TV Insider sat down with creator, Jeff Davis, and stars Tyler Posey and Tyler Hoechlin about the project.
Davis revealed that "the studio wanted it," speaking of the formal pickup to the outlet.
(Jeff Davis/MTV)
Posey, who plays Scott McCall, said that he "wouldn't stop bugging him [Davis] about it."
Davis also said that there was the option of him not writing the movie, but he wanted to.
“I’m like, ‘I’m writing this. Nobody else is writing this,'” he shared.
“That’s always fun to do, to see where are [the characters now] now and to create a story off of that.”
(MTV)
Posey went on to speak about what it meant to return to San Diego Comic-Con for the first time since the MTV series ended.
“We would take the train down, we would party and hang out on the train and the second we got here it was just this endless vacation for us," Posey recalled.
"So the fact we can be here again is another thing that’s just serendipitous and a landmark for us and very happy to be back.”
"A full moon rises in Beacon Hills and with it a terrifying evil has emerged," reads the official logline.
"The wolves are howling once again, calling for the return of Banshees, Werecoyotes, Hellhounds, Kitsunes and every other shapeshifter in the night," the logline continues.
(Jeff Davis/MTV)
"But only a werewolf like Scott McCall (Posey), no longer a teenager yet still an Alpha, can gather both new allies and reunite trusted friends to fight back against what could be the most powerful and deadliest enemy they’ve ever faced."
The cast includes Tyler Posey, Tyler Hoechlin, Holland Roden, Shelley Hennig, Crystal Reed, Orny Adams, Linden Ashby, JR Bourne, and Colton Haynes.
Also on board is Ryan Kelley, Melissa Ponzio, Ian Bohen, Vince Mattis, Nobi Nakanishi, Khylin Rhambo, Amy Workman, and Dylan Sprayberry.
We finally know when we can check back in with the residents of Beacon Hills, and it's soon.
During the New York Comic Con panel for the Teen Wolf Movie, it was revealed that the special event will launch on January 26, 2023!
That means we don't have long to wait to check back in with the humans, wolves, and everything in between who resides in the popular town.
(Paramount+)
"A full moon rises in Beacon Hills, and with it, a terrifying evil has emerged," reads the official logline.
"The wolves are howling once again, calling for the return of Banshees, Werecoyotes, Hellhounds, Kitsunes, and every other shapeshifter in the night," the logline continues.
(Jeff Davis/MTV)
"But only a werewolf like Scott McCall (Posey), no longer a teenager yet still an Alpha, can gather both new allies and reunite trusted friends to fight back against what could be the most powerful and deadliest enemy they've ever faced."
The cast includes Tyler Posey, Tyler Hoechlin, Holland Roden, Shelley Hennig, Crystal Reed, Orny Adams, Linden Ashby, JR Bourne, and Colton Haynes.
Also on board is Ryan Kelley, Melissa Ponzio, Ian Bohen, Vince Mattis, Nobi Nakanishi, Khylin Rhambo, Amy Workman, and Dylan Sprayberry.
Unfortunately, Dylan O'Brien and Arden Cho have confirmed they will not be back for the movie.
(Jeff Davis/MTV)
It's unclear whether their characters will be mentioned, but we can hope.
While the movie order was a surprise to many, it has been revealed that the studio was interested in bringing the franchise back to life with a movie.
Jeff Davis, the series creator, previously opened up to TV Insider about being a part of the project.
"I'm like, 'I'm writing this. Nobody else is writing this,'" he shared.
Good TV is made not only by great stories but also by great characters.
Through characters, viewers can learn, identify with, criticize and emulate certain traits they most identify with in characters and the narratives surrounding them.
Television leaves little to no ambiguity when it comes to deciding the moral leanings of its characters. Mostly it’s as binary as good and evil.
(MTV/Netflix/The CW)
Realistically speaking, no one character is either good or bad. It’s a mixture of both but heavily leaning to one side.
Below, we have compiled some of the best characters who, at some point, switched sides permanently or semi-permanently.
(The CW)
13. Dolores on Westworld
Dolores's story makes many viewers sympathize with her despite her being an android.
In the early seasons of Westworld, Dolores, like many other hosts in the park, found herself on the receiving end of the guests. Their cruelty, depravity, and lack of humanity landed squarely on the hosts' shoulders.
One would think that Dolores would know better.
When hosts eventually got the chance to escape the park, some, like Charlotte, had decided earlier that they would rain hell on humans. Dolores also joined them.
She became the storyteller, weaving narratives for humans and deciding how their lives would play out. It took a lot not to hate her for it.
(HBO)
12. Robin on DC Titans
All Robin wanted to do was help Batman fight crime in Gotham. Batman treated him like a kid who had no idea what he wanted.
During some of his exploits, Robin dies.
He is resurrected by a man who deprives him of anything good, leaving a shell of Robin. The shell was Redhood.
In his pursuit of revenge, Robin attacks his former teammates and declares war on them.
(Ben Mark Holzberg/HBO Max)
11. Hal Cooper on Riverdale
Hal was a model father. He was engaged in the community, cared for his family, and was a trophy husband.
Underneath all that presentation of the exterior, Hal was a serial killer, having committed some of the most gruesome murders in the history of Riverdale.
At a certain point, he lets go of the performance and embraces his inner nature fully. And then he came for Betty. If a line had not been drawn by then, it was time. No one touches Betty.
(The CW)
10. Agatha on Wandavision.
Agatha was your typical neighbor in Wanda’s world.
In one of the most challenging times in Wanda’s life, she truly believed that this reality she had been living was one of her makings.
Until Agatha came clean, she had manipulated Wanda’s grief using magic and had created the whole thing.
What was particularly cruel was how she hit where it hurt the most; Vision and the children.
It was Agatha all along!
(Disney+)
9. Russel Edington on True Blood.
What did humans do when they realized that vampires lived among them? They accepted them and tried to assimilate them into their community.
All-time, the chorus was, “look at us; we are all so similar. We have more in common than we have in differences.” But deep down, anti-vampire sentiments were held.
Russel was your typical vampire, keeping his head down, not wanting to upset humans until his lover was killed.
He went on primetime live television, ripped the head off a news anchor, and laid out his rule. What followed was a proper blood bath.
8. Father Paul on Midnight Mass.
All Father Paul ever wanted was to serve the people on the island to the best of his abilities. Being human, however, old age and diseases were slowly catching up to him.
When he met an angel, the angel allowed him to feed on his blood, bringing back his youth. He also wanted to heal people, so he fed them his blood, and ones with terminal illnesses started getting better.
However, he got greedy.
He started to feed on his congregants to satisfy his never-ending thirst for human blood. As a result, he transferred his disease to the congregation, thus dooming them to death by sunlight.
((c) Courtesy of Netflix 2021)
7. Dexter Morgan on Dexter and Dexter: New Blood.
Dexter was a monster; no doubt about it. He, however, was a good monster. He cleaned the filthiest filth off the streets of Miami.
He was generally a good guy, even though he got a kick out of it. Model brother, coworker, husband, and dad.
Ten years later, we meet him as Jim.
This was where all his good intentions went out the window. He had never killed an innocent person before, but when he realizes he is about to be caught, he murders an innocent police officer in cold blood.
He lived a hero but died a villain.
(Seacia Pavao/Showtime)
6. Kanan Stark on Power and Power Book III: Rasing Kanan.
The story of Kanan from Power was apparent. He was a master manipulator and killer.
Revisiting his earlier life in Queens on Rasing Kanan, he was your typical black teenager trying to survive a hostile environment. But in all that mess, he was still a good boy.
How he turned out to be one of the worst villains in Power’s history is, in large part, not only his mother’s fault but also his own. He came to love that life.
(STARZ)
5. Jordan Kent on Superman and Lois.
Granted, it was not the real Jordan, but the resemblance was too strong to ignore. Earth Jordan was a well-natured boy whose biggest problems were making the football team and keeping his girlfriend.
Enter bizarro Jordan, who was a proper bad boy. He beat Clark Kent within an inch of his life.
(Shane Harvey/The CW)
4. Olivia Foxworth on Flowers in the Attic.
Olivia had lived a very sheltered life. She was a sweet-natured spinster who, after being married and finding herself in a peculiar situation, tried to rise above it.
She treated everyone with compassion and understanding, helping her Black servants, broken stepmother, and Queer child when no one else would touch them with a ten-inch pole.
The biggest mistake she made was falling in love with a man who lacked humanity.
After enduring years and years of physical and sexual abuse from her husband, she turned to a cold monster who weaponized religion and locked her grandchildren in the attic to punish their mother.
(Lifetime)
3. Bode Locke on Locke and Key.
Bode was your typical kid. Even after losing his dad, he found reasons to smile and be happy.
He was so innocent that he believed that flipping someone off was a visual depiction of telling them, “aloha!”
When he finds a time-traveling key, he messes up, and Dodge takes over his body.
Granted that it wasn’t indeed him, but the body was still his, and everyone believed him to be in there, it took everybody by surprise when he started becoming rude, mean, and careless.
The possession lasted a short while, but we learned that an evil Bode was not someone one would want to cross in that short period.
(AMANDA MATLOVICH/NETFLIX)
2. Hope Mikaelson on Legacies.
Hope was the only one of her kind. She was a hybrid of a vampire, wolf, and witch.
With enemies coming for her from all corners, she needed all the powers she could get to defeat them.
To become a true hybrid, she had to turn off her humanity to activate the vampire in her.
And when she did that, she became uncontrollable. She would feed on people without care and give her friends a good ass whooping when they tried to help her.
Ultimately she was able to get her humanity back, but those who came across “humanity off” Hope would tell you they wouldn't want that again.
(Ben Adams/The CW)
1. Stiles Stlinsky on Teen Wolf
Stiles was the heart of his friend group. He was the funny guy who made everything seem much better when life was at stake.
During one of the group's many exploits, Stiles "dies" while making a symbolic sacrifice to save his father.
This leaves him exposed and his soul is corrupted by an old Japanese spirit.
He goes after his friends, making their lives a living hell. Lucky for him, he is saved by his friends.
(MTV)
In a season-long arc, viewers missed the old Stiles because void Stiles was a force to be reckoned with.
•••••
And those are our good characters who broke our hearts by flipping to the dark side.
Which ones broke your heart the most when it happened?
Fans of Teen Wolf were given an almighty treat during Brazil's Comic Con Xperience (CCXP) on Sunday.
Oh, and there was even a treat for potential fans of Wolf Pack, the new series from the Jeff Davis, the creator of Teen Wolf.
Both Teen Wolf and Wolf Pack are set to premiere Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023 exclusively on the service in the U.S. and Canada.
(Curtis Bonds Baker/AMC)
The film, written and produced by Jeff Davis, will premiere the following day on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023 on Paramount+ in the U.K. and Australia.
In Latin America and Brazil, the film will be available early next year. Premiere dates for other Paramount+ international markets will be announced at a later date.
(Paramount+)
The trailer was unveiled during today’s joint Teen Wolf: The Movie and Wolf Pack panel at CCXP featuring Colton Haynes, Shelley Hennig and Wolf Pack's Rodrigo Santoro.
In Teen Wolf: The Movie, produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and MGM, a full moon rises in Beacon Hills and with it a terrifying evil has emerged.
The wolves are howling once again, calling for the return of banshees, werecoyotes, hellhounds, kitsunes and every other shapeshifter in the night.
But only a werewolf like Scott McCall (Tyler Posey), no longer a teenager yet still an alpha, can both gather new allies and reunite trusted friends to fight back against what could be the most powerful and deadliest enemy they’ve ever faced.
(Curtis Bonds Baker/AMC)
Based on the book series by Edo Van Belkom, Wolf Pack follows a teenage boy and girl whose lives are changed forever when a California wildfire awakens a terrifying supernatural creature and drives it to attack a highway traffic jam beneath the burning hills.
Wounded in the chaos, the boy and girl are inexplicably drawn to each other and to two other teenagers who were adopted sixteen years earlier by a park ranger after another mysterious wildfire.
As the full moon rises, all four teens come together to unravel the secret that connects them – the bite and blood of a werewolf.
Teen Wolf: The Movie stars Tyler Posey, Crystal Reed, Holland Roden, Shelley Hennig, JR Bourne, Orny Adams, Colton Haynes, Linden Ashby, Melissa Ponzio, Ryan Kelley, Seth Gilliam, Ian Bohen, Dylan Sprayberry, Vince Mattis, Khylin Rhambo, Amy Workman, Nobi Nakaniski, and Tyler Hoechlin.
(Curtis Bonds Baker/AMC)
Check out the trailer below and scroll down for Wolf Pack goodness.
Wolf Pack stars Armani Jackson, Bella Shepard, Chloe Rose Robertson, Tyler Lawrence Gray, Rodrigo Santoro, and Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Additional cast includes Bailey Stender, Chase Liefeld, Hollie Bahar, Lanny Joon, Rio Mangini, Stella Smith, Zack Nelson, James Martinez, Amy Pietz, Bria Brimmer, John L. Adams and Sean Philip Glasgow.
Sometimes, it is tragic when a character dies. Other times, death is a cause for celebration, a villain vanquished at long last. Either way, death closes the book on a character, and dealing with that is a huge deal.
We have to reconcile ourselves to a world without this character. We have to make peace with never seeing them again. Well, never say never because sometimes, characters come back from the dead.
This twist has routes in soap operas, but as annoying as redemption arcs are, it's impressive when a show can surprise us.
(The CW (Screenshot)/MTV (Screenshot)/ABC (ScreenShot))
If we didn't see a body, we might suspect something, but sometimes we believe someone is dead only to learn they aren't.
It's impressive when a show does this.
Check out our list of the top 13 death fakeouts when a show made you think someone was dead.
On Vampire Academy Season 1 Episode 1, Lissa Dragomir loses her family in a car accident. They stay dead in the books, so there was no reason to suspect that we would see any of Lissa's family after that fatal car crash.
It was a huge shock when it was revealed on Vampire Academy Season 1 Episode 9 that Andre was alive. He was held captive by villain Tatiana Vogel, who arranged for the crash and saved Andre so she could use him.
Andre eventually escapes and appears to die again, only for the reveal on Vampire Academy Season 1 Episode 10 that he had been turned into a Strigoi, an evil undead vampire.
2) Conner Kent – Young Justice
Conner Kent, AKA Superboy, was on mars planning to marry his long-term martian girlfriend M'gann, AKA Miss Martian, when a racist plot against certain Martians was revealed.
On Young Justice Season 4 Episode 4, Connor sacrifices himself to stop a dangerous weapon, not realizing kryptonite is part of the weapon. This devastated fans, as Connor was one of the OG members of the cast. His and M'gann's love story was one for the ages.
Fans were thrilled when it was revealed that Connor was still alive, just stuck in the phantom zone. He was eventually rescued and reunited with M'gann just before the wedding.
The horror genre is full of death. When foster siblings Kyle and Andy from the Child's Play franchise guest star on the Chucky, they are on a mission to destroy every last doll. This lands them in some hot water.
Kyle is tricked into triggering a bomb, seemingly killing herself, Andy, and two others. However, it is later revealed that both of them survived.
Kyle and Andy can defeat Chucky for good, or so they believe. Unlike Kyle and Andy, we're hoping Chucky stays dead.
While The Walking Dead Season 10 was filming, actress Lauren Ridloff needed time off to film Eternals. They decided to kill her off in a cave-in to provide her with this time off.
She seemed well and truly dead, but in the finale of The Walking Dead Season 10, it was revealed that Connie was very much alive.
Connie rejoined the series on The Walking Dead Season 11. Virgil rescued her, and after surviving an ordeal in a feral people-infested house, she was reunited with the group.
Midway through Fear The Walking Dead Season 4, it was revealed that Madison sacrificed herself; she led a horde of zombies away so the others could escape.
Fans were surprised when Madison returned on Fear The Walking Dead Season 7. No longer a good guy, Madison is now a child thief working for the PADRE organization.
However, when Peter Reckell, the actor who plays Bo Brady, decided to leave Days of Our Lives for good, we genuinely believed Bo died of an inoperable brain tumor.
We watched his wife and children move on for seven years without him, so it was quite a shock to fans to see Bo suspended in a cryogenic chamber, still very much alive.
As a high-ranking member of Mr. Wilford's Hospitality team on Big Alice, Kevin is taken prisoner by Layton's Snowpiercer team, coerced into giving up information with the first real food he's eaten in years, and then exchanged for Melanie.
Wilford doesn't forgive this betrayal and forces Kevin to slit his wrists in a bathtub upon his return to Big Alice. Kevin's demise seems assured until it's revealed that bringing people back from the brink is just another of Wilford's kinks.
When Miss Audrey returns to his side, Wilford's first test of her loyalty is to "retrain" Kevin, who has been useless to him since the whole "kill yourself for me" thing.
For the premise of Revenge to work, David Clarke, the father who the protagonist Emily was trying to avenge, needed to be dead. For three seasons, it appeared he was.
On the finale of Revenge Season 3, fans were shocked when it was revealed that David Clarke was very much alive. Not long after this reveal, longtime antagonist Victoria Grayson appeared to commit suicide.
Writers assured fans in interviews that Victoria was genuinely dead, so fans were shocked and furious when it was revealed that Victoria had faked her death.
Lena Luthor killing her brother to protect her friends, only for him to reveal that her friends had been lying to her, was a massive part of her character's arc on Supergirl Season 5.
Lex's death, sadly, did not last. He was resurrected when the universe rebooted on the Supergirl Season 5 crossover episode.
Lex is a villain we grew tired of, so his resurrection was not welcome. However, it did change Lena's trajectory, which we are grateful for.
Zelena was created because the showrunners loved Rebecca Madder as an actress. As a villain, her death was inevitable and satisfying.
However, when the showrunners saw an opportunity to bring Rebbeca back, they jumped on it, claiming Zelena was never dead and had merely been impersonating Maid Marian.
It wasn't the most believable, but how many of these are?
A strong motivator for protagonist Oliver Queen and love interest Dinah Laurel Lance was the death of Laurel's sister, Sara.
We were told on Arrow season 1 Episode 1 that Sara died because of Oliver while he was cheating with her on her sister, and we believed it. Fans were shocked when Sara was revealed alive on Arrow Season 2.
While Sara being alive kind of screwed over Laurel as The Black Canary, the Sara character became a fan favorite. She would die and come back many times on Arrow and the spin-off DC's Legends of Tomorrow.
Allison Argent was protagonist Scott McCall's main love interest on Teen Wolf. It was clear the writers wanted Scott and Allison to be endgame.
However, when the actress wanted to leave the show, they had her die in Scott's arms of a stab wound inflicted by an Oni's sword.
Allison's memory was maintained throughout the series, but Scott moved on, and she was still dead when the series ended. However, Allison is set to be alive in the Teen Wolf movie, set to premiere on Paramount+ in January.
What do you think of our list? Were there any death fakeouts that we missed? Let us know in the comments.
We've just run down the best (and worst) of 2022. So, what's got us excited for 2023?
There is so much good TV waiting in the wings, not to mention some movies we've been aching to see.
Here's a list of everything we're excited about in the entertainment world.
(HBO/Lionsgate/Prime Video)
Teen Wolf: The Movie (Paramount+)
MTV's biggest scripted hit returns with a movie, and we are so here for it.
Enemies were plentiful in Beacon Hills, and they're mounting once again, forcing Alpha Scott McCall to gather a trusted band of allies to ward off evil with their many respective (supernatural) talents.
What has us the most worried is Allison Argent's return from the dead, bow in hand, hunting the man she once loved.
This is going to be good, so plan on catching it on release day, January 26.
Harrison Ford's Continued Renaissance
Ford's first regular role in 1923 is just the tip of the iceberg for the actor's very big year ahead.
February finds him starring alongside Jason Segal in the Apple TV+ series, Shrinking, a comedy about, you guessed it, shrinks. Ford's greatest roles have always been infused with humor, and he should be in his element here.
Add to the fact that it's written by Brett Goldstein, Bill Lawrence, and Segal, and it adds up to a spectacular treat.
Most exciting of all, Ford is hoping to recapture the magic as iconic adventurer Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Dial us is for excitement as the charming actor makes 2023 one to remember!
Shrinking premieres on Apple TV+ on January 27, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny drops in theaters on June 30.
Star Trek: Picard Season 3
Troll haters be damned, we cannot wait to see the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation reunited for this final season of Admiral Picard’s retirement-but-not-really adventures.
We imagine it’ll be like Ocean’s 11 and R.E.D. had a space-traveling, galaxy-saving baby, and it’s going to be the best of all worlds.
Additionally, the possibility exists of this final arc spinning off into the fan-endorsed Raffi and Seven series. We know that Michelle Hurd and Jeri Ryan are up for it, and the world needs more badass, smart-mouthed, high-flying, confident-but-vulnerable, romantically linked adventuring partners. Right?
Star Tre: Picard Season 3 premieres February 16 on Paramount+.
Yellowjackets Season 2
Showtime's ensemble thriller about a group of young girls forced to survive after a plane wreck and how their lives were affected 30 years later is the closest to watercooler TV (apart from Game of Thrones) that we've come in a long time.
Yellowjackets Season 1 ended with more questions than we care to count, but the story was so well told throughout that we have no doubts that answers will be coming and that they'll knock our socks off.
So far, we know that Simone Kassell had been cast as adult Lottie, but we suspect we'll be in for many surprises once the season gets underway.
Yellowjackets Season 2 premieres on March 24 on streaming and March 26 on linear TV. Spoilers can ruin the experience, so we know when we'll be watching!
Poker Face (Peacock)
Russian Doll's Natasha Lyonne starring in a series written by Knives Out scribe Rian Johnson? Sign us up!
Poker Face finds Lyonne's character on a crime-solving road trip in which she encounters characters played by Adrien Brody, Chloë Sevigny, and Tim Meadows, among others.
Little by little, Peacock is adding impressive talent to its lineup, and this is definitely one to watch.
Poker Face premieres January 16 on Peacock.
65 (In Theaters)
What is it about Adam Driver that allows him to fit into so many different roles? His enviable talent, of course, and his relatability, for sure.
So who better to blast off hoping to find alien life only to find himself as the sole adult survivor, caring for a child on earth 65 million years ago?
Epic tales of survival are always a good bet, and with Driver at the helm, 65 should set the course for incredible action and adventure.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos (Disney+)
Kathryn Hahn will reprise her iconic role in this WandaVision spinoff.
Aubrey Plaza, Joe Locke, and Patti LuPone are just some of the big names teased, so we're very excited to see what happens next.
Will Wanda pop up and save the day again, or will Agatha unleash holy hell on the world?
There are many questions, and we deserve some answers. Coming Winter 2023.
John Wick: Chapter 4 (In Theaters)
It all started for us when someone killed John Wick's puppy. There was never a more direct hit on our senses, opening us to all of Wick's rage.
We've fought by his side for three installments so far, and although we know relatively little about John Wick: Chapter Four, we also have little doubt that the violence will be similarly earned.
Fan-favorite Keanu Reeves ensures that John Wick is a hero for the ages, and what scares us the most is that director Chad Stahelski has said time might be up for Wick's chances for a happy ending.
John Wick: Chapter 4 is in theaters on March 24, 2023.
The Last of Us (HBO)
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey headline this TV adaptation of the hit video game series.
The project hails from Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann and Chornobyl's Craig Mazin.
There's a lot at stake in this universe.
We've watched the entire first season and can't wait to share our thoughts next month!
The Last of Us premieres on January 15 on HBO.
Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One (In Theaters)
When was the first trailer for Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One, anyway? It might have been before we knew it would be released in two parts.
Tom Cruise has successfully ridden the waves as Ethan Hunt for six films, and already the promise of the seventh and eighth is off the charts.
The villain this go around will be played by Esai Morales, and Cruise will be accompanied by many familiar faces, including Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebeca Ferguson, Henry Czerny, and Vanessa Kirby.
Go big or go home is a motto Cruise lives by, and it's worked exponentially well so far.
Mission Impossible – Dead Dead Reckoning, Part One premieres in theaters on July 14, 2023.
Doctor Who (Disney+)
Doctor Who celebrates its 60th anniversary with the return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate.
That's right, folks. We're getting three special episodes before Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson take over as the new Time Lord and companion, respectively.
Russell T. Davies is also back as showrunner, so we should expect a season that pays homage to the iconic franchise.
What could possibly go wrong?
Doctor Who returns to Disney+ on December 23, 2023.
The White Lotus Season 3 (HBO)
Mike White proved with The White Lotus Season 2 that the series deserves to return yearly for more murder and mystery.
With very few details about Season 3, all we can do is speculate.
Unconfirmed rumors suggest Connie Britton will be back alongside Laura Dern.
Wouldn't that be dream casting?
The Walking Dead Universe Expansion (AMC)
The end was just the beginning of The Walking Dead universe.
The main series is over, but Daryl is off to Paris, Maggie and Negan to New York, and Rick & Michonne will reunite to battle the CRM.
Three new spinoffs will expand the franchise and, hopefully, give us some long-overdue answers.
Will this mark the end of the franchise? That's the bigger question.
Scream VI (In Theaters)
Scream was successfully revived last year, and we have another movie on the way.
Unfortunately, Neve Campbell will not be a part of the fun, but we've been promised much more screentime for Courteney Cox. It's not the same, but we'll have at least one OG back for the latest wave of terror.
The returning cast from Scream 5 will also make for some connective tissue as Ghost Face takes Manhattan.
Manhattan should make for a different level of horror.
Scream VI is in theaters on March 10.
The Mandalorian (Disney+)
It's been a minute but the adventures of Grogu and Din resume in early 2023.
After such a lengthy hiatus, there's a lot to cover. Hopefully, the series can keep up the pace.
We should also expect set-up for some of the spin-offs.
Hooray, right?
Barbie (In Theaters)
They had some of us at Barbie. They had all of us at Margot Robbie. Toss in Ryan Gosling and Little Women director Greta Gerwig (and her co-writer, Noah Baumbach), and Barbie promises to have a little something for everyone.
We expect the summer to be very, very pink and for Barbie sales to skyrocket with the debut. We haven't even begun to see the promotional tie-ins yet. Be still our beating hearts!
Additional cast members to wet your appetite include Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, America Ferrera, and Michael Cera. This is going to be ginormous!
Barbie drops in theaters on July 21, 2023.
Power Book II: Ghost Season 3
After a stellar Power Book II: Ghost Season 2, it'll be very interesting to see how they top it with the new season!
Coming off a shocking death, Monet will be grieving and trying to figure out a way forward for her fractured family. All while seemingly unaware of who really killed her son.
The Tejada drama should be juicy this season, and if you add Tariq into the mix as a man who can never stay out of trouble, you've got all the makings for another satisfying season of one of Starz's top series.
Outer Banks (Netflix)
After a harrowing ordeal on a ship in their quest to retrieve their golden cross, the ever-evolving Pogues got stranded on an island and seemed pretty content about it.
But we know they can't stay out of trouble or not pursue more danger and adventure, especially JJ, and we're counting down the seconds until it returns!
Following John B and the gang, including instant fan favorite Cleo, on the next stage of their adventure fighting against the odds and the Rafes and Wards is bound to be exciting as they face bigger and more dangerous challenges.
And we definitely have our eyes on the romances too, from the established John B and Sarah to whatever is potentially blossoming between Cleo and Pope and Kiara and JJ.
Next Level Chef (FOX)
The Gordon Ramsay hit is back and promises to be bigger and better than ever.
We certainly can't wait to see this fun competition series of chefs creating fabulous dishes, sometimes under spectacularly bad circumstances.
And we also can't wait for the batch of contestants with inspiring stories who make it impossible to root for just one person.
Next Level Chef returns Feburary 12 on FOX and to its regular time period on Feb 16.
Party Down (Starz)
It's been 13 years since the end of Starz's cult comedy of struggling actors working for a catering company.
With much of the original cast returning (including Adam Scott, Jane Lynch, and Megan Mullally) for the six-episode revival, this promises to be one of the funniest "new" comedies of 2023.
Party Down was always a clever, quirky show. Hopefully, this time around, it gets the attention it deserves!
Party Down returns on Starz on February 24.
Schmigadoon Season 2 (Apple TV+)
Cinco Paul's joyful ode to classic musicals had a fully self-contained Season 1, so the announcement of a second season was a surprising treat!
"Schmicago" boasts an impressive returning cast as well as new faces (including Titus Burgess and Patrick Page). Though details are slim, it promises to lovingly parody the darker, sexier musicals of the 1960s-70s.
We can't wait to be razzle-dazzled all over again!
Schmigadoon Season 2 is expected to premiere sometime in 2023.
The slow-burn start of one of television's darkest new dystopian dramas led to a heart-racing finale and so many questions left unanswered!
Season 2 still doesn't have a premiere date, but it's set to air some time in 2023, and we cannot wait to find out how it all goes down!
Will the Innies and Outies find a way to work together to bring down Lumon? How will Outie Mark cope with the truth about his wife? And just what is going on with those baby goats?
Severance Season 2 will return sometime in 2023.
Magnum PI (NBC)
The hearts of Magnum PI fans were shattered last spring when CBS canceled this iconic reboot.
But thanks to NBC's decision to swoop in and resurrect the handsome PI and his beloved team, our broken hearts are happily on the mend.
With the beautiful Hawaiian scenery, fast cars, and fun storylines, who wouldn't enjoy an hour in the Magnum universe?
And with Thomas and Juliet finally admitting their growing romantic feelings towards one another, there's much to be excited about in this upcoming season.
Magnum PI returns to NBC on February 19.
(CBS)
Hunters (Prime Video)
After an entertaining first season, Hunters will be back for one final hunt.
This time, Hitler is on the list. Can the Hunters finally destroy the ultimate enemy once and for all?
We can't wait to see what they have in store for us.
Hunters premieres January 12 on Prime Video.
Vikings: Valhalla (Netflix)
Erikson's story is far from over.
This Vikings prequel series is a refreshing look at one of the most interesting eras.
Blood and war are at their core, and we love it.
Vikings: Valhalla premieres on January 12 on Netflix.
YOU (Netflix)
Joe is back, and this time as a teacher in England.
Season three saw Joe grow after finding love, but it seems that he never learns.
Who's the unlucky lady he has his eyes on this time around?
YOU part 1 premieres February 9 and part 2 on March 9 on Netflix
Hightown (Starz)
In the one or so year that Hightown has been off the air, Jackie must have gotten into many shenanigans with her newfound power.
Hightown is never scared of choosing violence.
This, and its knack for introducing gripping storylines and interesting characters, is why we need it back soon.
Hightown will likely return sometime in 2023.
(Starz)
Your Honor (Showtime)
Deciding to make more seasons of a limited series is not usually a good idea.
Your Honor, however, looks promising in the coming season.
Even after losing their children, it looks like the Desiato and Baxter families haven't learned a lesson.
With an addition of a great new cast, it looks like we're in for a ride. Your Honor premieres January 15 on Showtime.
Bel-Air (Peacock)
Remaking a comedy as a drama is something few people thought would work.
Bel-Air tells the beloved story of Will but with a dramatic twist. Jabari Banks stepped into the role like he was born for it.
We are looking forward to seeing what more they have for us.
Bel-Air premieres February 23 on Peacock.
Wolfpack (Paramount+)
Teen Wolf might be over, but Jeff Davis is not done with telling this kind of story.
Wolfpack will be set in the same universe as Teen Wolf but with a different cast.
It will dive into the werewolf lore in an all-new environment.
Wolfpack premieres January 26 on Paramount+.
Ted Lasso Season 3 (Apple TV+)
The world needs more Ted Lasso. We didn't know it when the show premiered in 2020, but the cultural phenomenon has stolen our hearts and lives rent-free in our souls.
While we understand and appreciate Jason Sudeikis and his team wanting to take the time to produce the most perfect final season ever, this warm hug of a show is guaranteed an effusive welcome back by Richmond F.C. supporters and Coach Beard enthusiasts worldwide.
It goes beyond wanting to see the club promoted or morbid curiosity about Nate's turn to the Dark Side. We genuinely miss these characters. Even Nate.
We choose to #Believe 2023 is the year they'll come back to us.
(Apple TV+)
Star Trek: Lower Decks Crossover with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
Never before in history have there been so many Star Trek series running at the same time, with five separate series and two others greenlit and in pre-production.
Despite a good start, the idea of further crossovers seemed nixed when Discovery leaped into the 32nd century.
So when it was revealed Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid would be portraying live-action versions of their animated characters from Star Trek: Lower Decks on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, the fandom went wild.
While details remained highly secret, Newsome confirmed that she and Quaid will physically be on Pike's Enterprise, interacting with the crew members.
Nevertheless, with anticipation already high for Season 2 of Strange New Worlds, this extraordinary event only raises the fervor.
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Did we cover what you hope to see in 2023? Let us know in the comments!
When Teen Wolf went off the air in 2017, Holland Roden and Shelley Hennig thought that was it for the franchise.
However, passionate fans called for a seventh season, urging MGM to step back into the iconic universe from the 2011-17 MTV hit.
While Roden didn't think the franchise would return in any capacity when the series wrapped, she knew the fanbase wanted it.
(Steve Dietl/MTV)
Speaking with TV Fanatic exclusively, Roden recalled going on social media following the finale and constantly being met with demands for a seventh season.
"There was not a day that passed that I didn't see 'Season Seven,' and I really appreciated that the fans were so committed to getting more Teen Wolf," the Lydia Martin actress shared, adding that people would also ask the premiere date for the season that was never ordered.
(Curtis Bonds Baker/MTV)
Roden recalled feeling like fans were trying to trick the cast into saying a project was in the works.
Fortunately, the cast got to say a project was in the works when fans approached MGM in droves.
"That was the key," Holland stressed, adding that series creator Jeff Davis was even surprised.
"Jeff was like, 'I hold very little power in this situation.'"
(Photo: James Dimmock/Paramount+)
Holland says she is "eternally grateful" to the fans for their tenacity in bringing the franchise back to life.
"This is such a treat to revisit and make it a part of my current life. It's not my past life."
"This is my current life now, so it's wild that it's now been a part of two chapters of our lives," said Roden.
Hennig didn't think bringing the series back in any capacity was possible.
(Photo: James Dimmock/Paramount+)
"I was very surprised when Jeff called, but it was an easy yes."
Shelley was surprised to learn that they were making a movie instead of a series, but she liked that idea because it meant they would be able to bring in more of the original cast.
"I heard through the grapevine that it was two and a half hours long, and that made sense to me."
"Like we couldn't do another season, so let's give them as much of a movie as possible."
From then on, our interview delved into spoiler territory for the movie, so you'll have to wait until Thursday for the rest!
(Paramount+)
We promise it's worth it.
Check out the trailer for the movie below, and return to TV Fanatic on Thursday for a full run-down.
The movie takes us back to Beacon Hills as we reunite with plenty of familiar faces.
There is plenty of great moments for the fans, but be prepared for plenty of surprises, too.
Shows about high school are like the ultimate comfort food for many of us.
Most of us agree that watching others’ high school experiences on the small screen provides a unique form of nostalgia and often even catharsis.
That’s why we at TV Fanatic want to share our favorite shows that help us revisit our high school years.
(Fox/Screenshot)
Beverly Hills, 90210 (Paramount+)
If “Donna Martin Graduates!” and chowing down on pies and burgers at the Peach Pit mean anything to you, you already know there was something incredibly special about Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990-2000).
The show about twin teens relocating from Minnesota to Beverly Hills and dealing with culture shock was so popular that it launched multiple spinoffs and reboots, including BH 90210 (2019), and inspired all the teen dramas that have come since.
Early on, it was obvious that this FOX show was setting out to give us a real look at teenage life and thus let us relive high school in a new and more in-depth way than any shows that came before it.
We went through it all with the gang from Beverly Hills, 90210, from Dylan (Luke Perry) as an alcoholic with abandonment issues to Steve (Ian Ziering) and his infamous legacy key shenanigans.
The core group of friends changed slightly over the years, but the concept remained unchanged. Their lives were often complicated, dramatic, and frequently unbelievable, but their friendships held them together through it all.
They buried a time capsule in one episode, but they also became a time capsule themselves, and rewatching their decade-long adventures is like stepping through a mirror back into our younger selves for those of us who grew up in the ’90s.
Dawson’s Creek (Hulu)
(WB/CW Screenshot)
Dawson’s Creek (1998-2003), at its core, was a tale of two loves. Well, more loves than that, but two central loves.
There was the love between Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) and childhood buddy Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek), and then there was the love between Joey and Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson), which came later.
The high school love triangle made us all hold our breath. For five years, we wondered whether Joey would choose Pacey, Dawson, or neither.
Meanwhile, the show also gave us one of the most monumental moments in TV history when Jack and Ethan, as a gay couple, shared a romantic kiss and many other great moments.
It may have been more than a bit whitewashed, and it has taken flack for this over the years. However, it still did a great job in other areas, such as candidly covering subjects like inappropriate student-teacher relations, religious disagreements, and parental affairs.
The original Paula Cole theme song for the show was right. We didn’t want to wait for our lives to be over. We wanted to relive high school right then and watch Joey, Pacey, and the rest of the gangs’ lives unfold.
Saved By the Bell (Roku)
(NBC/Screenshot)
Strictly speaking, we first got to know Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) on Disney when he appeared on the series Good Morning Miss Bliss in 1988. The show was moved to NBC, rebranded Saved By the Bell the next year, and finished its original run in 1992.
Regardless of what it was called, Zack and his friends were unforgettable from day one, with their totally ’80s/’90s fashions, quirky personalities, and weekly zany antics.
But Zack’s constant attempts to outwit Principal Belding (Dennis Haskins) often made for the most laughs.
From subliminal advertising techniques to stealing spaghetti sauce recipes, Zack was always out to avoid school work while preferably making easy money.
The show was just funny, and it gave us a break from our own high school lives.
After the original came The College Years and The New Class, Saved By the Bell movies, and eventually the Peacock reboot (2020-2021), but the first series was really the best.
Boy Meets World (Disney+)
(ABC/Screenshot)
The ’90s brought us many funny sitcoms, and Boy Meets World (1993-2000) was one of them.
The show about a high school kid making his way into adulthood with his friends and family backing him up was downright cheesy at times.
Yet, it perfectly captured the relationship between students and “that one teacher” many of us have in life who is more of a life guide.
Mr. Feeney (William Daniels) was clearly not in it for the paycheck. He almost became an extra dad to the Boy Meets World crew, especially Corey and Shawn (Ben Savage and Rider Strong).
If you had your own Feeney, Boy Meets World is one of those shows about high school that will definitely tug at your heart and bring fond memories flooding back.
That’s why fans of the show were so excited to see Corey back again and taking on a semi-Feeney-like role on Girl Meets World (2014-2017).
Switched at Birth (Hulu)
(Freeform/Screenshot)
Few high school shows have weirder twists than Switched at Birth (2011-2017).
What happens when you find out you were switched at birth, move in with your biological family, have to find a way to get along with the girl who took your place for years, and, oh yeah, you’re deaf?
That’s the question it asked, as it fed our appetites for romantic kisses and teen drama while imparting lessons about deaf culture to help us learn what deaf teens have to deal with daily.
We were even treated to two high schools full of drama for the price of one.
Daphne (Katie Leclerc) attended Carlton School for the Deaf, but Bay (Vanessa Marano) went to Buckner Hall, at least until Daphne’s birth parents decided to try enrolling her in classes at Buckner, too.
Later, the tables were turned when both girls wound up at Carlton.
For us hearing fans of the show, we still related because we knew exactly what it was like to be teens and have curveballs thrown at you all the time, just not those exact curveballs.
Riverdale (Netflix)
(CW/Screenshot)
Almost 30 years after the premiere of Beverly Hills, 90210 came Riverdale (2017-2023), which coincidentally also starred Luke Perry until his untimely death in 2019.
For original 90210 fans, his presence on Riverdale definitely brought back the high school nostalgia, but that’s far from all the show has going for it.
Riverdale is fun to watch for all ages because it has touches of style from different decades, combining past and present.
Pops’ Chock’lit Shoppe, for example, has a ’50s diner vibe and feels like a direct nod to 90210’s Peach Pit diner.
Watching Riverdale makes it feel like viewers are actually walking the high school halls with its teen characters.
If the high school nostalgia factor isn’t enough, Riverdale also brings the spook with its intriguing and often creepy mysteries.
The O.C. (Hulu)
(Fox/Screenshot)
It’s time to listen to some great live tunes at The Crab Shack because we’re moving on to The O.C (2003-2007).
Dawson’s Creek was ending just as this little gem about the teens of Newport Beach was kicking off, but there were some parallels between the two.
The O.C. is yet another show from before smart technology was all the rage, which gives it a nostalgia factor of about 5,000 for many of us who grew up in the good old analog days.
Occasional out-of-control storylines, like Luke (Chris Carmack) sleeping with Marissa’s (Mischa Barton) mom, aside, the teens on the show could be a little pretentious, but they were always relatable.
They got each other through classism, academic stress, bullying, and a whole lot more.
The O.C. also did a great job of portraying parents on the show, making it enjoyable for both teens and adults to watch at the time and allowing many of us to rewatch it fondly with both perspectives in mind.
School Spirits (Paramount+)
(Ed Araquel/Paramount+.)
School Spirits (2023-present) is a thrilling supernatural drama that combines high school angst with ghostly mysteries.
The show follows Maddie, a teenager who becomes a ghost after a tragic accident at school, and now she must unravel the secrets surrounding her death.
As she navigates the afterlife, she discovers that her school is teeming with spirits, each with their own unfinished business.
The series cleverly intertwines typical high school drama with eerie, otherworldly twists, making School Spirits captivating to watch.
The Summer I Turned Pretty (Prime Video)
(Erica Doss/Amazon)
Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022-present) is a coming-of-age romance that beautifully encapsulates the bittersweetness of teenage summers.
Based on Jenny Han’s beloved novel, the series follows Belly, a young girl who finds herself caught in a love triangle with two brothers during her annual summer vacation.
The show explores themes of first love, friendship, and the emotional complexities of growing up.
With its sun-soaked setting and heartfelt storytelling, it perfectly evokes the fleeting, transformative magic of high school summers.
Derry Girls (Netflix)
(Netflix/Screenshot)
Derry Girls (2018-2022) is a hilarious and heartwarming UK series set in the 1990s amidst political unrest in Northern Ireland.
The show centers around a group of teenage girls (and one boy) navigating the trials and tribulations of adolescence in the city of Derry.
With its sharp wit and nostalgic charm, Derry Girls brilliantly captures the essence of high school life while also shedding light on a unique historical context.
The characters’ relatable struggles and antics make it a delightful and poignant trip down memory lane.
Heartstopper (Netflix)
(Netflix (Screenshot))
Heartstopper (2022-present) on Netflix is a tender and uplifting series that follows the blossoming romance between two British teenagers, Charlie and Nick.
Adapted from Alice Oseman’s graphic novels, the show deftly portrays the nuances of teenage love and identity.
Through its sincere and authentic storytelling, Heartstopper captures the joys and challenges of coming out and finding acceptance among friends and family.
The series’ endearing characters and heartfelt moments make it a heartwarming celebration of young love.
Gossip Girl (Tubi)
(The CW/Screenshot)
While it depicted the Upper East Side and rich snobs, Gossip Girl (2007-2012) excelled at tackling many teen issues, including eating disorders, drug addiction, LGBTQ+ and coming out, and dysfunctional families.
There were many couples to root for, but at the heart of Gossip Gil was the non-judging Breakfast Club.
It didn’t matter what Blair, Serena, Nate, and Chuck went through.
They always came through for each other in the end.
The fan wars of Dan and Serena vs. Dan and Blair vs. Chuck and Blair also kept social media and YouTube entertaining for years.
Elite (Netflix)
(Netflix)
Netflix’s Elite (2018-2024) is a thrilling Spanish series that takes high school drama to a whole new level of intrigue and suspense.
Set in an exclusive private school, the show follows the lives of students from different social backgrounds whose worlds collide in unexpected and often dangerous ways.
With its mix of mystery, scandal, and teen romance, Elite delves into issues of class, privilege, and the dark secrets that lie beneath the surface of teenage life.
The series keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with its captivating plot twists and complex characters.
Never Have I Ever (Netflix)
(Netflix (Screenshot))
Never Have I Ever (2020-2023) on Netflix is a refreshing and funny coming-of-age series created by Mindy Kaling.
The show centers around Devi, a first-generation Indian-American teenager, as she navigates the ups and downs of high school while dealing with the recent loss of her father.
Through Devi’s hilarious and often cringe-worthy attempts to improve her social standing, the series explores themes of identity, grief, and the immigrant experience.
With its sharp humor and heartfelt moments, Never Have I Ever offers a relatable and entertaining glimpse into the trials of teenage life.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager (Hulu)
(Freeform/Screenshot)
This Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008-2013) was one of the first shows to focus heavily on teen pregnancy, with not one but two couples in very different storylines.
Amy and Ricky became parents very young and originally co-parented before falling in love.
A lot of it was about wanting to be a normal teenager and the many obstacles that often get in the way.
Pretty Little Liars (Hulu)
(Freeform/Kurt Iswarienkio)
Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017) is a gripping mystery thriller that captivated audiences with its twists and turns.
The show revolves around a group of high school friends whose lives are turned upside down when their leader, Alison, goes missing.
Then, they start receiving ominous messages from a mysterious figure called “A.”
As they dig deeper into Alison’s disappearance and the secrets they each harbor, the girls must navigate the complexities of adolescence while trying to unmask their tormentor.
With its blend of suspense, drama, and high-stakes intrigue, Pretty Little Liars became a cultural phenomenon.
Veronica Mars (Hulu)
(The CW)
Veronica Mars (2004-2007) is a smart and snappy series that blends high school drama with noir detective intrigue.
Kristen Bell stars as Veronica Mars, a sharp-witted teen private investigator who balances solving mysteries with the everyday challenges of high school life in the fictional town of Neptune.
The series tackles issues of class, corruption, and justice, all while maintaining a clever and engaging tone.
With its compelling characters and intricate plotlines, Veronica Mars has earned a devoted fanbase and critical acclaim. It even earned a 2019 reboot on Hulu.
Friday Night Lights (Hulu)
(Freeform/Screenshot)
When the Taylors move to Dillon, Texas, Coah Eric Taylor and his wife, Tami, become fixtures in his players’ lives on Friday Night Lights (2006-2011).
Right after head quarterback Jason Street becomes injured in the series premiere, everyone’s lives change forever.
Coach Taylor has to train a new quarterback, a rookie, Matt Saracen, who has a crush on his daughter, Julie.
Jason soon learns his girlfriend, Lyla Garrity, stays with him out of pity and is in love with his best friend, Tim Riggins.
That only scratched the surface of the drama as relationships are tested through teenage angst and family estrangement.
The Fosters (Hulu)
(Freeform (The Fosters Twitter gif))
The Fosters (2013-2018) is a heartfelt and socially conscious drama about the diverse Foster family, led by same-sex couple Stef and Lena.
The series explores the complexities of foster care and adoption as Stef and Lena raise their biological, adopted, and foster children in a loving but often tumultuous household.
Through its nuanced storytelling, The Fosters addresses important themes such as identity, belonging, and the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ families.
The show’s powerful performances and genuine emotional depth make it a poignant and impactful portrayal of modern family life.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Hulu)
(The WB)
Buffy Summers battles vampires by night, but by day, she’s just like us: navigating the hellish halls of high school.
Between slaying demons and dodging pop quizzes, her struggle to fit in and find her tribe captures the ultimate high school experience.
Plus, who hasn’t felt like their principal might secretly be an evil overlord?
Freaks and Geeks (Pluto)
(NBC/YouTube Screenshot)
Set in the ’80s, this cult classic dives into the turbulent world of high school cliques.
Whether you’re a freak or a geek, the show’s honest portrayal of teen awkwardness, rebellion, and the quest for identity is painfully, hilariously relatable.
It’s the perfect reflection of how every emotion felt monumental, and every moment was a defining one during those formative years.
Teen Wolf (Prime Video)
(MTV)
High school is already a jungle, but add werewolf transformations and supernatural threats, and you’ve got Scott McCall’s life.
Balancing lacrosse practice, teenage romance, and full moons, Teen Wolf is a metaphor for the wild, unpredictable ride of adolescence where every day feels like a battle to survive.
While it’s a supernatural show at its core, without the stress of teen life and walking the hallowed halls of high school, the series would have been an entirely different entity.
Euphoria (Max)
(HBO)
A gritty, modern take on high school life, Euphoria delves deep into the dark, unspoken realities of teenage existence.
It’s a whirlwind of intense emotions, risky decisions, and the constant search for identity and belonging.
National Bromance Day is July 21st. Viewers often watch a TV series because they become invested in these characters and their relationships.
While many times, series showcase couples, other times, strong friendships dominate those shows.
Bromances are a special type of trope. These friendships describe a close platonic bond between guys where they’re often as close as brothers.
(Disney Channel/ Screenshot)
Some of them don’t want to express their emotions and prefer to show them through inside jokes, and unwavering support, while others would sacrifice anything for their best friend.
These friends would do anything for each other. We’ve seen it over the last 30 years. From Cory and Shawn to Alan and Denny to JJ, Pope, and John B, these bromances own our hearts.
Alan Shore & Denny Crane (Boston Legal)
(ABC/Screenshot)
The best bromance of all time, hands down, is between Alan Shore and Denny Crane on Boston Legal. There is no comparison.
Denny Crane and Alan Shore’s friendship on Boston Legal is more than a bromance. It’s TV magic. Whether they were debating politics on the balcony or defending the indefensible in court, their bond was raw, ridiculous, and profoundly moving.
What set them apart was their honesty. They challenged each other, comforted each other, and weren’t afraid to say “I love you” out loud (over scotch and cigars, of course). It was never played for laughs. It was the real deal.
They pushed the limits of what male friendship looked like on television. And when they got married in the finale, it wasn’t a punchline — it was a full-circle moment of loyalty, heart, and legally binding love.
In a world of superficial buddy shows, Denny and Alan showed us what connection looks like — messy, hilarious, and unshakable.
Watch Boston Legal Online
Cory Matthews & Shawn Hunter (Boy Meets World)
(ABC/Screenshot)
Cory Matthews and Shawn Hunter demonstrated an enduring friendship through the years, facing the complexities of growing up together, dating, and family drama.
The dynamic duo met in kindergarten when Shawn rescued Cory from the llama pen. We saw that scene in a flashback, though most of their time was during middle school and high school.
While Cory tended to be more of a dreamer and Shawn was more rebellious, their friendship worked. They supported each other through anything, including Shawn’s dysfunctional family or Cory’s dating jitters.
Their girlfriends either accepted the importance of Cory and Shawn’s friendship, or it didn’t last long.
While most of their moments occurred on Boy Meets World, their ongoing friendship was also showcased on Girl Meets World and often paralleled between Cory’s daughter, Riley, and her best friend, Maya.
It’s one of the few friendships on TV that has lasted from childhood to adulthood, filling viewers with entertaining and emotional memories.
Watch Boy Meets World Online
Brandon Walsh & Dylan McKay (Beverly Hills 90210)
(FOX/Screenshot)
Brandon Walsh and Dylan McKay were almost like brothers, despite their differences.
Dylan was a rebel with a heart of gold. He’d do anything for Brandon. He even saved his life on an infamous camping trip and took him to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting after Brandon drove drunk.
Brandon supported Dylan, too, usually when he had family issues. Dylan lived in Brandon’s room at the Walshes’ more than once.
It wasn’t always smooth sailing, though. The two faced conflicts over Dylan’s wealth, especially when he bought the Peach Pit. Then, there was the overused trope of two best friends in love with the same girl, and the love triangle with Kelly.
Through it all, they stayed true to each other, though.
Jason Priestley and Luke Perry were close friends in real life, which aided the believability of their on-screen friendship. Priestley spoke movingly of his friend when Perry died in 2019.
While Beverly Hills 90210 featured many wonderful friendships, Brandon and Dylan’s showcased their contrasting personalities and their resilient bond throughout the seasons.
Watch Beverly Hills 90210 Online
Chandler Bing & Joey Tribbiani (Friends)
(NBC/Screenshot)
Chandler Bing and Joey Tribbiani were the humor and the heart of Friends. Initially, Chandler allowed Joey to move in reluctantly, but when Joey introduced him to Baywatch, a beautiful friendship began.
The dynamic duo experienced many memorable moments as roommates, including buying the infamous recliner chairs and their foosball table. They were attached to certain items, and it was part of their charm.
They were also attached, and it was endearing how much they missed each other when Joey moved it. We’ll never forget that excited embrace when he returned.
There aren’t many friends who have a room for their best friend when they get married, but Chandler ensured that Joey had one at his and Monica’s new house. That is true friendship.
Like many fans, Chandler and Joey’s friendship and on-screen moments were some of his favorite times. They’ll long be remembered as one of the best TV romances.
Watch Friends Online
Sean McNamara & Christian Troy (Nip/Tuck)
(FX/Screenshot)
Calling Nip/Tuck‘s Sean McNamara and Christian Troy a bromance doesn’t really do them justice.
They shared a successful business, two women they loved, and even a son. A bond forged in college somehow sustained them through most of their lives together.
It was great, messy, complicated, and sometimes even ugly. The latter is a plastic surgeon’s worst nightmare.
Homoerotic dreams about each other made sense because their love, even when tested, remained unshakable. Their intimacy and vulnerability were unlike anything either of them had experienced with another person.
Sean and Christian’s bromance is special because it’s so genuine. They saw the absolute ugliest parts of each other, things that would push average friends to their limits, but somehow, through everything life threw at them, they weathered the storms together.
Watch nip tuck Online
Derek Shepherd & Mark Sloan (Grey’s Anatomy)
(ABC/Screenshot)
Derek Shepherd and Mark Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy weren’t just friends. They were brothers through and through.
Their history preceded the series, rich in unconditional love, frustration, pride, and all that one would come to expect from genuine brotherhood.
Mark spent more time with Derek’s family during his childhood than with his own. And we felt that when McSteamy first appeared.
After infidelity, betrayal, and heartbreak, Mark followed Derek to Seattle precisely because he couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. Mark infamously told Derek, “I came here for you.” To “win him back.” To earn his trust again. To be with his brother.
Tension. Humor. Banter. And too much sexiness for one hospital to handle, the bromance that is McDreamy and McSteamy is one for the books.
Watch greys anatomy Online
Neal Caffrey & Peter Burke (White Collar)
(Robert Ascroft/USA Network)
Neal and Peter’s bromance on White Collar serves as both the heart and the soul of the series.
What’s so great about this bromance is how faith rules it. There’s mutual respect, understanding, and even love between them. It evolves over time.
But there’s rarely mutual trust. That bit of tension always made their bromance special because the two were actually so close — being friends was an active choice. It was action.
And it was never easy. Faith in each other, even when they were on opposing sides or in the dark, is what helped them thrive.
This White Collar Bromance is all-encompassing. They went from adversaries to friends; they were brothers, hell, there’s even a father/son element, too.
There’s a void that each of them filled before the other, and there was never any going back from then on.
Merlin & Arthur (Merlin BBC)
(BBC/Screenshot)
Calling Merlin and Arthur a bromance doesn’t do them justice. While they became close friends, the series also flirted with the possibility of more, as Merlin used his magical abilities to help Arthur fulfill his destiny as King of Camelot.
They have often been referred to as two sides of the same coin. While they initially clashed when Merlin became Prince Arthur’s manservant, the two became protective of each other, despite the class differences.
After Merlin drank poison meant for him, Arthur traveled to find the antidote. It was time to see Merlin as more than just a servant.
While it took time to adapt to their roles, they both rescued each other from dark magic on numerous occasions. Merlin even stopped Arthur from attacking Uther after he’d been told rumors.
While we loved their dramatic emotional moments, these two also showed affection through witty banter. Arthur loved teasing Merlin, especially to cheer him up.
In many ways, Merlin was Arthur’s first friend since it was not appropriate for him to have friends and open up. Merlin taught Arthur how to express his feelings and how to be true to himself.
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Stiles Stilinski & Scott McCall (Teen Wolf)
(MTV/Screenshot)
Scott McCall and Stiles Stilinski were best friends from the time they were kids, long before Teen Wolf began.
While many teenage bromances struggled to share their emotions, Scott and Stiles never hesitated. Their trademark was sharing how much they needed each other.
Many times, Stiles reminded Scott that he was his best friend and he wasn’t alone. Sometimes, it was during mundane teenage angst, and other times when he couldn’t cope with being a werewolf.
Likewise, Scott accompanied Stiles when he feared he had a brain tumor. They supported each other like brothers.
These two were the best of friends and heroes. While Scott had powers, Stiles used their friendship to help Scott. They were friends before, and they would be friends forever.
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Gary, Rome, & Eddie (A Million Little Things)
(ABC/Jack Rowand)
Gary, Rome, and Eddie epitomize the meaning of found family. They met each other and Jon at a Bruins hockey game years ago.
Like many men, they shared superficial aspects of their lives, but Jon’s death changed things. They finally opened up about hidden secrets like Rome’s depression, Eddie’s affair, and their failing marriage. They didn’t want to lose another friend.
Real friendship sometimes meant tough love, and that’s what the men dished out, whether it was about Eddie’s addiction or Gary’s cancer.
They supported each other and their families through it all. Not many friends are there when your baby is born or when you’re on your deathbed.
These guys lived through the best and worst times together. We will cherish them.
Watch a million little things Online
JJ, John B, & Pope (Outer Banks)
(JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX)
Found family is at the core of Outer Banks, even more so than adventure. And that’s what Pope, John B, and JJ found with one another.
What makes this bromance so iconic is that it thrives on these key components: loyalty, sacrifice, unconditional love, and protection.
They fight for each other more than they fight with each other. Against Kooks, their parents, their enemies, and the world.
This trio was never afraid to show how much they loved each other. Their unabashed physical affection and emotional intimacy are a rarity.
Pope? His loyalty knows no bounds. Even if it meant sacrificing his dreams, future, and the respect of his family. John B.? He goes to impossible, unfathomable lengths to protect his brothers.
(Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix)
And JJ? He always jumps into the fray, quite literally laying his life on the line—the most loyal Pogue to Pogue, a man who knows the true meaning of sacrifice.
Their bromance is etched in stone with the greats.
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Over to you, TV Fanatics. Which TV bromance is your favorite? Did we miss one? Vote in our poll and comment below with your thoughts.
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A combination of bad genetics and too much time spent reading novels between street lights during car rides didn’t give me the best head start. Once we got into an era of tiny screens and handheld computers at our beck and call, taking us from one glowing screen to the next? Well, my eyeballs were destined to screw me over.
But this isn’t about my crappy vision, it’s about the medium. So, let’s dim the lights and — oh wait, we don’t have to, because TV already did it for us!
(Ollie Upton/HBO)
For me, the phenomenon and my really noticing it started with Teen Wolf.
I’m pretty certain all of Teen Wolf was illuminated by a single dusty 40-watt warm light bulb and the sheen from everyone’s abs.
Did someone just get bitten? I don’t know. Was that wolf Derek, Scott, or Isaac? Who knows?
What’s that shadowy figure lurking in the background? Wait, is that just Mrs. McCall cooking dinner?
Yeah, I squinted through six glorious seasons of that adrenaline-fueled fever-dream of a series. Still, you bet your perfectly quafted hair, it wasn’t without complaint when I literally could not see what was happening onscreen.
(MTV/Screenshot)
If you’ve ever aggressively blinked at your screen during a climactic battle, adjusted your brightness mid-episode, or watched your own reflection instead of the show, well, congrats!
You’ve encountered The Great Darkness Epidemic of modern television.
So, why is TV so dark—literally
The Cinematic Obsession of Prestige TV
Let’s be real. The second critics started referring to prestige TV as “cinematic,” it was a wrap. Suddenly, directors took it a little too seriously and went way too far.
(Barry Wetcher/Netflix)
Next thing you know, they started filming every series with natural lighting, deep shadows, and moody minimalism.
And maybe that works for some shows, but it doesn’t (and shouldn’t) for all of them.
What’s for a Dolby-equipped movie theater doesn’t translate well to a Smart TV in your living room with glare from the streetlight, or to your tablet, laptop, or cellphone screen when an LED lamp is doing serious damage.
The episode was aptly titled “The Long Night,” which worked tenfold since that’s how long people spent watching it, trying to decipher what the hell it was they were watching.
A battle eight seasons in the making, and most people saw … fog? Silhouettes? Maybe a dragon’s wing?
Thousands of people voiced their frustrations on every social media platform available. It likely sparked a dozen thinkpieces and was the primary focus of every single recap and review.
But what did we get out of that? Oh, just the director saying that it was “intentional” and we “weren’t watching it correctly.”
I beg your FINEST pardon?
(Helen Sloan/HBO)
Cute, cute, but hey, if we need a perfectly calibrated OLED setup just to see Arya stab someone, maybe the issue isn’t our TVs or us, perhaps it was simply how they filmed the episode, no?
Actually getting to see an iconic plot point from a popular series shouldn’t be something exclusively reserved for film nerds and techies!
And no one should have to do a song and dance, adjusting their brightness to accommodate each and every series or film they dare to watch at home.
Darkness ≠ Depth
(Hulu/Screenshot)
Dark lighting has become shorthand for “serious storytelling.”
Apparently, if a series wants us to take it seriously, bathe it in shadows. Desaturate everything. Hell, maybe add rain. It’s atmospheric, moody, and it demands our attention!
But maybe the reason it demands our attention so much is because we have to squint and lean forward to decipher what’s happening on our screens.
Not every dark scene adds emotional weight, nor is it necessary to do that.
It’s okay to use darkness and lighting as a tool.
(Hulu/Screenshot)
One of the best series in recent years, Paradise does this. Eventually, we come to realize that the dark/light shading, along with the lighting, serve as a tactic to distinguish between past and present events.
And, sure, that’s a fine tactic, but it’s less confusing and just as effective to simply display a timestamp across the screen at the start of each scene.
Lighting Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
Additionally, in their quest to utilize dark lighting as a storytelling vehicle, they also falter in using lighting to accommodate different skin tones.
Viewers are often surprised to learn that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for lighting actors. It’s why, sometimes, people appear completely washed out, and the features of others aren’t distinguishable because of how poorly they’re illuminated.
Sometimes, it already doesn’t work well as a storytelling vehicle, so when dark lighting becomes a default aesthetic, it loses its impact.
Yes, I understand that Matt Murdock is blind, and the series does a good job of bringing us into his world for an immersive experience of witnessing Daredevil protect Hell’s Kitchen.
But do they have to treat us like we’re blind, too?
The Walking Dead, Silo, and even broadcast have become guilty of this, from the One Chicago franchise, notably Chicago Fire and Chicago PD, to Law & Order: SVU. One can’t help but feel as if we’re missing out on critical moments because we can’t always see them.
Disconnection with Tech
(Peter Kramer/NBC)
Part of the issue lies in how we watch TV now.
Compression from streaming platforms, auto-brightness settings, and even mobile viewing ruin scenes that were finely tuned in a colorist’s editing bay.
If a series had that fine pleasure.
However, it’s also the point. Because if the average viewer can’t see what’s happening, the art needs to meet the audience halfway on that and adapt every bit as much as we constantly have to when we’re watching something.
Television isn’t just for cinematographers or tech geeks. It’s for regular fans, too, the people curled up on the couch or in bed with their pet in their lap and snacks on standby.
(Michele K. Short/HBO)
It’s for the co-eds sprawled across a tiny dorm room to catch up on the latest episode of their guilty pleasure teen drama via someone’s tablet and a projector.
Or the older demographic lounging in their La-Z-Boy, ready to watch their favorite procedural, despite not knowing how to work every button on the remote properly.
We don’t want to adjust settings mid-scene—we want to see the story.
Let There Be Light!
(FX/Screenshot)
Fortunately, some shows are already pushing back or demonstrating that you can still tell emotionally rich and complex stories while using proper lighting.
Yes, The Bear is pretentious at times, but the cinematographer is stellar, and whether it’s a bead of sweat on Carmy’s forehead or the bleak vibes of Richie’s apartment, we don’t miss a second.
Everything is distinguishable, and the emotional stakes remain so high that they stress us out with each installment.
Even when Ted Lasso takes emotionally dark turns, they don’t resort to dark scenes to make their point. They trust the audience to follow along, and we do, and get to see everything in the interim.
(Apple TV+/Screenshot)
For all its overrated praise, The White Lotus thrives as a dark comedy about the wealthy elite without actually being dark, which effectively brings that story to life.
We don’t need everything to be bright and bubbly — we just want a balance.
Let the characters themselves and the writing carry the emotional weight of the story, not just the color grading.
I’m Just Saying — Let Us SEE!
(ABC/Darko Sikman)
TV doesn’t need to be visually dark to be narratively deep.
We shouldn’t have to turn our brightness up 100% to understand what’s happening on the screen or to avoid missing half of the story.
At the risk of sounding like an old lady yelling at the clouds, I’ll leave it here. And I’ll spare you another similar rant: Why is everyone whispering?!
We’re just people who love TV. And sometimes that includes whining about our peeves 😉 A little support goes a long way. Drop a comment, give it a share, or even consider turning off that ad blocker — it helps more than you know.
Why do The Emmys treat broadcast TV like an afterthought? These series brought heat, heart, and Emmy-worthy content — and got nothing.
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