. Lena Hall talked about bringing her musical talents to the series, while Isabel Gravitt and Donavan Colan talked about the challenge of playing the kids of these broken adults. Showrunner Jonathan Tropper talked about his noir inspirations for this series and why it took him this long to make a series closer to his novels. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.

Your Friends and Neighbors premieres on April 11th on Apple TV+.

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Kevin Bacon has done it all. From action to comedy to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the legendary actor has been in Oscar winners to pop culture favorites and shows no sign of slowing down. For his new series, the legendary actor tries something a little bit different than we have come to expect from him with The Bondsman. A blend of multiple genres, The Bondsman is part horror and part comedy but is just a fun time full of blood, guts, and family dynamics.

In The Bondsman, Kevin Bacon stars as Hub Halloran, a murdered bounty hunter who’s back from the dead after being resurrected by the Devil to trap and send back demons that have escaped from the prison of Hell. By chasing down those demons with the help and hindrance of his estranged family, Hub learns how his own sins got his soul condemned, pushing him to seek a second chance at life, love, and country music.

I got the chance to talk with the cast and showrunner of The Bondsman about the new series. Writer Eric Oleson (Carnival Row) talked about the fun in making a series like this with only half-hour episode lengths. Maxwell Jenkins, who plays Hub’s son, Cade, talked about the difference in the FX work on this series compared to his run on Lost in Space. Donnie Darko veterans Jolene Purdy and Beth Grant shouted out lines from that iconic movie and told me what made this series so special for them. Star Kevin Bacon talked about his favorite parts of playing Hub and how it compared to his work on prior shows, The Following and City on a Hill. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.

The Bondsman premieres April 3 on Prime Video.

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True crime series are everywhere these days, so it can be easy to overlook new shows. The Paramount+ series Happy Face takes a unique approach to telling the true story of a serial killer and his daughter, who becomes an investigator in her own right. Using the books and podcast by Melissa G. Moore, Happy Face takes us through her journey from being victimized by her father’s crimes to becoming an advocate for those like her.

Happy Face is an incarcerated serial killer who is also Melissa Reed’s (Annaleigh Ashford) once-beloved father. After decades of no contact, Keith (Dennis Quaid) finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life. In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed. Throughout, she discovers the impact her father had on his victims’ families and must face a reckoning of her own identity.

I talked with the creative team and cast of Happy Face about the new series. Showrunner Jennifer Cacicio talked about the challenges of balancing dramatization with the true stories of the titular killer. Melissa G. Moore talked about the risks of popularizing serial killers and how she felt seeing her story told on screen. Dennis Quaid discussed his hesitation in playing such an evil character and how he approached it while Annaleigh Ashford talked about her approach to inhabiting Melissa. James Wolk reflected on channeling his Mad Men co-star Jon Hamm while Tamera Tomakili explored what being a true crime producer felt like. Teen actor Khiyla Aynne talked about playing the granddaughter of a serial killer, while nine-year-old Benjamin Mackey talked about the support he had on set. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.

Happy Face is now streaming on Paramount+.

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Epic fantasy used to be seen only on the big screen, but over the last decade, we have seen massive productions based on books, video games, and more. Based on the long-running series by author Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time has become a stalwart for Prime Video, with the third season set to be the biggest and most epic yet.

The plot of season three, per Prime Video: “After defeating Ishamael, one of the most powerful of the Forsaken, at the end of Season Two, Rand reunites with his friends in the city of Falme and is declared the Dragon Reborn. But in Season Three, the threats against the Light are multiplying: the White Tower stands divided, the Black Ajah runs free, old enemies return to the Two Rivers, and the remaining Forsaken are in hot pursuit of the Dragon… including Lanfear, whose relationship with Rand will mark a crucial choice between Light and Dark for them both. As the ties to his past begin to unravel and his corrupted power grows stronger, Rand becomes increasingly unrecognizable to his closest allies, Moiraine and Egwene. These powerful women, who started the series as teachers and students, must now work together to prevent the Dragon from turning to the Dark…no matter the cost.”

I sat down to talk with the cast and showrunner of The Wheel of Time about the new season. Daniel Henney talked about playing al-Lan this season and getting more involved in the action, while Sophie Okonedo talked about the action-packed premiere episode and what it was like playing Siuan in that sequence. Ceara Coveney talked about exploring Elayne’s backstory this season, while Ayoola Smart talked about the responsibility of living up to fan expectations as Aviendha. Natasha O’Keeffe talked about whether Lanfear is a villain or an anti-hero, while Marcus Rutherford talked about the evolution of Perrin. Donal Finn discussed Mat’s arc this season, while Josha Stradowski looked at parallels in Rand’s journey. Showrunner Rafe Judkins talked about how many books each season would cover, while Rosamund Pike considered whether Moiraine is morally ambiguous. Check out all of the interviews in the embed above.

The third season of The Wheel of Time is now streaming on Prime Video. Check out our review!

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Apple TV+ has been producing quality series after quality series, but their newest project, Dope Thief, is a little different. Based on the novel by Dennis Tafoya, the series is more than just a crime drama. With a strong core story about brotherhood, friendship, and family, Dope Thief takes a chilling and complex story about drugs and revenge and delivers a gripping limited series with stellar turns from Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura.

Dope Thief tells the story of Ray (Brian Tyree Henry) and his best friend Manny (Wagner Moura), who pose as DEA agents to steal from low-level dealers in Philadelphia. Getting away with their bold crimes, the pair treat their scheme with respect as they do not kill anyone but are just taking from bad people. When they get a tip about a house ripe for their approach, Ray and Manny uncover a massive operation that puts them on the map for both the real DEA and a brutal and violent crime syndicate that knows who they are. As Ray and Manny try to protect themselves and their loved ones, the syndicate hunts them down with no mercy.

I talked with the cast and creator of Dope Thief about the powerful new series. Co-star Marin Ireland talked about the challenges of her character’s vocal performance, while Amir Arison talked about not making his character a cliche. Legendary actress Kate Mulgrew talked about the heart of her character, Theresa, and what it was like to reveal her backstory. In contrast, Nesta Cooper talked about the core of her character, Michelle. Series creator and director Peter Craig talked about working alongside Ridley Scott and how his dream cast came together for the series. Stars Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura talked about finding their brotherhood off-camera and what a key scene meant to them as the epitome of love between two best friends. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.

Dope Thief premieres on March 14th on Apple TV+. You can read our review at THIS LINK.

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Steven Knight may not be a name everyone recognizes, but odds are you are familiar with his resume. Having written films ranging from Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises, Pawn Sacrifice, Spencer, and Maria, the writer is best known for his run of small-screen projects, including Peaky Blinders, Taboo, Rogue Heroes, Great Expectations, and The Veil. His penchant for British period dramas has resulted in some great shows, and his latest project is the Hulu series A Thousand Blows, starring Stephen Graham and Malachi Kirby.

A Thousand Blows follows Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby) and Alec Munroe (Francis Lovehall), two best friends from Jamaica who travel to London to seek a new and better life. Finding themselves in the violent area of London’s West End, the pair come across Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), the leader of the all-female criminals known as the Forty Elephants. They also meet Sugar Goodson (Stephen Graham), the most notorious boxer in London. As they clash in various ways, the series looks at how their fortunes change in the real life-or-death world of 19th-century England.

I talked with the prolific Oscar-nominated writer about A Thousand Blows, including the story’s origins and how he researched the various historical figures that inspired the characters. We also talked about the performances from Stephen Graham, Malachi Kirby, and Erin Doherty, the benefits of shorter episode counts, and whether this series will continue past season two. Check out the full interview below.

JOBLO: Hi, Stephen. How are you?

Steven Knight: I’m very good. How are you?

JOBLO: Very excited to talk to you. I’ve reviewed each of the different series you’ve been involved with. And I love the unique approach to telling these different tales. And especially with A Thousand Blows, it looks at different tales that we typically see from this era. When you were first approaching this story, how did you figure out what angle to get in there to tell these various storylines?

SK: The idea of telling Hezekiah Moskow’s story came from Stephen Graham and Hannah, his partner. He’s such a brilliant actor that anything that he presents you, you take seriously. I did some research and there’s not a lot known about Hezekiah Moskow. The fights he was in, some accounts of what he was like from other people. At the same time, I’ve wanted to tell the 40 Elephants story, which is another true story of Mary Carr, for a long time. And I just thought what would be great would be to put those two things together and imagine that Mary Carr and Hezekiah might have met because they were around simultaneously in the same part of London. And then, once that decision is made, there’s accounts of what Mary Carr and the Elephants got up to. There are accounts of what Hezekiah got up to. And you sort of match them in parallel and find ways of sort of zigzagging between the two. And it gives you a bit of a structure to start playing around and imagining. The way that I try to do it is to try and get the characters, understand who the characters are. And then I think once you’ve got them in your head, you can set them free a bit, and you can have them walk into a room together, and they can talk to each other in a way that you’re not controlling in a bizarre sort of way.

JOBLO: Something that I’ve loved about how streaming since the whole revolution was streaming and cable taking over a lot of these stories is the episode counts have become a lot shorter we don’t have this that American thing where series were twenty-five or twenty-six episodes a season and things felt like filler. A Thousand Blows is a very deliberate story. I love that at the end of the sixth episode, we see where things will be headed next. Was this always envisioned as a twelve-episode tale, or is there going to be more potential beyond that?

SK: No, I mean, it began as six episodes, you know, to see if it’s going to work, which is the normal thing. I like six. It’s the British length of six. I like eight is fine, but six feels a bit more manageable, but quite quickly, I think we were into the third episode when Disney had a real leap of faith and said, let’s just do the whole thing, let’s do two series, because they knew it was going to work. And so I just saw it as two lots of six, with not too much of a leap between the two. And I think, you know, the way we will proceed is this way: to do these six episode batches, really.

JOBLO: I saw the same thing with your series SAS: Rogue Heroes where you had those batches of six episodes. And so when you’re designing the tale and kind of trying to encompass it, what’s your approach? Do you start at the end and the beginning and find the middle, or do you start chronologically?

SK: It’s nothing logical. There was a time a while ago when I used to pretend that I was doing it in a logical way because it gave everybody comfort. But what I do do is, let’s say, you know roughly what will happen between episodes one and six. You know where you’re going to get to sort of, but keep it open and then start writing. And as I say, if you know the characters, then let the characters do that. And it’s not, for me, a logical system. It’s not like by the end of this episode, we must have reached this point. Because if I try and do that, I find it quite boring to do, never mind to watch. And I try to give authority to my fingers in a sense and just let it go and see what happens. And then I suppose it’s having done it for quite a while, you sort of naturally find yourself reaching a point of change after about 55 minutes. Lots of things have accumulated, and something new is going to happen. Bang, you can end the episode. And with streamers, of course, you try and end it in a way that doesn’t allow people to go to bed or take a break or feed the kids or anything. You try and make sure they just carry on.

JOBLO: I think that you’ve had some actors that have appeared in many of your projects. Stephen Graham is such a phenomenal actor. And I think that his ability to play characters that are, you know, I don’t want to necessarily villainous, but he can play, you know, the hard character, the great character. This feels different than other characters he’s played in the past. Was he always envisioned in this role? Did you always see him as playing this character?

SK: Yeah, it was one of the appeals for doing it. It was absolutely a direct approach from Stephen and Hannah saying, we’ve got this story, we’d love you to write it. We haven’t got much money. We’ve got very little money. And obviously, one’s agent says, no, don’t do it. But because it’s him, you think, well, OK. And it was such an appealing project. So the idea that you’ve got him absolutely alters the nature of the project because in episode one, you don’t see him for quite a while, but you hear a lot about him, and then there’s a build-up to him, and then you only see his back. Now, if you know you’ve got Stephen Graham, you can do that because you know that when you get to that destination, nobody will be let down. It’s going to be fantastic. And so it just gives you a lot of freedom to play around with stuff.

JOBLO: If you go back decades, when a story like this would have been told, it would have been told with a predominantly White cast. You don’t really get all of the female characters and the minority characters who were obviously present in that era and had very important stories to tell. Was that something that you found a lot of information when doing research about those untold stories? And did you feel that there was an important element in getting those told in this series?

SK: I always think that if you start off with the intention of, you know, smuggling a message in or saying, you know, I should be doing, we should be doing this, I think it’s not effective. If you look at what really happened, then you have the authority of the truth. So what you’re doing is just telling what really happened n the 1880s weren’t happening because people thought this should happen. They would. That’s what was happening. And so all you got to do is tell the story. And I think there’s no, it’s not like a virtuous thing to look out the window and see what’s happening. And that’s exactly what I was saying. And I think the point is that if you’re telling a true story and people know it’s, well, you know, true as far as it can be, but it’s based on true people, then people know that you’re not doing this to make a point. You’re just reflecting on what really happened. And I think that’s much more effective.

JOBLO: I think that when you get somebody like Malachi Kirby who’s able to come in and play this role, it must help. There’s like that moment with the circus in the first episode where you don’t have to kind of hit anybody over the head with it. It’s inherent in his performance and what’s unspoken. Did you find that a lot of that was coming out through Malachi when the series was getting on screen?

SK: He’s such a great actor. And what was really good, and not really the consequence of too much conversation, but in researching the real Hezekiah, what the small amounts that you could find, everybody liked him. And the thing people kept saying was he’s a gentleman. And they would also say he was gentle. Now he’s a bare-knuckle boxer. So there you’ve got those two things. He’s able to beat somebody to a pulp in a ring and he’s a gentle person, you know? So I tried to write that, but as soon as you see Malachi playing that, you see that absolutely, you know, he’s got the potential to do the other thing, but fundamentally he doesn’t want to hurt anyone, you know? And he’s a nice man and he wants to do nice things. And it’s just the performance really reflects that better than any words can express.

JOBLO: In that same regard, Erin Doherty is so phenomenal here. Outside of getting in the ring and being a bare knuckle boxer, she is playing this character as a fighter in the truest sense of the word. Did you feel it was the same in that portrayal as what you found with Malachi?

SK: Absolutely. And it’s all based on the real Mary Carr, who was a real person. And unlike Hezekiah, there’s quite a bit of stuff on Mary Carr. And most of it is court cases and transcripts from trials where somebody’s writing everything down word for word, which is so unusual. And when you get word-for-word testimony, you get all the oddness and weirdness of how people speak and what they’re like. And Mary was this incredible person who would be charged with whatever in court. The reporter from the newspaper will say that Mary Carr turned up, and she was in black velvet. She had black fur. She had five ostrich feathers in her hat. I mean, an ostrich feather is a big deal. It’s huge. So she’s turning up for court dressed like this. And they say she’s got six gold rings and she’s got diamond rings, you just get this person who’s coming into this place of jeopardy to probably be put away in prison for a bit. And, you know, you find out about what her childhood was like, so brutal. And yet she’s fighting back and rising above it. So when you’ve got that for real, it’s sort of, you know, it’s up to you to try and reflect that as well as you can. And she does it so brilliantly. She’s so strong. It’s amazing.

JOBLO: Well, I love the series. I cannot wait to see the back half of the series and see how everything ties up. I really appreciate your time.

SK:Thank you so much. It’s an absolute pleasure. Thank you.

A Thousand Blows is now streaming on Hulu.

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Music is powerful and has served as a connection point for couples in real life and across all forms of media. Many classic films employ music that sticks with us decades later. The new four-part limited series Mix Tape, premiering at SXSW, follows such a story with two periods in the lives of characters played by Teresa Palmer and Jim Sturgess in the present day and Florence Hunt and Rory Walton-Smith during their teen years.

Based on the novel by Jane Sanderson, Mix Tape follows teenagers Daniel and Alison, who meet at a house party in 1989 and bond over their love for music. Daniel is popular, Alison is a wallflower. When they meet on the dance floor, their lives are forever changed. The relationship they forge that night will follow them forever and leave them wondering what could have been. Daniel is in Sheffield, and Alison is twenty years later in Sydney. Both are married, with children nearly grown. Life looks different for both of them than they’d imagined at seventeen. Daniel, powerless to the stronghold the memory of Alison still has on him, reaches out to her in the hope that they might be able to rekindle that spark.

I chatted with the two actors who portray Alison in the series. Teresa Palmer talked about how she connected with the present-day storyline, while Florence Hunt reflected on this press tour being only the second time she and Teresa had met since their scenes were filmed independently. Both actors also talked about influential songs that they connected with during production, including tracks from a mixtape that Jim Sturgess made for Teresa. Check out the full interview in the embed above.

Mix Tape premiered the first two of four episodes of the limited series at SXSW on March 9th.

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Everyone, religious or otherwise, knows the story of David and Goliath. The hulking brute taken down by an armorless boy with a rock has been a story used for inspiration for Millenia. Now Prime Video is expanding that story into its own 8 episode series, House of David. You may be asking yourself: “But how can they make a brief battle last 8 episodes?” Turns out, there’s so much more to the story with King Saul and the Prophet Samuel being nearly as important as our famous leads.

I sat down with the cast of House of David to go over the production. Stephen Lang could not have been kinder, stealing the show both in the series and the interview. Maybe it’s just all my years of watching his films, but I never expected him to be such a laid back thespian. He’s a true treasure. Ayelet Zurer and Ali Suliman get into how the Bible served as a great research tool (and I made sure to gush about her Daredevil: Born Again return which she seems absolutely pumped for). Finally, David and Goliath themselves, Michael Iskander and Martyn Ford gave some insight into the pressures of the battle, given that the entire season builds towards it.

House of David plot:

HOUSE OF DAVID tells the story of the ascent of the biblical figure, David, who eventually becomes the most renowned and celebrated king of Israel. The series follows the once-mighty King Saul as he falls victim to his own pride. At the direction of God, the prophet Samuel anoints an unlikely, outcast teenager as the new king. As Saul loses his power over his kingdom, David finds himself on a journey to discover and fulfill his destiny, navigating love, loss, and violence in the court of the very man he’s destined to replace. As one leader falls, another must rise.

HOUSE OF DAVID will be available on Prime Video on February 27, 2025 

*Premieres with three episodes at launch and one episode weekly thereafter.

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The first season of Surface was met with mixed reviews as the Apple TV+ thriller tried to use a unique amnesia storyline to evoke a psychological twist reminiscent of films like The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl. Led by a stellar performance from Gugu Mbatha-Raw alongside Oliver Jackson-Cohen, the 2022 first season of Surface ended with a cliffhanger teasing a major shift for the second chapter in the story. Now, Surface is back with a vastly improved sophomore run that introduces an all-new cast of supporting players as the action moves from San Francisco to London.

Surface follows Sophie Ellis (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a woman suffering from amnesia after a suicide attempt. Trying to piece together her past and face suspicions about her husband, James (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), Sophie finds herself uncovering a complex web of lies that include details about her past. This season finds Sophie in London, living under her real name Tess Caldwell. Reuniting with her childhood friend Eliza (Millie Brady), Sophie aligns with a reporter (Gavin Drea) to investigate Eliza’s family, including her parents, brother Quinn (Phil Dunster), and his fiance Grace (Freida Pinto). As Sophie searches for the truth, James reappears in her life to complicate an already twisty mystery.

I talked with the entire cast of Surface and producer Lauren Neustadter and series creator Veronica West. Gugu Mbatha-Raw talked about her dual role as star and executive producer and how her inside knowledge of the story’s direction helped inform the new season. Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Phil Dunster discussed whether their characters are inherently good, while Freida Pinto discussed her character, knowing exactly what she was getting into. Millie Brady discussed getting to lay the foundation for her character in season one while new addition Gavin Drea reflected on joining the new season. Producer Lauren Neustadter talked about what she hopes fans will get out of this season, while creator and showrunner Veronica West teased what we may see in season three. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.

Surface season two premieres on February 21st on Apple TV+.

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Some genres and topics have been stalwarts of film and television for decades. Boxing is one, and period dramas are another. Blending both worlds in a fascinating tale inspired by a true story, A Thousand Blows is the latest series from prolific writer Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders. Using historical figures and their true story, A Thousand Blows fictionalizes the world of Victorian England and the bare-knuckled brawlers at the center of it.

A Thousand Blows follows Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby) and Alec Munroe (Francis Lovehall), two best friends from Jamaica who travel to London to seek a new and better life. Finding themselves in the violent area of London’s West End, the pair come across Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), the leader of the all-female criminals known as the Forty Elephants. They also meet Sugar Goodson (Stephen Graham), the most notorious boxer in London. As they clash in various ways, the series looks at how their fortunes change in the real life-or-death world of 19th-century England.

I spoke with two of the series’ stars about A Thousand Blows. Stephen Graham, who has worked with Steven Knight before and is known for roles in Snatch, Boardwalk Empire, and more, talked about Knight’s unique approach to the series. He also talked about the challenge of getting into boxing shape for the role of Sugar. Malachi Kirby, who starred in Steve McQueen’s Small Axe, talked about portraying Hezekiah Moscow and what the world he inhabited was like. Check out the full interview in the embed above.

A Thousand Blows premieres on February 21 on Hulu.

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If you are a comic book fan, odds are you have already been watching Invincible on Prime Video. The Seth Rogen-produced series shares some thematic similarities with Prime’s other hit series, The Boys, but delves so much deeper into the tropes and ideas of superheroes. Based on the comic book by Robert Kirkman, Invincible follows Mark Grayson, the titular hero and son of Omni-Man, the most powerful hero of all time. After Omni-Man is unmasked as a villain, Mark must come to terms with his legacy while still trying to live life as a teenager.

The third season of Invincible follows two powerful runs of storytelling chock full of action, violence, humor, and heart. This season, Mark tries to find a way to balance his romantic interests with the mantle of being a superhero and deal with the fallout from his past actions and battles with his father. This leads to rifts in existing friendships as new bad guys and returning villains return to showdown with the good guys. It is a fantastic season for which fans of Invincible have been waiting.

I talked with the three stars of Invincible about what to expect in the new season. Steven Yeun talked about being recognized on the street for playing Mark and what it means to have the fans excited for the show. Gillian Jacobs talked about not having to work out to prep and what recording her voice as Atom Eve was like. J.K. Simmons talked about the freedom of voice work and how much more fun it was doing comedy this season. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.

Invincible Season 3 is now streaming on Prime Video. Check out our review!

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At long last, Noah Centineo’s Owen Hendricks is back for more action, intrigue, and close shaves in The Recruit Season 2! After several delays brought on by the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike, the CIA lawyer-turned-secret-agent travels to South Korea, where his most intense assignment awaits, enemies become partners, and sleep is the most precious commodity. For the latest Netflix action-oriented junket, the streamer arranged a double bill between The Recruit and The Night Agent, starring Gabriel Basso as FBI agent Peter Sutherland. Both seasons go hard in the paint to bring audiences a thrilling ride behind enemy lines, and today, we’re excited to share our interview with The Recruit stars Noah Centineo and Teo Yoo, who plays Jang Kyun Kim, Owen’s Seoul mate, if you will.

During our chat with Noah and Teo, they discuss the art of portraying exhaustive travel, getting punchy during extensive shoots, and the benefits and beauty of filming in South Korea. Noah and Teo also reveal their different approaches to the show’s action, as Owen and Jang exhibit radically different fighting styles. We discuss Owen’s next steps, Jang’s possibility of following him on his next assignment, and how The Recruit delivers a serious plot with a sense of humor and fun intact.

Here’s the official logline for The Recruit Season 2 courtesy of Netflix:

“Season Two of The Recruit finds CIA Lawyer, Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo), pulled into a life-threatening espionage situation in South Korea, only to realize that the bigger threat just might be coming from inside the Agency.”

Season regulars Noah Centineo, Teo Yoo, Aarti Mann, Colton Dunn, Fivel Stewart, Kristian Bruun, Kaylah Zander, Maddie Hasson, Angel Parker, and Vondie Curtis-Hall return for The Recruit Season 2. Joining them are additional key cast members Young-Ah Kim, Felix Solis, James Purefoy, Do Hyun Shin, Sanghee Lee, Omar Maskati, Brooke Smith, Devika Bhise, Alana Hawley Purvis, Daniel Quincy Annoh, Jesse Collin and Nathan Fillion.

All episodes of The Recruit are currently streaming exclusively on Netflix. Meanwhile, you can read Alex Maidy’s review of Season 2 here. We highly recommend checking the show out, as we want to see more of this series in the years to come.

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The first season of The Night Agent was a big success for Netflix. Adapting the novel by Matthew Quirk, the series followed FBI agent Peter Sutherland as he was drawn into a massive conspiracy reaching the highest levels of the government of the United States. Thrown in alongside entrepreneur Rose Larkin, Peter leveraged his skills and his past to save the President and earn a spot as an agent in the titular secret office. The ten-episode first season also starred Hong Chau and Kari Matchett and quickly earned a second (and third) season renewal. For season two, The Night Agent picks up almost a year after the events of the first season with Peter and Rose separated by physical distance and radio silence. When Peter is caught up on a mission involving secrets being sold to enemy nations, he is reunited with Rose to try and save the nation once again. Joined by new foes and allies, Peter and Rose find themselves even more deeply involved in a major conspiracy than they were in the first season, with lots of plot threads laid for the upcoming third season.

I chatted with the stars of the second season of The Night Agent about what fans can expect in the new story as well as what may be coming next. Star Gabriel Basso talked about his inspiration for playing Peter Sutherland in a superpowered guy who shares the same first name. Luciane Buchanan talked about Rose evolving this season and being an independent character who is not reliant as a love interest opposite Peter. New cast member Amanda Warren talked about playing a strong character who gets to kick ass in business suits and in the field, while Arienne Mandi talked about the challenges of performing in multiple languages. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.

The Night Agent‘s second season premieres on January 23rd on Netflix.

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The first season of Severance became an instant hit for Apple TV+. The surreal workplace thriller blended elements of science fiction, dark comedy, and brilliant, subversive twists to keep viewers wondering what was coming next in the world of innies and outies. The process that gave the series its title created a block between the employees of Lumon Industries, preventing workers from knowing what their lives are like outside the office. Led by Mark Scout (Adam Scott), the team consisting of Irving (John Turturro), Dylan (Zach Cherry), and Helly (Britt Lower) begins to unravel that there may be more going on than they realize.

Season two finds the severed employees at Lumon dealing with the fallout from their actions in the first season finale. With new coworkers and mysterious changes at their company, the team balances their innie and outie lives as they try to figure out what is really going on. With new cast members and guest stars, including Gwendoline Christie and John Noble, and returning favorites like Christopher Walken and Patricia Arquette, the second season of Severance is even better than the first.

I chatted with the cast and crew of Severance about the new season. Series creator and showrunner Dan Erickson talked about the scarier and more intense second season and whether the endgame for the series is already planned. Director Ben Stiller and star Adam Scott talked about their working relationship, Scott’s crazy hair, and the intensity of the series. John Turturro talked about his on-screen romance with Christopher Walken and how he found Irving’s accent, while Britt Lower discussed playing Helly’s two sides this season, and Zach Cherry talked about Dylan’s larger role this season. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.

Season two of Severance premieres on January 17th on AppleTV+.

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I’ve been very fortunate in my career here at JoBlo to chat with various actors for extended times about their careers. Getting to go over Weird Science with Anthony Michael Hall is still a life highlight. Getting to talk about a wide variety of projects versus just the most recent one that they’re promoting provides insight that we otherwise wouldn’t receive. So I was very grateful to be able to sit down for an interview with Mike Flanagan regular Molly C. Quinn to talk about her unique career.

Being a massive Flanagan fan, Molly and I geeked out a bit about the sheer brilliance of the writer/director. Really, this was just a great excuse to be able to gush about a filmmaker I admire with someone who knows his work on a personal level. Molly gives some really insightful answers and this feels far from the usual guarded interview that can come from a publicity circuit. Molly’s energy is infectious as she goes over what makes Flanagan so special, joining the Night Vale podcast network, as well as what it’s like to scare people for a living. Make sure to check out Scare Tactics on the USA Network as well as Unlicensed on Audible. And don’t forget to check her out in Life of Chuck early next year.

Unlicensed Season 2 plot synopsis: T.L. Thompson returns as the series narrator, and Molly C. Quinn and Lusia Strus reprise their roles as the unlicensed private detectives Molly Hatch and Lou Rosen who work in the far reaches of Los Angeles County, where the glamor of Hollywood fades into the long empty of the desert. 

What did you think of our Molly C. Quinn interview? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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The popularity of the Korean series Squid Game was without comparison when the first season debuted back in 2021. Since then, the K-drama has been a hot topic since the second season was announced. With Squid Game 2 hitting Netflix the day after Christmas, fans will finally learn what the new round of games will include and how the return of Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun will alter the plans of The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) and those behind the competition.

I got the chance to ask questions about the stars and creator of Squid Game 2 before the second season premiered on Netflix. Remember that some of these answers may involve spoilers for Squid Game 2, so proceed cautiously.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who wrote and helmed all seven episodes this season, already has plans for the third season of Squid Game, while Netflix has aspirations to turn the series into a franchise. I asked the director if there were any plans to expand to international versions of Squid Game in the form of spin-offs.

“It would be great if each of the other countries could take it up for themselves. I don’t think it will be easy for me to travel to these countries and create their versions of Squid Game. I feel like the most fitting version of Squid Game for each country would best be done by their local creators. So my personal hope is that we would get a different version of Squid Game for each of the different countries by their local creators. That’d be great.”

Returning star Lee Jung-jae, who reprises his role as Gi-hun (Player 456) had a challenge of portraying the only contestant who has experience with the competition. I asked if it was a challenge portraying the character in a darker place this time around.

“Yes, it was much more challenging for me to portray the darker Gi-hun because you can’t be so expressive when you’re a darker character. He was always tense in season two, always focused on achieving his only one goal of, you know, saving people and putting an end to the game. So I thought, what would make me look very grounded? I try to put myself in his shoes, but I am the only one who plays him. So, who can I ask for more advice? So that was the hard part, but I thought that because his only goal in season two was to make it out alive with his contestants. Understanding the other characters’ backstories better and deeper would help me because I realized that while he is a darker character, he is a very altruistic character, so when I understood that, that made it easier for me to portray this character.”

We also spoke with new cast member Jo Yu-ri, who portrays Kim Jun-hee (Player 222). I asked what it was like joining a series with a massive worldwide fan following and with such huge expectations for the second season.

“Season one was such a huge success commercially and both in terms of impact. And I was a huge fan of the season one. I was actually one of those fans who was waiting for the announcement of season two. So, when I first heard that I had this offer from the team. I couldn’t really believe it. At first, it didn’t feel real.”

A lot is going on in the second season of Squid Game 2, which sets up the possibility of a third season. With the whole season premiering while many people are off work to celebrate the holidays, expect a lot of discussion in the days and weeks to come.

Squid Game 2 premieres on December 26th on Netflix.

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Video game adaptations have had quite a resurgence in recent years. From Fallout to The Last of Us, it’s incredible how much times seem to have changed (you know, if you ignore Borderlands). And with that shift comes a change in how they’re presented. No longer is the medium confined to only feature-length or season-arching stories. The anthology format allows for the stories to be told in various ways, simply providing a glimpse at these worlds. A tease for something bigger. And that’s precisely what Prime’s Secret Level accomplishes, providing a look at popular videogames like Megaman, Pacman, Warhammer, and even various Playstation greats.

I spoke to both producer Tim Miller and creative director Dave Wilson about all things Secret Level. Given the resurgence in video game adaptations, you can imagine that many companies would be a bit trepidatious about letting their IP join an anthology series. After all, there are many full-length adaptations in various stages of pre-production. Miller and Wilson get into how they were able to get permission from the various developers, while not stepping on the toes of any in-development projects. And as hard as it is for a parent to pick their favorite child, I had to find out which episode of the 15 shorts was their favorite. Their answers may surprise you. Check it all out in the video above!

Secret Level plot: Secret Level is a new adult-animated anthology series featuring original stories set within the worlds of some of the world’s most beloved video games. From the creative minds behind LOVE, DEATH + ROBOTS, each of the 15 episodes is a celebration of games and gamers.

SECRET LEVEL IS STREAMING EXCLUSIVELY ON PRIME VIDEO ON DECEMBER 10TH, 2024.

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Based on the 1949 science fiction novel of the same name, Earth Abides is an anomaly in contemporary series set after the fall of society. In Earth Abides, there are no zombies, monsters, or aliens. This series focuses on humanity and society and what that means for the fate of the world when a plague wipes out mankind. With a short, six-episode series coming to screens, Earth Abides is unlike other series that take place after the end of the world.

Set in the present day, Earth Abides follows Ish (Alexander Ludwig), a man who is isolated from society when a plague descends and wipes out most of human life. As he struggles to find a way to survive on his own, Ish encounters Emma (Jessica Frances Dukes), followed by others who are immune to the disease. As the years pass and they form a new society, the leftover rules of the past come back to haunt them. With conflict brewing in the form of strangers and newcomers to their tribe, Ish and Emma must decide how they want to shape the new world: in the image of the old or a bold new direction.

I chatted with the cast and creators of the series about how it distinguishes itself from similar science fiction series. Star Alexander Ludwig talked about the challenge of playing the last man on Earth as well as aging over decades. Jessica Frances Dukes talked about how similar the character of Emma was and the chemistry she shared with her co-star. Aaron Tveit talked about playing a character different than his normal roles and his aspiration to be in a fantasy series. Executive producer Kearie Peak talked about the journey to bring the novel to screens as well as how they fit the massive narrative into limited episodes. Writer and showrunner Todd Komarnicki talked about the logistical challenges of telling a series like this on a budget as well as the great cast they had. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.

Earth Abides premiered on December 1st on MGM+.

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Intense, calculated thrillers have been a big screen staple for decades, but we rarely get them on the small screen. With rare exceptions like FX’s acclaimed The Americans, espionage dramas on television and streaming tend to lean more towards action and stuntwork. While you may be tempted by the James Bond and Ethan Hunt films, there is always room for a mature, adult-oriented drama focused on psychological thrills and intrigue. The Agency is a perfect example of those mature thrillers done right.

The Agency centers on the London station of the CIA. Run by Bosko (Richard Gere) and Henry (Jeffrey Wright), the station is the base for Martian (Michael Fassbender), who has recently been recalled after six years undercover. Martian is reluctant to be home after entering into a romantic relationship with Sami (Jodie Turner-Smith). As the series progresses, Martian becomes embroiled in an international incident involving one of the agency’s agents, who may be a double agent. Putting global security at risk, Martian must balance his romance with Sami, help his employers resolve the incident, and deal with his own psychological state.

I talked with two of The Agency‘s cast and crew members about the new series. Star Richard Gere discussed his character’s place in the large ensemble cast, which includes Katherine Waterston and more. The legendary actor also talked about his preference for intricate projects like this. Director and producer Joe Wright talked about the challenge and benefits of directing part of a long-form TV series and how he drew inspiration from classic films for the quieter, dialogue-free sequences that allow the actors to dig into the mental state of the story. Check out the full interviews in the embed above. Read our review of The Agency HERE!

The Agency is streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime.

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Taika Waititi has brought various projects to the screen over his career. From mockumentaries like What We Do In The Shadows to superhero epics like Thor: Ragnarok to his Oscar-winning film about Hitler as a boy’s imaginary friend in Jojo Rabbit, Waititi has covered the gamut in genres, tones, and creativity. His latest project is the adaptation of the National Book Award-winning novel Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. With Yu on board to adapt his novel, a book that seemed impossible to translate to the screen has become a ten-episode series unlike any show I have seen before.

Interior Chinatown follows Willis Wu, played by Jimmy O. Yang, a waiter in a Chinese restaurant who wants more out of life than being a supporting player in his own story. When he witnesses a kidnapping, Willis is recruited by Detective Lana Lee (Chloe Bennet) to help solve the case and maybe find his missing brother along the way. It also becomes apparent that Willis is not just a supporting character in his own life but within a television series. Trying to break free of the tropes and cliches of television shows, Willis discovers much more than he bargained for.

I got the chance to talk with the cast and crew of Interior Chinatown about the new series. Star Jimmy O. Yang, who played a supporting background character a decade ago in Chloe Bennet’s series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., discussed taking on a lead role that has him doing comedy, drama, and martial arts. Chloe Bennet talked about the deeper story of Lana Lee and how it fits into this world, while Ronny Chieng talked about the fun of shitting on people. Sullivan Jones and Lisa Gilroy discussed playing cops and whether they based their roles on famous television detectives. Archie Kao talked about his character of Uncle Wong, who is not in the novel. In contrast, legendary veteran Tzi Ma talked about reuniting with The Farewell co-star Diana Lin and how Interior Chinatown fits into cinematic history alongside similarly themed projects like Everything Everywhere All At Once. Charles Yu and Taika Waititi also discussed how they adapted this series and used creative filming techniques to not spoon-feed the audience into what is happening in Chinatown. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.

Interior Chinatown is now playing on Hulu. Read our review!

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Apple TV+ has debuted a solid stable of dystopian and apocalyptic series over the years. Of the various shows on the streaming platform, Silo has been one of the more ambitious. Confined to a single interior location for the entire season, Silo delivered a mystery thriller within a grounded, science-fiction format. With great turns from Rebecca Ferguson, Rashida Jones, David Oyelowo, Tim Robbins, Common, and more, the first season of Silo, based on the novel Wool by Hugh Howey, was an intriguing opening chapter to an ongoing series adaptation of the trilogy of novels. Now, the second season of Silo is returning to raise the stakes.

The second season of Silo picks up where the first left off, finding Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) venturing outside of the titular location, which does not immediately spell her doom. As Juliette explores outside of the silo, tensions rage within, which requires the leadership regime to try and quell a rebellion before it results in the deaths of everyone alive inside. With war brewing and control slipping, the fate of the silo has never been more dangerous or risky. This means we get one intense run of storytelling that sets up the potential final seasons based on the final two books in the trilogy.

I got to chat with two of the stars of Silo about the new season. Tim Robbins, who plays Bernard, the newly elected leader of the silo, discussed the similarities between this season and the real politics of our world. Common, who portrays Bernard’s right-hand man, Robert Sims, talked about whether their characters are bad guys and what it actually means to be a hero or a villain in a dystopian world. Check out the full interview in the embed above.

Silo premieres is now playing on Apple TV+ – READ OUR REVIEW HERE!

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Taylor Sheridan never stops working. We are lucky that the multi-hyphenate talent has given us everything from historical epics to contemporary melodramas while developing a roster of writers and directors he can rely on to shepherd his various ideas into popular television programming. Through his various series, Sheridan has been more hands-on with some than others, and Landman benefits from having his involvement as a writer on all ten episodes and director on the first two. Landman is not only another solid entry in Sheridan’s expanding roster of projects but also his best series since the first season of Yellowstone (READ OUR REVIEW).

Based on Christian Wallace’s podcast Boomtown, Landman follows Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton), a veteran of the oil business, as he fixes the day-to-day operational challenges for his boss, Monty Miller (Jon Hamm). These problems range from dealing with legal challenges, the death of oil engineers, and negotiating with Mexican drug lords using the West Texas land that Norris’ employers are drilling on. Tommy must also contend with his son Cooper (Jacob Lofland) working the high-risk life of an oil engineer while his daughter Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) and his ex-wife Angela (Ali Larter) complicate his home life. It is a high-stakes glimpse into the working-class world of those who get us the fuel we need daily with the risks the rich and powerful must face.

I chatted about Landman with the series stars, including Billy Bob Thornton and Ali Larter. Billy Bob Thornton talked about the unexpected humor inside the deeply dramatic world of Tommy Norris. In contrast, Ali Larter talked about Angela as more than a cliche ex-wife character. Taylor Sheridan collaborator James Jordan talked about what sets this series apart from Yellowstone, while Mark Collie talked about his Sheriff character and how he channeled the role. Jacob Lofland talked about the arduous life Cooper has chosen to lead. Kayla Wallace talked about her character Rebecca Falcone and whether she could hold her own opposite Kelly Reilly’s Beth Dutton. Paulina Chavez discussed the honor of playing her character of Paulina. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.

Landman is now streaming on Paramount+.

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The last few years have probably felt familiar to many, with a constant blame game in the media attributing violence and crime to one thing or another. Those who lived through the 1980s likely remember the Satanic Panic that spread through the United States, where politicians blamed all sorts of things on kids and teenagers becoming obsessed with Dungeons & Dragons and heavy metal music. This panic was reminiscent of the Salem Witch Trials, which in turn were like the Red Scare of the 1950s. Now, we get to look back at this crazy era through a modern lens, thanks to Hysteria!

Created by Matthew Scott Kane, Hysteria! looks at a small Michigan town in the 1980s where the disappearance of a popular high school student leads to theories of devil worship and supernatural influences in the community. While some parents begin to experience strange phenomena, a trio of teens decide to pretend to be Satan worshippers to get popular and boost their band’s credibility. Needless to say, things go awry when actual Satanists are involved in the town and the rash of murders. As the supernatural evil comes into play opposite the very human evil that exists every day, everyone must face the truth threatening their town.

I got the chance to talk to the cast and creators of Hysteria! about their new series. The one and only Bruce Campbell talked about playing a role much more serious than the ones he is known for and what being a “special guest star” really means. Anna Camp and Nikki Hahn talked about playing mother and daughter, while Camp talked about iconic horror mothers that may have impacted her character. Creator Matthew Scott Kane talked about where he got the idea for Hysteria! while producer and writer David A. Goodman talked about his favorite parts of the series. Stars Emjay Anthony, Chiara Aurelia, and Kezii Curtis talked about similarities between their characters and those in Harry Potter and Stranger Things. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.

Hysteria! is now airing on Peacock. Read our review!

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Every studio and network is rolling out their genre offerings at that time of year. From horror to sci-fi to intense thrillers, everyone wants to scare you in October, and this new series by producer James Wan is at the top of the list. Based on the novel Stinger by Robert McCammon, Teacup is a perfectly scary story that is parsed out in thirty-minute chapters between now and Halloween.

Teacup tells the story of the Chenoweth family, who live on an isolated farmstead away from any populated areas. As Maggie and James deal with a rift in their marriage, their kids Arlo and Meryl are drawn into the fight as the neighboring Shanley family arrives with an injured horse. Soon, the two families are thrown into a mysterious conflict with a mysterious stranger who warns them that leaving their property could spell certain doom. As the story unfolds, we learn that what is about to happen to the Chenoweths has far-reaching implications for the entire world.

I got the chance to talk with the creator and cast of Teacup about the new series. Yvonne Strahovski talked about starring in a horror series and what it felt like as a parent of a small child. Scott Speedman discussed comparisons between this series and his work in The Strangers. Chaske Spencer and Rob Morgan reflected on their work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and how different this project was for both of them. Young stars Emilie Bierre and Caleb Dolden talked about playing kids in a horror story and how they forged a sibling bond. Series creator Ian McCulloch talked about long-term plans for the series past the first season and how he changed the narrative from the source material. Check out the full interviews in the embed above and read our review HERE.

Teacup is airing on Peacock now!

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The third season of the MGM+ series From debuted this week, and fans know that what happened changes the series’ dynamic while deepening the mythology. Taking a cue from Lost, From follows an ensemble of characters trapped in a mysterious location that may have a significance they are not aware of. Lines are drawn, factions created, and deaths are abundant as the audience and characters follow the same journey to discover what is happening in the creepy Township. Starting on Epix and now streaming on MGM+, From is a scary thriller that has returned just in time for Halloween.

Over the first two seasons of From, we have gotten to know various characters, including self-appointed sheriff Boyd Stevens (Harold Perrineau), the Matthews family, including Tabitha (Catalina Sandino Moreno) and Jim (Eion Bailey), wealthy software developer Jade Herrera (David Alpay), the eerie Victor (Scott McCord), Boyd’s deputy Kenny (Ricky He), and many more. Characters have joined the cast, and others have been killed off, with the safety of everyone at risk from episode to episode. From is an intense serial that drops cliffhangers almost weekly and keeps you guessing what will come next.

I chatted with star and executive producer Harold Perrineau about his role in the series. Having appeared on Lost in a supporting capacity, I asked him what it was like stepping into the leader role and what lessons from Lost have carried over into this series. We also discussed the freedom of gore and profanity that comes with no longer airing on network television and we also chatted about a powerful scene early in the third season. Check out the full interview in the embed above.

From is now streaming with new episodes Sundays on MGM+.

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If you were an 80s kid, chances are that Time Bandits was a staple of your movie memories. The Terry Gilliam fantasy epic combined the wackiness of Monty Python comedy with an epic adventure through history. Produced by George Harrison, Time Bandits was the first part of a loose trilogy that includes Brazil and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. In the years since it premiered, Time Bandits has kept a cult following and is now back with a new iteration from Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement.

In the new Time Bandits, Kevin (Kal-El Tuck) has few friends, and his family thinks his fascination with history is weird. When the Time Bandits, led by Penelope (Lisa Kudrow), land in his bedroom, Kevin joins the ragtag crew through various eras of history ranging from the Trojan War to Prohibition and beyond. On their trail are the forces of the Supreme Being (Taika Waititi) and Pure Evil (Jemaine Clement), who want the Bandits’ stolen map so they can reign over the whole universe.

I chatted with series creators and stars Waititi and Clement about their new take on the classic film. Taika Waititi, who also directed several episodes, talked about bringing the same whimsy and humor the duo brought to What We Do In The Shadows to a show appropriate for all ages. Jemaine Clement talked about how they chose which embodiments of good and evil they would play in the show and their memories of Terry Gilliam’s film. Check out the full interview in the embed above.

Time Bandits premieres on July 24th on AppleTV+.

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When it premiered on Netflix, Narcos became a massive hit. Following the rise of Pablo Escobar as the most powerful drug lord in Latin America, the series came from co-creators Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro. Since the three-season series ended, we have gotten a Mexico-set spin-off and the promise of more. The creators have gone their separate ways with Miro running Netflix series Griselda, also based on a true story about the infamous title queenpin. Now, Brancato has reunited with Narcos director Guillermo Navarro for a new series, Hotel Cocaine, also inspired by a true crime tale but heavily fictionalized for a pulpy good time.

Set at the Hotel Mutiny in 1978, this Miami-set drama centers on Roman Compte, the hotel manager. Compte is a Cuban refugee who has forged a new life with his daughter. With drugs freely used through the hotel and at large, Compte is approached by DEA agent Zilio to get inside info from notorious Cuban druglord Nestor Cabal. Little does Zilio know, but Cabal and Compte are brothers. What follows is a complex series of double and triple crosses featuring cameos from historical figures who visited the hotel. Full of action, drama, and a good sense of humor, Hotel Cocaine is the disco-infused successor to Narcos that you never knew you needed.

I chatted with the cast and crew of Hotel Cocaine about the new series and how they found the voice of the era. Danny Pino and Yul Vasquez talked about the divide between brothers Roman and Nestor and how they balanced playing siblings. Series creator Chris Brancato and director Guillermo Navarro discussed why this series is not Narcos: Miami and how they chose the right places to fictionalize the story. Corina Bradley talked about playing a teenager who doesn’t know her father’s illegal dealings, while Tania Watson chatted about not playing a stereotypical wife character. Laura Gordon talked about returning to the 1970s after starring in Late Night With the Devil and how strong her character felt in what would have been a lesser role in an older series. Michael Chiklis talked about his approach to playing law enforcement differently than in other series. At the same time, Mark Feuerstein discussed playing scenes with actors portraying Hunter S. Thompson and Rick James and his instant classic scene involving cocaine, LSD, and elephants. Check out all the interviews in the embed above.

Hotel Cocaine premiered on June 16th on MGM+.

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Gus (Christian Convery) and Jepperd’s (Nonso Anozie) epic journey through a broken world overrun by sickness and crumbling salvation is at an end. With a new world order on the horizon, humankind could be on the brink of its last gasp as a new species ascends to dominion over land and sky. Netflix‘s Sweet Tooth is one of the streamer’s most eye-opening series as the story confronts the abuse of Mother Nature, the segregation of a marginalized hybrid community, and the promise of a new rise to power as humans cope with losing a Darwinian battle worldwide. Thankfully, gifted creators and actors from Sweet Tooth, including showrunner Jim Mickle, executive producers Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell, and actors Christian Convery, Nonso Anozie, and Rosalind Chao, are here to usher us through the apocalypse.

Speaking with Jim, we get the exclusive scoop on the status of a Cold in July follow-up, which indie comic book property he’d adapt next, and what resonates with him about Sweet Tooth’s inspiring odyssey. For Christian and Nonso, we learn what props the duo kept after wrapping the series, how working on the show changed their faith in humanity, and what snacks they’d bring to the apocalypse. Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell discuss their motivation for getting Gus’s mission to the small screen, what goes into prepping a series as massive as Sweet Tooth, and the funniest “oops” of the show’s long-running production. Finally, we speak with the iconic Rosalind Chao about her villainous turn as Helen Zhang, a vile Cruella de Vil-like character, out to wipe Hybrids off the face of the Earth. Rosalind brings us behind the camera for her character’s most vicious scene, discusses interacting with the young cast, and more.

After watching the video, check out our spoiler-free review for Sweet Tooth Season 3. You will want to experience this incredible adaptation of Jeff Lemire’s post-apocalyptic fairytale of survival, evolution, and resetting the globe. It’s been a few weeks since I finished the series, and I’m still thinking about it. Please enjoy these fantastic discussions with the creators and cast. Speaking with them and digging deep into this emotional and inspiring story was an honor.

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