It was all eyes on Ilona Maher the moment she announced on TikTok she'd be dancing to an Encanto song and bringing the character Luisa to the ballroom in the best way possible. Maher certainly looked like the strongest sister of the family Madrigal, and on Dancing With The Stars' "Disney Night," she proved she had some smooth moves too. It was a big night for her and nearly perfect if it wasn't for one horrifying element of the performance.

On a night where I'd expected some mild griping about Disney Night song choices, I was completely blindsided by the costume choice by pro dancer Alan Bersten, and enjoyed seeing other fans' similarly agog reactions. While the pro did his job as well as we're used to, I'd forgive anyone who forgot what show they were watching due to the demonic-looking donkey humanoid hybrid on the dance floor.

Alan's Donkey Costume Was Legitimate Nightmare Fuel

I'm not even joking. When I first saw Alan onscreen in the latest episode of Dancing With The Stars, it was a jump-scare moment. The fear receptors in my brain went off, and I assumed something had gone wrong, and it was actually going to be a Pinocchio dance. After that brief fear subsided, I was just more confused than anything that the DWTS costume team committed to making Alan have the most realistic donkey face he could have. Although I'm not sure any actual donkeys would be this disturbing.

I also have to point out that the backup dancers sharing the stage with them wore far cuter donkey outfits. The whole time I watched the performance, I wondered why he didn't just opt for something similar to their costumes, rather than the abomination of a visual display he subjected the audience to. Julianne Hough didn't acknowledge it all that much, perhaps out of fear of him appearing right next to her if she said his name three times, but I won't jump into issues with her post-dance questions again.

Check out some of the amusing responses that fans had after watching:

• Alan as a donkey is gonna be my new sleep paralysis demon #dwts - @sarahkbar
• Alan just scared the shit out of me #DWTS - @edisonsbulb
• Alan in a HIDEOUS donkey costume.... this show is so insane #dwts - @selsjackets
• #DWTS has gone way too far. That is easily the most terrifying thing I have ever seen. Alan, dude, you’re killing me. - @mdburnell
• ALAN I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS HAHAHA #DWTS - @emkessel

It was so shocking that I think it might just trump Anna Delvey's post-elimination interviews in that way. I'm sure Delvey would love to hear anyone being positive about her again, but I'm more interested in how Alan is reacting after getting online after their performance and seeing all the reactions to his donkey costume.

Ilona's Big Night Put Her Toward The Top Of The Leaderboard

Danny Amendola's time at the top of Dancing With The Stars was short-lived, so maybe my thoughts about him being a top contender were premature. This week was Ilona Maher's time to shine as her score of 52 points (her singles score plus team competition score) tied her for second place with The Bachelor's Joey Graziadei.

It was quite a jump in the standings for her after a borderline disastrous performance just two weeks prior. Here's hoping she can take this momentum and stay toward the top of the leaderboard.

Dancing With The Stars continues on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Continue to cast those votes for your Season 33 competitor each week, and check out what else is on TV after by peeping at our 2024 TV schedule.

Snoop Dogg has been a refreshing addition to NBC’s singing competition, winning over everybody from Melissa Peterman on a crossover with Reba McEntire’s Happy’s Place to Michael Bublé’s 6-year-old daughter. I think he won over even more of the audience as well on Tuesday night, as he joined McEntire, Bublé and Gwen Stefani for a performance of “Heartache Tonight.” Check it out below:

It seemed inevitable that Snoop Dogg would make a good coach on The Voice, given his eclectic taste in music, experience as a record producer and passion for uplifting those around him. But you’re telling me he can sing too? So many comments on that YouTube video expressed shock at hearing the rapper take on a classic rock hit, including:

• Alright now, Snoop, we hear you Sir. – capricorn726
• Snoop singing a part in an Eagles song. Crazy ❤❤ Love them all – lross3565
• Snoop and Bublé harmonizing was amazing! Everyone's talking about Reba and Gwen, and for good reason, but that was powerful. – dragonwithamonocle
• Lots of rappers have good singing Vocals low-key 🔥 snoop has been solidified. – Young_gxi
• I did not expect this out of Snoop. Wow!! – juliesmith3144

Some fans watching The Voice simply took a step back to marvel at the pop culture phenomenon we’d just witnessed, with one fan posting on X (Twitter):

It sure is a wild world.

As the Battles resumed following the coaches’ performance, Snoop Dogg even mentioned how he’s able to be so versatile in the advice he gave to members of his team. Before the Battle between duo MisterMoon and Chrisdeo, Coach Snoop told them not to hold back just because a song isn’t in their typical genre. He said:

He sure did that. Many people (myself included) have loved having Snoop Dogg as a coach this season, and even if he is struggling a little bit during the Battle round, as Gwen Stefani said, I really hope he’s not just one-and-done as a coach and we’ll see him “Drop It Like It’s Hot” in that Big Red Chair on a future season.

For now, though, we can continue to catch him on new episodes of The Voice at 8 p.m. ET Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

In Episode 2 of Elsbeth’s first season, the 30 Rock actress appeared as real estate agent Joann Lenox. She ended up being quite greedy and evil, however, she also was incredibly charming (obviously, because she was played by Krakowski). So, I’d love to see her back because I simply adored her performance. However, (and this is important) her role also opens a door for more unique murders and fun characters. Therefore, I need the team at this CBS hit to figure out how to bring the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star back ASAP!

I Loved Seeing Jane Krakowski's Dramatic (But Still Fun) Side

In the episode “A Classic New York Character,” an infamous co-op board president Gloria Blecher (Linda Lavin) got killed by Joann. She loosened the bolts on Gloria’s balcony and sent her falling to her demise. It was a totally unique case, and as the episode unfolded, Carrie Preston’s titular character developed a relationship with Lenox as she tried to both figure out who killed Gloria and buy her own apartment.

Across the episode, we got to see the actress show off her dramatic chops as a frustrated realtor. Plus, it was fun to see her play the straight man to Preston’s Elsbeth. It’s a different role from what we know the Schmigadoon! actress for, and I’d love to see her tap into that energy again.

Since we know Jane Krakowski as a comedic actress, it was fun to see a different side of her in Elsbeth, and she brought a lot of depth to this part. Along with it, she also got a few jokes in, making for a well-balanced and fun character who is worthy of a reprise.

Think About All The Shenanigans That Could Ensue If Jane Krakowski's Real Estate Agent Returned

While my reasoning for Krakowski coming back has a lot to do with her skills as an actress, it also has to do with the character she played. Joann Lenox was a high-profile real estate agent who is very connected.

So, maybe she could get out of prison somehow and wind up representing a new building where a murder happened. I imagine that if she gets out, it’d be hard to get her old clients back since she’s a convicted murderer, so it feels natural that she’d end up with some precarious new clientele.

I love the idea of an Only Murders in the Building type mystery where most (if not all) of the suspects are the characters who live in a building. Plus, it naturally opens a door for lots and lots of other guest stars (and maybe even some of the 30 Rock cast? I'm just throwing that idea out there...).

Plus, I’d love to see Elsbeth and Kaya solving a whodunnit like that again. The title character was so new when Joann was on the scene, so it'd be interesting to see the two interact again now that the lawyer turned unofficial detective is a permanent part of the NYPD.

Overall, I really want Krakowski and other Season 1 guest stars back on Elsbeth, because their stories were so compelling and the characters were played so well. However, it’s also exciting to think about what’s to come as the show continues to air every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

For example, while Nathan Lane didn’t play his Good Wife character in Season 2 of Elsbeth, his turn as the suspected killer and opera lover Phillip Cross was immaculate. Plus, we now know that Carrie Preston’s husband Michael Emerson will appear in the new season too. So, the guest stars for this sophomore run are stacking up to be just as good as their first set.

However, I’m going to keep crossing my fingers for the return of Jane Krakowski and another murder in a building by rewatching Season 1, Episode 2 of Elsbeth with a Paramount+ subscription.

The segment is set in 1955 Detroit where an interracial couple (Andrew Dismukes and Ego Nwodim) introduces their families to one another and shares the news that they're planning to get married. Dismuke’s family members -- played by Michael Keaton and Heidi Gardner -- are hesitant up front, while Nwodim’s family ( played by Kenan Thompson and Devon Walker) advocates for the relationship and are open. However, the situation gets awkward due to a musical performance by the groom-to-be. Take a look:

As you can see in the video above, both families' tunes immediately flip when Dismukes pulls out a ukelele and begins singing Train’s "Hey Soul Sister," which is posed as an ode he wrote for his love. The song, which used to be a chart topper, has sparked a lot of discussion across the Internet due to its use on the latest installment of SNL (which also featured the return of Alec Baldwin).

The general consensus seems to be that many are pleased that the song has been highlighted in this way. Based on the reactions shared on X, a number of people have long found the track to be problematic -- or just not as good a song as people would claim, in general. And, on the other hand, some hilariously expressed dismay over the critiques. I can't get over the humorously brutal honesty that's on display, and you can see for yourself below:

• 'Hey, Soul Sister' really is the worst song ever written. - @thejohnhugar
• Not 'Hey, Soul Sister' catching strays on SNL. LMFAOOO - @TrevonWes
• Not… not someone thinking SNL stole their joke about Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister” like people haven’t been complaining about it and saying the same thing since 2009. - @NuuYawkerr
• Because of SNL, I looked up the lyrics to "Hey, Soul Sister." I'd heard the song before -- there are some things in this life that you simply can't control -- but had never really *listened* to it before. Those lyrics are unconscionable. They are proof the devil lives among us. - @faceyouhate
• So glad SNL showed everyone how awful and unhinged “hey soul sister” is. - @pharmd23
• The funniest thing about that hey soul sister snl skit, is they didn’t even have to parody the song, the original lyrics were crazy enough. - @kenhinasupreme

Honestly, the sketch was brilliant, and it's not hard at all for me to see why it's garnering so much buzz. One also can't help but look at Train's long-beloved song in a very different light now.

Now, I'm wondering if SNL's cast and writers might shed light on other questionable pieces of pop culture and do so in creative and funny ways, which is something the show has done in varying ways over the years. It's certainly a possibility, and I'd definitely down to see that as well as how viewers would react. And as for Train, may I suggest just sticking with "Drops of Jupiter" vibes for a while?

Saturday Night Live’s 50th season continues after Halloween on November 2nd with host John Mulaney, who is one of the most recent members of the Five-Timers Club, along with musical guest Chappel Roan. The show airs on the titular night at 11:30 p.m. ET, and episodes are also available to stream with a Peacock subscription.

Ali Wong visited The Kelly Clarkson Show, where she discussed her split from Justin Hakuta. The couple were married for eight years before separating in 2022, and she filed for divorce in December 2023. Telling her mother of their decision to make the breakup official sounds like a pretty difficult conversation, as Wong recalled:

I — like Kelly Clarkson’s audience — couldn’t help but laugh at Ali Wong’s re-enactment of that mother-daughter kitchen scene, but the comedian/actress made sure to clarify that it was no laughing matter to her mom.

The request to wait until she was dead was serious, due to the stigma that divorce has carried in the past. Ali Wong said her mother simply thought it would be too embarrassing to admit her daughter’s marriage had failed.

Kelly Clarkson, however, had quite a different experience with her own mother. She explained that her mom is “very religious” and also of a generation that looked down on divorce, but in the case of Brandon Blackstock, the talk show host said:

After hearing of Ali Wong’s experience telling her mother, I can understand why the Beef star was so shocked over Kelly Clarkson’s mom’s support.

The American Idol champion is in a good place post-divorce since moving to New York, but it was a long and painful road before Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock finally reached a settlement. The divorce proceedings were full of contention surrounding custody of their two children, financial support and division of property.

Ali Wong and Justin Hakuta also share two children, but it seems their split was more amicable, and Wong even shouted out her ex during her Golden Globes speech earlier this year, after kissing current beau Bill Hader just moments before.

Check your local listings to see when The Kelly Clarkson Show airs on the 2024 TV schedule, and you can find Ali Wong in several stand-up specials and the award-winning series Beef, all of which can be streamed with a Netflix subscription.

Even though The Big Bang Theory’s series finale was back in 2019, and Rauch moved on to playing Judge Abby Stone on Night Court, she's stayed connected to her BBT family through the NBC show. For example, last season, she reunited with Kunal Nayyar, who played Raj on Big Bang, in a very steamy episode. Now, Mayim Bialik will enter the courtroom, and fans of both shows are so excited to see her back on screen with Rauch.

Speaking of Night Court's lead, she posted on Instagram about how happy she was to get to work with her former co-star, writing:

I don’t think any Big Bang Theory fans will want to miss the opportunity to see Melissa Rauch and Mayim Bialik make audiences laugh again. While they did reunite on Celebrity Jeopardy when Rauch competed two years ago, it'll be fun to see these two in character on Night Court.

On Big Bang, their characters Amy and Bernadette were the ultimate friend goals. Not only did the two have great "chemistry" being women of science, but they also had strong bonding moments -- like when Bernadette asked Amy to be her maid of honor. Even when they’d get into heated arguments about their husbands, you still felt the love. Seeing female friendships like that on television was truly lovely, so you bet I'm excited to see them together again.

Plus, along with Rauch, Mayim Bialik shared her enthusiasm on IG about joining Night Court. And in the most perfect way, she used a Big Bang Theory reference to describe their upcoming TV moment together:

Not that I’m complaining, but now I have the Big Bang Theory theme song stuck in my head!

Now, when it comes to the character Mayim Bialik will play, she told EW that she is “a really funny, evil version of myself.” Basically, her character will be a defendant and become friends with Judge Abby, who’s a big fan of Bialik’s ‘90s sitcom Blossom. Although, things will take a shocking turn when the TV star actually starts stalking her new friend!

The former Jeopardy! host also said to expect some “meta references” to The Big Bang Theory which, of course, this reunion episode can’t be without. Even on Kunal Nayyar’s guest-star episode, Judge Abby asked him “Have we met before?” So, yeah, I’m so ready for the clever BBT puns.

Melissa Rauch and Mayim Bialik’s friendship may have “started with a big bang,” but it certainly didn’t end during their time playing Amy and Bernadette. Now, I can't wait to see them back on screen together once Night Court makes its return to the 2024 TV schedule and NBC on Tuesday, November 19 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Members of the 2024 TV schedule jury, court is finally back in session. With the recent return of Matlock, the game is finally afoot between Kathy Bates’ Madeline Kingston (aka Matty Matlock) and the powers that be at Jacobson & Moore. As she continues to win cases by day, while scheming to avenge her late daughter by night, there’s a pattern that seems to be forming.

Matlock’s first episode twist seems to have established what looks to be a key piece of the CBS show’s episodic formula, but I’m afraid of that approach overstaying its welcome. This concern is something that is even more important to consider now that CBS's first year dramedy has been renewed for Season 2! Let’s talk more about this, as we discuss how “Rome in a Day” continued this pattern, and why it could be a problem.

Kathy Bates’ Matlock Is Now Heading Into Season 2

Friends and readers, you may want to stock up on the Werther's Originals variant of your choosing, as a press release from CBS Entertainment freshly announced this happy news of more legal wheeling and dealing. As Matlock’s performance across the first two episodes has apparently impressed the network brass, a statement was issued confirming the Season 2 renewal, courtesy of these sentiments from CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach:

Citing ratings figures that actually increased between the early premiere window almost a month ago to this week’s follow up episode, it seems that the Eye Network’s gambit has payed off. The viewers yearn for more Matlock, and it’s a beautiful thing to see. But now that we’re working with at least two seasons to tell this story, let’s talk about how the “twist of the week” structure should be carefully considered if it’s going to become a true blue staple.

How Matlock’s “Twist Of The Week” Formula Seems To Be Working

Seeing as Madeline Matlock’s false identity is being crafted carefully with the help of her grandson Alfie (Aaron D. Harris), there’s bound to be some close calls in Matlock’s overall story. Ms. Kingston is basically playing a double agent’s game where she helps the good folks at Jacobson & Moore, but also helps herself to their resources.

The latest bit of subterfuge involved a fake driver’s license that became crucial to the case of the week thanks to Madeline’s height helping debunk the opposition’s case. However, with her driver’s license also having the supposed address of her apartment in Queens, it looked like junior partner Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) was about to catch Matlock’s titular character in a big lie.

Of course, this week’s Matlock finished with yet another walk through Madeline’s mind games. The end result was Alfie getting the pass code to Olympia’s phone, an ask he’d been making through the entire episode. Linking back to Matty's query to HR on reimbursable dinner allowances, all it took was a purposefully forgotten bag of Italian food to help further sell the lie of the widowed and lonely Ms. Matlock.

I swear, the heist movie energy that this show has been showing is energetic, and I love a good rug pull ending. I'll also admit that the moment I saw that driver's license show up in court, I thought that was going to be the beginning of the unravelling.

Of course we're all still getting acquainted with the crafty Madeline Kingston. So maybe there's something heading our way that'll help put these twists into a larger perspective, at least in terms of how the show plays out on a weekly basis. But having said that, I do have some thoughts on why this should probably be a single season device, at least from my current perspective.

Why I’m Worried Matlock’s Twists Might Go Too Far

Twists are unpredictable beasts, and hiding the truth under people’s noses only works so many times. As a fan of the Saw movies, I can tell you that several years of surprise reveals led to spending quite a bit of time trying to guess what the big reveal at the end would happen to be. While Saw X's placement on the timeline started to course correct that habit, it's still a prime example of what I fear.

I won't want to spend an entire episode working up to "the twist," as it'll distract me from the case at hand. What's the good of a Matlock series where, eventually, the case of the week is merely an afterthought? I say this with the full knowledge that the original Matlock set itself up in that respect. And if anyone doubted that particular formula, young Alfie’s description at the end of the pilot planted it firmly on the board:

That sort of approach worked wonders in the old school “case of the week” format that creator Dean Hargrove mined with his Andy Griffith-starring version. With the CBS’s reimagining calling out that twisty behavior in its pilot, that very meta-style moment of commentary almost dares similar to this week’s reference to Matlock changing networks during its run. So this is another question about the new Matlock I’ll be waiting for answers to in the near future. (And no, I don’t count that nightmare opening to “Rome in a Day” as us getting a new version of the OG theme tune.)

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to tell the powers that be at Matlock how to do their jobs. On the more positive side of things, I can see how all of these reveals might wind together to form a larger wind up throughout Season 1’s course of action. While I’m cautiously wary of this plot device, I’m still totally on board with a weekly dose of Madeline's exploits as part of "Team You Three.” So long as the twists of CBS’s reimagined hit drama make sense, I’d like counsel to consider the issue as noted on the docket and awaiting further evaluation.

If you’re ready to jump aboard the Matlock ‘24 Train, fear not! A Paramount+ subscription is all you’ll need to catch up on both episodes that have aired. And thankfully, Matlock’s extended wait for Episode 2 won’t be an issue this time, as Thursday at 9 PM ET, we’ll be seeing about “A Guy Named Greg.” Until then, cue that OG theme music slide whistle, as court’s dismissed!

While playing the role of Donna Marco within the Baywatch franchise, Donna D’Errico was privileged to work alongside Michael Newman quite a bit. After learning of Newman’s passing, D’Errico took to Instagram to share a number of photos, which show her alongside her longtime screen partner. As cool as the behind-the-scenes pics and TV stills were, it was the sentimental caption that the actress shared that was truly affecting:

The former Playboy model wasn’t the only one to pay tribute to Michael Newman, as director Matthew Felker did as well. Felker worked with Newman on the docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun (which is streamable with a Hulu subscription). Newman not only confirmed the news but shared a video post that paid homage to Newman. Check it out for yourself down below:

Mr. Newman made his debut on the highly popular lifeguard drama during its first season in 1989. The physically imposing actor’s character wasn’t only a lifeguard but also an LA firefighter, and Newman himself also worked as a fireman in addition to his acting career. The actor ultimately appeared in 150 episodes of the flagship show and also appeared on the Baywatch Nights spinoff series as well as two TV movies, which were subtitled Panic at Malibu Pier and White Thunder at Glacier Bay. As noted by EW, Newman was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2006 and was open about his struggles with the disease, even discussing them in Matthew Felker’s documentary.

It’s incredibly sweet that Donna D’Errico took the time to pay tribute to her former co-star. Since ending her tenure within the franchise, the actress has expressed nostalgic feelings for it. On some occasions, she’s done that by sharing beach pics, and D’Errico even celebrated earlier this year when it was reported that a new Baywatch series was in the works.

Michael Newman – who is survived by his wife, Sarah, and their two kids – leaves behind a legacy of both entertainment and service to his community. While it’s sad that he’s no longer with us, one would hope that remembrances from people like Donna D’Errico and Matthew Felker will help to preserve his memory.

We here at CinemaBlend extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Michael Newman at this time.

However, before you think that Mr. Jennings also hangs out with folks like Jeopardy champion Amy Schneider, think again. In fact, I’m surprised that I hadn’t thought about this before, but that just isn’t allowed to happen. I learned this at New York Comic-Con 2024, during the panel “Who Is Amy Schneider?,” where she talked about her time on the show as well as the recently released paperback version of her memoir In the Form of a Question: The Joys and Rewards of a Curious Life.

Moderated by famed New York columnist Michael Musto, it was his comedic prowess that led to poking around the subject of whether or not Ms. Schneider and Mr. Jennings are palling around in piano bars. But as I observed the answer to this question, on behalf of CinemaBlend, I was kind of taken aback that the following no-brainer bylaw prohibiting that somehow escaped me:

Now, while I’m not sure there’s an official rule book out in the wild, I am not shocked at all that this stipulation Amy Schneider has revealed is in play. I mean, could you imagine how much harder Ken Jennings’ Jeopardy clue controversies would hit if people thought there was even a chance that Jeopardy’s host was playing favorites?

More importantly, just imagine if Ken and his frenemy James Holzhauer were allowed to openly communicate in the real world? I’d imagine that scenario playing out as a way less severe version of the adversarial relationship between 007 and Ernst Stavro Blofeld from the James Bond movies. But on the other side of this, I kind of need to see what Ken Jennings and Amy Schneider would be like in a situation where they’re just hanging out as friends.

That’s something that could happen sooner rather than later, at least if those rumors of Colin Jost being suggested as a Jeopardy host are true. While I’d hate to see Ken leaving a post that even I, an initially skeptical viewer, have warmed to, that does mean that he and Amy Schneider could be able to hang out a lot sooner without her needing to retire.

Should this happen, I think ABC and Sony Television will need to have a serious conversation, as there’s bound to be a good pitch for a reality series/documentary following these two and their growing friendship. Ken Jennings could get real about the pressures of succeeding the late Alex Trebek, and we can learn more about Amy Schneider’s defense of Ken’s hosting duties. And all the while they can stump each other with general knowledge trivia, and maybe hit a piano bar or two.

At the moment Ken Jennings is still very much the host of Jeopardy, and you can see him holding court with questions and quips in syndication. Meanwhile, you can now purchase Amy Schneider’s memoir In the Form of a Question in paperback, with the middle-grade version entitled Who Is Amy Schneider?: Questions on Growing Up, Being Curious, and Winning It Big on Jeopardy! being set to debut on shelves in March 2025.

Take a look at the fiery new footage below, which is somehow mostly narrated by Costner’s John Dutton, despite all the reports that he did not return to film the back half of the season. I’m guessing it’s either archived footage or deleted scenes from the first half of Season 5, but would love to learn that he actually did return for a sequence or two, if only to give the character an honorable death.

And now let's talk out some of those major highlights, shall we?

Rip Is Burning Cars And Breaking Glasses

Few things on TV can get my adrenaline pumping the way that "Rip getting pissed off" can. As soon as Hauser's face flips from happy to peeved, you just know somebody's ending up in the hospital or worse. And his rage goes unchecked a few times in the Season 5 footage, most notably when he blows up a car whose owner we're not yet sure of.

In fact, I wouldn't be 100% surprised if even Rip wasn't sure whose car that was, given the way he answered Lloyd's question about "really getting in this fight." As he put it:

It's interesting that we're going into the final episodes of the series, and one of the show's morally wavering heroes isn't even sure who he's supposed to beating the crap out of.

Beyond that, we hear him telling Beth she can't just suddenly opt out of fighting for the ranch, or else they're going to lose it. And at least one moment enrages him enough to throw a glass (presumably of whiskey) at the wall and into the fireplace. That alone could have led to a huge fireball as it went with the car, so whatever causes him to do it must be awful.

Sarah Atwood Gets MVP Status For Fights With Jamie And Beth

Dawn Olivieri's Sarah Atwood entered the Dutton family's ranch drama in Season 5, and immediately made a name for herself as someone who'll do whatever (or whoever) it takes to secure a victory. Which might have felt like more of a personal victory for her if Jamie wasn't voluntarily willing to be used, in part so that he could use Sarah in a similar fashion.

And it looks like she may find out a thing or two about the way Jamie has attempted to take advantage of her, seeing as how she cocks back and slaps the shit out of him during an argument. And it doesn't look at all like there's any dominant kinks involved, but I wouldn't be surprised if they hopped into bed right after that physical assault.

I can't make the same predication, however, about Sarah's scuffle with Beth, who served as the aggressor in this particular instance. Not only does Kelly Reilly's character push the other woman against a wall, clutching her face while doing it, but Beth also throws Sarah into a table and causes a vase to smash into the ground.

Here's hoping those comprise the opening seconds of a major brawl between the two women. Not that I need to see Beth duke it out with every woman on this show, but I do love it most when her opponents are just as feisty and aggressive, so that it's not just a one-sided victory every single time. Not that I want Beth to get beat down like she did in Season 2, but if she gets a battle scar or two, all the better.

Interestingly, the trailer doesn't hint at "Sarah Atwood" being a false identity, and thus doesn't offer any clues about my grand theory that the Duttons are being long-conned. But I'm still holding out hopes for that one as we await the western drama closing out the 2024 Fall TV season.

Yellowstone Season 5B will debut on Paramount Network on Sunday, November 10.