Josh Gates heads to California and calls on Gold Rush star Parker Schnabel for help with an investigation right up his alley on Discovery Channel’s Expedition Unknown season 16, episode three. The new episode airs on Wednesday, November 19, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT.
Discovery Channel offers this synopsis of episode three: “In the upcoming all-new episode, Gold Rush star Parker Schnabel joins Josh Gates to investigate an infamous California stagecoach robbery gone bad. Fighting a driving rainstorm, Gates leans on Schnabel’s gold mining expertise to close in on the $10M lost treasure.”
Season 16 finds Gates in Oregon for a Goonies-inspired quest and looking for a lost Nazi submarine in the Baltic Sea. Gates also visits Nicaragua as he tracks the lost Cornelius Vanderbilt steamship.
Amazon MGM Studio’s second trailer for Project Hail Mary shows the developing relationship between science teacher Ryland (three-time Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling, Barbie, La La Land, Half Nelson) and an alien who have a shared goal. “So, I met an alien. He’s a genius engineer, and if I can’t understand what he’s saying, he puts on a little puppet show for me and my tiny brain. And, you know what, I don’t mind it,” says Ryland. “His planet’s dying too. We’re here for the same reason.”
Oscar nominee Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, and Milana Vayntrub also star.
“Science teacher Ryland Grace (Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there,” reads Amazon MGM Studios’ synopsis. “As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.”
Drew Goddard adapted Andy Weir’s bestseller and Phil Lord and Christopher Miller direct. Gosling, Lord, Miller, Weir, Amy Pascal, Aditya Sood, and Rachel O’Connor serve as producers. Executive producers include Goddard, Patricia Whitcher, Sarah Esberg, Lucy Kitada, Nikki Baida, and Ken Kao.
Project Hail Mary opens in theaters and IMAX on March 20, 2026.
Ben Whishaw and Keira Knightley in season 1 of ‘Black Doves’ (Photo Credit: Netflix)
Sam Riley and Neve Campbell have joined the cast of Netflix’s Black Doves season two, along with Ambika Mod, Babou Ceesay, Sylvia Hoeks, Goran Kostic, and Samuel Barnett. The newcomers join returning series stars Keira Knightley, Ben Whishaw, and Sarah Lancashire.
Andrew Buchan, Kathryn Hunter, Ella Lily Hyland, Gabrielle Creevy, Agnes O’Casey, and Molly Chesworth will also reprise their roles for the upcoming second season of the spy thriller. The streamer reports filming is taking place in and around London.
“I couldn’t be more excited to delve back into the world of our murderous little spy family,” said writer, creator, and executive producer Joe Barton. “To have so many of our amazing cast returning and also being able to add some of my absolute favourite actors into the mix is such a great joy. Downing Street will never be the same again…”
Netflix offers this description of the new season: “Helen (Knightley) is still betraying her nation’s secrets to the covert organization she serves: the Black Doves. But after the misadventures of last Christmas, and with her husband, Wallace (Buchan), preparing to become Prime Minister, she is walking a more treacherous line than ever.
As Helen’s enigmatic handler, Mrs. Reed (Lancashire), is ensnared in a ruthless plot to undermine her position in the Black Doves, Helen is reunited with her best friend Sam (Whishaw). The once high-end triggerman is now reduced to lonely drinks in Soho bars and low-rate hits. As they search for answers, loyalties are weaponized, trust is shattered, and the fight to protect the people they love could cost everything. With all the explosive wit of Series 1, Helen and Sam’s mission leads them back to old friends and enemies, through the dark decisions and painful sacrifices of their pasts, and right to the heart of the Black Doves.”
Season two directors include Julian Farino and Kieron Hawkes, with Keira Knightley, Jane Featherstone, and Chris Fry executive producing. The series is a SISTER production.
Two-time Oscar winner Dianne Wiest plays a Reverend Mother on CBS’s Elsbeth season three, episode seven. Lindsey Normington also pops in as a pop star on the Thursday, November 20, 2025 episode, airing at 9pm ET/PT.
“And Then There Were Nuns” Plot: A pop star’s (Normington) purchase of a failing convent turns divine real estate into a murder scene as Elsbeth takes on the Mother of all nuns (Wiest). Meanwhile, Teddy digs into Alec Bloom’s past for a feature he is working on. Peter Sollett directs from a script by Matthew K. Begbie.
Carrie Preston returns to star as the titular character. Wendell Pierce is also back as Captain C.W. Wagner for the series’ third season.
Emmy Award winner Carrie Preston returns as Elsbeth Tascioni, the cunning yet unconventional consent decree attorney working with the NYPD to track down New York’s most well-heeled murderers utilizing her unique intuitive insight. The critically acclaimed series enters its third season with fresh cases, new characters, and unexpected challenges for Elsbeth and the 11th Precinct, led by her boss, Captain C.W. Wagner (Pierce).
Ashleigh LaThrop as Dr. Ericka Kinney and Aury Krebs as Dr. Dana Dang in ‘Brilliant Minds’ season 2 episode 8 (Photo by: Pief Weyman/NBC)
A co-pilot is still feeling the effects of a long night of partying as NBC’s Brilliant Minds season two, episode eight begins. The pilot knows she’s tired but leaves her in charge as he takes a bathroom break, shooting selfies and checking out his hair.
(The following is a recap of season two, episode eight, which means there are spoilers ahead.)
The co-pilot, Elle Palmer (T.V. Carpio), seems to have difficulty keeping her eyes open as they approach the airport. The pilot is knocked out from turbulence as the passengers scream in fear. An engine is on fire, and Elle’s having a difficult time seeing out the windshield. The instruments are going crazy, and Elle instructs the flight attendant to get everyone to brace for impact. Air traffic control sends increasingly urgent messages and Elle finally responds, indicating she’s attempting an emergency landing.
Dr. Oliver Wolf (Zachary Quinto) and his team examine Jorge, and he compliments Jorge’s mom, Mrs. Torres, for her dedication to helping her son. They’re going to continue to monitor Jorge, but all they can really do is wait. After they leave the room, Charlie (Brian Altemus) expresses doubt that Jorge will recover. Oliver tells him to trust the process.
Carol (Tamberla Perry) heads out to Hudson Oaks to get an answer about a patient. Oliver dislikes the “succubus” from there who keeps poaching their patients.
Ericka (Ashleigh LaThrop) is keeping an eye on her credit card account after loaning Sam her card, promising to return it. Sam didn’t and has ghosted her, so she has every reason to be concerned. Nurse Nico (Al Calderon) pops in and informs Ericka and Dana (Aury Krebs) that they need to take drug tests; it’s been two years and they’re supposed to take one every six months.
Ericka panics, sure she’s going to get fired. It’s been a week since she took a benzo, and Dana offers suggestions on how they can get her body ready for the test. However, that conversation has to wait when they’re notified it’s all hands on deck in the emergency department due to a plane crash. They’re expecting at least 40 patients.
The plane crashed into the Hudson River, and Dr. Anthony Thorne (John Clarence Stewart) reminds Neuro to “treat and street.” Oliver confirms they’ll be treating all patients, not just neuro patients.
Anthony’s disappointed they got the walking wounded and not the big traumas. Oliver helps the co-pilot out of an ambulance, and she can’t open her eyes. Elle says her vision has failed and when she opens her eyes, everything is upside down. Oliver quickly diagnoses her with reverse visual metamorphopsia. Elle realizes she can’t move her right side, and Oliver believes she’s having a stroke. Her condition is declining fast.
A short while later, the tests so far are inclusive. They need more tests, and Oliver explains there’s a drug that can help stroke victims, but it must be given now. Elle agrees, but Oliver adds that if she didn’t have a stroke, it could cause life-threatening bleeding. Oliver is against giving the drug, but Elle wonders if she’ll be permanently impaired if he’s wrong. Oliver asks her to trust him.
Jacob (Spence Moore II) and Ericka hurry to a man screaming on a gurney and discover he has a twisted testicle from the impact. It turns out he’s the pilot and he calls his co-pilot a stupid b*tch. Ericka decides she’ll be the one fixing his testicle.
162 people were on the plane, and Anthony tells Elle that they are all accounted for. He wonders how she landed a plane safely with her vision problem, and she says she trusted her instruments. Elle’s tests came back and the MRI was normal, which means Oliver was right. Anthony compliments Oliver, saying he’s odd but he knows his stuff and can be trusted.
Meanwhile, Charlie responds to an emergency in Jorge’s room. His temperature has spiked and he’s infected again, and Charlie explains to Mrs. Torres that they can treat this. She asks for Oliver, but Charlie swears she can trust him.
The pilot confronts Elle, claiming he’s going to make sure she loses her license. Anthony forces him to back off, but the pilot tells the patients in the waiting room that Elle owes them an explanation. She’s still seeing everything upside down but tries to explain what happened. Instead, she speaks gibberish and panics. The pilot insists she’s on drugs.
NTSB agents show up to speak with Elle and she’s barely able to answer questions. Both of the meds she’s on are approved by FAA, and Oliver and Anthony stand by her side as she struggles to provide answers. They confirm she didn’t appear intoxicated when she arrived, and Oliver insists they need to get back to treating her. The NTSB agents dismiss the doctors but continue to question Elle.
Oliver and Anthony go over her symptoms and there’s no obvious answer. Anthony knows they have to figure it out quickly before the NTSB jumps to the wrong conclusion.
Charlie speaks with Jorge’s mom and even though Oliver wanted to hold out hope, he breaks the news that Jorge likely won’t return to normal. Charlie thinks they need to ask themselves how much Jorge would want to go through. He also explains that it might be time to stop doing things for Jorge and start doing something to him. Mrs. Torres doesn’t think Jorge would want this. Charlie suggests that if his condition worsens, they should allow him to pass with peace and dignity.
Carol meets with Dr. Amelia Frederick at Hudson Bay and asks the status of Hector Martinez. Amelia claims he’s making good progress, and Carol is there to personally check up on him because his family’s concerned about when he’ll be discharged.
Tamberla Perry as Dr. Carol Pierce and Bellamy Young as Dr. Amelia Frederick in ‘Brilliant Minds’ season 2 episode 8 (Photo by: Pief Weyman/NBC)
Carol speaks with Hector and wonders why he wasn’t discharged a week ago. He insists he likes it there because he’s not the only “crazy” one. Hector isn’t ready to go back to his family, but Carol reminds him his commitment to treatment is to develop the tools to handle adversity. She believes his family is one of his best tools and informs Hector his family reached out to her to get him home.
Before Carol leaves, she has a friendly discussion with Amelia. Both agree it’s time for Hector to be discharged. (It’s obvious Carol gets a weird vibe from Amelia.)
Charlie tells Dana that he spoke with Mrs. Torres, and she’s agreed not to allow any more invasive measures. He thinks he can get Oliver to understand, but Dana says that’s not Oliver’s way. He always wants to give hope to patients. Charlie doesn’t believe that’s the right approach.
Dana shows Oliver a video of Elle partying the night before the crash. She’s sure it’s just a matter of time before it hits the news. Her toxicology reports are negative, but Dana confirms they don’t catch every new rave drug.
Elle tells Oliver and Anthony that she didn’t take drugs; she just uses dancing to reset. Oliver questions her vision flip, and Elle recalls it started with seeing black dots all over the skyline. At Oliver’s prompting, she attempts to write a sentence to get proof her brain is wired upside down. She writes “what is happening to me?” upside down, and Oliver believes he knows the cause. She has a rare, complex basilar migraine.
Elle doesn’t even have headaches, but Oliver is certain the black dots are a warning sign that a basilar migraine is coming on. Medication can stop the symptoms and Carol should be able to get to the source of the migraines.
Charlie informs Oliver that Mrs. Torres has decided to follow his treatment suggestions, and Oliver is furious. Oliver speaks with Mrs. Torres and says Charlie’s not wrong; he’s just young. She’s understandably confused.
Elle tells Carol she didn’t experience anything unusual until the approach. She doesn’t feel stress flying over the city so that wasn’t it. However, her captain was acting inappropriate and asking too many personal questions. Carol knows emotional triggers can bring on migraines. Elle finally admits her stepfather was an abusive alcoholic, and leaving home was the most difficult thing she’s done. She still hasn’t forgiven her mom.
Carol believes that with treatment, they can help her migraines.
Nurse Nico reminds Ericka about the drug test and she panics. Van didn’t know about the benzos, but she fills him in as she grabs a needle. Her plan is to stick herself and then check herself in occupational health; she’ll buy herself time to get a clean test result.
She has always wanted to be a doctor, and if she gets fired, her life will be over. Van apologizes for not understanding what she was going through and suggests she speak with Nico.
Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf and Aury Krebs as Dr. Dana Dang in ‘Brilliant Minds’ season 2 episode 8 (Photo by: Pief Weyman/NBC)
Carol and Oliver meet with the NTSB and confirm Elle’s migraines can be treated and that in time she will be able to fly again. Carol assures them Elle fully cooperated and doesn’t have a history of substance abuse. And Elle takes full responsibility for her actions and is proud of how she responded. Her vision was inverted and yet she landed a plane without any injuries.
The NTSB agents agree with her. They’ve determined her plane hit a drone in restricted airspace. The pilot is suspended for leaving the cockpit while the autopilot was disengaged. Elle, however, is not suspended.
Ericka meets with Nico and tells him she can’t take the test. He trusts her to handle this and warns her not to let it happen again. She has two weeks to get them out of her system before he has to test her.
Oliver calls Charlie in for a talk, reminding him he made plans for a patient without consulting his attending. They’re a team and not having the same approach to patient care sends mixed messages to patients. Charlie tells Oliver his reaction is irrational, and he should look into why he wants to keep treating a comatose patient.
Oliver is fed up and reminds Charlie he’s a trainee and his privileges at the hospital are provisional. This hospital isn’t his home. He orders Charlie to get out of his office.
Later, Oliver speaks with Carol and Anthony about Charlie. Although Oliver thinks he went too far, Anthony doesn’t think he went far enough. They all know the team needs to work together. But Carol reminds him he can’t yell at residents and he needs to stop sleeping at his office. Plus, he hasn’t swum in the Hudson since his dad left.
Ericka seeks Carol’s help and asks her to recommend a good therapist, admitting she needs help.
Oliver helps Elle get her confidence back, being her co-pilot on her first flight back.
Mrs. Torres sits next to Jorge and holds his hand. He squeezes it and then squeezes it again when she asks him to. She runs down the hallways screaming for help, overjoyed he’s alive.
The episode ends with Carol calling Emilia to thank her for helping Hector. She thinks Emilia’s priorities are in place. Emilia says she hopes Carol will think of her if she ever has someone in need.
Four months later, Emilia tells Oliver she wants to help him because he’s a very sick man. He responds by telling her she’s a liar. She reminds him it’s her word against his, and she has witnesses. Hector is seated next to Oliver and confirms he’s the witness. Emilia warns Oliver to get comfortable. She quietly says, “You’re going to be with us for a while.”
CBS’s 2025-2026 midseason primetime lineup will include a Yellowstone spinoff, CIA starring Tom Ellis (Lucifer), and the 50th season of Survivor. The network’s midseason schedule also includes the premiere of the true crime series Harlan Coben’s Final Twist along with new episodes of the NCIS dramas, Sheriff Country, and Boston Blue.
In addition, CBS will air the 2026 Golden Globes and the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.
CBS RETURNING SERIES and MIDSEASON PREMIERES
Wednesday, Jan. 7
8:00-9:00 PM HOLLYWOOD SQUARES
9:00-10:00 PM THE PRICE IS RIGHT AT NIGHT
10:00-11:00 PM HARLAN COBEN’S FINAL TWIST (series premiere)
Monday, Feb. 23
8:00-8:30 PM THE NEIGHBORHOOD
8:30-9:00 PM DMV (#1 new comedy)
9:00-10:00 PM FBI
10:00-11:00 PM CIA (series premiere)
Wednesday, Feb. 25
8:00-11:00 PM SURVIVOR 50 (new season premiere)
Thursday, Feb. 26
8:00-8:30 PM GEORGIE & MANDY’S FIRST MARRIAGE
8:30-9:00 PM GHOSTS
9:00-10:00 PM MATLOCK
10:00-11:00 PM ELSBETH
Friday, Feb. 27
8:00-9:00 PM SHERIFF COUNTRY (#2 new series)
9:00-10:00 PM FIRE COUNTRY
10:00-11:00 PM BOSTON BLUE (#1 new series)
Sunday, March 1
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM MARSHALS (series premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM TRACKER (#1 series, new time period)
10:00-11:00 PM WATSON (new night and time period)
Wednesday, March 4
8:00-9:30 PM SURVIVOR (regular time period)
9:30-10:30 PM AMERICA’S CULINARY CUP (series premiere)
10:30-11:00 PM HOLLYWOOD SQUARES
CIA, starring Tom Ellis, is a one-hour crime drama centered on two unlikely partners—a fast-talking, rule-breaking loose cannon CIA case officer (Ellis), and a by-the-book, seasoned and smart FBI agent who believes in the rule of law. When this odd couple are assigned to work out of CIA’s New York Station, they must learn to work together to investigate cases and criminals posing threats on U.S. soil, finding that their differences may actually be their strength.
MARSHALS stars Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton. With the Yellowstone Ranch behind him, Dutton joins an elite unit of U.S. Marshals, combining his skills as a cowboy and Navy SEAL to bring range justice to Montana, where he and his teammates must balance family, duty, and the high psychological cost that comes with serving as the last line of defense in the region’s war on violence.
HARLAN COBEN’S FINAL TWIST brings the world’s best-selling mystery author into the true-crime television genre for the first time. With over 90 million books sold globally and scripted series, Harlan Coben is known for his twisting narratives and intricate plots. In each one-hour episode, Harlan will guide audiences through gripping tales of murder, high-profile crimes, and life-altering surprises, each meticulously unraveled to reveal hidden truths, deceptions, and lies. With exclusive interviews and never-before-seen archival materials, the series will provide an in-depth look at stories where nothing is as it seems.
‘The Hunting Wives’ season 2 (Photo by Helen Perez/Netflix)
The cast of The Hunting Wives has reunited for season two, which is now currently in production. Returning series stars include Brittany Snow as Sophie and Malin Akerman as Margo. And the big question is, will Akerman have a better wig? Netflix’s start of production announcement acknowledged the controversial hairpiece, teasing, “Sophie, Margo, and Margo’s wig are back in production.”
Jaime Ray Newman, Dermot Mulroney, Evan Jonigkeit, and George Ferrier also reprise their roles in the upcoming second season. Karen Rodriguez and Hunter Emery will be back as Deputy Salazar and Deputy Flynn, respectively. Fans can also expect to see Branton Box back as Sheriff Johnny.
“At the start of season two, Sophie and Margo are on the outs, reads Netflix’s season two synopsis. “But soon enough, old secrets and new foes force them back together. As they play their dangerous games the question arises. Are they the hunters or the hunted?”
Rebecca Cutter created the series, based on May Cobb’s bestselling novel. Cutter serves as showrunner, writer, and executive producer. Erwin Stoff also executive produces the eight-episode second season.
Chelsea Handler returns for the 2026 Critics Choice Awards (Photo Credit: CCA / E!)
Chelsea Handler will return as host of the Critics Choice Awards for the fourth straight year. The popular comedian and television host has committed to setting the tone and guiding the action on stage during the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards set for Sunday, January 4, 2026.
The 2026 CCAs will air live on E! and USA Network at 7pm ET/PT (tape-delayed on the west coast). The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica will host the star-studded gala.
“Kicking off the year with the Critics Choice Awards feels right—nothing says ‘new beginnings’ like a room full of critics ready to tell you how you did last year,” said Chelsea Handler.
The 2026 awards will mark the debut of four new competitive categories: Best Variety Series, Best Stunt Design, Best Casting/Ensemble, and Best Sound. Nominees in the TV and film categories will be announced on December 5, 2025 at 9am PT.
“Chelsea Handler is the best awards show host in the world,” stated CCA CEO Joey Berlin. “We are absolutely thrilled to have her back on our stage, mixing her trademark mix of humor and heart in front of hundreds of stars who enjoy her as much as we do. Recognizing and celebrating the most deserving achievements in film and television is important, but it’s also great fun and Chelsea is the perfect person to lead the parade.”
The annual Critics Choice Awards, voted on by members of the Critics Choice Association, have been one of the most accurate predictors of the Oscar nominations.
Super sleuth Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns for another murder mystery in Netflix’s Wake Up Dead: A Knives Out Mystery. The official trailer for the third entry in the Knives Out franchise has Benoit admitting, “This goes way beyond normal police work. This is something even I have not experienced—a perfectly impossible crime.”
But of course he believes he can solve it.
Wake Up Dead also stars Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, and Kerry Washington. Rounding out the ensemble are Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church.
Netflix will release Wake Up Dead: A Knives Out Mystery in select theaters on November 26, 2025, followed by a streaming premiere on December 12. Rian Johnson wrote the screenplay, directs, and serves as a producer.
Poster for ;Wake Up Dead: A Knives Out Mystery’ (Photo Credit: Netflix)
“Benoit Blanc (Craig) returns for his most dangerous case yet in the third and darkest chapter of Rian Johnson’s murder mystery opus. When young priest Jud Duplenticy (O’Connor) is sent to assist charismatic firebrand Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Brolin), it’s clear that all is not well in the pews,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “Wicks’s modest-but-devoted flock includes devout church lady Martha Delacroix (Close), circumspect groundskeeper Samson Holt (Haden Church), tightly wound lawyer Vera Draven, Esq. (Washington), aspiring politician Cy Draven (McCormack), town doctor Nat Sharp (Renner), best-selling author Lee Ross (Scott), and concert cellist Simone Vivane (Spaeny).
After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott (Kunis) to join forces with renowned detective Benoit Blanc to unravel a mystery that defies all logic.”
Ben Feldman returns to guest star as Kyle, another person who can see ghosts, on CBS’s Ghosts season five, episode six, “Planes, Shanes and Automobiles.” Episode six will air on Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 8:30pm ET/PT.
“Planes, Shanes and Automobiles” Plot: Unsatisfied with Jay’s ability to tend to their needs while Sam is away, the ghosts bring in a better babysitter, Kyle. Meanwhile, Sam and Pete get on each other’s nerves during a book tour road trip, and things reach a breaking point when an airline strike threatens their ability to get home in time for Thanksgiving.
Season five stars Rose McIver as Sam, Utkarsh Ambudkar as Jay, Brandon Scott Jones as Isaac, and Richie Moriarty as Pete. Danielle Pinnock is Alberta, Asher Grodman is Trevor, Román Zaragoza stars as Sasappis, Rebecca Wisocky plays Hetty, Devan Chandler Long is Thorfinn, and Sheila Carrasco plays Flower.
Ghosts is a single-camera comedy about Samantha and Jay, a cheerful freelance journalist and chef from the city, respectively, who threw both caution and money to the wind when they decided to convert Woodstone Mansion, which Sam inherited, into a bed & breakfast—only to find it was inhabited by the many spirits of deceased residents who now call it home.
The departed souls are a close-knit, eclectic group that includes a saucy Prohibition-era lounge singer (Pinnock); a pompous 18th-century militiaman (Scott Jones); a ‘60s hippie fond of hallucinogens (Carrasco); an overly upbeat ‘80s scout troop leader (Moriarty); a cod-obsessed Viking explorer from 1009 (Chandler Long); a slick ‘90s finance bro (Grodman); a sarcastic and witty native from the 16th century (Zaragoza); and a society woman and wife of a 19th-century robber baron who is Sam’s ancestor (Wisocky), to name a few.
The opening of the B&B and Jay’s new restaurant are a source of intrigue, anxiety, and curiosity among the spirits, but they will gladly put up with the commotion as long as they can continue to interact with a living inhabitant.
