Launching off the platform of prestige television drama set in the latter part of the 1990s, small-screen entertainment in the 2000s is arguably the best it has ever been. This notion is well-supported by the litany of incredible crime series the decade has to offer, with everything from decades-spanning cop shows to serialized dramas revolving around organized crime debuting throughout the era.

Each year of the 2000s flaunts its own array of incredible crime drama, be it in the form of medium-defining classics that continue to be revered among the greatest TV shows of all time to this very day or criminally underrated gems of small-screen suspense that never got the credit and fanfare they so thoroughly deserve. Regardless of their standing in pop culture, all of these series were instrumental in making the 2000s such a golden period of television and have gone a long way to defining crime excellence in the format.

10

‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’ (2000–2015)

Image via CBS

2025 marked the first year of the 21st century that no new episodes of any CSI series were released. It represented a sad end to what had become an iconic staple of modern crime television, one that spanned well over 20 years and included five separate series. 2000’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigation was the one that started it all, running as a sharp and scientific police procedural following forensic investigators in Las Vegas as they use advanced technology to analyze evidence and solve heinous crimes.

An award-winning hit, a critical darling, and one of the greatest ratings successes in CBS’ history, the series ran for a whopping 16 seasons and was frequently praised for its gritty and graphic realism, bold storytelling prowess, and its gripping sense of urgency that made every episode an engrossing viewing experience. Also bolstered by its assembly of unforgettable characters and its process-driven procedural structure, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is a true landmark of modern crime television.

9

‘Messiah’ (2001–2008)

Image via BBC

An underrated gem of British crime television, Messiah ran for five seasons through the 2000s but produced just 10 episodes in total, opting for concise narrative suspense and atmospheric thrills over elongated, meandering drama. It stars Ken Stott as DCI Metcalfe, a veteran homicide detective who investigates some of the nation’s most horrific and disturbing murders. As the cases unfold, Metcalfe often finds himself having to brave nightmarish evils in order to find the truth and ensure that justice is carried out.

The first season particularly finds incredible dramatic weight and depth in its implementation of religious factors, with the serial killer at large targeting people with some link to the twelve apostles. While Season 1 is the series’ strongest, ensuing seasons feature similarly resonant thematic ideas, be it the miscarriage of justice or the circles of Hell depicted in Dante’s Inferno. Messiah’s focus, visceral might, and consistent sense of suspense make it not only a great police drama, but an obvious precursor to hit series like Luther that came in the following years.

8

‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)

Image via HBO

It is incredibly easy to mount a case that The Wire stands not only as the best crime series to debut in 2002, but as the finest feat the genre has seen in the history of television as well. Strengthened by a visceral sense of realism—courtesy of the writing of Baltimore crime reporter David Simon and police veteran Ed Burns—the masterful HBO series serves as both an exploration of the hierarchy of Baltimore’s drug trade and a scathing examination of the inefficiency of the police force, the corruption of politics, and the tragic ineffectiveness of integral social institutions.

Each of The Wire‘s five seasons broadens its scope magnificently, allowing what begins as an ambitious though contained narrative of police probing and organized crime to spiral into a city-spanning epic of systemic failure and violence that is undercut by the moral complexity of every single one of its major characters. 2026 marks 24 years since the classic crime series debuted on television, and yet its central message of broken social systems failing the people that depend on them the most remains bitterly poignant and painfully real.

7

‘NCIS’ (2003–Present)

Image via CBS

There is perhaps no greater testament to the enduring appeal and cultural impact of NCIS than the fact that it now stands as the longest-running series of any genre that debuted in the 21st century. A police procedural with an enrapturing spin, it follows an elite squad in the Naval Criminal Investigative Service as they employ their expertise and experience to investigate crimes connected to Navy and Marine Corps personnel.

It strikes a perfect balance for 21st-century audiences, juggling the thrills of mystery drama with the fascinating scientific allure of modern police procedurals while still wielding a powerful and resonant family dynamic between the core characters. It is exciting and snappy, and often prepared to venture to dark places, but it is also comforting and cozy. Its long-standing success is evidenced not only by the original NCIS series’ 23-season run (with more on the way), but also by the growing franchise of the show through spin-offs like NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: Sydney.

6

‘Veronica Mars’ (2004–2007; 2019)

Image via Hulu

Wonderfully clever in how it blends teen schoolyard drama with neo-noir mystery intrigue, Veronica Mars is a cherished cult gem of crime television that thrives on the back of Kristen Bell’s lead performance. She stars as the eponymous Veronica Mars, the daughter of a detective who leans on her father’s tutelage as she moonlights as a private detective. The first two seasons see Veronica tackle a multitude of cases while investigating overarching mysteries, while Season 3 embraces a more episodic approach.

In addition to featuring arresting characters and a faultless balance of episodic and serialized cases, Veronica Mars also soars with its sharp social commentary, with its setting in the fictional Californian town of Neptune having a stark contrast between the wealthy and the working class. The series was abruptly axed following its third season, but its fan following remained and even grew, with the enduring popularity of the series inspiring a 2014 film and even a revival series in 2019.

5

‘Criminal Minds’ (2005–Present)

Image via CBS

Another long-running gem of American television that has become a defining backbone of crime drama, Criminal Minds has continuously enthralled viewers with its emphasis on psychological profiling and the inviting dynamic of its central characters. It follows a team of investigators in the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit as they delve into the minds of the most evil and sadistic criminals in order to identify their trigger points, reveal their identities, and apprehend them before they can strike again.

It finds a somewhat counter-intuitive yet absorbing balance between the formulaic comfort of police procedural drama and the confronting, realistic details of the cases the team investigates. Its endeavor to pry beyond the simple “how” of the crimes they work and delve into what compels a human being to carry out such heinous acts is a defining point of difference that makes Criminal Minds more enticing than the average cop show. With 19 seasons thus far, and more on the way, the hit CBS series is one of the biggest crime series of all time.

4

‘Psych’ (2006–2014)

Image via USA Network

The marriage of traditional crime elements and fun, inviting comedy has become something of a trend in 21st-century television, from early series like Monk to modern sensations like Only Murders in the Building. A pioneering triumph of this niche is USA Network’s irreverent hit series Psych, which follows a police consultant with such acute observational instincts that he is viewed by many to be psychic as he works for the Santa Barbara Police Department alongside his reluctant partner and childhood friend.

Remarkably accessible, the handling of its crime mystery elements is joyfully light-hearted, with its warm tone of good-natured fun beautifully complementing its focus on the bromance dynamic between Shawn Spencer (James Roday) and Burton “Gus” Guster (Dulé Hill). Referential, absurd, and laced with delightful celebrity cameos, Psych’s magnetic eight-season run is the pinnacle of buddy cop exuberance, making it a beloved cult hit of 2000s television that not only ran well into the 2010s but spawned three follow-up films as well.

3

‘The Killing’ (2007–2012)

Image via DR1

Throughout the 2010s in particular, the international subgenre of “Nodic noir” television grew from being a relatively niche category of bleak mystery suspense to one of the defining trends in cop drama on the small screen. The first season of The Killing was instrumental in developing this wave of interest. It follows Detective Inspector Sarah Lund (Sofie Gråbøl) as she, on the cusp of relocating to a small town with her young family, finds herself growing obsessed with a case with political connections revolving around the discovery of a teenage girl’s body in the trunk of a car.

Both of the subsequent seasons also follow Lund as she investigates murder cases with ties to governmental figures while making excellent use of Nordic noir’s trademark air of cold hostility and grim brutality to conjure an atmosphere of captivating drama. Its slow-burn approach also proved to be ahead of its time, with its structure—seeing an investigation unfold over the course of a season—allowing for more methodical and measured pacing at a time when mystery drama television was largely defined by episodic procedural series.

2

‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)

Image via Netflix

Throughout the 2000s and into the 2010s, television saw the rise of the anti-hero protagonist, complex and morally flawed leads whose high-stakes lifestyles led them down a path of corruption and compromise. Breaking Bad is one of the greatest examples of this, any form of storytelling that has ever been seen, following high school teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he starts cooking methamphetamine to accrue money for his family after being diagnosed with inoperable cancer. As he becomes more embroiled in the drug trade, however, his admirable motives give way to a ruthless lust for power and moral decay.

The series evolves magnificently throughout its five-season run, starting as a compelling and deeply relatable character drama laced with dark comedy before gradually turning into one of the most relentlessly suspenseful and confronting series television has ever seen. Complemented by its note-perfect series finale, Breaking Bad is one of the most rewarding and engrossing TV shows of all time, a defining masterpiece of crime drama that continues to stand as one of the most revered stories of the 21st century thus far.

1

‘Southland’ (2009–2013)

Image via TNT

While it was perhaps too derivative of series like The Shield to truly thrive at the time, Southland can still be considered one of the most underrated and sorely forgotten crime series of its time. Starting off strong and only getting better throughout its five-season run, it follows the work and lives of cops in the LAPD, exploring their career aspirations and obstacles in their personal lives while delivering an unflinching look at the nature of policing.

Even as it steered away from the serialized format of its first season in Season 2 and beyond, the series stayed true to its realistic and raw approach to its story, striving to show how the exhausting tension and morally challenging nature of law enforcement have a serious impact on cops. It is humane and sympathetic, but it never shies away from depicting its integral characters as deeply flawed people who change drastically over time. It was sadly canceled after its fifth season, but it remains a hidden gem of crime television that thrives with its air of authenticity and litany of brilliant performances.

Advertisement

Southland

Release Date

Advertisement

2009 – 2013-00-00

Directors

Christopher Chulack, Nelson McCormick, Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Allison Anders

Advertisement

Writers

Ann Biderman, Dee Johnson, Mitchell Burgess, Robin Green, Diana Son, Angela Amato Velez

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

November 2023 saw the debut of A Murder at the End of the World, starring Emma Corrin as amateur detective and true crime writer Darby Hart. When the series begins, Darby is invited to a mysterious billionaire’s private retreat at a remote hotel in Iceland. What begins as a thrilling opportunity, however, soon turns unexpectedly deadly. The OA creators Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij craft a shocking yet oddly intimate modern take on the traditional murder mystery, making A Murder at the End of the World the perfect weekend binge.

What Is ‘A Murder at the End of the World’ About?

Shortly after the publication of her first book, Darby is invited to a retreat hosted by tech billionaire Andy Ronson (Clive Owen). She’s joined by a diverse group of celebrities, artists, activists, and inventors, including city architect Lu Mei (Joan Chen), doctor Sian Cruz (Alice Braga), and filmmaker Martin Mitchell (Jermaine Fowler). Ronson’s retreat aims to bring this eclectic collective of original thinkers together to find solutions to the climate crisis. Also at the retreat is Ronson’s wife, the once-famous hacker and Darby’s personal idol, Lee Andersen (Marling), and their young son, Zoomer (Kellan Tetlow). Darby’s ex-boyfriend, Bill Farrah (Harris Dickinson), even joins the retreat later on for vague reasons. However, Darby’s luxurious getaway quickly becomes a nightmare when someone in the group is murdered, and it’s up to this amateur sleuth to figure out why before the killer can strike again.

The series’ cast is fantastic, made up of interesting, well-rounded characters that modernize the classic whodunit. Owen plays Ronson with intriguing charisma and cunning aloofness, somewhere between Steve Jobs and Elon Musk. Meanwhile, Corrin brings both an extraordinary relatability and distinctive punk-rock energy to their performance, creating a compelling Gen Z update for the classic detective protagonist.

‘A Murder at the End of the World’ Takes Place in a Chilling Setting

A huge part of what makes A Murder at the End of the World so exciting is the show’s primary setting, with the title itself referring to Ronson’s remote hotel in Iceland. Its eerily secluded location, far from civilization, makes it the perfect setting for a murder mystery, and the state-of-the-art fortress also houses Ronson’s new digital AI assistant, Ray (Edoardo Ballerini). The high-tech environment highlights how the more intimate sense of humanity gets lost amid new and improved digital comforts.

Early in the retreat, Ronson expresses his hope of solving the climate crisis while there is still time, estimating that catastrophic events will occur by 2050 — and giving dual meaning to the show’s title. The hotel comes to represent a type of sanctuary, which takes on a much more ominous definition after a murder occurs within its walls. While the series’ setting is awe-inspiring, lavish, and futuristic, it’s also hiding dark secrets of its own, making it the perfect location to solve a mystery.

‘A Murder at the End of the World’ Utilizes an Intriguing Dual Narrative

Image via FX

A Murder at the End of the World‘s primary mystery unfolds in its present timeline, but Marling and Batmanglij opt for a twisty dual narrative with flashbacks to a previous case, which Darby eventually writes about in her first book, The Silver Doe. The flashback scenes also provide more context for Darby and Bill’s relationship, which often shares surprising parallels to the present-day mystery. At times, Darby’s “Silver Doe” case is just as, if not more, exciting than the investigation unfolding in Iceland.

Each episode of A Murder at the End of the World nicely escalates the tension and suspense, with a shocking reveal in the final act. Thanks to its format, the characters and their various subplots have more room to breathe than a typical murder mystery movie. As a result, Marling and Batmanglij’s series is more reminiscent of a complex novel with long chapters rather than a summary of the main bullet points, making the expertly crafted 7-part psychological thriller the perfect weekend binge.

For many Apple TV shows, a premature cancellation is rare. High-quality storytelling and proper endgames mean that most shows get to tell their stories to their natural conclusions. Still, some shows do suffer from external factors such as cast changes, production delays, and shifts in storytelling. The latter can be catastrophic when viewers realize that the product they currently have is not what they signed up for, and it can lead to decreased viewership, something that is becoming evident for one of Apple TV’s oldest shows.

The sci-fi drama has been one of the streamer’s top performers since it launched in 2019. The series was among the shows that introduced viewers to the fledgling service, which has since made a name for itself by delivering high-quality shows that have attracted award nominations and wins. Apple TV is also building its library, and competition is stronger than ever. This explains why the show in question, For All Mankind, is struggling to hold viewers’ attention seven years later.

The new season has underperformed on streaming, being overtaken by more popular titles like Your Friends & Neighbors and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The show is barely making the top five globally according to FlixPatrol’s streaming data, and in some countries where it used to perform well, viewers don’t seem as invested. In America, For All Mankind is ranked eighth at the time of writing, a sign that viewers prefer fresher offerings. Despite a 90% critics’ score on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, viewers are not impressed with For All Mankind Season 5, giving it a mere 46% on the same site.

What Did Critics Say About ‘For All Mankind’ Season 5?

The score on Rotten Tomatoes is a clear sign that most critics were impressed by the show’s recent jump as it introduces new conflicts and characters. Collider’s Therese Lacson praised it for delivering a clean transition to the new generation. “As the show weaves together original characters with new arrivals, For All Mankind makes it clear that this is not only a multi-generational story, but one that thrives on the unlikely connections between people,” she wrote in her review of For All Mankind Season 5. Ben Gibbons called the season a “wonderful entry” in his review for Screen Rant while Katie Doll of CBR called it the “riskiest era” yet for the show, anticipating that “a lot of fans aren’t going to like [it].“

New episodes of For All Mankind Season 5 stream on Apple TV on Fridays. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

2019 – 2027-00-00

Network

Advertisement

Apple TV

Directors

Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, Andrew Stanton, Meera Menon, Dan Liu, Allen Coulter, Craig Zisk, Dennie Gordon, John Dahl, Lukas Ettlin, Wendey Stanzler, Seth Gordon, Sylvain White, Michael Morris, Maja Vrvilo, Sarah Boyd

Advertisement

Writers

Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, Ben Nedivi, Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, Nichole Beattie, Joe Menosky

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The 1990s were a decade that produced many of the most iconic movies ever made — films that defined many of the genres that are still highly popular with audiences today. Action was certainly one of them. The action movies of the ’90s started as an extension of the ’80s’ one-man army formula, but as the decade progressed, so did its action filmmaking, embracing new technologies to create greater, more spectacular movies than ever before.

Now, to be fair, not all the action movies of the ’90s were that great, and many of them have aged quite poorly. But the true masterpieces of the decade are all still widely respected and have had a significant impact on modern cinema. So, without further ado, here’s a look at some of the ‘90s action movies that can be considered true masterpieces, including some of the most memorable blockbusters of all time.

1

‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ (1991)

Image via Tri-Star Pictures

A sequel to 1984’s The Terminator, directed by James Cameron, Terminator 2: Judgement Day continues the story of the war between the evil artificial intelligence Skynet and the human resistance, with Skynet sending a new and advanced killing machine to 1995 to kill a young John Connor. In response, a future John Connor reprograms the cyborg T-800 and sends it back to the same year to protect his younger self. Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as the titular machine, alongside Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, with Robert Patrick, Edward Furlong, Earl Boen, and Joe Morton in supporting roles.

While The Terminator was a groundbreaking sci-fi action thriller, the sequel re-established both Cameron’s filmmaking genius and Schwarzenegger’s action hero image, turning the films into a worldwide action phenomenon that continues through the 21st century. Terminator 2 is memorable for its high-end action pieces designed with practical stunts and cutting-edge CGI, which make the second film an even better experience than the first. With bigger stakes, high-octane action, and explosive battle scenes, Terminator 2 is easily one of the best action sequels ever made.

2

‘Speed’ (1994)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Directed by Jan de Bont in his feature film debut and written by Graham Yost, Speed follows a city bus full of passengers rigged with a bomb, which is set to explode if the speed drops below 50 miles per hour or if the passengers are offloaded. Jack Traven, an LAPD officer, sets out to stop the impending disaster, while Annie, a passenger on the bus, rushes to help him. The film stars Keanu Reeves as Jack and Sandra Bullock as Annie, with Jeff Daniels, Dennis Hopper, Joe Morton, and Alan Ruck in supporting roles.

True to its title, Speed delivers a high-speed, high-tension virtual ride that is sure to keep the adrenaline rushing. The film’s core premise, action sequences, and elements like the runaway vehicle and bomb-on-board, are largely inspired by 1985’s Runaway Train and 1975’s The Bullet Train, swapping the train-based thrills with a bus on the streets of Los Angeles. Speed is not only a perfectly-made action film but also a quintessential ’90s blockbuster that has had a lasting impact on pop culture.

3

‘Heat’ (1995)

Image via Warner Bros.

Written and directed by Michael Mann, Heat follows LAPD detective Vincent Hanna on a mission to catch career criminal Neil McCauley, who is planning one last big heist before he retires. As Hanna and McCauley go head-to-head in a battle of wits and tricks, it starts to take a toll on their professional lives and personal relationships. Al Pacino stars as Vincent and Robert De Niro as Neil, with Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, and Ted Levine in supporting roles.

Heat is a genre-defining ’90s classic boasting some of the best action scenes seen in 20th-century films, featuring thunderous shootouts and realistic fight sequences. The film is also noted for De Niro and Pacino’s first-ever on-screen appearance together, which resulted in some intense moments between the two stalwarts of Hollywood, making Heat a masterpiece in both action and character drama at the same time. The film has since become a major influence on crime action thrillers, setting new standards for tactical action and fight choreography.

4

‘Mission: Impossible’ (1996)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Advertisement

Starring and produced by Tom Cruise, Mission: Impossible is an espionage thriller directed by Brian De Palma and based on the 1966 TV series that follows Ethan Hunt, an Impossible Missions Force (IMF) spy, who is framed for the murder of his team members. Ethan then embarks on a high-stakes solo mission to prove his innocence and bring the truth to light. Besides Cruise as Hunt, the film also stars Jon Voight, Henry Czerny, Emmanuelle Béart, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Vanessa Redgrave.

Mission: Impossible launched the titular film series, which has since evolved into a three-decade-spanning multimedia action franchise that redefined Tom Cruise’s image as an action superstar. While the film received mixed reviews for its plot and narrative in its day, it was highly praised for the action choreography and stunts, many of which were performed by Cruise himself. The film’s high-tension action sequences, like the CIA vault heist and the spectacular train tunnel climax scenes, are considered iconic of the genre, and the movie has been an inspiration to many subsequent spy action thrillers.

5

‘Independence Day’ (1996)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Advertisement

A landmark sci-fi film directed and written by Roland Emmerich, Independence Day explores a worldwide attack by an alien race, destroying major civilizations with advanced weaponry and tactics. A disparate group of people, including the President of the United States, assemble in the Nevada desert in the aftermath to launch a counterattack on the titular day to save mankind. The film boasts an ensemble cast, featuring Bill Pullman, Will Smith, Vivica A. Fox, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, and Randy Quaid in lead roles.

Independence Day is a legendary disaster film that cemented Emmerich’s mastery of the genre, and it’s considered a major turning point in the history of action blockbusters. With its high-stakes action spectacles (especially the aerial dogfights), large-scale destruction, and maverick heroes, it led to a resurgence of sci-fi disaster thrillers in the mid to late ’90s. The award-winning special effects and action choreography of Independence Day were groundbreaking for its time, surpassing the popularity of other successful films like Twister and Mission: Impossible.

6

‘Face/Off’ (1997)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Advertisement

A ’90s cult classic action thriller directed by John Woo, Face/Off follows FBI agent Sean Archer as he obsessively hunts for a terrorist named Castor Troy after Troy inadvertently kills Archer’s son. When Troy is injured and goes into a coma, Archer undergoes an experimental surgery to look like Troy and takes his identity to infiltrate his life and criminal network. John Travolta stars as Archer and Nicolas Cage as Troy, with Gina Gershon, Alessandro Nivola, Colm Feore, Thomas Jane, and CCH Pounder in supporting roles.

Face/Off is an archetypal action blockbuster of the ’90s, defined by its gun-fu action and explosive fight sequences. The movie is stylish, campy, and high-octane all at once, remembered and lauded for Woo’s signature style of action choreography and stunts. Despite all its absurdity and impossibility of plot, concept, and narrative, Face/Off has aged surprisingly well as an action classic, and it’s often noted as one of John Travolta and Nicolas Cage’s best films of their respective careers.

7

‘Rush Hour’ (1998)

Image via New Line Cinema

Advertisement

A buddy cop action-comedy directed by Brett Ratner, Rush Hour follows Lee, an inspector of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, who arrives in Los Angeles to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a Chinese diplomat and is forced to partner with fast-talking LAPD detective James Carter. The two cops navigate their cultural and personality differences in the most hilarious ways while trying to save the girl. Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker star as Lee and James, respectively, with Tzi Ma, Ken Keung, Tom Wilkinson, Chris Penn, and Elizabeth Peña in supporting roles.

A ’90s comedy classic, Rush Hour is an electrifying blend of high-stakes action set pieces and authentic buddy humor arising from Lee and James’ opposites-attract chemistry, which is also the biggest highlight of the film. The movie is also considered to be one of Jackie Chan’s best Hollywood projects, especially since he also did the action choreography and performed many of the dangerous stunts himself. While it’s not a rich cinematic or narrative work, Rush Hour remains an iconic action masterpiece that defined the late ’90s.

8

‘The Matrix’ (1999)

Image via Warner Bros.

Advertisement

Written and directed by The Wachowskis, The Matrix is a cyberpunk action classic set in a dystopian future where most of humanity has been trapped inside the titular simulation. A computer hacker named Thomas Anderson, aka Neo, learns of this secret when he’s recruited by a group of rebels led by the mysterious Morpheus, joining their rebellion against the machines to free humanity from the Matrix. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantoliano star in the main roles.

The Matrix was a highly innovative film for its time, blending hard-core action, science fiction, philosophy, and mythology, and it cemented Keanu Reeves’ status as an action star. The film is a definitive example of cutting-edge visual effects and action choreography that remarkably blends Hong Kong cinema-style choreography, martial arts, and gun-fu. With inventive techniques like “bullet time” and groundbreaking practical and CGI effects in action sequences, The Matrix revolutionized the genre, becoming a benchmark for sci-fi action and cyberpunk films of the future.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

March 31, 1999

Runtime

136 minutes

Advertisement

Producers

Andrew Mason, Barrie M. Osborne, Bruce Berman, Erwin Stoff

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Bethenny Frankel has officially hard-launched a relationship with her new boyfriend Shane Campbell.

“If a launch 🚀 is hard this is a diamond…,” the Real Housewives of New York City alum, 55, revealed via Instagram on Saturday, May 9, alongside a PDA-filled photo with her new beau.

Several Bravoverse favorites celebrated Frankel’s hard launch and her kiss with her new boyfriend under a glittering disco ball.

“Launch it baby !!! ONE LIFE,” Real Housewives of New Jersey star Melissa Gorga encouraged Frankel, with Orange County alum Gretchen Rossi sharing multiple heart-eye emojis.

Page Six reported in April that Frankel was dating Campbell, a Miami-based investment banker. They stepped out together at the Global Champions Arabians Tour in Miami Beach that same month.

Us Weekly has reached out to Frankel’s spokesperson for comment.

Frankel was first married to entertainment executive Peter Sussman from 1996 to 1997 and later chronicled her courtship with her future second husband, Jason Hoppy, on her RHONY spinoff Bethenny Ever After. Hoppy, 54, and Frankel’s March 2010 wedding at the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City was filmed for the Bravo special Bethenny Getting Married.

The couple welcomed a daughter, Bryn, in May 2010. After Frankel filed for divorce from Hoppy in January 2013, a custody battle dragged on for nearly a decade before it was finally resolved in January 2021.

During a December 2025 appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Frankel insisted that her divorce from Hoppy was the most painful experience of her life.

Related: Bethenny Frankel Through the Years

Advertisement

Bethenny Frankel has made contestant headlines ever since she got her start in reality TV. Frankel made her first reality TV appearance in 2005 on The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. She finished as the runner-up in the competition for her BethennyBakes business, which made egg-free, wheat-free and dairy-free cookies and meal delivery in New York. Following […]

“I have seen my mother slit her wrists. I have lived my whole life chasing her into bathrooms, trying to catch her throwing up. I’ve been around guns, the mafia, the race track. I’ve been through everything,” Frankel explained to host Alex Cooper. “I have seen everything. Nothing compares to what my divorce was for 10 years.”

She continued, “It was so traumatic. It was 10 years of my life. I lost hair. I thought I would never survive it. I didn’t want to. I had to because of my daughter. I literally thought I’ll never be happy again.”

Frankel explained to Cooper that she managed the trauma one day at a time in order to navigate years of courtroom showdowns with her ex.

“I treated it like a marathon, and I went one mile at a time, and I checked every box,” she said. “It was fraud, it was stealing, it was hacking, it was harassment, it was abuse.”

(Hoppy has denied any wrongdoing towards Frankel.)

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

Following Frankel’s divorce, Real Housewives of New York City viewers got rare glimpses into the Skinnygirl mogul’s on-off romance with Dennis Shields, who died at age 51 in August 2018 from a suspected drug overdose.

Frankel has continued to pay touching tribute to Shields in the years since his death, including with a 2020 memorial on his birthday.

“Happy Birthday Dennis … Thinking of you today and every day,” she wrote via Instagram in February 2020. “It’s been tough recently because the world lost another legend and so many innocent lives. You are gone but never will be forgotten. You are missed. You are constantly quoted. You are one of a kind. … We miss you.”

When Richard Gadd‘s Netflix thriller Baby Reindeer first debuted on Netflix in 2024, no one could have expected the phenomenon it would become. In fact, even after its first week, many still couldn’t have predicted its success, with the show earning a 49% viewership surge in its second week as the world continued to talk about it. The show broke into the Top 10 most-viewed English TV series of all time, earning roughly 90 million views in just 90 days. It’s safe to say that Baby Reindeer is one of the biggest breakout hits on Netflix ever.

Gadd, who wrote and starred in the series based on his own tragic experience, also became a breakout star thanks to Baby Reindeer‘s success, with many waiting patiently to see what he could conjure up next. That next project, Half Man, was picked up by HBO instead of Netflix, and already seems like a smart acquisition that aligns neatly with the streamer’s recent move to the UK and Ireland. The series follows two half-brothers, Niall (Jamie Bell) and Ruben (Gadd), as an explosion of present-day violence transports us back through the most pivotal moments in their lives.

Baby Reindeer was a tough act to follow, and Half Man might not quite live up to its predecessor. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, this new series has earned a respectable 76% from critics, falling far short of the near-perfect 99% earned by Baby Reindeer. In a review by Collider’s Therese Lacson, she dubbed the series “masterfully tense,” adding that “the themes of obsession, guilt, addiction, and a desperate search for peace in a life full of chaos have become Gadd’s calling card.”

‘Half Man’ Is a Global Hit on HBO Max

Image via HBO

At the time of writing, Half Man is the fourth most-watched show on HBO Max in the world, scoring top ten spots across the globe from Brazil and Italy to Switzerland and the U.S. Just three shows are currently proving more popular on the streamer, including the third-placed smash-hit medical drama The Pitt, which won five Primetime Emmy Awards for its opening season. Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage is keeping the world laughing in second place, with the controversial third season of Euphoria topping the global charts.

Half Man is streaming now on HBO Max. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

2026 – 2026-00-00

Advertisement

Network

BBC One

Directors

Advertisement

Alexandra Brodski, Eshref Reybrouck

Writers

Richard Gadd

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Everyone needs a good laugh in times of crisis. If therapy doesn’t quite cut it, comedy shows can be a cheaper way to get your daily dose of laughter. While comedy is often associated with sitcoms, it has evolved over the years, branching into various genres and subgenres — from obvious prank shows to more sardonic, self-deprecating, and dark humor.

Of course, everyone’s taste in comedy is different, but one thing’s for sure: some shows do it better than others, leaving you wanting more. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that everyone’s laughing while watching the shows below. Without further ado, here are comedy shows that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

10

‘The Boys’ (2019–Present)

Image via Prime Video

With all the gore, blood, and brutal killings, The Boys might not be the most obvious choice for a comedy. But with its absurd lineup of morally declining Supes, the series flips the traditional superhero trope on its head, turning heroism into shallow hedonism. They’re the antithesis of idealized American values, with powers that could annihilate anyone in seconds.

Still, in between the chaos, the show delivers plenty of dark comedy that can make audiences laugh and cringe at the same time. The humor ranges from sharp satire—like A-Train’s (Jessie T. Usher) “charity” trip to Africa as a PR stunt—to outright absurdity, such as The Deep’s (Chace Crawford) borderline romantic relationship with an octopus. The constant twists and over-the-top moments make The Boys incredibly easy to binge.

9

‘Archer’ (2009–2023)

Image via FX

When audiences think of spies, they usually picture the suave James Bond or the rugged Ethan Hunt. But Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) is neither. Sure, he wears the suits and carries the guns in Archer, but he’s also everything a spy shouldn’t be—someone with alcoholism, a womanizer, and loaded with unresolved mommy issues.

The funniest part is that he has zero interest in fixing any of it. Still, despite his immaturity and complete lack of regard for other people’s feelings, he’s actually great at his job. With a new mission in almost every episode, Archer shows just how capable he can be—and how badly he can mess things up thanks to his childish temperament. Archer is a comedy show that stays so bingeable because every mission somehow spirals into an even bigger disaster thanks to the team’s ridiculous decisions.

8

‘The Eric Andre Show’ (2012–2023)

Image via Adult Swim

Forget The Late Show and The Tonight Show—these coveted staples have nothing on The Eric Andre Show. Using the traditional talk show format as a setup, Eric Andre’s run as a chaotic host gleefully shatters every rule, throwing his guests—ranging from real celebrities to obscure Z-listers—into bizarre and often uncomfortable situations.

There’s no predicting what might happen mid-conversation. One moment, they’re discussing terrorists; the next, Andre has his nips out, and while one of his co-hosts crashes through the wall. It’s anti-television at its finest, mixing the absurdity of MADtv with the inappropriateness of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The sheer unpredictability of The Eric Andre Show is what makes it so addictive, since every interview feels seconds away from complete chaos.

7

‘Schitt’s Creek’ (2015–2020)

When the ultra-wealthy Rose family suddenly loses everything, their fall from luxury becomes comedy gold. Johnny (Eugene Levy), Moira (Catherine O’Hara), David (Dan Levy), and Alexis (Annie Murphy) find themselves stuck in Schitt’s Creek—a town Johnny once bought as a joke. Completely out of their element, they’re useless without money, yet still cling to the idea that they’re somehow above everyone else.

It might sound like an exhausting premise, but Schitt’s Creek quickly softens their arrogance through the warmth of the townsfolk around them. To grow, the Roses are forced to adapt to “regular” life—whether that means figuring out how to “fold in the cheese” or holding down a basic receptionist job. This, of course, leads to hilarious shenanigans. Between the lovable townspeople and the family’s gradual growth, Schitt’s Creek is the kind of sitcom that only gets better as it goes.

6

‘Fleabag’ (2016–2019)

Image via Prime Video

Across the years, audiences have encountered plenty of frazzled English woman archetypes, but Fleabag fully embraces the bad choices. Its titular heroine, Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), is all kinds of chaos: she runs a struggling guinea pig café, constantly butts heads with her tightly wound sister, and drifts through messy, guilt-ridden relationships.

One misstep leads to another, resulting in an avalanche of morbidly embarrassing situations—the kind where audiences can’t bear to watch but can’t help but stick around for the aftermath. However, for all of her dysfunction, Fleabag isn’t all that annoying. Her coping mechanism for grief is humor, even if it’s the painfully sardonic type. Even at its most uncomfortable, Fleabag has a sharp honesty that makes it hard to look away from.

5

‘Jury Duty’ (2023–Present)

Image via Prime Video

Advertisement

Built on staged scenarios that play out in real time, Jury Duty is unlike any other prank show. Ronald Gladden believes he’s serving on an actual jury, unaware that everyone around him—from fellow jurors to the judge—is an actor. Its more corporate successor, Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat, takes it to another level, following a temp worker, Anthony Norman, at an outdoor retreat gone wrong.

Although each episode finds ways to mess with the main subject’s mind, the Jury Duty franchise has no intention of humiliating them. Gladden and Norman were specifically chosen because of their outstanding personality. Although their patience is constantly tested due to zany situations, the two are more than willing to face it, despite having no clue that it’s all fake. Every episode raises the absurdity even more, making it hard not to immediately jump to the next one.

4

‘Impractical Jokers’ (2011–Present)

Image via TBS

Advertisement

When a group of high school best friends decides to make a prank show in their early 40s, you get Impractical Jokers. Instead of targeting strangers, the show flips the concept by having Joe Gatto, James Murray, Brian Quinn, and Sal Vulcano prank—and sabotage—each other in very public places, from supermarkets to Central Park.

In the beginning, the pranks seem fairly simple, ranging from the infamous “Strip High Five” to being controlled by your friends through an earpiece. But the punishments are a whole other story. Whether it’s searching for your phone in a trash yard or legally marrying a fellow member’s sister, the limits are practically nonexistent. Even after years on the air, the show still finds new ways to embarrass its cast in increasingly absurd fashion.

3

‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ (2005–Present)

Image via Patrick McElhenney / ©FXX /Courtesy: Everett Collectionf

Advertisement

When you bring together five of the worst human beings in a failing pub, you get the gang in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. There’s no overarching story—just a group of people constantly trying (and failing) to make money. When they’re not cooking up questionable marketing schemes or outright scams, they’re busy indulging their bizarre impulses. Part of the fun is watching the characters create problems that could have been avoided with even a tiny amount of common sense.

There’s really no limit to where the jokes go, and as a subversive take on more polished sitcom predecessors, IASIP at its peak delivered some of the nastiest humor on television—jokes that feel almost guilty to laugh at today. While the newer seasons have toned things down, the show still offers a glimpse into a time when comedy pushed boundaries with far less concern for social sensitivity.

2

‘Abbott Elementary’ (2021–Present)

Image via Disney/Gilles Mingasson

Advertisement

Set in a cash-strapped public school in West Philadelphia, Abbott Elementary shows the hard work and the wild situations teachers have to face every day. Mainly told from the POV of Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson), the overly optimistic wholeheartedly believes that the school has so much potential. However, whether the other teachers want to be on board with her wild schemes is a different story.

From handling out-of-pocket attitudes from preschool kids to pushing back against the school district, Abbott Elementary reflects today’s troubled education system. It takes a huge amount of selflessness to give their all to these kids, and even if the teachers don’t always have the answers, they’ll always try. Beneath all the comedy, Abbott Elementary works because audiences genuinely care about the teachers and their students.

1

‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ (2013–2021)

Image via FOX

Advertisement

The feds got nothing on the detectives from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. By day, they’re arresting bad guys. By night, they’re still catching bad guys. Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and his motley crew are some of the most dedicated people in the field. But they also know how to have fun on the job—even if it’s highly inappropriate.

Whether it’s petty theft or murder, Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s police procedural premise keeps each episode exciting. At the same time, the show’s offbeat characters make you wonder how they’re even allowed to work in the precinct in the first place. Then again, the funniest people often turn out to be the best detectives.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

2013 – 2021-00-00

Directors

Advertisement

Michael McDonald, Claire Scanlon, Linda Mendoza, Dean Holland, Beth McCarthy-Miller, Victor Nelli Jr., Craig Zisk, Tristram Shapeero, Rebecca Asher, Eric Appel, Maggie Carey, Alex Reid, Giovani Lampassi, Nisha Ganatra, Ryan Case, Trent O’Donnell, Matt Nodella, Jamie Babbit, Ken Whittingham, Max Winkler, Akiva Schaffer, Fred Goss, Jaffar Mahmood, Julie Anne Robinson

Writers

Gabe Liedman, Phil Augusta Jackson, Tricia McAlpin, Justin Noble, Lakshmi Sundaram, Andrew Guest, Matt O’Brien, Jeff Topolski, Lang Fisher, Gil Ozeri, Brian Reich, Matt Murray, Andy Gosche, Brigitte Liebowitz, Alison Agosti, Nick Perdue, Beau Rawlins, Aeysha Carr, Andy Bobrow, David Quandt, Matt Lawton, Vanessa Ramos, Kylie Condon, Stephanie Amante-Ritter

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement