If you’re looking for the best classic shake (meaning chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry) Shake Shack is your best bet, we know, we ranked shakes from 16 different fast food restaurants and the brand came out on top. And while we love the classics, if you’re looking for a more adventurous blend of flavors, where should you go?
Well, the answer is still Shake Shack. The brand loves adding seasonal flavors to its menu that are often superior to the base menu. This is really saying something because Shake Shack already has some seriously great burgers and chicken sandwiches, but they continually impress us with their limited offerings (shout out to the Spicy Shackmeister and Hot Chicken Sandwich). This new trio of shakes is no exception.
Available from now until April 28th, the new flavors include Thai Iced Tea, Cherry Blossom, and Brownie Batter Hot Cocoa. While we like all three, we thought it might be helpful to rank them for you so you know what to expect before you drop nearly $7 on a shake! Let’s sip.
3. Brownie Batter Hot Cocoa
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
We’re sorry chocolate fans, but the Brownie Batter Hot Cocoa was our least favorite of the trio. It’s not that this shake isn’t good, it just doesn’t offer anything all that different than Shake Shack’s stock chocolate shake, which we like much more.
Where that shake is rich and decadent, this one is a bit creamier and much sweeter. I’m tasting smooth fudge notes and a gentle hint of vanilla. The shake is topped with whipped cream and some brownie crisp crumbles. Don’t get us wrong, this shake is good, but I find the other two flavors much more novel.
The Bottom Line:
Chocolate fans, give it a try. It offers a sweeter and creamier version of Shake Shack’s chocolate shake. But if you want something a bit more adventurous, the other two flavors will deliver.
2. Thai Iced Tea
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Shake Shack’s Thai Iced Tea is a masterclass in nuance and complexity. I’m tasting a lot here: sweet and delicate vanilla custard is joined by gentle spiced cardamom, cinnamon, star anise notes with a creamy and floral finish. It’s not as intensely spicy or malty as the Thai tea you’ll get at a Thai restaurant or boba shop, but instead, it offers a more delicate spice blend.
The shake is topped with whipped cream and black sugar syrup, which gives the drink a slight caramel vibe when mixed into the base.
The Bottom Line:
A gently spicy, complex, and nuanced shake. If you like a shake that’ll bring you a new bouquet of flavors with every sip, this one is for you.
1. Cherry Blossom Shake
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
The Cherry Blossom is undoubtedly our top pick. The flavor profile is simple: the Shack’s vanilla custard spun with cherry blossom flavor and topped with whipped cream and some pink sprinkles. But what this shake offers is a truly unique flavor.
While vanilla dominates, the cherry notes that hover over the base offer a mix of delicate, floral, almost almond-like notes. It’s incredibly nuanced and truly unlike any other milkshake currently offered in fast food. For that alone, we think picking up the Cherry Blossom Shake is a must.
The Bottom Line:
Sweet, delicate, floral, and unique. The Cherry Blossom Shake is worth an immediate trip to Shake Shack.
The ever-evolving Rico Nasty has entered a new era.
Today (February 20), the “Arintintin” rapper announced a new album, Lethal, that finds her reflecting on — and reckoning with — the rage-rap persona she created.
“This album is about being confident and saying f*ck everybody else,” Rico Nasty said. “It’s about getting doors slammed in your face and people telling you to try it their way again and again, and you stay true to yourself and it works. That’s what this project is. It’s an ode to yourself.”
Lethal is Rico Nasty’s first album for label Fueled By Ramen, the punk-heavy home of Fall Out Boy, Meet Me @ The Altar, and A Day To Remember.
Lead single “Teethsucker (Yea3x),” which leans into rock as much as it does rap, is “the first song I wrote for the album, and the first song I ever wrote with Imad Royal, who executive produced Lethal,” Rico Nasty said in a statement. “We all knew this song was special from the moment we turned it in. And what’s a better way to start the new era than by poppin out like a titty????”
You can watch the titty-poppin’ “Teethsucker (Yea3x)” video above, and take a look at the album cover for Lethal below.
Rico Nasty’s Lethal Album Cover Artwork
fueled by ramen
Lethal is out 5/16 via Fueled by Ramen. Find more information here.
Sure, America runs on bourbon, and it’s the more fashionable choice for neat-sipping, but in cocktails? Trust me when I say that Rye is king. If you want proof, this is the perfect list for you because we set up some of the best bottles of rye for mixing in cocktails, and the best part is that they all clock in at under $50.
This list has everything from the classics that have been propping up boozy cocktails for decades to age-stated newcomers with incredibly high values, all for less than $50.
Who’s ready to make some whiskey drinks? These are the world’s best ryes under $50 for mixing in cocktails.
Sazerac Rye, or “Baby Saz” as it’s sometimes affectionately called in alternative to the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection’s Sazerac 18, is an entry-level Kentucky rye from the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Originally created as an homage to the cocktail that bears its name, this is a bottle with roots in New Orleans, made in a style that’s instantly recognizable as a corn-driven Kentucky whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose has features of honey and corn pudding, while the subtle influence of rye spice, clove, candied mint, and faint black pepper is barely perceptible. That said, it is quite a balanced nose, as the baking spices and more traditional rye aromas do a fine job of elevating its overall sweetness.
Palate: Once this whiskey crosses your lips, the flavors of candied orange peels, sweet mint, and corn pudding instantly greet you. With black pepper joining at midpalate, along with a touch of clay and nutmeg, it does increasingly receive some spice balance, though its sweetness is undeniably the marquee flavor. Lastly, the mouthfeel is a bit lean, but it works well with these light and sweet fleeting flavors.
Finish: The finish is very brief but crisp, as it leaves one last gasp of candied citrus notes to go with some caramel and allspice.
Bottom Line:
Sazerac Rye is a whiskey ideally suited for bourbon drinkers looking to cross the Rubicon into rye territory. Its sweet flavor profile is instantly recognizable as one where corn is heavily featured, but despite that, it brings a few surprises to the party as well, which makes it a delightful, albeit modest, neat-sipping rye. In cocktails, however, this is a rye to be reckoned with.
Widow Jane hails from the Red Hook neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, and is primarily known for its stellar blends of sourced whiskey. For its Paradigm Rye, however, they’ve kicked things up a notch—still utilizing that sourced stock but blending it with their own distillate and proofing it down with their signature mineral water from the Rosendale Mines in New York.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A bit of cloying, almost artificial sweetness, perfumes the air at first. On a second whiff, a distinct mint tea aroma melds well with the scents of celery seed and chalky sweetness reminiscent of Smarties candies.
Palate: Wow, the palate is resplendent with honey and mint tea before that lovely Smarties candy note arrives at midpalate. Add to that just a touch of oak and a warm, viscous mouthfeel, and this is a pour that you will revel in on the second sip more than the first. And then the third more than the second.
Finish: A touch of tobacco leaf and golden raisins accent the back end of each sip, which has just enough staying power to allow you to savor those well-balanced flavor notes.
Bottom Line:
Widow Jane’s Paradigm Rye is a surprisingly tasty neat-sipper, but given those unexpected flavors, it’s even more useful in mixed drinks. The distinct earthy and herbaceous notes do well to play off any added sweetness or fruit-forward notes you might find yourself mixing up in a cocktail, which makes this bottle such a good choice to have nearby.
Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye was recently introduced to the JD portfolio, and it’s been going over like gangbusters ever since. Joining the brand’s Tennessee Whiskey and Sour Mash Whiskey in its “Bonded” lineup, this bottle represents the best flavor and the best value of the bunch, as it punches well above its modest price point.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose you do get a bit of that signature Jack Daniel’s bananas foster note but it’s well integrated with a bouquet of sweet mint, sage smudge, cigar wrapper, and roasted almond aromas. All in all, this is identifiably Jack Daniel’s, but with a load of fun surprises along the way.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey immediately comes across as creamy. With dilute caramel, caramelized bananas, freshly cracked black pepper spice, and big-time vanilla pod flavors painting your palate, you’ll immediately find yourself chewing this whiskey as though out of habit. Mining those flavors introduces more menthol, sage smudge, and nutmeg as it starts sticking to the back of your teeth, thanks to its medium-bodied texture.
Finish: The modest finish features an abbreviated showcase of those flavor notes with sweet banana, black pepper, and dilute caramel standing out before it recedes from the tongue.
Bottom Line:
At only $35, this is an incredible delicious rye whiskey, full of flavor and capable of standing tall as a neat sipper. That said, its utility in cocktails cannot be denied as it brings a ton of fruity notes to go with its thick layer of baking spices, which will take any mixed drink you toss it in through a tour of Tennessee.
Old Overholt Rye is one of the most classic and iconic whiskey brands in America. With a legacy that dates back to 1810 when Abe Overholt assumed management of the Old Overton Farmstead, the contemporary version of this 4-year bottled in bond rye whiskey brand is owned and produced by the world-famous Beam Distilling Co.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this rye is a bit restrained, but it beckons you to the rim of the glass with a whisper of orange peel, vanilla extract, rye spice, and red raisins. There’s also a touch of black pepper and youthful oak to be gleaned after a first pass.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey continues to develop with black tea and baked green apples, joining the medley of vanilla extract, orange peel, and rye spice found on the nose. The mouthfeel is lean and sprightly, allowing the liquid to sashay over your tongue with ease, unveiling those light, sweet-leaning flavors.
Finish: The finish is brief and crescendoes in black pepper spice, walnuts, a touch of menthol, and an expressed orange peel.
Bottom Line:
Old Overholt isn’t typically deployed as a sipping whiskey, often used instead as a stellar mixer capable of punching through in a variety of cocktails. Taken on its own it’s easy to see why this bottle stands so tall in mixed drinks, and though we’d recommend giving it a try neat, using it in cocktails where it shines best is sure to be a reward.
Wilderness Trail is known for being one of the industry leaders in terms of innovation, fermentation, and environmental impact, but that doesn’t mean they’re reinventing the wheel. Their flagship rye expression is right down the middle of the road made from 100% local grains with a mash bill of 56% rye, 33% corn and 11% malted barley using Wilderness Trail’s own yeast strains. Also of note: the barrel entry proof for this expression is an atypically low 100 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, it has a smoke-brushed caramel tone that draws you in while stewed apples, rye spice, and vanilla beans emanate in the background. Given a few swirls, the whiskey opens up a bit and becomes lighter, with apricots, allspice, spearmint, and black tea emerging in prominence.
Palate: The first sip from this rye welcomes the fruity combination of stewed apples and dried apricots while toasted Manuka honey and vanilla bean add layers of depth. The texture is fairly rich, while remaining spry enough to easily roll over the tongue, making this one a light sipper more than a rye you need to chew or explore at length.
Finish: The medium-length finish thins out a bit leaving sage smudge, clover honey, and sweet menthol notes sending you on your way.
Bottom Line:
Wilderness Trail’s flagship rye is full of richness, with the sort of broad shoulders you can balance a well-made cocktail on. What it lends in flavor is equally matched by its supple mouthfeel which will result in a flavorful, creamy cocktail.
Sagamore Spirits was long known for sourcing MGP rye while they bided their time, aging their own distillate. Now that distillate is fully mature and supporting the brand’s Reserve Series Bottled in Bond expression.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose begins slightly herbaceous with a hit of cardamom, thyme, and youthful oak, before it spreads its wings unveiling sweet butterscotch hard candy and Stroopwafel notes to go with a touch of peanut shell.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey quickly reveals its richness with a slick texture that’s spry across the tongue. The flavors of caramel and waffle cone make it into the mouth along with some black pepper, Angelica root, red apple skin, and lemon zest.
Finish: The finish is short-to-medium, which is the perfect balance, as it allows just enough time for those disparate flavors to coalesce.
Bottom Line:
Sagamore’s Bottled in Bond Rye is an animal totally of their own making, and they have every reason to be proud of it. Bringing Maryland rye back to prominence is a tall task, but one that should be easily within Sagamore’s grasp if this rich rye is any indication. Enjoy it neat if you must, but just know it makes one hell of an Old Fashioned.
New Riff Bottled in Bond Rye is a powerhouse offering that delivers a ton of bang for your buck. This is another bottle that can easily pull a double shift as a neat sipping treat, or a mixing whiskey that’s hard to beat.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose begins with spearmint bubblegum, confectioner’s sugar, and subtle black pepper notes to go with some oak and caramel candy. In time that sweet spearmint notes becomes more robust, as does the balance of the baking spices with some nutmeg joining the black pepper kick.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey doesn’t disappoint. The sweet spearmint bubblegum note is still front and center, while some cardamom and black pepper keep its overall sweetness in check. The texture is spry and speciously rich, allowing the whiskey to coat your tongue and savor it’s various flavors at length. Fun stuff!
Finish: The finish is where the subtler rye and baking spices come to the fore as a touch of sage and menthol join nutmeg and black pepper to leave the final impression. Also of note: the flash appearance of some clover honey.
Bottom Line:
New Riff’s Bottled in Bond Rye is a flavor-packed, balanced, bottle of rye whiskey and that’s precisely what leads to it working so well in cocktails. You want a whiskey that has plenty of backbone but isn’t a peacock that screams “look at me!” in every mixed drink. New Riff Bottled in Bond Rye is exactly that.
Knob Creek’s original rye whiskey, this 7-year expression debuted back in 2012 and has been a staple on backbars ever since. The expression welcomed a return of its 7-year age statement in 2023, and that’s holding firm for 2024.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes on Knob Creek’s 7-year rye begin with honeysuckle, raw mint, and black pepper, with a touch of dill seed, oak, and hazelnut all having their say in this charming bouquet of aromas.
Palate: On the palate, all of the nosing notes persist to varying degrees, with the honeysuckle and raw mint notes blending well with the black pepper and hazelnut. At the same time, the oak is relegated to being a featured player, and the dill seed notes are faintly evident.
Finish: The finish welcomes an uptick of the spice notes, with rye spice and nutmeg seizing the reins while some gentle tannins and caramel come through.
Bottom Line:
Knob Creek fans rejoiced when this classic rye revived its 7-year age statement, and even with the lineup’s expansion, including a new 10-year offering, the OG still hits the sweet spot. While the 10-year is a bit more peppery, making it stand out in cocktails, the 7-year is mellow enough to elevate your mixed drink without drawing too much attention to itself.
Pikesville Rye used to be a pillar of America’s twin whiskey capitals, Maryland and Pennsylvania, calling the former home. Now, this whiskey is made in Kentucky by Heaven Hill but still honors its past with its throwback label.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Pikesville Rye is incredibly expressive with dense molasses, pine, rye spice, raw mint, potting soil, and dark chocolate. It’s a tightly wound and incredibly enjoyable nosing experience that rewards your patience as those notes slowly uncoil.
Palate: The tip of the tongue is briefly greeted with the citrus splash of tangerines before dark chocolate, allspice, and raw mint sink their hooks into your palate. The toffee aroma from the nose then makes its way to the palate along with a splash of sorghum, red pepper flakes, and, finally, a turn towards milk chocolate that sweetens it up a bit.
Finish: The lengthy finish is full of hazelnut spread, rye spice, mint, and overtures of freshly cracked black pepper. It continues the bold streak that this whiskey kicked off from the moment I opened the bottle.
Bottom Line:
Pikesville Rye is one of the more full-bodied and robust rye whiskeys on this list, making it perfect for punchy, whiskey-forward cocktails. If you’re looking for a particularly viscous rye with a broad range of flavors capable of standing up in a mixed drink, you’ve just found your new best friend.
Bulleit 12-Year Rye is back again after being originally released in 2019. The 2024 edition actually contains whiskey from the first release, which, if you do the math, means there’s much older whiskey in this blend.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Green caramel apple aromas fill the glass and waft over the rim with a touch of honeyed mint tea, allspice, buttercream, and sweet oak. There’s also a distinctive floral aspect that draws you in.
Palate: Oak and allspice take the lead, but those notes are soon supplanted by a dollop of caramel, a mint milk chocolate shake, and the crisp green apple found on the nose.
Finish: Sweet oak and white pepper are abundant on the finish, which has a medium length that gently recedes, leaving you craving the next sip.
Bottom Line:
Look, Bulleit’s 95% rye and 5% malted barley grain recipe is famous for a reason — it’s a crowd-pleaser that helped redefine the category. With some added age, the whiskey takes on a richer depth of flavor and delivers an incredible value that’s well worth taking advantage of in your favorite rye cocktail.
Wild Turkey 101 Rye has been a staple of the brand since the 1950s, but only since about 1974 has the expression been produced exclusively by Wild Turkey in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Wild Turkey 101 Rye is light and full of rye spice, honeyed mint tea, cornbread, and black pepper.
Palate: When it first passes your lips, Wild Turkey 101 Rye is impressively multi-layered with faint hazelnut notes and significant mint spice, pairing well with clover honey, soft oak tones, nutmeg, and cornbread. The mouthfeel is substantive enough to send those flavors sprawling across the entirety of your tongue and the roof of your mouth but restrained enough that it keeps all of those notes in check, making for a sipping experience that hews toward being refreshing rather than contemplative.
Finish: The finish on 101 Rye has a fair bit of staying power, as the flavor of honey clings to the palate along with some white pepper and youthful oak that tapers off quickly but leaves a satisfying impression.
Bottom Line:
Wild Turkey 101 Rye is the perfect match for a mixed drink. It isn’t overly proofy, which grants it the ability to enhance cocktails without dominating them, but it’s still packed with flavor, allowing the base spirit to stand tall. When sipping this expression on its own, you’ll really be able to appreciate the balance it brings to the table, as well as the streamlined but still multi-layered flavor profile.
Rittenhouse Rye is one of those back bar staples that’s become so ubiquitous, you might’ve overlooked it. With a history that traces back to Philadelphia, this flavorful bottle was named after the city’s famous Rittenhouse Square.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, you’ll pick up notes of banana peppers and red chilli flakes, which are soon joined by dried apricots, subtle butterscotch notes, paprika, and nutmeg.
Palate: On the first sip, Rittenhouse Rye’s flavor profile remains true to its nosing notes. The notes of banana peppers and dried apricots lead the way before red pepper flakes, rye spice, vanilla, cinnamon, and cocoa enter the picture. It’s a spice-laden sip with a fairly lean texture, which gives it more breadth than depth.
Finish: The finish is medium-length with black pepper, nutmeg, and butterscotch standing out most prominently.
Bottom Line:
Rittenhouse Rye was born to be a cocktail mixer, and there isn’t a single mixed drink where it shines brighter than in an Old Fashioned. Rye-based Old Fashioneds perfectly showcases why rye was the original inspiration for the drink, bringing plenty of baking spices to balance out the sugar and citrus and even going so far as to lead the flavors without being too boozy, maintaining an impressive balance even after the ice begins to melt. There’s no question: Rittenhouse Rye is the best readily available whiskey you can choose for an Old Fashioned.
Originally launched in 2019, Old Forester Rye quickly became a fan favorite and a bar staple. Utilizing a historic mash bill acquired by Owsley Brown in 1940, Old Forester Rye consists of 65% Rye, 20% Malted Barley, and 15% Corn.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Interestingly, on this blind tasting, there is a lot of mint, rye spice, and lemon meringue on the nose of this whiskey for me. The sweet, lemon meringue notes come with a bit of milk chocolate, and once the sweetness subsides, there’s a bit of black pepper and even cinnamon bark hiding underneath.
Palate: The palate is heavier than expected, and a rush of mint, milk chocolate, honey, and rye spice cascades over the tongue on the first sip. The first takeaway is that this multi-layered sipping experience can reward extended consideration. Chewing reveals a bit of youthful oak and a touch of leather.
Finish: The medium-length finish on this whiskey is where the spices return in full force with black pepper and a touch of cinnamon fusing with rye spice, mint, and honey for a balanced and appropriately timely send-off.
Bottom Line:
It’s easy to see why this rye quickly became a bartender’s favorite. With an impressive, well-defined set of flavors that up the ante on the rye content while retaining a base sweetness that appeals to bourbon fans, Old Forester Rye is one of the most versatile whiskeys on the planet, regardless of category. Whether you’re a neat sipper or a regular cocktail consumer, this bottle belongs on your shelf at home.
For its flagship rye whiskey, Michter’s rests the liquid for an undisclosed period of time before blending it in 20-barrel small-batches and bringing it to bottling proof with some of that famous Kentucky limestone water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Lime zest and Manuka honey lead the charge on the aroma note with a gentle, approachable profile that draws you in for deeper inhalation. On the second pass, you pick up notes of cracked black pepper, oak, and, surprisingly, brisket fat.
Palate: What stands out immediately is that Michter’s US*1 Rye has a really supple mouthfeel, and its flavors of honeyed mint tea with a touch of black pepper and oak are restrained yet well-defined. It’s a flavor profile that plays coy and encourages you to meet it halfway before enchanting you with how well-developed each of the notes truly is.
Finish: Some red pepper flakes, honey, and mint punctuate the succinct finish. Overall, each sip is impressively smooth and rich, which makes for easygoing good sipping.
Bottom Line:
While other rye expressions in Michter’s portfolio bring more pizazz, their standard edition rye is the life of the party. Equally excellent on its own or as a mixer, this bottle can easily be the lifeblood of your bar cart, optimizing any cocktail it touches.
Without a doubt, Michter’s US*1 Rye is an incredible whiskey for mixing drinks, and it’s our number one rye for use in cocktails.
Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs looked to take a big step forward this season in the young star’s second year in the league. After acquiring De’Aaron Fox at the trade deadline, they were pushing for a Play-In berth in the second half of the season, but that pursuit will now be a massive undertaking for the rest of the Spurs.
On Thursday, the Spurs announced Wembanyama would miss the remainder of the regular season after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. The team’s doctors discovered the condition when Wembanyama returned to San Antonio after playing in the All-Star Game. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the Spurs are “optimistic” Wembanyama will make a full recovery and be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season.
It is not the first time we’ve seen a young player have a season end prematurely due to the discovery of a blood clot, as Brandon Ingram was diagnosed with DVT in his right arm back in March of 2019 with the Lakers and missed the rest of that season. Ingram was able to return the next season and resumed his career without any further issues with blood clots, and that will be the hope for Wembanyama, who looks like he is destined to be one of the NBA’s next great players.
In the immediate, the Spurs will now have to navigate the final 30 games of the regular season without their young star and the budding chemistry between Fox and Wembanyama that will be vital for their long-term future will be put on hold.
Vampire Weekend have been announced as part of a handful of festival lineups over the past few months (Boston Calling, Iron Blossom, Just Like Heaven). Their concert schedule just got even busier: Today (February 20), the band announced a run of 2025 tour dates.
Geese will open all the shows aside from the final two. For those, Vampire Weekend will be joined by Turnstiles (the Billy Joel tribute band, not the punk band Turnstile).
There’s a pre-sale for Citi cardmembers that starts February 25 at 10 a.m. local time, and more information can be found here. The band also has presales starting February 26 at 10 a.m. local time, followed by the general on-sale on February 28 at 10 a.m. local time, via the band’s website.
Find the list of upcoming tour dates (including the band’s festival appearances) below.
Vampire Weekend’s 2025 Tour Dates: Only God Was Above Us Tour Part 2
05/10 — Pasadena, CA @ Just Like Heaven
05/25 — Boston, MA @ Boston Calling
05/27 — Burlington, VT @ Midway Lawn *
05/29 — Portland, ME @ Thompson’s Point *
05/30 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark *
05/31 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark *
06/02 — Columbus, OH @ KEMBA Live! *
06/03 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE *
06/04 — Saratoga Springs, NY @ Broadview Stage at SPAC *
06/06 — Charleston, SC @ Firefly Distillery *
06/09 — Asheville, NC @ Asheville Yards Amphitheater *
06/12 — Jacksonville, FL @ Daily’s Place +
06/13 — Miami, FL @ FPL Solar Amphitheater +
06/15 — Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo
08/13-16 — Paredes De Coura, Portugal @ Paredes De Coura Festival
08/15 — Hasselt, Belgium @ Pukkelpop
08/15-17 — Biddinghuizen, Netherlands @ Lowlands
08/17 — Charleville-Mezieres, France @ Cabaret Vert
08/21 — Paris, France @ Rock En Seine
08/23 — Portsmouth, UK @ Victorious Festival
09/12-14 — East Aurora, NY @ Borderland Festival
09/20-21 — Richmond, VA @ Iron Blossom Festival
09/27 — Ocean City, MD @ Oceans Calling
Betting on college basketball is always a bit terrifying, whether you’re betting sides or totals, and it is the sport that most consistently produces horrendous beats late in games.
There are a few reasons for that. You have the crazy number stoppages we tend to see in college hoops that make the final two minutes of games take forever to play, the propensity to play the foul game early to extend things which only adds to that, and the general unreliability of 18-22 year olds to make good decisions (which is not unique to the basketball court, of course). On Wednesday night in Morgantown, we got an all-timer as the West Virginia Mountaineers hosted the Cincinnati Bearcats as 3.5-point favorites and after a hard-fought game, it looked like the home team was going to cruise to Covertown after pulling ahead by nine late.
Cincinnati banks in a prayer of a three to cut it to six with 7.9 seconds to play, but all the Mountaineers need to do is get the ball inbounds and they’ll get fouled. Naturally, they lob up a wild pass that gets tipped out and eventually leads to another three to make it a three-point game with 4.5 seconds to play. Now they’re not covering, but again, just get the ball inbounds and you’ll be going to the free throw line. Instead they go for the ol’ pass to the corner inbounds that hits off a Mountaineer’s hands and goes back out of bounds for a turnover.
At this point, you’re actually hoping for Cincy to hit a three to force overtime to keep your chances alive, but of course the magic has run out for the Bearcats by this point and their best look at a three goes begging of the iron and the clock runs out for a 3-point West Virginia win just to make it hurt even more.
Each week our staff of film and television experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish shows available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.
After a long, long break, one of the best shows on TV is back. Severance picks up where season 1 left off, with Mark (Adam Scott), Helly (Helly Riggs), Dylan (Dylan), and Irving (Irving Bailiff) trifling with the severance barrier, “leading them further down a path of woe,” according to the cryptic Apple TV Plus synopsis. There are so many mysteries left to answer: what’s the deal with Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman)? What’s the deal with Seth Milchick (series MVP Tramell Tillman)? And seriously, what’s the deal with the freaking goats?
Best Animated Feature at the 2025 Oscars is unusually stacked. Inside Out 2 is the frontrunner considering how much money it made, but honestly, it’s probably the weakest of the nominees. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is a delight, obviously, while the beautiful and heartbreaking Flow is my personal favorite. But don’t sleep on The Wild Robot, a charming critical and commercial hit from Lilo & Stitch co-director Chris Sanders about a robot learning to adapt to their surroundings in the great outdoors. It’s very good.
Mike Judge and Greg Daniels have been attached to some of the best TV comedies of the last 30 years, including Parks and Recreation, The Simpsons, and The Office for Daniels and Beavis and Butt-Head and Silicon Valley for Judge. They also co-created King of the Hill. Their latest collaboration is producing Common Side Effects, a surreal Adult Swim animated series about the “world’s greatest medicine” from creators Joseph Bennett (Scavengers Reign) and Steve Hely (30 Rock). Episodes will stream the next day on Max.
Mo is a special series. The Netflix comedy-drama follows Mo Najjar (played by creator Mo Amer), a Palestinian refugee living in Houston, Texas, as he attempts to secure asylum. Season 2 begins with Mo stranded across the border in Mexico, and he’ll need “all the hustle and charm he can muster” to return to the States. Mo is timely, hilarious, and heartbreaking.
A new season of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia is coming later this year, but don’t forget about Rob McElhenney’s other excellent comedy series. Mythic Quest season 4 (also the show’s final season) brings everyone — including McElhenney’s Ian, Charlotte Nicdao’s Poppy, and Danny Pudi’s Brad — back together at Mythic Quest HQ, where they’ll confront “new challenges amongst a changing video game landscape as stars rise, egos clash, relationships bloom and everyone tries to have a little more work life balance.” I’ll miss Ian and Poppy’s Don and Peggy-like fraught yet platonic relationship the most.
Clean Slate is one of the final projects from the late Norman Lear, the creator and/or producer of All In The Family, The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son, and Maude. The comedy follows Alabama car wash owner Harry (played by George Wallace) who learns that his child, who he thought was his son, is actually a trans woman named Desiree (Laverne Cox). As per Prime Video: “Her homecoming brings together a hilarious cast of friends, coworkers, and love interests, as Desiree and Harry try to get it right the second time around.
Ahead of playing season 2’s most polarizing character on The Last Of Us, the great Kaitlyn Dever stars in Apple Cider Vinegar. The limited series tells the “true-ish story” of Belle Gibson (Dever), an Australian wellness influencer who claims to have cured her terminal brain cancer through health and wellness. As you might imagine, Belle is full of crap. Apple Cider Vinegar is about the rise of a wellness empire, and the inevitable downfall.
Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy is the fourth Bridget Jones movie, but the first to feature a character being killed off-screen while doing humanitarian work in Sudan. No spoilers! Otherwise, the rom-com follows Bridget (played by Renée Zellweger) as she raises her young kids with help from her friends and former lover, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant).
The sixth and final season of Cobra Kai was split into three parts. This is the third part. In the five remaining episodes, Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai must “reckon with their pasts while facing an uncertain future both on and off the mat,” according to the Netflix synopsis. “Almost 40 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, it’s all been leading to this.”
Apple TV+’s sci-fi empire expands with The Gorge. Directed by Scott Derrickson (The Black Phone), the film is about two elite snipers, played by Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller, who are tasked with guarding a giant, mysterious hole (the titular gorge!) and protecting the world from the evil that’s within. An intriguing premise that gets even more exciting when you learn Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross provided the score for the movie.
The White Lotus returns with a new location (Thailand) and a new group of talented actors playing emotionally- and spiritually-empty rich folks. The cast includes Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Blackpink’s Lisa, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Aimee Lou Wood. “I do feel like the other seasons were a rehearsal for this one,” creator Mike White teased.
Is the Count Orlok voice the new Bane voice? Judge for yourself with Nosferatu, the latest film from The Lighthouse and The Northman director Robert Eggers. The gothic tale is creepy, sexy, and has wonderful performances from Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, and Willem Dafoe. It’s great, unless you don’t like rats. Then maybe skip it.
Shockingly, Zero Day is Robert De Niro’s first starring role in a TV show. OK, maybe that wouldn’t be shocking 30 years ago, when movie stars didn’t “do” TV, especially streaming shows (also, they didn’t have streaming shows 30 years ago). But it’s still surprising it took this long. Zero Day is a six-episode political thriller starring the two-time Oscar winner as a former U.S. president who is tasked with investigating a deadly cyberattack. Is there nothing Bobby D can’t do?!?
There’s a Peaky Blinders movie coming out soon, but before then, creator Steven Knight has a new show on Hulu. A Thousand Blows is about the world of underground boxing in 1880s Victorian London, as well as the all-female crime syndicate Forty Elephants. The cast includes Malachi Kirby, Erin Doherty, Francis Lovehall, and Stephen Graham, giving the show a Peaky connection.
You know what time is it? It’s Reacher o’clock. In season 3, the big guy meets an even bigger guy. He also “hurtles into the dark heart of a vast criminal enterprise when trying to rescue an undercover DEA informant whose time is running out,” according to the Prime Video synopsis. “There, he finds a world of secrecy and violence and confronts some unfinished business from his own past.” Every episode is basically the same, which is to say, they’re all a lot of fun.
The Milwaukee Bucks come into the stretch run of the NBA season fifth in the Eastern Conference at 29-24, one game ahead of Detroit for sixth and one game behind Indiana for fourth.
That means the final 29 games of the regular season will be huge for Milwaukee as they try to land a top-4 seed and a homecourt advantage in the first round — and to avoid falling to sixth and having to face the Knicks or (less likely) the Celtics. The Bucks are already a team that is lacking a bit in the depth department, but they will now have to navigate much of the second half of the regular season without a key contributor.
That is because Bobby Portis, who is averaging 13.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in 46 appearances this season, has been suspended for 25 games for violating the league’s anti-drug policy. As is always the case with a suspension like this, Portis and his camp are claiming it was an accident According to Portis’ agent, the suspension is for taking the banned substance Tramadol when he thought he was taking Toradol (an approved painkiller) before a game and that they are disappointed the league is enforcing the policy so strictly.
In any case, Portis will now miss all but the final four games of the regular season for the Bucks, putting increased pressure on an already thin Bucks frontcourt rotation to hold up and keep Milwaukee in the 4/5 game in the East.
This has been a major week for ASAP Rocky: A few days ago, he was found not guilty in his felony assault trial and therefore avoided potentially years in prison. Rihanna showed up to court dates to support the father of her children, even though he didn’t want her there.
Rocky’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, explained the situation outside of the courthouse and spoke about how dedicated Rihanna was to behind there (here’s a video), saying:
“He didn’t want her there. He was very protective of her. I was sort of supporting his decision to keep her away. The trial’s not about Rihanna. But she called me one day and she was like, ‘Joe, wild horses aren’t going to keep me away, so let him know I’m coming and deal with him.’”
Ultimately, Rocky seemed pretty darn happy about Rihanna being there: Immediately after the verdict was read, he jumped into the courtroom gallery and gave Rihanna a big hug. Later, they were seen outside the courthouse, Rihanna holding his arm and affectionately rubbing his shoulder.
In an Instagram Story seemingly about the trial shared after the verdict, Rihanna wrote, “The glory belongs to God and God alone! Thankful, humbled by his mercy!”
Blondshell has released another song from her much-anticipated album, If You Asked For A Picture. Unlike grungy first single “T&A,” the lovely “Two Times” has a lighter, stripped-down sound, though it’s no less impactful.
“I feel like I’m always seeing movies and shows where conflict is the only way love is expressed. It’s a lot of stories where someone has to work really hard to get somebody else to love them, and that’s what seems to make the relationship valuable. This song was basically like, what if it’s just solid? What if it’s just good and the relationship’s healthy? Does that mean it is less valuable? I think that’s a painful question because it’s essentially asking how capable you are of being in a decent relationship. But it’s also a love song in that way.”
You can watch the “Two Times” video above, and check out Blondshell’s recently announced North American tour dates below.
Blondshell’s 2025 Tour Dates: The If You Asked For A Picture Tour
05/28 — Belly Up Tavern @ San Diego, CA ^
05/30 — The Fonda Theatre @ Los Angeles, CA ^
05/31 — August Hall @ San Francisco, CA ^
06/02 — Wonder Ballroom @ Portland, OR ^
06/03 — The Showbox @ Seattle, WA ^
06/06 — Soundwell @ Salt Lake City, UT ^
06/08 — Gothic Theatre @ Denver, CO ^
06/11 — Fine Line @ Minneapolis, MN *
06/13 — Metro @ Chicago, IL *
06/14 — Skully’s Music Diner @ Columbus, OH *
06/16 — Phoenix Concert Theater @ Toronto, ON *
06/17 — Theatre Fairmount @ Montreal, QC *
06/19 — Royale @ Boston, MA %
06/20 — Brooklyn Steel @ New York, NY %
06/21 — Union Transfer @ Philadelphia, PA %
06/24 — 9:30 Club @ Washington, DC %
06/26 — Orange Peel @ Asheville, NC %
06/27 — Variety Playhouse @ Atlanta, GA %
06/28 — Basement East @ Nashville, TN %
^ with Jahnah Camille
* with Meg Elsier
% with Daffo
If You Asked For A Picture is out 5/2 via Partisan Records. Find more information here.
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