Radio Times
type: channel
link: https://www.radiotimes.com
date: 2025-02-12T15:36:46.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: Lost ending explained: What actually happened to the Oceanic Flight 815 passengers?
items: Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 ending explained: What happened to the Cerritos crew?
items: Who is Adar in The Rings of Power and why was he recast?
items: Who is Tom Bombadil in Rings of Power? Rory Kinnear character explained
items: Rings of Power is defined by its relationships – that's what sets it apart
items: The Rings of Power's Adar has expanded Tolkien's Middle-earth for the better
items: Who is Pharazôn in The Rings of Power? Trystan Gravelle character explained
items: Who is Celebrimbor in The Rings of Power? Charles Edwards character explained
items: What are the Rings of Power and what do they do?
items: What is the Second Age of Middle-earth? Rings of Power timeline explained
items: What's behind the hatch in Lost? DHARMA Initiative explained
items: What is the Smoke Monster in Lost?
items: Who is Desmond in Lost and how did he get to the island?
items: Baghead ending explained: Does Baghead escape?
items: 7 brutal House of the Dragon book moments we need in season 2
items: Does The Bad Batch ending do it justice? Following this will be no easy feat
items: Can you have The Matrix without the Wachowski Sisters? Probably not
items: The X-Files pilot remains the greatest in TV history – even 30 years on

Lost ending explained: What actually happened to the Oceanic Flight 815 passengers?
type: item
date: 2025-01-03T13:55:03.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Disney Plus
subject: Evergreen
description: That mind-bending ending explained.
encoded: Lost had one of the most divisive series finales of all time, leaving fans feeling either blown away, disappointed, or completely confused. The series, which is now available to stream on Netflix, became an instant hit following its premiere in 2004, with the pilot episode following the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, which crashed onto a mysterious tropical island in the South Pacific. What started off as a standard survival tale, however, soon became increasingly convoluted as the series progressed and, by the sixth season, a new narrative technique – the flash sideways – had even been thrown into the mix, raising even more controversy and questions, namely the one people still ask to this very day – were the Oceanic Flight 815 passengers on Lost dead the whole time? The creators of the Lost aren’t immune to the divisiveness over the finale, recognising that they didn’t answer every question. In a 2023 interview with Esquire, Lindelof addressed the controversy surrounding the ending, but insists he wouldn’t change a thing. He said: "It seems arrogant to say I would change nothing, but it’s the truth." Wondering what actually happened in the finale? Read on for a breakdown of the ending of Lost. Lost ending explained: What's going on with the 'flash-sideways' timeline? Like the rest of Lost, the series finale jumps between events on the island itself, and in this case, a flash-sideways – an alternate timeline in which Flight 815 never crashed on the island. That alternate timeline was created thanks to Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell), who, because of a time-shift, had become stranded in the 1970s. With a lot of other factors in play, like her love of Sawyer (Josh Holloway), Juliet goes through with a plan to destroy the hatch on the island, using the logic that this will stop Oceanic Flight 815 from ever crashing, therefore stopping the events of Lost from ever taking place. So throughout the series finale our 'survivors', for lack of a better word, are being drawn to…

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Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 ending explained: What happened to the Cerritos crew?
type: item
date: 2024-12-19T14:59:31.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Paramount Plus
description: The end of an era!
encoded: With the release of The Next New Generation, the final episode of season 5, the latest series in the retooled Star Trek Expanded Universe comes to a close. Star Trek: Lower Decks boldly went where no show in the saga to this date had ventured: adult animation. While Star Trek: The Original Series was continued briefly in animated form, aptly titled Star Trek: The Animated Series, Lower Decks represented a bold step forward for the franchise, and for the new expanded universe that began with Star Trek: Discovery in 2017. Over its five seasons, Star Trek: Lower Decks has grown into itself, finding more and more comfort in the tightrope between sweet and charming, while still bringing a fresh, adult sense of humour to the USS Cerritos and its intrepid crew. Created by Mike McMahan (Solar Opposites), Lower Decks finds itself occupying the same universe as its sibling shows – Discovery, as well as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Stark Trek: Prodigy, Picard and the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Throughout its five season run, Lower Decks follows the exploits and missions of various crew members aboard the USS Cerritos – a Starfleet ship of the Federation that is deemed mostly unimportant in the search for new alien life and new civilisations. Whereas Discovery, Strange New Worlds and the earlier series’ in the saga focused almost exclusively on the command deck, Lower Decks focused on ensign-class crew members, or "lower deckers" – crew members with more menial jobs compared to those of the senior staff we’re used to seeing. The final season of Lower Decks focused on our beloved crew entering an alternate reality, and subsequent quantum fissures leading to more and more alternate realities – threatening the very fabric of the universe itself. But how does it all wrap up? Luckily for you, we have it all explained for you. Read on for a breakdown. Star Trek: Lower Decks ending explained – What happened to the Cerritos crew? Ransom (Jerry O’Connell) is appointed as t…

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Who is Adar in The Rings of Power and why was he recast?
type: item
date: 2024-10-03T13:30:12.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Fantasy
subject: TV
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: On demand
subject: The Lord of the Rings (franchise)
description: Sauron gets his revenge in the season 2 finale.
encoded: *Warning: Spoilers for The Rings of Power season 2 episode 8 ahead.* The Rings of Power season 2 episode 8 offered us one of the most brutal finales we've seen in a while, with plenty of our favourites being killed off – and, tragically, Sam Hazeldine's Adar was one of them. The character of Adar has been getting even more complicated throughout season 2, from sending his Orcs to wage war on Eregion (despite their doubts) to offering an alliance to Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), but the finale episode saw his demise in an emotional and poetic final moment that mirrored Sauron's death in season 2 episode 1. Speaking about Adar's tragic death in the season 2 finale, executive producer and director Charlotte Brändström told RadioTimes.com: "It was always planned that he was going to die but what I think what makes it very emotional is that he dies when he wants to do good. "He gives the ring back, he's ready to sacrifice himself, and he realises what he's done to his children, the Orcs, and that he is their father after all, and that they're going to fight Sauron together now." She added: "We give a little moment of hope and then we go in for the kill! We tried to mirror what happened to Sauron in the first scene with the stabbing and Sauron gets his revenge there." Introduced by Game of Thrones alum Joseph Mawle in season 1, the character became a fan-favourite for his nuance and mystery as he led a plan to conquer the Southlands once and for all. But eagle-eyed viewers will notice that Mawle was swapped out for Slow Horses actor Sam Hazeldine for season 2. Here, we break down exactly why the role of Adar was recast and give you all the background information on the character that you need. Who is Adar in The Rings of Power? Adar is one of the Moriondor – the very first Elves corrupted by Sauron's predecessor, the Dark Lord Morgoth. The word "Adar" comes from the Elvish language of Sindarin, meaning "Father", explaining that paternal bond he shares with the Orcs in his ca…

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Who is Tom Bombadil in Rings of Power? Rory Kinnear character explained
type: item
date: 2024-09-19T15:30:27.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Fantasy
subject: TV
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: On demand
subject: The Lord of the Rings (franchise)
description: He's finally here!
encoded: *Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Rings of Power season 2 episodes 1 to 6.* One of the most interesting developments for season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is the introduction of Tom Bombadil – a titanic figure in the mythos of Tolkien’s world, but one of mystery. It was announced earlier this year that the enigmatic figure of Bombadil would be brought to the screen, played by British actor Rory Kinnear, and now, in season 2 episode 6, we're learning more about him. Speaking about taking on the role of Tom Bombadil, Kinnear told RadioTimes.com: "It's great to have some source material to work with when you're creating a character. Quite often you're having to use your own imagination, right from that, from a blank page. "So actually, for some guidance to be given to you, and I was trying to put as much to one side, the idea of how beloved he was and how excited people might be for this first representation of him on screen. And just try to focus on how I connected to him and what he meant to me." But who is this mysterious character? What role does he play in Tolkien’s work? Where do you know Rory Kinnear from? Luckily, we’ve got you covered. Read on for everything you need to know about Tom Bombadil. Who is Tom Bombadil in The Rings of Power? A question that has puzzled readers of Tolkien’s great work since the pages first opened, and one with no clear answer. His origins are unknown, but what we do know about him is that he’s old. Really old. It's even suggested he might have been the first living creature in all of Arda (Earth). When describing himself in the novel, Bombadil says: "Eldest, that’s what I am… Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn… He knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord (Morgoth) came from Outside." Elrond has a similar description, saying: "But I had forgotten Bombadil, if indeed this is still the same that walked the woods and hills long ago, and even then was older than the ol…

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Rings of Power is defined by its relationships – that's what sets it apart
type: item
date: 2024-09-13T15:00:19.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Fantasy
subject: TV
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: Comment
subject: The Lord of the Rings (franchise)
description: Prime Video's Lord of the Rings series puts characters and their connections at the forefront, in contrast to other fantasy TV.
encoded: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power can be defined in a lot of ways: its commitment to expanding and exploring Tolkien's Middle-earth; the gargantuan budget which allows for some of the most gorgeous vistas on television; the action set-pieces that never fall short of outstanding, whether it be Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) sparring with some Númenóreans, or Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) firing off more arrows than you can shake a stick at. But in so many other ways, these characteristics of Amazon Prime Video's hit show are secondary to what really makes The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power tick – its commitment to developing complex, nuanced relationships between its characters. Credit for this is shared, belonging to showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay for bringing their ultimate vision of Tolkien's Second Age to life; belonging to the team of writers and the directors who work on the series, each bringing a unique sense of flair to the show's dynamic; and of course, belonging to the cast who bring Tolkien's (and the show's) creations to life. So much of season 1 revolved around the relationship between Charlie Vickers's Halbrand and Morfydd Clark's Galadriel, eschewing a barrage of constant action in favour of developing their connection. There was plenty of pushback over the pacing behind that story, but it's hard to not look at it as a show that simply knows exactly what it wants to be. Clark and Vickers's chemistry is a defining feature of the show, with fans shipping 'Haladriel' in the two-year gap between seasons 1 and 2 – but it's the connection between their characters that makes it all the more special. Her culpability in Sauron's return. His genuine desire to rule Middle-earth with Galadriel beside him. It's quintessentially Tolkienian, and one of countless connections in The Rings of Power that makes it must-see TV. Season 2 has furthered Sauron's relationships with other characters though, and in doing so, entrenched its own commitment to be…

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The Rings of Power's Adar has expanded Tolkien's Middle-earth for the better
type: item
date: 2024-09-04T17:00:58.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Fantasy
subject: TV
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: Comment
description: Adar has a crucial role in season 2.
encoded: Adapting the work of Tolkien is no easy feat. It's a sprawling, complex, dense world, with legions of fans who all feel a certain type of ownership over it. So when the showrunners of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, JD Payne and Patrick McKay push their adaptation towards more original characters – naturally, some fans felt a certain kind of way about it. The most prominent of these original characters is Adar, Lord Father of the Uruk, played by Joseph Mawle in season 1, and Sam Hazeldine in season 2. Introduced as a quasi-villain, Adar borders somewhere between a true sympathetic figure and a villain to eventually be vanquished by the show’s protagonists (or by Sauron, himself). While a certain subsect of fans have pushed back on the character, their views are far outweighed by people like me, who see his creation as a wonderful addition and evolution of Tolkien’s world. Adar provides a humanisation for the Orcs, or Uruk, as they’d prefer to be known, while also standing on his own two feet as a layered and nuanced character in isolation. For background, if you’re still unsure about who Adar is, here’s the skinny: Adar is one of the Moriondor, meaning he is one of the very first Orcs. Taken by Morgoth, Sauron’s predecessor, Adar was once an Elf, but corrupted by Morgoth’s influence into a new form of life. Over time, Adar became disillusioned, and after Morgoth’s defeat, he turned on his new master, fearing the loss of Orc lives under Sauron’s charge. If you need a more detailed overview, we created a handy one here. It's in this period after Adar's assassination of Sauron that the character really comes into his own, both as the leader of the Orcs, but also as a figure who has expanded Tolkien's lore and world for the better. While no one, least of all me, will ever have a bad word to say about Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, or the sneakily under-appreciated Hobbit trilogy – it is fair to say that those films offer no development for the…

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Who is Pharazôn in The Rings of Power? Trystan Gravelle character explained
type: item
date: 2024-08-29T07:00:59.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Fantasy
subject: TV
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: On demand
subject: The Lord of the Rings (franchise)
description: A Golden member of the series.
encoded: This article will contain potential spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and for the works of JRR Tolkien One of the most notable changes in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power centres around Pharazôn, who so far cuts a remarkably different figure in the show than to how he is portrayed in Tolkien’s original work. While the differences exist, we’re here to lay out his story as it’s written in the books, what he got up to in season 1, and the actor behind the character. Read on for everything you need to know. What was Pharazôn doing in season 1 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power? There’s some fairly significant changes to the character’s backstory from page to screen beyond the major timeline differential. Instead of being a strong military leader, and like much of Númenórean society, a regular seafarer, The Rings of Power depicts Pharazôn as the chancellor of Númenor, a cunning political figure, and the right-hand-man of Queen Regent Tar-Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson). The show’s depiction of Pharazôn also differs when it comes to his own family, as the show’s version possesses a son of his own, Kemen (Leon Wadham), in stark contrast to the childless figure of Tolkien lore. Pharazôn cuts a fascinating figure throughout the first season of The Rings of Power, in part because he isn’t at the front and centre, instead working different angles, all the while keeping his true motivations and agenda hidden from those around him, and from the viewers. We first meet him in the third episode, titled Adar, when Galadriel and Halbrand are presented to Queen Regent Míriel’s court in Armenelos - the capital city of Númenor. While supporting the wishes of his regent in sailing with Galadriel to aid the people of the Southlands, Pharazôn continues his own agenda of amassing more and more power for Númenor. He reaffirms his position to the anti-Elvish guildworkers on Númenor in populist, pro-human speech - all with a clear veneer of gathering su…

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Who is Celebrimbor in The Rings of Power? Charles Edwards character explained
type: item
date: 2024-08-29T07:00:24.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Fantasy
subject: TV
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: On demand
subject: The Lord of the Rings (franchise)
description: A smith lord.
encoded: As The Rings of Power season 2 gets set to hit our screens once more, the trailers have made it pretty clear what we’re in for. High-stakes drama, scale-defying battle sequences, jaw-dropping visuals and, naturally, a lot of rings. Those rings will come from talented hands of Elven smith Celebrimbor - one of Middle-earth’s most important and influential figures. At the end of season 1, Celebrimbor crafted the first of the titular Rings of Power - Nenya, Narya and Vilya - free from Sauron’s influence, with the hope of halting the passage of time for the Elves in Middle-earth, and keeping their fading light shining bright. The trailers for season 2, however, show that Celebrimbor looks to be an even more central figure in this upcoming season - tied up with Annatar (Sauron in disguise) as he looks to craft more and more Rings of Power. But who is Celebrimbor? What are his aims? Who is the man behind the character? We’re here at RadioTimes.com to answer those questions for you. Minor spoilers ahead. Who is Celebrimbor in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power? Like many of the characters in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, our on-screen Celebrimbor is tweaked slightly from his iteration in Tolkien’s original work - older and possessing an incredible amount of experience, as well as the title Lord of Eregion. Celebrimbor, in both the show and the books, comes from a long line of Elvish smiths - most notably Fëanor, the greatest of them all. Fëanor crafted the Silmarils, three gems created using the essence of the two trees of Valinor. The Silmarils are seen as the greatest creation of the Elves, so it’s fair to say that Celebrimbor has quite the legacy to live up to - something which his character emphasises to Elrond in season 1. What will Celebrimbor be doing in season 2 of The Rings of Power? We know that Sauron will return to Eregion in the guise of Annatar, an emissary of the Valar, there to instruct the smiths of Eregion, particularly Celebrimbor, in …

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What are the Rings of Power and what do they do?
type: item
date: 2024-08-29T07:00:12.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Fantasy
subject: TV
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: On demand
subject: The Lord of the Rings (franchise)
description: Unlimited power.
encoded: This article will contain potential spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and for the works of JRR Tolkien. If the name The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power wasn’t enough of a giveaway, the core thrust of Amazon Prime Video’s dive into JRR Tolkien’s world concerns the most powerful fashion accessories in all of literature. If you remember Cate Blanchett’s iconic introduction to The Fellowship of the Ring, Rings of Power were divided up between the three main societies of Middle-earth. Three to the Elves, seven to the Dwarves, and nine to mortal men. They were crafted by the Elven smiths of Eregion, led by Celebrimbor, all at the urging and encouragement of Annatar, one of Sauron’s many devious disguises. While the Rings of Power given over to the Dwarves and to men will certainly be explored in season 2 of the hit show, it’s the three rings of the Elves that we have concrete knowledge about - their names, their powers, and so on. Those rings are Nenya, Narya and Vilya. But what are they and what do they do? Nenya Other times known as the Ring of Water or the Ring of Adamant, Nenya is the ring worn by Lady Galadriel. Forged by Celebrimbor at the end of season 1, and free from Sauron’s influence, Nenya is maybe the purest source of power in all of Middle-earth. Crafted from mithril and inlaid with a diamond-like stone, Nenya is so radiant that non-ring-bearers actually can’t perceive it in Tolkien’s original work. Samwise Gamgee describes the sight as "a star through her fingers", whereas Frodo can perceive Nenya clearly, on account of being a ring bearer himself. Its power allows the wearer to preserve and protect their people, and conceal them from evil. Much later in her life, when Galadriel takes up residence in the forests of Lothlórien, that concealment will be vital to maintaining the safety of her people as Sauron’s power grows and grows. Unlike the two other Elvish Rings of Power, Nenya is only ever wielded by Galadriel. Narya The Red R…

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What is the Second Age of Middle-earth? Rings of Power timeline explained
type: item
date: 2024-08-28T16:38:27.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Fantasy
subject: TV
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: On demand
subject: The Lord of the Rings (franchise)
description: This is where Amazon's epic series fits into the Lord of the Rings timeline.
encoded: Explaining with detail and clarity the intricacies and depth of Tolkien’s world and its timeline is a task of monumental proportion. After all, it spans thousands of years, different ages, various wars, world-changing events, and the journey of a Hobbit from his house to a land of Shadow. Now included in that timeline is The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Amazon Prime Video’s hit show based on Tolkien’s work, which takes place in the Second Age. Set thousands of years before Frodo Baggins sets out from The Shire, and just as long from Bilbo Baggins’s similar journey, The Rings of Power occupies a currently unseen on-screen part of Middle-earth. When chatting about the formation of the series with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Patrick McKay said: "We were not interested in doing a show about the younger version of the same world you knew, where it’s a little bit of a prequel. "We wanted to go way, way, way back and find a story that could exist on its own two feet. This was one that we felt hadn’t been told on the level and the scale and with the depth that we felt it deserved." While season 1 took us from cross-country journeys with proto-Hobbits, called Harfoots, to the great Elven realms of Lindon and Eregion, and even deep down into the mines of Khazad-dûm, season 2 will continue this extraordinary journey with even greater depth and scale. Where does The Rings of Power fit in the Lord of the Rings timeline? The Rings of Power is set in what is known as the Second Age of Middle-earth, or the Age of Númenor. Lasting 3,441 years, this age runs from the creation of the two great Elven and human kingdoms, all the way up until the first defeat of Sauron. Most movie fans will recognise where the Second Age ends, as the events of Sauron’s downfall are closely described in the opening monologue of The Fellowship of the Ring by Cate Blanchett’s Galadriel. Yet looking back, so much happens in this chronicled period that even three of Peter Jackson’s films couldn…

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What's behind the hatch in Lost? DHARMA Initiative explained
type: item
date: 2024-07-11T10:44:04.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
description: Season 1 sees Locke and Boone discover the Hatch.
encoded: One of the best moments in season 1 of Lost is when Locke and Boone discover the Hatch. It’s so out of nowhere, adding another mystery to a show already packed full of them. Throughout the course of the show, we glean more and more knowledge about the Hatch, the other stations that our survivors discover, and their true purpose. If you need a refresher, we’ve put together an explainer that does all the work for you, answering all the questions you might have had around the Hatch, its connection to Desmond, and its role in the jaw-dropping ending to the show. Major spoilers ahead. What is the Hatch itself? Discovered by Locke and Boone in the season 1 episode, All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues, the Hatch obviously has a longer history than just appearing at that point, and leads down to a greater mystery. But the Hatch itself plays a huge role in season 1 of the show, beginning with Locke and Boones excavation of the site, all in secret from the other survivors. After Boone’s death, Locke goes back to Hatch, furiously banging on the door, demanding to know what the Island wants from him, before a light shines from within restoring Locke’s faith. Unbeknownst to Locke at the time, this light came from Desmond. Eventually, Jack decides they need to open the Hatch as a safe refuge from the Others. They do this with dynamite found on the shipwreck of the Black Rock, but not before Hurley tries to stop them after seeing the Numbers on the side of the Hatch. Over the course of season 2, the survivors discover more about the Hatch and the station below - the Swan. The events of the season 2 finally see the Hatch, and the Swan, to implode in on itself due to the discharge of energy from Desmond’s triggering of the fail-safe system after the Numbers sequence can no longer be input. What’s inside? Down the Hatch is The Swan, an underground facility built by the DHARMA Initiative in the 1970s. The purpose of The Swan was to study the electromagnetic energy that emanated fro…

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What is the Smoke Monster in Lost?
type: item
date: 2024-07-10T16:28:38.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Disney Plus
description: Everything you need to know about the seasons-long mystery.
encoded: If you can cast your mind back to when you first watched Lost, among the many mysteries it offered (was that a polar bear?!?!), one of the most enduring was Smoke Monster, or the Man in Black if you prefer. We get snippets of information here and there throughout the series’ run, but it isn’t until the season 6 episode Across the Sea that we get at least a good chunk of the story for the Smoke Monster’s origin, and its brother, Jacob. Here’s everything you need to know about his origins, his intentions and his story throughout Lost. *Major spoilers ahead.* How did the Man in Black become the Smoke Monster? Claudia, the Man in Black’s mother, was shipwrecked on the island and gave birth to twins (Jacob being the Man in Black’s twin brother), with the assistance of a woman from the Island, played by Allison Janney. That woman kills their mother though, and raises them herself on the Island. When the boys are older, the Man in Black (the Boy in Black?) discovers the other survivors of their mother’s shipwreck - known as Claudia’s People, but in reality, were part of a Roman legion - and a vision of his mother’s ghost convinces him to join with her people, against the wishes of his new foster mother. View oEmbed on the source website Before he can go however, Mother shows him a cave containing a glowing light - The Heart of the Island - something that the future Smoke Monster was immediately drawn to, before Mother warned him to never enter the cave again. The boy leaves to his new people, inviting Jacob to join him, but his twin insists on staying with Mother. Over time, Claudia’s People discover the power of the Island, and the Man in Black urges them to build a well down to the source, hoping to rediscover the light Mother showed him. His plan was to use that energy to escape the Island. Jacob told Mother of his twin’s plan though, and she incapacitated the Man in Black, filled the well and killed Claudia’s People - in which he responded by killing her in return. Jac…

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Who is Desmond in Lost and how did he get to the island?
type: item
date: 2024-07-10T16:01:18.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Disney Plus
description: Everything you need to know!
encoded: Lost has many memorable characters, but perhaps none more-so than Desmond Hume. Played by Henry Ian Cusick, we’re introduced to Desmond in season 2, and from then on he becomes a pivotal figure in the show. But his arc isn’t without questions, as it is the story most heavily concerned with flashes-forward, backwards and sideways. So we’ve put together this nifty explainer, laying out Desmond’s crucial past, how he wound up on the Island, his purpose while he’s there, and how his journey ends. Spoilers ahead. What was Desmond doing before the Island? We get quite a few explorations of Desmond’s past prior to shipwrecking on the Island, and all of them serve to flesh out his backstory. Originally, Desmond had a religious experience that led him to call off his wedding to his fiancee, Ruth, and joined a monastery as a novice monk (his repeated usage of the word “brother” comes from his time here). Ruth however, didn’t buy his claims of a religious experience, claiming he joined out of fear of commitment. This scalding leads to Desmond turning to drink, and being politely asked to leave the order, but as he does, he meets Penelope Widmore - a figure of importance in both his story, but also the wider story in Lost. Desmond and Penelope fell deeply in love, but with one major stumbling block: Penelope’s father, Charles Widmore - a man who valued Desmond’s worth as less than a glass of MacCutcheon whiskey. Desmond eventually broke things off with Penelope, feeling that he wasn’t good enough for her, before joining up with the Royal Scots Regiment. It’s here that things start getting a bit timey-wimey, covered in the iconic episode The Constantm - which sees Desmond’s consciousness bounce back and forth between 1996 and 2004. In a meeting with Daniel Faraday, Desmond explains that he is crossing time, only to be told that unless he finds a "constant" - something meaningful to him across both time periods - he will likely die. Desmond decides that Penny will be his constant…

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Baghead ending explained: Does Baghead escape?
type: item
date: 2024-07-01T10:53:48.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Movies
subject: Netflix
subject: On demand
description: The Freya Allan-starring horror flick is now available on Netflix.
encoded: *Warning: Contains spoilers for Baghead.* Baghead, has dropped on Netflix in the UK and Ireland, giving horror lovers a fresh dose of dimly lit interiors and more jump scares than you can shake a stick at. Arriving on Netflix after a brief theatrical run earlier in the year, Baghead is just the horror you need for a gloomy British summer like this. Starring Freya Allan, fresh off her role in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, alongside Ruby Barker, Jeremy Irvine, Ned Dennehy and Peter Mullan, Baghead follows Iris (Allan) as she inherits her father’s pub only to discover she has also inherited the sinister entity that lurks underneath the building. Said entity, the eponymous Baghead, allows people to speak with their deceased loved ones, but as with any malevolent force like this, it’s never quite as simple as you’d hope. As the tension builds, it’s perfectly understandable if you began pacing around your living room and missed the climax of the film, but luckily we braved it out for you to explain what actually happened to Iris, Baghead and the pub… Baghead ending explained: Does Baghead escape? In the film’s endgame, Iris ventures into the underground cavern following the distant voice of her friend, Katie (Ruby Barker) – against the warnings of her father’s instructions never to cross the seal into Baghead’s domain. Iris finds ‘Katie’, but almost immediately sees her actual friend's corpse, swiftly realising Baghead has lured her down. Iris quickly gets out of the cavern and decides to try and trap Baghead down there, ensuring it can’t be used again. This plan doesn’t sit right with Neil (Jeremy Irvine) however, who doesn’t want to give up on speaking to his deceased wife, driven by his own guilt surrounding her death. So, Neil drugs Iris and heads down to the basement to negotiate with Baghead on becoming its new guardian and keeper. Neil takes the all-important deed to the pub and signs his name on it in front of Baghead, proclaiming himself the new guardian, bu…

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7 brutal House of the Dragon book moments we need in season 2
type: item
date: 2024-05-31T18:00:01.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Fantasy
subject: TV
subject: HBO
subject: Sky Atlantic
description: The Dance of Dragons is getting even more brutal.
encoded: Warning: Spoilers ahead for Fire and Blood. When season 8 of Game of Thrones concluded in 2019 with The Iron Throne, it felt like the appetite for all things Westeros had been sated. Season 8 fell short of what we’d come to expect from that series, and in doing so, raised a lot of questions about the potential success of House of the Dragon. Then the spin-off became one of HBO’s most successful shows, dominating television, and clearly demonstrating that season 8 didn’t do the damage we all expected it might have done. Adapted from George RR Martin’s anthology book Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon centres around the bloody Targaryen civil war, aptly named the Dance of the Dragons. Much like its predecessor show, however, House of the Dragon has a lot of characters, events, battles and blood to cram into its run, and it’s likely we see some truncation to the timeline to make it a more streamlined show. It’s unlikely the show will follow Fire & Blood beat-for-beat, so with that said, here are seven moments we need to see in House of the Dragon season 2… Blood and Cheese Given the announced episode title for season 2's opener, A Son for a Son, Blood and Cheese are an inevitability. Fire & Blood readers will be familiar with what those two words signify, standing as one of the darkest moments within A Song of Ice and Fire. With Prince Lucerys’s death at the conclusion of season 1, Rhaenyra’s grief is understandably overwhelming, and Prince Daemon acts swiftly to avenge the loss of his stepson. He enlists the help of two contacts in King’s Landing, a former City Watch officer named Blood and a rat-catcher named Cheese, who together use the Red Keep’s secret tunnels all the way to Queen Helaena’s bedchamber, where they offer her the choice of which of her sons will be killed. It’s a barbaric moment, and it will be fascinating to see how it plays out on screen. Ser Erryk and Ser Arryk die on each other's blades Season 1 of House of the Dragon did an excellent job at showi…

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Does The Bad Batch ending do it justice? Following this will be no easy feat
type: item
date: 2024-05-01T15:00:21.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Comment
subject: Star Wars (franchise)
description: Jack Francis breaks down the finale of Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
encoded: Warning: contains spoilers for The Bad Batch. Star Wars animation is a proud and popular component of the wider brand. Shows like The Clone Wars and Rebels introduced us to unforgettable characters, delivered powerful stories, and built out the world we know and love. Other shows like Resistance occupy their own corner of the galaxy, with a more colourful palette and stories aimed more overtly for children. There were lofty expectations for The Bad Batch when it was first announced, and the first two seasons more than exceeded those expectations. So when it was announced that the third season would be our final hours with Clone Force 99, there was bound to be some trepidation as to whether the ending would do the show (and our clones) justice. Luckily, those fears were swiftly allayed thanks to the outstanding final episode – The Cavalry Has Arrived. Before we tackle the closing story and character beats that elevated The Bad Batch to the upper echelons of Star Wars animation, it’s important to focus on two of the more unsung moments of the show at large. The Bad Batch is an achingly beautiful show, with the trademark block-animation style of The Clone Wars refined to perfection. There’s a real sense of emotion in each and every character, in part due to the performances of Dee Bradley Baker and Michelle Ang, of course, but in part because the animation has levelled up to such a degree. The same goes for the worlds our clones inhabit, interact with and adventure through. Whether it’s Tantiss, Pabu or Bracca – there’s a level of detail that is hard to ignore. Along with the visuals, Kiner Music delivered once more with a score to die for, weaving rousing set-piece music with poignant character themes, seamlessly understanding what each moment called for. The Kiners have a proud history in Star Wars music, and that legacy continued in The Bad Batch. On the characters, though, and the wider narrative The Bad Batch was telling, head writer Jennifer Corbett told exactly …

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Can you have The Matrix without the Wachowski Sisters? Probably not
type: item
date: 2024-04-05T11:43:24.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Movies
subject: Sci-fi
subject: Comment
description: Warner Bros announced a fifth Matrix film with neither Wachowski sister attached, and fans are concerned.
encoded: Twenty-five years ago, a film called The Matrix hit movie theatres, redefining both storytelling and action cinema. It really is quite hard to overstate the impact it had on the industry, and it’s stood the test of time like few films have. Followed by The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, a wonderful, original trilogy was created by the Wachowski Sisters, chronicling the story of Neo, Trinity, Morpheus and countless other characters, while also providing a deeply personal message from the sisters themselves. Then, in 2021, we returned to the saga with Lana Wachowski’s underrated The Matrix Resurrections, which at the time felt like a delicious cherry on the cake, while simultaneously providing a scathing commentary on legacy sequels and nostalgia cash grabs. So, when it was announced on 3rd April 2024 that a fifth Matrix film was in the works, with Lana Wachowski attached as executive producer only, a role that could have some weight but could just as likely mean absolutely nothing within the structure of Warner Bros, you’d be forgiven for rolling your eyes, and fearing what comes next. Because what is The Matrix without the Wachowski Sisters at the helm, or even without just one of them leading the line, as was the case with Resurrections? There are few intellectual properties that possess such an inherent, symbiotic relationship with their creators than The Matrix franchise. Not just because of the originality of the story within the films themselves. Not just for the action sequences they created that became the gold standard for cinema moving forward. But for the deeply personal nature of the wider theme which The Matrix is tackling. The Matrix is, in part, an allegory for the transgender experience. Both Wachowski Sisters are trans women, the red pill has been likened to oestrogen pills, and the description of the Matrix itself by Morpheus – "a splinter in your mind" – the feeling that there is something wrong with the world you find yourself in, has…

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The X-Files pilot remains the greatest in TV history – even 30 years on
type: item
date: 2023-09-10T07:00:16.000Z
creator: Jack Francis
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Comment
description: 30 years on, the opening episode of the sci-fi cult classic remains television’s greatest ever pilot.
encoded: The history of television is littered with failed pilot episodes. Hell, even Game of Thrones, one of the most successful shows of all time, had to completely reshoot theirs because it was so disastrous. With all of that said, it’s hard to describe the pilot episode of The X-Files, titled Pilot (duh!), as anything other than a resounding success - and if we’re being honest, the best pilot in television history. While this may seem like a grandiose claim, upon closer inspection it becomes hard to argue with. For the uninitiated who need a refresher on the events of The X-Files pilot episode, it goes as follows: Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is assigned to work on the X-Files with Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), with the hope that her scientific background will debunk his work. Their first case takes them to the forests of Oregon where they investigate a series of deaths in a community, which Mulder suspects are centred around extra-terrestrial interference. If we start with the overall premise itself, the pilot episode of The X-Files provides the skeleton for the following 11 seasons and 217 episodes. There’s a pervasive sense of mystery, suspense and, dare I say, horror, from the very first scene of a teenage girl running through the woods of Oregon before a bright light from the sky engulfs her. The X-Files immediately established itself as something new and alternative in the television landscape of police procedurals, right from the off. As the episode progresses, these ideas of mystery and suspicion build, and the show establishes a central tenet that will drive The X-Files until the end: trust no one. Pilot introduces countless avenues to demonstrate this tenet, from Division Chief Blevins (Charles Cioffi) asking Scully to debunk the X-Files right off the bat, to the local Oregon sheriff who’s about as shifty a bloke as you can imagine, to the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B Davis) who will loom large in the shadows for years to come as he works towards his own e…

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