Technology

SAVE $750: As of Oct. 23, the Roborock Qrevo CurvX is on sale for $749.99 at Amazon. That's a 50% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: roborock Roborock Qrevo CurvX $749.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $750   Get Deal at Amazon

Cleaning up after pets, tackling dust under furniture, and keeping hard floors spotless can quickly become daily chores. But thankfully, the best robot vacuums can make light work of such tasks.

And models like the Roborock Qrevo CurvX can do it all, combining powerful suction, mopping, and intelligent obstacle avoidance in one robot vacuum.

For a limited time, the Roborock Qrevo CurvX is $750 off at Amazon, so if you want to make the jump to robotic floor cleaning, there couldn't be a better time to invest. Usually priced at $1,499.99, it's currently available for $749.99. Not to mention, this is the best-ever price for this vacuum.

Its 22,000Pa HyperForce suction is designed to pick up everyday dust, debris, and pet hair, while its anti-tangle system helps prevent long strands of hair from getting caught in the brushes. It can also clean beneath low furniture, helping it reach those annoying spots where dust tends to build up.

It's smart enough to self-navigate thanks to LiDAR, the RetractSense system, and Reactive AI obstacle recognition, which uses a camera and structured light to identify objects around the house.

This is only a limited-time deal at Amazon, so act fast to save big.

Put on some flip-flops, leave your cellphone at home, and wander alone into a dangerous place the town weirdo definitely warned you about, because it's time to get scared!

Right now on HBO Max, the horror category is an embarrassment of terrifying riches with top-shelf selections available from every decade of horror history. You've got 2000s tank top horror next to 1980s slashers next to 1950s camp and more. It's rad.

There's so much great stuff to choose from, but we've somehow managed to narrow it down to these 15 horror movies. Honestly, you can't go wrong.

SEE ALSO: What to watch: Best scary movies 1. Night of the Living Dead If you ever see this face... RUN. Credit: Image Ten / Kobal / Shutterstock

Visionary of the zombie apocalypse George A. Romero tops this list with his most iconic film: Night of the Living Dead. This 1968 classic makes for a great watch — not only as a standard-setting staple of cinema, but also as a vehicle for terror that gets under your skin and festers there. Expertly executed from start to finish, this bleak tale of strangers versus an army of the undead needles at you in a way that's still tough to shake more than 50 years later.* — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Night of the Living Dead is now streaming on HBO Max.

2. Eraserhead

God, Henry is just so fucked. The directorial debut of walking-talking id David Lynch, Eraserhead follows the poor guy, played by Jack Nance, as he wanders through a surrealist blend of horror and humor, featuring an alien baby, sperm monsters, a lady with big ol' cheeks, and more bizarre characters. The plot has been interpreted as a representation of Lynch's own fear of being a parent, with Henry serving as a kind of placeholder for Lynch himself. It's fascinating, freaky, and really fun. — A.F.

How to watch: Eraserhead is now streaming on HBO Max.

3. Cronos

Guillermo del Toro's first film carries with it all the hallmarks of the Mexican auteur's career-to-come — gross monster mayhem with delightful creature design, religious and political settings and symbolism, the innocence of children as a contrast to all adult awfulness. This time around it's the story of an elderly antique dealer named Jesús (Federico Luppi, who also had roles in The Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth) and the 500-year-old golden scarab he finds tucked away inside the base of a statue. 

SEE ALSO: Yes, that was Guillermo del Toro in 'Barry'

Winding it up the scarab suddenly springs to life and injects the old man with a mysterious substance, and before you know it Jesús' youth is being restored to him… alongside a newfound taste for blood. When a tough guy named Angel (Ron Perlman) shows up to find the device, the film turns into a showdown between Jesús and Angel for eternal life. Not particularly subtle there, Guillermo! But Cronos is a blast anyway, and the perfect introduction to one of modern horror's reigning kings. — Jason Adams, Contributing Writer

How to watch: Cronos is now streaming on HBO Max.

4. The Blob "Intergalactic goo" sounds funny enough until you're screaming in your living room watching "The Blob." Credit: Allied / Kobal / Shutterstock

Mark my words, anyone who reduces director Irvin Yeaworth's iconic The Blob to "just a B-movie" hasn't actually seen it. An astounding feat of filmmaking for the time, that maintains a surprisingly watchable flow 63 years later, The Blob is a solid selection for anyone seeking that classic scary movie vibe. Stand by helplessly as intergalactic goo terrorizes the citizens of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Then, be genuinely impressed by how the '50s townspeople manage to corral the thing through smart, sensible sci-fi means. Nice job, humans! — A.F.

How to watch: The Blob is now streaming on HBO Max.

SEE ALSO: 31 best horror movies on Prime Video to keep you up at night 5. House

Reader, cue up House and avail yourself of one of the weirdest and most wonderful viewing experiences out there.

Sometimes listed as Hausu, director Nobuhiko Obayashi's surreal 1977 horror comedy is a whirlwind of spectacular and bizarre images unlike any other title on this, or frankly any, list. Running just under an hour and a half, it's a breezy jolt of strange beauty and intense dread that uses dreamlike images to tell the story of six girls as they're eaten by a house. Yeah, it's something. — A.F.

How to watch: House is now streaming on HBO Max.

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6. Scanners "Scanners" has absolutely 0 chill Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

Get your mind blown by Scanners. (See what I did there? 'Cause it's about people's heads exploding?) In writer-director David Cronenberg's super goopy sci-fi nightmare, Earth must contend with a super-powered group of people capable of telepathy and psychokinesis — and the bad dudes who want to use that power for evil. It's no The Fly, The Dead Zone, or even Shivers. But it's the best body horror on Max right now. — A.F.

How to watch: Scanners is now streaming on HBO Max.

7. Carnival of Souls

The definition of slow burn, writer/director and lead ghoul Herk Harvey's 1962 classic horror film Carnival of Souls is basically all vibes — and it probably had to be, given the nothing budget he was working with. But he rode that empty wallet straight to heavenly cinematic gold, giving us a steady stream of unforgettable visuals shot in the eeriest black-and-white. If you can get yourself onto Carnival of Souls' wavelength, you will be rewarded with spooky nightmares for life. 

SEE ALSO: 31 essential, history-making horror movies to stream this spooky season

Candace Hilligoss plays Mary, a good girl who gets caught up in a road race that flies out of control in the film's opening scene. Recovering in its aftermath, Mary begins experiencing visions of an odd haunted theme park on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. Her isolating job as a church organist, along with constant harassment from an aggressive next door neighbor, only further dissociates her from those around her, until she can no longer tell what's real and what's not, with it all leading to one of the all-time great twist endings. Carnival of Souls is probably the closest thing we'll ever get to a Twilight Zone episode directed by Ingmar Bergman. — J.A.

How to watch: Carnival of Souls is now streaming on HBO Max.

8. Kwaidan

Just a couple of years after delivering his three-part WWII masterpiece The Human Condition, writer/director Masaki Kobayashi gathered together four old Japanese folk tales to make Kwaidan. This horror anthology takes us all the way to Hell, but it must've felt like a relief to make after the atrocities he put on-screen in those epic war films. Visually magnificent, there are enormous images in Kwaidan that will sear themselves into your brain forever after. But it mostly revels in the small betrayals that haunt its protagonists and their relationships forever after — the sorts of awful human conditions that echo across every culture. — J.A.

How to watch: Kwaidan is now streaming on HBO Max.

9. The Brood

With all-time greats like The Fly and The Dead Zone available, The Brood rarely makes horror fans' short lists for David Cronenberg recommendations. But if you're looking for a uniquely weird psychological thriller with an amazing gross-out finale, this 1979 romp just can't be beat.

Oliver Reed stars as Dr. Hal Raglan, a clinical psychologist experimenting with what he calls "psychoplasmics" — a process by which chemically induced physical ailments, designed to alleviate long-standing emotional trauma, are administered to vulnerable patients. But when Nola, a patient played by Samatha Eggar, is hospitalized by Raglan, her estranged husband Frank, played by Art Hindle, decides to investigate. — A.F.

How to watch: The Brood is now streaming on HBO Max.

10. The Lure

The Lure has been described as a lesbian mermaid horror musical, but somehow even that doesn't come close to capturing what this audacious Polish film is. Agnieszka Smoczyńska's debut feature is the darkest retelling of The Little Mermaid you could imagine, incorporating grisly violence and the sex work industry into that classic fairytale.* — Oliver Whitney, Freelance Contributor

How to watch: The Lure is now streaming on HBO Max.

11. Sisters

It's probably pretty important to note upfront that his 1972 shocker Sisters is very much of its time, although you could say this about pretty much every movie that Brian De Palma has ever made (ahem, Dressed to Kill). Which is to say, don't go in expecting a modern read on mental health issues in this story about formerly conjoined twins turned fashion models who go on a murder spree. But as dated as some of its psychological concepts are, not to mention its emphasis on Hitchcock's Psycho, Sisters remains a magnificently crafted thriller that will have you jumping out of your seat more than once. And Margot Kidder's having a terrific  time with the soapiness of ping-ponging between good and evil twins. The movie that somehow made birthday cake terrifying! — J.A. 

How to watch: Sisters is now streaming on HBO Max.

12. Evil Dead Rise Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

More than four decades after we first rendezvoused with Sam Raimi's demon troupe of Deadites, Evil Dead Rise proved there's still plenty of juice — not to mention a myriad of other less savory liquids — left in the franchise. And it did so by simply shifting location; who needs a creepy cabin in the woods when we've got a run-down apartment building isolated from the outside world by a power outage during a big storm? 

It also benefits from a big shift in character dynamics. Rather than a group of sexy young people (hubba hubba, Bruce Campbell) tearing each other to shreds after reading from the Book of the Dead, writer/director Lee Cronin gave us a single mom and her young kids all battling to save and/or swallow each other's souls. While the nasty, bloody business stays the same, it sure hits different when it's your possessed mommy (an outstandingly acrobatic Alyssa Sutherland) trying to carve you up like Christmas dinner. — J.A.

How to watch: Evil Dead Rise is now streaming on HBO Max.

13. Sinners Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Writer/director Ryan Coogler reimagined vampire lore as a way to explore what it means to be young, Black, and gifted in America.

Michael B. Jordan stars as the Smokestack Twins, Black gangsters turned juke joint proprietors whose opening night is crashed by a vicious white vampire (Jack O'Connell) thirsty for the blood of their magical bluesman, Sammie (Miles Caton in a jaw-dropping debut). The character-building in this 1932-set period piece is rich, developing emotional plotlines of love, loss, and injustice.

Critics praised the epic scope Coogler applied to his genre-fluid drama — which might be a horror musical. In my review of the film, I wrote, "Smoothly blending vampire horror into a unique tale of regret, resilience, and redemption, Coogler and Jordan have made a cinematic marvel that is terrifying, satisfying, and unforgettable."* — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Sinnners is now streaming on HBO Max.

14. Weapons

Like Jordan Peele before him, Zach Cregger took a hard turn from sketch comedy — as a member of Whitest Kids U' Know — to horror director with a jaw-dropping vision of terror. In 2022, he gave us the deeply twisted Barbarian. And this year, he gifted us the perfectly witchy icon in Weapons' Gladys (Amy Madigan).

In this deeply creepy tale of 17 children vanishing into the night, the focus leaps from one character to another, eerily unfolding the mystery at the heart of this missing persons case. A tormented teacher, a furious father, a bewildered principal, a cranky cop, and an unhoused goofball will collide in ways wild and unpredictable.* — K.P.

How to watch: Weapons is now streaming on HBO Max.

15. Bring Her Back

First, filmmaking duo Danny and Michael Philippou awed critics and horror fans with their haunted-hand hit Talk to Me. Next, they returned with this gnarly psycho-biddy horror offering starring two-time Academy Award nominee Sally Hawkins. This nail-biting film is so intense that it might well have you gagging, covering your eyes, or experiencing some hard-won catharsis. Probing further into grief, the Philippou brothers explore how the unmooring feeling of mourning can make the world around us feel unreal, hostile, and strange.

In Bring Her Back, Hawkins stars as a foster mom named Laura, who takes in orphans like Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), and siblings Piper (Sora Wong) and Andy (Billy Barratt). But despite Laura's chipper mumsy demeanor, 17-year-old Andy realizes something is off in her remote forest home. But can he stop the hell that's coming?* — K.P.

How to watch: Bring Her Back is now streaming on HBO Max.

Asterisks (*) indicate the entry comes from a previous Mashable list.

UPDATE: Oct. 7, 2026, 2:33 p.m. EDT This story was first published on April 23, 2021. It has since been updated to reflect the current streaming options.

Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max   Get Deal

How to live stream 2026 F1 for free: Best Apple TV Deal Apple TV 7-day free trial Shop Now Best Prime Video Deal Apple TV Prime Video Channel 7-day free trial Shop Now Best Apple One Deal Apple One 30-day free trial Shop Now

This season of F1 is unlike any other. Every season of F1 has a number of fascinating storylines to follow, but due to a major set of regulation changes, there's so much uncertainty right now. And uncertainty has led to exciting racing.

Mercedes looked totally dominant in the early stages of the season. McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari have cut the gap, but all eyes are on Kimi Antonelli as he aims to defend his lead at the top of the standings.

If you are interested in watching F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is F1?

Formula One (F1) is the highest class of international open-wheel single-seater racing. A season consists of a series of races held in multiple countries and on multiple continents, either on purpose-built circuits or on closed public roads.

Lando Norris is the defending champion. McLaren won the Constructors' Championship in 2025.

When is F1 in 2026?

The 2026 F1 season is the 77th edition of the championship. This year's championship features 24 Grands Prix events held all over the world between March and December:

1. Australian Grand Prix — March 8

2. Chinese Grand Prix — March 15

3. Japanese Grand Prix — March 29

4. Miami Grand Prix — May 3

5. Canadian Grand Prix — May 24

6. Monaco Grand Prix — June 7

7. Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix — June 14

8. Austrian Grand Prix — June 28

9. British Grand Prix — July 5

10. Belgian Grand Prix — July 19

11. Hungarian Grand Prix — July 26

12. Dutch Grand Prix — Aug. 23

13. Italian Grand Prix — Sept. 6

14. Spanish Grand Prix — Sept. 13

15. Azerbaijan Grand Prix — Sept. 26

16. Bahrain Grand Prix — Oct. 4

17. Singapore Grand Prix — Oct. 11

18. United States Grand Prix — Oct. 25

19. Mexico City Grand Prix — Nov. 1

20. São Paulo Grand Prix — Nov. 8

21. Las Vegas Grand Prix — Nov. 21

22. Qatar Grand Prix — Nov. 29

23. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — Dec. 6

It's important to note that these dates are only for race days. The Chinese, Miami, Canadian, British, Dutch, and Singapore GPs will host a sprint race.

How to watch F1 for free

In the U.S., F1 is now exclusive to Apple TV. If you want access to the whole season, an Apple TV subscription costs $12.99 per month or $99 per year.

Or you could access Apple TV for free with these workarounds:

Apple TV Opens in a new window Credit: Apple TV Apple TV (7-day free trial) Apple TV comes with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. This is a sneaky trick, but you could sign up to watch the next F1 race and then cancel your subscription before you need to spend anything. This obviously isn't a long-term fix, but it does give you the opportunity to live stream select F1 race weekends for free. Shop Now Apple TV Prime Video Channel Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple TV Prime Video Channel (7-day free trial) Already an Amazon Prime member? You're in luck. You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels. This lets you watch select F1 races live with the Prime Video app. The subscription typically costs £9.99 per month after the trial ends, but you can cancel at any time. That means you can watch select races without actually spending anything. Shop Now Apple One Opens in a new window Credit: Apple One Apple One (30-day free trial) Apple One bundles Apple TV with Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness Plus, Apple News Plus, and 50GB of iCloud Storage for $19.95 per month after a one-month free trial. Time it right and this trial could provide access to up to four race weekends for free. You do need to be a new or returning subscriber to each of the included services to get the free trial. Shop Now

It's worth noting that the best Apple TV free-trial offer comes with purchases of new Apple devices. New subscribers can get three months of Apple TV for free after purchasing any eligible Apple product, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, or Apple TVs. This special offer goes live for 90 days after the new device is activated — that's a good chunk of the season.

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering The Hobbit Play Booster Box is on sale for $157.99 at Amazon, down from its typical price of $204.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering The Hobbit Play Booster Box $157.99 at Amazon
$204.95 Save $46.96 Get Deal at Amazon

Amazon has knocked even more money off Magic: The Gathering's The Hobbit Play Booster Box, giving Middle-earth trading card fans another chance to grab 30 packs for less than ever. After already slashing the price to a record low in September, the retailer has now brought the whole display below $160 for the first time.

As of Oct. 23, the Magic: The Gathering The Hobbit Play Booster Box is down to just $157.99 at Amazon, saving you $46.96 on its usual $204.95 price after a surprise 23% discount. With that new price drop, you’re effectively only paying a per-pack price of $5.27 for the 30 Play Boosters inside the box. 

Confirmed using Mashable’s go-to price tracker camelcamelcamel, this is indeed the lowest price the MTG Hobbit box has seen since it was first listed with the retailer. Shipped and sold by Amazon instead of a third-party retailer, you can get this delivered as soon as Oct. 24 (at the time of writing) if you’re a Prime member. 

SEE ALSO: The Magic: The Gathering Reality Fracture Bundle is down to a record-low price at Amazon — save nearly $10

In case Amazon sells out, keep in mind that Walmart’s listing has also dropped to $157.99, though it's sold by third-party seller Cataclysm Games. Meanwhile, you can save even more at TCGplayer — where the Hobbit Play Booster Box is selling for $140.49 at the lowest. That’s just $1.44 over its $139.05 market price. 

The box contains 30 14-card Play Boosters and a traditional foil Middle-earth Box Topper, featuring a special reprint from The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth set. 

As is usually the case with this type of box, each pack also guarantees a foil card alongside one to three rare or higher-rarity cards, with opportunities to pull special alternate-art and borderless treatments. All in all, you and other collectors will have plenty to chase from Bilbo's adventure to the Lonely Mountain, while also offering enough cards for drafting and building decks with friends.

Trump has been saying and doing odd things at his rallies again, and Seth Meyers is here to recap the more bizarre moments.

In the clip, the Late Night host talks about everything from Trump making a weird noise when mentioning a fellow Republican ("You sounded less like a president and more like a bullfrog") to Trump getting the Nobel Peace Prize mixed up with the Pulitzer.

"No, the Peace Prize is the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer is for writing. What writing have you done to deserve a Pulitzer?" asks Meyers. "What other awards does this guy think he deserves? I should get a Nobel, a Pulitzer, and a Tony award because I know so many Tonys. Tony Bennett, Tony Romo, Tony the Tiger. Tony the Tiger's a very good friend of mine, I remember he came up to me, big tiger, strong tiger, tears pouring from his cartoon eyes down to his red kerchief, and I asked him, I said, 'Tony, what do you think of gas prices?' and he said, 'Mr. President, sir...they're great.'"

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Sylveon ex Box is on sale for $59.95 at Walmart, down from its $79.95 previous price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Sylveon ex Box $59.95 at Walmart
$79.95 Save $20   Get Deal at Walmart

If you’re still waiting to get an invite to buy a 30th Celebration ETB for under market price, you and other Pokémon collectors can spend the same amount on another of the expansion's popular boxes after a major price drop.

As of Oct. 23, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Sylveon ex Box is down to just $59.95 at Walmart, saving you $20 on its $79.95 list price. That's a 25% discount altogether, and a whole $34.80 less than the $94.75 Amazon deal we covered during October Prime Day.

You can still save slightly less at dedicated trading card marketplace TCGplayer, where listings are as low as $59 when including shipping. If you prefer buying your trading cards through traditional retail sites, this is the best price you can get right now — and is only $1.66 higher than TCGplayer’s estimated $58.29 market price. 

SEE ALSO: The Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions Elite Trainer Box is down to its lowest price in months — save almost $30

Walmart’s listing is sold through third-party retailer Realgooddeal but is still fulfilled by Walmart. 

The 30th Celebration Sylveon ex Box includes four booster packs from the anniversary expansion, one playable foil Sylveon ex promo card, and an oversize foil version for display. 

That gives you opportunities to pull one of the special set’s most popular chase cards, which you can also buy individually on TCGplayer — including one of the $3,700+ RGB Rare Mews, the $85+ SIR Mew ex, and the $70+ Gengar ex.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Booster Display Box is on sale for $252.47 at Amazon, down from its $269.21 typical price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Booster Display Box $252.47 at Amazon
$269.21 Save $16.74   Preorder at Amazon

The release of Pokémon TCG's Delta Reign expansion is now just weeks away, and Amazon sellers have dropped the preorder price for the massive 36-pack Booster Display Box. That's good news for your trading card budget. 

As of Oct. 23, the Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Booster Display Box is available to preorder for $252.47 at Amazon. This is $16.74 off its usual $269.21 price, and it comes from third-party seller Collectors Expedition, with free delivery currently estimated for Nov. 14 — eight days after Delta Reign's Nov. 6 release.

With 36 boosters included, you're effectively spending around $7.01 per pack, each containing 10 random Pokémon cards. That leaves you with 360 cards to unpack altogether, excluding Energy and code cards.

SEE ALSO: The Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Elite Trainer Box is now under market price at Walmart — save over $20 vs. Amazon

Delta Reign is introducing over 135 cards, including Mega Rayquaza ex, Mega Golurk ex, Mega Malamar ex, and Mega Golisopod ex. There are also three new Legendary Stadiums and plenty of rare cards to hunt down when the expansion arrives next month.

The Moon is getting closer to its full phase, with more of its surface visible as the days go by. Here's what you can look for when you look up at the sky tonight.

What is today's Moon phase?

As of Friday, Oct. 23, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Gibbous phase, with 90% of its surface visible.

Tonight, without the use of visual aids you should be able to spot the Copernicus Crater, the Mare Serenitatis, and Mare Fecunditatis. If you have binoculars you'll also see the Endymion Crater, the Alphonsus Crater, and the Clavius Crater. Plus, if you have a telescope, you'll also see the Linne Crater, Rima Ariadaeus, and the Apollo 17 landing spot.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on October 25 or 26, depending on your timezone.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon takes around 29.5 days to travel around Earth, and its appearance changes throughout the month. As it moves around our planet, we see different amounts of its sunlit side, from a slim crescent to the quarter phases and eventually a Full Moon. It then begins the cycle again. As NASA explains, these phases are caused by the Moon's changing position relative to Earth and the Sun.

The eight phases are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it's not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

An invitation to an Apple event has long been something to brag about in the tech world. Now, for some influencers, it reportedly comes with business-class travel, a hotel stay, and time with the company's top executives.

On the Oct. 15 episode of Bloomberg's Power On podcast, Mark Gurman said he had confirmed that Apple offered influencers "paid hotel, paid business class travel" to attend its "Pro and Tell" product experience in Los Angeles, calling it a "creator-focused event." For the creators attending the upcoming Los Angeles showcase, Gurman described plans that include meetings with new Apple CEO John Ternus and other executives, plus dinner on Oct. 27, ahead of the company’s Oct. 28 special event.

SEE ALSO: Apple sets October 'Pro and Tell' special event in Los Angeles: What we know so far

This isn't the first time Apple has brought creators together for an exclusive experience. In March 2025, the company invited a group of student creators to Los Angeles for a one-day event that attendees nicknamed "Apple Campus" or "Apple University." For student and creator Heaven Marley, the invitation itself was a surprise. "I got the email and thought it was spam at first," she told People.

The company followed that with a similar creator gathering in Los Angeles this January. Creator Petr Mara shared an invitation to an "Apple Experience" running Jan. 27 to 29, coinciding with the launch of Apple Creator Studio, a subscription combining software for tasks such as editing video, making music, and working with images.

And, at the September iPhone event, livestreamer IShowSpeed performed a backflip while holding an iPhone Duo in front of Ternus. His video has more than 6 million views on YouTube as of Oct. 22. (Last year, MrBeast attended the event with former CEO Tim Cook.)

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Other tech companies already offer a similarly warm welcome to creators.

Bloomberg's Chris Welch also noted on the podcast episode that Samsung and Google cover travel and hotels and host dinners too, calling it "standard fare." Gurman agreed that Apple wasn’t doing anything outside its competitors' practices. What stood out to him, though, was the change from the days when an Apple invitation was enough:

"There was a time...people were begging to go," Gurman said. "It's not the other way around, typically."

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So what do companies get out of all this hospitality? Well, a chance to reach consumers through creators they already love. In a September analysis, Deloitte found that about 70 percent of U.S. consumers who engage with creators regularly return to the same ones; and roughly 60 percent said they had made a purchase primarily because of a creator's recommendation or sponsorship in the previous six months.

That appeal hasn’t gone unnoticed by the tech press. Discussing Apple's 2025 invitations on MacBreak Weekly, journalist Jason Snell argued that influencers can offer companies more control over their message, repeating promotional points "instead of questioning your points as a journalist might." And as tech reviewer Ben Sin wrote on X in March, "I completely understand why Apple is doing this," but described its "pivot to favoring giving access to lifestyle and overall influencers over techies" as "still sad news for me."

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Each brand has its own entry way into the creator economy. Take Samsung — Its "Team Galaxy” roster includes creators and other public figures, with model and creator Haley Baylee and musician Audrey Nuna joining this year. And for February’s Galaxy S26 launch, Samsung says it brought approximately 140 influencers from 35 countries to San Francisco for three days of product demos, content creation, and a closing celebration.

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As for AI companies, they face the unique challenge of trying to win over an often-skeptical public with plenty of questions about what AI means for jobs, creative work, and the environment. Influencers provide a layer of trust that they desperately need — which is probably why they are so sought-after right now.

"That’s the goal right now: build brand love," Anthropic's head of influencer, Lexie Barnhorn, told influencer marketing company Linqia. Claude recently hosted a supper club at Wild Cherry, the trendy restaurant inside New York's A24-owned Cherry Lane Theatre.

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Microsoft Copilot is trying to do the same. Last February, they brought a group of New York fashion influencers to the Super Bowl on an influencer brand trip, where they asked the AI platform questions like, "hey copilot how do you cure a hangover" and "how to get a stain out".

And in February, OpenAI sent a signal on their seriousness about influencer marketing when they hired former Instagram partnerships executive Charles Porch as its first vice president of global creative partnerships. By summer, the company was hosting creators at Wildflower Farms, a luxury resort in New York’s Hudson Valley, for a retreat featuring private cabins, monogrammed pajamas, and picturesque outdoor dinners. The company also hosted a ChatGPT influencer dinner in tandem with Brett Chody, which was held at Little Beach House Malibu, part of Soho House.

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"Creators are an important part of our community and how people get information and learn about our products today," an OpenAI spokesperson told Inc in August. "We value creators who choose to engage with us, attend our events, ask tough questions, and learn alongside everyone else."

SEE ALSO: OpenAI’s first brand trip puts influencers in the hot seat

As Mashable reported in August, OpenAI's nature-filled getaway to the Hudson Valley didn’t go over quite as planned. Beneath the lavish room tours and vacation posts, social media users questioned the setting and the creators' decision to attend.

"The concept of attending an AI brand trip surrounded by nature while it actively hurts the environment is an incredible bit," one X user wrote. On Reddit, a commenter asked whether one creator was "gazing at where the new data center is gonna go," while another asked, "Did they promise you fresh water when we run out?"

From a creator's perspective, though, there are many reasons to say yes to a brand event, trip, or collab, despite the criticism. Business creator Grace McCarrick defended the retreat as a chance to hear from the people shaping a technology likely to affect her work and her audience. "If I have the opportunity to be in the room and hear from people who are at the helm of change, I can do that," she said. "It's actually well within my moral system."

There's also a real financial incentive towards working with these brands: they have money to burn.

AI and career creator Megan Lieu, who attended the OpenAI retreat, told CNBC in February that her biggest sponsorship at that point was with Anthropic. She didn’t disclose its value, but said her sponsored deals generally ranged from $5,000 to $30,000.

Even so, some creators turn the offers down: Circus performer Jack Lepiarz, known as Jack the Whipper, told CNBC he had rejected a $20,000 deal promoting generative image tools over concerns about AI’s effect on people’s livelihoods.

That puts influencers in a complicated position. The relationship with their audience is part of what makes them valuable to a company; yet, accepting the partnership can put that same relationship under scrutiny.

But for tech brands, the decision is less complicated, with lots of potential benefits and few downsides. Influencers bring an audience with them; journalists bring questions they might not want to answer.

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Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April 2025, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis’ copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

SAVE $15.01: As of Oct. 23, the Anker Soundcore 2 is on sale for $29.98 at Amazon. That's a 33% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Soundcore 2 $29.98 at Amazon
$44.99 Save $15.01   Get Deal at Amazon

If you're looking for a portable speaker that won't break the bank, the Anker Soundcore 2 is a great choice. Not only is it a wallet-friendly speaker, but as of Oct. 23, it's on sale for $29.98. This price is for the black model, but for a few dollars more you can choose from a range of colors, including navy blue, pink, and beige.

Whether you're listening at home or taking it with you outdoors, the Anker Soundcore 2 is a great option. This portable Bluetooth speaker is designed for listening anywhere, with an IPX7 waterproof rating to protect it from splashes and rain.

For sound quality, its 12W output and dual neodymium drivers deliver seriously powerful sound, and BassUp technology and a spiral bass port boost low frequencies for deeper bass. It also has a 5,200mAh battery, meaning you'll get up to 24 hours of playback on a single charge. It's simple to use, with a compact design and intuitive controls. You can even wirelessly pair two compatible speakers for stereo sound.

This deal is available on Amazon now, so don't miss out this weekend.

Amazon, like every other retailer, is gearing up for what's sure to be another epic Black Friday for 2026. Like most Amazon shopping events, deals are already pouring in — and we expect them to continue throughout the holiday season.

You can grab steep discounts on TVs, outdoor gear, headphones, Amazon devices, and so much more. And thanks to Amazon's flexible payment options, you can enjoy a breezy shopping experience all season long. Customers are no longer limited to debit and credit cards or Amazon gift cards. If you're an Apple loyalist, you can also use Apple Pay to make purchases on Amazon this season.

SEE ALSO: It's Black Friday again — here's how to use a Visa gift card to shop

Apple Pay is compatible with many — but not all — vendors on Amazon, making it easier to secure deals in just a few taps. You can use it in place of a traditional card payment whenever possible by following the steps below.

How to use Apple Pay on Amazon

Step 1: Set up Apple Pay on iPhone. If you haven't already, add your debit or credit card to your iPhone's digital wallet to set up Apple Pay on your mobile device.

Step 2: Open the Amazon app.

Step 3: Add items to your cart and go to checkout. If your vendor accepts Apple Pay, you'll see it under payment options (you can use the method only if you have linked a card to your iPhone's Wallet app); select Apple Pay.

Step 4: Confirm your address and payment details.

Step 5: Once Apple Pay's payment authenticator pops up on your screen, use your Face ID or Touch ID to authenticate the purchase.

Step 6: Confirm payment to finish the process.

How to use an Apple Card to make payments on Amazon

If you choose to make a purchase from a third-party vendor that doesn't accept Apple Pay, you can work around it by using an Apple Card instead. The process is fairly straightforward.

Step 1: Make sure you add your Apple Card to the Wallet app on your iPhone by clicking on the + symbol.

Step 2: Now, go to the Amazon app and click on the Account icon, which looks like a little person on the bottom of your screen (next to the home icon).

Step 3: A new app page will appear with your orders and other details. Click on Account once again at the top of your screen.

Step 4: Click on the arrow to the right of the Wallet section, under Your Amazon highlights.

Step 5: Your Wallet will open with all of your payment methods and transactions. Click on + Add new.

Step 6: Click on Add a credit or debit card and input your Apple Card details.

Step 7: Finally, click on Add and continue to finish the process. Now, you can use your Apple Card to make purchases on Amazon.

Apple's first foldable, the iPhone Duo, opens up into a much bigger screen than any iPhone before it. That's the whole appeal. It also means the accessories you already own may not suit it as well as they did your last phone. A magnetic power bank shaped for a standard iPhone can sit awkwardly on a device with a different footprint, and anything chunky works against the slim profile that makes a foldable worth carrying in the first place.

Avatar: Seven Havens may have radically changed the world of Avatar, but the post-apocalyptic series still finds a way to continue one of the franchise's best running gags: the enduring plight of the cabbage merchant.

SEE ALSO: 'Avatar: Seven Havens' introduces several new Havens. Here's what we learned.

Introduced in Avatar: The Last Airbender, the cabbage merchant (voiced by James Sie) rarely gets to actually sell any cabbages. That's because his cart keeps getting destroyed, either by Aang's airbending, Ba Sing Se security officers, or a rogue rabaroo. At each loss, he lets out a woeful "My cabbages!" — a line delivery that is so ingrained in my mind, I can't think of cabbage without it.

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The cabbage merchant's legacy continues in The Legend of Korra. Between Aang's time and Korra's, the cabbage merchant founds car and tech company Cabbage Corp, a competitor of Future Industries. After Future Industries' Hiroshi Sato (voiced by Daniel Dae Kim) frames Cabbage Corp for illegal activity, Republic City's metalbending police arrests the owner, who is also the cabbage merchant's son (also voiced by Sie). As the police drag him away, he cries out, "My Cabbage Corp!"

SEE ALSO: 'Avatar: Seven Havens' may have just confirmed a massive fan theory

On top of playing a role in both The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, the cabbage merchant also figures into some of the Avatar comics. He's even the star of his own children's book: Avatar: The Last Airbender: My Cabbages! by Rebecca Gyllenhaal and Jessica Yang. With all this cabbage-centric fanfare, it only makes sense that Seven Havens keeps the tradition alive. However, it does so with a very different food.

In the show's eighth episode, titled "The Envoys: Part One," twin Avatars Pavi (voiced by Saheli Khan) and Nisha (voiced by Aishu Devan) watch as delegates from the other Havens arrive. As they talk, Pavi airbends a paper sky bison she's made onto the street below. It hits the face of a merchant (voiced by Eric Bauza) who's balancing a vat of pudding on his head, alongside two smaller vats. The minor collision is enough to make the merchant slip up spectacularly, interrupting his joyful pudding song ("It's gonna be a pudding day!") and splattering his wares across the ground.

His reaction? A pained cry of "My pudding!" with Bauza's line delivery mirroring Sie's.

Credited simply as "pudding guy," this homage to the cabbage merchant actually winds up having a larger hand in Seven Havens' plot than his predecessor did. After a few more pratfalls, it's revealed that he, along with the rest of the cooks catering the summit, is a part of the outlaw group known as the Faceless. Sure, he could have joined their ranks because of dissatisfaction with Ellora's forced conscription of benders, but I like to think he chose this life because he was tired of losing all his delicious pudding due to bending shenanigans. That would break anyone.

Either way, the moment is a sweet nod to series past, as well as proof that while some things in Avatar have changed in cataclysmic ways, others — like the Avatar's propensity for annoying food merchants — will always stay the same.

Avatar: Seven Havens is now streaming on Paramount+, with new episodes every Friday.

Apple might have a fun new iPad for us to check out in the very near future.

On Oct. 28, Apple is hosting the "Pro and Tell" event in Los Angeles. We expect multiple product launches at the event, perhaps including a new high-end MacBook Pro OLED, but one other rumored item that we're hoping to see is the iPad Mini 8. It's been two years since the iPad Mini 7 came out, meaning it might be time for a refresh.

But what should we expect from the rumored iPad Mini 8? Let's investigate.

SEE ALSO: The 7 best tablets of 2026: Comparing iPad, Samsung, and Lenovo iPad Mini 8: Price

A recent report from Bloomberg gave us some potential bad news on the price front for the iPad Mini 8.

According to Bloomberg's intrepid Apple reporter Mark Gurman, the device could cost close to $799, which would be a $200 price increase over the original starting price of the iPad Mini 7. Apple did increase the price of the Mini 7 over time for the same reasons every other electronic product has seen recent price increases, meaning the new price would be a $100 price hike over the current cost of an iPad Mini 7. Bummer.

That said, that's still $1,200 cheaper than the iPhone Duo, so keep that in mind.

iPad Mini 8: Rumored specs

A new higher price is not great news to start out with, but there might be a good explanation for it (aside from RAMageddon) in the spec sheet.

While we don't have official specs for the iPad Mini 8, a report earlier this year from MacRumors spilled the beans on what we can expect from the new device on a technical level. Here are some of the rumored specs:

• Apple A20 Pro chip

• 12GB RAM

• OLED display

• Apple N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support

• IP-rated water resistance

There's plenty to chew on in those specs. For starters, the A20 Pro chip would bring the iPad Mini 8 significantly closer to the cutting edge than the A17 Pro chip inside the iPad Mini 7. Given that the previous model also only had 8GB RAM, the new 12GB figure should give the iPad Mini 8 a boost in performance and support Apple's new AI features, too.

Obviously, an OLED display would be a huge upgrade over the LCD display on the iPad Mini 7. That, alone, could account for the increase in price. IP-rated water resistance, a first-time iPad Mini feature, would also be a selling point for the more adventurous among us. That, or people who like looking at their iPad while in the bathtub or pool.

iPad Mini 8: A new camera?

One last tidbit, also reported by MacRumors, is that the iPad Mini 8 will apparently have a new landscape front camera. When held in an upright position, that means the camera would be in the right bezel instead of on top. Those bezels, by the way, are also supposed to be thinner than they were on the iPad Mini 7.

It's unclear what kind of specs we can expect from this new camera, but at the very least, its placement would be different.

Check back on Oct. 28 for more Credit: Apple

Again, Apple is expected to debut a new iPad at its "Pro and Tell" special event on Oct. 28. As of this writing, Apple hasn't announced a livestream to go along with the event, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. PT. The recent "Welcome Home" event also took place without a live keynote.

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Mashable will be reporting on all of the announcements from the event, so check back soon for more details.

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Feeling festive? Set a calendar alert for the first week of November, because Starbucks has officially confirmed the return of its viral Bearista Glass Cold Cup for the 2026 holiday season. Yes, there's a broader seasonal menu launching on Nov. 5, but what we really care about is the resurrection of Starbucks' most internet-famous mascot.

The Starbucks holiday menu features the Pike Place Holiday Village and a Peppermint Mocha retro series sporting glass Christmas tree cold cups and handled tumblers. There's also a second drop lined up for Nov. 17, featuring quilted light-blue tumblers and iridescent bottles. You can check out the full lineup here.

Credit: Starbucks

It's all very Christmassy, but the centerpiece of the drop is the reimagined Bearista Collection. The Nov. 5 launch brings an entire lineup of bears, including a Bearista acrylic cold cup, a ceramic Bearista mug, and even a plush Bearista keychain and accessories. The Bearista Glass Cold Cup will join the holiday lineup, but the exact timing of this drop is still to be announced.

We know that the prospect of paying $20 to $30 for branded drinkware can feel a little silly, especially when last year's Bearista drop sparked store campouts and instant $100+ reseller markups, but that's the reality of these limited-edition drops. People like what they like, and people really like Bearista merch.

Credit: Starbucks Credit: Starbucks

We're keeping close tabs on the announcement for the Bearista Glass Cold Cup drop. When we hear something, we'll let you know.

TL;DR: Get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more for life on sale for $49.97 through Nov. 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows: Lifetime License $49.97
$249.99 Save $200.02   Get Deal

Microsoft 365 costs $99.99 per year at the cheapest, and that’s only if you pay for it all at once. It costs even more if you want to do it month to month. A better option is to switch to a lifetime license you own outright. Right now, you can actually get Microsoft Office 2024 for life, and it’s even on sale for $49.97 (reg. $249.99).

This license gives you Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access on one Windows PC. Instead of paying for Office every year, you pay for it once and keep it.

Office 2024 Pro Plus activates on your PC, not your Microsoft account, so you never have to sign in to open a file. None of the apps rely on the cloud, either. Microsoft keeps the feature set fixed and still sends security updates, so your apps stay protected without changing how they work.

This version also has dark mode, and Excel includes advanced tools for analyzing data. You get the benefit of the modern versions of each app without the frustration of constant subscription fees.

This license only works on Windows 10 and Windows 11, so Mac users will need a different version. Your license is also tied to one PC and can’t be transferred, so put it on a computer you plan to keep. You’ll get your key by email and have seven days to redeem it.

Stop paying for Office every year.

Through Nov. 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can get Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows on sale for $49.97 (reg. $249.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get 6TB of lifetime cloud storage with Drime for $249.97 (reg. $599), including compliance tracking, encrypted Vault storage, and team collaboration tools.

Opens in a new window Credit: Drime Drime Secure Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription (Advanced Plan/6TB) $249.97
$599 Save $349.03   Get Deal

High-resolution videos, raw photos, and design projects have a habit of eating through storage space faster than expected. Drime offers 6TB of cloud storage with no stated per-file upload size limit, plus file sharing and collaboration features that make it useful for teams working with large assets. For a limited time, you can get a lifetime subscription to its Advanced Plan for $249.97 (reg. $599).

Drime Advanced gives teams more than just a place to store their files. It also includes compliance tracking, which keeps records of who accessed what and when. For businesses that need to document how information is handled, those records can make it easier to review activity and prepare for internal or external audits.

You can add up to 25 workspace members, assign roles and permissions, and manage access through advanced administration tools. There’s also 120-day file versioning, so you can retrieve earlier versions of documents when changes need to be reviewed or reversed.

For sensitive files, Drime includes an end-to-end encrypted Vault designed to keep its contents inaccessible even to the provider. The service uses EU-hosted infrastructure and advertises GDPR compliance, although organizations should still evaluate whether its features meet their specific regulatory requirements.

Drime also lets teams edit documents and media, collaborate in shared workspaces, and collect electronic signatures through Drime Sign. Shared links can include passwords, expiration dates, custom URLs, and access statistics.

There’s no individual file size limit, too, which can be a lifesaver when you’re dealing with massive video files, design assets, or other projects that don’t exactly travel well as email attachments. Automatic device syncing, meanwhile, helps keep work accessible across supported platforms.

Normally $599, you can grab Drime’s Advanced Plan for only $249.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Playwright Kat Sandler found inspiration in the Slavic folklore around Baba Yaga for a 2019 play she called Yaga. Now, she's adapted her script into a supernatural horror-laced mystery series centered around the disappearance of a playboy intrigued by witchcraft.

With its first two episodes, Yaga introduces a chilly coastal community, in which Henry Park (Hudson Williams), heir to a local commercial fishery, has gone missing. Family friend and private investigator Rapp (Noah Reid) returns to his childhood home to find the MIA stud, and in his place finds a doppelgänger named Logan (also played by Williams).

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In a more official capacity, police officer Carson (Clark Backo) pursues interviews with those who know Henry, including a bone-fixated professor (Carrie-Anne Moss). But at the center of this story is the question, is witchcraft real? And if so, what does that mean for Henry and his friends?

SEE ALSO: 'Yaga' isn't the show Hudson Williams fans want it to be

If Yaga's got you craving more supernatural series with thrills, mysteries, and spooky fun, we've got you covered with some spell-binding suggestions.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Show creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa spins his creepy comic book series, which reimagined Sabrina the Teenage Witch for horror lovers, into a gnarly teen drama with Kiernan Shipka in the title role. This Riverdale spinoff is a coming-of-age story about how this half-witch finds her way in the worlds of magic and man.

Running for 36 episodes across two seasons, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a solid and spooky teen drama, rich with angst, flirting, and horror. Plus, Doctor Who's Michelle Gomez pops up in surprise role that's pitch-perfect casting.

Starring: Kiernan Shipka, Ross Lynch, Lucy Davis, Miranda Otto, Chance Perdomo, Michelle Gomez, Jaz Sinclair, Tati Gabrielle, Adeline Rudolph, Richard Coyle, Lachlan Watson, and Gavin Leatherwood

How to watch: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is now streaming on Netflix.

Yellowjackets

If you're craving a show where female rage intersects with a paranormal mystery, you must watch Yellowjackets. On top of a wild story that has sparked lots of fan theories, the show's incredible ensemble cast will have you gasping and gagging.

Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, this mind-bending horror series reimagines a Donner party scenario with a teenage girls soccer team. In 1996, the Yellowjackets were a varsity team flying to a national championship tournament, when their plane crashed in the Canadian wilderness. Stranded and determined to survive, they must be a team in the face of untold dangers, paranoia, and cannibalism. But that's not all. This series leaps ahead 25 years to show who the survivors are now, offering a string of mysteries for them to unravel.

Starring: Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Ella Purnell, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, Christina Ricci, Juliette Lewis, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Kevin Alves, Simone Kessell, Lauren Ambrose, Sarah Desjardins, Nia Sondaya, and Jenna Burgess

How to watch: Yellowjackets is now streaming on Paramount+.

Agatha All Along

This spinoff from WandaVision transforms antagonist Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) into an MCU anti-heroine. Set three years after the events in Westview, New Jersey, this supernatural spinoff follows Agatha as she builds a coven of misfits to take on the witch's road.

SEE ALSO: 'Agatha All Along' review: Kathryn Hahn conjures up pure, witchy fun

In their quest, there will be battles involving magic, violence, and dark secrets unearthed. Hahn is crackling in the lead role, bolstered by a terrific supporting cast. With just one season, this one's a solid weekend binge, especially during spooky season.

Starring: Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, Debra Jo Rupp, Aubrey Plaza, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Okwui Okpokwasili, Patti LuPone, Evan Peters, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, and Miles Gutierrez-Riley

How to watch: Agatha All Along is now streaming on Disney+.

The Fall of the House of Usher

Horror auteur Mike Flanagan uses Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Fall of the House of Usher" as the inspiration for a Succession-like mini-series about one truly twisted family.

The Ushers, who own a problematic pharmaceutical company, have power, wealth, privilege, and a lot of skeletons in their closets. Their vices are many, ranging from substance abuse and violence to sex, sex, and sex. But a high price must be paid for their sins, and Death has come to collect in the form of a sexy, magical woman.

Told across eight episodes, this sultry, creepy mini-series is perfectly suited to spooky season, and easy to binge over a weekend.

Starring: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Henry Thomas, Kate Siegel, Rahul Kohli, Samantha Sloyan, T'Nia Miller, Zach Gilford, Willa Fitzgerald, Michael Trucco, Katie Parker, Sauriyan Sapkota, Matt Biedel, Crystal Balint, Ruth Codd, Kyliegh Curran, Carl Lumbly, and Mark Hamill

How to watch: The Fall of the House of Usher is now streaming on Netflix.

Interview with the Vampire

Okay, sure, I could have gone with Mayfair Witches, another dark magic show on AMC. However, its sibling series Interview with the Vampire just has more bite.

Adapted from Anne Rice's the Vampire Chronicles, this series follows the toxic romance of undead lovers Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) across centuries. The first two seasons focus on Louis' side of their story, while Season 3 offers The Vampire Lestat. Rich with sex, murder, and big feelings, this supernatural drama is highly rewatchable. Plus, Yaga fans can look for Noah Reid in the third season, where he pops up as Lestat's moody guitarist Larry.

Starring: Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Eric Bogosian, Bailey Bass, Assad Zaman, Delainey Hayles, Ben Daniels, Joseph Potter, and Jennifer Ehle

How to watch: Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat are now streaming on AMC+.

For most of its first season, Avatar: Seven Havens has focused primarily on one Haven: Ellora. However, in its eighth and ninth episodes, it begins to broaden its world to the other six Havens, giving viewers juicy breadcrumbs of what to expect from the rest of the show.

SEE ALSO: 'Avatar: Seven Havens' finally shows us how Korra broke the world

The episodes, titled "The Envoys: Part One" and "The Envoys: Part Two," introduce delegates from the other Havens who have arrived in Ellora to answer the city's call for aid. From the historians of New Ba Sing Se to the gearheads of Akasha, here's everything we've learned about these new Havens.

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New Ba Sing Se

The Cataclysm may have completely reshaped the world of Avatar, but somehow, the Earth Kingdom capital Ba Sing Se managed to endure. While the Haven may be called New Ba Sing Se, its inhabitants still live like they're in the old world. Their Earth Kingdom attire is the most familiar piece of costuming in the show so far, and their arrival on flying bison is a welcome sight. Note the gas masks each bison must wear on their muzzle. While the historians of New Ba Sing Se like to live in the past, it's clear they still have to adapt to their apocalyptic present in some ways.

Akasha

The Haven of Akasha serves almost as a foil to New Ba Sing Se. Its inhabitants also look to the past, but instead of focusing on history, they focus on technology. According to "The Envoys: Part One," they're the only Haven that's learned how to use old world tech, and it shows in their Mad Max-esque motorcycles.

SEE ALSO: 'Avatar: Seven Havens' may have just confirmed a massive fan theory Feather Mountain

Our primary entry point into the Haven of Feather Mountain is its ruler: Empress Yeshe (voiced by Jennie Kwan). She's a beloved ruler and talented airbender, yet she seems stifled by the constant supervision from her guards. If she sounds familiar, it's because Kwan also voiced Suki in The Last Airbender!

Seven Havens doesn't reveal much about Feather Mountain's culture beyond Empress Yeshe, but she does say that her realm "makes space for forgiveness." That makes it sound surprisingly nice and balanced for an apocalyptic hideout. Maybe Pavi (voiced by Saheli Khan) and Nisha (voiced by Aishu Devan) could head there if they need a vacation?

Nubat

Another Haven introduced in "The Envoys: Part One" is Nubat, but only in passing. During the summit, Commander Karthik (Akshay Khanna) meets with Rehan (voiced by Sunkrish Bala), the Head Lotus of Nubat, along with the Head Lotuses of Akasha. That's the only time Nubat gets mentioned in the episode, but otherwise we know very little about the Haven.

We know that Rehan is a waterbender, and he dresses in furs reminiscent of the old Water Tribe dress. Yet that could be a personal choice instead of a Haven-specific one, as the clothing in Havens like Ellora seems like a melting pot of different bending styles. For now, Nubat remains a bit of a mystery.

Republic Forest

However, Nubat's mystery is nowhere near as juicy as that of Republic Forest. Alongside another, as-yet-unnamed Haven, Republic Forest is one of the only two Havens who didn't send envoys to Ellora. That's because Republic Forest cut communication with the other Havens long ago, leading the rest of the world to wonder whether they're still alive.

Members of the Faceless believe they are and that they are free from the storms that plague the other Havens. That's where they hope to head following their attack on the summit in Ellora.

While no one knows what truly lies in Republic Forest, we can hazard some guesses based on the name. The Haven — or whatever is left of it — is likely in the remains of Republic City, which now appears to have become a forest. Based on the flashback to Korra's memories in episode 6, it seems as if the Cataclysm started in Republic City and had a lot to do with unleashed spirit energy. Could the influx of energy have expanded Republic City's Spirit Wilds into a whole spirit forest?

Avatar: Seven Havens is now streaming on Paramount+, with new episodes every Friday.

Avatar: Seven Havens gets cosmic in its ninth episode, and may have just confirmed a big fan theory in the process.

SEE ALSO: 'Avatar: Seven Havens' finally shows us how Korra broke the world

In the episode, titled "The Envoys: Part Two," Avatar Pavi (voiced by Saheli Khan) once again makes contact with the menacing, diamond-shaped anomaly that's been threatening Ellora. This time, instead of showing her a flashback of Avatar Korra's memories like it did in episode 6, the anomaly transports Pavi to a place that's familiar to any Avatar fan: outer space.

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What does Pavi see after touching the anomaly?

Okay, Pavi isn't physically in space, but her spirit winds up floating in a cosmic void. It's the same void Avatars Aang and Korra found themselves in before entering the Avatar State. In their series, they followed a glowing path to a massive cosmic projection of themselves holding a ball of white energy. Once they stepped into the ball, they'd be in the Avatar State. The entire cosmic set-up is a neat visual representation of the spiritual and mental components of being the Avatar. However, it's not what we see in Seven Havens.

Like Aang and Korra, Pavi follows a path through space in Seven Havens. But instead of finding a vision of herself, she sees a massive circular gate. Like the anomaly, it glows black and red. Unlike the anomaly's fragmented, angular geometry, this gate bears a beautiful, flowery design.

SEE ALSO: 'Avatar: Seven Havens' episode 5 is chock-full of 'Last Airbender' Easter eggs

From there, Seven Havens reveals that beyond this circle lie six others, each ringed in their own glowing colors, although none bear a design yet.

The progression of these colors is a visual Avatar fans are familiar with, going all the way back to Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, episode 19, "The Guru." In that episode, Aang visits guru Pathik to learn how to enter and control the Avatar State. Pathik teaches him about unblocking his chakras, which are points of concentrated energy throughout the body, with real-world roots in Buddhist and Hindu practices.

The scenes in which Aang unblocks his chakras are each tinged with a specific color tied to each chakra, starting with red and moving up to orange, yellow, and so on. It's the exact same color progression as the gates Pavi encounters, highly implying that she is looking at a series of chakras. But they aren't hers. Instead, each of the seven chakras is almost certainly tied to one of the seven Havens.

Avatar: Seven Havens' chakra theory, explained.

Throughout Seven Havens' run, series fans have theorized that each Haven represents one of the seven chakras. After all, the show's opening credits show the Havens as glowing points of color on a map, each corresponding to one of the chakra colors. The same color scheme carries over to the costumes of the Havens in the play about the Cataclysm in the very first episode.

All of this is compelling evidence for the theory, but Pavi's vision in "The Envoys: Part Two" is the strongest confirmation of the theory so far. Let's start with the red gate in front of Pavi. It is the same color as the first chakra guru Pathik teaches Aang about: the Earth chakra, known in real-world practices as the root chakra. It sits at the base of the spine. According to Pathik, it deals with survival, but it's blocked by fear.

All these concepts of survival, fear, and the root chakra figure into Seven Havens in some way. Book 1 is titled "Survival," while the season finale is titled "The Root Chakra." As for fear, the city of Ellora is overrun with it. Whenever someone comes into contact with the anomaly, they become afflicted by fear.

With that in mind, it seems like the anomaly isn't truly some kind of spirit demon. Rather, it's a physical manifestation of the blocked energies of Ellora, which explains its appearance as a warped version of the design on the gate. In order to keep the world in balance, Pavi and her twin sister Nisha (voiced by Aishu Devan) will surely have to find a way to unblock Ellora — the root chakra — and likely the other havens as well.

Each of the seven Havens representing a chakra raises a massive question, though. What are they chakras of? They seem to be chakras of the entire world, but does that mean that the Earth in the Avatar universe is actually its own living being? Was the Cataclysm caused in part by blockage of these energy points?

All will surely become clear as Seven Havens continues to open its mystery box. For now, though, Pavi's vision is the clearest answer viewers have gotten to the many questions the show has raised about the world post-Cataclysm.

Avatar: Seven Havens is now streaming on Paramount+, with new episodes every Friday.