Category: TV

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.

“The Beauty” starring Evan Peters, Ashton Kutcher and Rebecca Hall – The Poster and Teaser are Here!

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This looks like fun.  Check out the poster and teaser for The Beauty starring Evan Peters, Ashton Kutcher and Rebecca Hall.

Deal me in.

Drop. Dead. Gorgeous. FX’s The Beauty. Premieres January 21 on FX | Hulu

In FX’s The Beauty, when international supermodels begin dying in gruesome and mysterious ways, FBI Agents “Cooper Madsen” (Evan Peters) and “Jordan Bennett” (Rebecca Hall) uncover a conspiracy that threatens the future of humanity. The investigation leads them directly into the crosshairs of “The Corporation” (Ashton Kutcher), who will stop at nothing to protect his trillion-dollar empire.

Syfy’s Twilight Zone 2025/2026 New Year’s Marathon Schedule is Up!

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Twilight Zone fans are in for a treat.  This year the Syfy Channel is running a Twilight Zone Christmas Marathon and then less than a week later, an even longer Twilight Zone New Year’s Marathon!

The New Year’s Marathon starts at 5am on December 31st with the last episode starting at 6:30am on December 2nd.

The Twilight Zone Marathons have been one of our family traditions for decades.  Sometimes we binge watch. Other times we just check in on favorite episodes. Please allow me to suggest some favorite Twilight Zone episodes…

Wednesday, December 31, 2025
5:ooam – Come Wander with Me  (Kicks off the marathon)
7:30pm – It’s a Good Life
9:30pm – Nick of Time
11:00pm – The Midnight Sun

Thursday, January 1, 2026
3:30am – The Howling Man
6:30pm – Time Enough At Last
7:o0pm – The Monsters are Due on Maple Street
7:30pm – To Serve Man
8:00pm – The Invaders
8:30pm – Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?
9:00pm – Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
9:30pm – The Eye of the Beholder

Friday, January 2, 2026
3:00am – The Shelter
3:30am – The Grave

The Syfy Channel’s 2025 “Twilight Zone” Christmas Marathon Schedule is Up!

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The Syfy Channel is running a Twilight Zone Marathon that starts at 5am on Christmas Day ending at 7am on December 26th.

What a great way to spend down-time between presents, get-togethers with family and friends, eating too much and napping.  Set your DVRs for the entire marathon or just to get favorites or episodes you’ve never seen.  You can see the entire Twilight Zone Marathon schedule here.

There’s a sweet spot that starts at 8pm on the 25th.  Seven of my favorite episodes will run back-to-back.

Enjoy!

RIP: Rob Reiner

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Yesterday Rob Reiner and his wife were found murdered in their Los Angeles home.  They had been killed by an assailant using a knife.  Their son, Nick has been charged for both murders.

Rob Reiner was the child of Estelle and Carl Reiner.  Carl Reiner was an award-winning actor, comedian, author, director and screenwriter.  Over his career Mr. Reiner won numerous awards including 11 Prime Time Emmys, a Grammy, the Mark Twain Prize for Amerian Humor and an induction into the Television Hall of Fame.

Rob Reiner decided to follow in his father’s footsteps.  He began getting acting roles while still in high school.  Juggling his new found acting career with school, Rob Reiner enrolled at the UCLA Film School.  Rob Reiner made several television guest appearances on popular shows of the day including Batman, The Andy Griffith Show and Gomer Pyle.  Rob Reiner also started to appear in feature films.  In 1968, Rob Reiner became one of the writers and actors on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

Rob Reiner’s breakout role came when he played Mike Stivik on All in the Family.  Over the course of the series Mr. Reiner was nominated for five Emmys (winning two) as well as five Golden Globe nominations.  In 1974, Rob Reiner directed the television movie Sonny Boy while still co-starring in All in the Family.  After All in the Family ended, Rob Reiner was co-creator of the television comedy The Super.  It ran for one season.  Mr. Reiner continued to act in guest roles throughout the 1970s.

In 1981, Rob Reiner returned to directing with the segment Tommy Rispoli: A Man and his Music as part of the television movie Likely Stories: Volume 1.  Mr. Reiner followed that up by directing This is Spinal Tap.  This is Spinal Tap became a huge hit.  Rob Reiner then went on a streak.  The next six films Rob Reiner directed were The Sure Thing, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men.  What a run!

Over the course of his career Rob Reiner continued to act, direct, write and produce.  Some of the Awards he was nominated for and/or received include:

  • 1972 Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor – Television – All in the Family
  • 1972 Primetime Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Comedy –  All in the Family – For playing: “Michael Stivic”.
  • 1973 Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor – Television – All in the Family
  • 1973 Primetime Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Comedy –  All in the Family – For playing: “Michael Stivic”.
  • 1974 Primetime Emmy Winner for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Comedy –  All in the Family – For playing: “Michael Stivic”.
  • 1974 Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor – Television – All in the Family
  • 1975 Primetime Emmy Nominee for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Comedy –  All in the Family – For playing: “Michael Stivic”.
  • 1976 Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor – Television – All in the Family
  • 1977 Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor – Television – All in the Family
  • 1978 Primetime Emmy Winner for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Comedy –  All in the Family – For playing: “Michael Stivic”.
  • 1987 DGA Nominee for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures – Stand by Me
  • 1987 Golden Globe Nominee for Best Director – Motion Picture – Stand by Me
  • 1990 DGA Nominee for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures – When Harry Met Sally…
  • 1990 Golden Globe Nominee for Best Director – Motion Picture – When Harry Met Sally…
  • 1993 Academy Award Nominee for Best Picture – A Few Good Men
  • 1993 DGA Nominee for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures – A Few Good Men
  • 1993 Golden Globe Nominee for Best Director – Motion Picture – A Few Good Men
  • 1993 PGA Nominee for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures – A Few Good Men
  • 1996 Golden Globe Nominee for Best Director – Motion Picture – The American President
  • 1996 PGA Nominee for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures – The American President
  • 1999 Star Awarded on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
  • 2024 PGA Nominee for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television – Albert Brooks: Defending My Life
  • 2024 Primetime Emmy Nominee for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special – Albert Brooks: Defending My Life
  • 2024 Primetime Emmy Nominee for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program – Albert Brooks: Defending My Life

Some of the television projects that feature Rob Reiner acting include: Manhunt; Batman; Hey, Landlord (3 episodes); The Andy Griffith Show; That Girl (3 episodes); The Mothers-In-Law; Gomer Pyle (3 episodes); The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (5 episodes); The Beverly Hillbillies (2 episodes); Room 222; The Partridge Family; Getting Together; The Odd Couple; The Rockford Files; Free Country (5 episodes); More Than Friends; All in the Family (184 episodes); Archie Bunker’s Place (2 episodes); Tall Tales & Legends; It’s Gary Shandling’s Show (4 episodes); Morton & Hayes (6 episodes); A Spinal Tap Reunion; The Larry Sanders Show; Frasier; Curb Your Enthusiasm; The Simpsons; Wizards of Waverly Place; 30 Rock; About a Boy; Happyish (2 episodes); The Comedians; When We Rise; New Girl (11 episodes); Hollywood (3 episodes); The Good Fight (2 episodes); Home Movie: The Princess Bride (3 episodes); The Bear (4 episodes) and Conan o’Brien Needs a Friend.

Some feature films that Rob Reiner acted in include: Enter Laughing; The Jerk; This is Spinal Tap; Throw Mama From the Train; Postcards from the Edge; Misery; Sleepless in Seattle; Bullets Over Broadway; The First Wives Club; Primary Colors; The Story of Us; The Wolf of Wall Street and Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.

Some of the television projects that feature Rob Reiner directing include: Sonny Boy; I am Your Child and 8.

Some of the feature films that Rob Reiner directed include: This is Spinal Tap; The Sure Thing; Stand by Me; The Princess Bride; When Harry Met Sally; Misery; A Few Good Men; The American President; Ghosts of Mississippi; The Story of Us; The Bucket List; Flipped; The Magic of Belle Island; LBJ; Albert Brooks: Defending My Life; and Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.

I probably first saw Rob Reiner acting in Batman.  I never missed that show when I was a kid.  Of course, I’m sure I saw Mr. Reiner’s guest appearances on The Andy Griffith Show; That Girl; Gomer Pyle; The Beverly Hillbillies; The Partridge Family and The Rockford Files before I ever saw Rob Reiner in his breakout role on All in the Family.  He was so good as Archie Bunker’s foil.  If the character of Mike Stivik was the only acting role Rob Reiner was known for, it would still make for a great career.

Who could have guessed what a talented director Rob Reiner would become.  I would match his first first seven films (This is Spinal Tap; The Sure Thing; Stand by Me; The Princess Bride; When Harry Met Sally; Misery and A Few Good Men) against any other director’s first seven.

By all accounts Rob Reiner was a gentle, kind, humble man loved by anyone who knew him.  We need more folks with those qualities.

Out thoughts and prayers go out to Rob Reiner’s family, friends and fans.

“Mob War: Philadelphia vs the Mafia” (2025) / Z-View

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Mob War: Philadelphia vs the Mafia (2025)

Director:  Raissa Botterman

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, became a war zone in the 1990s.  Two rival, mafia families fought for control.  John Stanfa and Joey Merlino were the crime bosses of each.  As the body count rose, the FBI and local cops fought to bring down the crime bosses and their gangs.

This is that story, told by the cops and gangsters that were there.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

If you like gangster movies/shows and true life crime you should enjoy Mob War: Philadelphia vs the Mafia.

The series is worth watching just to hear John Veasey.  Veasey may not be the brightest guy you’d ever meet, but he’s no doubt one of the toughest.  A thief, a tough guy and a killer.  Veasey was shot in the head, stabbed and still overpowered his attempted killer.  Then he got his revenge.

Mob War: Philadelphia vs the Mafia (2025) rates 4 of 5 stars.

RIP: Peter Greene

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It was announced that Peter Greene died yesterday. Mr. Greene was 60.  No cause of death was given.

Peter Greene ran away from home when he was 15.  Mr. Greene didn’t decide on an acting career until he was in his mid-20s.  Peter Greene worked in both television and feature films throughout his career.  His first television appearance was on the series Hardball.  Mr. Greene made his feature film debute in Laws of Gravity.  Peter Greene became best known as a character actor, often playing villains.

Some of the television projects that feature Peter Greene include: Hardball; As the World Turns (2 episodes); Black Cat Run; Law & Order; Dead & Deader; The Black Donnelly’s (13 episodes); Life on Mars (2 episodes); Justified; Hawaii 5-0; Chicago P.D. (2 episodes); Still the King (2 episodes); For Life (9 episodes); The Jersey Connection; The Continental and Dope Thief.

Some of Peter Greene’s feature film appearances include: Laws of Gravity; Clean Shaven; Judgment Night; Pulp Fiction; The Mask; The Usual Suspects; Bang; Under Siege 2: Dark Territory; The Rich Man’s Wife; Blue Streak; Training Day; Scenes of the Crime; Dead Dogs Lie; Under the Influence; The Grasslands; Shanghai Hotel;  Turnabout; City of Lies; Body Brokers and Beggarman.

I first became aware of Peter Greene in Pulp Fiction.  Mr. Greene was such a great villain.  Even in a role with small screen-time, Peter Greene made an impact.  My favorite Peter Greene appearance might be in Justified.  He appeared with Timothy Olyphant in the very first scene which set the tone of the series.  Of course any time Peter Greene appeared on-screen, it brought a smile to my face.  I just knew that his character was up to something.

Out thoughts and prayers go out to Peter Greene’s family, friends and fans.

“Tulsa King”: Season 3 (2025) starring Sylvester Stallone / Z-View

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Tulsa King: Season 3 (2025)

Created by: Taylor Sheridan

Directors:

  • Jim McKay (Eps. 1-2; 9-10)
  • Kevin Dowling (Eps. 3-4)
  • Joe Chappelle  (Eps. 5-6)
  • Guy Ferland (Eps. 7-8)

Teleplay:

  • (Ep. 1) Dave Erickson and Sylvester Stallone
  • (Ep. 2) Sheri Elwood
  • (Ep. 3) Jameel Saleem
  • (Ep. 4) Taylor Streitz
  • (Ep. 5) Ildy Modrovich and Sylvester Stallone
  • (Ep. 6) Joseph Riccobene
  • (Ep. 7) Daniel C. Connolly
  • (Ep. 8) Nick Jones Jr. & Sylvester Stallone
  • (Ep. 9) Daniel C. Connolly & Ildy Modrovich; story by Dave Erickson & Daniel C. Connolly & Ildy Modrovich 
  • (Ep. 10) Dave Erickson & Sylvester Stallone

Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Martin Starr, Jay Will, Garrett Hedlund, Dana Delany, Chris Caldovino, McKenna Quigley Harrington, Vincent Piazza, Annabella Sciorra, Dashiell Connery, Justin Garcia-Pruneda, Mike “Cash Flo” Walden, Tatiana Zappardino,  Neal McDonough, Robert Patrick, Beau Knapp,  Bella Heathcote, Frank Grillo, Kevin Pollak,  James Russo, Michael Beach, Juliette Jeffers, Barry Corbin, Samuel L. Jackson  and Scarlet Rose Stallone.

Tagline: More Power. More Problems.

The Plot…

In season three…

  • Agent Musso of the FBI has a personal vendetta and plans to use Dwight Manfredi to resolve it.  If Dwight doesn’t play along, his entire crew will be arrested for the crimes they’ve committed.

 

  • Quiet Ray Renzetti, a senior New York crime boss is pressuring Dwight for a piece of everything that Dwight has going.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Tulsa King was nominated for one 2025 PrimeTime Emmy Award – Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Comedy Series or a Variety Program: Freddie Poole

Robert Patrick is great as Dunmire, a villain you love to hate.  Patrick co-starred with Sly Stallone in Cop Land.

As you might have guessed, Tulsa King continues to be one of my current favorite television shows.  Bring on season four!

Tulsa King: Season 2 (2024) rates 5 of 5 stars.