A reboot matching the brilliance of its predecessor? Ugh, as if. But Alicia Silverstone is “confident” Peacock’s upcoming “Clueless” series will do its very best to “honor” the original.

Silverstone, 48, who starred as fashion-forward “virgin who can’t drive” Cher Horowitz in the 1995 film — which celebrated its 30th anniversary last month — is executive producing the streamer series, and told the “Today” show she’s “really excited” for the reboot.

“The goal is to make it honor what everyone loves about ‘Clueless’ and Cher,” she told Savannah Guthrie Thursday, “But also bring something fresh and new to it. … We’re in baby stages right now.”

“Clueless” also previously lived on the small screen with an ABC sitcom that aired from 1996 and 1999, as created by the uber-quotable film’s writer-director Amy Heckerling.

Time hasn’t lessened the impact of Heckerling’s modern cinematic take on Jane Austen’s “Emma” — with enduring fashion and pop cultural nods that include Iggy Azalea’s 2014 music video for “Fancy” and a 2023 Super Bowl commercial with Silverstone reliving some of Cher’s best moments.

Just last month, the L’Ermitage Beverly Hills unveiled a “Clueless” suite, replete with fuzzy pens, a Polaroid camera, a Cher-inspired (mostly) wardrobe and a nearly $2,000 price tag.

The new “Clueless” won’t be NBC-owned Peacock’s first time rebooting a ’90s favorite set in Southern California.

In 2022, the pretty nascent platform re-imagined Will Smith’s beloved “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” sitcom as a present-day drama, “Bel-Air,” executive produced by the Oscar winner. The show’s upcoming fourth season will be its last.

The pandemic was the final act for some movie theaters but others found a way to bounce back.

And it’s these innovative theater owners, who not only survived the shut down and surge in streaming subscriptions implemented new ways to engage audiences and are now enjoying what the industry calls the next great era of cinema.

“I think movie theaters will always be around,” said Joel Kincaid, vice-president of operations for MJR Theatres, during last week’s grand opening of MJR’s new state-of-the-art IMAX auditorium at MJR Troy Cinema.

“As long as they continue to adapt and evolve,” Kincaid added, while greeting a wave of guests excited to see “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” on what is a really big screen.

Not to mention a really big investment for MJR.

“It’s in the millions,” Kincaid said, of the second IMAX screen to be installed at one of MJR’s 10 Michigan theaters.

Patrons of MJR Southgate were the first to experience MJR’s IMAX screen two years ago.

“We’re thrilled to bring this next level IMAX experience to our guests at MJR Troy,” said the VP prior to the opening. “Combining the cutting-edge visuals and sound of IMAX’S 4K laser technology with our signature zero-gravity recliners, VIP privacy pods and LUX Loungers this will undoubtedly be the golden standard for moviegoing in Metro Detroit.”

Among those who would agree is Paul Gantz.

“We have seen investments in the future of moviegoing payoff in a big way,” said Gantz, co-founder of Emagine Entertainment, who was featured in a special report by Cinema United, a trade organization founded in 1948, representing more than 31,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and more than 30,000 screens in 80 countries worldwide. “The enthusiasm that our customers show is undeniable.”

Big changes

Watching movies from the comforts of home is nice but it’s nothing like the experience of IMAX as many fans will tell you.

The rumble in your seat.

The sounds.

The amazing details in the big picture.

“You feel connected to the movie,” said Jordan Kitson of Eastpointe, who attended MJR’s IMAX event featuring free food, drinks, popcorn, candy and a short film highlighting why IMAX is as incredible as everyone says it is.

Among the Hollywood directors promoting the fantastic screens is writer-director Christopher Nolan, who has been shooting with IMAX cameras since “The Dark Knight,” according to an article by the Associated Press.

“The sharpness and the clarity and the depth of the image is unparalleled,” Nolan said. “The headline, for me, is that by shooting on IMAX 70mm film you’re really letting the screen disappear. You’re getting a feeling of 3D without the glasses. You’ve got a huge screen and you’re filling the peripheral vision of the audience.”

A recent example is Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”

The film about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist who oversaw the development of the first atomic bomb during World War II, Nolan and his effects teams were faced with the immense task of recreating the blast with all of its blinding brilliance.

“We knew that this had to be the showstopper,” Nolan said, adding that high resolution cameras are enabling directors to do all of the amazing things with pictures that they’ve only been able to do with sound in terms of an oversize impact for the audience.

Paul Feig concurred.

However, the Clinton Township native and Hollywood director of such blockbuster films as “Bridesmaids,” “The Heat,” “Spy,” and “Ghostbusters” said the medium has to match the content.

“There are movies that benefit from the scale and filmic quality of the large format physical 70mm film. But digital technology has gotten so advanced that most audiences will be hard put to tell the difference between 70mm and high-end digital. For 70mm to be effective it needs to be shown in a large format venue like IMAX, of which there are fewer theaters,” Feig told The Macomb Daily. “When I made ‘Ghostbusters,’ we released an IMAX version that had been shot on digital cameras and the scope and quality were comparable to 70mm without us having to incur the higher costs of that format. So, to me, 70mm is more of a personal creative choice for a filmmaker but not necessarily something that most audiences will be aware of unless it’s advertised to them.”

When they do know their movie is on IMAX that’s where they want to see it.

“We see patrons exchanging their tickets all the time in order to see a movie on IMAX,” said Gantz, who built one of the state’s largest movie screens just before the pandemic at their Canton location as part of Emagine’s Super EMX branding.

Construction of the screen required a 15,000 square foot addition to the complex, and was completed in a breakneck pace of only 104 days.

Since then, two other screens, measuring roughly the size of a regulation NBA basketball court have been added in Novi and Batavia and according to Gantz are always the first to sell out.

“We served 5.7 million guests last year and we’re ahead of the pace in 2025,” he said, of their attendance in all theaters.

AMC, which has 9,789 screens at 871 locations in 11 countries, announced XL at AMC last year, which was an initiative that boosts existing extra large screens with stunning 4K laser projection. According to Cinema United the concept was piloted in Europe at the company’s ODEON Cinemas locations and after encouraging customer feedback decided to expand to 50-100 screens in the U.S.

Theater goers

Technology plays a big role in movies.

But it’s not everything.

Brian Kitson of Eastpointe is a reader and when Warner Bros. Pictures started releasing the film adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s world of wizards in movie theaters across the country he was there.

“I’ll never forget those midnight releases,” he said, recalling the thrill of waiting in line late at night in order to be the first among his friends to see the latest installment in the “Harry Potter” franchise.

“I read all of the books so getting to see them come to life on the big screen was magical,” said Kitson, who attended MJR’s big screen debut.

Joining him was Nicholas Miller of Hamlin Park, whose fondest memory was going to the movies with his grandfather, who died not long after they enjoyed a night out together.

“We love going to the movies,” said Micah Moss of Detroit, who attended MJR’s big screen debut along with her husband Caleb Moss. “The popcorn. The VIP seats. “We probably go once a week.”

VIP seats are cozy vignettes that theaters are providing for audiences who want a little more comfort and privacy, for a little more money, that feature leather recliners and a side table like you might have at home.

“It’s a lot different from watching a movie at home,” said Caleb, who was particularly excited to see “Black Panther” among other Marvel movies on the big screen.

Micah said she’s always been a fan of movie theaters.

“I will never forget seeing ‘Aladdin,’ for the first time,” said Micah, recalling one of her earliest memories of going to the movies with her family. “I went with my parents. It was such a good experience.”

Caleb said he had a similar experience with “Indiana Jones.”

Troy Mayor Ethan Baker said it is all about the experience that theaters are providing now.

“Just think about it. Back in the 80’s and 90’s we were all sitting on uncomfortable seats (very close together) because it was our only option,” said Baker, who was very pleased to see MJR investing in their business and replacing the old seats with new recliners. “Now the theaters are competing with streaming movies at home so they have to be able to provide that family room atmosphere here.”

Even still, Baker said theaters have always provided audiences with a fun escape.

As a young man working his way through law school, Baker said the theater was a break from his usual studies. It also gave him a fun place to take his girl, Bethany, now his wife and the mother of their three children.

“The movie theater brings families together and it’s a good way for them to bond,” added Baker, remembering how excited his daughter was after seeing Disney’s “Up.” “For years after she would always say, ‘Remember when we went to see ‘Up’ dad?’”

“Movies mean a lot to people,” Baker said.

They also mean a lot to actors, many of whom have gone out of their way to promote movie theaters.

“If it weren’t for folks like Tom Cruise and Christopher Nolan I think it’s entirely conceivable that the studios could have cut their ties with us and left us in the dust pile,” Gantz said, referring to the golden era of streaming television mined during the pandemic. “They believe in the value of the communal experience and services that come with seeing a movie on the big screen.”

“It’s just a different experience,” Gantz said, adding that he believes that there’s room for everyone to be successful but that movie theaters have to get better in order to compete.”

Industry report

“Every single day, exhibitors (theaters) around the world strive to find creative ways to elevate the moviegoing experience,” said the report by Cinema United highlighting what movie theaters are doing to achieve that goal.

These goals include:

• Reinvesting in their communities,• Technological innovation• And more than a movie: this includes everything from new food offerings, special screenings for autism and dementia viewers to heated seats and special merchandising such as collectible popcorn tins.

Emagine has two major partners who provide the collectible tins, which right now are as hot as Johnny Storm, on a regular basis including Goldenlink and Snap Company. The recent release of “The Fantastic Four” featured a Galactus Tub popcorn vessel that had a price tag of $70. Gantz said they only ordered 108 tubs for the entire chain thinking because of the price they wouldn’t move.

“We sold 105 on the first day,” Gantz said. “This is an emerging avenue for our industry and we will continue to look to provide items and merchandise that our guests clearly want.

Many theaters across the country are also partnering with groups and organizations in their community.

One example in the report was The State Theatre in Iowa.

Since 1897, movie goers have shared a communal experience at the State Theatre, and it remains an irreplaceable part of the community.

The team that runs the day-to-day operations, Fridley Theatres has 97 screens and 17 locations throughout the state, and while it has a storied past it doesn’t rely solely on its history as the main draw.

The theatre regularly partners with the chamber of commerce for events like last fall’s Halloween movie and theatre ghost tour. Every April, the State Theatre participates in Washington’s annual Farm to Film Fest, hosting opening ceremonies for the festival and screenings of local films.

“In an age of megaplexes, the State Theatre is an anomaly in the movie industry,” said Adam Nihart, director of Theatre Operations for Fridley Theatres. “It isn’t lost on us that the perfect combination of historical significance, community support, and caring management makes it a success.”

According to Cinema United, watching a movie on the big screen is here to stay.

“Theatres are the cornerstones of small towns, rural communities, and major cities all around the world,” Cinema United said in their March report. “Going to the movies is ingrained in our social fabric, and movie fans of all ages continue to flock to theatres of all sizes to see movies on the big screen.”

As a filmmaker Feig said he makes movies for large groups of people to see and enjoy.

“We engineer our films to have maximum impact for a live audience to interact with and react to,” Feig said. “While the advent of streamers making movies has thankfully allowed us to get some of our films made, nothing can ever replace the effectiveness of having our movies play to full theaters of people versus individuals watching in their homes. Simply put, I believe movies just mean more to people when they first experience them on the big screen.”

By DAVID BAUDER

Stephen Colbert returned for his first full program after last week’s announcement that CBS was canceling his “Late Show” with some supportive late-night guests, a joke about cancel culture and an extremely pointed remark directed at President Donald Trump.

“I’m going to go ahead and say it: Cancel culture’s gone way too far,” Colbert said to a rambunctious audience that loudly chanted his name.

CBS and parent Paramount Global said the decision to end the “Late Show” next May was purely financial. It hasn’t gone unnoticed — and was mentioned by Colbert Monday night — that the announcement came days after the comic had sharply criticized Paramount’s $16 million settlement of Trump’s lawsuit over a “60 Minutes” interview.

Colbert, known for his sharp comic takedowns of the president, said that “over the weekend, it sunk in that they killed off our show. But they made one mistake. They left me alive.”

Now, he said, “I can say what I really think of Donald Trump, starting right now.” As his audience cheered him on, Colbert said, “I don’t care for him. Doesn’t seem to have the skill set to be president.”

Colbert’s personal message to President Donald Trump

He read a passage from a Trump social media message saying that he loved that the “untalented” Colbert had been fired.

“How dare you, sir,” Colbert said. “Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?” The show switched to a close-up camera where Colbert appeared to say, “f—- you,” the word bleeped out and his mouth blurred.

Noting CBS’ explanation for his firing, Colbert said, “how can it purely be a financial decision if the show is No. 1 in the ratings? It’s confusing. A lot of folks are asking that question, mainly my staff’s parents and spouses.”

With some apparent irritation, he said some news stories over the weekend reported the apparently leaked information that “Late Show” was losing between $40 million and $50 million a year. Ad revenue for late-night entertainment broadcasts has shrunk sharply as the audience, particularly young men, turn to streaming or other priorities.

“I could see us losing $24 million,” Colbert said. “But where would Paramount have ever spent the other $16 million? Oh, yeah.”

Colbert introduced the odd duo of “Weird Al” Yankovic and Lin-Manuel Miranda to sing Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida.” In a sly reference to the couple caught on camera last week at a Coldplay concert, “Late Show” cameras panned the audience to find some supportive friends — fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart and John Oliver, as well as Adam Sandler, Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.

Thanking audience members for support

Colbert turned serious — briefly — to address people who had expressed support for him since the announcement was made.

“Some people see this show going away as the sign of something truly dire. And while I’m a big fan of me, I don’t necessarily agree with that statement,” he said, “because we here at the ‘Late Show’ never saw our job as changing anything other than how you felt at the end of the day, which I think is a worthy goal.

“Or,” he continued, “changing how you felt the next morning when you watched on your phone, which is why broadcast TV is dying.”

David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

Actor Jensen Ackles said he had no idea “Supernatural” would last 15 seasons.

“I didn’t think we’d last more than three seasons. I was excited by the success of that because if you get anything more than three seasons of a show, that’s a runaway success,” Ackles said. “The fact that we got to 15, nobody could’ve predicted that, never in a million years. I’m still very proud of every episode we did, very proud of every season we completed, and very proud of every story we told. I’m sure there were some that may not have hit as hard as some of the other storylines, but I’m proud nonetheless.”

Ackles (Dean Winchester), Misha Collins (Castiel), Richard Speight, Jr. (Loki and Gabriel), Samantha Smith (Mary Winchester), Alaina Huffman (Abaddon), Alexander Calvert (Jack), Jim Beaver (Bobby Singer), Mark Sheppard (Crowley), Rob Benedict (God/Chuck), and more will attend Creation Entertainment’s “The Road So Far … The Road Ahead: Celebrating 20 Years of SPN” at the Suburban Showplace Collection in Novi on Friday through Sunday, July 11-13. This is Michigan’s first convention dedicated solely to “Supernatural.”

“We’re super excited! Man, we’re a well-oiled machine. We’ve never been there and we’ve been doing this convention all over the United States and Europe for a long time. It’s always fun to bring it to a new market because we get to connect with a whole new group of people who love the show but haven’t been able to celebrate it with us in person, so it’s gonna be great!” Speight said. “As actors on the show, we don’t get to see the people who watch it and love it. We do our job in a vacuum on a soundstage and go about our business and hope the show connects with people. Conventions give us that opportunity to meet and bond with the people who kept the show on for (15) years. It’s a special time to be with the people who kept the show popular its entire run. You do live theater, you hear applause. You do standup comedy, you get laughter. You do a TV show, you don’t hear anything, you don’t see anything. With a convention, all that comes together and makes it really unique and special.”

“Supernatural” chronicles the adventures of the Winchester brothers, Dean and Sam (Jared Padalecki), who travel the country in their 1967 Chevy Impala, called Baby, to hunt monsters.

“‘Supernatural’ is not loved because it’s a show about monsters; it’s a show about brothers,” Ackles said. “It’s the love story of two brothers, to be honest.”

“The show is about the two brothers and their connection,” Huffman said. “In television, we always say the No. 1 sets the tone. In this case, it’s a shared title, it’s Jared and Jensen. … They’re just really solid guys. They learned early on their longevity and staying power would be based on their relationship and that transcends the show and also real life. We’ve just felt that we’ve been welcomed into this big, beautiful family. We can’t describe it; it’s lightning in a bottle and we’re so grateful for it.”

Created by Eric Kripke, “Supernatural” — a cross between “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” “The X-Files” and “Route 66” — debuted Sept. 13, 2005, on The WB to modest ratings. Throughout its 15 years, “Supernatural” has survived two networks, three network presidents, five showrunners, multiple timeslots, a writers’ strike and COVID-19. It concluded Nov. 19, 2020, after 327 episodes. Its spinoff, “The Winchesters,” ran from 2022-23.

“‘Supernatural’ wasn’t just a show. It was an anchor in my life. From the moment it premiered, it walked beside me through motherhood, heartbreak, reinvention and healing. The Winchesters felt like family; their story stitched into mine. This fandom gave me purpose and friendship. It will forever be a part of who I am,” said Lindsay Warren of Royal Oak.

Warren has raised more than $100,000 via the show’s fanbase for various charities, including A Dog’s Life and St. Jude’s. Even the stars have used their celebrity status to raise awareness. Always Keep Fighting is Padalecki’s campaign to raise awareness against the stigma of mental illness. Collins co-founded Random Acts, a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding and inspiring acts of kindness worldwide.

“It’s fantastic how supportive the fans have been since the show started. For years, it would be on the bubble, meaning it wasn’t guaranteed a pickup, but it got it and the fans would stick with it. It would move nights and the fans would stick with it. It would move timeslots and the fans would stick with it,” Speight said. “It has, honestly, been the stuff of television history — how dedicated and loyal the fans have been and passionate they continue to be even with the show no longer being produced. They watch it on streamers, own the DVDs, come to conventions, and support the show like it’s still being shot, which is incredibly rare and remarkable. Being part of something that has that connection and support is really unique and amazing.”

Speight shared his insight on the show’s staying power.

“Kripke created an airtight universe with a specific mission and cast two outstanding actors (Padalecki and Ackles). Along the way, he picked up remarkable performer after remarkable performer,” he said. “You go down the list of the people who came into this show and went on to become stars in their own right — Sterling K. Brown, Leslie Odom Jr. It continued to pick up actors who are remarkably solid and contributed their talents to the show.”

Speight continued: “It just kept running along when you went from Kripke showrunning to Sera Gamble showrunning to Jeremy Carver showrunning to Andrew Dabb showrunning to Robert Singer showrunning, the show never lost a step. It kept reinventing itself. It kept staying true to the characters that launched it. It kept tapping into the talents of the cast and crew. Honestly, the show could’ve still continued if Jared and Jensen wanted it to. That’s a remarkable testament to the power of a well-thought-out plan and a well-executed TV program.”

Laura Conner of Auburn is rendezvousing in Novi with Angie Stillson of Mishawaka, Indiana, and Barbara Jones of Covington, Louisiana. The three met at “Supernatural” conventions and became lifelong friends.

“I started watching ‘Supernatural’ in the 11th season,” Conner said. “I was a little late to the party. I was newly divorced and in a bad mental state at the time. I binged all 11 seasons in less than four months. I learned about the conventions and have met some of my bestest friends through them. Now it’s coming to Novi, I get to see my friends again. I met Angie in Chicago in 2016. I met Barbara in Nashville in 2018. We all met up in Indianapolis later that year. We haven’t been together at a convention since 2018, so I am very excited about this. The lifetime of friendships ‘Supernatural’ conventions has brought me has made each day brighter. I can’t wait to see everyone!”

According to Speight, a “Supernatural” convention is an experience unlike any other.

“We’re not just a parade of actors from the show; we are an experience,” he said.  “We are funny, intimate, musical. It is a party from the moment Friday kicks off to the last acoustic, post-concert notes Sunday night. In any capacity you want to go — be it all three days, one day, just for the concert — you’re gonna have a great time because it’s a celebration of a show at a level you have yet to experience. We’re thrilled to be able to bring it to you and hope you’re there to enjoy it with us.”

If you go

Creation Entertainment’s “The Road So Far … The Road Ahead: Celebrating 20 Years of SPN” will be at the Suburban Showplace Collection, 46100 Grand River Ave., Novi, from Friday through Sunday, July 11-13.

The convention schedule is posted the week of the convention to accommodate flight itineraries and filming schedules. All guests and scheduling are tentative and subject to change. Ticket packages range between $60-$1099. For more information, visit creationent.com/cal/ce_novi or email customer.service@creationent.com.

‘Supernatural: Then and Now’ Podcast

Can’t get enough “Supernatural”? Well, “Supernatural” stars Richard Speight Jr. and Rob Benedict host the podcast “Supernatural: Then and Now.”

“It’s such a cool experience,” Speight said. “Though Rob and I were involved in the show … I didn’t watch every episode. It’s forced me to do exactly that and in order. Now, like a fan, I’m going step by step throughout the entire storyline of each character … giving it a real close look. It’s been fantastically educating, entertaining and illuminating because I can see the show through the eyes of a fan. Plus, we have a great time talking about it. Any time I work with Rob is a good time because nobody makes me laugh like that guy.”

When seeing himself on these episodes, Speight doesn’t second-guess his performances.

“Look, those things are frozen in a vacuum: You do ‘em, they’re on film, they’re captured, you’re not gonna change ‘em. It’s fun to go back and look at it like it’s a home movie,” he said. “There are a couple episodes where I had a lot of sympathy weight because my wife was pregnant, so that wasn’t my favorite thing to revisit, but it happens to the best of us. … You have to come to a zen place in your mind and heart about the work you’ve done in the past.”

Speight played Gabriel and Loki in the 13th season episode, “Unfinished Business,” which he also directed.

“Very few times does an actor get to direct himself kicking his own butt,” he recalled. “It was such an awesome experience and a challenge. I directed myself playing two characters who were dramatically different from each other. They had to interact and physically confront each other; it was amazing. That challenge was unique and special.”

Speight explained why podcasts hosted by a show’s cast are so popular.

“I think people love to hear from the people who made the show, be they crew or cast,” he said. “It’s just like how I used to watch the DVD commentary and listen to a director or writer talk about the experience of making a show or a movie. DVDs aren’t popular anymore, but podcasts are and can serve the same purpose. They can be a peak behind the curtain to some of your favorite shows and movies as discussed by (the people) who were there to see it all come together. It brings a unique perspective to it. For fans who love the show, you get to do a deep dive with the people who made the show, which makes it super unique and educational, aside from just entertaining.”

By MARK KENNEDY, AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Twenty-five years ago, a little girl with a bob haircut appeared on our TVs, speaking a mix of English and Spanish, with a spunky, can-do spirit. She had an adventure planned, a backpack, a monkey friend and upbeat songs.

“Hi, I’m Dora. What’s your name?” she asked.

This was, of course, “Dora the Explorer,” the first Latina to lead a major cartoon series and the girl who helped spearhead the rise of multicultural children’s programming in the U.S. on her way to becoming a cultural phenomenon.

“The show allowed Latinos to be depicted on TV as educators, teaching viewers how to speak our language, and yet at the same time, just teaching ordinary things that children need to learn,” said Brenda Victoria Castillo, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition.

Nickelodeon is celebrating Dora’s 25th anniversary with the feature-length live-action movie “Dora and the Search of Sol Dorado,” a third season of the rebooted animated series “Dora,” the podcast Dora’s Mermaid Adventures, an album of songs and plenty of toys and apparel.

“The great thing about Dora is that, yes, she celebrates Latin culture through every aspect — language, food, dress and music,” says Ramsey Naito, president of animation at Paramount and Nickelodeon. “But she also empowers everybody to be their true self and to be brave. She’s not exclusive. She’s inclusive.”

The original voice

Kathleen Herles had a special vantage point to see Dora’s influence: She was the original voice of the pint-size heroine, cast in the role when she was 7 and staying until she was 18 and off to college.

“It has been the longest journey and the greatest adventure of my life — no pun intended,” said Herles, who grew up in New York City to parents of Peruvian descent.

On the convention circuit, Herles would see firsthand the power of Dora. “I remember I would make kids cry, not intentionally,” she says. “Their mind goes to a memory, to a moment, it’s just incredible. It’s so special, it’s magical.”

Herles has lately been the voice actor for Dora’s mom on “Dora,” the reboot that started in 2024. It’s a full-circle moment for the actor and singer: “It changed my life forever, twice.”

“Dora the Explorer” led to what Herles laughingly calls the “Dora-verse” — the spinoff series “Go, Diego, Go!,” a sequel series “Dora and Friends: Into the City!” and the 2019 live-action feature film “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” starring Isabela Merced, Eva Longoria and Michael Peña.

“Dora” co-creator Chris Gifford has watched his creation age up and down and take human form. “She has been older and she has been younger and she has a hair clip now,” he says. “Her essence, her positive spirit, her I-can-do-anything-with-your-help attitude has stuck through.”

Dora is firmly part of the culture, as big as her Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon. There’s a reference to her in “Inside Out 2,” she’s been mocked on “Saturday Night Live” and if you look carefully at the PBS show “Alma’s Way,” you can see a Dora doll in that heroine’s bedroom. TikTok users have embraced the “Backpack Song.”

“Those kids coming of age now — the ones who 25 years ago were just watching it as little preschoolers — they’re out there and they’re remembering,” says Valerie Walsh Valdes, co-creator of the original series and an executive producer on the new series and movie.

Creating a problem solver

Valdes and Gifford originally had the idea for a show about a little girl who was a problem solver. Like “Blue’s Clues,” it would reward kids for figuring out answers posed by the host.

“Preschoolers are the least powerful people in our world,” says Gifford. “They’re not able to button their sweater and not able to tie their shoes, but if they’re able to help Dora get to the City of Lost Toys and really feel like they helped, that’s something special.”

Nickelodeon suggested the girl be Latina and the creators ran with it, making her pan-Latina so no one would feel excluded. Latin representation on TV — then and now — has been a struggle.

The Latino Donor Collaborative’s 2024 Latinos in Media report found that Latino actors made up 9.8% of the main cast in lead, co-lead and ensemble roles in scripted shows. In non-scripted television, Latino hosts made up only 5% of host roles. That’s despite Latin people making up nearly 20% of the country.

“There were few programs at the time that featured Latina protagonists with Dora’s skin tone or features, so from that perspective, the representation is valuable,” says Erynn Masi de Casanova, head of the sociology department at the University of Cincinnati.

Dora was put in an animated world inside a computer, and the creators asked kids to help make the show better. They hired education consultants to tease out the skills Dora teaches, like spatial understanding and interpersonal. They brought in language and culture experts.

“We did it!” became her signature song.

Bilingual heroine

The series is seen in more than 150 countries and territories and translated in 32 languages on Nickelodeon channels and Paramount+. In English-speaking countries such as the United States and Australia, Dora teaches Spanish; in other markets — including the Hispanic U.S. markets — she teaches English.

Samantha Lorraine, 18, who grew up in Miami of Cuban heritage, had the Dora T-shirts and backpack. She laughs that she once even had the Dora bob.

In July, she’s starring as Dora in “Dora and the Search of Sol Dorado,” which was filmed in Colombia. “I’ve been doing my audition since day one,” she says.

“It’s an honor to be stepping into Dora’s shoes. It’s such a huge legacy,” she adds. “It’s really nice to be able to be a part of representation where it counts. And Dora is the epitome of that.”

Castillo, of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, puts Dora up there with Mickey Mouse in terms of an instantly recognized cultural character and says she’s relevant more than ever.

“We need more Doras,” she says. “If people were just open to being educated in other people’s languages and cultures and beliefs and not see it as a threat, we wouldn’t be in the situation that we’re in this country and the world.”

Someone was recently telling me about a vacation they took with their partner, and when they mentioned some moments of friction that came up, my mind immediately went to “Couples Therapy.” Everyone experiences conflict in life, even with those closest to you, and it can be tricky to work through that. But the show’s psychoanalyst Orna Guralnik is wonderfully perceptive when it comes to helping people talk about what’s really going on.

The unscripted series returns on Showtime for the second half of Season 4, which premiered last year. Featuring all new couples, it’s functionally a new season. (I’m unclear why Showtime makes this confusing distinction, but if I were to guess, it’s related to money and maybe results in a cheaper deal on the network’s end.)

Sometimes people just aren’t compatible. But in many cases, the bickering and fights in these relationships are about something deeper. Picking at one another endlessly or obsessing over something that doesn’t really matter is a way to fill the space between two people who are trying to make some kind of connection, Guralnik says. But it’s all noise and you’re “nowhere real.” The reason analysts might be able to help is that they are trained to “listen for that and to find a way to move from noise to signal.”

Four couples are featured. Rod and Alison have been married for nearly 20 years and they have a dynamic we’ve seen on the series before: She comes across as a harpy, whereas he is passive-aggressive and then retreats into himself. At one point, the energy feels so contentious that Guralnik stops to ask: Are you fighting right now? No, you’ll know when that happens, Alison tells her. To which Guralnik says: “I’m just curious about the tone.” Alison doesn’t deny it: “Oh, I have a tone.” I couldn’t help but laugh because Alison is brusque and abrasive — at least she’s self-aware! “This is how it’s always been,” she says of her marriage. “We have no patience for each other.”

Another couple, Boris and Jessica, have been together about half as long, but the tension between them is just as intense. They’ve recently relocated to New York City. She is thriving, but he hates everything about their new life, even though they’ve finally achieved some stability. “We are just aliens to each other,” he tells Guralnik.

(Boris is the novelist Boris Fishman, and this raises some questions about when the season was filmed; according to his Wikipedia page, in 2024 he began teaching at the University of Austin “where he lives with his wife and daughter.” Presumably they moved. Presumably they are still together. This is important, considering where they live is a primary source of discord between them.)

Kyle and Mondo have been together for six years. The former is deaf and immigrated to the U.S. from Poland as a child. Sometimes he feels smothered by his partner. At other times, because of his disability, he feels left out of things or prefers to spend time with his deaf friends. Kyle also wants an open relationship and Mondo is unenthusiastic about this, while also dealing with other issues, including grief for a mother who died from COVID. Despite their problems, they come across as the couple who seem to have most retained the feelings of affection that first drew them together.

Finally, there’s Nick and Katherine. “We’re on our own islands,” one of them says. “We take care of things, the bills are paid. But there isn’t love.” He’s still working through a difficult experience he had in college that he is initially reluctant to reveal. She has some lingering issues with disordered eating. Both avoid talking about the feelings of insecurity they feel individually, lest those emotions explode beyond their control.

I generally find “Couples Therapy” to be free of the usual gimmicks and tricks that are used to juice most reality TV. But at least one moment gave me pause. A couple is sniping at each other in the waiting area outside Guralnik’s office and she can hear them — or so we’re led to believe. Whether that’s actually the case or a trick of editing, I don’t know. We see Guralnik gently stroking her sweet dog Nico, an Alaskan Klee Kai who often accompanies her to work, and it’s almost as if she’s trying to calm herself before opening the door and inviting them in. But again, this was a rare moment when I questioned if there was some manipulation happening in how that moment is portrayed. Also, the female half of one couple consistently wears an assortment of sweatshirts that have sleeves covered in sequins. It’s a distinctive look, so much so that my cynical side wondered if she had a line of sweatshirts she was covertly promoting by wearing them to each and every session.

I’ve always wondered why people agree to bare their lives and messy relationships on the show. It’s a question that probably applies to all reality TV, but this one especially requires a vulnerability about one’s sexual behaviors, embarrassing flaws and personal history (and what can feel like shameful remnants of long-ago trauma) in ways that seem unique. The participants are not just revealing this to strangers who make up the bulk of the show’s viewership, but also, by default, to potentially gossipy friends, neighbors, colleagues and professional acquaintances. Even if your relationship is hanging on by a thread, this feels like a deterrent. Then again, there is no fee paid by the couples here. Guralnik typically charges $700 per session. And she’s really good. Maybe, if you’re feeling desperate enough — and also exhibitionist enough — it’s worth the tradeoff.

Whatever the factors compelling people to take part, I’m grateful they’re willing to let us see inside the most private moments of their relationships, because with Guralnik’s guidance, I always feel smarter and more compassionate about humans in general. The idea that conflict doesn’t have to be intractable is so profound as to be easily overlooked.

“I think it’s very frightening for people to have a raw, honest experience — in real time — with their partner,” Guralnik says, and as a result, “there are many ways people avoid real communication.”

“Couples Therapy” is a look at what it means to break down those walls and see what’s really behind them.

“Couples Therapy” — 4 stars (out of 4)

Where to watch: 8 p.m. Fridays on Showtime (streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime)

Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.

NEW YORK (AP) — Pharrell Williams has high hopes for the Met Gala, the first to focus exclusively on Black designers, and the first in more than 20 years to have a menswear theme.

“I want it to feel like the most epic night of power, a reflection of Black resiliency in a world that continues to be colonized, by which I mean policies and legislation that are nothing short of that,” he recently told Vogue.

“It’s our turn.”

Indeed. And welcome to the first Monday in May.

How to watch the 2025 Met Gala

Vogue will livestream the gala starting at 6 p.m. Eastern on Vogue.com, its YouTube channel and across its other digital platforms. Teyana Taylor, La La Anthony and Ego Nwodim will host the stream. Emma Chamberlain will also do interviews on the carpet.

The Associated Press will stream the gala carpet on delay beginning at 6:30 p.m. The feeds will be available on YouTube and APNews.com.

E! will begin live coverage at 6 p.m. on TV. The livestream will be available on Peacock, E! Online and YouTube, along with the network’s other social media feeds.