Well, almost.

I’m writing this post before the Yellowstone Season 5 (or series) finale, so maybe there is a sliver of happiness to be had. At this point, I seriously doubt it.

Sure, there is some hope that a spinoff or continuation of the Dutton saga with Beth and Rip at the wheel will renew the family legacy in some way.

And Kayce’s cockamamie tax scheme to save the land — after already selling off their prized stock, all of their horses, and a family history of wagons and whatnot — could buy them another reprieve.

But the reality is that the Duttons’ century-long fight to save their land loses its luster in prequels when the result is so depressing.

We still don’t know the certainty of John Dutton’s ancestral line, which was one of the fun things about watching 1883 and 1923.

And the love stories have been off the hook.

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On 1883, young Elsa Dutton had two swoon-worthy romances during her tragically short life span.

Spencer and Alexandra met under circumstances normally found in romance novels. They traversed the globe, running from human, animal, and natural enemies, trying to tear them apart.

Jack and Elizabeth’s story is a little more grounded but not without its perils. They cling to each other for dear life while their worlds fall apart around them.

Of course, that leads us to Beth and Rip, the de facto fiery romance on Yellowstone, and Kayce and Monica, a more level-headed family-style romantic partnership.

So you’ll have to excuse me when I lose my excitement seeing teasers for 1923 that put the battle for land front and center again. That battle likely can’t be won, at least not as the family imagined it at that time.

Much to Taylor Sheridan’s dismay, it wasn’t the search for or battle for the land that made either the 1883 or 1923 appointment TV — it was the emotional connections promising to keep the fire burning for generations to come.

Here’s the official synopsis for 1923 Season 2:

A cruel winter brings new challenges and unfinished business to Jacob and Cara back at the Dutton ranch.

With harsh conditions and adversaries threatening to end the Dutton legacy, Spencer embarks on an arduous journey home, racing against time to save his family in Montana.

Meanwhile, Alexandra sets off on her own harrowing trans-Atlantic journey to find Spencer and reclaim their love.

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So, Spencer and Alexandra, the fiery light that swept over us all while watching 1923 Season 1, will be separated for a good portion of the season, most likely the whole season, with them running into each others arms to close out the series.

If there’s one thing that these short seasons (and short series) rob us of, it’s the joy of experiencing a relationship’s development over time.

Even worse, Sheridan’s shows are soap operas in their truest sense, where star-crossed lovers fight against forces pushing them to their limits and often keeping them out of the arms that give them life.

On Yellowstone, John Dutton, the last man to care as deeply about the land as the family who claimed it, is dead.

No matter how that story ends, the wars waged by previous Dutton generations don’t hold as much weight anymore. The way of life they lived and fought for is at its end.

That really sucks the energy out of the past. Maybe the final eight episodes of 1923 will prove me wrong.

If Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 has done anything, it’s shown that my optimism is a pipe dream. So, I’ll remain cynical and enjoy the elation of my incorrect assumptions should they come to that.

Here’s the official teaser:

Are you still excited for 1923, or has Yellowstone’s ending tarnished the past as much as the present?

Let me know what you’re thinking in the comments below.

1923 Season 2 premieres on Paramount+ on Sunday, February 23.

The post New Teaser be Damned: Who Cares About the Duttons’ Land Battle in 1923 With Yellowstone’s Looming Unhappy Ending? appeared first on TV Fanatic.

You wouldn’t think that a heartbreaking event like the death of a legacy character would be the most exciting news to hit the soap in a while, but I get it.

Days of Our Lives‘ Doug sendoff included several legacy characters whose stays were all too short, and the way so many Salemites bonded together was a throwback to the show’s glory days.

Doug’s Sendoff And Its Aftermath Were All About Family

Days of Our Lives has suffered the same problem as the rest of the television landscape: there is less focus on families and their issues in favor of crime and medical drama.

But during Doug’s funeral week, everything changed, and even now, there are some remnants of the show that once was.

Characters like Steven, Marie, and Liz fit right back in even though they hadn’t visited Salem in many years, and with few exceptions, their presence gave Juile comfort in the hours and days after Doug’s sudden death.

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These scenes were a treat for long-time viewers, but their significance went far beyond resurrecting characters who once had a central spot on the show.

There was a whole different vibe during Doug’s funeral week.

Even though the circumstances were sad, there were plenty of opportunities for humor, drama between people who had held grudges for many years, and families coming together to celebrate the life of one who had been a beacon of light for them for many years.

My favorite was a 60-something Steven continuing to go in and out through windows like he’s one of the teenagers on Girl Meets World.

Julie’s exasperation with him doing that provided some much-needed laughter during these otherwise sad scenes.

The family moments were so strong that I hated that the Days of Our Lives sendoff for Doug was over so quickly and that most of the family went home after only a few episodes.

Still, some of the family is still here, and Doug’s legacy continues. Julie’s loved ones are concerned about how she will get through her first Christmas without her husband by her side.

Fan Reaction to Days of Our Lives Doug Sendoff Shows The Importance of Building On Legacy

Doug’s sendoff during the first week of December wasn’t just about him.

It was timed with a celebration of Days of Our Lives’ 15,000th episode, and if Bill Hayes was still with us, those legacy characters who returned for his funeral probably would have been invited back for another reason.

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The time capsule story — and the subsequent theft of Alice’s diamond necklace — would have gone on regardless, and we might have had the same family vibes that we felt around Doug’s funeral.

There’s a reason the reaction to Days of Our Lives Doug sendoff is far more positive than anything else on the show, and it has to do with legacy.

When this soap began, it was about the Horton family. Alice and Tom were adjusting to an empty nest while worrying about their wayward granddaughter.

(This whole thing where everyone assumed Steven took the necklace because people can’t change is silly, considering that Julie was a shoplifter in the pilot episode and Doug was a con artist hired later to trick her!)

The Horton family has not been central enough to Days of Our Lives recently.

While it’s important to establish new characters and families as time passes, the show doesn’t work as well without the Horton family and its descendants being the main characters.

The town of Salem itself is supposed to be the legacy of Tom and Alice Horton. Yet, the Hortons themselves have virtually been erased, with many of them off-screen and newer families becoming more prominent.

I don’t want the Hortons to be the ONLY family in town. I’m thrilled there are diverse families now, such as the Carvers and Hernandezes.

But eliminating most of the Hortons was never a good idea. We have a scant few in town now, which is why I hope JJ, Jack, and Jennifer stay and that Sarah and Maggie embrace their connection to the Hortons at some point.

Can Days of Our Lives Chart A New Path Forward?

After only a few days, Marie and Steven left town and life slowly got back to normal… normal for Salem, anyway.

Days of Our Lives must ensure its veteran characters get strong stories.

Julie’s story with “Doug III” is a good start, though I’m burned out on relatives moving in who turn out to be evil.

Plus, we just had this stupid Fake Abigail story, so we don’t need Doug’s grandson to follow in Doug’s original con artist footsteps.

But we need to continue having people support Julie now that Days of Our Lives Doug sendoff is over.

Additionally, Days of Our Lives must return to the other foundational elements that made it so popular for many years, especially romances.

Get rid of the race to the bedroom and the endless love triangles. Johnny has never had a story that doesn’t involve one, and this latest one is stupid.

We need to fix the Johnson family while we’re at it.

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Steve and Jack are brothers but virtually never spend any time together. Steve and Kayla are one of the last remaining classic couples but seem to get siloed into individual storylines more often than not.

Finally, younger characters should turn to older ones for advice and support.

It’s beautiful that the last scene Drake Hogestyn filmed was John supporting Tate; we should have more scenes like that so that new characters don’t feel so disconnected from everything that came before.

Days of Our Lives has had a writing regime change, with new material beginning to air in April. Hopefully, the new head writers will consider some of these ideas.

Days of Our Lives has lasted for 60 years because the family connections and romantic storylines resonated with viewers. It shouldn’t take a heartbreaking event like a real-life death for the soap to go back to basics.

Over to you, Days of Our Lives fanatics. Do you agree that Days of Our Lives’ Doug sendoff was so successful because it had everything that once made this show must-see TV?

Hit the comments with your thoughts.

Days of Our Lives streams exclusively on Peacock. New episodes drop on weekday mornings at 6/5c.

Watch Days of Our Lives Online

The post Days of Our Lives’ Doug Sendoff Reminds Viewers How Good This Soap Used To Be…And Can Be Again appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Sometimes, the iconic dinner scenes were in a hotel, hospital, or diner, but there was guaranteed to be a scene where the Reagans got together, put all their problems aside, and spent time together as a family.

These Blue Bloods family dinners were as important to the cast and writers as they were to the audience, and they were a true labor of love, considering how much work went into them.

The Iconic Blue Bloods Family Dinners Were The Intentional Centerpiece Of The Series

The family dinner scenes are more associated with Blue Bloods than any other aspect of the police/family drama, and that was on purpose.

From the beginning, late producer Leonard Goldberg wanted the dinners to be central because he intended the show to be about a family of cops, not just a police procedural.

It’s a sentiment that Tom Selleck so heartily endorsed that when the series drifted away from family scenes in the first few episodes, he put his foot down about what needed to happen if he was to continue with the project.

Thus, it makes sense that the first scene the actors filmed was the debut of the Reagan family dinner. Amazingly, the cast didn’t know each other well then; other than Bridget Moynahan and Donnie Wahlberg, they had all just met.

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The fact that they were able to make the Reagans seem like a real family at that early juncture speaks not only to the actors’ talents but also to how dedicated they all were to making family front and center in their new show.

That first dinner took several hours to film, and the producers weren’t even sure what the final structure of the show would be, but everyone jumped in and did it, and the results were nothing short of brilliant.

The Blue Bloods Family Dinners Were The Longest Scenes To Film

Although it’s hard to tell from the finished product, the iconic dinner scenes were a huge commitment.

CBS’ special, Blue Bloods: Celebrating A Family Legacy, went behind the scenes at the dinner table. I knew that these scenes were long because I’d read about them elsewhere, but some of the other facts about them showed what a labor of love they were.

These scenes took at least three hours to shoot, with multiple takes where the Reagans had to appear to be eating the same food on their plates the same way.

It’s a joke among the crew that Donnie Wahlberg is the only one who eats all the food during each scene.

When Danny said on Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 17 that he couldn’t wait for that pork chop, it didn’t seem that far off from how Wahlberg is in real life, judging from the anecdotes about him and food!

I was impressed by several things about how hard everyone works to make those Blue Bloods family dinners come alive.

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The actors sit on soft cushions to ensure they’re high enough for the cameras and comfortable after sitting for long periods.

A chef is employed behind the scenes to ensure the food is edible (for those who choose to eat during multiple takes), and everyone stays for hours, doing the scene over and over so that there are enough different takes to edit into a polished, fun, and love-filled Reagan family dinner.

The actors have to find inventive ways to make it look like they’re eating, while behind the scenes, a prop person must refill each plate between takes and put food items in exactly the same location so nothing looks weird when they edit multiple takes together.

Talk about dedication!

Considering how much work went into them, these scenes were truly a labor of love.

It’s not surprising that they are usually the first thing people discuss when they’re asked why they love Blue Bloods. The family love shines through, and it’s hard to believe that it took so much work to get them on the air.

The Blue Bloods Family Dinner Scenes Allowed The Cast To Bond

In some ways, the family dinner scenes didn’t involve acting at all, at least not by Blue Bloods Season 14.

The cast got to know each other at these dinners, especially once Eddie (Vanessa Ray) became part of the family. According to multiple interviews, Ray and Donnie Wahlberg constantly joke around and crack everyone else up during the dinner scenes.

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This is an amazing testimonial to how life imitates art. The fictional Reagans became like a real family off-screen the more time they spent together on these Blue Bloods family dinner scenes, and doubly so when you consider that they were all strangers when they filmed their first one.

Everyone on set embraced the family values at the center of the series, and it shows on-screen and off, which you can see in more detail below when Tom Selleck and Donnie Wahlberg joined The Talk Today.

Despite the effort required for the Blue Bloods family dinner scenes, Tom Selleck mentioned on the special that there was never a bad one.

We have done many articles about the cancelation of Blue Bloods, but nothing hits home as much as seeing the stars weep, knowing they will never be a part of the Reagan family dinners again.

When Selleck and Wahlberg joined The Talk today on CBS, they discussed filming their last dinner scene and what 14 years of friendship and on-set camaraderie have meant to them.

Selleck feels that the last dinner scene, whether it was the final scene filmed or not, was truly the last for them all. He said of filming the scene, “You know, we’re trying to stay professional and stay focused on the scene and ignore the fact that we’re all going to feel emotional.

“And when they said cut on the final take of the final dinner scene, it was silence…We all knew as soon as somebody spoke, we’re all going to lose it.”

Tonight, we will be in the same boat. Grab those tissues; we’re going to need them.

Over to you, Blue Bloods fanatics.

Did you love the Blue Bloods family dinners? Were you aware of how much effort went into them?

Hit the comments with your thoughts.

Blue Bloods’ series finale will air on CBS on December 13, 2024, at 10/9c and on Paramount+ on December 14.

Watch Blue Bloods Online

The post The Blue Bloods Family Dinners: A Labor Of Love for Viewers and the Cast; Tom Selleck and Donnie Wahlberg In Tears on The Talk appeared first on TV Fanatic.

As both a mirror and molder of culture, television has long been fascinated with this ideal.

From gleaming sitcom suburbs to gritty dramas, TV’s portrayal of the American Dream has evolved, reflecting shifting attitudes about what success means — and whether it’s even attainable.

But is the dream TV portrayed as a beacon of hope or an illusion?

By examining how television has celebrated, questioned, and even deconstructed this narrative, we can better understand its role in shaping — and challenging — our aspirations.

Early Optimism: TV’s Golden Vision of the American Dream

In the early days of television, the American Dream was portrayed as a universally achievable goal.

Idyllic pictures of suburban life, with nuclear families thriving in neatly manicured neighborhoods, were painted in shows like Leave it to Beaver and Father Knows Best.

Success was straightforward: a good job, a nice home, and a family to share it with.

These shows weren’t just entertainment — they were aspirational. They reassured audiences, particularly in the booming post-war economy, that prosperity and stability were within reach.

But for many viewers, particularly people of color and those living in poverty, this vision felt more like fantasy than reality. The absence of diverse stories left the dream looking like an exclusive club.

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The 1970s began to challenge this homogeneity.

The Jeffersons broke barriers by celebrating upward mobility within a Black family. It followed George and Louise Jefferson as they moved from Queens to Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

The show offered humor and heart while addressing systemic barriers, showing that the American Dream wasn’t easily accessible to everyone.

Meanwhile, shows like Good Times and All in the Family grounded the dream in gritty realism.

For Archie Bunker or the Evans family, success wasn’t about a mansion or business empire but survival and stability.

These portrayals offered a sobering counterpoint to the gleaming optimism of earlier decades, reflecting the struggles faced by working-class families in a turbulent economy.

The Rise of Ambition: When Bigger Was Better

By the 1980s, television embraced a culture of ambition and excess.

Shows like Dallas and Dynasty redefined the American Dream, associating success with wealth, power, and influence.

The Ewings and Carringtons weren’t just families but empires, surrounded by oil wells, luxury cars, and sprawling estates.

These shows offered escapism, but they also highlighted the costs of unchecked ambition. Success often came at the expense of loyalty, morality, and family bonds.

The betrayals, rivalries, and power struggles that fueled the plots highlighted the harsh and perilous journey required to achieve the dream.

At the same time, lighter fare like Family Ties provided a grounded perspective on ambition.

Alex P. Keaton’s worship of Reagan-era capitalism reflected a generational divide: parents who had grown up with modest aspirations clashed with children who equated wealth with success.

The show offered a more nuanced take on the dream, contrasting the values of hard work and family with the allure of materialism.

Cracks in the Dream: The 1990s and 2000s

As the 20th century came to a close, TV began to expose the darker side of the American Dream.

Working-class shows like Roseanne and The Simpsons portrayed families struggling to stay afloat, revealing the widening gap between aspiration and reality.

The Conners’ financial struggles and Homer Simpson’s constant failures reflected a growing sense that the dream was slipping out of reach for many Americans.

Meanwhile, prestige dramas like The Sopranos and Breaking Bad turned the pursuit of success into a cautionary tale.

Tony Soprano and Walter White, emblematic of the era’s antiheroes, chased power and wealth at the expense of their families, morality, and, ultimately, their humanity.

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These shows suggested that the dream had become a Faustian bargain, offering temporary rewards in exchange for devastating consequences.

Even comedic shows grappled with the complexities of success.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air presented a fish-out-of-water story, with Will Smith navigating life in his wealthy relatives’ mansion.

While the show delivered laughs, it also explored themes of belonging, identity, and the pressure to conform in order to succeed. It hinted at the emotional costs of upward mobility, even in the most luxurious settings.

Modern Reflections: Redefining Success

Today, even though some of TV’s most recent explorations of the American Dream, like Shameless, The Queen’s Gambit, and Mad Men, have ended, their themes still resonate.

These shows reflected the growing realization that success is often about survival as much as ambition.

The Gallaghers in Shameless, for example, hustled their way through a system stacked against them, flipping the American Dream on its head by showing how unattainable it could be for those born into poverty.

Streaming platforms introduced deeply personal narratives.

The Queen’s Gambit explored Beth Harmon’s brilliance in chess alongside the personal sacrifices her ambition demanded.

Though set in the mid-century corporate world, Mad Men delved into the emptiness of material success, with Don Draper epitomizing the disconnect between outward achievement and inner fulfillment.

Even uplifting shows like Ted Lasso offered a shift in how the American Dream is framed. It wasn’t about wealth or status but about personal growth, kindness, and emotional well-being.

These stories reflect a cultural shift away from traditional markers of success, redefining the dream for modern audiences.

Is the American Dream Still Alive?

As television continues to explore the American Dream, it becomes clear that the narrative is far from simple.

Early portrayals celebrated its accessibility, while later shows questioned its feasibility and morality.

Today, although many of the shows addressing the dream’s complexities are no longer airing, their impact lingers, challenging us to think critically about success, ambition, and what we value most.

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For some viewers, these stories provide hope, showing characters overcoming immense odds to succeed. For others, they serve as a critique, forcing us to confront uncomfortable truths about ambition, inequality, and sacrifice.

Ultimately, the enduring appeal of the American Dream lies in its ability to evolve.

Whether it’s a sitcom family struggling to make ends meet or a flawed antihero chasing power, television redefines what success means — and why we keep chasing it.

As a side note, it’s interesting to consider whether the idea of the American Dream as a delusion is a perspective largely held by those born in the country.

I recently had the privilege of speaking with a recent immigrant who moved to the U.S. from Tajikistan. It took him 11 years to secure his green card, which allowed him to travel here.

When I asked him why he wanted to come, he said it was to chase the American Dream. This highlights how powerful and influential the ideal of the American Dream remains, even for those outside the United States.

Over to you! What does the American Dream mean to you? Share your favorite TV shows that tackle this theme, and let’s explore how television continues to shape our vision of success, sacrifice, and fulfillment.

The post Dream or Delusion? How TV Shapes Our Vision of the American Dream appeared first on TV Fanatic.

While All American and other series have explored the heightened drama that unfolds on the gridiron and in the locker room, no show in modern history has consistently done so with as much heart as FNL.

ESPN columnist Bill Simmons once hailed it as “the greatest sports-related show ever made.” Many critics would add that the contest is not a particularly close one.

Last month, Variety reported that Universal was developing a reboot of the beloved series, which ran from 2006-2011.

Now, the news has been confirmed, and the spinoff has been picked up by Peacock.

Surely some fans are excited about the prospect of returning to the world of Texas high school football.

But the prevailing mood at the moment is one of utter confusion.

And the question on the minds of many FNL devotees is simply: Why?

Network execs often can’t help themselves from messing with perfection by returning to proven properties.

But in this case, the move is particularly baffling for a number of reasons.

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For starters, the original Friday Night Lights is simply not that old.

Thirteen years might be an eternity in the entertainment industry, but FNL holds up incredibly well, and it’s still available on Netflix.

And this is not a situation where the show is of historical interest to young people because it depicts a bygone era of unrecognizable customs and beliefs.

Members of Gen Z might watch Friends or The Office to peer in on a different world, but Friday Night Lights is almost shockingly contemporary in its themes and interests.

Its depiction of small-town life and the challenges of high school are as relevant now as they were during the Bush years.

Speaking of politics, the changing state of the world might have factored into the decision to make the trip back to Dillon, Texas.

But part of the appeal of the original series was its timeless quality.

Friday Night Lights began life as a 1990 non-fiction novel by H.G. Bissinger.

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It was then adapted into a short-lived 1993 television series called Against the Grain (starring a young Ben Affleck!)

Then it became a 2004 feature film directed by Peter Berg, who happens to be a cousin of Bissinger’s.

And then it lived on into the Obama years as a series that enjoyed the kind of cross-demographic appeal that we rarely witness nowadays.

In each of these iterations, the names of the characters changed, but the town, the team, and the coaching staff remained focused on winning as a means of preserving the pride of their community.

Yes, the original FNL dealt with timely issues like racism, abortion, and substance abuse, but in many respects, it was a defiantly old-school show.

Would a new series be able to maintain the same level of populist appeal? Can any show pull off that magic trick in these hyper-divided times?

No show should be expected to strive for complete political impartiality, and the original FNL certainly didn’t.

But in the 2020s, the show would likely prompt a thousand irritating thinkpieces along the lines of the current speculation about Yellowstone’s political alignment. And that’s the last thing we need.

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Further dampening enthusiasm for today’s news is the rumor that the new version of FNL would focus on an entirely new set of characters.

That means, of course, that Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, and the rest of the incredibly stacked cast would not be returning.

Britton seemed to confirm that rumor in recent remarks on the subject.

“I heard that they’re making another Friday Night Lights, which I find bizarre,” she told Variety in September.

Needless to say, it sounds like she’s not involved with the project.

So yeah, the remake is definitely happening, and we’re as anxious as a backup QB called in after the star signal-caller got knocked out of the game.

It’s a strange feeling to see such a fantastic show back in the headlines and feel anything less than giddy enthusiasm. But when it comes to this reboot we’re having a hard time summoning our “clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” mentality.

Over to you, TV Fanatics! Do you think this Hail Mary could result in a touchdown or would you rather see Universal punt on this idea?

Hit the comments section below to share your thoughts!

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The post Friday Night Lights Reboot Lands at Peacock (But It Will Never Recapture the Magic of the Original Series) appeared first on TV Fanatic.

While there were rumors for a while that they would be heading a proposed sixth season of Yellowstone, Deadline is reporting that they will instead be the leads in a new Yellowstone spinoff.

Six months ago, I’d have been ecstatic about this news, but now I’m not so sure, given how lackluster Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 has been.

Beth and Rip Have Had Better Writing Than The Rest of Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2

While Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 has been all over the place, to say the least, Rip and Beth have had better writing than most.

In retrospect, could the entire meandering final part of the fifth season have been a backdoor pilot for Rip and Beth’s new Yellowstone spinoff?

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Many of the flashback scenes involved Beth’s difficulty functioning while Rip was in Texas overseeing the movement of cattle who had been exposed to a deadly disease on the Yellowstone Ranch.

Before John’s death, Beth made the surprising announcement that she didn’t care that much for her father’s ranch and would rather be in Texas with Rip, and after she came home to find out her father had been murdered, Rip rushed back to support her.

These scenes, along with Beth’s support of RIp after Colby’s death, were among the strongest scenes in the new season.

Though they didn’t make up for putting Beth’s feud with Jamie on the back burner, they did demonstrate that SOMETIMES the neo-Western could still be what made everyone fall in love with it.

That bodes well for a new Yellowstone spinoff featuring the couple, though it’s not yet clear what they will be doing.

Beth and Rip Could Continue Their Storyline With Carter In A New Yellowstone Spinoff

There is plenty of room for Beth and RIp to focus on their family storyline in a new spinoff.

Yellowstone fans would not be happy with a show that focuses only on the couple’s domestic life (and that wouldn’t fit the franchise’s neo-Western brand, anyway).

However, the backstory of Beth not being able to have children because of the botched abortion when she was a teenager and her conflicted feelings about Carter could still lead to a meaty subplot.

Beth has kept Carter at arm’s length ever since he was young enough to call her Mama, which she didn’t want him to do.

However, after Colby’s death, she showed a softer, more maternal side, reassuring Carter that the accident wasn’t his fault and telling him that she and Rip were his family.

Carter has grown considerably since he first appeared as an about-to-be-orphaned kid at the hospital, but there’s still plenty to be learned about his past, how it affects him, and his dreams for the future.

He’s been a background character in Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2, but he could have a bigger role if there were to be a new Yellowstone spinoff.

This subplot might also make it clear why Colby had to die on Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 12.

I really hope so because right now, that seemed like a gratuitous death that wasted time in a short season that was already failing to wrap things up effectively.

Beth and Rip’s Story On The New Yellowstone Spinoff Depends On What Happens In The Yellowstone Season 5 Finale

The sheer amount of scenes at Texas’ 6666 Ranch makes me wonder if Rip and Beth will move to Texas in the new Yellowstone spinoff.

That wouldn’t make a lot of sense right now. Rip has been trying to convince Beth to stop selling off all their livestock while Beth and Kayce are fighting to preserve the Yellowstone Ranch.

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However, that could change if things work out the way I suspect they will in the finale.

Kayce’s plan to save the ranch involves giving it away and buying it back cheaply, and if his plan works, there’s no reason he can’t manage the ranch while Beth and Rip leave town.

That would make Beth the happiest since she already said she doesn’t like working on the ranch. It would also let her, Rip, and possibly Carter have a fresh start.

Beth has been supporting Teeter since Colby’s death, so maybe she could come with them and they could all make a success out of the 6666.

Of course, Beth and RIp might not have a choice if the promised war with Jamie actually materializes during the Yellowstone Season 5 finale.

Supposedly, the siblings were going to fight to the death. There’s been no evidence of that so far, but I guess it could happen.

If Beth doesn’t kill Jamie, he could spill secrets that force her and Rip to go on the run, though this is a less likely outcome.

That would mean Jamie lives, and I don’t expect Beth to give him the opportunity to ruin the Duttons’ lives any more than he already has.

Plus, Beth doesn’t seem the type to go on the run, even if that would fit perfectly with the traditional Western trope of the hero(ine) who lives by their own moral code and exists outside the law.

Rip and Beth’s Relationship Could Be Tested In Original Ways On The New Yellowstone Spinoff

Rip and Beth are a solid couple, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things that could threaten to tear them apart temporarily.

During Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2, Beth wasn’t happy with how much time Rip needed to spend on the Texas ranch. She kept begging him to take time off to focus on her.

That problem won’t go away if they move to Texas together (or decide to keep running the Yellowstone).

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Additionally, Rip still doesn’t know the truth about why Beth can’t have children, and if that comes out someday, it could create a rift between them.

The new Yellowstone spinoff doesn’t need to go the route of a break-up/make-up merry-go-round.

All that nonsense with Kayce and Monica’s Yellowstone relationship was bad enough!

Still, whatever conflicts there are on the ranch should spill over into conflicts in their marriage. There’s plenty of drama to be had there!

The one thing I’ll miss if they do move to Texas is the frenemy relationship between the Duttons and the local Indigenous population. Lines such as Rainwater’s, “We’ve been at war for 160 years,” sent chills down my spine each and every time.

Yellowstone gave Indigenous people the respect and meaty storylines that the Western genre originally denied them, and I hope that continues in the new Yellowstone spinoff.

If Beth and Rip move to Texas, they will need a new supporting cast, and there are several Indigenous tribes in Texas, so this aspect could continue in a different form.

Alternatively, the new Yellowstone spinoff could split its time between the 6666 Ranch and whatever Kayce is dealing with at the Dutton ranch, assuming that Beth goes and he stays — and if Luke Grimes remains with the franchise.

Over to you, Yellowstone fanatics!

What are your thoughts on the new Yellowstone spinoff? Are you ready to get back in the saddle with this new series?

What should Beth and Rip be doing during it? And where should they live?

Hit the comments with your thoughts.

Yellowstone Season 5’s finale will air on the Paramount Network on December 15, 2024 at 8/7c.

Watch Yellowstone Online

The post It’s Hard To Be Excited About Beth and Rip’s New Yellowstone Spinoff, But There Are Causes For Optimism appeared first on TV Fanatic.

As any fan who lived through it can tell you, the decade was a golden era for three-camera, live-studio-audience comedies.

Shows like Seinfeld, Friends, Home Improvement, Frasier, and Roseanne were averaging close to 30 million viewers per episode, a figure that would make any network exec do a little happy dance in 2024.

By 2000, hourlong dramas and reality shows had taken over the TV landscape, with only Friends and Everybody Loves Raymond landing spots among the year’s 10 most-watched shows.

Those viewing trends have remained in place ever since, but for a long time, the sitcom continued to show signs of life.

The Office and Modern Family switched up the formula, going with a cinema verite mockumentary style and ditching the laugh track.

And in doing so, they seemed to have breathed new life into the art form.

Then the 2010s saw the rise of a hip new brand of TV comedy.

Shows like Community, New Girl, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine kept the format fresh for a new generation of young adults.

But in the 2020s one of TV’s oldest genres has been showing signs of age.

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The Big Four networks are still offering quality comedy, of course:

Abbott Elementary, Ghosts, and several other new sitcoms have found success with both critics and audiences.

Watch Abbott Elementary Online

And newcomers like St. Denis Medical and Happy’s Place are off to promising starts.

But the broadcast networks are offering far fewer sitcoms in 2024 than in years past.

And several of the current comedies are rebooted or spun-off from previously successful series, as is the case with Night Court and Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage, a trend that reflects a reluctance to take risks with what was once considered the most safely bankable genre.

There are many factors behind this trend:

Watch Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage Online

For one thing, cable and streaming outlets are not limited by FCC standards and practices guidelines, meaning that when it comes to comedy, HBO, Netflix, and their ilk can offer writers a lot more freedom.

Thus, in the world of edgy humor, the broadcast networks just can’t push the envelope as far.

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And, of course, dramas have an easier time molding their storylines into the serialized, season-long plots that audiences seem to prefer nowadays.

Then there’s the rise of reality TV, which seems to have taken the place that lighthearted sitcoms used to occupy in millions of American households.

And then there’s the fact that Americans are currently so divided that we can’t even agree on what’s funny and what’s not.

When Seinfeld and Home Improvement ruled the roost, they routinely pulled in over 30 million viewers a week.

With audiences that size, there had to be some significant overlap.

But it’s tough to imagine millions of modern-day viewers would be equally amused by the plights of both Manhattan singles and a Midwestern family.

Both shows might find decent-sized niches nowadays, but the sort of broad cross-demographic appeal they enjoyed in the ’90s is almost certainly a thing of the past.

Yes, for numerous reasons, the sitcom is not as dominant as it used to be in today’s TV landscape.

Perhaps it will eventually make a comeback. But for now, dramas and reality TV are the dominant forces on broadcast.

And that’s a shame, as it seems that come the prime time hours, most of us have already experienced more than enough drama and reality.

What we could really use is to share a laugh with our neighbors. Or at least with a studio audience.

The post Fading Laugh Tracks: Is the Traditional Broadcast Sitcom On Its Way Out? appeared first on TV Fanatic.

As a result, there was a lot I’d missed about how it looks when fans are as deeply committed to a series as the people who love this “silly firefighter show,” as it’s affectionately called.

From ‘ships to social media wars, fanfictions to fanart, and everything in between, 9-1-1 is treated almost like a religion to loyal fans, and they’ve managed to turn the show into something entirely their own.

The elephant in the proverbial room is, of course, Buddie — the ship name for Buck and Eddie.

As fans pointed out the first time I wrote about the duo, the ship name was coined not by viewers but by the actors themselves in a public online exchange between Ryan Guzman and Oliver Stark.

For years, firefighters Buck and Eddie have been best friends and partners (not only in work but also in life, as seen in the way they support each other in every aspect of their personal and professional lives).

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Watching the show carefully, it’s easy to see why people have interpreted their relationship as being romantic. 

9-1-1 is full of meaningful platonic friendships, which makes the stark difference in how Buck and Eddie are written all the more obvious.

But arguably, the most fascinating thing about Buddie is the way the show’s most engaged fans interact with the idea of a couple who aren’t (yet) together in that way.

A quick search of the internet’s largest fanfiction website for works featuring the relationship between Buck and Eddie reveals that over 34,000 stories have been written with a Buddie romance at the center.

More than 49,000 stories (fics, as they’re called in fandom spaces) have been written about the show as a whole, so it’s not just about Buddie.

People genuinely love this show and are driven to expand it however they can.

On Twitter/X, a subcommunity referred to as “911twt” is active around the clock, even when the show is on hiatus. Thousands of people regularly post about 9-1-1.

Whether they share fics or expertly crafted fanart of their favorite characters, the community is generally supportive and friendly as they bond over the show.

But with passion about anything comes strong opinions, and like with any fandom, there are lines in the sand.

Sometimes, the fandom argues about whether Buck’s ex-boyfriend, Tommy (Lou Ferrigno, Jr.), deserved a clean slate after being racist and misogynistic toward Hen and Chimney in early seasons.

The conversation is often serious about issues with real-world impacts, like the consequences of recharacterizing Gerrard as a silly source of comedic relief without addressing his bigotry.

Writing choices like that don’t go unnoticed, and 9-1-1 fans aren’t afraid to be vocal about their criticisms, even when it comes to their favorite show.

One topic that comes up frequently is the intersection of how beloved Athena (Angela Bassett) is and how difficult it is for people to connect with police storylines.

And then there’s the fact that virtually every major storyline involving Hen and Karen has had them suffering in unimaginable ways, despite how badly fans want to see the Wilson family happy.

But the discourse isn’t always heavy — there’s a lot of joy in talking about less severe topics, too.

That’s when the disagreements take a lighter tone. These days, there’s a big debate about whether Buck is a blonde or a brunette, which — thanks to Twitter/X user @bisasterbuckley — evolved into edited photos depicting Buck as bald circulating on the timeline.

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Back when 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 1 aired, there were very passionate discussions about Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman) and the new mustache he was sporting.

The flavor-saver may not have lasted long, but self-proclaimed “Eddie Mustache Truthers” have taken to editing the mustache on stills from recent scenes — the ‘stache lives on.

There’s a fair amount of not-safe-for-work stuff going on within the fandom, too, from sexually explicit fanfiction and art to speculation about characters’ kinks and roles in the bedroom.

Some folks have even veered into controversial territory, engaging in “real person fiction,” or RPF — a concept where fans ship the actual actors themselves. In this case, it’s Ryan and Oliver in the hot seat rather than Eddie and Buck.

But more than the controversies, debates, ‘ships, and what-ifs, the fandom is focused on 9-1-1’s heart, which is its representation of the found family trope.

One of my favorite tropes in media is found families on TV, which gives fans hope that there’s a way to fit in with people who love you even if you weren’t born into it.

All of the main characters explore the meaning of found family in different ways, which translates easily to fans who each bring their own experiences to their interpretation of the show.

There’s Buck, who never felt wanted or loved by his parents; Eddie, who always had to do what was expected of him to earn his family’s love; Bobby, whose past haunted him to the point of feeling undeserving of love.

Then we have Hen, whose trauma has often been downplayed by her family, and Chimney, whose mother died and left him with a father who wasn’t much concerned with him.

Without those varied experiences, the found family at the 118 wouldn’t be as powerful, and its depth is what resonates so deeply with fans.

As the years and seasons have passed, 9-1-1 fans all over the internet have become such an integral part of the show that their presence is felt on the screen in some ways.

These folks have managed to predict major plot lines with stunning accuracy based on intricate theories they’ve built together over the years.

For example, when ABC released stills for 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 6 showing Buck wearing a green shirt, fans immediately guessed that Buck and Tommy would be breaking up in that episode.

Why? Because in all of Buck’s major breakup scenes, he’s been dressed in a green shirt — a trend noticed several seasons ago by Tumblr users @lover-of-mine and @stagefoureddiediaz.

They were right; the relationship ended by the time the credits rolled, and that wasn’t even the only major plot point they’d predicted.

Other theories have crept into the writers’ room — whether they have actually impacted any stories remains to be seen, but showrunner Tim Minear has confirmed that he’s aware of the popular “couch theory.”

(In a nutshell, the couch theory is that couches are a metaphor for the overarching relationship between Buck and Eddie.)

Fanfiction, video edits, and art have all made their way into the hands of the show’s stars, a fact that was partly revealed when Oliver Stark admitted that he and Ryan Guzman had seen Buddie fanfiction. 

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Stark joked in an interview with Decider about seeing some fan-made Buddie edits that led to him “weeping in the shower” before firmly saying that he’d support a Buddie endgame if it were written.

Still, the writers and the stars alike know how fans feel about a slow-burn romance between Buck and Eddie, and they’re careful to avoid making promises they can’t keep.

In many ways, the show’s cast and crew have formed a relationship with its most devoted fans, wanting to deliver the best possible story while simultaneously protecting fans from feeling led on or baited.

Having been lucky enough to interact within the 9-1-1 fandom as both a fan and a journalist who occasionally talks about the show, I’ve felt enchanted by how this community interacts.

With the same sort of casual internet closeness that can be found in many online circles, 9-1-1 fans tend to act like a found family of their own.

There can be a bit of angst in the community, as is expected in a space full of people who love something this much, but there’s something to be said about finding joy wherever you are.

In a fandom where juice has come to represent joy, Tuesdays are for pre-dinner ice cream, and costume choices send viewers into spirals, there’s never a dull moment — and it’s perfect the way it is.

(Author’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect credit to Tumblr and Twitter/X users who originated ideas mentioned above.)

Watch 911 Online

9-1-1 returns Thursday, March 6 at 8/7c on ABC.

The post Inside the 9-1-1 Fandom: How the Fans Made the Show Their Own appeared first on TV Fanatic.

It was the decade that dared to push boundaries, experiment with formats, and redefine what TV could be.

Without it, today’s streaming giants might not even exist.

From sitcoms that perfected character-driven comedy to serialized dramas that kept audiences glued to their seats, the DNA of streaming owes more to the ‘80s than we often acknowledge.

Think about it: episodic storytelling, serialized sagas, groundbreaking miniseries, and programming for niche audiences — it all started in this golden age.

If streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu are the cool kids of today’s TV world, the ‘80s were the trailblazing parents who laid the groundwork.

Episodic TV Perfected the Art of Character-Driven Comedy

The ‘80s brought us the “hangout show,” where audiences tuned in not just for laughs but for the characters they grew to love like family.

Cheers wasn’t just a bar but a community where everyone knew your name.

Meanwhile, The Golden Girls became a cultural phenomenon, inviting viewers to laugh, cry, and snack on cheesecake with Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia.

These episodic comedies had an edge: you could jump into a random episode and still enjoy it, but they subtly hooked you over time.

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Sam and Diane’s legendary will-they-won’t-they romance on Cheers paved the way for countless sitcom love stories, while the timeless friendships on The Golden Girls set a new standard for ensemble chemistry.

Fast forward to now, and the influence is clear.

Shows like Parks and Recreation and Ted Lasso channel that same spirit of character-driven humor, but streaming platforms amplify it by letting audiences binge entire arcs.

Emotional payoffs that once took years now unfold over a single weekend.

Serialized Soap Operas Gave Us Binge-Worthy Drama

The 1980s weren’t all laughs — it was also a golden age of serialized drama, thanks to the rise of prime-time soap operas.

Dallas changed the game with its infamous “Who Shot J.R.?” cliffhanger, sparking a media frenzy and pulling over 80 million viewers for the reveal.

Dynasty followed suit with its high-stakes rivalries and epic catfights, solidifying itself as a cultural touchstone.

These shows had audiences hanging on every twist and turn, creating a sense of must-watch urgency.

Miss one week, and you’d be hopelessly behind — a level of anticipation that feels eerily familiar in today’s streaming world.

Modern dramas like Yellowstone, White Lotus, and The Morning Show, owe a debt to these ‘80s soaps.

While today’s storytelling might be grittier, the formula remains the same: high-stakes drama, complex relationships, and just enough cliffhangers to keep us counting down to the next season.

The Miniseries Revolution Paved the Way for Limited Series

Before the Emmys were dominated by limited series like The Queen’s Gambit and Chernobyl, the 1980s revolutionized event television with the miniseries.

Roots, The Thorn Birds, and North and South drew massive audiences, often eclipsing even blockbuster films in cultural impact.

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These self-contained stories brought cinematic quality to TV, proving that you didn’t need 22 episodes to leave a lasting impression.

The miniseries became appointment viewing, with families planning their weeks around these events.

Today’s streaming hits carry that same energy, delivering tightly focused stories that leave audiences satisfied rather than strung along.

Without the success of ‘80s miniseries, it’s hard to imagine the prestige limited series that dominate today’s platforms.

Cable TV Introduced the Idea of Niche Programming

While network TV ruled the airwaves, the rise of cable in the 1980s quietly changed the game.

Channels like MTV and Nickelodeon didn’t just air shows — they created identities. MTV made music fans feel seen, Nickelodeon became every kid’s safe haven, and CNN pioneered 24-hour news.

This shift to niche programming laid the groundwork for how streaming platforms cater to ultra-specific tastes.

Netflix recommending “dark comedies featuring strong female leads” or Hulu curating holiday-themed rom-coms?

That’s the natural evolution of cable’s targeted approach, giving viewers exactly what they want when they want it.

The Birth of Fan Culture and Engagement

Fan culture as we know it today began taking shape in the 1980s.

Star Trek: The Next Generation reinvigorated the Trek fandom, inspiring conventions, fan clubs, and early forms of fan fiction.

Meanwhile, Dallas sparked global debates over “Who Shot J.R.?” proving how deeply audiences could connect with a storyline — even without social media to amplify it.

Fast-forward to now, and fan engagement is everything.

Streaming platforms thrive on fandoms dissecting every frame of a show, whether it’s Stranger Things or Wednesday.

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Today’s fans might have hashtags and forums, but their obsessive enthusiasm is rooted in the passionate communities of the ‘80s.

Why the ‘80s Still Matter

The experimentation of the 1980s — episodic comedies, serialized dramas, cinematic miniseries, and niche programming — planted the seeds for the flexibility and variety that streaming platforms thrive on today.

Without Cheers, there’s no Parks and Rec. Without Dallas, there’s no Yellowstone. Without Roots, the limited series format that gave us The Queen’s Gambit might not exist.

So the next time you’re binging your favorite show, take a moment to thank the trailblazing creators of the 1980s who made it all possible.

The decade didn’t just change TV — it gave us the blueprint for how we watch it today.

What about you? Which ‘80s TV trends do you see reflected in streaming today?

Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s celebrate the decade that shaped everything we binge now!

The post Why Modern Streaming Owes Everything to 1980s TV appeared first on TV Fanatic.

That description might leave you wondering why you haven’t heard about this particular offering.

But when you learn that Emilia Perez is a French-produced, Spanish-language musical about a cartel kingpin who undergoes gender-affirming surgery, you might be less baffled as to how it slipped under your radar.

To be clear, we’re sure it’s an excellent film, and you should check it out tonight (though maybe after the kids go to bed; it’s about a cartel, after all).

But it’s not hard to see why it may have struggled to find an audience in the US, even though it premiered on the nation’s most popular (by far) streaming service.

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To be fair, in these divisive, hyper-partisan times, it’s tough to imagine any storyline that would appeal to a wide swath of Americans.

But some of this year’s most acclaimed films have premises that sound like they were designed in a lab to appeal to the smallest possible segment of the US population.

From Conclave (top-ranking Catholic officials gather to elect a new pope) to Anora (a Brooklyn-based sex worker falls for a Russian oligarch), these are films that are absolutely worthy of our attention but that seem doomed to never find an audience outside the world of hardcore cinephiles.

Yes, we’d like to pause here and reiterate that our commentary is not about the quality of the films that have received nominations today.

The ones we’ve seen are fantastic, and we’re excited to check out the rest of the crop.

But these days, if a Midwestern, middle-class, middle-everything-else American were to complain that Hollywood is no longer making movies for average working folk, it might be hard to argue against them.

Our cinematic menu nowadays is too often divided into two sections:

Theme park ride movies (comic book flicks, kids’ animated fare) and awards bait (many of today’s nominees). And there’s very little overlap between the two.

Now, it’s important to note that there have been years when the awards-granting bodies have erred in the other direction and pandered to the masses by nominating forgettable superhero flicks. It’s not easy to locate the happy middle ground here.

The best, most memorable awards seasons occur when top-tier fare finds a wide audience, and that audience proceeds to tune in to see if the movie they saw in theaters (and the average American only ventures to the cineplex a few times a year)

That happened last year when Oppenheimer dominated both the Globes and the Oscars after grossing a billion dollars at the box office.

Not surprisingly, Oscar ratings climbed by several million viewers as a result.

It’s the kind of situation that the Academy would love to see every year (fostering that sort of anticipation is one reason that the organization expanded the Best Picture field from five nominees to ten).

In 2024, the best hope for that type of phenomenon is Wicked — but that film lacks the populist appeal of Oppenheimer by several metrics.

For one thing, Wicked’s global box office — while wildly impressive — is only about half of what Oppenheimer raked in.

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While musicals can have broad appeal, they are rare to break through with mainstream audiences the way that Oppenheimer and its unlikely rival Barbie did last year.

Such phenomena are exceedingly rare, and studio bigwigs are probably already looking back on 2023 with tears in their eyes. In fact, we might never again see that sort of consensus between critics and audiences.

The problem is not that award voters choose what they believe to be the best films regardless of popular appeal. That’s what they’re supposed to do, after all.

Rather, the issue is that Hollywood has forgotten how to consistently make films that score with both critics and audiences — movies that can rake in statuettes and box office bucks.

Barbenheimer was a fun time, but it was also a sad reminder that that sort of thing used to happen all the time.

And now, we might never again have a year in which Forrest Gump goes toe-to-toe with Pulp Fiction or where a box office juggernaut like Dances With Wolves edges out a modern classic like Goodfellas.

Hollywood bigwigs should be pulling all-nighters until they figure out a way to recapture even some of the magic of those days.

In the meantime, they should continue producing both Emilia Perez and Deadpool & Wolverine. Both have much to offer to their respective audiences.

But studios and award voters shouldn’t be surprised when the Golden Globes and the Oscars continue their gradual transformation from cultural phenomenon to hyper-niche event for an increasingly small but passionate audience.

The post Golden Globes 2024: This Year’s Film Nominations Confirm Hollywood-Middle America Disconnect Is Growing appeared first on TV Fanatic.