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Nearly a decade before directing "Spider-Man," Sam Raimi gave the world "M.A.N.T.I.S."

To answer the most burning question right away, "M.A.N.T.I.S." stands for Mechanically Augmented Neuro-Transmitter Interception System. It's the nickname that Dr. Miles Hawkins (Carl Lumbly) gave to the elaborate metal exoskeleton that he strapped around his body to fight crime. Dr. Hawkins had previously been paralyzed from the waist down after being shot in the spine by the police while trying to rescue a child in peril during a riot. He tried to sue the police department, but instead found a racist conspiracy designed to keep the city's Black population oppressed. Moved to justice, Dr. Hawkins invented the M.A.N.T.I.S. exoskeleton to help him walk. The exoskeleton worked better than he could have possibly imagined, though, granting him superhuman strength. He elected to become a bug-inspired superhero, doling out justice and confronting police corruption.

Glass Shard.

April was such a blast on HQ: Trace and I tackled David Nutter’s Disturbing Behavior (listen), John Carpenter’s Christine (listen), as well as Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s 1997 film Alien Resurrection (listen).

To wrap up the month, we celebrated a belated Earth Day with a revisit of queer director Lee Haven Jones‘ The Feast (Trace reviewed it for Bloody; Joe wrote about it for his site).

In the film, Cadi (Annes Elwy) is a mostly silent young woman who serves privileged guests at a dinner party in a remote house in rural Wales. This includes MP Gwyn (Julian Lewis Jones), his entitled wife Glenda (Nia Roberts), their hyper-sexual son Gweirydd (Sion Alun Davies) and drug addict Guto (Stefan Cennydd).

As the evening progresses, however, strange incidents begin to occur that affects each of the family members differently. Who – or what – is Cadi and why is she doing this?...

Eric Kripke’s Supernatural has been one of the most iconic shows to grace TV screens, and it continues to win over audiences even years after its debut. One of the biggest reasons behind the show’s massive success was its leading stars, Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki.

Kripke later reflected on their casting as a miraculous element of the series, which he believed contributed significantly to its success, during the celebration of its 200th episode

Eric Kripke on the miraculous casting of Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki in Supernatural

Celebrating the 200-episode milestone, Supernatural creator Eric Kripke reflected on how he remained persistent in his plans of creating a show centered on urban legends. After several rejections, he eventually landed a deal with Warner Bros.

Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles in Supernatural | Credit: The CW

The show’s creator also reflected on the process of casting for the series.

Meet the Newborn…

After spending the last few weeks looking at teen horror films in David Nutter’s Disturbing Behavior (listen) and John Carpenter’s adaptation of Stephen King’s Christine (listen), we celebrated Alien Day with a look at the much-maligned fourth entry in the franchise: Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Alien Resurrection (1997).

In the film, the military resurrects Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) via the cloning process 200 years after her death in Alien 3. During the process, however, her DNA is fused with the Queen Alien, making her motives questionable at best. Once the inevitable happens and the aliens escape, “Ripley” must team up with a group of mercenaries and decide where her allegiances lie.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get a new episode every Wednesday. You can subscribe on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, TuneIn, Amazon Music, and RSS.

Episode 331: Alien Resurrection (1997)

Caress your...

Fluid Boys & Peckerheads.

It seems like just yesterday that we were doing a themed month on Doppelgängers and deception (it was actually last month), and while we concluded March with discussions of classics like Invasion of the Body Snatchers (listen) and The Stepford Wives (listen), we took a break for a week to look at David Fincher’s Panic Room (listen). Now, we’re heading back into the world of doppelgängers with a look at David Nutter‘s teenybopper version of The Stepford Wives in 1998’s Disturbing Behavior.

In the film, Steve (James Marsden) has just moved to the small town of Cradle Bay with his parents and sister (Katharine Isabelle), quickly realizing that there’s something off with his peers. The preppy clique known as the Blue Ribbons are the eerie embodiment of academic excellence and clean living but, like the rest of the town, they’re a little too perfect.

The 52nd Saturn Awards, which honor the best in all things sci-fi and fantasy, were held earlier this month. HBO's Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon won the award for Best Fantasy Series, beating out the likes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Percy Jackson and the Olympians and, weirdly, For All Mankind, which was nominated in the fantasy category despite being much closer to sci-fi. Meanwhile, Fallout won the award for Best Sci-Fi Show, although I think it's closer to fantasy than For All Mankind.

Anyway, Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin took to his Not a Blog to give a belated congratulations to House of the Dragon for taking home the gold. "There was some tough competition, especially For All Mankind, which is such a damn fine show, especially if you grew up during Mercury and Apollo, as I did,...

The X-Files is a mystery in its own right because not only did it manage to pioneer a new sub-genre of sci-fi in the early '90s, but it also managed to collect an abundance of new fans every day. The show centers around Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, two FBI agents who spend their days uncovering the dark underbelly of the supernatural and strive to bring it to light. Thus, it's easy to say that this show has everything: monsters, aliens, and a ferocious slow-burn romance plot.

Even when the show returned in 2016 for two limited seasons, fans were impressed with how easily David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson were able to slip into their roles again. As such, fans, new and old, often rave about their favorite episodes and discuss why The X-Files had such a big impact on popular culture. However, audiences would be lying if they said...

This is a Terminator household. First and foremost. I will argue that T2 is one of the best sequels of all time, even though I don’t feel like I have to do that because everybody knows. There is a debate in this household that Terminator is better than T2, but we don’t have time for that. We are here for The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I’m going to be honest. When I first heard about the show it was one of those things where there was so much talk about it that I was annoyed. So I put off watching it forever. “You gotta watch the Sarah Connor Chronicles, you gotta watch the Sarah Connor Chronicles…”

So I watched it.

In November 2009, C2 Pictures, the studio behind 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, decided the franchise’s next move would be to the small screen. Partnering with...

With 11 seasons, two movies, and a plethora of spin-off material, there's no denying that The X-Files is a hit. Not only did it transform the modern sci-fi genre, but it also altered how fans see romance arcs as well as female characters. Even after three decades, fans still adore Mulder and Scully.

But with so much content on offer, it makes sense that not every episode will be as successful as others. However, the show is known for being a tad experimental at times, producing a wealth of strange arcs and plot twists. As such, even though fans love this show, there are some episodes that fans find too awful to rewatch.

A Set of Doppelgängers Wreak Havoc Together Season 7, Episode 20, "Fight Club"

It's very rare for an episode to receive mostly negative reviews, but "Fight Club" somehow managed it. The story starts out in Kansas, where two seemingly identical...

Smallville is about the evolution of a teenage Clark Kent into the legendary Superman. Creators Al Gough and Miles Millar wanted to delve into what made the man a hero. Exploring why Clark Kent wants to help people makes for an emotionally resonating journey and a TV show that garners new fans all the time. The show deals with darker themes, like what turns someone into a supervillain, and real questions about morality and humanity, with a hopeful message. The pilot episode of Smallville lays the groundwork for the series, introducing these themes and foreshadowing where the story will go.

No other shot in the series sums up Clark Kent quite like when he stands in front of an angel statue with its wings spread out behind him. This iconic shot encapsulates Clark’s role in Smallville as a guardian of the town, saving people regularly, a martyr with his...

This article contains spoilers for many major fantasy TV shows!For every unforgettable moment in a fantasy TV show, there are just as many controversial moments that push viewers to their breaking point. Even the most popular fantastical TV series in history have included scenes that were so polarizing that audiences stop watching the show altogether. Typically, these plot points revolve around the introduction or exit of characters, as this can dramatically alter the series' dynamic and be devastating to witness. TV deaths often spark outrage when viewers feel that the character didn't deserve to be killed off and still had more to contribute.

There are many fantasy TV scenes that make no sense, but this is more excusable, as the complex magic systems and world-building in speculative fiction shows can become confusing. However, when a series makes a concrete and avoidable choice that alienates audience members, it's much more difficult to accept this.

Game of Thrones redefined TV, burning through the pop-culture landscape like one of Daenerys Targaryen's dragons and destroying everything in its path. That's true of the entire series, which became one of the biggest, most talked-about shows we've witnessed throughout its run, right through to Game of Thrones' ending (as controversial as it was). While that may have been an ignominious way to go out, at its best, Thrones was unlike anything seen before.

The greatest Game of Thrones episodes come in various shapes and sizes. There are battles that changed the sort of scale and spectacle you can expect on the small screen, twists so shocking they broke the internet, and smaller, character-driven episodes that showed the heart of the series, led by the amazing Game of Thrones cast. Through highs and lows, tragedies and triumphs, and with more deaths than is possible to count, the best installments offered...

Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden is set to join a new gothic horror movie that will reunite two of Game of Thrones' biggest stars.

Per Deadline, Harden will join Sophie Turner and Kit Harington in a new horror film titled The Dreadful. The film also stars Laurence OFuarain (The Gentlemen) and Jonathan Howard (Thor: The Dark World). The film will reportedly be set during the War of the Roses, a period in which several civil wars were waged for control of the English throne. The Dreadful follows "Anne (Turner) and her sinister mother-in-law Morwen (Harden), who live a solitary, harsh life on the outskirts of society. But when a man (Harington) from their past returns, he sets off a sequence of horrifying events that become a turning point for Anne."

Related George R.R. Martin Teases New Project With Game of Thrones Star Maisie Williams

George R.R. Martin teases a "fun...

Sometimes, a television series delivers a shocking moment by killing off what may seem like a main character. While some of these may be done for shock value, sometimes, the show also needs to do it to push things forward. A major character's death has a significant impact on the plot. Ned Stark's death in the first season of Game of Thrones is a great example.

Not only does it start a war between the North and the South, but it also sets Game of Thrones in motion. Similarly, Lost too has a significant death early in the show that holds significance. However, like Ned Stark in Game of Thrones, television shows often choose a great or beloved character to maximize the impact of their death.

Ned Stark Leaves Game of Thrones in Season 1, Episode 9

At the beginning of Game of Thrones, Ned Stark seemed like a major player.

For Katie Cassidy, Arrow was more than just a launchpad for her acting career. The opportunity arose when she was facing personal struggles, it came as a light during dark times, in a period when she needed it the most. It was a challenging crossroad, where she could either enter a new phase, or sulk in the misery of her emotional struggles.

Katie Cassidy in an interview with The CW | TV Promos/YouTube

But she needed a new direction that could take her mind off of things, which kept her in a downward spiral. She took on the role of Laurel Lance, fully committed herself to the character, and used this role to anchor herself in real-time.

A Life-Saving Opportunity: How Arrow Gave Katie Cassidy a Fresh Start Katie Cassidy in Arrow | DC Entertainment

Katie Cassidy truly appreciated the opportunity of working with acclaimed creators like Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim,...

Major television deaths are almost always sad, but they're especially devastating when viewers barely get to spend time with the character in question. While the death of a longtime favorite dramatically impacts the show and its audience, the demise of smaller players can hit just as hard.

This is especially true when they've made a good impression, igniting hopes that they'll take on a more prominent role in the story. In some cases, they're met with an early end instead, leaving viewers to wonder what their character arc could have looked like if they'd lasted longer than a handful of episodes.

Syrio Forel (Miltos Yerolemou) Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

Game of Thrones' Syrio Forel is the perfect example of a fan-favorite character who makes an impression in just a few episodes. Syrio is introduced in season 1's "Lord Snow," when Ned tasks him with training Arya in the art of swordplay.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles was the Terminator franchise's detour to the small screen, but for fans of the show, it was far too short-lived. After running for two seasons from 2008 to 2009, Fox canceled the series, this despite positive reviews and a fan campaign for a renewal.

In a new interview with Empire, series creator Josh Friedman opened up on all things Sarah Connor Chronicles. The writer, who has more recently worked on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, shared his thoughts on Fox canceling the show. Friedman explained how he knew there was a chance the series wouldn't get renewed, so Season 2 was written in a way that could potentially serve as the finale. With that said, the writer was also hoping that the show would go on, and it was saddening when it was made officially that The Sarah Connor Chronicles had been given the boot.

While it might come as a shock, sometimes, actors root for their own characters to be written off of a show. The reasons can be as simple as that they are bored or that they find the experience too demanding. Sometimes, they receive a better offer and have to give up their current post. However, not everyone who wants their character dead has their wish to come true.

Sophie Turner famously didn't want her Game of Thrones character to survive the show, but fans would later learn that Sansa becomes one of the few survivors who thrive in the game for power. Similarly, many actors have very specific ideas for their characters to be killed off. Sometimes, the show honors their idea. Other times, they get a different, shocking death.

Sophie Turner Wanted a Game of Thrones Death for Sansa

Sophie Turner made some good friends on the set of Game of Thrones.

Being an actor certainly isn't an easy career path to take. There are many pitfalls and lots of financial difficulties, and in the end, plenty of people just give up altogether. There are countless talented actors out there who the world will never know about, simply because they had bad luck.

But others have just the right amount of luck. They can get right to the brink of failure and then suddenly be pulled back due to a TV show casting. And then, every once in a blue moon, that TV show turns into a phenomenon and makes an actor into a massive name.

Richard Madden Needed Game of Thrones to Pay His Rent

When Game of Thrones came to the small screen, no one knew for certain that it would be a hit. It did have a built-in fandom from the George R. R. Martin books, but it was...

Supernatural has always been a tad too niche for the generic television audience’s tastes. The series started as episodic horror and transformed into an apocalyptic thriller spanning seasons, all while centering its core on character-driven family drama. But despite Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki finding love, brotherhood, and family in each other (just like their fictional alter-egos), the legendary duo who altered the brain chemistry of an entire generation had quite a small start for a series so epic.

Supernatural [Credit: Warner Bros. Television]

The story of how Warner Bros. and Eric Kripke discovered the boys who would go on to carry the show on their backs for 15 years is somewhat underwhelming. However, the ripple effect of Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, and Eric Kripke crossing paths is now and forever etched in pop culture history.

Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki: The Origin

When Supernatural began to cast its net for...

Fantasy TV shows can change quickly, and when big plot twists and narrative changes are written into the story, they have a major impact. The magic systems and rules of the realities that these fantastical worlds exist in allow the writers and creators to experiment with story and character dynamics, leading to episodes that change everything for the series. These episodes typically incorporate a tone shift and switch the show's focus to a new set of character dynamics. Altering a series so drastically can either save and prolong its run or be the beginning of the end for the show.

The fantasy TV shows that deserved more seasons rarely get the chance to reinvent themselves and adapt to significant change. However, a long-running series must quickly adjust when actors decide to leave the show or a detailed story arc has reached its end. While it can be daunting to take...

Bran Stark becoming king was one of the most controversial parts of Game of Thrones' series finale, "The Iron Throne," but the show did miss a golden opportunity to better set it up. After years of speculation about who would claim the Iron Throne, Game of Thrones' ending provided a big shock when not only was said throne destroyed, but then Bran was made king. The likes of Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen were much more common theories, and even in terms of outside bets, Bran hadn't really been in consideration.

There is some logic to the idea, insofar as Bran is a character who doesn't want power and, as the new Three-Eyed Raven, can see the past and learn from its mistakes. However, it also could have been better set up: Isaac Hempstead Wright being missing from Game of Thrones' cast back in season 5 certainly didn't help, but season...

When “The X-Files” premiered on Sept. 10, 1993 on Fox, viewers had no idea how incredibly bizarre the cases tackled by FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) would be.

Anything that was deemed paranormal, supernatural or unexplainable was called an “X-File” — the cases that no one else in the agency wanted to touch.

In the show’s 11 seasons, they dealt with more than just aliens and shadowy government conspiracies. Their cases involved demons, ghosts, serial killers, sea monsters and even vampires. Here are the episodes with the scariest villains and killer creatures.

Fox

7. Home

Season 4, Written by Glen Morgan and James Wong, directed by Kim Manners

Perhaps this disturbing episode — which was banned for three years after its initial showing — is more creepy and unsettling than scary, but it certainly left an impression on viewers when it debuted in 1996. Mulder and Scully are called in after the...

In George R.R. Martin’s fantasy world of Game of Thrones, a few moments turned out to be as memorable as Cersei Lannister’s Walk of Shame. The scene starring Lena Headey was marked by a powerful depiction of humiliation and penance, portraying a blend of bravery and emotions that went beyond traditional acting.

Lena Headey in a still from Game of Thrones | image: HBO

Therefore, while viewers were captivated by the raw portrayal of Lena Headey, the true artistry lay in the seamless works of the visual effects team alongside the body double. Yes, the poignant climax wasn’t completely performed by Headey, for the actress refused to go nude and rather hired a body double for the sequence that remained etched in television history.

Lena Headey Refused to Attend the Casting Process for the Walk of Shame

Little birds from the world of Westeros brought inside information about...

One of the hard-earned truths of Game of Thrones is its sudden and shocking tragedies that not only catch the viewers unaware but leave them shaken for weeks after. But despite placing no value on a hero’s life and killing off fan-favorite characters without hesitation, such bold strokes on the creators’ part only invited more frenzied fanatics to the show instead of putting them off.

Game of Thrones [Credit: HBO]

George R.R. Martin’s creation, in the decade and a half since its live-action debut, has maintained a stranglehold over the audience that no other show has ever managed to replicate in television history. Be it Breaking Bad or The Sopranos, the other-worldly allure that Game of Thrones possesses to this day, along with its irreplaceable and iconic storylines, remains unsurpassed and unparalleled by all means and standards.

Game of Thrones Director Leaves His Mark on Society

No amount of exceptional...

Season 4 was the peak for many top TV shows due to character development. Not all shows peaked at season 4, but many did due to audience understanding. Season 4 of popular TV shows like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad had impactful moments.

Certain TV shows took some time to reach their highest quality, and for many, season 4 was where they peaked. Some of the best TV shows of all time were at their best in season 4, but there were many varied reasons for this. For a lot of shows, their respective writers needed to develop the characters more, which resulted in earlier seasons being less popular. TV show seasons werent always so short, but sometimes, too many episodes made storylines overly confusing or even boring.

Multiple titles in TV history found themselves peaking right in the middle of their initial runs, depending on the overall length of the TV show. The...

The Arrowverse made a huge mark on the superhero landscape. Everything started with Arrow in 2012, The CW and Greg Berlanti took a risk by introducing a different kind of hero, whose dark actions were questionable but the instant fan connection wasn't. They capitalized on Arrow's popularity by making shows like The Flash and Supergirl.

At its height, the Arrowverse had six live-action television shows running on The CW. Each year they would run huge crossover events that garnered massive amounts of interest, even from superhero fans who didn't consistently watch all the shows. However, the Arrowverse shows had to start from somewhere, which is why pilot episodes are extremely important to get right.

Batwoman Had the Weakest Pilot in the Arrowverse Batwoman Season 1, Episode 1, "Pilot"

IMDb

Rotten Tomatoes

5.2/10

100%

Related Did Batwoman Accidentally Debut Earlier Than Intended in DC's 52?

In the latest Comic Book Legends Revealed, discover how Batwoman made her comic book debut.

As the dance of dragons officially commences, House of the Dragon only now begins to find its footing after ending its second season. Structured more like a fever dream reminiscent of Daemon’s own experiences in Harrenhal, Season 2 of the HBO prequel does little to advance the overarching narrative of its battle for succession.

House of the Dragon [Credit: HBO]

The game of thrones that clouds the minds of Houses Green and Black is mostly relegated to a political cat-and-mouse play rather than an actual battle-heavy season. In the end, the 8-episode arc tops it off with a 66-minute long season finale that plays more like an extended teaser trailer for Season 3 than an actual showdown with the Westerosi world’s signature mark of bloodshed, mayhem, and violence.

House of the Dragon Loses Out on Miguel Sapochnik

One of the strongest, if not the best, visual storytellers in the Seven Kingdoms, George R.R. Martin...

While Scream set off a new slasher cycle in the late 1990s, MGM delivered something different with Disturbing Behavior. A fitting choice considering the film’s themes. Ultimately, though, this ‘98 teen chiller landed a bit more in the science-fiction bin than straight, undiluted horror; one by one, a town’s troubled youths endure sinister, personality-warping makeovers to make them better fit into society. That sort of genre pitch, when coupled with up-and-coming young actors like Katie Holmes and James Marsden, should have been enough to draw in the target demo. Yet the studio and the director, David Nutter, didn’t see eye to eye on things, resulting in one of the most troubled horror productions of that decade.

Scott Rosenberg’s screenplay for Disturbing Behavior was written a few years before Scream was released, and it was nearly produced by New Line Cinema before plans changed. Luckily for Rosenberg, he...

Dark fantasy genre offers a gritty and twisted take on traditional hero stories with morally complex characters and dark themes. Popular series like Game of Thrones and Supernatural set high standards for high fantasy with dark undertones. Underrated gems like The Magicians, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Penny Dreadful offer a darker and more macabre take on dark fantasy.

Live-action dark fantasy is a rapidly expanding genre with many phenomenal TV shows that offer excitement and thrills. The story of good versus evil has a perennial quality that appeals to optimism and justice. However, in a world thats increasingly chaotic and filled with hate, these stories have begun to feel disingenuous. This has led many people to seek out stories that provide a degree of escapism while also reflecting reality. Dark fantasy is the perfect solution.

Dark fantasy is an age-old countercultural movement that challenges the traditional hero's journey, black-and-white morality,...

Johnny Depp’s reputation as a beloved and fan-favorite star repeatedly came to notice across numerous incidents. Time and again the actor has proved that one needs more than a bunch of superhits to amass such a massive fanbase in Hollywood. The actor proved why he has such a loyal fandom when he sweetly accepted a stuffed toy from a fan during an ongoing interview.

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow | Walt Disney Pictures

In the viral video clip, Johnny Depp was seen with the stuffed toy gift throughout his panel and did not even let his bodyguard take it for security reasons. The netizens are impressed after watching the old clip and assert that the Pirates of the Caribbean star may be one of the kindest stars, who knows how to properly love and respect his fans.

Johnny Depp’s viral moment with a stuffed toy gift speaks a...

Johnny Depp is the quintessential maverick in Hollywood. The celebrity has had an illustrious career and has often gone against the beaten path by choosing an eclectic array of roles. From his debut in the cult horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street to being the talisman in the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, the actor has showcased his vast talent consistently.

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow (image credit: Walt Disney Pictures)

Depp has also had the reputation of being an approachable and cordial actor to his co-stars and directors, which was a part of his personality even when he was a young and rising star. David Nutter, who worked with The Tourist actor in 21 Jump Street, revealed how the celebrity had absolutely no airs about him, and willingly listened to all his suggestions.

Johnny Depp Showed His Class Way Before Becoming A Superstar

Some celebrities are...

Based on George R. R. Martin’s acclaimed book series, Game of Thrones has been celebrated as one of the best TV series of its generation. Despite its controversial conclusion, the series delivered countless riveting and unpredictable plot twists that kept viewers captivated.

Game of Thrones | Credit: HBO

And the most shocking of all is one episode of Season 3, following the events of The Red Wedding, which marked a pivotal point for several characters. Filmmaker David Nutter, who directed the episode, later revealed his approach to inspiring the actors, which contributed to one of the series’ most unforgettable episodes.

How David Nutter’s Direction Made The Red Wedding the Series’ Most Shocking Episode

Game of Thrones Season 3 ends on a tragic and shocking note, marking the end of several prominent characters’ journeys and leaving fans deeply anxious about the fates of others.

David Nutter, known for delivering some of the best pilot episodes for TV,...

Supernatural and Smallville were two long-lasting series that survived more than a decade on television, and even a network change. Jensen Ackles, now playing Batman in DC's animated universe, featured prominently on both series. Coincidentally, both series' pilot episodes were also directed by David Nutter, who specifically requested Ackles as the elder Winchester brother.

The only problem was that Ackles was a major player in Smallville at that time as Jason Teague, a somewhat problematic character in more ways than one. Ironically, Ackles himself was almost cast as Smallville's young Superman instead of Tom Welling. How the actor went from nearly playing DC's most iconic superhero before Batman to originating another iconic character in Supernatural's Dean Winchester is a story for the ages.

How Jensen Ackles and Tom Welling Went Head-to-Head for Smallville's Superman

Related Tom Welling Had Christopher Reeve's Vote to Play Superman, Not Just Clark Kent Thanks to Smallville's 'no tights,...

Stephen Amell starred as Oliver Queen a.k.a Green Arrow in the CW series Arrow. The show spawned the Arrowverse, including shows such as The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and more. It went on for eight seasons, ending in 2019. The show crossed over with other shows in the Arrowverse and saw many prominent DC characters make an appearance.

While the show included popular characters such as Deathstroke, Black Canary, and the Monitor, the makers revealed that they never intended to introduce some of these characters so early into the show. Characters such as Deathstroke and Arsenal a.k.a Roy Harper appeared in season 1 of the show despite being planned for much later.

Stephen Amell’s Arrow Wanted to Introduce Deathstroke Much Later Stephen Amell in Arrow

Stephen Amell’s Arrow introduced many DC characters to the mainstream, such as Black Canary, Overwatch, and Mister Terrific, and even...

Canadian actor Stephen Amell is probably best known for his role as Oliver Queen from the CW show Arrow. Portraying the brilliant role, the actor found love and worldwide fame for his show and so did his co-stars.

With the character of Oliver Queen having some romance in the series, a one-line character from the show became his on-screen partner! Talking about actress Emily Bett Rickards, Amell talked about how she joined the show and how some things “You can’t plan”.

Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen/ Arrow in CW’s Arrow

How Stephen Amell Found His On-screen Partner!

Back in season one of the iconic show, actress Emily Bett Rickards was introduced to the world. Originally auditioning for two to three lines, Bett Rickards (who portrayed Felicity Smoak) was only supposed to be a temporary guest in the show.

Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak in a still from Arrow

However,...

Executive producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg have reunited for a third historical mini-series, this time taking to the skies with Apple TV+’s “Masters of the Air.” The series follows the members of the 100th Bomb Group, a Boeing B-17 heavy bomber unit that operated in the Air Force during WWII. This isn’t Hanks and Spielberg’s first war-time series, however. They previously executive produced “The Pacific,” which charted the US Marine Corps’ actions in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Before that, they created “Band of Brothers,” which dramatized the story of the Easy Company of the US Army, who went on a mission in Europe during WWII.

“Masters of the Air” looks to be a major Emmys player this year, particularly as it stars popular actors Callum Turner, Austin Butler, and Barry Keoghan. However, before we look ahead at that series’ Emmy potential, lets look back at...

Season premieres can be as intense as finales, setting high stakes with twists and major character developments. Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, and Hannibal all showcased thrilling and engaging season premieres. Series like House of Cards and The Sopranos delivered intense starts that set the stage for subsequent events.

Season finales always require some big cliffhanger moment, or a solid resolution as a way to close out a TV show's season, but some season premieres can go equally hard. Most TV shows use the first episode of a new season to introduce new characters, cover some ground from the previous season, and help bring the viewers up to date with events. These episodes often have a quick resolution, and then move onto whatever plot will be the focus of a new season.

However, some TV shows take a different approach as they decide to start the season with a bang.

The 1990s were full of top-notch science fiction films that won over critics and set the box office on fire -- after all, we're talking about a decade that produced "Independence Day" (which beat "Mars Attacks!" to theaters), "The Matrix" (albeit with some complex behind-the-scenes activity), "The Fifth Element" (ripping off Plato to great effect) and the list goes on and on. But not every sci-fi release can be a winner, and the decade also had its fair share of stinkers. Whether they were derivative of other (better) films, hacked to pieces as a result of studio interference, or let down by the limitations of 1990s technology, there are endless reasons why an ambitious science-fiction project might crash and burn.

However, many of these ambitious but panned sci-fi movies are often not without their redeeming factors, and despite their negative reception -- especially on Rotten Tomatoes -- you can often...

Cillian Murphy and writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of ‘Oppenheimer’ (Photo © Universal Pictures)

Oppenheimer writer/director Christopher Nolan continues to rack up wins, with the Directors Guild of America honoring the critically acclaimed (and this year’s Oscar favorite) filmmaker with the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film award. Judd Apatow hosted this year’s DGA Awards ceremony, which presented honorary awards to David Nutter (2024 Lifetime Achievement Award for Television Direction), unit production manager Janet Knutsen (2024 Frank Capra Achievement Award), and Gary Natoli (2024 Franklin J. Schaffner Award).

Presenters included Matt Bomer, Rose Byrne, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Zooey Deschanel, David Duchovny, Jay Ellis, Carla Gallo, and Ilana Glazer. Ryan Gosling, Taylor Hackford, Jonah Hill, Patty Jenkins, Rashida Jones, Daniel Kwan, Eva Longoria, Cillian Murphy, Nasim Pedrad, and Mark Ruffalo were also on hand to help celebrate the best of 2024.

Additional presenters included Rachel Sennott, Daniel Scheinert, Emma Stone,...

While annual attendees warning newcomers to strap in for a long night ahead is a tradition at the Directors Guild of America Awards, the 2024 show seemed to move pretty steadily without a hitch.

Taking place on Saturday, February 11 at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, the golden medallions mostly went to expected winners like Theatrical Feature Film going to “Oppenheimer” director Christopher Nolan, Michael Apted First-Time Theatrical Feature Film going to “Past Lives” director Celine Song, and Comedy Series going to “The Bear” showrunner/director Christopher Storer for the cameo-packed Season 2 episode “The Fishes.”

However, before those awards were given out, director Lesli Linka Glatter used her President’s Welcome to address an elephant in the room. “This year, members need that connection over our shared craft even more now. Because the last year was so fucking challenging,” she said, with unscripted emphasis. Though the Directors Guild did not strike...

Veteran director David Nutter was feted with the lifetime achievement award for television direction at the Directors Guild of America Awards. Over his long career, Nutter has directed 24 pilots, 21 of which made it to series orders, and some 1,500 hours of TV, from ‘Game of Thrones’ to ‘ER’ to the ‘The X-Files’, reports Variety.

In recent years he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Nutter gave an emotional speech that demonstrated his resilience as he deals with the symptoms of the progressive disease that attacks the central nervous system.

“I’m a better director for it,” Nutter said of working with Parkinson’s. “I’m more attached to the emotional heartbeat of an actor.”

Auteur Christopher Nolan took home the top prize at the Directors Guild of America Awards, earning his first DGA Award for the historical epic ‘Oppenheimer’.

Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan won the Directors Guild of America (DGA) award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film on Saturday (February 10), confirming his status as strong favourite to win the directing prize at next month’s Oscars.

British filmmaker Nolan, also winner of the directing Golden Globe for Universal Pictures’ Oppenheimer and nominated for the best director Bafta, took the award from a field that included two other best director Oscar nominees in Poor Things’ Yorgos Lanthimos and Killers Of The Flower Moon’s Martin Scorsese.

Winners of the DGA feature directing award have gone on to win...

Christopher Nolan took home the top prize at the Directors Guild of America Awards on Saturday night, earning his first DGA Award for the historical epic Oppenheimer.

Past Lives director Celine Song won the Michael Apted Award for first feature. Accepting the award, Song promised to “continue to keep directing films for as long as I can — I promise to keep going.” Mstyslav Chernov won for his Oscar-nominated documentary 20 Days in Mariupol.

In the TV categories, The Last of Us’ Peter Hoar won for directing the acclaimed third episode of the HBO drama, “Long, Long Time,” The Bear creator Christopher Storer won for directing the Hulu comedy series and Lessons in Chemistry’s Sarah Adina Smith won for directing the Apple limited series.

DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter opened the 2024 DGA Awards ceremony on Saturday with an acknowledgment of last year’s historic double strike. “I struggle to find...

Christopher Nolan has won the feature-film prize from the Directors Guild of America for “Oppenheimer,” reinforcing his film’s status as the heavy favorite this awards season. The honor went to Nolan at the end of the 76th annual DGA Awards, which took place on Saturday night in Beverly Hills.

In the other film categories, Celine Song won the award for first-time directing for her gentle drama “Past Lives” and Mstyslav Chernov won the documentary award for “20 Days in Mariupol,” his on-the-ground report from the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Peter Hoar won the drama-series award for “The Last of Us,” in a category in which the other four nominees were all from different episodes of “Succession.”

The award for Comedy Series directing went to Christopher Storer for the “Fishes” episode of “The Bear.” Sarah Adina Smith won the award for TV movie or limited series for...

“Oppenheimer” director Christopher Nolan, Christopher Storer of FX’s “The Bear” and Peter Hoar of HBO’s “The Last of Us” were the top winners Saturday night at the Directors Guild of America’s 76th annual DGA Awards.

The DGA win seals Nolan’s frontrunner position to land the director Oscar at the March 10 Academy Awards. Celine Song took home the DGA medallion for first-time director for her much-praised A24 drama “Past Lives.” “Guys, this is so amazing,” Song told the crowd.

Judd Apatow hosted the three-hour ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The multi-hyphenate opened his monologue with a zinger rooted in the DGA’s image as being friendly with the studio CEOs and its history of never mounting a significant strike against Hollywood’s major studios. Apatow joked that his agents told him to hold out for more money for his fifth time as host of the DGA ceremony.

Three-time Emmy winner David Nutter is set receive the Director Guild’s 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction.

The award will be presented February 10 during the 76th annual DGA Awards at the Beverly Hilton.

Working across a wide variety of genres from sci-fi to drama to crime procedurals, Nutter has directed two dozen pilots, 21 of which were picked up to series and were responsible for more than 1,550 episodes of television. He won two Emmys for HBO’s Game of Thrones — one for directing in 2015 and the other for Outstanding Drama Series in 2019 — and another for directing the premium cabler’s 2010 miniseries Band of Brothers

He also won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for “Mother’s Mercy,” Season 5 finale of Game of Thrones. He has received six other DGA nominations since 2006 for episodes of The Sopranos, Entourage, limited series The Pacific and three for Game of Thrones.

Veteran TV director David Nutter has been selected to receive the Directors Guild of America’s lifetime achievement award for distinguished achievement in directing. He will receive the honors at the 76th Annual DGA Awards ceremony on Saturday, February 10, 2024.

Nutter is only the sixth director to receive the recognition, following James Burrows, Robert Butler, Joe Pytka, Don Mischer and Robert A. Fishman.

“David has had a truly phenomenal directing career on so many of the most high-profile series in episodic television,” said DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter. “To quote the cover of our own DGA Quarterly, David is truly the ‘King of the Pilots.’ His passion, creativity, and mastery of the craft over his expansive career underscores exactly why David serves as an inspiration to fellow directors everywhere. On behalf of the Guild, I’m beyond thrilled to celebrate David’s talents and contributions to the art of directing.”

Glatter...

The Pacific has been soaring the charts on Netflix's top television shows over the last week. The epic five-year account of the United States Marine Corps assault on Japan is delivered by the same creative team that brought us Band of Brothers with executive producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks anchoring another captivating story of the plow and horrors of battle as the Americans and Allied troops tried to overcome the Japanese in the South Pacific in the early to mid 1940s. With the help of an incredible score from renowned composer Hans Zimmer, a handful of very capable directors including Tim Van Patten, David Nutter, and Graham Yost put on the small screen a product that rivals what Spielberg did in Saving Private Ryan some 12 years earlier. The gruesome and visceral images of bloody battle are ubiquitous, and it paints a very realistic and gut-wrenching portrait of the...

Featured Image : HBO

The second season of HBO’s hit fantasy series House of the Dragon has finished filming, according to a report by Variety¹. The show, which is a prequel to Game of Thrones, is set to premiere in the summer of 2024, following the success of its first season.

House of the Dragon is based on George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, which chronicles the history of House Targaryen, the dragon-riding dynasty that ruled Westeros for centuries before the events of Game of Thrones. The first season, which aired in 2022, focused on the reign of King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine) and the conflict between his children Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) over the succession to the Iron Throne. The season ended with a bloody civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, which decimated the Targaryen family and their dragons.

House of the Dragon...