In the teaser for the upcoming fifth and final season of Netflix’s Outer Banks, the Pogues promise to avenge JJ. The one-minute teaser reveals an action-packed final season, with the friends warning, “If you’re on the bottom, you have to risk everything.”
The 10-episode fifth season will premiere on August 20, 2026, starring Chase Stokes as John B., Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron, Madison Bailey as Kiara, Jonathan Daviss as Pope, and Carlacia Grant as Cleo. Drew Starkey plays Rafe, Austin North is Topper, Fiona Palomo is Sofia, J. Anthony Crane is Chandler Groff, and Cullen Moss plays Shoupe.
Netflix’s synopsis reads, “Season five finds the Pogues at their absolute breaking point following the tragic loss of JJ in Morocco. Stranded far from home and mourning the heart of their crew, they’ve lost the Blue Crown and continue to face a gauntlet of familiar threats. With Chandler Groff still at large, Dalia and the Corsairs closing in, and the Kooks ensuring the Pogues have no home to return to, John B, Sarah, Kiara, Pope, and Cleo must rely on their scrappy instincts—and an uneasy alliance with Rafe—to keep from falling apart for good.
Their mission is now a desperate race to reclaim their future and finally win the freedom they’ve been chasing since the beginning. It’s the Pogues against the world as they seek to avenge their best friend and bring it on home…one final time.”
Jonas Pate, Josh Pate, and Shannon Burke created the series and serve as writers and executive producers.
Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey in ‘Brothers’ (Photo Credit: Apple TV)
Apple TV announced the teaming of True Detective co-stars and friends Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson for a comedy series back in March 2023. Today, the streamer confirmed the title—Brothers—and that the eight-episode season will premiere on September 23, 2026.
Two episodes drop on the debut date, with new episodes streaming on Wednesdays.
Joining Harrelson and McConaughey are Natalie Martinez, Brittany Ishibashi, Nolan Almeida, Ella Grace Helton, Noah Carganilla, Highdee Kuan, Oona Yaffe, and Holland Taylor. Emmy nominee Lee Eisenberg serves as showrunner and executive producer along with Harrelson, McConaughey, Natalie Sandy, David West Read, Trish Hofmann, Bill Bost, Jason Winer, Jeremy Plager, and David Finkel & Brett Baer.
Apple TV offers this synopsis:
“Brothers follows McConaughey and Harrelson, who play fictionalized versions of themselves, and whose friendship is thrown into chaos when they uncover a decades-old secret: they might actually be brothers. After Woody’s daughter’s wedding falls apart, he loads up the family and heads to Austin for an extended stay at Matthew’s ranch. But what begins as a healing getaway quickly spirals when Matthew’s mother, Ma Mac (Taylor), accidentally lets slip a long-buried secret that the two friends might actually be brothers.
As Woody turns the ranch upside down in pursuit of the truth, Matthew finds himself juggling an entirely different identity crisis: a potential run for Governor of Texas. The result is a heartfelt, chaotic, and wildly funny story about friendship, family, fame, and the messy line between myth and reality.”
The comedy’s produced for Apple TV by Paramount Television Studios.
John Clarence Stewart, Zachary Quinto, Brian Altemus, and Ashleigh LaThrop in ‘Brilliant Minds’ season 2 episode 18 (Photo by: Pief Weyman/NBC)
As NBC’s Brilliant Minds season two, episode 18 begins, Oliver (Zachary Quinto) explains that new habits take a while to form. And speaking of new things, apparently, he’s taken up baking. Carol (Tamberla Perry) seems both surprised and ready for a taste test, but his latest creation is for his new friends Hector and Otto at Hudson Oaks.
Oliver confesses that he thinks Josh might still have feelings for him. Carol thinks he should just ask him. She catches him up on what he’s missed at the hospital, casually tossing in that she and Dr. Anthony Thorne are sleeping together.
(The following is a recap of season two, episode 18 – “Through the Looking Glass” – and there are spoilers.)
Oliver arrives for his first day back with a basket full of blueberry muffins. His team compliments his baking skills (they don’t mean it) and then fills him in on Neuro’s current patients. It’s an awkward meeting, and afterward Dana (Aury Krebs) tells Ericka (Ashleigh LaThrop) that she’s certain Oliver still hates her.
Josh (Teddy Sears) and Oliver’s first work meeting is also a little awkward, and Oliver apologizes for everything. He asks Josh to grab dinner but then stumbles through what the invitation means. Oliver quickly makes up a dinner party that will include Carol and others, since he doesn’t want to describe it as a date. He even suggests that Josh can bring Beau.
Oliver’s needed in the emergency department and Anthony (John Clarence Stewart) peppers him with questions about Hudson Oaks. Ericka and Charlie (Brian Altemus) join Oliver to meet with Greer (Rebecca Liddiard) and Fox Lawton (Kelly Penner), who are worried about their infant daughter, Sage. Sage just started daycare and has been constipated for three days. Oliver suggests a full workup, although this could just be normal growth issues.
Meanwhile, a bank robber freaks out when she thinks the people inside of the bank have suddenly become small. The cops arrive outside and she asks for a doctor. Carol’s called out and Oliver volunteers to join her since this could be a neurological issue.
The robber, Alyssa (Ana Ortiz), describes what she’s feeling over the phone, explaining that everything feels wrong. Oliver’s asking the right questions and Alyssa wants him to come inside the bank. He agrees, and NYPD gives him 15 minutes to get her to surrender before SWAT takes over.
Alyssa’s shocked they sent in a crazy doctor after Oliver explains he just got out of the psychiatric facility. She agrees to let him examine her and is stunned that his flashlight looks massive when it’s actually normal size. Alyssa reveals she just got out of prison, couldn’t get a job, and just wants to be with her wife. She was trying to leave the bank with the money she stole, but the door was much too small for her to use.
Ericka and Charlie tell Sage’s parents that they need to run a few more tests because Sage’s heart rate is a little slow. Charlie suggests they call Oliver, but Ericka thinks they can manage this themselves.
Alyssa’s wife, Tess, arrives in the command van and assures Carol that Alyssa would never hurt anyone. Alyssa’s sense of time has been off, and she’s just not acting right. Carol radios Oliver to tell him about the time distortions. The hostages watch as Oliver walks in place, which he explains is part of an experiment. He does it for a few seconds; Alyssa thinks it’s been 10 minutes.
Oliver understands her brain’s deceiving her and that it’s making her feel like an alien among normal people. He reminds her she’s not alone and that he’s with her. Suddenly, a gunshot rings out. The security guard shot her!
Alyssa’s taken to the ER and fortunately, it’s not life-threatening. Anthony patches her up and passes her on to neuro. Oliver wants to handle her case, but Josh says the PD wants to take her in. Medically, she’s cleared so they can take her any time.
Oliver informs his team that he thinks Alyssa has Todd’s syndrome, also known as Alice in Wonderland syndrome. However, they need to find the root cause, which requires multiple tests.
Josh yells at Nico (Al Calderon) for not telling him Oliver went to a bank robbery. Nico wonders if he only cares because it was Oliver—the person he asked for when he was on the brink of death in the hyperbolic chamber. Josh is stunned to learn that he looked up at Beau and said Oliver’s name. Nico’s sure it’s because he loves Oliver.
Carol and Oliver discuss Josh’s reaction to the bank robbery episode, and Oliver finally admits that’s not what’s bothering him. He thinks everyone hates his muffins but won’t tell him because they’re afraid he’ll snap and need to return to Hudson Oaks.
Before heading off to check on Sage, Oliver informs Carol that not only is she invited to the dinner party, Anthony’s also on the guest list.
Sage’s condition has deteriorated and Oliver disconnects her from all drips. He quickly diagnoses her with botulism. They may never know the source, but it is treatable.
Alyssa’s CT scan is completely normal and Oliver listens as she explains she could not find a job and there are people she needs to help. That’s why she’s resorted to robberies. However, today was the first time she experienced Alice in Wonderland Syndrome. She’s still feeling it as they talk, seeing Oliver as only a few inches tall.
Oliver apologizes to Dana for how he reacted to learning she reported Carol. He admits he had no right to respond so badly. Dana is relieved because she thought he hated her. She launches herself into a hug that Oliver tolerates. Dana’s happy to have him back and Oliver confesses that he liked the staff there, except for Dr. Frederick. He confesses that he believes she’s taking advantage of the patients there.
Tess is devastated that the cops are taking Alyssa away. She just got her back. Alyssa’s been caught up in trying to provide financial support and hasn’t been home much, and now she’s going away again.
An alarm sounds, alerting Oliver and the team that Alyssa’s condition has changed. She’s given a different scan that shows an abscess in her temporal lobe. Oliver asks Dana how she wants to treat this, and it’s determined they need to look for the source of the abscess—which isn’t the brain.
Oliver realizes Alyssa’s new prison tattoo is the source of the abscess. Tess and Alyssa kiss, and Alyssa assures her next time will be different.
Nico learns that a bougie formula’s been recalled because it’s causing botulism. Greer apologizes to Fox because she’s been supplementing feedings with the formula. It turns out Fox was also feeding her the formula at night instead of waking Greer. They feel horrible, but Ericka points out they got Sage the help she needed.
Carol invites Anthony to the dinner party that Oliver’s throwing as a weird scheme to reunite with Josh. Neither Carol nor Anthony thinks it’s time to take their relationship public, so they’ll try to keep their hands off each other.
Josh pauses by Greer and Fox’s room as they pack up with Sage to leave the hospital. Oliver’s smiling while holding the baby and that freezes Josh in his tracks.
Alyssa’s given Tess a locker key and inside is a bag full of cash from recent robberies.
Teddy Sears, John Clarence Stewart, Tamberla Perry, and Zachary Quinto in ‘Brilliant Minds’ season 2 episode 18 (Photo by: Pief Weyman/NBC)
Josh arrives at Oliver’s place for the dinner party and Oliver’s surprised that Beau’s not with him. And it turns out Oliver’s just serving a huge platter of sausages to Carol, Anthony, Josh, Dana, Ericka, and Nico. He thanks his friends for their support and for welcoming him back to Bronx General. However, he suggests to his guests that they stop walking on eggshells and tell him if they don’t like his muffins. Nico confirms Oliver isn’t a good baker.
Dana quietly mentions to Oliver that she wants to investigate Amelia Frederick. She doesn’t think Oliver is being paranoid. Dana’s worried that Amelia’s exploiting the system. Oliver toasts to their investigation.
Later, Josh helps with the dishes, and Oliver finally realizes he just threw a sausage party. Josh responds, “Yeah …if they didn’t know you were gay before.” They laugh and Oliver says he’s trying to do new things and be more open and honest about his needs. That prompts Josh into admitting that he and Beau are taking a break because Beau thinks he has feelings for Oliver.
Marvel Studios’ new trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day dishes up more Hulk action than previous videos. We also get a better look at Peter’s life post-Spider-Man: No Way Home and more details on his relationships with Bruce Banner and Frank Castle.
Tom Holland is back as the webslinger, Zendaya returns as MJ, Jacob Batalon’s back as Ned, and Mark Ruffalo reprises his role as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Jon Bernthal is Frank Castle/The Punisher, Michael Mando is Mac Gargan, and Tramell Tillman is Bill. Stranger Things‘ Sadie Sink also stars.
“It’s a BRAND NEW DAY for Peter Parker. Fighting crime full-time as Spider-Man in a world that doesn’t remember him—and the pressure of seeing his old friends move on without him—sparks a change in Peter he may not have the power to control. But that transformation might also be the only thing that can stop a shocking new threat to the city and those he loves—a powerful villain no one can even see,” reads Marvel Studios’ synopsis. “The world may have forgotten Peter Parker, but he hasn’t forgotten them.”
Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, and Justin Kuritzkes wrote the screenplay, and Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) directs. Kevin Feige, Amy Pascal, Avi Arad, and Rachel O’Connor serve as producers, with Louis D’Esposito and David Cain executive producing.
On Discovery Channel’s Homestead Rescue: Intervention, the Raney family travels to remote homesteads where it’s obvious their help is desperately needed. But unlike the original Homestead Rescue, the new series has the family showing up without the property owners asking them to.
The spinoff premieres on July 14, 2026, with new episodes airing on Tuesdays at 8pm ET/PT. The season kicks off in Alaska before heading to homesteads in Montana, Arizona, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Vermont.
Discovery Channel offers this synopsis and premiere episode details:
“Wilderness living experts Marty and Matt Raney and Misty Bilodeau heed desperate pleas from concerned family, friends, or neighbors of homesteaders living beyond the edge of survival and who are too proud to ask for help. After ambushing the off-gridders with an intervention rescue, the Raneys must confront a new range of challenges and emotions to save the failing homesteads, fractured families, and fading dreams.
In the premiere episode, a desperate uncle pleads for an intervention of his niece’s family. Jon and Leighann are determined to go it alone despite being dangerously unprepared for their new life in the wilderness of Alaska. Sleeping in tents beside a mold-infested cabin as winter and predators close in, they must accept help…or risk everything.
In Montana, a previously rescued homesteader pleads for the Raneys to intervene with a family lacking critical infrastructure just 5 weeks from winter. In the mountains of North Carolina, a mother and sister fear for a 34-year-old off-gridder’s safety, as he struggles to survive using videos he watches online. And in Vermont, a desperate plea comes from within, where a wife has been pushed to the breaking point with a husband who believes extreme hardship and danger means living out his rugged dream.”
Poster for ‘Homestead Rescue: Intervention’ (Photo Credit: Discovery Channel)
Cowgirl Jessie, cowboy Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Rex the dinosaur, and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head are back for another adventure, this time taking on tech in the latest installment of Disney/Pixar’s blockbuster animated franchise, Toy Story 5.
The fifth film of the series begins with eight-year-old Bonnie (voiced by Scarlett Spears) playing with her toys in her front yard. Bonnie wishes she could make friends with the kids across the street but is painfully shy and always freezes or runs away whenever they notice her. She asks her parents why she doesn’t have any friends, which upsets them. So, to help Bonnie, the parents decide to get her the new tech tablet Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee), something kids her age use to chat and schedule sleepovers.
Bonnie spends all day and parts of the night (even past her bedtime) using the device and completely ignores her toys. Nervous about being replaced by Lilypad, Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack) attempts to convince the tech tablet that she and her fellow toys have been trying all summer to help Bonnie make friends and that now she’s ruining it. Lilypad insists that she can help Bonnie and that Bonnie needs her, not her old toys. A physical scuffle ensues that ends when Bonnie retrieves her new favorite companion.
Jessie, Buzz (voiced by Tim Allen), and the entire ensemble of toys fear their time playing with Bonnie might be coming to an end. So late that night, Jessie reaches out to the one toy who might be able to do something about the situation. She uses an old toy walkie talkie to call Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), telling him that tech has invaded Bonnie’s home. Woody confirms it’s bad for toys all over the place; he’s finding more and more abandoned toys each day. Toys are for playing, but tech is for everything.
“I’m losing Bonnie to this device,” says a defeated-sounding Jessie. Hearing the sadness in her voice, Woody decides to head to Bonnie’s and reunite with Jessie, Buzz, Bullseye, and the rest of the gang to help them get Lilypad to realize that Bonnie still needs her toys and playtime with real friends – in person and not on a screen or chat room.
Cute, funny, and topical, Toy Story 5 is a heartfelt and entertaining return of the superb Pixar animated film series. The film ranks right up with the first three films and is a huge improvement over the fourth installment.
This time Jessie takes center stage as the leader of the group, struggling desperately not to lose Bonnie at such a young age to a new tech device while needing other old tech toys to help her in her struggle against Lilypad. The return of Woody, who is showing even more wear and tear as the oldest toy of the group, and his reunion with Buzz is both emotional and hilarious. It’s these two classic characters and their friendship that has always been the soul of the film franchise.
The voice work from the cast is excellent, as always, and the animation is mesmerizing. Especially stunning is the scene where the toys race on horseback down a road, dodging cars while the sun sets in the sky to get back to Bonnie. It’s truly breathtaking.
Directed by Andrew Stanton, Toy Story 5 also has wonderful messages for all ages about the importance of play, children using their imagination, and the strength of friendship, loyalty, and love. Full of heart, humor, and adventure, Toy Story 5 is a more than worthy addition to the animated film franchise and destined to become another Pixar classic.
GRADE: A
Rating: PG for some thematic elements and rude humor
Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
Release Date: June 19, 2026
Loki‘s Tom Hiddleston guides viewers through the final hours of Pompeii in National Geographic’s Pompeii: Out of Time. The three-part docudrama will premiere on National Geographic on July 22, 2026 at 9pm ET/PT and on July 23 on Disney+ and Hulu.
“The ancient world has compelled my imagination and curiosity for as long as I can remember: I’ve been fascinated by it all my life,” stated Hiddleston. “Classical Antiquity is the foundation and cornerstone of Western and European culture. To visit Pompeii is to feel the distance of the 2,000 years between now and then compress. The past becomes the present; the past feels so close. Tangible, honest, and real. Our relationship with the past is alive—studying who we were in order to understand who we are. Pompeii is a gateway for that conversation.
It’s a privilege to host this visually immersive and dynamic series. Pompeii is often remembered for how its story ended. But by looking closer, we can uncover the details of people’s lives, the choices they made, and the moments that came before the city was buried. To revisit the final hours of those ordinary people, caught in an extraordinary moment, and to help bring these remarkable human stories back into the light is a genuine honor.”
Jessica Ruston and Mark Ravenhill are the writers. Tom Hiddleston reunites with Loki’s Kevin R. Wright for the docudrama, with Wright serving as an additional writer and executive producer. Tom Barbor-Might guides the docudrama as showrunner, writer, and director. Additional executive producers include Grant Mansfield, Helen Flint, Alan Eyres, and Carolyn Payne.
‘Pompeii: Out of Time’ poster with Tom Hiddleston (Photo Credit: National Geographic)
National Geographic offers this description of the event series:
“Host and Loki star Tom Hiddleston and Loki executive producer Kevin R. Wright reunite for the series, a fusion of cinematic scripted drama and investigative documentary storytelling that transports audiences to ancient Rome in the hours before and during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Guided by a team of archaeologists, historians, geologists, and disaster experts, he uncovers remarkable evidence—and the stories of real people that challenge long-held assumptions about Pompeii and its final hours—not least revealing that many of those caught up in the disaster had the chance to survive.
With a twist of his hand, Golden Globe and Olivier-winning Hiddleston journeys back in time, stepping into cinematic scripted sequences following the lives of real Romans caught in Vesuvius’ path.
Following a teenage apprentice, a powerful businesswoman, and a mysterious Praetorian Guard, he pieces together how each confronted impossible choices as disaster loomed. As the volcano awakens and the countdown to catastrophe begins, the evidence converges in a gripping race against time to uncover who survived, who perished, and what determined their fate.
Bringing a bold cinematic vision shaped by his work on Marvel’s critically acclaimed Loki, executive producer Kevin R. Wright helps reimagine how history is brought to the screen for modern audiences. Blending cutting-edge archaeological discoveries, expert analysis, and deeply personal storytelling, the series reframes Pompeii not as a story of destruction but as a human drama of resilience, sacrifice, and survival, revealing the lives, choices, and destinies of those who stood in the shadow of Vesuvius.”
Olivia Rodrigo’s “Stupid Song” from her new album You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love provides the backdrop for Heartstopper Forever‘s official trailer. The film wraps up the Heartbreaker series, and the trailer confirms Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) will be figuring out what the future holds while entering a new phase of their relationship.
William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Corinna Brown, Kizzy Edgell, Tobie Donovan, Jenny Walser, Rhea Norwood, and Leila Khan also star.
Kit Connor and Joe Locke in ‘Heartstopper Forever’ (Photo Credit: Netflix)
“Nick and Charlie are inseparable, but with Nick preparing to leave for university and Charlie finding new independence at school, the reality of a long-distance relationship begins to weigh on them,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “Doubts take hold, and their relationship faces its biggest challenge yet. Meanwhile, their friends are also navigating the ups and downs of love and friendship, confronting the bittersweet challenges of growing up and moving on. Can first loves really last forever?”
Netflix has set a July 17, 2026 premiere date.
Heartstopper author Alice Oseman wrote the screenplay and Wash Westmoreland directed. Oseman, Joe Locke, Kit Conner, Patrick Walters, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, and Euros Lyn serve as executive producers.
DreamWorks Animation’s teaser trailer for Shrek 5 finds Donkey super excited to head off on a new adventure. Shrek is…not nearly as enthusiastic. The teaser ends with Shrek’s family forced to listen to Donkey sing while locked up in jail.
The returning voice cast includes Mike Myers as Shrek, Eddie Murphy as Donkey, and Cameron Diaz as Fiona. Zendaya (The Drama), Marcello Hernandez (Saturday Night Live), and Skyler Gisondo (Superman) fill out Shrek and Fiona’s family as their kids—Felicia, Fergus, and Farkle.
Shrek launched the blockbuster animated franchise in 2001, followed by Shrek 2 in 2004, Shrek the Third in 2007, and Shrek Forever After in 2010. Shrek 5 will be released in theaters on June 20, 2027.
Conrad Vernon and Walt Dohrn return to direct the fifth film of the franchise, with Brad Ableson co-directing. Gina Shay (Trolls franchise) and Illumination CEO’s Chris Meledandri serve as producers.
Apple TV’s critically acclaimed Widow’s Bay wraps up its first season on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 with “We Hope You Enjoyed Your Time!” The streamer’s official synopsis of the season finale reads, “We understand that hard choices had to be made and we may never be the same, but we hope you’ll visit again!”
The genre-bending series earned an outstanding 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has already been renewed for a second season. The Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is among the series’ fans, tweeting, “If I may—in my estimation—#WidowsBay may very well be the best streaming series in a long time… and hands down one of the most mesmerizing acts of narrative prestidigitation in Horror.”
Emmy winner Matthew Rhys (The Americans, The Beast in Me) stars as Mayor Tom Loftis, Kate O’Flynn plays Patricia, Stephen Root is Wyck, Kingston Rumi Southwick is Evan, Kevin Carroll is Bechir, and Dale Dickey is Rosemary. K Callan and Emmy Award winner Jeff Hiller guest star.
Katie Dippold created the series and serves as executive producer and showrunner. Additional executive producers include Matthew Rhys, Hiro Murai, Carver Karaszewski, and Claudia Shin. Murai, Ti West, Sam Donovan, and Andrew DeYoung are the directors.
Matthew Rhys in ‘Widow’s Bay’ season 1’s finale (Photo Credit: Apple TV)
Widow’s Bay Synopsis:
In Widow’s Bay, something lurks beneath the surface. Mayor Tom Loftis (Rhys) is desperate to revive his struggling community. There’s no Wi-Fi, spotty cellular reception, and he must contend with superstitious locals who believe their island is cursed. He wants these people to respect him. They don’t. They think he is soft and cowardly. And he is. But Loftis is determined to build a better future for his teenage son and turn the island into a tourist destination.
Miraculously, he succeeds: tourists are finally coming. Unfortunately, the locals were right. After decades of calm, the old stories that seemed too ludicrous to be true start happening again.
K Callan and Matthew Rhys in season 1 episode 10 (Photo Credit: Apple TV)Kevin Carroll in season 1’s finale (Photo Credit: Apple TV)Stephen Root and Kate O’Flynn in the first season’s finale (Photo Credit: Apple TV)
