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Wrong Roles: June 2, 2026
Tag: tv
Whatcha Watching, Geekly? May 2026
Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here, and today, our writers share what they’ve been watching over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been watching in the comments, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get things started with what I’ve been watching over the past month.
Kyra’s Movies
When I mentioned to Skye that I saw Send Help this past month, she asked if I had gone to the movies. Nope. Send Help made its way to HBO Max two weeks ago, and I took advantage of the new release. I’m surprised by how quickly movies like Send Help (a 2026 release) make it on streaming services. From what I’ve seen, it did well at the box office, received good reviews, and was fairly popular. Also, don’t be surprised if Skye lists Send Help in a Whatcha Watching in the near future.
I’ll echo what reviewers have said: Send Help is a return to form for director Sam Raimi. It has a rom-com set-up, and just when you think it might venture toward a rom-com, it goes a different direction. Send Help is a horror comedy through and through. The twist surprised me, but it made sense with context. That was good. The over-the-top gore in places felt earned and played up for laughs–oddly enough. I liked it. At an hour and a half (minus credits), Send Help doesn’t overstay its welcome, and that’s an excellent move for a horror flick. If you have HBO Max, Send Help is a good popcorn movie.
I’m unsure where to place The Punisher: One Last Kill. It’s the latest Marvel Special Presentations, available on Disney+. Does it count as a movie or TV show? It doesn’t matter. I won’t go into detail about the show here because I discussed it at length in my review/reaction. In short, The Punisher: One Last Kill is Jon Bernthal’s best performance as the character. I also like Disney/Marvel’s recent trend of letting the actors portraying their characters contribute as much as they want to the project. Bernthal co-wrote The Punisher: One Last Kill’s screenplay, while Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio had creative control with Daredevil: Born Again. Hope this trend continues.
Kyra’s Shows
I don’t know if I mentioned Hollywood Demons in one of my Watcha Watching posts last year, but I did watch the show as its first season aired. That first season featured a lot of Hollywood actors doing terrible things. The less said about the actor who played the dad from 7th Heaven, the better. Yuck! Hollywood Demons’s second season goes in a different direction, and I prefer this season to the first. The second season asks what makes Hollywood stars behave the way they do. What are the underlying issues? The last episode I watched, “Doctor Feelgoods,” shows how registered doctors hook their clients on illicit drugs. Heck, a legal doctor gave Matthew Perry his first dose of ketamine, the drug that would eventually kill him.
Needless to say, Hollywood Demons won’t be for everyone, but I like the behind-the-scenes look. And the show doesn’t get as repetitive as others of its ilk. Doctor Drew keeps his commentary relatively fresh.
Daredevil: Born Again completed its second season this past month. Like the Punisher Special, I won’t go into too much detail because I’ve already posted reviews/reactions for each episode. You can find them here. Daredevil: Born Again, season two, was way better than its first season. The show found its footing. I loved Daniel Blake’s storyline and a few others. I’m glad Daredevil: Born Again took its title character where it did. If you know, you know. I can’t wait to see how Matt Murdock gets out of this jam.
I’m keeping it short this month. Season and Skye have some movies and shows they’d like to share. Let’s check in with them.
Season’s Movie
Hi, Geekly Gang! Per usual, I haven’t watched much, but I do have a movie I watched while I had a bad allergy flare-up. I tend to watch movies when I feel unwell. Turning Red follows thirteen-year-old Meilin Lee, an eighth grader entering her rebellious phase with a helicopter mom. What could possibly go wrong?
Meilin has a nightmare one night and transforms into a giant red panda. She screams when she sees herself in the bathroom mirror. Her mom asks her what’s wrong through the bathroom door and asks, “Did the red peony bloom?” I’m using it the next time I’m on my period. Meilin’s mom grabs painkillers and more types of pads than I knew existed while Meilin hides in the shower. From here on, there’s a lot of embarrassment for Meilin at school, and her parents explain to her that she transforms into a red panda because of her ancestor, Sun Yee. Sun Yee asked the gods for a way to protect her people while the men were at war. Since then, the women in the family transform into red pandas whenever they have an emotional spike.
Turning Red is a cute coming-of-age movie. It did a good job of showing the fear a parent has of growing distant from their child as that child grows up. I had many emotions swirling as I watched it. If you’re looking for something that may make you cry while ending on a high note, I recommend Turning Red.
What are you watching, Skye?
Skye’s Movies
I eased myself into watching more movies in theaters with the latest Pixar film, Hoppers. I was more disappointed than anything else. Hoppers felt too one-noted, mundane, and shallow. Simply put, Hoppers bore little resemblance to the Pixar films I love. However, Hoppers was an improvement to Pixar’s last cinematic outing, Elio. That doesn’t mean much. Despite having elements of good ideas (like most one-shot Pixar films lately), Hoppers never fully delivers on them. It sticks to standard stories you’d see in most other kids’ films. There were two highlights: the insect queen getting squished, and when Jerry used the HOPPER technology. If the film had gone through one or two more drafts, I feel like it could have been something.
What did you expect? It’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. I could stop my summary right there, but y’all probably want to hear more. While Super Mario Galaxy isn’t anything great, you can’t say it’s kidding itself about what it is: a bright, colorful waste of time. Illumination Studios prides itself on having no substance in its films, but they still make boatloads of cash. Super Mario Galaxy is no exception.
Of course, having Nintendo attached to this film increased their box office returns exponentially. While I want to be mad at this (as both a movie fan and a Nintendo fan), I’ll also say this is the closest we’ll get to an authentic Super Mario film series. The games never had much plot or depth to them; you just played them. That also seems to be the mentality here: no real plot or depth, just watch. Also, I can’t deny that countless references to the games are fun.
I didn’t know what to expect with Project Hail Mary. It’s safe to say I enjoyed it. The way the story develops is a combination of charming, mysterious, and tragic. While the characters aren’t the most complex, you identify with them and their goal of preventing the sun from dying. Every moment you’re on this ship with these characters, the urgency of the situation feels more real. This is one of those moments when a longer running time helps a film rather than hurts it. All this considered, I still have the sense that there was something about Project Hail Mary I missed after my first viewing. This is a film I’d be glad to examine in more detail.
I watched Fuze by accident. My local theater has a weekly “Mystery Movie” that allows unsuspecting moviegoers to buy a ticket to a show they don’t know anything about. Sure enough, I bought a ticket for this “Mystery Movie,” and it happened to be Fuze. I wouldn’t see Fuze in theaters otherwise. I’m still unsure what it was supposed to be. The whole thing centers around a WWII-era bomb discovered in a city that’s still active and needs to be defused. You’d think that’d be it, but there’s also a bank robbery going on at the same time. Okay? Not only that, but there’s also a random immigrant family being focused on for some reason. Huh? Then, in the end, it turns out it was all a big plot by terrorists. What? After that, we see how our terrorist protagonists met. Why? [Roll credits.] Can someone tell me what this was about?
LOL Sounds like Skye had an interesting month at the movies. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. Those are all the shows and movies our writers watched over the past month. Let us know what you’ve been watching. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
The Punisher: One Last Kill Review
Happy Friday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with a review/reaction to The Punisher: One Last Kill Special Presentation. This special has an uneven distribution of action and character exploration/backstory, but this imbalance works for The Punisher: One Last Kill. In short, it’s a bloody good time.
I really liked how Jon Bernthal loses himself as Frank Castle. He pulls off a tortured marine well. His ex-platoon members haunt him. The cinematography drives home the claustrophobic nature of these ghosts. Frank can’t escape his former partners or the family he failed to protect. The Punisher has a clear goal (end the crime family that destroyed his family), and at the beginning of The Punisher: One Last Kill, he’s accomplished that goal. No wonder he’s ready to say his final goodbyes while visiting his daughter’s grave. But Frank Castle hasn’t completed his goal. One member of the Gnucci remains. Ma Gnucci.
I love Judith Light’s portrayal of Ma Gnucci. The character makes sense for The Punisher: One Last Kill, and one of Ma Gnucci’s chief storylines echoes a storyline from Daredevil: Born Again. Ma Gnucci creates an Anti-Vigilante Task Force. The Punisher: One Last Kill reworks this into a bunch of goons trying to kill The Punisher on Ma Gnucci’s behalf. That’s a good interpretation. I also like how succinctly The Punisher: One Last Kill introduces Ma Gnucci. Kudos all around.
And getting back to Frank Castle, I liked how disorienting his portrayal of post-traumatic stress was and how he couldn’t tell who was real. He’s not okay. He’ll live with the ghosts of his past. The Punisher: One Last Kill managed to address PTSD well, while still remaining true to the MCU. Not an easy task. It took an appearance by Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) to slap a little sense into the protagonist. Because of Castle’s mental state, I’m still unsure if we actually saw the real Karen Page. Actually, I’m almost eighty-five percent sure Karen’s appearance was in Frank’s head. He could be recalling a previous exchange with Karen, and The Punisher: One Last Kill found the perfect time to pivot toward action.
At first, I thought about taking The Punisher: One Last Kill to task for presenting an uneven story. All psychological drama upfront; a lot of gory action on the backend. But like I said, it works. In the beginning, Frank’s interior sucked all the oxygen out of the room. Just as it enters the realm of too much self-loathing, The Punisher: One Last Kill introduces Ma Gnucci, and we get reprieve from Frank’s inner thoughts. Again, great job setting up Ma Gnucci. Shortly after Gnucci threatens Frank, Karen Page appears, attempting to get through to Frank, and that’s when Ma Gnucci’s goons attack everyone in the neighborhood. Good pacing.
What comes next are a mixed bag of action sequences. There are some hokey visual effects (Castle falling on an air conditioning unit), but the majority of the action is well done and represents some of the better actions sequences in recent MCU history. I especially liked The Punisher taking down a heavily tattooed muscle man with a ballpoint pen. Nice!
The Punisher: One Last Kill offers up as much blood and gore as any Deadpool movie or Logan, and this is in the span of twenty minutes. Wow! Just wow! While several may view this as “overkill”–get it?–these action sequences serve as Frank Castle working through his demons. They feature plenty of character moments, not the least of which is when Frank watches Ma Gnucci make her escape. Frank has the option to hunt her and claim his “last kill” of the Gnucci family, but he doesn’t. Those same goons Gnucci hired to attack Frank Castle cause havoc in The Punisher’s home streets.
After subsequent viewings, I love The Punisher: One Last Kill’s symmetry. In the opening moments, we see the city as its own character, performing its daily routine. Frank seldom interacts with his neighbors. Toward the end, Frank engages. He aids a family not too unlike the one he lost. During the special’s closing moments, he helps a former Marine fight back against a bully. Frank Castle has found a connection with humanity. He’s found purpose. Is it a little spelled out for the viewer? Sure. But it’s effective. The Punisher: One Last Kill offers plenty of blood. It unleashes The Punisher with rated R action. But it also gives Frank Castle his humanity. It gives him hope. It gives The Punisher a reason to live. And that’s beautiful. Bombastic, gory, beauty.
I always thought Jon Bernthal was a good choice as The Punisher, but his moments to shine in the role were spotty at best. The Punisher: One Last Kill showcases what Bernthal can do in the role. Those are my thoughts on The Punisher: One Last Kill. What are yours? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Daredevil: Born Again Season Two “The Southern Cross” Review
Happy Friday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another review/reaction to this week’s episode of Daredevil: Born Again, “The Southern Cross.” Simply put, I liked Daredevil: Born Again Season Two’s finale. It works if Daredevil: Born Again wants to continue with a third season–we already know that Daredevil: Born Again has been picked up for at least a third season–or if the show wants to end with this season. That’s the mark of a good ending. I also love the symmetry between this season’s opening episode title (“The Northern Star”) and its closing episode title (“The Southern Cross”). In the comics, Daredevil has always leaned into religious undertones. “The Southern Cross” works.
Yes. I have some gripes, and they’re ones you’ve heard before in previous episode reviews/reactions, so I’ll continue with what I liked about “The Southern Cross,” for now. Matt Murdock and Kingpin’s showdown in court was inevitable. What occurs in court pays off many of Daredevil: Born Again Season Two’s story threads. Great! Honestly, I don’t think the original Netflix Daredevil spent much time in the courthouse beyond its first season. The fact that Daredevil: Born Again Season Two’s final fight occurs at that same courthouse fits. It’s a little hokey, but I like it. Treating this episode as an extended bottle episode was a good idea. Sure, we see the courthouse’s exterior, and a few shots occur around the courthouse, but “The Southern Cross” is the closest a show like Daredevil: Born Again would ever get to a bottle episode.
Narrowing the final episode to predominantly one location allowed Daredevil: Born Again to focus on its characters. You don’t need to establish another locale if the location of the shot seldom changes. Love. Love. Love. Daredevil: Born Again made the right call. The acting was on point. What else would you expect from Charlie Cox (Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Kingpin)? I’ve mentioned it before, but Daredevil: Born Again is a passion project for Cox and D’Onofrio, and it shows. Like I said, “The Southern Cross” manages to tie up several loose ends. Daredevil and Kingpin receive satisfying/interesting conclusions to this season. BB working at the same newspaper as her father made me smile. Heather Glenn’s descent into the new Muse could be terrifying, and I’m here for it. I don’t want to spoil it here, but Glenn’s closing scene legitimately gave me chills.
Other storylines were touched on. I got a better sense of McDuffie. White Tiger got a decent close to her story. It was rushed (more on that in a minute), but functionally, it worked. Jessica Jones and Luke Cage’s moment near the end was equal parts fan service and earned. I questioned bringing in Jessica Jones more than halfway through the season, but for the most part, she worked. Sure, I enjoyed Netflix’s Jessica Jones series, and that may have blinded me to her character being rushed into the season’s story. But Kristen Ritter knows this character. Jessica Jones may have aged since we last saw her, but she still takes a swig of Scotch before punching faces. And Jones felt less of a distraction than The Punisher last season. She didn’t hijack the narrative in any way. Conversely, The Punisher became the symbol the AVTF (Anti-Vigilante Task Force) wears.
Jones (and by extension, Luke Cage) justifies Matthew Lillard’s character’s existence. Funny how Bullseye takes Luke Cage’s place at the end of “The Southern Cross.” That served as another great development. But I hope Lillard’s Mr. Charles and Bullseye don’t serve a sole purpose of linking Daredevil: Born Again to the larger MCU. Yes. I know Daredevil: Born Again belongs to the greater MCU, but I like that it’s mostly its own thing. And I don’t want a heap of crossovers in Season Three.
I’m sure I mentioned last year that the Born Again title is one of several where Matt Murdock’s secret identity of Daredevil gets discovered. It should come as no surprise that Murdock’s secret identity was revealed, but in classic MCU fashion, Daredevil: Born Again takes liberties. In the comics, Karen Page sells out Daredevil for drugs. That wasn’t going to fly on a Disney+ show. And I liked that Daredevil: Born Again gave Matt Murdock agency over his identity. Daredevil has been incarcerated in the comics before, which is where we leave him at the end of “The Southern Cross.” This should lead to more nods to the comics, which are always appreciated.
I’ve staved off my critiques, but it’s time to discuss them. Daredevil: Born Again rushes its story. This stems from a combination of a few too many characters and a shorter episode tally than the original Netflix Daredevil. Again, I don’t think Daredevil: Born Again seasons need to run 13 episodes, but a couple more would help establish some of these characters. While I liked Heather Glenn’s transformation, her arc was rushed. We hadn’t seen White Tiger in a couple of episodes (rightfully so, as the show developed other characters, but again, too many characters), and suddenly, White Tiger appears. Okay. I’m unsure of Buck’s fate. I think he lived. And many of Kingpin’s cabinet members and aides got lost in the shuffle. And that gets us back to Kingpin.
Wilson Fisk’s ending was jarring, and I don’t understand how it took place. And I watched this sequence multiple times. The attorney general offers Mayor Fisk a deal to exile himself in return for not pressing charges against him. Okay. I don’t think that’s a thing, but perhaps. We’ll go with it. But before Fisk takes the deal, he goes on a rampage in the courthouse. The offer should’ve been for giving Fisk immunity for the crimes he committed as Mayor before he rejected the attorney general’s offer. How can Fisk escape any punishment after killing at least a few New York citizens and hospitalizing a dozen more? Wouldn’t the deal be voided? That’s a nitpick. We got to see Kingpin fight, and that was cool.
Daredevil: Born Again Season Two was miles better than the first season. I enjoyed this season of the show and eagerly await the next season. Daredevil: Born Again is Marvel’s flagship Disney+ series and for good reason. Clearly, Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio love playing these characters, and I love watching them. Those are my thoughts. What are yours? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Color Palette: Muppet Babies 01
Daredevil: Born Again “The Hateful Darkness” Review
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another review/reaction to this week’s episode of Daredevil: Born Again, “The Hateful Darkness.” First off, amazing episode title. I love that title, “The Hateful Darkness.” Metal! I had some issues with this week’s episodes, but I’m not gonna lie. That ending kills.
Literarily. Oh. Spoilers are in effect. You’ve been warned. We’ll begin with what worked in “The Hateful Darkness.” I’ve said it a few times already, Daniel Blake’s story has been one of Daredevil: Born Again Season Two’s best stories. Michael Gandolfini did a great job. That was in the past tense for a reason. Blake’s story comes to an abrupt end in “The Hateful Darkness’s” closing moments. Blake’s passing at the hands of his buddy Buck’s hands was not in the original plan.
Daredevil: Born Again had intended to bring Blake back for Season Three. But Blake had a full circle moment in “The Hateful Darkness.” What made Blake’s story so great was how he was pulled in two directions. He cared for BB, and he wanted power through Mayor Fisk. Blake had every intention of handing over BB to Buck, but he had a hero moment and let her go. Not all hero moments require tights. Not all hero moments need to include world-wide or even city-wide stakes. Not all hero moments end with the hero prevailing. Blake made the choice to be BB’s hero. He did what was right in the moment. Blake living after making this choice would’ve cheapened his heroic choice. And I loved how Buck looked gutted.
Like I said, Blake’s death scene was not the original plan, but Daredevil: Born Again is a labor of love by producers Charlie Cox (Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Kingpin). Along with Gandolfini (Daniel Blake), they felt as if the character was better served if he died in this moment–for all the reasons I mentioned. The showrunners knew Gandolfini’s Blake was a fan favorite. This wasn’t an easy decision. It was the right decision. Kudos! Arty Froushan’s Buck looked as conflicted as he did because the crew returned to shoot Blake’s death. Froushan thought the extra shoots were to clean up a prior day of filming. He didn’t know his character would kill his friend. Those were real emotions. The scene was phenomenal.
“The Hateful Darkness” also sprinkled in some other great moments: Matt Murdock returning to the courtroom, Karen Page and Heather Glenn’s showdown, and the opening scene with Page and Wilson Fisk. All of these were executed well, but they did feel off, and here’s where I talk about Daredevil: Born Again’s shortcomings. Jessica Jones’s presence still feels forced. She shares another rooftop scene with Daredevil. Jones even jokes about it. Marvel is so bad with self-referential jokes. They’ll joke about the thing they often include, while still using the thing they often include. Have the two meet somewhere else. Maybe a bar? Maybe not, because I’m sure Jones is trying to stay sober for her daughter.
We do receive news of Luke Cage’s involvement with the United States government. Jones and Mr. Charles (Matthew Lillard) share a scene in Charles’s hotel room. I mentioned it before but Daredevil: Born Again has too many characters it’s trying to juggle. Charles and New York’s governor disappear for long periods of time until the plot needs them to return. McDuffie (Murock’s partner) has had little to do before this episode, taking place in court. Better to show up for the penultimate episode than not at all, I guess. White Tiger has all but disappeared. I don’t know if I care enough about the character yet for that to bother me, but the fact that she’s vanished is a symptom of too many characters. Heck. I had forgotten about Cherry until this episode.
Daredevil: Born Again feels different than the original Netflix Daredevil series. Sure, I’ve driven home the point of there being too many characters, but Daredevil: Born Again may have overcorrected for the original Daredevil series. Thirteen episodes each season for Netflix’s Daredevil was too many, but eight or nine episodes a season for Daredevil: Born Again is too few. The show feels rushed. When I said that “The Hateful Darkness” had other great moments, I didn’t kid. But while the scene of Matt Murdock’s return to the courtroom was well executed, it took the ticker at the bottom of the screen for me to remember that New York City was looking for Murdock. The show went on so many tangents I had forgotten a major plot point.
Likewise, Karen Page and Heather Glenn’s confrontation felt inevitable, but it also came out of nowhere. There was little to no buildup. Page even cites what Glenn said about her relationship with Matt Murdock, but that exchange happened in season one. I thought Page talking about a stranger lying beside her in bed sounded familiar the first time I heard it. It took a second viewing to remember Page and Glenn’s conversation in Daredevil: Born Again, season one. The show could’ve brought up Glenn and Murdock’s prior relationship sooner. Armed with remembering NYC was looking for Murdock, and Glenn’s former girlfriend status with Murdock made those moments hit harder. They were well done. But they felt rushed.
I would love it if Daredevil: Born Again had a ten to eleven-episode run. It doesn’t need the Netflix Daredevil 13-episode run. Again, that’s too long. But Daredevil is at his best when his show has room to breathe. I loved the episodes of Daredevil: Born Again when the show had time to focus on a select few characters. Venessa’s death was handled with grace. I liked the episode where Matt could finally mourn Foggy’s death. And “The Hateful Darkness” concludes with another banger of an ending. There’s a lot to love, but there’s something missing.
But those are my thoughts about Daredevil: Born Again, “The Hateful Darkness.” What did you think? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Daredevil: Born Again “The Grand Design” Review
Happy Saturday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another review/reaction of this week’s Daredevil: Born Again episode, “The Grand Design.” Today’s post will resemble last week’s in that it’ll be more of a reaction than a full review. Again, I only watched “The Grand Design” a single time (not my typical two or three), but again, this week’s episode remained focused on its principal characters–maybe even more so than last week–and that’s a great development.
I may have been too hasty to pronounce Venessa Fisk deceased last week. But spoilers, she perishes “for real” at the end of “The Grand Design.” This delay gave Daredevil: Born Again the chance to give Venessa the send-off she deserved, and it managed to still lead to a great shock. Perhaps others felt otherwise, but “The Grand Design” lulled me into a false sense of security. Venessa pulled through. I began to think she’s going to make it, and some other event will need to occur to fully unleash The Kingpin. Not so fast.
Venessa’s passing away this way may invoke more trauma within Wilson. The acting was brilliant. The moments between Wilson and Venessa show why they’re a great couple. While I’ll be sad to see her go, I can’t wait to see Kingpin channel his rage toward Bullseye and Daredevil. Oh. There will be a reckoning.
Daredevil and Bullseye share several heart-to-heart talks. These scenes very much remind me of the ones between The Punisher and Daredevil in the original Netflix Daredevil. I mentioned that last week, but it bears repeating. And yet, “The Grand Design’s” emotional center plays out through Daredevil, or rather Matt Murdock, flashbacks with Foggy Nelson. Typically, I don’t care for an abundance of flashback scenes, but they work in “The Grand Design.” Daredevil’s remembering Foggy parallels Kingpin’s journey with Venessa. And like Wilson and Venessa’s flashbacks informing the present-day action, Foggy’s moral code informs Matt’s actions.
Honestly, “The Grand Design” is the farewell I wanted for Foggy over a year ago. I’ve said this before, too, but again, it bears repeating. It’s not that Daredevil: Born Again can’t kill off popular characters; it matters how the show does the deed. Fans got to say goodbye to Foggy. Finally! Matt was forced to reflect on WWFD. What Would Foggy Do? Foggy’s influence caused Daredevil to return for Bullseye. Foggy was the one who preached mercy. Sure. At times, Daredevil: Born Again delivers this message in a ham-fisted way, but the message was important. These scenes showed why Foggy was important.
Returning to the here and now, Blake and Buck make an unconventional tandem. It’s clear the two actors portraying these characters have chemistry. And yes, we receive Buck flashbacks during “The Grand Design.” Like I said, this episode leaned heavily on flashbacks. Anyway, I’ve praised Gandolfini’s (Daniel Blake) performance in the past, and he brought it again this week. Gandolfini’s acting sold the rising tension. Sorry. Gandolfini and Arty Froushan (Buck) sold this rising tension. It’s a joy watching these two switch from a cat-and-mouse game of intentions to mutual respect and friendship. Heck. They manage to portray both facets of these relationship at the same time.
And that brings me back to Daredevil: Born Again’s acting. With a handful of exceptions, it’s superb. The actors care about their characters. They understand what makes them tick. From an action standpoint, very little happens during “The Grand Design’s” runtime, but it doesn’t matter. This episode is the calm before the Kingpin storm. Daredevil: Born Again is about to get loud. My only concern is that the show may begin to lose focus. These past two weeks were great, but I know Jessica Jones is about to make her MCU debut. While I can’t wait to see Ritter reprise the role, I wonder how Daredevil: Born Again will fit in Jones. She’ll need more than the cameo The Punisher received last year. The Punisher is getting his own special in a month. Correct me if I’m wrong, but The Punisher appeared before Daredevil: Born Again season one’s midway point last year. Can the show squeeze in Jones, especially since we’ll be seeing full-throated Kingpin?
Daredevil: Born Again also sidelined multiple characters like BB, Kingpin’s staff, and even Karen Page the past couple of episodes. Kingpin may not be the only one making noise in the season’s final three episodes. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Whatcha Watching, Geekly? April 2026
Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Today, our writers share what they’ve been watching over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been watching, too, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get things started with what I’ve been watching over the past month.
Kyra’s Movies
I haven’t watched too many movies over the past month, and I’m unsure if Untold: The Death and Life of Lamar Odom counts as a film. But I’m counting it. I’ve watched less and less of sports and sports-related content in the past dozen years. Netflix’s Untold series has a tendency to mischaracterize events (at best) or outright lie about details, so I watched The Death and Life of Lamar Odom with some level of skepticism. Typically, the Netflix Untold series paints its subjects in a glowing–or at least positive–light. The Death and Life of Lamar Odom bears many of Lamar’s secrets.
Let me count the ways. Lamar admits he didn’t invite his family to his and Khloe’s wedding. He confessed that he married Khloe, in part, because he wanted the Kardashian lifestyle. The reality show, Khloe & Lamar, was his idea; Khloe didn’t want cameras capturing the couple’s private life. Lamar initiated his and Khloe’s divorce; Khloe put together an intervention, stating they should separate if he didn’t get clean, and he chose drugs. And we watch candid videos of Khloe nursing Lamar back to health. The two may have even reconciled if Lamar hadn’t relapsed shortly after physical therapy.
Untold: The Death and Life of Lamar Odom holds back few of Lamar’s flaws. I actually felt sorry for Khloe Kardashian. Provided that Lamar Odom endorsed this short documentary, I believe it to be an earnest attempt by Lamar to make amends. The Death and Life of Lamar Odom may not be a hopeful story through most of its runtime, but the ending offers levity. This is one of the better Untold documentaries.
I may have mentioned Woman of the Hour in a previous Whatcha, so I’ll keep this brief. While Anna Kendrick’s debut directorial debut may have received modest reviews, I saw real potential. Kendrick showcases a keen cinematic eye in Woman of the Hour. Ironically, Kendrick doesn’t quite deliver as the title character, Sheryl, but most of the cast nail their portrayals. Zovatto’s Alcala strikes the appropriate balance of fear and unease. Tony Hale’s Dating Game host Ed and Pete Holmes, the creeper acting coach, effectively portray toxic masculinity circa 1970s. Max Lloyd-Jones’ Ken even illustrates how women can be silenced and why they may not come forward after an assault.
There’s so much to love about the characters in Woman of the Hour. The story’s a little clunky. But again, the cinematography is fantastic. The opening and closing sequences will leave one gasping. Is it weird that I put on true crime shows and movies as a comfort? Don’t answer that.
Kyra’s Shows
I may have watched Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun this past month. It was a blur. Or I could’ve been so high, I was on the show. I love watching Aunty Donna sketches on YouTube, so I decided to give their Netflix show a try. Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun plays out like a raunchier and updated Monty Python with an Australian twist. In short, it’s bizarre.
At one point, Broden Kelly dressed as Ellen DeGeneres talks Zachary Ruane through an intergalactic voyage in his “brand new car.” This one scene made me question what was happening. It went on for a good ten minutes. Zach picks up more than one new car on his voyage, and he turns blue. Everyone who passes through a black hole turns blue. You didn’t know that? Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun had plenty of laughs, but there were plenty of head-scratching moments, too. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Each episode’s theme allows the Aunty Donna gang to tie in some callbacks to previous moments. If you’re cleaning up for the Queen visiting your flat, of course, you’re going to sweep up the little man who lives in the corner of the kitchen. We need to hear his story of owning shoes made of buttons and his bubble gum pillow. That’s a taste of what you can expect in Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun. Expect the unexpected.
And I’ve been watching the latest season of Daredevil: Born Again. I review most episodes each Saturday and hope to continue throughout the show’s second season. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen of Daredevil: Born Again Season Two. The show does suffer from an abundance of characters, so the episodes that focus on Daredevil: Born Again‘s central cast are typically its strongest. As I write this entry, I have yet to watch this week’s episode, but I’m certain that will soon change.
That’s all I have for what I’ve been watching this past month. Let’s check in with Season.
Season’s Movie
I haven’t watched much recently, but I did rewatch The Devil Wears Prada in preparation for the upcoming sequel. I watched it for the first time when I landed in Japan for foreign exchange and rewatched it several times in my dorm room. At first, I watched The Devil Wears Prada for its story. The subsequent views were for the clothes. The Devil Wears Prada may have come out in 2006, but a lot of those clothes still look fashionable today. With a runtime of 109 minutes, The Devil Wears Prada doesn’t take long, and it’s an easy watch.
The trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2 features Simone Ashley (Kate Sharma in Bridgerton) as one of Miranda Priestly’s (Meryl Streep) new assistants. I’m unsure about the story, but I’m liking the new (and old) cast.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle again. Our movie geek Skye has a hectic work schedule. Hopefully, she’ll be back for next week’s post. But what have you been watching over the past month. Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Daredevil: Born Again, “The Scales and the Sword” Review
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here for a second round of a Daredevil: Born Again review/reaction. This post will focus on the second season’s third episode, “The Scales and the Sword.” It played out exactly how I thought it would. If you didn’t catch my thought on “Shoot the Moon,” here’s a link to the previous episode’s reaction. While some may say that an episode playing out exactly as someone believed it would is not a good thing, it works in the case of “The Scales and the Sword.” But this fact may have played a role in Daredevil: Born Again’s second and third episodes releasing the same day. They’re two halves of the same episode.
Seriously, I got the sense that Disney/Marvel ended up with an hour and a half to two-hour episode and decided to cut it into two, roughly forty-five-minute episodes. Angela dons White Tiger’s amulet and helps Daredevil escape his infiltration of Red Hook. We even get a trial scene with Duquesne (Swordsman) that goes as well as you’d expect. All of this I predicted. But again, I don’t think this is a bad thing. It proves that Daredevil: Born Again is building toward something. Many of the major plot points have yet to be revealed. And I’m certain we’ll get plenty of twists and turns before the second season’s climax.
I said it before, and I’ll say it again, Heather Glenn serves as a fantastic secondary antagonist to Daredevil. She has a haunting history in the comic books. I won’t spoil that here, but trust me, Daredevil: Born Again could’ve gone a lot darker with her storyline. It still could. I like how she navigates her trauma at the hands of Muse. It makes her sympathetic. She believes she’s doing the right thing. Her scenes around Duquesne trial are great. I loved the quick rundown we got with Heather and Buck at the ball. We may have even gotten a hint that Blake will become The Rose. Buck and Heather could be an interesting couple.
I don’t have much to say beyond what I did with the previous episode’s (“Shoot the Moon”) reaction. It was a joy to watch Daredevil use his powers during the Red Hook infiltration, and I was shocked by how satisfying it was to watch Duquesne fight alongside the Man Without Fear. “Shoot the Moon” could stand on its own as an episode. I don’t believe “The Scales and the Sword” could’ve done the same. Disney/Marvel made the right decision to release both episodes on the same day. If we had gotten “The Scales and the Sword” by itself next week, we might’ve felt a little shortchanged. I’m glad Daredevil: Born Again tied up its early loose ends with this episode, and I hope this frees up the next episode to deliver a few twists.
That’s all I have for my reaction to “The Scales and the Sword.” I did watch the episode twice like I did the previous one, but there isn’t as much to discuss. “The Scales and the Sword” serves as an enjoyable second half to the last episode. But those are my opinions. What do you think? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Whatcha Watching, Geekly? March 2026
Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here, and today, our writers share what they’ve been watching over the past month. Feel free to say what you’ve been watching in the comments. We’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get things started with what I’ve been watching this past month.
Kyra’s Shows
I’ve always liked SitComs, and no other television show type has suffered more from modern television programming (like streaming, binging, and shorter seasons) than SitComs. Animal Control has grown on me, but it took time to find its footing. Here comes a rant. Sorry. Shorter seasons don’t help a show find its footing. Back in the Nineties, Friends took 30 episodes to couple Ross and Rachel. This occurred a third of the way through Friends‘ second season. The coupling of the will-they, won’t-they relationship set up during Animal Control’s pilot also took 30 episodes. But it occurred during Animal Control’s season three closing episode. I binged Animal Control on Netflix, so it didn’t feel that long, but three full seasons for a SitCom is an eternity.
While I mentioned I binged Animal Control, and it did help with my enjoyment of Animal Control in this instance, dropping episodes all at once doesn’t usually help SitComs. We’ll go back to another Joel McHale SitCom, Community. Community’s pilot featured a budding relationship between Troy and Pierce. It took the showrunners half of the first season to realize Troy and Abed had more chemistry. If Community had been first released during the modern climate, it most likely wouldn’t have lasted beyond its first season (which would’ve been shorter, by the way), and we’d have never seen Troy and Abed in the Morning. Community needed audience feedback. If you drop all your episodes at once, there’s no time for audience feedback. I have a love-hate relationship with streaming. It’s done a lot of good, but streaming has done SitComs dirty.
Rant over. Let’s talk more about Animal Control. The CGI looks goofy at times, but Animal Control is a SitCom, so I don’t care. Sometimes, the dopey CGI heightens the comedy. The only times I felt the animal CGI detracted from the show were during the first season’s heartfelt moments with a mountain lion. Goofy CGI works for comedy. Not so much when Animal Control wants to tug at one’s heartstrings.
Animal Control’s human cast knew the direction they wanted to take their characters. The cast pictured above must have done some work ahead of the show’s pilot. That, or they’re incredibly lucky to have the chemistry to carry the show. Casting can be difficult. I’m glad casting directors are getting award categories in prestigious award shows like the Oscars (which also happened this past month, yay).
Even with nailing Animal Control’s main cast, the shift from season one and two saw plenty of changes in Animal Control’s secondary and tertiary cast members. “Hot Vet” needed to go because of her nickname “Hot Vet” among the rest of the cast. Those jokes grew old fast. Animal Control couldn’t find enough for her character to do before the end of the first season, which was only a dozen episodes long. Nope. I won’t rant again. If Animal Control had a full sixteen or eighteen episodes, it could’ve found a place for the Vet and the receptionist. Although I do like the replacement receptionist. She’s dope. Like most SitComs, Animal Control needed time to find its footing, but it’s picking up steam. The cast can be lovable, and I love the animal hijinx.
Unlike Animal Control, the Scrubs 2026 Reboot (or is it a Revival?) had the benefit of being a legacy SitCom. The returning cast members of the Scrubs Revival already knew their characters. They just needed to speed run the past two decades. I like the new characters as well. They do a great job showing what’s changed over several years. Scrubs‘ original release predates social media. Gasp! The Scrubs Revival had an episode where viewing a patient’s social media feed aided in their diagnosis. Clever.
The Scrubs Revival doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It doesn’t need to. If you enjoyed the original Scrubs, you’ll definitely like the Scrubs Revival. There are plenty of nods to the original. The new class of doctors manages to strike a great balance, reminiscent of the original Scrubs cast in their early days. Yep. I’ll be watching the Scrubs Revival for the foreseeable future.
The final television show that I’ll share for this month is Tales from the Void (Prime Video). I watched the first episode, “Into the Unknown,” and fought off sleep every second. And that stinks. Tales from the Void’s premise sounded interesting. It’s an episodic horror anthology series based on the most viral and haunting stories from the r/NoSleep community. Ironic. I almost fell asleep while watching a story that originated on the r/NoSleep community. The first episode played out like a group of people adding to a story, creeping out one another. If I participated in this activity, “Into the Unknown” could’ve spooked me. The television episode fell flat. I may give Tales from the Void another chance, but I may take several weeks to revisit the show. This could be a good show to try again during Spooky Season.
Kyra’s Movie
I almost forgot I watched Inside Out 2 this past month. Inside Out 2 is a worthy sequel to the original. The sequel did recast some of the original cast members; I believe Amy Poehler (Joy) made too much, and most of the other original castmates had to take less money. Several didn’t. The recast roles didn’t detract from my enjoyment. Inside Out 2 navigated puberty well. Oh. Mild Spoiler: Riley (the girl Joy and company monitor) enters puberty. But I do believe the trailers mentioned Riley entering puberty, so maybe this doesn’t constitute a spoiler. True to the original, Inside Out 2 has some tearjerker moments. Not as many as the original, but you may want tissues as you watch.
Inside Out 2 did run a little long for my liking. Some scenes could’ve been omitted or shortened. But this was minor. Inside Out 2 may be one of the better Pixar sequels. We may need our movie geek, Skye, to weigh in on this topic. The original Inside Out claimed Skye’s Number Two spot in her Top 5 Pixar Movies. While I had reservations before watching Inside Out 2, they quickly evaporated. I’d recommend Inside Out 2. You don’t need to watch the original Inside Out, but it could help.
That’s all I have for what I’ve been watching this past month. Let’s check in with Season and Skye.
Season’s Show
Hi, Geekly Gang! I go in and out of watching new shows, but I decided to revisit The Rookie. I watched most of the first season with some friends years ago, so I remembered bits of it. Most of the characters are well-rounded and get adequate screen time. Even tertiary characters are layered and get side stories. Normally, having many characters in a show makes it difficult not to reduce some of them to one-dimensional characters. The Rookie does a good job of making sure viewers spend an equal amount of time with the six main characters in every episode, even if one of them has a more dramatic story that episode. Also, watching just about anything with Nathan Fillion in it is a treat.
I’m aware that police shows don’t accurately portray daily police work for the sake of drama and storytelling. The Rookie tries to show some of the more mundane tasks, but there are still shootouts in most of the episodes.
What have you been watching, Skye?
Skye’s Movies
I’ve been trolling through my “To Be Watched” list and happened upon Nosferatu. I’m referring to the original 1922 Max Schreck silent film version, though I have other Nosferatu adaptations on my “To Be Watched.” After finally seeing it, I’m impressed with how it handled the psychological aspects of the story. I expected a run-of-the-mill monster flick that inspired so many others for over a century, but the horror doesn’t properly appear until after Hutter, the protagonist, enters Count Orlok’s Castle. Nosferatu’s true horror is pestilence. After Hutter is introduced to the castle rats, it’s highly possible he contracted a disease that spread everywhere he went, causing everyone to hallucinate. And Nosferatu’s visuals are unforgettable.
I haven’t seen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in a long time, so I decided to give it another look. I haven’t seen Snow White since my childhood, but my appreciation for it has grown as an adult. Not only was the animation revolutionary for its time, but Snow White’s story holds your interest, sets the tone for what was to become a giant of an entertainment company, and doesn’t skimp on the dark moments either. When I was a kid, my favorite scene was the Evil Queen’s transformation. I would rewind the VHS to watch it over and over again. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore, and if modern Disney is any indication, they never will.
I was perusing Disney+ when I found out Zootopia 2 had made it to streaming. It had also been a while since I’d seen the original Zootopia, so I decided to refresh my memory before passing judgment on its sequel. Let me put it bluntly: I forgot how much Zootopia frustrated me. I wanted to like Zootopia, but the movie makes it so hard for me. I saw the setup of the original as the potential for an incredible deconstruction of societal prejudice and how it’s shaped our communities over hundreds, even thousands of years. Ultimately, I got Disney’s watered-down script, which was more directed at children with little care for an adult audience. Zootopia is not a bad movie. I like the dynamic between Judy and Nick, and yes, “Try Everything” will be stuck in my head until I die.
Skye’s Show
It’s about time I started catching up on my shows. Family Guy’s a heck of a one to start with, though. So far, it’s been a giggle-worthy show. I’m only midway through Season Two, and there have been a fair number of jokes that I didn’t understand, but that’s common even with other comedy shows I’ve seen and liked, including The Simpsons, Friends, Futurama, etc. Good news is that there haven’t been too many uncomfortable jokes yet. Give it time. Other than that, I think it’ll be an interesting experience exploring this iconic animated comedy series.
Hey, hey! Kyra here again. Those are all the shows and movies our writers watched over the past month. Let us know what you’ve been watching in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
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