The new Marvel series Wonder Man earned a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, becoming the seventh Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series to reach that level of critical acclaim. It’s helpful to know that Rotten Tomatoes provides two scores for each film or show: the Tomatometer, which reflects critics’ opinions, and the Popcornmeter, which shows audience scores.
Shows from the 1990s really stretched the boundaries of what television could be, paving the way for the changes we saw in the early 2000s. These series experimented with storytelling, trying new and unusual approaches for network TV. Some were groundbreaking in their subject matter, while others offered a raw and honest look at life. Whatever they did, these six gritty shows pushed television to its limits and ultimately made it a better medium.
One advantage of the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe is that even a less-successful movie can still contribute to the overall story. Love and Thunder was important for building out the universe’s mythology, going beyond just introducing new gods. As the current saga nears its end, viewers will likely need to revisit the groundwork laid in Phase Four of the MCU, including a key character from Love and Thunder: Thor’s adopted daughter, Love, played by Chris Hemsworth’s daughter, India.
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, The Mummy Returns will be back in theaters starting March 27th. It will be shown for at least a week, but tickets are expected to sell out fast due to high interest. Universal Pictures also released a new trailer, bringing back the excitement for this popular early 2000s action movie.
As a huge TV fan, I was really excited to read the latest numbers from Variety about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Apparently, each episode is pulling in around 13 million viewers – that’s incredible! It’s already clear the Game of Thrones prequel is a hit, but those numbers really prove it. It’s not just the biggest show of the year so far, it’s one of HBO’s biggest launches ever. Even more impressively, it’s currently beating out the second season of The Pitt in viewership while that show is still releasing new episodes!
The show, featuring Christina Ricci, took place in the early 1960s and followed the stories of airline pilots and flight attendants. Air travel isn’t nearly as glamorous now as it was back then – in fact, flying was a real luxury when the show Pan Am was set, and the series highlighted just how much things have changed over the years.
As a huge theme park fan, I’m really intrigued by this new plan for Universal Orlando! They’re proposing a kind of underground transportation system to connect the existing parks and CityWalk to their brand-new Epic Universe, which is opening in 2025. The idea is that it’ll help with all the traffic on International Drive by giving visitors another way to get around – which honestly, sounds amazing and much needed!
Based on Gillian Flynn’s first novel (she also wrote Gone Girl), Sharp Objects is a chilling and unsettling series. It centers on Camille Preaker, a journalist who must return to her troubled past – and her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri – to cover a disturbing story: the murders of two young girls. Returning home means facing a difficult relationship with her cold mother and complicated half-sister, but Camille soon realizes she’s the only one who can uncover the truth behind the crimes.
In Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Bella Shepard plays Genesis Lythe, the first person of her species, the Dar-Sha, to join Starfleet. The show is gradually showing what makes the Dar-Sha unique, such as Genesis’ incredibly sharp vision. As the daughter of a Starfleet Admiral, Genesis quickly proved herself to be a highly capable leader among her classmates, but she’s also known for being a caring and supportive friend.
Since its release, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg have created other series connected to the world of Band of Brothers for HBO. Though these shows are also well-made and engaging, the original remains exceptional, even after 25 years. Inspired by the style of Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers offered a level of detail and realism rarely seen on television. HBO’s freedom from content restrictions allowed for authentic dialogue, including realistic language, and intensely graphic depictions of violence and battle. This commitment to realism was crucial to the show’s success, but it also meant the filmmakers didn’t shy away from portraying the complexities of the soldiers. These men were heroes at times, but they were also deeply flawed and believable individuals.