From Christian Hubicki to Stephen Fishbach to Spencer Bledsoe and beyond, the Emmy Award-winning series Survivor has had its fair share of brainiacs since its debut in 2000, each using their intelligence to play strong strategic games, while often lacking in the social and physical departments of the hit competition show.

This type of character is typically one of the most beloved on Survivor season after season, with John Cochran even playing a perfect game and taking home the title of “Sole Survivor” and the million-dollar cash prize during Survivor: Caramoan. As of yesterday (June 4), one of the Survivor geniuses who was not so lucky is taking his smarts to a different competition series, announcing via X (formerly known as Twitter) that he will be taking the Jeopardy stage later this month on June 19:

“IT’S HAPPENING! I’m going on JEOPARDY June 19th. The haters have long called me a know-it-all. It’s time to prove them right. #Jeopardy“

Who was the author behind this oh-so exciting post, announcing that he will be a part the show? Fortunately, we got you covered — keep scrolling to see which Survivor castaway is going to compete on Jeopardy, making history as the first individual to compete on both series…

Drew Basile from Survivor 45 is going to compete on Jeopardy

The Survivor castaway who is going to compete on Jeopardy is the one and only Drew Basile from Survivor 45, an individual who was known for his words of wisdom, witty quotes and fun facts — as well as his hilariously pessimistic attitude — all season long.

We cannot imagine a better man for the role, and fans (as well as former castaways) in the comment section of the post seem to agree with this sentiment:

“OMGGGGGG CONGRATS EVERYONE WILL BE WATCHING”

“WHAT oh I’m so pumped for this. Congrats!!!”

“Omg congrats! Never watched it, but suddenly I am!”

“Congrats! Bring metaphors and analogies!”

“Survivor to Jeopardy is the literal dream, congrats king ”

For those who need a refresher on his Survivor journey, the Pennsylvania native found himself in a phenomenal position all season long by forming a strong connection with his fellow Reba tribemates, notably his best friend on the beach, runner-up Austin Li Coon. The “Reba Four” — consisting of Drew and Austin, as well as Julie Alley and winner Dee Valladares — seemingly had control for a majority of Survivor 45, that is until they needed to go after each other to further their individual games.

Hyper-fixated on eliminating Julie, Drew’s ignorance and obliviousness got the best of him, causing him to be blindsided at the final six. We cannot help but hope that he has better luck on Jeopardy, and we will undoubtedly be tuning in to see how he does. Hopefully he goes all the way!

Dating shows are popular, and for obvious reasons. Who doesn’t like to see two people find a spark and fall in love with each other? Haters, that’s who! For the rest of us, shows like The Bachelor and all the offshoots it’s spawned over the years pull in huge ratings for the networks.

Then we have Love On The Spectrum, a show where people with varying degrees of autism go on dates with each other, to varying degrees of success. The show is a huge hit and a new season just premiered less than a week ago (as of this writing). If you’re reading this there’s a good chance you’ve binged the heck out of it and now you want more.

Not to worry, there are other shows and movies out there that will scratch that itch. Some are documentaries that show the hardships of being neurodivergent, others are feel-good dating shows. All of them are bursting with heart and will hopefully leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. Here are 10 of the best.

Born This Way

Born This Way has a pretty interesting premise. It chronicles the lives of seven young people with Down Syndrome as they navigate life. The show has a good pedigree behind it – it was made by Bunim/Murray Productions, the same company that created The Real World on MTV.

It also kind of follows the Real World premise, by placing the young people in two different homes; one for the women and one for the men.

Autism in Love

Autism in Love is basically Love on the Spectrum in documentary style, and from PBS, no less. This one aims to offer a “stereotype-shattering look” at four different people and the trials and tribulations of managing relationships while being neurodivergent.

It’s a very real look at what people on the spectrum deal with daily. There’s Lenny, who lives with his mom and has trouble accepting that autism will always be a part of his life. He gets incredibly frustrated about how hard it is to meet girls.

Then there’s Stephen, who is very obviously autistic but has been in a loving marriage for 20 years. Warning: This one gets sad so get those tissues ready.

Poppy

Poppy won’t let Down Syndrome hold her back. That’s the theme of this excellent Australian film about a girl who just wants to be able to drift in her car like they do in the movies. She has other wants too. She wants a boyfriend and a mechanic’s apprenticeship and everything in between.

The movie can be a little saccharine, but it shows a lot about prejudice and how we judge people so easily without knowing their struggles or abilities. It’s not a bad movie at all, though, with a sparkly 80% on the Tomatometer.

The Undateables

This British reality TV show expands the focus beyond just autism, but it’s pretty much the same concept as Love on the Spectrum. People on the show deal with issues like disabilities, learning problems and developmental conditions.

The Undateables producers worked in conjunction with a real dating service called Flame Introductions, so there is some setup behind the whole thing. It’s another unflinching look at dating and how hard it can be.

Employable Me

While Employable Me isn’t about dating, it still deals with a lot of the same issues. It’s a six-part documentary that follows people on the spectrum, and their determination to show the world that despite their conditions they are still employable.

It’s an inspiring show that highlights some of the built-in biases that exist in the everyday workplace. The conditions highlighted include autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, Down Syndrome, blindness, Epilepsy and a life-changing brain injury, and that’s just the first season.

Better Date Than Never

Talk about looking for something similar to Love on the Spectrum, this show comes from the same creators! It’s another six-parter about people beginning their dating journeys. They get some help from producers, they catapult themselves into the dicey world of dating.

Each person is matched up with a potential love interest, and they meet on a blind date. It’s incredibly relatable and incredibly authentic – a refreshing take on a well-tread subject. Yes, it’s uncomfortable and scary but it’s inspiring to watch people conquer their fears and put themselves out there. Isn’t that the hardest part?

As We See It

As We See It is based on an Israeli show called On the Spectrum and follows three twenty-something roommates named Jack, Harrison and Violet, who all happen to be on the autism spectrum.

It’s not a documentary, but the three actors on the show are all on the spectrum in real life, so that adds a layer of authenticity to the proceedings. Unfortunately, it was cancelled after just one season, but that season is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video.

Derek

Derek is played by controversial comedian Ricky Gervais. While the main character may seem like he’s disabled or on the spectrum, Gervais makes it clear that that’s not the issue. It’s about humanity and despite the heavy circumstances (he works in a retirement home), it’s a feel-good and uplifting show.

It’s underrated and worth a watch.

Atypical

Atypical is a scripted show about a teen on the autism spectrum and what happens when he gets a girlfriend and grows up. Samuel “Sam” Gardner is an 18-year-old high school student who struggles to relate to other teens because of his neurodivergent condition.

Even though it’s scripted, it’s been called “one of the best series to deal with autism and its butterfly effect on family, friends, and loved ones”.

Down for Love

Finally, we have Down for Love. This one is pretty self-explanatory but it explores dating and relationships through the eyes of people who have Down Syndrome. It’s heartwarming and life-affirming and it’s a wholly entertaining show. It’s one of the best shows that depict the syndrome without prejudice or judgement out today.

In its 3 seasons so far, has been a huge hit for Amazon Prime Video. It premiered on May 1, 2020 and has steadily grown in viewers and praise from critics. Season 3 recently wrapped up, and in true good TV fashion, left viewers with one hell of a cliffhanger.

Fans are now clamoring for more: demanding to know what happens to Nathan Brown, and what version of him we’re dealing with at this point. While it’s well-written and entertaining, the show can be confusing at times, and that cliffhanger ending is no exception.

That’s where we come in. Instead of racking your brain to try and figure out what it all means, let us take care of that for you. Here’s the season 3 ending explained.

What happened at the end of ‘’ Season 3?

In , technology has reached a place where human beings can “” themselves into an artificial afterlife after they die. This way, they get to keep on “living” with the same personality and memories they had when they were alive.

In season 3, Nathan Brown (Robbie Amell) and Nora Antony (Andy Allo) are actually together in the real world after Nathan is successfully ed into the real world. This means they can further look into what David Choak (William B. Davis) was really planning.

Also, a backup copy of Nathan gets activated through the machinations of Ingrid (Allegra Edwards). Throughout the course of the season, Nathan and Nora learn a whole bunch about Freeyond and what’s happening behind the scenes, but their celebration quickly turns to despair after a series of unfortunate events.

The big question of the finale is what happened to the two Nathans. The two met after Luke (Kevin Bigley) got caught in the grey zone trying to sell an AI. They decided to team up and ed Nathan kept dating Nora while backup Nathan would ostensibly continue his relationship with Ingrid.

The respective relationships progressed to the point where they were both going to propose to their significant others. Backup Nathan proposes and Ingrid panics, but she eventually accepts after a heart-to-heart with Nora.

Nathan and Nora, meanwhile, go to the Freeyond trials with plans to vacation in Montreal once everything is over, but that plan gets blasted to pieces when Horizon agents grab Nathan after Nora makes a mistake and reveals there are two Nathans.

This leads to a domino effect: Horizen learns that Nathan isn’t the only copy and that there are various other ones, so agents are deployed to get rid of every copy. Once Ingrid realized what was happening, she warned backup Nathan but it was too late. He was caught by Horizen’s CEO.

We learned in Season 2 that Nathan’s billionaire neighbor David Choak was behind his murder in concert with Ingrid’s dad Oliver Kannerman, in an effort to influence the elections. We learned in season 3 that there were even more rich and powerful people involved, including Horizen’s CEO.

The scheme was brought into more focus when Nathan and Ivan (Josh Spelich) discover a Freeyond video where they talk about how clinics were destroyed by the Ludds and that numerous hard drives were lost in the process.

This means that Freeyond was never going to offer free afterlives, it just wanted poor people gone so they wouldn’t be able to vote. Evil! Fortunately, Nathan and Nora got access to Choak’s memories courtesy of Ivan.

Those memories revealed plans to get rid of employees with s, and try to make a profit by renting s out. We also learn that Karina Silva (Jeanine Mason) was also involved, complicated by the fact that she’s close with Aleesha (Zainab Johnson).

Aleesha then stole computer files from Karina (with help from Tinsley, Luke and an AI), and that was used by Holden and Nora to win the case during the court proceedings. Unfortunately, the victory was short-lived because Horizen owns all the memories and thoughts from s (stupid fine print!).

What does this mean? s are not considered legal people and the laws remain unchanged, so the scam won’t become public knowledge. Even worse, Horizen changed its name to Betta to distance itself from the proceedings, meaning that Kannerman and Choak won after all. Boo.

The trial also dampened Nora’s plans to be a lawyer, even after Holden offered to pay for her to go to law school. As to whether Nora will Holden’s firm, that has yet to be answered. Also, Ingrid was very helpful during the trials, testifying against her father and Choak.

We’ll have to wait and see if she becomes an ally or not. Another question is what’s going to happen between Luke and Aleesha, who shared a kiss and broke some major rules. If they do end up in a relationship, it’s going to be a tough one.

Now to the big cliffhanger. Nathan was grabbed by Horizen agents and backup Nathan was captured by the CEO. The whole gang, Mauricio, Viv, Ingrid and Nora all anxiously wait for word from either Nathan about what’s going on.

Finally, a Nathan calls them from a gray room, explaining that he’s fine but there’s only one Nathan now because the other one was erased. The scene ends with Nora asking Nathan if he’s the real one or the backup one.

Let’s analyze a bit here. The most likely scenario is that the real Nathan survived. Horizen is going to want to interrogate him and get information about his and the subsequent sequence of events. Another possible scenario is that both Nathan’s still exist and Horizen is pulling another scheme. If only backup Nathan is left, that’s going to suck for Nora. If it’s real Nathan, Ingrid is not going to be happy.

Is ‘’ coming back for Season 4?

While there’s no official word as of yet, showrunner Greg Daniels has shared that he’s “pretty optimistic” there’s going to be a fourth season of the show. He said is the “number one most-viewed half-hour show on Prime Video” and that work on season 4 should start soon, per Collider.

“In the Season 4 writers’ room, something might come up that would change it. I don’t know. You gotta look at the whole season and say to yourself, “What’s the shape of that season next season gonna be? How do we get something that’s a throughline that has a ton of interesting aspects enough for a whole season?” So, I don’t know. I would say, I think I know what’s gonna happen.”

The first three seasons of are streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Before we get started, there is a very important distinction to be made. ‘Hottest’ does not in any way mean or imply ‘moral.’ Just because someone looks good does not mean they behave well (ahem, Jake Pavelka).

Since The Bachelor began way back in 2002, there have been 25 seasons of attractive men presented to thirsty viewers on a platter, giving fantasy fodder of romance, charm, and the dream of love fulfilled (so long as everyone is there for the right reasons).

There are so many Bachelors to choose from that it’s hard to whittle down the list to the very hottest. And now, leading men from a new age bracket have been added to the list. That’s right — now we can ogle silver foxes, too, as The Golden Bachelor is soon making its debut.

So, who are the hottest Bachelor contestants of all time. Continue reading for WGTC’s carefully curated list.

10. Aaron Buerge

This season 2 stud was presented as a serious professional, a banker, who also had the distinction of showing viewers the first-ever proposal on the series.

That put pressure on all future leads to get down on one knee at the end of the process, whether they were ready or not. Another precedent that Buerge set was that he and his fiance Helene Eksterowicz broke up only a few weeks after their lovely proposal was broadcast. Eksrerowicz later said that Buerge dumped her.

9. Jesse Palmer

Jesse Palmer is a handsome Bachelor lead who lives in infamy for forgetting his love interest and accidentally giving a rose to the wrong contestant in his 2004 season.

He was an NFL quarterback, which made the women swoon. While Palmer did not find a forever love on The Bachelor, he did score a sweet television platform. Now, Palmer works as a sports commentator for ESPN, and it is little surprise that he’s married to a model.

Palmer is now the host of both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.

So, who else ranks as a hottie in this series?

8. Jake Pavelka

Season 14 Bachelor lead Jake Pavelka disappointed fans when he proposed to his season’s female villain, Vienna Girardi. But the disappointments kept on coming.

After the two broke up, they trashed each other in the tabloids and whipped up a fan and media frenzy, prompting ABC to add a special episode interviewing them about their breakup.

During that interview, Pavelka treated his ex with cold, cruel indifference, which may explain why he’s reportedly still single.

7. Arie Luyendyk Jr.

This attractive Bachelor with the even more attractive vocation of race car driver was a big hit with the single women vying for his love.

He came in second on Emily Maynard’s Bachelorette season, but he came first in many viewers’ hearts after Arie became the Bachelor in 2018. By that time, he was sporting salt-and-pepper hair that made our hearts go pitter-pat. But her brought a camera crew with him to blindside his fiance Becca Kufrin with a breakup because he changed his mind and wanted runner-up Lauren Burnham, instead.

He currently lives with Burnham, their daughter and her younger twin siblings.

6. Jason Mesnick

Another handsome heartbreaker and notorious flip-flopper is season 13 Bachelor Jason Mesnick.

Like Luyendyk, Jr., Mesnick’s legacy on The Bachelor is changing his mind about the woman he gave the final rose to and was on the road to marrying and dumping her for his runner-up girlfriend.

Although he did Melissa Rycroft wrong, Mesnick and his chosen Bachelor contestant Molly Mesnick are still together, and raising Jason’s son from a previous relationship as well as their daughter. So, maybe Mesnick made the right choice in the end.

5. Gerry Turner

Gerry Turner is the very first senior-aged lead of the Bachelor spin-off show, The Golden Bachelor.

He’s from Indiana, in his 70s, and a hopeless romantic looking for another chance at love. A retired restaurateur whose hobbies include playing pickle ball and golf, Turner says that marriage is on the table for him.

Since his first wife ed, he spends time with his two daughters and granddaughters, and the Bachelor Nation loves him for his handsome features and closeness with his family.

He’s still got all his hair, ladies

4. Travis Lane Stork

This leading man on season 8 of The Bachelor was very popular for his good looks, as well as for being a doctor. A handsome doctor! What could be sexier?

Unfortunately, his stint on The Bachelor led to heartbreak and he and his final rose winner Sarah Stone lasted just a few weeks) together after the show before parting ways.

However, Stork found success on television when, post-Bachelor, he starred for years on the daytime talk show The Doctors. He’s also found lasting love and gotten married since appearing on the show.

3. Ben Higgins

Beloved by fans for his stunning good looks and his kind demeanor, Ben Higgins was first a contestant on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season of The Bachelorette. When he was rejected by Bristowe and later chosen as a Bachelor lead, fans rejoiced, but his engagement to Lauren Bushnell didn’t last.

Higgins did find love again and he’s now with his new fiancée Jessica Clarke.

He raved about her in this statement about proposing: “I was super nervous. She’s my best friend, my partner and I love her. I was nervous to kind of do this whole thing in front of her. I wasn’t anxious, it’s just a big moment!”

2. Matt James

Matt James was the 2021 Bachelor lead and continues to be considered by viewers to be incredibly handsome.

The women on his season were falling over with nerves because of their strong attraction to the Bachelor (some literally, as one woman tripped because she was so overcome by James’ good looks). James’ legacy is for introducing the difficult topic of racism and interracial dating following his chosen white finalist’s major gaffe of having attended a party on a plantation in her youth.

James and his final rose recipient Rachael Kirkconnell had difficult, public talks about her transgression and they seemingly worked through the awkwardness.

1. Lorenzo Borghese

Lorenzo Borghese is a literal Italian prince. Knowing that, the terrific bone structure and nice hair are just a bonus. Borghese’s season of The Bachelor was shot in Italy, and all of the contestants that were vying for his love on season 9 were bent on being chosen as his princess.

Alas, good looks don’t guarantee anyone lasting love, and Borghese did not end up proposing to any of his finalists at the end of the season. While love still eludes the prince, who is reportedly still single, he does have a fulfilling life dedicating his time to animal advocacy.

James Spader is famous for playing many eccentric and charismatic characters on film and television, including an entitled jock in Pretty in Pink, a sex-crazed voyeur in Sex, Lies and Videotape, and a cut-throat attorney on the long-running legal drama Boston Legal.

But he can also play comedic characters. James Spader’s character on The Office is a man of many names: Bob Kazamakis, The Lizard King, and Robert California. So, who is this strange man that appears in seasons seven and eight of The Office?

Spader plays this character with a hilarious intensity while making absurd pronouncements like, “I’ve never believed willpower was very important in a woman.”

California is very opinionated, and somehow always succeeds despite all logic. His philosophy about whom he considers to be lesser office workers is cut-throat, as he states, “There’s something about the underdog that really inspires the unexceptional.”

Robert California comes in with a bang in the seventh season finale, an episode titled “Search Committee.” He is a candidate for the Scranton Branch Manager position, and his strangely intense personality upsets the hiring committee.

However, in a confessional interview that takes place afterward, Robert tells the documentary crew that he will definitely get the job. And he did!

Robert California’s confidence won him the position, as in the season eight premiere of The Office called “The List,” viewers learn that he was hired as the branch manager during the summer.

However, after a quick glance at the workplace in Scranton, California drives to Florida to convince the CEO to actually give him her job. And she did!

The CEO made California the new CEO. As CEO, California makes a list of all the employees in the Scranton office and splits them into columns of “Winners” and “Losers.” Next, he takes people he deemed to be the winners out for lunch.

After he is confronted about the demeaning list, California challenges the employees by saying, “Winners: prove me right; losers: prove me wrong.”

That episode shows California at his finest: his arrogance, his leadership skills, and the odd scenarios in which he gets away with outrageous behavior.

In the season eight episode called “Mrs. California,” Robert California’s wife is introduced when she visits the office seeking employment. Spader’s character pretends to help but does not actually want her to work there.

After she lands an ing job at the office, Robert California does all he can to get her to quit, including making the staff treat her poorly.

The Lizard King outdoes himself in the season eight episode called “Turf War.”

After playing mind games with his wife all season, California gets a divorce and throws a party to celebrate. California gets drunk at the party and shuts down Dunder Mifflin’s Bingham location, causing the other office branches to fight over Bingham’s clients.

What a creator of chaos this man is!

But James Spader was not originally intended to be such a major character in the series. Originally hired to be a guest star in a one-off episode, producers of The Office had plans to either hire Catherine Tate or Will Arnett for bigger roles on the show. 

When neither actor could take on the roles because of scheduling conflicts with other projects, and Spader became popular with viewers, he was asked to come back. Spader stated in an interview that, “… suddenly [the producers] called me back again and said, ‘We’d really like your character to come back in some capacity.'”

So, how did viewers react to this oddball character and James Spader’s portrayal of Robert California/ Bob Kazamakis/The Lizard King in The Office?

Well, critics loved it. One TV critic raved that, “James Spader killed as an overqualified candidate who was creepily perceptive.” More acclaim came from another critic, who wrote that he appreciated Spader’s “mildly sociopathic (but highly effective)” acting as Robert California.

Critics weren’t the only ones celebrating Spader’s portrayal of the intense CEO. His cast mates praised Spader’s acting work on the show, too.

Office actress Angela Kinsey sang Spader’s praises, saying that, “He is amazing. He crushed the table read. He brings such a cool, amazing intensity as Robert California that’s so different from Michael Scott. I just love him as this character.”

Steve Carell himself, who many associate the most with the series, said, “I think it’s an excellent choice. I think it’s great and he will infuse all this new energy into the show.”

The official trailer for The Witcher season 3 has been released, but the fans are receiving it as a defeated crowd following a rough year of disastrous developments for the franchise.

Ever since the announcement that Liam Hemsworth would be replacing Henry Cavill as the titular Geralt of Rivia, the community has half-forsaken the live-action adaptation, with no hope of even catching the latter’s final outing as the bespoke monster-hunter. After all, whoever heard of a television show replacing its lead character at the halfway mark?

We’ve grown somewhat accustomed to side characters changing face every now and again, but you don’t need to be an industry expert to know that losing the star of the series doesn’t bode well for its future prospects.

Whatever we feel about this period of transition, it seems that Netflix and Henry Cavill are pretty adamant to part ways, so when can we expect to see it happen?

Will Henry Cavill appear in the third season of The Witcher?

If you’re dreading the moment Henry Cavill actually gives up the dual swords and hands over the wolf medallion to his successor, or have simply decided to stop watching the series the moment Liam Hemsworth comes on, then you’re in luck. The third season of The Witcher — apparently split into two parts — will feature Cavill as Geralt of Rivia throughout, with Hemsworth picking up the mantle starting from season 4.

The story is supposed to adapt Time of Contempt, which is the fourth book in the Witcher saga and involves a deadly skirmish between Geralt’s party and the Brotherhood of Sorcerers. We still don’t know how the story will justify the switch between the two actors, or whether it’ll address it at all, but at least we can go into season 3 with the comforting knowledge that we’ll have Henry Cavill as Geralt for at least another eight episodes.

The first part, consisting of five episodes, premieres on June 29, while the second part, containing the remaining three, arrives a month later on July 27.

The time has come for this generation of the Dutton family, led by John Dutton, to the mantle to the next, with Yellowstone coming to a close later this year after five seasons.

According to the official press release, showrunner Taylor Sheridan is already looking towards the next chapter in the Yellowstone saga, developing a sequel series that’s set after the fifth season and features the return of a number of familiar characters.

That, of course, begs the question of why the show is ending in the first place. If the sequel is just going to pick up the narrative where season five leaves it off, why not continue it as Yellowstone? Even if there’s going to be a major time jump, the show could explain it via a title card, so something else is compelling the team at Paramount to bring the main series to a somewhat premature conclusion.

Why is Yellowstone concluding now?

The most straightforward answer is that we’re not exactly sure why. Yellowstone has achieved such an overwhelming state of recognition and acclaim in five years that few other television shows could even dream of in the entirety of their run. The show was also building towards a climax of sorts, with Market Equities tightening its chokehold on the Dutton land and Casey learning about his family’s ultimate fate in a vision.

Why, then, did Paramount suddenly decide to wrap up the narrative mid-stride? Well, it might have to do with the alleged ongoing drama between the network and John Dutton actor Kevin Costner. 

A while ago, numerous reports and rumors hinted that the actor was at odds with the team over scheduling complications. Costner was said to be working on a Western drama of his own, so he couldn’t commit to the demanding filming blocks of Yellowstone season 5.

Add that to all the hearsay involving the actor’s divorce from his wife, and rumors of an on-set affair that has resulted in a pregnancy, and you’ll realize why Paramount and Taylor Sheridan would have been more than keen to part ways now.

And let’s face it; you can’t simply kill off John Dutton or write him out, and then continue Yellowstone like nothing’s happened. If this franchise has any chance of thriving beyond the face of its main star, it needs a fresh start, so that could explain why Sheridan has decided to conclude the main series with the next batch of episodes from season 5 and then start again with a sequel series.

At least, that’s as far as they’re going to let us surmise in this period of time.

Yellowstone is officially coming to an end after five seasons, and the next time we see the Dutton family will be in a sequel series taking place sometime after the events of the forthcoming run.

After months of rumors and speculation about a potential feud between Taylor Sheridan’s team and Kevin Costner over scheduling conflicts, Paramount has just announced that the six-episode second part of Yellowstone season five will be the show’s last outing.

Now that Kevin Costner is bidding John Dutton farewell, and the team is preparing to come back with another sequel featuring some of the characters from the original series, is someone replacing the governor or is Taylor Sheridan writing him out of the story altogether?

Will Yellowstone replace Kevin Costner after season five?

Amid all the hearsay that has plagued the Yellowstone fandom of late, one recurring report is now being reviewed in a different light, and that is Matthew McConaughey’s long-anticipated debut in the centennial drama series. Now, with Yellowstone‘s end fast approaching and Kevin Costner giving up the saddle and the whip, the possibility of Matthew McConaughey suddenly turning up as a Dutton, or even a replacement for John himself, is worrying a lot of fans.

Well, we’re here to put those concerns to rest once and for all. Matthew McConaughey is almost certainly not replacing Kevin Costner as John Dutton on Yellowstone, something that Paramount execs had already confirmed before.

When you think about it, there’s no replacing Kevin Costner, because Kevin Costner basically makes Yellowstone what it is. That’s probably the reason why Sheridan is concluding the main show after five seasons, instead of just killing off the character and moving on. The new series, while technically a sequel, will introduce a new cast of characters alongside some familiar faces, so this isn’t just “Yellowstone 2.0” with Matthew McConaughey in the lead role.

As for what his part will actually entail, we’re going to have to wait and see, but let’s just say that you don’t bring McConaughey into an extremely popular neo-Western drama and have him portray a side character. Come to think of it, we don’t even know where John Dutton will end up, so let’s keep doing what we in the fandoms do best — which is to speculate — and wait for the second part of season five, slated for release in November.

Season two of The White Lotus made what was already an incredibly popular show into a worldwide sensation. A lot of that was down to Mike White’s commitment to capturing the Italian atmosphere of its Taormina setting. For that, not only did he strive to include tidbits that felt true to Italian culture — particularly its food, cinema, mythology, and family dynamics — but he also cast Italian actors and actresses in the roles of the hotel staff and other core characters of the show. Lucia, Mia, and Valentina, particularly, captured the hearts of everyone watching to become the true stand-out characters of season two.

Now that it’s been made official that the crew is packing up their bags and moving to Thailand for season three, The White Lotus fans are hoping Mike White will keep the standard of the previous installment both in storytelling and in his very particular way to imbue each season with its respective setting’s customs. A big part of that is casting the right local actors, which, considering how significant the Thai drama scene is, shouldn’t be too hard. Here are a few of our picks for the Thai actors and actresses we would love to see in season three of The White Lotus.

Yaya Urassaya

Yaya Urassaya is easily one of the most popular actresses to come out of the Thai scene in the last decade. She gained notoriety as the romantic lead in a number of Thai soap operas, especially when she shared the screen with Nadech Kugimiya. The two got together in 2011, and have been one of the most beloved Thai celebrity couples ever since. However, fans are particularly fond of her on-screen pairing with another big name on this list: Mario Maurer. Urassaya has also been in a number of comedy movies, including Fast & Feel Love and Brother of the Year, and would certainly feel right at home in The White Lotus‘ camp and excessive world.

Mile Phakphum

Mile Phakphum’s career positively blew up when he starred in the sultry Thai queer drama KinnPorsche: The Series, alongside the equally talented Apo Nattawin. While we’d love to see both of them reunited to play an iconic rich gay couple in season three of The White Lotus (and while we’re at it, throw in Tong Thanayut playing the exact same character he plays in KinnPorsche), we’d be perfectly content if even one of them showed up to the resort. Mile was our choice because he’s as rich if not richer than all the White Lotus hotel guests from previous seasons. It’d be hilarious to see him take on Mike White’s shrewd satirical script.

Kitty Chicha

After it was announced that season three of The White Lotus would be set in Thailand, it seemed like everyone on Twitter was asking for the iconic Kitty Chicha to be cast. She became a global star after her turn in Netflix’s hit show Girl from Nowhere, where she played the mysterious Nanno, also known as the personification of Karma, with the supernatural power to expose all the liars and miscreants around her. Chicha would be a great fit to take on The White Lotus‘ darker, sinister side, especially since the third season is supposed to delve deeper into themes of religion and spirituality.

Poyd Treechada

Trans women in Thailand have a very deep culture and history, and fans of The White Lotus have mentioned wanting this dynamic to find a place in the show’s third season, given how inclusive it has been towards the LGBT+ community in its storylines and casting. Although trans women are still generally disenfranchised in Thai society — facing fewer job opportunities among other issues —the fact that Buddhism, the country’s most widespread religion, recognizes a third gender called “kathoey” has helped integrate and normalize trans female communities within the country. Poyd Treechada is arguably the most famous trans actress in Thailand, and has built a prosperous career in both film and television. She has also used her voice to advocate for trans people in the past.

Gun Atthaphan

Gun Atthaphan is one of the kings of Thai dramas, and one of its most talented actors, too. He’s played the lead in over 20 television shows and movies, gaining special attention for his performances in the 2018 superhero Thai series The Gifted and BL (boy love) dramas such as Theory of Love and Not Me, where he stars opposite his most iconic scene partner, Off Jumpol. Atthaphan is pretty much a chameleon who’s taken on all kinds of roles in the past, and would likely nail whatever Mike White throws at him.

Aokbab Chutimon

Aokbab Chutimon is a prolific Thai actress with what might be the most reputable filmography among the of this list, namely when it comes to her collaborations with Thai film directors Nattawut Poonpiriya and Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit. Her performances in the former’s heist thriller Bad Genius and the latter’s romantic drama Happy Old Year brought her critical acclaim and put her name on the list of Thai stars to watch. The White Lotus would be the perfect vehicle for her to break through to the Western market.

Mario Maurer

Mario Maurer became Thailand’s number one heartthrob as young as 16 years old. His groundbreaking role as a gay teenager in the 2007 romantic drama Love of Siam instantly catapulted him to stardom, upon which Maurer just kept on building the incredibly successful career he has today. In 2010 he starred in the highest-grossing Thai film of all time, Pee Mak, and the rom-com Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Maurer, Aokbab Chutimon, and Yaya Urassaya were all part of the cast of the 2022 television series Bad Romeo.

Mai Davika

Mai Davika is a powerhouse of Thai dramas and Mario Maurer’s co-star in Pee Mak. However, it wasn’t until 2015 that her career would completely explode with the 2015 romantic film Heart Attack, for which she won a slew of awards including the coveted Suphannahong National Film Award for Best Actress. On TV her most famous roles were in the dramas My Ambulance and Astrophile, where she stars alongside two major Thai stars Bright Vachirawit and Off Jumpol (who, coincidentally, is the adored screen partner of Gun Atthaphan).

What once was a major red flag for Marvel now seems to be the least of its worries. The year started with the release of Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania — the grand opener to the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s Phase Five, spruced up by the big, majorly anticipated reveal of Jonathan Majors as Kang The Conqueror, aka the Avengers’ new worst nightmare. The movie flopped, both critically and at the box office.

Following other disappointments like Black Widow, Eternals, Thor 4, and Multiverse of Madness, the scenario painted by Ant-Man 3‘s performance wasn’t boding well at all for the future of Marvel, but fast-forward about a month and the superhero studio would be going through what might very well be its most hellish week yet, to the point where the commercial viability of future projects has become almost an afterthought.

On March 20th, the news that trusted exec Victoria Alonso would be exiting Marvel Studios came out of nowhere. Alonso had been at the company for 17 years and was one of the main creatives behind the inception of what is now largely regarded as the greatest superhero franchise of all time. Five days later, Jonathan Majors, the face Marvel chose to headline the Multiverse Saga, and frankly, the only salvageable aspect of Quantumania, was arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman. Fans instantly called for a recast, but Marvel has yet to comment on Majors’ future in the series.

While we’re yet to get to the bottom of both Alonso’s firing and Majors’ arrest, to be hit with two blows as scandalous as these, at the same time as the reports that Quantumania is unlikely to break even at the box office start coming through, could prove to be more than the comics giant can handle. Not even the pandemic painted a picture as bleak as this, and 2023 is shaping up to be the MCU’s most problematic year yet.

The good news is that — although Alonso was someone who had a complete understanding of the MCU identity, and her firing could be indicative of the cracks in Marvel’s wall — as the former President of Physical, Post Production, VFX, and Animation at Marvel, considering the scrutiny the franchise’s latest visual effects have come under, maybe a change in leadership might just be a blessing in disguise.

Jonathan Majors’ situation, on the other hand, is still very much up in the air, with conflicting reports coming through from the authorities and the actor’s legal team. Majors was set to play a vital role in season two of Loki, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and probably Avengers: Secret Wars. Many were banking on Majors to carry the MCU through the rut it is currently experiencing, considering how talented of an actor he is, and how well he embodied the menacing Kang.

At this point, Majors’ case looks like it will be yet another questionable incident with an ambiguous conclusion, as cases like this often are. However, even if all charges are dropped, unless there’s undeniable proof that he is innocent, keeping Majors around could possibly alienate a chunk of the audience that was still hanging on to the MCU despite subpar recent installments. Paradoxically, firing the actor without him being found guilty first, might not sit well with a different portion of Marvel’s viewership. It’s a lose-lose, and all eyes will be on Marvel to see what it chooses to do.

As for Quantumania likely becoming the MCU’s biggest money-loser ever, the slate of movies and series to come should leave fans feeling somewhat more relaxed. Not only are the hugely requested Daredevil: Born Again and Deadpool 3 approaching release, but there’s also the fabulously cast Secret Invasion and Agatha: Coven of Chaos coming up. Not to mention Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3, The Marvels, Sam Wilson’s big debut as Captain America in New World Order, Armor Wars, Ironheart, Thunderbolts, Echo… Need we go on? All of these sound fantastic in theory, and it’s entirely up to Marvel whether they live up to the hype in reality, too.

Right now is a crucial moment for Marvel to decide whether it’s going to let the ship sink, or take up the reins to prove once again that it can weather any storm. The studios are already making sound decisions like spacing out releases to allegedly ease the pressure on the post-production team and casting mouth-watering talent like Olivia Colman, Steven Yeun, Matthew Macfadyen, and Aubrey Plaza. The tools are all there, Marvel just needs to adjust its focus in whatever setting it had going on during that legendary last stretch of the Infinity Saga.

You can’t help but sing the praises of King Viserys I Targaryen after watching House of the Dragon for the mesmerizingly charismatic way Paddy Considine portrays him onscreen, but was he really a good king in the annals of Westeros? More specifically, does history the Young King as a benevolent and wise monarch, or is his legacy more in the vein of all the ignorant tyrants that preceded or succeeded him?

Well, leafing through the pages of Fire & Blood – on which House of the Dragon is based – you will find the answer to that question a nuanced dance in moral dilemmas, so judging Viserys on his actions isn’t simply a matter of analyzing their repercussions. 

What we see in House of the Dragon is but a minuscule glimpse into the life of Viserys and his rather short reign, but the fact that it directly led to the Dance of the Dragons, the most devastating civil war in the Seven Kingdoms history, has turned his rule into a subject of great debate and research for the Citadel maesters.

With that in mind, we’ll try to determine if Viserys was a good man and a good king by leaning into the historical s of his reign as described in Fire & Blood.

The great council of 101 AC and anointment

King Jaehaerys the Wise was undoubtedly the greatest king in the history of Westeros, whose 55-year reign brought about an era of peace and prosperity the likes of which the Seven Kingdoms has not seen since.

The reason we bring up the Old King is that Viserys, being his nephew, directly succeeded him after he died in 103 AC. Jaehaerys lost both his sons, Prince Aemon and Prince Baelon, Viserys’ father, in the years prior to this event. This caused a political upheaval throughout the realm, with many wondering if Jaehaerys’ death would bring an end to the peace. The Wise King — true to his name — decided to avoid that by holding a great council in 101 AC, where the lords and ladies of the Seven Kingdoms gathered to choose his successor.

At the end of it, Viserys was named heir, and Sir Otto Hightower succeeded Prince Baelon as Hand of the King. In the year 103 AC, Viserys ascended the Iron Throne and began his reign as the Young King, with Otto Hightower advising him on one side and his brother Prince Daemon Targaryen protecting the royal family while entertaining ambitions of his own.

What we know about the Young King

It has been remarked that Viserys Targaryen would go to extreme lengths to avoid conflict, and many of his attendants considered him a peaceful man. That didn’t mean the king was, by any means, timid. When provoked, Viserys had a fearful wrath and never wavered from a decision when it was made.

The king’s overall kindheartedness meant that the King’s Landing became a hub of culture and arts, and according to House of the Dragon, even Viserys himself ionately indulged in the practice of making sculptures. He held numerous feasts, and tourneys, and was generally full of life, though it could be argued that when it came to the ruling and making decisions of any actual importance, he was rarely assertive.

That doesn’t mean Viserys was a reluctant ruler, unlike how we see him in House of the Dragon. The HBO adaptation depicts the Targaryen monarch in much the same light as Robert Baratheon, who also detested the responsibility of ruling over a nation. Unlike Robert, though, who spent most of his days hunting, drinking, and leading a promiscuous life — and that’s putting it mildly — Viserys was shown to be considerate and cultured.

Lacking cruel tendencies shouldn’t really be a trait on which to ruminate, but considering that most rulers in Westeros — and even real-world history — have abused the institution of their power, it’s definitely worthy of note that Viserys never let his absolute authority get to his head.

As the Great Emancipator once allegedly said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” If we judge the king’s character on that merit, then it’s safe to say that Viserys es the test. 

Kindness a great leader does not make, though, and the devil’s in the details. Here’s the case for Viserys being one of the worst kings in Westerosi history, and rather unwittingly at that.

A reign of growing dissension

The Targaryens were at their most powerful when Viserys became king. The Young King had the goodwill of the people, which helped him keep the peace. Viserys respected his uncle as a ruler, so he decided to honor his legacy as much as he could by remaining faithful to his way of ruling.

At the same time, the clash of two ambitious men resulted in Daemon and Otto developing a fierce rivalry. Such was the extent of their enmity that Viserys decided to remove Daemon from his Small Council, instead giving him command of the City Watch. Daemon, on the other hand, always considered himself his brother’s rightful heir and coveted the title of the Prince of Dragonstone.

This is where House of the Dragon picks up the narrative, with Queen Aemma dying in labor and giving birth to a son, who only lives for a day. Daemon gets drunk in a brothel and calls his newborn nephew “heir for a day,” which enrages Viserys and causes him to banish Daemon from his presence. In retaliation, Viserys names her daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, not only defying tradition but setting Westeros on a path that ultimately led to much death and ruination.

You see, Viserys wanted to keep his daughter’s future secure, but in doing so undermined the authority of many lords in Westeros. He then decided to marry Alicent Hightower, following his heart rather than the so-called greater good, which further alienated the Velaryons. This also gave a powerful footing to the Hightowers, and the chance to undermine Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne.

With Alicent giving birth to three sons, Aemond, Aegon, and Daeron, whispers grew of Rhaenyra’s illegitimacy to ascend the throne after his father’s death. Viserys remained steadfast in his decision, however, fully intending to see Rhaenyra crowned queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Daemon also ed his niece’s side despite his own ambitions for the fondness he had for her.

Viserys once again had the opportunity to amend the growing rifts by marrying Rhaenyra to his son Aegon, but he refused to do so because his daughter was ten years Aegon’s senior. That would not only have prevented war but tightened the strength of the unified houses of Targaryen and Hightower for the future of the realm. Being the sentimental moralist that he was, though, the Young King chose with his heart yet again, trusting in the amenable attitude of his then-large family to see them through these conflicts.

Rumors of Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon’s sons being sired by Harwing Strong didn’t help matters, either, resulting in a petition by the Velaryons to see their claims for the title of the Lord of the Tides revoked. Viserys grew angry in this hearing, ordering their tongues removed as he does in the show. In the book version, Viserys slips and cuts his hand to the bone on the Iron Throne. The wound gives the king an infection, and the maesters barely save his life by cutting off his fingers.

After that, the king doesn’t sit the Iron Throne again and grows frail over the last four years of his life. At this time, Otto Hightower rules in the king’s stead and slowly dismantles the Small Council, replacing its with people loyal to him. 

After the king’s death, the greens (Hightower faction) recognized Aegon’s claim to the throne and coronated him a week after. Rhaenyra refused to acknowledge his ascendancy, which ultimately resulted in the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of Dragons. The two sides were reluctant to engage in open combat at first, but with Aemond Targaryen accidentally killing Rhaenyra’s son, the blacks and the greens clashed, and with it, took the Seven Kingdoms down one of the darkest paths in its history.

The Dance of Dragons, which we’ll see depicted in earnest in HBO’s House of the Dragon, was one of the most gruesome wars in Westeros, resulting in the deaths of most of the dragons and the diminishing of House Targaryen’s strength and influence. While a lot of people will be quick to blame Rhaenyra and Alicent and their parenting for this outcome, many historians, like Maester Yandel — the author of The World of Ice & Fire — seem to think the fault ultimately lies with Viserys and his indecisiveness. He wrote:

“[Viserys] had ruled for six-and-twenty years, reigning over the most prosperous era in the history of the Seven Kingdoms but seeding within it the disastrous decline of his house and the death of the last dragons.”

So, does history Viserys as a good king? Frankly, the answer to that question may very well depend on how you define that adjective, but for simplicity’s sake, we can safely make this assertion that Viserys was a good-natured man, but his terrible decisions changed the course of history for the worse, which at the very least implies that maybe he shouldn’t have been given the reins in the first place.

With Danai Gurira finally acknowledging the possibility of an Okoye solo outing, it’s hard to keep our minds from running wild with possible scenarios and storylines for Marvel to bring to life as it strives to expand the already incredibly rich world of Wakanda.

The last we saw of Okoye was, of course, in the sequel to 2018’s Oscar-nominated Black Panther, Wakanda Forever. Her character arc was one of the most hard-hitting in the film, as she struggled to make sense of her purpose outside of the Dora Milaje, and come to with not always being able to protect her country and those she loves. She also became a Midnight Angel, along with Aneka — a group with its own interesting and yet unexplored comic book background.

As talented as she is, Gurira will likely take Marvel to new heights by receiving her own platform to explore the emotional depth of Okoye, who is already a fascinating character in her own right.

As her duty and calling, the Dora Milaje will likely feature heavily in the possible Okoye standalone project, but there are a couple of other familiar faces we’d like to see return for the promising story.

M’Baku

M’Baku is now King of Wakanda, which will certainly play a big role in Okoye’s life going forward. Her loyalty has always been with her sovereign first, even during the brief period when Erik Killmonger ruled over Wakanda, making her choose between duty and morals. Hopefully, that won’t be a problem under M’Baku’s rule, considering the character has evolved significantly since he was first introduced as the frightful and isolated leader of the Jabari Tribe in Black Panther.

Okoye and M’Baku have been the protagonists of some of the MCU’s funniest banter (who could forget the latter’s “You bald-headed demon” line), so giving up the opportunity to bring that into the possible Disney Plus show would be a waste. Gurira and Winston Duke’s comedic chemistry and timing are challenged by few.

Aneka and Ayo

Marvel would not have brought an actress as coveted as Michaela Coel into its roster if it didn’t have big plans for the character of Aneka. Her presence in an Okoye-centered project is almost a given after the two donned their Midnight Angel Armors in Wakanda Forever, creating the nation’s newest protector duo.

Where there is Aneka, there has to be Ayo. For too long, Marvel has robbed us of seeing this comic book romance play out on screen, and a full-fledged multi-episode series would be the best way to finally make it happen. Ayo was the second in command to Okoye during her time in the Dora Milaje, rising in rank and becoming General when Queen Ramonda stripped the former of her title. There’s more than enough potential for good drama around that new dynamic.

Prince T’Challa II, or Toussaint

Toussaint was the big reveal of Wakanda Forever, when Nakia told Shuri she and T’Challa had a son, which they had decided to keep secret to shield him from the pressures of the throne. Okoye isn’t aware of his existence at the end of the film, but since Prince T’Challa II is bound to play a big role in the future of Wakanda, she will undoubtedly soon find out. Whether that will happen in her series or not, it’s hard to tell.

We’re sure Nakia plans to let Toussaint choose his own path forward. However, if that happens to be making a claim for the throne of Wakanda, his relationship with Okoye could be vital, perhaps as his mentor.

Hopeful Bonus: W’Kabi

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever confirmed that W’Kabi and Okoye were still husband and wife, but that the detractor, who chose to go against T’Challa in the first film in favor of defending Killmonger’s cause, was now banished from Wakandan society. Even though it could prove difficult to bring Daniel Kaluuya back to the MCU, not including him in a show about Okoye would be even more difficult to justify, unless they break the couple up.

W’Kabi’s role in 2018’s Black Panther showed a lot of potential for an interesting character arc, of which we have been only given a taste. His morals don’t seem to be as upstanding as his wife’s, so understanding the two’s relationship would be a great contribution to fleshing out Okoye’s character. It goes without saying that Kaluuya is an invaluable addition to any cast he s, and having him back in the MCU would be fantastic.

We Got This Covered will continue to report on the rumored Okoye series as soon as new details are revealed. Until then, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is finally available to stream on Disney Plus.