Reel Perspectives January 15, 2026 Disney Disney has created another joyful, vibrant animated series for children, featuring lively animation where nothing is off-limits for wholesome family fun! "Hey A.J.!" is a series inspired by author and former Super Bowl champion Martellus Bennett. It is a whimsical, music-filled family comedy about an imaginative young girl who, along with her stuffed-bunny sidekick, turns ordinary moments into extraordinary ones. The series, executive produced by Bennett, Jeff "Swampy" Marsh (Phineas and Ferb) , and Grammy-winning producer Michael Hodges (The Garfield Movie) , premiered the first seven of its 14 episodes on Disney Jr. on Tuesday, January 13. The episodes are also available to stream on Disney+, with additional episodes released on Fridays through the season finale on February 27. A.J can turn a long drive with her mom and dad into a rocket ship space adventure or a trip to the park into a superhero mission to save the world. With AJ's trusty stuffed bunny sidekick, Theo, her mom Siggi, dad Marty, and best friends Jessie and Jazz—there's no situation that A.J. can't make extraordinary by using her imagination. Disney A retired NFL tight end who played for 10 years and won the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots, Bennett has discovered a new passion as a children's book author and draws inspiration from his experiences with his daughter, Austyn Jett. "When I wrote the books, there weren't a lot of children's books that reflected my relationship with my daughter or kids of color," Bennet shared. "Five to seven percent of children's books were about children of color, and then a lot of them focused on the kids being kids of color. They were about subjects like 'I'm not my hair' or 'I love myself' or very self-esteem-based children's books. But I've never really met any kids who didn't love themselves, especially during preschool and kindergarten. Every kid at that age thinks they're the best at everything." The talented Amari McCoy brings A.J. to life, with Martellus Bennett as Marty, Jhené Aiko as Siggi, Juliet Donenfeld as Jessie, Innocent Ekakitie as Jaz,z and David Mitchell as Theo, also lending their voices. The celebrity guest voice cast includes Meghan Trainor, Cristo Fernández, Bootsy Collins, Kate Miccuci, Maulik Pancholy, Calum Scott, Lena Waithe, and retired NASA astronaut and engineer Leland Melvin, who will guest star as himself. The first 7 episodes of "Hey A.J.!" are streaming on Disney Now and Disney+, and air on Disney Channel & Disney Jr.

Reel Perspectives January 14, 2026 Rue Bennett played by Zendaya; Eddy Chen/HBO Five years later, Rue and the crew are older, louder, and still running from the same damage. 😬💸 Euphoria Is Back — and the Mess Has a Mortgage Guess who’s back… back again? Rue’s back and running — from her life choices, her demons, and possibly the plot itself. That’s right, Euphoria   is clocking back in to terrorize our nervous systems, with Season 3 premiering Sunday, April 12 . HBO Max just dropped the trailer, and the chaos is already in a light jog — on a freeway, glitter-adjacent, ignoring consequences, and stressing out your mama. But before we lace up and spiral together, let’s rewind and rekindle our complicated affection for these reckless, law-breaking “teens” — played by adults pushing 30, thank God — because this mess has lore, flashbacks, Labrinth vocals, and a very  long memory. ⏪ A Quick (But Brace Yourself) Refresher: Seasons 1 & 2 Season 1: Rue, Relapse, and the Blueprint of Disaster At the center of Euphoria  is Rue Bennett  — beautifully, devastatingly played by Emmy winner Zendaya  — a teenager who tells us from jump that something in her brain has always  been off. Mood swings. Impulses. Numbness. And eventually, drugs — the kind DARE warned us ’90s kids about and still lost the room and  the assembly. Rue’s addiction starts young, quietly, and tragically: stealing her dying father’s painkillers while no one’s looking. By the time the series opens, she’s fresh out of rehab after a near-fatal overdose, already white-knuckling sobriety she doesn’t fully believe in. Hope is present. Faith is not. Lexi Howard played by Maude Apatow; Eddy Chen/HBO Season 1 unfolds like emotional whiplash — each episode zooming in on a different character, but always tethered to Rue’s POV. Around her orbits a cast of teens unraveling in their own personalized ways: Nate Jacobs  (played by Jacob Elordi ) weaponizes masculinity and control like a varsity sport; Maddy Perez  ( Alexa Demie ) mistakes volatility for passion — until she absolutely does not; Cassie Howard  ( Sydney Sweeney ) confuses validation with intimacy; Kat Hernandez  ( Barbie Ferreira ) experiments with online power before the show largely forgets she exists (yes, we clocked that); and Lexi Howard  ( Maude Apatow ) watches quietly from the sidelines, taking notes like she’s already drafting the third act. No matter where the camera drifts — carnivals, bathrooms, glitter-drenched breakdowns — it always snaps back to Rue and her relationship with Jules Vaughn  (played by Hunter Schafer ): intoxicating, codependent, and doomed from the pilot. Rue falls hard. Jules dreams bigger. They talk about running away together. Jules actually tries. Rue relapses instead. The season ends with Rue spiraling backward while Jules boards a train alone — a quiet, brutal thesis statement for the show: love doesn’t cure addiction, and wanting something badly isn’t the same as being able to keep it. Season 2 takes that truth, puts it on a Labrinth track, and lights the match. Season 2: Everyone Hits Rock Bottom (Some Multiple Times) Season 2 of Euphoria  wastes zero time lighting the fuse — then immediately throws the whole box of matches onto the freeway. Rue convinces everyone she’s sober. She is not. She’s using harder drugs, lying better, and quietly sitting on a suitcase full of narcotics she’s supposed to sell — not to build generational wealth, but to stay high. When Jules finds out (thanks to guitar-playing Elliot , played by Dominic Fike ) and tells Rue’s mom (emotionally played by Nika King ), the house of cards collapses instantly. No montage. No mercy. Just mess. What follows is one of the show’s most harrowing arcs: an intervention that detonates on contact, Rue verbally napalming everyone she loves, destroying her house, and sprinting through the city — barefoot, feral, and emotionally uninsurable — to avoid rehab. Somewhere between screaming at her family and dodging traffic, she also realizes she owes thousands of dollars to a woman who does not negotiate. Eventually, Rue is brought home — battered, furious, and hollowed out. By season’s end, she vows to stay clean through the school year. It’s not a comeback. It’s a ceasefire. Meanwhile, everyone else is also making decisions that should’ve stayed buried in their Notes app — password-protected. Cassie hooks up with Nate — her best friend Maddy’s abusive ex — and proceeds to spiral loudly, publicly, and with Olympic-level commitment. Nate tries to remake Cassie into a Wish-dot-com version of Maddy, down to the clothes, the makeup, and the emotional dependency. Cassie lets him. When the truth finally comes out, Maddy chooses restraint… which is  character development but also a very real threat. Cassie Howard played by Sydney Sweeney; Eddy Chen/HBO Nate, in a rare moment of moral clarity that lasts approximately one episode, retrieves a horrifying tape involving his father and Jules and gives it back to Jules — traumatizing Maddy in the process, but still managing to do exactly one decent thing before returning to menace. Speaking of dads: Cal Jacobs (played by Eric Dane ) fully implodes — drunkenly confessing that his entire life is a lie, peeing on the floor, and exiting his family like it’s an avant-garde performance piece. Nate’s mom later hints at darker truths about Nate’s childhood — threads the show dangles ominously, then refuses to resolve. Then there’s Fezco and Lexi — the season’s emotional soft spot. What starts as a New Year’s party conversation turns into a genuine connection. Long phone calls. Mutual respect. Actual tenderness. Fez , played by the late Angus Cloud , brings rare warmth to a show addicted to destruction — which is exactly why fans let their guard down. Which is exactly why it hurt. The season builds toward Lexi’s play — a meta, messy, truth-telling spectacle that drags everyone’s secrets under stage lights. Fez never makes it to opening night. The past catches up. Police surround his house. Violence erupts. And the fantasy collapses. Season 2 ends not with answers, but with exhaustion. Rue is sober — for now. Relationships are fractured. And Euphoria  makes one thing brutally clear: Adulthood doesn’t cure the damage. It just sends a bigger bill. 🔥 Season 3: Grown, Not Healed Season 3 of Euphoria  doesn’t ease back in — it time-jumps five years into the future , checking in on these former high school disasters as full-grown adults who absolutely did not  leave the chaos behind. The acne cleared. The problems evolved. The consequences now cost more. At the center, still: Rue Bennett , now living south of the border in Mexico — and still very much in debt to Laurie, the quietly terrifying drug dealer played by Martha Kelly . Rue narrates the trailer in the past tense, almost wistful: “I don’t know if life was exactly what I wished, but somehow, for the first time, I was beginning to have faith.” Which, in Euphoria  language, means the other shoe is already in the air. Sure enough, Laurie shows up to collect, reminding Rue that consequences don’t respect time jumps or fresh starts. Danger circles fast — and that’s before Rue crosses paths with her ex, Jules Vaughn , in a brief, loaded reunion that suggests old wounds never really closed. Distance didn’t save them. It just delayed the reckoning. Elsewhere, the futures are… bleak in brand-new ways. Hunter Schafer plays Jules Vaughn; Eddy Chen/HBO Cassie Howard  and Nate Jacobs  are engaged, suburban, and deeply miserable — a jump scare in beige. Cassie is making NSFW content online. Nate is furious. “I work all day, and my bride-to-be is spread-eagled on the internet,” he snaps. Cassie’s response? Calm, chilling, and extremely 2026: “I was just making content.”  Yes, their wedding is in the trailer as well. Pray for everyone involved. Maddy Perez  is working at a Hollywood talent agency, serving looks and proximity to power as if she were born for it. Lexi Howard  is now an assistant to a showrunner — played by new cast addition Sharon Stone  — which feels dangerously on-brand for the sister who’s always been watching, observing, and quietly writing it all down. Maddy Perez played Alexa Demie ; Eddy Chen/HBO After more than four years away — delayed by packed schedules, behind-the-scenes tensions, and creator Sam Levinson ’s own detours — Euphoria  isn’t pretending things get easier with age. They just get louder, lonelier, and significantly more expensive. 🎬 Behind the Camera — and the Guest-Star Chaos If Euphoria  has always been about bad decisions, Season 3 is about what happens after  the excuses expire. Creator Sam Levinson  has been clear about the pivot: this season exists outside the safety net of high school. No bells. No lockers. No “they’re just kids” loopholes. The five-year time jump drops these characters into adulthood — or at least something adjacent — where consequences don’t reset and damage compounds. That shift matters. And it’s why we’re locked in. Season 3 also carries a quieter weight. The absence of Fezco isn’t just narrative — it’s emotional. Angus Cloud  brought humanity and restraint to a world addicted to excess, and his loss lingers over the series in ways Euphoria  doesn’t rush to explain or replace. Rather than filling that space, the show mutates — and the guest list proves it. Season 3 introduces a stacked slate of new faces, including Sharon Stone , Natasha Lyonne , Danielle Deadwyler , Rosalía , Eli Roth , Marshawn Lynch , Sam Trammell , and Asante Blackk . And yes — before anyone pretends this isn’t important — Trisha Paytas  is also part of the season. No character details. No explanation. Just vibes, discourse, and a collective gasp. Which feels extremely on brand. So why are we still watching? 🎭 Why Euphoria  Still Has Us Hooked Yes, Season 3 of Euphoria is finally — actually  — happening, and the trailer makes it clear the show didn’t come back calmer, kinder, or interested in your peace. And that’s the quiet cruelty of Euphoria . It doesn’t promise much in the way of character growth — it promises exposure, vulnerability, and the utmost in drama. Season 3 traps these characters between who they were and who they pretend to be now, asking how long denial can go on before it becomes a lifestyle choice. So yes, we’re running (and tuning in) again. Not because we expect progress. Not because we believe in happy endings. But because Euphoria  understands a hard truth: growing up doesn’t save you — it just takes the training wheels off the damage. Watch the trailer below: Euphoria Season 3 premieres Sunday, April 12, on HBO Max. Proceed with caution and lowered expectations. 😮‍💨🔥

Reel Perspectives January 13, 2026 Disney released a fourth teaser on Tuesday for the highly anticipated Marvel film  Avengers: Doomsday . This teaser sparked excitement online once again, featuring beloved characters from Wakanda and The Fantastic Four. Last year's Thunderbolts  movie hinted at the arrival of the Fantastic Four in the main Marvel Cinematic Universe. Previous teasers featured Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), and the X-Men's Cyclops (James Marsden), along with Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen). Scheduled for release on December 18, the new teaser features Shuri, the new Black Panther (Letitia Wright) from Wakanda, who courageously stepped into the role following the death of her brother T'Challa (the late Chadwick Boseman). Robert Downey Jr M'Baku (Winston Duke), who makes his fifth appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, introduces himself as the King of Wakanda to Ben Grimm, aka The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). The teaser also featured Namor (Tenoch Huerta), who first appeared in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Expectations for the film remain extremely high as Robert Downey Jr returns to the MCU as Dr. Doom, after playing the legendary Tony Stark since 2008, before calling it quits in 2019's  Avengers: Endgame . The new film will be a nostalgic delight featuring many beloved characters from previous Avengers films and Marvel favorites. Confirmed returns include Vanessa Kirby, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Paul Rudd, Wyatt Russell, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Simu Liu, Florence Pugh, Kelsey Grammer, Lewis Pullman, Danny Ramirez, Joseph Quinn, David Harbour, Winston Duke, Hannah John-Kamen, Tom Hiddleston, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Channing Tatum, Tom Holland, and Pedro Pascal. While details around the storyline continue to remain top secret, we can expect many of these returns from alternate timelines across the multiverse to be a crowd-pleaser. Avengers: Secret Wars  will be released a year after Doomsday , but for now, excitement remains at a fever pitch for the first installment, which will see all the Avengers reunited since Avengers: Endgame.

Reel Perspectives January 13, 2026 Listen to the audio version of the interview I Was A Stranger is a powerful call for empathy in a world that desperately needs it. The film encourages viewers to confront their own prejudices and comfort zones, emphasizing realism over spectacle and compassion over dramatization. Produced by Angel Studios and inspired by the Syrian refugee crisis of 2015, the film begins in Chicago in 2023 with a striking shot of Trump's International Hotel and Tower. It weaves together the lives of five individuals on their difficult journeys: - Dr. Amira Homsi (Yasmine Al Massri), a doctor who was forced to flee Aleppo with her young daughter eight years earlier. - Mustafah (Yahya Mahayni), a conflicted soldier wrestling with his conscience. - Marwan (Omar Sy), an opportunistic smuggler fighting to save his son. - Fathi (Ziad Bakri), a patriarch leading his family towards safety. - Captain Stavros (Constantine Markoulakis), a compassionate Greek coast guard captain who witnesses the crisis at sea and is tormented by the lives saved and lost. Angel Studios Told in reverse chronological order, the film delves into themes of survival and compassion, presenting realistic portrayals of the heartbreak and dangers faced by those seeking refuge. Their lives intersect one fateful night in the Mediterranean, where survival hangs by a thread, revealing humanity at its rawest. Drawing from countless true stories of displaced Syrians, director Brandt Andersen, in his feature directorial debut, delivers a poignant debut bringing his vision to life through a script he wrote and produced after spending significant time observing the struggles of Syrians. Following its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival, the film rightfully won the Amnesty International Prize - an honor it undeniably deserves. Andersen's direction, deliberate pacing, and careful attention to detail powerfully emphasize the characters' heartfelt emotions without reducing them to stereotypes or injecting political agendas or propaganda. Reel Perspectives  recently had the privilege of speaking with Brandt Andersen, who based his film on his short film titled "Refugee." A passionate activist for immigrant rights, Andersen shared the motivations behind his film and his desire for people to recognize that migrants seeking a better life are not fundamentally different from anyone else. We often think that such situations could never happen to us, but many individuals find themselves thrust into impossible circumstances through no fault of their own. Angel Studios Drawing on his own experience, Andersen, a resident of Malibu, recalled a terrifying incident in which a rapidly approaching fire threatened his home. He and his sixteen-year-old son found themselves facing a life-altering situation that they never expected. He initially believed there was an escape route for him and his son, but he soon realized it was not an option. The experience underscored how quickly people can find themselves in life-threatening situations, forced to make incredibly difficult decisions that impact not only themselves but also their loved ones. The film boldly challenges the notion that all refugees are criminals and terrorists. Instead, it highlights the inhumanity and injustice that have denied immigrants the hope of survival in their own countries and urges viewers to look beyond borders, differences, and politics. I Was A Stranger  is a raw, powerful, and deeply human film. Andersen invites viewers to experience the world and its people through a lens of authenticity and emotional resonance, conveying sincerity and compassion. With honest performances and a story that lingers long after the credits roll, Andersen's direction emphasizes empathy over judgment. It encourages the audience to view individuals not as abstract concepts but as people with dignity, fear, hope, and resilience. It is a heartfelt viewing experience that leaves you challenged, reminding us all of the power of kindness and understanding. "I Was A Stranger" is currently showing in theaters near you.

Reel Perspectives January 12, 2026 HBO Max The highly addictive fourth season of Industry, created by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, is wilder and bolder, elevating the series to new heights and immersing it in a world of chaotic unpredictability that is maddening, erotic, and mesmerizing. Following an already impressive Season 3, our favorite financial bankers returned on January 11 exclusively on HBO Max and have left Pierpoint behind ready to conquer the world - quite literally. The official logline reveals: "At the top of their game and living the lives they set out to have as Pierpoint grads, Harper and Yasmin are drawn into a high-stakes, globetrotting cat-and-mouse game when a splashy fintech darling bursts onto the London scene. As Yasmin navigates her relationship with tech founder Sir Henry Muck and Harper is pulled into the orbit of enigmatic executive Whitney Halberstram, their twisted friendship begins to warp and ignite under the pressure of money, power, and the desire to be on top." Returning and new faces emerge for the 8-episode season, and this season is about domination, and Harper's quest for it, played by a fantastic Myha'la. When we last saw her, she was managing her own fund for Petra and was in striking distance of becoming a major power player. This season sets her on a collision course to ruthlessly dominate, fueled by ego, more importantly, by insecurities. Harper is always one step ahead intellectually and a step behind emotionally, and that tension drives almost everything she does. She’s constantly improvising, constantly gambling, and you can feel how much of her success comes from instinct rather than control. Myha'la continues to portray Harper as raw and unpredictable. Even when Harper is being manipulative or reckless, she’s brilliant, but she’s also exhausted from having to be brilliant all the time. What works exceptionally well in Season 4 is how Harper exists outside any clear moral lane. Sometimes she burns bridges to prove she can survive the fire. That honesty makes her feel real in a way few TV characters do. Harper remains the engine of Industry. She’s frustrating, impressive, self-destructive, and weirdly inspiring all at once, bringing her full circle back to Ken Leung's Eric in a new dynamic that is absolutely one of the best of the new season.   HBO Max When we last saw Eric, he was forced into retirement with a healthy severance package after being told his services were no longer needed. For Eric, hearing those words might have well been a death knell for his lofty ambitions, which had always led him to backstabbing and cutthroat maneuvers, ultimately ending in pain and loneliness. Now unhappily retired, a once-invisible Eric is reserved and unwilling to take risks that once defined his precision. Eric Tao remains one of  Industry’s most compelling forces, and in Season 4, he proves - yet again - why the series is unimaginable without him. What makes Eric so effective this season is the precision with which he balances menace, vulnerability, and hard-earned self-awareness. He’s no longer just the volcanic embodiment of Pierpoint’s brutality. Season 4 sharpens him into something more unsettling - a survivor who understands the cost of power. Every scene he's in hums with tension, whether he's mentoring, manipulating, or silently calculating his next move. Season 4 leans into Eric as a cultural and generational bridge - someone who’s mastered the old rules of finance while adapting to a landscape that’s eager to discard him. That friction gives his storyline real emotional weight. Eric’s authority doesn't come from volume anymore, but from timing and restraint. Most impressive is how the series allows Eric to be sympathetic. In a series full of ambition and moral compromise, Eric remains the clearest mirror of what the Industry actually rewards. He's still manipulative, still ruthless, but there's more awareness and more vulnerability, as we haven't forgotten his past, which makes his choices hit harder. HBO Max At the end of Season 3, Yasmin (Marisa Abela) chose Henry (Kit Harrington) and a life of wealth and privilege over Rob (Harry Lawtey), and we see the fallout of her decision. Yasmin’s Season 4 arc is one of Industry ’s quiet triumphs, offering a deeply compelling evolution of a character long defined by contradiction. Her marriage to Henry is a constant train wreck of wealth and trauma, but Yasmin isn’t scrambling for approval in the same way anymore. She’s still deeply shaped by privilege and family baggage, but she’s more aware of how those things work—for her and against her. That awareness makes her sharper, and sometimes colder, but also more interesting. She’s learning how to move through the world without constantly apologizing for taking up space. This season, Yasmin feels more self-possessed, even when she's vulnerable. The frantic need for validation that once drove her has softened into something more controlled and observant. She’s still marked by privilege, trauma, and emotional volatility, but her power now lies in perception rather than performance - a careful calibration in how she speaks and listens, that signals real growth without erasing her fragility. You can see her clocking dynamics in real time. Her choices aren’t always admirable, but they are coherent, rooted in a growing sense of self-preservation rather than confusion or fear. What sets the new season apart is its clarity of purpose. Industry  has always thrived on chaos, but Season 4 channels that energy into more focused storytelling, letting tension build through character decisions rather than constant escalation. The stakes feel more personal and more permanent, as the show reckons with what survival actually looks like after ambition stops being theoretical. The writing remains incisive. Scenes are allowed to breathe, and silences carry as much weight as explosive confrontations. Power dynamics shift subtly and often cruelly, reflecting a financial world that no longer rewards raw hunger alone, but calculation, adaptability, and emotional armor. The series' understanding of capitalism feels sharper here - less flashy, more fatalistic. Performances across the board are exceptional. The ensemble works in lockstep with each character feeling shaped by accumulated choices rather than plot necessity. No one is static, but no one is redeemed either. The season excels at letting characters grow without softening them, honoring the show’s commitment to moral complexity. Rishi's Sagar Radia arc remains tragic, and Sweetpea (Miriam Petche) comes into her own, proving her worth. Season 4 is confident in its heightened eroticism. It doesn't shy away from it but doubles down, constantly pushing the envelope and our perceptions of sex. It confirms Industry  as one of HBO’s most intelligent dramas - unsparing, character-driven, and increasingly assured in its critique of modern ambition. It doesn't reinvent the show, it refines it, proving that its sharpest edge comes from knowing precisely what it wants to say.  “Industry” Season 4 airs Sundays at 9 EST on HBO and HBO Max.

Reel Perspectives January 10, 2026 Netflix The new gripping limited series streaming now on Netflix is already one of the best murder mysteries of the new year, with a surprise ending that is quite literally jaw-dropping. Adapted from Alice Feeney's 2020 novel of the same name, the series, which premiered on January 8 with all six episodes, stars Tessa Thompson and John Bernthal as two estranged spouses - one a detective, the other a news reporter - who both team up together to solve a murder in which each believes the other is a prime suspect. Set in the sweltering heat of Atlanta, Anna lives in haunting reclusivity, fading away from her friends and career as a news anchor. But when she overhears about a murder in Dahlonega – the sleepy town where she grew up – Anna is snapped back to life, pouncing on the case and searching for answers. Detective Jack Harper is strangely suspicious of her involvement, chasing her into the crosshairs of his own investigation. There are two sides to every story:  HIS & HERS , which means someone is always lying. His & Hers  is a sleek, emotionally charged psychological thriller that proves how powerful a mystery can be when it's rooted in character rather than spectacle. Anchored by commanding performances from Tessa Thompson  and Jon Bernthal , the Netflix limited series transforms a small-town murder into a deeply personal exploration of truth, trauma, and fractured intimacy. The story follows Anna Andrews  (Thompson), a once-prominent journalist who has withdrawn from public life after a devastating loss. When a former classmate is brutally murdered in her Georgia hometown, Anna returns to cover the case — a decision that forces her into close proximity with Jack Harper  (Bernthal), her estranged husband and the lead detective investigating the crime. From the outset, the case feels uncomfortably close, and the series wastes no time making it clear that everyone involved is hiding something. What sets His & Hers  apart is its careful balance between suspense and emotional depth. The murder mystery unfolds through shifting perspectives, flashbacks, and unreliable memories, keeping viewers constantly questioning not only who committed the crime, but whose version of events can be trusted. The tension is as much psychological as it is procedural, driven by the unresolved pain and resentment between Anna and Jack. Thompson delivers a layered performance, portraying Anna as both fiercely intelligent and visibly wounded — a woman whose pursuit of the truth may be fueled as much by guilt and grief as by professional instinct. Bernthal brings his signature intensity to Jack, grounding the series with a raw, restrained portrayal of a man torn between duty, love, and suspicion. Together, they create a volatile dynamic that gives the show its emotional pulse. Visually and tonally, His & Hers  leans into a moody, atmospheric style that complements its themes. The quiet menace of the small town, the slow drip of revelations, and the constant sense that the past is closing in all contribute to a story that feels immersive and unsettling in the best way. Rounding out the cast for the series are Pablo Schreiber, Marin Ireland, Sunita Mani, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Crystal Fox, Chris Bauer, and Poppy Liu. Ultimately, His & Hers  is about more than solving a murder. It's about the stories we tell ourselves to survive, the secrets we carry into relationships, and how easily truth can fracture when viewed from different angles. Smart, tense, and deeply human, the series rewards patient viewers with a haunting, thought-provoking ride that lingers long after the final episode. His and Hers is streaming now on Netflix.

Reel Perspectives January 9, 2026 Disney / David Bakach Loyalty overtakes destiny in the season’s most consequential chapter yet. We Learn Canal Street Fleeces Exist & Trauma Is Real Frazzled Camp Counselor Morgan here, reporting on the best possible news: Tyson (Daniel Diemer) is alive.  After sinking to the bottom of the ocean following the Ironclad battle, he opens his eye and realizes there’s nothing to fear — he can breathe underwater. A glowing, fluorescent goal (and destiny) floats into view. Tyson lives. We breathe again. Meanwhile, Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell)  is having the worst kind of demigod nightmare: dead campers, destruction, and a hooded figure who turns out not to be Kronos, but a very human-looking Thalia — who shoots him with a thunderbolt bullet. So, yeah. She’s mad. Percy wakes up aboard CC’s spa-escape boat and confides in Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries) , who reminds him that: “Demigod dreams are tricky.” Percy agrees — tricky, but also truthful. Annabeth convinces him to go back to sleep so they can reach Polyphemus’ island, rescue Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri) , and retrieve the Golden Fleece. Cut to: Grover and Clarisse La Rue (Dior Goodjohn) , trapped and forced to endure a villain monologue from Polyphemus (Aleks Paunovic)  about the joys of solitude — no ops, no worries, and a Golden Fleece all to himself. He also lets slip that Pan was  on the island, though his current iPhone location remains frustratingly unknown. Disney/David Bukach Once on the island, Annabeth devises a solid plan: steal the non-magical, shedded fleeces from Polyphemus’ sheep to disguise themselves. Percy keeps watch while Annabeth goes fleece-snatching — until she’s interrupted by an unwanted Iris Message from Luke Castellan (Charlie Bushnell) . Because apparently demigods don’t get a block button. Honestly? It is wildly rude that Iris Messages don’t come with a mute option. How are demigods supposed to avoid spam or unhinged exes? Luke warns Annabeth that Polyphemus is dangerous and insists Thalia wouldn’t side with Zeus — but also claims she’d never align herself with Kronos. Annabeth pushes back, pleading for reason and urging Luke to use the fleece to save Thalia instead of resurrecting Kronos: “You can’t even see how much of yourself you’ve lost… I just wish—” Percy sprints in mid-sentence and slams END CALL  like a New Yorker who knows a scam when he sees one… kind of. He tells Annabeth, plainly and correctly, that Luke is working an angle. And he’s right — because Luke immediately grabs his weapon and tells Allison Simms the conversation was “just recon.” Covered head-to-toe in sheep couture, Percy and Annabeth bleat their way past Polyphemus’ poor eyesight and are escorted toward the tree holding the fleece. Percy spots Grover and Clarisse tied up in the lair below — and misses their warning that this is all a trap. Annabeth panics: they now need to rescue two  friends. Disney/David Bukach Clarisse, however, refuses to be rescued. She body-slams Grover into Polyphemus’ mirror, uses the shattered glass to cut them free, and once again proves she’s built different. Above them, Annabeth rigs a rope to lower Percy — just as she notices the “Golden Fleece” dripping paint onto her very cute fit. It’s fake. Canal Street levels of fake. She tries to warn Percy, but Polyphemus charges. Percy falls — only to land safely and awkwardly in Clarisse’s arms. Grover and Percy finally hug it out after five long episodes without a non-empath-linked reunion. While Annabeth distracts Polyphemus with an Odysseus history lesson (Athena’s Yankees cap doing the heavy lifting), Luke portals in and makes a beeline for the fleece — only to discover Polyphemus shops at Michael’s and has terrible  painting skills. Disney/David Bukach Grover sniffs out the real fleece in the lair. Polyphemus realizes he’s been played, abandons Annabeth, and locks Percy, Grover, and Clarisse inside. Annabeth cuts him with an invisible blade — and he retaliates. The worst happens. Polyphemus backhands Annabeth, leaving her unconscious and bleeding as his shadow looms over her. Just as it looks fatal, Tyson returns, wrestles Polyphemus, and takes him over the cliff. Percy watches his brother die — again — and turns to Annabeth as Luke checks her pulse and says: “Percy. She’s dying.” For a teenage demigod, it’s too much loss stacked into a single breath. Panicking, Percy insists they can save her with the fleece — but Clarisse blocks him. The Great Prophecy becomes terrifyingly real as Percy is forced to choose: the world, or Annabeth. Luke claims his portal only works once (which feels… suspicious), but Percy doesn’t hesitate when the moment arrives. Grover reminds Clarisse of the vow she once made: “Never let another warrior fall on the battlefield if you could prevent it. Not on your watch. Not again. Annabeth is a warrior, just like you.” Percy takes the fleece and gives it to Luke, who places it over Annabeth. She breathes. We all breathe. And then Luke takes both  the fleece and Annabeth and disappears. Clarisse says what Percy already feels: “Do you realize what you’ve just done? You killed us.” As guilt crushes Percy, the stone sealing the lair rolls away — and Tyson emerges alive for the umpteenth time, earning a much-deserved, tearful reunion. He reports that Luke escaped by boat. No worries. Poseidon planned ahead. Tyson reveals a summoning bracelet—a gift from his dad— that calls forth Rainbow and three fellow hippocampi. It’s their ride to the Princess Andromeda  and the final confrontation ahead. 🔱🧡🦉 Top 3 Percabeth Squee Moments 🔱🧡🦉 🐑 “Think woolly thoughts…” Annabeth and Percy disguising themselves as Polyphemus’ sheep and fully committing to the baaa  bit is peak Percabeth chaos. Percy may be visibly reluctant, but the fact that he goes along with Annabeth’s plan without hesitation says everything about how much he trusts her instincts. Their synchronized sheep act is goofy, tender, and wholesomely adorable  — two kids clinging to humor as a coping mechanism while walking straight into danger. For a moment, it even feels like the plan might work. 🌈 END CALL, PROTECTIVE KING Percy slamming the Iris Message shut the second Luke starts manipulating Annabeth is one of his most New Yorker-coded moments yet. He clocks the angle immediately and refuses to let Luke mess with her head or exploit her guilt about Thalia. It’s not loud or dramatic — it’s instinctual, protective, and rooted in trust. Percy doesn’t just believe in Annabeth; he believes in  her when doubt creeps in. 💔 Percy’s Fatal Flaw Is Annabeth While this may not be a Percabeth moment on paper, it’s impossible to ignore how Annabeth has consistently been the bravest warrior this season. Her intelligence guides every plan, her compassion fuels her hope of saving both Thalia and Luke, and her willingness to face Polyphemus alone proves she leads not just with strategy but with courage. Daughter of Athena or not, Annabeth fights like someone who knows exactly what’s at stake — and refuses to back down anyway. BONUS: ANNABETH’S BRAVERISM 🦉✨ While this may not be a Percabeth moment on paper, it’s impossible to ignore how Annabeth has consistently been the bravest warrior this season. Her intelligence guides every plan, her compassion fuels her hope of saving both Thalia and Luke, and her willingness to face Polyphemus alone proves she leads not just with strategy but with courage. Daughter of Athena or not, Annabeth fights like someone who knows exactly what’s at stake — and refuses to back down anyway. 💗 Shipping Verdict: If loyalty is Percy’s fatal flaw, Annabeth is the reason it exists. 🏛️ Olympian-Level Quotes 🏛️ 👁️ “Alone… That’s the real beauty of my island. The gift of living alone.”  — Polyphemus An accidentally relatable villain moment that briefly turns Polyphemus into the patron god of introverts, solo travelers, and anyone who’s ever said “I just need my space” and meant it. 🔱 “We can always leave Clarisse… I’m kidding, kind of.”   — Percy Jackson Percy is mostly  joking here. It’s not like Clarisse hasn’t tried to murder him before, so he’s definitely not considering it… Right, Percy? Right? 🐏 “I’m not dreaming. You’re really here.”  — Grover Underwood A soft, emotional payoff after episodes of separation between Percy and his favorite satyr protector. It’s not flashy, just pure relief — and a reminder that their bond doesn’t need empath magic to hit hard. 🙏 “My brother is inside this cave.”  — Tyson A simple line with enormous weight. Tyson doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t explain, and doesn’t apologize — he claimed Percy as family since Episode One, bravely drawing a line Polyphemus can’t cross. 🎥 The Reel   Demigods Behind the Camera 🎥 “Nobody Gets the Fleece,” Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2, Episode 6, is written by Albert Kim  and directed by Catriona McKenzie , centering Percy and Annabeth’s increasingly doomed attempt to rescue Grover and Clarisse while securing the Golden Fleece from Polyphemus’ island. Kim, a veteran TV writer and producer, is best known for serving as showrunner on Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender (Season 1) and Fox’s Sleepy Hollow , with additional credits including Leverage , Nikita , and Dirt . His background as an award-winning journalist brings clarity to character motivation and adaptation choices here, especially in how the episode reshapes key book moments to heighten emotional stakes—an approach Kim has openly discussed on the show’s official podcast. 🎓 Da Reel Perspectives’ Grade 🎓 8.3 / 10 Golden Fleeces (Real, Not Canal Street) A tense, heartfelt episode that nails character stakes and loyalty-driven choices. Loses a few fleeces to villain monologuing and repeated “trap within a trap” beats — but the emotional payoff more than carries it. What’s Happening Next Episode 7: Battle on the Princess Andromeda  🚢⚔️🔥 Because nothing says “next step in the prophecy” like storming a cursed cruise ship with monsters, traitors, and zero adult supervision.

Reel Perspectives January 9, 2026 Sister Pictures for ITV A gripping slow-burn thriller that lets Andrew Lincoln shine — and keeps you leaning forward every week. Coldwater Is Ready to Test Your Moral Compass If you’ve ever watched a handsome man make one bad decision, then another, then fully  double down because he desperately wants to believe he’s finally becoming the person he’s supposed to be… congratulations. Coldwater  was made just for you. Sister Pictures for ITV Streaming in the U.S. on Paramount+ w/ Showtime on January 9, the six-episode psychological thriller stars Andrew Lincoln  in a role that’s guaranteed to pull in The Walking Dead  fans—and then quietly, methodically wreck them. This isn’t a show about zombies or survivalist heroics. It’s about shame, identity, toxic masculinity, and the very real consequences of freezing when it matters most. If you’re thinking, surely it can’t get worse from here … Trust. It absolutely can. Why Coldwater  Gets Messy Fast Coldwater  opens with a moment so unsettling you’ll feel it in your chest—and immediately start yelling at the screen. John, played by Andrew Lincoln , is a stay-at-home dad who witnesses a violent assault and freezes. No intervention. No action. Just standing there. And in that single moment, his entire sense of manhood, morality, and self-worth caves in. Ashamed and spiraling, John uproots his wife, Fiona, and their children from London and drags them to a remote Scottish village, convinced that isolation will somehow fix what accountability couldn’t. For John, the move is about reclaiming control and feeling “solid” again. For Fiona—played with sharp intelligence and quiet authority by Indira Varma —it’s a reluctant reset, an attempt to hold a fractured marriage together while finally prioritizing her own ambitions as a writer. What they find instead is a community that smiles warmly, asks all the right questions, and absolutely does not  feel right. Sister Pictures for ITV Enter the neighbor. Tommy is charismatic, confident, deeply embedded in village life, and wrapped in the language of faith and respectability. He’s a husband, a father, a community leader, and the organizer of a men’s book (and uncomfortable Bible) group that radiates trust and authority. John is immediately impressed—borderline enamored. Fiona, meanwhile, clocks the vibes in record time. Her instincts are razor-sharp, but John’s hunger to be seen, validated, and chosen keeps overriding every red flag waving directly in his face. Opposite Lincoln, Ewen Bremner  delivers a masterclass in polite menace as Tommy. He smiles softly. He speaks calmly. He never raises his voice. And yet every interaction feels like a test you didn’t realize you were taking. Bremner lets the cracks show slowly—in pauses, glances, and that unsettling calm that always precedes chaos. Sister Pictures for ITV The wider ensemble deepens the atmospheric level of unease. A fantastic Eve Myles plays Tommy's wife, Rebecca. Lorn Macdonald  brings volatility and unpredictability as Angus, while Samuel Bottomley  adds quiet tension as Cameron. Abigail Lawrie ’s Moria-Jane reflects how the village’s younger generation absorbs—and mirrors—the warped moral framework surrounding them. Each performance reinforces how isolation and groupthink allow something rotten to thrive unchecked. The relationship between John and Tommy is where Coldwater  truly brings you in. Their dynamic is enthralled with admiration, projection, manipulation, and an unspoken power struggle that grows more dangerous with each episode. There’s even a streak of dark humor running through their scenes—the kind that makes you laugh and then immediately feel uneasy for doing so. As the series unfolds, Coldwater’s postcard-perfect calm begins to erode. Welcomes turn into whispers. Trust grows brittle. The village’s politeness becomes its sharpest weapon. The show thrives on contrast—idyllic landscapes versus creeping dread, friendliness versus hostility, brotherhood versus obsession—creating an atmosphere where danger feels inevitable precisely because it’s dressed up as decency. Andrew Lincoln, Reimagined If you know Andrew Lincoln  as Rick Grimes—the gun-toting, growling survivalist at the center of The Walking Dead — Coldwater  is about to flip that image on its head in the most unsettling way. Here, Lincoln trades apocalypse bravado for vulnerability, authority for insecurity, and heroics for emotional paralysis. His John isn’t here to save anyone. He’s awkward, brittle, deeply unsure of himself—and painfully human. This isn’t a fall-from-grace arc so much as a slow reveal of how little confidence he had to begin with. Sister Pictures for ITV Lincoln’s performance is rooted in shame, self-doubt, and that quiet, nagging fear of not measuring up—emotionally, socially, or morally. It’s restrained, internal, and all the more devastating for it. For longtime fans, it’s a reminder that Lincoln’s range has always extended far beyond apocalypse-era masculinity—and that watching him sit with discomfort can be just as gripping as watching him swing an axe. In short: this isn’t Rick Grimes with a new accent. It’s Andrew Lincoln leaning into discomfort, and that’s where the magic is. Under the Water: The Mind Behind Coldwater At the core of Coldwater  is writer and creator David Ireland , whose theater roots shape a series far more interested in pressure than spectacle—specifically how people behave when they’re isolated, observed, and quietly coming apart. Developed during the pandemic, the six-part thriller draws directly from that era’s claustrophobia, anxiety, and emotional dislocation, using them to explore masculinity, community, and moral collapse; you can feel it in every episode, in the sense of being trapped with your thoughts, craving connection while distrusting everyone around you, and watching polite social rituals mask something far more volatile.  Several episodes are also written and co-directed by Andrew Cumming , whose visual restraint perfectly complements Ireland’s scripts, keeping tension simmering rather than exploding—until it absolutely has to. That character-first approach is further reinforced by Andrew Lincoln , who serves not only as the star but also as an executive producer, ensuring John’s unraveling feels earned, layered, and deeply human rather than sensationalized. The result is a thriller that understands the most unsettling truth of all: the real danger isn’t what announces itself—it’s what lives just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to rise. Why Coldwater  Has Us Hooked The trailer for Coldwater  lets you know immediately: this isn’t about jump scares or cheap twists—it’s about the tension, and it never lets up. Built on long silences, loaded stares, and that unmistakable feeling that something is wrong even when everyone’s smiling, the footage leans all the way into discomfort. It highlights the unsettling push-and-pull between John and Tommy while quietly reminding us how fast isolation, ego, and the need to belong can turn into a problem. You don’t need all the answers to be hooked—you just need that creeping sense of sir, this is not okay .  Watch the official trailer here: Coldwater is now streaming exclusively on Paramount+ with Showtime , with new episodes dropping weekly through the series finale on February 13, 2026.