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‘The Girlfriend’ Episode 2 Recap: Battle Begins Between Mom and Girlfriend

By
Alison Helms
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The Girlfriend Poster
Poster for ‘The Girlfriend’ (Photo Credit: Prime Video)

Episode one of Prime Video’s psychological thriller The Girlfriend ended with a chilling scene that left viewers wondering where the show is headed. Episode two is once again told from differing points of view, with Laura viewing herself as her son’s savior and Cherry feeling rejected by the family of the man she professes to love.

A detailed recap follows, so there are spoilers ahead!

Episode two kicks off with Cherry (Olivia Cooke) struggling in the ocean. A flashback shows her packing for a vacation with Daniel and his family. Her mother wants to go, and Cherry reminds her that she herself is barely allowed to come.

As she waits for her flight, she falls asleep. After freshening up in the bathroom, she and Daniel (Laurie Davidson) head to the house. Cherry admits to Daniel that she is nervous.
After meeting up with Laura (Robin Wright) and Howard (Waleed Zuaiter), Cherry praises the exhibition at Laura’s gallery. Laura admits it didn’t receive rave reviews. Laura changes the subject, insisting she’s looking forward to getting to know Cherry. However, minutes later she hears Daniel thanking Laura for inviting Cherry along. Her response? “Well, you didn’t really give me a choice.”

It’s not just a family affair when Laura’s good friend Isabella (Tanya Moodie) and her daughter, Brigitte (Shalom Brune-Franklin), show up. Cherry is caught off guard by their presence. Isabella remembers how Daniel used to sneak into Brigitte’s room back in the day. Daniel jokes that there weren’t a whole lot of girls to pick from back then. Brigitte insults Cherry by stating he was lucky back then; it’s all slim pickings now. Laura aims a smug look directly at Cherry.

Later, Cherry sneaks into Isabella and Brigitte’s room and leaves the bracelet she stole from Laura there. (The maid sees her in the room.) Cherry makes her way to the tennis courts and catches Brigitte and Daniel flirting. Cherry joins the game and asks that they go easy since she’s barely played. Isabella wonders how that can be true since it was mandatory to play tennis at the school Cherry claimed she attended.

Although it’s supposed to be a doubles game, it turns into a game between Daniel and Brigitte. Cherry’s upset and hits the ball at Brigitte, striking her. Daniel and Cherry talk, and she confesses she is upset he didn’t tell her about his past with Brigitte.

Daniel and Cherry take off on a long bike ride and she apologizes for being strange earlier; she’s worried she doesn’t fit in. Daniel reminds her he loves her for her. Still concerned about earlier, Daniel makes a list of every woman he has been with. It’s revealed Brigitte was his first intimate partner. Cherry also learns he was with his music teacher.

Cherry notices messages on Daniel’s phone from his mother and turns his phone off.
Daniel and Cherry finally arrive back at the house and discover that Laura is extremely upset. Not only was she worried when they took off, the chef was there and cooked all of Daniel’s favorites. They missed it.

While lying in bed, Cherry teases Daniel about his wound from falling off the bike. She finds it a bit creepy how Laura treated him when she discovered he was injured. Daniel doesn’t find it creepy at all, stating his mother just likes to help people. He seems upset about the topic of conversation and decides to go for a run.

Cherry finds Howard in Rose’s room and asks how he is doing. He confesses no one has asked him that in a long time. After having a moment together, he suggests putting Cherry in touch with a business partner about housing. (Rose is the deceased daughter of Howard and Laura.)

Laura demands to know why the doors to Rose’s room are open. Howard confirms he and Cherry were in there. He knows she doesn’t like anyone in there but reminds her that he’s allowed to visit the room.

Cherry almost provides Laura and Daniel with a detail they can use against her when she leaves her plane ticket on her suitcase. She panics and hurriedly distracts Daniel sexually, just as Laura catches them. Cherry insists she wants to spend time alone, just the two of them, but Daniel doesn’t agree. He reminds her they are on holiday with his family.

The vacationers relax on a yacht and as Daniel is putting suntan lotion on Brigitte, Isabella notices Laura has found her missing bracelet. Laura thinks she must have left it there in Spain but pins Cherry with a knowing look.

Howard checks on a seasick Cherry but feeling ill is the least of her worries. She overhears Laura and Isabella talking about what a shame it is that things didn’t work out with Daniel and Brigitte.

Cherry tries her hand at paddleboarding, and when she gets knocked off, she pretends to struggle. Laura just watches as she flails around and calls for help.

The Girlfriend Episode 2 Recap
Shalom Brune-Franklin and Laurie Davidson in ‘The Girlfriend’ episode 2 (Credit: Christopher Raphael © Amazon Content Services LLC)

Laura’s Perspective Shines a Different Light on the Vacation

Howard asks Laura if she is going to play nice and Laura admits she still isn’t sure about Cherry. He points out how much Daniel seems to like her, but Laura believes there’s something odd about her.

Isabella notifies Laura she did not see Cherry in business class on the plane; therefore, she was not on the same flight. Laura wonders if she pocketed the money Daniel gave her for the ticket. Isabella decides to do a little detective work to find out what happened.

Cherry hits Brigitte with the tennis ball and when we saw the accident from Cherry’s perspective, she was apologetic and checked on her. However, from Laura’s perspective, Cherry does none of that and instead just stands there.

The late dinner also plays out differently, with Laura calm and collected and Daniel apologetic. Afterward, Laura goes through Cherry’s luggage and finds her plane ticket and a magazine with a review of Laura’s gallery.

Laura overhears Howard and Cherry’s conversation and then catches Cherry trying to seduce Daniel. Cherry looks smug and laughs when she sees Laura. Laura reacts by turning the sprinkler on her.

Fast-forward to the events on the yacht, Laura jumps in as soon as she sees Cherry struggling in the ocean. She rescues Cherry and they have a moment of getting along. Now that things seem okay between them, Cherry comes clean about not being in business class and using the extra money for clothes. She wanted to look the part. Laura offers to make a pact: no more lies.

Cherry speaks to a butcher in perfect Spanish and seems to know what she is talking about. She admits her mom is a butcher.

Laura takes Cherry shopping and confronts her, asking why she punched the man outside her office. (That was a shocking scene in episode one.) Cherry lies and claims he’s an ex-boyfriend of her co-worker. She says she’s not normally a violent person as she proceeds to chop the head off a chicken.

Laura lectures Daniel about leaving his guest out, asking if they are in love. Cherry confirms they are.

In a quieter moment, Laura confesses she was in love with someone besides Howard. She fell for a woman after Rose died. They were going to spend their lives together, but she got pregnant with Daniel. Laura asks Cherry not to say anything about it. After having another good moment together, Laura tells Cherry, “And here I thought you threw my cat out the window.”

As they all dance around the pool at night, Cherry witnesses a strange interaction with Daniel and Laura where they kiss and he calls her, “My love.”

The next morning Laura offers the house to just Daniel and Cherry while the rest of them venture off wine tasting. While there, Brigitte shows Isabella and Laura a clip from the wedding Cherry ruined. Laura recognizes the groom as the guy Cherry punched. Furious, Laura takes off.

The episode ends with Laura confronting Cherry, and Cherry insisting she thought they were keeping each other’s secrets. Laura orders Cherry to stay away from her son. It’s game on as the two women engage in a stare-off.

 

 

‘The Girlfriend’ Episode 1 Recap: Competing Unreliable Narrators

By
Alison Helms
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The Girlfriend Recap with Robin Wright and Laurie Davidson
Robin Wright and Laurie Davidson in ‘The Girlfriend’ (Photo © Amazon Content Services LLC)

Prime Video released the psychological thriller The Girlfriend, based on Michelle Frances’ novel, on September 10, 2025. The six-episode drama stars Robin Wright, Olivia Cooke, and Laurie Davidson in a twisted triangle of lies, manipulation, and betrayal. The streamer unleashed every episode at once for your binge-watching pleasure, and the following is a recap of episode one.

There are spoilers ahead!

The Girlfriend’s first episode begins with a flashback to events five months earlier, told from Laura’s (Robin Wright) perspective. She’s arguing on the phone about tracking something down when a noise startles her. Suspecting it’s someone in her family, she investigates. Fortunately, the noise is just a cat knocking over a vase.

Later, her son Daniel (Laurie Davidson) playfully scares her in the pool, revealing the unusually close relationship between mother and son. They chat about his new love interest. The new girlfriend’s also the subject of a conversation Laura has with her friend, Isabella (Tanya Moodie), while making dinner. She admits she’s nervous about meeting her.

Our first look at Cherry (Olivia Cooke) seems to make Laura’s nervousness feel justified. The evening passes and Laura notices her son is very handsy with Cherry. And a short while later, Laura goes looking for Daniel and Cherry, catches them in a sexual act, and quickly walks away. Her husband, Howard (Waleed Zuaiter), reminds her they were once like that.

The evening continues with probing dinner table conversations. Cherry tells them what school she attended, and Laura says their goddaughter went there. After claiming not to know who she is, Cherry finally remembers her.

Laura reveals they had a daughter named Rose who was only with them for a short time.

Laura overhears Cherry talk about Daniel changing his mind, shifting his interest from pediatrics to surgery. Laura isn’t happy, insisting that not “we” decided. Cherry defends Daniel’s choice to switch, and Laura accidentally pours hot coffee on her.

The evening continues and Laura discovers Cherry has a bracelet in her bag that is exactly like one of her own. Also, she can’t find her indoor cat in the middle of the night.

Following the dinner, Laura and Isabella have a spa day and Laura recounts all the strange things that occurred during his first meeting with Cherry. Laura believes Cherry is hiding things, and she still can’t find her cat. Their conversation is interrupted by Isabella’s daughter, Brigitte (Shalom Brune-Franklin), asking why her mom blew off a meeting with her lawyer. It’s revealed she’s avoiding him because they had a sexual relationship.

Daniel brings Cherry to Laura’s art gallery and Laura keeps an eagle eye on them. Laura contacted the school Cherry claimed she went to, and the headmaster has no record of her attending. Laura lets her attention wander a minute when she spots her husband standing close to another woman who touches his buttocks. Ignoring that, she asks Howard where Daniel and Cherry are because they are supposed to go to dinner. He confirms they left.

After the gallery showing, Laura’s surprised to see her husband is home; she assumed he was staying at Marianne’s, which would have been fine. Howard found it strange that Daniel left without saying goodbye.

After they have sex, Daniel asks if she is ready for him to give up Marianne. She’s not and thinks it’s better this way. (Apparently, they have an open marriage.)

Laura puts up flyers for her missing cat and decides to pop into Cherry’s office to see if she really works there. She catches Cherry standing outside, arguing with a man. He yells, “I’m getting married on Saturday!” and Cherry hits him in the face.

The first episode switches to a fresh perspective, Cherry’s. She lays eyes on Daniel for the first time, and he is smitten at first sight. She’s shocked to discover her unreliable co-worker got a promotion over her and spits in her cup.

Later, as Cherry leaves her cycling class, she sees the man she argued with. They don’t speak but stare at each other.

Daniel comes into her place of work to see about an apartment he is interested in. He spoke with someone else, but she takes him on as a client. There’s flirtation going on while she shows him the apartment.

After breaking into another apartment, she asks him what he thinks, and he wonders how they should celebrate his new apartment. They celebrate by being intimate. He takes her on their third date to his dad’s hotel. She asks about his mom and says her father passed away when she was 14.

It’s revealed that Cherry had been to Daniel’s family home before while his parents were gone. As Cherry tries on Laura’s jewelry, she hears Laura on the phone and quickly hides. She’s almost caught, but then Laura hears the vase break and leaves the room.

The Girlfriend Laurie Davidson and Olivia Cooke
Laurie Davidson and Olivia Cooke in ‘The Girlfriend’ (Credit: Christopher Raphael © Amazon Content Services LLC)

Cherry’s perspective of her first meeting with Daniel’s mom is decidedly different than Laura’s version. Seeing Cherry meet Laura for the first time from Cherry’s perspective, Laura does not seem either warm or welcoming.

Cherry notices Laura watching them being intimate together. And later, Laura accidentally pours coffee on Cherry while looking smug about it. As she gets cleaned up, Cherry puts their cat, Moses, through a window, even though she’s aware he’s an indoor-only cat.

Laura grills Cherry about what kind of work her father did and insists on trying to look him up on the internet. Daniel puts a stop to it. The whole evening is much more confrontational from Cherry’s perspective.

At home, Cherry’s mother thinks she would be better off dating the neighbor. Her mom believes the man Cherry’s dating will never marry her because he comes from money.

Even the gallery visit has a different vibe, with Cherry convinced Laura doesn’t like her. She tries to have a conversation with Laura, but Laura blows her off. Uncomfortable, Cherry sees someone she knows and convinces Daniel to leave.

Daniel is already falling hard and invites Cherry to come with him and his parents to Spain. He also confesses he loves her.

The slapping incident plays out from Cherry’s point of view. The man confronts her, accusing her of stalking him and his fiancée. She slaps him after he says degrading things. Cherry sees Laura and Cherry informs her that Daniel invited her to accompany him to Spain.

Episode one ends in an eerily creepy way with Cherry scooping guts out of an animal (her mother is a butcher) and placing them in a bag. The reason quickly becomes evident when the scene shifts to Cherry’s ex, who accused her of stalking him, enjoying his wedding with the woman he loves. As they cut into the cake, horrifyingly, blood sprays out, drenching them. Cherry takes off her catering uniform and leaves the wedding with a smile on her face.

‘Song Sung Blue’ Trailer: Hugh Jackman Channels Neil Diamond

By
Rebecca Murray
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Come Christmas time, those who aren’t Neil Diamond fans might find themselves converted. Focus Features has set a December 25, 2025 theatrical release for Song Sung Blue, which just released an official trailer.

Oscar nominee Hugh Jackman (Deadpool & Wolverine) and Oscar nominee Kate Hudson (Glass Onion) star as musicians who form a Neil Diamond tribute band. The cast also includes Michael Imperioli, Ella Anderson, King Princess, Mustafa Shakir, Hudson Hensley, Fisher Stevens, and Jim Belushi.

“Based on a true story, two down-on-their-luck musicians (Jackman and Hudson) form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it’s never too late to find love and follow your dreams,” reads Focus Features’ synopsis.

Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) wrote and directed the inspirational film and serves as a producer along with John Davis and John Fox. Erika Hampson and Greg Kohs serve as executive producers.

Song Sung Blue
Kate Hudson as Claire Sardina and Hugh Jackman as Mike Sardina in ‘SONG SUNG BLUE’ (Credit: Sarah Shatz/Focus Features © 2025)

Ryan Seacrest is Confirmed for ‘American Idol’ Season 9

By
Rebecca Murray
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Ryan Seacrest American Idol
Ryan Seacrest, Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan in ‘American Idol’ (Disney/Gizelle Hernandez)

ABC’s August announcement naming the American Idol season nine judges was noticeably missing one thing: the host. Today, the network confirmed Ryan Seacrest is returning for the upcoming ninth season of the singing competition airing on ABC. (It’s the 24th season overall.)

ABC announced on August 25 that Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood will return as judges for season nine.

ABC released the following details on season nine auditions: “Auditions are currently underway with the return of ‘Idol Across America,’ the live virtual nationwide search for the next superstar, taking place across all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. Those auditioning will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents face-to-face with an American Idol producer, from anywhere in America, across any official audition date for a chance to proceed to the judge auditions. Contenders will also be allowed to audition during open call dates, and auditions will be open worldwide to all those eligible.”

“Idol Across America” auditions:
• Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Washington (Sep 9)
• Florida, Michigan, Virginia, West Virginia (Sep 11)
• East Coast open call (Sep 12)
• The South open call (Sep 15)
• Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin (Sep 16)
• West and Midwest open call (Sep 18)
• Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, D.C. (Sep 19)
• Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming (Sep 22)
• Nationwide open call (Sep 24)

To register for the virtual auditions, visit americanidol.com/auditions. Per ABC, aspiring singers can audition on any “Idol Across America” date. Megan Wolflick is the showrunner and executive produces, along with Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman. 

 

‘Nightmares of Nature’ Trailer: Blumhouse’s Twist on a Nature Docuseries

By
Rebecca Murray
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Netflix’s Nightmares of Nature takes a decidedly different approach to covering wildlife. The trailer confirms this isn’t your standard cute animals struggling to survive series. No, Nightmares of Nature, described as a “Natural History and Horror” series, is going to show just how tough it is to make it in a world where everything wants to eat you.

The three-episode first season premiere on September 30, 2025. The two-episode second season debuts on October 28. Maya Hawke (Stranger Things) narrates both seasons of the series created by Blumhouse Television and Plimsoll Productions.

Executive producers include Jason Blum, Martha Holmes, Mark Brownlow, Grant Mansfield, Gretchen Palek, and Matt Sarshik.

Netflix offered this description of Nightmares of Nature: 

Season 1 Synopsis: A CABIN IN THE WOODS is set in the perfectly haunting world of the North American Woods. Our three characters (a soon-to-be-mother mouse, a young bachelor raccoon and a froglet who has seen terrible things) quickly discover how scary the woods truly are and find themselves in search of sanctuary. They stumble upon an old Cabin in the woods, thinking it a safe haven, they soon discover their nightmares have really only just begun…

Season 2 Synopsis: LOST IN THE JUNGLE is set deep in the creepy Central American rainforest, a place with more creative ways to die than anywhere else on Earth. For our three characters (a young opossum, a newly-hatched iguana and a feisty jumping spider) the nightmare of staying alive in the jungle escalates fast
when they discover an abandoned laboratory deep in the jungle. And before
they know it, lost in this unnatural labyrinth, with a new monster hiding behind
every corner, they are in the struggle of their lives to get out before it is too
late…

Nightmares of Nature Poster
Poster for ‘Nightmares of Nature’ (Photo Credit: Netflix)

‘The Smashing Machine’ Trailer Starring Dwayne Johnson

By
Rebecca Murray
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The awards buzz is building around A24’s The Smashing Machine, and in particular around Dwayne Johnson’s performance. Hot off its Venice Film Festival Silver Lion win for Best Director, A24’s launched a new trailer for the possible awards-season contender.

Johnson stars as the legendary mixed martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr. The R-rated drama also stars Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk.

Benny Safdie wrote the screenplay, directs, edits, and produces. Additional producers include Dwayne Johnson, Eli Bush, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, and David Koplan. Safdie’s behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Maceo Bishop, production designer James Chinlund, costume designer Heidi Bivens, and casting director Jennifer Venditti. The music is by Nala Sinephro.

The Smashing Machine will open in theaters on October 3, 2025.

The Smashing Machine Poster
Poster for A24’s ‘The Smashing Machine’

 

Lena Headey, Paddy Considine and Georgina Campbell Star in Charlie Brooker’s New Project

By
Rebecca Murray
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Charlie Brooker Project
Georgina Campbell, Lena Headey, and Paddy Considine to star in the Untitled Charlie Brooker Project (Photos Courtesy of Netflix)

The Game of Thrones world collides with the casting of Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones) and Paddy Considine (King Viserys I Targaryen in House of the Dragon) in Netflix’s Untitled Charlie Brooker Project. Headey, Considine, and Georgina Campbell (Barbarian) will star in Brooker’s upcoming project, described as a four-part detective series.

“I’m beyond thrilled to be saying these words for the press release. I’ve dreamt of providing a quote ever since I was a young foetus, and now here I am doing it,” stated Brooker (Black Mirror). “I’d pinch myself, but like all of us, I’m terrified that if I do that, I might wake up and discover 2025 has all been a magical dream. Please watch my show. I am begging you.”

The series is currently in production. Netflix hasn’t announced a target premiere date.

“The Untitled Charlie Brooker Project (working title) is a profoundly serious, stunningly original crime thriller in which a tormented detective from the Northern city of Bleakford ventures down to London on a mission to catch a ritualistic serial killer before they run out of people to kill,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “Contains blood and frowning.”

Brooker created the series and serves as a writer and executive producer. Additional writers include Ben Caudell, Jason Hazeley, Emer Kenny, Daniel Maier, and Joel Morris. Richard Webb is on board as a producer, with Jessica Rhoades and Annabel Jones executive producing. Al Campbell is directing.

‘Ghosts’ Season 5 Episode 1 Preview: Jay’s in Serious Danger

By
Rebecca Murray
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Ghosts Season 5 Episode 1
Danielle Pinnock as Alberta and Richie Moriarty as Pete in ‘Ghosts’ season 5 episode 1 (Photo: Bertrand Calmeau © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

CBS’s Ghosts season four’s finale left off with Jay in danger after he unwittingly signed a contract with the devil. In happier news, the fourth season ended on a high note for Pete and Alberta fans after years of will-they/won’t-they moments.

Season five kicks off on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 8:30pm ET/PT with episode one, “Soul Custody.”

The first episode of the new season brings back guest stars Matt Walsh as Elias Woodstone, Mary Holland as Patience, and Caroline Aaron as Carol. They join returning cast members 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 is Flower. 

“Soul Custody” Plot: Sam, Jay and the ghosts attempt to extricate Jay from his deal with Elias Woodstone (Walsh), the devil. Also, Isaac helps Patience (Holland) through a crisis of confidence and Pete and Alberta navigate the fallout from their kiss. John Blickstead and Trey Kolmer wrote the episode and Richie Keen directs.

Brandon Scott Jones as Isaac and Devan Chandler Long as Thorfinn in season 5 episode 1 (Photo: Bertrand Calmeau © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Ghosts Season 5 Description:

Ghosts is a single-camera comedy about Samantha and Jay, a cheerful freelance journalist and chef from the city, respectively, who threw both caution and money to the wind when they decided to convert Woodstone Mansion, which Sam inherited, into a bed & breakfast—only to find it was inhabited by the many spirits of deceased residents who now call it home.

The departed souls are a close-knit, eclectic group that includes a saucy Prohibition-era lounge singer (Pinnock); a pompous 18th-century militiaman (Scott Jones); a ‘60s hippie fond of hallucinogens (Carrasco); an overly upbeat ‘80s scout troop leader (Moriarty); a cod-obsessed Viking explorer from 1009 (Chandler Long); a slick ‘90s finance bro (Grodman); a sarcastic and witty native from the 16th century (Zaragoza); and a society woman and wife of a 19th-century robber baron who is Sam’s ancestor (Wisocky), to name a few.

The opening of the B&B and Jay’s new restaurant are a source of intrigue, anxiety, and curiosity among the spirits, but they will gladly put up with the commotion as long as they can continue to interact with a living inhabitant.

Roman Zaragoza
Román Zaragoza as Sasappis in the season 5 premiere (Photo: Bertrand Calmeau © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.)
Betsy Sodaro and Caroline Aaron
Betsy Sodaro as Nancy and Caroline Aaron as Carol in “Soul Custody” (Photo: Bertrand Calmeau © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.)
Ghosts Season 5 Episode 1
Román Zaragoza as Sasappis, Brandon Scott Jones as Isaac, and Devan Chandler Long as Thorfinn in season 5 episode 1 (Photo: Bertrand Calmeau © 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

 

‘The Long Walk’ Review: A Gripping, Terrifying Triumph

By
James Jay Edwards
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The Long Walk Review
Joshua Odjick, Jordan Gonzalez, David Jonsson, Cooper Hoffman, and Charlie Plummer in ‘The Long Walk’ (Photo Credit: Murray Close / Lionsgate)

It’s been said before, and said before by me, that Stephen King is the most prolific movie writer ever, and he rarely (if ever) even writes for the screen. His books and novellas are constantly being adapted into feature films. Heck, there have been two major ones this year between The Monkey and The Life of Chuck. And now, there’s a third for the year, and it’s possibly the best of the year. Now, there’s The Long Walk.

The Long Walk takes place in a dystopian America where a war has ravaged the country and, in order to boost morale and stimulate the workforce, a competition is held every year. One young man from each state is selected to walk until he can walk no more, hopefully farther than the others. Because if a contestant slows down below three miles per hour, after a series of three warnings, they are executed. And the last boy standing gets a cash prize and a single wish granted.

So, yeah. It’s like a simplified The Hunger Games. Or an “elevated” The Hunger Games. Because in its simplicity, the concept becomes more real…and more terrifying.

Anyway, the participants of this year’s Long Walk cruise along and talk. Friends are made, as are enemies. Alliances are forged, as are rivalries. And as the pool of walkers shrinks, the fact sinks in with the survivors that only one of them will still be walking at the end of this nightmare.


The Long Walk was the first Stephen King book ever written, even completed before his first published novel, Carrie. It was published later, though, and under his pseudonym Richard Bachman. And it remains a solid example of the early, not-overly-indulgent King that fans knew and loved 50 years ago.

For the most part, The Long Walk sticks fairly close to King’s source material. A couple of characters are combined here, and some intricacies are changed there, but basically, the story is the same. It’s much more faithful than most of the King adaptations that moviegoers get these days.

It’s not insignificant that The Long Walk was directed by Francis Lawrence, who did most of the Hunger Games movies. Aside from the concept being similar, the look and feel of the dystopian America in The Long Walk is very much like that of the downtrodden District 12 in The Hunger Games. But even more significant is that King’s story was adapted for the screen by JT Mollner, who brought us Strange Darling last year. Mollner has a way with dialogue, which is very important to The Long Walk.

See, basically what The Long Walk boils down to is a series of conversations between the walkers. Although all of the participants get screen time, the main characters are two boys named Ray Garraty (Licorice Pizza’s Cooper Hoffman) and Pete McVries (David Jonsson from Alien: Romulus), and their discussions go everywhere from the philosophical topics of free will and the fear of failure to more intimate ones of their family lives and the familiarity of their hometowns.

Lawrence captures these talks in long takes and single shots that really let the actors run loose with Mollner’s dialogue, and the results are mesmerizing. The characters are a combination of desperate and guarded, wanting to connect with their fellow contestants but also afraid of forming a close bond with someone who will not live out the event. And as they get more exhausted, the discussions get just as vulnerable as the walkers.

These conversations are, unfortunately for the boys, interrupted and punctuated by sudden acts of extreme violence. Every time a contestant fails, they die, and they die in gruesome and brutal ways. And Lawrence’s camera captures this in all of its unflinching glory. These violent episodes are where The Long Walk earns its stripes as a horror movie. The concept of walking for your life is terrifying enough, but when the audience actually sees the punishments that these guys are facing, it’s downright traumatizing.

And then, there’s Mark Hamill. The legendary Star Wars icon plays a character known only as “The Major” who is essentially in charge of the Walk, accompanying the participants on every mile of their arduous trek. Although he does it while riding next to them in an Army Jeep instead of expending any energy himself. And this fact makes the characters (and the audience) hate him even more than they already would. Hamill’s performance is pretty one-note, but that one note is all it takes for him to craft a deplorable villain. He makes the viewer want to punch through the screen and knock the helmet and sunglasses right off his smug face. And with every death of a walker, he’s hated more.

The Long Walk is one of the more inventive horror movies in recent memory, if only because its concept doesn’t revolve around ghosts, zombies, or serial killers. Which also makes it one of the more effective horror movies in recent memory. It’s more believable and realistic than any supernatural story, especially in today’s political climate. Let’s all hope The Last Walk remains a work of fiction.

GRADE: A

Rating: R for sexual references, pervasive language, grisly images, strong bloody violence, and suicide
Running Time: 1 hour 48 minutes
Release Date: September 12, 2025
Studio: Lionsgate

 

‘Irish Blood’ with Alicia Silverstone Earns a Second Season

By
Rebecca Murray
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Irish Blood Alicia Silverstone
Alicia Silverstone in ‘Irish Blood’ (Photo credit: Acorn TV)

Hot on the heels of the Irish Blood season one finale, Acorn TV confirmed the series will return for season two. The renewal was expected since the murder mystery is the most successful in Acorn TV’s history.

“It means so much to continue this journey with a character I love. Thank you to everyone who’s watched and supported, and to the phenomenal Irish crew and actors who made working there such a joy, and to the entire team across this series,” stated Silverstone. “We’re so happy to have found a captive audience who enjoyed the ride from beginning to end.”

The cast of season one includes Jason O’Mara (The Man In The High Castle), Wendy Crewson (We Were Liars), Dearbhla Molloy (Wild Mountain Thyme), Simone Kirby (His Dark Materials), Ruth Codd (The Fall of the House of Usher), and Leonardo Taiwo (Wheel of Time).

“Thanks to Alicia Silverstone and everything she has brought to this series, both as a star and executive producer, from the moment it was just an idea all the way to it becoming the most successful series in the history of Acorn TV,” said Rob Fox, executive vice president of production for AMC Networks. “Thanks also to our entire cast, writers, producers, and partners at Shaftesbury and Deadpan Pictures for everything that went into a remarkable first season of Irish Blood. Acorn TV is the best streaming service in the world for thrilling crime dramas and brilliant mysteries. We are so grateful for the way our subscribers have embraced this series and can’t wait to get started on season two.”

Season two will consist of six episodes set in Ireland. Filming is expected to get underway in early 2026.

“Season one of Irish Blood focuses on Fiona Fox (Silverstone), whose path in life is earmarked by her father, who seemingly abandoned her and her mother on her tenth birthday. After years of channeling anger toward him, to the benefit of her litigious clients, a message from her father sends her to Ireland. There she learns key truths about her father as well as a family that doesn’t know she exists, and, moreover, that the story of abandonment that has shaped her entire life – was a lie,” reads Acorn TV’s synopsis. “A lie intended to protect her and her mother from her father’s shady business dealings. Fiona resolves to uncover the full truth about her father and reconnect with the parent she only thought she knew.”

Executive producers include Silverstone, Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Paul Donovan, Ailish McElmeel, Christina Ray, Aaron Martin, and Molly McGlynn.

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