The Big Game’s lineup has been set and by “Big Game,” of course, we’re referring to the Puppy Bowl. The 2026 Puppy Bowl kicks off on Sunday, February 8 at 11am PT/2pm ET on Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, HBO Max, and discovery+.
The cutest counter-programming ever enters its 22nd year with a record-setting 150 dogs scheduled to take part. 72 shelters are participating in this year’s event, and referee Dan Schachner oversees the action for his 15th year.
“Puppy Bowl XXII celebrates the spirit of the underdog with a gameday celebration that combines the excitement of a sports matchup with uplifting adoption stories,” stated Joseph Boyle, Head of Content, Discovery Channel. “By introducing new segments like our senior spotlight and enhancing fan-favorite elements, we are creating a deeper connection to our audience and delivering the most entertaining sports spectacular on television.”
Poster for the 2026 Puppy Bowl (Photo Credit: Animal Planet)
Animal Planet offers this lengthy description of the 2026 Puppy Bowl:
“The show starts with Schachner rounding up players at the MARRIOTT BONVOY Puppy Bowl Hotel as they get ready for the big game. Then, the action begins at PROGRESSIVE® Stadium when the PEDIGREE® Starting Lineup sprint through the spirit tunnel to take the field. Reigning champions Team Fluff will send players including Benito (Siberian Husky-Chihuahua from Puerto Rico) and Showgirl (Chow Chow-Rottweiler) to defend their title. Meanwhile, Lobster Roll (Bulldog-Border Collie), Brûlée (Boston Terrier-French Bulldog), and Miso (American Cattle Dog-Beagle) will compete to bring the coveted WALMART ‘Lombarky’ trophy to Team Ruff. As the game unfolds, one standout pup will earn the prestigious BISSELL® MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) title, while another will claim the SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. Underdog Award.
Fifteen special needs dogs, including Wynonna, a determined pup with only three legs, and Eleanor, who is both deaf and vision-impaired, will also compete to prove that nothing can hold them back.
For the first time ever, Puppy Bowl will spotlight senior dogs in a special exhibition game, as Team Oldies and Team Goldies go head-to-head in the all-new Pro-Dog Halftime Showdown. Additional new elements include an inside look at shelter staff cheering on their puppy players and a spirited Barking Lot Tailgate party hosted by RAISING CANE’S CHICKEN FINGERS, with special appearances by Todd Graves, Owner and Founder, and his dog Cane III.
Throughout the game, SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. ‘Pup Close and Personal’ segments will share the inspiring backstories of some of the all-star athletes. Social media influencer Isabel Klee, also known as SimonSits, introduces her new foster, a senior dog that will take the field in the halftime senior matchup game, and shares how her socialization efforts will help give the pup a better chance at finding their forever home. In another highlight, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir trains Button, a Boston Terrier-Beagle from Nickel City Canine Rescue, at Highmark Stadium to test out the pup’s agility, speed, and raw skills before the big game while also sharing his personal story on the importance of adoption.
Fan-favorite elements, including the Adoptables segments featuring puppies available for adoption during the game, sportscasters Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks providing play-by-play commentary, puppy cheer squads hyping up the crowd, kittens watching the game from the TEMPTATIONS™ Skybox, and the WISDOM PANEL™ pet DNA test results that provide insights into each player’s breed mix and other unique traits will be featured throughout the game.”
Ethan Hawke as Lee Raybon in ‘The Lowdown’ (CR: Shane Brown/FX)
The Lowdown starring Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon, Black Phone 2) has been renewed by FX for a second season. The first season, which premiered in September, made it onto the AFI Awards’ list of the 10 best series of 2025. And season one currently sits at a 98% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
In addition to Hawke, season one starred Keith David. Guest stars included Kyle MacLachlan, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tim Blake Nelson, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Michael “Killer Mike” Render, Kaniehtiio Horn, Tracy Letts, and Peter Dinklage. Graham Greene, who passed away in September 2025, also appeared in a guest-starring role.
“The Lowdown follows the gritty exploits of citizen journalist Lee Raybon (Hawke), a self-proclaimed Tulsa “truthstorian” whose obsession with the truth is always getting him into trouble. While Lee’s no idealist, he’s fiercely committed to exposing corruption and unearthing the city’s hidden rot, even when it puts him at risk,” reads FX’s synopsis. “In season one, the publication of Lee’s latest exposé—a deep dive into the powerful Washberg family—is immediately followed by the suspicious suicide of Dale Washberg, and Lee knows he’s stumbled onto something big. Following a trail of breadcrumbs Dale has left behind, urging someone to dig deeper into the circumstances surrounding his death, Lee does just that.”
Filming is expected to get underway in Tulsa this spring on season two.
Sterlin Harjo created the series and serves as an executive producer with Ethan Hawke, Ryan Hawke, Garrett Basch, and Duffy Boudreau.
The series premiere of Fox’s Best Medicine introduced viewers to Dr. Martin Best, touched on his aversion to blood, and confirmed he prefers to keep his own company. A fiesty aunt of his filled in a few more details, including that something tragic happened to a woman named Rosemary, and that whatever it was has affected Martin’s mental health.
Episode two, “Bean There Done That,” will air on January 13, 2026 at 8pm ET/PT.
“Bean There Done That” Plot: After Martin comes face to face with his childhood bully and diagnoses a potentially contagious illness, he is forced to cancel Port Wenn’s monthly baked bean supper, angering everyone in the town. Also, Louisa observes Mark getting friendly with her teaching assistant, while Elaine steps in to help Martin in an unexpected, but very much needed, way.
Season one stars Josh Charles as Dr. Martin Best, Abigail Spencer (Suits) as Louisa Gavin, Annie Potts (Young Sheldon) as Aunt Sarah, Josh Segarra (Sirens) as Sheriff Mark Mylow, and Cree (Twinless) as Elaine Denton. Recurring guest stars include Didi Conn as councilwoman Geneva Potter, Clea Lewis as pharmacist Sally Mylow, Stephen Spinella as Greg Garrison, Jason Veasey as George Brady, Cindy De La Cruz as Jeannie, John DiMaggio as Bert Large, Carter Shimp as Al Large, and Wattson as Copernicus.
The series follows Martin Best (Charles), a brilliant surgeon who abruptly leaves his illustrious career in Boston to become the general practitioner in a quaint East Coast fishing village where he spent summers as a child. Unfortunately, Martin’s blunt and borderline rude bedside manner rubs the quirky, needy locals the wrong way, including schoolteacher Louisa Gavin (Spencer). He quickly alienates the town, even though he’s all they have.
Although Martin can expertly address any medical ailment or mystery in this idiosyncratic town, he’s really just desperate to be left the hell alone. Instead, he keeps getting dragged smack into the middle of their personal chaos, feuds, and fantasies. What the locals don’t know is that Martin’s terse demeanor masks a debilitating new phobia and deep-seated psychological issues that prevent him from experiencing true intimacy with anyone. But tenacity is the creed of everyone in their small village, and the people who live there may be exactly what the doctor ordered.
Netflix has set a March 12, 2026 premiere date for the seventh season of Virgin River. Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson return to star as Melinda Monroe and Jack Sheridan, seen above in the first official photo from the upcoming season.
Returning series stars also include Tim Matheson as Vernon, Annette O’Toole as Hope,
Benjamin Hollingsworth as Dan, Zibby Allen as Brie, and Colin Lawrence as Preacher. Sarah Dugdale plays Lizzie, Marco Grazzini is Mike, Kai Bradbury is Denny, and Kandyse McClure is Kaia.
Sara Canning (The Vampire Diaries) joins the cast as Victoria, an ex-cop “who was shot in the line of duty and now works for the state medical board as an investigator. Victoria comes to Virgin River to look into Doc’s practice but runs into a friend she wouldn’t mind catching up with … or maybe even pursuing something more.”
Also new to the series for season seven is Cody Kearsley (Riverdale) as Clay. Netflix describes him as “the kind of guy who gets noticed when he enters a room. Clay has experience working the rodeo circuit. He grew up in foster care with his younger sister, whom he hasn’t seen since he was a teenager. He’s been looking for her ever since.”
Netflix offers this description of the upcoming season:
“Virgin River is a romance story centered around nurse practitioner Melinda Monroe’s (Alexandra Breckenridge) move to the remote California town of Virgin River. Yearning for a fresh start, Monroe discovered that small-town living isn’t quite as simple as she expected and that she had to learn to heal herself before she could truly make Virgin River her home.”
Patrick Sean Smith serves as showrunner for the romantic drama based on the New York Times bestselling book series by author Robyn Carr.
Jon Abrahams, Kaitlin Olson, and Rita Zohar in ‘High Potential’ season 2 episode 8 (Disney/Jessica Perez)
ABC’s High Potential season two, episode eight begins with a brief flashback to the minutes just prior to the end of episode seven. A young woman heads to her car in the museum’s underground parking garage and is surprised by her boyfriend. She drops her keys and while looking for them discovers the dead body Detective Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) is seen standing over as episode seven ended.
(The following is a recap of season two, episode eight and contains spoilers.)
Morgan Gillory (Kaitlin Olson) and Rhys Eastman (Aiden Turner) arrive just as Adam’s questioning the witnesses. The dead body turns out to be museum director Cyrus Carrow. Captain Nick Wagner (Steve Howey) is also there and not happy to see Morgan pop in. It’s confirmed that Cyrus was hit in the back of the head with his own tire iron. They wonder if Jean-Baptiste did it. All this is going down as Morgan’s trying to figure out if Rhys is Jean and if he’s a murderer. Fortunately, the time of death is when Rhys was with Morgan in the hotel room so that quickly rules him out.
Morgan takes off, claiming kid stuff, but instead walks through Rhys’ hotel. Adam thinks she’s acting super sus and follows her, so Morgan’s forced to confess Rhys might be Jean. She admits she saw a crate in his room and that he has a bullet wound scar on his left shoulder. Adam asks how she could have seen that, and Morgan fumbles through an explanation. She admits she’s also shocked that she and Rhys got all hot and heavy but will use it as her cover if she finds the missing artwork in his room.
Rhys calls and says he’s heading back to his hotel room soon. He hopes to pick things up where they left off.
Morgan and Adam discuss the case after she discovers the artwork in Rhys’ room isn’t the piece they’re looking for. She’s happy Rhys isn’t the killer, but they both think she’s probably right that he’s the thief.
Back at the station, the team—including Rhys—go over everything they know. They’ve been looking into Cyrus’ life and there’s nothing sketchy. Their only active lead is to the ransomer’s car, which came back as registered to Lou Fowler. They’re actively searching for it.
The original, rightful owner of the missing Young Girl Leaning on a Windowsill by Rembrandt, Miriam Weisman, couldn’t have committed the theft or murder, but her grandson, Ari, is still a possible suspect. Nick sends Adam to Cyrus’ house while Daphne (Javicia Leslie) and Oz (Lev ‘Oz’ Osman) investigate any connections between Jean-Baptiste and Cyrus. Morgan’s benched and Rhys is also left behind, and Rhys thinks she’s acting weird because they got physical.
Adam asks Nick to put Morgan back on the Jean-Baptiste case, and Nick demands to know where they went from the crime scene. Nick doesn’t want Morgan involved, but Adam continues to request her as his partner. Nick finally agrees.
When Adam and Morgan show up at Cyrus’ place, they discover he didn’t live alone. His boyfriend, Emilio, is there and claims they’ve been dating for a couple of months. Cyrus didn’t answer his texts, so he came home. Morgan looks around the apartment and picks up an antique that Emilio says he found at a flea market. Morgan asks if he polished it with ferric oxide, but Emilio claims not to remember.
Morgan explains that if you add powdered aluminum, it can burn up to 4,500 degrees and can be used for welding or grenades. It can also melt glass, just like what happened during the museum heist. Also, it leaves behind a fine powder, just like they found on the floor of the museum.
Emilio makes a run for it, but Adam catches him when his stolen vehicle doesn’t start.
Back at the station, Arthur (Mekhi Phifer) calls Morgan with news he got ambushed by a guy looking for Roman’s backpack. He warns Morgan that the people who want the backpack are dangerous, but he’s not willing to go to the police. Morgan insists that he sit with a sketch artist and even suggests they’ll come to him.
Adam and Nick speak with the missing painting’s owners, Mr. and Mrs. Foster, who are upset Young Girl still hasn’t been located. A suspect is in custody, but the Fosters want to hire their own private investigators since the cops are too slow.
Nick and Adam interrogate Emilio, and he insists he didn’t hurt Cyrus and didn’t steal the painting. They show him evidence collected at the apartment that could have been used in the burglary. Emilio says he only heard about the stolen painting because of Cyrus and doesn’t want to answer any further questions. When they say they need to look at his shoulder, Rhys—who’s watching from outside the interrogation room with Morgan—explains how he got his own left shoulder wound.
Emilio’s body is covered with scars from his time in the Colombian Army. But it’s the redness on the side of his hand that catches Morgan’s attention. Since Emilio’s a language instructor, Morgan believes it’s from grading papers. However, there weren’t any papers in the apartment.
Morgan interrupts the interrogation to tell Nick and Adam that Emilio must have an office.
Adam, Morgan, Oz, and Daphne go through Emilio’s office, and there are dozens of boxes. Adam spots a safe just as Morgan finds Young Girl behind papers on a bulletin board.
Steve Howey and Daniel Sunjata in ‘High Potential’ season 2 episode 8 (Disney/Jessica Perez)
Nick holds a press conference announcing the arrest of Emilio for the murder of Cyrus Carrow and the recovery of the stolen Rembrandt. Morgan brings Miriam and Ari to the station to look at the artwork that had been stolen decades ago from her father, the original owner.
Lt. Selena Soto (Judy Reyes) shows up at the boxing gym, dressed like she’s about to work out. She tries to blend in while quietly questioning Arthur about the man who attacked him. Arthur didn’t get much of a look at the man but does know he’s white, 50-ish, with a goatee and salt and pepper hair. He had a tattoo of a bird on his wrist. Selena shows Arthur a photo from Roman’s backpack and it matches the man who attacked him. Arthur refuses to go to the station and file a report. He’ll take care of himself.
Selena gives him her number in case he sees the man again.
Morgan confirms she brought Miriam in because it’ll probably be the last time she’s able to see the painting in person. LAPD won’t return it to her, which isn’t fair, but at least she can get a final look at it.
The case is over, so Rhys says his goodbyes because he’s off to Palermo to investigate another stolen art piece. Adam seems fine with Rhys leaving immediately, but Morgan’s farewell is a little flirty. Rhys wishes Young Girl was going back to Miriam.
Suddenly, Miriam speaks up and says the painting isn’t Young Girl. The girl in the painting had Miriam’s eyes and this one doesn’t. Morgan takes a better look at it and agrees. The paint used in the eyes is too bright for the time period.
Adam informs Nick that the painting the Fosters owned, the painting that was stolen and recovered, is a fake. The museum didn’t authenticate it because it came from the Fosters.
Morgan catches Rhys in the elevator and asks if he has the painting. She thinks it’s in his briefcase and asks to look in it. Rhys claims it’s just paperwork in there but reluctantly allows her to look through it. Morgan’s surprised to find Rhys is correct; it’s just paperwork on his cases.
Morgan scans them and realizes there’s something fishy about the Fosters’ insurance paperwork.
Daphne pulls the Fosters’ insurance policies for the past decade, and Morgan explains to the team what caught her eye. They insured a lot of art in 2019, but only 12 items a few years later. In 2025, they only insured Young Girl. Is it just a coincidence the only piece they now insure is the one stolen? Nope.
Morgan thinks all the art she saw at the Fosters’ house is fake, just like Young Girl. One or both of the Fosters arranged to have the piece stolen because they’re in debt. They would collect the insurance money and then have the painting returned to them.
They must have had a forger—the same one who did the other artwork on their walls—forge the Young Girl that they lent to the museum. Cyrus was in on it and was paid off by the Fosters with the fake watch that he thought was real and was wearing when he was murdered. Cyrus made sure to replicate Jean-Baptiste’s MO when he took the painting from his own museum.
He must have realized the watch was fake and decided to double-cross the Fosters by putting the painting up for ransom. The Fosters confronted him and Cyrus was killed. Before he was murdered, he gave the painting (which Cyrus never knew was a fake) to Emilio to hide.
Aiden Turner and Kaitlin Olson in ‘High Potential’ season 2 episode 8 (Disney/Jessica Perez)
Morgan remembers the Fosters have a yacht and they’re probably on it trying to ditch the murder weapon and flee. Nick and Adam head to the dock just as the Fosters are casting off. They sneak onboard and Adam orders the captain to stop the boat.
Meanwhile, Oz and Daphne discover the door’s ajar at the Foster house. They enter, guns drawn, and call out. No one’s there and everything of value is gone.
Arthur calls Selena to say he’s being followed. He’s on his way to the station and hopes the person will follow him there. Arthur describes his tail as someone who knows what he’s doing.
Back on the boat, Mr. Foster holds a flare gun to Adam’s head. Adam refuses to put down his gun as Mrs. Foster pleads with her husband to stop. Nick quietly approaches and helps Adam take down Mr. Foster. He then has Mrs. Foster show him where the painting is being kept. In an interesting twist, Young Girl is now missing!
The scene switches to show someone in a wetsuit jumping off the back of the boat after taking the painting.
The thief is confirmed to be Rhys and he’s all smiles as he gets out of the water until he spots Morgan by his car. He admits he’s Jean-Baptiste and also recovers art for insurance companies. Rhys knows Morgan hasn’t called her partner to arrest him yet. He claims he stole Young Girl to give it back to Miriam; she’ll have to trust him that he’s telling the truth.
Later that night, Adam, Morgan, Oz, and Daphne celebrate closing the case. Nick joins Morgan at the bar and confesses she’s too valuable to let go. She believes the Fosters threw the painting overboard, but Nick reveals the crew saw someone in a wetsuit holding something. Maybe that was Jean-Baptiste. Morgan says she doesn’t think that guy exists.
Rhys does as promised and drops the painting off at Miriam’s house.
Back at the station, Selena’s worried because Arthur hasn’t shown up. Arthur’s cell is shown on the ground outside his truck, with his driver’s door wide open.
Episode eight ends with Adam watching Nick talk to Morgan at the bar while behind him the stranger Arthur identified as his attacker does the same.
Netflix’s revamped version of the classic Star Search competition series has landed three new judges. Emmy winner Sarah Michelle Gellar, Grammy nominee Jelly Roll, and model and author Chrissy Teigen have boarded the series, set to premiere on January 20, 2026.
Emmy nominee Anthony Anderson is handling hosting duties for the live event series, which will allow viewers to vote in real-time with their remotes as each episode airs. The streamer plans to air episodes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 6pm PT/9pm ET.
“The live voting feature is a total game-changer,” stated Anderson to Tudum. “Knowing that fans from all over the world can cast their votes in real time adds a whole new layer of excitement and participation to the mix. It’s like we’re all part of the show and get to be one of the judges.”
Jason Raff (America’s Got Talent) and David Friedman (Bring the Funny) guide the series as showrunners. Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, Madison Merritt, Elaine Metaxas, Taraji P. Henson, and Steve Mosko are the executive producers.
“Star Search is back! The talent is bigger, the stakes are higher, and the format is more interactive than ever. Each episode will spotlight the best up-and-coming performers across numerous categories—music, dance, variety, comedy, magic, and juniors—as they compete head-to-head for their shot at stardom,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “With an arced competition structure and weekly eliminations with real-time global voting, the series builds dramatic momentum, making every live episode an unmissable event.”
A24’s trailer for The Death of Robin Hood says “the legend was a lie” and that everything we think we know about the outlaw hero is wrong. Hugh Jackman, currently in theaters channeling a Neil Diamond tribute artist in Song Sung Blue, takes on the role of the hero and says, “I’ve killed so many. I could not give you a count. It’s a curse.”
A24 offers this synopsis: “Grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder, Robin Hood finds himself gravely injured after a battle he thought would be his last. In the hands of a mysterious woman, he is offered a chance at salvation.”
Michael Sarnoski wrote and directed the drama. Sarnoski’s previous credits include 2021’s Pig starring Nicolas Cage and 2024’s A Quiet Place: Day One with Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn.
Sydney Sweeney as Millie and Amanda Seyfried as Nina in ‘The Housemaid’ (Photo Credit: Daniel McFadden/Lionsgate)
Production on a film based on the second novel in Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid trilogy, The Housemaid’s Secret, is moving forward. Lionsgate confirmed the sequel will go into production this year, with Sydney Sweeney expected to return as Millie. Sweeney will also be involved as an executive producer.
“It’s clear from both the global box office and from the outpouring on social media that audiences have responded strongly—and audibly—to the totally unique and truly theatrical experience of The Housemaid and want to know what happens next,” stated Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson. “We believed in these storiesfrom the very beginning, and we are beyond excited to bring the next chapter of Millie’s story to life on-screen in collaboration with our outstanding creative partners Todd, Paul, Laura, Carly, Alex, and Sydney. The Housemaid’s Secret is another wildly thrilling book in Freida’s series that has captivated readers worldwide, and we look forward to translating it into a similarly rousing and riotous moviegoing experience.”
The Housemaid opened in theaters on December 19, 2025, and grossed $75 million domestically in its first 17 days in theaters. It currently sits at 73% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
McFadden’s The Housemaid books have sold more than 12 million copies. Rebecca Sonnenshine is on board to adapt the sequel after adapting the first book of the series. Paul Feig is expected to direct and will produce along with Laura Fischer. In addition to Sweeney, executive producers include author McFadden, Carly Elter, and Alex Young.
“It’s been thrilling to see audiences around the world fall in love with The Housemaid and the incredible work of our talented cast and crew. We’re lucky that Freida McFadden has already extended Millie’s journey on the page and that we get to work with Rebecca Sonnenshine and Lionsgate to bring this next story to audiences,” said director Feig.
The original film plunged audiences into a “twisted world where perfection is an illusion, and nothing is as it seems. Trying to escape her past, Millie (Sweeney) accepts a job as a live-in housemaid for the wealthy Nina (Amanda Seyfried) and Andrew Winchester (Brandon Sklenar). But what begins as a dream job quickly unravels into something far more dangerous—a sexy, seductive game of secrets, scandal, and power. Behind the Winchesters’ closed doors lies a world of shocking twists that will leave you guessing until the very end.”
Tamberla Perry, Zachary Quinto, Allison Hossack, Alex MacNicoll, and Henry Falk in ‘Brilliant Minds’ season 2 episode 11 (Photo by: Pief Weyman/NBC)
NBC’s Brilliant Minds season two, episode 11 picks up seconds after the winter finale. After receiving the shocking news about his connection to Charlie’s mother, Oliver (Zachary Quinto) heads to the address Charlie provided and breaks into where his dad is supposedly staying.
(The following is a recap of season two episode 11 and contains spoilers.)
Episode 10 also left off with Van’s ex-wife, Michelle, unconscious following a car accident on her way to the hospital gala. EMTs report that she’s been unresponsive, her pulse is thready, and they haven’t located her ID. Michelle’s lung is damaged and only paramedic Katie Rodriguez’s quick action saves her.
Dr. Anthony Thorne (John Clarence Stewart) takes over in the ER and discovers Michelle has blood around her heart. Ericka (Ashleigh LaThrop) and Jacob (Spence Moore II) arrive to assist and immediately recognize Michelle. Ericka alerts Oliver while Jacob calls Van (Alex MacNicoll) and Dana (Aury Krebs) while they’re out getting pizza. They rush back to the hospital as Michelle’s receiving a thoracotomy.
Oliver also returns to the hospital, but since Michelle’s already in surgery, Carol (Tamberla Perry) asks him to join her consultation with Nic (Jack Cain), the driver of the other vehicle. He’s laughing uncontrollably and needs further evaluation.
A short while later, Oliver, the team, and Van observe Michelle’s surgery. Van hasn’t called Michelle’s family and Oliver gently tells him they need to know—the sooner the better.
Michelle’s mom, Shauna (Allison Hossack), arrives with Van and Michelle’s son, and Oliver explains they’ll know more once she’s out of surgery. It’s obvious she’s angry at Van; Van can feel her resentment.
Nic’s tox screens come back negative and he wants to leave, but Carol believes they need more tests. His uncontrollable laughing might have been from shock, but it could have been something else they need to address. When he’s told Michelle’s in surgery, he laughs again. Nic continues laughing as he admits it’s his fault.
Nic laughs as he apologizes to Van. Ericka rushes Van away as Nic continues to chuckle.
Oliver’s received a referral from a Dallas residency program and asks Jacob if he’s really planning to leave. Jacob confesses he misses the “rush of being in the field.” Oliver compliments Jacob as having the best bedside manners of anyone on his team. He doesn’t want to lose him.
Michelle’s results are back and the team, plus Dr. Josh Nichols (Teddy Sears), learn she has a massive subdural and her pupils are already fixed and dilated. Her injuries are not survivable, but Van believes if anyone can save her, it’s this team. He needs them to fight for his wife.
Ericka, Jacob, Dana, and Oliver discuss the situation, and Oliver reminds them that the scans were catastrophic. He would rather not hold out false hope. Oliver’s going to perform a brain death exam after informing Michelle’s family. Brain death rather than cardiac death allows Michelle’s organs to be donated.
Oliver believes when he does the test Van, will come to terms with her death. He asks for a volunteer to assist with the exam and Ericka immediately speaks up. Van joins them, angry he wasn’t in the meeting from the start. He demands to be present during the exam.
Oliver discusses Van’s request with Carol and Josh, and they think it will help Van process the loss. The talk turns to the other driver and Carol thinks his symptoms might be neurological. Josh wonders if the accident caused the laughing, and Oliver confirms it’s possible. Since Nic plays hockey, Oliver suggests bringing Jacob in on the case. Carol reveals she knows Jacob got a job offer and thinks Oliver wants him involved to keep him here.
“Sometimes we’ve got to let our fledglings fly,” notes Carol.
Oliver begins the exam to determine if Michelle is brain-dead. Van watches closely as Oliver goes through the steps, each returning negative results. Van doesn’t feel any pain when Oliver does the pain test, meaning Michelle’s not feeling any either. He begs for more time and for a second test, unwilling to let Michelle go just yet. Oliver reluctantly agrees.
Jack Cain, Tamberla Perry, and Zachary Quinto in ‘Brilliant Minds’ season 2 episode 11 (Photo by: Pief Weyman/NBC)
Oliver and Van speak with Michelle’s mother, Shauna, and she informs them Michelle was very clear that she wanted to be an organ donor.
Van knows he’s grasping at straws when Ericka finds him performing an EEG. He just wants to be able to tell their son, Liam, that he did everything possible to save Michelle. Charlie walks by Michelle’s room and then speaks with Oliver about Van doing an EEG on a dead woman. Oliver tells Charlie that if Van needs to perform the EEG, they should let him. Van walks in and overhears the conversation and reacts by punching Charlie when Charlie brings up his mirror touch.
Oliver and Carol introduce Jacob to Nic, and it turns out Nic’s family are fans of Nash the Smash. Jacob was happy to get rid of that nickname and Nic reveals his hockey nickname is The Joker. (A reference that goes over Oliver’s head.) Nic cries when he wants to laugh about the nickname and then laughs when Carol asks him about the car crash.
Jacob tells Carol he thinks Nic has Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA), just like The Joker. And since he already had that nickname, the accident didn’t cause PBA. It’s possible ALS, MS, too many concussions, or a traumatic brain injury did. Hockey could be responsible for Nic’s PBA, and Carol compliments Jacob for catching it.
Oliver finally has a quiet moment with Carol and confesses that Charlie’s gala speech about his mother’s death was about him. He’s the doctor who held out false hope and caused Charlie’s dad to drink himself to death. Oliver also reveals Charlie came here because he blames him for ruining his life. Charlie’s here to return the favor.
Carol wants him to keep trying to connect with Charlie. She also suggests he speak with her therapist friend instead of burying his traumas.
Michelle’s family’s rabbi gives Van the idea to take Michelle to New Jersey where there’s a religious exemption for brain death. He asks Dana, Ericka, and Jacob for their help to move her. Van lets slip that Jacob’s leaving, which shocks Ericka since they’re in the beginning stages of a relationship.
Dana asks Katie if they can borrow her ambulance, and Katie gets the full story out of her. Dana’s obviously conflicted about the move but realizes Van needs to know they’re here to support him. Katie says she can’t allow it but leaves her ambulance keys behind when she walks away.
Carol and Oliver meet with Nic and his parents to explain PBA. His parents just thought he had a weird sense of humor when he laughed inappropriately. There’s therapy available that will allow him to regain control. Oliver also delivers the news that his tox screens were clear and the accident was deemed no-fault.
Nic asks Oliver to give Michelle’s family a letter since he didn’t want to laugh while speaking with them in person. He was going to give it to them himself, but the doctors took Michelle away in an ambulance before he could do it. Oliver and Carol are shocked at the mention of an ambulance.
Ericka asks Jacob about his new job opportunity while on the drive to New Jersey. When he mentions a sports clinic in Dallas, Ericka confesses she knows that’s his dream job. She thinks he should take it, and neither she nor Oliver should ask him to stay.
Van talks to Michelle in the back of the ambulance, recalling how he shared her pain when Liam was born. She told him she wished she could live forever so she could see his whole life. Van begs Michelle not to leave them and suddenly her fingers move. Dana, who’s also riding in the back, is stunned as Michelle’s eyes open. Van screams for Jacob to turn the ambulance around.
Van kisses her forehead.
She’s not even using the breathing tube when she arrives back at the hospital. The entire team is there to greet her, and Oliver’s happy for Van that he never gave up. Liam rushes in and Michelle hugs him and smiles, claiming she’s okay now.
Van and Michelle remarry as everyone applauds.
Of course, none of this actually happens. Michelle didn’t move or open her eyes. Hope didn’t bring her back. Van asks Dana to have Jacob turn the ambulance around.
Brian Altemus and Alex MacNicoll in ‘Brilliant Minds’ season 2 episode 11 (Photo by: Pief Weyman/NBC)
Back at the hospital, Oliver and Van perform the apnea test to determine if Michelle is brain-dead. The results are negative and as the team gathers outside the door, Van announces Michelle’s time of death. He kisses her gently and whispers that he loves her before leaving the room.
The team holds him tight in an embrace outside Michelle’s room.
Charlie knows Van doesn’t want to talk to him, but he has important advice to share. Charlie was just like Liam, losing a mother at a young age. He recalls how people showered him with gifts, but it was all so confusing. Charlie suggests that Van shouldn’t give up because Liam needs him. Van shouldn’t let Liam lose both his mom and his dad.
Van picks up his young son and holds him tight. Shauna believes Michelle would want Van to know that she always said he was an amazing dad. She’s glad her daughter had Van and that Liam has Van in his life.
Van explains to Liam that they’re about to do an Honor Walk for Michelle because she wanted to help people if she died. As Michelle’s gurney passes by, the staff lines the hallway, recognizing her gift of organs that will save others. Oliver pushes the gurney and many hands reach out to say farewell and thank Michelle.
Later, Van and Jacob meet with Oliver and learn the ambulance wasn’t reported stolen so they’re not in trouble. Van announces he’s leaving the department and Oliver tells him to take as much time as he needs. Unfortunately, Van doesn’t think he’ll be coming back anytime soon; he needs to be there for his son. Oliver acknowledges Van’s worth to the hospital and suggests that sometimes working helps you make it through grief. But Van needs time.
Jacob’s also leaving, acknowledging he’s learned from Oliver that someone needs to always be there to give the patients the time and care they need. No one did that for him when he was injured, and now he wants to be there for other athletes who are injured.
Oliver gets a little choked up when he says, “Bronx General will miss you. I’ll miss you. My door is always open.” Jacob’s going to stay in town for a few months to help Van and Liam before heading to Texas.
They bump fists and confirm they’re part of the Wolf Pack forever.
Episode 11 ends back where it began in Oliver’s dad’s apartment. There are framed photos of Oliver around and when a woman walks in, she immediately recognizes him. Her name’s Sofia and she says, “You look just like him, Oliver.”
Emily in Paris will continue, with Netflix officially announcing the popular dramedy has been renewed for a sixth season. The renewal announcement comes less than two weeks after season five premiered on December 18, 2025.
Season five hit the #2 spot on the streamer’s Global Top 10 English TV list and racked up over 26 million views. The fifth season earned a 76% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Lily Collins stars in the titular role. The season five cast also includes Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as Sylvie Grateau, Ashley Park as Mindy Chen, Lucas Bravo as Gabriel, Samuel Arnold as Julien, and Bruno Gouery as Luc. William Abadie plays Antoine Lambert, Lucien Laviscount is Alfie, Eugenio Franceschini is Marcello, Thalia Besson is Genevieve, and Paul Forman is Nico. Rounding out the ensemble are Arnaud Binard as Laurent G, Minnie Driver as Princess Jane, Bryan Greenberg as Jake, and Michèle Laroque as Yvette.
“Now the head of Agence Grateau Rome, Emily faces professional and romantic challenges as she adapts to life in a new city,” reads the fifth season’s synopsis. “But just as everything falls into place, a work idea backfires, and the fallout cascades into heartbreak and career setbacks. Seeking stability, Emily leans into her French lifestyle until a big secret threatens one of her closest relationships. Tackling conflict with honesty, Emily emerges with deeper connections, renewed clarity, and a readiness to embrace new possibilities.”
Netflix hasn’t released a description of the upcoming sixth season or announced a target premiere date.
Darren Star created the series and serves as writer and executive producer. Additional executive producers include Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns, Andrew Fleming, Stephen Brown, Alison Brown, Robin Schiff, Grant Sloss, and Joe Murphy.
