TV Catch-Up -- The Pitt, Industry, Traitors, Trial of 7 AKOTSK, Wonder Man

The television world usually comes out of the gates slow in the first month or two of a new year -- but 2026 has come out of the dugout swinging for the fences. I've been focused on 4 shows most of all in the New Year -- all of which have been releasing weekly -- Industry, The Pitt, The Traitors, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. The last of which just had one of the biggest episodes of the year -- a 9.9 IMBD rated banger.

Today, we're going to play catch-up with all of these shows, and give you my thoughts on where I'm at with all 4. I'm also going to give you my thoughts on Wonder Man -- the newest MCU show on Disney+ that I watched in a weekend, and will tease that section by saying to me, it's the best MCU TV Show they've ever done. So stayed tuned for a non-spoiler review of that at the end.

These other 4 shows however -- which is a rarity for Bean's Blog -- are getting slapped with a massive SPOILER WARNING. I typically don't like to talk about shows or movies with with spoilers in case people haven't caught up -- but in this case, especially for AKOTSK and The Traitors, you can't talk about them without spoiling. Will label them as such -- but rule of thumb is if you don't want something spoiled -- read only the first paragraph of each, or skip shows you haven't seen.

Reference this chart below for spoiler rules -- I will do an opening (short) paragraph on each show without spoilers -- then get into details, so skip around as you please.

• The Pitt -- Spoiler Warning rating 3/10 (Not a ton to spoil, but will talk specifics thru 6 eps)

• Industry -- Spoiler Warning Rating 5/10 (Talking specific plotlines)

• The Traitors -- Spoiler Warning Rating 8.5/10 (Who's a Traitor, who's a faithful, thoughts on how the games playing out -- all the way through the latest episode)

• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms -- Spoiler Warning Rating 100/10 (If you haven't watched Episode 5 -- the Trial of Seven -- stop what you're doing, get caught up, and come back after)

• Wonder Man -- Spoiler Warning Rating 1/10 (I'm going to talk about why I like it, but there isn't a ton to spoil)

Without further ado, let's dive in!

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Through Episode 5 - In the Name of the Mother

Spoiler-Free: Let's get the Big Dog out of the way first -- I wrote about this show a couple weeks ago about how I liked the direction it was going, how it felt different from Game of Thrones, how it almost gave sitcom energy through half a season. Then episodes 4 and 5 punch you in the fucking teeth -- and Episode 5 put you right back in that GOT mindset of watching a penultimate episode anxiously excited, knowing what you were about to watch was going to be big.

Spoiler-Warning: And this episode absolutely delivered. It was a longer episode which helped I think -- while I do enjoy the shorter runtime eps than GOT/HOTD. And it delivered in the same way so many of the GOT penultimate episodes did -- most notably, the 1st season's penultimate episode, aptly titled Baelor. I'm so glad I didn't know any backstory going in, because while I had a good idea that plot-armor would protect Dunk during the Trial of Seven -- nothing prepared me for that ending. The first likeable Tagaryen in GOT history, taken from us just like that. George RR Martin, you sicko!

I did have an issue with the episode -- the lengthy flashback. I didn't care for it whatsoever and thought it was incredibly unnecessary. I don't need a flashback to tell me why Dunk defended Talia from Aerion in Episode 3 -- and while I think they did a fine job showing it in the flashback, it wasn't needed. Flashbacks in penultimate episodes are one of my biggest pet peeves in TV.

But the time that was spent in the present timeline of the show -- ripped so fucking hard. Dunk took more damage than I've ever seen someone take without dying -- the memes on social media have been electric ever since. It was shocking, captivating, and did exactly what GOT shows do -- remind you that nobody's safe, especially not your favorite characters.

(except Dunk & Egg, they're probably safe)

The Pitt - Season 2

Through Episode 6 - 12:00 PM

Spoiler-Free: There's been a lot of discourse on social media (mostly X -- a bad place to be) saying they don't like this season as much as the last. I push back on this notion, and believe people who think this are jaded by the non-stop action of the back half of Season 1, and are wanting that adrenaline rush again in S2. I think that feeling is en route, and I think they're doing a really good job transitioning from scene-to-scene and storyline-to-storyline thus far.

Spoiler-Warning: That being said, I have had some issues/complaints with this season myself. I think that the Dr. Al Hashimi Character isn't working through 6 eps -- very one-note, plays the FOIL to Robby but that's all she is. They need to give her something to do other than be opposition to Dr. Robby and pushing AI in the ER, because it makes her insanely unlikeable. I also want more Dr. Mel King -- she's my favorite character (right there with Langdon & Whitaker) and I need them to give her more to do. And I still have major issues with Santos -- same as Season 1.

All that being said, just because I have nitpicks about the new season, doesn't mean I think it's a flop. I think it's still arguably the best show on TV, and am fully onboard and excited to see what happens every week.

Industry - Season 4

Through Episode 6 - Dear Henry

Spoiler-Free: This is a show that I watch every single week, and after I finish the newest episode, I think to myself: "Holy shit, this is such a fucking good show." And while I believe that, I also know in my heart of hearts that there are plenty of people out there that would watch this show and not get the hype at all. The jargon dialogue, the excessive sex, the characters themselves being very hard to root for, or even like. I acknowledge all of those things being true -- and I still can't get enough of this show. It's one of the most under-rated, slept-on shows of the last decade.

I'll also add -- after background-watching nearly 3 seasons of Tell Me Lies with Emily -- It has actually made me think that Industry has a pretty moderate amount of sex comparatively.

Spoiler-Warning: This show is absolutely batshit insane. While some of the fucked up, ridiculous things they come up with almost feel gratuitous often times -- they balance it out with just peak television scenes like the CNN Broadcast, Harper's speech, Whitney intimidating Day at breakfast. But then they'll throw things in there like, Whitney rubbing Henry's shoulder while he gets blow at a gloryhole in the gay nightclub, or Eric getting blackmailed by Whitney for having relations with a minor -- there is no bar too low, nor too high for this show. It's a rollercoaster every single week, and I'm blown away every time.

The Traitors - Season 4

Through Episode 9 - Think Outside the Box

Spoiler-Free: If you're unfamiliar with The Traitors, it's a true hybrid of Bravo reality shows and reality competition series like Survivor, Big Brother, etc. I'm not huge into the Bravo world -- but I love me some reality competition shows -- and Emily put me on to this show in Season 1. Since then, I think my mom has watched every single season across every country's version -- I'm talking UK, Australia, Canada, Netherlands -- all of it.

It's a very good concept of a show -- and there's a ton of strategy that goes into it, which I love. The Challenges can be hit or miss, but the drama and format of the show itself is excellent entertainment. And it has a good mix of Bravo celebs and reality gamers -- Survivor people, Big Brother, The Challenge, etc. And it's filled out with random, more niche celebrities from actors to artists to Olympians.

Spoiler-Warning: In Season 4 of The Traitors -- they finally let a couple Housewives team up in the Traitor Turret, giving Lisa Rinna and Candiace Dillard Bassett the reigns as Traitors, along with Rob Rausch from Love Island. I didn't know Rob coming in, but worried he'd be an airhead as a Traitor -- but boy was I wrong. He has been KILLING it as a Traitor, knowing to let Lisa/Candiace take the lead early, and knowing when he had to turn on them. And he somehow came out unscathed, while both his Housewife Traitors fell victim to the Roundtable.

Alan also did Donna Kelce dirty a hell making her the secret Traitor -- that was bullshit. If she was going to be a Traitor, let her at least find out later -- not moments into arriving at the Castle.

Rob has definitely been my favorite player in this cast -- I was also a fan of Rob Cesternino, who got killed by The Traitors super early on. I like the former Olympians Johnny and Tara -- they aren't very good at the game, but they're very likeable. I liked Stephen Colletti -- One Tree Hill gang stand up -- but he was voted out by the group last episode.

A good season has a good mix of players you root for, and players you HATE. This season's been heavier on the hates for me -- I despised Michael Rappaport coming in, and am glad the rest of the world has joined forces now. I didn't like Colton Underwood at all -- or the Big Brother players in this season -- or Natalie from Survivor (Yam Yam was fine).

I'm interested to see where things go from here now that Rob has recruited Eric to be a fellow Traitor -- someone who is already under heat from Kristen. Kristen has been aggressively wrong multiple times throughout -- much like Colton -- but she could blow things open if she outs Eric.

Wonder Man - Season 1

I'm not going to go too long here since I've rambled enough above -- but wanted to give a brief recommendation for the MCU's newest show. The biggest complement I can give to the show, is that it feels nothing like an MCU show. You don't have to have seen anything else in the MCU to understand the show -- though seeing Iron Man 3 would help, so you know The Mandarin/Trevor Slattery.

The show follows Simon Williams -- played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen -- a man trying to make it big in Hollywood as an actor. When an acclaimed director decides to make a new "Wonder Man" film, Simon makes it his mission to earn the lead role. He teams up with Trevor Slattery to hone his craft, but we come to learn there's more to Simon than just his acting abilities -- supernatural abilities that he's been keeping under wraps.

There's a lot to love about this show -- starting with the Abdul-Mateen and Ben Kingsley's performances at the center of it. Their unlikely bromance is what makes the show work so well. The lack of focus on the supernatural elements of the story is a 180 from what we're used to seeing from MCU shows -- and it lets them build a grounded story that has real stakes. Stakes that aren't "We need to save the world from XYZ" -- stakes that are grounded and refreshing.

I really loved it -- it's an easy watch, 8 episodes at 30 minutes a pop -- and it's my most unexpected, favorite MCU show. Right at the top with Loki -- which is very different, but very good as well.