Think Dallas, Dynasty, and Knot’s Landing. All were long-term series that still influence the current television age.

While television may have moved away from the genre, many series still embrace the core principle of those beloved soaps: throw everything at the wall and see what sticks.

There are a lot of downright scandalous series on the air nowadays and in years past. Those that are rife with drama and unbelievable plots that may not make all the sense in the world but are too entertaining for it to matter.

We’re looking at some of those current and past series that embody the spirit of wacky and dramatic television that had everyone gathered around the water cooler (remember those?) to discuss the latest attempted murder or cheating scandal!

Check out our list, and let us know some of your favorite soapy shows from over the years!

Scandal

When you think of the wildest and most nonsensical storylines that had you glued to your television screen weekly, you think of the Shonda Rhimes gem Scandal.

All the Shondaland shows could make this kind of list (and you’ll see another one pop up later!), but Scandal remains one of the biggest shows of the last twenty years, and its cultural impact can still be felt today.

Olivia Pope, her white hat, President Fitzgerald Grant III, DEFIANCE, and B613 were just some of the various things Scandal gave us, and audiences devoured the sordid tales of espionage, political intrigue, and high-profile affairs.

Scandal was drama on top of drama, and the series constantly outdid itself by finding new and twistier ways to shock viewers who thought they’d seen it all.

The age of live tweeting and instant reactions really took off during this age of television, and Scandal was a big reason for that.

Watch Scandal Online

Gossip Girl

“Hey, Upper East Siders, Gossip Girl here.”

You may have never seen an episode of the CW 2000s staple, but you’ve undoubtedly heard that phrase before. Gossip Girl came along when cell phones quickly became THE place to get all your information, and the series fed into the craze.

From the outside, it wasn’t wholly relatable, as not many teens across America were living the extravagant lifestyles that Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf, but they could relate to the high school hierarchies, betrayals, and heartbreak that often befell the young Manhattanites.

• New Teaser be Damned: Who Cares About the Duttons’ Land Battle in 1923 With Yellowstone’s Looming Unhappy Ending?
  by Carissa Pavlica
• Landman Season 1 Episode 6 Balances Brutality and Heart, Making It Hard to Look Away
  by Carissa Pavlica
• 15 Christmas Movie Villains That Might Just Be Misunderstood
  by Lisa Babick

The characters were deceitful in their own ways, and the series relied on shock value, though it didn’t always come in the form of surprising deaths but good, old-fashioned treachery.  

Every Thanksgiving that one clip from Gossip Girls Season 3 Episode 11 makes the rounds and is the epitome of what the series was. Secrets and more secrets came out, causing embarrassment, sadness, anger, and everything in between.

It was not a prestige drama. But Gossip Girl remains one of the most deliciously twisty series in recent memory and lives on now as one of the most entertaining series we’ve seen.

Watch Gossip Girl Online

Bridgerton

Think Gossip Girl meets the Regency Era, and you get Bridgerton, a Shondaland product that has become one of the most popular shows of the past five years.

Bridgerton’s entire premise is basically someone in town hiding behind the moniker Lady Whistledown and gossiping about everyone in her own little published paper.

Sound familiar?

The series is sexy and raunchy in all the right ways, and while that period may not be relatable, seeing cutthroat courting, backstabbing, and betrayal transcends all eras.

Bridgerton has become a household name, and each new season features a new romance and a new set of trials and tribulations that audiences are excited to devour.

The show has a little bit of everything, leaving you gobsmacked regularly.

Watch Bridgerton Online

Ginny & Georgia

Ginny & Georgia is a complicated but engaging tale about Georgia Miller, the mother of Ginny and Austin. She has moved to many places with her children and set up shop in Wellsbury, Massachusetts.

Georgia and her kids have a tough go of it, and the series delves into several serious topics, like childhood abuse and self-harm.

Georgia tried hard to fit in when she arrived, but Cynthia and her friends in Season 1 spread so much gossip about her that she never did.

You weren’t the right kind of woman if you didn’t fit into the ladies’ society.

There’s a lot of drama in the serene little town, and it’s a soapy series that reminds you of the comedy dramas from the 80s that thoughtfully dealt with serious subject matter.

Watch Ginny & Georgia Online

Elite

Look, if you want to have a conversation about why Elite was still airing as of 2024, then that’s a conversation that can be had. But when the series was in its heyday (we’re looking at the first three seasons), it was one hell of a thriller.

The Las Encinas high schoolers were involved in various dramas, including crime and straight-up murder. While the series was risqué when it wanted to be, it also dove into broader and more serious topics.

The series took off on social media amid a time when binging series were taking off, and audiences were enthralled by the high school drama mixed with heart and a gripping mystery woven within.

• 15 Christmas Movie Villains That Might Just Be Misunderstood
  by Lisa Babick
• The Unhinged Christmas Wish List: Gifts Only TV Characters Would Ask For
  by Thomas Godwin
• 27 Christmas Movies to Watch When You Need a Break from Holiday Cheer
  by Lisa Babick

Like many of the others on this list, the series became popular across social media and launched the careers of many of the series stars.

That first season remains one of the most captivating teen drama seasons ever. They had one job and one job only: to cram as much drama as they could into eight episodes, and they did it in spades.

Watch Elite Online

Revenge

Emily Thorne came to get her revenge but encountered many other problems along the way.

A story about someone looking for revenge is a tale as old as time. Still, Revenge turned Emily’s journey into something unexpected, as she fought feelings for the enemy, faces from the past, and supposedly dead people!

Emily was on a mission to avenge her father, and she did so by waltzing into the lives of various families in the Hamptons with nothing but a dream and a Sharpie. But the secrets she encountered were plentiful, as were the lies and dangerous situations she and others found themselves in.

The series stood out, especially in its earlier seasons, for taking itself very seriously while leaning into the ridiculous. It was sometimes predictable (hell, A LOT of the time), but it was highly addictive.

Each week, Emily got deeper into the lives of the people she was solely trying to rip apart from the inside out.

The series may have gone on a season or two too long, but when it was great, it was genuinely great.

Watch Revenge Online

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin

The latest in the Pretty Little Liars franchise desired better than its fate.

Original Sin took us to Millwood, Pennsylvania, where a set of new friends came together and found their lives threatened by a masked killer named A, who may have had something to do with a mysterious death that befell a classmate of their mothers.

The chemistry between the girls was the heart and soul of the slasher teen drama, which had a great mix of drama, mystery, intrigue, and vengeance to keep things interesting week in and week out.

While trying to find the identity of A was the end goal, there was so much deception and craziness along the way that sucked you in. Every storyline had meaning and emotional weight, even when the levels of ridiculousness reached a fever pitch.

Having the girls attend summer school in the second season expanded the universe and upped the stakes. It was soapy goodness at its very best, and it’s shameful that we won’t see the girls continue to grow and uncover the never-ending secrets and mysteries throughout those small Pennsylvania towns.

Watch Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Online

Rivals

If you haven’t gotten the chance to stream Rivals on Disney+ yet, do yourself a favor and do so now.

The British drama series explores the rivalries between various people surrounding an independent commercial television station. It’s sexy and indecent, filled with affairs and backstabbing from just about every corner.

Every character gets a moment to be a little naughty, and the series takes us back to the ’80s, with high hair, high-waisted jeans, and a relatively high tolerance for debauchery.

There aren’t many television shows currently airing that truly invoke the wild and crazy of yesteryears and do it with such aplomb. The ensemble cast is stacked from top to bottom with compelling characters and intriguing storylines.

If those watercooler conversations were still a thing like they were in the period this series takes place, Rivals is the kind of show that would have everyone talking.

Watch Rivals Online

Now that you’ve seen our list, tell us your favorite gossip-worthy series in the comments below!

Did your favorite make the cut? What others would you add, and which would you remove from the list?

We can’t wait to hear from you!

The post Revenge Plots, Breakups, and Drama: The Best TV Shows for Spilling the Tea appeared first on TV Fanatic.

We love engrossing ourselves in riveting narratives about the darker side of human nature.

Experts have devised numerous reasons why it captivates audiences, from loving mysteries to feeling accomplished from a closed case to general intrigue to wanting to understand the human psyche to just being fascinated by evil.

Regardless of why we crave these stories, we are always looking for the next fix, so here are the most mesmerizing true crime docuseries of 2024.

Unsolved Mysteries – Volumes 4 and 5

While not every single episode of Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries (a reboot of the original NBC Unsolved Mysteries series) is crime-based, the majority are, and the rest may leave you feeling more uneasy than any true crime story could.

Just watch The Mothman Revisited episode in Volume 4 of the show.

As for true crime, Volume 4 covers Jack the Ripper, a husband who found his wife dead in their basement, the discovery of an unidentified severed head in Econmy, PA, and the unsolved murder of a Trenton State College graduate student on the theatre’s stage.

• New Teaser be Damned: Who Cares About the Duttons’ Land Battle in 1923 With Yellowstone’s Looming Unhappy Ending?
  by Carissa Pavlica
• Prison Break Reboot From Mayans M.C. Boss Receives Pilot Order at Hulu
  by TV Fanatic Staff
• Friday Night Lights Reboot Lands at Peacock (But It Will Never Recapture the Magic of the Original Series)
  by Tyler Johnson

For Volume 5, the first episode is about two friends who are shot dead and found in a popular Cleveland park, but the creators decided to go with paranormal activity for the rest of the season, discussing a profile of a paranormal researcher, the phenomenon of mutilated cattle, and the Roswell UFO incident.

While these cases may not be solved, their mystique is varied and captivating. Of course, the “who did it” never coming to light is a common reason for the lack of resolution, but we also wonder why, how, and even who surrounds the victim.

Watch Unsolved Mysteries Online

I am a Killer- Season 5

The latest season of I Am a Killer focuses on the disturbing cases of convicted murderers while in prison.

What makes this show so fascinating is how it tells their stories. Its intimate style consists of interviews with the prisoners, the victim’s family or friends, and/or the criminal’s family or friends.

However, the latest season of the Netflix original felt a little different in the best way possible. It focuses more on the psychological factors behind these crimes and how the act of murder or being in jail has changed, or not changed, the prisoner.

You can tell who is a true sociopath, who is lying through their teeth or feels no remorse, who is self-centered, and who genuinely feels guilty and sorry for their victim’s family.

One gripping aspect is that you hear these accounts from the criminal’s perspective, and you start feeling or thinking one thing, but then hearing the victim’s family or friends’ interviews leaves you with a completely different attitude.

The latest season features the story of an inmate who claims to have turned his life around, but not everyone believes him, a young couple looking to run away, which results in the death of the boy’s grandmother and the killing of a store clerk by a 16-year-old.

It also shares the murder of a bar worker through an inmate’s rage, a man convicted of killing his grandmother, and the story of a prisoner who claims it was self-defense against a rival tribe, but eyewitnesses tell a different story.

Watch I Am a Killer Online

House of Horrors: Secrets of College Greek Life

Anyone familiar with the Greek life system understands the basics of how it operates.

But what happens when the dark secrets of these organizations are brought to light? A truly binge-worthy A&E true crime docuseries with an ending episode that needs to be talked about more.

It’s extremely interesting to see how something that, really, at the end of the day, is only “important” for four years of your life and then basically forgotten about can control, manipulate, and ruin the lives of young people who it claimed as “family.”

• Days of Our Lives’ Doug Sendoff Reminds Viewers How Good This Soap Used To Be…And Can Be Again
  by Jack Ori
• The Blue Bloods Family Dinners: A Labor Of Love for Viewers and the Cast; Tom Selleck and Donnie Wahlberg In Tears on The Talk
  by Jack Ori
• Dream or Delusion? How TV Shapes Our Vision of the American Dream
  by Lisa Babick

Whether you want to hear it or not, yes, sororities and fraternities are cult-like. Maybe not all are upfront about it, but the concept behind their creation and how they operate are.

Each episode tells a story of how the secrecy, power, and control of fraternities and sororities can create a sinister atmosphere, leading to a skewed reality where everything from drug use to sexual assault to hazing deaths to the deep-rooted racism at the University of Alabama has thrived to an unbelievable capacity.

Watch House of Horrors: Secrets of Greek Life Online

Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter

This true crime docuseries is a two-part retelling of a driven mom who wants to solve the mysterious murder of her daughter she put up for adoption as a baby.

Part of the enchantment comes from the idea that this mother never knew or had contact with her daughter after giving her up for adoption.

In 2010 she received a letter asking for DNA from the police in hopes of trying to identify a woman’s body who was brutally murdered. While the body was not her daughter’s, this sparks a truly shocking search of her own as she then learns her daughter ran away from her adopted parents at 14 and was never seen again.

Hitting home to her own story as she also ran away, she knows the police won’t look for her daughter because they didn’t look for her.

How she goes about her investigation with the help of her husband and an online investigator with so much fierceness and motherly instinct, as well as the details revealed at each step, is touching and compelling in a way that is hard to put into words.

The spiritual connection between a mom and daughter who never met and the story’s outcome make this docuseries one of Netflix’s most alluring true crime retellings.

Watch Into the Fire The Lost Daughter Online

Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult

Similar to other careers that lean into the more creative side of the brain, becoming a professional dancer who can solely live on the beautiful art form alone is very hard to come by.

Here enters Robert Israel Shinn, cult leader and master manipulator. Shinn takes advantage of young TikTok dancers with massive potential and offers them a spot at his “agency,” making all their dreams come true.

• 15 Christmas Movie Villains That Might Just Be Misunderstood
  by Lisa Babick
• The Unhinged Christmas Wish List: Gifts Only TV Characters Would Ask For
  by Thomas Godwin
• 27 Christmas Movies to Watch When You Need a Break from Holiday Cheer
  by Lisa Babick

At first, everything seems fine, but as stranger things are asked of them, some of the dancers start to realize there’s something very off about the situation.

The story is told through personal accounts of dancers who ended up leaving the cult/agency, plus from the family of a girl who is clearly beyond brainwashed. Sadly, there seems to be no hope of bringing her back to reality.

The infatuation with this series comes from how TikTok seems to be the center of many social media crimes and how Shinn entices these dancers.

Along with how he keeps them and convinces them he is doing what is best for them despite the crazy practices he instills, abuse, and noticeable financial exploitation.

Like most cults, the followers are told their families are bad for them and are coaxed to cut them out of their lives because, you know, cult leaders don’t want their manipulated minds to realize what is going on, nor do they want the media to know.

The way the story is told through first-hand accounts and the family of prominent TikTok dancing sisters gives the docuseries an edge that makes it hard to stop watching.

Watch Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult Online

The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping

The Program is a docuseries that needs to be watched to understand why it is one of 2024’s most mesmerizing series. It is unbelievable, and trying to describe it would almost be offensive to the victims of the featured disciplinary school.

When teens acted up, not that long ago, the answer was sending them to these “troubled teen disciplinary schools and camps,” which were not educational or helpful in any way.

Instead, it created a thriving industry that exploits and abuses children, and it has proven to be hard to take down, given the numerous documentaries surrounding it.

The Program’s emotional rollercoaster will have you crying, feeling sick, and wanting to hug the men and women who were forced to go through a heinous experience that has left many with understandable PTSD.

It is gripping and revealing in a tragic yet beautiful way and has a realness element beyond comparison.

Directed and narrated by a former Academy at Ivy Ridge student, she tells her and other’s stories and films them in such a way that makes you feel as if you are also trying to grapple with the trauma caused by the academy.

Watch The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping Online

The Real Murders on Elm Street

Thanks to Discovery, ID (Investigation Discovery) is home to some of the finest true crime docuseries, and The Real Murders on Elm Street is no exception.

The Max streamable series tells the story of six murders in small suburban towns across America that all happened on different Elm Streets. These deaths tear communities apart and show that evil doesn’t discriminate based on quaintness.

• The Irrational Season 2 Episode 7 Sneak Peek: An Unwelcome Change For Marisa While Alec Gets A Fascinating New Case
  by Jack Ori
• Brilliant Minds Sneak Peek: Dr. Wolf Tells Dr. Pierce That He’s Dating Josh
  by Laura Nowak
• Murder in a Small Town Season 1 Episode 8 Exclusive Clip & Spoilers: How is the Art Teacher Involved?
  by Laura Nowak

It starts with an episode titled Killer in the Walls, which takes place in Townsend, Massachusetts, and what unfolds is precisely what the title implies, and it is bone-chilling. It’s followed by a horrific murder in the Spokane area, which describing as overkill would feel like an understatement.

The show’s basis, actual murders on Elm Streets, is enticing, and the unimaginable narrative adds another level of eeriness and enchantment.

The series tackles “the Camp” compound led by Gerald Cruz in Salida, California, whose ideology combined white supremacy and voodoo, followed by the discovery of a body in a trash can during a popular Cincinnati street festival.

The last two stories take place in Minnesota, where a convoluted Thanksgiving missing persons case is full of twists, and in Greenville, Ohio, with the retelling of an actual Halloween murder on Elm Street.

Watch The Real Murders on Elm Street Online

Death in the Dorms

Death in the Dorms Season 2 tells the morbid stories of six college students who died while attending college. Unfortunately, there is something about campus murders that is unsettling but interesting.

Maybe it’s because they are the last place you would think a murder would or should happen, and the tragedy can be pictured by almost anyone who has persuaded a postsecondary education.

• Exclusive Interview With Matlock’s David Del Rio: The Actor Takes Fans Behind The Scenes To The Heart of Matlock
  by Joshua Pleming
• Jacob Lofland on Cooper’s Journey in Landman: “It’s Not Going to Be Easy”
  by Carissa Pavlica
• Hallmark Hits the Field: Tyler Hynes and Hunter King Tease the Chiefs’ Christmas Romance
  by Carissa Pavlica

The Hulu true crime docuseries hides no gory detail and includes the victim’s family, friends, and fellow students, revealing how a campus death affects the student body as a whole.

The way it is set up fosters an emotional connection for viewers, leaving an impactful swell of sentiment, making audiences invested.

The schools featured in Season 2 are Jackson State University, Louisiana State University, the University of Miami, Temple University, Binghamton University, and the College of Charleston.

Watch Death in the Dorms Online

American Nightmare

American Nightmare is a true crime docuseries that tells the story of Denise Huskins and her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, who were tortured and drugged by an intruder, resulting in the kidnapping of Huskins.

This was a very sensational case in 2015 because the details of what the couple underwent were hard to believe, but even more so because, due to some similarities, it became known as the Gone Girl case.

The mesmerizing aspects of this series start with what the two went through that horrific night, then just the disturbingly horrible way the police mishandled this case, how they treated Huskins and Quinn, and how the real perpetrator eventually was caught.

Watch American Nightmare Online

Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV

What Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV reveals about Dan Schneider, Nickelodeon, and the company he kept is beyond horrible and shocking.

When I was younger, Drake & Josh, iCarly, The Amanda Bines Show, Zoey 101, and so many more Nickelodeon classics were my childhood. This docuseries is challenging to watch but so unbelievable that turning it off feels like an injustice to the victims.

Not only should the truth be public, but much more needs to be done about the abuse and trauma endured by the many child actors during this time.

It’s shocking that so much was allowed to happen to these children, and the fact that we’re talking about huge names of actors increases the intrigue.

More importantly, it heightens the shock value that not only did this happen but that so many people stood by and let it happen.

Watch Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV Online

American Murder: Laci Peterson

The Laci Peterson murder investigation has absorbed the public for over 20 years now. Anything with that much draw is bound to make a mesmerizing docuseries.

To this day, Scott Peterson, Laci’s husband, insists he is innocent. Although this is not the only docuseries covering the matter, as Face to Face with Scott Peterson was released in August 2024, its interviews with people close to the couple, including Scott’s sister and Laci’s mother, make it something special.

• Landman Season 1 Episode 6 Balances Brutality and Heart, Making It Hard to Look Away
  by Carissa Pavlica
• Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18 Wrapped Up A 14-Year Run With A Reminder Of Everything That Makes This Cancelation Hurt
  by Jack Ori
• Fire Country Season 3 Episode 8 Review: Zombie Fires Take Control
  by Sara Trimble

The enthralling aspects of this case and docuseries are just how convinced members of Scott’s family are of his questionable claimed innocence and how people will take one grain of doubt and hold on to that despite everything else presented.

Of course, we don’t want to think a family member is capable of something so horrible, and these perspectives, plus the detective’s impressive way of presenting the crucial pieces of the case, are truly fascinating.

Watch American Murder: Laci Peterson Online

This is the Zodiac Speaking

Netflix’s This is the Zodiac Speaking gives probably the most notorious serial killer a fresh take, which is not an easy feat considering crime enthusiasts or not; the majority of people have heard of the zodiac killer.

The docuseries is gripping because it features interviews with the Seawater family, who had the suspected man behind the encrypted messages and codes, Arthur Leigh Allen, as a teacher while he was actively killing.

The now grownups perspective is unique, captivating, and bone-chilling.

It’s hard to look away when people are talking about their relationship with someone who they trusted and have fond memories of, who it turns out is strongly suspected to be a serial killer. It’s an infatuating context to give viewers.

There is also a powerful interview with a San Francisco Chronicle cartoonist, who was one of the first people to start suspecting Allen as the Zodiac killer, who also discusses the times when law enforcement almost got Allen, making it fascinating as well.

Watch This is the Zodiac Speaking Online

Deadly Influence: The Social Media Murders

Influencers appear to have it all, but the Discovery+ ID docuseries Deadly Influence: The Social Media Murders reveals how looks can be deceiving.

There is a dark side to being an influence and an even darker side to the digital communities and social media landscapes where influences get their fame.

• New Teaser be Damned: Who Cares About the Duttons’ Land Battle in 1923 With Yellowstone’s Looming Unhappy Ending?
  by Carissa Pavlica
• Dream or Delusion? How TV Shapes Our Vision of the American Dream
  by Lisa Babick
• Scrubs Is My All-Time Favorite Comedy, But I’m Not All In For The Scrubs Reboot Yet
  by Jack Ori

The pace and manner in which these shockingly true crime stories are told are alluring and impressive. Plus, the toxic culture that these communities have fostered and the disturbing situations these influencers found themselves in are unthinkable.

From an outsider’s perspective, we are all curious about what it is like to be an influencer. In retrospect, the concept itself is still relatively new, and the idea that someone can make that much money and gain that much fame from doing what an influencer does is honestly hard to grasp.

So, any true crime docuseries revealing the downside of an influencer’s seemingly perfect life will surely garner intrigue, and the grim revelations are heartbreaking.

Watch Deadly Influence: The Social Media Murders Online

Worst Roommate Ever

The Netflix true crime docuseries Worst Roommate Ever has one of the year’s most significant shock values. The stories it highlights are thrilling, ravishing, and effective.

The lengths people will go to, the manipulation, the pure savagery, are mind-blowing. This series can only be described as wild and jaw-dropping.

It is well made and hypnotic because it could be anyone in that situation. It could be you, me, or the average Joe walking down the street. You never know who someone is until you live with them, and that factor alone is hauntingly magnetic.

Watch Worst Roommate Ever Online

Yes, 2024 revealed some disturbingly mesmerizing true crime docuseries.

We hope this list helps you find your next watch.

Let us know in the comments what your favorite 2024 true crime docuseries is.

Here’s to creating new nightmares together!

The post 2024’s Most Mesmerizing True Crime Docuseries appeared first on TV Fanatic.

The staggering sums of money Disney throws at these shows are hilarious because the figures are barely believable. Agatha’s predecessor, WandaVision, ran up a nearly $25 million per episode tab.

At nine episodes, things enter the realm of the unreal and are difficult to explain.

Considering the fact that many of these shows effectively tanked, it’s all the more head-scratching. It’s not that Disney put out some duds. It’s that they did so repeatedly.

Everyone knows the old saying about doing the same thing over and over again, anticipating a different result. Well, Disney went above and beyond that in every way possible.

The thing is, there’s a tiny possibility that someone got ahold of the steering wheel and finally did something different with Agatha All Along.

• New Teaser be Damned: Who Cares About the Duttons’ Land Battle in 1923 With Yellowstone’s Looming Unhappy Ending?
  by Carissa Pavlica
• Landman Season 1 Episode 6 Balances Brutality and Heart, Making It Hard to Look Away
  by Carissa Pavlica
• 15 Christmas Movie Villains That Might Just Be Misunderstood
  by Lisa Babick

Instead of dumping cash like a prodigal wastrel, Agatha only cost around $40 million to make.

Yes, you read that correctly. Disney spent a little more on the entire production of an MCU series than on individual episodes in the previous series. Is this a sign of a course correction?

For Starters, Agatha All Along Isn’t Exactly “Successful”

At least not in all aspects. Its first week only clocked about 304 million viewing minutes. Sure, that sounds great until you realize The Acolyte one-upped it at 380 million minutes in week one.

That’s right, The Acolyte — the show Disney just canceled, amongst some angst and controversy. Moving through to the end of week three, Agatha All Along dropped to 204 million, a 33% cratering following the 22% decline from the week before.

Agatha performed worse than The Acolyte in weeks two and three, as well. Barely under 10% of all Disney+ subscribers bothered tuning into Agatha, assuming Disney’s subscriber-count reporting is accurate.

So, why does this matter? It’s important to understand the context. When Marvel’s Brad Winderbaum gushes about Agatha’s success, he really means ‘success vs. cost.’

“I can tell you it’s our least expensive show, and I think that was by design. We are looking to make these shows for a responsible cost. Frankly, it gives us a little bit more freedom creatively when we can bring them in at a reasonable budget. Like, for example, the show has minimal CG, way less than we’ve ever done before. It’s mostly practical effects, and I think you can feel it in the show.”

-Brad Winderbaum

Brad Winderbaum made that statement during an interview with Variety and, interestingly, wouldn’t go into the specifics of Agatha All Along’s numbers.

While Brad is obfuscating by shifting the cost of the show to the forefront, Disney is doing the same, waiting an entire week to reveal more details.

For obvious reasons, Disney is releasing global figures rather than domestic figures. Against the top ten charts of Disney originals, excluding older shows, Agatha All Along is currently in 10th place.

So, Where’s the ‘Success?’

Right now, Agatha All Along has an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience score of 81%, which isn’t bad by any means. There may not be a horde of viewers pouring in, but the ones who are watching it and rating it are fairly satisfied.

The critic consensus is neither here nor there, with critics falling all over themselves to throw positive reviews at absolute garbage in the past and in readily demonstrable ways.

• 15 Christmas Movie Villains That Might Just Be Misunderstood
  by Lisa Babick
• The Unhinged Christmas Wish List: Gifts Only TV Characters Would Ask For
  by Thomas Godwin
• 27 Christmas Movies to Watch When You Need a Break from Holiday Cheer
  by Lisa Babick

The two scores being so close together does reveal a solid degree of parity, which is good for the show.

We do have to consider competitive levels of devious gaslighting, such as comparing Agatha’s release number with those of The Penguin and claiming Agatha’s superiority. Most fans don’t bother looking at numbers, their meanings, and where they come from.

When you consider Agatha All Along’s numbers are global and The Penguin’s are domestic, that certainly changes things.

Throw in the fact that Max and Disney have roughly similar subscription rates in the US, and it looks worse for Agatha than initial proclamations suggest.

The point of this exercise is to accept the idea that Disney may have just turned a corner. The $40 million Agatha series is mindblowing, considering Disney’s history. It’s chump change, and that’s a good thing.

Now, if Disney could just put together a show that appeals to the masses on a similar budget, they might be onto something that will turn into a whole new gravy train on biscuit wheels.

We’re having a different kind of conversation right now if Disney threw $25 million into every Agatha episode.

Will Disney Continue with Low-Budget MCU and Star Wars Projects?

As of right now, Disney is embracing the cost-cutting budget plan, mostly in full force. At the end of September, a new round of layoffs at the House of Mouse, mostly at the corporate level, took place.

Disney is also gearing up to crack down on multi-users — those who share their passwords with friends and family members to steal from the same account. Subscription prices are about to go up again.

Agatha All Along is probably representative of the overall strategy going forward, with an annual exception or two.

In the meantime, Disney will continue raking in cash flow from its most lucrative business (and it’s not even close): theme parks.

Last but not least, Bob Iger is on the way out, and Disney is looking for a new CEO by putting together a Succession Planning Committee to aid in the search. Depending on who it is, we may go right back to $240 million dollar projects.

It’s just as possible that there will be even more cutbacks, or the new CEO will continue steering the ship in Bob Iger’s final heading.

Regardless of the upcoming headlines in the near or distant future, Disney will do well to learn its lessons from half-baked, poorly-written shows that cost a fortune.

Do you think Disney+ is heading in the right direction with lower-budget projects, or will Agatha All Along’s somewhat moderate success continue the overall decline?

Drop a comment below and let us know what you think!

The post Agatha All Along’s Success Proves That Budget Matters appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Just in time for a spooky winter binge, the latest chapter, Goosebumps: The Vanishing, is set to premiere on Disney+ and Hulu on Friday, January 10, 2025.

And guess who’s joining the fun?

David Schwimmer (yes, Friends‘ very own Ross!) will step into the world of horror and show us a much spookier side as he leads the cast in this thrilling new season.

The All-New Goosebumps Adventure

Schwimmer stars as Anthony Brewer, a former botany professor with a mysterious past, in a role that is more eerie than we’re used to seeing.

He’s joined by an impressive cast that includes Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty), Jayden Bartels (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), and Sam McCarthy (Dead to Me).

The story follows twins Cece and Devin Brewer (played by Bartels and McCarthy), who are sent to spend the summer with their father in Gravesend, Brooklyn.

As they begin to unravel eerie secrets tied to a mysterious 1994 event in which four kids vanished without a trace, things take a chilling turn.

Together, the siblings and their friends must solve the haunting puzzle before it’s too late.

With danger lurking at every corner, this season promises to keep fans on edge with its supernatural thrills.

Goosebumps Goodness: What’s in Store This Season?

Fans of the beloved book series can expect some nostalgic thrills, with episodes inspired by some of the most popular Goosebumps stories, including Stay Out of the Basement, The Haunted Car, and Welcome to Camp Nightmare.

Get ready for a chilling ride as the new season mixes iconic monsters with fresh frights!

Behind the Scenes

Nicholas Stoller and Rob Letterman, along with showrunner Hilary Winston, developed Goosebumps: The Vanishing.

The trio also serves as executive producers, joined by Neal H. Moritz, Scholastic Entertainment’s Iole Lucchese and Caitlin Friedman, Pavun Shetty, Conor Welch, Erin O’Malley, Karl Frankenfield, and James Eagan.

Ready to Vanish?

Mark your calendars because Goosebumps: The Vanishing will drop all eight episodes at once, perfect for a creepy marathon to kick off 2025.

Can’t wait to see what terrors await? Check out the official trailer below and prepare to be spooked!

Catch Up on the Frights!

While you wait for Goosebumps: The Vanishing to drop, now’s the perfect time to catch up on the first season.

Released in October 2023, season one follows a group of high schoolers as they face terrifying secrets from the past, including a teen who tragically died three decades ago.

So, are you psyched for more Goosebumps thrills? Get ready to dive back into the world of monsters, mysteries, and mayhem this January! Let us know which Goosebumps book you’re hoping to see come to life next!

Watch Goosebumps Season 1 Online

The post Schwimmer Brings the Scares to Goosebumps: The Vanishing appeared first on TV Fanatic.

If the petty drama and nonstop destruction of reputations manage to pull you in, you’ll be treated with enough eye candy to cause diabetes.

If we’re going to have handsome hunks thrown in our faces, we should at least know where else we can stalk – I mean, watch them.

Where there are pretty people on TV, there are petty problems!

With Tell Me Lies Season 2 just about doubling up on the man-meat, it’s time to get to the bottom of where Hulu found these gorgeous guys to play such “unique” characters.

Get ready to swipe right, ladies and gentlemen, because we have a lineup of suitable bachelors for you today!

Oliver

Kicking things off is the solemn and brooding Oliver, a married professor at Baird University. Don’t let that marital status deter you, ladies! This beautiful man is not afraid to step out of the marital bed.

That’s right! This tall drink of water likes to grade on a hot, young thing’s curves now and then.

Not much of a talker? No problem! Oliver is a man of very few words because he’s too busy frowning!

You’ll never have to worry about catching enough sleep because an affair with Oliver is a guaranteed snooze fest. So, grab your Snuggie and saddle up to this wet blanket!

Tom Ellis

Oliver may not be that great, but the actor who plays him is a LEGEND. I may be biased due to my love of his signature series, but Tom Ellis was born to play Lucifer.

If you watched the series, you likely remember little from the plot, but every detail of Tom’s abs and backside. I’m not being creepy. Those parts of his body were always on display.

• Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 7 Sees Justice Take A Day Off As The Titular Character Squares Off Against Her Greatest Threat Yet
  by Joshua Pleming
• Matlock Season 1 Episode 8 Shows The True Driving Force Behind Matty’s Revenge, And It Is As Heartbreaking As You Might Think
  by Joshua Pleming
• Elsbeth Season 2 Episode 7 Spoilers: Michael Emerson Makes The Switch From Evil To Elsbeth
  by Joshua Pleming

I’m not mad about it either because the actor, as Trevor from the CBS show Ghosts would say, kept it and continues to keep it tight. As for how long he’ll grace the small screen on Tell Me Lies, it’s anyone’s guess.

He may be here for the long haul since the series was created by his wife, Meaghan Oppenheimer. Just in case, though, you can catch this sexy Scorpio in other shows and movies like Exploding Kittens, Players, and Miranda.

Leo

Up next, we have the sizzling and tantalizingly sexy Leo! Ladies, this fine fellow is a real firecracker in and out of the boudoir. Hopefully, those satin sheets aren’t flammable!

Leo loves long walks on the beach, holding hands, and headbutting strangers who are rude to his lady friends. If anger issues get your motor running, prepare to peel off into the sunset with this gorgeous guy.

Get lost in those dreamy blue eyes while you can. If there is one thing those luscious lips don’t pucker up for, it’s unresolved trauma and toxicity.

But don’t fret because there’s more behind that handsome face than meets the eye!

When he isn’t assaulting strangers, Leo likes to give out heart-wrenching advice that he is far too young to have, let alone follow!

Thomas Doherty

You don’t have to travel to the “Land of Cakes” to see Thomas Doherty’s talents. His skills have been shining on the small and big screen for a while now.

Most recently, he played the most uninhibited character on the Gossip Girl reboot since Chuck Bass. However, everyone was fair game for a good time with his character, Max Wolfe.

Even though he left his Scottish accent at home to play the role, his character was still one of the sexiest and most interesting of the 2021 Gossip Girl.

Given his character’s recent struggles with Lucy on Tell Me Lies, there’s a good chance Leo may be making his exit very soon.

However, this TV Fanatic has your fix for more of this devilishly charming actor. For some vampire fun, catch him in Legacies and The Invitation.

If you’re in a family way, there’s always Descendants 2 on Disney+, one of Doherty’s first movies!

Evan

Ladies, who is a fan of the handsome, silent type that makes you work too hard for his attention?

If you like a man with no idea what he wants, we’ve got the sweet, clueless, well-meaning gentleman of your dreams!

He may look stoic with those handsome features that never seem to crack.

However, underneath that cool exterior of an imperfect man beats a big heart that he’s just waiting to give to the right little lady.

That is, when he’s not busy giving the D to someone who isn’t his girlfriend. Don’t worry, ladies, because Evan does not stray far! He’ll be around every corner waiting to win you back.

If a soft heart and questionable decision-making skills get you weak in the knees, then give this disturbingly beautiful man a chance!

Branden Cook

While Branden Cook is relatively unknown, he’s still been making splashes in one project or another.

Like any young, handsome, fit actor, he’s already made it onto a police procedural. If there is one rite of passage on TV, it’s starring in the most formulaic of shows.

With a whole episode of Chicago PD under his belt, Cook needs to play a hot new doctor on Grey’s Anatomy and a lawyer on Law & Order to complete the trifecta.

• Fanatic Feed: Industry Renewed For Season 4, Black Mirror Season 7 Cast Revealed, and More
  by Tyler Johnson
• Fanatic Feed: Jared Padalecki Renews Development Deal With CBS, Bosch: Legacy to End & More
  by Tyler Johnson
• Fanatic Feed: Teacup’s Perfect Teaser, Mormon Wives (No, really), The Gentlemen Renewed & More
  by Carissa Pavlica

As far as actors on Tell Me Lies, I have to give it to Branden Cook because despite playing a supporting character, the actor makes the most of every scene and line of dialogue.

Don’t believe me? Then, see Cook in action for yourself in his other credits, such as Masters of the Air and Industry.

Wrigley

Is it getting hot in here, or is that our next eligible bachelor, Wrigley? If you want a guy your mom and dad will love but your south mouth won’t, this man is for you!

Sure, you may have to dip into some acting talent during sexy time with Wrigley so you don’t hurt his feelings, but what he lacks in skill, he makes up for in enthusiasm!

He’s big, goofy, and charming. He’s a German shepherd. But when he shines that beautiful smile your way, you won’t care that his IQ is likely in the toilet.

Unlike some other fellows featured here today, Wrigley doesn’t have the creative juices or narcissism to cheat.

The only thing you’ll have to worry about is him heating up a can of Campbell’s soup in the microwave! So, swipe right on this big, lovable idiot before it’s too late!

Spencer House

Unlike his character, Spencer House is a skillful and intelligent actor. He’s been making waves in the industry since entering it ten years ago.

It doesn’t hurt that he’s handsome in that classic boy-next-door-that-you-grew-up-with sort of way. Like a class clown turned football jock, Spencer House has shown an interest in a range of roles.

It’s a harsh reality, but many actors get hired for the perception that their appearance inspires. In Spencer’s case, he looks like, well, I’ll put it this way — he was cast as the “douchey guy” on Madam Secretary.

Thankfully, he’s managed to pivot by taking on various characters in shows like Space Force, Teenage Bounty Hunters, and The Society.

His credits don’t end there, either, so we’ll likely continue to see the actor in one series or another as his star rises.

Stephen

Sadly, we’ve come to the end of our roster, but we’re not done yet because we’ve saved the worst for last! Get ready to meet the devil himself!

Alright, girls, you aren’t going to find a guy like Stephen anywhere else unless you attend a convention exclusively for psychopaths!

He’s angry. He’s cynical. He’s a sociopath. He’s the exact kind of guy yours and every other mother warns young ladies about!

Maybe it’s how his icy stare pierces through, but this maniacal man will send shivers down your spine in the most chilling way.

So, if you like having your confidence and self-esteem shattered, pick a date with this genuinely unhinged individual. Act now, and we’ll even throw in a lifetime of trauma at no cost!

Jackson White

If you’ve read my Tell Me Lies Season 2 reviews, you likely know how I feel about White’s character. However, my feelings on Jackson himself are the complete opposite.

Despite not being afraid to step into the shoes of a truly evil character, Jackson White keeps things low-key and maintains a healthy work-life balance.

He is such a talented actor to be playing opposite his real partner without it interfering with their relationship. I don’t know about any of you TV Fanatics, but I couldn’t do it.

• New Teaser be Damned: Who Cares About the Duttons’ Land Battle in 1923 With Yellowstone’s Looming Unhappy Ending?
  by Carissa Pavlica
• Prison Break Reboot From Mayans M.C. Boss Receives Pilot Order at Hulu
  by TV Fanatic Staff
• Friday Night Lights Reboot Lands at Peacock (But It Will Never Recapture the Magic of the Original Series)
  by Tyler Johnson

White has already starred alongside Kathryn Hahn (Agatha All Along) in the HBO mini-series Mrs. Fletcher, in which he played a character similar to Stephen on Tell Me Lies.

However, the skilled actor doesn’t always play a jerk. His range of talent is evident in titles such as SEAL Team, Pet Semetary: Bloodlines, and The Middle.

Tell Me Lies is a series rife with melodrama and enough pettiness to give the Bravo network a run for its money.

While the series’ strength is the well-written and depicted story, it doesn’t hurt that every male character looks like your next bad decision.

Who’s your favorite hunk from Tell Me Lies Season 2?

What has been your favorite part about Season 2?

Please comment below to let me know, and join me again when I share more insights into your favorite characters and shows!

Watch Tell Me Lies Online

The post Tell Me Lies Season 2: Where Else Have You Seen These Handsome Hunks? appeared first on TV Fanatic.

No explanation. No plot twist is given in which your character returns to save the day and thwarts the impostor.

Instead, you just have to deal with it and accept New Guy Here as the recast hero.

Sometimes, the awkward silence is unbearable, and you hate the rest of the movie because of this terrible choice of recasting.

But sometimes, they get it right, and we’re all forced to begrudgingly agree that this new interpretation of our favorite character was brilliant.

Not all 11 performances were brilliant. However, when the recasting was first announced, each one divided moviegoers. Let’s consider each one and whether the recast was a WIN or FAIL.

9. Will Smith in Aladdin – WIN

Will Smith wasn’t the first black actor cast in a new Disney project. Ariel’s Little Mermaid started an even bigger buzz online.

But let’s just agree to say the Ariel character was not exactly a Shakespearean undertaking when it comes to deep character study.

Robin Williams’ Genie, on the other hand, left behind some big boots to fill.

Not only was Robin Williams’ improvised comedy a tour-de-force but Genie was already recast once before when Williams left Disney, only to be replaced by Dan Castellaneta.

Will Smith had to follow in two Genies’ footsteps while trying to find a creative angle to a story that had been repeated verbatim by Disney fans.

Of all the lazy and emotionally vacant Disney remakes, I found Aladdin (2019) to be the most charming of the bunch. I also thought Will Smith carried the ball and chain of replacing a comedy legend with class and good cheer.

Come to think of it I haven’t seen Will Smith as happy as he was in Aladdin in quite a while.

Better times, Will.

8. Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight – WIN

Isn’t following Jack Nicholson the worst job an actor could sign up for?

Jack Nicholson was lauded as the perfect choice for Joker in Batman (1989) based on his previous body of work and naturally acerbic personality — and that’s even before the movie opened.

• New Teaser be Damned: Who Cares About the Duttons’ Land Battle in 1923 With Yellowstone’s Looming Unhappy Ending?
  by Carissa Pavlica
• Landman Season 1 Episode 6 Balances Brutality and Heart, Making It Hard to Look Away
  by Carissa Pavlica
• 15 Christmas Movie Villains That Might Just Be Misunderstood
  by Lisa Babick

No wonder, then, when Heath Ledger was announced as the next Joker, the fandom fell silent. He wasn’t just a character actor. He was a pretty boy, a rising star with everything to lose.

Ledger didn’t even benefit from a bad boy reputation going into the film like Joaquin Phoenix did when he got his sweaty hands on the role.

Heath Ledger didn’t just give a good Joker performance. He redefined the villain’s role for a new age and seemed to embody the angry Gen X-Millennial voice we needed.

Years after his untimely death, Heath’s madcap performance remains the talk of Hollywood in terms of brilliance and dangerous method acting that we never want to try again.

7. Robert Downey Jr. in Avengers: Doomsday – ALREADY A WIN

I know, it feels like Doctor Doom hasn’t even debuted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but unfortunately, he has come and gone.

He debuted not just once but twice in two god-awful performances by Julian McMahon and Toby Kebbell in two Fantastic Four movies.

By the time the Russo Brothers announced Robert Downey Jr. as the next Doom, the fandom had all but forgotten Doom’s two debuts.

We’ve reached the point where we can safely ignore Doom’s previous appearances and just pretend like they never happened.

What really started the controversy, though, was the ingenious decision to cast Iron Man legend Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom and poke the Marvel Universe all over the chest with panic and unanswered questions.

At this point, it feels like the high concept will outdo the movie itself. But the Russos are Hollywood’s most creative superhero filmmakers, so let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. They have years to figure this climax out.

6. Mads Mikkelsen in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore – FAIL

When Johnny Depp lost his 2020 libel case against The Sun magazine, he was the scourge of Hollywood and was #MeToo’d out of town.

He had little choice but to resign from Fantastic Beasts and bow out to Mads Mikkelsen to take the role of Gellert Grindelwald.

Johnny Depp was paid handsomely regardless of the scandal. But his reputation would be pummeled in a no-holds-barred courtroom battle against ex-wife Amber Heard, who was herself later vilified by the press for comparably terrible behavior.

If only classy author J.K. Rowling could have talked to these raging egos and explained the benefits of showing grace and restraint while under pressure…

Oh, wait.

Come to think of it, nobody benefited from Fantastic Beasts in the end. Let’s just pretend this debacle never happened.

5. Edward Norton and Mark Ruffalo in The Hulk – FAIL

Here we have not just one but two controversial recastings that ruffled feathers in Hollywood, all thanks to the ever-fluctuating Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In fact, this universe has had so many reboots, recasts, and multi-verse resets that we can hardly keep up. We just know the Hulk is big, angry, and green! And his human Bruce Banner character is hardly important.

Eric Bana was the first Hulk in Hulk (2003), surprisingly directed by superstar talent Ang Lee.

Yet, the film was considered an artsy flop, and by the time The Incredible Hulk (2008) came out, Norton had replaced Bana in what was a no-brainer decision: a cerebral Hulk played by an Oscar-nominated actor!

Yet the movie was also a bit of a flop, though in Norton’s defense, allegedly 70 minutes was cut from the film we saw.

Norton took the inevitable recasting worse than Bana and had a bitter falling out with Marvel over the creative direction of the Hulk character.

When Kevin Feige took over Marvel projects, he not so subtly said they wanted a Hulk actor who got along with the cast and was excited to take the part. That didn’t reflect well on Edward Norton, who was already upset about how his film was handled.

And forget any heavy acting moments for this new Hulk. Time time, Feige was all about giving us the comic relief Hulk that one-dimensional actor Mark Ruffalo was born to play.

Norton’s PR team later suggested Feige’s words were defamatory toward Norton’s work ethic, and they indeed made him very angry.

And no one likes Norton when he’s angry, or so I’ve heard.

4. Crispin Glover and Jeffrey Weissman in Back to the Future – FAIL

Notorious actor and performance actor Crispin Glover was all set to return to Back to the Future II and III but was never able to agree to payment, nor did he approve of the film’s message.

Robert Zemeckis was stuck finishing the film without a major supporting player. The CGI-curious Zemeckis came up with a solution.

Instead of writing George McFly out of the film entirely, couldn’t they just recast Crispin Glover for key scenes while also using previously recorded footage of Crispin Glover?

Yes, Crispin was replaced by Jeffrey Weissman (who wore prosthetics to get Crispin’s weird face down) and…Crispin Glover, oddly enough.

• Landman Season 1 Episode 6 Balances Brutality and Heart, Making It Hard to Look Away
  by Carissa Pavlica
• Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 18 Wrapped Up A 14-Year Run With A Reminder Of Everything That Makes This Cancelation Hurt
  by Jack Ori
• Fire Country Season 3 Episode 8 Review: Zombie Fires Take Control
  by Sara Trimble

No wonder he took the producers of Back to the Future to court, saying they used his likeness without his permission.

They never went to trial, but an agreement was reached — and how about the aftershocks of that case? There are now clauses in Screen Actors Guild contracts barring filmmakers from reproducing the likeness of other actors.

Turns out George McFly can throw a punch after all.

3. Julianne Moore in Hannibal – FAIL

It’s difficult for casual moviegoers to understand the subtle differences between great Hollywood directors.

Jonathan Demme knew how to make an Oscar-winning film from The Silence of the Lambs novel. He knew just how to use Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster to make dangerous movie chemistry.

Ridley Scott didn’t know what the hell he was doing with Hannibal and made the bogus decision to recast the vacuous Julianne Moore as Clarice Starling.

Even if you had to do the unthinkable and replace the incomparable Jodie Foster (who turned the sequel down), how did you settle on Moore — an actor who only succeeds by playing blank, morally absent, and heavily inebriated characters time and time again?

This was not Clarice Starling. This was someone else, and Anthony Hopkins was acting against a beautiful piece of scenery — not an actor that could match his gravitas.

Hannibal sequels only got worse until Hopkins himself left the project.

Here’s a case study on how to ruin an Oscar-winning franchise with just one bad sequel.

2. Henry Cavill in Superman – WIN & David Corenswet in Superman – TBD

Granted, you have to try pretty hard to mess up Superman.

No previous Superman recasting was particularly controversial because all of the actors from the 70s to the 90s generally had the look, the wholesome humor, and the All-American face we wanted.

The brooding Henry Cavill was a bold choice for recasting the Man of Steel, and director Zack Snyder took a big creative risk in reimagining Superman for the 2010s.

Snyder was the first director to explore a different side to Superman, something other than aww-shucks-white-altruism.

His Superman was inhuman. His Superman was god-like and alien in his behavior. This was quite literally the morally ambiguous performance that allowed Homelander from The Boys to thrive later on.

It was a risky move for sure and to be fair, most audiences didn’t care for it.

Snyder fans, who are always in love with the dark cinematic paintings Snyder creates, loved the performance.

James Gunn, the perpetually-fifteen Marvel fanboy, hated it along with most of Marvel’s fandom.

They wanted Super StraightMan back, the comic relief guy, the boy with glasses who would rather fight bad guys than go on a date with his crush.

The shtick worked for Captain America in the Avengers movies, and Chris Evans made Steve Rogers both funny and heroic without missing a beat.

But James Gunn is mostly untested when it comes to handling alien superheroes as leads and not as antagonists.

• Exclusive Interview With Matlock’s David Del Rio: The Actor Takes Fans Behind The Scenes To The Heart of Matlock
  by Joshua Pleming
• Jacob Lofland on Cooper’s Journey in Landman: “It’s Not Going to Be Easy”
  by Carissa Pavlica
• Hallmark Hits the Field: Tyler Hynes and Hunter King Tease the Chiefs’ Christmas Romance
  by Carissa Pavlica

All of James Gunn’s films are burlesque shows with over-the-top CGI assault and just a handful of feelings to explain why all the violence was necessary.

No doubt he will turn the Superman/Justice League franchise in another direction. More humor, a comparable number of visual effects shots, and hopefully some gripping conflict, which he handled well in Guardians of the Galaxy.

But what will he do with the New Superman, played by David Corenswet, an iconic figure who is out of touch with Zillennials, and who needs a reinvention to keep the DCU relevant?

I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt because Guardians of the Galaxy was a big hit when taken in small doses.

The Suicide Squad (2021) was an overdose of gross-out humor and surrealist pop art.

He’s a director who will elicit either love or hate from DC’s fandom.

Let’s take a deep breath and see what happens. I’ve heard Superman can reverse time if it’s THAT big a mistake…

1. Michael Keaton in Batman – WIN

One cannot fathom how controversial recasting Michael Keaton as Batman was until you read about the climate of the late nineteen-eighties.

There in about 1988, a young Tim Burton stared up at a Gotham skyscraper, trying to figure out how to tell a darker and more realistic Batman story that moviegoers had never seen before.

This thankless task happened in a post-Adam West world, where Batman’s reputation was cemented as a poker-faced, pun-spinning, and avuncular hero.

No one was afraid of Batman, they respected him as the groovy father they never had.

Burton had no choice but to reimagine the superhero concept from a different angle other than heroism.

He certainly had some help from literary writers like Frank Miller, Alan Moore, and Grant Morrison, who had already been telling darker Batman stories to comic book fans.

Burton also came up with the shrewd idea of staging Batman as a moving, breathing art exhibit — a celebration of anarchy, childhood trauma, and a sociopathic fashion show.

But the true stroke of genius came from recasting an underappreciated character actor INSTEAD of a musclebound hero who would sell tickets.

Keaton’s previous performances were manically captivating, whether he was playing for laughs in Beetlejuice or tugging at heartstrings in Clean and Sober.

What Keaton would bring to Batman was a question not even Vic Sage could answer.

Neither Keaton nor Burton ever thought about giving us the Batman we wanted.

This Batman was something uncomfortable, impenetrable, and tortured. Keaton was the first hero who wanted us to see his frailties as a man and his strength as a costumed hero.

His performance may well have been the first understated superhero role and perhaps the first time any superhero actor went “method.”

It was frankly the only way he could play opposite Jack Nicholson, who had decided to chew scenery no matter what anyone threw at him.

Keaton reinvented Batman for the modern age by creating a strong internal identity that you could see and hear on screen. For once, we could see how Bruce Wayne WAS just as insane as all of the villains he locked up in Arkham Asylum.

He needed Batman more than we needed him as a hero. That was the revelation that Batman’s best comic writers of the 1980s impressed upon Tim Burton.

No wonder Michael Keaton still polls as the “best Batman ever” because he showed a generation of wannabe heroes how to fight the evil inside ourselves before taking on that crazy clown.

What do you think? What recastings do you think deserve to be on the list of Best or Worst recastings ever?

The post Nine Most Controversial Movie Recasts — Some Hits, Some Misses appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Based on the term “best streaming service,” Netflix and Prime will always rise to the top.

The thing is, everybody has their own particular preferences.

Some are more interested in blazing speeds and HDR10+ on an 85″ screen, while others are satisfied with a massive library.

Some people prefer indies, and others want the biggest theatrical hits.

You know what they say about assumptions.

Related: 13 Television Characters with Evil in their Veins

Online listicles too often make the mistake of assuming the network with the most available movies is the best.

So, we’re gonna do something a little bit different by applying an extra label to each streaming platform.

If you’re a movie lover who prefers quantity over quality, you’ll find what you’re looking for instead of a generic “muh…Netflix is the best because movies” list.

Then there is the money side of things.

Sure, Netflix has a lot of movies, and so does Prime, but you’ll pay for it if you want the cream of the crop in terms of viewing experience.

So, we’ll cover that as well because why not?

It’s the reason you come to TV Fanatic! Here they are, in no particular order.

Apple TV+: Best For Cinematography and 4k HDR10+

If you’re a purely visual aficionado, you’ll find no better streaming service than Apple TV+, at least not for the price.

Apple’s biggest failure (thus far) is the lack of content.

Related: The Age of Nostalgia: Why Young Audiences Are Seeking Out Old TV

It won’t take you long to work your way through all of Apple’s movie offerings.

You will find some of the most stunning visuals in movies with large budgets and fantastic cinematography.

Apple Originals, such as Napoleon, Wolfwalkers, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Finch, are visual feasts.

Apple TV+ is also an aggregator, so to speak. You can add all of your favorite streaming platforms to the app for easy access.

Better yet, Apple TV+ is growing, recently overtaking Paramount+ and only two percentage points behind Disney+.

With growth comes more content, and given Apple’s propensity for dazzling with high-quality production values, that isn’t a bad thing.

Right now, you can get Apple TV+ for $9.99/mo — not a bad deal at all.

Prime Video: The Largest Movie Library

The biggest benefit of Prime Video is that it’s a connected offshoot of Prime membership.

The latter is so common now that a Prime membership is as prevalent as a loaf of bread in the pantry.

If you’re a member, you have Prime Video.

Unfortunately, an ad-free version isn’t available unless you boost your Prime membership to $17.98/mo versus the standard $14.99/mo.

Related: How Politics Can Ruin a Perfectly Good Show

But hey, you can order a new TV and have it sitting on your front porch in two days. Alone, Ad-free Prime Video is $11.98/mo or $8.99/mo if you don’t mind the ads.

Amazon also offers movies and shows in 4K, Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HDR10+, though you’ll need to check each movie you want to watch to determine its resolution (not all are HDR10 or HDR10+).

If you’re looking for a massive movie library, Prime is at the top, with the most movie offerings of all the streaming services available.

Netflix: Best for R-Rated Movies

For some odd reason, Netflix seems to be the place to go if you prefer hardcore R-rated movies, and nothing else will do.

Netflix is just behind Prime in terms of having the largest movie library, but the world’s most popular streaming platform has more R-movies than Bezos.

It’s surprising how much that matters to movie lovers.

A good streaming service that offers the PG and PG-13 versions of everything just isn’t as appealing to some.

The Robocop of the 1980s, played by Peter Weller, was fantastic.

However, Tinseltown slapped a PG-13 label on the remake, and the outcry was loud and clear.

If you prefer a cackling demon with a 360° head over Simba talking to a cloud, Netflix is where you want to be.

On the flip side, Netflix is getting pretty expensive. If you want the best resolutions and screen sharing, the cost is $22.99/mo. Standard is $15.49/mo, and the “with ads” tier is $6.99/mo.

Max: Best Bougie Content

Bougie content? What we mean is content that is critically acclaimed.

Not only does Max (formerly HBO and then HBOMAX) have the most critically acclaimed movies, but the name-changing streaming service also has the third-largest movie library behind Prime and Netflix.

So, you get the best of both worlds: some of the best movies ever made and a massive library of high-quality 4K, Dolby Vision, HDR10.

Related: The Pitt: Everything We Know So Far About the Max Medical Drama

If you’re looking for HDR10+ and have a TV that’s premium enough to reveal the subtle upgrade, you’ll have to wait.

There’s little doubt that Max will get around to offering HDR10+ content; it’s just a matter of when.

Like so many others, Max has given in to adverts.

Since commercials are becoming a part of everything, the bottom Max subscription tier, with ads, is $10/mo. It’s $16/mo without and $20.99/mo for the max (haha, you see what I did there?) experience.

Disney+: Most Family Friendly Movies

Disney+ is the obvious streaming service for families, or if you just want something to keep the kids occupied so you can do the dishes without flinging plates at the wall.

It’s even better when you consider that Disney is more than just Disney nowadays.

Without the bundle (Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN), Disney+ has categories for the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Pixar, Star Wars, Disney, and National Geographic.

There’s also a category for Hulu, but you have to fork over some extra cash if you want to package them together.

If you just want to watch family-friendly movies on Disney+, prepare yourself for the most convoluted subscription tier available right now.

It’s downright ridiculous, but it’s what you have to go through if you want to bring the mouse into your house.

Related: The Best Shows for Kids That Had No Disney or Nickelodeon Ties

• Disney+ w/ads: $8/mo
• Disney+ w/o ads: $14/mo
• Disney+ Annual w/o ads: $140
• Disney+ and Hulu w/ads: $10/mo
• Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN w/ads: $15/mo
• Disney+ and Hulu w/o ads: $20/mo
• Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN w/o ads: $25/mo
• Disney+ with Hulu Live TV and ESPN w/ads: $77/mo
• Disney+ with Hulu Live TV and ESPN w/o ads: $90/mo

Whew! Did you get all that? Good. Now copy and paste it somewhere because no one will remember that mess.

Hulu: Nostalgia Movie Watching

There are two reasons why Hulu is the streaming service to use if you love a bit of nostalgia in your movie-watching.

The first is that Hulu also has a Live TV option, so you can catch random movies and hit up your favorite networks, just like back in the day when a bulky TV box taking up all the shelf space was a necessity.

The second is that Hulu is home to one of the largest ’80s movie catalogs.

Nowadays, CG laziness is ruining everything, so a healthy dose of 1980s-style stuntman action, props, robotics, and claymation will bring back the good ol’ days.

Plus, it’s home to The Bear.

No, that’s not a movie, but it should definitely be on your must-watch list. Hulu with ads is a modest $7.99/mo, but if you want a commercial-free experience, the price leaps up to $17.99/mo.

Why that much? Because Hulu knows people hate commercials.

Shudder: All Horror All the Time

If you’re constantly jumping from one streaming service to the next, you’ve probably heard of Shudder.

On its face, Shudder looks like it’s home to every B-movie collection over the last five decades, all the way back to timeless classics such as Rawhead Rex and Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

To be honest, that’s exactly the case.

However, there’s more than just B-movies on this platform, without the monthly sticker shock to go along with it.

Related: The Bear Season 3 Round Table: All Sizzle and No Steak

Shudder also includes original horror movies.

It’s mostly Indie stuff, but some of the best movies ever made came from start-up studios independent of Tinseltown.

The timeless classics are also here, including Night of the Living Dead, The Ring, Children of the Corn, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

At $5.99/mo, that’s not a bad deal, especially if you eat, sleep, and breathe horror movies. If you want to bundle Shudder with AMC+, it will run you a reasonable $8.99/mo.

Crunchyroll: The Largest Anime Library

Crunchyroll is the numero uno home of the anime genre, with the biggest library of anime movies and shows of any other streaming service.

It also comes at a modest price of $7.99/mo, $11.99/mo, and $15.99/mo, depending on the tier you go with.

There’s been some controversy recently over localizers purposefully mistranslating some of the shows, which led to more controversy over AI replacing them.

However, if you’re a huge fan of anime movies and shows, there is simply no better alternative than Crunchyroll, at least in terms of sheer volume.

Honorable Mentions

Paramount+, Peacock, and Starz are worth mentioning as well.

Obviously, Paramount+ and Peacock are a bit more limited as they directly reflect their respective networks, CBS and NBC.

Starz is to Max what DiGiorno is to Pizza Hut: a toned-down, generic variation.

That’s not to say Starz is bad by any means.

Related: Crunchyroll Brings Anime to the Mainstream: What’s the Key to the Niche Streamer’s Success?

It lacks the extensive library and the advantage of the HBO and Cinemax combination, along with all of the originals both bring to the table.

The good news is that you can get Paramount+ and Peacock for relatively cheap, combining the two into a larger streaming service with broader content genres.

Paramount+ is especially movie-centric, with Paramount being the name behind many movies over the decades.

Starz is lacking in the original movies department, but like the premium channel it is, you’ll find a rotating, extensive list of movies on the platform at any given time.

Well, there you have it.

A good streaming service for movie lovers is worth its weight in subscription-tier cash. You also get the benefit of access to some of the more popular series out there.

What do you think? Is there a better streaming service for movie lovers out there? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Best Streaming Service for Movie Lovers appeared first on TV Fanatic.

The series is a spinoff of the first Marvel phase four series, WandaVision, which many consider one of the best.

Now, everyone’s favorite practitioner of the dark arts is back to brew up more trouble.

After multiple title changes, fans now know it was Agatha All Along.

If this show is anything like its sister series, audiences can expect quite a few misleads as well as twists and turns.

And TV Fanatic is here to fill in the rest of the gaps with everything we know so far about Agatha All Along Season 1!

Related: The Bear Season 4: Everything We Know So Far

What Is Agatha All Along About?

At the end of the miniseries WandaVision, the witch Agatha Harkness was trapped in the town of Westview, New Jersey.

In Agatha All Along, she escapes with the help of a goth teen who wishes to face the trials of the legendary Witches’ Road.

Without her magical powers, Harkness and the teen form a new coven of witches with whom to face the trials.

This will be the second live-action iteration of the titular character, as first seen alongside Elizabeth Olsen in WandaVision.

Agatha Harkness was initially depicted as a much older mentor figure to the Scarlet Witch.

However, Kathryn Hahn’s version is younger and more interested in her own agenda.

During the Disney+ Day event of November 2021, Agatha All Along was officially announced, with creator Jac Schaeffer set to direct.

Actress Debra Jo Rupp described the show as an anthology similar to the different seasons of American Horror Story.

How Many Episodes Will Agatha All Along Season 1 Have?

The official episode count will come to nine episodes for the miniseries.

That number matches its sister show, WandaVision.

Related: The Recruit Season 2: Everything We Know So Far

But while that series was not meant to receive a second season, anything is possible with Agatha All Along.

Who Is In Agatha All Along Season 1?

Agatha All Along is bringing along a whole coven of cast members ready to make magic through their chaotic characters.

Kathryn Hahn (Transparent) as Agatha Harkness

Joe Locke (Heartstopper) as Billy Kaplan

Sasheer Zamata (Bojack Horseman) as Jennifer Kale

Ali Ahn (Billions) as Alice Wu-Gulliver

Miles Gutierrez-Rily (The Wilds) as Billy’s Boyfriend

Okiwi Okpokwasili (The Blacklist)

Debra Jo Rupp (That ‘90s Show) as Sharon Davies

Pattie Lupone (Penny Dreadful: City of Angels) as Lilia Canderu

Aubrey Plaza (The White Lotus) as Rio Vidal

Related: Virgin River Season 6: Everything We Know So Far

Maria Dizzia (School Spirits) and Paul Adelstein (Cruel Summer) are also involved in the show in undisclosed roles.

While the cast list will be far more extensive for the sake of the series, we’re focusing on the characters we know will likely make the biggest splashes.

Due to multiple outlets’ being unsure about Locke’s character, there is a possibility that the “Billy Kaplan” he’s portraying could be another trick.

In the series WandaVision, Evan Peters was expected to bring his version of Quicksilver from Fox’s X-Men franchise.

However, much to the audience’s chagrin, that turned out to be misleading as the character was only under Agatha’s spell.

The series creators have already proven they are not above tricking viewers, and there has been a great deal of secrecy around Agatha All Along.

Is There a Trailer for Agatha All Along Season 1?

You bet there is!

The series released a teaser trailer on July 8, with many critics buzzing about how it sets itself apart from other Marvel entries.

It does a great job of increasing excitement fo the upcoming release.

Check it out now below:

Michaela Zee at Variety noted how it cycled through various genres, and Charles Pulliam-Moore at The Verge felt it gave a “promising horror turn.”

Related: And Just Like That… Season 3: Everything We Know So Far

Jennifer Ouellette of Ars Technica wrote that it looked like “a lot of dark, spooky fun.”

Zack Zwiezen of Kotaku said the teaser ” promised a creepy, fun, and wild time.”

Where Can I Watch Agatha All Along Season 1?

Audiences can catch the Agatha All Along on Disney+, with weekly episodes airing in the fall.

For a quick refresher on the character, viewers can watch the entirety of WandaVision, which is also available on Disney+.

When Is The Premiere Date For Agatha All Along Season 1?

Agatha All Along is scheduled to premiere its first two episodes on September 18, 2024.

The other seven episodes will be released weekly until November 6, coinciding with the Halloween season.

The series was previously expected to debut as early as late 2023.

By February 2023, it was not released due to Disney and Marvel Studios’ content output re-evaluations.

What Other Shows Are Premiering?

Related: The Witcher Season 4: Everything We Know So Far

Though viewers won’t have to wait too long before Agatha All Along makes its way onto small screens everywhere, Disney+ still has plenty coming to audiences in the coming streaming seasons.

Currently expected for release in September 2025, Ironheart will continue the story of MIT student Riri Williams as she returns home to Chicago only to face “threads that bring danger and adventure.”

For a trip to an alternate timeline, tune in this fall to see the origins of Peter Parker under the tutelage of Norman Osborn in the animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man.

Fans of the Daredevil series will be smiling in March 2025 when the crime-fighting character returns in the continuation series Daredevil: Born Again.

Finally, for a little Pixar party, get family together for the upcoming animated series Win or Lose about a middle school softball team as they prepare for their big championship game.

As WandaVision before, Agatha All Along will likely cast a spell on viewers with its scintillating story and incredible cast of characters.

Which character are you looking forward to seeing on the small screen?

What other Disney+ shows will you be adding to your watch list?

Drop a comment below to let us know, and join us again when we tell you everything we know so far about your favorite new and returning shows!

The post Agatha All Along: Everything We Know So Far appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Yup, the old rabbit ears were also present, hovering over the 175-lb box like a misshaped halo over a sedentary rhinoceros. Better resolution was achieved with a swift kick to the side of the TV.

The age of linear TV is going the way of those old CRTs, dying an ignominious death in front of a nonchalant audience, myself included.

Things have become much more complicated since then, with OTT delivery systems, streaming dominance, wonky broadcasting schedules, and short seasons dancing around the receding cries of original content.

Like the brick houses of yesteryear giving way to vinyl and clustered housing, the question presents itself thus: Are these changes what consumers really want?

The Evolution of Content

The oligopoly of streaming platforms necessitates new rules throughout the TV streaming landscape, with intense competition between the core platforms.

And, if we're being completely honest, consumers don't like 20+ episode shows anymore.

A cursory glance at Google results suggests that many people are curious about why seasons are so much shorter.

TV Ratings Winners of 2024 Season So Far

Unless we go looking, we're not privy to the ratings for each episode, which consistently fall off as seasons go on.

Tightly constructed narratives are all the rage now, and only a few shows feature higher ratings at the end than at the beginning.

As the saying goes, "The customer is always right." Streaming platforms cater to audience expectations, which means a shorter form of visual storytelling for now.

Of course, society is perpetually oscillating, and that may change at some point.

As a customer preference, this is a good thing, though there are always holdovers, pining for the days when a season would last nearly a third of the year.

Binge Versus Slow-Drip

For a while, many major streaming platforms were more than happy to drop an entire season at once.

Naturally, this led to a sort of island-hopping campaign amongst consumers.

Pick up Hulu for a month, binge Castle Rock, drop it, and pick up Netflix for the next good binge-watch. Rinse and repeat.

You have to admit, it's a financially savvy move. Consumers could have their cake and eat it, too.

The Age of the Renewed Limited Series: Is Network Exec's Fear of Commitment Bad for TV?

The business-to-consumer relationship is nothing if not a tug-of-war, however.

From the binge-watch approach came the portioned approach, dropping half the season this month and the second half much later.

Fortunately, consumers catch on quickly, avoiding subscribing altogether until the entire season is released.

Coupled with this back-and-forth dynamic is Gen Z's desire to consume content wholesale, all at once, back to the binge method.

With the recent writer strike and the pandemic before it, we are dealing with the resulting recipe — a vast mixture of seemingly senseless release windows, shortened seasons, split seasons, binge seasons, and weekly episodes.

Are we having fun yet? Needless to say, things will eventually settle down.

It's difficult to imagine the current chaos lasting for years to come. Nature abhors a vacuum every bit as much as it does inconsistency.

The trend indicates the ultimate demise of the binge model, which will probably irritate a large number of consumers.

Overall, this is probably better for the consumer, though not in the ways most people think.

Believe it or not, it increases engagement, reduces viewer fatigue, and offers a more varied, spread-out selection of quality shows.

Cancel, Cancel, Cancel

The chaos of release timeframes, binge TV, and multi-part releases is only a part of the problem.

To say that TV programming has changed dramatically is to underemphasize the reality.

It's changed alright, but not in ways conducive to booming business.

As I previously illustrated, this isn't all on the shoulders of streaming platforms and networks. It's not as if linear TV could stop the streaming revolution.

5 Spinoffs That Never Made It To Air

It's also not the fault of linear or streaming TV that a pandemic rocked the world.

The writer's strike only further complicated matters. Right now, Netflix sits at the crux of the matter, which deserves an entire article in its own right.

It's one thing to cancel underperforming programs and quite another to cancel popular, well-received shows.

According to even the most basic analyst, cost management, strategy, market saturation, performance, and shifts in focus are underlying reasons for a show's cancellation.

However, Peter Friedlander, Netflix's Scripted Series Chief, focuses on future estimates rather than current performance and budget statistics.

Whether or not that will work for Netflix remains to be seen.

In 2023, Max, Disney+, Paramount+, Hulu, and Netflix were the top 5 streaming platforms canceled by customers. Much of that is thanks to cancellations.

It's best to look at this as the chaos of so many recent changes, mostly from exterior forces. Though none of it is for the better, the dust will have to settle eventually.

Content is King

At the end of the day, nobody cares about Netflix's internal politics or struggles with "insert your series and platform here." Except for investors, of course.

Consumers want to consume products and will not do so if the products are bad.

Gen Z has shown that it's more than willing to switch to short-form content like TikTok and YouTube Shorts rather than pay a subscription.

This is why there is an influx of smaller advertisers on these short-form apps and Hollywood's sudden interest in advertising on them.

Shorter narratives, otherwise known as six- to eight-episode seasons, are improving in quality due to shifting consumer demand.

Is Apple TV+ the Most Innovative Streamer?

This is all happening despite the indecisiveness of many networks and streaming platforms.

Consumers are starting to see more big-budget content, especially on platforms like Apple TV+. The business strategy is quality over quantity, regardless of the audience's perception of Apple's content.

In 2024, streaming revenue is expected to exceed $43 billion, which only lends itself toward bigger budget programming with bigger names and fewer episodes.

"If you build it, they will come" has never been more conspicuous. Of course, that's never really changed.

Who wants a 1975 Trabant when they can have a 2024 Lambo?

The Death of Original Programming

If you haven't noticed all of the adaptations out there, you aren't paying attention.

Maybe Game of Thrones paved the way, or maybe it was Lord of the Rings. Regardless of the inception, adaptations, prequels, and sequels are dominating.

The Age of Nostalgia: Why Young Audiences Are Seeking Out Old TV

There's already a built-in fanbase and even a wave of resistance to the adaptation serves the purpose of advertising.

Speaking of advertising, sticking with an existing IP reduces the cost, whereas a brand-new, original show requires a massive and expensive marketing push.

Regarding peak IP versus peak TV, IP is winning the war simply by surviving the longest.

Spinoffs, remakes, reboots, and adaptations are nothing new, but they were once relegated to the bottom corner file cabinet.

Despite the seemingly vociferous opposition to them, streaming platforms and Hollywood consistently find a willing audience for them.

So, whether or not this is better for the consumer is a matter of personal preference.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but if there is one thing the entertainment industry is good at, it's overdoing it.

"Phases" is the immediate word that comes to mind. While the day of the IP is rising, it probably won't last forever.

The Future of TV Programming Tactics

There's little doubt that linear TV will be all but dead in another half a decade, outside of rural areas where window-mounted, sticky HD antennas are still a thing.

Ham radio is fun, too, for what it's worth.

Streaming is the present and the future. Outside of an EMP, there's very little reason to believe otherwise.

TV Darwinism: Overcrowded Market Will Lead To Fewer Shows, End of Reality Television Boom, Experts Warn

Currently, streaming is about choice, and it's cheaper than the alternative, even if you jump on one of those internet, TV, and phone packages.

Shorter episodic content, weekly releases, bigger budgets, existing IPs, and more advertisements are in our immediate future, for better or for worse. Like anything else, we'll have to take the good with the bad.

You didn't really think you would escape the day of the endless array of nail-on-a-chalk-board commercials, did you?

Hit the comments section to share your thoughts on the latest trends in TV programming.

The post TV Dramatically Changed Its Programming Tactics. Is It Better or Worse? appeared first on TV Fanatic.

As expected, the show quickly became a trending topic across every social media platform.

What was less anticipated, however, was the backlash the show received from fans of the franchise.

The Acolyte has become the latest series to experience a major gap between the response it's received from critics and the reaction from its most outspoken viewers.

The series — which stars Amandla Stenberg as twin sisters Osha and Mae Aniseya — received a mostly favorable reaction from critics.

Raves have been few, but the show is currently certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with an 88% rating based on 69 reviews.

Unfortunately, the reaction from non-critics has been far less positive.

The series holds a 45% audience score based on ratings from more than 500 viewers.

"I don't even know what they are trying to accomplish with this show. It's dry and boring. Loved Andor. Liked Ashoka. But this.. just no…" wrote one Rotten Tomatoes user.

"Doesn't feel anything like Star Wars. The characters are uninteresting, and plot is boring," added another.

Related: Ahsoka Series Premiere Review: The Star Wars Rebels Follow-Up We Deserve

"Just terrible as usual. Disney has no clue as to what a Jedi is or how to make a good storyline knowing the history of the franchise," a third chimed in, adding:

"The protagonists are silly little kids that don’t come off as serious Jedi what so ever. Might as well be a Disney on Ice show."

Critiques centering around Disney's handling of the Star Wars franchise have been widespread, and they're not without basis.

The House of Mouse has flooded the market with a deluge of Star Wars content that's served to dilute the potency of what was once the most marketable brand in any galaxy.

But there's likely more going on here than mere disapproval of the studios' strategy regarding the expansive universe created by George Lucas.

Sadly, the negative reaction from fans was not entirely shocking.

That's partially due to the fact that there's a sharp decline in the consistency of the Star Wars franchise in recent years.

But it has more to do with the disturbing tendency of fans to "review bomb" Star Wars properties that feature diverse casts.

The Acolyte takes place roughly 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace, and it focuses primarily on the characters played by Stenberg, a talented star who is also a young, queer woman of color.

It's a major step forward in terms of representation — but unfortunately, that sort of progress usually meets with resistance.

Related: Star Wars Calls Out Racism Against Obi-Wan Kenobi Star Moses Ingram, Tells Viewers ‘Don’t Choose to Be Racist’

We're sure some of the fans giving one-star reviews to The Acolyte are offering their honest assessments of the quality of the show, but there are quite a few who seem to be spewing hateful invective without having watched a single scene.

The situation is further complicated by allegations that Disney has been manipulating the online critics' community in an effort to ensure high RT scores

There's no easy solution to these issues, but it's enough to make us long for the days of Siskel and Ebert.

What do you think, TV fanatics? Should Rotten Tomatoes do more to weed out the bigots? Hit the comments section below to share your thoughts.

The post The Acolyte Premiere Gets Blasted By Star Wars Fans: Abject Bigotry or Legitimate Criticism? appeared first on TV Fanatic.