‘Brilliant Minds’ Season 2 Episode 8 Recap: “The Upside Down”

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November 17, 2025

Brilliant Minds Season 2 Episode 8 Recap — 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.

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.

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 Confirms Its 2025-2026 Midseason Lineup

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 17, 2025

CBS Y: Marshals Poster — CBS original series ‘MARSHALS’ (Photo: ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

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)

Tuesday, Feb. 24
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: ORIGINS
10:00-11:00 PM NCIS: SYDNEY

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

CBS New Series CIA — ‘CIA’ starring Tom Ellis (Photo: Mark Schafer © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.)

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 is Officially in Production

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 17, 2025

The Hunting Wives Season 2 — ‘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 Set to Host the 2026 Critics Choice Awards

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 17, 2025

Chelsea Handler Set to Host the 2026 Critics Choice Awards — 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.

‘Wake Up Dead: A Knives Out Mystery’ Trailer Unveils an Impossible Crime

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 17, 2025

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.

Wake Up Dead: A Knives Out Mystery Poster — 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.”

‘Ghosts’ Season 5 Episode 6 Preview: Kyle’s Back!

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 17, 2025

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 Season 5 Episode 6 — Ben Feldman as Kyle, Danielle Pinnock as Alberta, Rebecca Wisocky as Hetty, Brandon Scott Jones as Isaac, Román Zaragoza as Sasappis, Devan Chandler Long as Thorfinn, and Asher Grodman as Trevor in ‘Ghosts’ season 5 episode 6 (Photo: Bertrand Calmeau © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Ghosts Series Description, Courtesy of CBS:

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 18^th-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 16^th century (Zaragoza); and a society woman and wife of a 19^th-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.

Richie Moriarty and Rose McIver — Richie Moriarty as Pete and Rose McIver as Samantha in season 5 episode 6 (Photo © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Roman Zaragoza — Román Zaragoza as Sasappis in season 5 episode 6 (Photo: Bertrand Calmeau © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Ben Feldman, Danielle Pinnock and Rebecca Wisocky — Ben Feldman as Kyle, Danielle Pinnock as Alberta, Rebecca Wisocky as Hetty, and Brandon Scott Jones as Isaac in season 5 episode 6 (Photo: Bertrand Calmeau © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.)

Rose McIver and Richie Moriarty — Rose McIver as Samantha and Richie Moriarty as Pete in season 5 episode 6 (Photo © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

‘Tracker’ Season 3 Episode 5 Recap: “The Old Ways”

By

Rebecca Murray

-

November 16, 2025

Tracker Season 3 Episode 5 Recap — Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw in ‘Tracker’ season 3 episode 5 (Photo: Colin Bentley © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

A group of hikers walks through the hills in Santa Cruz, California, joking about not having cell service as CBS’s Tracker season three episode five opens. They debate whether they should keep going, even though Jayden’s worried his sister, Sara, is out of her asthma medicine. She reminds him he promised one last adventure, and Jayden reluctantly follows the group as they keep exploring.

(This is a recap of season three, episode five, so there are spoilers ahead!)

Colter (Justin Hartley) has Randy (Chris Lee) looking through a box of files Russell sent over. A lot of the info in the records is redacted, but Randy promises to do more research. Colter confirms this paperwork is connected to the number he had Randy run, but he doesn’t provide any additional details. It’s best Randy go into this research without knowing anything in advance.

Colter’s just minutes away from the trail where the hikers were last seen. Apparently, Jayden was right; they should have turned around. Since there isn’t any cell service on the trail, Colter will need to use his satellite phone.

Colter meets with Jayden and Sara’s parents and learns three of the four have hiked the trail before, and the only sign of them has been protein bar wrappers. The parents admit Jayden’s a little upset because they’re moving to Hong Kong, and this was supposed to be a day hike with friends.

The group sent a photo yesterday afternoon; that’s the last she heard from them. Search and Rescue is currently at the spot where the photo was taken, so Colter heads up there. He introduces himself to Luke Parsons (Emerson Brooks) from S&R and Luke appreciates the help. Colter learns they don’t usually organize a large-scale search until hikers have been missing 24 hours. They’re doing it on a smaller scale now at 18 hours, just to get a head start.

The trail doesn’t look difficult, but Colter thinks they were carrying too much equipment just to hike to where they told their parents they were heading. Luke points out an area that’s more difficult to climb, and that’s where he and Colter will start.

Randy returns to the office and finds Mel (Cassady McClincy Zhang) worried because she can’t reach Reenie and her first appointment of the day is waiting. When the client’s just about to leave, Reenie rushes in with a legitimate excuse. She went over new contracts and found that her client would be signing away his rights to work in his industry for three years. They slipped in a non-compete clause, and she advises her client not to sign. She wants to push back against the deal and he agrees.

Randy dived into the hikers’ socials and found out that Sara is into urban legends. She was really interested in an old train robbery involving $100,000 in coins. The treasure’s supposed to be buried in the Santa Cruz mountains. Luke’s heard of it and knows where they’d be heading. It’s a difficult area that the park has closed off because of landslides.

Luke and Colter climb over a gate, and Colter finds four sets of prints. They continue to follow the tracks and spot Charlie, unconscious but breathing. He has a superficial head wound and a possible spinal injury. He comes to and says he fell. His friends left food and water and then went to get help. Charlie’s able to point out the direction they went, but Luke believes it’s far too dangerous for them to follow. There are illegal growers in that direction who don’t like visitors.

Colter doesn’t want to wait and promises Charlie he’ll find his sister. Luke stays behind to wait for medevac while Colter continues following the tracks. He comes across Jayden’s cell phone and calls Randy to find out what the app Wiisp is used for. Randy explains it’s a shady version of WhatsApp. They’re both confused about why Jayden would be using it.

Colter hears something and gets off the phone. He spots a man tossing rocks at bottles and sneaks toward the buildings. Bricks of drugs are stacked nearby, and Colter sees another man walking around with a rifle. Colter draws his gun and follows him. After the man puts down his rifle, Colter sneaks up behind him and orders him to back up. When he complies, Colter puts away his gun and asks about the missing teenagers.

The man whistles and Colter’s quickly surrounded. Colter tries to assure them he’s not a cop; he’s just looking for missing hikers. They don’t care. The men make the mistake of attacking and Colter gets one in a headlock. He aims his gun at their leader and asks again about the hikers. They claim they never saw them.

Kenny, the young man who was tossing rocks, joins the group and confirms he’s the lookout. Colter promises to forget what he’s seen if Kenny’s allowed to tell him what he saw. Kenny reveals a scary guy took the three hikers into the bushes and knocked out another lookout. The man had a gun and a weird camo suit and stole Kenny’s dad’s truck.

They try to stop Kenny from describing the truck, but Colter promises if they let Kenny talk, he’ll redirect the cops away from this encampment. It’s a ’78 Ford truck.

Colter finds pieces of a homemade camo suit on the trail and calls Randy to get to work on the truck. Randy discovered Jayden only talked to one person on Wiisp and deleted most of his messages. Only one message from the guy remained: “The path ahead is clear.”

Jayden sent the first message five months ago, and Colter can’t figure out what’s going on. Randy traces the sender’s IP and it’s not that far from where Colter is right now. It must have its own power source because it’s off the grid. Colter gets the coordinates and calls Luke with the new info.

A short while later Colter and Luke approach the cabin. The door’s open and the same weird camo material is inside on the floor. The corn on the stove is still warm.

The computer shows the messages to and from Jayden. It appears Jayden’s been talking to his biological dad who he hasn’t seen in 10 years.

The scene shifts to show the man forcing the teenagers to keep walking. Sara’s having difficulty breathing and collapses, and the man uses a salve to help her out. Jayden says, “Dad, please, she needs a doctor!”

Reenie spoke with Jayden’s mom and learned she didn’t know Jayden had contacted Richard, his father. Jayden’s mom confirms something changed in Richard after they had kids and that he doesn’t believe in modern technology or medicine. Richard joined an offshoot of the Earth Liberation Front, a group of radical activists.

Reenie wonders if Jayden used the hike as a cover to meet with his dad. She believes Richard is dangerous and unstable, and Colter finds a large stash of food, indicating Richard’s ready to stay there for a long while. Both Colter and Reenie wonder why Richard decided to leave. Colter finds Sara’s inhaler and a bowl with ingredients that would make her asthma worse.

Luke informs Colter there’s a large search going on in the area and state troopers have set up a blockade. Colter believes they left after Sara had an asthma attack. The closest doctor or pharmacy is in town, and that’s where Luke and Colter head.

Colter drives like a madman into town, with Randy monitoring the cops to see if they’ve found the stolen truck. They come upon an ambulance with Brooke tied up in the back, along with the EMTs. An EMT says he treated Sara and points out the direction they went.

Sara’s in bad shape, struggling to breathe as they walk. Jayden had no idea their dad would do this, but Sara reminds him that their dad’s crazy. Richard joins them and says he’s going to take care of them and together they’ll learn how to live off the land.

Luke and Colter spot Richard and the kids, and Colter thinks they need to hang back until they stop to make camp. Colter’s sure Richard will protect his kids, so they need to get to him while he’s away from Sara and Jayden.

Richard walks away from the campsite and Colter follows him while Luke makes sure the kids are safe. Colter orders him to toss his ax and gun, and then they can talk. Richard does, and Colter tells him he’s in over his head. Richard’s certain he can take better care of his kids in the wild, and that right now his kids are soft. He planned on training them in the old ways and Colter assures him that if Jayden and Sara are forced into this life, they will turn on him. (He speaks from experience.)

A helicopter is heard moving toward them, and Richard says he can’t go to prison. It would kill him. Colter insists the best way out of this is to let his kids go. Richard confesses he misses his kids, but this is the only life he knows. Colter is willing to give Richard a head start if he promises never to contact Sara or Jayden again.

Colter returns to the kids with Richard’s gun. He says Richard realized he was in over his head and that he’s sorry. Richard also wanted them to know he loves them. The kids still look scared, and Colter promises them it’s okay. Jayden hangs back and Colter says it will take time, but they’ll be fine.

Luke thanks Colter for all his help, aware it would have been a different outcome without him. Colter confesses he let Richard go and Luke agrees to leave that out of his report. Losing his kids is enough punishment.

Jayden’s mom also thanks Colter and hands over the reward, with a little extra from Brooke and Charlie’s parents. She’s concerned about her kids and worried she did the wrong thing by not talking about Richard. Colter believes Jayden needed to learn the truth on his own.

‘Mayor of Kingstown’ Season 4 Episode 4 Recap: “Sins of Omission”

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 16, 2025

Mayor of Kingstown Season 4 Episode 4 Recap — Derek Webster, Hugh Dillon, and Jeremy Renner in ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ episode 4, season 4 (Credit: Dennis P. Mong Jr./Paramount+)

Mike wakes up in bed next to new prison guard Cindy Stephens as Paramount+’s Mayor of Kingstown season four, episode four opens. Unfortunately, he’s forced to leave Cindy behind when Ian calls with news that the war with the Colombian cartel has escalated.

(The following is a recap of season four, episode four and there are spoilers.)

Episode three ended with two Frank’s men killing members of the Colombian cartel at their crash pad and setting it on fire. Unfortunately, they didn’t kill Cortez—the cartel member Mike convinced Ian to let out of jail—and he took out Frank’s men. (He’s also the one who executed Carney.) At least six Colombians are dead at the scene, along with Frank’s men.

It’s obvious lots of Colombians escaped, but Mike (Jeremy Renner) had the surveillance turned off. He finally admits that he knew it was going down and informs Ian (Hugh Dillon) and Stevie (Derek Webster) that Bunny’s partnering with Frank Moses. He also confirms Frank took out the Russians.

Mike meets with Frank (Lennie James) and Bunny (Tobi Bamtefa), upset that Frank only sent two men to take out a platoon of cartel soldiers. Frank explains they were basically just scouts, and now they know for sure what they’re up against. Bunny believes Roberto Cruz is calling the shots from inside the prison. He’s going to have Raph deal with Cruz, while Frank’s going to take care of the streets.

Kyle’s wife, Tracy (Nishi Munshi), wakes to the sound of her car alarm. The driver’s door is open and Tracy closes it, obviously worried. When she returns to her kitchen, she discovers the window is partially open. She calls Mike and he checks out the entire house. He thinks it’s nothing to worry about, but he’ll have KPD keep an eye on the place.

Ian stands on an overpass, waiting for Evelyn (Necar Zadegan) to pass underneath. He drops a large brick onto her windshield, and it instantly shatters. She crashes into the bridge as he walks away.

Meanwhile, Callahan (Richard Brake) advises Kyle (Taylor Handley) to focus on feeling numb. Cindy (Laura Benanti) watches from the guard room but doesn’t react as Callahan tosses something to Kyle. It’s a mirror so Kyle can see what’s coming at him.

Raph (Daniel ‘D Smoke’ Farris) and the Crips have a plan of attack worked out on how to take out Roberto. Raph’s sure Roberto won’t see it coming. He tells his men that he will personally take care of Roberto since Roberto went after Bunny.

Warden Hobbs (Edie Falco) calls Callahan the magic man since he’s in Ad Seg yet his name is still on the infirmary list. Callahan wonders what she wants in exchange for keeping it that way. Hobbs says they have a mutual friend, and as long as Callahan keeps doing what he’s doing right now, she won’t change a thing.

Evelyn survived the crash but looks pretty beat up when Mike visits her in the hospital. She’s missing her phone and anxious to get back to work, but Mike suggests she take it easy for a bit. She believes kids tossed the brick, but Mike warns her a bullet to the head might be next since she has so many enemies. Mike’s pretty sure she was targeted and suggests she stand down.

Evelyn refuses to back off and reveals she has a witness ready to confirm Ian was at Morrissey’s the day he was murdered. Mike’s first call when he leaves the hospital is to Ian, insisting they meet with Robert immediately.

Raph and his men weave their way through the prison yard to Roberto (William Guirola) and the Colombians. Raph tells Roberto that Bunny wants to keep selling drugs, but Roberto’s done with Bunny’s flip-flops on the subject. Raph and his men attack, and the fight is vicious. The other prisoners surround the gangs as guards yell for everyone to get down. When they don’t, a guard starts firing into the yard.

While all the violence is going down, Callahan tells Kyle it’s much safer where they are than anywhere else. He also suggests it’s easier to make it through when he’s got someone watching his back. Alliances are more important than friendships, according to Callahan.

Mike and Robert (Hamish Allan-Headley) immediately get into it, shoving each other, before Ian’s able to confirm Robert was at the bar. Robert reminds Mike that he’s always risked his life for the McLuskys. He blames Mike for this mess, saying he, Ian, and Kyle are all in trouble because of Mike’s attraction to Evelyn. Mike disagrees, placing the blame on Robert’s trigger finger.

Robert’s furious at Mike and hopes Evelyn dies. “You show me one thing that you touch that doesn’t turn to absolute sh*t. You’re not a cop, you’re not a criminal, and you sure as sh*t ain’t the f**king mayor,” snarls Robert.

After Robert drives off, Ian insists he’ll handle him. Mike asks if Ian knows Evelyn has a witness and if he threw the brick. Ian acts indignant, warning Mike that he should know better than to suggest he’d hurt Evelyn.

Cindy waits until she’s alone and then writes down the names of all the prisoners in Ad Seg for Mike.

Mike calls Kevin (Derek Love) pissed he’s not picking up when he calls. Kevin finally answers and doesn’t have any news on Kyle but does report that Warden Hobbs had him tossing the cells of Crips. The Colombians just went about their business, and Raph is on lockdown. Mike instructs him to get a burner phone and give it to Kyle.

Mike’s long day isn’t quite done. He visits Bunny and confirms Roberto is still alive and the warden only punished the Crips. Mike’s now certain Warden Hobbs is dirty and siding with the Colombians. Roberto is injured while Raph’s okay, which to Bunny is a win. He still believes the Crips are in charge inside. Mike reminds him the prison is the center of power in the town, but Bunny believes that’s changed. He’s handling the town while Raph handles the prison.

Mike disagrees and is certain the cartel is making all the big moves. Bunny won’t be in charge until he cuts off the Colombians’ supply. The Colombians have moved an army to Kingstown, and the warden is locking down the Crips inside the prison. They’ve got the upper hand and will keep it unless Bunny destroys them.

Over at the prison, Kevin’s patrolling the exterior when David Torres (Clayton Cardenas), Hobbs’ right-hand man, orders him to leave the area. There’s a truck outside and Kevin sneaks back to get a look at what’s going on. Bags are being unloaded and brought inside the prison.

As soon as his shift’s over, he calls Mike with the news that the Colombians are bringing drugs in via the fueling trucks.

Mike joins Ian at the bar, and Ian thinks he’s got some info on the witness. However, he doesn’t need Mike’s help taking care of it. Ian believes that he can scare the witness into going away, which will end Evelyn’s case.

After Mike leaves, Stevie asks Ian if he was responsible for what happened to Evelyn. Ian admits it, and Stevie’s shocked. (That confirms Stevie isn’t in on all of Ian’s activities.) Ian confesses he’s facing a life sentence if Evelyn continues her investigation. But if he wanted to kill her, he would have. It was meant just to scare her enough to stop the investigation.

Frank and Bunny discuss the current state of Kingstown, and Bunny believes he’s got the prison back under control. Frank’s brought in more men to keep Mike from worrying. Bunny is following in Frank’s footsteps, buying up properties in Kingstown. Frank believes that’s the way you go from criminal to citizen in the eyes of the world. Legitimacy is what Bunny should aim for.

Cindy makes it home and calls Mike with the Ad Seg names. She confirms Merle Callahan’s been there since before Kyle was brought in and is in the cell right next to Kyle. (Hobbs had promised Mike that Callahan would be nowhere near Kyle.)

Mike tells Cindy to burn the list and slams down the phone.

Norman Reedus Talks About Playing Daryl Dixon and Being Part of ‘The Walking Dead’ Franchise

By

Kurt Anthony Krug

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November 14, 2025

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride — Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon and Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier in ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ (Photo Credit: Carla Oset/AMC)

When filming the third season of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, the creators asked: How would Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone, pioneer of Spaghetti Westerns, do a zombie story?

“We watched (1968’s) Once Upon a Time in the West,” said executive producer Scott M. Gimple. “Filming in Spain where all the Spaghetti Westerns were made, we wanted to lean into the Sergio Leone aspect of it and use the location. That was just a cool notion.”

Norman Reedus—Daryl Dixon himself—enjoyed filming TWD: DD in Spain.

“There’s a real passion with the Spanish people. They like to talk. They like to hug – ‘Come eat with us.’ It’s been really fun to work with them. It’s funny when you speak to a Spanish crew member, they want to keep going and talk. The French, a little bit less; New York, not at all if you know what I mean. It’s been fun working with them,” he said. “Also, the places where we filmed have a lot to do with our storyline… They love the show in Spain and in Europe in general. They freak out for it. People love to go to work every day; they talk about what they’re doing, they’re excited about what we’ve done. It was a lot like the earliest early seasons of the flagship show. It feels like that. I’ve been chasing that ever since, like a lightning-in-a-bottle-sorta feeling.”

Norman Reedus and Scott Gimple, along with executive producers Greg Nicotero and David Alpert, discussed The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon at the New York Comic Con in mid-October. Based on The Walking Dead—the comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard, published by Image Comics—TWD:DD is the fifth spinoff and sixth TV series in TWD franchise. TWD’s overall plot is the remnants of the human race struggling to survive in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse.

Even though he was created exclusively for the TV series, Daryl is arguably the franchise’s most popular character. The younger brother of Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker, Guardians of the Galaxy), Daryl is an expert tracker and archer whose survival skills are second to none.

“I was always kinda creepy, I always had that look like, ‘I’m gonna steal your purse,’” said Norman Reedus.

Eventually, Daryl evolves into the right-hand man of TWD’s protagonist Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), the leader of a group of survivors from Atlanta. When Lincoln left TWD in the ninth season, Reedus got top billing and became the main protagonist until the series ended with the 11th season.

“He’s gone from this to somebody he can be proud of being,” said Reedus. “He never lies, he never wastes time, he’s not interested in the superficial. He doesn’t care if his clothes are ripped, his hair’s a mess. He was written after Merle died to be a racist, a drug-taker, a creep. The writers let me do something with him I was really proud of: I wanted to grow up like that and be embarrassed by it… Once Merle died, it gave him the opportunity to stand on his own two feet and become the man he wanted to be.”

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Norman Reedus — Irina Björklund as Valentina and Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ season 3 (Photo Credit: Carla Oset/AMC)

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon debuted in 2023. The third season recently concluded. Next season, the fourth season, is also the final season. As this season faded to black, Reedus spoke about what impressions he wanted lingering in the silence.

“There’s dialogue that was introduced… ‘Look, all we do is we run and we fight, we run and we fight—there’s gotta be a better way to live,’” said Reedus. “As the characters get older the world gets more settled into this post-apocalyptic situation, there are people around us making lemonade out of lemons—making it work. That idea really goes into this season and sets up next season.”

Gimple stated the audience will get some closure when TWD:DD concludes.

“You will feel like you’ve got to the end of a journey at the end of season four for both Daryl and Carol (Melissa McBride),” he said. “You will also see France and Spain coming together in ways that are happy and scary, meaning some good things from France and some bad things from France that meld into the story. You will feel the culmination of four seasons of TWD:DD. The trick of it is a satisfying resolution to this four-season story that’s neither a dead end or a non-ending. We’re in the process of delivering that; it’s been a focus of ours for months and we’re about to shoot the last two episodes and this is a good setup to make the audience feel like, ‘Wow, this is a great, freaking journey I went on for four years! Something changed, something happened, and something got resolved yet there’s still another horizon I can imagine in the future.’”

‘Watson’ Season 2 Episode 6 Preview: Photos, Video and Air Date

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 14, 2025

Watson and his team investigate how a young man in great shape became sick on CBS’s Watson season two, episode six. Directed by Clara Aranovich, episode six—”Buying Time”—will air on Monday, November 17, 2025 at 10pm ET/PT.

“Buying Time” Plot: Watson and the fellows race against time to save the life of Xavier, a 21-year-old athlete with a fast-growing, seemingly incurable cancer. Meanwhile, Mycroft Holmes lets Watson know his team’s work at UHOP may no longer have funding available.

Morris Chestnut leads the cast as Dr. John Watson, Eve Harlow stars as Dr. Ingrid Derian, and Peter Mark Kendall returns as Dr. Stephens Croft and Dr. Adam Croft. Ritchie Coster plays Shinwell Johnson, Inga Schlingmann is Dr. Sasha Lubbock, and Rochelle Aytes is Dr. Mary Morstan.

Watson Season 2 Episode 6 — Peter Mark Kendall as Dr. Adam Croft, Morris Chestnut as Dr. John Watson, and Jamall Johnson in ‘Watson’ season 2 episode 6 (Photo: Colin Bentley © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Watson Season 2 Description:

Watson is a medical show with a strong investigative spine, starring Morris Chestnut as Dr. John Watson, in a modern version of one of history’s greatest detectives as he turns his attention from solving crimes to solving medical mysteries. While Watson’s team of “doc-tectives” may have defeated Moriarty last season, they remain determined in season two in their mission to investigate and treat the world’s most rare diseases for their clinic’s patients.

With his eyes fixed on the future, Watson faces an unexpected twist when Sherlock Holmes, who was presumed dead, resurfaces, forcing him to confront a buried secret from his past—one that lies hidden within his own body.

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