IT General

Finding the perfect shop vac can be the difference between a quick cleanup and a time-consuming mess, and that's before we even talk about cordless vs corded vacs from all your favorite tool brands. Whether you're a professional contractor or a weekend DIYer, choosing the right one is tough. Here are some of the best-performing models from Milwaukee to RIDGID.

Do you struggle to understand how to boost your Linux skills? Are you sick of getting stuck in tutorial hell? A lack of inspiration can hold you back for years, but all you need are some ideas and a refined process. I have a guide that combines both how I learned Linux and how I approach difficult subjects, so you can breeze past beginner mode and into graybeard territory.

The luxury car market hasn’t had the strongest start to 2026. Slowing demand and shifting buyer priorities have weighed on overall sales, with several established nameplates posting noticeable declines in the first quarter. But even in a cooling market, a handful of models are standing out, delivering strong results while much of the segment struggles to keep pace.

As fans of the Fromanxiously await season 4, MGM+ and director Jack Bender (Lost) have released a specific list of episodes to rewatch. Each holds key moments and clues capable of shaping the next chapter, revisiting major traumas, story gaps, and moments worthy of deeper explanation.

I've tried a lot of to-do list apps, from Todoist to Things 3, but I've never found one that has really felt like a perfect fit. I decided to try to build my own using Home Assistant.

Every professional who works with data knows that moment of dread when opening an old, complex Excel file. They can quickly become a file of mismatched formats, formulas that are great but overused, and data full of errors. This is a massive time sink. The struggle is real, and it's a direct drain on productivity, forcing you to focus on cleaning data rather than extracting useful insights from it. However, we can finally give the most tedious, technical, and repetitive tasks to AI. I recently applied this new approach, and I am happy not having to do the grunt work. If you try what I'm doing, then you're likely going to love this new method too.

TL;DR: Live stream Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Atletico Madrid are fresh from beating Barcelona in the quarter-final stage of the Champions League. They're going to come up against Arsenal in the next round, but first they face off against Real Sociedad in the final of the Copa del Rey.

Atletico Madrid are comfortably above their opponents in La Liga, but Real Sociedad possess the quality to beat any side on their best day. The likes of Mendez and Oyarzabal will likely cause problems for Diego Simeone's team this weekend.

If you want to watch Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad?

Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on April 18. This fixture takes place at the Estadio de La Cartuja.

How to watch Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad for free

Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock ITVX to live stream the Copa del Rey for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit ITVX

5. Watch Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Copa del Rey without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ITVX, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final for free with ExpressVPN.

Gaming on Linux is better today than it ever has been, but that doesn't mean it is perfect. NVIDIA's drivers are notoriously finicky, especially when you want to use more advanced features like DLSS or Frame Generation.

Bambu Lab has taken the 3D printing world by storm with its range of easy-to-use and affordable printers. The filament sold by the company is dependable and available in a wide range of materials and finishes, yet it somehow still manages to be a source of frustration.

While Python is my primary programming language for statistical analysis, I'm picking the other major language, R, even though it's considered niche. Here are the reasons why.

I write about documentaries on streaming services a lot, and it's no surprise that the lion's share of them are on Netflix these days. But consider this a stern reminder that HBO was the king of compelling, premium documentaries since before Netflix was stuffing DVDs in the mail. From 1996's Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills to the more recent surfing stunner, 100 Foot Wave series (both Emmy winners), you can still find a truckload of excellent docs on HBO Max.

Google Fi Wireless—first named “Project Fi”—launched over a decade ago with a single plan. There are now four plans to choose from, but the original pay-for-what-you-use plan has stuck around. It’s still a shockingly good deal in 2026.

Sceye’s High-Altitude Platform System has completed endurance testing, marking a step toward wider deployment. The floating infrastructure aims to deliver internet from the stratosphere. Here’s what this means for the future of connectivity.

If you're thinking about self-hosting multiple services, Proxmox is a great option. Proxmox is a virtualization platform that lets you run multiple isolated services on the same machine using containers or virtual machines. There are plenty of great services that can run in Proxmox.

The ESP32 is a tiny microcontroller that you can pick up for a few dollars. Thanks to its small footprint and low barrier to entry, it’s perfect for powering a variety of simple smart home projects from super simple “flash and go” sensors to more complex ventures that involve skills like soldering and coding.

We've all been there: struggling with a nested Excel formula that breaks when your data shifts, or using Flash Fill only to find it missed half the rows. I stopped relying on those fragile workarounds and switched to Power Query's Column From Examples for more reliable automation.

When it comes to portable storage, I’ve never seen it done quite as elegantly as the Sharge Disk Pro. This portable NVMe SSD packs a 4-in-1 USB-C hub, MagSafe compatibility—but at what cost?

After seven years — a metric eternity in tech time — Sony has finally ventured back into the world of Bluetooth turntables. This spring, the company released the Sony PS-LX3BT ($399.99) and the Sony PS-LX5BT ($499.99), a pair of replacements for its original PS-LX310BT record player.

These newcomers have big shoes to fill. Long regarded as one of the best beginner-friendly turntables, the PS-LX310BT was a popular, perennial favorite for its easy setup, fully automatic operation, and minimalist look. It also helped that it was easy to find on sale for under $200 in its later years.

Admittedly, I never rode the PS-LX310BT hype train. The record player I've used for the past 10-odd years is an entry-level wired, manual turntable that's served me well for the most part, save for some occasional needle issues. I like it a lot... or at least, I thought I did until I used the new PS-LX3BT for a month (the cheaper option). It made me feel so spoiled that I was genuinely bummed to ship it back at the end of my testing period. If you're a vinyl novice in the market for a solid plug-and-play turntable, your search still ends with Sony.

Sony PS-LX3BT Full Auto Playback Turntable with Bluetooth Connectivity $368 at Amazon
$398 Save $30   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Sony Sony PS-LX3BT review: Setup and hands on

The PS-LX3BT ships in a few parts and looks a little intimidating right out of the box, but assembly wound up being a cinch. You just pop on its aluminum platter, hook a rubber belt around its motor pulley, place a slip mat on top, and snap some hinges onto its plastic dust cover. (You can also use it without the cover.) Sony's instructions are easy enough to follow, but there are plenty of setup tutorials on YouTube if you need extra guidance.

Here's what the Sony PS-LX3BT looks like right out of the box. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The PS-LX3BT is a belt-drive turntable, which means its motor is separate from its platter, the plate-shaped thing underneath your record. (They're connected by the aforementioned belt.) This produces less vibration when the motor is running, preserving audio quality, though the belt can stretch out over time and may need to be replaced eventually. The other kind of turntable you'll encounter is the direct-drive variety, which has a motor that's attached to the platter. These are more durable and have more consistent speeds, but they can be noisy. Professional DJs generally prefer direct-drive turntables, but belt-driven ones, which tend to be cheaper, are fine for the rest of us.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite audio brands for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

I did notice that the PS-LX3BT made a mechanical whirrr sound when it was on, but it was impossible to hear once a record started playing. This will only bother the pickiest audiophiles.

The Sony PS-LX3BT's main housing, or plinth, has a dark gray finish. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The PS-LX3BT is stupidly simple to use. Hit the "Bluetooth" button on the left-hand side of its base, or plinth, to connect it to a wireless speaker, soundbar, or wireless headphones. An indicator light next to the button glows blue when it's paired.

You can also hook up the PS-LX3BT to wired speakers if you're really worried about latency or sound quality. (Bluetooth compresses audio for the trade-off of portability, which, to vinyl purists, defeats the point of listening to analog vinyl.) There's an attached audio cable and a built-in phono preamp, so you just need to plug in your speakers of choice.

Two other buttons near the Sony PS-LX3BT's Start button let you manually stop and raise or lower the tonearm as needed. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Once the PS-LX3BT is connected to some kind of audio output device, you just have to press the green "Start" button on the opposite side of its plinth. Your record will start spinning, and the tonearm will automatically move over, drop down, and start playing it from the beginning. When it reaches the end of the record side, the tonearm rises and returns to its cradle. It makes some mechanical clacking noises along the way, which might bug some folks, but it's great in that it's completely fuss-free.

The PS-LX3BT supports standard 12-inch albums or 7-inch singles, and you can play either of them at 33 1/3 or 45 revolutions per minute (RPM). There are knobs that let you switch between the two sizes and speeds on the right-hand side of its plinth. Sony throws in an adapter for 7-inchers, which you can stash in a slot within the plinth.

You can rip vinyl records onto your laptop using the Sony PS-LX3BT's USB-B port. Its power cable is removable (right), but its audio cable (left) is not. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable composite

The PS-LX3BT's rear connectivity includes a USB-B port that lets you rip vinyl tracks onto your laptop. I didn't have a USB-B cable on hand when I was testing the turntable, so I couldn't try it myself (it's sold separately). But this is a cool feature that I would absolutely use to digitize physical-exclusive bonus tracks, B-sides, and vinyl releases that differ from the streaming versions. I can't be the only one who misses the "Milkshake" sample on Beyoncé's Renaissance.

For $100 more, the premium PS-LX5BT model nets you a detachable audio cable, a slightly thicker slip mat, and a gold-plated audio jack, which "supports a high-grade wired connection," according to Sony. (From what I've read, it's mainly a durability thing.) Its plinth is black, while the PS-LX3BT is more of a dark gray.

The Sony PS-LX3BT's cartridge has a tracking force of 3.5 grams, which puts it on the heavy side. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The pricier PS-LX5BT also has a lighter, removable cartridge (the part that houses the needle on the end of its tonearm). Its cartridge has a tracking force of two grams, while the cheaper PS-LX3BT's cartridge has a tracking force of 3.5 grams. I think this is the biggest advantage of splurging on the PS-LX5BT: Lighter cartridges equal less wear and tear on your vinyl.

A tracking force of one to three grams is generally ideal, which makes the PS-LX3BT's cartridge a bit heavy. It's not adjustable, unfortunately, though you might be able to jerry-rig a counterweight yourself if you're concerned about long-term vinyl damage. Someone on Reddit lightened the tracking force of their PS-LX310BT (Sony's older turntable) by putting a kneaded eraser on the back end of its tonearm.

Sony PS-LX3BT vs. Sony PS-LX310BT: What's new? The original Sony PS-LX310BT (top) versus the newer Sony PS-LX3BT (bottom). Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable composite

My sister, who lives nearby, happens to own the original PS-LX310BT, so I stopped by her apartment to check it out. There are a couple of small differences between it and the newer PS-LX3BT, but overall, the latter is a pretty iterative update. (My colleagues have said similar things about Sony's latest XM6 headphones and earbuds. That's modern consumer tech for you.)

Here's what sets them apart:

• The PS-LX3BT adds support for AptX and AptX Adaptive Bluetooth codecs.

• The PS-LX310BT's Start, Stop, and Up/Down buttons are flush on the side of its plinth. The same buttons protrude on the surface of the PS-LX3BT.

• The PS-LX310BT's record speed and size dials are knobs on the PS-LX3BT.

• The PS-LX310BT's dust cover has a smoky gray tint. The PS-LX3BT's cover is clear.

The PS-LX310BT retailed for $449.99 at launch, though it was often on sale for half that in recent years. I think it's still worth buying if you can catch it at a very cheap price, but it's getting tougher to find in stock nowadays.

The Sony PS-LX3BT's transparent dust cover lets you see colorful pressings clearly. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

If you already own the PS-LX310BT, there's no world in which you'd need to upgrade to the PS-LX3BT. Its design tweaks are minimal, and its tonearm-moving mechanism is exactly the same. In theory, its AptX and AptX Adaptive support translates to better wireless audio quality, but the records I spun on my sister's PS-LX310BT didn't sound worse.

Sony PS-LX3BT review: Final thoughts I'm a Sony convert if my current record player dies. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The PS-LX3BT is a stylish turntable with idiotproof plug-and-play functionality. Its Bluetooth connectivity and automatic operation will turn off vinyl purists, but they're boons for newbies.

As someone who came to the PS-LX3BT from a wired, manual record player, I can't deny the appeal of this convenience — and if mine ever gives out, I'll seriously consider defecting to Sony. I'm precious with my vinyl collection, so I'd go with the nicer PS-LX5BT model for the lighter cartridge.

The PS-LX3BT and PS-LX5BT are both expensive compared to other top-rated turntables, so try to buy them on sale. (I think you're mostly paying a premium for the Sony name, though I'm inclined to trust its build quality over other random brands you might find at Best Buy or Amazon.) At the time of writing, both models were up to $30 off at major retailers.

Sony PS-LX3BT Full Auto Playback Turntable with Bluetooth Connectivity $368 at Amazon
$398 Save $30   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Sony Sony PS-LX5BT Full Auto Playback Premium Turntable with Bluetooth Connectivity $473 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $26.99   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Sony

Robot vacuum releases for 2026 kicked off in February and have been relentless since. Compared to multiple pre-spring release dates, Narwal's April 13 launch of the Narwal Flow 2 feels a little behind. A new roller mop robot entering the fold at this point would need to have a little extra sparkle to stand out — to the average buyer, and to me, a vacuum reviewer who has had at least three robot vacuum and mop combos under her roof at any given point since January.

The roller mop is more flat and rectangular than most cylindrical ones. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Flow 2 comes with detergent that auto-dispenses into the water tank. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable What's special about the Narwal Flow 2?

Seemingly nothing, if you were merely comparing the bullet points in the Flow 2's Amazon description to the Amazon listings for other robovacs in its price range. 31,000 Pa suction power? A self-cleaning roller mop? Dual camera AI object recognition? On paper, it's nothing we haven't heard before. In practice, though, the Narwal Flow 2's AI skills around obstacles and messes have proven more reliable than other 2026 flagships that claim the same thing.

I've realized that the Flow 2's specs are actually loaded for how much Narwal is charging — especially with the Flow 2 at its launch sale price of $1,099.99. 31,000 Pa suction is quite strong for barely costing over $1,000, and heated water mopping is hard to come across at all. The Dreamxe X60 Max Ultra Complete mops with hot water, too, but it's not a roller mop vacuum (and it costs more).

SEE ALSO: Dreame doesn't just want to be a top vacuum brand. It wants to be a top everything brand. The Narwal Flow 2 might have the best AI mess detection I've seen

Every big robot vacuum is flaunting AI-powered cleaning and obstacle recognition this year. The thing is, AI robot vacuum features mean nothing to me if they're dodgy. Most fancy AI robot vacuums I've tested recently seem to struggle with consistent mess detection, especially around liquid. The Narwal Flow 2 and its Freo Mind AI mode have been different, though.

When Narwal says that the Flow 2 "sees everything," it's honestly not that much of a stretch. When upcoming piles of debris or liquid spills are substantial enough, the Flow 2's front-facing camera snaps a picture before adjusting its cleaning approach accordingly. For instance, the Flow 2 knew that tracked kitty litter around the Litter-Robot was "scattered debris." Suction power audibly boosts when the Flow 2 crosses any area it thinks is heavily soiled.

Every robot vacuum I review has to take the Litter-Robot area test. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Flow 2 identified the field of dry scattered debris (and got Sansa in the picture). Credit: Screenshot / Narwal

Most AI robot vacs use live imaging like this for behind-the-scenes processing while cleaning, but photographic evidence of what the vacuum is seeing isn't always readily available. I appreciate that the Flow 2 is so transparent about its thought process — it's been fun to make a mess on the floor, then immediately check the app to see if the Flow 2 accurately recognized it.

Narwal's small obstacle avoidance has also been spot-on so far. The Flow 2 successfully avoids charging cords, shoes, and slippers on a daily basis, and even made it a point to steer around large clumps of potting soil (thinking they were pet waste). The app drops a little pin in the map, noting what type of obstacle it found, and you can see a photo of those, too. This is how I found out that the Flow 2 noticed more niche obstacles in its peripherals, like the very out-of-the-way power cord to my Mill food recycling bin and my cat's crinkle ball toys.

Is the Narwal Flow 2 good at mopping?

The Narwal Flow 2 is a beast at soaking up liquid spills. Instead of the traditional cylindrical roller mop design, this roller has flat slides like a conveyor belt. Narwal says this covers 0.157 square feet of floor surface per pass, which is allegedly more direct surface coverage than the sliver of a rounded roller mop hitting the floor at any given point. I believe that. The Flow 2 was super effective at fully soaking up runny spills like wine and thicker droplet consistencies like ranch and pancake batter.

The Flow 2 zeroed in on the wine and navigated around it more carefully. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable It took forever, but the Flow 2 did end up leaving the area spotless. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Most notably, the Flow 2 left no sticky residue behind after mopping several drops of syrup — and every robot vacuum struggles to fully wipe syrup up. This has to be due to the roller mop's use of heated water, which we rarely see in roller mop robot vacuums. The combination of heat with a pressurized flat roller seems to be an elite pairing for melting away caked-on grime.

I realize that 140 degrees Fahrenheit isn't enough to kill bacteria by science's standards. But for me, the heated scrubbing provides an extra layer of sanitation (and subsequently, comfort) for walking around in bare feet.

Is the Narwal Flow 2 good at vacuuming?

The Narwal Flow 2's rug cleaning is definitely in the top percentile of the many flagship robot vacuums I've tested since January. I'd unsurprisingly rank it just below the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete's 35,000 Pa, but would surprisingly rank it above the Roborock Saros 20's 36,000 Pa. If you just want to compare the suction power to other roller mop robot vacuums, the Flow 2 is a smidge better than the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow's 20,000 Pa.

SEE ALSO: The new Eufy C28 is the most budget-friendly roller mop robot vacuum. I tried it against the top 2 in its class.

There's a lot of variety in the Narwal app's customized vacuuming settings. There are four suction options from "quiet" to "super powerful," plus the occasional pop-up option for "vortex suction," depending on the floor type. You can choose between a standard or meticulous route, the latter taking longer as the Flow 2 scrupulously cleans in two zigzag patterns, one running perpendicular to the first to create a crosshatch pattern. My favorite part is being able to choose up to THREE cleaning passes for extra good measure.

I entrusted the Flow 2 with tackling daily rug buildup like shedded cat hair and long head hairs from my own personal shedding, small crumbs, and litter lodged in the fibers of my plush bath mats. All of those saw a 95 to 97 percent pickup rate. After recently watching the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai miss a ton of tiny quinoa pieces that I dumped into the fluffy hallway rug, I experimented with the Flow 2's handling of the same exact mess. It went much better this time.

From sticky water bowl stains to flung food, the Flow 2 always excels in the cat bowl area. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable If the Flow 2 missed any cat food on the first pass, it always grabs it on the second or third. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Flow 2's performance on hardwood and tile has been solid, too. I was constantly sending it to clean up kibble and crusted wet food flung from my cats' bowls, fallen dryer lint, and two types of cat litter. None of the missed debris or dust here and there has been egregious, confirmed by the laser on one of my Dyson stick vacuums. Not even a minuscule stem was left behind after the Flow took several passes over dried bouquet remnants that my cat knocked out of a vase.

Factors to keep in mind

As helpful as the meticulous cleaning and navigational settings have been, they're sometimes granular to the point of being more complicated than they need to be.

The Narwal refused to go near the wine just because of the setting it was on. Credit: Screenshot / Narwal

Narwal's cleaning settings were... hyper-vigilant when I wanted the Flow 2 to clean up a puddle of wine. No matter how many times I sent it to vacuum and mop this cleaning zone, the Flow 2 would clean the entire rectangle but the few inches with a wine splatter — even though I could see in the app that a liquid spill was detected. It took me forever to figure out that I had the Flow 2 in a custom "vacuum and mop at the same time" mode, and that the Flow 2 didn't want to vacuum over a liquid spill. I'm obviously thankful that the Flow 2 won't just drive through a puddle and suck wine up into the dust bin, but I'm surprised that the Flow 2 can't tweak its cleaning strategy, regardless of whether it's in custom mode. A heads-up like, "I'm not ignoring this spill just to annoy you. Switch me to Freo mode!" would have been nice.

After its initial mapping run, the Flow 2 quietly defaulted rug settings to "cross the carpet without cleaning it." That's the Freo smart cleaning system trying to avoid getting rugs wet when mopping, but that feels like an illogical extra step. Other premium robot vacuums automatically clean both floor types on the fly, and simply cut water flow and lift the mop on soft flooring. This setting is buried in the map management maze, and I don't think most people would assume that it's a setting they could even toggle. They'd just get pissed off that their new robot vacuum is refusing to vacuum the rug.

Our appetite for hearing more about open relationships is increasing. 

While monogamy may have been considered a given in previous generations, the big "tick" of conventional relationships, Google search interest in "ethical non-monogamy" (ENM) has increased astronomically, with searches increasing by 400 percent over the last five years. IRL, more people are considering giving ethical non-monogamy a whirl. In June 2025, Feeld's State of Dating report found that a third of heterosexual men and 11 percent of women in the UK said they'd be open to more than one long-term partner.

SEE ALSO: How to get started with non-monogamy

Perhaps it's not surprising, then, that representations of ENM have become increasingly visible in pop culture, from HBO's Industry to high-profile memoirs to Lily Allen's West End Girl. But how exactly do these books, TV shows, and albums represent ethical non-monogamy and do they get it "right"?

Depicting open relationships in pop culture 

Open relationships appear to be everywhere right now, from our shelves to our screens. Writer Lindy West's explosive memoir Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane explored her experiences of polyamory within her marriage, setting the internet ablaze with TikTok theories about whether West is fully on board with the arrangement. 

Ask Me How It Works: Love in an Open Marriage by Deepa Paul explores her experience of being a mother and wife within an open marriage. Miranda July's novel All Fours, which sees a perimenopausal woman open up her marriage, also caused intrigue and critique.

On TV, in the latest season of Industry, Marisa Abela's Yasmin navigates opening up her relationship with her husband Henry (Kit Harington) as a means of escaping the "gilded cage" her marriage represents to her, and encouraging a sexual encounter with a younger employee. Abuse of power, much? Robin Wright's The Girlfriend and Dakota Johnson's Splitsville explored open relationships within the thriller and comedy genres. And  reality TV series Open House: The Great Sex Experiment saw therapists guide real-life couples through the reality of open relationships.

Probably one of the most famous discussions of non-monogamy of the last year, Lily Allen's explosive album West End Girl includes tracks such as "Nonmonogamummy," "Pussy Palace," and "Dallas Major," which outline Allen's personal experiences of being in an open marriage, the latter depicting her discomfort navigating dating apps within that space ("I hate it here"). Most notably, the legendary song "Madeline" explores her partner breaking the boundaries of their open agreement with one specific woman. The release of West End Girl led to a huge spike in Google searches around non-monogamy and open marriages, with Google searches around Allen and her open marriage reaching towering levels.

With this kind of notoriety came thinkpieces, TikToks, and conversations down the pub. Can open marriage work? Who is the ultimate villain here? One TikTokker called Allen's album a "warning label for anyone thinking of opening their relationship". Allen herself said in an Elle UK interview that while music execs were concerned that material about open relationships wasn't universal enough, after its release, women inundated her DMs with their own negative experiences of non-monogamy. 

But is one woman's experience a fair assessment of an entire community and their relationship dynamics? Is the way pop culture represents open relationships and non-monogamy reflective of, and faithful to, the actual reality of ENM? 

Biased on-screen depictions of non-monogamy

When it comes to recent pop culture representations of polyamory, there may actually be such a thing as bad publicity. 

The mass reaction to West End Girl and other pop culture representations of open relationships leaves a lot of nuance to be desired. While many people, women in particular, felt seen by Allen's raw lyrics, her story is an example of non-monogamy practiced unethically, or perhaps, one-sidedly. Does West End Girl and other stories like it reflect the reality and nuance of all non-monogamous relationships? Or are they giving them a bad name? 

Polyamory educator and queer sex therapist in training Leanne Yau, who has worked with over 1,000 polyamorous clients as a relationship coach, believes that portrayals like West End Girl do, unfortunately, "add to quite a lot of stigma about polyamory in our culture."

"A lot of the narratives around polyamory are so overwhelmingly negative."

"If there was already a lot of positive representation to balance it out, then whatever," Yau adds. "But a lot of the narratives around polyamory are so overwhelmingly negative." Yau says there wasn't enough positive representation of polyamory in the album to "balance out what was otherwise a vulnerable and emotionally resonant piece of art." Entertainment and education are both important here, and they can be hard to reconcile.

In Michael Angelo Covino's Splitsville, a 2025 screwball comedy, two couples open up their marriages to avoid divorce. Yau views this as a trope used often in portrayals of open relationships, describing the film as "passive aggressive," lacking honest communication, and concentrating on the "wrong reasons" that couples may choose to open up their marriage, namely to not split up. For these reasons and more, Yau commended Splitsville in terms of entertainment value but she didn't view it as a good portrayal of polyamorous relationships.

Non-monogamy can be portrayed as entertainment, instead of truthful experiences

For relationship therapist and sexologist Madalaine Munro, a key issue with these portrayals of ethical non-monogamy is a prioritised "desire to entertain" within pop culture. This is arguably what leads portrayals to be sensationalised and dramatised, instead of being accurate.

"When looking at how ethical non-monogamous relationships are portrayed in TV, film, music, and literature, we can see that most mainstream media is driven primarily by the desire to entertain, which means stories are crafted around conflict, rupture, and emotional intensity rather than how harmonious healthy relationships can be," Munro tells Mashable. 

"Because of this, the love, trust, and communication that are central to healthy ENM are rarely depicted, and instead what we see are exaggerated scenarios in which boundaries are ignored, agreements are broken, or characters behave with secrecy and betrayal."

Munro adds that these portrayals subsequently shape false ideas about how non-monogamy functions. "This narrow, sensationalised framing is unhelpful because it can lead people to associate ENM with instability, chaos, or betrayal, rather than recognising that when practiced with integrity, these relationships rely on a strong foundation of trust, transparency, and clear communication," Munro says. "It subtly reinforces the idea that anything outside of monogamy must naturally involve harm or irresponsibility, which can deepen the social stigma around ENM and lead to the assumption that non-monogamous people are somehow less loyal or less committed."

Here, Munro says, many storylines and character arcs don't reflect "the emotional maturity and relational skill involved in sustainable ENM."

Yau agrees with Munro that ENM relationships are so often portrayed with betrayal or conflict at the centre. "One of my main gripes about polyamorous representation in the media is that so many stories start from a place of cheating. I don't think that's actually representative of reality," she says. 

"In real life, if a polyamorous relationship starts from a place of cheating, it is very, very unlikely to survive, because you need such a foundation of trust in order to be in a relationship anyway, and you need to trust each other even more to navigate polyamory. And starting from a place of cheating completely destroys the trust that you would need… So it's just not realistic."

The impact of novels about open marriage and relationships on representation

Like West, July, and Paul, writers are exploring the world of open relationships and ethical non-monogamy in novels and memoirs — and they seem to be doing a much better job at representation.

Author and journalist Cassie Werber, who has been in an open relationship for a decade with her now husband, published her 2024 novel Open Season wanting to see more realism in written relationships.

"All the depictions of open relationships I had seen or read assumed that they were actually about betrayal, and that they would always end in heartbreak," she tells Mashable. "Open relationships can be very complex and hard to explain. I had seen it done badly, and wanted to do it better."

Author Roxy Dunn's second novel, which was released in Jan. 2026, sees protagonist Misty come out of a long-term, conventional relationship and connect with Christopher, who is in a long-term, open relationship with the mother of his child, Sara. Dunn tells Mashable that her central question when writing the book was whether relationships – monogamous or non-monogamous – can offer a form of safety. Dunn was inspired by the cultural shift towards exploring non-monogamy, particularly on dating apps like Feeld. "I think people are questioning the status quo a lot more in terms of what a relationship ought to look like," she tells me, adding that having books that reflect the lives and situation of those practicing ENM is "really important".

With more elements of pop culture touching on the experience of polyamory and open relationships, diverse representations of these dynamics has never been more important. As Munro says, inaccurate portrayals of polyamory and open relationships in pop culture "flatten a complex, intentional, and relationally rich way of loving into a dramatic device". 

"As a result, they fail to represent the depth of inner work, clear communication and care that takes place in relationship structures outside monogamy, and by doing so may stop people from exploring something that may support their relationship needs."