Summer break for schools is coming right up, which means we’re in the midst of prom season. Benny Blanco decided he wasn’t going to let this window pass by without getting involved.

This past weekend, Blanco found himself at Fairfax High School in Fairfax, Virginia. (As WUSA9 notes, Blanco is an alum of nearby South Lakes High School.) On TikTok, Blanco shared a video of himself rushing to enter the school as he explains, “Alright, guys, we’re about to surprise Fairfax High School. I’m 15 minutes late. We gotta go right now. Let’s f*cking go, go, go, go, go, go. Let’s go!”

Blanco then bursts into the prom venue to uproarious cheers from the students and gets behind the DJ booth. It’s not clear what made his setlist, but the video is set to his and fiancée Selena Gomez’s “Bluest Flame.”

One TikTok user, apparently a student who was at that prom, commented on Blanco’s post, “Thank you for that wonderful night benny!!!![heart emojis]We’re soooo happy you’re there and we will never forget it!!! That night was soooo much fun!!!”

This comes a little over a month after Blanco surprised Gomez with a prom-themed photoshoot, which ended up being used in their “Talk” video.

Reneé Rapp entered a new era recently with the single “Leave Me Alone.” She’s making the media rounds, too, and that includes a new Cosmopolitan feature.

In it, Rapp offers some advice for queer people during a “really scary time,” saying:

“Find your community. Whether that community is online and thousands of miles away from you or two towns over or in someone who really lifts you up beyond a way you could do for yourself. Your community will do the best it can to keep you safe. This extends so much further past gay and trans people.

Really rely on people around you who are maybe more comfortable or less at risk than you are. We kind of have a pact among certain friends of mine that’s like, ‘I can take a way bigger blow than you can. Let me do that sh*t.’ I’m not going to let my friend who exists in a trans body go out and put themselves at risk because they immediately have a way bigger target on their back. There is such a dire need for protection, and the government is not going to give that to you. No one here is going to give that to you but the people you can trust.”

She also said of her friend group, “I have the tightest group of friends in the entire world. We’re together at least two days out of every weekend. We were just all together at our house, and we were crying — all of us being like, ‘This is so cool.’ We have this intersectional group of b*tches at the house playing Rage Cage on a Sunday for no reason. […] I like my personal life more than I like my work life. And I’ve never had that experience. Not once before this.”

Read the full interview here.

Every single 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) 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. Mickey17 – A24 film streaming on HBO Max

Robert Pattinson won’t ever stop being a little freak, thank goodness. Here, Parasite helmer Bong Joon-ho dialed into those vibes by rebirthing RPattz again and again in a sci-fi movie that might eventually be declared a classic even if the box office wasn’t so kind. Satire can be a hard sell, especially when the concept of being “expendable” is at the forefront, but you can’t go wrong by firing this up at home, especially when Toni Collette, Naomi Ackie, Mark Ruffalo, and Steven Yeun are on tap.

9. The Rehearsal – Max series

The season has drawn to a close, but the headlines haven’t evaporated yet. Nathan Fielder is actually beefing with officials at the FAA, which has taken issue with Fielder’s “rehearsal” of Capt. Sully Sullenberger’s Hudson landing in the “Pilot’s Code” episode. Do you know who loves that episode, though? Evanescence lead singer Amy Lee, who told Vulture of the imagined iPod sequence, “It’s just blowing my mind. It’s really beautiful.” So there.

8. Your Friends & Neighbors – Apple TV+ series

Season finale time has arrived for Jon Hamm as a hedge funder-turned thief (Coop) who happens to rob his wealthy neighbors in the wake of his crumbled life. James Marsden will join for the second season, which was announced before this show even premiered, but before then, viewers will want to see how Coop wiggles out from that unexpected murder development. Can you believe that this is the first Hamm leading role since Don Draper meditated to end Mad Men? And since Apple TV+ has already shown a pattern of letting shows breathe and mature, we’ll see if Coop can outlive Draper on TV.

7. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One – Paramount movie streaming on Paramount Plus

Tom Cruise’s final outing as Ethan Hunt (with director Christopher McQuarrie still going for it, too) has arrived in theaters, so that people can find out if this character survived an endless stream of life-threatening stunts only to, like, fall into a trash compactor or something? That would be the funniest way to end the franchise, especially after they crushed hearts by bidding farewell to Rebecca Ferguson. In all seriousness, Cruise is an overriding reason why movies survived the pandemic, so if you are so inclined, you definitely know what to do after catching up on Dead Reckoning Part One on streaming.

6. Murderbot – Apple TV+ series

Finally, Alexander Skarsgård nabbed a lead role where his character’s appeal does not revolve around getting naked. Yet. You never know with him, but this show (which adapts Martha Wells’ The Murderbot Diaries) does aim to stay faithful to the source material’s spirit as much as possible. That target audience has been bestowing positive reactions, but you don’t have to look too far to witness some disappointment in the show’s human characters. What hasn’t been controversial, however, is how this show is keeping episode length short and sweet, in tune with the speed at which the SecUnit devours his own televised addictions.

5. The Handmaid’s Tale – Hulu series

Gilead’s Most Wanted pushed oppressors to the brink all the way to the end, and although the resistance hasn’t yet made a total victory (there has to be something left for The Testaments to handle), the series finale did deliver satisfaction. For one thing, June (who might appear in the followup series) has started writing her book. For another, she and Serena Joy came to as much of a full-on “meeting of the minds” as possible. And Aunt Lydia’s evolution will be central to what comes next, which will be handled by flagship series creator Bruce Miller, so blessed be the (next) fight to come on Hulu.

4. The Eternaut – Netflix series

This Argentina series has lit up multiple local economies after taking off on Netflix and earning a swift second season renewal. That’s a rarity these days on this streaming service, but this adaptation of the same-named 1957 comic by Hector G. Oesterheld is now on the road to a full conclusion. If you haven’t tuned into this haunting series full of apocalyptic snow, an alien invasion, and mind control, then you have some time to catch up, but there’s no time like the onset of summer weather to tune into this arctic blast.

3. The Last Of Us – HBO series streaming on Max

Currently, the subject of finale viewership numbers is being interpreted and reinterpreted, but it’s fair to say that this season was expected to be divisive and did not disappoint in that manner. Craig Mazin has been upfront about pushing for four seasons, although it’s tough to see how that could happen after Pedro Pascal has effectively left the series, and flashbacks cannot last forever. Bella Ramsey and Kaitlyn Dever are both troopers in enduring internet controversy, though, and if anybody can turn around audience sentiment, then Mazin is the guy to do it.

2. MobLand – Paramount Plus series

Sometimes, viewers just want a meat-and-potatoes type series that delivers as promised, and that’s what they received with Tom Hardy returning to gangster mode in a series produced by Guy Ritchie. Last week saw Hardy’s fixer enduring a group dinner, and the season finale heads toward all-out war for the Harrigans and rivals. Hardy has been out there teasing how a potential followup season could go international, although Paramount has remained close-lipped on whether they will pounce upon the chance and total willingness from all involved to keep going.

1. Sirens – Netflix series

No second season has been greenlit for this “limited series,” but we’ll see how that goes, given how frequently that label falls aside when viewership runs high. Such is the case for this series starring Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, Meghann Fahy, and Milly Alcock. The story takes cues from Greek mythology with a genuinely surprising ending on whose life changes the most after a holiday weekend spent at a lavish estate. Will the victor be happy about their spoils in the long term? Well, the ambiguity regarding that question is why some people want the story to continue.

Anybody who pays even a little attention to Megan Thee Stallion knows that the rapper loves anime. (She runs in the same circles as Pikachu, after all.) Now, she’s getting ready to enter the world of anime full-steam, as she has her very own animated series on the way.

Per The Houston Chronicle, at the DreamCon 2025 convention in Houston this past weekend, Megan announced she partnered with Carl Jones, a producer on The Boondocks, for a new anime series. It’s set to be available on Amazon’s Prime Video, and the only other details offered came when Megan said, “You ain’t never seen an anime like this ever in your life.”

During a “fireside chat,” Megan, who was dressed as Bleach character Yoruichi Shihōin, also discussed her recently announced swimwear line, saying, “I feel like it was so easy for me to create Hot Girl Swim because I be wearing bikinis all the time. ‘Stomach out, titties out, ass out, yeah, b*tch, what about it?‘ I had to create the hot girl uniforms.”

More generally, she also said, “My proudest achievement is staying strong through adversity. I feel like a lot of people in my shoes would have gave up. The Hotties have my back.”

Taylor Sheridan’s recent 1923 finale left an unusual dearth of new seasons from the Yellowstone creator. Do not fear, however, because The Madison will arrive later this year, and Tulsa King is currently filming another season with Sly Stallone and Frank Grillo warring over who can wear the largest belt buckle, among other important territorial matters. Additionally, 1944 is in the works to take the Yellowstone story backward, and what of Landman?

The Billy Bob Thornton series (and arguably the TV role that the Bad Santa star was born to portray) is also rolling cameras while lighting up the Fort Worth economy with Sam Elliot joining the show. Let’s strike Texas tea on that subject and what else to expect from the second season.

Plot

Before we get to plot, some excellent news is afoot: Landman could have a lengthly future, as acknowledged by Thornton (below) and by the Fort Worth Report, which relayed how Texas lawmakers “authorized an unprecedented 10-year infusion of hundreds of millions in state film incentives.” In doing so, the effects of Sheridan’s shows were cited as an influencing factor:

Economic benefits for host communities range from dollars spent by crew members for coffee, drinks and meals to lodging, car rentals and more permanent expenditures such as sound stages and outlay for technical equipment. Sheridan’s Fort Worth-based 101 Studios has booked over 75,000 hotel room nights in Fort Worth through productions that included four TV series that each had a daily budget of $1.5 million, according to the Fort Worth Film Commission, including “The Madison,” “Lioness,” “Landman,” “Bass Reeves” and “1883.”

The love between Texas and Sheridan is mutual, as he recognized:

Sheridan, a Fort Worth resident whose Texas roots go back to the 1840s, calls the incentives “extremely important” to helping offset the immense costs of movie-making, which in turn plow dollars back into the local economy. One show spent $44.4 million in the Fort Worth area over 74 days and hired more than 1,100 Texas-based crew and more than 800 Texas cast members, according to the mayor’s office.

Considering how heavily Billy Bob and the gang’s action is focused in Fort Worth, it’s not too hard to conclude that mutual backscratching will continue.

Currently, Thornton and the cast have been filming in the area for two months, and the star admitted that everything is happening so fast, he hasn’t seen every script yet, as he told Collider. However, Thornton told Gold Derby that he’s down for as many seasons as possible:

Asked whether he is prepared for a long run for the show, Thornton doesn’t hesitate to signal his commitment to Sheridan’s latest hit, stating that this “is a show I’d like to work on for a while. I told Taylor, I said as long as you want me around, I’m here for this. I really love the show. I love doing it, I love playing this character, and I love the people I work with. Not only the cast, but the crew also is just stellar.”

As for how Sam Elliott is now aboard the Landman train, Thornton expressed so much adoration, as Collider notes:

“[Elliott’s] always been a mentor and a hero of mine,” Thornton said. “I love the guy, we have a real special relationship in real life anyway.” Although Elliott hasn’t filmed much yet, his presence on set is already making a difference. “It’s so good to see him,” Thornton added. “He lights my day up.”

So, plot? Get ready for Tommy Norris (Thornton) to be dealing with a “tornado” (in the words of Thornton to Deadline) of family upheaval (including his on-and-on wife, Angela, portrayed by Ali Larter) and professional challenges. On the latter note, he will unwittingly take over T-Mex at the behest of Cami Miller (Demi Moore) after the death of Monty Miller (Jon Hamm) in what is perhaps an ill-advised immortality quest. Is Monty really gone? The series has been filming funeral scenes in nearby Jacksboro, and Hamm did not hide his character’s status, nor did so-creator Christian Wallace.

Also, do not expect Tommy to be thrilled about his new job. He will still place himself in dangerous situations (Thornton informed Variety that Tommy will never want “to stop being a Landman”), but he knows that Cami needs to learn “street smarts,” and “[s]ince she doesn’t really know the oil business that well, I’m there with her to show her how these people operate.”

Cast

Bless Sam Elliott and his mustache. The 1883 veteran has undertaken a mysterious role. Dude knows how to wear a cowboy hat, and please please please make him antagonize Tommy Norris.

As mentioned already, Jon Hamm is out with much more Demi Moore to come as Cami learns the ropes of running T-Mex and literally takes off running (as a casting notice for an extra gave away). Other returning actors include Jacob Lofland (as Cooper), 1923‘s Michelle Randolph (as Ainsley), and Ali Larter (as Tommy’s ex-and-current flame, Angela). Presumably, we’ll see more of Andy Garcia and Paulina Chávez, too.

Release Date

Landman is sorely missed, so it’s possible that this season gets hustled out in late 2025. Surely, early 2026 is a second-place alternative.

Trailer

One of these days, a teaser will surface. Until then, Tommy and Ainsley’s cringeworthy father-daughter scenes will do nicely.

For a few moments, Loudermilk co-creator Peter Farrelly was coming in hot with assurances that a fourth season would surface after Netflix began running the former Audience Network series. The idea there, of course, was based upon how Netflix is the master at reinvigorating cancelled series like the Penn Badgley-starring You and Neil Gaiman’s Lucifer for additional seasons.

Could that be the case for Ron Livingston’s misanthrope and the gang? That’s what Farrelly wanted (for the series to be revived somewhere, preferably Netflix), and he appeared confident on the subject: “Absolutely. Guaranteed. A hundred percent. I’m going to do two more seasons.”

The There’s Something About Mary co-director added that no streaming location was yet confirmed to pick up the former Audience Network but that Sam Loudermilk’s “book blew up,” and that story must be told. Over a year has passed since Farrelly publicly enthused in that way, so it’s time to check in on Livingston’s unrepentant a-hole.

Is Loudermilk Season 4 (Still) Happening?

Uncertain. Not wonderful news, right? Both optimism and pessimism is coming from key parties from the series. For instance, Anja Savcic (Claire) recently offered only that “I know they’re working on it.” Presumably, she’s talking about a green light, whereas a wet blanket response came from an appropriate place, which is from the dude who embodied Sam Loudermilk.

Ron Livingston came down to earth on told Marc Maron’s WTF Podcast:

“Everybody discovered it … There’s that moment where you’re like, ‘Let’s get the band back together and make more!’ I don’t know if that’s going to happen. It’s probably not going to happen, but … I’d love it if it did.”

However, both Peter and Bobby Farrelly are keeping their dreams alive. Last November, the duo gave a slight update while promoting Dear Santa and speaking with the Playlist.

“We’ve been talking to the Duplass Brothers about continuing it,” Bobby Farrelly said. “We had a five- to seven-year plan, and we were on the brink of greatness. The show was just about to go in a totally unexpected and fun direction.”

And that Duplass mention takes things full circle to Ron Livingston and Mark Duplass frequently being confused for each other. If you haven’t heard of that oddness, then now you’ll never unsee it.

Regardless of whether or not this mysterious Loudermilk revival will happen, Peter Farrelly promises that the show’s original cast would hop aboard in a heartbeat, if given the chance. Hint hint.

Earlier this year, Chris Pratt began filming The Terminal List‘s second season nearly three years after the Prime Video/Amazon show debuted. That’s a hell of a wait, sure. However, the psychological thriller series, which is based upon ex-Navy SEAL Jack Carr’s novel, will spin off with The Terminal List: Dark Wolf that will arrive much sooner. Pratt’s James Reece will appear in both series, although Dark Wolf will mainly focus upon the origin story of Taylor Kitsch’s Ben Edwards and will go off-book to “delve deeper into his story and follow his journey from a Navy SEAL to a CIA operative.”

However, the Ben Edwards-focused story is no mere placeholder for multiple reasons. Those include how Dark Wolf will introduce characters who will appear in The Terminal List‘s second season, so the logistics of this prequel series’ arrival will be of interest to all franchise viewers.

When Is The Terminal List: Dark Wolf Coming Out?

August 27. On that date, three episodes will drop, and weekly episodes will follow until September 24. Amazon has also provided a synopsis:

Co-created by The New York Times bestselling author of The Terminal List, Jack Carr, and Season One creator-showrunner David DiGilio, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf is a prequel series with an origin story that follows “Ben Edwards” (Taylor Kitsch) throughout his journey from the Navy SEALs to the clandestine side of CIA Special Operations. The series is an espionage thriller that explores the darker side of warfare and the human cost that comes with it. It also features Chris Pratt reprising his role as “James Reece.”

Pratt has promised that the franchise’s decision to “seed” characters for The Terminal List‘s ongoing story will lead to results that are “going to be out of this world, dude. I’m really f*cking pumped.”

The first season of The Terminal List is streaming on Prime Video/Amazon.

One thing is certain about The Bear‘s fourth season: this FX series’ needle drops will remain unparalleled. Also, we can remain fairly certain that Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) will retain his insufferable traits while only Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) can balance him out, if she still has the patience to do so. And in the background, Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) will alternately lose his sh*t and self-actualize. In other words, chaos.

Also, The Bear made no secret of the restaurant being on the brink during the most recent season finale, so let’s balance the books better than Carmy does on what to expect for the fourth season.

Trailer

We might as well start here before the plot section up next.

Plot

After the third season ended with the strong suggestion that Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) either wouldn’t be able or wouldn’t be willing to keep funding the restaurant, that question remains an issue. Part of this dilemma revolves around whether or not the Chicago Tribune review turned out well, and Carmy’s closing “motherf*cker” remark upon seeing the review did not provide any clues about whether that expletive was landing in a pleased or disappointed way. The above trailer keeps the review’s ambiguity intact while continuing to hint that this could be the final season.

Surely, this teasing (and Carmy’s ridiculous expensive-butter habit) cannot last much longer before resolution. Also unknown: whether Sydney will stick around regardless of the review’s contents. She’s the glue of The Bear, and the most recent season finale saw her wrestle with the opportunity to accept Chef Adam’s (Adam Shapiro) offer to run another restaurant. The trailer does show her having an apparent “come to Jesus” moment with Carmy after she declined to sign that partnership agreement. And again, if the fourth season does not settle these issues, then the show will also find it difficult to keep an audience hooked for more.

Want yet another complication? White, Edebiri, and Moss-Bachrach’s careers have hit strides that will soon make coordinating schedules more difficult.

Could the show’s future (and that of the restaurant) stay intact? Well, what usually bodes well for The Bear is when the show takes time away from the kitchen to focus on specific characters, so more bottle episodes could save the mood, which would require more focus on tried-and-true audience faves like Marcus (Lionel Boyce), Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas), Natalie (Abby Elliott), and (yes) Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis). Also, fingers are crossed for a sparing use of Fak (Matty Matheson, who is fab, but a little Fak goes a long way).

FX has provided this fourth season synopsis:

Season four of FX’s The Bear finds Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) and Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) pushing forward, determined not only to survive, but also to take The Bear to the next level. With new challenges around every corner, the team must adapt, adjust and overcome. This season, the pursuit of excellence isn’t just about getting better – it’s about deciding what’s worth holding on to.

Further, FX chief John Landgraf revealed (during a Puck interview) that the fourth season will alleviate the “stuckness” that currently exists, and that viewers are “going to be really well rewarded. Because after stuckness comes unstuckness.” Clear as mud?

Cast

The main trio of Jeremy Allen White (as Carmy Berzatto), Ayo Edebiri (as Sydney Adamu), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (as Cousin Richie) will be in form with supporting turns by Lionel Boyce, Abby Elliott, Liza Colón-Zayas, Oliver Platt, Molly Gordon, and Matty Matheson.

Will “Chef Winger” Diehards (actually Chef David Fields) see their dude again? Please, and Joel McHale has been making sh*t up about a spin off, which is precisely the type of thing that Joel McHale is known to do (good for him).

Release Date

July 25. The fourth season will keep the binge-style release format by releasing all ten episodes at once. Hell yeah.

Chefs, dystopian games, and too many varieties of detectives to count. June is gearing up to launch those concepts in binge-happy form for those moments when heading outside feels like too sweaty an endeavor. Last month’s supply of mysteries, murderbots, and walkers also still lingers in impending weekly drops, which adds up to countless new seasons available for the taking within the TV landscape. Here, we will narrow down the possibilities for you.

In no particular order, here are the must-see shows for June 2025.

The Bear: Season 4 (Hulu series 6/25)

Intensity mode fired up? Oh yeah. Carmy Berzatto and the Chefs are back with this season looking like a pivotal point in the restaurant’s endless existential loop. That is to say, Sydney has a decision to make, Cousin Richie has a challenge in staying on an even keel, Marcus must continue to bake, and Abby must continue being the glue to keep people sane while struggling to do so herself. FX hasn’t hinted at cameos to come, but Chef Winger Chef David Fields must make an appearance, and we can cross fingers for this series to return to the proper amount of Fak in the mix.

Squid Game: Season 3 (Netflix series 6/27)

Nobody ever accused this of being a light and breezy watch, but nonetheless, this show launched as a streaming juggernaut and continued its run before going out (probably) on top with this third outing. The story will pick up with Gi-hun in a truly terrible place after losing his closest friend. He will put forth a plan to end the game, but the Front Man has other designs, and the situation is growing more perilous for those who have survived until now. Will this series end with closure or even more despair? You gotta tune in to find out.

Stick: Season 1 (Apple TV+ series 6/4)

Owen Wilson, Timothy Olyphant, and Marc Maron are onboard for this golf comedy that aims to charm the Ted Lasso crowd before the return of Ted Lasso. Olyphant looks too well dressed for this series, and he’s missing a hat, but it’s cool, he’s branching out. Meanwhile, Maron might steal this show if this trailer is any indication, but the people shouldn’t be disappointed with Wilson as a washed-up golfer, and it’s nice to have a show move away from Severance-like labyrinth mysteries because breezy summer watches serve a purpose, dammit.

BMF: Season 4 (Starz series 6/6)

50 Cent is known for his plentiful beefs, but one in particular suggested that this series could be headed toward the horizon. The fourth season, however, is straight ahead with the crime drama gearing up for Meech and Terry Flenory launching their music label while falling into a brotherly power struggle and expanding further into the drug trade. Prepare for pesky obstacles to the brothers’ twin industries and an increasing police presence with Michael Chiklis (The Shield) joining as a DEA agent.

FUBAR: Season 2 (Netflix series 6/12)

In merry contrast to the above (heavy) selection, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s contribution to the Dad TV phenomenon is also back with him reprising his CIA operative who got yanked back from the verge of retirement. This season, Luke (Arnold) and Emma (Monica Barbaro) are working to prevent global mayhem that a terrorist is threatening to unleash upon humanity. Carrie-Anne Moss joins this season as a former love interest of Luke and a villain, and man, I hope she drags Arnold’s character hard.

The Waterfront (Netflix series 6/19)

Shows about dysfunctional wealthy families rarely miss with viewership, and this series hails from Dawson’s Creek creator Kevin Williamson, who also wrote this high drama about a North Carolina fishing dynasty (the Buckleys) who working to keep their legacy above water. Starring Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, Melissa Benoist, Jake Weary, and Topher Grace, this show will be about “a bunch of people who make mistakes. They do some bad things and then they get in deeper and deeper and deeper,” according to Williamson while speaking with Netflix. It must be noted that although this show was inspired by true events, the characters and events within are fictional.

Smoke: Season 1 (Apple TV+ series 6/27)

Crime-fiction author Dennis Lehane (The Wire) penned this series that brings Taron Egerton (Black Bird) back to Apple TV+ alongside Jurnee Smollett (Birds Of Prey) as they portray a troubled detective and arson investigator who will likely stand amongst Lehane’s hard-boiled characters for the ages. The author is, of course, known for setting stories within Boston, but currently, the tech giant’s streaming service hasn’t unveiled the setting for this fiery series.

The Gilded Age: Season 3 (HBO series 6/22)

Carrie Coon, Cynthia Nixon, and Christine Baranski are back in this season that picks up after the Opera War. The Russells could very well claim ultimate power, but Bertha pushes forth for a seemingly unreachable goal, and the Brook household is in utter disarray. Then a doctor enters the picture and makes Peggy swoon while all characters barrel toward the horizon, perhaps losing and gaining valuable ground at the same time due to ambition.

Ironheart: Season 1 (Disney+ series 6/24)

This series takes place following Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and follows Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) as an inventor attempting to put a new twist on iron suits in a story that bounces technology and magic against each other. She crosses paths with Parker “The Hood” (Anthony Ramos) and will never be the same again, and this series costars Alden Ehrenreich and Sacha Baron Cohen. Rumors are that the latter will bring Mephisto into the MCU.

Countdown: Season 1 (Prime Video/Amazon series 6/25)

Jensen Ackles’ new cop drama will land before he reappears as Soldier Boy in both The Boys final season and the Vought Rising prequel series. As a “rogue” detective (who Ackles has compared to demon hunter Dean Winchester of Supernatural because sure why not), he will lead a task force that takes flight after a high-profile murder that puts the entire city of Los Angeles at risk.

The Best New Hip-Hop This Week includes albums, videos, and songs from Rico Nasty, Samara Cyn, and Sexyy Red.

With summer inching closer, rap and hip-hop are back outside — so to speak. New York standard-bearers The LOX led the charge with their Red Bull Spiral freestyle:

Meanwhile, the girlies took control, with Rico Nasty dropping yet another video from her new album, Lethal: “Son Of A Gun.”

Samara Cyn joined her tourmate Smino in showing off their “Brand New Teeth.”

Clipse made their long-awaited comeback with “Ace Trumpets.”

And Sexyy Red gave one hell of a co-sign to rising star Pluto on her “Whim Whammiee” remix.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending May 30, 2025.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Benji Blue Bills & BNYX — Out The Blue

The burgeoning Atlanta rapper and superstar-stamped Philly producer team up to craft a hard-hitting collection of trap rap bangers, led by the surprisingly soulful “I Wonder.” Together, they establish a truly unique sound, making for a standout project that unlike anything else on the market today.

Bruiser Wolf — Potluck

Detroit native Bruiser Wolf is best recognized as a member of Danny Brown’s Bruiser Brigade, Wolf has as quirky a delivery as that of his benefactor (somewhere between Danny’s, E-40’s, and Cee-Lo Green’s) with the off-beat sense of humor that is the hallmark of Motor City rap. Featuring production from Harry Fraud, Knxwledge, Sango, and more, it’s a sleeper hit in the making.

GoldLink — Enoch

Okay, look… This may be controversial, but I’m going to posit a question: has GoldLink been in artist jail for long enough? I know we are all supposed to be mad at the guy, but on the scale of horrid things rappers have done and said over the last couple of years, maybe disrespecting Mac Miller is small potatoes compared to, say, advocating for literal Nazis? All I’m saying is, there are only a handful of rappers bridging the gap between EDM and rap, and he’s one of, like, the five best at it. Here’s a reminder, at least.

Luh Tyler — Florida Boy

Nearly every song that Tyler has released in the run-up to his latest album has been good to great, so it should come as no surprise that the completed project justifies the 19-year-old’s hype. While I’d like to see some more artistic growth in the near future for him, the recent output of his immediate predecessor as teen rap star du jour, Lil Tecca, suggests a better than decent chance that’s on the way.

Ovrkast. — While The Iron Is Hot

Oakland rapper Ovrkast. is perhaps best known for his production on Earl Sweatshirt’s 2019 EP Feet of Clay, but he’s just as compelling as a solo artist in his own right. Although he reset his career in 2023 (literally, with an EP, RESET!), his recalibrated approach has resulted in some magnetic alt-rap that weaves in influences from jazz, hardcore boom-bap, and more contemporary sounds. My pick for best release of the week.

Singles/Videos

Busta Rhymes — “New York Knicks Anthem (Remix)” Feat. Joey Badass, Papoose, and Nems

Busta repurposes his 2006 Big Bang Theory single into a celebratory anthem cheering on his beloved hometown team as they stave off elimination in the Eastern Conference Finals. The additions of Joey and Nems are timely; Joey has put the city on his back as the current bearer of the Big Apple flag in a one vs. everybody rap battle that has him tussling with seemingly every underground rapper in LA, while Nems famously coined the catchphrases that New Yorkers can be heard screaming into any available microphone or camera with every New York win.

DMX — “Bring Out The Worst” Feat. Joyner Lucas

A posthumous single from the notorious dog lover, “Bring Out The Worst” is a fascinating glimpse at Earl in his mid-90s form, rapping over more contemporary production. I’m not sure if he’d have appreciated or hated Joyner Lucas, but presumably, his estate has a better grasp on his wishes than those of us who’ve been chronically online for the Mass rapper’s mishegoss.

IDK — “Winston Wolf” Feat. No ID

The title card of IDK’s latest loosie music video posits that rap music has gotten a little too serious lately. Arguably, this is true. But besides injecting a little whimsy into our musical day-to-day, the larger, more pressing need filled by “Winston Wolf” is matching a playful No ID with IDK’s sharp wit. The Chicago producer just did a full project with one of my favorite rappers — is it greedy if I ask for one more?

Lexa Gates — “Uber Black”

First of all, huge ups for the interpolation of The Miracles’ “Ooo Baby Baby.” That’s the kind of inspired sampling that can truly bridge intergenerational gaps, and earn the appreciation of old heads everywhere. Lexa has slowly built a small but fiercely loyal following, and “Uber Black” is yet another example of how.

Meek Mill — “Survivor’s Guilt” Feat. G Herbo

It gets lost in his antics, but Meek was and remains one of rap’s premiere street storytellers. Sampling Nipsey Russell’s song “What Would I Do If I Could Feel” from the musical The Wiz (the same song Nas interpolated for “Surviving The Times”), Meek contemplates what it means to be one of the ones who made it out — and the cost of staying too accessible once you do. Meek doing subtle is a new career shift for him… but hey, that’s the sort of growth you love to see.