Year: 2024

The future of the best sports show on television is very much in doubt, as Warner Bros. Discovery’s bungling of the NBA rights negotiations has left them on the outside looking in as of now. The expectation is that the league will roll with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon as its national broadcast partners, although WBD claims it has match rights that it may or may not use.

That means Inside the NBA is likely in its penultimate season, with one more year on Turner’s contract with the league in 2024-25. After that, no one yet knows what the future holds for Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley in terms of their NBA coverage.

As such, we need to appreciate and enjoy the magic that is TNT’s studio coverage, because while other networks will look to replicate it, there is just never going to be another show exactly like it. What makes it all the more frustrating is that the show has been on fire this postseason, as the guys on the desk and the crew behind the senes seem to be in top form as they wind down the final week or two of their season.

With just 3-6 shows left (depending on how the Western Conference Finals go), we wanted to take a look back at Inside‘s finest moments of the 2024 Playoffs, starting with one that belongs in the Hall of Fame.

“Where they goin’, Chuck?”…”Galveston”

Charles Barkley refusing to give the Pelicans the “1-2-3, Cancun” treatment after Game 3 of their first round series against the Thunder, and instead telling them to drive to Galveston, Texas and “that dirty ass water” became an immediate top-5 Inside the NBA moment. Shaq threw up the lob with “Where they goin’, Chuck?” and Barkley windmilled it home with one of his best all-time rants.

I can’t tell you how many times I or one of my friends has, with no prompting, just said “Where they goin’, Chuck?” and started this exact line of dialogue. The sheer disgust in Chuck’s voice, both about the Pelicans and the city of Galveston, really makes this sing, and he damn near kills Shaq every time he brings up the “dirty ass water.” Credit to Vince Carter for stepping into Kenny’s seat and not missing a beat to prod Chuck along a little further while Shaq is in hysterics, eliciting the “we’re not getting them plane tickets to the beach” from Barkley.

The next night Chuck had to issue an apology to Beyonce’s mom, Tina Knowles — a Galveston native — but couldn’t help but double-down further taking shots at Galveston.

Anthony Edwards Tells Charles Barkley To ‘Bring Ya Ass’ To Minnesota

Postgame player interviews with the guys on set have become part of Inside after the late game, and they often get the player of the game to loosen up and have some good fun — for example, any time they get Nikola Jokic on, the guys (namely Shaq) are able to get the famously mild-mannered MVP to perk up a bit. This happened with a different star after Game 7 of the Timberwolves-Nuggets series, when Anthony Edwards delivered a line that became a rallying cry for the entire state of Minnesota. After Charles Barkley said he hadn’t been up to Minnesota in a long time but TNT now would be making the trip for the Western Conference Finals, Anthony Edwards simply said “Bring Ya Ass!”

Everyone from fans to the governor latched onto that phrase — look at the first letter of every line here as proof of how big of a thing this became — and Chuck even wore “Bring Ya Ass” merch to Game 1.

Kenny Smith Gets A Chair Lift To The Board

Kenny Smith’s run to the video board at halftime has been a bit of a disaster for The Jet this postseason. He proudly proclaimed on night one he wouldn’t lose a race to the board all season, and promptly lost on back-to-back nights to both Shaq and Chuck. From there, he battled the stairs with some stumbles and one outright fall, which had the other three losing their mind.

A couple weeks later, TNT paid all of that off with an incredible bit by delivering on Barkley’s promise to get Kenny a chair lift for the stairs like old folks use.

This also led to another funny (and, in a way, sad) moment when they got rid of it and Barkley joked “times are tough around here,” citing WBD’s issues in rights negotiations.

Barkley’s Victory Lap On ESPN ‘Fools’ For Hyping The Lakers And Warriors

All season, Charles was on a crusade against ESPN constantly talking about the Lakers and Warriors like they were contenders, and after the two teams got bounced from the Play-In and first round of the Playoffs, Barkley cut a promo on the “fools” on the other network.

Draymond Chokes A Fish On Gone Fishin’

The Warriors didn’t make the Playoffs proper, but after their ouster from the Play-In they got sent “Gone Fishin’” and even though Green is a part-time member of the team, he was not spared by the production crew. They took the photo of Green choking out Rudy Gobert from the start of the season and swapped a fish in place of the big Frenchman to the delight of the fellas.

BBL Chuck

After Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, as the guys wrapped up their night of coverage from inside the Target Center, things got real loose right before signing off. The production crew had some fun with the “Bring Ya Ass” stuff, and posted some photoshops of Chuck with various asses, from a donkey to a him in a thong, which prompted Draymond Green to drop a “BBL Chuck” line that had Shaq levitating.

Charles Barkley Reacting To Jalen Williams’ Outfits

The TNT crew often shows guys entering the arena, especially when they are wearing a wild tunnel look, because it always gets a response from Chuck. In the first round, Thunder wing Jalen Williams wore a few things that caused Chuck to blurt out “What the hell?!” as OKC rolled to a sweep of the Pelicans.

The last of the wrongful death lawsuits against Travis Scott from the 2021 Astroworld Festival disaster has been settled out of court. The suit was filed by the family of Ezra Blount, who was just nine years old; they were the last holdouts after nine other lawsuits were settled two weeks ago. The Blount family had been one of the most vocal in alleging Scott’s culpability for the tragedy, which caused hundreds of injuries in addition to the 10 deaths (along with Live Nation, Apple, Front Gate Ticketing Solutions, and other subcontractors).

According to the Houston Chronicle, the Blounts’ lawyer, Scott West, said, “The family is happy to resolve its claim against all defendants following the death of their son, Ezra. They look forward to continuing the process of healing and never forgetting.”

Prior to this, pretrial hearings saw Drake dismissed from the case, and Travis’ request to also be dismissed denied.

However, the hundreds of injury cases, which were combined into a single case under a Texas statute allowing for ease of litigation of big cases like this, will still proceed. That trial is set to begin in October, with Travis Scott, Live Nation, and Apple all still named as defendants.

Cash Cobain‘s rise continues with his latest big-name collaboration. After collaborations with A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Don Toliver, and Ice Spice, the slizzy movement creator has his biggest look yet thanks to J. Cole, who appears on “Grippy,” Cobain’s newest single. The song is definitely closer Cobain’s wheelhouse than Cole’s, yet the veteran rapper easily adapts to the new style. Cole has proven his versatility throughout his career as a guest verse assassin, and in this case, he is just as solid as ever.

Cole’s appearance on the younger rapper’s latest is a case of fortuitous timing for him, as well. In Uproxx’s review of his new mixtape, Might Delete Later, I wrote that his formula could use an update; meanwhile, after initially jumping into the conflict between Kendrick Lamar and Drake with “7 Minute Drill,” which wasn’t received all that warmly by most of the hip-hop establishment, he then deleted the track from streamers, which drew another wave of criticism. However, withdrawing from the “beef” may have been for the best for him. When fans last heard from the formerly well-respected rapper, he was just hanging out on the beach with fans, avoiding conflict, and living his best life.

You can listen to “Grippy” above.

Have your knives been away lately? It’s almost time to pull them back out!!! Knives Out was a fun whodunit hit back in 2019, and the sequel Glass Onion became a pandemic favorite for Netflix. Now, a third mystery is on the way, and Benoit Blanc is ready to solve some crime the only way he knows how: by being very stylish.

Writer/director Rian Johnson announced that the third installment in the franchise is called Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery and it will be released in 2025 on the streamer. Unfortunately for Johnson, the “Knives Out” portion is still in there

The teaser features a voiceover from Blanc himself and his unmistakable accent: “In the beginning, the knives came out. And then behold, the glass shattered. But my most dangerous case yet is about the be revealed.”

The first Knives Out starred Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Toni Collette, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Christopher Plummer, while Glass Onion starred Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista, and Janelle Monae.

While a cast for the threequel has not yet been confirmed, Daniel Craig is set to reprise his role as Benoit Blanc in the mystery. The first installment and its sequel consisted of a new set of characters in an ensemble cast, so start your dream cast now!

Remember when Rick and Morty took extra-long breaks between seasons? Those days are over. There has been a new episode of the hit Adult Swim animated series every year since 2019 — except for this year.

Rick and Morty season 7 (the first season without fired co-creator Justin Roiland) premiered and ended in 2023, and season 8 isn’t expected to debut until 2025. Perhaps sensing a gap in the schedule, Adult Swim is turning the viral Rick and Morty anime-inspired shorts into a season-long show. Rick and Morty: The Anime is for the Toonami fans out there.

Here’s everything you should know about Rick and Morty: The Anime.

Plot

Following a number of well-received shorts (which you can watch on YouTube), Rick and Morty: The Anime will follow Rick as he “relaxes in a pseudo-world between multiverses,” according to the Adult Swim synopsis, while “Summer helps Space Beth fight the evil Galactic Federation, and Morty falls in love with a mysterious girl who happens to be an atemporal being.”

Also, Jerry does Jerry things.

Rick and Morty: The Anime is directed by Takashi Sano, who teased the dynamics of the 10-episode series. “The multiverse-straddling exploits of Rick and the gang pose challenges to the family bond, but they always rise to the occasion,” he explained in a statement. “It’s such a life affirming sight, and Jerry is no exception. I am honored to have been given an opportunity to tell a new story about this amazing family. I hope you enjoy their adventures!”

Sano’s goal is “to take all my favorite parts of watching Rick and Morty, compress the down to extract their essence, and then add a unique Japanese twist,” he said. “I’d like you to enjoy Rick and Morty’s adventures as they are wisked through time and space, tangled up in all sorts of chaos.”

Get ready to have the opening song stuck in your head.

Cast

It doesn’t appear the voice cast has been officially announced yet, but in the existing shorts, Rick and Morty are voiced by Yōhei Tadano and Keisuke Chiba, while the voices of Jerry, Beth, and Summer are provided by Manabu Muraji, Jun Irie, and Akiha Matsui, respectively. This could change, however, since the most recent short premiered in 2021, and the voices of Rick and Morty on the original series have changed since then for… reasons.

Release Date

Rick and Morty: The Anime doesn’t have an exact premiere date, but it will be “sometime this year” on Adult Swim and Max.

Trailer

Adult Swim released an early preview of Rick and Morty: The Anime on YouTube, which you can watch below.

What could be better than celebrating Memorial Day with a lineup of reggae and conscious hip-hop artists on the California coast while chiefin’ on some bud?

Slated to return this weekend, California Roots Music and Arts Festival — California’s first certified green event — will celebrate its 13th edition at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center with its most stacked lineup to date. For three days, attendees will able to sway to the ocean breeze and the beats of Ice Cube, Damian Marley, Stephen Marley, Ziggy Marley, Rebelution, E-40 & Too Short, Stick Figure, The Elovaters, Burning Spear, The Expendables, Xavier Rudd, Tropidelic, Pepper, and more.

Rooted in a genuine enthusiasm for stimulating the senses, Good Vibez Presents will host a weekend full of multi-layered education on all things music, cannabis medicine, and sustainability. Since the event’s inception, the festival has diverted over 600,000 single-use plastic cups and bottles through its Steel Pint & REVERB’s Rock n’ Refill Program, sold over 50,000 multi-use steel pint cups and Nalgene bottles, offset over 17 million pounds of carbon with TripZero, and parked almost 5,000 skateboards & bikes on its free, onsite Bike & Skate Valet.

Additionally, attendees will be treated to an immersive cannabis experience dubbed, “The Smoke Show.” Hosted by Embarc, a leader in California’s cannabis industry, this will be the first activation to introduce onsite cannabis sales and consumption at the renowned Monterey event. The activation will further push the festival and Embarc’s mission to destigmatize cannabis through safe, regulated experiences that allow consumers and the curious to learn about California’s diverse cannabis landscape.

To get you ready for all the vibes at this year’s Cali Roots, we asked some of this year’s artists what their festival essentials are as well as their favorite places to visit in the city of Monterey.

The Expendables (@theexpendables)

How far are you traveling for the festival?

Cali Roots has always been an incredibly grueling travel day for the Expendables. But being from Santa Cruz, it’s always exciting to pack the gear and make the 45-minute drive down the coast for the festival. Because it’s such a trek, I (Raul Bianchi) usually pack the sprinter, and my wife and I stay for the whole weekend before heading home.

What are your Cali Roots suitcase essentials?

Water and warm clothes because Monterey doesn’t seem to have a night without the fog rolling in. Everything else you need is a short walk away. And if you forget anything and are in a bind, Cali Roots is one big family get-together so people are always happy to help you out with whatever you may need.

Coming to Monterey for the first time, what’s one thing you don’t want to miss?

If it’s really your first time in Monterey, you have to check out the aquarium. We have one of the best aquariums around. It is unique and worth at least one visit. Also Cannery Row is amazing for food, beer, and wine

What are your Monterey musts?

Depends on what floats your boat. Monterey has a lot to offer. Speaking of boats, whale watching if it’s the right time of year. Check out a Monterey FC soccer game. Fine dining. Go to the beach. Also, Monterey has world-class golf. Other than that, I’d have to consult the locals.

The Elovaters (@theelovaters)

How far are you traveling for the festival?

The band and I (Nick Asta) will be traveling all the way from our home state of Massachusetts. We all live in Plymouth County which is close to beautiful Cape Cod. We have been flying in for shows and festivals all around the country over the past two months which gives us some time between shows to be at home with family and friends. For Cali Roots we will be trekking from Boston and we are definitely looking forward to that Monterey sunshine.

What are your Cali Roots suitcase essentials?

I’ll absolutely be packing some rugged sneakers because I’ll be exploring the festival grounds and walking back and forth from both stages, the food trucks and the merch areas. There is a lot to take in at Cali Roots and I wanna see it all. I also know during the day I’ll be in shorts and a T-shirt but the temperature can drop at night so I’ll be packing a hoodie and a jacket.

Coming to Monterey for the first time, what’s one thing you don’t want to miss?

The thing I look forward to most about coming to Cali Roots is the vibe and energy of the festival itself. It always feels so inviting and easy to navigate. At this point in our career, we know a lot of the fans and most of the bands. Everywhere I turn I seem to see someone that I haven’t seen for a little while and it’s a three-day reunion and celebration of music, art, and life. I’m stoked to catch the sets of other bands I love like Pepper, Little Stranger, Stick Figure and tons more.

What are your Monterey musts?

We have been to Monterey quite a few times and always enjoy coming back to Cali Roots to perform. A few of the guys in The Elovaters have been to the Monterey Aquarium and the waterfront area. The aquarium is one of the best in the country in my opinion. Last time I was here I saw tons of wildlife including seals sunning on the beach. Monterey is a naturally beautiful place between the shoreline and the trees. We love it here.

Little Stranger (@littlestrangermusic)

How far are you traveling for the festival?

We’ll be flying in from Charleston SC. Google says that is 2,724.5 miles.

What are your Cali Roots suitcase essentials?

Ohh probably the tour usuals. One decent outfit and some melatonin. Definitely not a bag of mushrooms.

Coming to Monterey for the first time, what’s one thing you don’t want to miss?

We were only in Monterey once and it was brief. There was a great surf shop though that we definitely will be stopping by again to grab some new clothes, as we continuously seem to lose our clothes on the road.

What are your Monterey musts?

We’re Monterey rookies, open to recommendations!

Tropidelic (@tropidelic)

How far are you traveling for the festival?

We’re coming from Ohio, so around 2,500 miles!

What are your Cali Roots suitcase essentials?

Shorts and a windbreaker, comfortable shoes, and of course some bud.

Coming to Monterey for the first time, what’s one thing you don’t want to miss?

Sea Lions, Cali Roots, the Aquarium!

What are your Monterey musts?

Spending some time at Fisherman’s Wharf! You can find restaurants, shops, fishing, sailing, whale watching, and bay cruises to embark on.

Claire Wright (@clairewrightmusic)

How far are you traveling for the festival?

Just a quick four-hour drive!

What are your Cali Roots suitcase essentials?

A sweater because Monterey tends to get a little chilly. And my guitar, of course!

What are your Monterey musts?

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is my FAVORITE place!! It is so beautiful and educational. They do a really good job caring for their animals and the ocean plus there’s really yummy food and adult beverages, too.

Artikal Sound System (@artikalsoundsystem)

How far are you traveling for the festival?

The band and I (Chris Montague) will be coming over 3,000 miles!

What are your Cali Roots suitcase essentials?

You have to plan for warm days and cool evenings. So sunscreen and sweaters are a must.

Coming to Monterey for the first time, what’s one thing you don’t want to miss?

It’s not my first time, however you don’t want to miss the acoustic pop-up stage. Really cool stuff happens there.

What are your Monterey musts?

I’ve never been, but I’d love to see the Monterey Aquarium.

Chicago will be a Latin music lover’s dream destination this weekend: On May 25 and 26, the 2024 edition of the Sueños is taking place. The 18+ event boasts a lineup featuring favorites like Bizarrap, Rauw Alejandro, Maluma, and Peso Pluma.

If you’d like to attend last-minute, unfortunately, passes are sold out. However, you could try getting one via the festival’s waitlist, which offers the chance to buy passes that have been returned.

Aside from the music, Sueños (now in its third year) features a bunch of locally sourced Latin foot vendors, dozens of bars, experiential activations, and plenty more. Basically, the Latin experience doesn’t end with what’s happening with the artists on the stage.

Check out the full Sueños set times below.

Sueños Festival Set Times For Saturday, May 25, 2024

Red Bull Batalla — 12 to 12:30 (all times p.m. and PT)
Elena Rose — 12:45 to 1:05
Latin Mafia — 1:20 to 1:50
Alvaro Diaz — 2:05 to 2:30
Xavi — 2:45 to 3:!5
Sorry Papi — 3:15 to 3:45
Rels B — 3:45 to 4:30
Bizarrap — 5 to 5:45
Ivan Cornejo — 6:15 to 7
Young Miko — 7:30 to 8:15
Rauw Alejandro — 9 to 10

Sueños Festival Set Times For Sunday, May 26, 2024

Delilah — 12 to 12:20
Dani Flow — 12:30 to 12:50
Alexis y Fido — 1:05 to 1:35
Bad Gyal — 1:50 to 2:20
Gabito Ballesteros — 2:35 to 3:05
Manuel Turizo — 3:35 to 4:15
Jowell y Randy — 4:45 to 5:25
Mora — 5:55 to 6:35
Maluma — 7:15 to 8:15
Peso Pluma — 9 to 10

In her first five games as a pro with the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark has gone through the typical ups and downs of a rookie guard being tasked with running a new offense with new teammates — something that becomes even more difficult as a member of a team that wasn’t very good the prior year. The results have been mixed, with flashes of brilliance interspersed with youthful mistakes and difficulties with the increase in speed and physicality.

In a vacuum, it’s the kind of start to a career you’d expect from a young player. However, Clark exists in a space well beyond most rookies, carrying immense expectations that are now colliding with the reality of her situation as a young player that still has lots to learn and areas of her game that need to grow.

Numerous WNBA stars, past and present, said Clark would not be able to come into the league and simply pick up where she left off in college. Some felt they were hating or jealous of Clark’s popularity, but they were simply telling a general truth that exists across all sports: Young players, even future stars, usually endure some struggles as they adjust to the pro game, and the process of getting comfortable in that new environment takes time.

Time is something Clark is not being afforded by everyone. Clark entered the WNBA with more public attention than any prospect in league history. Her games have been broken TV records for women’s basketball for the past year, but the audience that was once treated to a veteran dominating her level of competition is watching a player at the very beginning of a new learning curve. That has led to inevitable discussion of whether Clark is overrated and overhyped, when her up-and-down start shouldn’t be a surprise or an indictment of what she can become.

Like most young guards in a professional league, the speed and physicality of the game have forced Clark to adapt on both ends of the court. Adding to that is the fact that she didn’t come into the league with a physical advantage in the form of elite size or speed, which Tim Legler pointed out means the process takes even longer for her to fully understand how to deploy her entire skill set at the pro level.

The space she could create to shoot off the bounce in college is more difficult to attain, and defenders are allowed a bit more physicality on the ball to disrupt her dribble. Rotations are crisper and passing windows close quicker, requiring a recalibration of what constitutes a passing lane. The attention defenses pay her hasn’t increased, but the skill of those defenders with eyes on her has, making it more difficult to get to her spots than it was in college. Defensively, she’s dealt with foul trouble in three of her five games, as she has to figure out how to match intensity and physicality without overcompensating and fouling.

On top of all of that, playing against Caitlin Clark means you are provided a fairly unique opportunity at this moment in the WNBA. Her first few games have already broken viewership records for ESPN and ABC. Folks tune in to watch Clark when the game starts, but opposing teams know they have a chance to become the headliners when the final buzzer sounds. That puts the Fever in a strange position, because teams typically aren’t getting up to make sure they have their A-game against an opponent at the bottom of the standings. But with a national stage and well over a million viewers most nights, the Fever’s opponent will find themselves with an opportunity to make quite the statement.

The result has been Clark averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.6 rebounds a night on 40.3/32.6/91.3 shooting splits, with 5.8 turnovers per game through her first five games as a pro. For most rookies, no one would really bat an eye at those numbers, but they are a ways off from her preposterous senior year stat line at Iowa, averaging 31.6/8.9/7.4 on 45.5/37.8/86.0 splits. Four of those games coming against the Sun and Liberty, top-3 teams from a year ago, and while it’s been ugly at times, I think the early gauntlet (which will continue this weekend against the Aces) is a good thing for Clark. She is not someone I worry about losing confidence through early struggles, but instead, this is a very quick crash course in what needs to improve to play with the league’s very best and set off on the work needed to get there. At some point, it was going to happen, and getting that in the first two weeks should allow her and the Fever to get a very clear sense of where they need to get better.

That last part is also important to remember, because the adjustment process isn’t just a burden Clark has to shoulder alone. She is such a unique player, and her new teammates and coaches have to figure out how best to operate with her as the focal point. Fever head coach Christie Sides has faced criticism for how the team is operating, and she’ll have to adapt her coaching philosophies to match the skillset of her team to put them in the best places to succeed. On the floor, Clark’s teammates have to figure out new roles, how to space the floor better, where Clark is expecting them to be on sets, and when to cut and move off the ball.

Chief among them is Aliyah Boston, who the Fever hope can pair with Clark to be one of the WNBA’s best guard-big combos. Both she and Clark are learning how to play off of one another in real time, as neither has ever played with anyone like the other. For Clark, Boston is the most dynamic big she’s ever played with, and for all the potential positives that can bring, it forces Clark to learn where Boston wants the ball and make sure she is setting up Boston to get looks where she’s most comfortable. For Boston, she’s never played with a guard that plays like Clark. She has to learn how Clark wants her to roll, with Clark noting she wants Boston to operate out of the short roll more to prevent defenses from recovering and denying passes closer to the rim.

There’s also the need to figure out how to best screen for Clark to help with creating that space to shoot or drive and collapse a defense, with Indiana starting to set those screens higher up the floor to stretch the defense vertically and give Clark a longer runway into a shot or a drive. Those are things that take time with veterans, so it shouldn’t shock anyone that two young players playing with a brand new co-star archetype are not on the same page immediately.

It’s easy to forget this team has been together less than a month, so we’re watching this learning process in real time. There are tangible examples of improvement in all of these areas already in five games, as they’ve gone from getting run off the floor to being competitive, with the next step being learning how to finish off wins. Clark has started to find some comfort with Boston and others, continuing to better understand where her teammates are going to be on any given play and where they’re going to be best set up to succeed. That leads to her making the simple play, because the trust is starting to build. We saw that in her most recent game against the Seattle Storm, as things seem to be slowing down a bit for her, finding teammates early before windows close and forcing things less.

Clark shouldn’t be absolved of criticism simply because she’s young. She is supposed to be a face of the league sooner than later, and as such, it’s not unfair to have expectations for her to be better than most rookies. That said, we also have to be understanding of the context of her situation when discussing her play. She is dealing with new challenges being presented to her by more talented players. She is playing on a team that is not one of the league’s deepest with talent, and she is one month into her pro career after a lengthy college season.

As such, the mistakes and poor decisions aren’t damning evidence that she can’t hack it in the WNBA, but simply evidence of things that need to be cleaned up if she’s going to reach that truly elite level in the league. And despite what the discourse around her may lead you to believe, there’s plenty of time to get there.

Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone will soon be riding his flagship horse into the sunset, and that’s fine (really!). The spin offs can carry that torch, as can Sheridan’s enormous (other) stable of shows that can keep his screenwriting fires burning. That includes his third-most popular series, Tulsa King, starring Sylvester Stallone as the loyal mob capo who thought he’d be welcomed back with open arms after keeping his mouth shut in the slammer for 25 years. Instead, he got shipped off to Oklahoma, where he has been building a new kingdom amid a gathering of honky-tonk bars and cannabis dispensaries.

This hasn’t turned out splendidly for Dwight “The General” Manfredi, given the events of the first season finale, but this show has turned out well for Stallone, who seems to be having a ball on TV and enjoying a nice departure from his decades of action movies. The dude had even declared himself done with his most famous role, Rocky Balboa, and whaddya know, Paramount TV King Taylor Sheridan had a role tailor made to pick up the next phase of his career.

Plot

The second season will build upon Dwight’s initial steps (in Paramount+’s words) of “slowly build[ing] a crew from a group of unlikely characters to help him establish a new criminal empire in a place that to him might as well be another planet.” However, some obvious questions are hanging in the air. As in, will Dwight — who was arrested during maneuverings by ATF Agent Stacy (Andrea Savage) — end up back in prison, which would really ruin that sweet celebratory turn that he was enjoying?

We have to assume that Stallone’s character will scramble to save his own butt, and in the second season, yes, he will be doing his best to remain an unincarcerated Tulsa King, so to speak. And although Taylor Sheridan hasn’t been talking about the upcoming plot, Stallone was happy to do so on his own. “I’m not supposed to be doing this,” he declared in a video via Instagram. “I didn’t get here by following the rules, if you know what I mean.” Of his character’s legal predicament, he revealed that there had been a courtroom scene because “I have to appeal my case, and I’m my own lawyer, so that could turn out [makes telling face] good or bad.” Oh boy.

Stallone also decided to tell the world, “We’re coming out in early fall.”

He further explained in a caption that he was breaking a rule with this post “because I’m proud of what we’re doing and the show is going to be fantastic TULSA KING SECOND SEASON.” And thank goodness for (TV) lawbreakers.

However, that criminal appeals case isn’t the only hurdle for the Tulsa King. There are contenders for the king’s crown, and that includes a Kansas City mobster, Bill Bevilaqua, who has “interests in Tulsa,” according to Deadline, which describes Frank Grillo’s incoming gangster as “a formidable new opponent.”

How does Grillo feel about this? Via his Instagram, he answered, “Taking one on the chin !! Sometimes in life we’re in exactly the place we’re supposed to be,with the person we’re supposed to be with. Working w the #GOAT.” Stallone posted the same photo while praising “my fellow movie gangster, the great Frank Grillo.”

Variety has additionally reported that Yellowstone actor Neil McDonough will also be a circling force as “Cal Thresher, a powerful and extremely territorial businessman in Tulsa.” Perhaps we’ll see some of McDonough’s same menacing airs that he gave us with a Justified third-season antagonist?

As if that wasn’t enough, Dwight’s character will also be sorting through emotional wreckage involved with becoming reacquainted with his estranged daughter, Tina (Tatiana Zappardino). Still, this series officially now holds the “comedy series” label, so don’t expect things to get too heavy for too long.

Behind the camera, previous showrunner Terence Winter (Boardwalk Empire) left his position, kind-of like the production left Oklahoma to replicate Tulsa sets in Atlanta. Winter, however, will still be on writers’ duties, and Craig Zisk (Weeds) is on board as a director and executive producer. As with several other Taylor Sheridan shows, Tulsa King will push forth without a showrunner, but it sounds like everything is under control.

Cast

Thanks to an Atlanta move, Stallone is back as Dwight “The General” Manfredi, whose estranged daughter, Tina (Tatiana Zappardino), will be around plenty this season (Tatiana has moved up to regular cast). Likewise for Annabella Sciorra, and as mentioned already, two mob competitors will be portrayed by Frank Grillo and Neil McDonough. The rest of the cast includes Andrea Savage, Garrett Hedlund, Max Casella, Martin Starr, Dana Delaney, Vincent Piazza, and Domenick Lombardozzi.

Release Date

Stallone said “early fall,” and you heard the man.

Trailer

What, no teaser trailer yet? Well, let’s watch Stallone get messy with a joint.

Morgan Spurlock, the director of Oscar-nominated documentary Super Size Me and concert film One Direction: This Is Us, has died due to complications of cancer, Variety has reported. He was 53 years old.

“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” his brother Craig Spurlock said in a statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”

Spurlock’s directorial debut Super Size Me, where he documented the changes to his physical and mental well-being after eating only McDonald’s food for 30 days straight (it later came out that he was drinking heavily at the time), was a surprise hit. It was nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film at the Oscars and spawned a sequel, 2017’s Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!.

Spurlock’s other documentaries include Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? and Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope; he also followed boy band One Direction around during the Take Me Home Tour for One Direction: This Is Us, which made an impressive $68 million at the box office.

In 2017, Spurlock admitted to committing sexual misconduct, including “that he was accused of rape in college, settled a sexual harassment lawsuit and has cheated on all of his romantic partners, including both of his wives,” according to NBC News. “As I sit around watching hero after hero, man after man, fall at the realization of their past indiscretions, I don’t sit by and wonder ‘who will be next?’ I wonder, ‘when will they come for me?’ You see, I’ve come to understand after months of these revelations, that I am not some innocent bystander, I am also a part of the problem,” he wrote in a lengthy Twitter post.

Spurlock is survived by his two children.

(Via Variety)