Category: TV

“Landman: Season 2” written by Taylor Sheridan, directed by Stephan Kay, starring Billy Bob Thorton, Demi Moore, Andy Garcia, Ali Carter and Sam Elliott / Z-View

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Landman: Season 2 (2026)

Created by: Taylor Sheridan, Christian Wallace

Director: Stephen Kay (Eps. 1-10)

Teleplay: Taylor Sheridan (Eps. 1-10)

Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland, Michelle Randolph, Paulina Chavez, Kayla Wallace, Mark Collie, James Jordan, Demi Moore, Andy Garcia, Sam Elliott, Colm Feore, Mustafa Speaks, Dougie Hall, K.C. Clyde, Stefania Spampinato, Guy Burnet and Francesca Xuereb.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Tommy Norris (Thorton) oversees the day-to-day operations for the M-Tex oil company.  It’s Tommy’s job to make sure everything runs smoothly and the company makes money.

Monty Miller owned M-Tex.  Since his death it’s become clear that although he was a billionaire (on paper), his dealings behind the scenes have the company on the precipice of losing everything.  With Monty dead, his wife Cami, who has no experience in business, is owner of M-Tex.  Tommy encourages Cami to sell the company.  The sale would bring Cami generational wealth.  Tami is set on moving forward with a drill that has a 10% chance of success.  If they strike oil, the money earned would be exponentially more than selling the business.  But if the drill doesn’t produce, Cami would lose everything.

In order to finance the new drill, Cami goes to Danny “Gallino” Morrell.  Morrell is a financier on the surface, but behind the scenes runs a drug cartel.  Cami ignored Tommy’s warnings about Morrell.  Morrell also has his hooks in Tommy’s son’s wildcat wells.

To complicate matters, Tommy’s 80 year old father has come to live with him and his daughter is about to leave for college.  Tommy cannot catch a break.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Taylor Sheridan, the show’s creator, returns to write all ten episodes of season two.

Stephen Kay, who directed six of the ten episodes in season one, returns to direct all ten in season two. Kay is known for directing episodes of The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, The Punisher, Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, Lioness, 1883, 1923 and one of my favorite films, Get Carter (2000).

The casting from the biggest to the smallest roles is on point.  Standouts include:

  • Billy Bob Thorton was born to play Tommy Norris.  Thorton is an excellent actor, and I’ve loved him in several roles.  This may be my favorite.
  • Ali Larter is excellent in a role that I love to dislike.
  • Michelle Randolph plays Elizabeth Strafford in 1923.  What a different character than the one she plays in Landman.  She’s excellent in both.  I guess that’s why they call it acting.
  • Jacob Lofland is more than holding his own.  I’ve seen Lofland before in Mud and Justified, but in Landman he shines.
  • Paulina Chavez continues to shine.
  • Kayla Wallace owns her role as the lawyer who goes for the throat in every interaction.  This season we also get to see another side of her.
  • James Jordan is fun to watch.  He has a supporting role in this and Lioness.  He helps make both shows so good.
  • Colm Feore – I’ve loved him in every scene he’s in.  Great addition to the show.
  • Andy García – projects the right combination of charm and menace.
  • Demi Moore – is perfect.
  • Mustafa Speaks – plays Theodore “Boss” Ramone, the lead oil crewman on Cooper’s second crew.  I’d love to see more of this character.
  • Francesca Xuereb – plays Cheyenne, a stripper turned physical therapist Tommy hires to help his dad.  I’ve never seen Xuereb before, but she’s one to keep an eye on.

Landman: Season 2 gets my highest recommendation.

Landman: Season 2 (2026) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Death by Lightning” (2025) written by Mike Makowski, directed by Matt Ross, starring Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen, Nick Offerman and Betty Gilpin / Z-View

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Death by Lightning (2025)

Created by: Mike Makowsky; based on DESTINY OF THE REPUBLIC: A TALE OF MADNESS, MEDICINE AND THE MURDER OF A PRESIDENT by Candice Millard

Director:

  • Matt Ross (Eps. 1-4)

Teleplay:

  • Mike Makowsky (Eps. 1-4)

Stars: Matthew Macfadyen, Michael Shannon, Betty Gilpin, Shea Whigham, Bradley Whitford, Nick Offerman, Laura Marcus, David Nykl, Alfie Tempest, Paula Malcomson, Barry Shabaka Henley and Vondie Curtis-Hall.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Congressman James Garfield went to the 1880 Republican National Convention to give a nomination speech.  Garfield’s oratory was so powerful that through an unlikely series of events he became the party’s nominee.  Although an underdog, Garfield won the election and became the 20th President of the United States.

Charles Guiteau, an ex-con, chronic liar and thief has dreams of glory and fame.  Guiteau admires Garfield and feels their destiny’s are intwined.  But they are not.

So Guiteau decides to kill the man he admires.  Guiteau shoots Garfield in the back.  Garfield is bedridden and in pain for months.  Eighty days after being shot he dies.  James Garfield was President just 200 days.  But his Presidency had a positive impact to this day that few realize.

Charles Guiteau dreamed of fame.  He was executed for his crime and is largely forgotten except to historians.

This is their story.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Death by Lightning is an amazing, but true story.  Although a dramatization, it sticks very close to the actual events.  Kudos to Mike Makowsky, who wrote the teleplay for all four episodes, and to Candice Millard who wrote the book which inspired the project.

The cast is amazing.  Matthew Macfadyen, Michael Shannon, Betty Gilpin, Shea Whigham, Bradley Whitford and Nick Offerman give performances that deserve awards.  They are amazing.  It was also nice to see Barry Shabaka Henley and Vondie Curtis-Hall appear.

Death by Lightning gets my highest recommendation.

Death by Lightning (2025) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Mayor of Kingstown”: Season 4 (2025) starring Jeremy Renner and Edie Falco / Z-View

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Mayor of Kingstown: Season 4 (2025)

Created by: Taylor Sheridan, Hugh Dillon

Directors:

  • Christoph Schrewe (Eps. 1-2; 5-6; 9-10)
  • Leslie Hope (Eps. 3-4)
  • Guy Ferland (Eps. 7-8)

Teleplay:

  • Dave Erickson (Eps. 1; 10)
  • Aalia Brown (Ep. 2)
  • Christian Donovan (Ep. 3)
  • James Arcega Tinsley (Ep. 4)
  • Wendy Riss (Eps. 5; 8)
  • Molly Forman (Ep. 6)
  • Christian Donovan & Jeremiah Wessling (Ep. 7)
  • Hugh Dillon (Ep. 9)

Stars: Jeremy Renner, Hugh Dillon, Tobi Bamtefa, Taylor Handley, Derek Webster, Hamish Allan-Headley, Nishi Munshi, Necar Zadegan, Nichole Galicia, Michael Beach, Lane Garrison, Richard Brake, D Smoke,Phil Rice, Denny Love, Laura Benanti, Lennie James and Edie Falco.

Tagline: You can’t bury the past.

The Plot…

After the events last season Kyle is headed for prison.  Mike is working every angle to get Kyle released. Evelyn is willing to cut Kyle a deal if he gives up Ian.  This puts Ian on edge and eager to do whatever it takes to get clear… including murder.

Mike meets with the new warden, Nina Hobbs.  She’s a hardcase and won’t give Mike (or Kyle) any consideration.  But she’s got secrets that could be exploited.

Meanwhile Bunny is offered a chance to work with a Detroit gangster named Frank Moses.  Moses is a legend. Bunny’s looking for a partner.  Moses is looking to expand his empire.

With Kyle in prison, Merle Callahan, the leader of the Arian Nation has a new way to get to Mike.  By hurting Kyle.

The tension mounts as the season progresses.  Every encounter is dangerous.  Several won’t survive.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Mayor of Kingstown continues to be one of the best (if not the best) written, directed, an acted television series.  It has production values that rival those of feature films.

Jeremy Renner is perfect as the no-nonsense and fearless Mike McClusky.  Other standouts in the supporting cast include Edie Falco, Lennie James, Hugh Dillon, Tobi Bamtefa and Hamish Allan-Headley.  Actually, I should probably list every supporting actor/actress because they are all perfectly cast.

The surprises, twists and ever building tension make each episode must-see tv.

Mayor of Kingstown has been renewed for a shortened (8 episode) final season.  I cannot wait.

Mayor of Kingstown: Season 4 (2025) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Cross: Season 2” starring Aldis Hodge and Isaiah Mustafa – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The Poster and Trailer for Cross: Season 2 Are Here!  Loved season one.

Deal me in.

Alex Cross is back for justice.

An all new season of Cross is out February 11 on Prime Video.

About Cross: A Washington, D.C. crime drama that follows Alex Cross, a brilliant homicide detective, whose personal struggles threaten to derail his career and life. Based on the worldwide bestselling book series by James Patterson.

“STEAL” starring Sophie Turner – Two Posters and a Trailer are Here! 

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Here we have two posters and a trailer for Steal, a new series that premieres on Prime Video starting January 21st. I like what I’ve seen so far, so deal me in!

Steal is a contemporary, high-octane thriller about the heist of the century and the ordinary office worker, Zara (Sophie Turner), who finds herself at the heart of it. A typical work day at a pension fund investment company, Lochmill Capital, is upended when a gang of violent thieves burst in and force Zara and her best mate Luke (Archie Madekwe) to execute their demands.

But who would steal billions of pounds of ordinary people’s pensions and why? DCI Rhys (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd) is determined to find out, but as a recently relapsed gambling addict, Rhys must keep his own money problems at bay while dealing with the secret agendas and competing interests at the center of this far-reaching crime.

“I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not” (2026) / Z-View

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I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not (2026)

Director: Marina Zenovich

Stars: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Ryan Reynolds, Goldie Hawn, Dan Aykroyd, Martin Short, Kevin Nealon, Paul Shaffer and Lorne Michaels.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Saturday Night Live premiered on October 11, 1975, and it was obvious from the start that Chevy Chase was going to be the breakout star.  When Chase anchored the “News Update” segments viewership would spike.  He came off as funny, goofy, personalble, girls thought he was cute and guys liked him as well.  And man, could he take a pratfall.

The only surprise when Chase left Saturday Night Live for Hollywood was how quickly it happened. He didn’t even complete the show’s second season.

Chase’s first starring role in a feature film (Foul Play) hinted at great things to come.  But his films were hit (Caddyshack, National Lampoon’s Vacation) or miss (Oh! Heavenly Dog; Under the Rainbow).  The misses started to outnumber the hits.  Rumors surfaced that Chase was “hard to work with” or worse still, just an ass.

I‘m Chevy Chase and You’re Not explores Chase’s life warts and all.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

I was a Chevy Chase fan at the start of his career.  I thought Chase was going to be a big star.  And he was for a bit. Chase would have been on top longer, if not for his behavior. Maybe it was the drugs (which he discusses).  Maybe it was his ego.  Maybe it was unresolved issues from his childhood.  More likely it was a combination of all of these things.

I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not is interesting and informative even without the participation of folks who declined to be interviewed (Steve Martin, Martin Short, the entire cast and crew of Community – except for Jay Chandrasekhar who directed one episode with Chase).  Their silence says a lot.

After seeing I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, I have a better understanding of the man and his career.  He often appears to be his own worst enemy.  Yet, at 82, Chase still has a quick (often inappropriate) wit even if he can no longer take a pratfall.

I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not (2026)

“Red Eye”: Season 2 – The Trailer is Here!

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The Red Eye: Season 2 trailer is here!

Deal me in!

The conspiracy deepens. The danger rises.

Red Eye returns this New Year as ITV’s hit thriller takes flight once again.

Jing Lusi is back as DS Hana Li, this time forced to team up with Martin Compston’s Clay Brody when a deadly threat traps the US Embassy in lockdown and a British government plane is targeted mid-flight. With lives on the line and trust in short supply, the race to uncover the truth takes Hana deeper into a world of political tension and hidden agendas.

Season 2 also features Lesley Sharp, Jemma Moore, Jonathan Aris, Robert Guilbert, Cash Holland and Steph Lacey, along with new cast members Isaura Barbe-Brown, Nicholas Rowe, Danusia Samal, Trevor White and Guy Williams.

Red Eye is produced by Bad Wolf and written by Peter A Dowling, with Jingan Young contributing one episode. Kieron Hawkes and Camilla Strøm Henriksen direct the six-part series.

Craig’s Best of 2025: Films / TV / Books / Posts

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Happy New Year!

As we start 2026, let’s take a look at the BEST OF 2025. I hope you see something that you enjoyed or gets you interested to check out. Here we go…

Movies and Television Series

In 2025, I watched 375 movies and tv series. That number is down 21 from last year. My favorite films and limited series released in 2025 included (in alpha order):

  • A House of Dynamite
  • aka Charlie Sheen
  • Amateur, The
  • American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden
  • Americas, The
  • Caught Stealing
  • Chaos: The Manson Murders
  • Duster
  • Havoc
  • Last Samurai Standing: Season 1
  • Mayor of Kingstown: Season 4
  • Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
  • Paradise: Season 1
  • Pitt, The
  • Reacher: Season 3
  • Sean Combs: The Reckoning
  • Sinners
  • Sly Lives
  • Surviving Black Hawk Down
  • Tulsa King: Season 3
  • Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
  • Wick is Pain
  • WWE Unreal: Season 1

Books

In 2025, I read 37 books (down 9 from last year) My favorites from this year included (in the order I read them):

  • 1. Joe Ledger: Secret Missions 1 by Jonathan Maberry
    2. The Big Empty by Robert Crais
    3. Joe Ledger: Secret Missions 2 by Jonathan Maberry
    4. Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry
    5. The Friends of Pancho Villa by James Carlos Blake
    6. Blue Moon by Lee Child
    7. King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
    8. Ceremony by Robert B. Parker
    9. Hatchet Girls by Joe R. Lansdale
    10. Hunter’s Moon by James Byron Huggins
    11. Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
    12. Front Sight by Stephen Hunter
    13. Fever House by Keith Rosson
    14. November Road by Lou Berney
    15. Hush Money by Robert B. Parker

My Most Popular Posts of the Year

I continue to find some surprises in what became my most popular posts each year. Here are the top ten for 2025 and some thoughts for each…

10. The Syfy Channel’s 2025 “Twilight Zone” Christmas Marathon Schedule is Up! – The Twilight Zone Marathon Schedule posts are always popular. Last year the TZ New Year’s Marathon Schedule clocked in at #10.

9. The 25 Best ’90s Movies – New to the top ten!

8. Evidence Points to Gary Francis Poste as The Zodiac Killer! – Fell from the #2 spot.

7. Wolverine (and that scary smirk) by John Byrne! – New to the top ten!

6. The Dichotomy Philosophy Quiz – New to the top ten!

5. RIP: Johnny Crawford – New to the top ten!

4. Syfy’s Twilight Zone 2025/2026 New Year’s Marathon Schedule is Up! – The TZ New Year’s Marathon announcement moved from the 10th spot to #4!

3. Batman – “It Was a Dark and Stormy Night” by Snoopy (Charles Schulz), Len Wein & Walt Simonson! – No change. Was in the #3 spot last year.

2. Schwarzenegger in “King Lear” & Robin Williams in “Jack and the Beanstalk” – moved from the #1 spot last year.

1. “CAUGHT STEALING” screenplay by Charlie Huston, directed by Darren Aronofsky, starring Austin King, Regina King & Zoe Kravitz – The Trailer is Here! – Making it’s first appearance on the list and in the #1 spot.

My All-Time Most Popular Posts

10. The 2021 TWILIGHT ZONE New Year’s Eve Marathon is Coming and the Full Schedule is Out! – The Twilight Zone Marathon posts are always popular.

09. Gadot & The Rock Strike a Pose – this is the fifth year in a row that the Gadot & The Rock Pose post has remained in the 9th spot.

08. Steve Reeves as Superman – this is the third year in a row that Steve Reeves as Superman flew in to the 8th spot.

07. TOP 10 MOST ICONIC HORROR MOVIE VILLAINS! – For the second year in a row.

06. Billy the Kid Photo Discovered – holding strong for two years in a row.

05. Dracula Through the Ages – moved to the 5th spot last year and held on for the second year in a row.

04. SYFY’s 2023/2024 Twilight Zone New Year’s Eve Marathon Schedule is Up! – remains our 4th most popular post for the second year in a row.

03. Zodiac Killer Code Cracked? – Came in 3rd last year and held that spot.

02. Louis Meyers: Evidence He Was the Zodiac Killer – our second all-time most popular post for the second year in a row.

01. Schwarzenegger in “King Lear” & Robin Williams in “Jack and the Beanstalk” – our all-time most popular post for the third year in a row.

It’s always interesting to see which topics resonate with fans and continue to be popular long after their initial post.

Sly Stallone is the “Tulsa King” by Thomas Boatwright!

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A couple of months ago I was going through the Zablo vault, and I came across a watercolor of Cobra by Thomas Boatwright that I’d never posted.

At that time I said that Boatwright used to regularly livestream art and for a few years was a guest at HeroesCon.  Getting art from Thomas Boatwright was always a joy.  Sadly, that was years ago.

Well, just this week Boatwright posted in his newsletter that he was taking a limited number of watercolor digital commissions.  I usually am not interested in digital art for my collection, but getting another from Thomas Boatwright was just too sweet to pass on.  I asked for his take on Sly as Dwight Manfredi from “Tulsa King” and Boatwright came through royally.

“Sean Combs: The Reckoning” (2025) / Z-View

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Sean Combs: The Reckoning (2025)

Executive Producer: Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson

Director: Alexandria Stapleton

Cast: Sean Combs, Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Janice Combs, Mark Curry, Kirk Burrowes, Aubrey O’Day, Suge Knight, Andre Harrell, Kalenna Harper, Al B. Sure!, Kim Porter, Cassie Ventura and Snoop Dogg.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Sean Combs: The Reckoning uses archival footage/interviews from the early 1990s to present day to cover the rise of Sean Combs from a college student intern to hip hop mogul to industry powerhouse able to put his name on a variety of products and make them best-sellers to a convicted felon doing several years in prison.

The four part documentary, through the use of archival news reports, court verdicts and interviews with accusers and those who claim to witnessed the events, details Sean Combs’ proven and or/alleged…

  • longterm sexual and emotional abuse of women
  • sexual assault and drugging of women… including rape, videotaping sexual assaults and playing the tapes for friends
  • sexual assault and harrasment of men
  • drugging men and women in order to take advantage of them
  • using intimidation and threats to regularly take advantage of business partners, cheating them out of money due or simply not paying them.
  • questions about Combs’ involvement in the murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.
  • infamous “freak off” parties where people were secretly videotaped having sex, coerced or drugged for sex
  • involvement as co-promoter of the 1991 “first annual Heavy D and Puff Daddy Celebrity Charity Basketball Game” where dozens of people were injured and nine people died when nearly 5,000 people pushed to get in a gym with a capacity of 2,730.  No criminal charges were filed, but Combs settled with families in civil court.
  • involvement in a 1999 shooting incident while dating Jennifer Lopez.  Combs was arrested on a weapons and bribery charge.  He was acquitted of all charges. Still there are those who say Combs should have been found guilty.
  • and more.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

If only some of the allegations are true (and we know many are), Sean Combs is perfect example of how power can corrupt.

I am not a huge hip-hop fan, but I found the documentary compelling.

Sean Combs: The Reckoning (2025) rates 5 of 5 stars.