Replies

Ben wrote:

Trump tears up another trade deal, this time on EU car imports, because it’s taking too long. The US’ reputation was already in the crapper, now it’s traversing the U-bend.

Trump is doing donuts in the parking lot – going nowhere fast.

Al-x wrote:

That Voting Rights Act being gutted. All the 60s protests, marches, speeches, riots to get it all rolled back.
The same situation (although earlier) with Roe v Wade, affirmative action/DEI etc. All the struggles to get those rights/gains all being undone now.
As for the SCOTUS makeup now, there were 4 seats that would have went the other way. It hurts.
Well, here is to the ones who tried to do right by the people but are always outnumbered. (Makes me wonder about their workplace):

Then you have Clarence Thomas who has benefitted from every law he is gutting.

Martin Smith wrote:

What was the point of that other than to set up a completely arbitrary fight scene?

That was the point.

I’m about two or three episodes behind.

Honestly, and like so many other Marvel (and other) streaming projects, this whole thing would have worked so much better as a two hour-ish movie. Many of these series just drag to fill an episode quota. Tension is lost and pacing is sluggish.

It takes around 10-15 minutes to read a typical 20-pages-of-story comic book, with typical arcs being around 6 issues. Being generous, that’s a 1.5 hour read time for the whole story. Double that of a 12-issue arc. Comics are based on economy: Limited number of pages with art and text limits on every page while conveying a complete and satisfying narrative. Television has its own parameters, but the translation from one medium to another requires major adjustments, like adding extra characters and new storylines to fill the allotted runtime. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. This one doesn’t.

lorcan_nagle wrote:

I find Jones fascinating in that I honestly can’t tell if yes, he really is like that, or he’s just saying the most out there shit because he knows his followers will swallow it whole and fork over obscene amounts of money.

As we often say here: “It can be two things.”

Sometimes I wish I was born without morals so I could cash in

You could be like that Indian guy that created a profile with an AI generated woman posting right-wing shit and he fleeced MAGAts for huge chunks of money. You could make a fortune going after those morons.

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lorcan_nagle

Truly the end of an era.

Newsarama, Comic Book Resources, and The Pulse (now The Beat) were THE comic news sites. You went to them daily, if not multiple times a day. They were the leaders of the pack.

It all started to change when Jonah Weiland sold CBR and the site went to shit literally overnight. Then came the rise of social media, which enabled creators and companies to interact directly with readers. Newsarama was sold a few times and the spark was gone. The Beat is still around and plugging on. It feels like the comics news scene is a ghost of what it was. It is very rare that I even go to one nowadays and when I do, it’s usually through a link someone shared.

RIP Newsarama

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Dave

lorcan_nagle wrote:

I love that Jones completely fell for that!

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Uncle Retrospective, lorcan_nagle

Sad. He was a fantastic writer.

He was also a writer for Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

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Sean Robinson, JRCarter, Ben

Ben wrote:

Don’t understand how anyone affords comics now.

It’s really no longer a sustainable model anymore.

For $4.99, you get 20 pages of story that takes 10-15 minutes to read. That’s ludicrous. The days of buying every book are dead, though I think that’s been dead for quite some time. People are paying that price for DC’s Absolute line, and I understand it to be excellent. But to pay $4.99 per issue of books you like, what books are not being purchased? This isn’t a Marvel vs. DC issue; it’s $4.99 and higher price point vs. how much money you have in your wallet. This decision becomes more relevant the more companies raise their prices.

Gen X is getting to retirement age. We’re not going to be able to afford the hobby anymore at those prices. As you get closer to that point, you start looking at what you can cut. Comics at that price are an easy choice.

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Sean Robinson

Martin Smith wrote:

The single issue market is insane now. Surely it’s not in any way sustainable for much longer and they’ll need to switch to an OGN format?

For $69/year, you can subscribe to Marvel Unlimited and get:
– 30,000+ comics accessible anytime, anywhere
– New comics available as soon as 3 months after they hit shelves
– Read on iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ devices and web

(There are other options.)

If you don’t mind not owning the comics, reading digital versions, and waiting three months for new books, this is honestly the best deal. For the price of almost 14 comics priced at $4.99, you get access to 30,000+ books. “Unlimited downloads and offline reading for all comics, including Marvel’s all-new in-universe stories, told in vertical format!” If there’s a story you really like, you can always go buy the trade assuming it’s available.

What’s wild is I think it’s been that price for years now. Even if they doubled the price, you still come out ahead. That’s insane.

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Sean Robinson

Generation X-23 Is The Only Marvel Comic Left That Costs “Just” $3.99

It’s only a matter of time before everyone else follows suit.

Dave wrote:

Uncle Retrospective wrote:

There’s a part of me that is really, really disappointed with myself for being 50 and moaning about Star Wars on the internet.
But this is the clip they’re hawking around the chat show circuit.

https://x.com/DiscussingFilm/status/2046841396930232741/video/1?s=46

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lorcan_nagle, Uncle Retrospective

lorcan_nagle wrote:

I wonder if this… checks notes… Reverend… is aware of the, shall we say origins of his fucking religion?

Fuck, dude! You’re sure asking a lot out of a religious person!

I mean, what more do you expect of them than memorizing a few cherrypicked passages that support their narrow mindset?

You really need to chill the fuck out!

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Uncle Retrospective, lorcan_nagle

These mist-covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is in lowlands
And always will be

Someday, you’ll return to
Your valleys and your farms
And you’ll no longer burn
To be brothers in arms

Through these fields of destruction
Baptisms of fire
I’ve witnessed your suffering
As the battle raged higher

And though they did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms

There’s so many different worlds
So many different suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones

Now the sun’s gone to hell, and
The moon’s riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die

But it’s written in the starlight
And every line in your palm
We’re fools to make war
On our brothers in arms

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njerry

Spoilers in the link.

Marvel officially replaces Magneto as X-Men’s main villain. Meet his replacement

Seriously, they’ve made HIM the villain?!?! I had seen some bits where he had gone dark side, but it sounds like they’ve completely corrupted him. What a waste of a great character.

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njerry

lorcan_nagle wrote:

And Tim Heidecker is in charge

I would love to see him go full Decker on the site.

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lorcan_nagle

A pretty good video on population collapse.

‘Rogue Trooper’ First Look: Duncan Jones Unveils His Hand-Crafted Take On ‘2000 AD’ Comic Book’s Dystopian War Machine

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Christian

garjones wrote:

I’ve been watching Blue Lights after many recommendations and it is very good but it is notable mostly for including an actress drawn by Frank Quitely.

I still maintanin that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley looks like Frank Quitely was trying to draw Cameron Diaz.

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Christian, Martin Smith, lorcan_nagle

Christel and I never wanted children. (Hell, we don’t even have a pet.) We really never had a desire to have one.

We probably could have afforded one, but we much preferred to have the ability go do whatever we wanted whenever we wanted.

We do not regret our decision.

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lorcan_nagle

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njerry

‘Law & Order: Organized Crime’ Canceled After 5 Seasons

lorcan_nagle wrote:

I find the internet borderline unusable without an ad blocker.

I use the Brave browser for sites that I know are ad heavy.

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lorcan_nagle

lorcan_nagle wrote:

I am genuinely laughing out loud at this.

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Sean Robinson, lorcan_nagle

[njerry]

njerry wrote:

Al-x wrote:

But who can the Dems “develop” now as a viable candidate?

Mark Kelly, Senator from Arizona, former astronaut who is married to a victim of gun violence, who reminded members of the military that they can refuse to follow illegal orders from their Commander-in-Chief, and currently has a lawsuit against Pete Hegseth for trying to strip him of his military rank and benefits. I think he can appeal to both conservatives and liberals (and maybe some non-MAGA Republicans as well).

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 5 days ago by njerry.

I would definitely vote for him.

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Sean Robinson, JRCarter, Ben

Al-x wrote:

Todd wrote:

Al-x wrote:

Interesting:

https://abcnews.com/Politics/kamala-harris-shes-thinking-running-president/story?id=131922974

She had her chance. She needs to sit 2028 out.

It was literally an emergency because of Biden at that debate. She was so much a “last minute” option.

But who can the Dems “develop” now as a viable candidate?

Sadly, Gavin Newsom is probably the most viable candidate at this point. And frankly, that just sickens me.

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Al-x

Al-x wrote:

Interesting:

https://abcnews.com/Politics/kamala-harris-shes-thinking-running-president/story?id=131922974

She had her chance. She needs to sit 2028 out.

njerry wrote:

Al-x wrote:

Regarding the ’90s bands, I figured out all but the one on the lower right. Looks like cherries with eyes; can someone clear this up for me?

The Cranberries?

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njerry

Al-x wrote:

Who would be the main villain?

The Owl?

Ben wrote:

I still need to look at Lower Decks beyond its crossover ep.

It is definitely worth your time.

It really honors the spirit of the show while lovingly teases it. Its heart is in the right place.

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Ben, lorcan_nagle

Dave wrote:

So it looks like the Iran ceasefire is fucked within less than a day because Israel just can’t stop bombing people

Israel really needs to undergo “regime change”.

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Uncle Retrospective, Sean Robinson

This day in history: On April 8, 2013, Margaret Thatcher died after suffering a stroke.

Celebrate responsibly.

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Christian, Ben, njerry, lorcan_nagle

lorcan_nagle wrote:

Todd wrote:

Yep, and they are royally pissed at Trump. While many people broke from him at different points for different reasons, the attack on Iran seems to be crossing the Rubicon for many of them. He promised “no more wars” and always said that the Democrats would be the ones to start a war with Iran and he wouldn’t.

I think we can all agree that he’s brought the FIFA Peace Prize into disrepute through his actions.

Unethical behavior and actions associated with FIFA?!?!

Madness, I tell you! MADNESS!!!

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lorcan_nagle

Ben wrote:

Can anyone actually make sense of asians canvassing for RefUK? Had one just now.

“Hi, can I count on your vote for Reform in the 7 May elections?”

“…Probably not, bye.”

They would be booting this guy’s arse out of the country if they got in and he’s helping them!

Sounds like “Hispanics for Trump” over here.

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lorcan_nagle, Ben

Ben wrote:

And a good chunk of those people are ex-military and armed.

Yep, and they are royally pissed at Trump. While many people broke from him at different points for different reasons, the attack on Iran seems to be crossing the Rubicon for many of them. He promised “no more wars” and always said that the Democrats would be the ones to start a war with Iran and he wouldn’t. They are losing their shit over this. Fuck, even Alex Jones is calling for Trump’s removal!

An aside: I say this as an armed Texan; you would be surprised how many people on the left are armed as well.

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lorcan_nagle, Ben

lorcan_nagle wrote:

And it’s worth noting that a lot of people lie about who they vote for and why, especially conservatives.  Almost everyone wants to be liked and wants to think of themselves as a good person, even as they vote for Trump because they want him to punish liberals and queers and black and brown people.  It’s part of why you get conspiracy theories around a liberal-controlled media

I saw this story this morning:

“A pro-Trump retail store in Crystal Lake, Illinois, has been forced to close after a sharp collapse in demand for MAGA merchandise following the escalation of the Iran war. The owner said sales “died the minute” U.S. airstrikes began, with foot traffic dropping to just a handful of visitors per day and most not making purchases. She attributed the downturn to widespread uncertainty and discomfort among supporters, who may now avoid publicly signaling political allegiance due to fear of confrontation or scrutiny.

“The business, which sold items like hats, flags, and pro-Trump apparel, had initially performed well after relocating earlier in the year but quickly became financially unsustainable. The owner reported she was unable to cover basic expenses like rent and had already considered shifting to an online-only model before shutting down. She emphasized that the store was intended as a community space, but interest evaporated despite prior demand and promises of support.”

People who admitted to voting for Trump, in some cases THREE TIMES, are ENRAGED that his actions are fucking THEM over! Costs are going up, they’re forced to close businesses, they’re losing their jobs, etc. That was only supposed to happen to the OTHERS! They’re also pissed because of the Iran War.

They have entered the “Find Out” stage of Fuck Around and Find Out.

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lorcan_nagle

Christian wrote:

Todd wrote:

That’s a weak excuse at best.

Weak or not, it’s still true. You may wish people were different, but most of them don’t make the effort to try and check a variety of sources when they’re forming an opinion, they’d rather just listen to the person telling them what they already believe. And these days, we have a media landscape in which that’s very, very easy.

In contrast to Arjan’s example of Russia, people in Western democracies are theoretically free to form to see a broader and more diverse and realistic picture, but that’s not how most people work. Especially if they lack education (see also Lorcan’s not that Trump voters mostly aren’t college-educated).

It may make you angry at those people, but it’s still how we all work.

Here’s the kicker though: The people who are choosing willful ignorance and/or laziness are also the one who are very big on “personal responsibility”.

The hypocrisy would be hilarious if it weren’t so destructive.

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njerry, Dave, Ben, Al-x, lorcan_nagle

Arjan Dirkse wrote:

Well there’s a lot of propaganda ot there influencing how people vote, and that is outside of the voting individual’s control. (As well as other factor’s outside of our control, like what religion one is born in, one’s education, how parents and friends and loved ones influence them etc)

That’s a weak excuse at best.

It is every voter’s responsibility to do their due diligence. There are many, many sources they can check and review to get a better understanding of candidates and issues. If they are only getting information from a narrow focus of sources, that’s either laziness or willful ignorance, or both. There is no excuse for not doing the work.

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Dave, njerry, lorcan_nagle

Christian wrote:

I’m interested in this IQ drop issue,

A cognitive neuroscientist testified in front of US Congress, attesting to the fact that Generation Z (and Generation Alphas after them) are the first generations ever to decrease in cognitive abilities.

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Christian

lorcan_nagle wrote:

Ben wrote:

Trump being a selfish psychopath isn’t news, but the amount of people, either elected or appointed to high office, enabling him should be.

And I’d be willing to hazard a guess that not one of them will face any consequences for that.

The only ones facing consequenses are those who voted for him. They are getting fucked over hard (along with hte rest of us) and many are openly expressing regret.

I’m at the point that when Trump does something horrible or something goes wrong, I blame the voters who put him in office.

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Sean Robinson, njerry, Christian, Uncle Retrospective, lorcan_nagle, Ben, Al-x

Christian wrote:

I love Sean’s stream of consciousness posts!

But regarding AI – I’ve been told that there’s a huge difference already between the free and the pro models. Altman wasn’t kidding, apparently, when he talked about a model where we buy intelligence on a meter, like we buy electric power and shit like that. Seems like we’re already there. One of the reasons why AI seems to incredibly dumb a lot of the time is, we’re only using the dumb models.

Actually, all AI systems are inherently faulty and completely unfixable. They are going to hallucinate The only way to “fix” them is to scrap the current models and completely start over.

Ben wrote:

It occurs to me that now is the time for me to return to The Laundry Files / New Managrment books, as whatever goes on in them will likely be less screwed up than the real world in 2026.

The Mad Max movies are more positive and optimistic than what we’re living through now.

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lorcan_nagle, Ben, njerry

njerry wrote:

State government in New Jersey (where I live) have cracked down hard on motorized bicycles and scooters. New rules that came into effect last year include:
* Riders must be at least 15 years old
* Riders must have an official driver’s license or a motorized bicycle license (effective July 2026)
* Vehicles must be registered and insured
* Vehicles are prohibited on sidewalks

These rules may read like an over-reaction; but a month ago my wife almost got run down as she turned a corner by a kid speeding down the sidewalk on a motorized bike. Luckily he squeezed on his brake and swerved at the last second, otherwise she would have been seriously injured. As far as I’m concerned, a motorized vehicle should be on the road, not the sidewalk, whether it is a scooter, a bicycle, or an 18-wheel tractor-trailer; sidewalks are for pedestrians and for manually propelled vehicles.

Depending on local ordinances in Texas, sidewalks are supposed to be for pedestrians only. You are not supposed to ride any sort of vehicle on them, including bicycles.

My big issue is when there is a sidewalk, and people choose to walk or run in the street. That is so fucking dangerous.

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Uncle Retrospective

Arjan Dirkse wrote:

State funded and state supported.

Unfortunately, that is not a great model either. China and Russia have their own state-run news services.

If that were the case here in the US, it would be pro-Trump 24/7. Hell, we are seeing network and cable news bend the knee to Trump. Then there is the whole aspect of billionaires buying media companies and forcing their own slant to the news.

Independent journalism is better but while some people claim to be “journalists”, they just spout off bullshit and have no formal education or experience.

Ideally, you should get your news from multiple sources to balance out the biases.

Arjan Dirkse wrote:

Well as this war is showing, oil income is not guaranteed.

Oh, on the contrary, it is very much guaranteed. Saudi Arabia was with Israel in pushing Trump into this war.

SA is making a bank with the spike in oil prices. It is also giving them an opportunity to renegotiate a lot of investment deals to give themselves better terms. This war also will give them better leverage in the oil markets.

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Al-x

Christian wrote:

And thanks to Humble Bundle again, I am currently re-reading East of West (which I don’t think I ever finished back then). That was such a fantastically fun, weird series.

That was a series I read as singles but ended up dropping it. I think it would read better in trade form or if you have the complete series and can read it in chunks.

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Vikram, Christian

Arjan Dirkse wrote:

With the Saudis a military occupation would probably be unthinkable, so I believe they would use political influence. I think they want to be regional hegemon rather than occupying the whole area that is biblically claimed to be part of Israel.

While Israel has some political influence (and I believe that is waning each day), the Saudis have oil money. They can buy and sell Israel while turning a profit on the deal. People will back the Saudis because they need oil way more than Israel’s bullshit.

Arjan Dirkse wrote:

Saudi Arabia

They will never get any part of Saudi Arabia.

If they tried, Israel would be hit by terrorist attacks that would put Hamas to shame.

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Ben

Dave wrote:

Todd wrote:

As someone who’s tuned into SNL over the decades, I find the sketches breaks down in aggregate this way: 10% are good to great 80% are completely mediocre 10% are truly awful

Baffling that anyone watches it in this case.

(I guess nowadays the show is mainly designed for the few good bits to be shared afterwards as short clips, so maybe that’s the way to approach this new version too.)

I think there is a lot of generational turnover, with each generation finding it. They stay through the tenure of that cast and when they eventually start leaving, so do the viewers. The cycle then starts again.

Weekend Update is probably the most consistently funny part of the show, with more hits than misses. The problem is that it comes with an expiration date. Most bits don’t have longevity though, as the jokes are tied to current events. Once enough time passes (which could be just a few weeks), the jokes lose there impact.

My wife records it basically for the cold open, Weekend Update, and the musical guests. Occassionally, she’ll watch a skit or two. A lot of that depends on the host that week.

“It must be jelly, because jam don’t shake like that!”

Tongue depressors and popsicle sticks become craft supplies

Martin Smith wrote:

Wonder Man is getting a second season! Huzzah!

So this means it’ll drop in 2030?

😜

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Martin Smith

lorcan_nagle wrote:

On the bright side of things, the godawful studio-mandated TNG nostalgia bait we’re about get foisted on us will only hasten the critical reappraisal of DISCO and series 1 of Picard

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lorcan_nagle

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy To End With Season 2

Intergalactic school’s almost out — forever.

“Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” will end after its forthcoming second season, TVLine has confirmed. The sci-fi drama was renewed for Season 2 in October 2024, ahead of the series’ premiere. 

Variety first reported the series’ ending.

“Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” is set in the 32nd Century, after the end of “Star Trek: Discovery,” as Starfleet reopens its training school under the leadership of Capt. Nala Ahke (played by Holly Hunter). The Season 1 finale, which started streaming March 12, found Nus Braka (Paul Giamatti) putting the Federation on trial — with Ahke as its stand-in — for “crimes against democracy.” An impassioned testimony from Caleb (Sandro Rosta), as well as Nahla’s own revelation about what really killed Nus’ people, led to his downfall and subsequent arrest. (Read a full finale recap here.)

A joint statement from CBS Studios and Paramount+ reads: “We’re incredibly proud of the ambition, passion, and creativity that went into bringing Star Trek: Starfleet Academy to life. The series introduced audiences to a bold new group of characters, welcomed familiar faces, and expanded the Star Trek universe in exciting new ways. We’re grateful to Alex Kurtzman, Noga Landau, Gaia Violo, and the entire cast and crew who pushed storytelling boundaries in the spirit of Gene Roddenberry’s vision. We look forward to sharing the upcoming second and final season with everyone, and continuing to celebrate the cast, crew, and all that was accomplished with this series.”

TVLine’s Dave Nemetz gave “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” a C+ in his review, saying the latest “Trek” installment “deserves credit for trying to forge its own path.” However, “it also hits some of the same stumbling blocks that have dogged recent ‘Trek’ outings.” Viewers might have had the same thoughts: The 10-episode first season did not rank on Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming viewership lists. 

Season 2, which has completed production, does not yet have a return date at Paramount+. 

A note from the showrunners

“Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” executive producers/co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau wrote a letter to fans regarding the ending, which you can read below: 

“It’s been my and Noga’s joy and privilege to help carry Gene Roddenberry’s extraordinary vision forward with Starfleet Academy, thanks to the hundreds of hardworking humans who pour every ounce of their talents into the work daily with imagination and reverence. We are in post-production now on what will be the second and final season. We’re so proud of what we’ve accomplished together on this show, and the world will get to see the work of these extraordinary artists when season two airs. We will finish strong.

Whether you’re working on Star Trek or part of the marvel that is Star Trek fandom — its very heart, soul, and conscience —the joy comes from adventuring across boundaries of time, space, and the humanly possible in service to Roddenberry’s transformative vision of the future. That incomparable vision was fueled by an inexhaustible optimism. Star Trek places its bet on the best in human nature. It dares to imagine a society of “infinite diversity in infinite combinations,” free of war, hate, poverty, disease, and repression, and dedicated to the spirit of scientific inquiry and respect for all life, whether carbon or silicon-based, green-skinned or blue.

But make no mistake: Gene Roddenberry wasn’t some starry-eyed dreamer. He was a decorated Army bomber pilot in the Pacific Theater. He had seen first-hand the grim consequences of the worst of human nature. And his vision of the future wasn’t just a promise of hope. It was also a warning. In a fraught, frightening time of intolerance and violence, Star Trek said: Look! We made it! But just barely. First, we had to put all those ancient scourges behind us. It said that what makes us glorious as a species, and gives us hope for the future and the galaxy is inextricably linked to what makes us dangerous to each other, to this one world we presently inhabit, and to ourselves. That dual message—of hope and of warning—isn’t just a pretty dream but a call to action, to think about who we are in a different way.

Please don’t take our word for it. Take Gene’s: ‘Star Trek was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms. […] If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences, to take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind, here on this planet, then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that is almost certainly out there.’

With enduring hope that his vision of the future is possible, for our children, their children, and every future cadet in Starfleet Academy: Live Long and Prosper.”

Dave wrote:

Just reading some reviews and comments elsewhere, and it has been pretty funny to see all the American SNL fans coming out and saying that if the UK show is a bit shit and half of it doesn’t work then that’s great, as SNL had always been like that, as though it’s some kind of badge of honour.

As someone who’s tuned into SNL over the decades, I find the sketches breaks down in aggregate this way:

10% are good to great
80% are completely mediocre
10% are truly awful

Even in “golden eras” when they really strong casts, those percentages still hold true. There’s a lot of rose-colored glasses for those eras. You remember the few, stand out funny sketches and completely block out everything else.

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Sean Robinson

lorcan_nagle wrote:

Sam Keith died on the 15th

 

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/sam-kieth-creator-of-the-maxx-and-sandman-has-died-aged-63/

He had a unique style that truly set him apart. I always liked it.

RIP

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lorcan_nagle, Al-x, Sean Robinson, JRCarter

Matt Garvey wrote:

Ha ha ha…how is everyone doing?

At the moment, i’m dealing with a cold. But other than that, I’m doing okay.

Welcome back, noble voyager!

For Lorcan:

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Martin Smith, lorcan_nagle, Dave

Martin Smith wrote:

Curious as to how bad this must have been to not ever air.

Zhao seems a terrible choice for it though. Admittedly I’ve not seen her other work, but Eternals was dire and the MCU has, broadly, a very similar tone to Buffy, so if she couldn’t manage to work in that, I don’t see how she could have done Buffy successfully.

‘Buffy’ Autopsy Report: The Inside Story Of How High-Profile Reboot Was Shockingly Slayed

On her classic show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar‘s Buffy Summers fought the undead. In real life, the actress faced the death of her Buffy reboot at Hulu — and she is having a hard time with it.

Here is how Buffy: New Sunnydale went from a dream reboot two decades in the making, with Gellar starring and Oscar winner Chloé Zhao directing, to a discarded pilot. There were issues — as Deadline reported on Saturday, the original pilot was “not perfect”; some called it “not great.” Yet, after a well-received rewrite with a lot more Buffy Summers in it, no one expected the pass.

Virtually every day last week, I hear the two studios on the Buffy reboot, 20th Television and Searchlight Television, touched base with the project’s producers and creative team, indicating that a pickup for the pilot starring Gellar and Ryan Kiera Armstrong seemed imminent after its writers, Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, had done a rewrite. (Hulu, 20th TV and Searchlight are all part of Disney.)

Then at 6 p.m. on Friday, Disney Television Group President Craig Erwich, who oversees Hulu Originals, called auspices to inform them that the project was not moving forward, sources said.

“I was in shock,” one person said of their reaction when they got the news, whose timing could not have been worse — with Gellar at SXSX for the premiere of her new movie, Ready or Not 2, produced by Searchlight, and Zhao attending Oscar weekend events leading to Sunday’s Academy Awards, where her latest movie Hamnet had 8 nominations, including for her as a director.

“No one saw this coming, including the head of Searchlight. And I got the call as we were stepping onto stage for the premiere of their own movie,” Gellar said in a strongly worded interview with People.

It is unclear why Hulu opted to make the calls on Friday night, with sources labeling the timing “misguided” and “terrible.” From what I hear, there wasn’t a hard deadline or options expiring, but it is true that those involved in the pilot had been waiting for awhile and wanted an answer.

It was just not the answer anyone expected.

***

It was a year ago that Hulu gave a pilot order to Buffy: New Sunnydale, with Zhao, a self-professed lifelong Buffy fan, directing from a script written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (Poker Face). The green light capped years of development. In her People interview, Gellar said that Zhao had approached her with the idea four years ago, convincing her to finally say “yes” to revisiting her signature character, something she had resisted for years.

Armstrong was cast as the new slayer with Gellar’s Buffy Summers by her side, and the pilot went into production in late July.

“I loved the duality that we had with this new, younger slayer who was where Buffy was when the show started, and then we would pick up with where Buffy was now,” Gellar told People about the setup.

After the pilot was completed and delivered, according to multiple sources, Hulu’s main note was that it played too young, with some indicating that the streamer also felt the show was too “small.”

It is unclear how exactly the pilot went through development, green light, casting and production without such concerns being addressed. Armstrong is young; she was about 15 when she was cast. Geller was young in the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer too; she was about 18 when she landed the pilot.

As for the scope of the show, I hear the initial business mandate was to keep the spirit of the original show, which was done for the WB (and subsequently for UPN) on a modest budget.

After feedback from the streamer that the pilot did not take big enough swings, the Zuckermans set out to do a rewrite to address the notes, sources said.

I hear the new script was 90 minutes. It was more adult, featuring a lot more of Gellar’s Buffy, and was described as a more of a streaming than a network show.

According to sources, the rewrite was well received at both studios, 20th TV and Searchlight TV, triggering the internal talk of a pending pickup, with at least one executive in charge “putting everything on the line” for it, as one person put it.

In her People interview, Gellar singled out one executive. “We had an executive on our show who was not only not a fan of the original, but was proud to constantly remind us that he had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn’t for him,” she said. “That’s very hard when you’re taking a property that is as beloved as Buffy, not just to the world, but to me and Chloé. So that tells you the uphill battle that we had been fighting since day one, when your executive is literally proud to tell you that he didn’t watch it.”

Gellar did not name the person; according to multiple sources, the executive Gellar was referring to is Erwich.

It is unclear what exactly Erwich meant by his comments, with some suggesting that he was referring to the fact that he wasn’t the demo for the series when he said that it “wasn’t for him.” (Still, those involved in the reboot agreed with Gellar’s general assessment of his take on the show.)

What is known is that Erwich made the decision not to proceed with the pilot. The reasons for the pass are fuzzy. Some say Hulu suggested that the rewritten version of the project was too expensive to shoot. Others indicate that it still fell short of the high bar set by the original series.

One source close to the project compared the situation to completing a $3M renovation only to find out that the house has foundation issues.

“Instead of fixing the foundation, you just walk away,” the person said about Hulu’s decision to not proceed with the reboot.
As Deadline reported, the hope is to get another take on the Buffy IP up and running within the next couple of years.

Under a restructuring announced today, Erwich, who oversees Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment, also added oversight of 20th Television, run by Karey Burke. That is the studio that owns the Buffy IP, produced the original series and would be developing any future incarnations, likely for Hulu again.

Dave wrote:

Robocop Versus Kryten. 

JEEZUZ, did Peter Weller try to open the floor with his face?!?!

Robert Llewellyn, on the other hand, looks great.

njerry wrote:

Todd wrote:

This has to be the stupidest thing Trump has done so far.

Chilling thought: he’s still got 2.75 years left in his term.

I truly doubt he will live that long.

Arjan Dirkse wrote:

At this point there is no realistic goal. Trump and Hegseth thought Iran would fold after some airstrikes and assassinations, but the Iranian regime, it may be evil, but they are no cowards.

Iran has been preparing for this for DECADES. They have systems and contingencies in place. They were more ready for the attack than US was. Hell, when they saw the fleet out in the sea, they began activating all their plans.

You can’t beat a country by bombing alone. You have to put troops on the ground. And that’s where the US will really feel it. And just because there is an opposition to the current government, that doesn’t mean they’re taking to the streets. They are also a relatively small group compared to the size of the government’s machine. The government is composed of fanatics. And when the US bombed that girl’s school, how many more fanatics were created?

This has to be the stupidest thing Trump has done so far.

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Ben

Dave wrote:

I watched the first couple of episodes of Gen V season two and lost interest, despite enjoying the first season. Maybe I need to catch up before The Boys comes back.

It is may understanding that Gen V Season 2 will also play into the Vaught Rising prequel series.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Revival Not Moving Forward At Hulu

Put a stake in the hearts of “Buffy” fans everywhere: Hulu has decided to not move forward with the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale” revival series, Sarah Michelle Gellar revealed Saturday.

“I am really sad to have to share this, but I wanted you all to hear it from me,” Gellar said in an Instagram video. “Unfortunately, Hulu has decided not to move forward with ‘Buffy: New Sunnydale.’ I want to thank Chloé Zhao because I never thought I would find myself back in Buffy’s stylish, yet affordable boots, and thanks to Chloé, I was reminded how much I love her and how much she means, not only to me, but to all of you. And this doesn’t change any of that. And I promise, if the apocalypse actually comes, you could still beep me.” 

There’s currently no word on whether the series will be shopped elsewhere.

The series had filmed a pilot episode last summer that starred Ryan Kiera Armstrong (“The Lowdown”) as the new lead and slayer, who was said to be a brainy and cerebral teen that was possibly more Willow than Buffy. Other new cast members included Sarah Bock (“Severance”), Ava Jean (“Law & Order: SVU”), Faly Rakotohavana (“Unprisoned”), Jack Cutmore-Scott (“Frasier”), and Daniel di Tomasso (“Major Crimes.”) 

“New Sunnydale” would’ve taken place following the events of the original “Buffy” series, with Gellar reprising her titular role as a recurring guest star. The revival was said to be focused on the new Slayer (Armstrong) and her own gang of “Scoobies,” and would’ve comprised “the next chapter in the Buffyverse.”

Chloé Zhao (who won a directing Oscar for her 2020 feature “Nomadland”) was attached to direct and executive-produce the project, with additional EPs including Gellar, Gail Berman, Fran Kuzui, Kaz Kuzui, and Dolly Parton. (Berman, the Kuzuis, and Parton all executive-produced the original series.)

A few days after the reboot news broke last year, Gellar wrote to her followers: “I have always listened to the fans and heard your desire to revisit Buffy and her world, but it was not something I could do unless I was sure we would get it right… This has been a long process, and it’s not over yet. I promise you, we will only make this show if we know we can do it right. And I will tell you that we are on the path there. I feel so lucky to be on this journey with these four unbelievably talented women, all of whom love Buffy as much as I do. And as much as you do. Thank you to all the fans who never stopped asking for this. This will be for you.”

lorcan_nagle wrote:

Because right now, Alex Kurtzman is in talks with Paramount/Skydance/Warner Brothers/Pizza Hut about the future of his incarnation of Star Trek.  There’s every possibility for one reason or another that his contract won’t be renewed and his successor, if any might start from scratch.  We’ve got two more series of SNW and one more of Academy to come and that might be it.  Flawed as it is, I’ve found a huge amount to enjoy in the current Trek era and it’ll be sad if it ends.

I have seen talk of a Star Trek: Year One with Kirk’s first year on the Enterprise.

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lorcan_nagle

Arjan Dirkse wrote:

Looks like the “Iran will quickly run out of missiles” is the same lie they told us about Russia running out of munition.

Actually, it’s the US who’s running out of missiles.

As to Russia, their military was in bad shape. They are having to use decommissioned equipment because they are losing so much “good” stuff. They are struggling to have enough soldiers for the war.

I think with the current operations, we are seeing the true state of the big militaries and it’s not a great picture. I believe there has been a lot of bluffing and posturing that has been revealed to be complete bullshit.

Disney’s live-action remake of beloved classic Robin Hood has been scrapped: “It’s dead sadly”

The live-action remake of Disney’s beloved ’73 animated classic, Robin Hood, has been scrapped, according to the director.

The remake was first reported in 2020, and it was set to be a CGI and live-action hybrid, as well as a musical. Raya and the Last Dragon director Carlos López Estrada was set to helm the film.

“It’s dead sadly. I say sadly because I actually thought there was something really special (and original!) there. Some truly extraordinary music we had figured out for it,” Estrada wrote in a Reddit AMA, adding: “I keep daydreaming about doing it independently with different characters.”

The animated Robin Hood depicts all the major characters as animals, with Robin Hood a red fox, Little John a bear, and Prince John a (pretty scrawny) lion. The Sheriff of Nottingham is a wolf, Maid Marian another red fox, and the rest of the cast are made up of the likes of rabbits, a rooster, a badger, and a snake.
Naturally, then, a lot of the film’s unique charm comes from the animation, which likely would have been stripped away by a live-action reimagining. That’s a sentiment a lot of movie fans are sharing, with one writing on Reddit: “Oh, I know! Let’s take the thing people love about animation and get rid of it! They’ll love animation even more without the animation!”

“There are already too many Robin Hood movies anyways, including the one with Hugh Jackman which comes out this summer,” points out another person.

Someone else simply said, “GOOD!” while another agrees: “This is the best news. These ‘live action’ remakes are stupid.”

However, the news that the film isn’t going ahead is pretty surprising, considering the live-action Lilo and Stitch grossed over $1 billion at the box office last year, and the live-action Moana is arriving in just a few months. It’s unclear when the decision was made to scrap the Robin Hood remake, though.

Saturday Night Live UK To Stream Next Day On Peacock — Get U.S. Premiere Date

“Saturday Night Live UK” might be airing across the pond, but that doesn’t mean Stateside viewers won’t be in on the jokes.

Premiering on Saturday, March 21 in the UK on SKY One and NOW, “SNL UK” will stream the next day on Peacock, the streaming service announced on Monday. (New episodes will be available weekly starting on Sunday, March 22.)

“‘Saturday Night Live’ is one of the most influential comedy brands in the world and bringing the UK edition to Peacock is a natural extension of that legacy,” Liz Jenkins, Chief Business Officer, NBCUniversal Entertainment, said in a statement. “As the streaming home of ‘SNL,’ Peacock is proud to introduce bold new British voices to a global stage.”

The London-based series plans to follow the “signature live, fast-paced” style of the U.S. original, complete with “a rotating slate of guest hosts and live musical performances,” per the official description.

The cast of the spin-off, which was first announced in April 2025, includes Hammed Animashaun, Ayoade Bamgboye, Larry Dean, Celeste Dring, George Fouracres, Ania Magliano, Annabel Marlow, Al Nash, Jack Shep, Emma Sidi, and Paddy Young.

“SNL” Stateside boss, Lorne Michaels, is on board to executive-produce the offshoot.

Tobias Radesäter wrote:

I’m sure that could have made something up if they wanted that dynamic. Green Arrow training Speedy?

“You shouldn’t be doing heroin, Roy. You need to try peyote!”

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njerry, Christian, Uncle Retrospective

Ian Smith wrote:

It looks like a standard HBO crime drama which is fine, but I’m not sure it screams Green Lantern to me. It feels like they’re doing the concept on the cheap.

That’s been my thought since the beginning.

I was born in June so I guess I got lucky.

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JRCarter

Q: What’s the difference between Trump and Netanyahu?

A: One is the President of the USA. The other is married to Melania.

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Sean Robinson, njerry, JRCarter

I missed the first issue of the relaunch. It’s thick, magazine-sized, and $14.95 an issue. I have from #2 on but haven’t had a chance to get into it.

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Andrew

Ben wrote:

Corporate blight Embracer Group remove Mike Richardson from DHC.

https://www.comicsbeat.com/founder-mike-richardson-exits-dark-horse-after-40-years/?utm_source=threads&utm_medium=jetpack_social

I wonder how many independent creators will renew their contracts, if they’re even offered, now that Richardson is gone.

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njerry, Ben

James Talarico won his primary!

It’s being reported that more people in Texas voted in the Democrat primaries than Republican primaries. That is a very positive sign.

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JRCarter, Martin Smith, lorcan_nagle, Sean Robinson, Arjan Dirkse

lorcan_nagle wrote:

This made me think of one of my favorite short stories, They’re Made Out of Meat.

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Uncle Retrospective, lorcan_nagle, Dan

Marvel officially axes 2026’s most ambitious release (full details inside)

It seems Marvel’s intergalactic Imperial saga has been cut short. What happened? After an exciting launch in 2025, the much-hyped new era for Marvel’s interstellar heroes and villains isn’t sticking around much longer. Let’s talk about what caused the change in creative direction, why Marvel’s Imperial spin-offs are going away, and what could have been.

As reported by Bleeding Cool, Marvel’s plans for a slate of ongoing cosmic comics, one of the publisher’s most ambitious projects for 2026, have fizzled out.

Five series were announced in the aftermath of the Imperial crossover event; it looks like none of them are going to survive much longer.

Marvel’s Ambitious New Cosmic Era Is Ending With A Whimper, Rather Than A Big Bag
Jonathan Hickman’s Imperial Was Supposed To Launch A New Era; It’s Not Going To Last Through 2026
There is a vast Marvel Universe beyond Earth, featuring interstellar empires and cosmic characters. Imperial was Marvel’s latest attempt to do something exciting with all that potential. It was spearheaded by Jonathan Hickman, who previously revolutionized the X-Men franchise and rebooted Marvel’s Ultimate Universe. After drastically altering Marvel’s cosmic status quo, Hickman handed the reins to five other Marvel authors.
Marvel put a lot of stock in its post-Imperial plans, but now creative plans for Marvel’s cosmic line have been abridged. Reportedly, it’s the same reason most Marvel titles are cut short these days: underwhelming sales. The figures seem to point to the fact that not enough interest was there to keep investing in titles like Imperial Guardians and Nova Centurion.

Or Planet-She Hulk, Exiles or Black Panther: Intergalactic. Each of these has had its issue order cut short by Marvel. In the case of Exiles, it seems as though the book might never appear at all. The question readers have now is whether Marvel is pivoting, or bailing entirely on its Imperial follow-through.

“Imperial” Rebooted Marvel’s Intergalactic Roster Of Characters; It Never Took Off With Fans
What’s Next For Marvel’s Deep Space Heroes Is Unclear
The entire point of Jonathan Hickman’s Imperial was to rewrite the balance of power in the wider Marvel Universe, and maneuver certain characters into position to take on new roles in the aftermath of the series. In this sense, it was the ultimate “destination, not the journey,” story, which might have been a factor in hampering the five-issue arc’s own sales.

As for the announced follow-up titles, two things hurt their chances. After Imperial, fans didn’t like where the story left certain characters. Like Star-Lord, who was morally compromised by the end of Imperial. At the same time, fans didn’t respond well to where the spin-offs picked up with characters like Black Panther.

In other words, Marvel was in a creative lose-lose situation with its cosmic plans for 2026. The critical reception wasn’t stellar, and issue sales didn’t justify pushing forward. Still, there’s a big difference between Marvel forgetting about its new post-Imperial cosmic landscape entirely, and recalibrating its approach to the new paradigm.

Marvel Set Up A Major Conflict For Two Iconic Marvel Heroes, But Will It Follow Through?
Marvel’s Cosmic “Civil War” Could Be A Huge “What If?” And Nothing More
Following Imperial, both Guardians of the Galaxy’s Star-Lord and Black Panther are the leaders of huge intergalactic empires. It’s the perfect set up for a third Marvel Civil War, on a scale that makes the first two seem tame by comparison. Yet it doesn’t seem like Marvel is interested in telling this story.

It’s unclear if there ever was a long-term creative direction for Marvel’s cosmic landscape following Imperial. In the short-term, the ambition was there, but the execution, and now the follow-through, have come up lacking. There’s still time to course correct, but it comes at the expense of five titles that never got a chance to fully find their footing.

Marvel fans were excited by the prospect of Imperial, but the response the publisher needed to stay committed to the project didn’t materialize. Marvel’s early 2026 plans for its cosmic heroes are dead, but there’s still time for Marvel to figure out a new plan and salvage everything it has put into the line so far.

lorcan_nagle wrote:

OK, sure, every country the US has enacted regime change in in the past has turned to shit, including Iran.  But this time if they enact regime change it’ll turn out great.

I have a good feeling about this one.

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Uncle Retrospective, Ben, lorcan_nagle

Tobias Radesäter wrote:

Maybe they should try having Spider-Man in it next time?

Or, let Marvel do it for them.

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njerry

Christian wrote:

Bombing raids have never been a good way to actually defeat a country. ‘s a good way to kill a shitload of civlians, mind you.

Supposed, a school was hit and a bunch of students and teachers were killed with more injured.

Uncle Retrospective wrote:

I have a bad feeling about this.

I know.

Is Paramount’s Debt-Laden WBD Takeover Another Ill-Starred Hollywood Sequel?

he logline seems awfully familiar.

A hero rides to the rescue of Warner Bros, a treasured but troubled Hollywood studio. The hero’s much smaller company manages to swallow the much larger one that owns the studio. It has become a takeover target due to declining linear TV networks and expensive forays in streaming.

The hero is a fresh face in the C-suite of top-tier media players, charming many industry veterans by pledging loyalty to movie theaters. But then, a second-act complication: Completing this mission, it turns out, will require taking on a massive amount of debt. In order to pay down the debt, billions of costs will be cut, likely resulting in untold thousands of layoffs.

That narrative sums up both the anticipated deal for David Ellison‘s Paramount Skydance to buy Warner Bros. Discovery as well as the 2022 acquisition of WarnerMedia by David Zaslav‘s Discovery Communications. The flashbacks were triggered Thursday evening when Paramount emerged the winner after months of jockeying with Netflix, which walked away from the fight.

As Hollywood processes the series of events, the question has arisen: Is this new mega-deal destined to be another over-budget, ill-fated Hollywood sequel?

“This is effectively the same position WBD was in from ‘22 (post-merger) through ‘25,” Bernstein Research analyst Laurent Yoon wrote in a note to clients. That was “a period that constrained growth despite having quality studios and IPs,” he added.

In 2022, as WarnerMedia and Discovery came together, Zaslav was afforded an extensive honeymoon. Press coverage showed him in his new Los Angeles home (late Paramount production chief Robert Evans’ former Beverly Hills estate) and emphasized his eagerness to embrace the movie business despite limited experience with it. Visitors to Zaslav’s office at the Burbank studio lot were shown the actual desk once used by Jack Warner, whom the CEO often name-checked in initial remarks about the deal.

The “transformative” nature of the merger was also touted to Wall Street. “We firmly believe that two content companies coming together have unique advantages,” Zaslav told analysts on an earnings call soon after the transaction closed.

Honeymoons must eventually end, however. When it became fully apparent that the company’s leverage ratio was five times its earnings – nearly double that of many peers – concerns started to mount about when the “advantages” would materialize.

Cloudy Optics
Operationally, Zaslav also stumbled in noticeable ways, infuriating the creative community by axing completed films like Batgirl in order to realize tax write-offs, or planning to gut Turner Classic Movies before pushback from A-list filmmakers reversed the plan. In 2023, the optics worsened. As the industry endured labor strife leading to dual strikes by the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA, Zaslav was heckled during a commencement speech at Boston University and teamed with Graydon Carter to throw a splashy (if tightly secured) party in Cannes.

WBD stock, meanwhile, skidded to about one-third of its level following the April 2022 deal close, staying largely in a range between $12-$15 for two-plus years. After slipping below $8 last spring, the shares revived amid chatter about a potential sale and plans were articulated for a spinoff of Discovery Global. Today, the share price is above $28 and Zaslav has managed to secure a proposal from Paramount at $31 a share, plus numerous other incentives, after initially having an offer at $19. Comcast entering the derby along with Netflix last fall provided even more of a boost.

Despite the elements of triumph (and a windfall of hundreds of millions coming to Zaslav per his employment contract), echoes of history are hard to escape. Yoon estimates the combined Paramount-WBD entity will have almost $100 billion in debt, with a leverage ratio greater than six times.

“Overpaying for WBD to accelerate growth is perhaps better than facing a mediocre standalone trajectory,” he wrote. “At least this gives them a shot at greatness, in our view. But we do not expect them to come out swinging too hard. … Before they can invest in growth, they’ll need to cut deep and fast, and allocate most of their [free cash flow] to interest expense and de-levering.”

In their lengthy statement explaining why they had decided to exit the Warner merger process, Netflix co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters worked in a flex. “Netflix’s business is healthy, strong and growing organically, powered by our slate and best-in-class streaming service,” they said. “This year, we’ll invest approximately $20 billion in quality films and series and will expand our entertaining offering.”

That amount of spending, allotted to a single platform, will be where the bar is for competitors who need to feed broadcast and cable networks along with streaming. In Paramount’s case, the company has been downgraded by ratings agencies, who cite its exposure to decaying linear TV assets. Ellison’s company, which is backed by his father Larry Ellison’s immense wealth, has shown an appetite for sports rights, but how will it balance its need to retire debt with its desire to become a leading streamer and content power?

“The biggest challenge facing Paramount Skydance post-merger,” wrote MoffettNathanson analyst Robert Fishman in a client note, will be “balancing the content investment required to reach its strategic goals against the need to manage leverage. Will PSKY attempt to delever naturally to get back to investment grade, or can the company recapitalize after closing the deal to accelerate the timing?”

Questionable Track Record
In a town hall meeting Friday, Zaslav sought to sell employees on the idea that a bigger deal would be better, but Deadline spoke with a number of rattled and dispirited staffers dreading the likely cutbacks. If the deal closes, the Warner assets will be in the hands of their fourth corporate owner in less than a decade.

With the dust still settling, a remark made by Peters seems prescient. Appearing at a conference last October, amid speculation that Netflix could enter the Warner Bros fray, the exec downplayed that scenario.

The company has long been “builders rather than buyers,” he explained. What’s more, he added, “One should have a reasonable amount of skepticism around big media mergers. They don’t have an amazing track record over time.”

Auston Matthews may have fucked himself in Toronto.

I’d love hear Sean’s take on this.

The Handshake Heard Across Hockey: Auston Matthews, Donald Trump, and the Cost of Normalizing A Presidential Sexual Predator

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Sean Robinson

Al-x wrote:

But which of the two can do the DC movies justice?

I’m not confident in either one.

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Uncle Retrospective

Arjan Dirkse wrote:

Excuse me, young man. Do you believe in Dog?

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Uncle Retrospective

lorcan_nagle wrote:

Uncle Retrospective wrote:

There’s going to a new Neon Genesis Evangelion series!

https://x.com/d0nut2x/status/2025919964444557448

I’m betting it’s going to be an adaptation of the manga where they’re vampire hunters in school

I just need to know if Shinji will pilot the EVA or not.

Arjan Dirkse wrote:

One bit I saw about Epstein which I did like, argued that people like him are just, very simply, the consequence of a system that doesn’t hold the rich and powerful responsible for their actions. Eventually bad people do bad stuff, if the inequality of wealth and power is so large.

 

While I think that is true, I still think it is important to get some clarity about who did what.

I’ve some charts where Epstein is at the center and all the connections radiate out and how those connections tie together. They look like they were created by a spider on crystal meth.

You can google them but as more files and information comes to light, the bigger it gets. Some people are simply namedropped and haven’t committed any criminal activity. It is going to take a lot to sort through the files and people to determine who can be charged with what based on the evidence.

Honestly, it will take years to go through all of it.

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Ben

Martin Smith wrote:

Uncle Retrospective wrote:

There’s going to a new Neon Genesis Evangelion series!

https://x.com/d0nut2x/status/2025919964444557448

Argon Genesis Evangelion?

Neon Exodus Evangelion?

Neon Genesis Evangetiger?

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Electric Boogaloo

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Uncle Retrospective

Arjan Dirkse wrote:

I haven’t seen any good article in any medium that gives a good overview of the Epstein files and the worst revelations in it nor any analysis of what Epstein’s function was and why he got away with what he did. It is all superficial stuff, and some details here and there, and some hyperbolic stuff (“Epstein ate babies!”)

 

I wonder if this is on purpose, if the media have been instructed not to dig too deeply. Not sure. But I think it’s weird. Even the Guardian has been very sparse in the information they gave about the files and their meaning. For instance, if you compare it to the abuse scandal in the Catholic church, there were articles I think, that described how the church protected the abusers. I don’t think we’ve seen such an explanation regarding Epstein. He just “got away with it”.

I think because the scandal is so wide and deep, it is really hard to simply and concisely summarize it all.

Here are a few videos that cover some of it and give you some insight:

Jeopardy! UK’ Fans React After Spinoff Suddenly Gets Axed

njerry wrote:

Todd wrote:

Al-x wrote:

Forecast of a huge snowstorm starting tomorrow in the city. So I go to the market and (guess what?) everybody else had the same idea. Long lines, but glad I got out when I did.

We should be hitting a high in the low 80s today.

You’re not welcome in my snow fort, Todd.

Well, it’s gotten cooler today. We’ll have a high in the 60s.

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njerry

Al-x wrote:

Forecast of a huge snowstorm starting tomorrow in the city. So I go to the market and (guess what?) everybody else had the same idea. Long lines, but glad I got out when I did.

We should be hitting a high in the low 80s today.

Steven Soderbergh calls Disney insane for scrapping Ben Solo Star Wars movie

Ever since Adam Driver let slip in October that Disney axed a planned Star Wars movie centering on his character Ben Solo, fans of the franchise have been rather upset that the studio didn’t greenlight the project.

But nobody can possibly be as frustrated as director Steven Soderbergh, who says he wasted nearly three years working on the script for The Hunt for Ben Solo (which Driver called “one of the coolest scripts I had ever been a part of”).

In a new interview, Soderbergh was asked about outgoing Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy calling the script “great” last month. Driver had previously said that while Lucasfilm “loved” their take, Disney CEO Bob Iger and co-chairman Alan Bergman rejected the project.

“It was no surprise that [Kennedy] was frustrated,” Soderbergh said in an interview with BK Mag. “We were all frustrated. You know, that was two-and-a-half years of free work for me and Adam and [writer] Rebecca Blunt. When Adam and I discussed him talking about it publicly, I said, ‘Look, do not editorialize or speculate about the why. Just say what happened, because all we know is what happened.’ The stated reason was, ‘We don’t think Ben Solo could be alive.’ And that was all we were told. And so there’s nothing to do about it, you know, except move on.”

Soderbergh continued: “I’d kind of made the movie in my head, and just felt bad that nobody else was going to get to see it. I thought the conversation was strictly going to be a practical one-where they go, what is this going to cost? And I had a really good answer for that. But it never even got to that point. It’s insane. We’re all very disappointed.”

Driver’s Ben Solo character was killed at the end of 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. And, certainly, killing off a character is a valid reason to not make a sequel focused on that character, but it’s also an issue one would think would be discussed before having Soderbergh and Driver spend years developing a script (raising, once again, the question of “Is Disney Bad at Star Wars?”).

The comments come on the heels of a new trailer for the first Star Wars film in seven years, The Mandalorian and Grogu, which brings the hit Disney+ series to the big screen in May.

Arjan Dirkse wrote:

Now this is an interesting development.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/02/19/world/uk-prince-andrew-arrest-epstein

Add to the fact that KCIII has pretty much said, “You’re on your own, bro!”

Hell of a birthday present for Andy, though!

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Uncle Retrospective

Martin Smith wrote:

I finally watched Sinners, which I enjoyed. But pick a fucking aspect ratio, my dude.

I thought Sinners was good, but not great. It had some good performances, but it didn’t blow me away. It felt like it was trying to cram too much into one movie and nothing felt like it had time to breathe.

I’m glad I saw it, but I doubt I’d ever watch it again.

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Martin Smith

Ben wrote:

One thing I’m getting much more sceptical of is the need to worry about how much anyone knows or doesn’t of the story. If it’s set up right, it works fine for everyone, with some extra impact for those who have watched s1-3.

Oh, they pretty much have to set it up as a standalone movie. I’m just not confident on the execution.

Dave wrote:

Christian wrote:

But I am still not going to watch this in the theatre.

I’m not either. And I think this is maybe the biggest problem the movie has to overcome.

Disney+ has trained us to wait for streaming so effectively that it’s cannibalised its own theatrical movie business.

Years ago, Jason Aaron did a run on Ghost Rider for Marvel. It was a fun and wild series. It ran for, IIRC, 18 issues. Those issues were $2.99 each. Well, the last issue was a cliffhanger. It was going to be resolved in a five-issue miniseries with the issues priced at $3.99. Because of that stunt, I never bought that miniseries.

That comes to mind with this movie.

I think what pisses me off more is that for years, everything that lead up to this movie debuted on Disney+. And yet, the conclusion (or at least next chapter) to the story is saved for theaters where I have to pay to see it.

Also, I can’t imagine this is very friendly to people who never saw the show on D+. I’m sure they’ll do something to bring watchers up to speed, but it just feels a bit niche. It will be interesting to see how well the movie does. I have a feeling Disney would have been better off just breaking it up into episodes and doing this as the next season of The Mandalorian.

Unless something changes, I’m comfortable waiting for it show up on D+.

Christian wrote:

…there was a Hawkman sci-fi cartoon in the 60s???

That’s so weird.

Not just Hawkman! Filmation did a bunch of DC characters!

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njerry