Prior to the show's premiere, I had the chance to talk with the cast of the new series, and I asked Brown if Gomez had given her any advice on dealing with the pressure of being on a Disney show, especially one as big as this one. She said there were two details the Only Murders in the Building star was adamant about, and both those lessons really stuck with her, as the Billie actress explained:

That kind of advice is so necessary, and I love that Gomez took the time to teach the young actress all this. Personally, it also makes me want to see these two together in way more scenes – even if, right now, Gomez is only credited as a recurring guest star.

That mentor/mentee relationship would be perfect for the characters on the show, too, given that Billie is quite similar to Alex personality-wise. I already wanted to see Alex teach the young wizard the tricks of the magic trade. However, knowing that Gomez has been able to use her experience to help Brown out on set, my desire to see their on-screen dynamic has increased.

In addition to loving this advice Brown received and wanting to see more of these two on screen, I'm also comforted to see how Gomez is using her past that's -- which is full of ups and downs (especially when it comes to social media and fame) -- to help her co-star.

From Selena Gomez's co-starring role within the Only Murders in the Building cast to her buzzworthy role in Emilia Perez, an upcoming LGBTQ+ movie, she has been on a roll lately. However, that doesn't stop people from commenting on things regarding her, her dating life, her fluctuating weight because of her lupus battle, and more.

Fame comes with massive pros and cons, and overall, Gomez has handled it with grace.

Based on my conversation with Brown, it sounds like she understands what could come, and I'm so happy she has the actress/singer by her side as Wizards Beyond Waverley Place begins its run.

For those who don't know, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place continues the story of the Russos from the popular Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place. This time, it follows Justin Russo (David Henrie) and his family, as his sister, Alex (Selena Gomez), asks him to train a young wizard named Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown), who is the key to saving all of wizard-kind.

There have been talks of a Wizards sequel series for some time, but it makes sense as to why the theoretical torch would be passed on now to another young star instead of fully focusing on the older Russo children. And, as work on the show continues, I'd expect that veterans like Gomez and Henrie will help Brown as she leads this franchise into a new era.

The two aforementioned stars, plus Eugene Cordero and Noël Wells were on hand to discuss all things Star Trek: Lower Decks ahead of its premiere. Give that Mike McMahan wasn't in tow, I was curious about the cast's thoughts on working with him. I specifically wanted to know what's going to be lost with him seemingly exiting Trek with the show's conclusion. Jack Quaid shared his thoughts while reminding me that the series could always find a home elsewhere:

Mike McMahan's passion and love for Star Trek is evident all throughout Lower Decks, which often pays homage to the TNG-era of the franchise. This will continue in the final season, as it's been revealed that Voyager's Harry Kim will appear and will apparently receive a promotion after being done dirty so many times on Janeway's ship.

As of this writing, there's no word on what the future holds for Lower Decks, beyond the fact that Paramount+ subscription can't expect to see new episodes moving forward. For now, it's also unclear if Mike McMahan will continue to work within the franchise, but Tawny Newsome noted his legacy is well-cemented in Trek history if he does:

Tawny Newsome can speak to that better than anyone right now. She's currently developing a live-action Trek comedy with Justin Simien, and she hopes to use Lower Decks characters for it. I'd imagine she'd also welcome Mike McMahon providing input or even writing an episode should the in-development series be greenlit.

Honestly, there's no shortage of ways for Star Trek: LD to continue even if it ultimately isn't revived by another streaming service. It can always have a life via comics, novels and maybe even a stage production! Many Trek actors have theater experience, so I wouldn't take any possibility off the table.

Whatever the future may hold, I hope that Mike McMahan does find himself still working in Star Trek after the conclusion of his animated series. Whether he's doing that as an executive producer for another series or a guest writer on a future season of Starfleet Academy or Strange New Worlds, he feels like a valuable resource for the franchise to keep in-house as it continues to forge ahead.

I've been eagerly awaiting Star Trek: Lower Decks for a while, so it's great to see it'll finally get underway on Paramount+ on Thursday, October 24th. Watch the two-episode premiere and, if you're hoping to see more of the series beyond this final season, make sure to spread the word and get people talking!

Arriving just in time for Halloween 2024, Smile 2 just got off to a strong start at the box office, the sequel’s ticket sales notably exceeding those of its 2022 predecessor in its debut. Given the upcoming spooky holiday and strong buzz from critics, the film is also expected to do well in its second weekend – but if it were left to writer/director Parker Finn, he would have everyone who has already seen the new horror movie see it again, as he promises that there are details built into the feature that you can only pick up on via multiple viewings.

One of the things that makes the antagonist in the Smile movies so terrifying is its ability to warp the reality of its target – and what that means for the films is that the audience can’t always believe what they are seeing. In the case of Smile 2, movie-goers are locked into the perspective of Naomi Scott’s Skye Riley, and by time we get to the story’s bonkers conclusion, it’s made clear that not everything we’ve seen happen to her happened anywhere outside her own mind. As captured in the video above, I asked Parker Finn about how he delineates the horror of the entity from “reality,” and he explained that paying attention is a key part of his process:

Without getting too deep into spoilers, there are scenes in Smile 2 where the audience breaks from Skye Riley’s perspective, and we understand a deeper, horrifying truth about what’s going on with her. For the majority of the adventure, however, we are locked into her point of view, and that means that the demon is manipulating both Skye and the audience simultaneously. Finn continued,

All that being said, there are still big follow-up questions to ask. We can draw some conclusions from what Parker Finn presents to us when the movie splits from Skye’s perspective, but it’s hardly a full picture. The audience gets a few purposefully placed contradictions to guide us to answers… but it really leads to more questions. For example, unless it’s directly contradicted or supported by reality, can we believe anything that occurs beyond Skye’s point of view? Does she meet some characters who simply don’t exist? (Again, I’m avoiding spoilers here.)

The audience is left to decide some truths for themselves, and the reality is that even Parker Finn says he doesn’t have firm answers to all of the questions with which Smile 2 leaves you:

When one watches a movie for a second time, understanding the beats of the story and the arcs of the characters, there is a freedom to appreciate small, quick little details and register sly foreshadowing that went over your head the first time. Parker Finn is a filmmaker who understands the fun in this, and he made sure that audiences would get that satisfaction from Smile 2. Said the writer/director,

Even if you don’t go purely for the second-viewing treats, Smile 2 is a film worth seeing twice because it is one of the best horror movies to come out this fall and among the best genre titles of the year. If you need more convincing, read my four-star review for CinemaBlend.

Video Chapters

00:00 - Intro

00:30 - How Anna Kendrick And Her Cinematographer Honored Alcala's Victims Stories In Each Shot

02:38 - Daniel Zovatto And Tony Hale On Shooting 'The Dating Game'

04:01 - The Cast On The Absurdity Of 'The Dating Game' And A Serial Killer Competing

06:56 - Daniel Zovatto On How He Feels About Being Cast As A Serial Killer

08:14 - How Anna Kendrick Created Suspense And Tension In Scenes 'Where Nothing Happens'

09:25 - The Cast Praises 'Woman of the Hour' As Anna Kendrick's Directorial Debut

11:15 - Autumn Best On The Weight Of Filming The Final Shot Of The Film

I spoke with Adams ahead of his Accused episode “Marcus’ Story,” which co-stars Masked Singer host Nick Cannon, and he told me he was 100% in time-off mode with family outside of Toronto after filming the upcoming 2025 TV series Lockerbie in Scotland. But just as he thought he’d be sticking with the urge to relax off-camera, the offer for Accused came, and it swayed him enough to get right back to work, albeit just for a single episode.

He shared how much of an honor it was just to be sought out for a series whose cast has also included TV faves like William H. Macy, Margo Martindale, Wendell Pierce, Jason Ritter, Rhea Perlman and many more. And then pointed out how playing against his usual character type was also a big draw, saying:

Big props to Clark Johnson, a veteran actor of Homicide: Life on the Streets, The Wire and the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again, who has been even more prolific as a TV director. He's another sign of Accused's pedigree of talent whom Patrick J. Adams called "the real deal" among other praises later in our talk.

But to his point, it's not as if Adams has ever made a name for himself as a mustache-twirling villain, and he's so often given parts where audiences are just instantly meant to side with and trust the character. It's a wonder more projects haven't eagerly tried to get him to take on more devious roles, given how easy it would be to pull the rug out from audiences.

How Filming Accused Reminded Patrick J. Adams Of His Early-Career Acting Muscles

Regardless of how different the role was, Adams might not have agreed to take it if not for Accused's anthological nature. Only having to dedicate himself to filming a single episode justified the decision to interrupt family time. (As did the close-enough proximity of the Toronto filming locations.) Here's how he explained it:

While only getting smaller single-episode roles might be more discouraging for up-and-coming actors, heading up an installment of a show like Accused seems like the idealized way for this to happen. Not just for the shortened work schedule, but for the inherent challenge and spontaneity of it all. As difficult as it can be to make a character memorable across multiple seasons of TV, it's all the more complicated to pull it off in just 42 minutes.

That spur-of-the-moment creative push was a thriller for Adams to refamiliarize himself with for Accused. He continued:

Does that mean we'll see Patrick J. Adams popping up in more awesome TV anthologies like American Horror Stories, Black Mirror or even for a season-long story arc in True Detective? Knowing how much he enjoyed working on Accused only helps keep the optimism alive.

For now, though, he'll keep audiences pumped over the next year with a pair of streaming series —the aircraft disaster drama Lockerbie and the Netflix thriller Wayward — as well as his co-starring role in the upcoming Yellowstone spinoff The Madison.

Accused Season 2 airs new episodes Tuesday nights on Fox at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Ahead of Fire Country’s premiere on the 2024 TV schedule, I had the chance to chat with Thieriot about Bode’s story this season. Arguably, one of the biggest changes for him and the drama is the fact that he’s no longer an inmate, which made me wonder how Three Rock will play into the new episodes. In response, the actor and co-creator reassured me that it will continue to be a “focal point,” explaining:

As he said, there are characters we know and love who are at Three Rock. From Eve -- who is the captain there and one of Bode’s close friends -- to Cole -- who is still an inmate there -- there are plenty of direct connections back to the camp. There’s also potential for new ties too considering Manny’s legal troubles and the fact that an ex-con played by Leven Rambin will be introduced this season.

Continuing to speak to me about the part Three Rock has in Fire Country’s junior installment, Thieriot teased that we’ll get to see Bode’s path collide with the camp early in the season, as he explained:

I could totally see Bode wanting to really be involved with helping the camp. Last season, he passionately worked to help save it, and it’s obvious that he cares a lot about supporting the other guys who live there. Maybe, he’ll partner more with Eve. It’s possible Manny could end up there. Maybe Rambin’s new ex-con character will help Bode figure out his new life while also helping him find a way to stay connected to his past.

It’s all possible, and we know Three Rock will still be at the center of the series based on Thieriot’s comments, which excites me.

Plus, along with the Bode actor confirming the fact that the camp will play a part this season, Fire Country’s showrunner also reaffirmed that at the end of last season. During my interview with Tia Napolitano about Season 2’s finale, I also asked her about Three Rock and Season 3. In response, she said “we’re not saying goodbye” to the camp, noting that it’s “gonna always be part of the DNA of the show,” citing both Eve and Cole as people who are still there.

She also said “Bode might have a little bout of homesickness or investment” this season, and I could totally see that happening. He cares so much about that place, and it helped him get his freedom. So, I imagine he’ll want to pay it back to the camp now that he’s a free man.

To see how Three Rock continues to be part of Fire Country, you can catch new episodes of Season 3 as they air on CBS every Friday at 9:00 p.m. ET or you can stream them the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.

Katherine Renee Kane’s exit was announced over the summer, but it wasn’t until the Season 7 premiere that fans got to see how FBI would split Tiff and Scola. It turned out to involve Scola getting stabbed, in a bloody scene that was also Kane’s final scene with John Boyd. It was understated but emotional between the partners, and Scola did not seem ready to say goodbye to her as his partner.

The second episode of Season 7 will be Scola’s first without a regular partner, so when I spoke with Boyd, I asked how prepared Scola is to start over after Tiff’s departure. The actor shared:

While Tiff and Scola hadn’t been paired for as long as Maggie and OA as partners, they were consistently teamed up once Katherine Renee Kane joined FBI in Season 3. Is it any surprise that Scola won’t be bouncing back immediately after losing her on the job? Of course, not being prepared can be deadly in the FBI line of work, and apparently there will be a “price” for Scola to pay. John Boyd touched back on the Season 7 premiere as he continued:

While it might have been odd if these two characters parted with impassioned declarations or even a hug, it’s bittersweet that their goodbye was when he was bleeding profusely from a stab wound and she was instead looking at him in the hospital. That’s not to say that there weren’t some tears concerning Tiff leaving in the first episode of Season 7, but those came courtesy of Missy Peregrym as Maggie.

So, when will Scola start facing problems with adjusting to his new normal without Tiff? Well, CBS’ description for Episode 2 revealed that he’ll be trying to “welcome a new partner,” and it’s a safe bet that the storyline won’t be wrapped up by the time that the final credits roll on that episode.

See what’s next for Scola – on top of his crossover to FBI: Most Wanted to help Nina, that is – with new episodes of FBI on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET, followed by FBI: International with Chicago P.D. alum Jesse Lee Soffer now on board at 9 p.m. ET and Most Wanted at 10 p.m. ET with its recent relationship updates, all on CBS. If you missed any of the season premieres, you can stream them now via Paramount+.

The last few episodes of the WandaVision continuation Agatha All Along, available with a Disney+ subscription, have established the true identity of Joe Locke’s character, Teen. We now know that Teen is Billy Maximoff, son of Wanda Maximoff and brother of Tommy. Well, he’s Billy reincarnated, as Billy’s spirit occupied the body of the recently deceased William Kaplan, as explained in Episode 6 of the Marvel series. Since we have met Billy, I have to assume that Tommy is next, right?

Well, don’t ask Joe Locke that. During a recent, and exclusive, interview with CinemaBlend following the events of Agatha All Along Episode 6, “Familiar by Thy Side,” I asked Locke if he had a dream casting choice for teenage Tommy, his twin brother on the program. And he told me:

Choose to believe whatever you want from that answer, but I’m personally taking it to mean that we WILL meet Tommy before the end of Agatha All Along. And on top of that, I believe that the reunion of the Maximoff twins will be the catalyst that Marvel Studios will use to bring Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff, The Scarlet Witch, back from “the dead.” Yes, during our conversation, I also spoke with Joe Locke about Wanda’s death. And while he confirms that Billy, the character, thinks his mother is dead – the actor certainly does not believe Wanda sacrificed herself at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

The Scarlet Witch is far too powerful of a character for Marvel Studios not to use in an upcoming Marvel movie. Particularly with the introduction of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. When Wanda faced off against Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Endgame, she almost ended the Mad Titan’s life. And she also spent the bulk of the Doctor Strange sequel seeking alternate universes in which she was together with her children, and happy.

Agatha All Along has even introduced a method for bringing Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) back. Given the way that Billy moved into the body of a person who had recently died – something that we also saw on display in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – then Wanda easily could have done something similar with her spirit, with her conscience.

That story will be revealed at a later date. For now, we need to see how Agatha All Along concludes, because there’s something waiting for Agatha (Kathryn Hahn) and Billy (Joe Locke) at the end of the Witches’ Road. And it might not be what either of them expects.

Stop reading this now if you are not up to speed on The Penguin through Episode 5, which aired on October 20.

After it was revealed that Sofia (Milioti) had been imprisoned in Arkham Asylum by her own family, she re-enacted revenge. She gassed the entire crew, save for her niece Gia, and longtime “Family” henchman Johnny Viti, played by the incredible Michael Kelly. Following the episode, which didn’t end well for Viti, I got a chance to dig into The Penguin with Kelly, and he told me amazing stories about working with this dream ensemble… particularly Colin Farrell. As Kelly explained to CinemaBlend:

This is hardly breaking news. Fans were impressed by Colin Farrell’s transformation when they first saw him as Oz in The Batman. He’s only increased our appreciation by disappearing further into the part as The Penguin plays out. In fact, as Michael Kelly went on to explain:

That’s insane. Kelly compared the full immersion of Colin Farrell as The Penguin to the time he worked with Jim Carrey on Man on the Moon, when the Ace Ventura star “lived” as comedian Andy Kaufman for the duration of the shoot. We heard similar sentiments from Cristin Milioti, which makes the transformation that much more incredible:

We can only hope that this transformation continues to get Colin Farrell the awards recognition he deserves. It also makes me wonder if The Penguin will be a major part of The Batman: Part 2. Because this show is such a showcase for Farrell, I also want some of the other Batman villains to get proper treatment, as well. Give us The Penguin season 2, instead. But that’s just me being greedy.

Keep watching The Penguin with your HBO Max subscription. The end of the season is phenomenal.

Before we get into the photos of the costumes, check out what Ramos shared below!

What Sarah Ramos Told Us About Dr. Lenox

Dr. Lenox didn't get the warmest welcome in Season 10, courtesy largely of Dr. Archer, who isn't exactly known for easing newcomers into the ED even when they're not coming on board to take over half his job. Of course, Lenox proved very quickly that she can make the department run more efficiently, but efficiency hasn't endeared her to her new colleagues.

And according to Sarah Ramos – who also pointed out that Lenox might be fired if she behaved toward Archer like Archer does toward her – she's not going to be joining them in celebrating Halloween... for good reason. She told me:

For the record – I was not shocked, but it was fun to see Ramos joking about her character and proving that she as an actress definitely isn't interchangeable with her more stern character. Plus, based on the promo for the episode – called "Bad Habits – Halloween is definitely going to be chaotic in the ED.

Is the expected chaos the only reason that Lenox isn't dressing up, though? When I noted that I couldn't really picture her character in a costume at this point in the season, Ramos responded:

Fortunately, Chicago Med is going to dig into Lenox's backstory this season, whether she voluntarily opens up or not. Showrunner Allen McDonald previewed that Season 10 will deliver "little peeks into her background and why she's the way she is" as it progresses. Maybe Halloween 2025 will be different?

The Rest Of The ED Dresses Up

While Lenox may be sticking with her lab coat and scrubs, that's not the case for everybody else! My favorite has to be Hannah and Ripley's couple costume as Barbie and Ken from Barbie for two main reasons. First, both actors have naturally blonde hair but are wearing wigs for the costumes.

Second, Barbie famously ended with Margot Robbie's lead character going to the gynecologist. I don't know if this is truly a nod to Hannah's status as the ED's OB/GYN, but I love it. Take a look:

Dr. Frost, another new character for Season 10, embraced a look that's pretty perfect for him as the ED's new pediatrician. He got himself a pair of overalls, goggles, and a bright yellow shirt as a Minion for Halloween:

Maggie decided to go with a Chicago-specific costume, dressing as a hockey player from the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team. I'm definitely not an expert on hockey in the Windy City, but it looks like she's wearing #31, and there's no #31 listed on the current Blackhawks roster. I have to hope it's a personalized jersey!

Dr. Charles is embracing the Halloween spirit as well with a pop culture figure, although his isn't quite as relevant circa 2024 as Barbie and Ken. Still, Sherlock Holmes seems like a fitting choice for the ED's psychiatrist. Haven't we been watching him solve mysteries of the mind by chasing down clues for nearly ten years (or binged more recently with a Peacock subscription)?

I wouldn't count on seeing these characters dressed up from start to finish, though, because the promo for the Halloween episode proves that the crises on the way aren't exactly costume-friendly. See some of the chaos for yourself:

Tune in to NBC on Wednesday, October 23 at 8 p.m. ET for the Halloween episode of Chicago Med, ahead of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. Neither of the later shows of One Chicago appear to be including Halloween costumes at any point, although it would be fun if young Makayla on P.D. had a moment dressed up. After all, there's not too much levity on the cop drama, and it certainly looks like the levity won't last long on Med this week.