Vampires have undergone an odd renaissance in the 21st century. They’ve always been somewhat romantic characters, but the teenage paranormal fiction craze has them falling in love and sparkling. As such, it takes a special movie to break the mold and not feel stale. Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person may just be that movie.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is about a reluctant young vampire named Sasha (Sara Montpetit) who is being pressured by her family to make her first kill and begin to feed for herself. While half-heartedly hunting, she comes across what she believes may be the solution to her problem – a lonely boy named Paul (Félix-Antione Bénard) with suicidal tendencies who is willing to die for her. But as their friendship blossoms, Paul realizes that he may not want to die as much as he thinks he does – and Sasha may not be as averse to killing as she thinks she is.
Directed by Ariane Louis-Seize from a script she wrote with Christine Doyon, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is less of a horror movie and more of a quirky little coming-of-age tale. Bloodshed and brutality are involved, but the movie is more about the main characters trying to avoid it rather than embrace it. And about how both Sasha and Paul are confused about their places in the world and how they fit in with their respective lives.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is a dark movie, both visually and narratively. Predictably, most of it takes place at night when vampires can roam free, so nearly every scene is draped in darkness and shadow. Sasha even has a wonderful plain-Jane goth look that would probably make people jokingly ask her if she was a vampire if she did wander out in the daytime. Paul’s dread is in his soul – he’s hopelessly unhappy with a bleak outlook on his life and future. He himself claims that he just doesn’t enjoy life. So, Sasha and Paul seem like a match made in heaven.
Despite this dark aesthetic, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is more humorous than it is scary. As is apparent from its title, there’s a black comedy edge to the movie. The awkwardness between Sasha and Paul is uncomfortably comedic, sort of like laughing at the situation they are in more than laughing at the characters themselves, who are, frankly, not funny at all. Sasha’s family, who are all more traditional vampires, are more comical, and while their bickering antics may not be trying to be funny, they are the clowns to Sasha’s straight man.
One of the brightest and most refreshing aspects of Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is how it sticks to vampire lore without leaning heavily on it. Sure, all of the tropes are there, from immortality (Sasha looks like a teenager, but is actually 68 years old) to avoiding sunlight (at one point, Sasha and her cousin have to hurry to dispose of a body before the sun comes up), but the movie doesn’t depend completely on these stereotypes to make its point. In fact, some of the tropes are treated with the film’s trademarked black humor, such as in one scene where Paul asks Sasha how she feels about crosses (“it’s more like an allergy”).
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person does for vampires what Warm Bodies did for zombies about ten years ago or so. It flips the script, turning the monsters into misunderstood heroes. And, while it’s hard to call it fun, it is an enjoyable movie, if only for the fact that it’s a creative and unique take on one of the oldest and most proven movie monsters. And we don’t mean creative in the sparkly sense, either.
Harry Collett and Tom Taylor in ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 episode 1 (Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO)
HBO’s House of the Dragon season two features brand new opening credits, with dragons squaring off, sparks flying, and Westeros turning red with flames and blood. Season two episode one finds the Seven Kingdoms in chaos as King Aegon II Targaryen attempts to gather support to fight off a challenge from King Viserys’ rightful heir, Queen Rhaenyra. Prince Daemon and Queen Rhaenyra also gather their forces while simultaneously mourning the tragic loss of Prince Lucerys.
And now on to the full spoiler-filled recap of the season two premiere, “A Son for a Son.”
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the new season’s first scene is either a flashback or flash-forward as a crow leads the way to Winterfell. It’s neither. Harry Collett, who plays Prince Jacaerys Velaryon, son of Queen Rhaenyra, has matured between seasons. That, and his new haircut, could cause momentary confusion. However, it’s quickly established that Jace is visiting Winterfell to seek the support of the Starks.
We all know the North never forgets. (Also, winter is coming.) Jace has a friendly visit with Lord Cregan Stark (Tom Taylor), reminding him of the oath sworn to King Viserys and his heir, Rhaenyra. War will soon tear apart the Seven Kingdoms, and Queen Rhaenyra needs House Stark on her side.
Although they never forget their oaths, Lord Cregan believes the North’s first duty is to guard the wall during the winter. Jace gets his first look at the vast world beyond the wall and is stunned into silence. “Do you think my ancestors built a 700-foot wall of ice to keep out snow and savages?” asks Stark. They built it to keep out death.
Stark is willing to send his “greybeards” to defend the throne. They are veterans of numerous battles but too old to hold a watch on the wall. Jace acknowledges that his mother will be grateful to have them join her fight against the usurpers.
A raven arrives with urgent news from Dragonstone, cutting their conversation short.
Matt Smith in season 2 of ‘House of the Dragon’ (Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO)
Death Rocks Dragonstone
Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) has only just dismounted Meleys (also known as the Red Queen) when Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) orders her to mount up. Rhaenys disregards his request, exhausted after patrolling hundreds of miles of sea holding the Gullet blockade. However, Daemon almost convinces her when he reveals he is heading to King’s Landing to kill Vhagar and its rider. He can’t do either without Meleys’ help. (Vhagar is the largest dragon in the realm.)
Daemon admits to devising the plan himself and is determined to avenge Prince Lucerys’ death by killing Prince Aemond Targaryen. Instead of being out seeking support from allies, he seeks revenge. Unfortunately, Queen Rhaenyra left after the news of Luke’s death and Daemon’s taken it upon himself to handle matters.
Rhaenys believes Rhaenyra is justified in taking time to search for her son’s remains. It is the only way she’ll be convinced that he’s dead. Daemon, never one to mince words, reminds Rhaenys that she could have ended all this by killing Queen Alicent and her sons when she had the opportunity. Rhaenys doesn’t bother to respond.
Daemon commands her to fly with him. She correctly points out that he’s not the king.
The port’s bustling as Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) carefully makes his way toward his ship. Lord Corlys suffered grave injuries in the battle for the Stepstones, and it also heavily damaged his ship. Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) reports seven ships were just launched to help fortify the blockade, but that’s inadequate given how much territory must be covered. Lord Corlys is determined to get back out to sea as quickly as possible.
Alyn hands Lord Corlys the knife that was commissioned for Prince Lucerys. It’s a beautiful weapon that, sadly, Lucerys will never get a chance to hold. Corlys thanks Alyn for saving his life by dragging him out of the sea and assures him he’s in his debt.
Our first glimpse of King’s Landing in season two shows Ser Arryk Cargyll (Luke Tittensor), the twin who remained loyal to the Hightowers, in charge of the watch as Vhagar arrives with Prince Aemond (Ewan Mitchell). Elsewhere in the castle, King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) collects his oldest son, Jaehaerys, for a meeting with the small council. While doing so, Queen Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) reveals she’s afraid of the rats. Aegon never takes any of Helaena’s bizarre statements seriously. It’s a mistake that will come back to haunt him once again.
Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) pleasures Queen Dowager Alicent (Olivia Cooke) before the small council meeting. She warns him, again, that they need to stop their sexual relationship. It’s obvious Criston knows he’ll be back in Alicent’s bed soon.
A ratcatcher makes his way through the castle as the small council assembles.
Prince Jaehaerys pesters Master of Coin Ser Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall) to the point where if he wasn’t royal blood, the child would find himself on the receiving end of a brutal spanking. Ser Otto Hightower, Hand of the King, reports the Vale and the North aren’t responding to their letters. On the bright side, the Stormlands will likely pledge their support and Oldtown is already on the march. They don’t expect trouble until they reach the Riverlands.
Alicent sent a letter to Queen Rhaenyra in an attempt to negotiate terms and avert war. Rhaenyra hasn’t replied and Grand Maester Orwyle (Kurt Egyiawan) believes war is inevitable. The blockade is already impacting King’s Landing, and Ser Otto (Rhys Ifans) points out there’s no longer an element of surprise working in their favor.
The only way to break Lord Corlys Velaryon’s blockade is to bolster the Lannister and Hightower navies. Grand Maester Orwyle suggests that they name Lord Dalton Greyjoy the new Master of Ships.
Aemond arrives at the small council at King Aegon’s request. Aemond, their best fighter, is good at strategizing and believes Harrenhal is crucial to making it through the Riverlands. Aegon is horrible at strategizing and prefers to just wipe out the Riverlords with Vhagar and Sunfyre, if they refuse to bend the knee. Alicent advises caution. Aegon disagrees. Lord Tully will join them or burn.
Alicent and Criston Cole combine forces to convince Aegon that Vhagar needs to remain at King’s Landing to prevent Rhaenyra from attacking. Alicent pointedly looks at Aemond as she reminds them Rhaenyra will want revenge for the death of her son.
King Aegon reacts to Ser Otto’s request for patience and restraint with a frustrated sigh. They’re still gathering supporters and Aegon needs to wait for their replies.
Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) approaches Alicent after the meeting and reveals that he found all the traitors among her staff and disposed of them. He personally chose her new staff.
Fishermen are busy grabbing what they can from the remains of Luke’s dragon, Arrax, as Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) briefly watches from a nearby hill. She sends them scurrying away by landing Syrax next to Arrax’s dead body. She drops to her knees and gently touches the remains. Rhaenyra sobs as she finds Luke’s cloak caught up in a fisherman’s net. Syrax lets out a mournful wail, matching his rider’s sobs.
Tom Glynn-Carney in ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 episode 1 (Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO)
King Aegon arrives to hear petitions from the citizens, and for the first time, we hear his full title announced out loud. “Aegon the Magnanimous, Second of His Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar, and the First Men. Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.”
Even Aegon’s surprised by the “magnanimous” title.
Just one petition in and Aegon quickly realizes he’s going to hate this part of being a king. Every action he takes is met with a correction by Ser Otto. Aegon has no grasp of politics and apparently no desire to learn. He was also unaware that everything he says and does will be known to all in the kingdom.
Hugh (Kieran Bow) stands before King Aegon and speaks for the smiths. Their work is vital to the realm, but they haven’t been paid. Iron costs are increasing, and they are struggling to purchase the materials needed to forge scorpions and other weapons. King Aegon acknowledges the importance of the smallfolk in his victory and confirms the smiths will be paid well. It’s not the answer Ser Otto wanted him to deliver, but King Aegon ignores his Hand and wins this round.
Lord Larys is, as always, lurking nearby, and after the session ends, he grabs a quick moment with King Aegon. Larys sows the seeds of distrust, wondering if Ser Otto is working in the king’s best interest. After all, Ser Otto was Aegon’s father’s hand. That doesn’t mean he needs to continue in the role. Aegon won’t be able to set himself apart from his father if he continues to take advice from Otto.
Alicent demands that her father stop attempting to cut off her influence over Aegon. She wants a peaceful solution and it’s obvious Otto seeks power – for himself and his family – no matter the cost. Otto acknowledges things haven’t gone as he planned following Viserys’ death. Alicent expresses concern about her sons, and Otto claims Aemond is loyal and wishes only to please his mother. Alicent asks her father, again, to stop undermining her with her sons.
Otto believes the only path to victory is violence. Alicent agrees … but not wanton violence.
Lord Corlys Velaryon’s men board a ship and find Mysaria, aka the White Worm, hiding on board. She’s brought to Daemon and he demands to know how long she sold secrets to Otto Hightower. Her answer angers Daemon and he insists she’s responsible for putting Aegon on the throne.
“My arrangement with the Hand was purely transactional. I held no loyalty to him,” says Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) who, thankfully, no longer speaks in the bizarre accent from season one. Really, what was that anyway? Such a weird choice. She insists she knows nothing helpful about Otto’s plans.
Daemon orders Ser Erryk Cargyll (Elliott Tittensor) to take Mysaria to the cells and treat her as a traitor. Erryk resists and takes Mysaria’s side. (Huge mistake.) Daemon, as usual, lashes out and insists Erryk is also a traitor. Erryk stands his ground and reminds Daemon he abandoned the King’s Guard to pledge his support to Rhaenyra. Daemon has nothing to say when Erryk points out that he swore an oath to the Royal family and didn’t know what to do when they turned against each other.
Harry Collett, Emma D’Arcy, and Oscar Eskinazi in ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 (Photograph by Theo Whitman/HBO)
Queen Rhaenyra, The First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, returns to Dragonstone. She found what she needed and is ready to address her council. Daemon’s ready to fly to Harrenhal and Princess Rhaenys reports Ser Corlys’ blockade of the Gullet is cutting off King’s Landing. Rhaenyra listens and coldly replies, “I want Aemond Targaryen.”
She exits the meeting without any further comment. You can almost see the wheels turning in Daemon’s head as he watches her leave.
Daemon visits Mysaria in her cell and cuts a deal. He’ll set her free if she provides the information he needs.
Prince Jacaerys has returned from Winterfell and joins his mother in her chambers. Voice shaking, he does his best to maintain a professional manner as he reports Lady Jeyne Arryn has pledged the Vale’s support in exchange for a dragon to stand guard. Jace makes it through that okay, but his voice cracks and his eyes fill with tears as he confirms Lord Cregan Stark has pledged 2,000 men. Rhaenyra rises from her seat and Jace collapses into her arms, sobbing. They hold each other tight in shared sorrow.
Later, the family attends Luke’s funeral. Rhaenyra lights the funeral pyre, burning the only piece of clothing she recovered. Jace and his younger brother also place items in the fire in remembrance of their beloved brother.
Simultaneously, Alicent lights a candle for her mother, Alyrie Florent, and Viserys Targaryen. Her final candle is for Lucerys Velaryon.
The flames of the funeral pyre pale in comparison to the fire burning in Rhaenyra’s eyes as she says goodbye to Luke.
Daemon makes his way to King’s Landing in the dead of night. He pays off a member of the King’s Guard who the White Worm told him hated the Hightowers. The guard smuggles him in to see one of Aegon’s ratcatchers. Daemon is willing to pay off the man’s debts, and the ratcatcher confirms he knows the way around the Red Keep and Maegor’s tunnels. Daemon introduces him to the guard and orders them to slay Aemond, the prince with silver hair and one eye. Both men agree.
Elsewhere, Aemond and Criston are plotting how to bring the war to an end quickly. Aemond’s anxious to stop wasting time waiting for their allies to gather. He’d rather use Vhagar to vanquish their enemies, while Criston leads the army on the ground. They continue to plot, and Criston believes they should get Aegon to secretly agree to their plan.
However, Aemond doesn’t think Aegon will agree. Alicent and Otto have Aegon’s ear, and they’re advising caution. Aemond thinks his mom blames him for the war, even though she actively plotted to usurp Rhaenyra’s throne. Criston defends his secret lover and blames Rhaenyra for drawing Alicent into her web.
“She holds love for our enemy. That makes her a fool,” declares Aemond.
A short while later, Otto advises Aemond not to act on his own without Aegon’s consent. Otto thinks Aemond doesn’t see the whole chessboard and needs to keep his impulses reined in.
Fabien Frankel and Ewan Mitchell in ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 (Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO)
Queen Helaena’s Prophesy Comes True
The guard and ratcatcher make their way through the tunnels and even pass by King Aegon holding court on the Iron Throne with his friends. Aegon and his compadres are busy coming up with a new nickname to replace Magnanimous and don’t acknowledge either the ratcatcher or the guard as they walk by, eyes on the floor.
The guard and ratcatcher have a brief argument about the route to King Aegon’s chambers. After a heated exchange, they arrive on the floor where the royals maintain bedrooms. The guard steals a few items from a room and orders the ratcatcher to set a trap as cover. He also reminds the ratcatcher that Daemon won’t pay them unless they return with Aemond’s severed head.
The guard is seen by a maid and quickly leaves a trap before catching up with the ratter holding Queen Helaena at knifepoint. The assassins have made a disastrous mistake. They were meant to kill Alicent’s son Aemond and instead are targeting Aegon and Helaena’s children asleep in nearby beds. It’s impossible to tell the children’s sexes so they force Helaena to point to her son. Helaena considers her response for a minute and then points to a child.
The guard assumes she wouldn’t point to the king’s heir, but something in her eyes makes the ratcatcher believe she’s telling the truth. The gruesome murder is heard but the actual decapitation takes place off-screen as Helaena flees with her daughter.
She runs through the halls but doesn’t cry out for help. Helaena pushes open the door to Alicent’s room, catching Alicent and Criston having sex. Alicent is shocked and asks what’s happening. Helaena replies, “They killed the boy.”
Steve Toussaint and Eve Best in ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 (Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO)
If Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen is going to win the battle for the Iron Throne, she’s going to need the full support of Lord Corlys Velaryon and Princess Rhaenys Targaryen. Fortunately for those rooting for Team Black, as HBO’s House of the Dragon season two begins, the Sea Snake and The Queen Who Never Was have fully committed to toppling the usurper, King Aegon II Targaryen, from the Iron Throne.
Leading up to the show’s season two premiere, Steve Toussaint (Lord Corlys), Eve Best (Princess Rhaenys), and Bethany Antonia (Lady Baela Targaryen) participated in a lengthy press conference hosted by HBO. During the Q&A, Toussaint, Best, and Antonia discussed their characters, dragon riding, and the importance of representation in large-scale productions like House of the Dragon.
Season two premieres on Sunday, June 16, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT.
On choosing not to read the book to learn his character’s fate:
Steve Toussaint: “We were given the book. I chose not to look at the book at all not because of spoilers, but simply because they are two different mediums. Do you know what I mean? What happens is you read the book and you go, ‘Oh my god, my character does this. It’s fantastic.’ And then Ryan [Condal] goes, ‘No, he’s not going to do that.’ And you go, ‘But in the book…’ So, I didn’t want to fall in love with what was on the page.
Every so often, fans will tell me, and I’m like, ‘Well, that doesn’t guarantee anything.’ Because he’s devious. We might not always stick to the book. For me, I felt it to be better to just play what was in the script rather than what I would have read anywhere else.”
On the experience of riding House of the Dragon dragons:
Eve Best: “I was never off my dragon. It’s just exactly like riding a dragon in real life. It’s desperately uncomfortable in armor and I kept shouting, ‘Bring me more cushions! Bring me more padding! I need more padding!’ You’re just so uncomfortable and you’re in this kind of position with your legs up under your feet. You’re wearing this kind of tin can and they were rocking you.
[…] It was horrendous … no, it wasn’t horrendous. It was amazing. I loved every second of it. Can’t wait to do more. I felt rather proud of myself that I came off it alive.”
Bethany Antonia: “The bit that I found the most exciting was that you get to see what they’ve animated already before you get on the dragon. So, you get to see what it’s going to look like. Obviously, like the cartoon version of yours. And then you get on and it’s like a bucking bronco, and it’s so cool.
What made me laugh was that it always comes down to a guy with a wind machine. Like, no matter how much budget you have, how much CGI, there’s always going to be a guy with a wind machine and you’re going to be upside down. It was just the most fun. But I loved the days on the buck. Yeah.”
On special challenges faced while filming season two:
Eve Best: “I think it was sad that we weren’t all together so much as we had been in season one. It wasn’t sad like crying into a pillow every night sad, but it was nice that feeling of camaraderie in the face of awful s**t that was going on. It was very nice to feel that we were all coming together. And this season we were all separated and going through [things].
(Referring to Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy) I mean, you have talked a bunch about chinks in your relationship. The same was going on with us in a different context, but that was because he had always been Rhaenys’ absolute rock and now it starts to sort of crumble a little bit, starts to crumble a lot. And that was a big challenge for me.”
Steve Toussaint: “I feel with Corlys there are only two places where he is completely comfortable and himself. One is at sea and the other is alone with his wife. That’s the time when you see him truly not having to … when he’s in the small council, he has to put on a front, and he feels he’s better than everybody there. But in those two situations, he’s completely honest. She is his rock. And in season two, things that he did in the past come [back]. He has to confront them, and he has to deal with them. And they put this sacred relationship under strain for him.
I think, for the first time, he’s aware that he could possibly lose this precious thing, his wife. So, it was an interesting journey.”
On music that puts them in the House of the Dragon mindset:
Steve Toussaint: “Well, I was going to say, actually, for me it depends on the scene. There’s no one song that would make me feel like Corlys. But if I’m doing an emotional scene with Eve, then I might look for a sad love song or something. Well, when I say sad, something deep, possibly. But I don’t think I have a theme, particularly.”
Eve Best: “I made a whole playlist this season. But it always started with my power, Beyonce, I Need Ya, which is a really good way to start the day.”
On their characters’ astrological signs:
Bethany Antonia: “I didn’t choose a star sign for Baela, but I wish I had, and maybe I’ll think about that and I’ll decide on one.”
Eve Best: “Well, I would say Scorpio men, chaos. Scorpio women, mother. All the greatest mother figures in my life have been Scorpio. And I feel like that’s an energy that Rhaenys certainly feels like she carries in this season, especially, just holding everybody in all the chaos.”
Steve Toussaint: “I hadn’t either, but the minute you said it, I thought, ‘Well, he’s definitely a fire sign.’ And then I thought, ‘Well, he’s Aries,’ which happens to be what I am. But it makes sense.
But to hear Eve say Scorpio makes so much sense, because I once was in a relationship with a Scorpio. But that surfeit …, is that the right word …excessive passion is evident with this couple, I think. So, it makes sense.”
Bethany Antonia and Harry Collett in ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 (Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO)
On the incredibly strong female characters in this complex world:
Bethany Antonia: “I think that we get to see the women really step up to the plate in this season, and we’ve seen that all the way through. But now, specifically, in a time of such crisis and such war, we see them being the decision-makers. And I think for Baela, she’s taken so many of her influences from Rhaenys because she spent such a long time with her, and that’s where she grew up, really, when [Corlys] was away off at sea. She spent all of her time at Driftmark with Rhaenys and that’s the figurehead that she kind of aspires to be and has learned to behave from. So, I think she takes all of her influences from her.”
On the importance of representation with key House of the Dragon characters:
Bethany Antonia: “It was so important to me to be in a franchise of this scale, because I didn’t get to see that when I was younger. And not that only young people watch these kinds of shows, not at all, but when you’re that age, that’s when you start to develop what your dreams are going to be and what your aspirations are going to be. And if you don’t see it, you can’t believe it.
I really wanted to be in something like this, so that there were people who had somebody to dress up like. And I know that might sound really basic, but those are the things that you get to enjoy when you’re in these kinds of fandoms. It’s one privilege that we just didn’t have. We didn’t have anybody to dress up like. We didn’t, and it’s like a bit of joy that you get to do when you go to these conventions and things. And so even if just for that, if one person gets to see it and go, ‘Wow, that’s somebody who is like me,’ it was worth it.”
Steve Toussaint: “Absolutely, I would second that. I think people, if you’re used to being represented, representation doesn’t mean as much because you’re used to it. When I was a kid in the dark ages and there would be science fiction programs and there were very few, if any, people who looked like me, looked like us, me and my friends used to joke about it. This is set in the future and we’re not there. What are they going do to us?
But I can’t tell you the amount of people who have contacted me – and not just people of color – who have contacted me through social media or through letters and said how pleased they are to see this representation in this world. Because exactly what Bethany said, it is important for you to feel like you are something, that you are part of it, that you have a contribution to make.
And so I think it’s vital. And, certainly, I think some of you may be aware that there was some negative response when I was first announced, I have since then had people sort of go, ‘Yeah, I was a bit dubious about you, but actually you did a great job and well done.’ But I think we are living in a world in which everybody is here. And I think everybody has a right to be represented, people of different races, people of different genders, people of gender identity, and so forth. That is the world I think we should be striving for.
There are voices out there that would argue against that. But I think those of us who want to see that world, I think history is on our side.”
Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Phaedra Parks, Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, Mercedes “MJ” and Trishelle Cannatella Javid from ‘The Traitors’ at the ‘Sixth Annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ (Photo by Phillip Faraone / Getty Images for Critics Choice Association)
The Traitors ruled the sixth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards, taking home four awards, including Best Competition Series and Best Show Host (Alan Cumming). Cumming was also named Male Star of the Year and the cast was recognized with the Best Ensemble Cast award during the ceremony held on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
The Critics Choice Real TV Awards was created to recognize the best in nonfiction, unscripted, and reality programming. This year’s gala was held at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles and hosted by Randy Sklar and Jason Sklar.
In addition to the competitive awards, John Walsh was honored with the Career Achievement Award, and Tom Bergeron received the inaugural Sam Rubin Award.
SIXTH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE REAL TV AWARDS NOMINEES AND WINNERS
BEST COMPETITION SERIES
The Amazing Race (CBS)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV)
Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix)
Survivor (CBS)
Top Chef (Bravo) WINNER: The Traitors (Peacock)
BEST COMPETITION SERIES: TALENT/VARIETY
American Idol (ABC)
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
The Masked Singer (Fox)
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox) WINNER:The Voice (NBC)
BEST UNSTRUCTURED SERIES
Animals Up Close with Bertie Gregory (Nat Geo WILD)
Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show (HBO)
Love on the Spectrum (Netflix)
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (Bravo) WINNER:The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy (Apple TV+)
Why Not Us (ESPN+)
BEST STRUCTURED SERIES
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food Network)
The Food That Built America (History)
How to With John Wilson (HBO)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
Shark Tank (ABC) WINNER: We’re Here (HBO)
BEST CULINARY SHOW
Be My Guest with Ina Garten (Food Network)
The Great British Baking Show (Netflix)
MasterChef Junior (Fox)
Next Level Chef (Fox)
Selena + Restaurant (Food Network) WINNER: Top Chef (Bravo)
BEST GAME SHOW
Celebrity Family Feud (ABC) WINNER: Celebrity Jeopardy! (ABC)
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (ABC)
Guy’s Grocery Games (Food Network)
Password (NBC)
Weakest Link (NBC)
BEST TRAVEL/ADVENTURE SHOW
The Great Food Truck Race (Food Network)
Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin (National Geographic Channel)
Never Say Never with Jeff Jenkins (National Geographic Channel)
On the Roam (HBO | Max) WINNER: The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy (Apple TV+)
Somebody Feed Phil (Netflix)
BEST BUSINESS SHOW
Bar Rescue (Paramount Network)
Kitchen Nightmares (Fox)
The Mega-Brands that Built America (History) WINNER: Shark Tank (ABC)
Start Up (PBS)
BEST ANIMAL/NATURE SHOW
Critter Fixers: Country Vets (National Geographic Channel)
Earthsounds (Apple TV+)
Life on Our Planet (Netflix) WINNER: Planet Earth III (BBC America)
Queens (National Geographic Channel)
The Wizard of Paws (BYUtv)
BEST CRIME/JUSTICE SHOW
Cold Justice (Oxygen) The Curious Case of Natalia Grace (Investigation Discovery / Max)
Death in the Dorms (Hulu)
Justice, USA (HBO | Max) WINNER: Trafficked: Underworlds with Mariana van Zeller (National Geographic Channel)
Unlocked: A Jail Experiment (Netflix)
BEST SPORTS SHOW
30 for 30 (ESPN)
The Dynasty: New England Patriots (Apple TV+)
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO | Max)
Quarterback (Netflix)
Untold (Netflix) WINNER:Welcome to Wrexham (FX)
BEST RELATIONSHIP SHOW
Farmer Wants a Wife (Fox) WINNER:The Golden Bachelor (ABC)
Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show (HBO)
Love is Blind (Netflix)
Love on the Spectrum (Netflix)
Swiping America (Max)
BEST LIFESTYLE SHOW: HOME/GARDEN
Celebrity IOU (HGTV)
Farmhouse Fixer (HGTV)
Home Town (HGTV) WINNER: Selling Sunset (Netflix)
Ugliest House in America (HGTV)
Windy City Rehab (HGTV)
BEST LIMITED SERIES
American Nightmare (Netflix) WINNER: Beckham (Netflix)
Black Twitter: A People’s History (Hulu)
JFK: One Day in America (National Geographic Channel)
Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop (Netflix)
Telemarketers (HBO | Max)
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST IN AN UNSCRIPTED SERIES
House of Villains (E!)
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (Bravo)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV) WINNER: The Traitors (Peacock)
Vanderpump Rules (Bravo)
We’re Here (HBO)
BEST SHOW HOST
Will Arnett – Lego Masters (Fox)
Terry Crews – America’s Got Talent (NBC) WINNER: Alan Cumming – The Traitors (Peacock)
Kristen Kish – Top Chef (Bravo)
Keke Palmer – Password (NBC)
RuPaul – RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV)
MALE STAR OF THE YEAR
Jerrod Carmichael – Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show (HBO) WINNER: Alan Cumming – The Traitors (Peacock)
Bertie Gregory – Animals Up Close with Bertie Gregory (Nat Geo WILD)
Eugene Levy – The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy (Apple TV+)
RuPaul – RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV)
Gerry Turner – The Golden Bachelor (ABC)
FEMALE STAR OF THE YEAR
Selena Gomez – Selena + Restaurant (Food Network)
Sandra Lee – Dr. Pimple Popper (TLC) WINNER: Ariana Madix – Vanderpump Rules (Bravo)
Reba McEntire – The Voice (NBC)
Phaedra Parks – The Traitors (Peacock)
Retta – Ugliest House in America (HGTV)
Taylor Handley as Kyle, Jeremy Renner as Mike, and Hugh Dillon as Ian in ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ season 3 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Dennis P. Mong Jr./Paramount+)
Paramount+’s Mayor of Kingstown season three episode three provides the answer to what happened to Tatiana’s baby – and it’s absolutely horrifying. Apparently, new Russian mob boss Konstantin Noskov is even more heartless than Milo. After shooting Tatiana in the back, his thugs dumped her body and her very much alive baby into a dumpster. Fortunately, an unhoused man heard the baby crying and rescued the child before the rats could kill him.
Mike (Jeremy Renner) arrives at the scene and Ian (Hugh Dillon) fills him in on Tatiana’s execution. Understandably, new dad Kyle (Taylor Handley) is having a rough time dealing with the scene and Ian suggests that he leave. Stevie (Derek Webster) confirms two of Milo’s men were also just discovered dead the previous evening. Konstantin has been very busy cleaning house.
Mike ignores Bunny’s call as he’s driving. All he wants to deal with right now is Konstantin.
Mike barges into the club and takes out two of Konstantin’s men with just his hands before being surrounded by his other thugs. Mike expresses his disgust over tossing a baby in the garbage and demands to know who’s next on Konstantin’s hit list. Konstantin quickly figures out who Mike is without Mike having to introduce himself.
Konstantin calls Mike an animal, and Mike warns him not to kill anyone else – or else. Sirens are heard coming closer, and Konstantin ends his first face-to-face with Mike rather quickly.
Before he leaves, Mike tosses out, “Welcome to Kingstown.”
Ian and the cops pull up outside, and Ian’s upset Mike confronted Konstantin. The new Russian is untouchable, according to Ian, but Mike doesn’t care. If Ian doesn’t do something, then he will.
Things are tense in the prison yard as Raphael (D Smoke) tries to strike a deal with the Columbians. Raph believes their partnership is crucial right now since the Aryan Brotherhood is coming after both gangs. Raphael drops Bunny’s name and promises Bunny will look after them.
AB biggie Merle Callahan is called into Warden Kareem Moore’s office for their first meeting since Callahan was transferred from Millhaven to Anchor Bay. Callahan had it good at Millhaven, but Kareem (Michael Beach) can’t get him to reveal why he requested the transfer. Callahan claims he had nothing to do with Gunner’s death, but Kareem wasn’t born yesterday. (Gunner was the head of the AB who was murdered in episode two.) Kareem advises Callahan, the new AB leader, to stay in line and not cause problems or he’ll regret coming back to Anchor Bay.
Raph is the target of an attack, with the AB putting out a hit on him. He barely manages to get away with just a slash on the arm and no other noticeable injuries. Bunny (Tobi Bamtefa) shows up outside Mike’s office – which he’s not supposed to do – to fill him in on the attack. He confirms Raph struck a deal with the Columbians. Mike thinks the AB won’t go after Raph again but promises to have the guards keep an eye out.
Mike is stunned to learn Gunner’s dead at the hands of the AB, and there’s a new AB leader. No one told him about Gunner’s death, just like no one bothered to tell him about Konstantin being the new Russian boss. (Mike’s really out of the loop this season!) Bunny mentions the new guy transferred from Millhaven, and that appears to ring a bell with Mike.
Meanwhile, Iris remains in a holding cell.
Kyle’s on the range shooting when Mike calls to find out if they’ve found their mom’s car. Kyle hasn’t but will continue to track it down.
Jeremy Renner as Mike McLusky and Hugh Dillon as Ian in ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ season 3 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Dennis P. Mong Jr./Paramount+)
Mike joins Ian to look at Anchor Bay security footage of Theresa’s murder. Bunny’s mule was killed in her car, and all they can see on the footage is that whoever did it is white. That means the killer was either AB or with the Russians.
Kareem interrupts the viewing, upset Ian brought Mike into his prison. Kareem points out Mike isn’t DOJ or KPD and has no business being part of a murder investigation. Mike claims they’re on the same side and as he’s leaving, he pulls Kareem aside for a quick chat about Merle Callahan. Kareem refuses to work with Mike anymore. He’s going to run the prison his way and doesn’t need to pass info on to Mike.
Kareem points out that Mike is not just a civilian but also an ex-con. Nothing that happens inside the prison should concern him, but Mike begs to differ, reminding Kareem that everything inside the walls affects life on the outside.
“I’m not going to risk my career to help you play fixer,” says Kareem. Mike is surprisingly understanding but suggests Kareem can’t fight him on every little thing. They both admit they know why Callahan’s back and Kareem agrees to segregate him.
Merle meets with a female employee of Konstantin Noskov’s who hands over Konstantin’s cell phone number. She claims Konstantin wants to help now that the AB’s numbers are dwindling, and the two move to an area where the guards aren’t watching.
Kyle tells Mike their mom’s car was impounded after Iris assaulted an officer and resisted arrest. She doesn’t have ID, won’t give her prints, and is still being held. Mike confirms he’s heading to the police station to take care of the situation.
Unfortunately, Mike immediately picks up a tail but manages to ditch it in an alley. Mike leaves his car door open as his pursuer approaches, gun drawn. The man realizes Mike’s not in the car and Mike gets the jump on him from a nearby doorway. They struggle and Mike loses his gun. Somehow his attacker now has a knife instead of a gun and they engage in a life-or-death struggle over the weapon. Mike gets the upper hand and stabs the guy in his chest.
He searches the body and discovers a Russian tattoo. Mike finds the man’s cell phone and calls the most recent number, confirming he’s one of Konstantin’s guys.
Asst DA Evelyn Foley (Necar Zadegan) meets with Captain Walter (Rob Kirland) who’s been refusing to return her call. She claims there are now multiple lawsuits against Robert Sawyer and the department, but Walter doesn’t see anything wrong with what Robert did during the Aryan Brotherhood compound raid.
Mike also arrives at the station and tells Ian the Russians just tried to take him out. Ian threatens to take out all the Russians in response, but Mike says there’s too much going on right now. It’s not the time for that sort of action. Mike doesn’t want the crime scene cleaned up. He needs to leave a message for Konstantin, although Ian notes that the Russians kill without caring who knows.
Emma Laird as Iris and Jeremy Renner as Mike McLusky in ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ season 3 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Dennis P. Mong Jr./Paramount+)
Iris doesn’t seem overjoyed to see Mike. She admits she thought she could get herself out of the situation, and Mike tells her to just give her prints and she’ll be on her way. She claims she can’t.
Evelyn’s angry after her contentious meeting with Walter, and Mike meets up with her upside. He asks her to stop investigating Robert and to be smart. She’s alienating too many people. Evelyn refuses to drop it, still upset that Robert killed the one guy – Morrisey – who wanted to do the right thing and turn in dirty cops. If she crosses a line, Mike won’t be able to protect her anymore.
“If I die, I die doing the right thing,” replies Evelyn.
Ian promises Iris that if she gives her prints, he’ll get rid of whatever comes up. Iris doesn’t trust him until Ian confesses he was up on the hill watching over her and Mike the night everything went down with Milo. Ian insists he’s on her side and wants to help.
Whatever is uncovered once Iris agrees to prints remains a secret. Ian scans the report, sees what she didn’t want anyone to know, and assures her it will never see the light of day. He even promised not to tell Mike what’s in the report. Iris thanks him and even answers a few questions about Tatiana’s murder. She sees a photo of Konstantin in the file and says he would definitely want to hurt Tatiana.
As Mike’s driving her home, Iris reveals she knows Konstantin from New York. She dated a judge while Konstantin was charged with murder. She helped make the charge go away, and Mike thinks that means Konstantin owes her. Iris never slept with Konstantin, explaining she’s not his type. Mike insists Iris doesn’t have to be anyone’s type anymore. He also confesses he was hoping she’d be able to leave the city and be happy somewhere else.
Mike heads to the club and for his second confrontation with Konstantin. The new Russian boss admits he underestimated Mike. Konstantin had assumed Mike and Kyle were pimps like Milo, but now he understands that Mike’s a different animal entirely. Mike explains that he’s the guy Konstantin needs to work with if he wants to operate in this town.
Ian, Stevie, and another officer are chatting as they’re leaving the station for the night. Suddenly, cars in the parking lot begin exploding. They take shelter as bombs go off under half a dozen vehicles.
Poor Andy never catches a break, does he? Paramount+’s Evil season four episode four found Andy on the verge of killing his daughter Laura while his mind was controlled by Leland. At the last second, Andy was able to wrestle control over his actions long enough to inject himself instead. Repercussions of the events in the final minutes of episode four will most likely have an impact on the remaining season four episodes.
Up next, episode five – “How to Fly an Airplane” – streaming on Thursday, June 20, 2024.
Season four stars Katja Herbers as Kristen Bouchard, Mike Colter as David Acosta, Aasif Mandvi as Ben Shakir, Michael Emerson as Leland Townsend, and Christine Lahti as Sheryl. Andrea Martin stars as Sister Andrea, Kurt Fuller is Dr. Boggs, Brooklyn Shuck is Lynn Bouchard, Skylar Gray is Lila Bouchard, Maddy Crocco is Lexis Bouchard, Patrick Brammall is Andy Bouchard, and Dalya Knapp plays Laura Bouchard.
“How To Fly An Airplane” Plot: Kristen, David, and Ben travel to the Vatican with a possible relic from Jesus’ cross. Back in New York, the Bouchard girls face increasingly strange and sinister incidents in the house.
Katja Herbers as Kristen Bouchard, Aasif Mandvi as Ben Shakir and Mike Colter as David Acosta in ‘Evil’ season 4 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Elizabeth Fisher/Paramount+)
The Evil Plot, Courtesy of Paramount+
In the new season of Evil, Kristen, David and Ben continue to assess cases that involve wayward technology, possessed pigs, demonic oppression and infestation, a dance muse conjured by alleged witches and an evil relic. Throughout, Leland attempts to lure Kristen into raising a baby antichrist who was conceived with her ovum. David is recruited by the Vatican’s secret service to “remote view” a paranormal ability to see the unseen in order to detect evil. Ben is hit by an ion beam, causing him to see visions of a taunting jinn until he discovers an unusual solution to banish it.
Finally, all three realize they only have a few weeks left to assess cases because the parish has decided to disband the team due to a lack of funds. This culminates in one last confrontation with Leland and the 60 families that make up Evil in the modern world.
Mike Colter as David Acosta, Katja Herbers as Kristen Bouchard, Chukwudi Iwuji as Father Dominic and Aasif Mandvi as Ben Shakir in season 4 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Elizabeth Fisher/Paramount+)Maddy Crocco as Lexis Bouchard, Brooklyn Shuck as Lynn Bouchard, Katja Herbers as Kristen Bouchard, Dayla Knapp as Laura Bouchard and Skylar Gray as Lila Bouchard in season 4 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Elizabeth Fisher/Paramount+)Christine Lahti as Sheryl Luria in the “How to Fly an Airplane” episode (Photo Credit: Elizabeth Fisher/Paramount+)Andrea Martin as Sister Andrea in season 4 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Elizabeth Fisher/Paramount+)Wallace Shawn as Father Ignatious in season 4 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Elizabeth Fisher/Paramount+)
A scene from ‘Pretty Little Liars: Summer School’ episode 7 (Photograph by Karolina Wojtasik/Max)
The penultimate episode (episode seven) of Max’s Pretty Little Liars: Summer School opens with Imogen (Bailee Madison) clearly having a dream of holding her baby and her mom being there to support her. After handing her baby over, her mom turns into Bloody Rose.
Back to the present time, the girls try to calm a very distraught and incoherent Imogen. Mouse (Malia Pyles) thinks they should take her to a hospital and Noa (Maia Reficco) feels too many questions would be asked if they did.
Imogen is dead set on Bloody Rose being her mom; she knows what she saw. Tabby (Chandler Kinney) thinks maybe it was someone with similar features. They all agree that was Imogen’s test, so Tabby is up next since she is the final one.
Jen (Ava Capri) apologizes for breaking in and stealing from Shawn’s house. She offers to leave but Noa wants her to stay. Noa chooses Jen but says they both need to clean up their act. Noa also decides to be truthful with Shawn, but Jen talks her out of it, telling her she doesn’t need to be truthful about them. (What does Jen have up her sleeve?)
Greg (Elias Kacavas) goes to Faran’s (Zaria) house to make sure she’s okay which leads to them making out. While Faran seems happy with Greg, Imogen is clearly having a nightmare of Dr. Sullivan in her old house doing her make up. When Imogen asks her what she is doing there, the Doctor replies, “Just putting my face on.” The camera pans to a Bloody Rose mask and a mask that looks like Imogen’s mom.
Zaria and Elias Kacavas in ‘Pretty Little Liars: Summer School’ episode 7 (Photograph by Karolina Wojtasik/Max)
Wednesday
The BFFs are at school and Tabby thinks it’s beyond time to try to figure out who Bloody Rose is. As Tabby talks about how it has to be someone who is good at making masks, they girls all glance around because the elephant in the room (and common sense) suggests Tabby’s beau, Christian. The girls each have their own suspects in mind, like Mrs. Beasley, Kelly’s mom, or even Rose Waters herself since she disappeared when they tried to talk to her. Somehow, Sandy from church made it on the list. (That’s completely random since she has not been talked about since being murdered by Bloody Rose, but okay.)
Imogen definitely thinks it’s Dr. Sullivan. Too many things add up for her. For starters, Imogen’s attack was psychological. Dr. Sullivan knows their secrets and she treated Rose Waters at Radley. The girls all decide to stake out each suspect if you will, and Imogen channels Meryl Streep and leaves Dr. Sullivan a tearful message about what happened at Redemption House. Faran doesn’t want to see Kelly, but she’s going to, and Mouse will monitor Spooky Spaghetti. Noa has Shawn stuff to deal with.
Kelly (Mallory Bechtel) claims Pastor Malachai got spooked and left, saying he left a message for her mama … which is interesting since he was murdered in episode six. Faran gives her the rundown on Bloody Rose and how they think it could be someone who hates them, like Kelly’s mother. Of course, Kelly will hear none of that. Before she leaves, Faran asks Kelly to tell any of them if she gets strange calls or red roses.
Kelly has a weird reaction when Faran mentions red roses.
Tabby asks Christian (Noah Alexander Gerry) about making masks that look like people. According to him, that’s not up his alley, he’s into creature masks, and anyone with a 3-D printer can do that. Suddenly Wes is back, just to tell Tabby he is leaving. His fight with Tabby fight sparked something in him and he’s off to LA to see if he can get anything going as a director. Before he takes off, he apologizes.
Noa breaks up with Shawn (Alex Aiono), claiming things are different between them. He wants to know what else is going on. She lies and says there’s nothing.
Kelly calls Sandy’s mom to speak with Sandy and is shocked to learn her mom believes Sandy’s still in Millwood working on Redemption House. Sandy’s mom claims they text every night.
Faran is told a former lifeguard filed a complaint about her for bullying. She informs the coach (her boss) that he was terminated because he showed up to work hungover, fell asleep on the job, and a child almost died. The coach still has to open up an investigation and suggests she get a lawyer.
As Christian goes on about their Horror Noir Festival and that it should be focused on Black filmmakers and Black final girls, Tabby daydreams she sees Bloody Rose standing there wielding a knife. As Tabby is about to tell Christian about all the crazy stuff, they are interrupted by a stranger. The random guy happens to be someone inquiring about shooting a horror film at the Orpheum.
Imogen tells Dr. Sullivan (Annabeth Gish) about everything that’s been happening to her and the girls, and comes out with the accusation, saying she thinks it’s her doing it. Dr. Sullivan thinks Imogen is defensive and projecting. Imogen wants her to stop analyzing her and to convince her she is not Bloody Rose.
Dr. Sullivan can do her one better and has a story about the Bogeyman. She met Archie Waters when she was treating his mother, Rose, at the Radley. Dr. Sullivan went to their house to see the boy Rose said she left behind in a cage. She found the cage, but it was empty. Suddenly, she came face to face with Archie. When the police arrived, he fled.
Dr. Sullivan confesses she once had a son named Sebastian. He went out for a jog one evening and never came home. His body was found a few days later. She believes it was Archie getting revenge for not helping him or his mother enough. She feels she failed her son and Imogen too but thinks it’s not too late to do right by Imogen.
Kelly finds her mom tending to roses in their yard. She wonders who told her that Sandy was in Cape Cod, and she says Sandy’s mother, but it was Pastor Malachai who took the call.
Mouse reads a post titled “The Reckoning.” Since Angela and Archie were ripped away from Rose, there must be a blood atonement.
Mouse tells Ash (Jordan Gonzalez) she has to stop this and has a crazy idea. She makes a video with her face whited-out claiming to be Angela Waters. She thanks everyone for their support, saying she has finally been reunited with her mother.
As Shawn is angrily working out he has flashes of him and Noa together and realizes who has been there sulking in the background – Jen.
Tabby finds an article on the upcoming horror movie, and she was right; it is about what happened to them but made with an all-white cast. The action moves on to Imogen coming clean to Johnny (Antonio Cipriano) about Bloody Rose and how she thinks it might be her therapist. He suggests she stay the night with him.
Tabby decides to sleep over at Christian’s and tell him about what’s going on. Mouse checks on the video she posted. Someone outed her, not only giving her full name but where she lives as well.
Tabby has a nightmare that the movie is being filmed and the director is Wes. Bloody Rose shows up and stabs her.
Bailee Madison and Annabeth Gish in ‘Pretty Little Liars: Summer School’ episode 7 (Photograph by Karolina Wojtasik/Max)
Thursday
Faran confronts the coach with a letter from the child’s mother who was saved and with her massive manager’s log detailing what she has had to deal with while working with the team he put together. Needless to say, the coach backs down.
Imogen and Tabby are late to school, and the rest of the girls want them to spill the beans. Noa tells them she and Shawn broke up. She thinks she can make a real go at it with Jen.
While Imogen fills them in on Dr. Sullivan, Mouse confesses what she did on Spooky Spaghetti.
Meanwhile, Kelly asks her mom at the cemetery who she blames for Karen’s death. She blames the girls and prays they suffer and burn for what they did to Karen.
Tabby and Christian go to Wes’ to make sure he really left after her dream. Tabby decides to make her own movie about what happened to them. Christian thinks they should leave town, but she can’t leave her friends behind.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Mouse asks her tech teacher to help shut down Spooky Spaghetti. He thinks if she can find the server that is hosting the website, they can take it down.
Back at home, Kelly suggests that she and her mom should pray in their prayer closet for Karen. Kelly locks her mom in the prayer closet and tries to call Faran. She leaves her a voicemail to meet her at the pool, but Faran is having pizza with Greg.
Jen is upset and tells Noa that Shawn figured out about them being together. He yelled at her, cursed her out, and put a hole in Noa’s wall. Noa’s solution is to grab a bat and go.
It appears it’s all going down at once for the “final” girls as episode seven ends. Dr. Sullivan has Imogen meet her at the cemetery to show her Sebastian’s headstone to prove she wasn’t lying. Imogen spots roses on Karen Beasley’s grave and loses track of Dr. Sullivan. Imogen finds the car doors open with the radio playing and rose pedals all over the front seats.
Mouse is shocked to see the real Rose Waters in her house with her grandma.
Faran finally listens to the voicemail and races to the pool. Kelly is there waiting patiently when Bloody Rose shows up. As Noa is taking a bat to Shawn’s car, Faran finds Kelly floating face down in the pool. Bloody Rose is standing just beyond the fence.
14 former Naked and Afraid survivalists will be competing for a cash prize and bragging rights on Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing season two. The new season’s competitors are a mix of fan-favorites and villains, with two of the series’ most polarizing alum – Jeff Zausch and Trish Bulinsky – among the pack returning for the 45-day challenge.
Season two premieres on Discovery Channel on July 14, 2024. New episodes will air on Sundays at 8pm ET/PT.
Poster for Discovery Channel’s ‘Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing’ season 2
Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing Season 2 Contestants:
• Dani Beauchemin (Mercer, ME) – Previous Challenges: 3, Days Survived: 82
• Trish Bulinsky (Newport, NC) – Previous Challenges: 3, Days Survived: 75
• Fernando Calderon (Simi Valley, CA) – Previous Challenges: 4, Days Survived: 103
• Patrick French (Canterbury, NH) – Previous Challenges: 2, Days Survived: 42
• Ky Furneaux (Melbourne, AU) – Previous Challenges: 5, Days Survived: 91
• Gary Golding (Redondo Beach, CA) – Previous Challenges: 7, Days Survived: 182
• Bulent Gurcan (Norwalk, CT) – Previous Challenges: 4, Days Survived: 93
• Lacey Jones (Tamaroa, IL) – Previous Challenges: 5, Days Survived: 80
• Lindsey Leitelt (Pine Mountain Club, CA) – Previous Challenges: 2, Days Survived: 61
• Dan Link (Honolulu, HI) – Previous Challenges: 4, Days Survived: 140
• Darrin Reay (Delta, CO) – Previous Challenges: 2, Days Survived: 61
• Russell Sage (Midlothian, VA) – Previous Challenges: 3, Days Survived: 74
• Kate Wentworth (Passadumkeag, ME) – Previous Challenges: 2, Days Survived: 23
• Jeff Zausch (Pocatello, ID) – Previous Challenges: 7, Days Survived: 245
Discovery Channel released this description of season two:
“Competitors will arrive empty-handed and must earn the tools they need to secure food, water, fire, and shelter through grueling, multi-phase challenges. In an unexpected twist, a head-to-head challenge occurs on Day One, resulting in a double elimination before the survivalists even get to camp. The stakes are even higher in this season’s competition because survivalists will not be allowed to share any of their tools with fellow participants.
The vast expanse of Africa’s Munzwa Valley intensifies both the risks and rewards for contestants. In the harsh killing zone, survivalists must compete against lions, leopards and hyena to hunt the same large prey, including warthog, impala and kudu. As rhinos and baboons threaten to push the survivalists out of their territory, one camp is forced to abandon their shelter in the middle of the night.”
Oh, so many emotions! Those colorful, crazy emotions are back showing audiences what Riley’s going through as she hits puberty in Pixar’s animated sequel Inside Out 2.
Riley (Kensingston Tallman) has grown up since we last saw her in 2015 is now 13 and headed to hockey camp with her two best friends, Grace (Grace Lu ) and Bree (Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green). The glowing blue thread in Riley’s mind (her core belief) is that she’s a good person. Of course, all of her emotions are growing up with her. Joy (Amy Poehler), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), and Disgust (Liza Lapira) are on watch 24/7, helping her accomplish that goal.
However, the night before taking off for hockey camp, alarms go off in Riley’s mind. A construction crew arrives and replaces the old control console with a much improved – and larger – one. As Joy and the other emotions figure out how to work the new console, an orange, feather-duster-looking creature interrupts out of nowhere. She introduces herself as one of Riley’s new emotions, Anxiety (Maya Hawke). And she’s not alone. Anxiety’s with a trio of new emotions: Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), needy Envy (Ayo Edebiri), and the very bored, and very French, Ennui (Adele Exarchopoulos).
Anxiety assumes control in order to create a new version of Riley, one who will impress Val, the star hockey player at the camp, and consequently raise Riley’s social status among the popular/cool crowd. Joy tries to intercede, informing newcomer Anxiety that it takes all of them to help Riley be the person she is. Anxiety’s having none of it, saying, “Riley’s life requires more sophisticated emotions than all of you.”
And with that, Anxiety has Joy, Anger, Sadness, Disgust, and Fear bottled up and exiles them to the back of Riley’s mind, along with a big mountain of her bad memories.
Now in complete control, Anxiety changes Riley’s personality and core belief to make her a brown-nosing, loyal follower of Val – all to impress and secure her place on next year’s hockey team. This switch in the girl they all love’s personality sends Joy and her comrades into action.
They must find a way to get back to the headquarters of Riley’s mind, but it won’t be easy. They’ll have to face new areas such as “Sar-Chasm” a rocky, seemingly never-ending gorge of tonal miscommunication, and Mount Crushmore, made up of Riley’s crushes, if they are to stop Anxiety and put back Riley’s core belief that she’s a good person, which is fading away and has almost gone silent.
Dazzling, colorful, and benefiting from a superb voice cast, Inside Out 2 is a worthy sequel to the 2015 animated blockbuster. The adventure’s a little bigger in this outing and more complicated, which is fitting since Riley is now a teenager.
Amy Poehler returns as the voice of Joy and once again brings her to life with vibrant, positive energy and confidence. Poehler is the soul of Joy and makes her one of the most memorable characters in the Pixar/Disney films.
Maya Hawke is perfect as the voice of Anxiety, making the new emotion a formidable adversary to the original emotions. Anxiety truly believes she knows best how to reshape Riley and won’t let any other emotion get in her way. The only downside to Anxiety is that, unlike the other emotions, she is never likable or funny. In fact, she’s mostly just annoying. Which is a shame as she gets the most screen time, even more than Joy and Sadness who were the heart and soul of the first film.
Another issue the sequel has is that it trades emotional depth and real heartache, which the original had, for witty one-liners and slapstick. It lacks the emotional depth of its predecessor. But it does feature worthwhile lessons for kids about loyalty, being true to yourself, and not giving in to fear and anxiety. It’s not heavy-handed and delivers life lessons in a fun and chaotic fashion.
Still, with beautiful animation, a wonderful voice cast, and plenty of laughs, Pixar’s Inside Out 2 is an enjoyable, entertaining sequel that will appeal to the entire family.
The 10 survivalists competing on ‘Alone’ season 11 (Photo Credit: The History Channel)
History’s Alone season 11 takes place in the coldest location to date, 125 miles above the Arctic Circle in the Mackenzie River Delta. It’s also the northernmost location in the franchise’s history, with 10 survivalists battling temperatures that could plunge to -40 degrees. This season’s survivalists will have to deal with snow, grizzly bears, wolves, moose, wolverines, and weeks of total darkness.
Season 11’s participants vying for the $500,000 grand prize are Peter Albano, Dusty Blake, Michela Carriere, Timber Cleghorn, Cubby Hoover, William Larkham Jr., Jake Messinger, Dub Paetz, Sarah Poynter, and Isaiah Tuck. Season 11 episode one, “Enter the Circle,” focused on Isaiah, Dub, William, Michela, and Cubby.
Warning: spoilers ahead in this recap of episode one which aired on Thursday, June 13, 2024.
Isaiah Tuck in ‘Alone’ season 11 (Photo Credit: The History Channel)
Isaiah Tuck – Age 35, Ghent, West Virginia
Day 1, 8:52am – After being dropped off in a swampy area, Isaiah set off scouting the area. Isaiah’s a game warden in West Virginia who views his job as protecting our natural resources. He’s also a captain in the Air National Guard and assists with search and rescue. But he considers his family to be his most important accomplishment. He’s married with a little girl, and taking care of his family is priority number one.
He and his wife spent a couple of years of his salary on IVF procedures to have a child and winning Alone will help pay that back. Isaiah believes his military training will help him survive this challenge.
The first three days will be crucial to learning the area. Per Alone, the Mackenzie River Delta is covered with black spruce trees and thick vegetation. Isaiah is determined to find game trails while he’s still got food in his belly.
He momentarily pauses, overcome with a feeling of dread. It passes, and he continues to the riverbank, where he discovers dozens of wolf footprints. He also spots fresh grizzly tracks that indicate a mom and her cub are nearby.
10:59pm – It’s 40 degrees as Isaiah explains that starting now, they lose an hour of daylight a week. If he lasts 100 days, he’ll be in 24 hours of darkness.
Day 2, 4:12pm – Isaiah’s in a reflective mood, and can’t stop thinking about his family. He’s doing this to prove to his daughter that he can push through anything. “But what am I proving by leaving her,” he wonders. It’s hitting him just how alone he is, even though he was warned about drop shock. Drop shock is what the Alone survivalists call their disoriented state after being dropped off. It happens every season, yet he didn’t fully grasp what it felt like until he experienced it himself.
Isaiah doesn’t know if this is worth it but doesn’t tap. A growling stomach gets him moving and he locates a patch of berries. Suddenly, his nose starts bleeding even though it’s not dry out. It’s actually dripping so much that it messes up his shirt. He thinks maybe the berries are thinning out his blood.
Isaiah shifts his focus to protein and sets up a line for passive fishing. While he’s working, we learn he used to be a preacher. To survive, he needs to mix his tough side with his spiritual side. He believes you can hear God easier in the wilderness.
William Larkham Jr in ‘Alone’ season 11 (Photo Credit: The History Channel)
William Larkham Jr – Age 49, Happy Valley Goose Bay, Labrador
Day 1, 10:16am – It’s 44 degrees and William strips down to his T-shirt to set a net for fishing. William included a net as one of his 10 items so that he could begin fishing right away. He’s not a bowhunter and will concentrate on fishing. After the fish are gone, he’ll move on to trapping squirrels and smaller creatures.
William grew up in Labrador, Canada without running water or electricity. That prepared him for the Alone challenge, along with working as a commercial fisherman. If he wins Alone, he’ll use the money to build a house for his family in a small coastal community.
He locates a good spot for a shelter and decides on a simple lean-to with poles around it to protect him. Taking a break from building, he finds he’s already caught a 24” northern pike in his net. Unfortunately, his celebration is premature when the fish escapes as he’s removing it from his net.
10:02pm – William doesn’t have a fire but does have branches down to soften his bed. He confesses he’s not used to this landscape and hopes to adjust his skills for this area.
Day 3, 1:17pm – William’s energy is drained, and he searches for cranberries, still frustrated he lost the pike. He finds itchy bum berries that literally make your bum itch. He doesn’t find as many berries as he anticipated but starts to feel better anyway.
William spots a rabbit trail and sets up a rabbit snare. He’s looking forward to sucking the rabbit’s brains out of its skull. (Not sure we needed that vivid description, but okay.) After preparing the snare, William continues to hike around his area. He comes upon a small stream in a swampy area and sees smelt. He grabs a stick and hits the water, sending out shock waves. He scoops up two smelts with his hands and decides to try to grab a few more using the same method. By the time he’s done banging the water, he has five small smelt – good enough for a decent meal.
Dub Paetz in ‘Alone’ season 11 (Photo Credit: The History Channel)
Dub Paetz – Age 44, Frederic, Michigan
Day 1, 12:24pm – Dub spots a caribou nearby but can’t shoot it. Caribou are at-risk species and protected from hunting. He’s disappointed it’s not a moose and chuckles when the caribou doesn’t seem to care he’s close by.
Dub’s a lifelong nature lover, and his only real job was as a fly-fishing guide. He’s not interested in a 9-to-5 job and is certain he has what it takes to win Alone. Dub doesn’t have close relationships and doesn’t mind being by himself. (Being away from family has caused many Alone survivalists to tap out.) He’s not a quitter and would use the money to pay off his house and his mom’s. Dub claims his top skill is brute bullheadiness.
Dub’s found a great spot next to a berm protected from the wind, and he’s chosen to use the hill as part of his shelter. There’s lots of firewood all around, and his big concern is making sure his shelter is well-insulated. He finds the perfect ridgepole for his roof and confirms his shelter’s going to be tight and small.
Dub explains he was bullied as a kid at school and spent lots of time in the library reading survival books during his lunch hours. He believes that made him stronger.
11:36pm – Dub wakes and hears a bear close by. He calls out to it as Alone informs viewers grizzlies shift their hunting patterns to nocturnal in the presence of humans. Dub admits he can’t wait for daylight to come as an outside camera shows a large bear walking near his shelter.
Day 2, 7:41am – Morning arrives and Dub knows he needs to make lots of adjustments to his shelter to stay safe. He says his shelter sucks and moves everything outside. With so many bears obviously living nearby, he needs to reinforce the walls to keep them out – or at least give himself time to grab some bear spray.
He’s not scared of bears, but he has never been in an area with this many. He hopes his fellow competitors are aware of what bears are capable of.
Michela Carriere in ‘Alone’ season 11 (Photo Credit: The History Channel)
Michela Carriere – Age 33, Cumberland House, Saskatchewan, Canada
Day 2, 11:41am — Michela set up a quick shelter and is making duck decoys as we catch up with her on day two. She provides step-by-step instructions on making decoys and reveals she’s been hunting ducks since she was a kid. Michela makes a convincing duck out of reeds and uses a stick to place it in the water. When she’s finished, it looks like two ducks are swimming close to the shore.
Michela wants to follow in the footsteps of her ancestors. She has a Metis-Cree background and has always looked up to those who came before her. A wolf trapper who grew up isolated in the wilderness, Michela was homeschooled. Their house didn’t have running water.
She runs an adventure-guiding business and is incredibly knowledgeable about hunting and fishing. Recently married, Michela hopes to start a family soon. $500,000 would go a long way toward providing for her family.
Alone informs viewers that she’s just the fourth person in the show’s history to not bring a fishing line and hooks. She brought a fishing net, which she sets up on a bend in the river. Unfortunately, it’s really shallow and her net isn’t stretched out.
She spots a print indicating a running wolf. A short distance away, there are more pawprints indicating wolf activity. Michela doesn’t trust wolves and thinks they will kill if they have an opportunity.
Day 3, 9:09am – Michela has found grizzly tracks in the water. Her net is empty and twisted so she spends time fixing it. Her Cree name means Beaver Hands Woman and she’s determined to work and think like an industrious beaver. Once her net’s untangled, she sets it again hoping for success.
Day 4, 8:36am – Michela can hear wolves howling in the distance. She takes her bow and arrows along with her pot to the river to check her net. Bugs are buzzing near the net but all she caught was a stick. She changes the location to a few feet away where it’s slightly deeper.
There are new wolf tracks on the bank, and she finds the remains of a squirrel. A kidney was left behind and it’s fresh enough that she decides to cook it. She thanks the wolves for leaving her some protein.
Cubby Hoover in ‘Alone’ season 11 (Photo Credit: The History Channel)
Cubby Hoover – Age 34, Seligman, Missouri
Day 1, 3:01pm – His wife told him to take a moment for himself when he arrived, and he follows her instructions. Cubby’s a homesteader who makes bows for a living. His skills include fire-making, hunting, fishing, trapping, shelter-building, and snaring.
He wants to win Alone to help get his wife healthy and let them start a family.
Cubby feels the biggest issue will be the cold, so he scouts for an area to build a warm shelter and keep safe from bears. As he’s looking around, he spots a squirrel but misses with his first shot. His arrow broke and he admits he shouldn’t have taken the shot.
Contestants can bring 10 arrows, and Cubby’s down to nine on his first day.
5:12pm – Cubby collects firewood to boil water and begins to work on his temporary shelter. He reveals that he used to work 60-70 hour work weeks at two or three jobs. The day before his friend Cameron passed away, he told Cubby that family and friends are the most important things in life. That affected Cubby deeply, and he realized he needed to spend more time with his wife. They bought a camper, moved to a property in Missouri with his parents, and began homesteading.
Cubby uses birch bark to start his fire and says he picked this location for a shelter because it has a vantage point. Game trails are nearby, and for now, he’s leaving his shelter open so he can see around him. The fire in front will hopefully deter any animals.
Day 2, 1:07pm – Cubby pops small cranberries into his mouth since his belly’s grumbling. They’ll provide a little energy to build his shelter now that he’s located the right spot. He’ll build between three trees and works on setting up the ridgepole. Cubby knows food is important, but with bears, moose, and wolves close by, he needs to build a safe shelter ASAP. He’s building an A-frame shelter that will allow him to stand up inside, with a roof that will hold a lot of weight. It needs to stand strong in the wind and snow.
He feels like he needs to work quickly but reminds himself to go slow and steady so that he doesn’t have an accident. Cubby finishes work on his shelter for the day and has the ridgepole up along with a raised bed area.
Day 4, 11:36am – Cubby’s decided it’s time to go exploring and get some food. He’ll postpone finishing up his shelter, even though that’s all that’s been on his mind. Cubby pushes his way through the woods and it’s tough going. He spots moose poop and determines it’s dry.
Cubby knows there are squirrels and rabbits in the area, but he’s looking for big game. There are lots of bear signs and it’s impossible to see more than five feet away. He’s debating pushing on when he suddenly screams. An arrow slipped out of his quiver and went right into the bend of his leg, near the femoral artery.
He cuts his pants around the wound and very carefully removes the arrowhead. Cubby’s mad at himself and in pain. He wraps the emergency compression bandage provided by Alone around his leg and struggles to his feet. Camp’s 30 minutes away but he doesn’t want to tap.
He turns off the camera so that he can walk back quickly. Cubby confesses he’s trying to talk himself into staying as he examines the wound. However, he knows he needs stitches since the arrow went about four inches deep.
Disappointed, Cubby becomes the first person shown tapping out of season 11.
The medical team assesses the wound and confirms he needs to go to the hospital. Cubby had a lot riding on this and much more to learn, but a freak accident took him out of the competition.
