Entertainment
10 Worst Video Games of All Time
Video games as an artistic medium have certainly earned their keep among the likes of novels, film, and the various other methods of storytelling as an exceptional, striking experience, complete with many masterful works of art that make of its use of player control and variance. However, for every truly great game that pushes the medium forward, there are also a handful of notoriously awful games, with some of the very worst being downright shocking in their complete lack of quality.
From awful relics from periods of growth and evolution for the medium to botched games with no budget or direction, several of these games manage to be nearly unplayable in their disastrous executions. The only legacy that they have achieved for themselves is that of downright failure, being arduous to play and completely going against everything that makes video games such a striking and long-lasting medium.
10
‘Ride to Hell: Retribution’ (2013)
Following the continued success of games like Grand Theft Auto, there were a wide array of games that wanted to try their own hand at a vast open world for the player to explore. While Ride to Hell: Retribution originally had plans of being a vast, open world with grueling roads and biker gangs, the final product abandoned this idea to instead tell a basic, linear story of revenge. Not that an open world would have really done much to save Ride to Hell, as its shoddy execution completely undoes anything that the game was actually trying to achieve.
Plagued by lackluster visuals, bad shooting mechanics, and awful writing and voice acting, Ride to Hell’s only real enjoyment comes from a place of unintentional so-bad-it’s-good comedy. However, with so many disastrous glitches that hinder the player from actually progressing, as well as an array of tasteless, abrupt sex scenes (featuring fully clothed characters), any fun had while playing the game quickly goes away.
9
‘The Lord of the Rings: Gollum’ (2023)
Licensed video games based on pre-existing pop culture can vary massively in terms of quality, as while it can result in exceptionally great games like Insomnia’s Spider-Man or Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, it can also result in absolute disasters like The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. While Gollum is far from the only licensed game to appear on this list, it’s a massive outlier in being the only game released within the past 10 years.
Gollum was an idea that seemed effective as a concept, but as release drew closer players came to realize that it’s hard to imagine actually having fun playing as the meek, shifty creature. It didn’t make things better that the actual execution proved to be laughably bad, with terrible visuals worse than the decades-old movies and terrible stealth mechanics. Glitches on release also made the game nearly unplayable, as a buggy mess that constantly crashed and made the entire experience extremely unstable.
8
‘Shaq Fu’ (1994)
While Shaquille O’Neal is still widely celebrated as a beloved celebrity nowadays, his level of dominating star power as an NBA all-star was near inescapable in the 90s. This resulted in him being in a wide array of obnoxious, poorly-made pop culture films, and while films like Steel and Kazaam will forever be infamous as some of the worst 90s movies, Shaq Fu equally stands as one of the worst video games of the 90s.
Especially in an era where fighting games were arguably at their peak with the recent releases of Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat, Shaq Fu is one of the most uncomfortable and sluggish fighting game experiences of all time. It reaches a point where difficulty doesn’t come from any real balancing, but from the pain of actually making sense of the controls and trying to play the game. This doesn’t even go into the chaos of the game itself, where Shaq has to fight a bunch of interdimensional warriors to save a child from an evil mummy.
7
‘Bad Rats’ (2009)
Bad Rats has an interesting legacy as one of the most infamously well-known and surprisingly successful terrible games of the digital era, finding massive popularity as a gag gift for people to send to each other on Steam. The combination of its overwhelming lack of quality, shocking offensive material and bloody violence, and only costing $2 and frequently going on sale, many people bore witness to the complete failures of Bad Rats.
The game fundamentally fails at the structural elements of its core gameplay, being a physics-based puzzle game where the physics often don’t work at all. Without any actually functioning puzzles, the only thing the game has to fall back on is its visuals and presentation, which ironically manage to be even worse than the non-functional game itself. Between the low-quality 3D visuals and the array of racist caricature rats, Bad Rats is little more than a cheap gag whose comedy wears off quickly.
6
‘Bubsy 3D’ (1996)
While the jump from 2D to 3D gaming may have been massively successful for iconic franchises like Mario and Zelda, this massive leap in technological scope and scale wasn’t always met with success, as Bubsy 3D took an already middling platformer franchise and made one of the absolute worst platformers of all time. It features a sluggish, unintuitive method of character and camera control that makes even basic movement an arduous task to overcome.
If it were one of the earliest attempts at platforming in 3D, then maybe the game would have more legs to stand on, but the game is completely blown out of the water by Super Mario 64, which released in North America two months before Bubsy 3D. This direct comparison proved to make the glaring issues of Bubsy 3D all the more apparent, with its tank controls and laughably bad visuals most notably being picked apart by players of the era.
For many players, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is the go-to example of one of the worst video games ever made, being so disastrous in its execution that it nearly killed the entire video game industry. It is often touted as one of the biggest commercial failures in video game history and is the defining cautionary tale of rushed development and studio interference. The failure of the game has proven to be so large-scale and infamous that it inspired its own documentary on the topic, going into how unsold copies of the game were buried in the desert to save space.
It’s so ironic that this notoriously terrible game is an adaptation of a notoriously amazing movie, but it’s this exact excitement and beloved nature of the original movie that made the failure of the game that much more catastrophic. The game was confusing in its execution and far from the traditional, simple fun games that made Atari successful in the first place. With only five weeks of development time and all of the expectations in the world placed on it, the game was destined for failure more than any other game in history.
4
‘Superman: The New Superman Adventures’ (1999)
More commonly known as Superman 64 by gamers, Superman: The New Superman Adventures is one of the most glaring, annoying to play games ever made, almost feeling like it was meticulously made to annoy and enrage the player in its failures. For all of the high-flying action and prowess that Superman is capable of doing in the comics and the animated series this adapts, the overwhelming amount of content in Superman 64 is simply flying through rings in a barren, lifeless city full of fog.
This would be bad enough as is, but with unresponsive controls and overwhelming glitches that make the game near-unplayable at times, Superman 64 becomes a grueling test of patience and the absolute worst licensed video game ever made. It’s a game whose failures are not only overwhelmingly apparent and constantly in the player’s face, but these issues frequently and consistently get in the way of playing the game and actually progressing, making the entire experience a repetitive nightmare.
3
‘Action 52’ (1992)
One of the most classic styles of bootleg and unlicensed video gaming to draw in players throughout 20th century gaming was that of the multicart, a cartridge containing the files for multiple games, oftentimes previously released games, or in the case of unlicensed carts, pirated games. While it’s rare for a multicart in itself to attain notoriety, Action 52 has grown infamous thanks to its absolute failure of function and quality in all 52 of its attempted video games.
At best, games were incredibly generic vertical shooters that were indistinguishable from one another, yet at its worst, many of Action 52’s games were completely unplayable and crashed within minutes of booting them up. Made worse is that even though none of these games were worth even a 52nd of the quality of a traditional NES game, the game cost a staggering $199 when it was released, which was overwhelmingly high in price compared to every other game of the era.
2
‘Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing’ (2003)
One would hope that, as video games as an art form had grown throughout the 20th century, the style of bare-bones games completely lacking in care or content would be a thing of the past in the 21st century. However, Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing spits in the face of the inherent quality of racing video games in creating one of the cheapest, most non-existent video game experiences possible. Every aspect of the game screams being incomplete, from basic text graphics to a lack of any physics to some of the worst graphics possible.
Initial releases of the game didn’t even have any real racing, as the opponent truck driver didn’t even begin driving to race and left the player to their own devices to drive on the track as they pleased. With no penalty for going out of bounds and no collision detection, the only bit of fun to be had with the game is by abusing its lack of fundamental features. However, by the time players are done having fun reaching infinitely increasing speeds by going backwards, the finish line treats players with the hilariously inept message of “You’re winner”, a message that is emblematic of the entire game.
1
‘Custer’s Revenge’ (1982)
The go-to example of a terrible video game is usually something with bad graphics and gameplay that is actively unfun to play and interact with as a player. While Custer’s Revenge certainly shares this level of bad, uncompelling gameplay, the real factor that makes it the worst video game of all time is its overwhelming offensive and disgusting content, with the very concept of the game feeling vile to even talk about. This pornographic game sees the player controlling General Armstrong Custer in the nude, with the goal of the game being to dodge obstacles to rape a Native American woman tied to a post.
It’s a clear relic of this early, unfiltered era of video game history that Custer’s Revenge was even allowed to be made, but even for the 80s, this type of gross, offensive content was too much for critics and players of the era to sit through. Some may be quick to write off the game’s content due to it being in seemingly innocuous pixels, but this degrading piece of digital sickness doesn’t deserve to be played by anyone, as its existence helped entirely ban many X-rated video games from many regions across the U.S.
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Love Island USA‘s Kenzie Annis certainly has a scene-stealing presence in season 8 — largely because of her unfiltered confessions about her sex life.
The hit Peacock series follows a group of singles who must pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa. The contestants — referred to as Islanders — live in isolation in a villa under constant video surveillance. They must be coupled up to remain on the show and earn a shot at the $100,000 prize. However, there is constant temptation with new bombshells making their debut and a batch of new singletons hitting the scene at Casa Amor.
While the islanders are filming nonstop for weeks, viewers are watching daily episodes and casting votes that affect the couples and the fate of the contestants.
Kenzie was introduced in the season 8 premiere as an OG Islander. She originally had a tough time finding a connection after forming a bond with Zach Georgiou. She recoupled with Corbin Mims — but then America stepped in and switched her partner to Caleb McDaniel. She and Corbin both chose to recouple shortly before their time at Casa Amor began.
Keep scrolling to see Kenzie’s red hot confessions::
Favorite Sex Position
While connecting with Corbin, Kenzie mentioned she likes to “do 69” with past partners.
Her Last Time
In a June 2026 episode of the Peacock show, Kenzie told the other Islanders that she hadn’t had sex “in a year and a half” ahead of season 8.
Love Island USA introduced a new code word when “French fries” was used to describe a sex act between Kenzie Annis and Corbin Mims. The Sunday, June 21, episode briefly showed Kenzie and Corbin hooking up in bed. The next morning, Trinity Tatum said she heard someone performing “French fries,” which sounded “too wet” to […]
Hooking Up in Plain View
After recoupling with Corbin, the duo took things to the next level despite sharing a room with everyone else. The next morning, Kenzie laughed it off when Trinity Tatum called her out for engaging in “French fries,” which appeared to be a code word.
“That is not kissing,” Trinity joked. “That is too wet.”
Kenzie stood by their behavior, adding in a confessional, “I was definitely getting some French fries. Feeling good.”
She continued: “We were probably doing a bit much honestly but I feel a strong connection with Corbin. We probably got a little bit carried away.”
Doing the Splits
In a June 2026 episode, the villa and Casa Amor were involved in a challenge where each half had to compete against the other. That involved doing some sexually suggestive moves — with Kenzie going all out.
“I was splits on the d***, splits on his head and backbends,” Kenzie said. “I even sucked a man’s foot. I will do anything to f***ing win.”
The guys at Casa Amor won the challenge with their new partners but it wasn’t for a lack of effort at the villa.
West Wilson broke his silence about leaving Summer House ahead of season 11.
“I wanted to tell it on my own but that [exit rumor] is true,” West, 31, revealed during The Broadcast Boys’ Wednesday, June 24, Instagram breakdown of the Summer House scandal. “In [Bravo’s] defense, I don’t think it would have been a fun summer.”
Us Weekly exclusively reported on June 15 that West will not return to Summer House after he faced a hostile interrogation from castmates at the recent season 10 reunion over his relationship with costar Amanda Batula. (West previously dated Amanda’s best friend Ciara Miller while Amanda announced her separation from estranged husband Kyle Cooke in January.)
“West isn’t coming back,” a source told Us at the time. “He could still make an appearance on Summer House or [Amanda’s spinoff show] In the City in the future, especially if things with Amanda progress, but he’s not a cast member this season.”
West Wilson. Rich Polk/Bravo
An insider later revealed exclusively to Us that West’s departure from Summer House was a mutual decision between him and the network.
“[West was] already feeling like his time on the show was coming to an end,” the source added. “It became even clearer that there wasn’t a long-term fit anymore. He is at peace with the decision and is focusing on his podcast and other business ventures.”
West and Amanda announced that they were dating in March, despite both previously publicly denying that there were any romantic feelings between them.
“We’ve seen the growing online speculation, so while this is still very new, we wanted to provide some clarity,” they said in a March 31 joint statement. “It was never our intention to purposely hide anything. Given the complicated relationship dynamics involved and the scrutiny that comes with being on a reality show, we needed a little space to process things privately before speaking on it.”
West Wilson is speaking out about his controversial relationship with Summer House costar Amanda Batula after receiving backlash from fans and costars. “There was no overlap. I know there’s a thousand different theories on the internet right now but that is one thing that for sure did not happen,” West, 31, said on the Monday, […]
The couple added, “We’ve shown up for each other as friends over the years, through all the highs and lows, and what’s developed recently was the last thing either of us expected. Our connection grew out of a genuine, longstanding friendship, which made it especially important for us to approach this with care.”
“As our feelings evolved, we wanted to take time to understand exactly what we were feeling,” they concluded. “We also recognize that this has had an impact beyond just us and never wanted our actions to cause any hurt or be perceived as careless. We truly appreciate the understanding and respect as we navigate this.”
During his interview with ‘The Broadcast Boys’ podcast, West shared details about how his and Amanda’s controversial March announcement led to the couple being intimate for the first time.
“We f***ed after the statement but we’d been like making out and having sleepovers for a long time. … I was still doing the wrong thing but I was like … I’m not committing a crime,” he said.
West also addressed speculation that he and Amanda released their public statement in March because of the existence of an apparent video of them “canoodling.”
Summer House stars West Wilson and Amanda Batula’s relationship is still going strong — even with the public backlash. “West and Amanda are still dating,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly, revealing that “the cast doesn’t think they’re going to last.” Despite their costars’ doubts about the romance, West, 31, and Amanda, 34, are moving […]
“I haven’t seen [the video] but I’ve heard from credible sources it does [exist],” he told ‘The Broadcast Boys’ hosts Lucas Brody and Nelson Vergara. “It’s very illegal, I’d like to note.”
He clarified, “From what I’ve been told it was Amanda and I canoodling in my apartment from one of my neighbors across the street. That’s what kinda kicked off everything into panic, rush mode.”
“I guess I’ve always thought in New York there’s an unspoken rule that we can all see each other across our f***ing windows and balconies, like, don’t film each other,” he later argued.
Summer House airs on Bravo. Old episodes can be streamed on Peacock.
Jennifer Lopez has been speaking candidly lately about embracing her single life, and even claims that none of her past partners have been “capable” of loving her.
During a recent interview, she also seemingly took a swipe at her ex-husband, Ben Affleck, stating that she should have stopped chasing relationships “sooner.”
Now, sources claim that people close to Jennifer Lopez aren’t “buying” her talks about being over the actor, claiming that the singer even wants to remain close with Ben Affleck.
Lopez has made it a point in some of her post-divorce interviews to emphasize how much better she feels now that she’s no longer in a relationship.
The popular actress has made comments, which have sometimes been considered to be a swipe at her past partners, particularly her recent ex-husband, Affleck.
However, according to a new report, no one close to Lopez believes that she’s truly over the Oscar winner.
“To be clear, nobody in J.Lo’s world is buying this talk that she’s happy to be single and totally over Ben,” an insider told Globe Magazine.
“She’s been on this mission to show him what he’s missing and still has this delusional belief that he’ll come crawling back at some point for another shot,” the source continued, adding, “The fact she’s still griping about Ben and the impact of the divorce while he stays totally silent and just tries to move on with his life kind of says it all.”
The insider further insisted that a reunion is “so not happening” between the former lovers, and Lopez has to “get her head around that.”
The Singer Said None Of Her Former Partners Were ‘Capable’ Of Truly Loving Her
Lopez has not shied away from speaking about her love life after her divorce. In fact, she has made bold comments that have taken aim at her past romances.
During a candid conversation with Howard Stern on his show, the 56-year-old singer appeared to take a jab at her ex-husband Ben Affleck, along with virtually every man she has ever dated or married.
When asked if she had ever felt “truly loved,” Lopez responded bluntly, “No.”
The singer then clarified: “What I learned, it’s not that I’m not lovable — it’s that they’re not capable…They don’t have it in them! And they gave me what they had, right?”
“They gave me all of it, every time – all the rings, all the things I could ever want, right? Tried to give me the houses, the rings, the marriage – all of it,” she added, hinting that they made efforts, but never really loved her properly.
Jennifer Lopez Said Spliting From Ben Affleck Was The ‘Best Thing’
Reflecting on the end of her two-year marriage to Affleck, Lopez claimed that it was “the best thing that ever happened to me.”
She explained that the split forced her into a period of intense self-reflection and personal healing, which greatly helped her find herself again.
“It really made me go on a journey,” she told Stern. “I had a religious coach, a therapist, a couples therapist, an individual therapist, and even a coach to understand addiction. I had everything.”
Lopez added, “I told myself, ‘I’m gonna figure this out if it kills me.” According to the singer, the intensive inner work led to a profound breakthrough for her as she learned that the “core of it all is you. It’s nobody else.”
The Singer Says She Is Now More ‘Self-Aware’
Looking forward, Lopez explained that she has evolved to become deeply appreciative of her own identity, leaving her feeling far more confident in her own skin.
She explained to Stern that she can now reflect on her life with much more confidence and clarity. This includes processing everything from her childhood relationship with her parents to her personal struggles with love and feelings of neglect, ultimately allowing her to truly understand and appreciate who she has become.
According to the singer, she is now more “self-assured” and “self-aware,” noting that this growth has brought her a sense of peace.
Lopez said, “[I] feel really comfortable and good in being myself, all the good parts and all the kind of complicated things.”
Ben Affleck Gifted Jennifer Lopez His Share Of Their Marital Property
While Lopez has made multiple comments about her divorce from Affleck, the actor has barely talked about the separation and once branded it as “embarrassing” to talk about.
“For one thing, you start going, ‘Okay, clearly this person has got these issues. Clearly, they have these issues.’ And the reason I don’t want to share that is just sort of embarrassing. It feels vulnerable,” he told GQ Magazine.
Despite settling their divorce amicably, Affleck and Lopez were still linked due to their marital home in Beverly Hills, for which they were unable to find a buyer after months on the market.
In what insiders are calling an attempt to completely cut ties with his ex-wife, the actor gifted Lopez his share of the property, making her the sole owner.
Speaking to Star Magazine, a source noted that the shocking move made Lopez reconsider their divorce as she “can’t help but see it as proof he’s the good guy she fell in love with, and she’s back to hoping that somehow, they might be able to work it out.”
Second lady Usha Vance poked fun at how her budget-friendly pregnancy fashion has garnered national attention.
“Now that we know the political significance of my $8.75 coral maternity dress from Old Navy, can’t wait to hear what the New York Times has to say about my elastic-waistband pants and compression socks!” Vance, 40, wrote via X on Wednesday, June 24. “In the meantime, enjoy my pregnancy fashion (or lack thereof) and a good story with your kids on Storytime with the Second Lady.”
Usha also included a link to a video of herself sitting next to her husband, Vice President JD Vance, while wearing the asymmetrical off the shoulder dress in question.
In a subsequent tweet, Usha shared the screenshot of the purchase, which she got on sale.
Vice President JD Vance’s wife, Usha Vance, is opening up about the couple’s decision to expand their family. “People have asked me if we’re going to have a fourth baby, and I’ve never closed the door on that,” Usha, 40, said in an interview with NBC News airing on Monday, March 30. “I grew up […]
“And here’s the receipt!” she captioned the image.
Usha’s quip was directed at a recent article in the New York Times that highlighted the pregnancies of multiple women affiliated with President Donald Trump’s administration. (In addition to Usha, both Karoline Leavitt and Katie Miller are expecting babies with their respective husbands.)
The article highlighted how all three women have showcased their baby bumps during their various public appearances with their eye-catching fashion choices.
“Forget the maternity muumuu. Forget body-con. This is baby-con. In case you missed it, the hand serves to focus the eye,” journalist Vanessa Friedman wrote in the piece.
Earlier this year, Usha and JD, 41, announced they were expanding their family. (The couple are also parents to Ewan, 9, and Vivek, 6, and daughter Mirabel, 4.) .
“We’re very excited to share the news that Usha is pregnant with our fourth child, a boy,” read a statement shared via Usha’s Instagram in January. “Usha and the baby are doing well, and we are all looking forward to welcoming him in late July.”
Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, have offered a candid window into their 11-year marriage, their growing family and the unconventional path that has shaped their relationship before and throughout his political career. JD and Usha met in 2010 while they were students at Yale University’s School of Law, ultimately […]
The statement continued, “During this exciting and hectic time, we are particularly grateful for the military doctors who take excellent care of our family and for the staff members who do so much to ensure that we can serve the country while enjoying a wonderful life with our children.”
Since revealing her pregnancy, Usha shared that she was giving her maternity wardrobe an upgrade this time around.
“I have to dress up a lot more. I enjoyed my last pregnancy — there were a lot of sweatpants,” she said in a March interview with NBC News. “I was working from home and sometimes put a blazer on over what was under.”
By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated
Raise your hand if you forgot that your Netflix subscription includes access to a gaming library. A lot of hands went up. It’s easy to overlook the game library that includes such mobile gaming standouts as Blood Line: A Rebel Moon Game, Sex Education, and Stranger Things 3. That’s why it’s a big deal that the streamer is finally getting serious about gaming with their latest release, Unhinged, a first-person horror game starring Zoe Kravitz, Sadie Sink, and of course, video game voice actor extraordinaire, Troy Baker. What makes it unique is that you don’t play the game on your phone, you play the game with your phone as the controller.
Unhinged Is A New Level Of Netflix Gaming
Unhinged puts you in the shoes of Ava (Kravitz) during a massive hurricane that’s trapped her inside the building. Claire (Sink) is across the street, but your only contact with her is through the phone as you explore the apartment and try to find a way out. It takes on a new sense of urgency once Ava realizes that she’s not alone. It’s a large step up for the company’s gaming division from offering Exploding Kittens (a very fun card game actually, but world’s apart.)
The first thing you’ll notice watching the trailer for Unhinged is it looks like a modern game, or well, a PlayStation 4 game, but considering it runs out of the Netflix app itself, that’s an impressive achievement. Syncing your phone to the game itself, if it works as advertised, will also be incredibly impressive. When Claire calls, your phone will ring and you’ll talk to her through your own phone. Moving your phone moves Ava, guiding her flashlight with your hand movement, which yes, is the same as using a Wii remote, but credit Netflix for trying something to make the game as accessible as possible.
Unhinged was developed by Night School Studios, the same team behind the adventure game Oxenfree. This is the first original game they’ve developed since being acquired by Netflix. Adding gaming to their streaming library has been a goal of the company for years now, and while there’s some outstanding selections, including streamlined versions of Dead Cells and Red Dead Redemption, it also includes the award-winning strategy game Into the Breach.
Netflix Has Been Getting Into Gaming For Years
Unfortunately, Netflix’s largest foray into gaming, the interactive Black Mirror film, Bandersnatch has been wiped from existence. In 2025, Netflix removed everything they developed using the Branch Manager System to focus more on gaming, and while we see the fruits of that labor today, it’s frustrating that digital entertainment has a lifespan. With no DVD release, and no option to download a copy, Bandersnatch has ceased to exist.
That could, in fact, likely will happen, to Unhinged at some point. Until then though, you’ll be able to experience the Zoe Kravitz horror game starting on June 30th with nothing more than a Netflix subscription and a phone with lots, and lots, of battery.
Entertainment
Netflix’s ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Season 2 Is a Major Improvement in Almost Every Way
Long ago, the worlds of animation lived in harmony. Then, everything changed when the live-action remakes attacked. They’re all the rage these days, with no Disney classic safe from a live-action reimagining, so much so that other companies are getting in on the action. DreamWorks found tremendous success with the How to Train Your Dragon remake, a live-action take on FernGully is in development, and Netflix, after completely striking out with adaptations like Death Note and Cowboy Bebop, hit an absolute home run with One Piece. Of all the live-action adaptations in history, none may be more despised than M. Night Shyamalan‘s The Last Airbender, which adapted one of Nickelodeon’s most acclaimed shows ever, Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Despite that absolute misfire, the Last Airbender franchise is still going strong to this very day. The Avatar saga expanded with The Legend of Korra, is set to continue in the upcoming Seven Havens, and will even check in with Team Avatar as adults in the new movie The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender later this year. Stuck in the middle of all of that is the second crack at a live-action take on the IP, Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, the first season of which largely fell into the “good, not great” consensus. While leagues better than Shyamalan’s movie, the series’ condensed episode format and changes to the source material caused some division. That didn’t stop the show from getting a two-season renewal, and thankfully, Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 is a colossal improvement overall.
What Is ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Season 2 About?
Season 2 of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender largely adapts the second season of the animated series, titled Book II: Earth. Picking up two years after Team Avatar’s victory over the Fire Nation at the North Pole, Aang (Gordon Cormier), Katara (Kiawentiio), and Sokka (Ian Ousley) are on the search for a new Earthbending teacher for Aang, and it takes them in the unlikely direction of a young blind woman named Toph (Miyako). Meanwhile, Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) and his uncle, Iroh (Paul Sun Hyung Lee), are living in exile following their obsessive search for Avatar Aang. Eventually, their paths cross again, but not before Zuko’s sociopathic sister, Azula (Elizabeth Yu), arrives to wreak chaos and havoc throughout the Earth Kingdom, particularly in the elusive megacity of Ba Sing Se.
One of the bigger issues of Season 1 was its overly expository dialogue that insisted on explaining every single inch of this world, even the parts that aren’t vital to the story being told. Not only is this redundant and frustrating for existing fans of the IP, but it’s also a big turn-off for newcomers who want to dive into this world for the very first time. Thankfully, this is one of the many places where Season 2 improves upon Season 1. Not only do the dialogue and storytelling feel much more natural, but the actors have a lot more chemistry with one another.
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Each of the characters also has a general arc in Season 2, with everyone earning at least one big moment to shine. Sokka is coping with the trauma of losing Yue (Amber Midthunder), Katara is looking for closure now that Aang’s waterbending training is complete, and Zuko and Iroh are both forced to grapple with whether redemption for their past misdeeds is even possible. It’s all great stuff and leagues more interesting than Season 1’s abridged retelling of events. Many viewers have pointed out how much the cast members have aged in the two-year gap between seasons, but that may have been a blessing in disguise, as these characters really do feel like they’ve grown and evolved.
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Season 2 Nails One of the Original Show’s Most Beloved Characters
Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s veteran characters are improved upon exponentially, which is great, but the big question on every fan’s mind has to be how the series will handle one of the original show’s most beloved characters, Toph. Those who were concerned need not worry, as the “Blind Bandit” is easily one of Season 2’s biggest highlights. Miyako nails Toph’s blunt comedic timing and unique perspective on the world, making her a more-than-faithful adaptation of a beloved character.
Speaking of beloved characters, the delightfully vile Azula gets a lot more to do this time around after perhaps being introduced a bit too early in Season 1. Yu is clearly having a lot of fun playing the character, though, compared to the source material, the series could’ve delved deeper into the franchise’s most psychologically complex antagonist. Azula’s cohorts, Mai (Thalia Tran) and Ty Lee (Momona Tamada), feel more like two-bit henchpeople instead of the complex figures they are in the animated series.
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Is a Step Forward Narratively, but Stumbles on Visuals
Giving the characters more time to breathe and grow (especially in one episode that’s an almost direct adaptation of the legendary “Tales of Ba Sing Se”) is easily where Avatar: The Last Airbender improves the most. Unfortunately, that forward momentum is sorely lacking on the visual side. The series has some well-shot and choreographed action set pieces and some truly impressive CGI creations, but they’re often marred by a disappointing, drab, and gray color palette. It’s not an exaggeration to say a good 90% of the series takes place on a cloudy, overcast day, and it makes for some very unappealing visuals, especially compared to a show as vibrant and colorful as the original Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Azula’s so-so role and the series’ disappointing visual choices are a shame, but the pros significantly outweigh the cons this time around. It’s an adaptation that is not only much more faithful to the original series but also one that’s willing to make some worthwhile changes to streamline the story. Sure, there are some elements that hardcore fans may take issue with, but on the whole, Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 is a worthwhile return to the Four Nations as the ambitious live-action remake gears up for its final chapter.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 is streaming now on Netflix.
- Release Date
-
February 22, 2024
- Network
-
Netflix
- Showrunner
-
Albert Kim
- Directors
-
Jet Wilkinson
- Writers
-
Joshua Hale Fialkov, Christine Boylan
Pros & Cons
- The series thankfully dials back the exposition.
- Every main character has a compelling arc this time around.
- Miyako’s Toph is a clear highlight.
- The action feels visceral and reminiscent of the original series.
- A desaturated color palette sucks a lot of the life out of the scenes.
- Azula and her companions don’t feel as developed as they could’ve been.
The Bear is returning for a fifth and final season — but is every cast member coming back?
The Bear, which premiered in 2022, explores the food industry through the lens of a talented chef named Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), who returns to Chicago shortly after his older brother Mikey’s (Jon Bernthal) death to take over their family sandwich shop, The Beef. After closing the local spot, Carmy and the employees reinvent the restaurant into The Bear, which has found success and failure.
While the team builds up The Bear until it starts thriving, season 4 took a surprise turn in the July 2025 finale when Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Natalie (Abby Elliott) found out that Carmy was preparing to retire and leave the restaurant to them.
“With Natalie, she really got into the restaurant because [it’s] what she now loves doing. She’s really good at her job there. But I think she got into it because she loves Carmy so much and just wanted to take care of him,” Elliott explained exclusively to Us Weekly in September 2025 about her character’s next move. “At the end of the day, she always wants what’s best for him.”
Elliott hinted how season 5 would pick up after Carmy’s shocking decision, telling Us, “If Carmy is going to go through with what he says he is, I think she will 100 percent support him. But I think she also genuinely loves the restaurant and wants it to succeed and wants everything to work because she loves the family that she has there.”
It was later confirmed that season 5 would be the show’s final installment. Set in the span of one day, The Bear will conclude on one more dinner service coming off of Carmy’s shocking decision.
Keep scrolling to see who is and isn’t returning for season 5:
Jeremy Allen White
White reprised his role of Carmy as The Bear comes to an end.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach
The spinoff film centered on Richie — which was released before season 5 — hinted at a shocking story for the character.
Ayo Edebiri
With Sydney taking over at The Bear, Edebiri is front and center as always.
Lionel Boyce
Marcus fans can rejoice because Boyce is confirmed for season 5.
Liza Colón-Zayas
Tina’s story will wrap up as Colón-Zayas returns for the final season.
Abby Elliott
Elliott’s Natalie will play a large role in season 5 — as usual.
Matty Matheson
What would The Bear be without Fak? Luckily, viewers would never find out because Matheson is back in season 5.
Edwin Lee Gibson
Gibson, who plays Ebraheim, is a main cast member in season 5 after being recurring in the initial installments.
Molly Gordon
Claire will likely make an appearance but nothing has been confirmed.
Jamie Lee Curtis
Curtis confirmed she filmed scenes for the show’s final season.
Will Poulter
After winning over the internet in the role of Chef Luca, Poulter is back.
It seems that every time a new Taylor Sheridan-made Western-adjacent series drops on Paramount+, it breaks previous records. In 2021, 1883 debuted as the most-watched original series premiere on the platform, only to be surpassed the following year by 1923. Then, Landman took the title. Of course, all that success pales in comparison to The Madison, which took the cake earlier this year by garnering 8 million views in only 10 days — becoming the biggest Sheridan series premiere ever. With the neo-Western drama trending again on the platform, there’s no better time to dive back in.
‘The Madison’ Is a Hit On Streaming — And Perfect For Western and Non-Western Fans Alike
For those expecting The Madison to be another take on something like Yellowstone or Landman, that perception doesn’t remotely match the reality. Rather than falling into the same recyclable plotline traps that Sheridan is known for, The Madison is an intimate character drama that explores the struggles of New York matriarch Stacy Clyburn (Michelle Pfeiffer) after the sudden death of her husband in Montana, only to come to realize that the life he lived there was more real to him than their time in the Big Apple. After Stacy, her daughters, son-in-law, and granddaughters travel west to deal with Preston’s (Kurt Russell) remains, they are hit with a culture shock as they come face-to-face with those who live and breathe the modern West, the types of “uneducated” and “intolerant” folks that they’ve constructed distinct prejudices about in their East Coast bubble — prejudices that couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Madison does a brilliant job at exploring the different ways that grief can impact a person. Stacy largely keeps it together during their time in Montana, but upon returning to New York, she cannot handle the pressure of daily living without her husband. Her eldest daughter, Abigail (Beau Garrett), throws herself into a new “situationship,” while her second, Paige (Elle Chapman), becomes increasingly aggravated and hostile. With this six-part drama (which has been renewed not just for a second season but also a third), Sheridan has proven that he can do more than the Dutton-style soaps we’ve become accustomed to from the filmmaker. With such impressive talents as Pfeiffer and Russell as the headlining stars and veteran Sheridan collaborator Christina Alexandra Voros in the director’s chair, The Madison is in a league all of its own — and it’s streaming success has proven as such.
Taylor Sheridan’s 8-Part Western Makes the Case for Season 2 by Climbing Another Streamer’s Top 10
This Old West saga ought to be revived after its latest streaming success.
Taylor Sheridan Has Outdone Himself With This Memorable Neo-Western Drama
Unlike Yellowstone, which is chock-full of soapy family drama that feels more like Dallas than your usual John Wayne or Clint Eastwood romp, The Madison doesn’t fully qualify as a neo-Western. Unlike Robert Redford‘s An Unfinished Life (itself the anti-Yellowstone), which tackles some similar ideas, the typical genre tropes don’t appear much here at all. Instead, Sheridan pens his family drama as more of a “fish-out-of-water” tale with the American West as the backdrop. The series isn’t so much a Western in the traditional sense, but it surpasses many neo-Western takes that have highlighted the grand landscape of Big Sky Country.
As Aidan Kelly described in his review of the series for Collider, “The Madison may have a cowboy or two and take place in Montana, but it’s Sheridan’s biggest step out of his comfort zone yet.” That’s undoubtedly true, but it’s a step outside his comfort zone that has certainly paid off. With the second season already in the bag (we’re just waiting for its release) and a third underway, the Paramount+ drama has exceeded the expectations of many, turning a new page in Sheridan’s celebrated filmography.
The Madison is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Earlier this month, fans were both shocked and delighted to learn that Taylor Swift’s net worth shot up to $2 billion in 2026, making her the richest female musician in the world. She doubled her net worth in 2023 with her wildly successful Eras Tour and her massive music catalog, which featured the re-recordings of several prior albums. She is getting ready to marry NFL star Travis Kelce, who is a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Inside Travis Kelce’s Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Travis Kelce’s net worth is listed as $90 million, with an annual salary of $17 million. While it doesn’t come close to matching his fiancée’s star power, it’s still nothing to sneeze at!
According to the website, Travis’ brother, Jason Kelce, is worth $60 million, while Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is worth $160 million, with an annual salary listed at $46 million. Andy Reid, the team’s coach, is reported to be worth $50 million, with an annual salary of $20 million.
Inside His Relationship With Taylor Swift
Their relationship began in July 2023, when he announced on his New Heights podcast that he had tried and failed to give Swift his phone number via a friendship bracelet while she was performing at Arrowhead Stadium. The two eventually connected and went public with their relationship a few months later.
In September 2023, Swift was spotted at her first Kansas City Chiefs game, watching alongside his mother, Donna Kelce. In October, the two were spotted holding hands after a “Saturday Night Live” after-party in New York City. If anyone had any questions about whether they were dating at that time, Kelce traveled to Buenos Aires to watch her perform. She changed the lyrics of her song “Karma” to sing, “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me.”
Travis Kelce Joined Taylor Swift On The Eras Tour
In June 2024, Kelce shocked Swifties in London when he carried Swift onto the stage during a segment of the Eras Tour that incorporated new material from her album “The Tortured Poets Department.” He then supported her once more by seeing her perform at Indianapolis during one of the last stops on the Eras tour.
Meanwhile, Swift was there to support Kelce throughout many of the Chiefs’ games. After the Chiefs won the AFC Championship and secured their spot at Super Bowl LVIII, Swift rushed onto the field to greet him and kissed him on camera. While they won that Super Bowl matchup, they lost to the Eagles 40-22. The Chiefs didn’t secure a spot in the 2026 Super Bowl; the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Are Engaged
On August 26, 2025, the couple announced their engagement on Instagram, with a post captioned, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”
The couple has not announced when they will marry, although there is speculation that they plan to wed at Madison Square Garden. Earlier this month, multiple sources told Page Six that the venue has “been sworn to secrecy,” but someone seems to have let slip that they plan to marry there over the July 3 weekend.
An insider told the outlet that “privacy was of number one importance to them both,” which is why they decided to tie the knot at MSG. The venue has multiple entrances and a “highly secure infrastructure.”
Although MSG may seem like an odd choice to some, a source quipped, “If you have billions, you can transform the space into a wedding venue.”
Interestingly, there are currently no events scheduled at the venue from June 29 through July 6.
Inside Taylor Swift’s Pricey Engagement Ring
It appears Kelce went all out to give Swift a stunning engagement ring that he designed with Kindred Lubeck and Artifex Fine Jewelry. It boasts a massive old mine-cut diamond and a rectangular-cut diamond with antique references.
The exact price of the ring has yet to be determined, but according to In Style, the 8 to 10-carat custom piece is estimated to be worth between $550,000 and $1.2 million. The center stone’s antique-style cut is notoriously difficult to source, and the band features smaller diamonds and a Victorian-inspired custom filigree with gold details.
Swift has been private about the ring’s specifications, prompting some jewelers to suggest that the true price might be well over a million.
By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated
A24 has released a number of different films over the years, including coming-of-age dramas like Lady Bird, sci-fi thinkers like Ex-Machina, and superhero deconstructions like Everything Everywhere All At Once. Primarily, however, they are known as a horror studio thanks to genre-redefining hits like Hereditary and Midsommar. To really drive the point home, A24 is responsible for two of the breakout hits of the summer: Obsession and Backrooms, two micro-budget horror films that are earning money hand over fist while the latest Star Wars film flounders at the box office.
A24 already had a sterling rep with horror fans, and they earned even more cred for giving such a great platform to YouTube sensations Curry Barker and Kane Parsons (the directors of Obsession and Backrooms, respectively). Unfortunately, A24 is about to squander all of this goodwill by partnering with Google on an AI project. This has left many who would rather keep AI away from art feeling more than a bit betrayed. Barker is likely feeling that betrayal, too: recently, he has prominently spoken out against the use of AI in film, and many feel Obsession is secretly an anti-AI film.
AI: Hollywood’s Latest Obsession
Recently, A24 announced a partnership with Google, and the search giant has invested a whopping $75 million into this partnership. What are they doing together, exactly? The short answer is that the studio will be working with Google’s DeepMind division in an attempt to develop AI tools that could help out future filmmakers. On paper, this is a deal that really benefits the studio the most. While A24 will have access to DeepMind’s extensive research and powerful infrastructure, Google will not get access to the studio’s own content or media library.
What will these AI tools look like, exactly? While there’s no way to know every tool they might develop, A24 Labs lead researcher, Scott Belsky, told The Wall Street Journal the studio isn’t interested in simply producing films cheaper and faster. Rather, they are exploring applications like AI-generated storyboards, an idea supported by Martin Scorsese. “We think there are better uses that preserve creative control and support risk-taking,” Belsky said. In a perfect world, this would leave all of the direct creative elements in filmmakers’ hands while simply streamlining production of the film.
Driving Fans A Little Crazy
Still, many fans who want AI out of film altogether have taken to social media, announcing that they plan to boycott future A24 films because of this partnership with Google. Those fans feel betrayed by creatives embracing AI at all and that any use of this technology is a slippery slope to making worse films. One person likely feeling betrayed is Curry Barker, who recently told The Guardian that “I’m scared of AI” and suggested that audiences would effectively vote with their dollars.
“I feel like there’s going to be AI content and there’s going to be our content, and it’s going to be well, where’s the demand at?” he asked. Given the success of Obsession (an insanely successful movie made for cheap, all without AI), it seems clear Barker is betting human-made content will always win out.
In a different interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Barker was asked what movie studios needed to know about Gen Z. He responded that his generation is “tired of slop” and just wants “good movies back.” Considering that “AI slop” has become the term for all AI-generated content, Barker will presumably keep avoiding this technology. He may also continue quietly crusading against it. Many critical reactions to Obsession noted that the movie feels like an anti-AI allegory. After all, Bear is an AI user whose desire for a fully devoted girlfriend is not unlike men who prefer AI girlfriends that they can more easily control.
At any rate, this partnership with Google represents a major step back for A24. The studio likely embraced this deal, thinking it would put them on the cutting edge of cinematic content. Unfortunately, they made this deal at the height of AI backlash, all while Curry Barker, their hottest new director, is being very vocal about the dangers of AI. By the time it’s all over, A24 will likely wish they had never embraced AI so wholeheartedly. When that happens, though, not even a One Wish Willow will be able to undo the damage to their brand.
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