Often referred to as “America’s Sweetheart,” Meg Ryan became one of the most popular and successful movie stars of the 1990s. Thanks to the back-to-back successes of romantic comedy classics like When Harry Met Sally…, Joe Versus The Volcano, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail, Ryan proved that she could elevate any romantic comedy that she appeared in, as the authenticity that she brought to her roles made the films feel even more effective. Despite being best known for her winning sense of humor, Ryan delivered a devastating dramatic performance in the underrated addiction drama When A Man Loves A Woman. While When A Man Loves A Woman did not become the breakout awards contender that it should have been, it did win the praise of Roger Ebert, who awarded the film a perfect score and spoke from his own experiences with alcoholism to praise the film’s sensitive portrayal of addiction.

What Is ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’ About?

Ryan stars in When A Man Loves A Woman as the dedicated school counselor Alice Green, who falls in love with the charismatic airline pilot Michael (Andy Garcia) after they share a chance encounter at a bar. Although they are both struggling from breakups in their previous marriages, both Michael and Alice decide to start a more caring family; Michael’s daughter Casey (Mae Whitman) and Alice’s daughter Jess (Tina Majorino) begin to know each other as sisters. Although they are relatively happy, Michael’s job forces him to take extended trips away from home, often leaving the protection of the children in the hands of their loyal babysitter, Amy (Lauren Tom). Despite enjoying how wild and adventurous his wife’s behavior tends to be when they are able to spend a rare few moments together, Michael begins to recognize that Alice has lost control of her ability to stop drinking. While he wants to prevent her from harming herself, Michael also understands that any disputes between them could result in the collapse of their family.

When A Man Loves A Woman opted to take a very realistic look at alcoholism that didn’t play into the classically “tragic” stereotypes that are often seen in issue-heavy dramas. While Michael genuinely seems to enjoy how risk-taking his wife is, including a particularly memorable scene in which they egg the car of an obnoxious neighbor, it soon becomes clear that she has no capacity for control. The film balances the perspective of both characters, and shows the pressure that Michael is under when he is forced to leave home due to his job. The dilemmas he faces are quite understandable; Michael wants to give Alice the opportunity to see her flaws and make responsible choices, but he also recognizes that there is a point in which he must step in when it appears that she no longer has the capacity for self-control. More heartbreaking is the fact that these two characters truly love each other, which makes seeing them break into arguments more difficult to watch.

‘When a Man Loves a Woman’ Features Meg Ryan’s Best Performance

Ryan gives a performance that is deeper than anything else that she has ever done, but it does not involve her completely ignoring her inherent qualities. The charisma that Ryan had in her romantic comedy roles makes Alice a better character, as it becomes harder for Michael to raise concerns to her when his wife is able to dismiss any of his thoughts as a joke. Seeing Ryan, an actress known for her warmth of optimism, descend into a self-destructive, hateful character who no longer comprehends what she is saying, is even more remarkable for those that were familiar with her previous work.

Despite receiving a SAG nomination for Best Actress, Ryan was overlooked for an Academy Award nomination for her performance in When A Man Loves A Woman and has unfortunately not received many opportunities since to prove her dramatic capabilities. While it is unfortunate that such a great feat of acting did not get the recognition that it deserved, the real value of When A Man Loves A Woman is the sensitivity in which it treats its subject, which may give it the opportunity to connect with real victims.

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When a Man Loves a Woman

Release Date

April 29, 1994

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Runtime

126 minutes

Director

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Luis Mandoki

Writers

Al Franken

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  Andy García

  Michael Green

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Next year, The Big Bang Theory will turn 20 years old, yet time hasn’t slowed down the juggernaut sitcom. The ten-time Emmy-winning series may have ended back in 2019 after spending 12 seasons following the antics and evolution of four socially-awkward scientist friends, but co-creator Chuck Lorre has kept the laughs rolling, between the Cooper family-centric spin-off, Young Sheldon, and the currently-ongoing offshoot of that, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. After much anticipation, though, the franchise will finally be stepping away from the Coopers for the first time this year to focus instead on the friend group’s favorite comic book store owner.

First announced to be in development in 2023, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe has been shown to be a different beast from the other, more grounded, family-focused Big Bang spin-offs. The series dips into sci-fi action as it follows Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman) after he unwittingly brings about calamity by destroying a powerful device built by Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki). To save all reality, he’s thrust into a multiversal adventure alongside fellow Big Bang alumni, including his girlfriend Denise (Lauren Lapkus), geologist Bert (Brian Posehn), and Sheldon’s annoying rival, string theorist Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie). Things often go horrifically wrong, as seen in a first look from last year’s HBO Max sizzle reel, where the group is about to be burned at the stake. Now, at CCXP Mexico, the first official trailer was released, teasing what other kinds of trouble Stuart will find himself in — and we’ve got the description here. Additionally, the studio dropped first-look images of the new series.

Moving to a sci-fi action premise is both odd and surprisingly fitting for the nerdy comedy series, opening up a world of possibilities for adventure. It’s also new ground for Lorre after years of making traditional sitcoms from Cybill to Two and a Half Men. He’s promised “a lot of CGI” in this more cinematic entry, something that’s reflected in the various worlds Stuart and the gang visit. Along this bizarre journey, they’ll also meet alternate-universe versions of characters Big Bang fans have come to know and love, paving the way for original stars like Parsons, Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, and more to potentially appear in some capacity.

‘The Big Bang Theory’s Newest Spin-Off Will Give Its Leads Space to Breathe

At CCXP Mexico, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe debuted an exclusive first look. Kevin Sussman, Lauren Lapkus, Bryan Posehn, and John Ross Bowie discussed their highly awaited spin-off of the iconic The Big Bang Theory, describing the show as “four really incompetent Doctor Whos” on a multiversal adventure. The show promises far more action than ever before, including plenty of stunts, plus all the humor we have come to expect from this franchise.

The premise will see Stuart (Sussman) breaking a device built by Leonard and Sheldon, thus triggering “a multiverse Armageddon.” Stuart will then have to embark on a mission to save the multiverse alongside his girlfriend, Denise (Lapkus), and his geologist friend, Bert (Posehn), often going against the “general pain in the ass” Kripke (Bowie). The only problem is how woefully unequipped Stuart is for the task.

The exclusive scene sees Stuart, Denise, and Bert as prisoners of Barry Kripke. In this particular universe, Kripke is the Grand Caliph of Pasadena, explaining he took advantage of the power vacuum at Caltech to seize control of the resources and, of course, the girls. When Denise asks Kripke if he wants to fix things, since that universe sucks, he only mocks her. Why would he change things if he has all the girls?

The show, which will have a new theme song by none other than Danny Elfman, looks unlike anything we’ve seen from Big Bang before, with Bowie revealing they’ll even do something no one could expect: curse! So, prepare to see a very foul-mouthed Barry Kripke. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will debut exclusively on HBO Max in July.

While the premise opens the door for so many Big Bang Theory reunions, Warner Bros. Television CEO Channing Dungey asserted last year that Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will be all about highlighting Sussman and company and their new dynamics. It does, however, promise much of the same humor that made its parent show so enduring. Lorre created the series with his partner on the sitcom that started it all, Bill Prady, alongside The Avengers co-writer Zak Penn. Further complicating matters for Stuart’s little group are fellow stars Ryan Cartwright, Josh Brener, and Tommy Walker, the latter of whom plays Denise’s jaw-dropping new boyfriend.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe premieres sometime in 2026 on HBO Max.

Spanning as far back as the earliest days of the medium, crime drama has been a defining staple of television entertainment. From police procedurals to legal dramas, the history of the genre’s small-screen exploits have been instrumental to the popularity and prominence of TV as a storytelling art form at large. As such, it is no surprise that crime television has played such a monumental part in the medium’s ascent to prestige entertainment throughout the 21st century.

It is also no surprise that each year of the 2010s has its own collection of outstanding crime dramas. This list will focus on only series that premiered each year—making Breaking Bad’s third, fourth, and fifth seasons ineligible—meaning the strength of the show’s debut as well as its longevity and impact have been considered. Such is the abundance of brilliance crime television experienced across the decade, such great series as Boardwalk Empire, Ozark, and Unbelievable haven’t made the cut. These are the shows that have exemplified crime drama at its absolute best.

10

‘Sherlock’ (2010–2017)

Image via BBC

Functioning as both a mesmerizing adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary stories and an ingenious modernization of them, Sherlock marks one of the defining triumphs of British television, a fun and inviting mystery thriller that thrives off the back of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman’s sublime chemistry. They star as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson respectively, with the series following their friendship and professional partnership as they work as consulting detectives, solving unusual and overly complex cases while battling criminal masterminds like Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott).

From the outset, Sherlock exudes an infectious blending of high-stakes, fast-paced tension with accessible and witty humor, ensuring viewers care not only about the cases being explored, but the relationships and livelihoods of those investigating them as well. Defined by its gleefully absorbing dynamic between Holmes and Watson, Sherlock’s four-season run, despite consisting of just 13 episodes in total, epitomizes crime television at its most exuberantly adventurous and inviting.

9

‘The Bridge’ (2011–2018)

Image via SVT1 & DR1

The 2010s saw a rampant rise in international interest in “Nordic Noir,” the glum yet gripping detective mysteries originating from the Scandinavian countries. Among the best and most influential of these Nordic Noir shows is The Bridge, which became an instant classic of crime television with its intoxicating first season seeing investigators from Sweden and Denmark having to work together when the bisected body of a prostitute is discovered on a bridge that serves as a border between the two nations.

Richly atmospheric, sharply paced, and bold enough to cover timely issues like immigration, social inequality, and political divides, The Bridge finds great confidence in its storytelling that enables it to tackle crime darkness with tremendous impact. That being said, it finds an important beating heart in the unlikely friendship between Saga (Sofia Helin), the socially-awkward though brilliant Swedish detective, and Martin (Kim Bodnia), the more personable Danish cop. Its later seasons may not match its early heights, but The Bridge is undoubtedly a landmark of international television and a true icon of crime drama in the 2010s.

8

‘Line of Duty’ (2012–Present)

Image via BBC

Thriving off the back of Jed Mercurio’s brilliant writing, Line of Duty is a flawless marriage of detailed, authentic realism and searing dramatic intensity as it focuses on the cases investigated by a police anti-corruption unit. While the revolving door of talent has seen such stars as Stephen Graham, Lennie James, Thandie Newton, and Kelly Macdonald feature in major roles, the series follows DS Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) and DC Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) through the many corrupt police squad’s they investigate while trying to figure out the identity of “H”, a senior officer in the police force with ties to organized crime.

Finding dramatic importance not only in field work, but in the details of paperwork, police surveillance, and the need to cover legal loopholes, Line of Duty commits to its real-world authenticity with a dedication that is utterly captivating. This quality is best seen in the series’ now-famous interrogation sequences, which run as psychological cat-and-mouse games executed in one-take that can run for as long as 20–30 minutes. The series has released six seasons thus far, with Line of Duty Season 7 scheduled to premiere in 2027.

7

‘Hannibal’ (2013–2015)

Image via NBC

One of the most audacious and daring series to screen on network television in recent decades, Hannibal presents a transfixing marriage of visceral visual horror and psychologically-charged crime investigation to stand as one of the most pulsating series the genre has ever seen. Based on ‘Red Dragon’ and other works by Thomas Harris, the NBC series follows disturbed FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) as he uses his ability to empathize with violent criminals to deduce their motives and figure out their next move. Due to his fragile temperament, the FBI contracts the esteemed Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) to supervise him in the field.

Every aspect of Hannibal exudes an arresting theatricality, be it the lavish set design and richly impressionable performances or the gory artistry of its elaborate murder scenes. Complemented by the macabre majesty of its writing, the engrossing character dynamics, and the stunning cinematography, Hannibal makes an immediate impact with its first season and continues its stylish decadence through to the end of its three-season run.

6

‘True Detective’ (2014–2024)

Image via HBO

Perhaps the greatest single season in the history of television, Season 1 of True Detective is a groundbreaking masterpiece of crime television. Its slow-burn approach to murder mystery and its ability to extract drama from the detectives’ personal lives as well as the central case has become prolific in crime television in the years since, but it has seldom been replicated with the same atmospheric brilliance, which was itself a byproduct of the eerie Southern Gothic allure, outstanding production, Nic Pizzolatto’s writing, and two exceptional lead performances.

The first season follows two detectives in Louisiana and their decades-spanning connection to a disturbing case of a killer with ties to the occult. Eerie, unnerving, and laced with a pervasive sense of festering evil, it is a masterpiece of moody murder mystery. Efforts to expand the series as an anthology of sorts have garnered mixed results, but even the show’s most egregious failures have done nothing to tarnish the cultural standing and critical acclaim of its first season.

5

‘Better Call Saul’ (2015–2022)

Image via AMC

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One of the greatest spin-offs in the history of television, Better Call Saul runs as something of a prequel to Breaking Bad following the corruption and moral decay of Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk). Starting out as a conniving lawyer willing to resort to unethical methods to support his clients, he soon becomes embroiled in the drug trade, advising violent and ruthless criminals as he adopts the moniker, Saul Goodman.

With the first three seasons run by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, Better Call Saul is a perfect expansion on the Emmy Award-winning drama, one that excels at continuing and evolving the story world while still maintaining a distance to the original series that allows Better Call Saul to soar as its own, unique story. Bolstered by its astonishing writing and direction, the series’ six-season run presents a masterclass in character study drama, one supported by enthralling slow-burn pacing and a commanding grasp on cinematic tension to be one of the best and most addictive crime series of the past decade.

4

‘The Night Of’ (2016)

Image via HBO

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2016 saw a number of iconic crime series premiere, from gangland dramas like Animal Kingdom and Queen of the South to morbid murder mysteries like Marcella and even absorbing legal thrillers like Bull and Goliath. Despite the longevity and cultural impact of all of these titles, the year’s best crime television exploit is the largely overlooked HBO miniseries, The Night Of, which blends together elements of crime investigation, courtroom suspense, and immersion in the criminal world throughout an incredible eight-episode arc that challenges the structure and methodology of the legal system.

Riz Ahmed stars as Nasir Khan, a Pakistani-American who is arrested and charged with murder after he wakes up next to a girl he was partying with to find she has been stabbed to death. The case seems clear-cut, but low-level defense attorney John Stone (John Turturro) believes there is more to the crime. With its imposing atmospheric intensity steeped in brutal realism and unflinching thematic gravitas, The Night Of is one of the most underrated crime series of its decade as well as one of the outright best.

3

‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)

Image via Netflix

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Edging out two other major Netflix productions in Ozark and Money Heist to take the place as the best crime series to debut in 2017, Mindhunter has become a cultural touchstone of modern crime suspense in entertainment. Combining a harrowing deep dive into the psychology of real-life evil with a simmering atmosphere of dread and tension, the series takes place in the 1970s as the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit—comprised of two agents and psychologist—travel around America interviewing detained serial killers to gain insights that can be applied to active cases to pinpoint suspects.

Enriched by David Fincher’s involvement, the series steers investigative drama away from the urgency of an active case in favor of a cerebral and surgical analysis of why serial killers experience such impulses. This focus is evident in the way in which the series builds suspense, emphasizing prolonged and detailed interview discussions that fester in the audience’s imagination rather than showing graphic gore. Bolstered by razor-sharp writing and exemplary acting, Mindhunter is as divine as it is dark, with its two-season, 19-episode run marking a highlight of modern television.

2

‘Barry’ (2018–2023)

Image via HBO Max

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As tonally daring as any crime series ever made, Barry juggles elements of hitman thrills, tragic drama, psychological character study, and absurdist black comedy to present what is one of the most captivating and unique series audiences have seen in many years. Bill Hader stars as Barry Berkman, a former U.S. Marine living with PTSD while working as an assassin. While tracking a target, he walks into an acting class in L.A. and discovers a passion for performance, one he tries to pursue while struggling to leave his life of crime behind him.

Not only starring Hader, but co-created and often directed by him as well, Barry flaunts a slicing satirical wit when it indulges its comedic inflections, but the series also delivers agonizing suspense and gripping action sequences as well. Also fueled by bold writing that relishes the chance to present a jaw-dropping plot twist yet never sacrifices its emphasis on character development and thematic might, Barry is a complex yet compelling masterpiece of crime television that is as unpredictable as any show that has ever been produced.

1

‘When They See Us’ (2019)

Image via Netflix

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Another year when the genre was defined by the triumphs of Netflix, 2019 saw two astonishing and timely crime miniseries produced in Unbelievable and When They See Us, both of which excel with their punishing thematic wrath and their shocking basis on true stories. Determining which is the better series is no easy feat, but When They See Us gets the nod on this occasion, with its heartbreaking story of injustice and systemic racism following five young Black and Latino men from Harlem as they are falsely convicted of rape and embark on a lengthy and agonizing process to have their sentences overturned.

Creator, director, and co-writer Ava DuVernay wields the passion injustice inspires from an audience with masterful prowess, focusing not only on the brutal journeys of the five men, but exploring the impact their incarceration has on their families and loved ones as well. Within its analytical dissection of the horrific failures of the legal system, it still recognizes the five wrongly convicted men as human beings rather than as symbols, imbuing the miniseries with profound humanity. It’s challenging, raw, and viscerally confronting, but it is also an essential masterpiece of crime television.

Jodie Sweetin’s friendship with former Full House sisters Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen has changed over the years.

“I loved them. I was really close to Ashley and Mary Kate … from the beginning,” Sweetin, 44, said on the Tuesday, April 21, episode of the “McBride Rewind” podcast. “I would go to their room and hang out and play with them.”

She continued, “I loved being the older one [and the] caretaker like, ‘Let’s be friends.’ They would come spend the night at my house. They’d come to my cabin on the weekends with my parents and I. We’d go horseback riding. We’d go to Disneyland. I mean, I’ve got pictures of us playing dress up at my house, like, they’re 3 [and] I’m 6, like, just kid stuff and I loved it.”

Sweetin starred as Stephanie Tanner on Full House from 1987 to 1995, while the Olsen twins, now both 39, shared the role of younger sister Michelle Tanner. Sweetin and the rest of the OG cast reunited for Netflix’s Fuller House revival, sans Ashley and Mary-Kate. (The Olsens now run a renowned fashion empire and have stepped back from the Hollywood spotlight.)

Related: ‘Full House’ Stars: Then and Now!

You got it, dude! America fell in love with the Tanner family in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and fans celebrated when news broke that the cast would be reuniting for Netflix’s Fuller House — see then-and-now photos!

“We haven’t talked,” Sweetin said of her relationship with the twins on Tuesday’s episode. “I think after Full House and growing up and everything, they’ve had an extremely different trajectory than any of the rest of us. People say, ‘Oh, well, do you guys not talk? Is it bad?’ No, they were 8 years old when the show finished, [and] we weren’t as close as we were. I didn’t see them all the time.”

Sweetin had spent time with Ashley and Mary-Kate at “family events and dinners,” which became less frequent after Full House wrapped.

“It wasn’t like there was bad blood between any of us, but they moved to New York and then got married and [built their] fashion empire and moved into that world,” Sweetin acknowledged. “It was, like, we just sort of drifted apart.”

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Sweetin last reunited with Mary-Kate and Ashley at a memorial for Full House patriarch Bob Saget after his death in 2022.

“I think they fiercely protect [their] privacy, but when Bob passed, it was the first time that all of us had been together in a long time,” Sweetin said. “Bob would see them in New York, and I had seen them in L.A. It wasn’t bad blood, but that was the first time we’d all really been together again. It was just like it was before. It was normal. We all spent four days just constantly together after Bob passed, and it was like nothing had changed.”

She concluded, “It’s not that there’s not a relationship there, it’s just that we live very different lives.”

Not even a quick vomit break can stop Coco Gauff.

The pro tennis player had to call a medical timeout during the second set of her match at the Madrid Open against Sorana Cirstea on Sunday, April 26, running to the side of the court before getting sick.

The short delay didn’t hold her back long, as Gauff went on to advance in the tournament, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

“I don’t know how I got it done,” Gauff told Sky Sports after the match. “Just dealing with a lot of trying to keep my food down. But once I threw up — and I was able to throw up after the first set — I felt a bit better.

Related: Coco Gauff Calls Out TV Broadcast After Being Caught Smashing Her Racket

Coco Gauff is advocating for player privacy after TV cameras captured her smashing her racket following a loss at the 2026 Australian Open. “I kind of have a thing with the broadcast,” Gauff, 21, told reporters after her quarterfinal loss to Elina Svitolina on Tuesday, January 27. “I feel like certain moments — the same […]

She continued, “It was just a tough match. I think I got the Madrid stomach virus that’s going around. I’m usually someone who doesn’t get sick. My luck today just wasn’t good.”

Gauff’s medical issues came just one day after Iga Swiatek had to retire in the third set of her match. Swiatek also took a medical timeout but — unlike Gauff — ultimately had to step away from the court.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine in a couple of days, but I had zero energy,” Swiatek told Tennis.com after withdrawing. “I just felt really bad physically and yesterday, even worse. So I thought maybe today it’s gonna be better, but maybe it was, but not enough to play a match.”

She continued, “The symptoms are not something you want to hear about.”

Nearly half a dozen players have been forced to retire from the tournament so far due to an illness that is seemingly making its rounds.

“When I actually threw up on the court, that was a little bit embarrassing,” Gauff told reporters, per the WTA. “Then after that first game and the second, I was like that took everything out of me. I’m someone who doesn’t like to pull out [of matches]. I don’t like to do that unless I really feel like I have no other options.”

She continued, “So the plan was to always just try to finish, even if it ended up with me, just playing just to get through it.”

Related: Coco Gauff Felt ‘Mentally Overwhelmed’ Before Early Wimbledon Exit

No. 2-ranked Coco Gauff was noticeably off her game in her shocking first-round loss at Wimbledon on Tuesday, July 1, to unseeded Dayana Yastremska. Gauff, 21, lost 7-6 (3), 6-1, and finished with 29 unforced errors and nine double-faults. After the match, she opened up about what went wrong, saying her French Open win last […]

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Gauff next faces No. 13 Linda Noskova on Monday, April 27.

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Jannik Sinner — the World No. 1 on the men’s side — said he’s doing everything he can to avoid the stomach bug.

“I come match days a little bit earlier, but practice days are very late,” Sinner said. “I practice, and then I get away. But this is how I do every tournament.”

He continued, “I don’t know if it’s something that’s just around here or in general, but this can happen. When one gets sick, you’re always quite close to each other in the dining rooms and in the gym.”

There are some sci-fi movies that age, and then there are the ones that somehow get sharper every single year. Ex Machina is very much the second kind. Alex Garland’s directorial debut still feels sleek, unsettling, and way too relevant, even more than a decade after it first landed. It’s the kind of film people keep rediscovering because the ideas haven’t gone stale, the performances still hit, and the whole thing remains just a little bit unnerving in the best possible way.

If you’ve been putting off a rewatch, you don’t have much room left. Ex Machina is leaving HBO Max at the end of April, with May 1 marked as the cutoff. That gives viewers only a short window to catch it before it drops out of the platform’s library. That matters because this one isn’t just “good for sci-fi fans.” It’s one of the defining genre movies of the 2010s, full stop. With Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, and Oscar Isaac doing some of the best work of their careers, the movie turns a contained premise into something tense, intimate, and deeply creepy. It’s smart without being smug and stylish without losing its edge. HBO Max losing it is a blow, so yeah, now would be a very good time to press play.

How Good Is ‘Ex Machina’?

The cast is a huge part of why the movie works as well as it does. Gleeson and Isaac play off each other superbly, and Vikander delivers a star-making performance that’s one of the decade’s finest. Collider’s Perri Nemiroff reviewed the movie at SXSW in 2015, and she was a huge fan of what she saw from Garland’s debut outing:

“Clearly Garland set out to deliver a deeply character-driven A.I. film and picking apart her programming could have steered it in a different direction, but the idea is so surprisingly grounded that that’s what I was most interested in. Ex Machina is a strong feature and a huge achievement in a number of ways. There’s a surprising amount of very effective humor courtesy of Isaac’s character, there’s an extremely riveting scenario at the core of the film, and there’s also tons of stunning visual work to admire as well. But, for an exceptionally unique and layered character study, Ex Machina has a surprisingly minimal amount of humanity and that keeps the film from striking a chord on a deeper level and having a lasting effect.”

Ex Machina leaves HBO Max at the end of April.

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Release Date

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April 24, 2015

Runtime

108 minutes

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Director

Alex Garland

Writers

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Alex Garland

Producers

Allon Reich, Andrew Macdonald

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By TeeJay Small
| Published 22 seconds ago

You probably know Bill Murray as one of the greatest comedic minds of the 1980s through the mid 2000s. If you’ve followed his career closely, you’ve seen him put audiences in stitches with performances in Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters, Zombieland, and everything in between. Still, every actor makes a few questionable choices in their time, and not every Bill Murray performance is a slam dunk. Fans of the comedic A-lister were shocked, for instance, when Murray agreed to voice the titular orange cat in 2004’s Garfield: The Movie, a role he later revealed he took by mistake after mistaking writer Joel Cohen for Joel Coen.

When this casting news was first announced, fans pontificated on the reason why Bill Murray would agree to lead a highly sanitized PG movie. After all, his other projects around that time include such mature, introspective hits as The Royal Tenenbaums, Lost in Translation, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Surprisingly, it turns out that Murray signed on to voice Garfield not for a quick paycheck, not out of love for the original comic strip, but purely by accident, due to this case of mistaken identity.

Not The Coen He Was Looking For

2004’s Garfield: The Movie was written by a screenwriter named Joel Cohen. Cohen is credited as a writer on such hit films as Toy Story, Cheaper By The Dozen, and Evan Almighty. When Bill Murray saw the name on the screenplay for Garfield: The Movie, he mistook the scribe for the very similarly-named Joel Coen, of the Coen Brothers. The Coens, as you likely already know, have a penchant for writing off-beat comedic films that would be a much better fit for Bill Murray’s off-the-walls personality than Garfield: The Movie.

Bill Murray spoke on this subject over a decade ago during a Reddit AMA session. Responding to a fan who asked if there would ever be a third Garfield film, Murray stated “I wasn’t thinking clearly, but it was spelled Cohen, not Coen. I love the Coen brothers movies. I think that Joel Coen is a wonderful comedic mind. So I didn’t really bother to finish the script, I thought ‘he’s great, I’ll do it.’” The comedian claims that he didn’t realize Cohen and Coen were different people until months later, after he started laying down his lines.

A Simple Misunderstanding Extrapolated To Absurdity

In that very same comment, Bill Murray outlined his process while working on Garfield: The Movie, and spoke as though the experience was complete torture. He adds “It was sort of like Fantastic Mr. Fox without the joy or the fun.” Furthermore, Murray claims that all the live action parts of the film were shot before he laid down any lines, and the Garfield model was composited in as a gray blob. It’s well known that Murray improvised heavily throughout the recording process, but he revealed during his Reddit Q&A that he made numerous attempts to reframe entire scenes by swapping his dialogue with jokes that more closely aligned with his vision, much to the chagrin of Joel Cohen.

In an era of social media, it seems like celebrities are more accessible to the public than ever before. Even still, I’m not sure there’s anything more relatable than a guy taking on a massive months-long job based on a simple miscommunication because he couldn’t be bothered to proofread for a single letter H. To this day, Bill Murray has still never worked with the Coen brothers, but he did complete two Garfield films, which are currently available to stream on Hulu.

For a director so closely tied to giant robots, slow-motion chaos, and things exploding in increasingly dramatic ways, Michael Bay has one movie that always feels a little overlooked in the conversation. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is still very much a Bay movie, but it’s also one of his leanest and most relentless. Based on the 2012 attacks in Benghazi and adapted from Mitchell Zuckoff’s nonfiction book, the film follows six ex-military operators defending a CIA annex under overwhelming pressure. It’s now part of Paramount+’s May 1 arrivals, which gives the movie another shot at finding a bigger streaming audience.

The movie is a classic combo deal: It has the trapped-in-combat intensity and tactical grit of a modern war thriller, but it’s filtered through Bay’s love of scale, impact, and sensory overload. That mix didn’t make it one of his biggest box office hits, but it has helped the film build a reputation as one of his more mature and grounded efforts.

The cast of 13 Hours includes James Badge Dale (The Departed, World War Z) as Tyrone “Rone” Woods, John Krasinski (A Quiet Place, The Office) as Jack Silva, Pablo Schreiber (Den of Thieves, Skyscraper) as Kris “Tanto” Paronto, Max Martini (Pacific Rim, Captain Phillips) as Mark “Oz” Geist, Dominic Fumusa (Focus, The Irishman) as John “Tig” Tiegen, David Denman (Brightburn, Rebel Ridge) as Dave “Boon” Benton, and Toby Stephens (Die Another Day) as Glen “Bob” Doherty.

Is ’13 Hours’ Worth Watching?

Collider’s review stated that 13 Hours is one of the clearest examples of Bay’s strengths and weaknesses colliding in the worst way. On one hand, the film has scale, noise, and plenty of chaotic action. On the other, it takes an incredibly complicated real-world event and flattens it into a shallow, macho action story with almost no nuance. That leads into the review’s biggest criticism: the film’s politics and worldview. Even when Bay claims the movie is just about honoring the men involved, the storytelling reduces everything into armed American heroes versus sinister enemies, while anyone outside that frame is treated as weak, clueless, or disposable. The review argues that Bay has no interest in complexity, only in turning the story into another siege movie with lots of gunfire and hard-edged posturing.

13 Hours arrives on Paramount+ next month.

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Release Date

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January 14, 2016

Runtime

144 minutes

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Writers

Chuck Hogan

Producers

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Erwin Stoff, Matthew Cohan, Scott Gardenhour

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Netflix has delivered hit after hit when it comes to engaging series, and within its massive library are rare gems that hold audiences’ attention from the very beginning, right on up until the end. The true standouts of those captivating series are those that never lose momentum, whether with the help of interesting characters, carefully paced narratives, or simply gripping storytelling.

Impeccable Netflix series like the brilliant romance drama, One Day, which stands as one of the most heartfelt and well-done miniseries to ever exist, and the iconic horror epic, The Haunting of Hill House, which blends emotional depth and psychological horror to create a tense and layered narrative, are two prime examples of the kinds of series within Netflix’s catalog that can turn a casual viewing experience into a full-on binge session. Compiled on this list are other such shows—Netflix greats that keep viewers hooked from start to finish.

10

‘On My Block’ (2018–2021)

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On My Block is an entertaining combination of humor, coming-of-age storytelling, mystery, and a surprising amount of emotional depth. The underappreciated teen drama follows a tight-knit group of friends—Monse Finnie (Sierra Capri), Ruby Martinez (Jason Genao), Jamal Turner (Brett Gray), and Cesar Diaz (Diego Tinoco)—as they navigate adolescence, family pressure, crushes, gang activity, and neighborhood volatility.

On My Block is one of Netflix’s most underrated series. It may be a teen drama, but the story tends to resonate with viewers of all ages. On My Block hosts a fast-moving plot and a vibrant batch of characters that genuinely captivate audiences. The series is often truly heartfelt and wields a laugh-out-loud comedy that never denies the high stakes of the story, keeping its momentum strong throughout its run. With friendships vivid enough that every fracture hurts, and an evolution that keeps climbing without losing its coming-of-age heartbeat, On My Block offers audiences a truly great time from beginning to end.

9

‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)

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This masterclass in psychological drama wields extremely meticulous storytelling. Set in the late 1970s, the Netflix series, Mindhunter, focuses on FBI agents, Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff), Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), and Wendy Carr (Anna Torv) as they help build the FBI’s behavioral-science approach by interviewing serial killers and trying to understand their patterns of violence before other crimes occur.

Mindhunter has often been lauded as a “just one more episode” kind of series. The show’s addictive combination of procedural structure with creeping psychological contamination keeps viewers thoroughly engaged and hanging on to every quiet revelation and unsettling conversation within each episode. Mindhunter is consistently strong across its two seasons, and even with an abrupt end, it stands as one of Netflix’s most hypnotic unfinished masterpieces.

8

‘The Last Kingdom’ (2015–2022)

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The Last Kingdom is an ambitious Netflix gem that doesn’t get talked about enough. The sweeping historical drama centers around the Saxon-born Uhtred of Bebbanburg (Alexander Dreymon), who, raised by Danes, is permanently split between bloodlines, ambition, and loyalties as the kingdoms rise and fracture around him.

The Last Kingdom is pure bingeable material. Its historical nature tends to suck audiences in as it wastes very little narrative energy. From politics that remain legible and strong action, to character arcs that carry enough personal resentment that even viewers are able to feel it, the series delivers a binge-watch that is consistently entertaining for its entire run. Season to season, The Last Kingdom gifts audiences with rising stakes and powerful character arcs, making it an insanely good time for viewers—a watch that never truly falters.

7

‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (2018)

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This limited horror series is quite the watch, and stands as one of Netflix’s most memorable standouts. The Haunting of Hill focuses on the siblings—including Steven Crain (Michiel Huisman), Shirley Crain (Elizabeth Reaser), and Luke Crain (Oliver Jackson-Cohen)—as they’re forced back to their family home, rife with trauma, after a family tragedy reopens old wounds.

The Haunting of Hill House is absolutely peak binging material as it keeps a quality balance of deeply emotional storytelling and psychological horror, weaving together past and present timelines to increase both character depth and chilling tension. The series consistently widens the mystery of its world with each episode, ensuring viewers are engaged enough to steadily wonder about the much bigger picture. With a literal haunting atmosphere and a steady maintenance of a gripping narrative, The Haunting of Hill House stands as a strong single-season watch that easily earns its place on this list.

6

‘3 Body Problem’ (2024–Present)

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3 Body Problem is a fantastic sci-fi series that offers audiences a complex narrative grounded in global stakes. The series follows a group of investigators and scientists as they uncover a mysterious signal that threatens civilization as they know it, triggering a chain of events that disrupts scientific reality and forces humanity to confront a coming extraterrestrial force.

With a solid combination of mystery-box plotting, a cosmic threat, philosophical inquiry, and pure scientific dread, 3 Body Problem delivers a solid, binge-worthy watch. From beginning to end, the series ensures that its audience is on the edge of their seats, absolutely desperate for answers. Despite quite a few slower moments, the series remains completely engaging, never offering a dull moment that feels unimportant. With each captivating installment, 3 Body Problem’s story scale changes, making it a genuinely gripping show that keeps its viewers thoroughly hooked throughout its run.

5

‘Alice in Borderland’ (2020–Present)

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This Netflix sci-fi series is an underrated watch about deadly games of survival. The Japanese series, Alice in Borderland, centers on Ryohei Arisu (Kento Yamazaki), as he and his two close friends are thrown into an emptied-out Tokyo where survival depends on deadly games.

Before there were icons like Squid Game, there were thrill rides such as Alice in Borderland. The series is an intriguing blend of mystery, action, and psychological tension. Alice in Borderland quickly establishes its high stakes, hooking viewers in almost immediately. Its constant twists maintain a gripping pace that keeps audiences guessing until the very end. Alice in Borderland is an underrated sci-fi epic that remains addictive throughout its entirety, keeping viewers hooked from start to finish.

4

‘Blue Eye Samurai’ (2023–Present)

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Blue-Eye Samurai is a fantastic adult animation that has a brilliant story and captivating action sequences. The show’s story is set in Edo-period Japan and focuses on a disguised swordsman, Mizu (Maya Erskine), as she desperately pursues revenge.

Blue Eye Samurai is one of those rare watches that hosts episodes that feel handcrafted and purposeful. Not only is the series’ character work strong enough to support its almost constant state of violence with a visual style that gives quieter scenes momentum, but Blue Eye Samurai also offers audiences quality depth that is genuinely moving. The show stands as one of Netflix’s finest modern animated series, and its ability to remain intense and engaging makes it a bingeable good time from beginning to end.

3

‘One Day’ (2024)

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This limited series is as beautiful and heartbreaking as it is deeply personal, tracing a love story that is quite intoxicating to witness. The Netflix romance drama One Day, centers around best friends Emma (Ambika Mod) and Dexter (Leo Woodall) as their relationship evolves while they revisit the same day each year, reconnecting and drifting apart as their lives unfold.

One Day is truly a watch unlike any other. It’s an absorbing, binge-worthy series for its romance story and calendar structure. Every episode sparks curiosity in viewers: what has changed, what the characters have lost, and what might still be possible for them and those around them. One Day’s design creates emotional cliffhangers at the end of each installment, never relying on unnecessary plot gimmicks, which results in a genuinely compelling romantic drama that feels intimate, cumulative, and very hard to pause in between episodes, right up until the end.

2

‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (2020)

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The Queen’s Gambit delves deep into addiction, ambition, and genius as it builds consistent tension through character and strategy. The Netflix miniseries focuses on orphaned prodigy Beth Harmon’s (Anya Taylor-Joy) rise to an elite chess contender as she battles addiction, loneliness, and the psychological costs of being a genius.

The Queen’s Gambit sparked an almost instant new passion for chess around the world, as the show turned the game into gripping cinema by framing every competition as an extension of Beth’s internal state, and somehow never reducing her to talent. The captivating limited series wields a posh combination of visual polish and sports-drama momentum that makes certain that no scene is wasted. The Queen’s Gambit is truly gripping from its very first episode and builds towards a rather satisfying conclusion that makes even the quiet moments feel tense and deeply impactful.

1

‘Sense8’ (2015–2018)

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This quiet icon may be one of Netflix’s most underrated shows ever, but it also happens to be one of the platform’s most brilliant gems. Sense8 follows a group of strangers bound by a psychic connection that allows them to share each other’s thoughts, skills, emotions, and even physical presence across continents.

Sense8 is undeniably a fantastic watch that explores identity, connection, and love. It’s an ambitious story that draws viewers into its intricate web of emotion. Sense8 is such a great bingeing experience, mostly due to the show’s emotional generosity that’s baked into its high concept—a sincerity that transforms its story’s romance, action, and conspiratorial plotting into something deeply human, marking it as a perfect addition to this list of Netflix shows that will keep its viewers hooked from start to finish.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 1 second ago

Now that Netflix’s live-action One Piece Season 2 has been out for awhile, you’ve probably become curious about how it matches up to the original One Piece anime. As with the first season, manga creator Eiichrio Oda was actively involved in all stages of production, even helping with adjustments from the source material and giving them his blessing. His level of involvement is why the series is the new gold standard for live-action adaptations. 

The Garp And Gol D. Roger Flashback

Ripped from the Marineford arc and dropped at the start of Season 2’s Loguetown episode, Garp and Gol D. Roger’s conversation is a bit of misdirection. Fans watching only the live-action series would think that Roger is asking Garp, who we know is Luffy’s grandfather, to take care of his son. That would mean Luffy is the son of the greatest Pirate in history. 

Except he’s not. Long-time fans know that Roger’s son is Ace, part of Whitebeard’s pirate crew, and user of the Flame Flame Devil Fruit. DC’s Blue Beetle, Xolo Marideuna will play Ace when he makes his first appearance in Season 3. 

For now, the flashback to Roger’s execution hints at the existence of his son, misdirects the audience, and lays the stage for something Oda did a lot during One Piece Season 2: placing events from future arcs much, much earlier than before, but where they make perfect sense. 

Bartolomeo Appears Much Much Earlier

An example of an early appearance comes right in Episode 1, when the memorable green hair and canines of Bartolomeo appears as a very confused bystander in Loguetown. He doesn’t appear in the anime until episode 633, over 500 episodes from the events of the first episode. But what he does do in the anime, is mention that he saw Luffy during the events in Loguetown. That makes this one of the best changes any live-action adaptation has ever made. 

Bartolomeo may not be an East Blue mob boss, but his inclusion in Roger’s execution is technically, not a change from the anime. It’s a bit of a tease for fans as we may not see him again during the Netflix show’s run, unless they start compressing even more arcs each season, and they did a great job bringing the character’s strange appearance to life. He’d eventually become Luffy’s biggest fan, and his ship, the Going Luffy-senpai, is as ridiculous as his fashion sense. 

Brook’s Human Form

Yet another pull from the future came in Episode 2, “Good Whale Hunting.” Anime viewers didn’t get to see Brook as a human until long after they got used to his undead skeleton form. His backstory isn’t shown until episode 379, over 40 episodes after his first appearance, and by then, it’s been hundreds of episodes since Reverse Mountain. Including the flashback right away, to explain Laboon’s obsession with ramming the mountain, teases fans with what’s to come, and gives the heartbreaking story maximum emotional impact. 

If Brook ever does return to the live-action One Piece, at least Martial T. Bachamen has nailed the look for one of the most unique Straw Hat Pirates. Fans will have to keep waiting to see how they’ll get across his skeletal appearance and wild fighting style in live-action.

Luffy Befriending Laboon 

The live-action series changed a lot about the Reverse Mountain arc, from Crocus living inside Laboon, to the weird sky painted on the inside of the whale’s stomach. Among all the changes, Luffy’s plea for friendship is one of the best. It’s perfectly fitting that Luffy, the most joyous, upbeat, enthusiastic character in One Piece, would use the power of friendship to win over the massive whale. 

In the anime and manga, Luffy stabs Laboon with the mast of the Going Merry. Instead of declaring their friendship, he announces that he and Laboon are now rivals. On the one hand, that’s how boys make friends, on the other, the live-action did it so well while being true to Luffy’s nature, that both versions work. 

Luffy And Zoro Don’t Fight

Zoro gets his shining moment in Whiskey Peak by taking on 100 members of Baroque Works, in what’s not only the highpoint of Season 2, but in the running for Netflix’s best action scene ever. What’s left out, is what comes next in the other adaptations: Luffy attacks Zoro for killing a lot of people he has no idea are Baroque agents. It’s the first real showdown between the two friends and it only comes to an end when Nami acts as the voice of reason. Sort of.

It was a stand out moment in the anime as anime fans love nothing more than debating who can beat who (saying Saitama form One-Punch Man would win is always an immediate flag on the play). Zoro, the greatest swordsman, against Luffy, the indestructible rubber man? It’s a great match up, which Luffy would win 10 out of 10 times, but it’s also easy to see why the live-action series cut it out. 

Zoro And Sanji’s Dino Hunt

Little Garden is an interesting early island. Giants weren’t enough, it had to include actual dinosaurs. In the Netflix series, Zoro and Sanji argue over who can take down the biggest beast, and they end up arguing over who landed the killing blow on a massive T-Rex. In the source material, they each take down one of their own. They still argue, but it’s more evidence that Sanji isn’t the joke his only-kicks fighting style can make him look like. 

Another small change that ties into the fauna of Little Garden is the missing shot of the insect that bites Nami and gets her sick. Removing any foreshadowing of the illness worked, and Nami going down during the party is an effective teaser for the next part of the journey. 

The Marines vs. Baroque Works

Season 1 add a whole new subplot with Kolby and Helmpopo, so it makes sense that Season 2 keeps the Marines involved by including a sequence with Smoker and Tashigi investigating a Marine listening post under a Baroque Works assault. This is the type of addition that helps expand the world of One Piece. Even when the focus is on the Straw Hat Pirates, other characters are going on adventures in the background. 

The other reason for the addition is to remind viewers that Smoker is an absolute unit. Without breaking a sweat, he goes through a unit of Agents and Miss Thursday. There’s nothing wrong with letting cool characters show why they’re cool. It’s the basis of Shonen anime. 

The Flag 

It’s one of the moments in the anime that establishes Luffy as a badass. When he dives and saves Chopper’s flag from destruction at the hands of King Wapol, he’s covered in smoke. Then it clears, and there’s Luffy, holding onto the tattered flag, standing on top of the castle. The kids call this aura farming. 

During the Season 2 live action climax, Luffy still saves the flag and gives his speech about what the flag represents to an astonished King Wapol. The scene is still there, but the scale is smaller, the only ones present are Wapol and the crew of the Going Merry. It’s a great moment, and Luffy shows a small fraction of his potential power in absorbing the direct hit, but as with most of the changes from the anime to the live-action, it cuts everything down. Which is understandable, but if more adaptations did it like this, the track record would be a lot better.

One Piece is a Netflix Original, and can be streamed with an active subscription.