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I still remember with fondness when the only privacy concern I had when it came to my computer is that my dad would go sniffing through my files while I was at school. Which is why I had a BIOS and Windows login password! These days I have to worry about some random tech employee or a hacker browsing through my activity logs and files thanks to built-in spyware in big commercial operating systems.

I played by the rules when I first set up my subwoofer, but I wasn't satisfied with the sound. On a whim, I moved the subwoofer against the back of our double recliner, and now I really feel like I'm at the cinema.

Jim Belushi has been a household name in film and television since the 1980s. In this interview with Mashable's Executive Producer, Mark Stetson, he reveals his process for developing character in his two new films Song Sung Blue and The Chronology of Water as well as the two films he most regrets passing on

Watch the full Say More episode on Mashable's YouTube page to hear more from Jim about his relationship with his brother John Belushi, his close friend John Candy.

Song Sung Blue premieres in theater on Dec. 25.

The Chronology of Water is now in theaters.

Pluribus dropped some big bombshells in its Season 1 finale — some figurative, but one that's very literal.

The episode, fittingly titled "La Chica o El Mundo," gives Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn) a choice. Does she ally herself with the staunchly anti-Others Manousos Oviedo (Carlos-Manuel Vesga) and save the world? Or does she embrace romance with Zosia (Karolina Wydra), and therefore, all other 7 billion Others whom Zosia shares a hive mind with?

SEE ALSO: The 'Pluribus' cast unpacks Carol and Manousous' tense meet-up: 'It says a lot about being human'

By the end of the episode, Carol chooses Manousos — but not before she's gone on a globe-trotting adventure with Zosia. So what changes her mind? Let's break it down.

The Others have found a way to Join with Carol.

In episode 6, Carol learned from Mr. Diabaté (Samba Schutte) that the Others had figured out how to bring immune humans into the hive mind. To turn someone like Carol or Diabaté, the Others would have to tailor the virus to their specific stem cells. To get the stem cells, they'd have to jam a very large needle into the immune humans' hip bones. Since that's a painful procedure, it goes against the Others' inability to harm any living thing. They'd need their target's consent, and guess what? Carol is all too happy not to give it. Easy fix, right? She can keep jet-setting with Zosia and enjoy the happiness that brings her, all without being part of a forced hive mind.

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However, Carol underestimated the Others' tenacity. One of their key drivers is the biological need to propagate, so it's natural they wouldn't stop trying to find a way to bring Carol into the fold. By the Season 1 finale, they've found it. They don't need to gather Carol's stem cells from her hip bone. They've already got access to them in the eggs she froze years ago. Now, Carol's got one month left before the Others will be able to add her to the hive mind.

SEE ALSO: Rhea Seehorn reacts to that big 'Pluribus' kiss: 'There is some willful delusion'

"If you loved me, you wouldn't do this," Carol says.

"We have to do this because we love you," Zosia counters. "Because I love you."

The switch to the singular pronoun — something Carol asked for back in episode 8 — is particularly telling. Could this be Zosia's individuality shining through? Or is it just another manipulation tactic on the part of the hive mind? My money's on the latter, but then again, Pluribus thrives on the ambiguity of the self versus the collective.

Carol asks for — and receives — an atomic bomb.

Remember when Carol learned the Others would give her anything she asked for, even an atomic bomb? Well, in the finale, she decides to put their gift-giving skills to the test.

Following Zosia's revelation about the stem cells, Carol returns home to Albuquerque with the once-promised atomic bomb in tow. The request is Carol's biggest power play in a situation where's she otherwise powerless. But now that she's got a nuke chilling in her driveway, what comes next? She tells Manousos that's she's ready to "save the world" with him, but how does the bomb fit into that equation? Is Carol going to go on the offensive? Or is the bomb more of an insurance policy, one that she'll trigger once the Others come calling with their modified virus?

SEE ALSO: Rhea Seehorn on Carol's explosive 'Pluribus' finale choice: 'These people have crossed the line'

According to Rhea Seehorn, even Carol's unsure of her next move. "I actually think it's more important for me, the way I wanted to play it, that Carol is impulsive in asking for the biggest, most violent, threatening thing she can think of before she even knows what she would do with it," Seehorn told Mashable.

Has Manousos found a way to reverse the Joining using radio frequency?

While Carol is dealing with her conflicted feelings towards Zosia and the Others, Manousos is locking in on how to disrupt the Joining. The key seems to be a radio frequency: 8.613.0.

While hunting for other survivors of the Joining, Manousos scrolled through endless frequencies of static. At 8.613.0 kHz, he heard a new sound: a strange, pulsing chattering.

It's likely that this is the frequency the Others communicate at. After all, in episode 8, Zosia explains to Carol that the hive mind is able to communicate because of "something to do with the body's electromagnetic field. Our natural electric charge, so to speak."

"So, like radio?" Carol asks.

"Sort of. But radio transmission is like talking. It's conscious," Zosia says. "Our communication is unconscious. Homeostatic. Like breathing."

Manousos decides to test the Others' connection to the 8.613.0 frequency by screaming at them. His negative emotions send the hive mind into convulsions worldwide. When that happens, the output on the frequency changes. It's no longer broadcasting a series of chatters, but more of a high-pitched whine — exactly the kind of sound you'd expect a panicking hive mind to emit.

As the whine plays on, Manousos tries to cut through the noise and call a member of the hive mind named Rick back to his own body. The attempt is unsuccessful thanks to Carol and her gun, but Manousos shows no signs of giving up.

SEE ALSO: Rhea Seehorn breaks down why 'The Left Hand of Darkness' is so important to 'Pluribus'

Pluribus shows that while Carol was away with Zosia, Manousos went into full research mode. He's covered her table in books about electricity, electromagnetic fields, crystallography, and circuits. The book he's currently parsing through includes passages about radio transmitters, antennae, and current nodes and antinodes. These are the points at which wavelengths have no displacement or are at their greatest displacement, respectively.

Basically, Manousos is going all in on electromagnetism being connected to the Others' weakness. Will he be able to crack the code in Season 2? Or will Carol's bomb get there first?

Pluribus Season 1 is now streaming on Apple TV.

Every science fiction lover jumped up and pointed at the screen, Leonardo DiCaprio style, when a certain book popped up in the Pluribus Season 1 finale.

That book is none other than Ursula K. Le Guin's classic novel The Left Hand of Darkness, which is Carol Sturka's (Rhea Seehorn) poolside read during her globe-trotting adventures with Zosia (Karolina Wydra).

SEE ALSO: 'Pluribus' Season 1's bombshell ending, explained

Published in 1969, The Left Hand of Darkness introduces the frigid alien planet of Gethen, whose inhabitants are ambisexual. Every month, they undergo a period known as kemmer, during which they develop sexual characteristics. The Gethenians' unique gender and sexuality has created a world vastly different from our own, impacting everything from war (there is none) to child-rearing (everyone chips in). The novel won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Novel, the second to do so after Frank Herbert's Dune.

Given The Left Hand of Darkness' pedigree in genre fiction, it makes sense that Carol, a fantasy writer herself, would be reading it. (Although I'm sure Carol would be the first to say her Winds of Wycaro books don't even come close to Le Guin.) According to Seehorn, choosing The Left Hand of Darkness for the finale came about through joint discussions with finale writers Alison Tatlock and Gordon Smith.

SEE ALSO: The 'Pluribus' cast unpacks Carol and Manousous' tense meet-up: 'It says a lot about being human'

"We talked about who Carol might read in general, especially for leisure. Not that Le Guin's books are easy, passive reading, but they definitely seem like books and a voice and a literary level that Carol would admire," Seehorn told Mashable in a video interview.

Other options for Carol's pool reading included Aldous Huxley's Brave New World for a more dystopian bent. "In the end, we really liked her reading a female author," Seehorn said.

SEE ALSO: Rhea Seehorn on Carol's explosive 'Pluribus' finale choice: 'These people have crossed the line'

The resonance of The Left Hand of Darkness goes beyond Carol just liking Le Guin, though.

"[The Left Hand of Darkness] holds a mirror to and has some parallels with what the audience is watching happening in this world," Seehorn explained.

In the novel, there is only one human on Gethen: Genly Ai. He's an envoy from the intergalactic coalition of planets known as the Ekumen, and he's hoping to get Gethen to join up. As his time on Gethen progresses, he gains a deeper cultural of the planet's culture, which Le Guin renders in anthropological detail.

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An isolated human in a sea of aliens? Who in Pluribus could relate with that? Sure, Carol isn't the only human left on Earth who is immune to the alien hive mind, but given the show's intense focus on her and her loneliness, she occupies a similar space to the lone Genly. The two act as audience surrogates as they struggle to understand such an alien culture, even if they have help from one dedicated member of said culture (Zosia in Carol's case; Gethenian prime minister Estraven in Genly's). The difference is, while Genly is an interloper on a world that isn't his own, Carol must reckon with an alien force that has overtaken her own world and is actively rewriting Earth's social structures.

There's an even bigger rift between Genly and Carol, though. While Carol wants to put an end to the Joining, Genly is all about joining — getting Gethen to join the Ekumen, that is. That's not quite the same as forcibly inducting the world's population into a hive mind, but there is a similar sense of trying to bring someone into a greater collective who might not want to be a part of it. With that in mind, whose side does Carol gravitate more toward while reading The Left Hand of Darkness? Genly, the one human? Or the Gethenians who may have trepidations about joining a larger alien group?

More importantly, though, Carol Sturka book club when?

Pluribus Season 1 is now streaming on Apple TV.

The crossover Pluribus viewers have been waiting for finally became a reality in the Season 1 finale, as the world's number one hive-mind haters, Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn) and Manousos Oviedo (Carlos-Manuel Vesga), meet up for the first time.

However, the pair's first meeting is less an enthusiastic team-up than it is two of the most stubborn people on Earth duking it out. And Vesga wouldn't have it any other way.

SEE ALSO: 'Pluribus' Season 1's bombshell ending, explained

"I did expect a kind of clash between them, and I was hoping for it, because actually it says a lot about being human," Vesga told Mashable in a video interview alongside Karolina Wydra, who plays Zosia. "The Joining is a group of people who never argue, who are always agreeing on everything. What makes [Carol and Manousos] real humans is that they actually don't see things eye to eye. They both agree that this has to be changed, and we need to change it back to what it was, but not necessarily the same way."

A big reason for the disconnect is that, in the time it's taken for Manousos to journey from Paraguay to Albuquerque, Carol's started a relationship with Zosia, who is herself an extension of the hive mind. Because of this relationship, Carol's views of the Others have softened, while Manousos is more determined than ever to destroy them.

"When he gets to Albuquerque, Carol is not the same Carol," Vesga explained. "I remember reading the script and thinking, 'Oh my God, he's going to hate her. He's going to resent her.' She's the worst traitor ever, she sent me this VHS cassette, and I see this recording, and I go through what I went through..."

"Well, you did take a long time," Wydra joked.

"I'm sorry I don't drive faster!" Vesga said.

Carlos-Manuel Vesga in "Pluribus." Credit: Apple TV SEE ALSO: Rhea Seehorn breaks down why 'The Left Hand of Darkness' is so important to 'Pluribus'

Seehorn, too, relished the conflict between Carol and Manousos.

"They're both these immovable objects and so intent that their opinion is right," Seehorn told Mashable in a video interview. "Hopefully the audience can see both points of view throughout the scene. Like, he showed up with a machete. That's not exactly a subtle move. And Carol, even pre-Zosia, has always felt bad about actually hurting any of these people and does not believe they should be obliterated."

The newly forged Zosia connection definitely adds an extra layer to Carol's motivations throughout the scene, though. The meeting was the scene Seehorn and Vesga read together for Vesga's audition, at which point Seehorn hadn't had access to the rest of the Season 1 scripts. Still, from just those few pages she could tell that Carol was hiding something, and that Manousos was sniffing it out.

"I loved the power dynamic shifting, where she sees that he can tell that she's lying," Seehorn said. "Even with the language barrier, she's so defensive in that moment because she's being called out for literally sleeping with the enemy."

SEE ALSO: Rhea Seehorn on Carol's explosive 'Pluribus' finale choice: 'These people have crossed the line'

Carol's blatant defensiveness adds a layer of humor to the meeting. So does the use of Carol's phone translator, which serves as an intermediary for her and Manousos' conversation. Between its constant interruptions and its translation of everything — even pleas for it to stop translating — it becomes a dryly funny third presence in the scene.

Seehorn and Vesga used an actual phone translator during Vesga's audition. "I noticed from there, 'huh, this is going to be cumbersome, and therefore it's going to be funny,'" Vesga said.

During the actual shoot, though, there was no phone. Instead, another actor, Sofia Embid, was on set performing as the translator.

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"The interaction was more complex because you had three people instead of two," Vesga recalled of shooting the scene. "At the beginning, we were just trying to adapt to this new rule of not just the two of us playing, since we had another person outside that we couldn't actually see, but we could hear her. I remember at some point feeling kind of frustrated at myself."

However, Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan encouraged Vesga to push through that frustration.

"I remember Vince coming up to us and saying, 'You keep talking. It you're interrupted, deal with it, but just keep talking. You have your conversation, just allow the interruptions to be there,'" Vesga recalled. "After that, I was like, 'OK, I get it now and can enjoy it. Now I can have fun.' And I remember walking to the next scene with a huge smile, just feeling the feeling of having had the best playdate ever as a 5-year-old. Because that's what happens with Rhea. When you're with her on set, it's like having a playdate with your best friend."

Pluribus Season 1 is now streaming on Apple TV.

By the end of Pluribus Season 1, Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn) has conducted the world's wildest trade deal. She lost her romance with Zosia (Karolina Wydra), but gained an atom bomb.

That trade-off to end all trade-offs comes after Carol receives some devastating news. The Others have been secretly using stem cells from her frozen eggs to tailor the hive mind virus to her. She only has a month left, maybe two or three at most, before she's Joined up with everyone else.

SEE ALSO: 'Pluribus' Season 1's bombshell ending, explained

That betrayal stood out to Seehorn while reading the finale script for the first time. "I had a whirlwind of emotions for the entire finale," she told Mashable in a video interview. "The fact that they've been stealing my eggs was the first atom bomb."

One figurative bomb begets a literal one, and it's not long before Carol has a weapon of mass destruction outside her Albuquerque house.

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Carol's request echoes her realization from earlier in Season 1 that the Others will give her whatever she desires — even an atom bomb. So what is it exactly about the stem cell revelation that causes Carol to literally go nuclear on the Others? For Seehorn, Carol's choice is an expression of pure anger.

SEE ALSO: The 'Pluribus' cast unpacks Carol and Manousos' tense meet-up: 'It says a lot about being human'

"Carol is quite impulsive, as we've seen, and her rage is something that she's had to suppress," Seehorn explained. "But [in the finale] she's allowing herself to go ahead and be reactionary, like, 'Screw this. These people have crossed the final line that they could have crossed.'"

So what will Carol do with her new nuke? Does she plan to use it, or is it just a warning shot to the Others that she won't go quietly into their hive mind?

"I don't actually know what she's going to do with the atom bomb," Seehorn said. "I gave it a lot of thought. I did ask [creator] Vince [Gilligan]. He did not have a specific answer. They're in the writers' room right now; we should ask him."

Ultimately, though, it's Carol's uncertainty going forward that proves richest to Seehorn as a performer.

"In the end," she said, "I actually think it's more important for me, the way I wanted to play it, that Carol is impulsive in asking for the biggest, most violent, threatening thing she can think of before she even knows what she would do with it."

Pluribus Season 1 is now streaming on Apple TV.

Reactivate those Pip-Boys and set your Spotify listening age to 87, as Prime Video's adaptation of post-apocalyptic game franchise Fallout is back with a second season. And of course, we're in for more Easter eggs, needle drops, and details from Bethesda's games that you might recognise from your travels through the Wasteland.

For Season 1, showrunners Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner recruited production designer Howard Cummings and set decorator Regina Graves to bring the retro-futurist and post-apocalyptic details of the Fallout games to the screen, from those instantly familiar "Please stand by" screens to the famous T-60 power armor. In Season 2, there's more Sugar Bombs, irradiated enemies, and Vault-Tec facilities where that came from.

SEE ALSO: 'Fallout' Season 2 review: Our introduction to New Vegas is a blast, and more relevant than ever

Here's a handy guide to the game elements the Fallout show includes — one we'll be updating each week as the episodes drop.

Fallout Season 2 includes key locations from the games including Fallout: New Vegas Let's gooooo. Credit: Courtesy of Prime

The Fallout TV series covers a lot of ground within the post-apocalyptic Wasteland featured in multiple Fallout games. In Season 1, the characters came across the games' Red Rocket gas stations, Super Duper Marts, and a thrown-together town akin to the game's cities of Megaton, Rivet City, New Reno, and Diamond City. But in Season 2, it's all about New Vegas, a crumbling, post-apocalyptic version of the City of Lights which forms the core setting for the third Fallout game.

While Episodes 1 and 2 don't reach New Vegas, it's always on the horizon, with Lucy (Ella Purnell) and Cooper Howard/The Ghoul (Walton Goggins) following her father's trail there. But in the very first scene of the season, the pair are in quite a predicament within the The Great Khan raider hideout, a location in Fallout: New Vegas located in the Mojave Wasteland. For the Fallout show, the gang's base is actually the Dino Dee-lite Motel, another location from Fallout: New Vegas, which features that giant T-rex.

Lucy's sniper spot is straight out of "Fallout: New Vegas." Credit: Bethesda

Vault-wise, this season's underground locations are Vaults 31, 32, and 33, all with their own predicaments and mysteries. But there are also plenty of empty vaults to explore like the game — and in episode 1, Lucy and Coop find Vault 24, a vault that was actually cut from Fallout: New Vegas (meaning the TV series has a blank backstory slate and fills it with brainwashed Americans and the game's dreaded radscorpions). Right near the entrance to this vault, the pair walk through the Starlight Drive-In, an iconic location from Fallout 4. You'll see on the cinema's marquee that the very last movie to be shown here was A Man and His Dog 3, starring none other than Coop.

Featured Video For You What tech would the 'Fallout' cast steal from the show? Fallout brings the armor, weapons, and gadgets of the games to life. Back into the vault with Woody Thomas (Zach Cherry). Credit: Lorenzo Sisti / Prime

One of the most impressive elements of the Fallout series is the impeccable production design, especially on details like armor, weapons, and gadgets — but not the games' signature aim-support V.A.T.S. system (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System). In Season 2, there's just as much to delight fans new and longtime.

For one, every Vault Dweller including Lucy still wears the franchise's signature Pip-Boy on their wrist, a wearable computer that's used in Season 1 for its inbuilt map and navigation, Geiger counter, torch, and more. This season, the devices take on additional uses; Lucy uses hers to open Vault 24 in episode 1. The Pip-Boys also feature the game's ubiquitous Vault Boy, Vault-Tec's thumbs-up mascot, who we learned last season is based on Cooper.

Frances Turner (Barb Howard) has her own Pip Boy. Credit: Lorenzo Sisti / Prime

Armor-wise, the Brotherhood of Steel's preferred T-60 power armor from Fallout 4 is back in all its lumbering glory and requisite armor bays, along with plenty of raider leathers and vault jumpsuits — as well as a few small sightings of armor resembling that of the New California Republic (NCR) in episode 2.

That iconic power armor in "Fallout 4." Credit: Bethesda

Weapon-wise, while Season 1 featured game selections from automatic turrets to miniguns and the Junk Jet from Fallout 4, Season 2 starts with a bang and Fallout: New Vegas' grenade launcher. One of the funniest weapons inclusions of episode 2 is the two members of the Brotherhood casually dicking around with a plasma grenade, which gamers will know will make short work of everyone in the vicinity.

Fallout relies on aid just like the game. You're gonna need food, drugs, and friends. Credit: Courtesy of Prime.

You can't survive the Fallout games without aid items, and neither can the characters in the series. Season 1 featured the franchise's love for Atomic Age foods made for Vault-Dwellers like YumYum Deviled Eggs, Insta-Mash, Nuka-Cola, and Sugar Bombs, the latter of which is a cereal shaped like tiny nuclear bombs — and it plays an important role at the end of episode 1. Notably, the flea soup Lucy drinks in episode 1 is not from the game and is entirely the messed up creation of the showrunners.

Aid goes beyond food in Fallout, however, with stimulants and anti-radiation meds the tip of the drugberg. The first season included crucial-in game items like RadAway (to clear radiation poisoning), Jet (a chemical stimulant or "chem" used regularly by Cooper), and injections called "stimpaks" that instantly heal — in episode 2, Lucy assists a person in Vault 24 with one and leaves Coop to heal painfully and slowly on his own.

Plus, it's no fun traversing the Wasteland alone, and in the Fallout games, you can bring your friends along for company (and the perks and storylines you'll unlock). In Season 1, the series included companions like the Mister Handy robot butlers, one of whom was voiced by Matt Berry, and introduced a glorious dog named CX404, otherwise known by the terrible name of Dogmeat. The pooch is back for Season 2.

Fallout's enemies are right out of the game. Watch your back. Credit: Lorenzo Sisti / Prime

Enemies abound in the Wasteland, and the Fallout series has already featured plenty of them, from Raiders (gangs of outlaws) to Fiends (cannibals). Creature-wise, Season 1 included Radroaches (irradiated cockroaches), Yao Guai (mutant bears), Feral Ghouls (zombie versions of the mutated humans), and a giant anglerfish.

In Season 2, we've only really seen one band of Raiders — the Great Khans of Fallout: New Vegas —  however the sinister forces within the vaults (and the past?) seem more of a threat at this point. And in episode 2, Lucy and Coop face the formidable radscorpions, irradiated beasts ready to wound and poison you.

One famous foe missing from the Fallout TV series? The game's fierce and omnipresent Super Mutants; you can spot one for a second on a "Wanted!" poster in Season 1, episode 6. Our fingers are crossed.

Perhaps all this detail makes you want to play the games for the first time — or all over again? 

Fallout Season 2 premieres Dec. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on Prime Video, with a new episode every week.

It's no exaggeration to say that 2025 changed the landscape of late night television.

Although there were the usual viral interview moments with celebrities, the year was dominated by the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the suspension and reinstatement of Jimmy Kimmel, and the controversy that surrounded both of those events.

We've recapped some of the biggest late night moments of 2025 below.

SEE ALSO: Seth Meyers tells Trump how to stop late night hosts from mocking him 1. Stephen Colbert calling out his own parent company

In July, Paramount Global agreed a $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump after he filed a suit against the company over the alleged "deceitful" editing of a 60 Minutes interview with former Vice-President Kamala Harris. Stephen Colbert — who works for Paramount-owned CBS — didn't hold back on the news, referring to the payment as "big fat bribe," and noting that Paramount had been trying to secure the Trump administration's approval of its merger with Skydance Media.

"As someone who has alway been a proud employee of this network, I am offended," said Colbert in his Late Show monologue. "And I don't know if anything will ever repair my trust in this company. But just taking a stab at it, I'd say $16 million would help."

2. Stephen Colbert announcing the cancelation of The Late Show

Just days after his comments about Paramount, Stephen Colbert began The Late Show by announcing that it had been cancelled — it will run until May 2026 before ending for good.

"It's not just the end of our show, but it's the end of The Late Show on CBS," Colbert told the shocked audience. "I'm not being replaced. This is all just going away."

3. Stephen Colbert ramping up his coverage of Trump and Epstein

Despite CBS claiming the cancellation of The Late Show was "purely a financial decision" and "not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount," some speculated that Paramount's Skydance Media merger — which at that point still required approval from the Trump administration — may have been a factor.

Regardless, Colbert, a longtime Trump critic, didn't hold back in the days after his announcement. He ramped up his coverage of the president's actions, telling him to "go **** yourself" before doubling down on his coverage of Trump's friendship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

4. Jimmy Kimmel being suspended

In September, ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! "indefinitely" from broadcast amidst Republican criticism toward Kimmel for his comments about right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk's killer and Republican reactions to Kirk's death. ABC's decision seemed to stem from pressure from the Trump administration; preceding the company's announcement, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr threatened the network to take action against the late night host (and like Colbert, a longtime Trump critic).

Major backlash ensued from celebrities and Kimmel's fellow late night hosts Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and Jon Oliver, all of whom offered their support while condemning censorship. Meanwhile, Trump and his followers reacted with glee.

ABC-owned Disney+ and Hulu cancellations doubled during the suspension. Kimmel's show was reinstated a week later, smashing viewership records.

5. John Oliver calling out Disney's CEO in response

Following Kimmel's suspension, John Oliver joined the late night hosts showing their support with a deep dive into exactly what the hell happened. In a must-watch monologue, the Last Week Tonight host lambasted the threatening tactics used by Trump's FCC chair Carr, and appealed directly to Disney CEO Bob Iger, urging him to stand up to parent company ABC using "the only phrase that can genuinely make a weak bully go away...'F*** you. Make me.'"

6. Jon Stewart's 'administration compliant' Daily Show monologue

Another must-watch reaction to Kimmel's suspension was The Daily Show's 23-minute "administration-compliant" monologue from Jon Stewart poking fun at censorship. Facetiously walking on proverbial eggshells, the host referred to Donald Trump as "father" and told the audience to "shut the f*** up" if they reacted negatively to the president — even in regard to Trump's comments saying Kimmel was suspended for having "zero talent" instead of threats from FCC chair Carr to Jimmy Kimmel Live! broadcaster ABC.

7. Seth Meyers calls Kimmel suspension 'a big moment in our democracy'

Late Night host Seth Meyers has also been a target of the president this year, and also responded to Kimmel's suspension by ABC with support. In a strong monologue, Meyers took A Closer Look at censorship and free speech in Donald Trump's America.

"Trump promised to end government censorship and bring back free speech, and he's doing the opposite," said Meyers, calling out Kimmel's suspension. "This is a big moment in our democracy, and we must all stand up for the principles of free expression. There's a reason free speech is in the very First Amendment. It stands above all others."

8. Kimmel's record-breaking return monologue

A week after his "indefinite" suspension by ABC, widespread backlash, and an impactful Disney+ and Hulu boycott, Kimmel's show was reinstated on Sept. 24 — and his returning monologue smashed viewership records. Kimmel shouted out his fellow talk show hosts Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, and Stephen Colbert.

The monologue become Kimmel's most viewed YouTube monologue of all time less than a day after it went live — right now, it's sitting at 23 million views.

"This show is not important," said Kimmel in his monologue. "What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this…. Our freedom to speak is what [talk show hosts in other countries] admire most about this country. And that's something I'm embarrassed to say I took for granted until they pulled my friend Stephen [Colbert] off the air, and tried to coerce the affiliates who run our show in the cities that you live in to take my show off the air.

"That's not legal. That's not American. That is un-American, and it is so dangerous."

It's Christmas Eve, which means Santa Claus has started his annual journey around the world — and you can track his progress.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)'s Santa tracker is now live. It tracks the Jolly One's whereabouts as he crosses the globe delivering presents. NORAD Tracks Santa has been an annual Christmas tradition since 1955, when it first launched as a hotline for children to call and get updates on its status.

The hotline still exists, but you can also visit noradsanta.org and see Santa's progress in real-time.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: 6-7? Aura farming? 2025's viral internet slang, explained

The website shows Santa and his reindeer flying over a 3D satellite map of the globe, complete with gifts delivered (over 1.7 billion and counting as of publication), Santa's ETA for the next major destination, and his most recent visit. You can also click into icons on the map and learn about various locations by switching to a 2D map along his route.

I've had a Solawave red light therapy wand in one of my bathroom organizers for probably two years now. I really wanted to love it, but it just didn't provide noticeable enough results for me to remember to use it. So it should say something that I never forgot to use the Shark CryoGlow red light mask in the few months that I was testing it — and beyond.

The Shark CryoGlow mask's $349.99 price tag isn't exactly cheap, but it isn't expensive compared to the other top red light masks on the market. The price feels much fairer when the CryoGlow has a few unique flexes that separate it from popular competitors like the $395 Omnilux mask and $349 Solawave mask.

Shark hair tools like the FlexStyle have cemented themselves as formidable fixtures in the hair care world for years now. But the CryoGlow is Shark's first attempt at esthetics — one carefully designed over time after input from dermatologists, evidence from clinical trials, and customer feedback about other red light devices on the market. I learned all about its lore at SharkBeauty's launch event for the mask in January 2025, then brought one home to test for myself.

What does the Shark CryoGlow mask do?

The Shark face mask targets fine lines, acne, dark circles, and generally uneven skin texture. These are the main benefits of red light therapy (and blue light and infrared light), often yearned for when even the most devout skincare routines aren't doing enough.

The CryoMask is lined with 160 interlocking tri-wick LED bulbs, spanning all corners of the face and even a little under the jaw. Everyone calls it an LED mask, but if you want to get fancy, it's technically iQLED.

The Shark CryoGlow mask weighs around 1.5 pounds. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The pink glow is achieved when blue and red light are shining simultaneously. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

That 160 beats the 132 LEDs of the Omnilux mask or the 14 LEDs of the Solawave wand, so that's noteworthy on its own — but the "tri-wick" thing is crucial, too. Tri-wick means that every single one of those bulbs can emit each wavelength, so you're getting full-face light coverage regardless of the setting. Scientifically, this would be clocked in terms of irradiance: a measurement of power density at the source of the LED. The Shark CryoGlow hits a maximum radiance of 128mW/cm² compared to the 30mW/cm² of the Omnilux.

(The bulbs in several competing masks can't all illuminate simultaneously because they're either single-wick or bi-wick, meaning half turn off when their designated color isn't being used.)

The nanometer measurement of each wavelength plays a huge role in skin penetration. The Shark CryoGlow uses a 415nm blue light targeting the skin's surface layer and 630nm red light with 830nm infrared to travel to the deeper, cellular layer of skin.

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So, what's the difference between red light and blue light? All you really need to determine is the skincare concern you'd like to target, then scroll through the CryoGlow remote's settings to choose one. Shark designed the two main settings to be used for an initial eight-week session with daily use.

Better Aging mode: This mode stimulates collagen production and promotes plumping under the skin, making it the best setting for targeting fine lines and wrinkles. Here, the mask administers a combination of red and infrared light simultaneously for six minutes.

Blemish Repair mode: This is used to kill acne-causing bacteria and improve skin clarity and texture on the top layer of the skin. Here, the mask administers a consecutive concoction of blue light with infrared for a few minutes, then blue and red light together for a few minutes, then red light + infrared for a few minutes. It takes eight minutes total.

Skin Sustain mode: This is used to maintain your results and get a daily boost of brightness after your initial eight-week cycle is over. Skin Sustain administers blue light, red light, and infrared light simultaneously for a total of four minutes.

After each session is completed, the Shark mask turns off by itself. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The remote keeps track of how many sessions you've completed. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Each cycle's timing was calculated based on the wavelength combination of that setting — it's a much more precise approach than Googling "how long you should use red light therapy for." During the science part of the discussion at the launch event, it clicked for me: The momentary swipe of a red light wand with a one-inch surface is a really small amount of true LED exposure. This cleared up a lot of my confusion about my lack of Solawave wand results when it worked well for other people.

The Shark mask isn't overly chill to wear, but it's quick

I doubt there's anyone out there researching the best red light mask to buy and expecting to not look like Dwight in that episode of The Office where he cuts off the CPR dummy's face. It's just part of the game.

Still, the Shark mask definitely isn't the chicest or slimmest mask I've seen. It's not foldable like some other models, and is also a little clunky when it comes to storage. The heavy packer in me could not take this thing in a suitcase, even though it comes with a carrying pouch.

I wish the remote were wireless, but it does have a pants clip. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable My cat isn't scared of the mask. I kind of am. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

There's definitely no answering the door like this, but you know what? The horror fanatic in me does not mind casually walking around the apartment looking like Jason Voorhees for a few minutes (though I am a proud Michael Myers girlie at heart — argue with yourself).

The CryoGlow doesn't necessarily feel heavy if you're just scrolling on your phone while wearing it. But it does start to feel a little bulky if you're performing a real task that requires looking down. I kept trying to feed my cats during morning CryoGlow sessions and had to strain my neck to accurately scoop the wet food into the bowls on the counter.

The mask itself is rechargeable and doesn't need to be plugged into the wall while being used; instead, it needs to be charged about every three days. Though the remote and its cord mostly stay out of the way, it would be sick if it were cordless.

The CryoGlow takes a few hours to fully recharge. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The thing is, no Shark CryoGlow session lasts longer than eight minutes. You're not really being inconvenienced for long. The fans are whooshing right in your ear, but it's not so loud that you can't hear a conversation or watch TV. Honestly, the hardest part of wearing it is sitting there with air-dried skin without something moisturizing on it — Shark recommends a clean, dry face for light to best penetrate, but the itchy feeling post-cleansing makes me want to tear my whole face off.

Shark CryoGlow results: First three months, then a 10-month update

I kind of stopped giving a shit about how I look without makeup after my frontal lobe developed. But the CryoGlow marks a time in my life when I genuinely feel cute bare-faced. I truly feel like there's more of an inherent glow and evenness to my skin after my full CryoGlow session than I've ever had before.

But I know everyone is most interested in the full transformation, so fine, I'll give you a "before" picture. But before I expose myself like that, I'm entitled to show the "after" picture first.

My skin after completing the full CryoGlow session. (Peep the sticker in the phone case — I TOLD YOU I was a Michael Myers girlie.) Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I promise my skin is smooth in this photo — the only leftover "spots" are discoloration from previous giant pimples. I've accepted the fact that I need to pay for more microneedling to uproot those.

Does the Shark mask work on acne?

Every little kid dreams of growing up, having a mental breakdown about adult acne at age 30, and publishing a close-up photo of it in an online article for work. But I have to showcase the full transformation to show that yes, the Shark CryoGlow mask really does keep acne formation at bay.

Before: No concealer/foundation combo was hiding these. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable After: No makeup, just morning skincare! Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

For context, I'm 30 years old and never really struggled with acne... up until about four years ago. It's been a battle to keep my chin, jawline, and cheeks clear since then. I was living in fear of waking up with a new pimple cooking after I had just gotten the last one to simmer down. Mine were in areas typically associated with fluctuating hormones.

All of that was happening while never skipping my nighttime skincare routine and attending a few microneedling appointments, my last of which was three months before I started testing the Shark mask. While I do believe my religious Tretinoin use has improved the texture of my skin, it was outnumbered by hellbent acne. The only true slowdown of pimples I experienced started a month into using the CryoGlow. I went from a new painful crater popping up almost every day to maybe one or two every two weeks.

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(The only other changes I recently made were spritzes of hypochlorous acid after waking up or going outside, and taking a Zinc supplement after TikTok suggested that could help with acne.)

The CryoGlow is excellent at fighting bacteria that causes acne and reducing redness of the ones that do exist, it doesn't really reduce acne scars or deep leftover red spots — and doesn't claim to. Those just seem to be stubborn little marks that probably require an in-office facial treatment.

Does the Shark mask work on fine lines?

Yes, the Shark mask made the fine lines in some areas of my face less noticeable.

The needlelike presence of my forehead wrinkles had become increasingly prominent in the last few years of my 20s. Makeup was making the texture even more noticeable, especially when it began creasing after a few hours. I finally started getting occasional forehead Botox about two years ago, and let me tell you: Botox is that girl. But the baby wrinkles soon creep back in, and keeping up with it gets expensive.

I'm fully convinced that the Shark CryoGlow mask was key in mellowing out my forehead lines enough to keep me out of the Botox chair for months longer than I'm "supposed" to. (For context: My last Botox appointment was five months before testing the Shark CryoGlow, and I did not get any Botox treatments while testing the mask.)

SEE ALSO: TikTok is criticizing young girls who shop at Sephora. They're missing the point.

Concealer and powder were blending more seamlessly than they previously did when I was overdue. There's nothing like that post-Botox forehead plumpness, but the CryoGlow provided the next best thing for me — a smoothness that no serums in targeted Instagram ads are going to achieve.

Unfortunately, the CryoGlow didn't have the same blurring effect around my crow's feet. God forbid you're someone who LAUGHS.

Does the Shark mask work on under eyes?

I definitely think I look less like a corpse on the days when I use the CryoGlow's under-eye chill pads. This is where the "Cryo" part of the title comes in: the mask is mimics cryotherapy, which can lower inflammation of the tissue using targeted low temperatures. The chill pads can cool at three different levels of chilly during an LED session, or can be used without lights.

SEE ALSO: From Oura to Whoop, we tested the best sleep trackers of 2025

The CryoGlow's de-puffing effects don't feel super long-lasting — keep in mind that this is more of an elevated ice roller routine each morning than a heavy-duty under-eye treatment. You can't expect hollowness to permanently fill out, but I can vouch for the brightening effect. At any rate, the cool metal plates feel amazing when you're a zombie in the morning. If this sounds enticing to you but not enticing enough to spend $349.99, keep an eye out for when Shark releases the heating and cooling DePuffi device by itself in early 2026.

After almost a year, the Shark mask is still the mother of all skincare devices to me

Fast forward from May (when this review originally published) to December, I have since tested another top red light mask (the CurrentBody Skin Series 2 mask) as well as Shark's newest skincare device, the Shark FacialPro Glow. The FacialPro Glow isn't a direct comparison, since it targets clogged pores, dead skin, and sebaceous filaments, which aren't really on the radar of red light therapy. I think the FacialPro Glow is a great gift idea for a teenage girl, though.

In terms of which red light mask is the best, my resounding recommendation is the Shark mask over the CurrentBody mask. While the CurrentBody mask gets a few points for its flexible, more portable build, it's much more basic than the Shark mask.

A look at the LED bulb situation between the CurrentBody and Shark face masks. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The CurrentBody Skin Series 2 doesn't offer blue light at all, so some pimples popped up when I paused CryoGlow usage to test the CurrentBody. There's no customizing based on your current skin concern with the CurrentBody mask either — it doesn't have settings (just on and off), and there's no screen on the remote to provide a countdown timer. It's just an overall less luxurious experience that costs $120 more than the CryoGlow.

When researching other people's thoughts on both of these masks, the most common CryoGlow mask disadvantage I've seen is the lack of red lights around the eye (instead, the cooling pads are there). If fine lines around the eye are a much bigger concern for you than acne, then yes, you'd absolutely be better off going the CurrentBody route. I personally found the CurrentBody's eye-centric red lights blinding, to the point where I didn't want to wear the mask every day.

Is the Shark CryoGlow Mask worth it?

Shark's face mask continues to prove its worth in my skincare routine, and I'd recommend it to just about anyone.

The way my acne cleared up during the eight-week period was easily the most palpable result, and near-daily Shark mask usage has worked wonders on my skin's overall texture (and appearance without makeup) for almost a year now. I'm not saying you'll never get a pimple while using the mask, but I do think the CryoGlow's red, blue, and infrared concoction is extremely effective at mitigating the amount of acne popping up. Similarly, because its wavelengths can dig further into the skin than topical skincare, it's a more powerful tool for dulling fine lines than any retinols or retinoids I've tried. With less-dead under eyes in the morning as the cherry on top, I am glowier and more comfortable bare-faced now than I was pre-mask.

The Shark CryoGlow mask may or may not be able to accomplish these exact results for everyone from scratch. It probably depends on the skin you're working with to start, and the consistency of the rest of your skincare routine. The CryoGlow is definitely a slight financial investment up front, but most people deep in skincare mode know that no route to glass skin is cheap. Plus, regular CryoGlow use could end up saving you money over time.

Shark CryoGlow LED face mask $349.99 at Shark
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As always, the UK delivered a swathe of excellent TV shows in 2025, series that emotionally destroyed us, lifted us up, made us cackle, and instigated cultural conversation.

From the year's most ambitious, timely, and devastating Netflix show to the return of a beloved BBC teen comedy, we've handpicked our favourite British shows of 2025 — and we've included where you can stream them.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best TV shows of 2025, and where to stream them now

And while some are only streaming in the UK, you can always watch them with a VPN.

15. Big Boys, Season 3 Dylan Llewellyn and Jon Pointing in "Big Boys." Credit: Channel 4

Jack Rooke’s Big Boys returned for its third and final season this year, with the gang finishing up at Brent Uni and facing adult life. Over three glorious seasons, the show's core characters — Jack (Dylan Llewellyn, Derry Girls), Danny (Jon Pointing, Sweetpea), Corinne (Izuka Hoyle, Boiling Point), and Yemi (Olisa Odele, It's a Sin) — have become etched in viewers' hearts, effortlessly delivering Rooke’s poignant, personal, and hilarious script, with Pointing in particular giving a remarkable performance in Season 3. The series, based on Rooke's own life, approaches major conversations about grief, mental health, sex, and the future with warmth, lightness, and authenticity. And as for the series finale itself? It's one of the most heartfelt and devastating experiences you'll see on TV this year. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

Starring: Dylan Llewellyn, Jon Pointing, Izuka Hoyle, Olisa Odele, Camille Coduri, and Harriet Webb

How to watch: Big Boys is now streaming on All4 in the UK and on Hulu in the U.S.

14. Film Club Aimee Lou Wood and Nabhaan Rizwan in "Film Club." Credit: BBC / Gaumont / Ben Blackall

The White Lotus and Sex Education's Aimee Lou Wood puts on her writer's hat for Film Club, a romantic dramedy in which she also stars alongside Station Eleven's Nabhaan Rizwan. The show follows Evie (Wood), a twentysomething who has withdrawn to her childhood home in the aftermath of a nervous breakdown, and who takes solace in the weekly film club she shares with a core group of friends. The problem? She has a boyfriend (Adam Long), but there's clearly some long-buried feelings shared with her movie co-conspirator, Noa (Rizwan). What follows is a sweet story that's both amusing and depressing, with an undercurrent of sadness emphasised by composer Nathan Klein's moving score. — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor

Starring: Aimee Lou Wood, Nabhaan Rizwan, Suranne Jones, Owen Cooper, Liv Hill, Adam Long, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Lisa McGrillis, Arian Nik, and Ralph Davis

How to watch: Film Club is now streaming on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The U.S. streaming date is TBC.

13. Black Mirror, Season 7 Ben Ashenden, Siena Kelly, and Amber Grappy in "Black Mirror." Credit: Nick Wall / Netflix

Charlie Brooker's sci-fi anthology series can be patchy, but when the show hits, it really hits. Opening with one of the all-time most devastating episodes (one that may be better not to watch first, in fact), Black Mirror Season 7 is a mixed bag with some very high highs (or lows, if you're talking from an existential dread perspective) and plenty of its trademark, technology-based terror. Fans of the U.S.S. Callister will be happy (there's a sequel), as will anyone who likes their futuristic fear with a side of moving nostalgia (hello, Eulogy).* — S.H.

Starring: Will Poulter, Awkwafina, Peter Capaldi, Paul Giamatti, Rashida Jones, Tracee Ellis Ross, Cristin Milioti, Chris O'Dowd, Emma Corrin, Jimmi Simpson, and Issa Rae

How to watch: Black Mirror Season 7 is now streaming on Netflix.

12. Miss Austen Keeley Hawes in "Miss Austen." Credit: BBC / Bonnie Productions / MASTERPIECE / Robert Viglasky

Ever wonder how we know so much about Jane Austen's life? Well, you can thank her elder sister, Cassandra Austen, who safeguarded the letters she sent and received from the novelist and, in doing so, provided the foundation for academics to study her life.

Adapted from Gill Hornby’s book of the same name by Andrea Gibb, Miss Austen begins in the period following Jane's death, a time during which Cassandra (Keeley Hawes) is secretly gathering up the letters her sister Jane (Patsy Ferran) sent people in their lives. As Cassandra reads these letters, we see flashbacks of the period of Jane's life where she is only beginning to gain recognition. We see glimpses of the Austen sisters' early adulthood, courtships, friendships, and family dramas. Directed by Aisling Walsh, Miss Austen is tender, moving, and an absolute delight from start to finish. — Rachel Thompson, Features Editor

How to watch: Miss Austen is now streaming on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The U.S. streaming date is TBC.

11. Boarders, Season 2 Aruna Jalloh, Sekou Diaby, Josh Tedeku, and Jodie Campbell in "Boarders." Credit: BBC / Studio Lambert / Jonathan Birch

After an exceptional first season, Daniel Lawrence Taylor's Boarders returned for another glorious term. Season 2 sees the lauded series' five protagonists — Jaheim (Supacell's Josh Tedeku), Leah (Jodie Campbell), Omar (Myles Kamwendo), Femi (Aruna Jalloh), and Toby (Sekou Diaby) — back in class at predominantly white boarding school St. Gilbert's, where systemic racism, white saviour complexes, and classist snobbery underpins the hormonal chaos of adolescence. But this term, with the appointment of horrendous acting head Carol (Niky Wardley), the crew's scholarships are under threat.

For yet another season, Boarders writers Taylor, Yemi Oyefuwa, Jeffrey Aidoo, and Racheal Ofori expertly weave sharp cultural commentary with teen comedy highs and moving moments of drama, bringing in some mighty cameos this season too. And in the hands of this magnetic core cast? A++. — S.C.

Starring: Josh Tedeku, Jodie Campbell, Myles Kamwendo, Aruna Jalloh, and Sekou Diaby

How to watch: Boarders Season 2 is now streaming on BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Tubi in the U.S.

Featured Video For You ‘Supacell’ cast tell origin stories for their superpowers 10. Down Cemetery Road Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson in "Down Cemetery Road." Credit: Apple TV

Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson are the dynamic duo of my dreams in Apple TV's Oxford-set mystery crime thriller from Slow Horses' screenwriter Morwenna Banks. But it's not the buddy cop set-up you're thinking.

Based on Mick Herron's novel, Down Cemetery Road sees Thompson as hard-edged private investigator Zoë Boehm, whose marriage to her business partner Joe (Adam Godley) is as threadbare as their bank balance. Across town, Wilson plays Sarah Trafford, an art conservationist who is dragged into hosting a dinner party for her husband Mark's (Tom Riley) schmuck of a client. Before dessert, there's an explosion next door, leading to the disappearance of a young girl named Dinah (Ivy Quoi). The event sends Sarah into an obsessive hunt for the truth — and it leads her to Zoë and Joe's door.* — S.C.

Starring: Emma Thompson, Ruth Wilson, Adeel Akhtar, Tom Goodman-Hill, Fehinti Balogun, Darren Boyd, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Tom Riley, Adam Godley, Sinead Matthews, Ken Nwosu, and Aiysha Hart

How to watch: Down Cemetery Road is now streaming on Apple TV.

9. Amandaland Lucy Punch and Dame Joanna Lumley in "Amandaland." Credit: BBC / Merman / Natalie Seery

A spinoff like no other, Amandaland is technically a sequel to British sitcom Motherland, which explored middle-class motherhood in London. Amanda (Lucy Punch) is the Motherland character everyone loves to hate. In the original series, Amanda looks like she has it all (on the surface at least) — handsome and rich husband, massive house in a desirable postcode, popularity, beauty, and an enviable wardrobe full of designer clothes, not to mention a posse of mum friends who are obsessed with her to an unhealthy degree. But, in Amandaland, things could not be more different. Oh, how the mighty are fallen!

Now Amanda is a recently divorced mum of two teens, who's been forced to downsize and move to a new (and less desirable) area and pull her two kids out of private school (heaven forbid!) due to the change in circumstances. Amanda is handling it like a champ, though! She's turning her hand to being an Instagram influencer, rebranding her (much-needed) part-time job as a "collab," and making new friends (less successfully) at her kids' new school — including famous chef Della Fry, played by Derry Girls' Siobhán McSweeney. The iconic Joanna Lumley of Absolutely Fabulous fame plays Amanda's mother, and if that's not enough of a reason for you to get watching, I'm not sure I can help you. — R.T.

How to watch: Amandaland is now streaming on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The U.S. streaming date is TBC.

8. The Death of Bunny Munro Rafael Mathé and Matt Smith in "The Death of Bunny Munro." Credit: Clerkenwell Films

Nick Cave's 2009 rambunctious novel The Death of Bunny Munro has been adapted for the screen, with Doctor Who and House of the Dragon star Matt Smith ricocheting through questionable life choices as the titular protagonist. Directed by Holiday's Isabella Eklöf and adapted by Somewhere Boy creator Pete Jackson, Sky's new six-part series brings Cave's book to life.

In one of the most problematic, confounding protagonists you'll meet, Bunny Munro (Smith) is a travelling salesman living in Brighton, England, who treats his young family as a side dish. Though sex addiction isn't recognised by science, it's clear Bunny struggles to stop thinking about or having sex and has a turbulent, adulterous life outside his marriage. And when Bunny isn't trying to seduce every woman he meets or sells moisturiser to, he's getting completely zonked with his friends including Poodle (The Wheel of Time's Johann Myers).

When Bunny's wife Libby (Sarah Greene) dies by suicide, he's suddenly grieving and solo parenting their nine-year-old son Bunny Junior (Rafael Mathé) — and Bunny will not allow social services to take his son away. So, they hit the road, with Bunny careening around Brighton from one tumultuous happening to another. It's not pretty. And it's here we get a raucous performance from Smith, offset by the sweetness of remarkable young talent in Mathé.* — S.C.

Starring: Matt Smith, Rafael Mathé, Sarah Greene, Lindsay Duncan, and Johann Myers

How to watch: The Death of Bunny Munro is now streaming on NOW in the UK. The U.S. streaming date is TBC.

7. Get Millie Black Chyna McQueen and Tamara Lawrance in "Get Millie Black." Credit: Courtesy of HBO

An intense and compelling crime thriller from Booker Prize winner Marlon James, Get Millie Black takes the police procedural to Kingston, Jamaica, with celebrated authenticity. The Channel 4/HBO series sees an impeccable Tamara Lawrance as the titular investigator, a former Scotland Yard detective who returns to Kingston to investigate missing persons cases — including that of her own sibling. And that's when she's not dealing with current Scotland Yard blow-in Luke Holborn (Joe Dempsie). Tasked with a dark case of missing children and young people, Millie follows perilous threads through the city and finds herself and her partner Curtis (Gershwyn Eustache Jnr) in dangerous waters.

Aside from its gripping narrative, one of the most outstanding elements of Get Millie Black is James' exploration of harsh realities faced by the LGBTQ+ community in Jamaica. Among the Gully Queens, a community of trans and gay people forming chosen family on the margins of society, the show focuses on Hibiscus, a resilient, complex, and powerful character played with utter excellence by Chyna McQueen. — S.C.

Starring: Tamara Lawrance, Chyna McQueen, Gershwyn Eustache Jnr, and Joe Dempsie

How to watch: Get Millie Black is now streaming on All4 in the UK and HBO Max in the U.S.

6. Dept. Q Matthew Goode in "Dept Q." Credit: Justin Downing / Netflix

The Queen's Gambit creator Scott Frank and Chandni Lakhani strike mystery gold in Dept. Q, adapted from Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen's series of the same name. The show centers on Detective Carl Morck (Matthew Goode), an English cop in Scotland who's disliked by practically everyone he comes into contact with. As Carl recovers from a traumatic gunshot wound, he's put in charge of a new department, one tasked with solving cold cases. It's a publicity stunt dressed up as a public service, but with the help of some unlikely assistants, Carl may just be able to turn this department into a powerhouse. Their first case? The disappearance of prosecutor Merritt Lingard (Chloe Pirrie), whose current plight is nothing short of a claustrophobic nightmare.

Dept. Q toggles between taut mystery and intriguing character study, delving deep into Carl's growth toward someone who's maybe slightly pleasant, as well as the journeys of Carl's fellow detectives Akram (Alexej Manvelov), Rose (Leah Byrne), and Hardy (Jamie Sives). Together, they create a lovable squad with the potential for a long run of case-cracking on Netflix. The streaming gods demand it!* — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Matthew Goode, Kelly Macdonald, Chloe Pirrie, Kate Dickie, Alexej Manvelov, Jamie Sives, and Leah Byrne

How to watch: Dept. Q is now streaming on Netflix.

5. Toxic Town Jodie Whittaker and Aimee Lou Wood play two real-life mothers in "Toxic Town." Credit: Ben Blackall / Netflix

The first of two limited series from writer Jack Thorne on this list, Toxic Town tells a fictionalised version of a real-life story. Following a group of mothers who've given birth to children with limb differences, Thorne's drama follows their legal battle against the local council as they attempt to get to the bottom of whether or not they were poisoned due to negligence and corruption at the nearby steelworks. It's an emotional and frustrating story that's brought to life by a strong script and incredible performances across the board, especially from Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who) and Aimee Lou Wood (The White Lotus), who star as two of the real-life mothers leading the fight.* — S.H.

Starring: Jodie Whittaker, Aimee Lou Wood, Rory Kinnear, Brendan Coyle, Robert Carlyle, Joe Dempsie, Claudia Jessie, Ben Batt, Stephen McMillan, Lauren Lyle, Michael Socha, Karla Crome, and Matthew Durkan

How to watch: Toxic Town is now streaming on Netflix.

4. A Thousand Blows Malachi Kirby and Erin Doherty in "A Thousand Blows." Credit: Robert Viglasky

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight returned this year with a knockout show inspired by real figures of 1880s London. Talented boxer Hezekiah (Black Mirror's Malachi Kirby) and his best friend Alec (Small Axe's Francis Lovehall) emigrate to England from Jamaica, the former drawing the attention of the best bare-knuckled fighter on the Thames, Sugar Goodson (Adolescence's Stephen Graham). Beyond their ring rivalry, however, an all-women gang of thieves run by the charismatic Mary Carr (Adolescence's Erin Doherty) pilfer the prized possessions of the upper classes. With impeccable performances and detailed production design, A Thousand Blows is compelling tale of survival, of class warfare, and above all, making a name for yourself against all social odds. And yes, we're looking at a second season next year. — S.C.

Starring: Malachi Kirby, Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, Francis Lovehall, Ziggy Heath, and Jason Tobin

How to watch: A Thousand Blows is now streaming on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the U.S.

3. Reunion Lara Peake and Matthew Gurney in "Reunion." Credit: BBC / Warp Films / Becky Bailey

A revenge thriller with a difference, Reunion follows Daniel Brennan (Matthew Gurney), a deaf man trying to reckon with his troubled past and the crime he's committed after being released from prison. William Mager's four-part BBC miniseries tells a revenge story that's not unfamiliar, but what makes it unique is the light it casts on the way deaf people are often left behind — or outright mistreated — by our various systems. A large number of the cast and crew in revenge use British Sign Language, and a big chunk of the show is in BSL with subtitles. — S.H.

Starring: Matthew Gurney, Anne-Marie Duff, Lara Peake, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Eddie Marsan, Olive Gray, and Joe Sims

How to watch: Reunion is now streaming on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The U.S. streaming date is TBC.

2. What It Feels Like for a Girl Ellis Howard, Laquarn Lewis, and Hannah Jones in "What It Feels Like for a Girl." Credit: BBC / Hera / Enda Bowe

One of the most fearless, raw, and impeccable shows of the year, What It Feels Like for a Girl premiered at SXSW London to well-earned hype. Journalist Paris Lees adapted her memoir of the same name into an eight-episode coming-of-age series that refuses to be anything but authentic, whether joyful, resentful, lost, or ecstatic. Set in the Y2K era of the early '00s (and all the Sugababes, Ultra Nate, Rui da Silva, and All Saints that came with it), the series follows trans 15-year-old Byron (Ellis Howard) who navigates sex, drugs, gender identity, first loves, friendship fallouts, dangerous relationships, and forms of abuse, through an extraordinary performance by Howard.

Byron is determined to get out of their small town of Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, socially isolated and craving release from the strained relationship with their parents, while supported by their beloved Mommar Joe (Hannah Walters). They discover cottaging and sex work, and meet the Fallen Divas, Byron's wondrous found family of trans and queer friends including Lady Die (Laquarn Lewis), Sasha (Hannah Jones), Sticky Nikki (Alex Thomas-Smith), and Dirty Damian (Adam Ali). Despite their new support, Byron grows up fast, spirals into self-destruction, and tries to find their way. Channelling Lee's brazen, personal script, Howard's performance is at once vulnerable and fierce, assured and tentative, supported by the superb Lewis and Jones. By no means a light watch, but an authentic and powerful story of identity and loneliness, What It Feels Like for a Girl comes at a timely moment for the UK, where the rights of trans people are under unbridled attack. — S.C.

Starring: Ellis Howard, Laquarn Lewis, Hannah Jones, Jake Dunn, Adam Ali, Alex Thomas-Smith, Michael Socha, Hannah Walters, and Laura Haddock

How to watch: What It Feels Like for a Girl is now streaming on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The U.S. streaming date is TBC.

1. Adolescence Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham in "Adolescence." Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Likely to be the most harrowing viewing experience you'll have this year, Adolescence traps you in a nightmare over the course of its four episodes, each filmed in one take. Co-created by Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne, and directed by Boiling Point's Philip Barantini, Netflix's much buzzed-about miniseries examines the aftermath of a chilling murder committed by 13-year-old Jamie (newcomer Owen Cooper). Each episode focuses on a different perspective around the case, from a detective (Ashley Walters) investigating Jamie's school to Jamie's family reckoning with his actions.

These vignettes, coupled with Barantini's one-take technique, create an unflinching portrait of a crime that feels all too rooted in reality. As UK Deputy Editor Sam Haysom wrote in his review, "Adolescence's story isn't a crime mystery so much as a psychological study — it's an exploration of the manosphere culture that's having a real world affect on teenagers, and the societal and familial triggers that might lead to a seemingly ordinary 13-year-old doing something unthinkable. On this level, and on almost all others, the show is chillingly effective."* — B.E.

Starring: Stephen Graham, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, Owen Cooper, Faye Marsay, Christine Tremarco, and Amelie Pease

How to watch: Adolescence is now streaming on Netflix.

(*) denotes a blurb has come from a prior list.

Everyone has their go-to Christmas movies. You know yours: They're the films that carry memories of wintry nights and repeat family viewings, the ones you absolutely need to watch to get into the Christmas spirit.

SEE ALSO: The best Christmas movies streaming now on Netflix

For the longest time, my holiday movie staples included a rotation of Love Actually, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and the Rankin/Bass Christmas Specials. But recently, a new challenger has entered the festive arena, and while it's technically not a movie, it's still on its way to becoming part of my personal Christmas viewing rotation.

I'm talking about Smosh vs. Christmas, a two-part TTRPG actual play video from YouTube channel Smosh Games, itself part of the broader comedy collective Smosh.

In Smosh vs. Christmas, Smosh cast members Shayne Topp, Amanda Lehan-Canto, and Angela Giarratana play a Dread one-shot with game master George Primavera and guest player Nick Williams.

The mechanics of Dread are simple, making the videos accessible for viewers no matter their familiarity with TTRPGs. Every time a player wants to perform an action in-game, they have to pull a block from a Jenga tower. Pull the block and place it on top of the tower, and they succeed. Knock the tower over, and their character dies. Immediately.

You can always choose to fail voluntarily or heroically sacrifice yourself, but for the most part, there's no room for error. That means every second of every tower pull bristles with tension, making Dread an ideal TTRPG system for a horror one-shot.

SEE ALSO: The ultimate Christmas movie streaming list for 2025

And while there are certainly horror elements to Smosh vs. Christmas, make no mistake: This miniseries is a laugh riot. It's what you'd get if you crossed a Hallmark Christmas movie with Krampus.

The game picks up in the small Midwestern town of Kringleton, where every day is Christmas. As the townspeople prepare to celebrate Christmas proper with a hot cocoa drinking contest, four outsiders descend on the town, each a walking Hallmark movie archetype. There's Charlie Penn (Topp), a sensitive, struggling novelist with a tragic past; Guy Wood (Giarratana), a small-town carpenter with a big heart and even bigger muscles; and Scott Ornamente (Lehan-Canto), a Patrick Bateman-esque Manhattan big shot who hates his home town of Kringleton. Rounding out the pack is Pop (Williams), a jolly fellow who really seems like Santa Claus.

The fun of each character stems partly from the stereotypes they're sending up, and partly from the surprising depth each player brings to them. The bits these comedians concoct are uproarious, no doubt about it, but the true joy of Smosh vs. Christmas is getting invested in these characters — and watching each player get more and more invested in the story Primavera is building.

As Charlie, Guy, and Scott settle into Kringleton, they all cross paths with Kringleton's resident single woman, Carol (Primavera). So begins the Hallmark movie dating sim of my dreams, one where simply saying hi to your love interest could result in a Dread tower pull, and therefore, potential death. If you thought your love life was high-stakes, think again.

To say much more about what happens in Smosh vs. Christmas would ruin its best surprises. After all, Dread is a game fueled by suspense and spontaneity, and you deserve to experience the same levels of stress and amusement that I did while watching. But suffice it to say that Smosh vs. Christmas undergoes some of the wildest yet most satisfying twists I've seen in any Christmas media, a testament to the cast's improv and storytelling skills.

And Smosh vs. Christmas holds up even if you know what's coming. I first watched it when it came out in 2024, and I recently revisited it to kick off the holiday season in 2025. This time around, it brought with it not the shock and terror of watching a horror TTRPG play out, but rather the cozy nostalgia of recalling the first time I watched it, all swaddled up in blankets and nursing a cup of hot chocolate. (For further TTRPG scares, I'd recommend Smosh's 2025 Christmas Dread special, We're All Gonna Die on Christmas, another festive horror banger.)

On top of the nostalgia, though, I found myself already looking forward to next Christmas, when I could revisit both Smosh vs. Christmas and We're All Gonna Die on Christmas through new eyes. So if you're looking to switch up your own holiday programming and maybe start a new viewing tradition of your own, I highly recommend watching comedians pull blocks from a Jenga tower. Trust me, it's more Christmasy than it sounds.

Smosh vs. Christmas is on YouTube.

It's hard to believe but some good things did happen online 2025.

Scrolling around the internet these last 12 months hasn't always been a pleasant experience — our timelines were full of AI slop, recession fears, and misinformation. But good things did manage to happen, too.

Mashable has kept tabs on uplifting digital stories with our Good Connection series. And if you need a timeline cleanse to end 2025, we've got eight online stories from this year that'll do just the trick.

1. The 'Ask an Axolotl' earworm

January feels like ages ago by now, but it was the month we were all humming along to a little ditty about an axolotl. TikTokker @doctor_waffle posted a video about the adorable amphibian. It's cute and so, so catchy.

Sure, the song was clearly intended for children but it seemed to soothe anyone with a pulse.

2. Everyone rallied for Buddies coffeeshop

When Rachel Rose, the owner of Buddies Coffee Roasters in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, sobbed on camera, there was no way she could've predicted the response. She was going to lose the place she worked so hard for, and her emotion was real and raw.

People rallied in response, absolutely flooding Buddies with business. Even celebs like Joe Jonas showed up. Lines wrapped around the block.

Buddies did close — the situation with their lease wasn't fixable — but it seems Rachel and the roasting business are both thriving.

3. The cutest Craigslist love story

Oscar season gifted us the story of how Colman Domingo met his husband. Somehow, some way, Craigslist's Missed Connection section sparked a whirlwind, decades-long love story. It's truly the sweetest thing.

4. A Yankee who simply loves burritos

New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells went viral this year for his passion project: reviewing breakfast burritos. During his travels throughout the season, he'd try breakfast burritos and rate them. That's it. Just a dude loving burritos.

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Wells does seem to be a fair reviewer, however. His top-rated burrito of the year came from the clubhouse of the Mets, the Yankees' crosstown rival.

5. The foster dog who stole our hearts

I'm a big fan of Isabel Klee, or @SimonSits on TikTok, who regularly takes in foster dogs. The internet as a whole fell in love with one of Klee's fosters, Tiki, who was rescued from pretty rough circumstances. The little pup healed with Klee from a dog that was clearly scared and scarred, to a precocious, adorable dog that got adopted.

It was such a lovely story.

6. The little niece who made the song of the summer

It's a pretty simple story: Creator @day1keenan has a niece who wanted to sing. And sing she did, making an absolute banger that many called the song of the summer.

This TikTok racked up more than 60 million views.

That little girl genuinely has talent and I could listen to that ditty all day long.

7. The NYC subway kitty

I don't know if you've ever seen a kitty ride the subway but it is freaking adorable. Look at this cosmopolitan little baby just hop right on.

As if the story couldn't get any sweeter, the commuter who scoops up the kitten in the video ended up adopting her. She's named Emmie, in honor of NYC's MTA.

8. Pop-up food pantries to the rescue

SNAP benefits were thrown into chaos amid the government shutdown this year, and neighbors came to the rescue to help one another. There were countless videos of pop-up food pantries, which appeared seemingly overnight to help neighbors.

AJ Owen (@ajpgh412) had perhaps the most viral pantry moment, when an anonymous donor dropped off a stack of cash to fund the pop-up Owen started with his children.

"The outpouring online is…overwhelming in the best way possible," Owen wrote in an email to Mashable at the time. "Seeing so many other people touched by what we are doing and deciding to do something as well brings tears to my eyes. Give people an opportunity to help and they will absolutely do it!"

So, yes, 2025 wasn't always great. But there were some truly lovely moments, too.

ON SALE: On Dec. 24 only, the Lego Marvel Spider-Man vs. Oscorp set will be on sale as the Best Buy drop of the day. It's $139.99 regularly, and we expect it to drop below $100.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Marvel Spider-Man vs. Oscorp set $139.99 at Best Buy
Price drops at 11 a.m. ET on Dec. 24 Get Deal

Holiday Lego deals aren't letting up just because we've officially passed the emergency last-minute shipping phase. Santa even has competition on his big day itself — the Best Buy drop of the day on Christmas Eve is the incredible Lego Marvel Spider-Man vs. Oscorp set, which is set to go on sale at 11 a.m. ET on Dec. 24. We won't know the exact discount until that time, but we're predicting that'll drop to $99.99.

SEE ALSO: 'Avengers: Doomsday' teaser reveals the return of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers

This Marvel Lego set was a rare one that didn't see a Black Friday price drop. Actually, according to Amazon price tacker camelcamelcamel, this Spider-Man Lego set hasn't ever gone on sale at all. And that situation is exactly where an exclusive Best Buy drop shines. The one-day only sale price will only show up in the Best Buy mobile app, and inventory will dwindle as the day goes on. Whether this is a belated IOU gift or is just a treat for yourself, be sure to add it to your cart before your festivities start.

From afar, this may look like your average skyscraper Lego set. But there's so much detail to see up close: The set provides a multi-faceted view inside and out of Miles Morales' apartment, from the jewelry store to Venom's apartment to the glowing green Oscorp tower. Eight mini figures are included like Spider-Man, Ghost-Spider, Miles Morales, and Green Goblin, plus accessories like a motorbike, glider, and posable web.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Kinhank Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator & Streaming Console $84.97
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Right now, you can snag the Kinhank Super Console X2 for just $84.97 (reg. $159.99), plus free shipping, until Jan. 11.

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 Kinhank Super Console X2 is ready to handle all your entertainment needs at home. This console isn’t just a gaming device — it also lets you access your favorite streaming apps and watch content in one convenient spot.

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Opens in a new window Credit: BitMar BitMar Streaming Content-Finder: Lifetime Subscription $14.97
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Downtime is precious — especially this time of year — so the last thing you want is to spend 25 minutes scrolling through seven different apps before finally settling on something to watch.

The content wizard BitMar can help with that. For a one-time $14.97 payment (reg. $150), you get lifetime access to a platform that does all the searching, filtering, and organizing for you.

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!

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 is setting course for the Sea of Monsters, and just like in Season 1, there are bound to be a few adaptation changes ahead.

SEE ALSO: 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' Season 2 review: Rough waters ahead for 'Sea of Monsters' adaptation

Whether it's adding new characters or tweaking major book events entirely, some of these changes from Rick Riordan's original books fall flat, while others enrich the world of the show. Here are all the biggest changes between Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 and The Sea of Monsters. We'll be updating every week, so be sure to come back for more adaptation breakdowns.

Episode 1: Grover meets new characters, like Alison Simms. Aryan Simhadri in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." Credit: Disney / David Bukach

Season 2 kicks off with Percy having a nightmare about Grover in danger, just like The Sea of Monsters does. However, there are some key differences: Grover isn't in Florida, meaning we don't get him running into St. Augustine Bridal Boutique. (Don't worry, though, the show doesn't abandon the wedding dress storyline.) Instead, he's in the jungle, where he meets a crew of demigods like Alison Simms (Beatrice Kitsos). They're new characters who have allied themselves with Luke (Charlie Bushnell) and Kronos, meaning Percy and his crew will have even more rogue demigods to contend with.

Episode 1: Basically everything about Tyson is different. Daniel Diemer in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." Credit: Disney

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 introduces Tyson (Daniel Diemer), Percy's Cyclops half-brother. In the books, he is unhoused, and while he attends Meriwether College Prep with Percy, no one gives him any extra support outside of school. That changes in the series, as Sally Jackson (Virginia Kull) meets him while volunteering at a shelter, takes him in, and gets him into Meriwether. That means she and Percy already know he's a Cyclops, as opposed to in the book, where the Mist disguises his true nature to Percy.

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SEE ALSO: Watch Phineas and Ferb recap 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' Season 1

I'm always happy to see Sally get to showcase her kindness and empathy, and I'm intrigued by whether she's aware of Tyson also being Poseidon's (Toby Stephens) son. Based on her telling Percy that they might have more in common than they think — hence the "two sides of the same coin" talk — it seems like she's got a pretty good idea, giving her more investment in Percy and Tyson's relationship.

Another big change with Tyson is how he speaks. In The Sea of Monsters, he has a more childlike speech pattern, as Cyclops age more slowly than humans. Here, though, he sounds like any of the other characters. Perhaps this was a case of the book dialogue simply not translating well to screen, for fear of infantilizing or stereotyping Tyson. Still, it seems like book Tyson's loyalty and enthusiasm carry over into show Tyson.

Episode 1: The Laistrygonian giant dodgeball scene gets a big change.

The Sea of Monsters opens with a monster attack in the form of a deadly gym class. Laistrygonian giants posing as visitors from Detroit sneak into Meriwether and wreak havoc during a dodgeball game, hurling fireballs at Percy, Tyson, and their classmates. Percy Jackson and the Olympians moves this fight scene from Meriwether to Camp Half-Blood, with the Laistrygonians ambushing Percy, Tyson, and Annabeth on their way to camp. In moving the scene, the attack winds up replacing the book's Colchis Bull fight.

SEE ALSO: 7 magic school series to buy young readers that aren't 'Harry Potter'

While there's still a fiery dodgeball element to the Laistrygonian sequence, it misses a lot of the charm from the book's version. Gone are the Laistrygonians' weak disguises, along with the name tags reading Joe Bob, Skull Eater, and Marrow Sucker. These disguises, along with the high school setting of the scene, are a huge part of the appeal of Riordan's series in the first place: seeing Greek mythology transposed into our day-to-day world. I understand wanting to fold two monster attacks into one due to time and budget constraints, but there's still a lot lost when you rip away one of the defining elements of the book series.

Episode 1: Chiron is fired for different reasons.

Rounding out the biggest changes from episode 1 is Chiron's (Glynn Turman) firing from Camp Half-Blood. In the show, he's fired because he's the son of Kronos, which makes the Greek gods wary about his allegiances. The book takes it a step farther: In The Sea of Monsters, Chiron's connection to Kronos makes him a prime suspect in the poisoning of Thalia's (Tamara Smart) tree. He's already fired by the time Luke poisons the tree in the show, though. Percy sees Luke attack the tree in person, furthering the animosity between the two.

Episode 2: Whoa, there's a lot of drama between Percy and Annabeth. Walker Scobell and Leah Sava Jeffries in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." Credit: Disney / David Bukach

Percabeth shippers, buckle up, because this episode delivers so much angst. Chiron reveals the Great Prophecy to Annabeth before telling her that she can't let Percy go on any quests. Cue Annabeth planning to sabotage Percy in the chariot race should it come down to the two of them. Later, she suggests she go on Clarisse's (Dior Goodjohn) quest for the Golden Fleece without Percy. All of this is new, and it's stressful, adding more distrust between the pair.

Despite all the new twists in how the quest comes together, the end result is the same: Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson set out for the Sea of Monsters. However, Percy and Annabeth are more at odds than ever before, setting a more adversarial tone for the quest ahead.

Episode 3: Percy Jackson and the Olympians shows off a different side of Clarisse. Dior Goodjohn in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." Credit: Disney / David Bukach

Episode 3 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 makes a few tweaks to Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson's encounter with Luke aboard the Princess Andromeda, getting new characters like Allison involved, and even having Tyson set off a bomb in totally badass fashion.

The biggest change in the episode, though, is that we get more of Clarisse's perspective as she sets out on her quest. We witness firsthand her trip to the Oracle, along with her father Ares (Adam Copeland) gifting her a ship and a zombie crew. Unlike in the book, these are losing soldiers from a vast variety of wars, as opposed to simply Confederate soldiers. For a number of reasons... good call, Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

But Ares' gift is a double-edged sword. He immediately undermines her field experience to the soldiers and threatens Clarisse should she fail. Dad of the Year, he is not. That scene fuels Clarisse's insecurities heading into her mission, which only get worse as the soldiers repeatedly ignore her.

By the episode's end, though, she's won them over by promising them a place in Elysium once they die. Is this a check she can actually cash? I'm not sure yet. However, her rousing speech is proof of her burgeoning leadership skills. Plus, seeing Clarisse actually struggle with the beginning of her quest is something we don't get much of in The Sea of Monsters, beyond a tense conversation Percy overhears between her and Ares. That's one of the benefits of a TV adaptation that isn't a book narrated in first person: We get to take in other perspectives. As a result, Clarisse gets more layers this episode, and Goodjohn gets to truly shine as a more prominent member of Percy Jackson and the Olympians' ensemble.

Episode 4: Percy Jackson and the Olympians gives us flashbacks to Annabeth, Luke, and Thalia's journey to Camp Half-Blood. Tamara Smart in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." Credit: Disney / David Bukach

Following in the footsteps of episode 3's focus on Clarisse, episode 4 continues Percy Jackson and the Olympians' trend of showcasing new, non-Percy perspectives. This time, we get that in the form of flashbacks to Annabeth's time traveling with Luke and Thalia (Tamara Smart), daughter of Zeus (Courtney B. Vance), to Camp Half-Blood. A dangerous encounter between young Annabeth and a band of Cyclopes prompts Thalia's decision to find sanctuary at Camp Half-Blood, as opposed to continuing to live life on the road. In Annabeth's mind, this was the fatal decision that led to Thalia's death on the edges of camp. If she hadn't been captured by the Cyclopes in the first place, then Thalia would still be alive.

The actual Cyclopes encounter plays out differently in the show than in the books, which saw 7-year-old Annabeth saving a trapped Luke, Thalia, and Grover from a Brooklyn-based Cyclops' house of horrors. That fateful meeting led to Annabeth's deep hatred of all Cyclopes. However, in the show, Annabeth's ire is directed less at the Cyclopes, and more at herself for getting captured in the first place and slowing Thalia and Luke down. It's a poignant shift, one that emphasizes her survivor's guilt. It also gives us our first look at Smart in action as Thalia, getting us ready for Percy Jackson and the Olympians' Season 3 adaptation of The Titan's Curse.

Episode 4: The Scylla and Charybdis fight gives Clarisse a moral crisis.

Just like in the books, Percy, Annabeth, Tyson, and Clarisse face off with Scylla and Charybdis in order to enter the Sea of Monsters. But the show adds in a trolley problem-esque twist, courtesy of Annabeth's battle strategy. To get past Scylla, all Clarisse needs to do is sacrifice six of her men, one for each tentacle. Should she knowingly send these soldiers to their doom in order for guaranteed success? Or should she try her original plan of getting past Charybdis?

In the end, Clarisse follows Annabeth's plan. Yet the guilt of sacrificing her crew members overwhelms her, and she joins them on deck. Once again, the added depth to Clarisse works wonders here. It's great to see that as she's stepped up in terms of importance, the show has stepped up just as much in terms of letting audience members into her inner world.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 is now streaming on Disney+, with a new episode every week.

No one makes a hangout movie like Jim Jarmusch. From his feature-length debut Permanent Vacation onward, the American writer/director has woven his affinity for intimate settings and observational humor with various flourishes. Only Lovers Left Alive gave us vampires lounging around a rotting Detroit. The Dead Don't Die offered ghouls with the energy and desires of a late-night hang, craving coffee and chardonnay (and brains). Now, FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER offers the familiar family hang — one that's authentically awkward, funny, and tragic. 

Set over the course of three vignettes, Jarmusch's latest keenly illustrates how families are all different and the same. His astoundingly stacked cast boasts Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Sarah Greene, Indya Moore, and Luka Sabbat. Together, they construct short yet solid stories of three families in moments both mundane and pivotal, creating an absorbing portrait of love that's messy and profound. 

Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, and Tom Waits make for a quirky kickoff. 

"Father" is the first of three chapters of the film. In a small town in New Jersey, brother and sister Jeff (Driver) and Emily (Bialik) head to visit their dad (Waits), and they're anything but eager. Stiff in woolen blazers, V-neck cardigans, slacks, and a long skirt, they are dressed as if on their way to a business meeting rather than to reunite with the father they haven't seen in two years. Pulling up to his ramshackle house, which sits at the end of very long muddy driveway, it's clear they don't belong here. 

Waits, meanwhile, is dressed in battered striped pants, a hoodie, and has a head of hair that's not seen a brush or a bit of product in ages. Their dad's home is cluttered with books and laundry, as if in the wake of their mother's death years before he can barely care for himself. However, there are hints that their father (who goes unnamed) has a life outside of their understanding of him, like the glistening Rolex on his wrist. 

Within this reunion, Jarmusch's script reveals some backstory, touching on death, illness, divorce, and precocious grandchildren. But the movie keeps us firmly in this place, in this moment, where this family is perplexed about how to reconnect. There's no bad blood, it's more confusion on how this father created these kids.

Where they are almost perversely proper, polite, and put-together, he seems a weary whirlwind, embarrassed to be caught mid-spin. The conflict they encounter is not one of shouting or smashed plates, but swallowed arguments and a shared grief they can't bear to say aloud. So instead, they'll be civil and stay on the surface with small talk. Yet the visual storytelling and nuanced performances Jarmusch knits together allow the audience to probe deeper than these preppy siblings can dare. 

Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, and Vicky Krieps clash as mother and daughters. 

"Mother" follows "Father," transporting the film to Dublin, where a romance author (Rampling) is welcoming her two grown daughters for their annual afternoon tea. Where this matriarch is intimidatingly intellectual and chic, her daughters are a study in contrast. Timothea, or Tim for short (Blanchett), is a mousy pencil pusher who fusses and frets but always at a low volume, lest she be a bother. Little sister Lilith (Krieps) is a free spirit with pink hair, a comically casual attitude, and a penchant for lying about great successes to impress her mother. 

There's no drastic divide between this trio. Like the "Father" family, they've drifted apart, seemingly content to have lives of their own. But in this household, their proximity practically itches. Lilith looks for ways to razz her sister, sparking a juvenile sibling rivalry that forces Tim into flushed retreat. But these intrusions and escapes are all in the gentle way of making nice. The tragedy of these moments is in how we can see their urge to connect and their fear to, all in a furtive glance, a choked laugh, or a licked bit of pastry. 

Hilariously cast as the most boring person in this movie, Blanchett nonetheless exudes a quiet anxiety, offering pangs for every passive aggression from Krieps' provocateur. Then Rampling adds a primly prickly veneer that's sharply funny. For instance, when all three realize they're wearing red (a tailored dress, a modest turtleneck, a frayed novelty sweater), the mother declares it "embarrassing," pushing her daughters into opinions that throw them into cringeworthy opposition.

It's in such small moments that Jarmusch allows his audience to determine the meaning of these scenes and this collection of stories. But where the first two sections of this triptych are about relatively strained relationships, the final is a warm portrait of almost supernatural closeness. 

Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat are a revelation as twins.

Across all three vignettes, Jarmusch laces shared elements, like red clothing, a Rolex watch, clumsy toasts with nonalcoholic beverages, images of young skateboarders rolling by carefree and in slow motion, and some iteration of the idiom "Bob's your uncle." But in this chapter, he breaks the pattern of a family of three. In the Paris-set "Sister Brother," Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat play twins surveying what remains of their childhood home in the wake of their parents' deaths. 

It's been weeks since their parents' passing, so the stab of loss is not as sharp. Instead, the twins get to enjoy the easy comfort of each other's company. Like Jeff and Emily, they share an aesthetic. But it's far from preppy; instead they favor leather jackets and streetwear with an aspirational sense of chill. Whether chatting in the car, getting a coffee, or looking over childhood photos, they are at ease. Where the other families all showed a need to perform for each other, these twins have a connection so deep that it predates birth. They swear that even over oceans, they can sense when the other is getting sick or getting high. 

While each of Jarmusch's family units in FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER feels familiar, Moore and Sabbat are so convincing in their chemistry and connection that I began to wonder if they actually are twins. (They are not.) This radiant love for one another smooths the cutting edges of the grief of their story, because unlike the other chapters' characters, they are not alone together. They are together even when they are alone, because they truly see each other and don't shrink from such honesty and vulnerability.

Following the press screening at the New York Film Festival, Jarmusch said in a Q&A that he didn't make this movie with a message in mind. To suggest there's a resolute message would be to misrepresent the gentle development of every section of this film. Yet viewed as a whole, I found FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER breathtaking in what it has to say about family. On one level, it's a reminder that every family is different and the same. We are all connected by a bunch of experiences, big and small, that are just so common they might be overlooked without the focus of a filmmaker on them. But beyond that, FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER is a cool, rich, and wonderful celebration of familial love, which binds us and defines us — but not entirely. 

Part of the beauty of this film is where Jarmusch leaves each story. He's rarely been one for buttoned-up conclusions. And here, he essentially offers not even a day, but a few hours in the lives of people bound by blood, and — what else? We get a window into their lives, and a glimpse of how they see each other. Then, their story moves on without us. Where will they go? What will they experience? It's a mystery the movie won't dwell on, but we can.

In that, FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER invites us not only to see ourselves in these families for better or worse, but to imagine what might exist in the lives of our loved ones once they've closed the door and the visit has ended. 

FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER is now in theaters.

UPDATE: Dec. 18, 2025, 2:05 p.m. EST "FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER" was reviewed out of its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival. This review, originally published on Oct. 3, 2025, has been updated to include information about the theatrical release.

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