GoneTrending

Blackstarkids are throwing it back to the aughts on their upcoming album. Today, the band has announced Cyberkiss, which is set to arrive this fall, and take inspiration from artists like N.E.R.D., Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, and Outkast.

Ahead of the album, the band has dropped a new single called “Sex Appeal,” on which the group members channel the futuristic stylings of the icons who came before them, while exuding a fresh confidence and bringing a welcome, much-needed eccentricity back to music. “Don’t talk to me unless you’ve got sex appeal,” says the group, over a track reminiscent of early Pharrell beats.

“This song is a homage to 2000s Neptunes, Timbaland, and Missy,” said Blackstarkids in a statement. “As well as, lyrically, a homage to Jay Z. ‘Light Your Ass On Fire’ from Clones was a big inspiration on this track, and we wanted to have a song that felt fun and confident.”

Check out “Sex Appeal” above and the Cyberkiss album artwork below.

1. “How To Self-Destruct”
2. “Sex Appeal”
3. “Pink Starz”
4. “Joy”
5. “Reject Media”
6. “Cyberkiss 2 You” Feat. Beabadoobee
7. “NuYork V2”
8. “Boycott”
9. “Star-Crossed Kiwi Fusion”
10. “Do The Right Thing”
11. “Keep Me Around”
12. “Digital World”
13. “Express Yourself”
14. “Peach Cobbler”
15. “Cardigan”
16. “1-800-BLACKSTARKIDS”
17. “Peace + Love”

Cyberkiss is out 9/23 via Dirty Hit. Pre-save it here.

Last month, Cordae tweeted about how after a four-hour road trip it dawned on him that his debut album The Lost Boy is better than the follow-up From A Birds Eye View. He closed the post with “My bad y’all. Ima do better next time. I got sumn to prove.” Today (August 11) he released his first steps toward redemption in the two new singles “Unacceptable” and “So With That.”

A known talented lyricist, the 24-year-old flexed his ability to craft two unique listening experiences. “Unacceptable,” produced by ATL Jacob and Hendrix Smoke, is earnest ear candy for modern-day music listeners with a mid-tempo trap feel. “So With That” sounds like he took a road trip to the past, with a backpack rap-type beat laced with high-pitched vocal samples.

The accompanying video finds the “RNP” rapper riding in the car with a woman before later sitting on a couch rapping while she yells at him. Surely Cordae hopes that the fan reception to these records is the inverse of her ferocity as he works toward his next project.

These records come over almost seven months after From A Birds Eye View, which featured Lil Wayne, Lil Durk, HER, Gunna, and Stevie Wonder. He also turned the album into a full, live visual production.

Check out the video for “So With That” above and listen to “Unacceptable” here.

Cordae is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

“I’m fine.”

How easily these two words slip from our mouths, often when nothing could be further from the truth. Sometimes, it feels safer to hide our true feelings, lest someone make a judgment or have a negative reaction. Other times, it’s a social rule instilled in childhood, perhaps even through punishment. Or maybe denying is the only way to combat overwhelm—if we ignore it all long enough, things will eventually get better anyway.

At the end of the day … it’s all about avoiding further pain, isn’t it?

But this denial can lead to even more suffering—not only emotionally, but physically as well. Everything from stiff muscles, to migraines, to digestive issues can stem from suppressing emotions.

To quote Emily Roberts, M.A., LPC. a psychotherapist, in her article for Mind Body Green, “Deciding to bury your feelings, ignoring them, internalizing them, pretending they didn’t happen, or convincing yourself that there is no need to deal with them can literally make you sick from the stress.”

It also makes it harder for others to help, if they don’t know what’s really going on. Fortunately, mental health continues to be a topic of interest, and open conversations about red flags help to raise awareness and help people better understand one another.

On a recent Ask Reddit thread, people shared their own indirect “cries for help” they’ve either witnessed, or made themselves. Their stories were eye-opening. It’s true that some are better at hiding their struggles than others, but even those individuals often give off subtle warning signs.

You can read them below.

“Anger and irritability can be a symptom of depression. It’s harder to empathize with someone who’s having angry outbursts, but it’s still important to recognize.” – @celolex

“Some people become very quiet and docile, like if they’ve resigned themselves to the minimum.” – @methyltheobromine_

“Purposely avoiding sad and difficult topics. Sometimes when a person is constantly feeling like shit the last thing they want to do is bring up more negativity when hanging out with people they enjoy being around.” – @sunnyrubberboots

“Marked differences in behavior where the person becomes way more positive and energetic than normal. We tend to think of these sorts of changes as being good, but any sudden and large enough change in behavior is something you need to keep an eye on. This is especially true if they are going from a very negative pattern of thinking/behavior into an uber-positive one very quickly. Usually, those ‘now I feel like I can conquer the world’ changes are the precursor to suicide attempts and the like.” – [deleted]

“I had a girlfriend who occasionally suffered extreme bouts of depression. She’d be high energy then suddenly she would try to sleep as much as possible. She said “it just doesn’t hurt as much when you’re asleep.” Any time I hear anyone sleeping A LOT I know they are having a very difficult time and just try to be there for them.” – @CharlieTuna_

“When they start cutting off contact. That outgoing, happy person suddenly ‘just isn’t up to it,’ or [saying] ‘maybe some other time,’ then something is wrong.” – @driving_andflying

“Anhedonia. Losing interest in things a person usually found to be a source of enjoyment. Depression is a very insidious illness and a very isolating one. Sometimes it can be hard to spot, because people are very conditioned to hide it.” – @kutuup1989

“One of the things I used to say when I was suicidal was, ‘I’d never just walk in front of an 18-wheeler, but I wouldn’t get out of the way, either.’ I wanted to die but didn’t want to be the one to do it because I knew that while an accident would absolutely crush my loved ones, me pulling the trigger would likely cause a chain reaction. It’s just a sort of numb acceptance. You wait and sort of hope an opportunity arises. I’m doing better now. But yeah. Second hand suicide is real.” – @starkrocket

“A reduction in food consumption. I’ve found when I’ve fallen down the hole and I just stop caring anymore I don’t eat anywhere near as much as I normally do. Instead of having the standard 3-4 meal things a day I’ll be lucky to convince myself to have 2 as I simply don’t care anymore.” – @funland8642

“It may seem a bit obvious, but when someone says that they don’t see themselves living past a certain age, or acting surprised that they made it to a certain milestone in their lives.” – @nickgio19

“When someone has obviously been crying or tears up without apparent provocation, even in a very public setting, it can be a sign that they’re in too much pain even to try masking it. I’ve also heard of severely depressed people who abruptly ‘snap out of it,’ and go perky, and that can be indicative of a person who was agonizing over whether to end things, who has now decided to do so. Making that decision, sadly, gives them peace and relief.” – @FlourChild1026

“Giving a lot of personal possessions away without wanting anything in return.” – [deleted]

If you or someone you know are having thoughts of suicide or require mental health support, call or text 988 to talk to a trained counselor at the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit 988lifeline.org to connect with a counselor and chat in real time. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress as well as prevention and crisis resources for healthcare professionals.

A surprisingly wholesome video clip of the late iconic professional wrestler “Macho Man” Randy Savage is going viral for the surprisingly vulnerable answer he gave when asked if he ever cries.

The 1992 interview with Arsenio Hall began with Hall joking that Save’s “middle name is macho,” and asking if he ever cried. If you’re not familiar with professional wrestling in the 1980’s and early 90’s it was common for the biggest names of the day: Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Ultimate Warrior, Mr. Perfect, and, of course, Macho Man, to take on personas that often embodied what we might now call “toxic masculinity.” Many of them were after all what they call “heels,” in wrestling circles, aka the bad guys.

So, it was pretty surprising to see the downright deep and wholesome response Savage gave to Hall without hesitation.

“It’s OK for macho men to show every emotion available,” Savage says in the clip. “I’ve cried a thousand times and I’m gonna cry some more.”

This explanation of macho men being able to show all emotions was probably just as relevant then as it is now. The notion that it’s not just OK, but completely normal and acceptable for men to cry goes against everything that some masculine norms have told boys from a young age. Not being able to express authentic emotions outside of anger can lead to mental health issues in men.

Watch the full clip below:

“Ive soared with the eagles, I’ve slithered with the snakes and I’ve been everywhere in between,” Savage continued. “Understand this: Nobody likes a quitter. Nobody said life was easy. So, if you get knocked down, take the standing eight count, get back up and fight again!”

As a public figure that boys, teens and young men looked up, it was pretty incredible to see Savage appear on national television and dispel the myth that tough guys don’t cry. Taking it one step further by proudly stating that he himself had cried “a thousand times” was powerful.

While this interview was filmed in the 90s, boys and men today are still fighting against the cultural norm of the hyper-masculine male image that includes bottling up emotions and not asking for help. All men experience a range of emotion, including sadness because men are people and Macho Man is here to remind everyone, it’s OK to cry. Even when you’re “macho.”

The inaugural Field of Dreams game was a smash hit for Major League Baseball in 2021. The event, held in Dyersville, Iowa and in tribute to the 1989 film by the same name, featured a tremendous setting for nostalgia and a memorable game capped by a walk-off home run from Chicago White Sox star Tim Anderson. While the follow-up may have difficulty replicating the viral sensation that happened last year, the 2022 edition was set for Thursday, Aug. 11 in the same location with the Chicago Cubs taking on the Cincinnati Reds. If nothing else, the opener was brilliant for the 2022 contest, and Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey Sr. were in the center of the frame.

As the broadcast opened, the iconic father-son duo combined to “have a catch” in the outfield, and the Griffeys were soon joined by young people in an emotional scene that showcases the generational attachment to the game.

The 2022 edition may not have the same viral buzz as the original, thanks in large part to the on-field struggles of the Cubs and Reds this season. Still, there is a clear attachment of the Griffeys to the Reds organization, and this was a brilliant way to kick off the festivities.

Griffey Jr. remains one of the more popular figures in the baseball world, and the father and son are often referenced as legendary pairings are concerned. Eventually, FOX and the organizers of the Field of Dreams game may run out of cool ideas for this type of thing, but it hasn’t happened yet, and viewers benefit.

Thursday nights leading into midnight are always exciting due to new music, but this is an especially captivating release night eve as Nicki Minaj will be bringing back her memorable talk show Queen Radio. To celebrate this moment, she has launched a limited collection of Queen Radio merchandise that is available for purchase now via Amazon.

The unisex collection includes a black t-shirt for $35 and a black hoodie for $60, both of which feature illustrations of “Barbie” herself laced with pink hair and a dash of turquoise. Those looking to show their allegiance to the Barb Hive can buy the merchandise here and also here while supplies last.

This isn’t just any normal return for the Queen artist, as Queen Radio will be leaving its old stomping grounds at Apple and debut on Amazon’s Amp app, which Nicki revealed back in March. Amp has grown rapidly in popularity as it features other popular hosts such as Joe Budden. Tonight listeners will not only get to hear the highly opinionated rapper speak her mind but also enjoy the world premiere of her forthcoming single “Super Freaky Girl” and call in to speak with the 39-year-old. It is sure to be a night to remember.

Download Amp here to listen to Queen Radio at 10 p.m ET tonight.

People really like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Phrases like the best show on television, or the best show ever, have been applied to both of them and they’re both credited as products from the mind of Vince Gilligan. The creator of the two shows has seen them both become pop culture icons, but despite their popularity, he hasn’t done as much with the licenses as someone might expect. For example, neither show ever got a major video game. While Breaking Bad got a mobile game at one point, the most that Better Call Saul has received is a DS-style fan game.

Unfortunately, we never got that full giant world experience that many fans would have liked to have gotten. The worst part though might be that Gilligan wanted one. In a recent episode of the podcast, Inside The Gilliverse, he revealed that he was at one point pitching a Grand Theft Auto style Breaking Bad game. The pitch itself doesn’t sound like it was too in-depth, besides a “We should do that” and some call outs to a couple of other video game attempts, but the Grand Theft Auto idea is obviously the most intriguing one. (H/t Comicbook.com)

“I’m not much of a video game player, but how can you not know Grand Theft Auto. I remember saying to the guys that are off running Apple now, who said yes originally to Breaking Bad, ‘Who owns Grand Theft Auto? Can’t you have a module, can there be a Breaking Bad [game]? Still makes sense to me! That never came to fruition. There have been quite a few attempts at video games, some of them kind of sort of made it to market. We tried to do a VR experience with the Sony PlayStation VR headset. We did a mobile game that lasted for a little while.”

Gilligan would go on to say that three or four stories were written for Breaking Bad video game adaptations, but obviously, only the mobile game ever came to fruition. Some Google searching reveals that Gilligan has talked about the PlayStation VR Breaking Bad game before, but it doesn’t appear that the game was ever actually released anywhere so it must have never made it out of the development stages.

A GTA style game of Breaking Bad would have definitely been interesting, especially if they had put it in the hands of Rockstar Games themselves, but considering the history of licensed tie in games not being particularly good it’s possible we dodged a bullet. It would have been cool to see someone try one though.

Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.

Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the market. This week, our nine sneaker roundup features a fifty-fifty split between massively popular silhouettes, like the Air Max 97, and Jordan 7, and some less appreciated (but still dope) designs like the Air Max Penny, Adidas NMD_S1, and New Balance 574 with a couple of notable collaborations via Braindead and Patta rounding out our top picks.

We’re almost mid-way through August so whether you’re about to restart classes or simply need to gear up for the changing seasons, be sure to hit our bi-weekly Style Watch series, where we collect the best fits dropping this month. But first, let’s dive into this week’s best sneaker drops.

Nike Air Max 97 Black and University Red

Who amongst us doesn’t want to wear a sneaker inspired by Japanese bullet trains that looks like Darth Vader if he were a shoe? That’s what this week’s Air Max 97 in Black and University Red gives us, with its lightweight and breezy mesh upper in black with black premium leather accents and University Red accents. It’s somehow simultaneously one of the coolest and dorkiest releases of the week.

The Nike Air Max 97 Black and University Red is set to drop on August 11th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $185. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Nike Air Max Penny Black and Varsity Royal

This year Nike has been showing some love to the Air Max Penny and we’re loving it. Not because we’re huge fans of Penny Hardaway (though, respect) but because it offers us that classic Air Max-look with a slight twist. The Penny features a jeweled swoosh, winged piping and Varsity Royal accents over a black leather upper. Rounding out the design is some embroidered branding at the heel.

The Nike Air Max Penny Black and Varsity Royal is set to drop on August 11th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $170. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites light GOAT.

Nike Air Force 1 Mid ’07 Grey Fog and Enamel Green

Sure, the Grey Fog and Enamel Green Air Force 1 Mid looks more fitting for spring than summer and will look totally out of place while you’re rocking autumnal colors this fall, but… who cares? These look f*cking dope and that’s all that matters. Featuring a slub canvas and tumbled leather upper, this mid-rise AF-1 sits atop an aged midsole and sports grey paneling over a minty green base. It’s the best AF-1 mid dropped all summer, and that’s saying something, considering this has been the unofficial summer of the mid-rise AF-1 over at Nike with nearly 10 iterations on the design.

The Nike Air Force 1 Mid ’07 Grey Fog and Enamel Green is set to drop on August 13th at 7:00 am PST for a retail price of $140. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.

Nike Air Jordan 7 Citrus

The legendary Air Jordan 7 Citrus returns this week! This particular colorway hasn’t been available to the public since 2006, so this is a pretty big deal for hardcore Jordan heads and fans of the 7. The sneaker features a premium black nubuck leather upper with bright citrus accents, popped stitching, varsity red collars, and embroidered branding. If you cop a pair you’ll be wearing history on your feet, revel in it, don’t let these just sit in a box. Unless you want to flip some sneakers, in which case, get that cash!

The Nike Air Jordan 7 Citrus is set to drop on August 13th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.

Adidas NMD_S1 Triple Black

Adidas is furthering the NMD line with the NMD_S1 which updates the original design with a more stylish and futuristic upper. The NMD_S1 features a textile upper in core-black with matching core-black accents and laces over a chunky translucent Boost midsole and a heavy tread outsole. The sneaker drops in a special box and travel bags for each shoe.

The Adidas NMD_S1 Triple Black is set to drop on August 12th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $180. Pick up a pair via the Adidas CONFIRMED app.

New Balance 550 White With Pink

New Balance is restocking its white and pink 550 sneaker this week, so if you’ve been lurking aftermarket sites for your size at a good price, move fast because these will undoubtedly sell out on drop date. The 550 features a white synthetic leather upper with soft bubblegum pink accents. Not much to say about this design that we haven’t already, it’s one of New Balance’s best.

The New Balance 550 White with Pink is set to drop on August 11th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $109.99. Pick up a pair via the New Balance webstore.

New Balance Conversations Amongst Us 574

Joe Freshgooods has given us a lot of great reimagined New Balance sneakers as part of his Conversations Amongst Us series, but this week we’re getting a new take on a silhouette Freshgoods hasn’t tackled yet — the 574. Featuring a sea salt with dawn glow colorway, this 574 sports a leather upper with premium leather overlays, aged detailing, and special ‘Conversations Amongst Us’ branding at the tongue and sockliner.

It’s another solid design from Joe Freshgoods, one of the best creatives to team up with New Balance ever and part of the reason the brand is on the top of its game right now.

The New Balance Conversations Amongst Us 574 is set to drop on August 11th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $89.99. Pick up a pair via the New Balance webstore.

Brain Dead x Reebok Club C Revenge

Los Angeles-based brand Brain Dead have linked up with Reebok for a new take on the Club C Revenge. Featuring a textured fuzzy upper with Dark Forest accents and Purple Abyss panels over a Batik Blue base, Brain Dead’s take on the sneaker is a radical departure from the typical premium leather build of the original. It’s rare that an alteration on such a classic silhouette can manage to look fresh, but Brain Dead have done it.

The Brain Dead x Reebok Club C Revenge is set to drop on August 11th at 9:00 PM PST for a retail price of $120. Pick up a pair via the Reebok webstore.

https://www.reebok.com/us/braindead-club-c-revenge-mens-shoes/GX9593.html

Patta x Nike Air Max 1 The Next Wave

For our last big collaboration of the week we turn to Amsterdam based brand Patta, who have teamed up with Nike once again for a new take on the Air Max 1 and an accompanying apparel collection dubbed “The Next Wave.” This is the brand’s fifth take on the classic silhouette and sees the leather upper reimagined with a wavy mudguard in a Dark Russet colorway. Rounding out the design are embroidered mini swooshes over a leather and nylon upper.

This sneaker silhouette has become an icon on the streets of Amsterdam, and we have Patta to thank for that.

The Patta x Nike Air Max 1 The Next Wave is set to drop on August 12 for a retail price of $160. Pick up a pair exclusively at Patta.

https://nike.patta.nl/products/patta-x-nike-air-max-1-dark-russet-dark-russet-metallic-silver

Dr. Howard Tucker added another honor to his illustrious career last year when the Guinness Book of World Records named him the world’s oldest practicing doctor. At the time, the neurologist was 99 years old and still seeing patients.

Now, at the age of 100, he told TODAY he recently stopped seeing patients but keeps himself busy teaching medical residents at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, twice a week.

Dr. Tucker believes his long career is a major reason for his incredible longevity. “I look upon retirement as the enemy of longevity,” Tucker told TODAY.

The doctor was born in 1922, graduated from The Ohio State University College of Medicine in 1947 and served as a Navy neurologist during the Korean War. “Anyone who was discharged from the Navy for neurological reasons, if his residence was east of the Mississippi, I had to examine him before he could be discharged,” Tucker told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

u201cDr. Howard Tucker received this wonderful letter from President @barackobama yesterday. What a fantastic way to start off the week!u201d

— What’s Next (@What’s Next)
1658252822

Dr. Tucker practiced neurology at a time when CT scans and MRIs didn’t exist, so diagnosed his patients using little more than his knowledge of medicine.

“We used to have to really think through a problem because there weren’t any diagnostic tools of that magnitude,” Tucker told JTA. “We used to agonize over a problem. Is this a pattern of a tumor? Is this a pattern of abnormality with a stroke? In those days we had to work harder, but it was fun.”

It’s no surprise that, as a neurologist, he believes keeping mentally active is the secret to a long life. He told News 5 Cleveland that he tries to learn something new every day with a focus on new advancements in the medical field.

He stresses the fact that people should remain active as they age, whether that means staying in their careers or engaging in mentally challenging hobbies.

u201cHappy 100th Birthday to beloved Cleveland Neurologist! Dr. Howard Tucker was born in Cleveland, Ohio on July 10, 1922 and holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest practicing physician. #mazaltov!nVideo: @whatsnextmovieu201d

— Humans of Judaism (@Humans of Judaism)
1657735339

“I think that to retire, one can face potential shriveling up and ending in a nursing home. It’s fun staying alive and working,” he told TODAY. “It’s delightful work. Every day I learn something new.

“I’m going to caution (people): If they retire from their work, they should at least do something as a hobby, whether it be communal work or self-hobbies,” he continued, “you need a stimulus for the brain daily.”

Dr. Tucker clearly knows what he’s talking about both as a centenarian and a medical professional. A 2016 study of 3,000 adults published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found that staying at work for an extra year reduced the risk of dying from any cause by 11%, over the following 20 years.

“Retiring earlier would seem healthy because you might escape a stressful workplace or have more time to exercise—a few studies have shown this,” CBC longevity columnist Sharon Basaraba said. “But more and larger studies have concluded that early retirement is actually a risk factor for early death.”

Dr. Tucker attributes his longevity partially to his genetics because his mother lived to be 84 and his father, 96. But lifestyle habits are important, too. “Everything in moderation, except no cigarette smoking—that’s about it,” he told TODAY.

He also has a philosophy he lives by.

“Study each day as if you were to live forever, and live each day as if you were to die tomorrow,” he told WKYC. “I’ve carried that with me all the time.”

After NBC cancelled Manifest — a sci-fi-ish series that doesn’t aim to be logical at all, and it’s not objectively good, but it’s nonetheless entertaining in a soap-operatic way — Netflix saw their streaming figures and decided to pounce. It sure didn’t make much sense that NBC made that call at the same time that the show sat at #1 on Netflix’s chart, but it’s all working out for showrunner Jeff Rake, cast, and crew. Sure, we won’t receive the six planned seasons, but a fourth season will aim to put a bow on events in a supersized way with 20 episodes, although a firm release date (on multiple batches of episodes) remains up in the air.

We should hear more on timing soon, and hopefully, we’ll receive definitive answers on why Flight 828 disappeared off the radar for five years with everyone onboard surfacing like they’d only been gone for a few hours while life on the Earth’s surface kept trucking. Before that happens, let’s refresh ourselves on what happened at the end of Season 3. This obviously isn’t going to be a comprehensive account because, yikes, there’s a lot to catch up on before heading back into this giant mess of a show.

Key relationships repaired themselves toward the end of the Season 3, but total harmony wasn’t achieved:

— Michaela Stone and Jared Vasquez straightened out their tension, which was quite a feat after Jared decided to give up on Michaela (who, to be fair, was wishy washy about saying yes to marriage) when all Flight 828 passengers were presumed dead. She had suspected him of trying to sabotage her at work and with the cult, but he was only working undercover. And he lost his wife, probably because she sensed that he still loved Michaela. These two didn’t get back together, however, because Michaela married Zeke, who was on the brink of death, but not quite! Zeke lives, but I suspect Zeke may die inside if Michaela decides that she’s still into Jared.

– Ben and Grace Stone had long since recovered from her unintentional affair while he was in flight. They had a baby, and this caused Grace to somehow start to have callings even though she wasn’t on the 828. Olive felt left out and fell into the cult, but she appears to be out of that business. Unfortunately, Grace died in the Season 3 finale due to stab wounds after an attack by Angelina, who kidnaps baby Eden. While Grace is dying, Cal appears in her visions as a teenager, and he tells her that he’ll take care of things, and all will be well. This is wild, considering that Cal’s callings amped up and caused him even more physical suffering in Season 3.

– Saanvi went off the rails, and it seemed that all was lost with her becoming quite the obstacle and unlikeable character. Still, her callings led her to some redemption (she did kill The Major), and she sent the tailfin back where it belonged (the ocean), but this moment led to a confusing twist. Ben and Saanvi ended up back on the 828 in the midst of a calling, where Cal lets his father know that he’s outta there, whatever that means. Does Cal live or die? That remains unclear, as do all the possible implications of the government’s unknown role in Flight 828’s 5-year disappearance and the aftermath.

What should we make of the cryptic Season 4 teaser?

– Michaela and the shipyard are about as clear as mud right now. It would be nice to see a full-on trailer soon, but for now, we’ve seen Michaela walking around in very inappropriate footwear in the fine tradition of Jurassic World or something. She stumbled upon a bloody arm that looks like it has her last name and 828 etched into the skin, and there’s a heavy suggestion that she was somehow — along with Ben and Cal — predestined to be on Flight 828. My personal take here is that this is a lesson to never accept flight vouchers to take a later flight, and screw fate, but (clearly) I’m not writing this show.

From there, I can only speculate on what the show’s “Death Date” ultimately means:

Will everyone spew water and die? That oft-mentioned day — June 2, 2024 — is apparently when Flight 828 passengers are all supposed to croak. Presumably, this happening will be permanently negated at some point, but I wonder if that day was originally projected to be the series finale air date. Since that six-season plan ended up on the chopping block, I’m not sure how relevant that date is with our viewer-bound reality, but I’m sure the writers will paint themselves in or out of that corner in an entertaining way.

What of horror maestro Stephen King’s wishes for the final season?

– I love that King nerds out over this show. And I hope he live-tweets every episode as he watches. His enthusiasm undoubtedly carried some weight in Netflix’s decision to resurrect the show, and even with pandemic delays, all of this is happening when there was never any guarantee in the first place. King went in with a hashtag, and he knows good TV (and can make accurate predictions about it), so his requests are worth listening to as well.

King’s hopes are as simple but telling: “I hope they can avoid ‘It’s complicated’ and ‘Trust me.’ Otherwise, I can’t wait.”

And I gotta agree with the Cell and The Shining author. For sure, Michaela said “trust me” (or a variant) far too many times after receiving convenient crime-solving clues from voices in her head. Yet I hope that, at some point, she does get some solid nap time in. It must be exhausting to have lived through coming back from the dead only to realize that everyone was gonna think she’s nuts. As always, things are complicated in this universe, but Jeff Rake will hopefully deliver the passengers to a conclusion that’s satisfying for the audience.

Manifest is currently streaming Seasons 1-3 on Netflix.