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Outlander Season 8 Episode 8 Recap: Family Secrets and a Surprising New Time Traveler

By
Rebecca Murray
-
Outlander Season 8 Episode 8 Recap
Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe in ‘Outlander’ season 8 episode 8 (Photo Credit: Starz)

Starz’s Outlander season eight, episode eight opens at Fergus’ gravesite. Marsali (Lauren Lyle) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) say their goodbyes to Fergus, and the mood lightens when they recall his devilish sense of humor and stubbornness. Marsali’s decided to pursue Fergus’ inheritance so that she can continue his important work in the print shop.

(The following is a recap of season eight, episode eight – “In the Forest” – and there are spoilers.)

Jamie believes she’s made the right decision and reminds her he’s always there if she needs help. Marsali’s worried that Fergus wouldn’t want her to acknowledge the Comte St. Germain was his biological father, and Jamie thinks that’s because he viewed the Comte as unscrupulous. Marsali scoffs and corrects him, saying, “He never wanted to call anyone but you his father.” Being Jamie’s son meant everything to Fergus.

Jamie declares, “Fergus Fraser was my son. Son of my name, of my heart. Now, then, forevermore.” Nothing will ever change that.

Buck (Diarmaid Murtagh) and Roger (Richard Rankin) unload the guns that Roger and Bree were able to secure. Jamie picks one up and reveals that Frank’s book said Patrick Ferguson designed a new breech rifle. That’ll be an advantage on Kings Mountain, and Bree confirms Frank showed her one. She knows of a simpler design, the Hall rifle, they can use to make the militia’s guns faster. 

Roger jokes that Bree’s childhood nickname was Deadeye, and Jamie realizes the book’s dedication – “For My Dearest Deadeye” – means Frank wrote the book for Bree! That also means everything he did, from teaching her history to learning to shoot and ride horses, was to prepare her for when she tried to find Jamie, which he knew she would.

Jamie and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) finally understand the book is a warning from Frank. “He was trying to save you for Bree,” says Claire. Frank believed Jamie would do what he could to protect Bree.

Jamie confesses he used to pray for Frank to be safe so that he could protect Claire and Bree. “Maybe this is Frank’s way of praying for us,” muses Jamie.

Outlander Season 8 Episode 8 Recap
David Berry and Carla Woodcock in ‘Outlander’ season 8 episode 8 (Photo Credit: Starz)

Amaranthus (Carla Woodcock) rushes into Lord John’s office, frantic that no one’s seen William in days. They both blame themselves for William taking off, and Lord John (David Berry) hopes William can forgive them.

Frank’s voiceover warns Jamie not to waste the months he has left to prepare for the impending battle on Kings Mountain. Jamie studies Frank’s drawings of the area and spends time training his men alongside Buck, while Bree sketches the design of the Hall rifle. Claire and Fanny (Florrie Wilkinson) prepare bandages to help any wounded.

Later, Buck spends time alone with Roger and informs him that he visited Geillis again. Unfortunately, Dougal was there and had no way of knowing that Buck’s interest was due to Geillis being his mom. Dougal and Geillis both thought Buck’s interest was romantic. After leaving them, he went to Craigh na Dun. Ultimately, he let the stones decide where to send him and that’s how he ended up in 1980. He saw Rob Cameron buy a gemstone in a shop and followed him home. They fought and Buck killed him after telling him that he owed Roger a life.

Outlander Season 8 Episode 8 Recap
Sam Heughan and Sophie Skelton in ‘Outlander’ season 8 episode 8 (Photo Credit: Starz)

Buck took the articles that Rob had collected to time travel, including a new hat. Roger’s thankful that Buck protected them all. Bree’s also thankful and surprises them with her version of the Hall rifle, which is much quicker to load and shoot. She can adapt all their rifles to fire faster. Jamie realizes this will make a huge difference during battles.

William (Charles Vandervaart) surprises the Frasers by showing up unexpectedly on Frasers Ridge. Fanny is super excited, and Jamie welcomes him to their new home. When William asks to stay for dinner, Jamie can’t stop smiling.

William speaks to Bree (Sophie Skelton), pouring out his feelings about Amaranthus’ betrayal. He needs to tell someone how he feels, and Bree’s the only family member who hasn’t broken his trust. She thinks Frasers Ridge will help him heal; it’s a magical place.

Everyone gathers for a big family dinner, and William tells Rachel (Izzy Meikle-Small) that her brother helped him escape the rebel camp and saved his life. William leads a toast to the health and happiness of Ian and Rachel’s new family.

Jamie’s a little disappointed that William’s at the opposite end of the table. Claire thinks he should be happy that William’s there in the first place. Roger announces his application to become a minister has been accepted. Jamie’s the next to lead a toast to good news, new beginnings, and joyous arrivals. They clink glasses to their future.

Bree and Roger volunteer to do the dishes, and Jamie asks William to go fishing with him in the morning. William recalls that the last time they went fishing Jamie lied to the Cherokees that he was William’s father—or at least William believed that was a lie at the time. He declines the invitation and announces he’ll be going with Bree on a tour of the Ridge.

Bree says that’s not until the afternoon, and Jamie claims every overnight guest is required to help catch their own dinner. Roger and Bree back him up, and William has no choice but to agree to go fishing.

Morning arrives and William and Jamie fish while discussing fishing spots near where William grew up. They try to one-up each other by swapping fish stories. It’s friendly enough until William tells Jamie to ask “his father” if he’s telling the truth. William confesses that he and Lord John are fighting after he learned Lord John is homosexual. He realizes that Jamie already knew this and asks if Lord John agreed to raise him because they were lovers.

Jamie’s shocked that William would ask him that. “He’s one of the best men I know,” says Jamie. He reminds William that Lord John has always loved him like a father, with his whole heart and soul.

William’s done fishing, unable to get past the fact that Jamie and Lord John lied to him.

Claire finds William packing his horse to leave without saying goodbye. William’s incredibly rude but then apologizes for his behavior. He claims it was a mistake to come to Frasers Ridge, and Claire advises him that since they’re in a war, this could be his final time seeing Jamie alive.

She warns him to think about how he’d feel if this was the last time he saw his father.

William watches Jamie teaching Marsali’s daughter how to ride, and that sparks a memory of Jamie teaching him as a child. He smiles as he recalls the lesson but then frowns, remembering Jamie, aka Mac, leaving the Helwater estate.

Jamie continues training his men, practicing while moving in a skirmish line uphill. He reminds them not to engage the enemy until they know their true strength. William rides up and they discuss the men’s training, and William believes they have potential.

Aaron Whitaker and his men show up, and Jamie introduces Aaron to William. Aaron reveals Ferguson is burning down free men settlements and they’ve had to move deeper into the mountains. Jamie asks how he can help, and Aaron surprises him by saying they’re there to help. Jamie happily welcomes Aaron and his men into the militia.

William asks Jamie to go hunting with him in the forest, repeatedly saying “in the forest” for no other reason than he’s very nervous that Jamie may turn him down. Of course, Jamie agrees to go hunting tomorrow.

The following day, Jamie and William head into the forest and seem happy in each other’s company. Jamie shoots an elk and says a prayer over its dead body. William apologizes for what he said at the river, saying his accusation was “malicious in intent.” Jamie accepts his apology.

William confesses that as a child, Mac the groom was the person he wanted to grow up to be like. He admits he worshipped Mac as a hero, but when he left, Mac didn’t look back. This is tearing William apart since Jamie knew at the time that he was his son. He needs to know how Jamie could have left him. Jamie replies, “I loved you, too, but I had nothing to give you. No name, no money, no land.” He was a traitor and everyone hated him and he didn’t want that to affect William’s life.

Jamie left because he thought it was for the best. He didn’t look back because seeing William’s face would have changed his mind. Jamie realized he had to do what was right for William, even though it hurt him deeply. After seeing him and Lord John years later, Jamie believed he’d made the right choice.

Jamie’s deeply sorry for how William learned the truth and asks for William’s forgiveness. William holds his father tight, sobbing in his embrace.

The Ridge gathers for Roger’s ordination ceremony. Fanny pops in but doesn’t stay because she’s having a hard time dealing with the reaction to the pamphlet about Jane. People were gossiping about it and saying Jane is in hell.

Roger speaks to her after the ceremony and Fanny confesses she doesn’t feel that God is welcoming. Since Jane committed murder and then killed herself, she must be in hell according to the Bible. Roger points out that Presbyterians don’t think suicide is a sin, and the Catholics also change their positions on things. Men, not God, established the rules.

Fanny wonders if Roger can ask God if Jane is with him, and Roger suggests she ask him herself. Anyone can talk to God, and Fanny thinks she will.

Later, Fanny sits by Jane’s cairn and says Roger gave her hope she’ll see her again. She asks for a sign and then bends down to pick up a rock. Her attention is drawn to a green stone and when she picks it up, it burns her hand. She quickly drops it but picks it up again. Fanny hears loud buzzing and covers her ears. (This confirms she’s a time traveler, too!)

Episode eight ends with Lord John meeting Percy after Percy sends a letter saying he has news on Captain Richardson. Percy’s acting strange and as Lord John asks for Richardson’s location, Richardson appears behind him and knocks him out.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 9 Recap – Skull Island Showdown

By
Rebecca Murray
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Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 9 Recap
Godzilla in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ season 2 episode 9 (Photo Credit: Apple TV)

Titan X and Godzilla swim through a lightning storm, with Monarch Outpost 18 following behind as Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season two, episode nine opens. Their destination? Skull Island. Titan X is relentlessly pursuing the helicopter with her egg as Keiko, Lee, May, and Tim attempt to figure out who’s behind all of this. Apex denies involvement, so who else has the resources?

(The following is a recap of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season two, episode nine – “Ends of the Earth” – and there are spoilers.)

Trissop’s men confirmed Cate and Kentaro are with the team heading to Skull Island. Lee (Kurt Russell) wonders if they were taken or went voluntarily. He’s still rooting for Godzilla to vanquish Titan X and cheers him on as the Titans stop swimming and face each other. But the group’s confused when Godzilla doesn’t attack. They’re face-to-face but nothing’s happening, and Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) suggests it’s because Godzilla did what he needed to do: make sure that Titan X returned to where she was supposed to be.

Keiko’s theory seems to be correct when Godzilla turns around and swims away.

Since Godzilla’s gone, Lee believes they need to focus on retrieving Cate and Kentaro and getting Titan X to return home. Which means they need to go back to Skull Island.

Meanwhile, Cate (Anna Sawai) is angry that she’s been tricked by Kentaro (Ren Watabe) and angry that Isabel (Amber Midthunder) talked Kentaro into going along with her plan. The trio watches from the helicopter as the chopper with the egg lowers it onto the island. Cate insists this is inhumane and will just enrage Titan X.

Keiko, Tim (Joe Tippett), May (Kiersey Clemons), and Lee arrive on the island with a well-armed Monarch support team. Tim tells the team they need to be in and out quickly since Kong will come running as soon as he realizes Titan X is on his island. Their mission is to get Titan X back to Axis Mundi as fast as possible.

Keiko and Lee look over Bill’s satellite map from the ‘60s, and Keiko believes there’s a stable rift somewhere on the island that Titan X always uses. They’re heading out to the first of many sites that Bill marked as possible rifts, just as Keiko sees a journal entry dated October 21, 1958.

A flashback to that date in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea shows Bill excited about confirmation of a rift. It confirms his Titan network and changes everything. They’re giddy about the discovery and still laughing when they knock on the door of a justice of the peace and ask to be married. They exchange vows and Keiko promises to always believe in Bill during an impromptu ceremony.

Back on Skull Island, Isabel leads Cate and Kentaro through an abandoned Monarch base that Isabel’s team is using. She finally reveals her big plan: she wants Titan X to show them where the stable rift is on the island. People who are ill with terminal diseases could go into Axis Mundi, stay there a few days, and then emerge when enough time has passed that doctors have discovered cures for their illnesses. “You want to exploit Axis Mundi as your personal time machine?” Cate asks, stunned.

Cate begs Kentaro to not go along with this, reminding him it won’t bring their dad back. Kentaro turns his back and doesn’t reply.

May continues to use the tracker implanted on Titan X to follow the monster’s movements as the team walks through the woods. Tim trips over a branch on the ground, complaining he never even got to walk outside the base during the two years he spent on Skull Island before. May and Tim are joking around when suddenly one of their security team is pulled into the trees. Tim didn’t trip on a tree branch; he tripped on a creature’s leg and woke it up. It pulls another Monarch guard up into the trees as Lee screams at everyone to run.

They fire into the trees overhead and discover too late that it’s not just one creature attacking them. More Monarch team members are taken, and Tim sees May being pulled up. He grabs her arms and is able to pull her from its grasp.

Lee and Keiko are separated from the group during the attack. Lee radios the ground team and Tim responds that four of the tactical team were killed. The radio crackles and then goes out before they can get each other’s location.

Lee and Keiko decide to keep looking for the rift on their own.

Tim informs his team that they are not leaving the island, even though they’ve lost four people.

Cate continues to insist that their father wouldn’t want anyone else to get hurt. Isabel actually agrees and urges them to leave and be with their family. She offers them the chopper, but Kentaro won’t leave. Cate screams for her brother as security takes her to the chopper.

Isabel receives a report that Titan X is 12 minutes away and Kong seems to be heading toward her. They use a Skullcrawler’s call as a distraction to lure Kong away from Titan X while Isabel shows Kentaro the spot where they will launch their mission into the rift. It’s above the valley where the egg is positioned.

Isabel doesn’t have her father’s financial backing, but she does have a team of scientists who believe in her mission. She believes that Kentaro will become the most famous person in the world if he is the first to go into the rift as part of this project. However, Kentaro’s shocked when Isabel reveals even more of her plan. Part of the reason they need Titan X is for her to kill Kong! Kong can’t be allowed to roam the island when their operation is up and running.

Kentaro’s angry he’s been lied to and that Isabel never mentioned this before. However, their argument’s interrupted by the arrival of Titan X. She approaches her egg as Cate’s loaded into the helicopter to fly out. Isabel’s people prepare to act as Titan X exams her egg.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 9 Recap
Anna Sawai in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ season 2 episode 9 (Photo Credit: Apple TV)

Cate runs from the helicopter before it can take off.

Titan X turns its attention to Isabel and Kentaro on the platform, and Isabel gives her team an order to execute. A system of spray containers appears from below ground and fills the air with an anesthetic agent. Titan X flails around, shaking the complex as Cate reenters the base.

Titan X passes out and Isabel declares she’s theirs. Kentaro no longer looks certain that he’s backed the right horse.

Lee and Keiko spot Isabel’s people who are also searching for a rift. They didn’t find one at this location and Isabel orders them to return to the base. Keiko’s confused about the importance of this island and why Bill thought he was onto something here. Why was he trying to find a specific rift?

Keiko doesn’t understand why Bill left Hiroshi alone or what changed after she fell into Axis Mundi. Lee reveals everything changed.

A flashback to Kazakhstan in 1959 shows Bill refusing to leave without Keiko. Lee’s sure she’s dead, but Bill believes she might have found a space to hide in. Bill blames himself for not being able to hold onto her, and Lee’s angry neither of them listened to him when he said not to go down there. “This is going to haunt us for the rest of our lives,” says Lee.

Isabel and Kentaro approach the unconscious Titan X as Isabel confesses they’re not sure how long she will be out. Isabel believes that Titan X will fight Kong if she’s protecting her egg. They are going to implant something to increase Titan X’s aggression to make sure she kills Kong.

Cate makes her way into an electrical room and manages to radio Tim and May. She warns them to get off the island because Isabel has Titan X. Kentaro’s switched sides so they should forget about rescuing him. It’s the first time Tim and May learn that Isabel Simmons is behind the whole operation and that they’re operating out of an old Monarch base. Before she stops transmitting, she tells them to find the valley.

Tim knows where she is and they head in that direction, hoping to get there before Kong does.

Lee and Keiko make it near the next site Bill marked and discover a monster graveyard. Lee finds spent shell casings and realizes something horrible happened there. Keiko locates Bill’s camera, and they think this is where he died. She sobs, angry that she believed in him and trusted him and then he threw everything away.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 9 Recap
Mari Yamamoto and Anders Holm in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ season 2 episode 9 (Photo Credit: Apple TV)

Bill and Keiko’s Love Story

A flashback to Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1968 shows Bill delivering a lecture about his discovery of cross-circuited quantum entanglements, or what he calls “rifts.” He describes them as being used by creatures (his class suggests Bigfoot) to move around the globe wherever they want.  

He ends his class early to argue with Suzuki about the rift theory. Suzuki wants to stop their research, insisting Keiko and Lee would still be with them if they hadn’t started down this path. Bill refuses to give up, even when Suzuki tells him to dedicate his time to taking care of Hiroshi instead of chasing the family he lost.

Keiko insists that they check the final spot Bill marked. He died before he could investigate it. Lee points out something reflecting the sun on the edge of a lake. They retrieve it and it’s one of Suzuki’s devices. They find dozens more and Keiko realizes they are probes. One is inscribed William Randa, July 1966, Madagascar. Others are from 1971 New Guinea, 1968 Loch Ness, and 1972 Kazakhstan. They realize he sent them into rifts all over the world which means they’ve found Bill’s rift or, as Lee describes it, Grand Central Station.

They open the probes and inside are letters Bill wrote to Keiko. Keiko reads one and it’s a wedding vow Bill wrote long after their actual ceremony. He wasn’t able to put his feelings into words back then, but the letter reads, “I vow to love you in this world or any other. No matter where this love takes us, I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth and beyond.”

Keiko remembers their wedding day and looks up at the sky. “You found me, Billy,” she says with a smile. She had no idea he was looking for her the whole time and never gave up the search. It’s why he was on Skull Island.

Titan X’s anesthetic is wearing off, and Isabel’s team sets off charges that will increase the Titan’s aggressiveness. Titan X squeals as they go off and Kong hears her shrieking just as he realizes he’s been tricked by the Skullcrawler’s call.

Season two’s penultimate episode ends with Cate rushing through the base and hearing Titan X as she sees the egg. Cate places her hand on it and is shocked when Kentaro appears behind her, warning her about Titan X. She wants to give Titan X her baby back. Cate believes Titan X will return to Axis Mundi, where she should be if she has her egg. Cate wants Kentaro’s help and Kentaro confesses he’s involved in this project to save their dad. They can keep Hiroshi from dying!

 

Jason Momoa’s On the Roam Season 2 Premiere Date & Details

By
Rebecca Murray
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Jason Momoa somehow managed to fit another season of On the Roam into his packed schedule. Momoa hit the road again for season two of the HBO Max documentary series, visiting artists who’ve inspired him across the country.

The series premiered in January 2024, and season two will debut on May 14, 2026. New episodes of the six-episode second season will stream on Thursdays on HBO Max.

“On the Roam is a cinematic docuseries following Jason Momoa as he travels the country chasing art, adventure, and friendship through the lens of craftsmanship,” reads HBO Max’s synopsis.

Jason Momoa created the series and serves as an executive producer along with Brian Mendoza. James Mendoza is involved as a producer.

Momoa’s recent credits include The Wrecking Crew, Chief of War, A Minecraft Movie, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Fast X, and The Last Manhunt. Upcoming projects include Dune: Part 3, Supergirl, Street Fighter, and Protecting Jared.

On the Roam Season 2 Poster
Poster for ‘On the Roam’ season 2 (Photo Courtesy of HBO Max)

Deadliest Catch Season 22: Discovery Premiere Date and Major Fleet Relocation Announced

By
Rebecca Murray
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The fleet heads to St. George Island for a new season of crab catching on Deadliest Catch. Discovery Channel’s set a May 8, 2026 premiere date for season 22 of the Emmy-nominated series, with new episodes airing on Fridays at 8pm ET/PT.

The new season features the first time an underwater drone will be used to help spot the crab. And the move to St. George Island marks the first long-distance relocation in decades for the fleet.

Deadliest Catch Season 22 Poster
Poster for Discovery’s ‘Deadliest Catch’ season 22

Discovery Channel released this description of season 22:

“For the first time in decades, the captains abandon familiar fishing grounds to chase a rare breed of Red King Crab lurking in the frozen waters of the far North. This elusive catch, worth a fortune, pushes the fleet into remote territory and tests their experience and resilience at the edge of the world.

In a series first, Captain Sig Hansen launches an unprecedented covert scouting mission, deploying an underwater drone into the unknown waters in a bold attempt to locate the
rare strain of king crab before the rest of the fleet arrives. Captain Wild Bill Wichrowski
journeys to St. George Island to share his decades of hard-earned knowledge, guiding Sig through new grounds in pursuit of the bigger, richer crab that could define his season.

Meanwhile, after losing both his boat and his marriage, Captain Jake Anderson starts the season as a deckhand for the first time in eleven years. When an unexpected opportunity
emerges to restore the legendary Cornelia Marie, Jake steps back into the captain’s chair,
putting his reputation and his family’s future on the line for one final shot at redemption.”

 

Will Trent Season 4 Episode 17 Preview: Will Faces New Peril in “Where’d You Come From, Little Angel?”

By
Rebecca Murray
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ABC’s Will Trent follows up the death of a key character (no spoilers in case you haven’t watched episode 16 yet!) with season four, episode 17, which finds Will realizing there’s something wrong with his head. Episode 17 – “Where’d You Come From, Little Angel?” – will air on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 8pm ET/PT.

“Where’d You Come From, Little Angel?” Plot: Will and the team investigate a string of murders, uncovering a case far from ordinary. Alone and grieving, Will faces a peril that leaves every breath a race against time. 

Ramón Rodríguez stars as the titular character, Erika Christensen plays Angie Polaski, Iantha Richardson is Faith Mitchell, and Jake McLaughlin is Michael Ormewood. Kevin Daniels is Franklin Wilks, Sonja Sohn plays Amanda Wagner, and Bluebell returns as Betty.

Will Trent Season 4 Episode 17
Ramon Rodriguez in ‘Will Trent’ season 4 episode 17 (Disney/Daniel Delgado Jr.)

Will Trent Series Description, Courtesy of ABC:

Based on Karin Slaughter’s New York Times bestselling ‘Will Trent’ series, Special Agent Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was abandoned at birth and endured a harsh coming-of-age in Atlanta’s overwhelmed foster care system. Now, Will uses his unique point of view in the pursuit of justice and has the highest clearance rate in the GBI.

Kevin Daniels, Iantha Richardson and Jake McLaughlin
Kevin Daniels, Iantha Richardson and Jake McLaughlin in season 4 episode 17 (Disney/Matt Miller)
Erika Christensen
Erika Christensen in season 4 episode 17 (Disney/Matt Miller)

CIA Season 1 Episode 9 Preview: Colin Accused in ‘Blood Money’

By
Rebecca Murray
-

The promo for CBS’s CIA episode nine reveals that Colin’s facing scrutiny after being accused of being a mole. Directed by Ludovic Littee, episode nine – “Blood Money” – will air on Monday, April 27, 2026 at 10pm ET/PT.

“Blood Money” Plot: A woman with intel on a dangerous terror leader connects Colin and Bill to a family business engaged in terror operations. Now, they must find and turn a new asset to take down the entire operation. Meanwhile, Bill makes a shocking discovery.

Tom Ellis stars as CIA Agent Colin Glass, Nick Gehlfuss stars as Special Agent Bill Goodman, Necar Zadegan plays Deputy Chief of Station Nikki Reynard, and Natalee Linez is CIA Analyst Gina Gosian.

CIA Episode 9
Tom Ellis as CIA Case Officer Colin Glass, Natalee Linez as CIA Analyst Gina Gosian, and Nick Gehlfuss as Special Agent Bill Goodman in ‘CIA’ episode 9 (Photo: Mark Schafer © 2026 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

CIA Season 1 Synopsis, Courtesy of CBS:

When by-the-book FBI Special Agent Bill Goodman (Gehlfuss) is loaned out to a clandestine CIA/FBI task force, he finds himself teamed up with secretive and roguish CIA Agent Colin Glass (Ellis). Together they will work covert operations in New York, uncovering international plots, terrorist cells, and geopolitical secrets.

Bill will learn the rules of this murky world on the fly as Colin leads him deeper into spy games where only one thing is clear—their work keeps America safe, even if no one will ever know what they did in the shadows.

Tom Ellis in episode 9
Tom Ellis as CIA Case Officer Colin Glass iand Karen David as Zara in episode 9 (Photo: Mark Schafer © 2026 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.)
Tom Ellis and Nick Gehlfuss
Tom Ellis as CIA Case Officer Colin Glass and Nick Gehlfuss as Special Agent Bill Goodman in episode 9 (Photo: Mark Schafer © 2026 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)
Necar Zadaegan
Necar Zadegan as Deputy Chief of Station Nikki Reynard in episode 9 (Photo: Mark Schafer © 2026 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)
Tom Ellis and Nick Gehlfuss
Tom Ellis as CIA Case Officer Colin Glass and Nick Gehlfuss as Special Agent Bill Goodman in episode 9 (Photo: Mark Schafer © 2026 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

 

Mother Mary Review: David Lowery Delivers a Surreal, Slow-Burn Musical Horror

By
James Jay Edwards
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Mother Mary Review Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway
Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’ (Photo Credit: Eric Zachanowic / A24)

Filmmaker David Lowery has been quietly building a reputation as one of the more fascinating voices in the horror and fantasy movie world. Between the calm serenity of A Ghost Story and the lush beauty of The Green Knight, he’s proven himself to be a talented filmmaker, and the darkness that he injected into Disney’s live-action reimagining of Pete’s Dragon showed that he can work with the big boys, too. Now, Lowery’s newest film, the understated Mother Mary, with its musical horror theme, continues his experimentation.

Mother Mary stars Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada 2) as the titular Mother Mary, a pop star who was forced to take an unplanned hiatus after a concert mishap. Now, she’s planning her comeback and decides to ask her estranged best friend/ex-costumer, Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel from I May Destroy You), to design a dress for the occasion. Sam reluctantly agrees, and as the two work on the dress, old feelings are stirred up. Soon enough, the pair realizes that it may be more than just this project that has brought them back together.

As a cinematic experience, Mother Mary is probably the most David Lowery film that David Lowery has ever made. Its pacing is slow and erratic, its imagery is beautiful, and its plot barely holds together. And all this is by design as part of Lowery’s fever-dream, surreal vision. Things take about half the movie to get rolling, with the first half full of spoken (although completely necessary) exposition that lays out the history and conflict between the characters. But once things get going, the audience is more than ready for something to happen.

Mother Mary is basically a two-woman show, with Hathaway and Coel carrying the lion’s share of the work. Hunter Schafer (Euphoria) pops in and out as Sam’s assistant, and there are other members of Mother Mary’s entourage that show up in flashbacks and dream sequences, but for most of the movie, it’s just Anne and Michaela. And they are both up for the task, not only turning in near-perfect performances on their own but playing off of each other wonderfully to capture the uncomfortable tension and love between the two women.

The action in Mother Mary unfolds much like that of a stage play. Even the transitions to flashbacks and concert scenes are constructed with lighting and stage blocking, with the characters seemingly entering a different time and place just by moving to a different area of the set. The visual effects are sparse-yet-essential, and even those could probably have been achieved with a clever stage tech team. Mother Mary is brilliant in its simplicity.

As for the horror aspects of Mother Mary, well, results will vary. It’s not particularly scary, but it does have an overall creepy, paranormal vibe to it. It’s more atmosphere than anything else, so those looking for cheap jump scares or over-the-top gore will be disappointed. That’s not what Lowery set out to do here, and it’s not at all what he does. It’s more of an all-encompassing dread-building exercise in suspense. 

Lowery was said to have drawn influence from two main places for Mother Mary – the 1992 Francis Ford Coppola adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Taylor Swift’s concert tours. And that’s basically what we get with Mother Mary. It’s like Taylor Swift walking into a supernatural thriller. That’s the kind of controlled energy that the movie exudes.

Just as one would expect, the music is an important ingredient in Mother Mary. Songs for the soundtrack were written by uber-producer Jack Antonoff along with pop stars Charlie XCX and FKA Twigs (the latter of whom actually makes an appearance in the film as a medium). Herself a singer, Anne Hathaway performed her own vocals, and the resulting music fits right into the same mold as other fake-pop singers of the horror/suspense genre such as Lady Raven from Trap or Skye Riley from Smile 2. It’s all dance pop perfection. Lowery wouldn’t have settled for anything less.

David Lowery’s movies are not for everyone, and there are those who won’t be able to take the slow-burn, almost glacial pacing of Mother Mary. Still others will question where the film ultimately winds up and wonder whether the long-winded journey was worth it. But those who know will know. Mother Mary is David Lowery being David Lowery.

GRADE: B

Rating: R for language and some violent content
Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes
Release Date: April 24, 2026
Studio: A24

Hugh Jackman Unmasks the Legend in The Death of Robin Hood Promo

By
Rebecca Murray
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Robin Hood (Hugh Jackman) confesses that the stories everyone knows about him are all lies in the one-minute promo for The Death of Robin Hood. Robin told the stories so that fools would follow him into the dark, and this tale will put all the lies to rest.

In addition to Jackman, the action thriller stars Jodie Comer (28 Years Later), Bill Skarsgård (IT: Welcome to Derry), Murray Bartlett (Nine Perfect Strangers), and Noah Jupe (Hamnet). Michael Sarnoski (2021’s Pig and 2024’s A Quiet Place: Day One) wrote and directed the new take on the Prince of Thieves. 

The Death of Robin Hood star Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman in ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ (Photo Credit: Aidan
Monaghan / A24)

“Grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder, Robin Hood finds himself gravely injured after a battle he thought would be his last,” reads A24’s synopsis. “In the hands of a mysterious woman, he is offered a chance at salvation.”

A24’s The Death of Robin Hood opens in theaters on June 19, 2026.

Sam Reid’s Lestat Declares Himself a God in New Trailer for The Vampire Lestat

By
Rebecca Murray
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Lestat declares himself a god in the official trailer for AMC’s The Vampire Lestat, which features the titular character singing Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself.” The two-minute video also teases that it’s time to hear his story straight from his lips. No more lies or exaggerations; just the truth about the 265-year-old creature of the night. 

Sam Reid stars as Lestat de Lioncourt and Jacob Anderson is Louis de Pointe du Lac. Assad Zaman is Armand, Eric Bogosian is Daniel, and Delainey Hayles plays Claudia. Jennifer Ehle is Gabriella, Lestat’s mother.

The Vampire Lestat Sam Reid
Sam Reid as Lestat De Lioncourt in ‘The Vampire Lestat’ (Photo Credit: Sophie Giraud/AMC)

The new season premieres on June 7, 2026 at 9pm ET/PT on AMC and AMC+. 

“The wild and captivating next chapter in Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe follows Lestat as the world’s first immortal rock star on an electric multi-city tour, while he’s haunted by ‘muses’ from his rebellious past,” reads AMC’s synopsis.

Rolin Jones created the series, based on Anne Rice’s bestselling novels. Jones serves as showrunner, writer, and executive producer. Additional executive producers include Mark Johnson, Hannah Moscovitch, Christopher Rice, and the late Anne Rice.

 

Coyote vs. ACME Launches a Trailer for the Delayed Looney Tunes Legal Comedy

By
Rebecca Murray
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Nothing can stop Coyote’s quest to take down ACME, not even Warner Bros. Pictures. The studio scrapped the completed Coyote vs. ACME live-action/animated hybrid back in 2023, but it didn’t go down without a fight. Ketchup Entertainment picked it up for distribution, and today they’ve launched the first trailer.

“The movie ACME doesn’t want you to see” opens in theaters on August 28, 2026.

The film stars Will Forte, Lana Condor, Tone Bell, and John Cena. Dave Green directs from a screenplay by Samy Burch (story by James Gunn & Jeremy Slater and Burch). Producers include James Gunn and Chris DeFaria.

Coyote vs. ACME
A scene from ‘Coyote vs. ACME’ (Photo Credit: Ketchup Entertainment)

Ketchup Entertainment offers this synopsis:

“After decades of being blown to bits by bombs, demolished by dynamite, mangled by
magnets, battered by boulders, trampled by trains, tricked by tunnels, sprung by
springs, steamrolled by steamrollers, maligned by misfires, bedeviled by bungees,
rattled by rockets, backstabbed by bat suits, rocked by rocket skates, upended by
unicycles, quaked by quake pills, rubberized by rogue bands, and hurled headlong off
every cliff in the Southwest, Wile E. Coyote (Genius) finally fights back.

Teaming up with billboard accident lawyer Kevin Avery (Forte), he takes on slick corporate counsel Buddy Crane (Cena) and ACME, Inc., the profit-obsessed conglomerate behind
every one of the Coyote’s chaotic catastrophes.”

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