Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 9

September 15, 2025

Japan’s Futuristic ‘Human Washing Machine’ Is Absurd and We Must Try It

What if I told you it’s now possible to completely wash AND dry yourself in just 15 minutes? ….Oh, yeah, that’s right. We’ve been able to do that for a very, very long time. It’s called “taking a shower or bath and then drying off with towel.” You can actually do that in less than 15 minutes. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room for innovation in the field of personal hygiene. And in Japan they’ve rediscovered a luxurious way to get yourself squeaky clean in the most relaxing way possible. They just didn’t come up with a stylish name for their device, because the “Human Washing Machine” is far more elegant than it sounds.

It’s also just as absurd as you think.

Science Co., a showerhead making company out of Osaka, recently updated an old design. According to the Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun, the Sanyo Electric Co. (now Panasonic Holdings Corp.) “caused a stir” at the 1970 Japan World Expo with its “human washing machine.” In a real shocker it didn’t catch on. Probably because “showers” already existed.

But Science Co. brought the idea back with its updated Mirai Ningen Sentakuki, which translates to “Human Washing Machine of the Future.” It looks like it comes from a high-end, futuristic spaceship. It’s more akin to an escape pod or fighter jet. But it’s really an enclosed bath crossed with a mini shower that partly fills with hot water. It also rinses your upper body with thin mist and employs tiny bubbles to get grime off. Sensors also measure your pulse and other biological data to make sure you’re comfortable. It even plays sooting music and videos while it washes you so you remain calm.

A human washing machine that looks like a futuristic fighterjet cockpit with an open doorChannel JAPAN by Nikkei

This is absolutely ridiculous. It’s a needlessly expensive, complex machine that is essentially a solution in search of a problem. It’s just a super fancy bath with a giant built-in Ipad.

And I must try it. I simply must sit inside the space pod bath that takes you to Relaxation City via a stop over in Hygiene Town. How can you see this and not want to try it?

Plus, this “Human Washing Machine” has one big advantage over a regular shower or bath. When I’m all done I won’t have to worry about cleaning a towel. They still haven’t made a machi…..oh, wait, no. No, they have that. It’s a regular washing machine.

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Published on September 15, 2025 12:26

DEMON SLAYER: INFINITY CASTLE’s $70 Million Opening Weekend Sets Anime Movie Record

What do you get when you give one of the most popular anime series in the world the big screen treatment? A record setting box office. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has begun its theatrical run in the U.S. by more than doubling the previous opening weekend record for an anime movie.Poster with characters for Demon Slayer: Infinity CastleSony

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle took home a whopping $70 million in its first weekend in U.S. theaters. That earned it the #1 box office spot. But that’s not even close to its most impressive feat. As Variety notes, it easily demolished the old anime film opening weekend record of $31 million. Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back held that title since 1999. As of this writing Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has also taken in more than $350 million worldwide.

Sony, who distributed the movie and backed it under its Crunchyroll banner, has extra reason to celebrate this news. The film is just the first installment in a planned trilogy that will serve as the finale for the wildly popular series.

If you want to find out what all the fuss is about but don’t have time to catch up on the whole show, don’t worry. We have you covered. Ahead of the film’s release we put together a video of everything you need to know before seeing Infinity Castle.

The English dub of the film also features Channing Tatum in a small but important role. He took the part because his daughter is a huge Demon Slayer fan. After this opening weekend box office it’s obvious she is not the only one. Records are made to be broken, but more than doubling the previous one is not something that happens by accident.

The only question now is how long will this new benchmark stand? Our bet is it won’t be long. Not when the sequel to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle will arrive soon enough.

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Published on September 15, 2025 11:51

THE WITCHER Season 4 Sets Release Date; Arrives This October

The time has almost come to return to the Continent. But, of course, not everything is looking exactly as it was… Naturally, we’re talking about the mass disarray that struck the fantastical realm at the end of The Witcher season three. Ehm. Okay, so we may also be talking about Liam Hemsworth replacing Henry Cavill as the titular Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, in season four of the series. Although given our first teaser trailer for The Witcher season four, a clip where we finally get to see Hemsworth in action as Geralt, we might opine that things aren’t looking that different after all. Though whether fans will approve this change or not remains to be seen, one thing is for certain. The Witcher season four has set its release date. When will The Witcher season four premiere? More of our favorite fantasy series will stream on Netflix beginning on October 30.

The Witcher Season 4’s Release Date

The Witcher season four’s release date was revealed in its first teaser trailer. The show will arrive this fall, hitting just before Halloween. We suppose that makes sense for a show full of elves, wraiths, and magic. Celebrate spooky season with your favorite monster hunters for hire. As mentioned, The Witcher season four will release on October 30.

Will The Witcher Season 4 Release All at Once?

The Witcher season three was released in chunks or chapters. But this did not seem to go over well with its fans. And so, thankfully, The Witcher season four will release all at once. All eight episodes will drop on October 30.

More About The Witcher Season 4THE WITCHER Season 4 Sets Release Date; Arrives This October_1Netflix

We don’t know too much about The Witcher season four yet. Of course, Liam Hemsworth will take over as Geralt. And this season will serve as The Witcher‘s penultimate chapter, with the show’s season five concluding its run. Additionally, Netflix shared the following synopsis for The Witcher season four:

After the Continent-altering events of Season Three, Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri find themselves separated by a raging war and countless enemies. As their paths diverge, and their goals sharpen, they stumble on unexpected allies eager to join their journeys. And if they can accept these found families, they just might have a chance at reuniting for good…

We do love a found family, and we can’t wait to see what lies in store on The Witcher season four when it releases this October.

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Published on September 15, 2025 10:39

Liam Hemsworth Becomes Geralt in THE WITCHER Season 4 First Footage & Images

We finally know when The Witcher‘s Liam Hemsworth era will officially begin. Netflix has revealed the show’s new Geralt of Rivia will take up the mantle of the White Wolf on October 30 with the debut of the show’s penultimate fourth season. We don’t have to wait until then to see what the new Geralt will look like swinging a sword, though. The streaming site celebrated the announcement of The Witcher season four’s release date with a teaser trailer showing Hemsworth’s monster fighter Geralt taking on a ghastly wraith. The Witcher season four also released new images, which include our first look at Laurence Fishburne as Regis.

Forget trying to look like Henry Cavill. Anyone else think this Liam guy looks a lot like Chris Hemsworth in Thor?*

As for the actual teaser trailer for The Witcher season four, it reveals that while Hemsworth looks pretty much like Cavill did in the role of Geralt, he doesn’t sound like him. He’s not trying to, either. Cavill’s Geralt was so gruff that his voice could sand paper. Hemsworth’s Geralt—at least in this scene where he traps and kills a wraith by crushing its heart—sounds much softer. Is that his interpretation of the role? Or does it reflect a changed Geralt in The Witcher‘s world? The end of season three saw him battered and bruised. It also left him cut off from his loved ones.

LIAM HEMSWORTH WITH A RED SWORD ON HIS KNEES ON THE WITCHERNetflix

If the latter proves true, Geralt’s voice might get angrier the more he struggles to find Ciri and Yennefer in The Witcher season four. That quest will anchor the plot of this next chapter. Here’s the official synopsis from Netflix for The Witcher‘s next season:

After the Continent-altering events of Season Three, Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri find themselves separated by a raging war and countless enemies. As their paths diverge, and their goals sharpen, they stumble on unexpected allies eager to join their journeys. And if they can accept these found families, they just might have a chance at reuniting for good…

That quest will continue into the fifth and final season of The Witcher. Showrunner Lauren Schmidt told Netflix’s Tudum, “This is the beginning of a two-season journey for our family to finally reunite and be together — hopefully forever.”

Click To View Gallery Laurence Fishburne with long gray hair on horseback on The Witcher Netflix A LONG-HAIRED CIRI IN YELLOW ON THE WITCHER Netflix Liam Hemsworth Becomes Geralt in THE WITCHER Season 4 First Footage & Images_1 Netflix Jaskier writing in candelight on The Witcher Netflix Liam Hemsworth Becomes Geralt in THE WITCHER Season 4 First Footage & Images_2 Netflix

It’s too early to worry about the end of the show, though. Especially when Laurence Fishburne is just getting started on the series. He’s playing Regis, “the worldly barber-surgeon” with a mysterious past. We finally get to see Fishburne in the role in a batch of new The Witcher season four images. They also show Ciri sporting a very different look and an armed and determined Yennefer.

Monsters, swords, and Geralt being separated from Yennefer? The Liam Hemsworth era of The Witcher might be here, but it is still very much the Continent we know.

*If you didn’t realize this was a joke, that’s on you.

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Published on September 15, 2025 10:01

ANDOR Deserved Major Emmy Award Win (Though It ALSO Deserved WAY More)

Andor was a special show whose second and final season featured some of the best writing, directing, production, and performances you will ever see from any TV series. It was so good that its otherwise impressive 14 Emmy Award nominations in 2025 were woefully incomplete. But in the end, the Television Academy at least managed to recognize Andor‘s greatest triumph. Dan Gilroy took home the win for Best Writing in a Drama series for “Welcome to the Rebellion,” the last installment in Andor‘s Ghorman Massacre arc. This major Emmy award win for Andor could not have been more deserved. A worried Mon Mothma in the Galactic Senate in AndorLucasfilm

The Empire’s calculated genocide of Ghorman during Andor‘s second season was brutal and heartbreaking. It was also television at its absolute apex. If you’ve seen the Ghorman Massacre arc, which the show began setting up in season two’s premiere, you know why. It was breathtaking. Literally and at numerous points. For all these reasons, it remains shocking that Diego Luna and Genevieve O’Reilly didn’t also earn Emmy nominations for their work on Andor, but it’s no surprise writer Dan Gilroy did. He penned all three episodes (7-8-9) in the arc.

“Welcome to the Rebellion” is stunning from start to finish, a rich and nuanced story that excels both in quiet moments and in big ones. Mon Mothma’s speech and escape might be the core of the episode, but the lead-up to that moment is fraught with distrust and sadness. The same is true of the fallout. Once safe, she realizes just how much Cassian Andor has also sacrificed. For years, she’s given everything of herself to the Rebellion in silence. The episode and arc then end with Adria Arjona’s devastating farewell to the love of her life, as Bix chooses the Rebellion over both of them. Her decision, impossibly painful for both her and Cassian, will ultimately save the galaxy far, far away… And her choice on Andor will finally see a Star Wars TV series winning a major Emmy award.

And as if all of that isn’t enough, episode nine accomplished something that should have been impossible. It features one of the most impressive bits of writing in television history. Gilroy managed to create dread and tension even though everyone knew both main characters would survive. Andor was a prequel where we always knew the fates of both Mon Mothma and Cassian Andor. But that didn’t matter as Cassian Andor tried to get Mon Mothma safely out of the Galactic Senate building. No one who knows Star Wars history should have felt any real worry during that sequence. Yet their desperate escape had us terrified they’d never make it out alive. That feat alone was worth at least one Emmy for Andor.

We wish Andor had taken home Best Drama at the 2025 Emmy Awards. We wish that Diego Luna, Genevieve O’Reilly, Stellan Skarsgård, and Adria Arjona didn’t just get nominations, but that they’d heard their names called, too. But if Andor was only going home with one Emmy statue last night, thank goodness it recognized the Ghorman Massacre. It was the very best from one of the very best shows ever made.

Where Can You Watch Andor’s Emmy Award-Winning Episode?

Andor‘s Emmy Award-winning episode, “Welcome to the Rebellion,” streams on Disney+. “Welcome to the Rebellion” is the ninth episode of Andor season two. You can find it here.

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Published on September 15, 2025 07:57

SEVERANCE, THE PENGUIN, ANDOR Among 2025 Emmy Winners

The Television Academy went big on genre when it announced its nominees for the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards. In the end, though, voters tended to stick with more traditional offerings, as The Pitt, Adolescence, and The Studio ultimately proved to be the night’s big winners. But that didn’t mean genre got shut out entirely. Some of our favorites still earned their industry’s top recognition, as Severance, The Penguin, and Andor all took home Emmys.Cristin Millioti in The Penguin split with Andor and Mon Mothma and Tramell Tillman Severance, all three shows won Emmys at the 2025 Emmy AwardsHBO/Lucasfilm/Apple TV

Adolescence led the pack at the 2025 Emmys, taking home six wins across the Limited or Anthology Series categories. That included an historic win for 15-year-old Owen Cooper, the youngest male Emmy winner ever. Seth Rogen also heard his name called four times for his industry-set The Studio. The Best Comedy winner also earned him Best Actor, Best Writing, and Best Director. HBO’s The Pitt won for Best Drama, with stars Noah Wyle (Best Actor) and Katherine LaNasa (Best Supporting Actress) also taking home Emmys.

Hollywood roared in approval with chants of “Stephen” when The Late Show With Stephen Colbert won for Best Talk Series at the 2025 Emmy Awards just months after CBS cancelled the top-rated late night talk show.

Genre television made its presence felt when two of our favorites from one of our favorite shows won. Severance stars Britt Lower (Best Actress in a Drama) and Tramell Tillman (Best Supporting Actor) each heard their name called. Tillman’s 2025 Emmy award win was also a historic one, as he’s the first Black man to ever earn that honor. Another of our favorite performances from last year also garnered a win, as The Penguin‘s Cristin Milioti took home the award for Best Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. And while Andor didn’t earn the recognition it deserved with nominations, it avoided getting shut out entirely when Dan Gilroy won for Best Writing for a Drama Series for “Welcome to the Rebellion.”

So while it wasn’t quite the night we hoped genre would have after hearing the 2025 nominees, it wasn’t a bad night, either.

You can find the full list of 2025 Emmy Award winners below.

2025 Primetime Emmy Award Winners: Full List

Drama Series – The Pitt

Comedy Series – The Studio

Limited or Anthology Series – Adolescence

Variety Special (Live) – SNL50: The Anniversary Special

Actor in a Drama Series – Noah Wyle (The Pitt)

Actress in a Drama Series – Britt Lower (Severance)

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Tramell Tillman (Severance)

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Katherine LaNasa (The Pitt)

Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie – Stephen Graham (Adolescence)

Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie – Cristin Milioti (The Penguin)

Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie –  Owen Cooper (Adolescence)

Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie – Erin Doherty (Adolescence)

Actress in a Comedy Series – Jean Smart (Hacks)

Actor in a Comedy Series – Seth Rogen (The Studio)

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Hannah Einbinder (Hacks)

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere)Writing for a Drama Series – Dan Gilroy (Andor)

Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie – Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham (Adolescence)

Directing for a Comedy Series – Seth Rogen (The Studio)

Best Writing for a Comedy Series – Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, Frida Perez (The Studio)

Directing for a Drama Series – Adam Randall (Slow Horses)

Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie – Philip Barantini (Adolescence)

Reality Competition Program – The Traitors

Talk Series – The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

Scripted Variety Series – Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

Writing for a Variety Series – Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

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Published on September 15, 2025 07:05

TRICK ‘R TREAT Heads to Movie Theaters Nationwide for THE FIRST TIME (Exclusive)

Is there a more iconic Halloween movie than Trick ‘r Treat? Between its adorable icon, Sam, the mischievous spirit guardian of Halloween, its spooky scares, and hilarious laughs, it IS the quintessential movie of the best season. When you put Trick ‘r Treat on and settle in with your cozy blanket, the very essence of Halloween moves through you; you can hear the laughter of trick or treaters, smell that specific scent of Jack ‘O Lanterns in the air, and hear the crisp autumn leaves under your feet. But now, you’re going to be able to capture that feeling and amplify it. Because, for the first time ever, Trick ‘r Treat, newly restored in 4K, is heading back to theaters for a long-awaited nationwide release. Yes, we are so excited to exclusively announce that this October, Trick ‘r Treat will be back in theaters thanks to Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Saga Arts, and Fathom Entertainment. Can we get one big “HAPPY HALLOWEEN!” in celebration?trick r treat return to theaters posterWarner Bros./Legendary Pictures/Saga Arts

Trick ‘r Treat will be back in movie theaters on October 14 and 16 of this year. And for the very first time, the Halloween classic will be getting a nationwide release in its newly restored, stunning 4K version. For two nights only, you can relive the cult favorite in its most glorious form ever. Die-hard fans and new initiates can spend a delightful Halloween night with Sam, learning all about his rules… And what happens if you don’t follow them. As we said, Trick ‘r Treat delivers an immersive experience, one of nostalgia and terror all wrapped into one. Seeing the movie as it’s meant to be witnessed, on a massive screen with powerful sound, will surely only make that feeling grow.

Plus, if you think Trick ‘r Treat‘s Sam is adorable now, just wait until you see him shine in the theater. There’s a reason why Sam has become one of the top-selling Halloween icons of our nation, and the unofficial mascot of Halloween enthusiasts everywhere. If you love Halloween, you know that Sam’s rules aren’t terror-inducing; they are just common sense.

trick r treat return to movie theaters imageWarner Bros./Legendary Pictures

And if that weren’t enough to tempt you out of the house (but don’t go out alone), if you decide to go and see Trick ‘r Treat in movie theaters, you’ll get a special treat, bonus content from Director Michael Dougherty. Fathom Entertainment shares, “Fans will also be treated to a special featurette where Dougherty revisits the Halloween memories that inspired Trick ‘r Treat, taking us through the evocations that brought the iconic Sam to life. Generation after generation, keeping alive these rituals of indulgence in our deepest fears; our Halloween legends ultimately show how many of us are interconnected by the vibrant & macabre nature of life.”

If you can believe it, the Halloween fun doesn’t stop there. There are no tricks here, only sweet after sweet. If you head to the movie theater to watch Trick ‘r Treat, before the movie begins, you’ll get to experience the very first appearance of Sam in an all-new 4K restoration of Dougherty’s 1996 animated short, Season’s Greetings. Trick ‘r Treat wouldn’t be here without it.

RELATED ARTICLE

Mike Dougherty on TRICK ‘R TREAT’s Enduring Legacy and Sam’s Future

Tom Lucas, Vice President of Studio Relations at Fathom Entertainment, shares of Trick ‘r Treat‘s iconic return to theaters, “Horror fans have long been thirsting for Trick ‘r Treat to take its rightful place back on the big screen and in cinemas nationwide. Fathom is thrilled to bring this classic horror film back in theatres in sparkling 4K with our partners just in time for Halloween. A stellar cast helps make Trick ‘r Treat a frightening cinematic experience fans will not want to miss!”

Just in case you didn’t know, Trick ‘r Treat comes from writer and director Michael Dougherty (Godzilla vs. Kong, Godzilla: King of the Monsters).The movie weaves together “sinister stories set on Halloween night: a high school principal, Dylan Baker (Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3) moonlights as a serial killer; a young virgin’s, Anna Paquin (X-Men franchise) search for the right man turns horrific; ‘Emma’ Leslie Bibb (The White Lotus) and her husband discover the cost of ignoring holiday rituals; and a cantankerous old man, Brian Cox (Succession) faces Sam in a terrifying showdown. Darkly funny, gruesome, and endlessly rewatchable, Trick ’r Treat secures Sam’s place as the true spirit of Halloween.”

trick r treat return to movie theaters 2Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures

We feel like Sam’s secret Halloween rule is that you can’t miss Trick ‘r Treat‘s return to theaters. As mentioned, Trick ‘r Treat will play on the big screen on October 14 and 16. Get your tickets for Trick ‘r Treat now at Fathom Entertainment.com and participating theatre box offices.

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Published on September 15, 2025 06:33

September 12, 2025

Nintendo Is Bringing Virtual Boy Back Because They’re Mad with Power

Basically since the original Famicom made its way from Japan to North America, under the name Nintendo Entertainment System, it’s been Nintendo’s world and we’re all just living in it. Not every system the company has produced has been a slam-dunk, unadulterated success, but most of them have. NES, Game Boy, SNES, N64, Game Cube, original Wii, and Switch have absolutely owned. But 30 years ago, Nintendo released what is almost inarguably its biggest failure. Both way ahead of its time and immediately dated, Nintendo’s Virtual Boy was the rare blemish for the company. So why, then, would Nintendo want to bring it back? For us weirdo Millennials who remember it, of course!

During this latest Nintendo Direct, we learned (thanks Polygon!) the Virtual Boy will be the latest Nintendo Classics console. The original Virtual Boy from 1995, infamously, only had 22 games and had a history of making players sick. The red vector-line graphics against a black background, plus the heighted View-Master-ass 3D effects led to nausea, eye strain, and vertigo. So how will this one be better? It’ll use your Nintendo Switch as the actual screen, slipped into the Virtual Boy Classic frame. A cardboard version will also be available if you’d rather not have the cumbersome original.

When I was a wee young one, my neighbor rented a Virtual Boy from Blockbuster and we played Wario Land and Red Alarm (a fighter jet game). It was one of the weirdest, heaviest pieces of machinery that neither of us could make sit comfortably. Eventually, we just laid on the floor on our backs with the Virtual Boy resting on our faces, forgoing the stand altogether. Needless to say, we didn’t do that very long.

Nintendo Is Bringing Virtual Boy Back Because They’re Mad with Power_1Nintendo

It’s a testament to the nostalgia factor inherent in Nintendo’s brand that makes this exist at all. Using the Switch and Switch 2—possibly Nintendo’s most popular systems since the N64—to play garbage red VR games from the ’90s really is the height of unnecessary. But I kinda love them for it. I will not be getting one, but I’m glad it exists.

The Virtual Boy games will begin rolling out in the Switch Online store beginning February 17, 2026. According to Nintendo’s official site, the throwback Virtual Boy console will cost $99.99 and the cardboard version will be $24.99. No date set yet for either of those.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.

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Published on September 12, 2025 15:17

How STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Can Change Course in Season 4

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ third season has concluded, with the episode “New Life and New Civilizations.” And overall, we’d say the season was a very mixed bag. There were some standout episodes for sure, like “Terrarium,” but the worst episodes of the series as a whole were easily all in this season. We still have two more seasons left, but could it be that Strange New Worlds has peaked? We certainly hope not, as we’re rooting for this series in a big way. But we think these are the things that Alex Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman, and the rest of the staff of Strange New Worlds have to do to find their creative footing again.

Less Gimmicky and GoofyPaul Wesley, Jess Bush, and Melissa Navia in the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode "A Space Adventure Hour."Paramount+

Star Trek as a franchise has always had one or two comedic episodes per season. This goes back to the original series, with episodes like “The Trouble with Tribbles.” But this ten-episode season had four out of ten be goofy, gimmicky episodes this year. One of them, “Four and a Half Vulcans,” was especially cringey. And the holodeck “murder mystery” episode “A Space Adventure Hour” also had us rolling our eyes. Comedy episodes are great to break up the often heady sci-fi of Star Trek, but it shouldn’t be the subject matter for half the season. Especially when they are mostly not so great. We know a puppet episode is coming next year, and we admit that looks fun. But let’s not overdo it, please.

Tone Down the Soap OperaNurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) consoles a broken hearted Spock (Ethan Peck) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds "Wedding Bell Blues."Paramount+

Every Star Trek series has had an element of soap opera. The Next Generation had seven seasons of “will they/won’t they” with Riker and Troi, as well as Picard and Dr. Crusher. Deep Space Nine had Dax and Worf, Voyager had B’Elanna and Tom Paris, etc. But it was always the B-story to something larger and more interesting that was going on. This season, the show decided to focus heavily on the dating life of Spock (Ethan Peck), where the emotionless Vulcan can’t seem to pick which female crewmember he’s going to hook up with next. It feels like the writers are leaning into that aspect because they’re struggling to come up with decent A-plots. The soap opera aspect should be the seasoning, not the meal.

Less Captain Kirk, PleaseSpock (Ethan Peck) and Kirk (Paul Wesley) walk together in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.Paramount+

When Paul Wesley first appeared on Strange New Worlds as James Kirk, we were kind of unsure of him. He was filling pretty big shoes, of both William Shatner and Chris Pine. But he quickly grew on us as he relaxed into the role. But regardless, James T. Kirk appears four times during this season. We know he’ll eventually take over the center seat of the Enterprise, sometime at the end of season five. But until then, please remember that Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) is currently in command of the Enterprise. We need this show to stop so obviously wanting to skip ahead to a Star Trek: Year One series about a young Kirk and Spock, and be what it already is — the adventures of Captain Pike’s Enterprise crew.

More Science Fiction, Less Science FantasySpock, Captain Pike, Sam Kirk, and Uhura stand on the bridge of the Enterprise on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.Paramount+

Star Trek sometimes leans more into science-fantasy than actual science fiction. It’s not new. The Q Continuum are basically gods who have “magic” powers, as just one of many examples. But this season, we had lots of characters possessed by godlike beings, zombies, and other tropes that barely qualify as sci-fi. Season one had some great pure sci-fi episodes, with interesting ideas that tickled our brains. The original series had real science fiction writers on staff, and TNG had science advisors to make sure the sci-fi was as much science as fiction. Clearly, Strange New Worlds does not. We’d really like more of that in season four, and fewer possessions by ancient space gods.

The crew of the Enterprise on a planet in key art for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3.Paramount+

We love Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and want it to succeed as it goes into its final two seasons. This show’s cast is fantastic and deserves the best material to work with. The original Star Trek had a stellar first and second season, before going off a cliff in season three. The original show never had a fourth season to redeem itself, instead having to wait a decade for the films. Strange New Worlds will have further seasons to course correct, and we really hope they do.

All three seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are currently streaming on Paramount+.

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Published on September 12, 2025 12:30

Sydney Sweeney Becomes a Boxing Icon in CHRISTY Trailer

Sydney Sweeney is the latest glamorous movie star to portray a sports legend, in the upcoming boxing biopic Christy. In this film by director David Michôd, we get a dramatization of the life of International Boxing Hall of Fame icon Christy Martin. Arguably the most famous female boxer in the world, Christy Martin grew up in West Virginia in the ’70s and ’80s. She went on to worldwide fame, becoming the first woman elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020. We now have a trailer for Christy, which hits theaters later this year, just in time for awards season:

And here’s the official synopsis for Christy from Black Bear Films:

Christy Martin (Sydney Sweeney) never imagined life beyond her small-town roots in West Virginia—until she discovered a knack for punching people. Fueled by grit, raw determination, and an unshakable desire to win, she charges into the world of boxing under the guidance of her trainer and manager-turned-husband, Jim (Ben Foster). But while Christy flaunts a fiery persona in the ring, her toughest battles unfold outside it—confronting family, identity, and a relationship that just might become life-or-death. Based on remarkable true events, Christy Martin’s story is one of resilience, courage, and the fight to reclaim one’s life.

Sydney Sweeney as iconic boxer Christy Martin in the biopic Christy,Black Bear Films

Who knows, should the movie receive critical praise, Sydney Sweeney might be looking at an Oscar nomination for this one. The Euphoria and Immaculate actress told Variety that she put on an extra 30 pounds to play the role. And there’s nothing the Academy loves more than physical transformations when handing out awards. Just ask Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, and Christian Bale. Each of them had extreme transformations for their roles and were lauded for it. It’s a surefire way to earn Academy votes.

Joining Sydney Sweeney in the cast are Katy O’Brian, Merritt Wever, Ben Foster, Ethan Embry, Chad L. Coleman, Valyn Hall, and Tony Cavalero. The most recent years of the real Christy Martin’s life have been tumultuous, to say the least. She survived a murder attempt from her ex-husband and former coach in 2010. Not long after, she married her high school sweetheart, her former basketball teammate Sherry Lusk. We’re not sure if the events portrayed in Christy will cover that period in time or not. It may just focus on her early boxing career. We’ll have to wait and see. Christy recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and is set to arrive in theaters on November 7.

The post Sydney Sweeney Becomes a Boxing Icon in CHRISTY Trailer appeared first on Nerdist.

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Published on September 12, 2025 12:19

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