The end of episode one found Claire and Jamie reuniting, and with Starz’s Outlander season seven episode two it appears Claire and Jamie will get back together with Bree and Roger. Directed by Lisa Clarke from a script by Toni Graphia, episode two – “The Happiest Place on Earth” – will air on linear Starz on Friday, June 23, 2023 at 8pm ET/PT following its premiere on the Starz app and all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms at midnight.
The cast is led by Caitriona Balfe as Claire Fraser and Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser. Season seven also stars Sophie Skelton as Brianna Randall Fraser Mackenzie, Richard Rankin as Roger Wakefield MacKenzie, David Berry as Lord John Grey, and John Bell as Young Ian.
Charles Vandervaart plays William Ransom, Izzy Meikle-Small is Rachel Hunter, Joey Phillips is Denzell Hunter, and Caitlin O’Ryan is Lizzie Wemyss. Paul Gorman returns as Josiah and Kezzie Beardsley, Hugh Ross is Arch Bug, Sarah Collier is Murdina Bug, Mark Lewis Jones is Tom Christie, and Alexander Vhalos plays Allan Christie.
Brennan Martin guest stars as Wendigo Donner.
“The Happiest Place on Earth” Plot: Claire makes a startling discovery about Roger and Brianna’s newborn daughter. A familiar face returns to the Ridge with explosive consequences.
Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan in ‘Outlander’ season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Season 7 Plot, Courtesy of Starz:
Following the harrowing events of Season 6, Jamie and Young Ian race to rescue Claire before she’s tried and wrongfully convicted for the murder of Malva Christie. But their mission is complicated by the beginning of a geopolitical firestorm: The American Revolution has arrived. In the seventh season of Outlander, Jamie, Claire, and their family are caught in the violent birth pains of an emerging nation as armies march to war and British institutions crumble in the face of armed rebellion.
The land the Frasers call home is changing – and they must change with it. In order to protect what they’ve built, the Frasers have to navigate the perils of the Revolutionary War. They learn that sometimes to defend what you love, you have to leave it behind. As the conflict draws them out of North Carolina and into the heart of this fight for
independence, Jamie, Claire, Brianna, and Roger are faced with impossible decisions that have the potential to tear their family apart.
Caitriona Balfe and John Bell in season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)Caitriona Balfe and Richard Rankin in season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)Richard Rankin and Sam Heughan in season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)Caitriona Balfe and Richard Rankin in season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)Caitríona Balfe (“Claire Fraser”), Paul Gorman (“Josiah/Kezzie) Beardsley”), and Caitlin O’Ryan (“Lizzie”) in season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)Sam Heughan and Sophie Skelton in season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe in season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)Sam Heughan (“Jamie Fraser”) and David Berry (“Lord John Grey”) in season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)Caitríona Balfe (“Claire Fraser”), Sam Heughan (“Jamie Fraser”), Sophie Skelton (“Brianna Fraser MacKenzie”), and Richard Rankin (“Roger MacKenzie”) in season 7 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Starz)Sam Heughan in season 7 episode 2 (Photo credit: Starz)
Clayton Cardenas as Angel Reyes in ‘Mayans M.C.’ season 5 episode 6 (Photo CR: Prashant Gupta/FX)
FX’s Mayans M.C. season five episode six begins with the Reyes brothers (separately) starting their days. EZ’s body is black and blue, and he dresses silently so as not to wake Sofia. Angel (Clayton Cardenas) emerges from trying to wash the weight of the world off of his shoulders in the shower and picks up his young son, telling Maverick it’s just the two of them as Adelita continues to sleep.
Angel makes toast for breakfast while holding Maverick. At the same time, EZ (JD Pardo) gets into his truck and places a loaded gun on the passenger seat.
A quick pan around the clubhouse and yard shows that not a creature is stirring other than a fly buzzing around the bar. There’s an uneasy, ominous vibe to the opening minutes that signals we’re in for an incredibly intense episode.
Angel grabs his chest in pain, but fortunately, it’s only part of a game as he continues to entertain Maverick. He falls backward, playing dead, and then scoops up Maverick and holds him high above his head. Their fun daddy/son moment is interrupted by EZ pounding on the door.
EZ enters without uttering a word. He stares at Angel as if they’re complete strangers, and orders him into the truck. Angel attempts to get out of it, claiming today’s all about family. EZ assures him that what he has in store also has to do with family.
EZ orders Angel to leave his cut behind.
Angel wakes Adelita (Carla Baratta) to watch over Maverick, explaining he doesn’t know what EZ wants but he has to go with him. Adelita senses something’s wrong and asks if Angel’s okay, and Angel – unconvincingly – says he is. Still, he takes his gun with him, covering it with his shirt.
EZ and Angel drive for a while in silence, and EZ won’t say where they’re going. Angel attempts small talk and brings up Sofia, and EZ confirms that Sofia said he stopped by. Angel’s getting more on edge as they drive and demands to know what’s going on.
EZ and Angel discuss their mother and that it’s the 12-year anniversary of her death. They both still miss her. EZ sighs and says, “I hope she forgives me for what I’m about to do.”
Angel immediately stares at his brother, but EZ falls silent.
They pull up outside a small house in the middle of nowhere, and EZ grabs his gun. Angel notices a shovel and a pickaxe in the back of the truck, and his voice breaks as he asks what they’re for. EZ calmly replies, “We’re going to bury a body.”
EZ orders Angel out of the truck, and Angel refuses. Finally, Angel gives in and gets out. EZ says that if the fact that they’re brothers means anything, then Angel will walk over to the shack.
Angel walks ahead of EZ, and before he opens the door, Angel reminds his brother that their mother wouldn’t want them to hurt each other. EZ claims that’s why they’re here – to say goodbye to their mom.
Angel’s still standing on the porch, back to EZ, when EZ points his gun at Angel’s back. Again, EZ orders Angel to open the door, and he reluctantly does while saying that he’s sorry.
Angel steps inside and EZ bursts past him, ordering the people inside not to move. It turns out EZ’s discovered Happy’s hiding place. Happy (David Labrava) can’t believe it’s taken them this long to find him, given that he killed their mother.
“Anyone did my mother dirty like that, I’d f**king butcher them,” says Happy.
Happy’s girlfriend asks if she should call Chibs, and Happy asks that EZ let the girl and his dogs go since they’re innocent. EZ reminds him that his mom was innocent too, but he allows the girl to take off with the dogs.
Happy claims he was just following Les Packer’s orders, and it wasn’t personal. That might not have been personal, but EZ and Angel’s revenge is. EZ asks for his mom’s last words, and Happy doesn’t hesitate to say he shot her in the neck. She didn’t say anything.
Happy points out Angel hasn’t said a word. EZ continues to speak for the Reyes brothers, noting that Happy set all of this in motion when he killed their mom 12 years ago today. EZ lowers his weapon and tells Angel this is his gift to him. Angel hesitates, Happy makes a move for his gun, and EZ shoots him multiple times. EZ wants Angel to finish him off, and he does with a bullet to the brain.
Sarah Bolger as Emily Thomas in ‘Mayans M.C.’ season 5 episode 6 (Photo CR: Prashant Gupta/FX)
Luis checks on Emily (Sarah Bolger) and she refuses to get out of bed, even though Miguel wants her up. She screams for Luis to go away but finally gets up. The next we see of her, Luis is teaching her how to shoot a gun. He realizes she’s depressed and just wants to help her feel better, and in return, Emily treats him like crap. She apologizes and ultimately enjoys the power of firing a pistol.
Luis admits he knew she was attempting to escape at the store, but he didn’t tell Miguel. He also admits that it’s useless to try and escape. Miguel will never let her go.
Luis and Emily get to know each other while chatting at the park as Cristobal has fun in the playground. Suddenly, the nanny loses sight of Cristobal and everyone panics. Emily spots the woman who called her a murderer in the grocery store, and she’s holding onto Cristobal’s arm and hustling him away!
Cristobal breaks free and runs to his mom, while Emily scans the crowd for the woman. She’s nowhere to be seen. (The woman is the mother of Marlon, the city clerk EZ accidentally killed while helping Emily in season 2 episode 6.)
Sofia (Andrea Cortés) orders a very reluctant Bottles (Alex Barone) to watch Sally while she’s gone. She heads over to Tony’s place and confronts her ex, telling him she doesn’t want – or need – his forgiveness. Tony (Will Peltz) believes she needs to forgive herself; they were just kids themselves when their daughter died. Sofia refuses to release her guilt, and Tony’s pissed that she’s wasting her life in a trailer in a scrapyard. She owes their daughter more than that.
Tony’s mom emerges from the house, surprised and happy to see Sofia. They hug and then look through old photo albums of Sofia and Tony’s daughter. Her ex has found God and assures Sofia that their daughter remains with them if they keep her memory alive.
Sofia seems to consider this as she looks at the crosses on the wall and at a drawing by her daughter on the frig.
Bishop (Michael Irby) wakes up in bed next to Maggie (Presciliana Esparolini), and they share a sweet moment together, totally enjoying each other’s company. Bish finally makes it to the clubhouse and believes he’s alone as he grabs a beer. He hears guitar music and finds Treena (Augie Duke) practicing in the bathroom.
Felipe (Edward James Olmos) watches Maverick while Adelita heads off to work for Soledad. Before she leaves, he confesses he’s grateful Adelita has helped Angel. Adelita says Angel’s a beautiful man with a big heart, just like his dad.
Felipe tells her to be careful, and she smiles as she says she’s glad she didn’t kill him when she had the chance.
Carla Baratta as Adelita in ‘Mayans M.C.’ season 5 episode 6 (Photo CR: Prashant Gupta/FX)
It’s late afternoon when Angel and EZ finish burying Happy. Angel demands to know what’s up and doesn’t think their mom would have wanted them to murder someone in her name. EZ believes this is all they have to give her and all the Reyes men will ever be – killers.
Angel takes off running away from his brother, overcome with despair and torn up inside. There are flowers by his feet and he picks them.
Adelita is also holding a flower – a poppy from the nearby field – while speaking with an associate and loading up cash. They whisper as they talk and, apparently, he’s part of some secret plan that she assures him they need to stick to.
She says, “It won’t be much longer now, and then Adelita will strike.”
Later, Soledad confronts Adelita, reminding her that while Adelita can go home to her family, she no longer has anyone to turn to since Adelita killed her family. She doesn’t trust Adelita and knows she’s only working with the LNG cartel because Potter ordered her to. Soledad will free her and her family of all their obligations if she kills an “annoying stray” north of the border.
Adelita looks at the photo of the person she’s supposed to kill and doesn’t react, but it’s obvious she knows the target. (It must be EZ, right?)
It’s late when Sofia returns to fetch Sally from Bottles. EZ’s not home yet, and she pauses in the car. She looks at the photo of her daughter smiling for the camera and places it in the visor over the driver’s seat.
Sofia takes a seat next to Bottles, and after a minute of silence, she says, “She’s gone and nothing will ever bring her back.” Bottles, for once, doesn’t ask any questions as Sofia confesses that she feels dead inside.
EZ stops by a church and lights a candle for his mom. He takes a seat in a pew, directly behind a plaque that reads “In Loving Memory of Marisol Reyes.” The church door opens, and EZ glances to the side. Felipe takes a seat in the opposite pew, and neither father nor son speaks.
Season five episode six ends with Angel deep asleep next to Adelita. She quietly gets up without disturbing him and cleans her gun, the photo of EZ given to her by Soledad on the kitchen table in front of her.
Adelita pauses at the front door, tears filling her eyes as she glances around her and Angel’s home, soaking in her surroundings as if she’ll never see them again. Adelita allows herself just a brief moment to let her emotions surface before pushing them down and leaving the house.
Disney+’s teaser trailer for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series confirms that the upcoming fourth season will be the show’s final season. Season four will drop all eight episodes on Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
The final season brings back High School Musical stars Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Lucas Grabeel, Bart Johnson, Alyson Reed, and Kaycee Stroh as themselves. Plus, the show will wrap up with a major meta twist that finds East High hosting High School Musical 4: The Reunion.
Series creator and executive producer Tim Federle took to social media to discuss the final season: “After four years at East High, it’s time to graduate. This will be our final, endgame season,” stated Federle. “This show brought the most extraordinary cast – and crew, and collaborators – to my life. To the fans who embraced our super-meta series: we ‘don’t not love you.’ We can’t wait to share this epic 4th act with you all.”
Season four stars Joshua Bassett as Ricky, Sofia Wylie as Gina, Dara Reneé as Kourtney, and Julia Lester as Ashlyn. Frankie Rodriguez plays Carlos, Kate Reinders is Miss Jenn, and Liamani Segura plays Emmy.
Recurring guest stars include Kylie Cantrall as Dani, Matthew Sato as Mack, Caitlin Reilly as Quinn, and Vasthy Mompoint as Krystal. Mark St. Cyr, Matt Cornett, Larry Saperstein, Joe Serafini, Adrian Lyles, and Saylor Bell Curda also recur.
HBO’s Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York delves into the brutal murderer who targeted gay men in the 1990s. The four-part documentary series was directed by Pride‘s Anthony Caronna and features interviews with activists, investigators, and family members who were involved in the search for the serial killer.
The docuseries is based on Elon Green’s bestseller and is executive produced by Howard Gertler, Charlize Theron, Liz Garbus, Dan Cogan, Jon Bardin, and Kate Barry.
HBO released the following description of the docuseries:
“In the early 1990s, with homophobia and hate crimes on the rise as the AIDS crisis worsens, a serial killer preys upon gay men in New York City, infiltrating queer nightlife to find his victims. A gripping, investigative crime story, Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York also dives deeply into the prejudices and attitudes of the times, when deep-rooted biases in the criminal justice system and the media’s distorted public perception of the victims undermined the investigation and enabled a brutal killer to prey on a marginalized populace.
The complexities of the closet combined with a long-standing mistrust of law enforcement further complicated the case. It also highlights the heroic efforts of activists, including the NYC Anti-Violence Project, to force law enforcement to recognize and protect the queer community.”
Last Call Episode Descriptions
Episode 1
Debut date: SUNDAY, JULY 9 (9:00-10:00 p.m. p.m. ET/PT)
When a dismembered body is found in New Jersey in 1992, the crime scene poses striking similarities to a murder a year prior — a case that went cold. Both victims were affluent and closeted men, last seen at a piano bar in Manhattan. The Anti-Violence Project pushes the police to investigate a potential serial killer stalking gay men in New York City.
Episode 2
Debut date: SUNDAY, JULY 16 (9:00-10:00 p.m. p.m. ET/PT)
A third victim is part of the world of the queer community’s most vulnerable population: sex workers of color. While the AVP is pressuring the NYPD and media to connect the murders, another piece of evidence leads investigators to Staten Island.
Episode 3
Debut date: SUNDAY, JULY 23 (9:00-10:00 p.m. p.m. ET/PT)
A clear pattern of a serial killer emerges with a fourth murder, prompting the creation of a multi-jurisdictional task force and the first coverage from national newspapers. An eyewitness leads to a huge break: a potential name and description of the suspect.
Episode 4
Debut date: SUNDAY, JULY 30 (9:00-10:00 p.m. p.m. ET/PT)
A break in forensic technology leads investigators to a suspect: a nurse living on Staten Island. The next step is to decipher his past — a quest that takes them back almost 30 years to a murder in Maine — and to make sure he doesn’t evade justice.
CBS’s fifth season of Tough as Nails will feature two firefighters, a motorcycle builder, an ironworker, a tile setter, and a self-professed jack of all trades. The new season marks the first time competitors from the U.S. and Canada will be vying for cash prizes, with the competition taking place in Hamilton, Ontario.
Phil Keoghan and Louise Keoghan created the series, and Phil will return as host when season five kicks off on July 2, 2023. New episodes air on Fridays and Sundays at 8pm ET/PT.
Tough as Nails Season 5 Contestants
Name: Paul Hamilton
Job: Maintenance supervisor
Age: 56
Hometown: Airdrie, Alberta
Name: Carly Steiman
Job: Electrician
Age: 32
Hometown: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Per CBS: “Tough as Nails is a competition series that celebrates everyday Americans who consider the calluses on their hands a badge of honor. For the first time, the show filmed in the Canadian ‘Steeltown’ of Hamilton, Ontario, and will feature essential workers from both the United States and Canada who are ready to test their strength, endurance, life skills, and mental toughness in challenges that take place in real-world scenarios.
One by one, these workers are eliminated from the individual competition until a winner is crowned, but nobody goes home. Contestants who ‘punch out’ of the individual competition continue to compete until the end of the season in a team competition with a chance of winning additional cash prizes.”
Cailee Spaeny (Mare of Easttown, Devs) transforms into Priscilla Presley in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla. The first trailer shows Spaeny as Priscilla meeting Elvis Presley and falling madly in love. Jacob Elordi (Euphoria, The Kissing Booth) takes on the role of Elvis.
Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 critically acclaimed Elvis brought the couple’s story to life on the screen with Austin Butler and Olivia DeJonge. Elvis, obviously, focused on the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, while Coppola’s Priscilla tells the story of Elvis’s first love.
The film is based on Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir Elvis and Me, with Sofia Coppola adapting the book and directing. Dagmara Dominczyk (Succession) also stars, and Coppola, Lorenzo Mieli, and Youree Henley serve as producers.
Coppola’s behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Philippe Le Sourd, production designer Tamara Deverell, editor Sarah Flack, costume designer Stacey Battat, and music supervisor Randall Poster. The film’s score is by Phoenix.
A24’s targeting an October 2023 theatrical release.
The Plot:
When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a gentle best friend. Through Priscilla’s eyes, Sofia Coppola tells the unseen side of a great American myth in Elvis and Priscilla’s long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German army base to his dream-world estate at Graceland, in this deeply felt and ravishingly detailed portrait of love, fantasy, and fame.
Solar Opposites co-creator Justin Roiland is out and Dan Stevens (Legion, Gaslit) is in as the voice of the grumpy, Earth-loathing alien Korvo. Hulu announced the change two months out from the planned launch of season four, with Stevens committed to handling the voice of Korvo for both season four and season five.
For those pointing out that Dan Stevens sounds nothing like Justin Roiland, the upcoming season acknowledges that in a very Solar Opposite-y way. Hulu’s nearly two-minute sneak peek of season four reveals just how Korvo comes to suddenly speak with a very British accent.
Dan Stevens joins a voice cast that includes Thomas Middleditch as Terry, Sean Giambrone as Yumyulack, and Mary Mack as Jesse. Mike McMahan and Josh Bycel serve as executive producers.
Season four is set to premiere on August 14, 2023, and will consist of 11 episodes. Hulu’s targeting a 2024 premiere for a Valentine’s Day special.
The Plot:
Solar Opposites centers around a team of four aliens who are evenly split on whether Earth is awful or awesome. Korvo and Yumyulack only see the pollution, crass consumerism, and human frailty while Terry and Jesse love TV, junk food and fun stuff.
On season four, we pack up the sci-fi and get normal… for a second. Then it’s back to classic Solar chaos, mayhem in the Wall, and some all new Silvercops adventures!
Harrison Ford was game to reprise his role as the Nazi-hating, snake-loathing archaeologist, and there seemed to be, if not demand, at least an interest in another Indy adventure. Unfortunately, the lack of a compelling story or memorable action scenes results in a missed opportunity and a rather lackluster conclusion to the blockbuster franchise.
Dial of Destiny time travels back to the 1940s to explain the film’s title and set up the retrieval of the archaeologically important centerpiece. The flashback gives us a Harrison Ford at about the age he was in Raiders of the Lost Ark, courtesy of some groundbreaking VFX technology. With access to hundreds of hours of footage in Lucasfilm’s vault, artificial intelligence matched 25 minutes’ worth of footage of a younger Ford’s face to replace his current 80-year-old self.
Although the result looks great, it’s still jarring to see Ford’s younger face in place of his current one as Indy battles Nazis on a train in the ‘40s. For a few scenes, it might have worked. But 25 minutes is really pushing it.
Indy and sidekick Basil Shaw (Toby Jones) are trapped onboard a Nazi train loaded with stolen treasures. Initially, Indy’s after the Lance of Longinus (a sword with Christ’s blood), but after discovering it’s a fake, he and Basil set their sights on the Antikythera (aka Dial of Destiny). Created thousands of years ago by Archimedes, the Antikythera contains the power to time travel. But, of course, there’s a huge catch. The dial is split in two, and both halves are necessary to activate its powers.
Indy and, to a lesser degree, Basil fight Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) for control of one-half of the Antikythera through railcars loaded with soldiers and eventually on top of the train in the middle of the night on a bridge with Allied planes attempting to take out the train.
Since this is an Indiana Jones film, we know who ultimately emerges victorious.
Flash-forward to 1969, and an Indy who looks like 2023’s Harrison Ford is retiring from teaching. The psychedelic ‘60s provide an underutilized backdrop to Indy’s reunion with Basil Shaw’s daughter, Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Helena’s got a chip on her shoulder and a grudge against Indy that leads to her backstabbing her godfather, causing Indy to be once again caught up in a fight with Nazis for control of the Antikythera.
The globe-trotting action provides plenty of opportunities for homages to Indy’s past adventures. And as Indy and Helena work through their relationship while attempting to stay one step ahead of Jürgen Voller and his minions, there are brief moments when Dial of Destiny captures the spirit of the first four Indiana Jones films. Yet even when it nails that vibe, Indy 5 is still a pale imitation of its predecessors.
Even Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull gave us a few memorable action set pieces, including the bizarre bit with Indy riding out an atomic blast in a refrigerator. (That weird twist spawned “nuke the fridge,” another way of noting that a series or film franchise has jumped the shark.) Crystal Skull also gave us Shia LeBeouf channeling Tarzan and a bunch of unimpressive CG monkeys. But still, the story was sort of fun, and Steven Spielberg understood the assignment. The plot may have run out of steam, but the action scenes never did.
15 years later, and with James Mangold subbing in for franchise director Spielberg, the steam that once powered this franchise has long dissipated, leaving no trace of it to ignite this final, unnecessary installment. The action set pieces don’t have the pizzazz of a Spielberg production, and while Harrison Ford certainly appears to be completely invested in this finale, there’s only so much an actor even of his caliber can do when the energy and adrenaline-pumping action scenes fizzle rather than explode on the screen. (A week out from the screening, none of the sequences have left an impression.)
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the first film of the franchise that doesn’t need to be seen in theaters, which is a shame since the shared experience of rooting on an action hero in a big summer popcorn flick is something we could use after coming off a few years of Covid isolation.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’s just okay and certainly not in the same league as Raiders, Temple of Doom, or the Last Crusade. Spielberg’s touch is sorely missing. Also missing was someone with the power to chop off 30 or so minutes from the excruciatingly long runtime.
GRADE: C
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, action, sequences of violence, and smoking
Lexi Underwood and Griffin Gluck in ‘Cruel Summer’ season 2 episode 4 (Freeform/Ricardo Hubbs)
Viewers know the drill; every episode of Freeform’s Cruel Summer starts off the same way. The dates of season two episode four are:
July 23, 1999
December 23, 1999
July 23, 2000
Summer of 1999
Megan (Sadie Stanley) tells Isabella (Lexi Underwood) she’s tired of the same boring Megan Landry. She wants to do something fun. Nothing too bad, but more along the lines of taking risks and going on adventures. She wants to be unpredictable.
Megan informs Luke (Griffin Gluck) and Jeff that she wants to go out and do something fun. They settle on a bar, and she and Jeff (Nile Bullock) volunteer to make fake IDs. Luke seems shocked that Megan’s up for this.
Megan and Jeff bond over making fake IDs and grow closer. He’s impressed with her hacking skills. Megan receives an Instant Message from someone offering to show her shortcuts, which she quickly closes as soon as the message pops up.
As Megan and Isabella get ready for their night out, they talk about Jeff. Isabella seems to really be pushing the idea of Megan dating him.
Once they arrive at the bar, Megan and Isabella have no problem getting through security. However, Luke and Jeff screw up and can’t get in, and Isabella convinces Megan not to worry about them as they enter to the bar. After grabbing drinks, they head to the dance floor.
Luke seems annoyed as they wait for the girls outside the bar, but Jeff seems fine with it. Luke takes this opportunity to ask Jeff about him and Megan. Luke tries to play it off like it’s cool that Jeff and Megan are hanging out.
Megan and Isabella are drinking and having a good time when Megan spots Sheriff Myer (Sean Blakemore). They decide to take off before he sees them.
Back at Luke’s house, the drinking continues, and Jeff asks Megan if she wants to go for a walk. Luke sees them kissing and appears jealous. He reacts by kissing Isabella.
Sadie Stanley and Griffin Gluck in ‘Cruel Summer’ season 2 episode 4 (Freeform/Ricardo Hubbs)
Winter of 1999
Megan tells Isabella about a team called white hat hackers that looks for loopholes in big companies’ websites and fixes them before hackers can get in. She believes it’s something she can do in college to make money and help her mom. Isabella doesn’t look impressed.
Their chat’s interrupted by a loud bang, and they discover Debbie (KaDee Strickland) yelling in the kitchen about a broken water pipe.
The plumber wants $6,000 to repair the pipe and the damages – and he wants it upfront. Megan’s shocked to learn the emergency funds are gone, and Isabella tries to come to the rescue by offering them $5,000 in cash. Megan’s too proud and refuses to take her money.
Debbie announces they’re going to stay with Steve for the night, but Megan doesn’t want to. She doesn’t want to see Luke’s brother, Brent…not after he taped her and Luke having sex.
It’s awkward when they show up at Steve’s (Paul Adelstein), and he tries to get Brent to come welcome them. Steve informs Debbie that someone backed out of a deal because he can’t do business with people that don’t share his values. (That sex tape is now causing problems with Steve’s business.)
Megan discovers Isabella’s bikini tucked away in Luke’s bathroom.
Later, Megan reveals that Isabella tried to give them money and Luke immediately suggests that Isabella was just trying to help. The offer came from a good place. Megan feels like it was charity, but Luke says it was nothing like that. Megan realizes Luke and Isabella talked about it, and she accuses them of talking behind her back. Luke confesses that he and Isabella sometimes talk because they’re friends.
Megan tells Luke that he and Isabella don’t get it because they don’t struggle with money.
Megan catches Isabella going through Brent’s room and confronts her about the swimsuit she found in Luke’s room. Isabella swears it’s from the previous summer. Isabella turns on Megan, reminding her that she’s being called all kinds of nasty things by the town because she protected Megan so that she can keep her scholarship.
“How far do I need to go to prove my loyalty to you? I mean, what? Do you need me to kill for you?” asks Isabella before stalking out.
Brent (Braeden De La Garza) finally graces them with his presence which leads to a huge argument. As things heat up, Steve and Debbie show up to put an end to the fight.
Uncomfortable dinner alert… Debbie fills the silence stating that she feels Brent owes Isabella and Luke an apology. Megan wants Brent to admit he filmed girls without telling them, and Luke attempts to play peacemaker and just wants to have a nice dinner. But Debbie didn’t realize there were more tapes and is disgusted. She also realizes that Steve knew about the other tapes.
Steve and Debbie argue, and Luke jumps in to stop it. When Megan questions if he’s defending his dad, Isabella tries to defend Luke. And, well, of course, Megan isn’t pleased.
Back at home, Megan keeps getting crank calls that are aimed at Isabella. Megan wants to know if her mom and Steve will be okay after their big blowup.
As plumbers fix the pipe (Steve sent them over as a way of apologizing), Megan opens her report card. She went from straight As to having one C+, and she lies to her mom about what’s in the mail.
Sadie Stanley in ‘Cruel Summer’ season 2 episode 4 (Freeform/Ricardo Hubbs)
Summer of 2000
Megan tosses out a garbage bag late at night, and Isabella waits until Megan goes back inside before investigating the trash bag. Inside are what appear to be bloody clothes.
In episode three, Sheriff Myer confronted Megan about the discovery that she didn’t really drop off Luke the night he disappeared. Megan’s lawyer questions her about that lie. Her lawyer needs answers, and Megan claims they drove around for a while and ended up at the cabin. He points out that’s the murder site.
The lawyer needs to know when she last saw Luke, and Megan claims it was early that Saturday. He wants to know if she’s been back to the cabin since that day. Megan lies and says no. She also lies and says there’s nothing else she’s hiding.
Megan’s questioned again by Sheriff Myer over a letter Luke supposedly wrote saying he was running away to see family in Virginia. Myer wants Megan to explain why her prints are on it. (For someone so smart, she sure doesn’t know how to cover her tracks!) Megan claims Luke told her about it, and the sheriff brings up that she failed to mention it previously.
Her lawyer abruptly ends the interview.
Debbie confronts Megan about knowing that Luke was going to run away and how she didn’t say anything to Steve. Megan says she had to protect Luke and that he was freaked out about something but wouldn’t say what. She was supposed to drop the letter off in Steve’s mailbox after taking Luke to the train station. But when she showed up to take him there, he was gone.
Sheriff Myer shows up at Megan’s house with a warrant to seize Megan’s computer. Megan looks guilty as she freaks out over her computer being taken away.
Megan hops on the phone with a mystery person and explains what happened. The scene shifts to the police station’s IT guy revealing that he can’t get into the files on Megan’s computer and that there’s a virus on it.
Episode four draws to a close in the summer of 2000 when Sheriff Myer, again, brings Megan in for questioning over new information. Myer delivers the shocking allegation that Megan was pregnant and that when she told Luke, he rejected the news – so she killed him.
Sarah Yarkin as Rhonda, Milo Manheim as Wally, Peyton List as Maddie and Nick Pugliese as Charley in ‘School Spirits’ episode 7 (Photo Cr: Ed Araquel / Paramount +)
Paramount+’s School Spirits season one ended on a cliffhanger that revealed one ghost was harboring a terrifying, game-changing secret. Fortunately, fans of the young adult series aren’t going to be left wondering the outcome of this revelation as Paramount+ has just officially renewed the series for season two.
“School Spirits has captivated audiences with its gripping storyline, engaging characters, and the enigmatic world of high school life, and we are thrilled to bring a second season to this loyal fan base across Paramount+,” stated Shauna Phelan and Zack Olin, Executive Vice Presidents and Co-Heads at Nickelodeon and Awesomeness live-action series and films. “Maddie’s quest to unravel the truth behind her mysterious disappearance has resonated with viewers, and we can’t wait to continue this thrilling journey with them.”
Season one starred Peyton List as Maddie Nears, Kristian Ventura as Simon Elroy, Spencer MacPherson as Xavier Baxter, Kiara Pichardo as Nicole Herrera, Sarah Yarkin as Rhonda, and Nick Pugliese as Charley. Rainbow Wedell played Claire Zomer and Milo Manheim starred as Wally Clark.
The first season cast also included Josh Zuckerman as Mr. Martin and Maria Dizzia as Sandra Nears.
The series is based on the upcoming graphic novel by Nate Trinrud & Megan Trinrud, and Maria Nguyen, arriving in 2024. Oliver Goldstick (Pretty Little Liars) guides School Spirits as showrunner and executive produces along with Nate Trinrud and Megan Trinrud.
“School Spirits developed such a passionate and engaged fan base over the course of its first season, marking one of our most popular new young adult series to date,” said Domenic DiMeglio, chief marketing officer and head of data at Paramount Streaming. “The creative minds behind the series – showrunner Oliver Goldstick and creators Nate Trinrud & Megan Trinrud – and the extremely talented cast brought audiences a fresh take on high school – both in the present and in the after-life – and we can’t wait to see what happens next at Split River High.”
Season two is expected to begin shooting in 2024 and is targeting a late 2024 premiere.
Produced by Awesomeness Studios, season one of School Spirits is centered around Maddie (List), a teen stuck in the afterlife investigating her own mysterious disappearance. Maddie goes on a crime-solving journey as she adjusts to high school purgatory, but the closer she gets to discovering the truth, the more secrets and lies she uncovers.
