Sonal Pandya

Last seen in Daredevil: Born Again, The Punisher, played by Jon Bernthal, returns for a bloody adventure before Spider-Man: Brand New Day this summer. Fans wondering about what happened to the character get a brief catch-up with the character as he comes back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Bernthal, who is also a co-writer on The Punisher: One Last Kill, gives viewers some insight into his trauma as the vigilante returns to patrol the city. The purpose of the special is to serve as one long action sequence for a character that has lost his purpose.

The film adaptation of The Sheep Detectives manages to surprise you on several fronts. Yes, it has talking animals but the concept is not cloying but rather essential to this mystery about the death of a shepherd. As the feature delves to uncover the killer, the characters charm and delight as they mill about the vast English countryside. Written by Craig Mazin, the movie goes beyond the murder to explore themes of death, grief and family. With punchy jokes and lots of physical comedy, The Sheep Detectives is a heartwarming film that everyone can dig into.

Produced by Skydance Animation, the new Netflix animated feature Swapped tells the story of a magical valley that has fallen on hard times. A woodland creature and a majestic bird swap bodies to figure out a way to restore it to its glory. While the storytelling and look of the animated fable feel a bit familiar, its sure-handed execution is what sees Swapped through. Nathan Greno’s film is led by the stunning visuals and empathetic voice performances of actors Michael B Jordan, Juno Temple and Tracy Morgan. The Netflix film is a perfect lesson to introduce children about compassion towards others, though very young children might find the latter portions a bit scary.

Created by Deepak Segal, Swati Patnaik, and Shreyashi Mukherjee, Undekhi started out as an insightful commentary on power, wealth and corruption. The first season hit it off on all cylinders, but this latest season has devolved as it has essentially recycled storylines to create a wedge between the once-close Papaji and Rinku Atwal. Directed by Ashish R Shukla, the once-familiar characters become one-note in their mission to get at the truth. But the one-promising Hindi thriller keeps hitting a reset button with every season.

On December 31, 2025, the Duffer Brothers brought their long-running series, Stranger Things, about the supernatural events in the town of Hawkins, Indiana, to an end. Vecna has been vanished and the Upside Down has been dealt with. However, a new animated series, Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85, winds the clock to take viewers between Seasons 2 and 3 for a new battle with some familiar but different monsters from the Upside Down. The stakes of the show are decidedly lower, as dedicated fans know what’s going to happen. But the series might just rope in younger audiences who have yet to discover the live-action series and might be motivated to check in after this.

In the first season of Criminal Record, a senior police officer and a younger female cop clashed while dealing with an anonymous tip on an old murder case. Opening up the case exposed internal corruption that caused a big rift between the two, but the two are reunited in the new season that asks some difficult questions of the duo. Created by Paul Rutman, the Apple TV was a slow-burn thriller in the first season. It raises both the stakes and the pace for the second instalment which pushes its boundaries quite far.

It takes a village to raise a child and the latest Apple TV series, Margot’s Got Money Troubles, enforces that notion. Created by David E. Kelley, it stars Elle Fanning in the lead as the title character, Margo Millet. Margo’s life does a 180 degrees once she becomes pregnant, but she remains committed to being the best mother that she can be to her child. The eight-part series takes some unexpected turns, particularly after Margo decides to create an OnlyFans account to earn money. But it’s the performances from the stellar cast that keeps the series grounded, as they all come together to help Margo raise her baby.

The Euphoria that fans loved from 2019 to 2022 is no more. The HBO series is back after four years for a third season with a five-year time jump to show the characters out of high school. But this new version of Euphoria has gone through a rehaul and the premiere episode has turned into a bizarre Western with Zendaya’s Rue leading the charge. While the writing and direction are largely uneven, the actors save the muddled attempt at Euphoria 2.0, which is still worth tuning in to, for nostalgia’s sake.