(WARNING: Cross spoilers from the first season will be found below.)
The first full season of Cross arrived late last week on Prime Video/Amazon. In the process, this series introduced Aldis Hodge as the third live-action Alex Cross (following movie versions portrayed by Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry) from dozens of James Patterson novels. This first season’s story, however, didn’t strictly follow any specific novel in particular.
As a result, Cross creator, showrunner, and executive producer Ben Watkins stayed faithful to what makes Alex Cross legendary as a forensic psychologist but avoided book-predictable results. And as bingewatchers already know, the first season finale revealed that Miss Nancy was behind the death of Cross’ wife, Maria. However, the actual murderer remains at large, which of course teases that there should be more story to come.
Will There Be A Cross Season 2 On Amazon?
Heck yeah. Amazon was so confident in what was coming that, way back in June, they greenlit a second season. At that time, Ben Watkins celebrated the preemptive renewal by announcing that he is already “embarking on another chapter of Cross.” He further expressed gratitude for the “vote of confidence in the amazing work that our crew, cast, directors, writers and production team have delivered thus far.”
Following what Watkins called “the unwavering support bestowed upon us” by Prime Video/Amazon, Skydance, and James Patterson, preparations for the second season went into high gear. What does that mean for viewers?
As Watkins recently told Entertainment Weekly, we will see much more of Cross’ best friend/partner, John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa) and supporting characters. “It’s the show that we made in season 1, and we get to build on those relationships, but when we start getting into the world of the killer, it feels and looks different in a way that is fun and refreshing. It livens it up.”
Now, we wait to hear about a second season arrival date, although the good news is that a several-month jump start should speed up the process.
The NFL has started to have a larger and larger presence on Christmas Day over the years. This season, the league will put a pair of marquee games on Dec. 25, as the Kansas City Chiefs will travel to Pittsburgh to Take on the Steelers in the 1 p.m window, while the Houston Texans will play host to the Baltimore Ravens at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Late on Sunday night, the NFL decided to announce that it has something special up its sleeve for the late afternoon game, as it was revealed that Beyonce will perform at halftime in her hometown.
There’s no word on whether the league has a similarly huge name lined up for the early game, but lining up Beyonce — who headlined the Super Bowl halftime show back in 2013 — for a performance during a showcase game like this makes a ton of sense.
Of course, there is a potential problem that will be monitored throughout the Christmas Day schedule, as the games will be aired on Netflix, which just struggled mightily with its broadcast of the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. Adding Beyonce to what will already be a highly-anticipated NFL game should only bring more eyeballs onto the platform, and there’s going to be a whole lot of interest in whether or not Netflix will be able to keep up with the demand.
But the song is just the top of the Juice Wrld’s musical vault iceberg. Yesterday (November 16), music executive tied to Juice Wrld previewed what is believed to be the musician’s final posthumous album, The Party Never Ends.
At ComplexCon Las Vegas 2024, special guests were treated to an advance listen of The Party Never Ends. For some time now, the forthcoming project has been teased online. But those who weren’t able to attend the event won’t have to wait long before they can enjoy the body of work.
According to a countdown shared on the late musician’s social media page (viewable here) The Party Never Ends has an official release date. based on the timer, the album is expected to be shared on November 29.
One fan page on X (formerly Twitter) alleges that during the listening party, attendees heard 15 tracks, all of which are rumored to appear on the album.
An upload by the page (viewable here), the account alleged that it could feature guest appearances by The Kid Laroi and Miley Cyrus.
Juice Wrld’s estate hasn’t confirmed any details surrounding The Party Never Ends. So, fans will need to hold a bit longer.
There is no limit to Beyoncé’s massive fan base. he Beyhive is inclusive of all races, classes, cultures, and creatures. So, everyone’s favorite monster Elmo being a card-carrying member shouldn’t come as a surprise.
When host Amelia Dimoldenberg asked Elmo about their go-to karaoke song. Without hesitation, Elmo replied: “Beyoncé. Anything Beyoncé.”
Amelia follow-up by asked Elmo about their Beyhive membership status which went Elmo burst into full-on excitement. Elmo used the name-drop to secure a special guest appearance from Beyoncé.
“Bey, hi,” said Elmo. “How are you doing?”
Amelia disrupted the one-sided conversation, saying: “No we’re, I think we’re trying to play it cool now.”
But that didn’t stop Elmo. “Hi, Beyoncé,” said Elmo. “Elmo loves you. May you can come to Sesame Street sometime. Or Chicken Shop Date?”
The adorable invitation has sparked a viral conversation among Beyhive members. Now users online are demanding that Beyoncé shuffles on down to the beloved television set.
Beyoncé’s last appearance on Sesame Street was reportedly in 2002 as a member of Destiny’s Child. So, Beyoncé’s cameo is long past due.
Watch Elmo’s full appearance on Chicken Shop Date hosted by Amelia Dimoldenberg above.
The 2025 WNBA Draft figures to feature some serious talent, headlined by UConn star Paige Bueckers, and that meant Sunday was a big day for the Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings, Los Angeles Sparks, and Washington Mystics, as those four teams were set to learn their fate in the Draft Lottery.
The ping-pong balls fell in favor of the Wings, who will get the opportunity to select Bueckers first overall next spring and figure to create one of the WNBA’s most exciting backcourts immediately with Bueckers joining established Wings star Arike Ogunbowale in Dallas. For the second straight year, the Sparks will hold the No. 2 overall pick and the Sky will pick at No. 3, while the Mystics will have the fourth pick. The fifth pick will go to the expansion Golden State Valkyries, followed by the playoff teams from a year ago — aside from the Aces, who forfeited their draft pick as part of a league punishment.
The 2025 WNBA Draft first round order looks as follows:
1. Dallas Wings
2. Los Angeles Sparks
3. Chicago Sky
4. Washington Mystics
5. Golden State Valkyries
6. Washington Mystics (via the Atlanta Dream)
7. New York Liberty (via the Phoenix Mercury)
8. Indiana Fever
9. Seattle Storm
10. Chicago Sky (via the Connecticut Sun)
11. Minnesota Lynx
12. Phoenix Mercury (via the New York Liberty)
Behind Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen is the presumptive No. 2 prospect in this class, which means she could be making a very short trip from playing college ball at USC this season to pro ball with the Sparks. From there, Azzi Fudd, Olivia Miles, Lauren Betts, and others will be in the mix for picks in the top half of the first round.
Yesterday (November 16), one HBCU marching band tackled Tyler The Creator’s standout track off of his chart-topping album, Chromakopia. As the Jackson State Tigers took on the Alabama State Hornets on the football field, their bands had a match of their own.
To demonstrate their range, Jackson State’s Sonic Boom of the South band performed a masterful and viral arrangement of Tyler The Creator’s song “Sticky” (viewable here). After the performance was shared on X (formerly Twitter), it made its way to Tyler The Creator’s desk.
Tyler The Creator’s reaction is sure to bring a smile to the instrumentalists’ face. “THIS IS WHY I MADE STICKY,” he wrote. “THIS IS WHY I ARRANGED IT THAT WAY. THIS BEAUTIFUL MY HEART IS FILLED.”
This isn’t the first time, Tyler The Creator response to a viral post about “Sticky,” which features GloRilla, Sexyy Red, Lil Wayne, and Young Buck.
For a special SNL digital short, Charli XCX joined forces with comic collective The Lonely Island (comprised of Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone). In the segment all about the love of snitching, Charli XCX and Andy Samberg came together for a hilarious original song, “Here I Go.”
The ‘Karen’-inspired track found a way to turn the gross misappropriation of local law enforcement for minor inconveniences. “I’ve been itching to do some snitching / I’m in my kitchen listening to my conditioning / And then picking up that phone / And I know you’re not supposed to do this anymore / But does it help to know that who I snitched on was white,” sings Samberg.
Charli XCX is known for her rather chill personality. But she does a complete about-face to embody the uptight role. Earlier in the show, Charli delivered two performances of “360” and “Sympathy Is A Knife,” but she was sure to lend some vocals to the sketch.
“Now, hold up, wait a minute / ‘Cause I’m about to snitch like I invented it / They gonna roll up any minute / I paid my f*cking taxes now I’m cashing in on every penny,” sings Charli XCX.
Users online have dubbed the track an instant hit in the same vein of The Lonely Island’s previous SNL banger “Sushi Glory Hole,” which was all about secret sushi spots in New York City.
Watch “Here I Go” by Andy Samberg featuring Charli XCX for Saturday Night Live above.
With ‘Brat Summer’ long since gone, Charli XCX fans have ushered in ‘Brat Autumn.’ Yesterday (November 16), the “Apple” singer breezed through New York City to show off just how chill she is.
To fulfill her obligations as a SNL musical guest, Charli XCX delivered not one but two in-studio performances. With an introduction of the track’s famous reference (Julia Fox), Charli XCX treated guests to a lively performance of “360.” Although the Grammy Award nominated album’s beloved font wasn’t featured into the set design, Charli’s now signature neon green was plastered everywhere. Charli XCX brought the party energy infused into the track as she stomp across the stage lit by flashing lights.
Next, Bowen Yang took to the crowd to reintroduce Charli XCX for her performance of “Sympathy Is A Knife.” The change of set scenery served as a taste of what ticket holder experienced during her co-headlining Sweat tour with Troye Sivan, which officially wrapped last month.
Watch Charli XCX’s Saturday Night Live performance of “360” above and “Sympathy Is A Knife” below.
Brat And It’s Completely Different But Also Still Brat is out now via Atlantic. Find more information here.
Yesterday (November 17), Tyler The Creator’s beloved music festival Camp Flog Gnaw kicked off its 10th anniversary. While the 2024 Camp Flog Gnaw lineup featured many of the “Sticky” rapper’s collaborators. But one musical figure and frequent performer was terribly missed—Mac Miller.
But Mac was present in spirit. Between Sampha and Alchemist & Friends’ set at 2024 Camp Flog Gnaw, a video teaser featuring Mac Miller’s previously leaked track “5 Dollar Pony Rides” played across the screens (viewable here).
As the clip ends, the displays flash the word “soon.” Given that the track has long since circulated online and is a feature record on Mac Miller’s long-lost album, Balloonerism. Supporters are jumping for joy as the series of songs were supposedly recorded between 2013 and 2014.
In a now-delete post (viewable here) from E. Dan of ID Labs spoke about the mythical project. “[Mac] did make an actual track list (a few actually) and pretty much all of the songs you all know as ‘Balloonerism’ were made inside of a week stemming from what was basically jam sessions,” he wrote. “He did indeed move on from it, took a few of the songs for ‘Faces’ and never got back to it.”
He then addressed the fans rumors surrounding the project, writing: “Some of the artwork and the track lists you see for this online aren’t from Mac. They are made up. The project itself was a real thing in so far as Mac made a few iTunes playlists about it, but it never got finished.”
After a year of wondering what the future holds for Inside the NBA and the beloved cast that makes up the best studio show in sports, we learned that this will not be the final year of its existence, despite TNT losing rights to NBA games. That is because the league and WBD struck a settlement agreement that will keep WBD and TNT Sports very much a part of the NBA, as they’ll take over some international rights and continue contributing to NBA Digital.
Most notably for fans, they will also continue producing Inside the NBA, but in a stunning twist, the show will get licensed to ESPN. That news was met with plenty of excitement on Saturday night, but it also raises plenty of questions. Here, we’ll go through a handful of the biggest ones we have, as well as what we think will be the answers, even though we will have to wait for official word — and the first year of this partnership to begin — for the real results.
What night(s) will they be on the air?
For years, the full Inside crew has worked on Thursdays, while we’ve seen them more and more often on Tuesdays recently — particularly during NFL season. And even when Chuck, Kenny, and Ernie aren’t working on Tuesdays, Shaq is usually on there with a different cast of characters.
Under the new agreement, the reported national TV schedule will see ESPN broadcast games on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with ABC continuing its Saturday showcase games. That is a lot of game nights and obviously means the current schedule for the Inside crew will change. I cannot see them agreeing to be on every game day for ESPN, and it would make the most sense to me for them to move to Wednesdays or Fridays and the ABC Saturday showcase games, with ESPN running its Countdown crew for the other ESPN dates.
Will they get a full postgame show (and if so, what happens with SVP’s SportsCenter on those nights)?
While this question also applies to any sort of pregame show and halftime breaks, Inside has turned into an institution because of its postgame show. Currently, postgame duties are handled by Scott Van Pelt as the A-block for his nightly SportsCenter, but it’d be insane for ESPN to license the show out and not actually have Inside the NBA after games. Right now, Inside the NBA runs for … well, kind of however long the guys feel like talking. Their block on the TV guide is for an hour (midnight to 1 a.m.) but if they go long or short, no one really worries about it and they fire up the replay of the game or a movie. I’d expect ESPN to give them a bit more structure for their postgame window, but you don’t go through the trouble of paying to bring the show in just to not use the best part.
Perhaps that will also be a factor in when they are on air, as SVP’s SportsCenter runs Sunday-Thursday, meaning Fridays they would just be bumping a regular SportsCenter rather than preempting SVP’s show on Wednesdays. Plus it’s worth mentioning that Van Pelt does a fantastic job with his postgame show, particularly when he has Tim Legler in the studio and can have a lengthy back-and-forth with him — although Legler has been calling more games this season, unless he gets elevated to the No. 1 booth alongside Mike Breen and Doris Burke, his schedule should be open when, say, the NBA Finals roll around.
There’s still plenty of time to figure out all of these logistics, but there are some fascinating conversations to be had at ESPN involving some of their biggest talent now that they’re licensing Inside. Fortunately, they’ll have the next year to get this all sorted out.
How much will ESPN meddle with a winning formula?
Honestly, this might come down to the details of the agreement. The hope, of course, is that ESPN has very little say in the production and content of the show and is happy to just let the fellas do what they do best. I am less concerned with ESPN trying to force the Inside crew to change what they do (I’m not sure you could even successfully do that if you tried), and more concerned with whether they’ll provide them with the time they’re accustomed to having. The talent obviously is number one, but the second-biggest reason for the success of TNT’s studio show is the space they provide that talent to be themselves and go off on the tangents and conversations that make the show so unique.
ESPN, on the other hand, has historically used its studio shows as a way to wedge in as many commercials as possible. That won’t work, and I can guarantee if they try to get the Inside guys to talk in 30-45 second soundbites for pregame and halftime, they’ll revolt — plus I can already foresee how mad fans would get at ESPN “ruining the show.” I’m fascinated to see how all of this comes together, because it’s not going to be the exact same setup regarding time, but ESPN is going to have to change its approach pretty significantly to make this work.
How much crossover will we see between ESPN talent on Inside the NBA and the Inside crew on ESPN shows?
This goes along with the last question, and I would expect the answer to be “some” but not a lot. For example, I’d expect to see Stephen A. Smith popping up on occasion during the season with the fellas and, very possibly, just outright joining the crew for the NBA Finals. At the very least, this makes his contract negotiations with ESPN a little more interesting, because the network doesn’t need him to be the face of their NBA coverage anymore, while Smith can pivot even farther into wanting to be a face of their NFL coverage.
However, because the Inside guys will remain WBD employees, making appearances on their shows, I don’t think we’ll see them showing up too often on ESPN’s other programs. We already see Barkley do random appearances, so I think those will continue, but I don’t think we’re going to see Shaq suddenly as a regular on First Take. If you don’t believe me, please enjoy one of my favorite recent Inside moments when they all laugh hysterically about how ESPN talent gets overworked and put on every show and every network constantly.
The Inside the NBA crew talking about what it’d be like if the show was on ESPN was hilarious
By licensing Inside, ESPN has finally found a permanent solution for the revolving door that has been the NBA Countdown desk. No longer do they have to try and put together a star-studded group of personalities in an effort to challenge TNT, but what does that mean for the current group, especially considering they’ll still need a pregame and halftime show for their non-Inside the NBA nights? My guess would be that this will be the last year we see Stephen A. and Michael Wilbon on Countdown. Smith is reportedly pushing for a Monday Night Football gig as part of his contract negotiations, and I can’t imagine Wilbon being particularly interested in being part of the B-team for weekend games — as we’ve said in the past, Wilbon can still have a role on the network’s NBA coverage by focusing on the sorts of sit down interviews with players that he consistently knocks out of the park. Just speculating here, but I think we’ll see the continuation of the NBA Today crossover crew on those Friday and Sunday games on ESPN, with Malika Andrews, Richard Jefferson (who might get moved to calling games full-time), Chiney Ogwumike, and Kendrick Perkins. Bob Myers also could stay in the rotation there, but he also might just get moved to game broadcasts full-time.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
