Month: April 2022

Over their decades as a band, Red Hot Chili Peppers have had a ton of chart success: “Under The Bridge,” “Scar Tissue,” and “Dani California” were top-10 singles, and every RHCP album since 1991’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik has charted in at least the top 4. Before today, though, they only had a single No. 1 album to their name with 2006’s Stadium Arcadium. Now, about 16 years later, they add another LP to that list: Their latest, this month’s Unlimited Love, debuts on the April 16-dated Billboard 200 chart in the No. 1 spot.

This achievement is a testament to the longevity of the band, as it arrives 39 years after they formed back in 1983. Also worth noting is that the new album is the band’s first since the return of guitarist John Frusciante, who left the band after their previous No. 1 album, Stadium Arcadium.

The band generated significant buzz for the album with the lead single “Black Summer,” which topped Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay chart. They also pulled off a neat stunt earlier this month when they performed on both The Tonight Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live! on the same night, when the shows swapped hosts for their April Fools’ Day episodes.

Red Hot Chili Peppers is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

If you have $200 to burn on a single bottle of bourbon, you probably aren’t too worried about that price tag. Let’s be honest, a lot of the people buying whiskey at this price point are either collectors, have enough cash to indulge their whims, or are looking for a very special gift bottle for someone who truly knows their stuff. The point is, when you start spending a car payment on a bottle, you’re pretty deep into the bourbon world and have every right to expect quality, if not greatness.

If you are spending $200 for a bottle of bourbon, it’s fair to have some expectations. The bottle either needs to have a sort of “limited edition” value (you’ll only find it on shelves once a year) or it has to be flat-out delicious. And the ten bottles I’m profiling below certainly fit those parameters. I ranked them by which ones I’d be the quickest to pay close to $200 for — simple as that.

Let’s dive in!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months

• The Single Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• The 50 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Of 2021, Ranked
• Every Winning Bourbon From Our 2021 Taste Tests, Blind Tasted And Re-Ranked
• The 100 Best Whiskeys Our Head Drinks Writer Tasted In 2021
• The Best Ten-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskeys, Tasted Blind And Ranked

10. Buffalo Trace Kosher

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $150

The Whiskey:

Buffalo Trace Kosher provides a truly kosher spirit that also fully delivers on the palate. The juice is made from the same wheated bourbon recipe as Buffalo Trace’s Weller and Pappy lines. The difference is that the mash is loaded from fully cleaned stills and pipes into kosher barrels (that means the barrels were specially made and purchased under the watchful eye of a rabbi from the Chicago Rabbinical Council). The whiskey then ages for seven years at Buffalo Trace before blending, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a familiar note of Red Hots and vanilla cream on the nose, with a hint of semi-dried florals. The palate mellows out the cinnamon towards a woody and dry bark as the florals deepen towards summer wildflowers. Soon, a touch of plums and berries arrive, adding sweetness and brightness. The end holds onto that dry bark and a hint of anise pops late, with a slight vanilla cream tobacco touching off the medium-length fade.

Bottom Line:

This is one of the better wheated bourbons out there that does not get as much hype as it deserves. It’s classic wheated bourbon that stands up to overhyped mid-level Weller and Pappy any day of the week. Just make sure to pour it over a rock or add a little water to let it bloom in your glass.

9. Four Gate Whiskey Company Batch 4 Split Stave by Kelvin

ABV: 57.8%

Average Price: $175

The Whiskey:

Four Gate is one of those brands that whiskey nerds will throw you under the bus to get their hands on. The juices’ source is kept under wraps and the bottles are usually only released in Kentucky and maybe Tennessee, adding to the mythos. This batch really ups the ante by having famed cooperage Kelvin Cooperage step in to finish the whiskey with a special mix of their staves. The short story there is that Kelvin’s team dismantled toasted barrels with #2 and #4 char levels and used those staves to build new barrels alternating the char on the staves.

Tasting Notes:

The barrel 100 percent comes through on the nose with a light bitter char next to sweet oaky notes, a buttery burnt caramel sauce, and a load of rich vanilla that feels like pods soaked in vanilla brandy before being wrapped up in vanilla-laced tobacco leaves and stored in an old cedar box. Red Hots and clove buds arrive late and drive the finish towards a woody, spicy, and slightly sweet toffee end with plenty of nuanced warmth to keep you feeling this sip for a while.

Bottom Line:

This is one of those “bridge” bottles in that there’s great drinkability and collectibility here. These are pretty rare and are going to be very hard to find. If you do find one, buy two — one for the vault and one for the bar cart.

8. Joseph A. Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon

ABV: 50.35%

Average Price: $199

The Whiskey:

This sourced bourbon is built from eleven and 18-year-old bourbons. The real star of the show with this whiskey is that those bourbons were finished in Armagnac, Cognac, and sherry casks before vatting and bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with sticky toffee pudding that really amps up the cinnamon and nutmeg next to black-tea-soaked dates next to some stewed prunes wrapped in chili-chocolate-laced tobacco leaves and dripped in honey and then walnuts. A savory fruitiness opens the palate with figs and pumpkin that leads towards an apricot jam with a hint of clove and cinnamon next to light touches of old library leather and funk. A faint hint of dark berries arrives on the mid-palate before the finish luxuriates in burnt toffee, almond shells, more of that leather, and dried-out apricots.

Bottom Line:

This is another rarity that bourbon lovers line up over. It’s a little spicy/hot for me, but it is well-balanced with a nice nutty sweetness. That said, I’d probably keep this one on the shelf for a rainy day. It’s not an everyday dram.

7. Little Book Chapter 5: “The Invitation”

ABV: 58.4%

Average Price: $175

The Whiskey:

The juice is a blend of four whiskeys — three straight bourbons and one straight rye. The rye is a 100 percent malted rye that’s three years old. The bourbons are two, five, and 15 years old. Those whiskeys are masterfully blended and bottled as-is by Freddie Noe in his new craft distillery in the middle of Beam’s massive Clermont, Kentucky campus.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a Pecan Sandie vibe with a flake of salt, spiciness derived from fresh ginger juice, and dark chocolate laced with raw sugar and apple-soaked cinnamon sticks that have been ground to a fine powder. The palate builds on that cinnamon spice with a touch of nutmeg and clove that ties to a vanilla pudding-esque svelte body next to little pops of dried pecan shells, faux maple syrup, cinnamon toast with plenty of butter, more of that ginger, and a touch of subtle red fruit. The mid-palate leans creamy, with light milk chocolate that leads back to the warmth with a dried red peppercorn pepperiness next to a rush of cedar boxes full of vanilla tobacco leaves with the slightest echo of menthol and dried reeds on the very deep back end.

Bottom Line:

This is where we get into the bottles that are hard not to open. This whiskey slaps, especially as a neat pour. Once you add a few drops of water, it ascends to fantastic. I generally buy a few of these when they drop — some to save and some to drink.

6. 2021 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch

ABV: 57.2%

Average Price: $150 (Lottery Only)

The Whiskey:

This year’s LE Small Batch is a blend of four bourbons. Four Roses is renowned for its ten distinct recipes with two mash bills and five yeast strains. This whiskey marries four of those recipes with two from Mash B (very high rye) and two from Mash Bill E (high rye). The yeasts at play are “delicate fruit,” “spice essence,” and “floral essence.” The barrels ranged from 12 to 16 years old, making this a fairly old bourbon, all things considered.

Tasting Notes:

The nose has a mix of honey next to buttery biscuits, rich vanilla, a touch of tart red berries, dry cedar, and a very faint hint of dry mint. The palate dives into a dark plum jam with a spicy edge of allspice and nutmeg. That fruit gives way to a spritz of orange oils next to a light touch of dark chocolate on the mid-palate that leads to a rich finish. That finish leaves you with warming spice, more of that orange/choco vibe, and another mild hint of green, dry mint.

Bottom Line:

This is a bottle I wish I had more of. It’s so damn delightful. It’s also very rare (and almost impossible to get at MSRP). You’ll have to keep your eye out for the 2022 lottery in late summer to snag one.

5. Bardstown Bourbon Company Founders KBS Stout Finish Bourbon

ABV: 55%

Average Price: $160

The Whiskey:

This new whiskey from Bardstown Bourbon Company leans into beer barrel finishing. The juice is a ten-year-old Tennessee whiskey (which is, technically, bourbon) comprised of 84 percent corn, eight percent rye, and eight perfect malted barley (which, coincidentally, is the same mash bill as Dickel). That whiskey is then transferred to KBS Stout barrels from Founders Brewing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The whiskey spends an additional 15 months mellowing with the stout-infused oak before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

The nose draws you in with a balance of almost waxy cacao nibs next to oily vanilla beans, dry roasted espresso beans, milk chocolate malts, a hint of Nutella, and a bright burst of orange oils. The palate builds on that foundation and layers in hazelnuts, mulled wine spices, and a dark, thick, and spicy cherry syrup with a woody backbone. The sweetness of the cherry on the mid-palate ebbs as the woody spices and bitter dark cacao kick in late and bring about a dry finish with plenty of Nutella, espresso cream, and spicy cherry tobacco chewiness with a hint of those citrus oils cutting through everything.

Bottom Line:

Back to whiskeys that you can actually buy, this has become one of my favorite beer cask-finished whiskeys in the game. It’s subtle yet complex and really delivers on what it promises. You cannot go wrong with this bottle, especially if you’re looking for a great gift bottle for someone who likes to sip tasty and unique bourbon.

4. Garrison Brothers Balmorhea

ABV: 57.5%

Average Price: $190

The Whiskey:

This much-lauded Texas bourbon is the highwater mark of what great whiskey from Texas can be. The juice is aged in Ozark oak for four years and then finished in oak from Minnesota for another year, all under that blazing West Texas sunshine. The bourbon is then small-batched, proofed with Texas spring water, and bottled at a healthy 115 proof.

Tasting Notes:

You’re greeted with a real sense of a corn-syrup-laced pecan pie next to hazelnut bespeckled cinnamon rolls and creamy milk chocolate with a hint of vanilla tobacco lurking in the background. That chocolate drives the taste towards a mint-chocolate ice cream vibe (heavy on the chocolate part) with small dashes of holiday spices, hard toffee candies, worn leather, and a flourish of cedar boxes full of more dried tobacco leaves. The end circles back around to all that sweet and chocolatey creaminess with a final slice of perfect pecan pie on a slow fade.

Bottom Line:

This is just f*cking delicious. That’s all you need to know. Go buy some and drink it.

3. Jack Daniel’s 10

ABV: 48.5%

Average Price: $200

The Whiskey:

This new age statement released from Jack Daniel’s feels like a throwback to a bygone era in Tennessee Whiskey. The whiskey is aged for at least ten years. During that time, the barrels spend time in the “Buzzard’s Roost” at the top of the rickhouse. Once they hit the right flavor profile, those barrels are moved to the bottom floors of other warehouses to slow the aging down. Finally, the whiskey is vatted, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a rich matrix of cherry syrup, apple cores, sticky toffee, vanilla ice cream, and a thin line of wet and sweet wood. The palate opens up towards the dark fruit but dries it out and marries it to a sticky and spicy tobacco leaf alongside toasted cedar soaked in salted caramel paired with dry corn husks that are just singed. The finish really takes its time as the cherry attaches to an old cinnamon stick and the tobacco takes on a sticky chewiness with a mild savory fruit edge.

Bottom Line:

This bottle will change any preconceived notion you might have about Jack Daniel’s. This is an era-defining whiskey from the global giant and it’s helping reshape the brand as a contender amongst the highest reaches of bourbon (yes, all Tennessee whiskey is a type of bourbon) and American whiskey in general.

2. Michter’s Single Barrel 10-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

ABV: 47.2%

Average Price: $150

The Whiskey:

The juice in this bottle is a little under wraps. Michter’s is currently distilling and aging their own whiskey, but this is still sourced. The actual barrels sourced for these single barrel expressions tend to be at least ten years old with some rumored to be closer to 15 years old (depending on the barrel’s quality, naturally). Either way, the juice goes through Michter’s bespoke filtration process before a touch of Kentucky’s iconic soft limestone water is added, bringing the bourbon down to a very crushable 94.4 proof.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with subtle notes of soft wood and worn leather next to light touches of dark berries, orange oils, egg nog spice, and slight toffee sweetness. The palate starts off equally soft with a maple syrup vibe which then leads into a rush of berry brambles. The mid-palate hits on a bit of dark spice, vanilla tobacco, dark cacao, and light espresso bitterness. The finish is pure silk and leans into a dry-yet-almost-sweet oak with a touch of an almond shell and dry grass coming in at the very end.

Bottom Line:

This bourbon is probably not going to be $150 where you find it. But that’s beside the point. This is stellar bourbon that a lot of other high-end bourbons are chasing (in both flavor and recognition). All of that aside, this is a bottle I always have open on my shelf (and a few squirreled away too).

1. Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 17-Year Spring 2022 Edition

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $185 (MSRP)

The Whiskey:

This whiskey was distilled and laid down in barrels back in 2004. The barrels were vatted after 17 years and proofed down to the bottled-in-bond standard of 100 proof and then bottled in the iconic Old Fitz decanter for a Spring 2022 release.

Tasting Notes:

A hint of woodiness comes through on the nose via cherry tree bark with the faintest echo of dried rose next to soft vanilla oil, a hint of cedar, a distant thought of old leather, and a touch of burnt orange peels. The palate starts off softly with a lush vanilla cream that builds towards a winter spice matrix of nutmeg, allspice, and clove with a touch of cherrywood that sweetens toward dried cherries. That mid-palate builds on the cherry with spices (nutmeg and allspice) and sticky tobacco vibes as the finish arrives next to a super creamy dark cherry in vanilla cream feel with a dusting of dark chocolate and more of that dry cherry tree bark.

Bottom Line:

If you’re lucky, this is the pour you’d get if you’re invited over to my house. It’s perfect bourbon and I’m willing to die on that hill. It’s also worth the price tag as you can sense the depth and uniqueness of this bourbon in every nose and sip from beginning to end.

Something that brought excitement to the online sphere while we were all stuck in quarantine last year was a viral video of the young band The Linda Lindas performing striking punk anthems in the Los Angeles Public Library. “A little while before we went into lockdown, a boy in my class came up to me and said that his dad told him to stay away from Chinese people,” drummer Mila de la Garza said. “After I told him that I was Chinese he backed away from me. Eloise and I wrote this song based on that experience.” They then launched into the heavy, powerful “Racist, Sexist Boy.”

Since then, they’ve brought songs to late-night television, announced that they were going on tour with Jawbreaker, and released an album on major rock label Epitaph. Today, they’ve come full circle by sharing an attention-grabbing performance on NPR as part of the Tiny Desk Series; however, because of the pandemic, they chose their own location — and where else would they pick than the Los Angeles Public Library? This time, the band is a little older and they have wholesome, silly banter in between songs. The chemistry between each of them is evident; there is not just one person leading the group, but all of them propelling it forward together.

Watch the impressive performance above.

For two weekends this month, a portion of Indio, California will essentially become its own temporary city of its own with the Coachella festival hosts its annual event, from April 15 to 17 and 22 to 24. This means there will be a lot more going on than just the performances on stage. Part of the festivities will come courtesy of American Express, who are carving out their own corner of Coachella in a number of ways.

Perhaps most enticingly, in their on-site American Express Lounge, Amex will host a pop-up shop featuring exclusive, limited-edition festival merchandise from artists including Billie Eilish and Conan Gray. The pop-up shop will be open on the first day of each festival weekend, April 15 and 22. For American Express card holders who aren’t able to make it, though, the merch will be available in the Amex Artist Shop powered by Bravado from April 15 to 30.

Card holders get other perks, too, including complimentary rides on the La Grande Wheel (one per weekend), exclusive table reservations at the festival pop-up restaurant Broad Street, and other stuff going on in the Lounge, like astrology readings, a crystal bar, acupressure ear seeding, and more.

All of that is just a portion of what American Express has going on at Coachella this year, so check out the Coachella page on the American Express website to learn more.

(Spoilers for Killing Eve will be found below.)

Killing Eve felt practically incandescent for its first two seasons. Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer carried their chemistry into the stratosphere, and the third season lost some momentum but still hypnotized loyal fans. Season 4 grew even stranger than usual and clearly meant to set up the future of the franchise, and yup, that is what the closing episode has done, although the means to the end felt, well, like a middle finger to an iconic character. Naturally, viewers are airing their thoughts on that note.

It sure seems the finale episode’s title, “Hello, Losers,” feels personal to many who’ve followed the cat-and-mouse reversals over the years. The final moments set up the spinoff, which will revolve around a younger version of Carolyn Martens, the MI6 officer (and head of Russia’s desk), who went HAM in the Season 3 finale by killing Paul. And after a final season full of Carolyn seeking vengeance for the killing of Kenny (those bastards), she made the call to take out Villanelle. And that might create some Carolyn intrigue, so people would tune into a prequel about her early life. Or it could backfire.

Although I did dig the first half of the season, let’s just say that I was crushed that the show offed Konstantin (who did some wonderful dancing) in the penultimate episode. And yup, it’s an awfully curious decision to finally allow Eve and Villanelle to feel real happiness right before one of them literally dies and the other one will likely never recover. So, uh, the title of the show, Killing Eve, is feeling metaphorical right about now.

First, let’s enjoy those brief moments of happiness again.

And here comes the anger, with viewers calling out showrunner Laura Neal, who finished what Phoebe Waller Bridge began. Let’s just say that “the new Game of Thrones” and “they Dextered Villanelle” are some of the leading complaints, and those extra kill shots in the water are being called out as “cruel and unnecessary.”

RIP, Villanelle. You shall be missed.

The ‘Killing Eve’ finale is currently streaming on AMC+.

For the past year or so now, The Wiggles and Tame Impala, perhaps Australia’s two biggest musical exports in their respective genres of children’s music and psychedelic rock, have been circling each other. A bit over a year ago, after a viral campaign, The Wiggles covered Tame Impala’s “Elephant,” merging it with their own “Fruit Salad.” Then, at Outside Lands 2021 a few months ago, Tame Impala took the stage dressed as The Wiggles (pictured above; the festival was on Halloween weekend).

Now, the two titanic forces in Australian music have finally connected: Yesterday, The Wiggles performed at Perth, Australia’s RAC Arena and were joined on stage by Kevin Parker to perform both “Elephant” and The Wiggles’ “Hot Potato.”

Parker said of the collaboration, “When I got the invitation, I knew it was a once-in-a-life time opportunity, so it was an obvious yes. The Wiggles are the real rock stars in this world. I was pretty nervous!”

Back when The Wiggles’ “Elephant” cover was a chart success in Australia, Parker noted, “If someone had told me back when we released ‘Elephant’ that, in ten years’ time, The Wiggles were gonna cover it and it would get Top 10 Hottest 100, I would’ve told you that you were out of your mind. I would’ve told you that that’s a ridiculous idea and I wouldn’t have believed you. If a fortune teller told me that was going to happen, I would’ve asked for my money back. […] They made it their own, which showcases the genius of The Wiggles. They really gave it a new personality, a new animal personality.”

Watch the performances above.

Unlike Ricky Gervais, Amy Schumer, Billy Crystal, O.J. Simpson, and Zoe Kravitz, and seemingly everyone else in the world, Chris Rock hasn’t said much about the time that Will Smith slapped him at the Oscars. Remember that? It was weird.

During his first post-Slap standup set, the comedian said, “I don’t have a bunch of s*it about what happened, so if you came to hear that, I have a whole show I wrote before this weekend. I’m still kind of processing what happened.” Rock, who shut down a heckler, added that “at some point, I’ll talk about that shit,” but not until he gets paid.

Fans of comedian Chris Rock who hoped he’d share his thoughts about being slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars during his show at Fantasy Springs on Friday night were disappointed as soon as he took the stage.

“I’m OK, I have a whole show and I’m not talking about that until I get paid. Life is good. I got my hearing back,” Rock said.

Netflix is driving a dump truck full of money to Rock’s house as we speak.

On Friday, the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences announced that Smith has been banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years. “We want to express our deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances,” the statement read. As an apology, the Academy should give Rock a lifetime achievement award for Pootie Tang.

(Via the Desert Sun)

Multiple times per week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts and ratings) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.

10. (TIE) Turning Red (Pixar film on Disney+)

Pixar has brought the world a coming-of-age tale the likes we’ve never seen before, and it’s not only a rager but one of the better Pixar movies in several years. Mother-daughter conflict abounds, and this is a much more updated take on female adolescence than, say, Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret could ever hope to be. If you loved Soul, then you’ll appreciate how this movie’s even more of an outside-the-box presentation of a question that mulls over our very existence. Not only that, but this (since it’s a Pixar movie) will tug at your heartstrings in a way that you can’t resist. Surrender to the panda.

10. (TIE) Deep Water (Hulu movie)

Ben Affleck is the alpha cuck who rises victorious, sort of, while Ana de Armas’ is the saucy temptress who seems really bored and could use a vocation, rather than whatever it is that’s going on in this coupling. Still, this is a victoriously sleazy ride from director Adrian Lyne, who’s somehow upping his own stakes (or, at least, the body count) after both Unfaithful and Fatal Attraction. Those snails might be having the most enjoyable time of all, though.

9. Metal Lords (Netflix film)

It’s a love letter to spandex and bad hair and music that’s got more to do with classical than many people ever give it credit for. HBO Game of Thrones co-creator D.B. Weiss teamed up here with Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine axeman) to pen this story about high schoolers who team up for context glory and, ultimately, the right to rock out. Don’t think too hard about this one, just click play.

8. Taboo (BBC One/FX series on Hulu)

Tom Hardy gets cryptic and intense in this 2017 show that will soon have a Season 2. Also, many people only recently discovered this joint, and as a bonus, a self-assured Jessie Buckley pops outta nowhere to counter Tom’s prodigal son. He may or may not be able to stay alive as The Devil Delaney, whose romantic interests are, well, taboo, and he’s attempting to claim his late father’s empire. Hardy had a huge hand in the planning of this show, too.

7. Bad Vegan (Netflix series)

There’s no telling, exactly, how or why subject Sarma Melngailis truly fell into the trap of her eventual husband, Anthony Strangis, before the two stiffed her employees and investors as the famed vegan restauranteur fell from culinary grace. Sarma has since pushed back at multiple Netflix approaches to marketing this show, but the fact remains that she and the fake-black-ops dude headed into fugitive mode while apparently squandering $2 million of other people’s money. All for the promise of dog immortality? Oh girl, you could have done so much better, Alec Baldwin or not.

6. The Girl From Plainville (Hulu series)

Another straight-from-the-headlines show arrives here with Elle Fanning starring as the seemingly heartless Michelle Carter, who became the center of the infamous “texting-suicide” case. For a primer, head over to Jesse Barron’s Esquire article, which provided the show’s framework after Conrad Roy III took his own life and Carter got convicted for involuntary manslaughter. Chloë Sevigny’s also onboard, and she’s everywhere lately.

5. Atlanta (FX series on Hulu)

Time for another dose of Donald Glover’s scathing brainchild. Glover’s Earn is back, along with Zazie Beetz as Van, LaKeith Stanfield as Darius, and Brian Tyree Henry as Paper Boi. Much of this season was filmed in Europe, where the show was able to draw inspiration and tweak its existing cultural critique, but that season opener (and awful fried chicken) launched the return of one of the best shows on TV.

4. Bridgerton (Netflix series)

The bees are back, man. This Shondaland series keeps churning up scandal for a second round, albeit a less steamy one, but it’s nonetheless sustaining momentum even without The Duke. The show’s largely shifted into the story of Anthony Bridgerton and his search for a lifelong match, and it’s not hard to tell where this season will end, but as even Julia Quinn’s readers will attest, it’s all about witnessing a magical confection.

3. Tokyo Vice (HBO Max series)

Michael Mann crosses his fingers for more Heat while crossing into grittier Miami Vice territory with yakuzas and everything in the Japanese underworld. Ansel Elgort portrays an outsider (an American journalist), for which he actually went undercover during role preparation, even learning how to speak Japanese adequately enough to convince the audience. Ken Watanabe is on hand to portray a detective, and this crime thriller’s a slick watch so far.

2. Better Call Saul (AMC series on Netflix)

Get ready for full-on Jimmy/Gene/Saul madness when Season 6 arrives on April 18. For now, though, it’s time to worry about Kim Wexler. Maybe she’ll show up at Cinnabon in the opening scene and make us all stress a little bit less as the final round of episodes progress? Nah, that’d be too easy. She’s in full-on Saul Goodmanification mode, and hopefully, the viewers won’t pay for it with our sanity as this prequel approaches the Breaking Bad timeline. Is it too much to ask for a Jesse and Walt combo cameo, perhaps? There’s a lot to look forward to here while one of the most compelling sets of character barrels into truly ominous territory.

1. Moon Knight (Disney+ series)

Everyone who’s anyone is either in the DCEU or the MCU, which has now claimed Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke among its stars. Isaac’s pulling plenty of duties here as a character who suffers from dissociative identity disorder, and one of those characters just happens to be a hero who became an Avenger in the comics. Hawke’s a cult leader who’ll remind you a lot of David Koresh, and there’s a wiseass Egyptian god who’s
calling it like he sees it. This series only includes six episodes, and it makes ’em count.

The Los Angeles Lakers are apparently going to shake things up this offseason by bringing in a new head coach. In the moments immediately following the team’s 146-141 overtime win in its season finale against the Denver Nuggets, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that the Lakers decided to fire head coach Frank Vogel.

The catch: Wojnarowski reported that the decision would “be shared with him as soon as Monday.” The implication, of course, is that while Los Angeles is going to fire Vogel, he was not made aware of the decision before word of it went public. Well, after the game, Vogel — who is still employed! — sat down with the media for his usual postgame press conference and got asked about the report, which led to the following response:

“I haven’t been told shit, and I’m gonna enjoy tonight’s game, celebrate what these young guys did, in terms of scratching, clawing, getting back in this game, getting a W, and we’ll deal with tomorrow tomorrow,” Vogel said.

Vogel spent three seasons at the helm of the Lakers, accruing a 127-98 record with the franchise. Most notably, Vogel led the team to a Larry O’Brien trophy in 2019-20, as the team won its 17th NBA championship in the league’s Orlando Bubble.

The Los Angeles Lakers ended their season on a rare high note, beating the Nuggets in the season finale despite being without any of their stars, as Austin Reaves had a 31-point triple-double in the comeback win in overtime.

That result will be the final one of the Frank Vogel tenure in Los Angeles, as the final buzzer had barely sounded when Adrian Wojnarowski announced he was being fired, with the team officially telling him that news on Monday — although, it certainly seems the cat is out of the bag a bit early.

Besides the funny wording of “a decision that’s expected to be shared with him as soon as Monday,” in a tweet announcing that news very publicly to millions of people, it’s the expected end to a dismal season for the Lakers. Vogel has been on the hot seat throughout and very nearly was fired in the middle of the year. Once the Lakers failed to even reach the play-in, the writing was on the wall and there are already rumors about potential replacements, including Quin Snyder and Doc Rivers, who each are coaching playoff teams currently.

The Lakers, despite their troubles, figure to be an intriguing job given the talent there, but they’ll need to be willing to pay like a top job this time around to get their preferred candidate after hiring Vogel when Ty Lue passed on the job. Still, Vogel’s tenure featured a championship in 2020, so while the end was rather disastrous, he accomplished what he was brought to do in L.A. Hiring a coach is now the first thing on the to-do list this offseason, but far from the last, as major roster changes are needed to provide the next coach with a chance of success.