‘Brilliant Minds’ Season 2 Episode 7 Recap: “The One That Got Away”

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November 3, 2025

Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 7 Recap — Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf and Jamie Thomas King as Tom Price in ‘Brilliant Minds’ season 2 episode 7 (Photo by: Pief Weyman/NBC)

A historian hears music playing during a lecture and asks his students to turn off their phones as NBC’s Brilliant Minds season two, episode seven opens. The twist? He’s the only one who hears the music.

(The following is a recap of season two episode seven and there are spoilers.)

Dr. Oliver Wolf (Zachary Quinto) is busy checking on patients when Dr. Josh Nichols (Teddy Sears) catches up with him, and the two engage in some flirty banter. Nurse Nico Silva (Al Calderon) quickly picks up on the attraction and asks Oliver about it after Josh leaves. Nico teases that he’s never going to let it go, and Oliver confesses he stood up Josh on his award night. Nico’s totally into this relationship and walks away, tossing over his shoulder, “It’s Gay’s Anatomy up in here, and I am fully invested.”

Dr. Carol Pierce (Tamberla Perry) and Dr. Ericka Kinney (Ashleigh LaThrop) talk to Sam about how he’s doing, and he admits every day he has to worry about where he’s sleeping next. He gets by hustling chess and seeking shelter in theaters when the weather’s bad. Carol explains being unhoused can “lock the brain in a trauma response state.” Sam says he makes people uncomfortable. They always mistakenly assume he’s on drugs.

Sam describes his condition as feeling as if there are demons in his head. Carol suggests they try medication again; they can experiment until they find the right dosage. Ericka insists they need to do more and tells Oliver that Sam’s been hospitalized 25 times in the last four years. He’s never had a workup to find what’s really wrong with him. Multiple doctors have diagnosed him with bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia, but no one has done more than surface-level examinations.

Oliver agrees with Carol that it’s probably a psych issue. Ericka uses Oliver’s words as part of her argument, insisting that every patient matters. Sam needs someone to dive into his case. Carol and Oliver agree to admit Sam, thanks to Ericka’s persistence.

EMT Katie Rodriguez (Mishel Prada) wants to kick her relationship with Dr. Dana Dang (Aury Krebs) up a level and invites her to a kickball game and drinks with her friends. It’s time for Dana to see who Katie hangs around with.

The historian from the opening scene visits Oliver and explains he keeps hearing the same song repeatedly. And it turns out he’s “the one” in the episode’s title. He’s Tom Price (Jamie Thomas King), the young man who lived with Oliver’s family when they were younger and who spent one glorious summer hanging out together. He needs help and knows Oliver is the best neurologist around.

Oliver brings in the team and leads the examination to figure out where the sound is the loudest in Tom’s head. He needs more to run more tests, and Tom explains the song is accompanied by pressure in his head. If he holds his nose and blows, he can relieve it a little. Dana asks about the song and Tom says it’s the song from his and Oliver’s summer together.

Of course, Oliver heads straight to Carol’s office, and she’s certain this means Tom’s back to rekindle the flames. She jokes that she thought Tom was made up, and Oliver insists he was never his boyfriend. They only shared one kiss. Carol really wants Oliver to date again and insists he’s relationship material, even if he doesn’t think so.

When she brings up Josh, Oliver’s instantly interested. He thinks he always messes things up. Anyway, Tom heard their song before he came in and it’s possible he has a tumor.

Ericka tells Dr. Van Markus (Alex MacNicoll) and Dana that she’s having a rough time getting Sam to stay still for tests because when she starts, the voices in his head begin yelling. Dana talks about the voices in her head that are telling her Katie’s friends are going to laugh at her, and that gives Ericka an idea. She needs to know what Sam’s voices are saying.

Van steps up and agrees to go with Dana to the kickball game.

Ericka and Sam are playing a game of chess when Sam begins hearing voices. He describes it as hearing 10 different radio stations and it’s difficult to understand what they’re saying—except for one that he’s named Lawrence. Lawrence always insults him, telling him he’s weak and expendable, among other things. Ericka speaks directly to Lawrence and tells him he’s wrong. She thinks Sam’s brave to get help. Sam’s ready to try the test again.

Dana hooks Tom up for tests and confesses “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters is stuck in her head. Tom loves that movie, and Dana whispers to Oliver that she likes him. Since they need to wait for the song to start, Dana asks for the scoop on Oliver from their summer together. Tom describes him as smart, intense, and handsome—although Oliver didn’t know it. Suddenly, he hears the song and reacts out of pain. All the monitors go crazy, and Oliver realizes the song is a seizure and it’s frying his brain.

Tom’s shocked he’s having seizures; he’s totally unaware of the seriousness of his condition. Oliver calms him down by explaining they’ve caught it in time to put him on meds that will help. Oliver swears they’ll get it under control, and Tom replies, “I knew I needed you.”

Nico turns into a barely moving roadblock in the hallway, loving the fact another of Oliver’s juicy ex-boyfriends is in the hospital. Nico suggests Oliver should let Josh know that a hot British ex came to him for help. Oliver claims he’d never do that.

Oliver presents the case to Josh and confirms it’s a “once in a lifetime case” of musical epilepsy. Josh wants to meet him, and Oliver blurts out that the patient is his ex.

Ericka, Dana, and Van set up a movie theater, complete with snacks, in the rec room to keep Sam relaxed during the spinal tap. Sam smiles and enjoys the special treatment while Ericka runs the tests.

Tom’s shirtless when Josh and Oliver enter the room, and Oliver stumbles over introducing Josh. Tom admits they had one kiss ages ago that left quite an impression. A seizure breaks up the awkward silence, and it’s much more aggressive than the others.

His ear began bleeding during the lengthy seizure and Oliver no longer thinks the seizures are controllable by meds. Josh believes Tom has drug-resistant epilepsy and needs surgery or the next seizure may be his last. They’ll run a test to see how much of his language and memory are stored and how closely they’re tied to the source of the seizures.

Tom’s kids rush in along with a man who Oliver whispers to Josh must be a good friend. The man introduces himself as Tom’s husband and Josh barely stifles a chuckle.

Elsewhere, Van and Dana show up for the kickball game and Dana’s shocked that Katie not only doesn’t pick her first but also gets slapped in the butt by the woman she does select. Minutes later, Van confesses he thinks Katie dated the entire infield.

Dana’s up and she kicks the ball directly at the pitcher who slapped Katie’s butt, knocking her down. She celebrates her homerun as the pitcher bleeds on the mound.

Ericka gets the results of the test and is disappointed nothing showed up. Carol points out that she did accomplish getting Sam a true diagnosis of schizophrenia. Ericka doesn’t see it that way; Sam’s just going back on the streets. Carol suggests that healing takes time and Sam is going to have to put in the work.

Ericka asks for Van’s ex’s help and Michelle comes through with a room for Sam.

Dana and Katie discuss the game and the butt-slapping back at the hospital. Dana thinks her friends are easier to be around than Katie’s, and Katie reveals that she doesn’t trust Ericka. She thinks there’s something off about her. (A brief scene shows Ericka’s still taking pills.)

Josh and Oliver confirm Tom’s language and memories are stored in both temporal lobes. Josh believes surgery is the best option since the epilepsy is aggressive. However, when Oliver lists the possible side effects—including the loss of memories and inability to make new ones—Tom breaks down crying. He doesn’t want to forget the people he loves.

Carol and Ericka inform Sam of the diagnosis and he’s not surprised. However, he is surprised that Carol wants to continue seeing him three times a week and start him on meds again. Plus, therapy can help them discover non-medical ways to deal with the voices. Sam agrees and Ericka breaks the news that she’s found him a place to stay in a temporary housing facility. Unfortunately, it’s a bus ride away but Ericka would like him to use her credit card to pay for the ride. She believes in him and knows he’ll be back for his therapy with Carol.

Tom decides to reject the surgery, admitting to Oliver that he doesn’t want to stop hearing the song. He confesses he’s been transported back to their time together through the song and doesn’t want to lose that. Oliver asks him to go for a ride. They wind up at a beach where they went all those years ago, and Oliver does his best to convince Tom he needs the surgery for the sake of his husband and two children. Tom can’t go back into his past, to simpler times, and should fight to stay with the people who are now important to him.

That night, Dana confronts Ericka about missing pills. Ericka confesses the wellness retreat didn’t work; she illegally bought 200 mg of benzos and is a mess. Ericka cries as she says, “I let Celia die. I got out first and I watched her die.” She thinks she should have died and now she can’t move on from that. She sobs, admitting she can’t handle this on her own.

Dana pulls Ericka in for a hug, trying to comfort her.

Oliver sits at Tom’s bedside and tells him the surgery was a success. Tom acts like he doesn’t remember Oliver but then smiles and calls him Oliver Wolf. “There’s no way I could ever forget you,” says Tom. He doesn’t hear the song anymore and admits he loves his life and family. But old friends are nice, too, which might be why this happened.

Tom picked up on the connection between Oliver and Josh and is happy he made Josh jealous. He always knew Oliver would do extraordinary things.

Sam misses his appointment with Carol.

Oliver thanks Josh for helping Tom and confesses he’s been thinking about the future. He wants to try again, but Josh doesn’t feel the same. He’s reconnected with someone he used to date and is now seeing him. Josh didn’t know how to break the news and describes this new relationship as “easy.” Oliver can’t relate; that’s just not him. But he wants Josh to be happy.

Episode seven ends with Oliver and Ericka watching an old movie and Ericka revealing a huge secret. She was adopted and her birth mother had schizophrenia. No one could help her.

‘A Very Jonas Christmas Movie’ Trailer Finds the Brothers in Big Trouble

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Rebecca Murray

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November 3, 2025

Halloween decorations are still up, but apparently it’s not too early to promote Christmas projects. Disney+ just dropped the official trailer for A Very Jonas Christmas Movie, which finds the singing siblings on a quest to make it home by Christmas. Only wolves, lost passports, and a lack of transportation stand in their way.

The holiday film heads to Disney+ and Hulu on November 14, 2025, with the soundtrack set for a same-day release. Tracks include “Like It’s Christmas,” “Best Night,” “Home Alone,” “Feel Something,” “Remember When,” “Better Off Alone,” “Time,” “Sucker,” and “Like It’s Christmas.” And the new single “Coming Home This Christmas” (featuring Kenny G) is featured in the trailer.

In addition to Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas, A Very Jonas Christmas Movie features Chloe Bennet, Billie Lourd, Laverne Cox, KJ Apa, Andrew Barth Feldman, Andrea Martin, Kenny G, and Justin Tranter. Randall Park and Jesse Tyler Ferguson also pop in, along with cameos from the Jonas family.

“In A Very Jonas Christmas Movie, Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas face a series of escalating obstacles as they struggle to make it from London to New York in time to spend Christmas with their families,” reads Disney+’s synopsis.

Jessica Yu directs and Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger wrote the screenplay. Producers include the Jonas brothers, Aptaker, Berger, Adam Fishbach, Spencer Berman, and Scott Morgan.

‘One Piece’ Season 3 Finds Its “Bon Clay”

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 3, 2025

One Piece Season 3 Cole Escola — Cole Escola joins ‘One Piece’ (Photo Credit: Netflix)

Cole Escola (Search Party) has signed on to season three of Netflix’s One Piece, on board to play the fan-favorite character Bon Clay. The series premiered in August 2023 and season two has set a March 10, 2026 release. Production on the third season is expected to get underway in Cape Town, South Africa soon.

Netflix’s announcement offers this description of the character: “A master of performance and precision, Bon Clay is as dangerous as they are dazzling—a theatrical assassin who turns combat into art.”

The series is based on Japan’s most popular manga series, created by Eiichiro Oda, and stars Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, and Emily Rudd as Nami. Jacob Romero plays Usopp and Taz Skylar stars as Sanji.

Joe Tracz and Ian Stokes are the season three writers and co-showrunners. Tracz and Stokes also executive produce along with Eiichiro Oda, Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Tetsu Fujimura, Chris Symes, Christoph Schrewe, and Steven Maeda. One Piece is produced by Tomorrow Studios (an ITV Studios partner) and Netflix.

Netflix hasn’t released a synopsis for season three. Season two’s description reads: “Netflix’s epic high-seas pirate adventure, One Piece, returns for season two—unleashing fiercer adversaries and the most perilous quests yet. Luffy and the Straw Hats set sail for the extraordinary Grand Line—a legendary stretch of sea where danger and wonder await at every turn. As they journey through this unpredictable realm in search of the world’s greatest treasure, they’ll encounter bizarre islands and a host of formidable new enemies.”

AMC Networks Sets “Best Christmas Ever” 2025 Lineup

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Rebecca Murray

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November 3, 2025

AMC Networks is celebrating the winter holidays with their annual “Best Christmas Ever” lineup, kicking off on November 29, 2025. The holiday-themed programming event includes classics like White Christmas and Rankin/Bass’s stop-motion collection. Elf with Will Ferrell, Christmas Vacation starring Chevy Chase, and Scrooged with Bill Murray return for the holidays, along with the new film A Heart For Christmas starring Nikiva Dionne.

2025’s “Best Christmas Ever,” which features 600 hours of holiday programming, also includes John Candy, Bill Murray, and ’80s marathons. And The Wizard of Oz, which isn’t a Christmas film, will screen on December 6, hot on the heels of Wicked: For Good opening in theaters.

AMC’s “Best Christmas Ever” highlights:

• Murray Christmas Marathon: Scrooged, Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II, and Caddyshack on November 29 at 12pm.

• Christmas with the Kranks: Back-to-back airings of this holiday favorite on November 30 beginning at 5pm.

• Christmas All The Way Marathon: The Polar Express, Elf, and The Wizard of Oz on December 6 at 5pm.

• Holiday Hijinks Marathon on December 7 beginning at 4pm featuring National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Elf, The Great Outdoors, and Trading Places.

• Christmas Candy Marathon on December 9 beginning at 4pm celebrating some of John Candy’s greatest films, including The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, and National Lampoon’s Vacation.

• December the TwELFth on December 12 beginning at 6pm back-to-back 8-hour marathon of modern-day classic Elf.

• Merry ‘80s Marathon goes back in time on December 13 beginning at 11:00am and featuring National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Scrooged, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, The Great Outdoors, Ghostbusters, and Ghostbusters II.

• Best Elf Marathon on December 14 beginning at 4:30pm features Elf, Fred Claus, and The Polar Express.

• That’s Not Santa! Marathon on December 19 beginning at 6:30pm and featuring Elf, Trading Places, and Fred Claus.

• Naughty or Nice Weekend on December 20 beginning at 9:45am through December 21 features films on Santa’s lists including Elf, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Scrooged, The Polar Express, Four Christmases, and more.

• Best Christmas Marathon from December 24 through December 25 with holiday favorites including Elf, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Scrooged, Four Christmases, The Polar Express, Fred Claus, The Wizard of Oz and more.

• Holiday Hangover recovery begins on December 26 at 12p including Elf, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Four Christmases, and Scrooged.

AMC Networks' Best Christmas Ever — AMC Networks’ Best Christmas Ever poster

For those who like their holidays on the creepy side, Shudder will offer the following new holiday specials and episodes:

The Haunted Season – The Occupant of the Room: Debuts December 1 on Shudder and AMC+
From renowned author and filmmaker Kier-La Janisse, The Haunted Season is a series of chilling horror tales following the classic tradition of telling ghost stories for Christmas. The festive new film in the horror anthology series, The Occupant of the Room is based on the classic chiller of the same name by Algernon Blackwood about a schoolteacher whose late-night arrival at a hotel in the Alps without a reservation leaves him with no option but to accept the room of a missing hotel guest—leading to a sleepless night full of strange and uncanny occurrences.

The Last Drive-In: Joe Bob’s Cold Cruel Christmas: Debuts LIVE on Friday, December 12 on Shudder TV and AMC+ TV
Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy the Mail Girl are once again possessed by the Christmas spirit, hosting a double feature of snowy slashers for Joe Bob’s Cold Cruel Christmas – an unholy night full of frozen fear, cold-blooded kills, and the return of their annual charity drive.

The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula Holiday of Horrors: Debuts December 16 on Shudder and AMC+
From The Boulet Brothers (The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula) and David Dastmalchian (The Suicide Squad, Late Night with the Devil) comes The Boulet Brothers’ Holiday of Horrors, a chilling holiday-themed horror special produced by Boulet Brothers’ Productions and Good Fiend Productions. The film features four original shorts, each written and directed by a different genre powerhouse: The Boulet Brothers, Dastmalchian, Akeela Cooper (Malignant, M3GAN), and Kate Siegel (The Haunting of Hill House). Starring Bonnie Aarons (The Nun), Steve Agee (Peacemaker), and Tracie Thoms (Death Proof), the anthology blends atmospheric horror, practical gore, and haunting holiday imagery into a new seasonal classic.

‘Fire Country’ Season 4 Episode 4 “Like a Wounded Wildebeest” Preview

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 3, 2025

Jordan Calloway pulls double duty directing and starring in CBS’s Fire Country season four, episode four. “Like a Wounded Wildebeest” will air on Friday, November 7, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT.

Max Thieriot stars as Bode, Kevin Alejandro is Manny, Diane Farr is Sharon, Jordan Calloway plays Jake, and Jules Latimer stars as Eve.

“Like a Wounded Wildebeest” Plot: Manny has a serious conversation with Bode about a troubling discovery, urging him to be honest and take responsibility.

Fire Country Season 4 Episode 4 — Kevin Alejandro as Manny Perez and Jordan Calloway as Jake Crawford in ‘Fire Country’ season 4 episode 4 (Photo: Eike Schroter © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Fire Country Description, Courtesy of CBS:

Fire Country stars Max Thieriot (SEAL TEAM) as Bode Leone, a young convict who sought redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining a prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates were partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region. It’s a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned up when Bode was assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he was once a golden all-American son until his troubles began.

Years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he’s back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire.

Jordan Calloway as Jake Crawford in season 4 episode 4 (Photo: Eike Schroter © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Kevin Alejandro as Manny Perez in season 4 episode 4 (Photo: Eike Schroter © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

‘Tracker’ Season 3 Episode 3 Recap: “First Fire”

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 2, 2025

Tracker Season 3 Episode 3 Recap — Derek Richardson as Detective Dundee and Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw in ‘Tracker’ season 3 episode 3 (Photo: Sergei Bachlakov © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

CBS’s Tracker season three, episode three, travels to the Wyndham, Massachusetts Psychiatric Detention Center on Halloween. Things get scary when the electricity goes out and the generator doesn’t kick in. The staff separate to check the inmates’ doors, and one worker discovers inmate Heston Koontz has escaped his room. Unfortunately, the employee in the breaker room doesn’t get the message. She turns and screams as a figure in a pig mask approaches.

(The following’s a recap of season three, episode three, and there are spoilers.)

Reenie (Fiona Rene) calls Colter (Justin Hartley) with details on the Wyndham murder case because Heston’s family wants him found. Heston Koontz (Samuel Hoeksema) was serving a life sentence for burning a family alive when he escaped, and his family’s concerned about what he’ll do next.

Colter meets Heston’s parents 12 hours after he escaped and suggests they let the police do their thing. Heston’s dad is convinced they need to find him because he never should have been transferred to a less strict facility. Heston’s mom explains that he changed in high school and used to stare and whisper to himself. He had waking nightmares and strange wounds on his body. And Heston killed their family dog.

They know most parasomniacs aren’t violent, but Heston was. They found his drawings and journals and learned he was obsessed with a girl named Emily from school. She was the only survivor of the fire he set. They had reported their concerns to the police before the fire, but the cops wouldn’t listen. Now, they need him back in custody before he kills again.

They told the police about his obsession with Emily and that they’re hiring Colter to find him. Detective Dundee (Derek Richardson) introduces himself and admits they screwed up 10 years ago. Dundee explains the storm took down the detention center’s cameras but the locks on the inmates’ rooms weren’t affected by the blackout. His door should have remained locked.

Dundee and Colter examine Heston’s room, and one wall is covered by Heston’s homage to Peter Paul Rubens’s “The Fall of the Damned” painting. Heston’s bible is full of news clippings and drawings of Emily. Dundee has a cop stationed at Emily’s place right now to protect her.

Colter believes Heston carefully planned his escape and that the power outage wasn’t a coincidence. He thinks the power line was cut, which would mean Heston had help. Colter also believes Heston went to the electric room to make sure the power wasn’t restored. He didn’t want the cameras to catch his accomplice.

The nurse was strangled with an employee’s lanyard. (It doesn’t have a key card attached.) Colter looks around and finds a vent that someone’s been trying to pry open recently. The missing key card is in the vent, and he snaps a photo. Now Colter thinks the accomplice used the key card to enter the building and then went to the electric room to make sure it was still off. He/she surprised the nurse who fought back, and the key card went into the vent during the struggle. The accomplice didn’t have time to retrieve it.

Dundee is going to question the staff again about the key card.

Randy (Chris Lee) does some quick research and discovers the key card was orderly Bill Prugalidad’s, but he wasn’t on the schedule last night. Colter heads to Bill’s address and hears a broadcast of someone preaching. He follows the sound to a shed and discovers Bill’s dead body under a sheet.

Meanwhile, Reenie begins interviewing potential assistants now that Velma’s gone. Melanie (Cassady McClincy Zhang), her 11am appointment, is early and they connect over their military family background. Reenie goes over her resume and it’s impressive, and Mel admits she’s followed Reenie’s career. She wants to work for a fearless lawyer who uncovers abuse and stands up against corporations. Also, she’s curious about Colter Shaw and thinks his job is really cool.

Mel claims she can handle whatever Reenie throws her way. Reenie asks her for details about her life that aren’t on her resume, and she admits she loves murder podcasts and TikTok witches. Mel also confesses she is against bureaucracy because her mom was shot and killed when she was 16 and they never found her killer. The family never got any justice.

Reenie makes an instant decision and hires her on the spot.

Dundee and Colter look around Bill’s shed and discover paperwork with the same logo that was on Heston’s bible. Bill’s been dead for days, so Heston isn’t the murderer. The accomplice stole Bill’s card and freed Heston.

Randy hacks Bill’s neighbor’s electric vehicle’s camera and learns a blue minivan left Bill’s house two days ago. He sends Colter the license plate, but the car was reported stolen. Randy does a quick search and finds it went through a toll station in East Millwood 30 minutes ago. Emily lives in East Millwood!

Dundee radios the police unit watching Emily’s house and no one responds. They race over and find the door open. The officer’s dead inside and Emily’s gone. The stolen minivan in the driveway was reported taken from the Sisters of the Sacred Fire church, which is the church on Heston’s bible.

Colter and Dundee head there next, as Reenie learns Heston had monthly visits from Sister Carlotta from the Sacred Fire church. That same nun visited him at the place Heston was housed before he was transferred to Wyndham.

Sister Barbara doesn’t think Sister Carlotta would have helped Heston escape, but she admits she wasn’t aware of Sister Carlotta’s relationship with Heston. Colter explains Heston has recently murdered a nurse and asks to see Sister Carlotta’s room.

They look through her personal items and Colter discovers a hidden storage area with a journal of her time working with Heston. Her final entry asks forgiveness for what they are about to do. There’s also a map of the Wyndham detention center. Sister Barbara can’t believe Sister Carlotta would do anything wrong, and Colter finds a photo of Sister Carlotta posing with four men. Sister Barbara confirms that’s the community outreach group and one of them is Jared, a man who seemed defensive when they arrived at the church.

Jared lives in the convent’s basement and Colter and Dundee enter, guns drawn. There are a variety of knives along with zip ties that have been cut, indicating two people are being held hostage. Dundee spots a used vial of propofol in the trash, and Colter spots the same shoe print they found in Heston’s cell.

Colter and Dundee now believe Heston was abducted from Wyndham. He’s actually a victim. Jared and Sister Carlotta are holding Emily and Heston hostage, and Jared probably killed the nurse and the cop. But why? Jared has a hidden altar, and Sister Barbara confirms it’s a splinter sect that hunted down “dark things.” The sect thought people were made to do evil and hunted down the hosts.

The scene shifts to show a camper driving down the road with Emily and Heston tied up and gagged in the back.

Jared’s gone and Colter tells Dundee the sect thinks they’re acting righteously, which makes them more dangerous. Since Heston’s sleep state made him hear voices, Sister Carlotta probably thinks he’s possessed by a demon. Emily was taken as the emotional tether for the ritual. The sect will need to kill both Heston and Emily to get rid of the demon.

Dundee believes the original site of the Sacred Fire church is probably where the sect has set up the ritual. Randy’s trying to track Jared’s movements, but it seems he’s moving away from the original church’s site.

Reenie introduces Mel to Randy who’s relieved to learn Mel knows about their work with Colter. He admits to being a little weirded out by this case and Mel knows just the right sage to burn to ward off the bad energy.

After Mel leaves for the day, Randy confesses he knew they would vibe.

Colter’s still confused as to why Jared’s driving away from the first church. He suddenly realizes that Sister Carlotta’s message to go to the first fire actually referred to the fire set by Heston. Dundee calls for backup at the Collins property.

Sister Carlotta begins the ritual, and Emily begs her to stop. Sect members spread gasoline in tinder around their feet as Heston struggles to get out of his bindings. Emily screams for help.

Dundee checks out the camper outside and is attacked and stabbed by sect members. Colter heads toward the house, gun drawn, as inside Sister Carlotta places a match to the tinder around Heston’s feet. Heston works himself free, tries to stop them, and gets shot in the arm. Colter rushes in and shoots the man who shot Heston.

Colter’s tackled and fights back as Sister Carlotta lights the fire around Emily. Heston didn’t flee and instead attacks Sister Carlotta and is gravely injured. Emily continues to scream as Colter finally manages to get the upper hand with his armed attacker, using the man’s knife against him.

Colter saves Emily and they race outside as the house is engulfed in flames.

Dundee survives the attack and assures Colter he’ll be fine. Emily’s also fine, thanks to their work. Unfortunately, Heston didn’t survive. His escape from the restraints saved Emily’s life, and Dundee is shocked the universe slipped up and did something good.

Colter praises Dundee’s work and commitment to the town. He turns down Heston’s parents when they want to pay him, instead suggesting they give it to Emily to do something good with.

Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper” plays as Colter drives away.

‘Matlock’ Season 2 Episode 5 “Mousetrap” Preview

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 2, 2025

The promo for CBS’s Matlock season two, episode five finds Olympia calling Matty a liar while admitting that she also lies—and both those observations are definitely true. Directed by Jennifer Lynch, episode five is set to air on Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT.

Kathy Bates leads the cast as Madeline “Matty” Matlock. Skye P. Marshall stars as Olympia Lawrence, Jason Ritter plays Julian Markston, David Del Rio is Billy Martinez, Leah Lewis stars as Sarah Franklin, Sam Anderson is Edwin Kingston, and Aaron Harris is Alfie Kingston.

“Mousetrap” Plot: Matty and Olympia race to protect each other from Julian’s suspicions as they also work on the resentencing case of a teenager sentenced as an adult to life.

Matlock Season 2 Episode 5 — Jason Ritter as Julian Markston and Kathy Bates as Madeline Matlock in season 2 episode 5 (Photo: Sonja Flemming © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Matlock Series Description:

“Matlock stars Emmy and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates as Madeline ‘Matty’ Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian who achieved success in her younger years and rejoins the workforce at a prestigious law firm with a hidden agenda, using her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases. Matty is assigned to Olympia (Marshall), a senior attorney and key rainmaker with a thirst for justice; Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Ritter), the son of the head of the firm, is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills.

As Matty endeavors to establish herself in her new high-stakes world, she works alongside the firm’s younger associates—the charismatic Billy (Del Rio) and the uber-ambitious Sarah (Lewis).”

Kathy Bates and Leah Lewis in season 2 episode 5 (Photo credit: Michael Yarish © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Jason Ritter and Skye P Marshall — Jason Ritter as Julian Markston and Skye P. Marshall as Olympia Lawrence in season 2 episode 5 (Photo credit: Michael Yarish © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Skye P. Marshall and Kathy Bates in season 2 episode 5 (Photo credit: Michael Yarish © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.)

‘Mayor of Kingstown’ Season 4 Episode 2 Recap: “Promises to Keep”

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 2, 2025

Mayor of Kingstown Season 4 Episode 2 Recap — Jeremy Renner as Mike McLusky and Edie Falco as Nina Hobbs in ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ episode 2, season 4 (Credit: Dennis P. Mong Jr./Paramount +)

Kyle continues to refuse to go to the infirmary, suffering in his cell as Paramount+’s Mayor of Kingstown season four, episode two opens. Other prisoners give the new guard Cindy Stephens (Laura Benanti) a hard time, and one tries to take his own life in Ad Seg. Cindy calls for backup but only after Kyle reminds her that’s the procedure. Callahan sums up the action, saying, “F**king Mondays.”

(The following is a detailed recap of season four episode two, so there are spoilers ahead.)

Mike (Jeremy Renner) races to the prison while blaming Carney (Lane Garrison) for not protecting Kyle. Carney claims he’s doing the best he can, but the new warden and her minion are making things difficult. Mike orders Carney to set up a meeting after work so he can meet Cindy.

Mike’s so preoccupied on the phone that he nearly misses getting hit by a train.

Ian (Hugh Dillon) and Stevie (Derek Webster) question the one survivor from the attack on Bunny. He claims not to know English, and Ian tries to get him to talk by promising him a lawyer. Ian pisses him off enough that he finally admits to knowing English.

Bunny (Tobi Bamtefa) meets with Frank Moses (Lennie James) and is shocked to learn he decapitated the Russians; the Colombians had nothing to do with it. Frank wants to form a partnership with Bunny since the Russians no longer hold control of the border pipeline. Frank is incredibly powerful and offers Bunny security for moving his product. He and Bunny make a deal for 20%, but Bunny wants to meet with everyone involved. Bunny needs to know the men his crew will be working with.

Frank agrees but wants to meet Mike.

Mike confronts Warden Hobbs (Edie Falco) outside the prison gate, demanding to know why she failed to protect his brother. She claims she can’t control everything and that she doesn’t always notify the family after a fight. Hobbs is downplaying the incident and reminds Mike that her only promise was to keep Kyle alive, which he currently is.

Mike warns Hobbs, “From this point on, anything that happens to my brother in prison, I’ll make sure happens to you.” After Mike leaves, Hobbs tells her right-hand man David Torres (Mayans MC‘s Clayton Cardenas) she’s going to reassign Carney.

Kyle’s doubled over in pain when Callahan sneaks him cigarettes, claiming it’ll be a distraction from the pain.

Mike’s next meeting is with Bunny to learn if Raph knows who beat up Kyle. Bunny’s heard the guy who did it wasn’t sanctioned by anyone—neither the Russians nor the Aryans ordered it. Bunny also doesn’t believe it was the Colombians, although they are making noise in prison. He thinks they know their place in the hierarchy.

Bunny doesn’t correct Mike when he says the Colombians killed the Russians on the tracks. But Mike knows he’s holding back, and Bunny fills him in on Frank Moses’ involvement. Mike knows Frank’s rep, and he thinks Bunny teaming up with Frank is escalating matters. Bunny insists he understands every part of the deal and can handle his business.

Mike agrees to meet with Frank if Raph “meets” with the prisoner who beat up Kyle.

Kyle’s in rough shape when he’s shackled and removed from his cell for a visit. Carney apologizes for what went down and confirms Mike’s on it. Kyle can barely stand straight up and tries to turn around when he learns Tracy’s his visitor. Carney convinces him that Tracy will be more worried if he doesn’t visit her than if she sees him like this.

Ian and Stevie let Mike know they can’t get anything out of the 20-ish-year-old cartel soldier who tried to kill Bunny and turned on the cops. Mike suggests they cut him loose since they’ve got nothing on him and his prints came back unknown. He might head back to whoever’s in charge, and then they’ll know who’s calling the shots.

Ian and Stevie tail the cartel soldier to an apartment complex but then they’re called back to the station by the chief.

Raph and his crew make a move on Kyle’s attacker, stabbing him to death in the shower. Bunny calls Mike to let him know it’s been taken care of. When Mike makes it to his office, Frank’s already there, waiting for his introductory meeting. Rebecca (Nichole Galicia) says Frank’s such a high-powered player that he came alone; no one would dare to mess with him. She’s actually frightened about Frank’s presence and doesn’t want Mike to be involved with Detroit.

Frank compliments Mike, saying he has a real gift for taking care of his town. Frank’s been around long enough to understand Mike’s proved himself and warns Kingstown’s about to be invaded by outsiders. Frank suggests Mike—and Kingstown—would be better off if only he becomes a new major player. He believes Bunny’s rise to the top of the food chain is because of Mike’s help. Mike controls the law, which benefits Bunny. Mike confirms he has friends “on both sides of the law,” and Frank wants those same friends. All Mike has to do is name his price.

Mike only wants the promise of peace. Frank asks for his blessing to shut the outsiders down, promising to clean up any messes. The meeting ends on a friendly note.

At the station, Evelyn shows Ian footage of a car’s movements on the day Morrissey was killed. Ian claims it’s not his car, you can’t see his face, and he wasn’t at Morrissey’s that day. Evelyn doesn’t back down, warning Ian and Captain Walter (Rob Kirkland) that she will take this to the grand jury at some point.

Torres apologizes to Warden Hobbs over the murder of the prisoner who attacked Kyle. They know it was a retaliatory killing, and Hobbs declares McLusky is done pulling strings. Torres promises to take care of it.

Mike drops groceries at Tracy’s and reminds her Kyle’s doing the right thing. She doesn’t share that opinion, but she’s faking it for Kyle’s sake.

Carney reports to Warden Hobbs that he saw Torres “tangled up” with Colombian hitter Roberto Cruz (William Guirola) during the prisoners’ lunch time. Carney advises them to keep their distance from the prisoners here, noting that Cruz is one of the worst. Hobbs appreciates his insight and assures him they’ll handle the wards by any means necessary.

Mike calls Bunny and doesn’t bother saying hello, immediately launching into a list of demands. He needs to know if Bunny and Frank’s relationship disintegrates and he needs a promise that all bodies will be taken out of Kingstown to be disposed of. “You see a mentor, I see a machine gun nest,” explains Mike. Bunny swears it’s an alliance that he got into to help his family. He also insists he’ll take over Moses’ kingdom in the end to protect what’s his.

Bunny looks leery as he arrives at his sister Whitney’s birthday party. He hugs everyone and is surprised Kevin (Denny Love), his guy on the inside at the prison, is there for a face-to-face. Kevin wants to leave Anchor because of Warden Hobbs, but Bunny insists he needs to keep playing the game. And if he comes near Bunny’s family again, Bunny will kill him.

Night falls and Mike smokes in his cell. Callahan tosses another delivery his way and this time it’s drugs to take away the pain. Callahan also informs Kyle that his attacker was killed, which is weird because usually prisoners don’t kill their own over a cop.

Kyle hides the pill for later.

Mike joins Cindy at the bar, and she explains Carney still hasn’t shown up. She can’t stay since she’s got three kids and wants Mike to cut to the chase. Cindy’s sorry Kyle got attacked and promises she is keeping an eye on him. Mike assures her Kyle isn’t a criminal and wants her to be his friendly face on the inside. He needs Cindy to always keep her eyes on him, and she agrees. She also agrees to answer when he calls, even though she reminds him she just got this job. Mike also wants a list of everyone housed in Ad Seg.

Carney makes dinner for his invalid dad before leaving to meet Cindy and Mike. He doesn’t make it out the door before he’s shot dead by the Colombian soldier Mike suggested they let go.

‘Elsbeth’ Season 3 Episode 5 “Poetic Justice” Preview

By

Rebecca Murray

-

October 31, 2025

The Good Place‘s William Jackson Harper guest stars and Sarah Steele returns as Marissa Gold on CBS’s Elsbeth season three, episode five. Directed by Robin Givens, episode five will air on Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 10pm ET/PT.

Carrie Preston returns to star as the titular character. Wendell Pierce is also back as Captain C.W. Wagner for the series’ third season.

“Poetic Justice” Plot: After a donor’s death shakes New York’s nonprofit arts scene, Elsbeth questions the motives of the victim’s friend, Gary (William Jackson Harper), the founder of a prominent poetry journal. Also, Elsbeth runs into her old friend Marissa Gold, who is following in her father Eli’s footsteps and working as the campaign manager for a mayoral candidate.

Elsbeth Season 3 Episode 5 — Carrie Preston and William Jackson Harper in ‘Elsbeth’ season 3 episode 5 (Photo: Michael Parmelee © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Elsbeth Season 3 Description:

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 11^th Precinct, led by her boss, Captain C.W. Wagner (Pierce).

Brittany Inge, Braeden De La Garza and Carrie Preston — Brittany Inge, Braeden De La Garza, and Carrie Preston in season 3 episode 5 (Photo: Michael Parmelee © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Ivan Hernandez, Sarah Steele and Carrie Preston — Ivan Hernandez as Alec Bloom, Sarah Steele as Marissa Gold and Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni in season 3 episode 5 (Photo: Michael Parmelee © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.)

William Jackson Harper as Gary Pidgeon in season 3 episode 5 (Photo: Michael Parmelee © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Sarah Steele and Carrie Preston in season 3 episode 5 (Photo: Michael Parmelee © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Jenny Han Talks ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty,’ Taylor Swift, and the Movie

By

Rebecca Murray

-

October 31, 2025

Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty is so incredibly popular that series creator and showrunner Jenny Han is continuing Belly’s story with a film. Prime Video announced the upcoming movie just hours after the third season’s finale aired but thus far hasn’t set a target date for its premiere.

Han, who’s co-writing and directing the movie, recently participated in a press conference that provided a behind-the-scenes look at The Summer I Turned Pretty’s casting, music, and love triangle. The following are highlights from the virtual chat, including how Han went about getting Taylor Swift to agree to the use of her songs.

On what fans can expect from the film:

Jenny Han: “Well, I think that I know that the fans were worried that they were going to get a five-second reunion between Belly and Conrad, and they weren’t going to be able to see them together as a couple in the present time, because pretty much everything we see of them other than the end of the season one kiss is a flashback. It’s a memory. So, I think that’s one thing I know that I’m going to deliver to the fans for them to see them as they are as these two young adults in the present.”

On being able to continue Belly’s story:

Jenny Han: “Oh, it’s just been a joy. Yeah, it’s been really fun to have this more, I would say, contained story versus the more sort of expansive, sprawling, elegiac kind of almost novelistic story. This is complete, in and of itself, because my goal is that it’s something that somebody who has never watched the show could watch this movie and really enjoy it and people who are fans of the show would also enjoy it, and I would like to achieve that balance.”

Incorporating Taylor Swift songs into the series:

Jenny Han: “It was different season to season, because on season one, I really didn’t know if we were going to be able to get the song that I really wanted, which was ‘The Way I Loved You.’ And that was really important to me to have that song because I had even pitched the show with that song. I knew exactly how I wanted it to go, where he’s standing up and looking at her and then it had that swell of the music. And so, I really, really knew that we needed that song.

And so, that’s when we approached her team. I wrote a letter, a very heartfelt letter, just explaining to her how much her music meant to the fans of the show who I knew would just be beyond thrilled to have… Well, the fans of the books, I should because the show wasn’t even out yet. And so, we were really lucky that she said yes. So, then I was like, ‘Okay, well, then can we also have these songs?’ And they said yes. And so then on season two, I started out already kind of making a list of how I wanted to use the music over the course of the season.

Sometimes with the songs, I write it into the script when I know for sure. And then sometimes it comes during production as I’m just thinking about it or sometimes it’s during post, so it can really vary. On season three, I also had a wish list of songs I wanted for the show.”

The evolution of the love triangle:

Jenny Han: “I think it’s just naturally progressed to where we end. It has to end somewhere. Although I know fans were like, ‘Oh, we want more! Can we just have another season?’ And to me it was always important to do the three. There are three books, and having three seasons just felt like the beginning, the middle, and the end of the story. So, I think that having that structure felt right to me.”

The Summer I Turned Pretty’s message:

Jenny Han: “[…] I would say it was hard when I was first pitching the show trying to think up comps for it, because I knew that I wanted it to really span generations, and that the stories of the mothers were important, separate from the kids, and wanting them to really feel like fully realized characters that their existence wasn’t defined by being a parent that they had their own inner lives as women. I think because the larger message of the show really is that coming of age isn’t really limited to just being a teenager, it’s something your whole life you experience and you go through.

And so, all the characters are having their own coming of ages from the very beginning with Susannah dying in season one and being sick and grappling with that and going into this next phase of life. And then Laurel, who has had her best friend by her side her whole adult life, grappling with, ‘What’s it going to be now without her and who am I?’

[…] I think the first season has a lighter feel to it because Belly’s very innocent. It’s her first kind of awakening and her eyes are sort of opening to certain things. And she’s coming into the world in a different way. She’s been, I would say, fairly sheltered most of her life. And so, this is her time to sort of be questioning and having those first steps into the real world as a young person in the world, not as a child.

And then we have all those really magical firsts, like a first kiss and this first ball and a first big heartbreak as well. And then big loss. I think her real coming of age is learning that Susannah, who is like a second mother to her, is sick and dying. And that is like when you are no longer a child, because you’re not really protected from that anymore. You have to come to terms with that. And then in season two, it’s all about grief and the different ways that the characters manage that grief. So, I would say that that’s so much about that growth. And then season three, it’s really, ‘Who am I now truly stepping into my young adulthood?’”

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 — Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Belly (Lola Tung) in ‘THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY’ (Photo: Erika Doss © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC)

On casting the four main characters and witnessing their growth as actors:

Jenny Han: “I’ll start with Lola (Tung) where she was 18 years old when she auditioned for the show. She was a freshman at Carnegie Mellon and had never been in front of the camera before. And so, this was her first job as an actor. I think it was maybe her first audition even.

There was just something about her that right away, I felt drawn to in almost like a maternal way of looking at her as this really young person who had so much brightness and light to her and joy. I just felt myself instinctively rooting for her and wanting her to win. I think that’s what I needed for Belly, a person that the audience could look at and think, ‘Yeah, you’re making some mistakes, but I really want you to come through this.’

I knew that that was what the character was going to require because there’s a lot of messiness to her story and she does stumble and fall, but you still need to be on her side. So, I think that Lola really achieved that goal.

Although it’s funny, you know over the course of that summer on the first season, she turned 19 on the last day of filming. It was the day that we shot the ball and she’s wearing this beautiful gown, and they’re all waltzing, and there’s so much love in the room. I remember bringing out the cakes and looking at her and thinking, ‘How magical is this moment that you’re so beloved by the people who are working with you, the crew, the cast. Everybody adores you and you’re in this beautiful dress and you’re really coming into your own.’

[…] She learned it really quickly and then had to kind of figure out how to navigate it. And I said to her, just like on the show, I felt like looking at her, like her eyes looked different to me at the end of that summer than they did at the beginning, where there was more of a knowingness there. There was some wisdom from everything that she had been through, which was, it’s not an easy feat to hold a whole production on your back when you’re so young. And can you do it? I don’t know, because you have never done it before. And so, that I think, is just so meta and a special thing just to witness as her showrunner, but also as a friend.

And then, Chris (Briney), I knew right away that I thought he was Conrad. We’d been looking for a while, and then his tape came in and he just blew me away. He brings a real honesty and realness to the character. And I think his is not an easy character to embody because when you first meet him, he’s very different from who he is, who all the characters know him as. So, you’re masking a lot. And having to do that from the very beginning before you’ve been able to play him at his best, you’re sort of playing him at his lowest. So, I would say that he really was a perfect Conrad.

And then for Gavin (Casalegno) as Jeremiah, I think he ended up being the last person we cast. That was a really hard role to fill also because he needed to have a lot of natural sunniness to him and an optimism in the way that he looked at the world. I think it’s just kind of hard to find that. And then with Gavin, I think he did bring a lot of his own natural ebullience and ease in the way that he walks in the world.

And then Sean (Kaufman), who plays Steven, I think he might’ve… He also read for Cam Cameron. Or did he… He read for a couple… All of them read for numerous parts, I think. Most of them did. I liked Sean so much that I knew that I would want it to… because I knew I had a bigger story for Steven down the road and I knew that Cam’s story was really limited to season one. And then I also felt like the energy between him and Lola was immediately brother-sister energy. They had gone to high school together. They didn’t really hang out in high school, but they knew each other. And so, I just felt like that ease was already there.”

The culmination of years of attraction with the finale:

Jenny Han: “I think for the finale, it’s definitely a build between the two of them, and I guess kind of a dance. She is obviously taken off guard when she sees him standing there – and she’s wary as well. And so, I think the day is really for him to get to know her as she is today and for her to slowly let her walls come down. And seeing them meeting each other, I think, outside of Cousins is really important because there’s so much history between the two of them, and so much baggage.

And to me, the big question is, if I met you today, would I love you? Or is there so much between us from the past, so much history that sort of colors everything about our story? So, I think as the day goes on, and she sort of lets her guard down, then she really does allow him to see who she’s become, and vice versa.”

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Jenny Han Talks ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty,’ Taylor Swift, and the Movie

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