A scene from ‘Warfare’ (Photo Credit: Murray Close / A24)
Warfare skips the backstories, skips the reasons behind why American boots are on foreign soil, and instead is laser-focused on a specific 2006 mission in Ramadi, Iraq. By eschewing every Hollywood war movie trope, Warfare catapults the genre into striking new territory.
What co-writers/co-directors Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland deliver is a visceral and unrelenting examination of the effects of war on the men and women who serve our country. It’s not glamorous. There aren’t any shirtless hunks working out and cracking jokes about their wives or girlfriends back home. We’re never even told anything about the private lives of the men involved in the mission. That alone sets Warfare apart from decades of war films.
Mendoza, drawing on his memories of the battle and those shared by his fellow SEALs, filters out all the extraneous noise, allowing the audience to feel immersed in the battle alongside the SEALs who fought it. The constant sounds of bullets and heavier artillery provide the soundtrack to the harrowing events unfolding in real-time on the screen. Once the SEALs come under attack, the true, sheer brutality of war is unleashed.
Two critically injured SEALs add their voices to the soundtrack, wailing in agony and pleading for relief from pain via morphine. It’s unnerving sitting in a theater listening to these men who’ve suffered traumatic injuries. Being there in person as it was happening is almost unthinkable. But Warfare forces you to put yourself in their shoes as they face an enemy who is more heavily armed and greatly outnumbers them.
Decisions are made on the fly that are shocking but reflect the reality of what the SEALs were going through while pinned down. Mendoza and Garland do not sugarcoat or gloss over the doubts voiced by the men, including their leaders, while the attack was underway. But they also show the willpower and sheer grit needed to overcome those doubts.
Garland and Mendoza, who first collaborated on Civil War, assembled an exceptionally talented group of young actors to fill out the ensemble. D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (as Ray Mendoza), Will Poulter, Kit Connor, Charles Melton, Joseph Quinn, Michael Gandolfini, and Cosmo Jarvis are the standouts, but the entire ensemble is fully committed to honoring the real men they portray. Many of the SEALs were on set and accessible to the actors, and a three-week boot camp experience helped them form a strong bond. It also helped them understand the teamwork required to survive in a situation where they had to depend solely on each other.
The production design is outstanding, and the editing is a masterclass in how to cut a film that reflects real-time events. The sound design, acting as an additional key character in the film, is truly remarkable. The sounds of war never let up, and when the characters have their ears rung by a close-proximity flyover, the audience also feels the jet’s propulsion rattle in our bones.
There was a lot of rumbling online prior to the first Warfare screenings that Garland and Mendoza’s film would be pro-American and pro-military. It’s neither. Instead, Garland and Mendoza don’t spell out how we should feel, allowing us to draw our own conclusions. Warfare definitely isn’t a 90-minute recruitment ad. It’s unlikely anyone will watch this film and immediately join the military. What Warfare absolutely nails is honoring those who put their lives on the line for their country in the most brutally violent and horrifyingly honest way possible.
GRADE: A
Rating: R for language throughout, intense war violence, and bloody, grisly images
Running Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Release Date: April 11, 2025
Studio: A24
Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart in ‘Hacks’ season 4 (Photograph by Courtesy of Max)
Hacks co-creator, co-showrunner, executive producer, writer, director, and actor Paul W. Downs says the series has been building up to the events of season four for a long time. The fourth season of Hacks focuses on Deborah Vance finally accomplishing the near-impossible: hosting a late-night show. And, of course, nothing about the experience will be easy.
“We always knew we wanted Deborah to get her white whale, to get this late-night show. But like with stand-up, we’ve always said that this is a show about the wig-off moments. You know, the behind-the-curtain moments,” said Downs during a press conference hosted by Max. “So, there is a lot of behind-the-scenes drama and comedy that happens at a late-night show. So, it was really fun to explore that and also to, I mean, write what you know as writers writing a comedy show. So, it was easy.”
Season four picks up at a pivotal point in Deborah and Ava’s personal and professional relationship. Max’s super-short synopsis reads, “Tensions rise as Deborah and Ava endeavor to get their late-night show off the ground and make history in the process.” And that’s putting it very mildly, based on the season four teasers.
Series stars Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder also took part in the season four press conference, discussing Deborah and Ava’s evolving relationship, among other topics. The following is a spoiler-free takeaway from the press conference.
Season four premieres on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 6pm PT/9pm ET on Max.
Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder Talk Hacks Season 4
On season four serving up new sides of Deborah Vance:
Jean Smart: “Well, I give credit to the writing for that. I mean, it continually amazes me that they are able to find more and more for us and also keep this dynamic going, because I think that’s a lot of the fun for the audience is this relationship. And the fact that they’ve been able to keep that the way they have … because that was my biggest fear after the first season, was that, ‘Well now that they’re kind of friendly and working together, is that going to be as much fun for the audience to sort of see them butting heads?’ But it’s amazing to me that it continues in the same vein and just gets better and better. And meaner and nastier.”
Ava’s evolution into head writer of a late-night series:
Hannah Einbinder: “I think Ava is in a position, I think, [where] her hand has kind of been forced. I think a lot of people ask me, like, ‘Has Ava turned bad or is she, you know?’ No, I think she has to kind of speak Deborah’s language. I think her hand has been kind of forced, and I think she still has her core. I think she still retains that spirit but just kind of has to play ball.
And so, it’s been really cool to get to play the adversarial thing. It’s obviously, like, you know when we have to fight, Lucia calls cut and we’re just like [hugging]. It’s like, ’I’m sorry!’ But it’s fun to kind of traverse this winding road with the two of them.”
On the devastating LA fires claiming the house used as Deborah’s home:
Jean Smart: “The beautiful mansion that was built in 1930, I think. It’s been sitting there and been touched by fire [for] 100 years almost and it burns. It was really sad. And we had just finished shooting there, I think, the week before or something. And to envision those beautiful rooms and that beautiful fountain and the backyard and the couple that lived there and their dog. I mean, they’re safe, thank God. But yeah, that was shocking.”
On the tough love versus nurturing approach to acting:
Jean Smart: “I was just going to say it’s interesting because I’ve been talking about this with, I have a 16-year-old and he’s in the drama department at his school, and he just finished this weekend playing a part in the school musical.”
Hannah Einbinder: “Beautifully.”
Jean Smart: “Beautifully, yes, of course – stole the show. I don’t know where he got that; I can’t imagine. But his teacher is rather … can be verbally abusive, and it’s very upsetting as a parent, and I don’t agree with it either. As an actor, I’ve never had that in my experience. Certainly, when I was in school, no one ever spoke to me like that. I don’t see how you can possibly get good results out of somebody or have someone be able to work, you know, in that environment.
I’m the same. I mean, some people, I think, probably don’t mind it that much. It’s, I don’t know, I guess it’s sort of the cliché of the crazy directors screaming and yelling or the drama teachers saying you need to suffer for your art. It’s like, why? I don’t. I never got that. You know, it’s like, ‘Tell us your most private moment. It’ll make you a better actor.’ Really? No, I don’t think so. Just tell me what to say, thank you. It’ll be fine. Just calm down. You know, so that’s that for me. I like warm and cozy.”
Hannah Einbinder: “Yeah. I think we’re really inherently sensitive people. And I myself am really attuned to reading into even the twitch of an eyebrow. […] So, I really am, I think, like gentle and supportive. Although I will say, like I have, and we all actually have, a background in athletics. We’ve all had coaches. And I think I do kind of like having that sort of coach dynamic a little at times. But I think that can also exist with support.”
Jean Smart: [Laughing] “So I can yell at you on the set now?”
Hannah Einbinder: “Yeah. Please. By all means.”
Jean Smart: “Finally? After five years, I think you could have told me sooner.”
Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder in ‘Hacks’ season 4 (Photograph by Courtesy of Max)
On the importance of including multiple queer characters, especially in the current environment:
Hannah Einbinder: “Very, very meaningful. And we always have, and I’m sure that that will always be a part of all of our work. I mean, Jean’s first acting role, Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, was a lesbian play.”
Jean Smart: “Started my whole career, yeah, kissing a girl.”
Hannah Einbinder: “It’s important now more than ever. And I really do think in the face of such a horrendous fascist crackdown on our community, it’s really important for people to be able to see themselves, see themselves fully, and see themselves in a way that is fully realized. And so, yeah, it is really, really meaningful to be a part of it.”
Co-creator, co-showrunner, EP, writer, and director Lucia Aniello: “And also, it feels like no matter what legislation or whatever tries to pass or does pass, at the end of the day we are reflecting society and gay people exist, trans people exist, non-binary people exist, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop them from existing. And so, good luck.”
On the shift in how the senior community is depicted on TV:
Jean Smart: “I think it’s happening because of me. [Poses] I get a little uncomfortable when the subject comes up, because I feel like I don’t want to be like the poster child for older actresses. But certainly, it’s nice to be able to play a character where you show that people have the same kinds of hopes and dreams and desires and everything that they do when they’re 30. So, for people to be able to see that and get used to that, is just because it’s not something we used to see in film and television. But why not? You know, it’s like Lucia was saying, that’s part of real life. And no, it’s great, it’s great. And if our show has helped with that a little bit, then bravo, you know?”
On Deborah continuing to grow and open her heart to new experiences:
Jean Smart: “I think that that’s been a great thing to see on the show because she was a person who just hung on to anger and hung on to bitterness and resentment. And to see her being able to maybe let go or at least recognize that, you know, it’s important. Because it’s shocking how long it takes you in life to learn stuff. I mean, it really is true. You think, ‘Oh god, why didn’t I figure that out, you know, 30 years ago?’”
FBI‘s Alana De La Garza guest stars as Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille on CBS’s FBI: Most Wanted season six (the final season) episode 17, “Gut Job.” Episode 17 will air on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 10pm ET/PT.
Dylan McDermott leads the cast as Supervisory Special Agent Remy Scott. Season six also stars Shantel VanSanten as Special Agent Nina Chase, Roxy Sternberg as Special Agent Sheryll Barnes, Keisha Castle-Hughes as Special Agent Hana Gibson, and Edwin Hodge as Special Agent Ray Cannon.
“Gut Job” Plot: A couple known for their home renovation TV show is thrown into the limelight after the wife is found dead and her husband goes on the run. Meanwhile, Barnes reevaluates her life in New York. Written by Rickey Cook and directed by Ludo Littee.
FBI: Most Wanted is a high-stakes drama that focuses on the Fugitive Task Force, an elite unit that relentlessly pursues and captures the notorious criminals on the Bureau’s Most Wanted list. The team’s charming but formidable leader is Supervisory Special Agent Remy Scott, who started his career in the New York FBI field office before rising through the ranks of the Bureau in Philadelphia and Las Vegas.
The team includes Special Agent Sheryll Barnes, a former NYPD detective and forensics expert; Special Agent Hana Gibson, a gifted millennial computer whiz with a sharp wit and mad hacking skills; Special Agent Ray Cannon, who is a former New Orleans cop-turned-junior detective and worked Violent Crimes in Albany after following in his retired FBI agent father’s footsteps; along with well-seasoned Special Agent Nina Chase, who worked assorted cases with the FBI’s New York office, and among her strengths is her undercover work.
Helen Mirren as Cara in ‘1923’ season 2’s finale (Photo Credit: Trae Patton / Paramount+)
Season two, episode seven — the second-season finale of Paramount+’s 1923 — delivered the answers it needed to, including one that has lingered since the first season of Yellowstone: Who is the grandfather of John Dutton III, played by Kevin Costner? The extended season two finale was brutal and bloody, and not everyone survived. It was also heart-wrenching and, in a way, heartwarming. (Keeping it vague here for those who accidentally start reading this recap before watching the finale.)
The ending leaves the possibility of a third season open, so don’t lose hope that Taylor Sheridan isn’t finished with Spencer’s story. Now, let’s move on to the lengthy recap, which begins by wrapping up Teonna’s storyline for the season.
Marshal Mamie Fossett (Jennifer Carpenter), Two Spears (Doug Hall), and Deputy Clint Peterson (Steve Luna) discover Pete and Marshal Kent’s bodies. Two Spears notes two sets of boots and believes the priest shot the marshal based on the prints. Two Spears points to smoke rising in the distance and says, “Priest.”
The smoke leads them to Father Renaud and Runs His Horse’s corpses. They conclude the priest shot Teonna’s father, then Teonna killed Renaud. Two Spears says the men, not the girl, are killers.
Teonna (Aminah Nieves) watches from nearby, rifle pointed at Marshal Fossett.
Aminah Nieves as Teonna in ‘1923’ season 2 episode 7 (Photo Credit: Lauren Smith/ Paramount+)
Fossett is prepared to ignore the warrant for Teonna; they were sent to find Marshal Kent and Father Renaud, and they’ve succeeded. However, Marshal Fossett spots Teonna in the distance, and Teonna fires in their direction. The chase ends quickly as lawmen surround Teonna. Fossett tells her men not to shoot, but Deputy Peterson ignores her. He fires, and Teonna shoots and kills him.
Fossett holds Teonna at gunpoint, warning her not to reach for her gun. Teonna insists she won’t go to jail. She lists all the atrocities that have happened to her (the rapes and torture), and Fossett disarms her before asking if she killed anyone. Teonna confesses to killing the nuns who raped her, the man who murdered her cousin, and the priest who just killed her father. They tie her hands and take her away.
A judge brings Teonna into court a few days later. She’s charged with three murders in North Dakota, and the judge doesn’t understand why he’s seeing the case in Oklahoma. The judge is handed Kent and Renaud’s death certificates and learns Fossett will testify about them.
The prosecutor admits he has no witnesses linking Teonna to the nuns’ murders. The prosecutor requests the court dismiss the charges. The judge releases Teonna.
Teonna is speechless. She exits the court, feeling free yet uncertain about her next move. Marshal Fossett says they would appreciate it if she left. Fossett tells her she should head home, and Two Spears gives her a horse. Two Spears also gives her rifle and says it’s for deer (not humans).
She’s not sure where to go, and Two Spears suggests California. She decides west sounds good. Before riding off, Two Spears yells that she was right to fight back. She agrees but says it cost her everything.
Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton and Robert Patrick as Sheriff McDowell in ‘1923’ season 2 finale (Photo Credit: Trae Patton / Paramount+)
The Battle for Yellowstone Ranch Commences in the 1923 Season 2 Finale
Cowboys guard Yellowstone, with Cara (Helen Mirren) on the porch, shotgun in hand. Zane (Brian Geraghty) patrols and advises Cara to move inside, fearing for her safety. Cara’s figured out that Spencer should arrive home today, so she’s certain that Jacob and the rest of their men will be back as well.
Elizabeth (Michelle Randolph) is worried Jack never came home, and Cara is forced to tell her that Jack followed Jacob into town. Cara doesn’t mince words and says Jack made the wrong decision.
Livingston Train Station: Jacob (Harrison Ford) fills his coffee as Clyde (Brian Konowal) and Alec (Colt Brown) enter. Sheriff McDowell (Robert Patrick) informs Jacob that he hired those men last fall with Cara’s help and that one of them was a Chicago cop. Jacob appears to sense that something is off.
Meanwhile, Banner (Jerome Flynn) confesses to his wife that he is neither good nor bad; he is just fed up with being taken advantage of. Banner claims he would rather be working fishing boats than doing what he’s doing. He thinks Whitfield is genuinely evil, with a heart as black as coal. Whitfield derives pleasure from taking advantage of others. Tossing Whitfield’s dead prostitute into the “train station” was a bridge too far for Banner. He tells his wife to pack because they’re leaving town.
Stuck in the middle of nowhere, Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) sits in the back seat and shivers, nearly frozen. She screams in frustration and pain before looking through Hillary’s purse. After briefly looking outside, she removes Hillary’s gloves and puts them on her frostbitten hands. She also grabs Hillary’s blanket and then makes a run for it outside. She reaches Paul’s body and grabs his lighter and kerchief.
Alex cracks the windows a bit and lights a fire inside the car. She burns anything she can find just to get warm.
Whitfield’s prostitutes are in the shower, and the new recruit doesn’t speak when spoken to. They join Whitfield (Timothy Dalton) for breakfast as he whines about the local newspaper. He dislikes being in Montana and longs for London. Whitfield’s mood lightens when he announces that today his life in Montana will greatly improve. There’s a lot of disturbing sexual activity and torture, as always in Whitfield’s scenes, and I’m skipping past that except to say he burns the newcomer’s back with a scorching hot beverage.
As he’s focused on this deviant behavior, his men are driving toward the Livingston train station under instructions to just start killing. Jacob and McDowell stand outside with the cowboys, while Clyde and Alec lurk nearby. McDowell says Spencer should arrive at 2:20pm, and Jacob steps back inside with the passengers waiting to depart.
Jacob spots Banner and his family buying first-class sleeper car tickets. Shocked and angry, Jacob confronts Banner, accusing him of using his wife and son as camouflage. Banner confesses he’s leaving the state; he’s had enough. Jacob wonders if it’s just a coincidence he picked the day Spencer arrives, and Banner warns him Whitfield’s just the first of the men who’ll be after his land.
Banner leans in and says Whitfield will never let Spencer leave the station. Jacob threatens Banner, taunting him to try and leave with his family and suggesting he’ll never make it. He reminds Banner that he started this, and Banner appears genuinely upset. Banner asks Jacob to allow his family to leave, and Jacob agrees. Banner also confirms Whitfield’s men will be attacking the Yellowstone.
Banner returns to his family and places all their cash in his wife’s bag. He tells her to always keep it in sight. There will be chaos on the platform, and she needs to just walk straight onto the train and not look back.
On board the train, Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) passes time chatting with a young boy traveling with his mother. The boy asks about the lion’s tooth Spencer is holding and wants to make a trade. The boy will give Spencer his Revolutionary War knife for the lion’s tooth, and Spencer reveals he intended to give the tooth to his son one day. The mother asks Spencer to please disarm her son, and Spencer agrees, calling it a good trade.
Four carloads of Whitfield’s men stop on a hill above the Yellowstone and their occupants approach the big house by walking through the woods. Two of Jacob’s men are caught by surprise above the house, and one is immediately shot. The other runs.
Cara spots Jack’s horse unsaddled and alone in the yard.
Shots ring out as Whitfield’s army moves in on the house. Cara grabs a shotgun, and Zane tells her to get up high and give the men cover. Four additional carloads of men come through the gate as Dutton cowboys take up positions.
Brian Geraghty as Zane in ‘1923’ season 2 episode 7 (Photo Credit: Trae Patton / Paramount+)
Zane watches the cars approach and tells his men to shoot the drivers once they are close enough. He barks out orders on which car for each man to shoot. Men drop as the cowboys pick them off. It’s a furious gun battle. Zane tells Dennis and Randy to get to the roof and hold off the men. The other four cars pick up the men who made their way on foot and also head toward the big house.
Randy and Dennis take up positions on the roof. They’ve got the advantage of height, but Whitfield has the advantage of men.
Cara gets busy shooting the attackers. She’s got a scope, and she’s a fantastic shot, muttering about all the things she’s had to do for this ranch while killing Whitfield’s men. Cara, Dennis, and Randy are able to make the men retreat to their cars.
Over at the train station, Clyde and Alec (who killed Jack on the way to the station) stand watch along with Jacob’s men and the sheriffs. More men pull up outside, and it’s Whitfield’s people. The odds are not in Jacob’s favor.
Jacob walks outside and tells Sheriff McDowell that at least a dozen men have just walked inside. McDowell still believes he can end this without a gunfight, but Jacob knows that’s not the case. Whitfield’s men nod at Banner, and he returns their nods.
Back inside the frozen car, Alex is down to the very end of her supply of items to burn. She cries and then grabs Cara’s letters to Spencer that she’s kept until the last. She apologizes to Spencer and begins burning them one at a time.
Alex sobs and asks God if this is really his plan for them, to let her and Spencer know love and then rip it from them. “Drag me through hell to freeze here? Hours from him? What kind of God does that?”
Suddenly, she hears a train whistle and realizes the tracks must be right next to the road she’s on. She pours alcohol on the fire and on the back seat and steps outside. The car’s fully engulfed as she yells at the train to stop. Of course, it can’t hear her, but the engineer sees her and the burning vehicle. So does Spencer!
Brandon Sklenar as Spencer in ‘1923’ season 2 episode 7, the season finale (Photo Credit: Lauren Smith / Paramount+)
Spencer races through the train cars and leaps off the back. He doesn’t have a jacket, his rifle, or any of his possessions with him. He runs toward Alex, screaming her name, and it’s clear she thinks she’s hallucinating. When she realizes it’s really the love of her life, she runs to meet him. They wrap each other up in a hug, holding each other tight. Alex continues to cry and then slowly stops. She wonders why he’s there, and he says, “You sent smoke signals to my train.” She can’t believe he jumped off, and he admits he didn’t ask the train to stop. Alex is happy he’s joining her in this pickle.
Spencer lifts her and says the town is only three miles away. He’ll carry her. Spencer jokes about her weight, and only then does Alex tell him she’s pregnant.
As Spencer’s running, they realize the train’s stopped. He gets Alex on board, and a doctor who’s traveling on the train examines her. Her fingers are pitch black, as are her toes. The doctor demands warm water and towels and asks for the room to be cleared, other than Alex. He’s learned that if you get cold fast, you warm fast. If you get cold slowly, you warm slowly. They strip her of her frozen clothes and cover her in blankets. The shivers are good; it’s her body trying to warm her.
Her temperature is 94.2, which means she was minutes from death when Spencer rescued her. Spencer presses a towel soaked in warm water against her to warm her up. The doctor asks how many months, and Alex says six. He assures her that if there’s a way to protect the child, her body will find it. Alex brags to Spencer that her body is a miracle.
Julia Schlaepfer as Alexandra in season 2 episode 7 (Photo Credit: Lauren Smith / Paramount+)
The doctor leaves, and Alex confesses she never thought she’d see him again. Spencer assures her he would have come for her, and Alex makes jokes through her pain. The doctor returns and explains that he’s told the engineer to take them to Bozeman because the medical care there will be better. Spencer should absolutely not get off in Livingston.
Back at the ranch, Whitfield’s men have run away from the house to regroup. The cowboys climb onto the roof to get the advantage. Zane admits to Cara that he’s impressed with her skills, and she credits the scope with doing most of the work. They agree they need the clouds to clear so they can see the men approach. If it stays cloudy, then Whitfield’s thugs will be able to burn them out.
Alex’s temperature rises a little, and the feeling is coming back to her feet. It’s incredibly painful.
As the train approaches Livingston station, both sides prepare for battle. Banner tells his wife she’s got enough money in her bag to start over and gives her and their son a kiss. He steps outside, and so do Clyde and Alec. The tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife as the train slows.
Spencer looks out the window and sees the armed men. He knows it’s trouble. He also spots Jacob and Sheriff McDowell and notices that they’re armed. He picks up his handgun and leaves the room.
A shootout begins on the train’s platform, and men fall like flies. Banner stands by the train, pistol in hand, as his wife and son approach. Spencer gives them a hand and then glances at Banner. (He has no idea about Banner’s history.) Sheriff McDowell sustains a gunshot wound. Banner takes out one thug who’s about to kill Jacob, and Spencer takes out another. McDowell fires two bullets into Banner. Before Banner dies, Jacob confirms he’s a man of his word and will make sure Banner’s family gets to Portland.
Bodies are everywhere as the gunfight ends and Jacob boards the train.
The doctor looks outside at all the dead bodies, and there are injured men on the train, too. McDowell thinks he can walk, and Jacob is bleeding from the gut. Spencer and the doctor order the train to get to Bozeman and come back for the passengers. Spencer then tells Jacob he needs to get his wife to Bozeman, and Jacob admits he may not have a home by the time he returns.
Alex finally gets to meet a member of Spencer’s family, and she tells Jacob she understands Spencer needs to stay here and help save the ranch. Spencer’s conflicted; he doesn’t want to leave his pregnant wife, but his family needs him. He tells Alex he loves her and swears he’ll meet her in Bozeman.
Spencer takes McDowell’s gun since he’s staying on the train to get treatment in Bozeman.
Jacob’s also staying on the train to Bozeman, while Spencer and the men head to the ranch.
Elsa’s voiceover confirms that Alex fears she’ll never see Spencer again, but at least she got one last taste of his lips.
Whitfield’s men advance on the ranch while one uses a submachine gun to provide cover. They make it within 50’ of the front door as the battle intensifies.
Whitfield’s men shoot into the house, breaking every window. One makes it far enough to toss a flame into the house. Zane quickly covers the fire before it spreads. He then tries to hold off the attackers as they make their way inside.
More men pour in, and Elizabeth shoots a few with a double-barrel shotgun. Thanks to her help, all the men inside have been shot or fled. Zane yells at her for not heading to the basement or upstairs before admitting he’s glad she stayed in the living room.
As this is going on, Whitfield’s hosting a black-tie dinner with his investors, explaining the parks are about to become a playground for the rich. The parks will house restaurants, hotels, and resorts, all conveniently located in one area. And best of all, the nearest competition is 600 miles away. Whitfield claims he’s about to close the deal for the land, and they cheer him on.
Alex and the injured are loaded onto ambulances, and Jacob insists on accompanying Alex. It’s only five or six miles to the hospital, and she asks Jacob to make sure they’ve got enough gas. He confirms they do and admits he’s never heard a woman ask that question before. “Well, once bitten, twice shy, Jacob,” replies Alex.
The cowboys and Spencer have made it to the front gate when Spencer hears gunfire coming from the house. He has them turn off the headlights while they drive up the road.
Cara’s informed Whitfield’s men are right outside the house, and she takes aim at the man with the machine gun. As she’s looking through the scope, she sees the two sheriff cars pulling up without their lights. Spencer and the cowboys step out and Spencer takes aim. He shoots through the cars and takes out the machine gun.
Whitfield’s men make it back inside, but Spencer is right behind them. He walks into the house with pistols in both hands. He kills everyone inside and then pulls Cara in for a huge hug while one of the men who came with him sounds disappointed that he never got to fire a shot.
Spencer informs Cara that he has a wife and that she and Jacob are at the hospital. Elizabeth asks about Jack, but no one has seen him. He never arrived at the train station. Cara sends men out to find him.
Spencer asks about the person responsible for the attack, and Cara tells him about Whitfield. She explains he’s getting fat and throwing dinner parties for the men who want to carve this place to pieces.
Over at the Bozeman hospital, Jacob’s giving a doctor a hard time. The doctor is searching for the bullet that’s causing Jacob’s stomach to bleed, and Jacob snarls that it’s an old wound that opened up. He wasn’t shot again and just wants the doctor to sew it up.
Jacob hurries to Alex’s side and walks in as a doctor tells her they need to amputate her hands legs. The baby stands very little chance of surviving, but Alex delivers him and he’s tiny but alive! The doctor again insists Alex won’t live if they don’t amputate.
Alex demands the baby, and the doctor warns her not to become attached. His little lungs can’t support him. The baby cries, but the doctor is more concerned with prepping Alex for surgery. Alex continues to ask for her baby boy, and Jacob growls, “Give her the goddamn baby!” She places the baby at her nipple and cries while smiling. The lead doctor tells his fellow doctors that there’s no crueler thing than hope.
Alex refuses surgery and Jacob supports her decision. The doctor insists she’ll die and so will the baby if she doesn’t let them amputate. He’ll send in a priest, and she doesn’t want one of those either. Alex tells Jacob she’s going to name the baby John after Spencer’s brother. (This confirms Spencer is John Dutton III’s grandfather.)
Alex will not choose herself over her child. She believes she can’t raise a child with stubs for feet or clubs for hands. Alex confesses to Jacob that she thinks her conversations with Spencer are over. She refuses to allow anyone to have to care for her and a child and understands that she’s dying. Jacob cries as he assures her she’ll be able to tell Spencer herself.
The cowboys find Jack’s dead body.
Cara and Spencer arrive at the hospital, and Cara hugs Jacob while Spencer enters his wife’s room. She’s asleep, holding their son, with her legs and arms covered in bandages. She wakes up as Spencer sits on her bed and gently touches their baby’s head. She tells him they wanted to amputate her legs and hands and take their baby. She would not allow it.
Spencer cries as Alex says she’d never trade what they made, meaning their baby, for herself. She tells Alex to be patient with John because if he’s like her, he’ll be a terrible child.
Cara and Jacob sit outside the room, and Cara says she wishes she could have met Alex. One of her men walks in and she orders him to go get milk goats.
Cara peeks into Alex’s room and sees Alex, Spencer, and the baby in bed. She closes the door without disturbing them.
Spencer wakes up in the morning, and Alex has passed away during the night. Baby John is still alive. Spencer calls out for Cara, unsure of what to do now. He’s still in bed with his wife, and Cara assures him she knows what to do. She gently picks up the baby, and Spencer grabs his hat and guns. He tells Jacob they need to leave. “I want to meet the man who killed my wife,” says Spencer.
Spencer arrives at Whitfield’s place and knocks out the man standing at the door. Whitfield’s at the dinner table with his two prostitutes, and the newcomer has a black eye.
Spencer enters the dining room and immediately shoots Whitfield in the chest. Whitfield’s whore picks up a knife and Spencer shoots her. He allows the other one to leave. Whitfield’s still able to talk and reminds Jacob that he took an oath to uphold the law. How will he explain his murder? Jacob tells him he plans to make an example of him so that no one will come near his family for 50 years. Spencer shoots Whitfield in the gut and orders him to say Alex’s name. When he does, Spencer finishes him off. They set the house on fire and walk away.
Elsa’s voiceover informs us that there are more unmarked graves in Montana than marked. An eagle soars over the funeral of Jack and Alex.
Cara feeds baby John as Elizabeth takes in a deep breath before leaving to return home. Cara understands and believes another man will enter Elizabeth’s life at some point, and that will be fine. Elizabeth promises to write.
Cara returns her attention to the future of the ranch, baby John. Elizabeth says she’ll always love Jack, but Cara knows that’s not true. She’ll love his memory, but eventually it will be replaced by new memories. Cara, however, will always keep Jack alive in her heart.
Spencer and the cowboys saddle up to round up loose cattle. He invites Jacob, but Jacob would prefer to stay on the porch and stare at baby John while contemplating the meaning of life.
Jacob’s retiring and ready to stay by Cara’s side. Cara asks about Alex and Jacob says, “If a shooting star could talk, that’s what she was like, honey.” Cara laughs, and Jacob says, “Who would have thought there’d be two of them.”
Elsa tells us Spencer didn’t remarry but had another son with a widow. The widow left, and for Spencer, her memory didn’t fade.
Alexandra Dutton was born on April 1, 1901, and died on March 29, 1924. Spencer lay on her grave and died 45 years later.
Season two ends with Alex and Spencer reuniting in heaven, dressed in fine apparel and looking young and beautiful. She jokes that it took him long enough, and Spencer responds by pulling her in closer on the dance floor.
Eight hours in and the TRON: Ares trailer had been watched more than 3.3 million times. It appears there’s still an audience wanting to revisit the sci-fi world created by writer/director Steven Lisberger and co-writer Bonnie MacBird back in the early ’80s. The minute-and-a-half trailer debuted alongside an official poster for the third film of the franchise.
Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, and Jodie Turner-Smith star. The cast also includes Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, Gillian Anderson, and the original film’s star, Jeff Bridges.
“TRON: Ares follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings,” reads Disney’s synopsis.
TRON opened in July 1982 and grossed $50 million during its theatrical run. TRON: Legacy, directed by Joseph Kosinski, hit theaters in December 2010. Disney’s set an October 10, 2025 release date for TRON: Ares.
Joachim Rønning (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) directs, with Lisberger, Leto, Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver, Justin Springer, and Emma Ludbrook serving as producers. Russell Allen is an executive producer.
Things have gotten incredibly juicy on CBS’s Matlock, haven’t they? Episode 16 ended with the bombshell disclosure that Olympia has been busy piecing together clues about Matty. Episode 17 teases a showdown is in store. “I Was That, Too” episode 17 will air on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT.
The one-hour drama stars Kathy Bates as Madeline Matlock, Skye P. Marshall as Olympia, Jason Ritter as Julian, David Del Rio as Billy, and Leah Lewis as Sarah. Bates, Jennie Snyder Urman, Kat Coiro, Joanna Klein, and Eric Christian Olsen executive produce.
“I Was That, Too” Plot: A pregnant woman asks for Olympia’s help obtaining a divorce from her husband, whose family is a client of the firm. Hanelle Culpepper directed from a script by Sarah Gertrude Shapiro.
Matlock stars Emmy and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian who achieved success in her younger years and decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases. Matty is assigned to Olympia (Marshall), a senior attorney and key rainmaker with a thirst for justice, Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Ritter), the son of the head of the firm, is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills.
As Matty endeavors to establish herself in her new high-stakes world, she works alongside the firm’s younger associates—the charismatic Billy (Del Rio) and the uber-ambitious Sarah (Lewis).
Will ABC’s Doctor Odyssey episode 14 actually reveal the identity of the father? Fingers crossed that the truth is about to come out. Episode 14, “Hot Tub Week,” will air on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT.
Joshua Jackson (Fatal Attraction) plays Dr. Max Bankman, Phillipa Soo (Shining Girls) is Nurse Avery Morgan, Sean Teale (Little Voice) is Nurse Tristan Silva, and Don Johnson (Rebel Ridge) stars as Captain Robert Massey. Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz, and Joe Baken write and executive produce the first season.
“Hot Tub Week” Plot: Cheerleaders aboard The Odyssey bring nostalgia, but when Avery receives troubling news, Max and Tristan step in to support her. Meanwhile, Tristan explores sobriety while Captain Massey’s stress takes a physical toll.
Sean Teale, Phillipa Soo and Joshua Jackson in episode 14 (Disney/Tina Thorpe)
Doctor Odyssey Plot Description, Courtesy of ABC:
From the brilliant mind of Ryan Murphy comes the high-octane procedural Doctor Odyssey. Max (Jackson) is the new onboard doctor for a luxury cruise ship where the staff works hard and plays harder. It’s all hands on deck as Max and his small but mighty medical team navigate unique medical crises and each other miles from shore.
Joshua Jackson, Phillipa Soo and Sean Teale in episode 14 (Disney/Tina Thorpe)Joshua Jackson and Phillipa Soo in episode 14 (Disney/Tina Thorpe)Don Johnson in episode 14 (Disney/Tina Thorpe)Joshua Jackson in episode 14 (Disney/Tina Thorpe)
Marvel Studios’ behind-the-scenes Thunderbolts* featurette takes fans inside the action, including scenes of a free base dive off of Merdaka 118. “We’ve been getting to do a lot of our stunts,” says Sebastian Stan. “There’s that countdown of three, two, one, go. And then, you know, all hell breaks loose.”
Stan stars as Bucky Barnes, Florence Pugh plays Yelena Belova, David Harbour is Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell is John Walker, Olga Kurylenko is Taskmaster, Hannah John-Kamen plays Ghost, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus is Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Newbies to the MCU include Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, and Wendell Edward Pierce.
“In Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes—Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster, and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts,” reads Marvel’s synopsis. “Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?”
Jake Schreier (Beef) directs from a screenplay by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo. Kevin Feige produces, with Louis D’Esposito, Brian Chapek, and Jason Tamez executive producing.
Tickets go on sale on April 7, 2025 ahead of the film’s May 2nd release.
Station 19‘s Jay Hayden reprises his guest-starring role as Agent Tyler Booth on CBS’s FBI: International season four episode 17. Directed by Michael Katleman, “Dead Dead” will air on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT.
Jesse Lee Soffer stars as Supervisory Special Agent Wesley “Wes” Mitchell, Carter Redwood plays Special Agent Andre Raines, Vinessa Vidotto is Special Agent Cameron Vo, Eva-Jane Willis is Europol Agent Megan “Smitty” Garretson, and Christina Wolfe plays Special Agent Amanda Tate.
“Dead Dead” Plot: When a psychologist with national security intel goes missing on a hike in the Swiss Alps, the Fly Team works alongside a friendly face, Agent Tyler Booth (guest star Jay Hayden), to find him. Meanwhile, Mitchell receives unnerving news regarding his biological father.
FBI: International is the third iteration of the successful FBI brand that follows the elite operatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s International Fly Team. Headquartered in Budapest, they travel throughout Europe with the mission of tracking and neutralizing threats against American citizens wherever they may be, putting their lives on the line to protect the U.S. and its people. Newly embedded to the Fly Team is charming and rakish Supervisory Special Agent Wesley “Wes” Mitchell, whose impeccable instincts and unconventional tactics deepen his drive to stop at nothing to achieve justice.
Special Agent Andre Raines shines in the field and makes good use of his accounting background in tracking criminal enterprises’ moving money. Special Agent Cameron Vo, a competitive West Point grad, excels at interrogation and strategy, and Megan “Smitty” Garretson, a streetwise Europol agent with an extensive undercover background, uses her expertise to liaise with each host country they inhabit. Special Agent Amanda Tate, a confident and tech-savvy intel analyst, stays quick on her feet and remains calm in the midst of chaos. Always at the scene where American interests are at risk, FBI: International is a globe-trotting depiction of law enforcement overseas.
Cory Michael Smith, Steve Carell, Ramy Youssef, and Jason Schwartzman in ‘Mountainhead’ (Photograph by Fred Hayes/HBO)
Succession‘s Emmy-winning creator Jesse Armstrong continues his run on HBO with Mountainhead, which just unveiled its first three photos. The film, currently wrapping up production in Utah, is Armstrong’s feature directorial debut. Armstrong also wrote and served as executive producer.
“I’m intrigued to discover whether being around so many brilliant actors and directors on Succession has in any way rubbed off on me. Let’s hope so,” commented Armstrong. “I’m grateful to Casey Bloys, Francesca Orsi, and the whole HBO team for backing this film so wholeheartedly and helping me pull together a dream team of cast and crew.”
Cory Michael Smith, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, and Ramy Youssef (Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO)
Steve Carell stars as Randall, Jason Schwartzman is Souper (Hugo Van Yalk), Cory Michael Smith plays Venis, and Ramy Youssef is Jeff. Hadley Robinson is Hester, Andy Daly plays Casper, Ali Kinkade is Berry, Daniel Oreskes is Dr. Phipps, David Thompson is Leo, Amie MacKenzie is Janine, and Ava Kostia plays Paula.
“A group of billionaire friends get together against the backdrop of a rolling international crisis,” reads HBO’s synopsis. Frank Rich, Lucy Prebble, Jon Brown, Tony Roche, Will Tracy, Mark Mylod, and Jill Footlick executive produce.
“We’re ecstatic to be back in business with the singular talent Jesse Armstrong coming off our fruitful collaboration on Succession. Jesse once again raises the bar with a bold examination of modern greed, power, and male ambition,” stated Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films. “That this feature serves as his directorial debut will only elevate what is already thrilling on the page, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this timely film with the world soon.”
Mountainhead premieres on May 31, 2025 at 8pm ET/PT on HBO.
