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There could not be a more mismatched pair of subjects than Shakespearean tragedy and rocket launchers fired at police choppers by men in silly hats. However, Grand Theft Hamlet explores this unique combination of past and present while revealing new and unexpected narrative layers at every turn. The animated documentary follows two actors’ ill-advised attempts to stage a full-length production of Hamlet in a video game world; the result is riotously funny and surprisingly moving.

The winner of this year’s SXSW Grand Jury Award in the Documentary Feature category — disclosure: This critic was one of the jurists — Grand Theft Hamlet also happens to be a COVID lockdown piece, one that captures the absurdity of isolation in a way few recent movies have. It’s as much a story about video games as it is about community and finding new avenues of emotional connection, and it runs the emotional gamut while exploring these ideas.

SEE ALSO: How 'Grand Theft Hamlet' evolved from lockdown escape to Shakespearean success

A unique synthesis of form, it creatively tackles the topic of artistic frustrations while reflecting on mortality in the silliest possible ways. It’s thoughtful and brash in equal measure, and by the end of its mere 89 minutes — brevity is the soul of wit, after all — the movie works despite all odds, proving to be a complete and utter blast.

What is Grand Theft Hamlet about?

The film begins as a run-of-the-mill "Let’s Play" — i.e., footage presented from within the game while other people play it — focusing on a pair of casual gamers passing the time by committing violent crimes and evading the police, as is encouraged in Grand Theft Auto. As much as watching other people play video games has become a streaming cottage industry, it may not seem like the most interesting way to make a feature film. However, Grand Theft Hamlet quickly dispels this notion. 

The concept behind the movie is ludicrous at its core, harkening back to the days of Red vs. Blue, the popular (and still ongoing) sci-fi web series that began in 2003 and is animated entirely in the world of first-person-shooter Halo. However, Grand Theft Hamlet’s appeal is hardly limited to the hardcore gaming crowd. Its initial footage serves to introduce non-gamers to the goofy hyper-violence of Grand Theft Auto, as a pair of lively, out-of-work English stage actors, Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen — fellows of infinite jest — stumble upon an amphitheater within the game (the “Vinewood Bowl,” modeled off the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles). Before long, inspiration strikes, and they decide to see what it would take to stage an entire production of Hamlet within this shared online metaverse.

What seems, at first, like a disposable YouTube sketch becomes quickly engaging, as the movie begins chronicling its subjects’ attempts to hold auditions and rehearsal within Grand Theft Auto Online (the MMORPG component of Grand Theft Auto V; emphasis on “RPG”). All the footage featured in the movie is captured within the game itself. Shot from a multitude of angles that swing around freely, untethered from physical space, the film is co-directed by Crane and his romantic partner, the filmmaker Pinny Grylls, who not only functions as observer and digital archivist, but enters the game as a character alongside Crane and Oosterveen. Eventually, she becomes one of the movie’s main subjects herself.  

After the leading duo puts out numerous calls on digital message boards, they finally find a handful of potential collaborators — whether other eager performers, novice gamers looking to keep busy during lockdown, or curious onlookers who don’t quite understand what they’re attempting, but go along with it anyway. The simple task of staging a performance and drawing viewers and participants proves hilariously difficult, given the nature of the game. As they gather fellow actors within this digital space, with each one performing soliloquies over headsets as their avatars repeat a series of limited gestures, in-world cops and other online players often disrupt Crane and Oosterveen’s peaceful gatherings. Grand Theft Auto is an inherently hedonistic world, and there’s nothing stopping some random third party from showing up, guns-a-blazing (or fists-a-swinging) just for the thrill of it. These frequent interruptions lead to resigned sighs from the accidental Rosencrantz and Guildenstern pairing each time they die and have to respawn in some inconvenient, far-flung location before making their way back to the digital stage.

It’s Theater Camp meets Punisher: War Zone, a bizarre, farcical blend of good-natured creativity and cartoonish hyper-violence that places a number of unique logistical roadblocks in the actors’ paths. 

Grand Theft Hamlet is a truly unique lockdown film.

Shot mostly in early 2021, as London was undergoing its third major COVID lockdown, Grand Theft Hamlet traces the evolution of its central concept from a product of boredom to a sincere and sprawling passion project. Over several months, the resultant attempts and misfires to stage this production take increasingly frustrating forms, not only thanks to the in-world logistics — how do you craft a peaceful community experience in a space dedicated to bullets and bombs? — but also due to real-world logistics.

Anyone with even minimal high school stage experience will likely recognize the complications therein, and the ways in which Crane and Oosterveen — disembodied voices emanating from the mouths of digital avatars — politely navigate each problem. From turning down prospective performers who show up to audition at the Vinewood Bowl to trying to convince people of their vision to balancing people’s real-world schedules when deciding on times and places to practice in-game, Grand Theft Hamlet ends up a shockingly accurate depiction of the many hurdles that arise in the amateur theatre world, albeit with the added drawback of mischievous interlopers crashing rehearsals just to shank the actors or blow them to smithereens. That part isn’t quite so familiar to the performers, and it keeps them on their toes, while also making the whole exercise feel like cabin fever-induced madness.

The further Crane and Oosterveen get into their staging, the more complicated it becomes. Soon, it becomes a traveling production within the world of the game, as curious audience members are asked to follow the actors between a multitude of dangerous locations, like atop a floating blimp, a creative ambition that’s sure to result in self-sabotage, as the actors’ avatars die mid-performance courtesy of side-splitting accidents. However, the more time they spend trying to spice up their version of Hamlet, the more the real world begins to creep in through the corners of the frame. 

Society wasn’t going to remain at a standstill forever, and their actors were bound to be pulled in different directions as soon as circumstances changed. However, a key element of the drama is also the relationship between the play’s two directors, and how their differing personal lives (Crane is a family man; Oosterveen is more of a loner) intersect with the movie’s premise. The pandemic and its ensuing lockdowns affected people in different ways, but what Grand Theft Hamlet manages to capture is how people emerged from the pandemic mindset at different times, and how this discrepancy may have strained relationships in the process.

The romantic relationship between Crane and Grylls is a key fixture of the movie too, and Grylls seemingly stages key conversations between them within the world of the game, even though they live in the same household. It’s hardly naturalistic, but it uses the same creative logic as modern reality television, where real tensions and interpersonal dynamics are heightened for an audience’s gaze. The key difference is that this bit of relationship drama also ends up at the mercy of the game’s mechanics, in piercingly funny ways that blur the lines between public and private moments.

However, these mechanics also provide a unique contrast to the subject matter at hand.

Grand Theft Hamlet is a surprisingly poignant reflection on death.

Between the movie’s pandemic premise and its subjects ruminating on one of Shakespeare’s heaviest texts, Grand Theft Hamlet echoes the idea of mortality in several quiet ways — the idea of what it means “to be, or not to be” — all while blaring explosions keep interrupting the actors’ attempts to rehearse.

There is perhaps no more surreal a space in which to reflect on dying than inside a video game where violence is so common and cartoonish that one becomes desensitized to death, since it’s a little more than a repetitive annoyance as bodies are flung in different directions. However, this casually brutal backdrop also forces the play’s macabre themes of vengeance and cosmic inevitability to the surface, via farcical depictions of deadly violence that — intentionally or otherwise — function as heightened re-enactments of the text.

If anything, the medium of Grand Theft Auto ends up the perfect spoonful of sugar for Shakespeare’s enduring, contemplative medicine. This constant unfurling of the play’s subtext turns the movie into an inadvertent act of arts criticism in the process, one where ostentatiously customized player avatars, with brightly colored hair and superhero outfits, function both as de facto philosophers and as deeply personal externalizations of the actors’ personas and neuroses.

One character in particular, a North African immigrant unfamiliar with the play, auditions with a Quran verse instead, while appearing in the form of a bright green alien. It’s as though he were both disguising himself and creating a cartoonish manifestation of the way he feels as a newcomer to English society, and it ends up being one of the film’s most touching reflections on the human experience.

The film maintains a razor-thin line between life and death, not only thanks to how easily the game’s digital avatars are turned into bloody pulp, but also because of the way these violent images are thrown headfirst into textual analysis and repetition each time the actors rehearse. The very act of performance — of channeling emotions and turning them into art — is one of the most vivid, human, and alive processes of which we’re capable. So, to be able to perform despite being robbed of traditional performance spaces is practically defiant, spitting in the face of a deadly plague in the most uproarious way. There’s nothing quite like Grand Theft Hamlet.

Grand Theft Hamlet is now playing in theaters.

UPDATE: Jan. 17, 2025, 9:23 a.m. EST Grand Theft Hamlet was reviewed out of SXSW 2024. The article has been republished with updated release information.

Severance has finally returned, with a Season 2 premiere that plunges us straight back into the unsettling world of Lumon Industries. And while it's great to be back, it's also downright freaky.

SEE ALSO: I went to the 'Severance' pop-up in Grand Central Station. It was wild.

That's because the season premiere, titled "Hello, Ms. Cobel," throws a lot at viewers. New characters, new Lumon perks, and new Severance mysteries enter the fray, each one eliciting a varying degree of "What the hell is going on?" from me. And you can bet that sentiment will only grow with every episode of Season 2.

From surprise throuple mentions to Lumon's embrace of stop-motion, here are the 15 most WTF moments from Severance Season 2, episode 1. Let's break them down — and maybe, just maybe, we'll find some answers along the way.

The Wellness Room is just... gone.

In an extended sequence in Severance's first-ever episode, Innie Mark (Adam Scott) walks through the fluorescent halls of Lumon's Severed Floor without a care in the world. The opening of "Hello, Ms. Cobel" echoes that moment by flipping it on its head. Now, in his first moments back at Lumon since the Innies' Season 1 escape, Mark runs helter-skelter through the halls. Gone is the purpose and routine of the Season 1 hallway walk: Here Mark backtracks and loses his way. The entire sequence, which Scott says took about five months to film, is a perfect, destabilizing reintroduction to the world of Severance, but it ends with a sobering reveal.

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' food, ranked

Mark's destination throughout this mad dash is the Wellness Room, where Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman) — whom he now knows is his Outie's wife, Gemma — used to work. But to Mark's horror, the Wellness Room is completely gone, and Ms. Casey is nowhere to be found. In retiring her to the foreboding Testing Floor, has Lumon made her disappear completely? And if they can lock her away, what's stopping them from doing the same to Mark and all of Lumon's other Innies?

Mark, look out! There's someone behind you!

As Mark takes in the now-gone Wellness Room, Severance goes full horror movie for a second. A mysterious suited figure appears in the hallway behind Mark, like the world's most professional stalker. They disappear just as quickly as they arrive, but their identity remains a mystery. It's not Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman), as he's wearing an entirely different outfit, and it's not one of Mark's new team members, since they're all in the Macrodata Refinement department. So, who is this new arrival on the Severed Floor? And why are they menacingly watching Mark from afar?

Mark has an entirely different team. Tramell Tillman, Alia Shawkat, Stefano Carannante, and Bob Balaban in "Severance." Credit: Apple TV+

When Mark finally arrives in MDR, he's greeted not by Helly (Britt Lower), Irving (John Turturro), and Dylan (Zach Cherry), but by three entirely new coworkers. Mark W. (Bob Balaban), Gwendolyn Y. (Alia Shawkat), and Dario R. (Stefano Carannante) are transfers from other Lumon branches, and they're full of fascinating information about how Lumon operates elsewhere.

SEE ALSO: John Turturro shares fascinating Stanley Kubrick story on 'Severance' podcast

Gwendolyn and Mark W. (who straight up asks Mark to change his name) come from 5X, a newer branch that was shut down. Apparently its Perpetuity Wing had animatronic Eagans, so you know it's fancy. Meanwhile, Dario, presumably from an Italian branch, describes his former workplace as being "very poor." Their Eagans were brooms, and the employees didn't even have an elevator — just a rope. Another funny detail: Where Mark received a crystal head cube as a reward, it looks like Dario received a carved wooden head cube as a substitute. Come on, Lumon, do better!

Lumon's newest hire, Miss Huang, is a literal child. Sarah Bock in "Severance." Credit: Apple TV+

Another new addition to the Severed Floor? Deputy Floor Manager Miss Huang (Sarah Bock), who is fully a teenager. What in the world is such a young person doing on the Severed Floor? Is she a Lumon experiment, born and raised in the building? Or is this just the worst possible way to earn community service hours for school?

Whatever Miss Huang's deal is, she makes the already-bizarre vibes at Lumon even stranger. Props to Bock for bringing such a disarming emptiness to a character viewers will be analyzing for weeks to come.

Mr. Milchick gives Mark the fakest newspaper of all time. Tramell Tillman in "Severance." Credit: Apple TV+

Mr. Milchick catches Mark up on everything that's happened since the Innies escaped. In the past five months, he claims their Outies have become "the face of severance reform," leading to Lumon attempting to make amends. His proof? A clearly doctored newspaper. You're telling me with all its resources, Lumon can't properly Photoshop a fake parade photo? Or maybe they just underestimate the Innies' ability to spot a fake, in which case, that's just insulting. Either way, it's clear Mr. Milchick is lying about what's going on in the outside world. But what else is new at Lumon?

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2, episode 1: Milchick's newspaper proves Lumon is lying about severance reform Severance brings throuples into the mix.

According to Mr. Milchick, Lumon fired Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) because she was romantically pursuing both Mark's Innie and Outie. (More lies!) Her goal? A throuple, a word that I never thought I'd hear on Severance. I'm not mad about it, though, nor have I stopped thinking about Tillman's line read. Seriously, he deserves an Emmy for his delivery of "throuple" alone.

Miss Huang isn't here to make friends. Sarah Bock in "Severance." Credit: Apple TV+

The red ball icebreaker game from Season 1 is back! But Miss Huang is not playing around. When Mark says he's lucky to have made four new friends that day, she steps in with a condescending, "That's nice, Mark. But I have to remind you that I'm a supervisor. Not a friend."

It's enough to make your skin crawl, as is Mark's extra long pause afterwards before amending his statement to "three new friends." Great work environment you're fostering here, Lumon!

SEE ALSO: Ben Stiller jokingly addresses his 'Severance' Season 1 cameo in the official 'Severance' podcast It's an Innie-only episode. Adam Scott in "Severance." Credit: Apple TV+

In a first for Severance, "Hello, Ms. Cobel" doesn't alternate between the Innie and Outie worlds. Instead, we only the Innies' perspective on life, and it is downright horrifying. Not only do we experience firsthand the information barrier between the Innies and the Outies, but we also experience the constant, mundane loop of their lives, which begin and end at the Lumon elevator.

Season 1 already highlighted that this is no way to live, but getting a better firsthand understanding of the Innies' experience hammers home just how miserable this existence is. I could barely handle it for one episode — how are they supposed to handle it for years at a time?

"Kier Pardons His Betrayers." Sarah Bock, Adam Scott, John Turturro, Zach Cherry, and Britt Lower in "Severance." Credit: Apple TV+

I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news? Helly, Irving, and Dylan are back! The bad news? Lumon has installed a new painting outside the elevator, titled "Kier Pardons His Betrayers."

SEE ALSO: Ben Stiller, Adam Scott, and John Turturro revisit 'Severance's weirdest scene on the 'Severance' podcast

Lumon's no stranger to cursed paintings — I'll never forget how "Kier Taming the Four Tempers" foreshadowed the waffle party — but this one, with its half-likenesses of the MDR Innies, is especially WTF-inducing. I simply do not like how the "betrayers" are buried up to their shoulders in the ground, or how Kier is holding a bloody sword. If that painting was the first thing I saw after getting out of an elevator, I'd turn around and head back up, I tell you that much.

So, Mark basically murdered those other Innies, right?

The return of the core MDR group means the loss of Mark W., Gwendolyn, and Dario. But since Mark and Gwendolyn's branch shut down, that means they're permanently retired, right? And who knows what the future holds for Dario? Basically, it looks like this new trio of Innies has been offed, unless they come back in future episodes. After all, why bring in actors like Balaban if you're barely going to use them? (Unless, of course, this was Severance tricking us all along.)

For now, though, RIP to these new Innies. We hardly knew you, but you seemed fun.

SEE ALSO: Severance Season 1 Recap: Everything you need to remember before watching season 2 Severance presents: the greatest, strangest corporate video ever made.

The MDR Innies file into the Break Room, which they've now discovered is an actual torture-free room where can take breaks. Here, Mr. Milchick plays them a new orientation video that promises them that "Lumon is Listening." Words can't even begin to describe how much I adore this freaky stop-motion gem.

Over the course of the video, Severance treats us to Rankin/Bass-style stop-motion reenactments of key moments from Season 1. My personal favorite? When Irving's declaration of "Let's burn this place to the ground" causes his head to burst into raging flames, Heat Miser-style. (Second place goes to the Helly and Mark kiss, which prompts a valid "What the shit?" from Dylan.)

The entire video is full of fascinating details (for example, Lumon operates in 206 countries) and bananas storytelling, from the talking Lumon building and water tower (voiced by Keanu Reeves and SNL's Sarah Sherman) to the infectious pronunciation of "pineapple BOBBING." Dylan is totally right that Lumon's promises of new perks are just a "massive-ass head game," but I'll be damned if they don't know how to put on a good show.

Why did Helly lie about what she saw outside Lumon? Adam Scott and Britt Lower in "Severance." Credit: Apple TV+

Severance follows up this confounding video with yet another weird twist: Helly lies to her coworkers about what she saw when she woke up in the outside world. Instead of telling everyone she's Helena Eagan, heir to Lumon, she concocts some story about leaving her "boring" apartment and telling her story to a "night gardener."

So, why in the world would Helly lie? Could she be so ashamed of her Outie identity that she doesn't want to share it with her friends? Could she be so afraid of the Eagans' retaliation that she decides to keep quiet? Or could she actually be Helena, posing as Helly to gather intel? Whatever the truth, you'd think Helly could come up with a better lie than one involving a night gardener, of all things.

Is Helly jealous of Gemma?

When Mark reveals his plans to break Gemma out of Lumon, Helly's reaction is... suspicious. She seems to downplay the situation and questions Innie Mark's allegiance to Gemma. After all, she's not really his wife, right?

But for Mark, it's not so simple. "We're the same-ish person," he says of Outie Mark. "So it's mushy."

I agree, Mark; it is mushy. With Innie and Outie Mark each having their own romantic interests, Severance is setting up for what might be the most complicated love triangle ever. (Or would this be more of a quadrangle?)

What will happen in the Outie Family Visitation Suite?

As incentive for trying to get Dylan to stay, Mr. Milchick reveals that he's planning to build an Outie Family Visitation Suite, where Dylan can meet his wife Gretchen. It's the perfect psychological button to press following Dylan's desire to see his family back in Season 1, and it works like a charm.

The implications of the visitation suite are massive, as they could be the one place where Innies and their Outies' acquaintances can communicate. Could any of the Innies sound the alarm on their plights from the suite?

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2: What is Cold Harbor?

For now, it's looking unlikely: Milchick only offers this privilege to Dylan, as all the other Innies are single and this perk could lead to jealousy down the line. But hold on, Mr. Milchick — being single doesn't mean the Innies don't have family ! What about Mark's sister Devon (Jen Tullock)? Why not just call it the Outie Significant Other Visitation Suite then?

What is Cold Harbor, and what does it have to do with Gemma?

"Hello, Ms. Cobel" ends with the MDR Innies back at work, refining their macrodata while still not knowing what it does. But wait! The last few seconds give us a small hint, revealing that Mark's file, labeled Cold Harbor, is somehow linked to Gemma. For her part, Gemma appears to be under some kind of observation, but as for why (or what is going on) we still don't know yet. But after such a strong start to Season 2, I can't wait to find out.

Severance Season 2 is now streaming on Apple TV+, with a new episode every week.

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The Brooklyn Nets head to crypto.com Arena to face the Los Angeles Lakers in a non-conference matchup. The Nets are 14-27, which puts them in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. The Lakers are 21-17, which puts them in sixth place in the Western Conference.

The Nets have lost four of their last five games, but are coming off a win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers have lost three of their last five games, which were all consecutive losses. The Lakers have not won a game since January 3.

When is Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers?

Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA starts at 10:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 17. This game takes place at crypto.com Arena in L.A.

How to watch Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers

You need to choose a streaming service to watch the NBA without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Nets vs. Lakers basketball game.

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How to watch Nets vs. Lakers from anywhere in the world

If you're traveling outside of the U.S. during this game, you might need to use a VPN to unblock this live stream. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server, meaning you can unblock live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

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Live stream Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA with ExpressVPN.

Severance's Season 2 premiere, "Hello Ms. Cobel," has already left us with a ton of questions. Is Lumon really telling the truth about severance reform? Why is Helly (Britt Lower) lying about what she saw in the Season 1 finale? And what in the world is Miss Huang's (Sarah Bock) deal?

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2 may already be the best show of the year: Review

But perhaps the most pressing question surfaces in the episode's final seconds, when Mark (Adam Scott) returns to work in Lumon's Macrodata Refinement (MDR) department. As he and his team get back to sorting numbers, images of his screen alternate with flashes of another screen, which displays Mark's Outie's wife Gemma (Dichen Lachman), whom he believed to be dead but who was actually working on Lumon's Severed Floor as Wellness Counselor Ms. Casey. The screen also shows Gemma's vitals, like her heart rate and temperature, as well as a small symbol that looks like a severance chip, highlighting that Ms. Casey is Gemma's severed Innie. Above it all, on the top left of the screen, are two mysterious words: Cold Harbor. What in the world could that be?

What, exactly, is Cold Harbor? Dichen Lachman in "Severance." Credit: AppleTV+

Cold Harbor is the name of the file Mark is working on at the moment. (Fun fact: It was also the code name for Season 2 during filming.) Like prior MDR files we've heard about, including Allentown and Tumwater, it's named after a location — likely the historic district in Virginia where the 1864 Battle of Cold Harbor took place. Severance has yet to reveal the significance of these file names, but could each of MDR's files be linked to real-world consequences in these specific locations?

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2, episode 1: Milchick's newspaper proves Lumon is lying about severance reform

We don't know that for sure, but thanks to the end of "Hello, Ms. Cobel," we do know that Cold Harbor is linked to Gemma in some way, and that Mark is 68 percent done with the file. Given that Lumon is tracking Gemma's vital signs, could Mark's progress on the file be linked to her physical wellbeing? Is his MDR work tied to the resurrection of his Outie's late wife, or keeping her alive outright? And if Gemma is linked specifically to Cold Harbor, could files like Allentown and Tumwater be linked to other individuals once presumed dead?

While the final moments of "Hello, Ms. Cobel" leave us with several questions, they also give us some helpful hints about MDR's work. Chiefest among them is what MDR's numbers actually mean.

What do the numbers in Severance mean? Adam Scott in "Severance." Credit: AppleTV+

At the bottom of the screen monitoring Gemma and Mark's progress on Cold Harbor, we see the five boxes Mark has to sort his number clusters into. Unlike on Mark's screen, though, these boxes have four smaller boxes under them, labeled WO, DR, FC, and MA. These are almost certainly abbreviations for the Four Tempers established by Kier Eagan: woe, dread, frolic, and malice. That would explain why Mark tells Helly the numbers should make her feel different ways back in Season 1.

This theory is further backed up by Severance's 2022 companion book Severance: The Lexington Letter. The last section of the book is an orientation booklet for Macrodata Refiners. It's the first confirmation that the numbers are divided into subgroups WO, DR, FC, and MA, and it gives specific details for the reactions these numbers should prompt. WO numbers, for example, "elicit melancholy or despair." FC numbers, on the other hand, "elicit joy, gaiety, or ecstasy." Sounds like woe and frolic to me!

But now that we know what the numbers mean, a whole new crop of questions arise. What is Lumon hoping to achieve in sorting Kier's Four Tempers into different combinations? Are they trying to build a person with the perfect balance of the Tempers? Is Gemma just the latest in a series of guinea pigs in pursuit of this goal? Or maybe Mark is unknowingly rebuilding the late Gemma's personality so that she can be resurrected in earnest. In which case, are these numbers how Lumon cracks immortality? And perhaps most pressing of all, what will happen when Mark completes Cold Harbor? My head is spinning, and we're only one episode into Season 2!

Severance Season 2 is now streaming on AppleTV+, with a new episode every Friday.

OK, deep breaths. That was a lot to unpack.

The Silo Season 2 finale had multiple threads to follow, most of which led to more questions than answers. So let's unpack what answers we do have, and speculate on what might be coming in Season 3.

From the fate of Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) and Bernard (Tim Robbins) to that weird pre-apocalypse flashback, we've broken down the finale below.

SEE ALSO: 'Silo' Season 2, episode 9: What is the safeguard? What happens at the end of Silo Season 2?

Multiple cliffhangers, plus an unexpected flashback!

Like the second season as a whole, the finale jumps between key characters like Juliette, Bernard, Lukas (Avi Nash), Shirley (Remmie Milner), Knox (Shane McRae), and Sims (Common). As rioters finally reach the top of the silo, hellbent on getting answers from Bernard, they see Juliette reappear on the camera outside and warn them not to come out. But as she runs down the stairs towards the airlock she's met by Bernard, coming the other way with a gun. The two of them discuss how to save the silo from the ominous safeguard procedure (more on that below), before they find themselves trapped between the airlock doors as fire engulfs them.

Elsewhere, Sims visits the vault after confronting Lukas. The same robotic voice that spoke to Lukas in the tunnel addresses Sims, agreeing with his statement that he "wants to save the silo" before telling him and his son to leave the vault. "Camille can stay," the voice says, referring to Sims' wife (Alexandria Riley).

Finally, we have a flashback in which two people meet for a date in a bar, before the days of the silo. It eventually becomes clear that the man is a Congressman and the woman is a journalist, trying to get answers from him about a possible "radiological attack on the Unites States." Eventually he leaves, but not before giving her a gift he picked up on a whim from a nearby store: what appears to be the same duck-shaped Pez dispenser that appears as a "relic" in Silo Season 1. Intriguing!

Credit: Apple TV+ So what is the safeguard procedure?

It was a major question in Season 2, episode 9, and in the finale we finally get the answer. When Juliette encounters Bernard leaving the silo, their conversation makes it clear that the safeguard is a way for someone outside the silo to pump in poison.

"There's no point what you're trying to do: Save them. It's out of your hands, it was never in your hands, in my hands, in anyone's hands," says Bernard.

"Because of the poison they can pump in?" responds Juliette.

"You know about that?"

"I know about that. But I don't know who'd do it, and I don't know why."

"I know the who. But I don't know why and I don't fucking care."

Presumably the "who" is the owner of the voice that threatens Lukas with the safeguard in episode 9. But who exactly that owner is — whether some kind of sentient AI or ultimate Head of IT — will be a question for Season 3.

What will happen to Sims and his family?

The voice in the vault that responds to Robert Sims claims to want to save the silo, too — but how do we know if it's telling the truth? On the one hand, you could argue that it surely wouldn't even engage with Sims if it didn't want to save the silo. On the other, we know that Juliette has a plan in place for stopping the safeguard. Maybe the poison takes time to pump in? Perhaps the owner of the voice is aware of this, and is planning to use Sims' family to stop Juliette from getting in the way of its plans?

One thing that does seem likely, though, is that the owner of the voice intends to work with Camille Sims, rather than her husband. Maybe, based on its observations of the silo, it thinks she's the more capable family member?

Credit: Apple TV+ Will Juliette and Bernard survive the fire?

Juliette and Bernard aren't in a great spot at the end of Season 2, and that's putting it mildly. As the airlock doors closes Bernard throws himself to the ground, and when the fire starts pouring into the cramped chamber Juliette does the same. But is there any way either of them can have survived that?

Well, maybe. Let's not forget that Juliette is actually wearing a fire suit. Although she's not as quick to duck down as Bernard, that should offer her some protection.

If either of them is going to die, Bernard seems the most likely. He drops to the floor quickly, but that may not be enough to save him — especially now that he's no longer the show's main villain.

What's the deal with that flashback?

From all the clues we're given, it seems fairly obvious that the flashback at the end of Season 2 is meant to take us back to the silo's origin. The Congressman is from Georgia, for starters, and it's heavily implied that this is where the silos are located (the travel book relic from Season 1 references Georgia, for instance, and the skyline beyond the silo resembles that of Atlanta).

The scene we witness also implies that the threat of war is looming, or possibly already here. The Congressman has to pass a radiation checker before he enters the bar, there's talk of a dirty bomb and a threat from Iran, and there's the journalist's mention of a possible "radiological attack". The silos may be already under construction at this point, for all we know. Perhaps the Congressman even has knowledge of the project.

So, will we see these people again? Will Season 3 be peppered with flashbacks that tell the silos' origin story? At this point it's impossible to say, but it certainly seems possible. Maybe the journalist will end up being one of silo 18's first occupants — the Pez dispenser certainly hints at this — and maybe, just maybe, the Congressman will be revealed as one of the fabled founders.

How to watch: Silo is streaming now on Apple TV+.

Lumon is back to their lying ways in the Severance Season 2 premiere — but would we expect anything less from the world's shadiest company?

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2 may already be the best show of the year: Review

In Season 2, episode 1, Mark (Adam Scott) returns to the Severed Floor following the Innies' daring Season 1 escape. But in a shocking turn of events, Lumon doesn't have any plans to punish Mark and his fellow Macrodata Refiners. Instead, new floor manager Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) claims that the Innies' worries about mistreatment resonated with the outside world, leading Lumon to reflect upon its wrongdoings (aka torture). Now, Milchick claims, Mark and his fellow Innies have become the face of "severance reform." He's even got a newspaper to prove it!

Something's fishy about this. Credit: Screenshot: AppleTV+

The heavily redacted newspaper, titled The Kier Chronicle, features a front-page story about the Innies blowing the whistle on their mistreatment, along with two side stories about the "Baird Creek Bandit" and new Lumon recycling technology.

The key article here remains the whistle-blowing story, which is full of juicy tidbits, including mentions of new Innie privileges like "top-of-the-line recreational facilities, sexual liberation, improved snacks, and the possibility for field..." The text cuts off here, but I'm guessing it goes on to say "field trips." These seem fairly consistent with the promises Milchick makes to Mark, Helly (Britt Lower), Irving (John Turturro), and Dylan (Zach Cherry) later in the episode, although he doesn't mention "sexual liberation" to them outright.

SEE ALSO: 12 burning questions we have after the 'Severance' Season 2 trailer

Interestingly, the article also name drops Mark's brother-in-law, Dr. Ricken Hale (Michael Chernus), cited as author of The You You Are and These Values Nine: How I Let Kier In. The former book was key to the Innies' revolt in Season 1, but the latter book hasn't been mentioned yet. It's likely a Lumon fabrication, one meant to make Mark believe that Ricken — whose work he respects — is a dedicated follower of Kier Eagan. If Mark trusts Ricken, and Ricken likes Kier, then surely Mark should trust Kier and Lumon, right?

The many, many redactions and Ricken mention aren't The Kier Chronicle's only red flags. In fact, the title of biggest red flag falls to the front page image of Mark, Helly, Irving, and Dylan being celebrated in a ticker tape parade.

Right off the bat, it's obvious that photo has been doctored. The image of the Innies is taken from their group photo from Helly's very first day, which everyone kept on their desk.

Compare with the newspaper, and this is a match! Credit: Screenshot: AppleTV+

The Innie photo has been pasted onto an image that isn't even from this century. It's actually a photo from a ticker tape parade from Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1960 visit to Rio de Janeiro. See for yourself:

Dwight D. Eisenhower, notably NOT a Lumon employee. Credit: Universal History Archive / UIG via Getty images

The faking of the photo and the whole newspaper is continued proof of how Lumon manipulates the Innies and what little information they have of the outside world. And since that photo is a fake, it's clear there never actually was a celebration for the Innies, which means their message didn't spread as far as Lumon would have Mark believe. So why would Lumon lie about that and severance reform in the first place? Why ply Innie Mark with better perks in the hopes of getting him to remain at Lumon, when the company could theoretically just fire his Outie and replace him in MDR?

Given all this effort to keep Mark at Lumon, perhaps the key to MDR's "mysterious and important" work isn't having just any severed worker perform it. Maybe the true key is having Mark himself carry it out. After all, episode 1 ends with ominous flashes between Mark's macrodata refining and shots of Gemma/Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman). Could Lumon be exploiting Outie Mark and Gemma's relationship for the sake of their latest sinister project?

Severance Season 2 is now streaming on AppleTV+, with new episodes every Friday.

After three long years, Severance is finally back with its second season, and things are just as mysterious and confusing as ever.

The good news? After a disorientating start, where it seems Mark (Adam Scott) has had his team replaced, he finally reunites with Dylan (Zach Cherry), Irving (John Turturro), and Helly (Britt Lower). The bad news? Helly decides to lie to them about what she saw on the outside at the end of Season 1.

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2 may already be the best show of the year: Review What happens with Helly in Severance Season 2, episode 1?

We know from Season 1's final episode who Helly really is on the outside of the severed floor: She's actually Helena Eagan, a direct descendant of Lumen founder/CEO Kier Eagan and the daughter of the current Lumon CEO. While on the outside she takes to the stage to give a speech, telling the confused audience that the innies are "prisoners," declaring, "They torture us down there!" before being tackled by security.

In the first episode of the second season, however, Helly has a different story for her friends. Instead of telling them who she is on the outside, she tells them that when she woke up, she was in an apartment by herself.

"I was watching some nature show on TV, wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt," says Helly. "Then I went outside and found a guy; he looked like a gardener. Told him everything. I think he kind of thought it was bullshit, but he said that his brother was a cop and that he would tell him everything. I don't know. Sorry, guys. I really tried."

Why does Helly lie to the others about what she saw?

There are really only three possible explanations as to why Helly might be lying to the others. The first, and maybe most likely, is that she's ashamed. Her outie isn't just an employee at Lumon — she's literally one of the higher-ups. To some extent, she's responsible for what the innies go through on the severed floor. Perhaps Helly lies because she doesn't want her friends to think badly of her?

The second option is that she's lying because Lumon has some kind of leverage over her. Maybe they're forcing her to tell a certain story, and have threatened her with something bad happening if she doesn't.

The third and most out-there option is that she's not really innie Helly at all. Maybe, just maybe, the Helly who rejoins Mark and the others is her outie counterpart, Helena, in disguise as her innie in order to gain information about what the others know.

Severance Season 2 is streaming now on Apple TV+, with a new episode every week.

President Joe Biden reportedly won't enforce the U.S. TikTok ban, leaving it up to President-elect Donald Trump to make the final call on the popular video-sharing app's immediate future. 

In a statement to ABC News, a White House official indicated that the current administration will leave the implementation of TikTok's ban to the incoming Trump government. Even so, this isn't a stay of execution, as TikTok will still have no legal authority to continue operating in the country. The Biden administration just won't be jumping down its throat as soon as the ban begins.

"Given the timing of when it goes into effect over a holiday weekend a day before inauguration, it will be up to the next administration to implement," the official said.

SEE ALSO: TikTok ban countdown: See the latest updates as time runs short

This alleged decision to leave the matter to Trump isn't all that surprising. Barring the Supreme Court intervening in TikTok's favour within the next few days, the U.S. TikTok ban is currently scheduled to take effect from Sunday, Jan. 19 — just one day prior to Trump's presidential inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20. As such, it seems likely that Biden and his staff will be preoccupied with other issues on his last full day in office.

Trump previously issued an executive order banning TikTok in 2020, however blocks by the courts meant it never took effect. The then-president subsequently appeared to lose interest in the ban, with Biden eventually dropping the order altogether after he took office in 2021.

Now it seems the roles are reversed, with Biden having approved a TikTok ban which Trump may try to thwart.

Fortunately for TikTok's U.S. users, Trump appears to have softened his stance on the app since his first term in office. Speaking at an event last December, the billionaire mused that "maybe we gotta keep this sucker around for a little while," seemingly swayed by the millions of views his videos have received.

Less than a week later, Trump submitted an amicus brief in TikTok's appeal against the ban, requesting that the Supreme Court issue a stay on it so he can "pursue a political resolution of the questions at issue" once in office. Trump also met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew in December, and has reportedly invited him to Monday's inauguration alongside fellow tech executives Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk.

SEE ALSO: As TikTok faces a ban, creators brace for an uncertain future

It seems few people truly want TikTok banned altogether. Many politicians and business people have been expecting that TikTok's parent company ByteDance will simply sell its U.S. operations to an American company, with everyone from Musk to former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick being suggested as potential buyers. Even the White House official told ABC News that the Biden administration's position is that "TikTok should continue to operate under American ownership." 

"I don't think TikTok is going to be banned," then-North Carolina Congressman Jeff Jackson said after voting for the ban last March (ironically speaking in a TikTok video). "The bill that just passed the House was about telling TikTok they have to sell to another company…. If it [passes the Senate], TikTok will be sold for billions of dollars and will continue to operate."

However, it seems as though such baseless confidence may be misplaced. ByteDance has given little indication it would be willing to sell, with a complete U.S. TikTok shutdown reportedly planned for when the ban comes into effect on Sunday. This would prevent people from downloading the app, while current U.S. users who open TikTok will be shown a pop-up directing them to a website with information about the ban.

Even if the outgoing Biden administration has stated that it won't enforce the TikTok ban, continuing to operate without official authorisation is a risk ByteDance is unlikely to take. If it does so, TikTok could be hit with a fine of around $850 billion, incurring penalties of up to $5,000 for each of its 170 million U.S. users (a cohort which hypocritically includes Biden, Trump, and Attorney General Jackson). ByteDance was valued at $300 billion last November.

TL;DR: Live stream Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks in the NBA with FuboTV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV.

The Oklahoma City Thunder head to American Airlines Center to face the Dallas Mavericks in a Western Conference matchup. The Thunder are 34-6, which puts them in first place. The Mavericks are 22-19, which puts them in eighth place.

The Thunder have won four of their last five games, and are coming off three consecutive wins. The Mavericks have lost three of their last five games, and are coming off back-to-back losses to the Denver Nuggets.

When is Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks?

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks in the NBA starts at 8:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 17. This game takes place at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks

You need to choose a streaming service to watch the NBA without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Thunder vs. Mavs basketball game.

Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: Fubo TV FuboTV Pro plan Get Deal

FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and the option to watch on 10 screens at once. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period. 

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network. 

Most live sports: YouTube TV Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV $49.99/month for your first two months (save $46) Get Deal

YouTube TV's base plan is $49.99 per month for two months for new subscribers ($72.99 per month regularly). The base plan includes over 100 live TV channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, and NBA TV.

Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling TV Sling Orange Plan Get Deal

Sling TV suggests the streamer's Orange Plan for the game, which costs $20 for the first month and $40 monthly after that.

Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBA TV, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.

How to watch Thunder vs. Mavs from anywhere in the world

If you're traveling outside of the U.S. during this game, you might need to use a VPN to unblock this live stream. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server, meaning you can unblock live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming app

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to live streams of the NBA without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks in the NBA with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat in the NBA with FuboTV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV.

The Denver Nuggets head to Kaseya Center to face the Miami Heat in a non-conference matchup. The Nuggets are 24-16, which puts them in fourth place in the Western Conference. The Heat are 20-18, which puts them in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

The Nuggets have won four consecutive games. The Heat have won three of their last five games, but are coming off a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

When is Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat?

Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat in the NBA starts at 8 p.m. ET on Jan. 17. This game takes place at Kaseya Center in Miami.

How to watch Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat

You need to choose a streaming service to watch the NBA without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Nuggets vs. Heat basketball game.

Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: Fubo TV FuboTV Pro plan Get Deal

FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and the option to watch on 10 screens at once. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period. 

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network. 

Most live sports: YouTube TV Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV $49.99/month for your first two months (save $46) Get Deal

YouTube TV's base plan is $49.99 per month for two months for new subscribers ($72.99 per month regularly). The base plan includes over 100 live TV channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, and NBA TV.

Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling TV Sling Orange Plan Get Deal

Sling TV suggests the streamer's Orange Plan for the game, which costs $20 for the first month and $40 monthly after that.

Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBA TV, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.

How to watch Nuggets vs. Heat from anywhere in the world

If you're traveling outside of the U.S. during this game, you might need to use a VPN to unblock this live stream. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server, meaning you can unblock live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming app

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to live streams of the NBA without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat in the NBA with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks in the NBA with FuboTV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV.

The Minnesota Timberwolves head to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks in a non-conference matchup. The Timberwolves are 21-19, which puts them in eighth place in the Western Conference. The Knicks are 27-15, which puts them in third place in the Eastern Conference.

The Timberwolves have won four of their last five games, and are coming off a win over the Washington Wizards. The Knicks have won three of their last five games, and are coming off a win over the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime.

When is Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks?

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks in the NBA starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 17. This game takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York.

How to watch Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics

You need to choose a streaming service to watch the NBA without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Magic vs. Celtics basketball game.

Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: Fubo TV FuboTV Pro plan Get Deal

FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and the option to watch on 10 screens at once. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period. 

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network. 

Most live sports: YouTube TV Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV $49.99/month for your first two months (save $46) Get Deal

YouTube TV's base plan is $49.99 per month for two months for new subscribers ($72.99 per month regularly). The base plan includes over 100 live TV channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, and NBA TV.

Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling TV Sling Orange Plan Get Deal

Sling TV suggests the streamer's Orange Plan for the game, which costs $20 for the first month and $40 monthly after that.

Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBA TV, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.

How to watch Magic vs. Celtics from anywhere in the world

If you're traveling outside of the U.S. during this game, you might need to use a VPN to unblock this live stream. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server, meaning you can unblock live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming app

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to live streams of the NBA without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics in the NBA with ExpressVPN.

Whether you’re leading a team, department, or an entire company, aligning learning and development with your organization’s top priorities is critical to driving success and adapting during volatile times. Here are five strategies to transform your approach and maximize impact. Adopt agile learning. Replace lengthy program rollouts with fast, iterative sprints. Cross-functional teams of designers […]

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TL;DR: MagellanTV's lifetime subscription — now £163.49 (reg. £816.69) — lets you stream thousands of documentaries whenever you want.

Opens in a new window Credit: MagellanTV MagellanTV Documentary Streaming Service: Lifetime Subscription £168.49 at the Mashable Shop
£816.69 Save £648.20 Get Deal

Forget endlessly scrolling through shows you’ll never watch. With MagellanTV, you get access to thousands of documentaries that inform, entertain, and inspire — and this lifetime subscription lets you enjoy it all for £163.49 – a 79% discount from the usual price.

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Love high-quality visuals? MagellanTV delivers over 3,000 titles in 4K Ultra HD, so you can immerse yourself in stunning detail while learning about the world’s mysteries, discoveries, and stories. Whether you’re a lifelong learner, a history buff, or someone who just loves a good binge, there’s always something fascinating to stream.

Stream smarter, explore endlessly, and enjoy your favourite documentaries whenever you want. It’s a cost-effective way to replace hours of mindless browsing with thought-provoking, bingeworthy content.

For a one-time payment of £163.49 (reg. £816.69), you get lifetime access to MagellanTV’s growing library of documentaries.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream Sinner vs. Giron in the 2025 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Jannik Sinner is looking to defend his Australian Open crown, and next up he faces Marcos Giron in an interesting third-round matchup. The top seed will obviously be the favorite, but anything can happen at this stage of the tournament.

If you want to watch Sinner vs. Giron in the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Sinner vs. Giron for free

The 2025 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now, including Sinner vs. Giron.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer incentive deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Sinner vs. Giron without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Sinner vs. Giron in the 2025 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Raducanu vs. Swiatek in the 2025 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Australian Open third round is the first real opportunity to see massive matchups between top players, and that's exactly what fans are getting with Raducanu vs. Swiatek. Both players are Grand Slam winners, but neither has made much of an impression at this tournament.

But that could all change this year. If you want to watch Raducanu vs. Swiatek in the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Raducanu vs. Swiatek for free

The 2025 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now, including Raducanu vs. Swiatek.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer incentive deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Raducanu vs. Swiatek without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Raducanu vs. Swiatek in the 2025 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Draper vs. Vukic in the 2025 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Australian Open third round includes some fascinating matchups, including Draper vs. Vukic. The 15th seed will be the favorite to win this one, but Vukic will be playing in front of a passionate home support.

If you want to watch Draper vs. Vukic in the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Draper vs. Vukic for free

The 2025 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now, including Draper vs. Vukic.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer incentive deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Draper vs. Vukic without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Draper vs. Vukic in the 2025 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Shelton vs. Musetti in the 2025 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The third round of the Australian Open is when things really start to heat up with some massive matchups, including Shelton vs. Musetti. This game sees the 16th and 21st seeds go head to head, making this one particularly difficult to call.

If you want to watch Shelton vs. Musetti in the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Shelton vs. Musetti for free

The 2025 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now, including Shelton vs. Musetti.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer incentive deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Shelton vs. Musetti without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Shelton vs. Musetti in the 2025 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Fritz vs. Monfils in the 2025 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The third round of the Australian Open includes some really interesting matchups, including Fritz vs. Monfils. The American is the favorite to take the win, but the experience and class of Monfils cannot be ignored.

If you want to watch Fritz vs. Monfils in the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Fritz vs. Monfils for free

The 2025 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now, including Fritz vs. Monfils.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer incentive deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Fritz vs. Monfils without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Fritz vs. Monfils in the 2025 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

It's been a long time since an episode of TV has made me as flat-out angry as The Traitors Season 3, episode 4, "I Will Bury You Under the Sand."

SEE ALSO: 2025 TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream them

The episode starts out like a standard enough installment of The Traitors. We witness a murder (RIP to Survivor's Jeremy Collins), the Faithfuls do their best to strategize for that night's round table banishment, and everyone completes a physically strenuous challenge. But things take an extra traitorous turn when Survivor legend Rob Mariano, aka Boston Rob, sells out fellow Traitor and RuPaul's Drag Race Season 8 winner Bob the Drag Queen. (Big Brother's Dan Gheesling attempted a similar, unsuccessful move against The Real Housewives of Atlanta's Phaedra Parks in Season 2.) The result? Bob the Drag Queen becomes the first Traitor to be banished, while Boston Rob becomes a hero among the Faithful.

On the surface, Rob's move is an impressive piece of gameplay and reality TV storytelling. Following the episode's challenge, Bob had insinuated that any of the the three late arrivals to the competition — including Boston Rob, The Challenge's Wes Bergmann, and Big Brother's Derrick Levasseur — could be Traitors, putting a target on Rob's back. Bob had also made some questionable moves throughout the series so far, becoming the target of suspicion himself, with Dylan Efron, of Down to Earth with Zac Efron, leading the charge against him. In championing Bob the Drag Queen's exit, Boston Rob cements Dylan's trust, along with the trust of everyone who believes Dylan. Sure, it's a "legendary" move, as fellow contestants describe it. Personally, though, I found the whole thing sickening (and not in a good way).

Why does Bob the Drag Queen's Traitors exit suck so much? I don't care that he was a murderer — justice for Bob! Credit: Euan Cherry / Peacock

In a campy fun reality TV show that's all about betrayal and murder, it feels silly to get up in arms about a fake banishment — especially when Bob himself says, "That was just gameplay, baby," in his exit interview. (Host Alan Cumming even reminds everyone that this is all just a game following the banishment.)

Yet following Season 2, which saw RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9 runner-up Peppermint get banished first (she was a Faithful), it's hard not to notice the beginnings of a pattern in terms of how drag queens get treated on the show. Coming at the series as a Drag Race fan first, and a Traitors fan second — as well as a novice when it comes to other reality shows, like The Challenge and Big Brother — I'll admit that I'm biased towards Bob in the first place. When Cumming tapped him on the shoulder, that was my Super Bowl moment. It felt like The Traitors acknowledging Bob as a threat, and investing in him as someone who would go far in the story. That was a relief after the ousting of Peppermint, a Black trans woman and a drag performer whose elimination certainly felt like the product of implicit biases.

Unlike Peppermint, though, Bob was actually a Traitor — and in doing so created some damn fine TV in the process. His gleeful exclamation of "We are eating!" before taking out Jeremy was pure Traitors goodness. (Although now it feels more like a bit of pride coming before the fall.) Also unlike Peppermint, Bob got more time to establish himself within the castle, earning fierce allies to the point that some contestants refused to vote for him. During the roundtable, everyone kept reiterating just how much everyone in the castle liked him — so why did his elimination feel so ugly?

SEE ALSO: Help, I can't stop thinking about Suzie Toot's 'Woman's World' lip sync

It comes down to the Traitor-on-Traitor betrayal. The Traitors has set up a rivalry between Bob and Rob since one of their first interactions, when Bob told Rob his backwards cap and blazer combo was a fashion crime. (He's right; I don't care if it's Rob's signature.) As Bob advocated for chaos in the turret, the rift between them only grew. But that doesn't make the expression on Bob's face when Rob singles him out any less brutal. That's only compounded further by Bob's futile attempts to dig himself out of the hole.

To be fair, Rob has never shied away from playing a villain (he was notably a villain on Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains). Yet there's one moment from his whisper campaign that I can't get out of my mind, and that's when he tells Dylan, "We're going to take out the drag queen tonight." The lack of a name brought me back to Peppermint's elimination in Season 2. Gameplay errors put both her and Bob on the banishing block, but it's hard to shake the feeling that bias didn't play a role in their Traitors exits.

Season 3 of The Traitors certainly has more queer representation than Season 2, including The Bachelorette's Gabby Windey, Selling Sunset's Chrishell Stause, and The Biggest Loser's Bob Harper. But for now, it still feels like Drag Race contestants are sitting ducks on The Traitors. If they are to make it farther in future competitions, it might help to cast multiple Drag Race alumni in order to build more room for the kinds of built-in alliances and storylines that come with having multiples members of the Housewives or Survivor franchises.

So, what's next for The Traitors following Boston Rob's big move?

Now that I no longer have Bob to root for, at least I have someone to root against in Rob.

Thankfully, it seems like people are already on his trail. Traitors Danielle Reyes (of Big Brother) and Carolyn Wiger (of Survivor) have realized that Rob is only out for himself, which means they'll either have to take him out or risk their own necks. (Or they could have gone against him at the roundtable. I might always be bitter.)

Meanwhile, Wes has deduced that Rob's certainty about Bob being a Traitor could implicate him. After all, how can you be 100% sure that someone is a Traitor? Only if you're a Traitor yourself. But can Wes, Carolyn, and Danielle turn Rob's new fan club against him? I pray to Alan Cumming they do, because it will make for seriously fabulous TV. I just wish it didn't have to come at Bob's expense.

The Traitors Season 3 is now streaming on Peacock, with a new episode every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.

SpaceX launched a new Starship rocket on Thursday, this time with an upgraded spacecraft and 10 mock satellites to practice a cargo delivery in space.

But things didn't go as planned. Though the company successfully caught the booster with giant mechanical arms at the launchpad, flight controllers lost contact with the uncrewed spaceship, which prematurely ended the test after it broke apart.

SEE ALSO: Watch SpaceX exquisitely set free a pair of moon landers in space

Starship, a 400-foot-tall, super-heavy-lift rocket and spaceship, blasted off shortly after 4:30 p.m. CST / 5:30 p.m. EST / 2:30 p.m. PST from the aerospace company's private space port in Boca Chica, Texas. The test flight was the rocket system's seventh, and was broadcast on both SpaceX's website and X, the social platform acquired by the business' billionaire founder Elon Musk.

Starship's expected one-hour test went awry when controllers lost communication with the ship about 8.5 minutes into flight — long before the spacecraft's intended splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Videos on X reportedly showed it breaking up and re-entering Earth's atmosphere, including a clip shared by Musk. It was not immediately known whether any damages resulted from raining debris.

"We are obviously bummed out about Ship," said Dan Huot, a SpaceX spokesman and launch commentator. "Reminder: It's a test, it's a flight test, it's an experimental vehicle, so we'll figure out what ended our day today and make sure that doesn't end our day tomorrow."

Mechanical arms at the Starship launch tower successfully catch the returned booster during the seventh flight test on Jan. 16. Credit: SpaceX screenshot

SpaceX has faced criticism for its previous Starship test failures. Its executives insist that building fast, destroying expensive hardware, and learning quickly from mistakes are all part of the company's philosophy — in stark contrast with NASA's much slower approach.

Musk has complained that federal regulations have a chokehold on his company, impeding its progress and ability to conduct rapid testing on Starship. Industry watchers have speculated that Musk's newfound close ties with President-elect Donald Trump could remove some of that bureaucratic red tape. 

The test came the same day as competitor Blue Origin's first launch of the New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The 320-foot rocket successfully reached orbit Thursday morning, though the booster did not land on an ocean barge as planned, company executives admitting it had been an ambitious goal for a brand-new launch vehicle. The two giant rocket demonstrations are a testament to the intensifying commercial space industry.

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The primary objectives for SpaceX were stress-testing the new ship and avionics, catching the booster at the launchpad for potential reuse, deploying the dummy satellites in space, and a targeted water landing. It wasn't immediately known what caused the redesigned spaceship to fail.

Trump apparently didn't observe the flight demonstration as he had for the one in November 2024. During the previous test, SpaceX waved off catching the rocket booster because of a communication glitch with the launch tower, though the feat was successfully achieved during the October test.

This time, the booster again returned to the robotic "chopsticks" as planned, greeting South Texas with its thunderous sonic boom. 

"It was incredible to see it come back down, just that silver flare in the sky, and we can still see the launch plume behind us," said Katie Tice, a SpaceX launch host. "That was very moving for me." 

Starship flies in space during its seventh test Jan. 16, shortly before flight controllers lost contact with the spacecraft. Credit: SpaceX screenshot

NASA will depend on the rocket company to ferry astronauts to the lunar surface on a modified Starship for the Artemis III and IV moon missions under a $4.2 billion contract. To do that, SpaceX first has to master refueling its spaceship in space. For Musk, Starship is also a passion project to eventually send people to Mars and build a self-sustaining city on the Red Planet.

The Starship on Thursday flew with a reused engine from the booster returned from the fifth test.