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Many of the suspiciously inexpensive robot vacuums cut corners too close to the sun, quickly shifting from helpers around the house to agents of chaos. The more basic the navigation tech under the hood, the more likely you are to come home to a vacuum stuck under the couch (rather than a fully swept home).

Most cheap robot vacuums don't have the suction power or brush roll system necessary to pry crumbs or pet hair out of any carpet pile. That mediocrity extends to many robot vacuum and mop combo models, which don't "scrub" so much as feebly drag a damp cloth across the floor. At that point, it'd be less of a bother to get a decent stick vacuum and do it yourself.

SEE ALSO: 'Why does my robot vacuum suck now?' Well, when's the last time you cleaned it?

Long story short: Buying a robot vacuum just because it's cheap puts that glorious hands-off cleaning experience in jeopardy. But not all cheap robot vacuums are crappy, even compared to a few years ago. Smart mapping and self-emptying docks are super easy to find for just a few hundred dollars, and more premium features like small obstacle avoidance and automatic mop washing and drying can often be found below $500.

Recent changes to this guide

March 2026: I added the Eufy C28 as the best budget roller mop robot vacuum. (It's also the only "budget" roller mop robot vacuum out there right now.) I consider this a replacement for the Eufy X10 Pro Omni, which was the best budget self-washing and drying station for much of 2025.

July 2025: I replaced the Roomba 205 DustCompactor with the 3i G10+. The G10+ has significantly stronger suction and better mapping than the Roomba, plus more advanced features like small obstacle and pet waste avoidance and a livestream pet camera.

Most guys have a love-hate relationship with dating apps. But between work and life, meeting someone organically can feel nearly impossible. That's the promise of online dating — an unlimited number of meet-cutes right to your phone, no serendipity required. Of course, the reality of online dating is often quite different. But don't get discouraged. The Mashable Dating & Relationships team has spent years testing the most popular dating apps for men, and we can tell you which apps are most likely to connect you with the right person for you.

Do dating apps still work in 2026?

We get it, though. Dating as a man in 2026 is tough. It's not just the pressure to make or the fear of rejection if you do — it's the endless swiping through fake profiles, scammers, AI-generated thirst traps, bots posing as potential matches, relentless Instagram models trying to lure you into their OnlyFans scam, and matches with impossibly high expectations (yes, the "6-6-6 rule" is a real thing).

But despite the challenges, dating apps do work. A 2025 SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus survey found that nearly 39 percent of all U.S. adults have used a dating app at some point, and men are actually more likely to be current users than women (57 percent vs. 38 percent). While the experience isn't always perfect, the odds are in your favor: 57 percent of men report positive experiences with online dating, compared to only 48 percent of women. The numbers are even higher for young people and the LGBTQ+ community.

SEE ALSO: The dating app glossary: The A to Z of terms you need to know The best dating apps for guys who know what they want

This guide is your cheat sheet for the best dating apps for men in 2026. We've done the research and found the apps that are actually worth your time. Whether you're looking for something casual or something serious, we have a dating app to recommend.

Pro tip: Don't be afraid to experiment. Try out a few different apps and see what works for you. And most importantly, don't get discouraged! Sometimes, the occasional bad date or disappointing flirtation is just the price you pay to meet the match of a lifetime.

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from Mississippi with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

The online world is riddled with restrictions and blockades that stop you going where you want to go. Online restrictions are everywhere, even in the world of porn.

A number of U.S. states have introduced laws that require visitors to upload ID before accessing pornography sites. Pornhub bit back by banning visitors from those states from accessing their website. This ban is frustrating for users in places like Mississippi, but there is a simple workaround.

If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Mississippi, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Mississippi

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 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 a location that supports access to Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

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The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight 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).

Unblock Pornhub for free in Mississippi with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Stop battling with PDFs with some help from this AcePDF Converter and Editor lifetime license, on sale now for $23.97 through March 8.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker AcePDF Converter & Editor: Lifetime License $23.97
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We’re all looking to find a little more time in our days, so why not find ways to simplify your workflow? If you’re often dealing with PDFs and converting files, whether personally or professionally, AcePDF Converter and Editor can make your life a little easier. Save yourself some headaches with this lifetime subscription on sale for $23.97 through March 8.

Working with PDFs is a drag. They’re a frustrating file type that can slow you down at work and at home, but AcePDF Converter and Editor is ready to make them manageable. This app helps you process PDFs and other documents easily, and you can rest easy knowing you’ll end up with high-quality conversions that retain their original layouts, images, and hyperlinks.

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If you’re tired of struggling to convert your PDF into a Word, Excel, or JPG file, let AcePDF Converter and Editor make it easier. It will only take a few taps, and the app makes it just as easy to convert an Excel or PPT file to a PDF if needed.

Aside from easy conversions, AcePDF has built-in OCR technology that lets you extract text from image-based PDFs. It also lets you add, edit, and enhance content on existing PDFs, or fill out a form. You can also easily merge, split, compress, and add watermarks to files.

If you handle sensitive information, you can rest easy. AcePDF makes it simple to encrypt and protect your PDFs with passwords and unlock them. And your lifetime subscription works on two devices, so you can use it at work and home.

Get this AcePDF Converter and Editor lifetime license, on sale now for $23.97 through March 8.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Score a Grade A refurbished MacBook Pro (2020) with i7, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD for $479.99 (reg. $1,999).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro 2020 (Refurbished) $479.99
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There’s a big difference between wanting a Mac and having to pay full retail for one. At $479.99 (reg. $1,999), this Grade A refurbished MacBook Pro (from 2020) makes that decision a lot easier.

Powered by a 10th-gen Intel Core i7 processor (2.3GHz, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz), paired with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, this machine handles demanding multitasking smoothly. It’s well-suited for productivity apps, content creation, coding, and everyday business workflows.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The 13.3-inch Retina display (2560×1600) with True Tone delivers sharp detail and balanced color, whether you’re editing documents, reviewing designs, or streaming content. Intel Iris Plus Graphics provides solid performance for creative tasks and media playback.

You also get Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Touch Bar (hello, shortcuts), Touch ID for secure login, and up to 10 hours of battery life for working untethered. Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports offer flexible connectivity for charging, external displays, and high-speed accessories.

This model updates to macOS Tahoe, keeping you aligned with current Apple software features and security updates.

Because it’s rated Grade A refurbished, it arrives in near-mint condition with minimal cosmetic wear. For anyone looking to enter the Apple ecosystem without spending close to two thousand dollars, this is a practical, performance-focused option.

Get this near-mint MacBook Pro for $479.99 (reg. $1,999) while it’s still in stock.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Every so often, a word or phrase claws its way out of a cultural underground and into the mainstream lexicon. More often than not, it's African American Vernacular English (AAVE) that gets co-opted by TikTokers before landing on Good Morning America, say. Slightly cringe, mostly harmless.

But some slang breaks containment in ways that aren't so benign.

Case in point: looksmaxxing. This term, which has recently been explained to viewers of NBC News, refers to the practice of maximizing your physical attractiveness — methodically, relentlessly, and by any means necessary. But it's no fashion-world portmanteau. The word actually hails from incel forums in the 2010s.

SEE ALSO: Who is Clavicular, and why is he everywhere right now?

And it's not just looksmaxxing. Incel terminology that once festered in the dark corners of obscure boards has gone mainstream, while its proponents viral. Influencers like Clavicular have amassed millions of views for unhinged takes involving the dangerous practice of bonesmashing. And unless you're in the know, you won't always know these terms when you see them.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

If you're scratching your head at tweets like this, or wondering what your kids or friends are suddenly all talking about, you're in the right place. Here's your field guide to the people, terms, and corners of the internet you never knew you needed to know.

Featured Video For You Is U.S. TikTok censoring its users? Acension

The moment an incel successfully escapes their condition, crossing over from involuntary celibacy into an active romantic or sexual life.

Androgenic

An Australian looksmaxxing influencer locked in an ongoing battle with Clavicular and others for the title of #1 Chad — a term that broadly means a sexually successful male, but in looksmaxxing circles means winners of an online leaderboard.

ASU frat Leader

The influencer seen in a video that went viral on campus at Arizona State University. IRL, he's fitness influencer Varis Gilaj.

BIMAX

Short for bimaxillary osteotomy, BIMAX is a double-jaw surgery typically performed as a corrective procedure for conditions like an open bite. In medical contexts, it's reconstructive. In looksmaxxing circles, the procedure is sought out as an extreme cosmetic upgrade.

Blackpill

No, this isn't the red or blue pills of The Matrix. Blackpilling is a nihilistic offshoot of incel ideology and the manosphere, It refers to a bleak thesis: in the heterosexual dating market, physical attractiveness is the only thing that matters.

This worldview is propped up by pseudoscientific frameworks and cherry-picked data. It's the ideological bedrock from which practices like looksmaxxing grow. To "take the black pill" is to accept this as truth.

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Chad

Incel slang for physically attractive and sexually successful men. In incel culture, Chads represent the top 1% of men that women seek in the dating marketplace. Chads are often depicted in memes as a strong-jawed, blonde Übermensch.

Chadlite

A portmanteau of Chad (see above) and lite (to be lesser). Used to describe men who are above average in looks, but not to the level of a Chad.

Chud

A forgettable 1984 sci-fi horror film set in New York City, C.H.U.D. — which stands for Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dweller — has found new relevance. It's a pejorative lobbed at incels and adjacent communities like the manosphere, comparing their communities to sewer creatures.

Clavicular

A Kick streamer, real name Braden Peters. His online username is a reference to the clavicle, which is very important in the looksmaxing community.

Mashable's Anna Iovine has an excellent piece on everything you'd need to know about the now-viral internet influencer.

SEE ALSO: Who is Clavicular, and why is he everywhere right now? Cortisol spike

Cortisol is a naturally produced steroid in the adrenal gland; it's better known as the stress hormone. In incel spaces, "cortisol spike" means getting visibly flustered or stressed out over something embarrassing.

Foid

This is shorthand for the incel term "Femoid." A portmanteau of female and humanoid, this is one of many pejorative terms incels use to refer to women.

Framemogged This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

When your upper body simply overwhelms the competition. This refers to having wider shoulders, a bigger back, and a silhouette that makes the guy next to you look narrow by comparison.

Incel

Short for "involuntarily celibate," the incel community has its origins in a niche blog in the late 1990s. The Involuntary Celibacy Project began as a genuine support group for people struggling to find aromantic connections.

Over time, the male community grew more extreme, placing the blame for their struggles squarely on women. These groups migrated to 4chan and Reddit — first to r/incels, then to r/Braincels after the former was banned in 2017. In the 2020s, the ideology was associated with various terror attacks carried out by self-described incels.

Jestermaxxing

On the surface, this just means someone who leans hard into being the funny one. But in incel spaces, it's a pejorative aimed at men who use humor to get attention from women.

Kick

A Twitch alternative, backed by crypto casino Stake. Kick has carved out its niche through looser content moderation, with a lighter touch on copyrighted material, hate speech, and on-stream gambling.

That permissiveness has made it a natural home for several right-wing manosphere influencers, including Sneako, xQc, Aidan Ross, and Clavicular.

Limb Lengthening Surgery

A reconstructive procedure that gradually elongates the bones of the arms or legs, typically performed on patients with skeletal dysplasia or other genetic bone growth conditions. The process is lengthy, painful, and intensive — bones are surgically broken and then slowly separated over months, allowing new bone tissue to fill the gap.

Nevertheless, you guessed it, the surgery has gained traction online as a way to make oneself taller.

Looksmaxxing

We explained it up top, but what does Looksmaxxing look like in practice? On the tamer end, it's standard self-improvement: skincare routines, hitting the gym, and upgrading your wardrobe.

But the rabbit hole goes deep for some, particularly men of color, who face an added layer of racialized beauty standards within these spaces. Skin whitening treatments, anabolic steroid abuse, and increasingly extreme body modification have all found a home here. And then there's influencer Clavicular, who has become the poster child for bonesmashing.

Looksmax.org

One of many online forums for people in the looksmaxxing and incel community. According to a 2023 BBC investigation, the site was created by Lamarcus Small, a Black man living in Alabama. Small is also the creator of a sanctioned suicide forum that the BBC links to 50 deaths in the UK.

-maxxing

To understand looksmaxxing, you first need to understand the suffix it borrows from. "-Maxxing" means doing something with maximum, obsessive effort — and it traces back to min-maxing, a concept from tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons. It refers to players putting all their points into high-value stats like strength while deliberately neglecting others — faith, intelligence, charisma.

Mewwing This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

A pseudoscientific oral training technique that claims that proper tongue posture — pressed firmly against the roof of the mouth — can reshape your jaw structure over time. The science doesn't back it up, but that hasn't slowed the spread of this odd practice.

Mogging

To undermine another man by eclipsing him in physical appearance. The term is derived from the acronym AMOG, or "Alpha Male of the Group."

PSL Scale

A pseudoscientific attractiveness ranking system built by the looksmaxxing community to put an empirical number on your face. The acronym is an amalgamation of three defunct incel forums — PUAhate, SlutHate, and Lookism.

The scale runs from 0.25 to 8, though in practice, no one actually scores an 8. It measures facial features with an almost clinical specificity: eye shape, canthal tilt, nose angles, jaw size, and lip thickness. Proponents of the scale can be found on sites like Looksmax.org and on Reddit, in r/rateme and r/truerateme.

Sexual Market Value

An individual's measure of sexual attractiveness scored on a scale of 1 to 10. The formula shifts depending on gender. For women, SMV is almost entirely physical. For men, the calculus is broader: physique, income, career status, social clout, and personality can all push the number up or down.

Slaymaxxing

To have lots of sex.

Stacy

The female equivalent of a Chad. A Stacy is attractive, socially popular, and — crucially, to the incel mind — sexually active.

The term carries an implicit resentment: Stacy's represent everything incels want and, by their own logic, everything they'll never have access to.

Stake

An online crypto casino and parent company of Twitch-alternative Kick. Stake has become infamous for one of the laziest — and most effective — ad strategies on the internet: paying meme pages and content aggregators to slap its watermark onto viral images before reposting them.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

10. Fackham Hall

If you've ever wondered what Downton Abbey might look like with poop and dick jokes, welcome to Fackham Hall.

Directed by Jim O'Hanlon, this period piece parody features a charming young lady (Thomasin McKenzie) who's on the verge of marrying her not-so-charming cousin (Tom Felton). But then, she fatefully crosses paths with a poor but dashing thief (Ben Radcliffe). In this upstairs/downstairs world, can their love last? Plus, there's murder, merriment, and scads of double entendres, prat falls, and unapologetically stupid humor. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Thomasin McKenzie, Ben Radcliffe, Katherine Waterston, Emma Laird, Tom Goodman-Hill, Anna Maxwell Martin, Sue Johnston, Tom Felton, and Damian Lewis

How to watch: Fackham Hall debuts on HBO Max on March 6.

9. Dirty Rotten Scandals

If you love mess, you'll relish every episode of E!'s Dirty Rotten Scandals. This new documentary series kicks off by digging up the dirt on three TV shows that are truly iconic and deeply problematic: Dr. Phil, America’s Next Top Model, and The Price is Right.

On the surface, each show promised a space to grow, to win, and to achieve a big dream (or just a brand! New! Car!). But beneath the sheen of Hollywood glamor, there was exploitation, manipulation, and in the case of The Price is Right host Bob Barker, rampant sexism and racism. However, we suspect the most must-see eps will be the two-parter on America's Next Top Model. Coming in on the heels of Netflix's Reality Check, Dirty Rotten Scandals got former ANTM judge Janice Dickinson to share her thoughts on Tyra Banks. And that's some piping hot tea we will be seated to see spilled. — K.P.

SEE ALSO: 'Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model' is rage bait. We watched it so you don't have to.

How to watch: Dirty Rotten Scandals is now on E!

8. Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese

Some true crime docs are just too long. Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese is one such doc, leaning on parental fears to stretch its story across three meandering episodes.

Directed by Clair Titley, Friends Like These focuses on the heinous homicide of 16-year-old Skylar Neese, who was last seen sneaking out of her parents' West Virginia home in the summer of 2012. The story of her murder is tragic and grim, but Titley's clichéd portrayal of Neese as an "average American girl" and her finger-wagging portrait of teens on social media flattens this victim into a cautionary tale. Her grieving parents become a spectacle and a warning, and the final answer to who killed Neese and why are deeply unsatisfying. That part is not Titley's fault. That's just the facts of the case. You can read those instead of walking away with the sickening feeling of watching a mediocre doc that treats murder as a grave life lesson. — K.P.

How to watch: Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese is streaming on Hulu.

7. Vladimir

Rachel Weisz gets caught up in scandal in Netflix's limited series Vladimir. Based on the 2022 novel of the same name by Julia May Jonas (who also serves as showrunner), the show stars Weisz as an unnamed college professor whose life is in absolute shambles. Her husband is under fire for sleeping with his students, and on top of that, she's recently become obsessed with her young hotshot colleague, Vladimir (Leo Woodall). As her life spirals, will she give into her desires?

Armed with sexual fantasies and enough fourth-wall breaks to make Fleabag blush, Vladimir seeks to titillate and confound. Unfortunately, as I wrote in my review, "[A]s an erotic thriller and a portrait of the ripple effects of sexual misconduct allegations, Vladimir is just like its protagonist's worst nightmare: It fails to captivate." — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Rachel Weisz, Leo Woodall, John Slattery, Ellen Robertson, and Jessica Henwick

How to watch: Vladimir is now streaming on Netflix.

6. War Machine

For War Machine, Alan Ritchson, the wall of muscle from Reacher and Fast X, teams with Patrick Hughes, the director of The Expendables 3, The Hitman's Bodyguard, and The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard. So, expect an action-packed movie with plenty of stunt-driven spectacle.

Specifically, military drama and sci-fi action collide when — during the final stage of U.S. Army Ranger training — a team of soldiers come across a mysterious war machine. From the trailer, you can see this is some dangerous tech. Where did it come from? What does it want (beyond picking a fight)? The only answers come from watching, when War Machine hits Netflix. — K.P.

Starring: Alan Ritchson, Dennis Quaid, Stephan James, Jai Courtney, Esai Morales, Keiynan Lonsdale, and Daniel Webber

How to watch: War Machine debuts on Netflix on March 6.

5. Outlander, Season 8

Outlander fans, I've got good news and bad news. The good news? You've made it through your last Droughtlander, that dreaded period between Outlander seasons. The bad news? This means the end of Outlander is almost upon you. The fantasy series, based on Diana Gabaldon's beloved novels, begins its final journey this week, once again flitting back and forth through time to conclude Jamie and Claire Fraser's (Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe) epic love story. How will this century-spanning, globe-trotting adventure end? — B.E.

Starring: Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan

How to watch: The final season of Outlander debuts on STARZ on March 6.

4. Young Sherlock

What's that? Sherlock Holmes and his archenemy James Moriarty running around Oxford as youngsters, solving crimes together? It's the elementary basis of Guy Ritchie's new Prime Video series, Young Sherlock, in which the director takes another stab at Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective. In this adventure-fueled origin story, Hero Fiennes Tiffin finds his own style as Sherlock, while Wheel of Time's Dónal Finn fittingly steals scenes as fictional rival Moriarty, and 3 Body Problem's Zine Tseng frankly kicks everyone's ass. And while the overt "pip pip cheerio" energy of Young Sherlock takes a minute and Joseph Fiennes (yes, Tiffin's uncle plays Sherlock's father Silas Holmes) over-uses the term "my boy," the series' core mystery takes satisfying twists. If you liked Enola Holmes, you might enjoy Young Sherlock. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

Starring: Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Dónal Finn, Zine Tseng, Colin Firth, Max Irons, Joseph Fiennes, Natascha McElhone, and Numan Acar

How to watch: Young Sherlock is now streaming on Prime Video.

3. The Moment

Charli XCX offers a mockumentary that explores her Brat Summer moment through a thin, crackling sheen of neon-green comedy. The plot follows Charli from promo demands to tour prep to ultra-exclusive spas and shattering personal meltdowns. While she and her trusted creative director, Celeste (Hailey Benton Gates), have a pulsing nightclub vision for the Brat tour, a ever-smiling documentarian named Johannes (Alexander Skarsgård) pressures for a more mainstream vision that'll appeal to "dads."

In my review out of Sundance, I cheered, "Rather than broadly skewering the rich and famous, The Moment shrewdly targets the corporate side of making art for a living. Through celebrity cameos, a succinct yet riveting story, earnest emotion, and biting humor, Charli XCX's mockumentary captures something real about the battle of art versus commerce. How does one hold onto themselves when hit by an avalanche of more, more, more, for better or worse? The Moment shows one answer, urging audiences to find their own." — K.P.

Starring: Charli XCX, Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, Jamie Demetriou, Hailey Benton Gates, Isaac Powell, and Alexander Skarsgård

How to watch: The Moment is now available for rental or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

2. Stray Kids: The dominATE Experience

Stray Kids fans, cancel your damn plans, as The dominATE Experience lands on digital this week. Shot during the 2025 world tour at Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium, this eagerly awaited concert film promises to get up close with the K-pop icons in all their choreographic wonder — and from this sneak peek at "Maniac" live, you're in for a five-star Michelin treat whether you were there in person or not.

As Mashable's Crystal Bell writes, "These weren't shows that eased you in. They hit hard from the jump, stacking explosive choreography, blistering rap verses, and emotional pivots into a set designed to never let the energy dip. Bang Chan anchoring the chaos, Changbin and Han trading rapid-fire intensity, Hyunjin and Felix commanding the stage with physicality and presence, Lee Know's razor-sharp movement, Seungmin delivering steady vocals while casually instigating chaos, and I.N grounding it all with sincerity — every member played a specific role in keeping that engine running." — S.C.

Starring: Lee Know, Han, I.N, Felix, Bang Chan, Hyunjin, Seungmin, and Changbin

How to watch: Stray Kids: The dominATE Experience is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

1. Rooster

Steve Carell goes to college in HBO's charming new comedy Rooster, from creators Bill Lawrence (Ted Lasso, Shrinking) and Matt Tarses (Scrubs). He plays best-selling author Greg Russo, who accepts an offer to be the writer-in-residence at Ludlow College. He doesn't take the post for prestige, though. Instead, he takes it to be closer to his daughter, Katie (Charly Clive), an art history professor who's going through a rough patch after her husband (Phil Dunster) left her for a grad student (Lauren Tsai).

What follows is a sweet father-daughter comedy that examines the complexities of relationships with your parents as an adult. (Especially when your parent bursts into your small college bubble while your life is in shambles.) Packed with strong performances, Rooster is as warm as you'd expect from a Lawrence show, but it also finds a tad more rowdiness and bite in its satire of college life. — B.E.

Starring: Steve Carell, Phil Dunster, Charly Clive, Danielle Deadwyler, John C. McGinley, and Lauren Tsai

How to watch: Rooster premieres on HBO and HBO Max on March 8.

Best of Streaming this week: Hamnet

Academy Award–winning director Chloé Zhao finds herself back in the awards race thanks to Hamnet, an exquisite historical drama that offers up a different look at the life of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal). Based on the novel by Maggie O'Farrell, who co-wrote the screenplay with Zhao, Hamnet's focus isn't really on the Bard. Instead, it's on his wife Agnes (a stellar Jessie Buckley), whose connection to nature and strange visions defy convention. But when Agnes and her husband lose their youngest son, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe), the pair weather their grief in vastly different ways, resulting in the kind of film the word "heart-wrenching" was invented for.

Poised to wring every last ounce of water from your tear ducts, Hamnet charts its own bold course away from other Shakespeare-adjacent films. As Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko wrote in her review, "Not only does Zhao reject the temptations of glossy Hollywood biopics, but also the regal romance or cerebral theatricality of a barrage of Oscar-adored Shakespeare adaptations, from a handful of intense Hamlets to The Tragedy of Macbeth to the winsome Shakespeare in Love. Her Shakespeare and company are more feral, bringing this historic tragedy fresh blood and true grit."* — B.E.

Starring: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, Jacobi Jupe, and Olivia Lynes

How to watch: Hamnet debuts on Peacock on March 6.

(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior list.

TL;DR: Lego is running Star Wars make and take events on March 8. A limited quantity of Lego Star Wars Lightsabers will be available for free at participating stores.

Lego regularly runs make and take events in which participants can walk away with an exclusive set without spending anything. These free giveaways always cause a stir, but nothing gets the people going quite like Star Wars.

Visitors to select Lego Stores on March 8 (from 12-2 p.m. GMT) can participate in an awesome Lego Star Wars Lightsaber make and take event. This free giveaway is intended for children aged 10+, and the model is available on a first-come-first-serve basis, at participating locations in the U.S., while supplies last. At one stage it looked like this event wasn't coming to the U.S., but we've been spared that crushing disappointment.

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This Lego Star Wars Lightsaber is not available for purchase. By taking part in this special event, Star Wars fans can take home something that money literally cannot buy. The only catch is that you're limited to one build per participant, but come on — you can't just turn up and stock up on these exclusive Star Wars sets for free. That would be nice, but that's not the Way of the Force.

Score this free Lego Star Wars Lightsaber at your nearest participating store on March 8.

SAVE $60: As of March 5, the Soundcore AeroClip earbuds are on sale for $109.99 at Amazon. That's a 35% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore AeroClip $109.99 at Amazon
$169.99 Save $60.00   Get Deal

Earbuds and headphones are so advanced these days that it’s hard to know where to look when buying a new pair. There are earbuds that monitor your heart rate, earbuds for sleep, and there are headphones that have unbelievable active noise cancellation. There’s also a new wave of open-ear designs. These are earbuds that sit just outside your ear rather than inside, letting you listen to music while still staying aware of what’s going on around you.

And as of March 5, there’s a great deal on a top pair of open earbuds, the Soundcore AeroClip. Made by Anker, you can be sure you’re getting a great product, and did we mention they're currently $60 off? There’s a range of colors to choose from including midnight, glacier blue, champagne mist, and rosy brown.

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They’re comfortable, lightweight, and flexible. They have a clever open-ring design that helps to keep them firmly in place, and it can handle up to 20,000 bends while still staying secure. They’re also rated IP55 for water resistance, so they can easily handle sweat, rain, and everyday accidents.

Despite the compact design, they still deliver impressive sound, thanks to a 12mm titanium-coated driver and virtual bass technology that helps give music richer lows. It even has directional acoustic technology that keeps the audio focused toward your ears to reduce sound leakage. 

This is a limited time deal at Amazon, so don’t miss out.

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box (30 packs) is now priced under $109.98 at Walmart, sliding under $110 and beating both Amazon’s price and TCGplayer’s listing once shipping is factored in.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box $109.98 at Walmart
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Even though Tarkir Dragonstorm has been out for a while, its Play Booster Boxes can still be subject to major deals when you know where to look. As of March 5, Walmart has the Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box listed for $109.98, with the page also showing free shipping at checkout. That’s a solid offer compared with Amazon’s listing, where the same 30-pack Play Booster box is sitting at $137.45.

TCGplayer’s pricing is even trickier once all the extra costs are factored in. While the dedicated trading card marketplace shows listings for as low as $124.95, there’s also an added fee for shipping, pushing the delivered total to above Walmart.

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TCGplayer’s own market price snapshot is hovering around $113.87, so Walmart’s under-$110 tag is not just cheaper than most storefronts — it’s also under the current market value.

If you’re grabbing this box to draft, stock up on staples, or just crack packs for fun, Tarkir Dragonstorm’s Play Boosters are built for exactly that. You’re getting 30 Play Booster packs, and each pack includes 14 cards, with 1–4 cards Rare or higher, plus at least one Traditional Foil card in every pack. There’s also a chance at a Special Guest Mythic Rare (with new Borderless art), and some packs can include Art cards as well.

For more from the latest MTG expansions, preorders for the Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Draft Night boxes are now below $87 at Amazon. You can also grab a Magic: The Gathering Bloomburrow Play Booster Box for around market value on Amazon.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 AFL for free on 7plus. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Aussie Rules is a uniquely fast-paced and physical game that provides entertainment to millions of fans every week, but for whatever reason, this entertaining sport hasn't really traveled outside of Australia. We think that should change, because we firmly believe that the rest of the world would absolutely love footy.

What's not to love. Outrageous displays of skill? Check. Huge tackles and the occasional physical altercation? Check. Some of the best haircuts and facial hair you've ever seen? A big check.

If you want to watch the 2026 AFL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the AFL?

The Australian Football League (AFL) is the leading professional competition of Aussie Rules Football.

The AFL currently consists of 18 teams spread over Australia's five mainland states. The league features 23 rounds in the regular season, with the team with the best record awarded the minor premiership. The top 10 teams from the regular season standings compete in a five-round finals series, culminating in the AFL Grand Final.

SEE ALSO: How to watch NRL live streams online for free

The defending champions are the Brisbane Lions.

When is the 2026 AFL?

The 2026 AFL season is the 130th edition of the Australian Football League. This season runs from March 5 to Sept. 26.

How to watch the 2026 AFL for free

Every round of the 2026 AFL season is available to live stream for free on 7plus.

This free coverage includes matches on Thursday nights, Friday nights, State Footy Saturdays, Sunday afternoons, and Sunday night games. 7plus will also show marquee games and every match in the AFL Finals Series including the Brownlow Medal and the 2026 AFL Grand Final.

7plus is geo-restricted to Australia, 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 Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the AFL from anywhere in the world.

Live stream 2026 AFL from anywhere in the world 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 Australia

4. Visit 7plus

5. Live stream 2026 AFL for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal 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 watch the 2026 AFL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select AFL fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 7plus?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 7plus, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also 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 the 2026 AFL for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Display Box is up for preorder at Walmart for $219.98, which beats Amazon’s listing by almost $50 and comes in cheaper than TCGplayer’s listing once shipping is factored in. That works out to about $6.11 per pack for a 36-pack booster box.

Where to pre-order the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Display Box: Best Walmart Deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Display Box $219.98 at Walmart Pre-Order Here Best Amazon Deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Display Box $269.94 at Amazon Pre-Order Here

Prices for Perfect Order, the Pokémon TCG’s next expansion, have been fluctuating all over the place. But Walmart are undercutting the competition this week. 

As of March 5, Walmart has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Display Box listed for $219.98. That’s a notable drop compared with Amazon’s current $269.94 preorder price, giving Walmart an almost $50 edge on the same sealed product ahead of the expansion’s March 27 release date.

It’s also a better deal than buying through TCGplayer at the moment. TCGplayer’s lowest current listing sits at $230.47, but that listing doesn't include shipping. In other words, Walmart is currently the best place to secure preorders.

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Walmart isn’t just undercutting competing retailers — it’s actually sitting below the current market price, which is not something we get to say very often about a sealed Pokémon TCG product tied to a major new expansion.

Each Perfect Order Booster Display Box includes 36 booster packs, and each pack contains 10 random trading cards. At Walmart’s $220 preorder price, that comes out to roughly $6.11 per pack, which looks especially strong next to Amazon’s equivalent cost of about $7.50 per pack. 

Perfect Order will center on Mega Zygarde ex and a Lumiose City-themed lineup of other Pocket Monsters featured in the Pokémon Legends: Z-A video game that also includes Mega Clefable ex, Mega Starmie ex, and Meowth ex. The expansion contains over 120 cards. 

For even more Pokémon TCG Perfect Order booster packs, you can also score the Booster Bundle for only $43.13 at Amazon — which is well below the market price. What’s more, Amazon has also been steadily dropping the prices of Pokémon TCG: Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Boxes to well under $120. 

SAVE $350: As of March 5, the Roborock Qrevo S5V is on sale for $549.99 at Amazon. That's a 39% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: roborock Roborock Qrevo S5V $549.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $350   Get Deal

If you’ve been toying with the idea of getting a robot vacuum for some time now, we’ve found an Amazon deal that might just tip the scales. As of March 5, the impressive Roborock Qrevo S5V is on sale for $350 off. 

This doesn’t just vacuum, it mops too, so you’re getting two chores ticked off for the price of one. It has a brushless motor that gives you up to 12,000Pa suction, so it can easily pick up dust, pet hair, and debris that’s really stuck in carpets.

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The mop function is powerful too, with the dual spinning mop pads rotating at up to 200 RPM. There's also an extendable FlexiArm design that helps the mop reach into corners and around furniture legs.

And where does the dirt go, you ask? The all-in-one dock takes care of all of this maintenance. It automatically empties the dust into a large bin, washes the mop pads, dries them with warm air, and even refills the water tank. Roborock says the dock can hold around 10 weeks worth of dust before it needs emptying. 

And to top it off, the vacuum is navigated by PreciSense LiDAR, meaning it doesn’t need your help to map multiple floors and avoid any clutter or furniture that may stand in its way.

Ge this robot vacuum deal online at Amazon now.

SAVE $14: As of March 5, the Roku Streaming Stick HD is on sale for $15.99 at Amazon. That's a 47% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roku Roku Streaming Stick HD $15.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $14.00   Get Deal

Streaming devices are transforming how we watch TV, making it easier than ever to access live channels, streaming platforms, and even gaming apps. From sticks to cubes, these products are taking the home entertainment scene by storm.

And as of March 5, there’s a great deal on one of the most popular models, the Roku Streaming Stick HD. Right now, this TV stick is down from $29.99 to $15.99, saving you $14 on list price. 

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It’s a super simple device. It plugs directly into your TV’s HDMI port and powers from your TV alone, and then with one remote, you can control your TV, adjust volume, and navigate Roku. It even has a voice control functionality so you can use it to search through different platforms or to research queries online. 

And if you travel a lot, you can take it on the go with you for access to your streaming apps anywhere. Say goodbye to logging in and out (when you remember) of all your accounts on hotel and Airbnb TVs.  

Get this great streaming deal from Amazon now.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle is available for preorder for $43.13 at Amazon. That's about $35 cheaper than Walmart’s $78.95 listing ahead of its March 27 release.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle $43.13 at Amazon
  Shop Now

It’s a few weeks before Perfect Order releases, but Amazon has come in with a shocking bargain after finally adding the expansion’s Booster Bundles to its storefront. 

The Perfect Order Booster Bundle is available to preorder for $43.13 at Amazon — not only massively coming under the TCGplayer market price, but also deeply undercutting Walmart’s $78.95 price. That's a pretty wild gap for a sealed product this close to launch. And better yet, this comes with Amazon's pre-order price guarantee, so you know you're getting the very best price even if further discounts go live.

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These Booster Bundles contain Perfect Order booster packs in one box, each with 10 Pokémon trading cards. With preorders on new Booster Bundles for new expansions usually going well above $60-70 at first, this is a genuinely low price that will surely sell out soon. Act fast to secure your order.

Amazon is also selling Pokémon TCG: Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Boxes for as low as $116.85. You can also grab a Pokémon TCG: Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box for just over $105 at TCGplayer.

Netflix has released a trailer teasing BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG, a livestream of the K-pop group's first performance with all seven members since 2022.

Streaming live from Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG will see BTS members RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook performing songs from their extensive discography, as well as some from their upcoming album ARIRANG. The group's fifth studio album is scheduled for release just one day prior to the concert.

This concert will mark BTS' highly-anticipated return after going on hiatus to complete their mandatory military service, with approximately 260,000 fans expected to attend in person. The group will subsequently kick off their ARIRANG World Tour, which has 82 stops planned across 34 cities and is scheduled to run through to March next year.

BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG will premiere March 21 at 7 a.m. ET / 4 a.m. PT on Netflix.

After eight episodes of sexual tension and college scandals, Netflix's Vladimir goes up in smoke. Literally.

The series finale sees Rachel Weisz's unraveling, unnamed professor protagonist finally consummating her obsession with her hotshot colleague, Vladimir (Leo Woodall). The pair have sex at the protagonist's remote cabin, then her husband John (John Slattery) shows up, fresh from his Title IX hearing. (His accusers' complaints were dismissed.)

SEE ALSO: 'Vladimir' review: Rachel Weisz goes full 'Fleabag'

After a messy confrontation, the three retire, all to separate rooms. But while they sleep, a fire starts, caused by the space heaters that the protagonist pushed too close together. She, John, and Vladimir all try to escape. The men struggle with the cabin's stuck door, while she lunges to protect her handwritten manuscript. In a monologue delivered straight to the audience, she reveals that she makes it out alive, calls 911, and ensures everyone gets out.

"You don't believe me?" she asks as the cabin burns in the background, with no escaped John or Vladimir in sight.

Should we? Vladimir has often shown that its protagonist is an unreliable narrator. Remember the salad she made for the faculty meeting in episode 1? She claimed everyone devoured it, when in reality, it went untouched. So, is the cabin fire just a larger, more deadly version of the salad lie, and is she just sanitizing it to make herself look better?

On the other hand, did the fire even happen at all, or is it a fantasy the protagonist has cooked up?

Did the cabin fire really happen in Vladimir? Rachel Weisz and Leo Woodall in "Vladimir." Credit: Netflix

Based on its final question, it's clear Vladimir would like to keep things ambiguous. Perhaps everyone survived the cabin fire, perhaps not. Yet there's another option: Maybe the cabin fire is just the climax to the protagonist's book, which would explain the final sequence's dreamlike, somewhat disjointed quality.

Throughout the entire season, the protagonist's desire for Vladimir has reinvigorated her creative juices. It leads her to finally work on a new novel: a familiar story about a professor's desire for a younger co-worker. She just needs to figure out how it ends.

SEE ALSO: The 30 best comedies streaming on Netflix right now

In the cabin, she's faced with two different endings: one with John and Vladimir. John wonders whether the two should revisit their open marriage agreement and recommit to one another. Vladimir wants to set up a weekly cabin hook-up, claiming the protagonist inspires him. Either of these options would have excited the protagonist we met at the start of Vladimir, who's so worried that she's "lost the ability to captivate." Yet neither seem to be what she wants anymore — both for herself, and for the story she's working on.

"You don't like that ending?" John wonders when she admits she's not sure whether she'll go back to bed with him.

So, what ending would she like? What's an author to do when faced with two unsatisfying conclusions? Maybe she blows up her narrative with something beyond anyone's control: a cleansing fire that will give her "a whole new life."

Whether the fire is real, the fantasy ending of the protagonist's novel, or some meta combination of the two, one thing is for certain: These last moments play out extremely differently in Julia May Jonas' original novel.

How is Vladimir's ending different from the book's? Rachel Weisz in "Vladimir." Credit: Netflix

The novel Vladimir ends not with the cabin fire but with its aftermath.

John and the protagonist recover from their burns and move to New York City. Vladimir publishes a fictionalized version of his experience with the protagonist, and while it doesn't sell well, it is long-listed for prizes. His wife Cynthia (Jessica Henwick) goes on to write a national bestseller. (In the show, the protagonist claims that her own book is the bestseller.) Through it all, the protagonist stays with John, essentially ending right back where she started.

The novel doesn't leave any ambiguity as to whether the fire actually happened or who survived it. However, it also boxes the protagonist back in. After all, staying with John hardly seems like the kind of "new life" the show's version of the character would want.

With the series, then, perhaps Jonas (who also created the show) is trying to reshape her own ending and give the protagonist the "options" and "agency" she so desperately craves.

Vladimir is now streaming on Netflix.

Netflix's Vladimir is too cheeky for its own good.

The limited series, based on creator Julia May Jonas' 2022 novel of the same name, combines a heady tale of desire with a #MeToo controversy on a small college campus. In theory, it's a hotbed of lust and controversy ripe for discourse. In practice, Vladimir's flippancy dulls its sharpness.

SEE ALSO: 'Bridgerton' Season 4, Part 2 review: Love does not always look how one expects What's Vladimir about? Rachel Weisz and Leo Woodall in "Vladimir." Credit: Netflix

Rachel Weisz stars as the unnamed fiftysomething creative writing professor at the heart of Vladimir. After 30 years of teaching at the same liberal arts college, she's come to a terrifying realization: She has "lost the ability to captivate." (Weisz, on the other hand, is captivating as ever.) Her students consider her out-of-touch. Her husband John (John Slattery), a fellow professor, is constantly seeing other women as part of an open-marriage arrangement that only he takes advantage of. He's also under investigation for prior affairs with students, putting his marriage under a microscope. (As part of the arrangement, Vladimir's protagonist was aware of these dalliances, and she doesn't understand how a consensual affair could be wrong.)

Enter Vladimir Vladinski (Leo Woodall), the English department's hotshot new professor. Young, gorgeous, and considerate enough to give up his chair for Weisz's professor at a faculty meeting, he becomes the object of all of her fantasies. His marriage to new adjunct professor Cynthia (Jessica Henwick) doesn't stop her lust. Nor does it seem to stop Vladimir from being interested. Soon, Vladimir's lead's life is in a double downward spiral as she reckons with both the fallout from John's actions and her newfound erotic obsession.

Are Vladimir's fourth-wall breaks irritating or enlightening? Rachel Weisz in "Vladimir." Credit: Netflix

Vladimir offers viewers a front-row seat to its protagonist's frantic inner monologue by having her deliver her thoughts straight to camera. Look, Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag doesn't own the art of fourth-wall breaking, but it's impossible not to see its influence in the professor's asides. If you're going to use a technique that's almost synonymous with another TV show about a spiraling, complicated, unnamed woman, you'd better bring something new to it.

To its credit, Vladimir tries, but doesn't quite pull it off.

Where Fleabag's fourth-wall breaks stem from her intense self-awareness, the protagonist's fourth-wall breaks are all about self-delusion. For the most part, she treats the viewers like students who need hand-holding. She lectures us on why her husband's affairs were actually OK, blaming the victims' anguish on their spending too much time on the internet. She sings her own praises and points out when she's made a pun, ensuring we don't miss a drop of her apparent brilliance.

SEE ALSO: The best romantic movies on Netflix right now

Of course, viewers are able to tell that she is often lying. Sometimes the camera even gets in on the fun of proving her wrong. In Vladimir's first episode, she boasts that her fellow faculty members devoured the "fuck-you salad" that she brought to a department meeting. As she exits, the camera pans down to reveal the salad, untouched. It's a clever technique, one that allows us to inhabit the role of the many skeptical students the professor will cross paths with. Yet Vladimir rarely returns to it. Instead, as the series progresses, the protagonist's asides stray from professorial monologue to panicked, mid-conversation interjections about her talks with Vladimir. Here, the Fleabag similarities become overbearing, and the lighter tone chafes oddly against the show's more intense subject matter.

Vladimir struggles with both sex and substance. Rachel Weisz and Leo Woodall in "Vladimir." Credit: Netflix

While the brunt of Vladimir's focus is on its protagonist's obsession with her colleague, the series is still set against the backdrop of a college sex scandal. Since the show is so rooted in her perspective (and since she fails to see an issue with the affairs), there is little examination of the victims themselves.

Looking at every facet of the scandal isn't truly Vladimir's project, yet this one-sidedness is another example of a more aggravating trend in how film and TV portray stories of skewed power dynamics and sexual politics on college campuses. Like 2025's After the Hunt, Vladimir primarily centers how people in proximity to the accused are impacted and how they have to learn to adjust their expectations because they came up during "a different time." Even HBO's new comedy Rooster, also debuting this week, flirts with these dynamics thanks to a professor-grad student relationship. (It dodges several bullets because the professor never taught this particular student.) It's tiring to see these stories be used repeatedly as learning moments for people who are unwilling to learn. In Vladimir's case, it's especially tiring to see them packaged with a slew of winking fourth-wall breaks and lightly ironic girlboss needle drops.

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Heavier subject matter aside, even as a study of a woman's desire, Vladimir is oddly sexless. The show finds some humor in its lead's infatuation. Lingering shots on Vladimir's neck and arms are accompanied by the sound of sparkles and heavy breathing, while her panic over an emoji's meaning turns her from professor to middle schooler in the blink of an eye. Yet her fantasies play out in underwhelming fashion: clichéd sexual encounters, rendered in quick, flashing dream sequences.

It's still tough not to get swept up in Weisz and Woodall's game of cat-and-mouse, especially as the professor makes a series of moves that will have you cringing for dear life. Yet as an erotic thriller and a portrait of the ripple effects of sexual misconduct allegations, Vladimir is just like its protagonist's worst nightmare: It fails to captivate.

Vladimir is now streaming on Netflix.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 5, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for March 5, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for March 5 Pips

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for March 5 Pips

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally

Hard difficulty hints, answers for March 5 Pips

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for people who understand March Madness.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: A trick up their sleeve

• Green: Catch these in the dugout

• Blue: Recent basketball semifinalists

• Purple: Known Martin's

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Tools

• Green: Found in a Dugout

• Blue: Last Year's Men's NCAA Tournament Final Four

• Purple: ___Martin

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #528 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Tools- ARSENAL, BAG, REPERTOIRE, SKILL SET

• Found in a Dugout - BUBBLE GUM, GATORADE, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, WATER

• Last Year's Men's NCAA Tournament Final Four - AUBURN, DUKE, FLORIDA, HOUSTON

• ___Martin - ASTON, CURTIS, KATE, KENYON

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.