Billy (after Nick barges into his home): Jeez, Nick. Where are your manners? Don’t you know you’re supposed to knock before you get invited into someone’s house?
Nick: I don’t need an invitation, you son of a bitch. All rules went out the window when you decided to mess with my family.
Adam: I shouldn’t be surprised that Billy would want to add Newman Media to his list of treasures. Makes sense that he would take the easy win.
Adam: When Phyllis double-crossed Cane and kept Newman Enterprises for herself, she screwed over four generations of Newmans, including her own daughter. I mean, you almost gotta admire the sheer audacity of it.
Sally: I don’t admire it at all.
Adam: Yes, well you have a soul and conscience. Something that is in short supply at the top of the new masthead.
Billy: You don’t look so good. Your leg still bothering you?
Nick: Go to hell.
Billy: Well, your father could tell me how to get there, huh? If he could afford a map.
Nick: You keep talking and you’re gonna be spitting a bunch of teeth out of your mouth.
Billy: Sorry. Is that supposed to be frightening to me?
Nick: We’ll see. Just keep talkin’.
Billy: Don’t embarrass yourself, Nick. The only blows in this fight have already landed, and they knocked you and the rest of the Newmans on your ass, which as far as I’m concerned – long overdue.
Nick: Wait – you think you’ve won?
Billy: I think it appears that way, yeah.
Nick: It’s not even round one, you idiot. You’re not gonna have time to print up new business cards by the time we’re done with you.
Nick: Your mother sold Chancellor to my father and now you won’t rest until you get it back, and it doesn’t matter how you do it or who you hurt to get there.
Billy: You’re damn right. And let me tell you something, it feels good.
Nick: You know, I actually like this Billy – you being honest. I mean, look at you You’re hurt. So you’re lashing out like a little three-year-old.
Nick: You going after Chancellor isn’t a business move, all right? It’s a temper tantrum from a spoiled brat.
Billy: Oh, are we sinking to name-calling now, Nick? Are we about to fight?
Nick: Say when.
Billy (to Nick, who is recovering from a broken leg and hobbling with a cane and leaning on his good leg): Oh yeah? You want me to hop around on one leg to make it fair?
Nick: You think that’s funny?
Billy: No, I think it’s sad. And it’s embarrassing.
Abby and Devon are happily back home with Dominic, who is upstairs playing. Tessa comes over and they talk about how well Dominic is doing after Mariah kidnapped him. Tessa theorizes that Ian caused Mariah’s breakdown and is optimistic and hopeful that Mariah will recover, as is Devon. Abby, on the other hand, is concerned about Aria being around Mariah, possible trauma for Dominic from being kidnapped and blames the facility in Boston for failing Mariah.
After Tessa leaves, Devon and Abby discuss the mystery surrounding Lily being MIA and Abby expresses her rage toward Mariah for taking their son. Abby starts freaking out about Mariah’s recent and previous behaviors regarding Dominic and about possible long term adverse effects on Dominic and Devon calms her down.
Christine and Sharon bring Mariah to Crimson Lights after her arraignment, where Christine reviews the rules of her release on bail and explains that it was based on her honesty and remorse in the psych evaluation, staying in Sharon’s custody and her plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Mariah is very subdued and says she wants to go back to the judge and change her plea to guilty because she knew what she was doing when she took Dominic. Christine advises her not to do it. Mariah rebuts and tells Christine and Sharon about planning and carrying out the kidnapping of Dominic. She explains that she was having hallucinations of deceased Ian at the clinic but did not tell her doctors there because her hallucinations of him helped her with loneliness. She also mentions that her hallucinations of Ian guided her to kidnap Dominic and raise him. Sharon asks if Ian is there now and Mariah lets her know that he is not, he disappeared. Sharon explains that what Mariah experienced is childhood trauma and PTSD and assures her that they will find the right team of doctors and treatment for her to heal.
Tessa enters Crimson Lights, Christine leaves, and Tessa asks for a moment alone with Mariah. After Sharon agrees and goes to the back room, Mariah says Tessa must hate her and Tessa explains that she hates what Mariah went through and she hates that Mariah has been in so much pain and she couldn’t help. Mariah asks how Aria is and Tessa assures her that their little daughter is fine and thriving. Mariah asks if Daniel did as she asked and watched over Tessa. Tessa tells her that Daniel has been a wonderful friend. Mariah lets Tessa know that her mom (Sharon) told her that Tessa filed for divorce. Mariah says that Tessa doesn’t need her chaos and that Tessa needs to move on with her life with Aria. Tessa counters that Mariah doesn’t ask her what she needs and Mariah explains that she doesn’t have to ask because she already knows and so does Tessa. Tessa says she can see that Mariah needs her, starts to cry about how Mariah just keeps pushing her away, expresses how hurt she is, and leaves.
Daniel and Danny are at GCAC discussing the situation with Mariah and Tessa. Daniel tells his father that Tessa filed for divorce from Mariah, but things are now uncertain between him and Tessa because Mariah is back in the picture and needs Tessa. He thinks Tessa will stick by Mariah, but Danny isn’t so sure. Danny is concerned about the complications of Daniel’s romantic involvement with Tessa and their feelings for each other, but acknowledges that they have something special. Christine comes over, mentions that Mariah is out on bail and lets Daniel know that Tessa went to Crimson Lights to see Mariah. Daniel asks how Tessa and Mariah seemed to be, then says that he should probably just go to try to find Tessa. Danny and Christine encourage him to do that and he leaves.
Sharon and Mariah come to the Chancellor mansion, where Sharon lets them know that Mariah was released into her care. Abby is furious and rages at Mariah. Mariah apologizes for taking Dominic, lets Abby and Devon know that she realizes he belongs with them and expresses her hope that one day Abby can forgive her. Abby is outraged, tells Mariah to leave and says that she never wants her around her son again.
Daniel meets up with Tessa in front of Society and she sobs as he hugs her. She tells him that she doesn’t know what to do and he says they will figure it out together.
Here is what I liked and disliked about Y&R for the week of 2/9/2026 (just my humble opinions, no particular order, just random musings)
Raves:
I really liked seeing the three Newman siblings – Adam, Nick and Victoria – united in their goal to save their family legacy. They quibble but are strong and allied.
There was a well-done scene at the Newman ranch showing Abby on speaker phone with her father (Victor), giving an update on Dominic’s kidnapping, while the rest of the Newman family was in the living room listening. Nikki and each of the siblings chimed in with moral support for Abby. I think it’s important to continue to show Abby being an integral part of the Newman family, even though she is not involved in the family business that has its own separate front burner storyline. Good job of juggling and intertwining these two distinct front burner Newman family storylines.
The happy scenes with Mariah and Dominic in the diner were really good. I enjoyed their rapport. Actually made me smile.
In stark contrast, in subsequent intense scenes, the little boy playing Dominic did a phenomenal job portraying his character’s frustration, impatience, annoyance and defiance with Mariah taking him on a long, mysterious road trip, her insisting that they continue to play hide-and-seek while he kept expressing his desire to go home and be with his parents. He held his own with the Emmy award winning, very experienced actress playing Mariah when their two characters were arguing.
The reunion of Dominic with his parents was very heartwarming. Gave me chills, as did Mariah crying and being comforted by her own mother.
Holden is so handsome.
Love Claire’s long, curly hairstyle
Valentine’s Day couples: to Adam and Chelsea, Jack and Diane
Rants:
Billy’s hair… LOL. It’s probably a popular contemporary men’s hairstyle, but IMHO, he looks like he just woke up.
Can’t stand Detective Burrow, which I attribute to the way he is being portrayed. IMHO, the person playing this character can’t act his way out of a paper bag. No charisma, no energy. Unfortunately, he does nothing to instill confidence in his character, who is in law enforcement.
Stupid, meaningless, what-was-the-point scenes with Audra and Kyle at the bar in Society.
Valentine’s Day couples: to Sally and Billy, Sienna and Noah (reunited in love in LA, but this couple is such a mis-match)
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
Billy: How much chloroform did you actually use on Cane, Phyllis?
Phyllis: Uh, I used the recommended dosage that said when you wanna take out one of your enemies.
Billy: Oh, that’s very funny, smart ass.
Phyllis: I’m not gonna screw you over. I’m not gonna do that. You know why? Because accomplishing something like this, this kind of triumph, it’s way more fun with a partner in crime.
Billy: Happy to be included. Chancellor’s always been a dream, and Newman Media’s a … chef’s kiss.
Jack: It sucks the air right out of my lungs when I stop to think about what could have happened when Jordan had Harrison.
Jack: Is there news on the Victor/Cane war front?
Nikki: There’s been movement. I don’t know if you’ve heard.
Jack: Catch me up, uh, and and we’ll see.
Nikki: As a countermeasure, Victor decided to find something that Cane valued so much that he would be willing to bargain for it.
Jack: So he had Cane’s train hijacked?
Jack: Oh my God. Cane could have held onto his company, he could have won his ex-wife back. But no, he had to out-Mustache Victor.
Jack: This damn AI! All the scheming and backstabbing! Let me be very clear. Victor made all this happen. All of it! And if he’s about to pay, that will bring me unbridled joy.
Phyllis (to Victoria) I have sole ownership of Newman Enterprises. [giggles] And I’m not letting my precious go.
Victoria (talking to Billy in what’s now Phyllis’s office, with her sitting at the desk): And somehow – somehow you think this doesn’t involve you?
Billy: Me? You’re talking to me now? I was just in the neighborhood and popped in to say hello.
Nikki: Can you just please set your anger aside for a moment?
Jack: Oh, I would love to set my anger aside for good. I’ve spent half my life with this! But when I see what his actions have done to you, it makes my blood boil. And all he’s ever had to do is stop! Stop playing king! Stop playing conqueror! Stop making everyone bend a knee! Just be a human being, for God’s sake!
Adam (to Victor about Phyllis): Wow, zero loyalty to Cane or anybody else. I’m … almost impressed.
Billy: I am freeing our children from being a cog in the Newman Enterprises machine, okay? They are gonna thank me one day.
Jack (to Nikki about Victor): Why not sit back and enjoy the rest of life instead of digging up trouble and trying to burn down the world and making your kids and you worry?
Billy: Victoria wants my kids to stay away from me. And it sounds like she meant all that, all because I went after Victor, the man who says he’s gonna put you in a grave and you’re left to wonder if that’s a metaphor or not. She thinks that psychotic man is a good parent, but she wants me to stay away from my kids?
Phyllis: Eh … Listen, Victoria is a self-righteous hypocrite. That doesn’t mean she’s gonna go through with it.
Phyllis: If my kids can forgive me for being quasi-dead, they can forgive me for anything.
I was very happy to speak to Kristoffer again because I have enjoyed his movies and TV shows for a long while now. It was great to meet actress/singer MŌRIAH as well. They both do a wonderful job in this quirky horror film. This is Polaha’s first time directing a film, but you wouldn’t know it. It has a great cast, too, including Stephen Toblosky, who plays Polaha’s grandfather. The movie opens tomorrow, just in time for Friday the 13th! Don’t miss it!
*In Theaters Nationwide This Friday,
February 13, 2026!*
LOVE. LAUGHTER. FERGUS.
Directed by: Kristoffer Polaha
Written by: Marc Oakley
Starring: Kristoffer Polaha,Mōriah, Chris Parnell, Stephen Tobolowsky, Jesse Hutch, Jason Marsden and Austin Basis
Produced by: Ken Carpenter, Kristoffer Polaha, Adam Karm and Ben Wagner
MIMICS is the daringly unique directorial debut of Kristoffer Polaha — delivering fun, fright, and romance. When a struggling impressionist and a contract for fame take center stage, the battle for a good man’s soul takes the spotlight.
RT: 90 Minutes
When a struggling impressionist and a contract for fame take center stage, the battle for a good man’s soul takes the spotlight.
Kristoffer Polaha first received attention for his portrayal of John F. Kennedy, Jr. in the TV movie, America’s Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story, opposite Portia de Rossi in 2003. Polaha is set to make his directorial debut in the horror Mimics on February 13th, 2026.
Over his three-decade career, Polaha has appeared in starring roles in series such as the acclaimed Life Unexpected, The Ringer opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar, and North Shore. Other series credits include Get Shorty with Ray Romano and Chris O’Dowd, the limited series Condor opposite William Hurt and Max Irons. In addition to co-starring with Rainn Wilson in Backstrom, he had a multi-season guest role on the acclaimed series Mad Men. Polaha has starred in 18 Hallmark Channel movies including one of their mystery movie franchises.
Polaha has appeared in Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman 1984 and is in Jurassic World: Dominion. He has appeared in numerous independent features, as well, including Where Hope Grows, Devil’s Knot (Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon), and the Tim Tebow film, Run the Race.
Currently, Polaha is in production on the Amazon MGM limited series, AMERICAN HOSTAGE, opposite Gianni Rabisi and Jon Hamm. Polaha plays “Dick Hall,” the president of Meridian Mortgage in Indiana who is taken hostage by Tony Kiritsis (Ribisi), who publicly accuses him of being a greedy and cutthroat monster. But the real human being is more complicated than that. The series is based on a true story that captured the attention of America in the 1970s.
Polaha was born in Reno, Nevada, and he is married to actress Julianne Morris. They have three sons. Official website
MŌRIAH (Virginia Martin)
MŌRIAH’s work in both music and film have been nothing short of influential. After signing with SONY/Provident in Nashville, her sophomore album, “BRAVE,” soared to number 9 on Billboard’s CCM Charts, featuring a collaboration with GRAMMY award-winning rapper Andy Mineo.
On the silver screen, MŌRIAH held the starring role in “Because of Gracia” (2017) and portrayed legendary singer Loyce Whiteman in a Ronald Reagan biopic alongside Dennis Quaid (2022). MŌRIAH also made her theatrical debut in “Journey to Bethlehem”, a cinematic musical starring Antonio Banderas which premiered worldwide in Nov. 2023 through Sony Affirm. Currently, she graces the small screen as Bathsheba in the television series “The Chosen” (2023).
MŌRIAH’s influence extends beyond acting and music. MŌRIAH co-hosted the highly successful podcast “BECOMING:us” on K-LOVE/AccessMore alongside her GRAMMY AWARD-winning husband, Joel Smallbone, with whom she also co-produced the Lionsgate film “Unsung Hero,” scheduled for release in 2024.
MŌRIAH lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she recently wrote and produced her latest EP, “Curtain Call”. She is currently busy working on a new album with GRAMMY AWARD-winning producer Paul Mabury. Her dedication to artistry and commitment to a positive message continue to shine through, as fans follow along with a creative career that transcends boundaries and genres. Official website
Phyllis (pondering to herself in Victor’s old office): I thought this place needed a woman’s touch, but it looks like it just really needs a bulldozer.
Billy: Oh, wow. Look at you. Hard at work, huh? You know, when you said you were gonna leave your mark at Newman, I didn’t think you meant interior design.
Phyllis: I’ve been here since dawn meeting with the staff, giving them their marching orders, all right? Anything else you wanna know?
Billy: Not from you, no. Where’s Cane?
Victor (to Nikki): Cane Ashby, it seems, truly loves his family. He’s very concerned about them. If I didn’t despise that son of a bitch as much as I do, I’d almost give him credit for having his priorities straight.
Victoria (to Victor): What have you always taught me? The deal isn’t done until the ink is dry on the contract. And it’s still not done until the money is in the bank.
Phyllis (to Billy): Why are you here? Why don’t you go back to being some business tycoon with your girlfriend? Nobody wants you here. Take the hint.
Phyllis (turning to look at Cane, but still talking to Billy): This is something I’ve known from the beginning, that he would be a problem, and it looks like Cane is kinda coming around to my way of thinking, right?
Billy: Here’s the problem, Phyllis. You actually think you have power. You don’t. You’re delusional. You’re simply riding his coattails, okay?
Nick: I just don’t think Dad would go that far
Adam: And I think he might.
Nick: Well, of course you would, Adam, because it’s something that you would do.
Adam: Not anymore.
Nick: Oh, why? ‘Cause the reform is complete, now?
At Society, the three Newman siblings discuss Dominic’s kidnapping and the latest developments, as well as Victor having Lily and Cane’s children kidnapped, and Lily going along with it. Victoria tells her brothers that she thinks their dad is not telling the truth about it. She claims that Cane is calling Victor’s bluff and planning retaliation against the entire family. She tells them she put together a plan to go against Phyllis legally, to get her to roll over on Cane behind their father’s back. Nick is against it because he thinks Lily is angry enough at Cane to go along with Victor’s plan; also, he thinks Lily is in on Victor’s plan in order to get Chancellor back. Victoria holds her ground and wants them to stick together and go behind their father’s back to save their family company by using Phyllis. The three of them simultaneously receive texts from Victor, summoning them to the ranch ASAP.
Victor and Nikki argue about him making Cane think that Lily and their children are in danger and him shutting her and their kids out of his plans to get Newman Enterprises back. He receives and shows her a photo on his phone of Lily and the twins at a hotel, appearing to be alright, and she apologizes for doubting him. He sends a copy of the photo to Cane.
When Victoria and her brothers arrive at the Newman ranch, Victor tells them Cane seems ready to make a deal. He shows them the photo of Lily and Cane’s kids taken at the hotel in Southern California as proof that his kidnapping scheme is proceeding as planned. The Newman siblings are skeptical but curious.
Holden and Claire are at an outdoor cafe in Los Angeles. She tells him she came to LA with him to get a break from Audra in Genoa City. He lets her know he’s in LA on a personal matter for Cane, to oversee the search for Lily and Cane’s children. She is appalled, given what Cane is doing to her family, but she sticks around in LA with Holden, so she can secretly find out about the disappearance of the art gallery owner there.
Phyllis is in Victor’s old office at Newman Enterprises, flashing back to when she angrily berated him. She also reviews ideas to redecorate the office. Billy enters, asking where Cane is. They bicker, and then Cane comes in, announcing a change in plans. He tells Billy he can’t sign off on giving him Chancellor yet because there’s a bump in the road. Billy gets angry, and Phyllis tries to intervene, but they’re all interrupted when Cane gets a phone call from Holden. He lets Cane know that the PI got hold of security footage of Lily and the children being led away from a hotel in downtown LA by someone in a baseball cap, and driven away in a black SUV with no license plate, looking scared. Then Cane gets the photo of Lily and his kids from Victor. He orders Billy to leave and then tells Phyllis about what the PI found out. He shows her the photo Victor sent and has a meltdown.
Billy goes home; Phyllis barges in to his place. She says that Cane is folding and that they’re about to lose everything. She tells him she needs his help with a way that would enable him to hold onto Chancellor for the rest of his life, but they have to act “so fast”.
Cane bursts into Newman Ranc,h calling Victor a “son of a bitch”. He tells Victor that he wins, demanding that Victor show him proof that Lily and the twins are safe and have been released, and then Victor can have his company back.
Holden (to Cane): “I even like to think I’m a little like you. Although unlike you, I have yet to make and lose my first billion.”
________________________________________________
Sharon: “Are you sure she didn’t just go for a walk on the grounds?”
Noah: “Her suitcase is gone, and I doubt she took that for a walk around the ranch.”
_________________________________________________
Victoria: “And here’s Dad, faking an abduction when his own grandson has been kidnapped. A shrink would have a field day with that, you know.”
Nikki: “I’m sure the irony isn’t lost on him, either.”
____________________________________________________
Victoria (to Nikki about Victor): “It’s like there’s a symphony playing in his head, and he’s the only one who’s allowed to hear it.”
_____________________________________________________
Jack: “You look tired, Victor.”
Victor (laughs): “Are you concerned, or what?”
_____________________________________________________
Jack: “You’re a little hard to root for.”
Victor (laughs): “I assure you, I can live without your good wishes, Jack.”
______________________________________________________
Jack (to Victor): “You really overplayed your hand, and now you’ve lost everything. It was a long time coming, but it was worth the wait.”
_______________________________________________________
Jack: “So then you’re the winner in all of this. That’s the story you’re peddling now?”
Victor: “Not a story, Jack. You just wait.”
Jack: “You want people to believe that. You’ve not only lost your company, you’ve lost your mind.”
______________________________________________________
Adam: “And hopefully, this is gonna be over soon, and we can get back to what passes for normal around here.”
Here is what I liked and disliked about Y&R for the week of 2/2/2026 (just my humble opinions, no particular order, just random musings)
Rants:
Noah and Sienna – My opinion about these two has changed. My first impression has evolved because of seeing more of them together. I’m just not picking up any chemistry there. Older woman/younger man, fine, but in this case, Sienna is not only old enough to be Noah’s mother, the actress who plays her is actually the same age as Sharon Case, who plays Noah’s on-screen mother! It’s probably a combination of wardrobe, make-up and hair style, but IMHO, Sienna looks like a washed out, tired, old lady. And with the way she speaks, and her mannerisms, she comes off as having no class. I don’t know if it’s intentional, to try to contrast her and make a case for opposites attract, since Noah is wealthy and highly educated, but either way, I don’t care for this pairing.
Also, why did Noah introduce Sienna to Devon as a “good friend”?! Noah is in love with her! He’s planning to uproot himself from Genoa City and move to LA to be with her, FFS. Why didn’t he introduce her as his girlfriend?!
Raves:
I really liked how Nick spoke to Noah about his relationship with Sienna and laid out his legitimate (IMHO) concerns about it. Great dialogue.
Michael and Lauren – love these two! Michael never ceases to put a smile on my face.
I love the dress Phyllis wore on the 2/5/2026 episode!
What was shown this week in the storyline of Mariah kidnapping Dominic, who she reverted to calling Bowie, was pretty good. I liked Mariah’s monologue while she was talking to a sleeping Dominic, it was well done. In addition, the make-up and hair styling departments have done an appropriate 180 and now Abby looks just as would be expected for a devastated, distraught and desperate mother of a kidnapped little child – pale, dark circles under her eyes from crying and lack of sleep, and her hair is combed straight and plain.
The expressions of annoyance, dismay and what appeared to be confusion on Audra’s face while seated on the patio at Crimson Lights eavesdropping on Holden’s and Claire’s conversation about going to LA together – priceless!
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
At Crimson Lights, Nick and Sharon discuss Cane and Phyllis’s takeover of his family business. Nick is distraught and angry about Phyllis’s involvement and the ramifications.
Sienna and Noah are enjoying some fun and romance at the Overlook Cafe. Their talk turns to her plan to move back to LA and his desire to go there with her. She tries to convince him to stay in Genoa City and be near his family again. Noah counters that since he now owns the Shadow Room, they can run it together in LA, but Sienna is leery because of its past association with Matt.
Nate goes to the Chancellor mansion to support Devon during the ordeal with Mariah kidnapping Dominic.
Devon reaches out to Sharon for help while she is at Crimson Lights with Nick, who goes with her to meet with Devon at her place. Just before Devon arrives, Sharon and Nick chat with Sienna and Noah in her living room. He informs them that he hired the Newman jet to take him and Sienna to LA, where they will be living and running the Shadow Room together.
Devon shows Sharon and Nick footage of Mariah at the motel in Genoa City and tells them that she kidnapped Dominic. Sharon and Nick are shocked and offer to help find the child.
While Devon is at Sharon’s, Abby is at home. She calls her dad and asks him to come over because she needs his help. Then she clings to a stuffed animal that Chance gave to Dominic. She prays to Chance to watch over and protect Dominic, and to put his detective skills together to bring Dominic home.
Hallucination Ian is in the front passenger seat of the car Mariah is driving away from Genoa City with Dominic asleep in the back seat. Ian gives her a pep talk about how she will be a good mother to Dominic and says he will never abandon her and will always help her. Dominic wakes up and calls out “Papa”, Hallucination Ian disappears. When Mariah asks Dominic if he had a nightmare, he tells her that he had a sad dream about his papa in heaven, and he misses him. When he mentions how his “mommy” would sing to him, Mariah tells him that she’s also kind of like his mommy, that she sang to him while he was in her tummy and that she nicknamed him Bowie. He asks her to sing; she flashes back to singing Tessa’s song to him while she was pregnant with him. She starts humming “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and tells him that sometimes she almost feels like he’s her son, too. Dominic looks out the side car window and smiles.
Here is what I liked and disliked about Y&R for the week of 1/26/2026 (just my humble opinions, no particular order, just random musings)
Rants:
Harrison’s fake emergency matchmaking trick for getting Claire and Kyle to spend time together with him and remind them how compatible they are was cute, but a waste of air time. Seemed like it was just filler to remind viewers that Kyle has a child and to keep Claire in Kyle’s orbit. I don’t particularly like the actor who plays Harrison. I know he’s just a little kid, but I’ve seen many talented child actors on soaps, and this boy is not one of them. He came across as reading his lines, or like he managed to memorize and recite them, and couldn’t effectively infect any emotion into what he was saying. JMVHO.
Sally continues to annoy the heck out of me. She’s such a bi*ch. She’s always putting Billy on the defensive, lecturing him and generally condescending to him. I like the friendship between Sally and Audra, but I’m beginning to feel sorry for Audra having to listen to broken record Sally complaining and whining about Billy.
Not liking the storyline with Mariah kidnapping Dominic from Abby and Devon, which started this week with her skulking around outside the Chancellor mansion, then returning to the motel and talking with her hallucination of Ian Ward, trying to resist his attempts to persuade her to kidnap Dominic. As of Friday 1/30/2026, she had caved to Ian, went through with kidnapping Dominick, and is driving away with him in the back seat of the car. Also, they need to lay off the bronze spray tan on Abby’s pretty face. She looks plastic.
Raves:
On the flip side, because Dominic is so adorable (this is a child actor who can act), he makes Mariah tolerable.
It was fun to see Victor sitting calmly in his chair behind his desk in his office at Newman Enterprises, listening to Cane and Phyllis going off on him, then remaining still with his hands folded, watching the heated exchange between Phyllis and Victoria before declaring “enough” and throwing Cane and Phyllis out.
Interesting dynamic with Adam, Chelsea and Nikki in alignment after Chelsea spoke up and told Nikki about Victor enlisting Adam to trick Cane into thinking that Lily and his kids are in danger (as a way to lure Cane back to the bargaining table for Victor to regain Newman Enterprises).
Abby, who is a Newman, but not involved in the family business, expressing concern to her husband/Devon about it being in such peril, was a refreshing acknowledgement of the character’s paternal family roots.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
Interview with Sara Garcia of “The Hunting Party” on NBC by Suzanne 1/23/26
It’s always so nice to speak to Sara, or any of the actors from this series. It’s a pretty cool show, with a lot of drama, intrigue and action. If you missed season 1, you can catch up with it on Peacock. Season 2 started January 8th on NBC.
One thing that’s fun about this show is that they have great guest stars playing serial killers. So far this season, they’ve had Eric McCormack (“Will & Grace”), Niecy Nash (“All’s Fair”) and Michael Stahl-David (“Good Sam”). Check out our video and be sure not to miss this week’s episode Thursday, January 29.
The Hunting Party is a high-concept crime procedural about a small team of investigators led by former FBI profiler Rebecca “Bex” Henderson (Melissa Roxburgh). They’ve been assembled to track down and capture the most dangerous killers the world has ever seen, all of whom have just escaped from “The Pit,” a top-secret government prison that’s not supposed to exist.
But as Bex races to catch these killers before it’s too late, she’ll discover that the one thing more twisted than the dangerous fugitives she’s chasing is the prison itself that they just escaped from…because “The Pit” wasn’t just a prison.
The cast also includes Nick Wechsler, Patrick Sabongui, Josh McKenzie and Sara Garcia.
Co-showrunners JJ Bailey (creator) and Jake Coburn are writers and executive producers. Thor Freudenthal is director and executive producer. Michael Jones Morales is writer and executive producer.
“The Hunting Party” is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
Sara Garcia Bio
Sara Garcia stars as Jennifer Morales, an intel officer and major in the Army, on the NBC drama “The HuntingParty.”
Ontario-born and Toronto-raised, Garcia applied and was accepted to one of Toronto’s most prestigious arts schools, the Etobicoke School of the Arts. When it came time for college, Garcia chose to attend the renowned Queen’s University, where she double majored in global development and theater.
Her first foray on TV was a role on FX’s “Man Seeking Woman.” Other television credits include CW’s “The Flash” and “Reign,” “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,” Hallmark’s “Ride,” the USA series “Falling Water,” the SYFY movie “Stickman” and the action series “X Company” for the CBC.
Most recently Garcia had a leading role in the animated Netflix series “Unicorn Academy,” which garnered her a Canadian Screen Award nomination; a recurring part on Netflix’s “My Little Pony” franchise; Amazon’s “Gary & His Demons”; and the Apple TV/Dreamworks project “Pinecone & Pony.”
Outside of film and television, she has displayed her acting skills with major roles in two incredibly successful video game franchises, “Far Cry 6” and “Starlink: Battle for Atlas.”
Bex races to catch Zack Lang, a class-obsessed serial killer who bludgeoned wealthy New Yorkers. When Bex notices a sharp contrast between his victims in the past and present, the team has to dig into Zack’s unresolved trauma in order to stop him.
The team hunts for Amanda Weiss (guest star Elizabeth Gillies), a killer dubbed the Masseuse, who became famous for breaking the necks of her massage clients. She has kidnapped a woman and, rather than killing her, has even darker plans in mind.
ABOUT “THE HUNTINGPARTY”
A high-concept crime procedural about a small team of investigators who are assembled to track down and capture the most dangerous killers our country has ever seen, all of whom have just escaped from a top-secret prison that’s not supposed to exist.
The cast includes Melissa Roxburgh, Patrick Sabongui, Josh McKenzie and Sara Garcia.
Co-showrunners JJ Bailey (creator) and Jake Coburn are writers and executive producers. Thor Freudenthal is director and executive producer. Keto Shimizu is writer and executive producer.
The HuntingParty is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
Harrison plays a trick on Claire and Kyle with a fake emergency to get them both to come to the Abbott mansion. As soon as they arrive, he lets them know it was a false alarm and says that he needs their help with a school project. He gives them index cards and pens, asks them a few basic questions and has them write down their answers. Harrison is thrilled when most of their answers match and admits that he modified what was a school project to show them how much they have in common. Claire gets a text from Holden asking her to meet, but she tells Kyle and Harrison that she has to go to see her mom. In the foyer before Claire leaves, she and Kyle talk about the situation at her family’s company and Harrison’s sweet attempt at matchmaking. When Kyle returns to the living room, he admits to Harrison that he misses Claire.
A cheerful Sharon brings Nick back to her house from the hospital. His leg is on the mend and the doctor cleared him to go home with new pain meds. He is also now sporting a cane instead of the crutch.
Noah and Sienna come to Sharon’s house from a meeting with Michael Baldwin. Nick apologizes to them for how poorly he treated them right after his car accident when he was in excruciating pain. Sienna tells Nick and Sharon that since she and Matt were married under false pretenses, it will be easy for their marriage to be annulled. Nick and Sharon look uneasy. Sienna tells them that Victor was able to have all of Matt’s financial assets put into her name, except for the Shadow Room club. Noah adds that he enlisted the help of his grandfather, who had ownership of the club transferred to Noah. Sharon and Nick exchange glances of discomfort. Noah explains that he is planning to run the club remotely from Genoa City, to their relief. Sienna announces that it is time for her to go back to LA. Noah tries to talk her out of it and settle in Genoa City with him, but she insists that she has to return to LA. He winds up offering to go there with her, telling her that they can run the Shadow Room there together. Nick and Sharon look dismayed.
Victor is in his office, staring at his portrait, when Victoria comes in and gives him a hug. They discuss what to do to save their company. He assures her that he will not give up the fight for it and tells her how proud of her he is. When she asks what the plan is, he tells her that he reached out to Jill for help, but her health has gotten worse, so her assistance is not an option He also informs Victoria that he prefers not to tell her and Nikki about the plan he has come up with. Adam walks in, asks Victor what he contacted him about regarding the plan, and Victoria stomps out, angry that Victor chose to bring Adam in on the plan, not her. She meets up with Nikki at Society and vents to her mom about Victor. Nikki is okay with Victor keeping them in the dark because it’s to protect them, but she worries about possible ramifications of whatever the plan could be.
Victor tells Adam he needs him to find Lily and the children. When Adam asks if that would involve putting them in harm’s way, Victor assures him that he would never do that. He explains that he wants them to make Cane think that Lily and their kids are in danger, in order to lure Cane back to the bargaining table.
Here is what I liked and disliked about Y&R for the week of 1/19/2026 (just my humble opinions, no particular order, just random musings)
Raves:
Adam and Chelsea – I am really liking these two together, I think they have great chemistry, an organic and easy rapport and I’m rooting for them to stay together.
Nikki bonding with Chelsea – I was touched by the scenes at Newman Ranch when Nikki told Chelsea she was happy to have her supporting the family, that Chelsea fits in and that she can see why Adam loves her so much.
Tessa and Daniel make a nice couple, there’s definite sparks and chemistry between these two. (I prefer Tessa’s dark hair, the blonde makes her pretty face look kind of washed out)
So nice to see Abby and Devon again and nuDominic is adorable. Unfortunately, Mariah, who I do not like, is going to become involved in their storyline, but the trade off is seeing Ian Ward, who I enjoy, even though he’s just a hallucination for Mariah.
Rants:
Sally’s attitude – it seems like her sole purpose is to strut around whining and complaining to Billy and about him to her bestie, Audra.
The scenes in the 1/22 episode of Sally and Billy separately flashing back to previous conversations about Abbott Communications were overkill. Having to watch them arguing about their current situation is enough, don’t need to see them reviewing things in their minds.
What’s with Billy’s hair?! It looks like he was plugged into an electrical outlet!
Amy – this week was the first time I’ve seen her in the current storyline, and I have no prior familiarity with the character because I wasn’t a Y&R viewer back when she was initially on … ugh, I can’t stand her. She is abrasive and nosy, and the actress is horrible. Imho, she is trying way too hard (and falling flat). She is painful to watch.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
Having taken a long hiatus from Y&R, I recently decided to start watching it again.
After two weeks of watching the show, here are my initial impressions (just my humble opinions) in no particular order… just random musings:
Love, love, love the great Roger Howarth’s spin on the dastardly character of Matt Clark!
Billy + Sally = one big yawn fest, no chemistry, boring.
nuNoah … I must admit, I was skeptical about this recast because I did not particularly like him as Tripp on Days of our Lives and had been very invested in the previous actor’s portrayal of Noah. However, from the moment I first saw this Noah, I’ve been liking his take on the character very much. I also think there’s great chemistry between him and Sienna.
nuCane … I wish I could say the same about this recast, but it’s basically the opposite. I loved him as Chad on Days, but I cannot buy into him as Cane on Y&R. Watching scenes with Cane, all I see is the actor trying his best to become the character, but not coming through. IMHO, he and the storyline would have been better served if he had been cast as a brand new character with a troubled past connection with Victor Newman and his family, who came to Genoa City to take Victor down.
I’m enjoying the “womance” between Sally and Audra. It’s so refreshing to see a genuine friendship (BFF’s, bonding) between two women, rather than the usual soap rivalry, bitterness and all that goes with it. The scenes with Sally and Audra at Society on Thursday 1/15/2026 (when Audra gave Sally support and suggestions about Sally’s challenging relationship with Billy) were heartwarming.
Love how Newman sibs Adam, Nick and Victoria are all getting along and united against Cane and Phyllis’s attack on their family legacy.
Shout out to Joshua Morrow – I anoint him my Performer of the Week for 1/12/2026, for his portrayal of Nick. His performances were riveting in many ways, especially how he has been capturing the severe physical pain his character is in (from the breaking his fibula in his recent car accident). It seemed like every time Nick winced and grimaced in pain, I could feel his suffering.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
At Crimson Lights, Chelsea is working on her laptop. Esther brings her a coffee and expresses concern that Chelsea is contagious from the flu she had over New Year’s. Chelsea assures her that she’s fine now and dismisses Esther’s question about Newman Enterprises being under attack. Esther notices something about it on Chelsea’s computer. After Esther walks away, Chelsea texts Adam to meet her there because rumors are gaining speed.
Adam comes to the Newman Ranch to let Victor know that the Newman IT team thinks it has created an algorithm to trick Cane’s AI program to attack false targets instead of Newman Enterprises, so they need to run a few more tests. Victor tells Adam there’s no time for more testing and directs Adam to give them the go-ahead.
Noah and Nick are in Sharon’s living room discussing Nick’s dogged determination to get rid of Matt for good. Seeing how much pain his father is in, Noah implores him to concentrate on his health, not Matt. Sienna comes down from the bedroom, stands on the stairs, overhears them talking and heads back to the bedroom. When Sharon comes into the living room, Noah fills her in on Nick’s plan to kill Matt. Sharon makes it clear that as much as she wants to end Matt’s reign of terror, she is not on board with him being killed. She and Noah try to get Nick to go back to the hospital, but he steadfastly refuses.
Sienna sneaks out of Sharon’s house, going straight to Victor at Newman Ranch. She asks for his help to stop Nick from killing Matt by telling him that Nick has Matt stashed in the trunk of his car. She expresses her concern about what Matt is putting Noah through because of her and tells Victor that she doesn’t want Noah or Nick dragged down any further from involvement with Matt. She also lets Victor know that she’s in love with Noah, but she doesn’t think they have a future because they belong in different places. Victor tells her he appreciates her candor and agrees that perhaps it would be best for her to return home to LA when this is all over.
Victor and Sienna go to Sharon’s place, where Victor tries to dissuade Nick from his plan to kill Matt; he insists that Nick let him take care of Matt. Sharon and Noah chime in. Nick refuses, then pauses and asks Victor what he intends to do with Matt if he hands him over. Victor says it’s better that neither Nick nor any of the others know his plans.
Adam and Victoria meet with Chelsea in Crimson Lights to strategize dealing with the press. They talk about their concern with the toll the situation is taking on their father. Adam also mentions that he is worried Newman Enterprises is sinking and there’s nothing they can do about it. Victoria insists that will not happen. The three of them agree that they must come up with a way to save the Newman family legacy and protect their Victor by destroying Cane and Phyllis.
Interview with actors Sandro Rosta, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins, Bella Shepherd, Zoë Steiner, Karim Diané, Robert Picardo, and Gina Yashere, and showrunners/executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau of “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” on Paramount+ by Suzanne 1/7/26
I can’t tell you how much fun these interviews were. This is a very exciting Trek show, and I love these actors. I was especially excited to speak with Robert Picardo and Gina Yashere because of their previous work. The new series drops tomorrow, January 15, 2026 on Paramount+! If you loved “Star Trek: Discovery,” you should love this one as well.
STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY will premiere with two episodes on Thursday, January 15 on Paramount+ in the U.S. Following the premiere, new episodes of the 10-episode-long season will drop weekly on Thursdays, with the season finale on Thursday, March 12.
ABOUT SERIES
STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY introduces viewers to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.
The new series stars Academy Award winner Holly Hunter as Nahla Ake, the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy and Captain of the U.S.S. Athena, plus the cast of cadets played by Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins and Bella Shepard. Additional cast members include Zoë Steiner, Robert Picardo, Tig Notaro, Oded Fehr, Gina Yashere and Academy Award nominee Paul Giamatti, as the season’s villain.
Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau serve as co-showrunners and executive produce the series alongside executive producers Gaia Violo, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa and John Weber. The series’ premiere episode is written by Gaia Violo and directed by Alex Kurtzman. STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment.
Billy and Sally run into Cane and Phyllis at the GCAC. Phyllis goes off on a tirade to Billy, while Sally and Cane stand there in awkward silence.
Later, at the Crimson Lights patio, Phyllis gloats to Cane about how she handled Billy. Cane lets her know that he pressed the button on his phone which triggered the AI program to destroy Enterprises from within. Phyllis pulls Cane in close, kisses him, and they go to his train and have victory sex.
Billy tells Sally he found out that Phyllis and Cane are in cahoots to take down Newman Enterprises and they discuss the ramifications.
When they go to Sally’s suite and she leaves the living room momentarily, Billy calls Jack and tells him that Cane and Phyllis are working together against Victor. As Sally heads back to the living room, she eavesdrops on their conversation.
At the Newman ranch, Jack (accompanied by Kyle) tries in vain to convince Victor to accept his offer to trade Matt to Victor in exchange for the AI program. Victor gets a text, leaves, and Jack’s security team takes Matt away to a secure location.
When Victor returns, he digs in his heels with his refusal to accept Jack’s offer and banishes Jack and Kyle from the ranch. Then, he gathers Adam, Nikki and Victoria and alerts them that their family is under attack by the AI program going after it’s host.
Interview with Richard Wharton of “Days of Our Lives” on Peacock by Suzanne 11/13/25
I very much enjoyed speaking with Richard, who plays the “mad scientist” Dr. Rolf on Days of Our Lives. I’ve watched the show off and on since 1992, so I’ve seen his predecessor (Will Utay) play him for years. Wharton is a great replacement. He’s had a long career as a character actor. He’s one of the few I’ve ever interviewed that asked about me, or my work, as well. I hope you enjoy it! Make sure to catch him Mondays through Fridays on DOOL.
Richard Wharton was born in Chicago, Illinois, and attended Western Illinois University. He stayed at WIU for an additional two years to get a Masters Degree in what eventually became their MFA program. He is most known for taking over the role of Major Recurring Guest Star Dr. Wilhelm Rolf on Days of Our Lives in 2022 and has appeared in over 60 episodes. He can also be seen as Grayson in The Pitt on HBO Max, and as a Pawnbroker on several episodes of The Young and The Restless. Richard is particularly proud of his part in the “Claires sketch” in I Think You Should Leave, as well as his King’s Alchemist role in Dragon Storm – one of two Sci-Fi films he filmed in Bulgaria and directed by the late great Stephen Furst. Richard’s first film role was as Punk #2 trying to rob Billie Crystal and Gregory Hines in Running Scared. In addition to his training at WIU, Richard studied for a summer at The National Shakespeare Summer Conservatory in Woodstock, New York and studied Shakespeare in Chicago with Barbara Gaines, the artistic director of Chicago Shakespeare Rep. After college, Richard toured the country for 9 months performing with the Alpha Omega Players eventually returning to Chicago where he spent the next 19 years performing in various theatres. His first paid acting job was in 1976 as the apostle Peter in an outdoor drama, The Smoky Mountain Passion Play. He then got his Equity card working with Chicago’s Free Street Theater directed by Patrick Henry, after which he served as Co-Artistic Director of The Immediate Theatre in Chicago where he was nominated for a Joseph Jefferson Award for his portrayal of Henry Hackamore in Seduced by Sam Shepard. In his free time, Richard likes to read, hike, do yoga, go to the gym, go to the beach, play golf, watch movies, cook (he is the CDO at home, “Chief Domestic Officer”), and travel. He also loves to take long drives with his wife along the ocean or thru the mountains in his first “fun car”, a 2008 Toyota Solara Convertible which he bought in 2024. He is an on again off again sports fan, liking the 1985 Chicago Bears, The Jordan years of The Chicago Bulls and the Kobe/Shack years of the Lakers (the Phil Jackson years for both teams), The Cubs when Richard lived a block from Wrigley, the Dodgers, The Rams, and his current obsession, The Indiana Fever.
Days of our Lives is the multi-award-winning daytime drama that has weathered and reflected political and societal shifts without pause since 1965. Featuring drama, romance, mystery, and suspense, “Days” follows the lives, loves, and conflicts of the Horton, Brady, DiMera, Kiriakis, and Hernandez families and their many friends and colleagues. As one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, it is enjoyed in many foreign territories including Canada, Sweden, New Zealand, Israel, South Africa, and Australia. Peacock is the exclusive home of Days of our Lives. Audiences can access the past season and new episodes every weekday. Days of our Lives is produced by Corday Productions Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television.
Interview with Tyler Hynes and Paul Campbell of “Three Wisest Men” on Hallmark by Suzanne 10/29/25
This was a very fun interview! “Three Wisest Men” is the third in the series of Hallmark movies that started with “Three Wise Men and a Baby” and “Three Wise Men and a Boy.” I didn’t realize before this interview that Campbell co-created and co-wrote the movies! He’s written and starred in many others as well. I’ve enjoyed them all, but this one is even funnier than the previous movies. I laughed all the way through. He also played Billy in “Battlestar Galactica,” so that was an added bonus, since I’m a huge fan of that show. He and Hynes have a great rapport both in the movies and in interviews. I hope you enjoy our video. Watch the movie Saturday night on Hallmark 8/7C and then streaming the next day on Hallmark+. The third of their trio, Andrew Walker, couldn’t make the interview, which is too bad. They’re great in this movie, along with Margaret Colin, Lochlyn Munro and others.
Stars: Paul Campbell (Christmas at the Catnip Café), Tyler Hynes (The Groomsmen trilogy), Andrew Walker (She’s Making a List) Logline: The Brenner family is back, and their lives are more chaotic than ever! As Luke (Walker) is expecting twins, Taylor (Hynes) is debating a monumental job opportunity out-of-state, and Stephan (Campbell) attempts to plan for his upcoming nuptials, everyone’s stress heightens when they learn their mom (Colin) has put their childhood home up for sale, marking their final Christmas in the Brenner house. With unexpected in-laws visiting, wild animals lurking in freshly cut Christmas trees and a hesitant mall Santa, the boys will have their work cut out for them as the holiday begins to loom. As they navigate adulting at a level they have yet to reach, they must learn to once again lean on one another to rise to the needs of their growing family, conquer the newest challenges in their lives and, most crucially, have the best Christmas EVER!
Paul Campbell is a Canadian actor born on June 22, 1979, known for his roles in the TV series Battlestar Galactica and Knight Rider, and numerous Hallmark Channel movies. After working as a carpenter, he pursued acting, making his debut in 2002. He is also a writer and producer, married to Lorie Campbell with whom he has a son named Kingston.
Tyler Hynes is a Canadian actor and filmmaker born on May 6, 1986. He began his professional acting career at age eight, appearing on stage before moving to television and film, and is known for his roles in the Hallmark Channel’s romantic movies as well as for recurring roles on shows like Letterkenny, The Firm, and Saving Hope. He is also an accomplished director, producer, and writer, with credits including music videos and short films.
Interview with Ginna Claire Mason and Wes Brown of the movie “A Newport Christmas” on Hallmark by Suzanne 10/29/25
I really enjoyed this Hallmark Christmas movie, which has time travel, history and a lot of other fun stuff. It airs Sunday, 11/2/25 on Hallmark, and streaming the next day on Hallmark+! They were both really nice. It’s always nice to talk to people with a lot of warmth and enthusiasm. These two are so good in this movie. I’m a longtime fan of scifi and fantasy, as well as Christmas movies, so I enjoy when they combine all these elements. Check out their new song, too! “Timeless!”
About A NEWPORT CHRISTMAS Premieres: Sunday, November 2
Stars: Ginna Claire Mason (A Holiday Spectacular), Wes Brown (Haul out the Holly: Lit Up)
Logline: Ella (Mason) is a charitable and spirited Newport socialite in 1905 who dreams of using her wealth to start a foundation to help others in town. After learning her father intends for her to become engaged to a man she’s never met at the upcoming Christmas Eve ball, Ella goes for a nighttime sail in her schooner to clear her head. Upon seeing a comet shoot across the sky, she wistfully wishes for a different life. Ella is shocked to suddenly find Nick (Brown), a sailor and local Newport historian, aboard her schooner and accuses him of being a stowaway. But Nick insists he owns the boat and a standoff ensues. Once on dry land, Ella realizes that somehow, she’s traveled from 1905 to 2025. As she spends time there and gets a glimpse at what her future in 1905 appears to be, she becomes reluctant to return, especially since she and Nick have grown close and she now knows how true love feels. But the legacy Ella built in her time – and the course of Newport’s history – risks being erased the longer she stays in the present, so the two plot a course for her trip back through time. But what awaits her at home is even more surprising that what she found in the future.
Wes Brown (born January 26, 1982) is an American actor known for his role as Luke McDonald in HBO’s True Blood and other TV and film roles, including Hallmark movies. He was born in Fort Worth, Texas, raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and attended Louisiana State University, initially intending to pursue business before switching to acting. His career also includes roles in series like Hart of Dixie and Private Practice, and films such as Glory Road and We Are Marshall.
Ginna Claire Mason is an American actress known for her role as Glinda in the Broadway musical Wicked and her starring roles in Hallmark Channel movies. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, she graduated from Elon University with a BFA in Music Theatre. Mason is married to pilot Eric Moffett, and they have two children.
Interview with Ramona Floyd of “Murdaugh: Death in the Family” on Hulu by Suzanne 10/28/25
It was great to speak with Ramona about her role in this TV miniseries, which airs Wednesdays on HULU. It premiered October 15th and finishes up November 19th for the finale. I can’t wait! She plays Lynn Goettee, Alex Murdagh’s sister. The miniseries is based on the real-life story of the Murdagh family murders from 2021 in South Carolina. We had a nice, in-depth discussion about the show and her role in it.
SeriesPremieres Oct. 15, 2025, on Hulu (Three Episodes at Launch, Then Weekly)
Maggie and Alex enjoy a lavish life of privilege as members of one of South Carolina’s most powerful legal dynasties. But when their son Paul is involved in a deadly boat crash, the family is faced with a test unlike any they’ve ever encountered. As details come to light and new challenges emerge, the family’s connections to several mysterious deaths raise questions which threaten everything Maggie and Alex hold dear.
The series stars Patricia Arquette as Maggie Murdaugh, Jason Clarke as Alex Murdaugh, Johnny Berchtold as Paul Murdaugh, Will Harrison as Buster Murdaugh, Brittany Snow as Mandy Matney, J. Smith-Cameron as Marian Proctor, Gerald McRaney as Randolph Murdaugh and Noah Emmerich as Randy Murdaugh.
Inspired by the popular “Murdaugh Murders Podcast,” the series hails from co-creator and showrunner Michael D. Fuller (“Quarry,” “Rectify” and “Locke & Key”) and co-creator Erin Lee Carr (“Britney vs Spears,” “I Love You, Now Die” and “Mommy Dead and Dearest”). Nick Antosca (“A Friend of the Family,” “The Act” and “Candy”) and Alex Hedlund for Eat the Cat are executive producers along with Mandy Matney, David Moses and Bill Johnson. Steven Piet executive produced and directed episodes 101, 102 and 108. Patricia Arquette and Jason Clarke also serve as executive producers. UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the studio.
Ramona Floyd is a versatile stage and screen actor whose work spans Off-Broadway, television, and film. She has appeared in a wide range of acclaimed New York productions, including Please Go Gentle Into That Good Night, The Monument, the title role in Medea, and standout performances in Pygmalion and The Maids with the Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre. Other stage credits include Gone in 60, Arms and the Man, and Fulana. On screen, Ramona has built a career portraying everything from tough bosses to compassionate caregivers in popular series such as The Blacklist, The Punisher, FBI, True Detective, Girls5Eva, Blue Bloods, Bull, and the upcoming Murdaugh Murders: Death in the Family for Hulu.
Interview with star Drew Van Acker and director Jaco Bouwer of the film “Orion” by Suzanne 10/27/25
This is a smart, twisty, psychological thriller as well as a scifi movie. If you like good scifi, or suspenseful dramas, you should enjoy this. Drew Van Acker plays an astronaut, caught up in some intrigue, and he is interrogated by a mysterious person, played by Andrew McCarthy. I can’t tell you more because of spoilers. Just know that the description below is not entirely accurate, due to the twists and turns in this movie! I really enjoyed it, especially the great ending.
The interview, unfortunately, had many technical problems (at least for me). The video came out fine, but near the beginning, the sound went mostly out, and nothing I did fixed it. I apologize to the director, whose name I mispronounced throughout. I take full responsibility for the tech problems because I was on my phone instead of my computer. Bad choice on my part! Both gentlemen were very kind, though, as were the PR women helping me.
The movie is showing at various film festivals, so go see it if you can! ORION had its World Premiere at FilmQuest on Saturday, October 25th, and will have its International Premiere at Triste Film Festival November 1, 2025
Sunil Perkash, Drew Van Acker, Elle Army, Scott Army
RUN TIME
96 minutes
LOGLINE
ORION is an intense, sci-fi thriller about a Nasa Interrogator (Jim) tasked to help an amnesiac astronaut (Apollo) recover his memory in order to determine “who” or “what” killed the rest of the crew before they crash landed back on Earth.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT BY JACO BOUWER
When I received Orion’s script, it inspired me to create a film that continually kept the audience guessing at what the hidden truth might be, and therefore, on edge – not just through narrative twists, but brought about by the tension of what is not being said.
Orion is a meditation that hinges on the delicate balance between trust and doubt, and endeavours to celebrate all forms of language – spoken, cinematic, and experienced.
I grew up in South Africa, a country with 12 official languages, where realities of communication, translation, and misunderstanding are part of daily life. A cacophony of meaning and intent – which felt so relevant in the making of this film.
Together with production designer(Mike Conte) and cinematographer(David Kruta) we were able to conceptualise, design and build the sets together and so the world building was a unique way of development for me which reminds me of my theatre work and processes, embracing the concept of single location as referenced in some of my previous work. To be able to largely shoot in continuity also really helped the actors and myself arcing out their emotional journeys. To have enough time to develop the language and score tonality was a privilege in collaboration with long-time collaborator and composer Pierre-Henri Wicomb.
Of course, the production could only be brought to full fruition with the presence of our actors, Drew Van Acker, our Apollo – who himself has invested a great deal in the project – and the sharp intellect of Andrew McCarthy, with a nuanced performance and inescapable gravity to the mysterious Jim. Debbie Ryan with all her layers completes the lead ensemble.
The film navigates those unspoken spaces where meaning is unstable, and unpredictable, the film explores how language – intended to connect us – can also conceal, distort, and betray us – even more relevant than we could have possibly anticipated, with the onset of more authentic AI models, and the advent of more believable fake news, propaganda, begging to question the agenda of a current geopolitical landscape, in social media and speech of a global community.
It is a privilege to make films in a language other than my own, and in another country so far removed from what I grew up with – the process truly resonating on a deeper level as far as the scope, comprehension, and possibilities of communication and language could anticipate.
PRODUCER STATEMENT BY SUNIL PERKASH
Orion was initially an idea Drew Van Acker and I had, based on his love of space and our collective passion for great science fiction films that both entertained and explored humanity in a clever way (Star Wars, Total Recall, Inception etc…) We also were very interested in finding something that was all about the LANGUAGE of filmmaking. Rear Window and even Sleuth (Caine/Olivier) were two great films that relied on filmmaking -acting, camera, lighting, sound etc…- to transcend from their sparse locations. With that in mind, we went to the writer we had previously developed a script with, Anne Vithayathil. She had lived in India and US before settling in US from high school on, and with a degree from Dartmouth and Masters at Stanford, she had studied in Eastern Europe and loved all things spy related and had studied spy tactics in the 1960s, specifically how to use words as a weapon and manipulation.
Our goal was to tell a story that played out like the Russian Mystroishka doll!
Once the script was finished and we met with a number of wonderful directors that had enthusiastic takes on the material. But when we met with Jaco Bowser, something magnificent happened. In telling us the film he saw in his head, we realized, this was no longer our film, but his film we were about to be so fortunate to be a part of. Jaco had a knowledge of filmmaking that was impressive, as much as the most experienced directors I have worked with but perhaps because budgets are so low in South Africa, his approach was very humble and very specific. Needless to say, he instantly wowed us. He closely supervised an additional draft – specifically to fit his vision and ideas for the film, always balancing the spoken word and what was left unsaid.
With our day-to-day partners, Elle and Scott Army – who were critical in helping with financing, a true labor of love for them. Raising independent financing is just impossible today, I analogize it to asking a friend for a ride to the airport for a 2am flight!
Yet…all four of us (Elle/Scott/Drew and I) were able to find collaborators who believed and were even inspired by the vision Jaco and we all had for Orion.
We sponsored Jaco’s visa and working with renowned casting director Avy Kaufman and Leeba Zakarov, we found the perfect Jim in Andrew McCarthy. Jaco felt he had both an extremely affable and cerebral quality, crucial to mine to give Jim all the enigmatic complexities he required. Debby also connected deeply with the existential aspect of the material, and given how cherubically guileless her vibes were, Jaco also felt she would bring all he hoped to Mary, submerging the audience in a woman’s struggle to save her husband (even though…that was not at all what was going on.)
We then set out to make our film, another fortunate thing happened. By not having the mega budgets of my past Studio Films like Enchanted and Salt, it inspired all of us to find ways to stretch our budget, led by Jaco’s unwavering defiance to never compromise the story. He always used his creativity and imagination to find solutions that seemed to always be much more inspired than had we had the mega studio budgets to solve them without that process. And in the end, Jaco and the entire cast and crew found themselves meticulously using the language of filmmaking to tell a story that explores the nature of language in the world we live in today.
ACTOR-PRODUCER STATEMENT BY DREW VAN ACKER
Ever since I can remember I was driven by imagination. The idea of different people, different places, and different times all coming together to create “reality”. Movies, for me, were just that. A journey into the possible.
I’ll spare you my ENTIRE story, but a few years back, I started searching for and developing my own material through producing. It was something I had always been interested in, not just as a performer, but as a fan of story telling.
With “Orion”, I wanted to tell a story that combined my love of science fiction and my ever-present fascination with our communication as a species. It wasn’t until I saw a masterful turn in filmmaking, from a director out of South Africa, that I knew. He had to be the one to help tell this story. That film was “Gaia” and that director was Jaco Bouwer. “Gaia” transcended what I thought a film could be at that budget range. And that was exhilarating. THAT was what I wanted to be a part of. To be challenged. Afraid. Open…
My character, Apollo, is a man living in his very own multiverse of emotions and truths. Which, I realized during this process, we all are. Each scene allows him to explore the possibility that he isn’t as righteous as he wished to believe. He’s scared, troubled and anxious to peel back the onion. He’s confronted with having to find a way to believe his own lies in order to pass them as “truth”. Something all of us deal with on one level or another.
I was blessed when given the opportunity to explore these layers alongside two selfless individuals. Andrew McCarthy and Debby Ryan. I remember walking into the set and seeing Debby for the first time. I remember watching Andrew rehearse. I was being confronted with performances that were so honest, I had to question my own. I think that was a bit of a theme for me here, not only as an actor, but as a man. Facing my fears and doubts that I had long ignored.
This film is cerebral. That’s what makes it sparkle in my opinion. That “drive home” conversation type of movie. Talking about what you just saw. What motivated the characters? Who figured it out first? Truly moved by the honesty of what you witnessed. And that is where I want to be as an artist and a producer. A small part of stories that make people think. Make them talk to each other. Make them wonder…what’s POSSIBLE??
ABOUT THE CAST
ANDREW MCCARTHY | “Jim”
Andrew McCarthy is an award-winning travel writer, a television director, and, of course, an actor. He has appeared in more than two dozen films including such iconic 80s movies as Pretty in Pink and St. Elmo’s Fire. His recent documentary, BRATS, debuted at #1 on Hulu. He has directed nearly 100 hours of television, including Orange Is the New Black and Blacklist. Andrew has been named Travel Journalist of the Year by the Society of American Travel Writers, and for a dozen years served as an editor-at-large at National Geographic Traveler magazine. He has written for the NY Times, WSJ, The Atlantic, TIME, and many others. Andrew is the author of four New York Times Best Selling books. His latest, WHO NEEDS FRIENDS will be published in March of ’26.
DREW VAN ACKER | “Apollo”
Drew has been acting for over 16 years, including starring in Cartoon Network’s first live action show, Tower Prep, as well a lead role on the worldwide hit Pretty Little Liars for 7 seasons, Devious Maids for Marc Cherry, Training Day series for Jerry Bruckheimer, and Aqualad on the hit show Titans.
He recently wrapped Bethesda for the Lewis Bros directing and starring alongside Max Martini and Brianna Hildebrand.
He also starred in Addison Rae’s 2024 smash, top ten songs Music Video, Diet Pepsi directed by Sean Price Williams (The Sweet East, Cannes Premiere) which has over 32 million views on Youtube.
His 2022 critically acclaimed film Last Survivors, which he produced and starred alongside Alicia Silverstone and Stephen Moyer, had its World Premiere at the prestige genre festival Frightfest in London, and also played at Leeds International Film Festival.
The film also reached #1 on both Hulu (US) and Amazon Freevee (UK.) The Film also appeared on over ten “Best of” and “critics picks” lists including New York Times, Gizmodo, Screen Rant, Looper, and Collider.
He previously starred in the independent sci-fi feature Life Like, released by Lionsgate (trailer has over 14 million views) alongside James D’Arcy, Steven Strait and Addison Timlin as well as the comedy Spy Intervention with Poppy Delevigne and Blake Anderson.
DEBBY RYAN | “Mary”
Debby Ryan plays “Mary.” She has a MASSIVE fanbase: social media (15.7 MILLION Instagram followers, 11.6 Million Facebook, 7.6 million Tiktok, HUGE SOCIAL media following) and has most recently starred in Shortcomings (World Premiere Sundance 2023,) Horse Girl (World Premiere at Sundance 2020,) and Howdy Neighbor (World Premiered at Screamfest.) She is best known for her lead in the smash hit phenom Disney Channel Series JESSE.
She currently is in post production Famous for A24 starring alongside Zac Efron and expecting her first child with Husband Josh Dun, part of Twenty One Pilots musical duo.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
JACO BOUWER | DIRECTOR
Jaco Bouwer is an award-winning South African director whose work spans theatre, film, and television, known for his bold visual style and radical narrative approach.
He was awarded the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Drama in 2008 and went on to win Best Director three years in a row at South Africa’s premier theatre awards, the Fleur du Cap.
His debut feature film GAIA — a visually striking eco-horror — premiered at SXSW 2021, where it won the ZEISS Cinematography Award, and was sold by XYZ Films to multiple territories, including Bleecker Street (U.S.) and Altitude (U.K.). The film was featured as part of Hulu’s “Huluween” lineup in 2022.
Jaco also directed the haunting two-hander Breathing In, adapted from a play by acclaimed South African playwright Reza de Wet, for producer Jorrie van der Walt and Kaapland Films.
In television, he directed all 8 episodes of Spinners (produced by Joachim Landau / Federation MEAC for Canal+ and Showmax). The series made history as the first African series selected for Canneseries, and went on to win Best Series at the inaugural Dakar Series Festival in 2023. It premiered on Showmax in November 2023, with Season 2 currently in production.
Most recently, Jaco directed all 9 episodes of the true-crime limited series Niggies (Cousins) for kykNET. The show became a phenomenon, breaking every viewership record on the channel during its run.
Jaco’s work blends the personal and political with bold formal experimentation, confronting controversial subjects through layered, introspective storytelling.
ANNE VITHAYATHIL | WRITER
Anne Vithayathil is a writer with over ten years of experience as an intelligence analyst focused on Russia/Eastern Europe/Central Asia. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Stanford University, as well as a Fulbright fellow, she has traveled extensively and lived in the United States, India, Ukraine, Russia, and France. She specializes in dramatic thrillers based on spycraft, international espionage, and the military. Her script Year of the Dog, a one-hour pilot about a Chinese-American CIA agent, is currently being packaged as a TV series by Aleve Loh (Blacklight) and Mark Williams (Ozark) at Zero Gravity.
SUNIL PERKASH | PRODUCER
Sunil Perkash is an independent producer in Hollywood.
Perkash, who holds a B.A. in economics and communications from Stanford University, began his career in 1992 working as the U.S. Production Coordinator on CRONOS, Guillemo Del Toro’s directorial debut. He developed a number of projects at various major studios including MGM, Sony, Tristar, Disney, Warners and Dreamworks/Amblin. The Wrap listed Sunil in their list “Producers Who Are Making a Mark on Hollywood” and Fade In Magazine named him one of the ”Top 100 people to know in Hollywood.”
His major studio films include BLAST FROM THE PAST, for New Line, starring Brendon Frasier, Alicia Silverstone, Sissy Spacek and Christopher Walken. PREMONITION for Sony, starring Sandy Bullock, which grossed more that 85 million worldwide. Disney’s ENCHANTED which became a worldwide mega blockbuster grossing $340million and received rave reviews and numerous awards, including multiple oscar and golden globe nominations. SALT, a vehicle originally developed for Tom Cruise, but transformed into a female lead for Angelina Jolie. The film also became a worldwide blockbuster in summer of 2010, grossing $300mil! And DISENCHANTED, a sequel to the now classic ENCHANTED for Disney Plus starring Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey. The film reached #1 on Disney Plus worldwide.
His independent features include LIFE LIKE, starring Drew Van Acker, James D’Arcy, Addison Timlin and Steven Strait, distributed domestically by Lionsgate in May 2019, the film’s trailer has accumulated an unprecedented 14 million views on youtube.
And 2022’s Last Survivors starring Alicia Silverstone, Stephen Moyer, and Drew Van Acker, was released in February 2022 by Vertical Entertainment to strong reviews. The film had its world premiere at Frightfest in London and also played at Leeds International Film Festival last fall. The film received strong reviews and reached #1 on Hulu in the US and #1 on Amazon Freevee in the UK. The film appeared on numerous “best of” or Critic’s Picks lists including New York Times, Screen Rant, Looper, Collider, Movieweb amongst others.
ELLE ARMY | PRODUCER
Elle began her career as a successful model – walking in NYFW, being featured in magazines such as Men’s Health and GQ, as well as working with iconic brands like Calvin Klein, Guess, Aerie and Nike. As an actress, Elle starred in Life Like along with Drew Van Acker. The trailer for Life Like has amassed 14 million views. That led Elle to playing the lead in the Lifetime movie, Fatal Fashion. Before transitioning into producing, Elle helped her husband Scott Army build Vision Hill Group; a multi-faceted asset management business in the digital asset space. Vision Hill Group was bought by Galaxy Digital in 2021.
Elle received a BA in Cinematography and Film Production and a BFA in Musical Theater from Loyola University Chicago.
SCOTT ARMY | PRODUCER
Scott Army is an entrepreneur and investor. He founded Vision Hill Group in 2017 after a 13 year career as an executive at JP Morgan. Vision Hill Group was a hedge fund and advisory platform in the digital asset space. After a very successful acquisition of Vision Hill Group to Galaxy Digital in 2021, Scott took his knowledge and investment acumen to MeetPerry in 2024 as their Head of Alternatives. His work at MeetPerry spans across alternative asset strategies, sourcing differentiated opportunities, and advising founders and portfolio companies through complex growth phases. Scott’s ability to structure funds, run a complex due diligence process and lead process-driven teams makes him an excellent partner for creating a film fund. Scott connects macroeconomic vision with granular execution earned him the trust of both institutional partners and entrepreneurial teams.
Scott received his BA from Georgetown Magna Cum Laude at Georgetown University in Business Administration double majoring in Finance and International Business.
KARIN ANN | SINGER, SONGWRITER, ACTRESS
Described as “Gen-Z’s new alt-pop protagonist”. 22-year-old Slovakian wunderkind Karin Ann makes music with Gothic grandeur, sophisticated indie balladry and theatrical art-pop, while strutting alt-rock riffs that explode into radio-conquering choruses. Her music explores a wide range of themes including gender equality, the LGBTQ+ experience, mental health, and love toxicity.
Voted “Discovery of the Year” at the Czech Republic Music Awards 2021, Karin Ann is the first Slovak artist to appear on a Times Square billboard as a part of Spotify’s EQUAL Music Program highlighting women making a difference in the music industry.
Karin Ann has opened tours for Yungblud, Imagine Dragons, LP, Paris Paloma, and Alfie Templeman, and makes her debut appearance at SXSW in 2024.
DAVID KRUTA | CINEMATOGRAPHER
David Kruta is an award-winning Director of Photography known for his work on films such as “Concussion” (Sundance Official Selection) and “The Sounding,” for which he won the Haskell Wexler Award for Best Cinematography. Most recently, he shot “Black Friday” starring Bruce Campbell, “Agent Game” starring Mel Gibson and Jason Isaacs, and “The Last Thing Mary Saw”, starring Stefanie Scott and Isabelle Fuhrman. David is a two-time Emerging Cinematographer Awards recipient and a 2023-2024 ASC Vision Mentee.
MIKE CONTE | PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Mike Conte has been working as a production designer and art director for over 20 years in Film, TV and Commercials in LA, NY, and internationally.
As a production designer, his films have screened in film festivals such as Fright Fest, Denver Film Festival, Fantasy Film Fest – Trespassers, and won awards at Madrid International Film Fest, and NoHo Cinefest — Three Hours Between Planes.
A well-rounded artist, Mike studied photography and sculpture at Columbus College of Art and Design, and is also an accomplished musician. Mike has worked as a composer and toured the world with his band, Early Man.
Mike is currently working in Los Angeles as the art director on I Want Your Sex, starring Olivia Wilde, directed by Gregg Araki.
NEIR ATHERTON | COSTUME DESIGNER
Neil Atherton is best known for Costume Designing Bad Shabbas, which played at Tribeca and had a very successful theatrical run grossing 1.5 million in limited engagement. He also designed the 2021 The Wheel directed by Steve Pink that had its world premiere at TIFF.
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to Adam and Chelsea, Jack and Diane
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Currently, Polaha is in production on the Amazon MGM limited series, AMERICAN HOSTAGE, opposite Gianni Rabisi and Jon Hamm. Polaha plays “Dick Hall,” the president of Meridian Mortgage in Indiana who is taken hostage by Tony Kiritsis (Ribisi), who publicly accuses him of being a greedy and cutthroat monster. But the real human being is more complicated than that. The series is based on a true story that captured the attention of America in the 1970s.
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Having taken a long hiatus from Y&R, I recently decided to start watching it again.
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obsession, The Indiana Fever.
and Knight Rider, and numerous Hallmark Channel movies. After working as a carpenter, he pursued acting, making his debut in 2002. He is also a writer and producer, married to Lorie Campbell with whom he has a son named Kingston.
Wes Brown (born January 26, 1982) is an American actor known for his role as Luke McDonald in HBO’s True Blood and other TV and film roles, including Hallmark movies. He was born in Fort Worth, Texas, raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and attended Louisiana State University, initially intending to pursue business before switching to acting. His career also includes roles in series like Hart of Dixie and Private Practice, and films such as Glory Road and We Are Marshall.
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Fuller (“Quarry,” “Rectify” and “Locke & Key”) and co-creator Erin Lee Carr (“Britney vs Spears,” “I Love You, Now Die” and “Mommy Dead and Dearest”). Nick Antosca (“A Friend of the Family,” “The Act” and “Candy”) and Alex Hedlund for Eat the Cat are executive producers along with Mandy Matney, David Moses and Bill Johnson. Steven Piet executive produced and directed episodes 101, 102 and 108. Patricia Arquette and Jason Clarke also serve as executive producers. UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the studio.
ABOUT THE CAST