When Michael Todd started his freshman year at MLK prep school in Memphis, Tennessee two years ago, he only had one outfit to wear to school. High school kids can be incredibly cruel and Michael was mocked for three weeks for wearing the same clothes every day.

“I really don’t have clothes at home,” he told KTVI. “My mom can’t buy clothes for me because I’m growing too fast.”

Kristopher Graham, a football player at MLK Prep, thought the bullying had gone too far and wanted to do something to help. “When I saw people laugh at him and bully him, I felt like I needed to do something,” Kristopher said. He texted his friend Antwan Garrett asking for help.

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The next day, Michael was taken out of third period and when he stepped out of the classroom he was approached by Kristopher and Antwan. He froze with nervousness when he saw the two football players stopped him by the lockers.

Football players give student clothes

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“I want to apologize to you for laughing at you and I want to give you something to make it up,” Kristopher told Michael. The football players handed Michael a gift, bags full of shirts, shorts, and shoes.

Michael couldn’t believe the football players’ kindness.

“I’ve been bullied my entire life.” But getting the gift was “awesome,” he said according to USA Today. “The best day of my entire life, basically.”

Video of the gift exchange went viral and has been seen millions of times. A few weeks later, the three teenagers were invited to appear on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” where they were greeted by Will Smith who gave them $10,000 each.

Antwan plans to use the money for trade school to become a diesel engine mechanic and Kristopher wants to invest his portion.

Will Smith Surprises High School Football Players Who Helped Classmate Being Bullied

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Antwan helped Michael because he understood what he was going through.

“We weren’t expecting the video to go viral. We just wanted to make a change,” Antwan said according to Commercial Appeal. “I know how it feel not to have nothin’. I don’t have much, but it made me feel better by seeing somebody else have. I haven’t had like the best of life. Everybody struggles.”

“My life has changed from sleeping in a house without no lights. With what is going on the outside affected me in school,” Antwan added. “I didn’t want to be in school. I wanted to help Michael and make him happy and it made me happy.”

The good deed was also commemorated by the Memphis City Council who honored the teens with a resolution and a round of applause.

Kristopher and Antwan are wonderful examples of what can happen when teens are taught that they have a responsibility to one another. While countless kids mocked Michael for something well beyond his control, they saw his plight as an opportunity to drastically change his life by taking action.

Just imagine if everyone saw others’ misfortune as an opportunity to help instead of judge.

While it might not be live, San Diego Comic-Con is back and jam-packed with dozens of panels featuring the cast and crew of all your favorite geeky shows. From Wednesday, July 21-Sunday, July 25, you can stream the entire event for free on Comic-Con’s YouTube Channel as well as catch tons of behind-the-scenes secrets and first looks at upcoming seasons. To help you navigate the five-day-long event and figure out which panels you simply cannot miss, here are some of the highlights from this year’s SDCC.

Netflix Geeked

If you watched Netflix’s first-ever Geek Week a month or so back, you’re probably very ready to hear more about everything shown. Lucky for us, SDCC will offer a closer look at several of the streaming service’s upcoming shows, such as Masters of the Universe: Revelation (July 23, 12 PM), Army of Thieves (July 25, 2 PM), the Fear Street Trilogy (July 23, 4 PM), The Last Mercenary (July 24, 3 PM), and Lucifer (July 24, 5 PM). Unfortunately, rather than keep all their shows in one block they’re a bit all over the place, but we’re excited nevertheless.

Animated Shows

If you’re a fan of adult animation, there is absolutely something for you at this year’s SDCC. On Friday, July 23, you can catch panels on Tuca and Bertie (11 AM), Adventure Time: Distant Lands (12 PM), and Rick and Morty (4 PM). On Saturday, July 24, a panel covering season 33 of The Simpsons and beyond that promises to “reveal the secrets of the Springfield Cinematic Universe” is taking place, prior to panels on Apple TV+’s Central Park (3 PM), Family Guy (4 PM), and American Dad (5 PM). Lastly, on Sunday, July 25, a Bob’s Burgers panel is taking place at 3 PM.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow

While DC and Marvel are largely abstaining from this year’s SDCC, we’ll at least get a bit of superhero-packed content with a panel all about DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Cast members Caity Lotz, Tala Ashe, Jes Macallan, Olivia Swann, Adam Tsekhman, Shayan Sobhian, Lisseth Chavez, Nick Zano, and Matt Ryan will all be in attendance, meaning regardless of who your fave is you’ll most likely be getting a few laughs and quotes from them. The panel starts Sunday, July 25 at noon PST and bonus: you can catch a brand new episode of Legends of Tomorrow later that night.

Doctor Who

While a Doctor Who panel featuring Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker, cast members John Bishop and Mandip Gill, and BBC showrunner Chris Chibnall is exciting enough, apparently a very special surprise guest is making an appearance. So, to all you Whovians out there, be sure to tune in Sunday, July 25 at 10 AM to catch who it is and what’s in store for the science-fiction staple.

The Walking Dead

Like The Walking Dead? If so, you have three hours of updates and panels to tide you over and get you hyped for everything coming to the zombie-filled franchise in the next few years. Saturday, July 24, you can catch Talking Dead host Chris Hardwick with the feature chief content officer of The Walking Dead universe, Scott M. Gimple, and various showrunners, executive producers, and cast members for a first look at season 7 of Fear of the Walking Dead. At 2 PM, Hardwick will lead a panel on The Walking Dead: The World Beyond‘s second season, followed by a good ol’ fashioned The Walking Dead panel all about the 24-episode final season coming this Fall.

Dexter
Dexter is back and we are welcoming it with open arms and a ton of excitement for this panel. On Sunday, July 25 at 1 PM, you can catch Dexter star Michael C Hall, new cast member Julia Jones, and producers Clyde Phillips, Scott Reynolds, and Marcos Siega in a panel all about the series comeback and newest season coming later this fall.

Star Trek: Prodigy & Star Trek: Lower Deck

Star Trek fan, rejoice — you’ve got a lot of

The Wheel of Time

While it’s technically part of a larger Amazon/IMDb panel with quite a few cool shows featured, we can’t help but be pretty excited for The Wheel of Time series in particular. During the panel, showrunner Rafe Judkins will be dishing out information on the Amazon Prime series, based on the books by Robert Jordan, coming later this year. If you’ve been looking for something to fill the Game of Thrones-shaped void in your life, this show could very well be it. Be sure to pop by the panel Friday, July 23 at 11 AM to catch it.

If you’ve ever watched a movie to the end you may have seen the disclaimer often put in the credits about coincidences and familiarities between characters in the film and those who may also share a name with real life people. That disclaimer seems to have been created for situations like one that came up on Friday, when a news story about a Frank Reynolds caught the attention of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia fans.

The show’s patriarch, played by Danny DeVito, has a long history of insane exploits on one of the longest-running live action sitcoms in television history. And though he’s an entirely fictional lunatic, an actual Frank Reynolds had a harrowing incident from his real life go viral because it sounded like something Frank from Sunny would somehow pull off.

The Associated Press shared the story of a real-life Reynolds, a 53-year-old man who was trying to round up cattle in Wyoming and was pinned underneath an ATV.

“It was scary as hell is what it was,” Reynolds said Wednesday from a hospital room.

Family thought Reynolds had gone camping or was with friends, said Quentin Reynolds, the Campbell County undersheriff and Frank’s brother.

Later Monday, they began to worry. Eventually, they learned Frank Reynolds had planned to do some work on the property, where he was laying with a dislocated shoulder and broken ribs.

That kicked off a search for Reynolds, who tried to honk the ATV’s horn to attract someone’s attention until the vehicle’s battery wore down. With no help coming and no food, the rancher made it two days by using only what was in his cooler: beer and water.

He was able to ration a couple of bottles of water and Keystone Light beers from a cooler, Sheriff Scott Matheny said.

Searching on horseback, neighbor Don Hamm found Reynolds around 8 a.m. Tuesday. By that point, Reynolds recalled he was “pretty much out of it.”

“Everything on the left side pretty much hurt, from the top of my head to my toes,” he said.

It’s an incredible story, and one that shows serious perseverance in the face of life-threatening circumstances. And thankfully, Reynolds survived the ordeal. Which is probably why people on Twitter could see the news and make some comparisons to the Frank Reynolds from Sunny without feeling too bad about it.

There were a good number of rum ham jokes, too.

Many more were simply stunned his name was “Frank Reynolds” and repeating that alone made it trend on Twitter. But the lesson here is to always be careful riding ATVs on uneven terrain. And maybe, you know, keep a cooler full of beverages on you at all times, just in case.

We’re probably not far enough removed from Mad Men‘s 2015 conclusion to have a real reunion just yet, but for Jon Hamm and John Slattery a Fletch reboot is apparently enough to get a few of the partners at SCDP on the same set again.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Slattery and Hamm will appear in a Fletch reboot of the Chevy Chase film series based on a book from Gregory McDonald. And while it would be fun to just have the two drink together and maybe eat some oysters and run up several flights of stairs merely for comedic effect, the movie Confess, Fletch based on the book of the same name certainly makes it an intriguing project.

Mad Men alum Slattery is reteaming with Hamm for the reboot that closely follows the plot of the classic Gregory McDonald mystery novel series that inspired the 1980’s Chevy Chase films. Hamm stars as I.M.Fletcher, the hotshot investigative reporter played by Chase in the 1985 neo-noir comedy of the same name.

McDonald’s 11 mystery books, the first of which was published in 1974, center on Fletcher as he juggles writing exposes while avoiding headaches caused by his two ex-wives. Greg Mottola, known for comedies like Superbad and Arrested Development, is directing, with Zev Borow penning the screenplay.

Anything with Hamm and Slattery appearing together is notable, but Hamm taking over as Fletch to begin with was a big deal. The chemistry the two have on screen is undeniable, and while they have plenty of credits to their name in the years since Mad Men wrapped, it’s still the project they’re best known for both individually and as a team.

And if you need more Mad Men in your life, here’s a recently-posted collection of insults from the show’s 96 episodes.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

[via THR]

Listen, it’s been a long year-plus for all of us, ok? Now more than ever, any little thing that happens that brings people joy is worth celebrating, even if that someone is Shaquille O’Neal, and that thing worth celebrating is you don’t have to do your job again this season.

Shaq appeared on NBATV in the early hours of Friday morning to discuss the Phoenix Suns’ Game 2 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals. Whatever Shaq, Kenny Smith, and anyone else might have said is secondary (at least in the context of this post) because Shaq got really happy over the fact that his time doing TV this NBA season came to an end.

How happy did he get? Well, The Big Aristotle/Diesel/etc. stood up — this was how we learned he, like so many other folks, does video calls without pants on — ripped off his jacket, and swung it around over his head, all while Kenny the Jet watched and laughed.

This is, by a factor of about a million, the happiest that I have ever seen Shaq in my entire life. And as an aside, shout out Kenny for deciding to get in on the fun by ripping off his jacket and spinning it around, although he decided to stay seated as he celebrated Shaq’s big day.

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from IDK, Nicki Minaj, Vince Staples, and more.

Friday saw the releases of new music from Bas (“The Jackie” with J. Cole and Lil Tjay), Nicki Minaj (a remix of BIA’s viral hit “Whole Lotta Money“), Post Malone (“Motley Crew“), Yung Bleu (“Way More Close” featuring Big Sean), and Dave (“Clash” featuring Stormzy), along with the releases listed below.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending July 9, 2021.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

IDK — USee4Yourself

When IDK first broke out in 2017 with IWasVeryBad, he set a high bar for himself to clear. Then, he raised the bar with 2019’s Is He Real?. This album gives him one more chance to prove that he is one of rap’s most creative, yet genuine talents, as he reaches for even greater mainstream recognition alongside the likes of Offset, Rico Nasty, Slick Rick, and Young Thug, among some of hip-hop’s other big names.

Rejjie Snow — Baw Baw Black Sheep

Rejjie, an Irish rapper from Dublin, generated quite a buzz for himself with 2018’s Dear Annie, as well as his collaboration “Hello?” with Clairo. He’s spent years living and growing, and now he’s back with his sophomore album. Like IDK, his new project also features an appearance from the late, great MF DOOM, while Chicago’s go-to producer Cam O’bi handles much of the production.

Styles P — Ghosting

The New York rap vet has kept up a steady stream of independent releases over the years, constantly building on his well-established legacy of rugged, uncompromising concrete aggression.

Vince Staples — Vince Staples

Tapping longtime collaborator Kenny Beats, Vince seems ready to lower his shields — or at least sugarcoat his message. The punishing honesty is still intact but now the backdrops are much more mainstream-friendly, allowing a broader audience to receive his thoughts and observations.

Singles/Videos

Childish Major — “F Yah Job”

I think we have all been in a place where we hate our jobs. Childish Major continues to display his gift for crafting relatable content as he transitions from producer to artist.

Dave East & Harry Fraud — “Diamonds”

If there’s been anything truly holding Dave East back over the years, it’s been his tendency to rely on production that doesn’t really support his throwback delivery. Welp. Problem f*cking solved.

Logic — “Get Up”

Logic’s retirement lasted about as long as an episode of a television sitcom, didn’t it? He continues to try new things sonically, at least, opting for a hazy, invitingly lo-fi soundscape.

Rexx Life Raj — “Alpharetta”

Raj has been hanging his hat on his smooth, lyrically dense flow for years now and this one lives up to the standard he’s been setting.

Russ — “Nothin I Won’t Do”

Russ continues to unpack his complicated love life but fortunately for us, he’s so darn good at it.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

In late June, Diplo’s ex-girlfriend, Shelly Auguste, sued him for sexual battery, assault, defamation, and fraud — and now the ramifications of that suit are now coming to light. Additionally, another separate lawsuit alleging sexual assault was filed earlier this week, and one of the DJ’s upcoming shows has been canceled because of the allegations.

The DJ was slated for a postgame concert after The Orioles played against the Nationals at Camden Yards on July 24. The team shared a brief statement today on Twitter, letting fans know they wouldn’t be moving forward with the event, without explicitly stating why. “The Orioles will not hold the upcoming postgame performance on July 24 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards,” read the brief message posted to the team’s Twitter account. “Fans who purchased field passes with game tickets to the Diplo concert on July 24 will receive a refund.”

Today, The Baltimore Sun also ran an op-ed condemning the concert as sending the wrong message. The Sun called the concert “very concerning” in that it comes “in light of the news that came out on July 7 that Diplo is accused of sexual assault after he forced a fan to perform oral sex on him after a show in Vegas in 2019, which she has claimed he filmed. (Editor’s note: His attorney has denied the allegations.) If the Orioles are such a family-friendly team, and truly care about women, they need to separate themselves from Diplo and stand up and cancel this post-game concert.”

Diplo has yet to respond publicly to the concert cancellation.

AMC has officially greenlit Dark Winds, a series adaptation of the Leaphorn & Chee books by Tony Hillerman. Starring veteran TV actor Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon as Indigenous police detectives forced to navigate brutal murders, the series will be executive produced by Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin and Robert Redford, which is quite a powerhouse combination.

According to the network announcement, Dark Winds will be a “psychological thriller that follows two Navajo police officers in the 1970s Southwest, as their search for clues in a grisly double murder case forces them to challenge their own spiritual beliefs and come to terms with the trauma of their pasts.”

In a statement to Variety, McClarnon expressed his enthusiasm for not only adapting the book series but also for getting to work with Martin and Redford, as well as the opportunity to continue to bring Indigenous roles to TV:

“I am honored to be asked to star as the lead in this innovative series for AMC and to executive produce,” McClarnon said. “To have the support and to be a part of a team which is led by two iconic visionaries as George R.R. Martin and Robert Redford is something to which I’ve always aspired. I believe as Indigenous people we are in a new era of progress in TV and film representation.”

The first season of Dark Winds will include six episodes and is set to premiere on AMC+ and AMC in 2022.

(Via Variety)

If you just haven’t gotten enough of Marvel’s flirtation with a vast and endlessly expanding multiverse in Loki and WandaVision, you’re going to absolutely love Marvel’s What If. The upcoming show is Marvel’s fourth Disney+ series and, interestingly enough, is the MCU’s first foray into animation.

The show’s premise is simple: exploring all the various hypothetical situations that could have completely changed the course of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, as simple as that might sound in theory, the results look as complex as they are exciting.

Since the show was announced a few years back, we’ve gotten a few glimpses at what we can expect from it. In the latest trailer, several of the premises of the ten-episode mini-series were revealed. Based on all these clips, we’ve compiled a list of what the show will cover, as well as what films are sure to be explored. Here are the various questions we’ll get answers to in the upcoming series.

What if Peggy Carter took the serum?

Out of all the scenarios we’ve seen, this one is the least out there but is still incredibly exciting. Referring to herself as Captain Carter, this episode will put Peggy front and center as everyone’s favorite shield-wielding Avenger. While it’s unclear what Steve is up to while Peggy is saving the day, it wouldn’t surprise us if their love is so strong it spans multiverses. However, if we’re being a bit bleak, it also wouldn’t surprise us if the feeble-but-brave soldier didn’t make it without the serum. Either way, it looks like we’re in for quite the treat and some real badassery from an already beloved character.

What if T’Challa became Star-Lord?

While Chadwick Boseman’s final performance as T’Challa is going to be an extremely emotional watch, the idea of seeing the late actor reprise his iconic role (well, kind of) one last time is heartwarming. In this episode, What If will explore what would have happened if Yondu had abducted T’Challa rather than Peter Quill all those years ago. Rather than become the Black Panther, T’Challa steps into the jet-pack-equipped shoes of Star Lord in this hypothetical tale. Whether we see a goofier side of T’Challa — or a more serious side of Star Lord — it’s an interesting combo we can’t wait to see.

What if Tony Stark met Erik Killmonger?

2008’s Iron Man is the one that started it all, making the idea of seeing it play out different pretty mind-boggling. Whereas the first movie placed Iron Man in a position where he intimately learned the cost of war, there’s no telling how meeting Erik would shape his opinions on warfare. Would he use his money and resources aid Erik, or perhaps try to find a way to help him through more peaceful means? In addition, what would this change mean for the way the entire MCU played out? Would the Avengers still form? Would Civil War ever happen? While this isn’t the wackiest situation on this list (just wait until you read the next one), it doesn’t have far-reaching consequences for nearly every character.

What if the Marvel heroes were all zombies?

While this might seem absolutely wild — and it’s kind of is — this episode actually draws inspiration from an incredibly famous series of comics written by none other than The Walking Dead author Robert Kirkman. The story unfolds when Fantastic Four leader Reed Richards opens a portal to a zombie dimension where superheroes retain their intelligence and powers but are driven by the need to feed on human flesh. The entire series is infamously gruesome and bleak — much like The Walking Dead — and it will certainly be interesting watching Marvel embrace that in a Disney+ series.

What else we know?

Based on the trailers we’ve seen, in addition to the four hypothetical scenarios listed above we’re also going to see episodes providing unique takes on Iron Man 2, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, Ant-Man, the first Thor movie, and Infinity War/Endgame. If they’re anything like the others — or perhaps even more out there — we’re in for quite the time with What If hits August 11.

Black Widow (Marvel Studios film on Disney+) — Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff finally gets her due and a proper send-off in this actioner that aims to go back-to-basics but succeeds more on a personal level. The film fills in plenty of blanks following the events of Captain America: Civil War, but more importantly, we receive butt-kicking ladies in well-choreographed fight scenes and an emotionally resonant story that introduces us to the inner Natasha, as witnessed by Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova. She’s perhaps the only person in the world who’s allowed to tease Natasha, and their dynamic rules. The film also allows David Harbour to perform grunt-filled face work with a wild accent while the ladies swirl around him in hand-to-hand combat.

The White Lotus: (Sunday, HBO 9:00pm) — Mike White’s new series skewers the ultra-wealthy in what turns out to be a brilliant satire (both sprawling in its breadth and self-contained in its brevity) on how obscene wealth rots everything that it touches. Starring Jake Lacy, Jennifer Coolidge, Murray Bartlett, and Alexandra Daddario, the show’s approach is one that Succession fans will surely enjoy, and while the setup feels like The Love Boat or Fantasy Island had a lovechild with Agatha Christie.

Wellington Paranormal: (Sunday, CW 9:00pm) — What We Do In The Shadows fans rejoice because you’re receiving a spinoff mockumentary series with the same comedy-horror tone from creators and executive producers Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement. For this franchise installment, the action goes down in New Zealand, where two officers of the Wellington paranormal unit investigate apparent possessions and sightings of ghosts, aliens, and matters of cryptozoology with the most straight-faced, deadpan humor that one could possibly expect.

These streaming picks make great appetizers:

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Season 2 (Netflix series) — Get ready for more insanely absurdist (and almost therapeutically refreshing) sketch comedy from creator and writer Tim Robinson. He’s back with partner Zach Kanin for more of turning the most mundane and bizarre life moments into shouty hilarity, and guest stars this season include Bob Odenkirk, Sam Richardson, Paul Walter Hauser, Tim Heidecker, and many more. If you haven’t had the pleasure of digging into Robinson’s work, and you love Adam Sandler and Chris Farley’s exaggerated humor, yet crowned with an especially self-aware twist, you must plop this show into your queue.

Fear Street Part 2: 1978 (Netflix film) — One week after Part 1’s release, the franchise goes back to Shadyside, where summer vacation’s on tap, which means summer camp and someone who wishes to commit murder. In short, a group of campers discover that their town’s horrifying happenings might be connected to what they’re going through now, and they need to shut down the impending perpetrator, fast.

Back to some more regularly scheduled programming:

Betty: (Friday, HBO 11:00pm) — The main players are all back: Rachelle Vinberg as Camille, Ajani Russell as Indigo, Dede Lovelace as Janay, Moonbear as Honeybear, and Nina Moran as Kirt. This week, the Halloween party is not going smoothly with Camille attempting to make amends while Honeybear’s acting out, and Indigo is fed up.

Kevin Can F**k Himself (Sunday, AMC 9:00 p.m.) — Allison’s pushing limits after Patty got booted out of the boy’s group while Nick decides to cause trouble for Patty, too.

Rick and Morty (Sunday, Adult Swim, 11:00pm) — The Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland-led show (newly back for Season 5) sees a failed experiment, which could wreak havoc on both Rick and the whole country.

The Chi (Sunday, Showtime, 9:00pm) — Trig attempts to counsel Jamal while Emmett and Tiff look into new things, all while Imani wants to ditch the trap house.

Black Monday (Sunday, Showtime, 10:00pm) — “Artistic differences” cause friction for Mo and Dawn while Keith tries to work things out with Mike, and a VIP is targeted by Blair and Tiff.

Flatbush Misdemeanors (Sunday, Showtime, 10:30pm) — Dan attempts to help Jess deal with a school lockdown after a bomb threat, as a shocking secret affects Zayna.

Desus & Mero (Sunday, Showtime, 11:00pm) — Vince Staples is the illustrious guest.

Here are more streaming picks for the weekend:

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Hulu film) — Questlove’s stepping into the director’s seat for the first time for this cinematic historical record that celebrates Black history over the course of six weeks. The culmination, of course, turns out to be the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, and this film brings you never-before-seen footage of performances from Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, B.B. King, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and many more.

Loki: Episode 5 (Disney+ series, releasing in the wee hours of Wednesday morning) — Tom Hiddleston has an absolute blast playing the mercurial trickster of the MCU, and we shall reap the benefits while he helps (or hinders) the Time Variance Authority during the process of cleaning up the timeline. This week, the Easter eggs exploded with so many Marvel Comics references and surprises that fans nearly couldn’t handle it all.

Monsters at Work: Season 1 premiere (Disney+ series) — John Goodman and Billy Crystal return as James P. “Sulley” Sullivan and Mike Wazowski. They have both been promoted, and a new crop of monsters (voiced by Mindy Kaling, Henry Winkler, Ben Feldman, and Alana Ubach) are doing the harvesting. The twist here, of course, is that although the franchise is going back to basics, the franchise is trading scares for laughter after realizing that — surprise — laughter generates so much more energy for Monstropolis than screams.

Gossip Girl: Season 1 premiere (HBO Max series) — The original CW series helped to launch the careers of Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Sebastian Stan, and Penn Badgley (and the latter is now portraying an amped-up version of the same character on Netflix’s You). HBO Max is now ready to welcome another crop of mostly unknown faces playing wealthy, privileged teens who find themselves socially surveilled and at the mercy of the “Gossip Girl” narrator, who’s still voiced by Kristen Bell. Showrunner Josh Safran has promised that this reboot series will be much more socially conscious than the original, and that the teens will “take Ubers, not limos.”

Shark Week 2021 (Discovery+ event) — Before Eli Roth’s Fin documentary arrives next week, the annual shark-related festivities begin with Shark Academy and Song of the Shark. With the former selection, several contestants compete for a spot on a massive shark-diving expedition. Of course, these enthusiasts don’t exactly possess traditional backgrounds before immersing themselves for six weeks at the behest of the great Dr. Riley Elliott. In the latter selection, YouTube Dan Mace edits and scores fresh shark footage from around the globe to give viewers a never-before-seen glimpse of these fearsome and enigmatic animals.

The Snoopy Show: Season 1 premiere (Apple TV+ series) — Don’t be a blockhead, Charlie Brown. Instead, tuck into this new animated series for all ages, as long as you’re into the almost universally beloved beagle, Snoopy (duh), and his best friend for life, Woodshock. Not only is Snoopy actually Joe Cool, but he’s also Masked Marvel and a World War I flying ace, and yes, do not try to resist this delight of a revisiting that’s based upon Charles M. Schultz’s “Peanuts” comic strip.