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(WARNING: Spoilers for The Chi season 6 will be found below.)

The Chi is just a couple of weeks away from completing its sixth season, one that began with part one last summer. The season continues with the fourteenth episode “Smoke & Mirrors” where Emmett and Nuk are adjusting to the new family dynamic that places the latter into Emmett and Keisha’s world after they learned Nuk is Ronnie’s father. There’s a lot of work for Emmett to do, mainly because he and Nuk have never got along. That couldn’t be clearer as the two butt heads over Nuk joining the family so that he can take Ronnie trick or treating. After another disagreement over candy for Ronnie, Emmett tries to set things straight with Nuk but their egos get in the way of what could’ve been a productive conversation.

“Smoke & Mirrors” also brings us up to speed with Papa’s new role as assistant to Pastor Ezekiel at his New Hope On Zion church. Things seem to be going well until Papa inquiries about Pastor Ezekiel’s wife Tatiana and whether or not he trusts her. Papa doesn’t explain to Pastor Ezekiel why he asks these questions, but it after he saw Tatiana being a bit flirty with Jake at his Halloween party. Nonetheless, his inquiries end with a rather tense moment between Papa and Pastor Ezekiel.

Elsewhere, Britney comes clean to Maisha and Jemma about Douda paying her to spy on Bakari, Jake experiences some frustrations in his relationship-on-the-side with Tatiana, Maisha steps aside from music to explore photography, Keisha keeps it real with Nuk, Darnell tells Emmett to give another person a job at Smokey’s, and Nina rekindles an old flame with a past lover.

Let’s dive into a recap of the fourteenth episode in The Chi season six with a few takeaways we have after watching “Smoke & Mirrors.”

Emmett And Nuk’s Issues Are Connected To Their Lack Of Respect For Each Other

Emmett and Nuk never seem to get along, but that didn’t matter to either of them as they rarely had to interact with each other. All of that’s changed now that it’s confirmed that Nuk is Lil’ Ronnie’s biological father. In the flash of an eye, Nuk is now in Emmett’s family circle, showing up unexpectedly to take Ronnie trick or treating, disrupting the established family dynamic. Emmett assumes Nuk is ignorant to some extent and tries to set him straight, but Nuk isn’t having it as he thinks Emmett is beneath him. That’s exactly where the issue lies between the two: they don’t respect each other. They both share the common interest of doing what’s best for Ronnie, but their stubbornness and egos are getting in the way of them seeing that in one another. As with most things like this, it may take a scare of some sorts for them to finally set aside their differences and grow up.

Britney Couldn’t Have Seen This Playing Out Any Differently

We’d have to assume that since Britney was born and raised in Chicago, that she was somewhat aware Douda’s rep and history around the city. With that being said, there’s no way she thought a deal like the one she struck with Douda would end with her somehow not living up to the end of her bargain with him and not betraying her brother. Yet, here we are. Britney confesses her deal with Douda to Maisha and Jemma and the two girls are in shock. The timing of her confession isn’t surprising as Bakari figured out that Britney was the one who told Douda about his book, which resulted in Douda violently breaking Bakari’s laptop. There’s no way Britney gets out of this without facing some type of repercussion from either Douda, Bakari, or both of them. At this point, it’s a matter of which person is worth pissing off (more than she has already) more than the other.

Victor’s Free! But At What Cost?

For the better part of two episode in The Chi<,/em> season six, Victor scrambled to figure out what to do as he was hit with a murder charge for the shooting death of Quentin, Alicia’s brother and Rob’s uncle. The murder was actually done by Douda, but Victor helped to get rid of the body, which is how he got roped into the murder case. To his surprise in “Smoke & Mirrors,” the murder case get dismissed thanks to a Brady violation. Victor later figures out that Alicia had something to do with it and he recalls a prior conversation with Shad who said Victor needed Alicia’s help. Well, he got it, but at what cost? No favors go without being repaid for Alicia, so we can be sure that Victor will be left with another tough decision to make thanks to Alicia.

Douda And Alicia’s Power Struggle Has Reached Its Climax

Speaking of Alicia, she brought her cold war with Douda to his front step by paying him a visit at his lounge and bar. In a tense conversation with Douda, Alicia acknowledged that she sent Rob to kill Douda before warning him that his workers will be turning on him soon. Douda lashes out and chokes Alicia, but that doesn’t last long as Shad appears with a gun point straight to Douda’s head. The war that we were promised at the beginning of The Chi season 6, part 2 is finally here, and with just episodes left in the season, we can expect its events and conclusion to be explosive.

‘The Chi’ season 6, part 2 is now streaming on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. Seasons 1-5 as well as season 6, part 1 are available now to stream on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME

The Cleveland Cavaliers could be one of the more fascinating teams in the NBA this summer. They are one of a few teams still without a head coach for next year, and their core group could be very much in flux after a second round exit at the hands of the Boston Celtics.

Donovan Mitchell is eligible for a 4-year extension worth more than $200 million, which the Cavs will assuredly offer him, and his decision will have a ripple effect. If he declines to sign, the Cavs will have to explore trade options so they don’t lose him next summer for nothing. If he stays, Darius Garland’s representatives are expected to ask the Cavaliers to find him a new home via trade — although the Cavs don’t seem too in a rush to trade the former All-Star guard. Their star backcourt isn’t the only pairing that could get broken up, as there are real questions about how Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley fit together.

Allen would be a highly sought after big man on the trade market if he became available, particularly at $20 million per year for two more years. However, despite most believing Mobley’s long-term future is at center, the Cavs apparently have to consider locker room politics when it comes to how they maneuver this summer. Per Marc Stein, Mitchell is a big fan of Allen’s and would like him to remain in Cleveland.

One reason I’ve heard for the Cavaliers’ reported reluctance to trade Jarrett Allen despite ongoing questions about Allen’s fit in the same frontcourt alongside the emerging Evan Mobley: Donovan Mitchell is often described as an Allen fan who doesn’t want to lose him as a teammate.

It’s not a surprise Allen would be a favorite of Mitchell’s. He’s very helpful cleaning up mistakes on defense at the rim and is the Cavs best screener, helping free up some space for Mitchell. However, Mobley started to show strides in the playoffs when he wasn’t playing next to Allen, and the spacing crunch of having two non-shooting bigs is just really hard to make work.

That creates a bit of a conundrum in Cleveland. Trading Allen paves the way for Mobley to be the center of the present and future, while also probably giving them a good chance of creating better floor balance and spacing, even at the cost of his rim protection, screening, and finishing. If they don’t move him, their options for upgrades on the roster would require them to move one of Garland and/or Mobley, and the Cavs haven’t seemed too keen to really explore those avenues just yet.

They certainly could choose hold onto Allen until Mitchell has signed and then explore their options for a trade, but we have enough recent examples of guys requesting trades after signing an extension to know that getting pen to paper is only the beginning of keeping a star in town long-term. We’ll start finding out how the Cavs plan to proceed in the coming weeks, and Mitchell’s extension will be the first domino to fall. If he signs, Allen might get taken off the table (or at least, cost a lot to pry out of Cleveland), and the Cavs will have to decide whether they’re just going to run it back one more year or trade one of their young stars.

Spoilers for House of the Dragon season two, episode one “A Son for a Son” below.

House of the Dragon’s season two premiere delivered a cold-blooded message to audiences wondering just how far the show was willing to go to faithfully adapt George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood novel.

In “A Son for a Son,” the catalyst for war between the Blacks and the Greens ended up being the casualty of a failed assassination plot as a ratcatcher named Cheese and a trusted Gold Cloak guard carried out the murderous orders of Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). As payback for the death of her son Lucerys, Rhaenrya (Emma D’Arcy) demands revenge against her brother, Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), something her king consort readily delivers by sneaking into King’s Landing and paying for the services of the two men. Despite initially calling for Aemond’s head, Daemon’s phrase “a son for a son” fuels the shocking murder of Prince Jaehaerys, the eldest son of King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) who is introduced earlier in the episode.

The brutal Sophie’s Choice that plays out in the queen’s tower is spiritually faithful to Martin’s original work, but showrunner Ryan Condal wanted to avoid the sins of Game Of Thrones slayings past by making key changes to the all-important scene.

“We just didn’t want to be gratuitous about it,” Condal tells UPROXX. “I don’t say this lightly, but it is a very cruel sequence. It’s horrific. However you cut it, forgive the term, but we didn’t want it to be outrageously cruel or just beyond the pale.”

In the book, the murder is told primarily via Helaena’s (Phia Saban) account as she takes her children to visit her mother, Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke) before they go to bed. Blood & Cheese, unable to find Aemond or reach Aegon, purposefully make their way to the tower, killing a maid and holding Alicent hostage as they force Helaena to choose between her two sons (both of whom are awake and aware of what’s happening), threatening to rape her daughter if she doesn’t comply.

On the screen, Condal chose to set a different tone.

“The way we approached it was essentially to make it feel like a heist-sequence gone wrong,” he explains. “Instead of telling it through Helaena’s perspective, we decided to tell it through this perspective of Blood and Cheese, knowing that the audience was going to feel a shift at that point in the narrative. We’re telling this very… not predictable, but I think traditional season opener — here are the players on the board, here’s how everything’s changed. Alicent’s pissed [off] her sons, Rhaenyra’s in grief and Daemon’s looking for revenge. We feel this piece is starting to be moved into place, and then suddenly, we’re following these two characters that we’ve just met.”

Both men are easily bribed to murder with the Gold Cloak harboring a particular dislike for House Hightower, but neither are adept at killing quietly. Cheese, the ratcatcher, is unsure of the layout of the castle, ready to renege on his deal with Daemon in fear they might get caught while Blood is determined to deliver someone’s head to his master. As the sequence goes on, the tension builds.

“It’s not one scene, it’s two scenes, it’s three scenes and oh, we’re not cutting back. We’re not cutting away, oh God, what’s going to happen?” Condal says of his thinking while editing the episode. “We’re trusting our very seasoned TV audience to know that this is taking us to something that’s going to be horrible and unexpected, and living in the suspense of that, making everybody feel that and almost overstaying our welcome to a point where people are just sitting on the edge of the seat wondering what’s going to happen next.”

The episode ends with Helaena forced to make a terrible choice, one that also differs slightly from the book. There, she marked her youngest son for death, reasoning her eldest was more important in the line of succession. The pair still murdered Prince Jaehaerys, but Helaena and her youngest son were forced to live with the knowledge she had originally picked him to die. While the showrunner wasn’t as cruel in his depiction, Saban still gave a hauntingly restrained performance, giving Helaena a depth and maternal instinct audiences likely hadn’t seen before.

“I’ve seen it a hundred times at this point,” Condal said of the scene. “It still gets me every single time.”

New ‘House of the Dragon’ episodes air on HBO (and stream on Max) on Sunday nights.

The internet’s little dragon show is back and bloodier than ever.

In its season two premiere, House of the Dragon sets fire to any preconceived notions of what this George R.R. Martin prequel is meant to be.

Two years gone from a finale that managed to shock and awe the most battle-hardened of Game of Thrones fans, the series wastes no time in setting its board and moving its pawns towards a vicious civil war that feels all but inevitable (despite the best efforts of the few women afforded council seats here). “A Son for a Son” welcomes fans back to Westeros with a (thankfully) small time jump, raising armies and murdering any hope of reconciliation between its warring Houses even as it languishes in the very human emotions of its god-like rulers. Sure, they command fire-breathing weapons of mass destructions, but if HotD is here to prove anything it’s that powerful people are still just people, ruled by pettiness and greed and volatile emotions that can raze a kingdom if left unchecked.

Picking up just days after Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) killed his cousin at Storm’s End, an “accident” that has thrown the realm into chaos, HotD is quick to remind fans of its stakes. A new king sits on the usurped throne at the Red Keep, a grieving mother and rightful heir plots her revenge, Northmen are being recruited to the cause, and dragonseeds are subtly planted, hinting at bigger ambitions for the show’s later episodes.

From failed assassinations and the court intrigue of King’s Landing to journeys to Winterfell and a fracturing at Dragonstone, here are the biggest takeaways from House of the Dragon’s season two premiere.

The Introduction Of Cregan Stark

How does one build a 700-foot wall of ice meant to ward off death itself? Sadly, that’s not a question with an answer in the season two premiere, but fans missing the bone-chilling climate and Northern brogue of House Stark probably won’t mind. (Who cares about physics if it means a return to Jon Snow’s old stomping grounds?) Prince Jacaerys (Harry Collett) has made the trip to Winterfell to treat with Lord Cregan Stark (Tom Taylor), reminding him of his oath to his mother, Rhaenyra as he tests his own ability to command his House’s bannermen in the war to come. Choosing to open the episode away from the action down South feels deliberate on showrunner Ryan Condal’s part, a message that HotD intends to expand its borders, roping more of Westeros into the drama that was previously contained to the walls of the Red Keep in season one.

Alyn Of Hull And The Sea Snake Meet

In the waning episodes of season one, Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) seemed marked for death. A battle at sea had left him gravely wounded, opening the door for his brother to challenge Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) for her claim to Driftmark – a petition that ended with Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) relieving him of his head. Season two’s premiere quickly settles the question of Corlys’ fate, showing him injured, limping, yet very much alive as his crew works to make his ship seaworthy once more. One dock worker, a sailor known as Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) identifies himself as the man who saved Corlys, pulling him from the wreckage and bringing him back to Driftmark, a feat the Lord of the Tides intends to thank him for. Book readers know there’s more to Alyn than meets the eye, but we’ll avoid any spoilers other than to mark Salim’s character as a major player in the game to come.

Alicent And Criston Cole’s Affair

Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) are fully on their hypocritical bullsh*t in season two, banging it out on every surface of the Red Keep as they plot to keep Rhaenyra’s stolen throne. (If therapists existed in Westeros, they’d truly have a field day with these two and their shared obsession with the Black’s Queen.) Their coupling comes as a bit of a shock, but unfortunately for both Alicent and Criston, secret trysts in King’s Landing never stay secret for long and the season two premiere is quick to point out just how precarious their “romance” is. There’s no way it can stay under wraps for much longer, especially as Cole continues to shirk his duties and worm his way to power via Alicent’s sons, but if we’re being honest, their shared karma can’t come soon enough. It’s enough that children are being murdered and Matt Smith is back in our least-favorite wig – don’t make us watch these two orgasm on screen.

Daemon and Aemond Eye Harrenhaal

Sons are a running theme in House of the Dragon. Kings desire them, mothers mourn them, but while the first-borns get all the glory, the second-born sons in Martin’s canon are the real drama queens. They’re out here causing chaos with their unresolved mommy issues and crippling sense of inadequacy and sure, it’s all going to lead to the downfall of a kingdom, but it’s also going to make for some great television. So thank you Daemon for being a power-hungry husband who refuses to give his niece-turned-wife even a moment to grieve the death of her son before making a play for her throne. And thanks to Aemond, a grown man who got so fed up with wearing an eye-patch he decided to murder a boy then use that death to become the walking endorsement for “all press is good press.” Here’s hoping the haunted halls of Harrenhaal give you the warm welcome you both deserve.

The Hand Loses Control

Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) is having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day in HotD’s season two premiere which should be good news to all you karma doubters out there. He’s managed to maneuver his bloodline atop a throne that doesn’t belong to him and yet, as close as he is to that power, it’s not his ass that’s really in the seat, something Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) is quick to remind him of in this episode. It’s almost comical how desperately he tries to be a voice a reason to an emotionally stunted drunkard with absolute power, considering the safer, smarter choice would’ve been to follow his king’s wishes and put Rhaenrya on the throne, but then again, greed is a funny thing. It gives you everything you want and nothing you’re prepared for.

The (Failed?) Blood And Cheese Plot

One of the joys of watching House of the Dragon is seeing how its writers adapt the complex, sometimes dull cannon of Martin’s Fire & Blood novel. While the book is a drawn out history lesson told by unreliable narrators, on-screen, Condal and company twist and shape the narrative to become a fascinating character study. Even the most intense, action-heavy sequences are grounded in human emotion, something that makes the long-awaited translation of Martin’s Blood & Cheese chapter all the more thrilling. Here, it’s a heist-gone-wrong, a bungling of a poorly-planned revenge plot carried out by a rat catcher and a Gold Cloak motivated by greed and blood lust. These two men are amateur assassins, paid by Daemon to bring him the head of a son – preferably Aemond’s but Matt Smith’s mischievous smirk tells us any boy’s noggin will do. Instead of overplaying things with too much blood and gore and violence, the show ignites a war with a silent atrocity – the beheading of a child as its mother looks on in horror. Phia Saban (Helaena) has been underutilized on this show until this point, but it’s her restraint here that makes the death of Prince Jaehaerys and its immediate aftermath so nightmarish.

That’s all for this week. Check back for our thoughts on next week’s episode!

New ‘House of the Dragon’ episodes air on HBO (and stream on Max) on Sunday nights.

(House of the Dragon spoilers will be found below.)

Way back in October 2022, HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel delivered an uncomfortable moment when Larys Strong pleasured himself while staring at Queen Alicent’s exposed feet. There’s no shame in having a foot fetish, of course, but Alicent clearly was not into it, and that’s apparently part of what turned Larys on (it certainly wasn’t the exchange of information that excited him), which gave viewers the ick. This led to plenty of questions directed toward Olivia Cooke and Matthew Needham with the latter first asserting that the scene was “misunderstood” before later noting that a deleted scene provided a bit more context (but not an excuse) for what Larys did.

Fast forward to the second season premiere of the Targaryen-studded drama, and Alicent has found herself in a scene that’s giving similar vibes. This doesn’t have anything to do with ick over consent because she’s clearly enjoying being — cough — serviced by Ser Criston Cole. What does feel scandalous, however, is that King Viserys has only been dead for about ten days, though who knows how long this has been happening? Also, Criston Cole rolled out of the first season looking like a bitter incel while holding a grudge against Rhaenyra for refusing his marriage proposal. Now, he and Alicent can’t keep their hands off each other, which presents… issues (to say the very least).

Back in 2022, Olivia Cooke sort-of forecast (while speaking to Variety) the “simmering undertones of something” while noting that Criston is “a virile man, and that’s the only version she has ever had in her life.” Well, now we know where that has ended up.

Let’s just say that viewers weren’t ready for this reintroduction to both characters. “Disgust in High Valyrian” is only the beginning.

And this tweet is a few days old and, therefore, out of context, but it still works for this occasion.

HBO’s House of the Dragon airs on Sundays at 9:00pm EST.

(WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent All American episode will be found below.)

The moment that Spencer James and viewers have been waiting for finally is moments away from happening. In the penultimate episode of All American season six, Spencer James will finally get drafted into the NFL and he’s celebrating the accomplishment he worked a longtime for. As he celebrates his big moments, the other All American characters work toward big goals of their own, among other things. Here’s when you can see it all go down:

When Will All American Season 6, Episode 12 Come Out?

The eleventh episode of All American season six, titled “Draft Day,” will arrive on June 17. The Dawn Wilkinson-directed and Mike Herro and David Strauss-written episode will be available on Monday, 6/17 on the CW TV channel at 8pm EST/PST. The episode will later be available to stream on the CW app and website at 3 am ET/12 am PT. A synopsis for “Draft Day” can be found below:

With Draft Day around the corner, Spencer celebrates the big day by making some lavish purchases. Meanwhile, Olivia unveils her book to her family but worries that no one will show up to her first book signing. Elsewhere, Jordan stresses over who his best man will be, and Asher faces an uncertain future at Coastal.

You can also watch the trailer for All American season six, episode twelve below:

New episodes of ‘All American’ are available on CW TV on Mondays at 8 pm ET/PT and on the CW app and website at 3 am ET/12 am PT.

Just a few seconds into our interview with Ewan Mitchell for House of the Dragon season two, it becomes clear: No one is a bigger Aemond apologist than the actor who plays him on screen. When talk turns to bloody season one cliffhangers and murdered cousins and slain dragons, he’s quick to defend the one-eyed Westerosi bad boy.

“Oh, it wasn’t Aemond’s fault. He’s innocent.”

Cheeky, delusional character denial aside, Mitchell is deeply attuned to the tragic figure he plays on the hit series that’s catapulted him to the kind of stardom that makes it hard to walk down city streets without attracting notice. Though the various time jumps in season one meant limited minutes for HotD’s “eye-patch guy,” it’s return is building the bulk of the tension (and bloodshed) around the Green’s deadliest weapon.

In the opening episodes of season two, Mitchell stalks the dimly lit halls of the Red Keep, plotting in secret to escalate the war between families and threatening to go scorched earth (literally) on House Hightower’s enemies. He’s a man on the edge and in the spotlight, a dangerous combination that sets up a long-awaited showdown between two second sons with something to prove.

Before that happens though, UPROXX spoke with Mitchell about Aemond’s “most wanted” status, the weird manifestations of the character’s mommy issues, and his love of fan letters.

Only a few days have passed between the end of season one and the premiere of season two. What does Aemond’s return to King’s Landing after Storm’s End look like?

Yeah, he’s faced with a choice between seasons one and two. He can either admit that he was at fault and that it was a mistake, [that he didn’t mean to kill Lucerys and be at the hands of Rhaenrya’s mercy or he can return to King’s Landing and claim the kill and in a way, become the most wanted man in the realm. Regardless of what choice he makes, there’s an awfully big target on his back.

As someone who’s lived on the periphery of his own family for so long, is any attention good attention for Aemond at this point?

For sure. Maybe there’s even a romantic element to it. Maybe he likes to be that wanted. There’s an ego [thing]. It’s dangerous.

Why do you think fans were so quick to jump on the Aemond Targaryen bandwagon in season one?

I’m not sure. I always think of that young, neglected boy who wasn’t given a dragon egg like the rest of the kids in the family. He was different and he was bullied for being different, and yet he managed to claim the largest, baddest dragon in the known world. Tt’s certainly a feat of courage. So there’s something commendable about staring adversity in the face in that regard, I think that is one of the most redeeming elements of the character, the kid that he was.

It’s the ultimate underdog story.

That’s exactly it.

Aemond’s mommy issues rise to the surface in some interesting ways this season. Not to kink shame him, but what about that relationship fuels some of his bad behavior in season two?

[laughs] Kink shaming Aemond. That’s funny. I don’t know if he has mum issues or rather he just wishes that he was loved by his mum a little bit more. He never really felt that unconditional love as a kid. He was very much the spare and it’s the duty of the spare son to fight the war, and so he had to look for that unconditional love somewhere else and he found it in Vhagar. Who was also an older lady, a surrogate [mother].

Speaking of spare sons, Aemond and Daemon are clear adversaries this season…

Who’s your favorite?

No. Nice try though. What can fans expect from seeing those two face off?

They’re very similar in a lot of ways. They’re both princes who stand to inherit nothing, and so they recognize that what they want in life, they’re going to have to go out and get it for themselves. I think Daemon has a lot to prove and by hook or by crook, he’s going to prove it.

In terms of popularity, House of the Dragon is on a different level. How do you handle the added attention, to your work and your personal life?

Everything changes, but nothing changes at the same time. I very much like to stay in the work. I don’t have social media, and so it often promotes these beautifully written and often badass fan letters from the fans, and it means the world to me. I take all of that and I use it as motivation. I even write back when I have some free time.

Really?

Yes, I do. It means a lot to me. I never take it for granted.

It can also open up doors, professionally. Has working on a show this massive, with such high expectations, emboldened you to go after more challenging projects?

Yeah, any challenge, I’m up for it. I’m in New York City at the moment and I’ve just fallen in love with it a little bit. I’d love to maybe do a project here maybe …

Broadway?

With the Safdie brothers. [laughs] Yeah, maybe Broadway. Never say never. It’s just such a cinematic city. There’s a real ambience when you walk down the sidewalk. It’s almost like you can imagine hearing Bernard Herman’s score from Taxi Driver as you walk down the street. I dunno, it’s so visceral. I really like it here.

You tend to go a bit method while playing Aemond. Does the eye patch always stay on, even between shooting scenes?

It does, yeah. The eye patch is the cherry on top sometimes during specific scenes. I do like to keep it on. It really does add an interesting dynamic and twist to the character. It’s one of the best parts of the job. When that eye patch goes on, Ewan’s gone and all that’s left is a Aemond.

‘House Of The Dragon’ returns for its 2nd season premiere Sunday, June 16 on HBO.

Showtime couldn’t resist whipping up more of everyone’s favorite TV serial killer, Dexter Morgan. Of course, another season of Dexter: True Blood wouldn’t be possible because Dexter finally met his maker, and although the show broke viewing records, hard-core fans were not universally pleased with the ongoing mystery of the show, which some called a lost opportunity but still better than Dexter ending with a hurricane disappearance and a lumberjack reemergence.

An official prequel provides another opportunity to make things right for real (although do not rule out a future spin off based upon Harrison’s future). Let’s talk about what we can expect from Dexter: Original Sin.

Plot

Previously, whispers of this prequel series surfaced in 2023, when the Wall Street Journal reported that “an origin-story prequel” had been ordered by showtime. Additionally, the publication revealed that “Showtime is also exploring separate spinoffs based on the back stories of compelling ‘Dexter’ characters, including one known as the Trinity Killer.” That latter series obviously would not star John Lithgow, but perhaps they could hire Christopher Redman, who portrays the younger version of Lithgow’s character on The Old Man.

For now, however, the focus is on Dexter’s origin story, although it remains to be seen how a prequel will dance around or possibly ignore the preexisting (and hilariously bewigged) flashbacks we already saw about Harry raising Dexter (and the inception of his Code + Dark Passenger) after his adoption. However, Showtime has revealed that Original Sin begins in 1991. That would be around 15 years prior to when the Dexter series kicked off in Miami. According to the prequel show’s logline:

[The series f]ollows Dexter (Gibson) as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. When his bloodthirsty urges can’t be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness. With the guidance of his father, Harry (Slater), he adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcements’ radar. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.

No mention of Doakes, huh? I know, I know, but this is hard to resist:

Time to move onto casting details.

Cast

Variety reported that Patrick Gibson will portray the less-seasoned Dexter Morgan. Molly Brown will portray his sister, Debra, and Christian Slater will portray Dexter’s conscience/dad, Harry Morgan.

Three other original series characters have been recast for the prequel. They include James Martinez as Angel Batista (the “up-and-coming homicide detective who leads with his heart”), Alex Shimizu as Vince Masuka (the “forensic analyst who eagerly shares his expertise while relishing the chance to boss around his new intern, Dexter Morgan”), and Christina Milian as Maria LaGuerta, the Miami PD’s initial female homicide detective. Additionally, Reno Wilson has been cast as Harry’s partner and confidant, Bobby Watt.

Release Date

Showtime hasn’t revealed a release date or window for the prequel, but the Dexter audience will be waiting, either in anticipation or dread.

Trailer

Because there’s no way that we could possibly see a trailer yet, there is never a bad time to rewatch the absolute worst scene in Dexter history.

Shaq is one of the all-time greatest athletes turned rappers, as the big man’s 1993 debut album, Shaq Diesel, went platinum. Shaq released four albums in total, and worked with some of the biggest producers and artists in hip-hop in the 90s.

However, there was one collaboration from a song he recorded with a West Coast legend while in Los Angeles with the Lakers that never saw the light of day. On a recent episode of The Big Podcast, Shaq had Ice Cube join him and they discussed a project Cube was executive producing for him while he was with the Lakers. Cube set it up for Shaq to get in the booth with Dr. Dre, and Shaq and Dre cooked up a song called “That’s Gangsta,” which Shaq thought “was nice.” Cube saw things a bit differently, and made the executive decision for Shaq to not let it ever see the light of day.

“Cube was executive producing one of my records,” Shaq said. “And he put me in the studio with Dr. Dre. I did a song called ‘That’s Gangsta’. Cube heard it and was like, ‘Nope. We’re not releasing this.’ … He was like, ‘Shaq, you’re a f*cking Laker, bro. I don’t want you talking about nothing gangsta. We not doing none of that sh*t.’ And it never came out.”

While Adam Lefkoe seemed to think it was because the song wasn’t good, Cube noted it had nothing to do with that. He was trying to protect Shaq’s image, noting the then-Lakers star didn’t need to present himself as being “gangsta” in L.A., as he had mass appeal already and didn’t need to try to put on that image.

“It was good. Shaq is a dope MC, but I just felt the record was off-brand for him,” Cube said. “Because, to me, he’s more than just gangsta. He’s loved by millions, loved by kids. He already established that. And why go backwards when you’re already forward?”

Shaq would go on to note he thanked Cube for making that decision for him, and it shows how much respect Ice Cube had for Shaq that he would think about Shaq’s overall career as a basketball player (and one of the NBA’s most marketable guys, ever) while executive producing an album. Players don’t always have someone willing to think of the bigger picture and tell them no, and in this case, Shaq had that in the form of a music legend in Cube.

In April, Nas honored the 30th anniversary of his highly revered debut album, Illmatic. Come Labor Day weekend, the “Got Ur Self A Gun” rapper will hit Las Vegas to celebrate the iconic project live with fans. But that’s not the only hip-hop staple Nas wants to bring back to the masses.

According to Hollywood Reporter, Nas is helping to develop a musical adaptation of Beat Street for Broadway. During the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, a 40th anniversary screening was held to revisit, Beat Street, the 1984 dramatic deep dive into hip-hop’s origins.

But that event was just the beginning. Nas reportedly delivered a speech about its importance and why he signed onto the adaption. “Beat Street wasn’t just a film,” he said. “It spread the revolution of hip-hop culture throughout the country and the world. It left an indelible mark, inspiring generations of young artists and creating new hip-hop fans alike. It’s a thrill for me to join the creative team of Beat Street, bringing the raw energy of hip-hop into the fabric of Broadway. It’s an honor to breathe new life into this iconic work and celebrate its enduring legacy.”

As far as Nas’ role with the forthcoming production, the emcee will reportedly “expand and create new material from the film’s soundtrack for the musical” in addition to his responsibilities as producer alongside Arthur Baker. Baker originally served as a composer and music producer for the original film.

The timeline for the project hasn’t been shared. But this professional endeavors marks a trend in musicians’ domination on Broadway. Both Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen and the Sufjan Stevens-inspired Illinoise, snagged several 2024 Tony Award nominations.