Category: News

Doom Patrol beat the Warner Bros. Discovery chopping-block odds (at least for now), which makes the DC misfit superheroes almost as lucky as Harley Quinn and Joker. In the show, however, they aren’t feeling too fortunate, largely because of how they became “heroes” (largely born through trauma). Season 4 will soon arrive with the principal cast intact, which means that you’ll soon see a bunch of dancing butts along with an in-the-flesh version of Cliff Steele. That Brendan Fraser character is incredibly layered, and that’s easy to overlook like Fraser’s voice spews profanity and frustration everywhere. However, it’s time to revisit where Season 3 ended, so you’re ready to dig into more impending “doom.”

The Season 4 trailer promised a new big bad on the horizon, but Season 3 was all about vanquishing the Brotherhood of Evil. The end result of this was that the misfits realized that they really could save the world (as heroes), something that one would have never expected from the likes of Crazy Jane, at least when we first met her years ago with all of her troublesome personalities bubbling to the surface.

Speaking of Jane, the finale saw her still attempting to tame all of those aliases, so that maybe a primary could surface and not throw everything out of whack. And of course, this wouldn’t be Doom Patrol without a profane display that’s so absurd that one marvels at the show’s glorious audacity. This is, after all, a series that previously put everyone into an orgasmic state, to the point where Fraser grew even more frustrated than usual that he had to fake it. In the Season 3 finale, however, the show upped the ante by placing the world’s fate in the hand of demonic set of testicles, which led to a showdown at the Suez Canal.

In the end, the world survived, although this might not remain the case. The Doom gang will pick up with Michelle Gomez as Madame Rouge, who may or may not figure as a member. We will definitely, however, see the return of April Bowlby as Elasi-Girl, Jovian Wade as Cyborg, and Matt Bomer as Negative Man. There will be some form of time shenanigans and maybe the heroes confronting their pasts, which should either bode well or horribly for the future.

Interestingly enough, Brendan Fraser’s character took quite a turn (his disembodied brain ended up inside of a different, larger robot) in the Season 3 finale, and TV Line spoke to showrunner Jeremy Carver about where this could lead:

“Cliff’s [previous] robot body was damaged, but I don’t know if I’d say it was officially squished,” Carver says. “For us, this was a fun opportunity to take Cliff’s small problems and extend them times 100. Now he’s an even more massive version of himself that he hates, which was interesting for us to explore. We’re excited to take this trip and to see where it leads us by the end of Season 4.”

Man, those existential issues are not going away for Cliff Steele. Speaking of which, this role gives Fraser a chance to really stretch his abilities to be both tragic and funny, and although we mostly don’t see him onscreen, his voice work is so incredible that you always know that he’s there. In fact, this performance should earn as many accolades as Oscar fare as The Whale, in which he plays 600-pound man, will have to offer. Fingers crossed!

We’ll find out soon how the Doom gang continues to process all of the terrible things that happen to them and in their universe. Season 4 debuts on December 8, likely with three initial episodes and weekly single-episode releases, so we’ll soon see their in-progress, collective-therapy existence in motion.

This article first appeared on 1.14.22

Laughter is one of the most natural impulses in humans. Most babies start to laugh out loud at around 3 to 4 months, far earlier than they are able to speak or walk. Expressing enjoyment or delight comes naturally to us, but we’re not the only creatures who communicate with giggles.

Researchers at UCLA have identified 65 species of animals who make “play vocalizations,” or what we would consider laughter. Some of those vocalizations were already well documented—we’ve known for a while that apes and rats laugh—but others may come as a surprise. Along with a long list of primate species, domestic cows and dogs, foxes, seals, mongooses and three bird species are prone to laughter as well. (Many bird species can mimic human laughter, but that’s not the same as making their own play vocalizations.)

Primatologist and UCLA anthropology graduate student Sasha Winkler and UCLA professor of communication Greg Bryant shared their findings in an article in the journal Bioacoustics.

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The authors explored various play vocalization sounds, recording them as noisy or tonal, loud or quiet, high- or low-pitched, short or long, a single call or rhythmic pattern.

But really, what we want to see is what animal laughter sounds like from various species, right? While the researchers said that it can be hard to document laughter in the wild, especially among animals with quieter vocalizations, we do have some examples captured on video.

Check out these foxes laughing like little kids:

Or maybe little kids on helium. How fun is that?

Ever seen a bonobo chimp laugh? Just as cute.

I’m not sure if tickling a baby bonobo is sweet or torturous, though these researchers surely know what they’re doing. It’s always delightful to see the instinctual playfulness of primates.

Laughter in some animals isn’t as audibly apparent as it is in these foxes and chimps, though. Researchers from Humboldt University of Berlin found that rats laugh when they are tickled—and appear to enjoy tickling, as they seek it out—but their vocalizations are ultrasonic, so it’s hard to hear them without special instruments.

The UCLA researchers shared that the study of laughter in animals can help us better understand our own evolutionary behavior.

“This work lays out nicely how a phenomenon once thought to be particularly human turns out to be closely tied to behavior shared with species separated from humans by tens of millions of years,” Bryant said, according to UCLA.

“When we laugh, we are often providing information to others that we are having fun and also inviting others to join,” Winkler said. “Some scholars have suggested that this kind of vocal behavior is shared across many animals who play, and as such, laughter is our human version of an evolutionarily old vocal play signal.”

Raise your hand if you just want to see a cow laughing for real now.

This article first appeared on 4.4.22.

Rick Astley has to be the luckiest ’80s musician on the planet. The whole “Rickrolling” phenomenon has given his hit song “Never Gonna Give You Up” a reach far beyond its natural life span, and kept the guy a household name far longer than he probably would have been.

(For those who are unfamiliar, Rickrolling is when you make someone think they’re being sent to a website, but the link goes to Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” video instead as a joke. It’s a silly viral bait-and-switch gag that’s been going since 2006.)

But what people may not realize, because his most famous song has become an internet joke, is that Rick Astley is actually a really freaking great musician. The man can saaaang and it seems he’s only gotten better with age.

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If you were to choose the most unlikely combo of musical mashups, it might just be Rick Astley and Foo Fighters. Right? Like who would put them together?

Oddly enough, they put themselves together in 2017, when Foo Fighters brought Astley on stage during a concert to sing “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl even created his own Rickroll-inspired meme, the Dave G’Roll, with the band’s song “Best of You.” So there’s a history there.

But nothing has been more surprising than hearing Rick Astley do an acoustic cover of Foo Fighters’ “Everlong.” It’s so good. Like, so good.

Not to knock Rick Astley of the 1980s, but that strangely deep voice on a young man was sort of his signature thing. Ergo, you’d think it would be easy to recognize Astley’s voice no matter what he was singing. But you’d be wrong. If you close your eyes and listen to this, you’d likely never guess it was Rick Astley.

Maybe it’s because the song itself isn’t something you expect from the “Never Gonna Give You Up” guy. Maybe it’s because you had no idea that Rick Astley was still making music. Who knows. All I know is that my jaw dropped watching him knock out an awesome version of a grungey rock song with just his voice and acoustic guitar.

Seriously, that was amazing, right? Even hardcore Foo Fighters fans gave Astley props in the comments:

“As a huge Foo Fighters fan, all I can say is this cover didn’t let me down.”

“Tbh I could listen to a whole album of Rick Astley doing grunge covers.”

“Are you kidding me?????? That voice from the 80’s… And one of the greatest numbers of all times…. Didn’t think you could pull that of…. But you did….. Respect to you Rick.”

And, of course, some had to make jokes:

“I love this cover. It feels like the singer is never going to give you up or never gonna let you down. He doesn’t run around and desert you. He will never make you cry and never say goodbye. He doesn’t tell a lie and hurt you. I think that is special.”

“This guy should stop making memes and stick to music! He’s got talent!”

“I’m glad he’s never given up. This did not let me down.”

But this comment perhaps best summed up what most of us walked away thinking:

“God now I feel bad that we’ve ridden on Rick Rolling for so long that we missed the part where Rick Astley is actually a badass musician…”

When are you going to come down?

These are words that Elton John has sung countless times, the opening to one of his trademark hits, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” And for most of his career, the meta answer to the question has been sometime later, but not now. But that all changed in recent years, as he embarked on his final tour, cleverly dubbed “Farewell Yellow Brick Road.” A Covid pandemic slowed the run down, but on Sunday night in Los Angeles — as well as around the world on Disney+ — he took his final American bow, playing his last scheduled US tour date at a location steeped in Elton lore. Will it actually be the last time American audiences can see him? That feels unlikely, be it a one-off or something else, but for the moment, this was goodbye. When are you going to land? Right now, apparently.

The reason for hanging them up is noble enough: to spend time with his young sons, whose mid-70s father has been working globally for most of their lives, and most of his own. Before the final song on Sunday night, he brought the family out to show who he was leaving life on the road for.

It’s not for any declining ability to perform. For most of the 2.5 hour set, Elton sounded stunning while in his standard, soulful register. Sure, he might not be able to hit the highest notes anymore, but he elegantly sang around the natural limitations of age at the peaks of “Tiny Dancer” and “Rocket Man.” (In comparison, someone like Paul McCartney opts to surround himself with many backing singers to help carry the tunes. There’s no right or wrong way to age as a performer and both are affecting successes, but there was something particularly admirable in Elton not having a chorus of singers behind him, allowing for an appreciation of just how much of his youthful vocals do remain.)

And it’s certainly not for waning relevance. Just in the last year, Elton found himself in the top 10 of the Hot 100 with his clever Dua Lipa collaboration, “Cold Heart,” which the pair playfully performed in concert on Sunday. It’s just one recent example of his embracing whatever cultural trends are happening, something that has punctuated every era of his career. His been animated on both The Simpsons and South Park, performed at the VMAs with Eminem and Axl Rose. When Britney Spears released a comeback single this year, it was with Elton John. ’90s kids will love him for writing music for The Lion King, and 2010s kids might wind up loving him for the Oscar-winning Rocketman. There’s never been a period where Elton John wasn’t touching modern culture. Even looking around my section of the audience, you could spot John Stamos, Josh Homme, and Jojo Siwa rocking out, different worlds and experiences with the legend colliding.

For me, though, Elton John will always be that early cassette tape I owned, a perfect object for a five-year-old to wear out, intrigued by the big glasses and white suit that the man donned on the cover. He created music so timeless that a child could obsess over how instantly accessible and permanently memorable each song was, and feel the same thing 30-plus years later in concert. One person behind us held up a sign that read “Thank you Elton John for my life” and I couldn’t agree more — as a person that gets paid to read and write about music, that early exposure to Elton John’s music helped set me along my path.

But regardless of how or when the tens of thousands of Angelenos in attendance came to Elton John’s music, we were all saying farewell the same way. We all wore little blinking bracelets that changed color with the music. We all sang our loudest to “Burn Down The Mission” and “Levon.” We all shed a tear as Elton paid tribute to Aretha Franklin for “Border Song” and his fallen bandmates ahead of “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me,” the latter spruced up as a duet with Brandi Carlile. We all smiled from ear to ear as confetti rained down at the end of “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” and as Kiki Dee took the stage to duet “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.”

But mostly we all savored the moment. Elton didn’t really bask in the ending of it all, giving nods to his connection to the city without pressing for sentimentality — he shouted out the LA Times’ Robert Hilburn for jumpstarting his career with his famed 1970 Troubadour review and paid homage to his 1975 rhinestone Dodger uniform with a new rhinestone Dodger robe, perfect for retirement. Looking around, at fans young and old, there was an abundance of gratitude and appreciation for a legacy that extends far beyond the music.

If we’re going by music alone, Elton John could still stand ahead of most anyone from the classic rock era (shouts to his lyrics partner Bernie Taupin as well). But things like his advocacy for AIDS and LGBTQ rights, his knighthood, his numerous Grammys and Oscars and Tonys, his iconic tributes to Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana and so much more make him the kind of enduring cultural monument that can hardly be matched. He might be gone from touring in America (head to Europe or Australia in 2023 if you want to catch him), but he’ll never be gone from our imagination. His impact will continue to ripple long after the last song is sung.

There was always a chance that James Gunn’s The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special could have, purposefully, emulated the Star Wars Holiday Special. You know, just two hours of Groot saying “I am Groot,” with no subtitles so we, the viewer, have absolutely no idea what’s being said. Then it shows on on Disney+ for one day, and if you ever want to see it again you have to get it through some sort of underground market. (It’s weird to think back that, for years, the only way to see the Star Wars Holiday Special was tracking down someone named “Big Ed,” or whatever, at some sci-fi convention and forking over $20 for a poor quality VHS tape. At least now we can watch it, in poor quality, on YouTube. Speaking of, I truly would love to see a pristine version of this someday and I don’t know why this hasn’t happened yet.)

But, alas, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, set to debut on Disney+ on November 25th, is actually coherent. After Werewolf By Night, this becomes the second Marvel Special Presentation, which is supposed to signify that it’s not quite a full movie or show, and instead is a one-off type thing. And here, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special runs a grand total of 41 minutes, including credits. (And, yes, there is a post-credit scene.) All of the Guardians, sans Gamora, are present, though the story focuses mainly on Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff).

You see, Peter (Chris Pratt) is forlorn because it’s Christmastime and, living in space, he will go another year without celebrating. Drax and Mantis decide to lift Peter’s spirits by attempting to bring Peter the one thing from Earth that he loves more than anything else, actor Kevin Bacon. Though it’s unclear if Peter realizes Kevin Bacon is an actor, and not actually Ren McCormack who teaches a small rural town that dancing isn’t evil.* Though, Drax and Mantis for sure do not realize Kevin Bacon is an actor and just assume he is the leader of Earth.

*There always seems to be a misconception about the plot of the movie Footloose. In the end, Ren doesn’t get any laws changed in Bomont. He does succeed in throwing a high school dance, but it takes place at a grain mill outside the city limits. The only thing Ren really accomplishes is that Reverend Shaw Moore doesn’t necessarily change his mind, but just kind of gives up, because what else can he do, really? I’ve always thought the scene in which Shaw prays for everyone going to the dance was a fairly passive-aggressive way of saying he still thinks this is lousy. Anyway, the moral of Footloose seems to be, if you don’t like a local law, just leave town and do it there.

A good portion of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is just Drax and Mantis wandering the streets of Los Angeles searching for Kevin Bacon, which gives the whole thing a fun, hang-out vibe. When the two wander upon Hollywood Boulevard, there’s a great scene of Drax and Mantis confusing all the people in costumes for the real deal. Mantis is sad that Captain America ran away from her and Drax apparently has a major beef with Cy-Kill from the GoBots and a street actor pays the price for Cy-Kill’s transgressions. (I do hope this marks the beginning of some sort of GoBot renaissance. Bring back the toy line where a motorcycle, a fighter jet, and a space shuttle were all the same size.) Anyway, as you might expect, Kevin Bacon isn’t too keen on leaving Earth with two space aliens and hijinks ensue.

All in all, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is nice. It’s not really trying to be much more than any other typical holiday special. In a weird way, I found this pleasant in the fact it’s just these characters hanging out and there’s no threat whatsoever. Marvel does a pretty good job of setting up its characters, especially Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy personalities, and my least favorite part of all of these movies is when the character interactions take a backseat to the CGI cartoon fight scenes. Here, we only get character interactions and it’s nice.

(Also, as a side note The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special starts with “Fairytale of New York“ by The Pogues. A Ted Lasso episode last season also features this particular holiday song, which is quite a comeback after the last few years of getting banned or censored on the radio. I do wonder what the reaction is when people not familiar with this song seek out the full version and hear the more, um, let’s say, questionable or problematic lyrics.)

The ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special’ will stream via Disney+ on November 25th. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

Ever since Elon Musk took control of Twitter and rolled out his controversial (and now disastrous) plan to charge users for blue verified checkmarks, prolific author Stephen King has been trolling the Tesla CEO at every turn. As Musk fights off widespread concerns about an imminent collapse as Twitter experiences a mass exodus of employees, advertisers, and high profile users, King couldn’t resist taking a jab at the situation that John Oliver recently described as a “digital clown town.”

“Pretty soon the only advertiser left on Twitter will be My Pillow,” King tweeted in an obvious reference to Twitter’s recent right wing turn as Musk reinstated accounts for The Babylon Bee, Jordan Peterson, and Donald Trump, who hilariously rejected the offer. (At the time of this writing, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell is still banned from Twitter, but with Musk at the helm, that could change very quickly.)

Cementing his status as a full-time reply guy, Musk couldn’t resist the bait and hopped into King’s mentions on Wednesday morning.

“Oh hi lol,” Musk tweeted before launching yet another one of his numerous failed attempts at humor that have been the lynchpin of Twitter’s demise. “Is My Pillow actually a great pillow? Now I’m curious.”

Like most authors, King relied on Twitter to interact with fans and has been a prolific user of the platform. Under Musk’s management, that relationship is now in jeopardy and King has not held back his criticism of Musk despite being a previous fan of his work at Tesla.

“Musk makes me think of Tom Sawyer, who is given the job of whitewashing a fence as punishment,” King tweeted after Musk rolled out his Twitter Blue subscription plan that ultimately led to an expensive yet easily predictable run on impersonating brands. “Tom cons his friends into doing the chore for him, and getting them to pay for the privilege. That’s what Musk wants to do with Twitter. No, no, no.”

(Via Stephen King on Twitter)

HBO Max is closing out 2022 by delivering fans an always-welcome streaming gift: new seasons of our favorite shows. From the latest installments of Gossip Girl, His Dark Materials, and Doom Patrol to fresh-from-the-theater blockbusters like The Banshees of Inisherin and Amsterdam, there’s plenty to keep you cozy and on the couch once the weather outside gets frightful this month.

Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) HBO Max this December.

Gossip Girl: Season 2 (streaming 12/1)

The real-life DeuxMoi of Manhattan’s Upper East Side elite returns to spin more gossip in the show’s second season — and whoever they are, they’ve got plenty of material to work with. Newcomers disrupting the group hierarchy, throuples dealing with relationship woes, familial drama set to the backdrop of The Met’s steps — it’s safe to say that the tension this season is ramped all the way up.

His Dark Materials: Season 3 (streaming 12/5)

The final season of His Dark Materials is here and James McAvoy is battling God. No, seriously. This latest installment follows the storyline of Phillip Pullman’s third novel in the trilogy, and we’re warning you now, things get dark. Lyra (Dafne Keen) and Will (Amir Wilson) journey to a dangerous place no one has ever survived as Lord Asriel’s fight against the authority reaches its world-altering climax.

Doom Patrol: Season 4 (streaming 12/8)

What’s more important: personal happiness or saving the world? That’s what our favorite motley crew of superpowered freaks must decide in season four as the group travels to the future and faces off against some harsh truths.

Here’s everything coming to HBO and HBO Max this December

Avail. 12/1
3:10 to Yuma, 1957
10,000 B.C., 2008
Black Sheep, 1996
Branson, HBO Original Docuseries Premiere (HBO)
Burn After Reading, 2008
Can’t Hardly Wait, 1998
Cheech & Chong’s Nice Dreams, 1981 (HBO)
Cheech & Chong’s The Corsican Brothers, 1984 (HBO)
Cheech & Chong’s Things Are Tough All Over, 1982
The Children Act, 2017 (HBO)
De Palma, 2015 (HBO)
First Reformed, 2017 (HBO)
Friends with Benefits, 2011
Gossip Girl, Max Original Season 2 Premiere
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, 2008 (HBO)
The Murdochs: Empire of Influence
Gone Girl, 2014 (HBO)
Green Room, 2015 (HBO)
Hellraiser III Hell on Earth, 1992 (HBO)
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline, 1996 (HBO)
Hellraiser V: Inferno, 2000 (HBO)
Hellraiser VII: Deader, 2005 (HBO)
Hellraiser: Hellseeker, 2002 (HBO)
Hellraiser: Hellworld, 2005 (HBO)
A Hollywood Christmas, 2022
Hook, 1991
Into the Forest, 2015 (HBO)
Krisha, 2015 (HBO)
The Maze Runner, 2014 (HBO)
My Fellow Americans, 1996 (HBO)
Paradise (Paraíso), Max Original Season 2 Premiere
The Purge: Anarchy, 2014
Redemption, 2013 (HBO)
Reindeer Games, 2000 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
The Sea of Trees, 2015 (HBO)
Sesame Street’s The Nutcracker, Max Original Special Premiere
Small Town Crime, 2017 (HBO)
Sort Of, Max Original Season 2 Premiere
Step Up All In, 2014 (HBO)
Step Up Revolution, 2012 (HBO)
Stomp the Yard, 2007
Stomp the Yard: Homecoming, 2010
Street Kings, 2008 (HBO)
The Tomorrow Man, 2019 (HBO)
Trumbo, 2015 (HBO)
Two Can Play That Game, 2001
Urban Cowboy, 1980
¡Viva Maestro!, 2022
Win Win, 2011 (HBO)

Avail. 12/2
Blippi Wonders, Season 2B
Hank Zipzer’s Christmas Catastrophe, 2016
Lellobee City Farm, Season 2

Avail. 12/4
Under The Stars (aka Sous les étoiles), Max Original Premiere

Avail. 12/5
His Dark Materials, Season 3 Premiere (HBO)

Avail. 12/6
Amsterdam, 2022 (HBO)
Batwheels Holiday Special: Holidays on Ice
Bugs Bunny Builders Holiday Special: Looneyburg Lights
Sesame Street Mecha Builders Holiday Special: Yip Yip Tree Tree / The Snowman Scarecrow, Season 1
Unveiled: Surviving La Luz del Mundo, HBO Original Docuseries Premiere (HBO)

Avail. 12/8
Doom Patrol, Max Original Season 4 Premiere
South Side, Max Original Season 3 Premiere

Avail. 12/9
Silos Baking Competition: Holiday Edition, Special
Teen Titans Go! To The Movies, 2018 (HBO)

Avail. 12/10
Atsuko Okatsuka: The Intruder, HBO Original Premiere (HBO)

Avail. 12/12
Adult Swim Yule Log

Avail. 12/13
The Banshees Of Inisherin, 2022 (HBO)
Meet the Batwheels: The Best Present in the World, Season 1

Avail. 12/14
Selling the Hamptons
Serving the Hamptons
Queen of Versailles Reigns Again
Trixie Motel

Avail. 12/15
Jugada Peligrosa (ex El Patrón del Balón, Goles Limpios Dinero Sucio), Max Original Premiere

Avail. 12/16
Martin: The Reunion Special 2022
Ranch to Table, Season 3

Avail. 12/22
I Hate Suzie, Max Original Season 2 Premiere
The Head, Max Original Season 2 Premiere

Avail. 12/23
Family Dinner, Season 3

Avail. 12/27
The Man From U.N.C.L.E., 2015 (HBO)

Avail. 12/30
The Established Home, Season 2
This Place Rules, Original (HBO)

Here’s everything leaving HBO and HBO Max in December

Leaving 12/8
Mortal Kombat, 2021 (HBO)

Leaving 12/13
Spark: A Space Tail, 2016 (HBO)

Leaving 12/29
Those Who Wish Me Dead, 2021 (HBO)

Leaving 12/31
12 Rounds, 2009 (Unrated) (HBO)
12 Rounds 2 Reloaded, 2013 (HBO)
2 Guns, 2013 (HBO)
Africa, 1999
A Kind Of Murder, 2016 (HBO)
A Perfect Planet
A Simple Plan, 1998 (HBO)
Against The Ropes, 2004 (HBO)
Arbitrage, 2012 (HBO)
Babylon A.D., 2008 (HBO)
Baggage Claim, 2013 (HBO)
Bend It Like Beckham, 2002 (HBO)
Blue Planet II
Blue Planet: Seas of Life
Bringing Out The Dead, 1999 (HBO)
Chaplin, 1992
Collision Course, 1989 (HBO)
Damien Omen II, 1978 (HBO)
Damsel, 2018 (HBO)
Down Periscope, 1996 (HBO)
Down With Love, 2003 (HBO)
Dr. Dolittle: Tail To The Chief, 2008 (HBO)
Dynasties
Extraction, 2015 (HBO)
Frozen Planet
Fast & Furious 6, 2013 (HBO)
Harlem Nights, 1989
Head Office, 1985 (HBO)
Highlander, 1986 (HBO)
Joyful Noise, 2012
Life, 1999
Life Story, 1987
Little Monsters, 1989 (HBO)
Losing Isaiah, 1995 (HBO)
Monster’s Ball, 2001 (Unrated)
Nature’s Great Events
Odd Jobs, 1986 (HBO)
Omen IV: The Awakening, 1991 (HBO)
Ouija, 2014
Planet Earth
Planet Earth II
Real Steel, 2011
Ricochet, 1991 (HBO)
Rocket Science, 2007 (HBO)
Romancing The Stone, 1984
Sabotage, 2014 (HBO)
Serengeti
Serengeti II
Seven Worlds, One Planet
Space Chimps, 2010 (HBO)
Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back, 2010 (HBO)
Starter For 10, 2006 (HBO)
Sweet Dreams, 1985 (HBO)
Switch, 1991 (HBO)
That Awkward Moment, 2014 (HBO)
The Chosen, 1981 (HBO)
The Clearing, 2004 (HBO)
The Counselor, 2013 (Extended Version) (HBO)
The Final Conflict, 1981 (HBO)
The Flight Of The Phoenix, 1965
The Hitcher, 1986 (HBO)
The Hunt, 2020
The Jewel Of The Nile, 1985
The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 2003 HBO
The Mating Game
The Omen, 2006 (HBO)
The Order, 2003 (HBO)
The World’s End, 2013 (HBO)
The X-Files: I Want To Believe, 2008 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)
Thor: Tales Of Asgard, 2011 (HBO)
Thoroughbreds, 2017 (HBO)
Voyagers, 2021

I was skeptical, too. I read the reviews that Disney+’s Andor “is the cure for Star Wars ennui” (Vulture), “differs from every Star Wars series before it, in the best ways” (TVLine), and is a “rich, patient story of how a rebellion sparks into flame” (Variety). But I chalked the excitement up to lowered expectations following the twin (suns) disappointment of The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi. My doubt remained after watching the first two episodes — but by the end of episode three, I was hooked. By the end of episode 10, I was ready to call Andor one of the best TV shows of the year.

If you haven’t given Andor a shot yet, either because you’re sick of Star Wars or because there’s no Baby Yoda, now’s the time to do it. It’s a four-day holiday weekend for many folks, and the first two episodes of the Tony Gilroy-created series (he wrote and directed Michael Clayton, folks) are airing on TV on ABC, FX, and Freeform. Or you can watch all 12 episodes — including the finale, which debuted today — on Disney+. What sounds better to you? Making awkward small talk with your relatives, or spending eight to nine hours with this cool guy? Believe the hype.

“It is long format to get the chance to go deep into the story of all these people. And I believe we are so lucky to have Tony Gilroy writing this, because his writing is so specific. It’s so complex and so real,” star Diego Luna told Uproxx. “There’s not a single moment that happens because someone said like, ‘Oh, I like the grass. Let’s have that cartoon walking in the grass.’ No. No. No. It’s grass because of something. There is an answer for every question in his writing and that, specificity, is beautiful.”

You know what’s also beautiful? A Star Wars show/movie that isn’t bogged down by tedious flashbacks and Muppet Baby versions of legacy characters and fill-in-the-blank storytelling about Han Solo’s dice, or whatever. For that, I’m thankful for Andor.

One of the biggest stories in the NFL this week revolves around the starting quarterback situation for the New York Jets. The team lost his past week’s game to the New England Patriots, 10-3, with Zach Wilson putting forth an absolutely terrible performance — Wilson, the former No. 2 overall pick, went 9-for-22 for 77 yards. In the aftermath of the game, Wilson made clear that he did not think the offense, which gained 103 total yards, let the team’s defense down.

It was the latest in what has been a rough season for Wilson, even as the Jets have turned into one of the bigger surprises in the NFL with their 6-4 record. The team’s head coach, Robert Saleh, left the door open for a quarterback change, telling the press that the team wouldn’t commit to Wilson starting until he got a chance to sit down and finish “evaluating everything.”

Apparently, Saleh has finished doing that, because according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Jets will bench Wilson for Sunday’s upcoming game against the Chicago Bears.

While the Jets have a 5-2 record with Wilson as the starter, his numbers on the year have not exactly been All-Pro caliber. Wilson is 105-for-189 (55.6 percent) with 1,279 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions, while his passer rating of 72.6 ranks 33rd in the league. It is unclear if New York will turn to Joe Flacco or Mike White in Wilson’s place.

The BTS Army is still elated over Jung Kook’s new single, “Dreamers,” which was released this past weekend ahead of the FIFA World Cup. On Sunday (November 20), he performed the song at the games’ opening ceremony.

The song is an empowering anthem, on which, Jung Kook sings about perseverance.

“Look who we are, we are the dreamers / We make it happen, ’cause we believe it / Look who we are, we are the dreamers / We make it happen ’cause we can see it,” he sings on the song’s chorus.

In the song’s new accompanying video, Jung Kook is seen dancing in the streets of Qatar, celebrating with the city’s people. Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi joins in on the bridge of the song, basking in the beauty of his home country.

In a recent interview with Weverse, Jung Kook said that listening for the mood of a song helps him get into the zone to record it in the studio.

…[T]o put it simply, I’d say I sang ‘For Youth’ in a very sorrowful way, ‘Run BTS’ in a way that sounds like we did a long time ago and ‘Yet To Come’ with a similar feeling to ‘Life Goes On,’” he said. “I kept thinking I wanted to try recording again. I think I could do better, just that things were a little hectic when we recorded.”

Check out the video here.