We’ve officially surpassed the halfway point of 2026, and thus far, it’s been a great year for new television. And Prime Video has been keeping up with the trends. Alongside many of their hit returning shows, the streamer has welcomed a bevy of new ones, including highly anticipated adaptations and daring new reimaginings. But which one is the best of the year so far?
Prime Video has released shows about love. They’ve dropped live-action adaptations of a comic character and series that reimagine beloved characters. We are here to analyze 12 new titles that have officially debuted this year. To rank from worst to first, we’ll consider everything from performances to writing, as well as their overall impact on the year. So, yes, some bonus points are tagged on for pop culture prowess. Let’s celebrate Prime Video’s smattering of series that have kept us binging.
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12
‘The Gray House’
Daisy Head as Elizabeth van Lew in The Gray HouseImage via Prime Video
We have an adoration for historical dramas. It’s exciting to watch a period story with its sprawling set pieces and elaborate costumes. But just because it may look incredible, and even feature a top-tier production team and cast, doesn’t mean it’s going to be extraordinary. Sadly, such was the case for The Gray House. Executive produced by Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman, the historical drama centers on the lives of four Southern women who used the expectations of their era as cover for espionage. Together, these women — Elizabeth Van Lew (Mary-Louise Parker), Eliza Van Lew (Daisy Head), Mary Jane Richards (Amethyst Davis), and Clara Parish (Hannah James) — transform their Underground Railroad operation into an effective intelligence network that gathers secrets, moves messages, and alters the course of the war in favor of the North. An important retelling of forgotten heroes, The Grey House’s eight episodes are a bit too bloated and melodramatic to pack the historic punch it intended.
The real-life spy ring in Richmond serves as a brilliant premise to build on, but the writers cram far too many minor characters and subplots into the series, which detracts from the main focus. Even with eight episodes, some over an hour each, the pacing is heavily padded, causing significant pacing woes. There are a few solid performances, including Paul Anderson as Stokely Reeves, Rob Morrow as Judah Benjamin, and Head as Elizabeth Van Lew. While Parker is convincing as Eliza Van Lew, it’s not nearly the caliber you may be used to from her previous body of work. With so many historical liberties taken to fill space, The Grey House may have been better suited for an epic film rather than a lost-in-the-shuffle series.
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11
‘Kevin’
Image via Prime Video
With a brilliant voice cast and a beloved creator, Kevin should have been better than it was. Unfortunately, Kevin, created by Aubrey Plaza and Joe Wengert, was an unfortunate misfire. The adult animated comedy follows Kevin, a neurotic, lifelong housecat who opts to leave his human owners following their divorce, taking up residence at an animal rescue in Astoria, Queens, with a chaotic gang of misfit pets. Inspired by a real-life breakup, it blends raunchy humor with sincere themes about finding your place in the world without traditional “owners.” Kevin is a gleeful comedy that fulfills the void where you may be lacking animated talking animals, but if you need a purpose for comedy that is crass, you’ll find Kevin unpleasant.
Where Kevin thrives is the exceptional cast of stars who signed on. In addition to Plaza, the ensemble features Jason Schwartzman, Amy Sedaris, John Waters, and Whoopi Goldberg. But even the famous voices weren’t enough. The surreal humor and chaotic energy are not shocking to come from Plaza’s brain, but the writing relied too heavily on gross-out gags rather than on the emotional narrative inherent to the story. Vulgarity is at the center of the script. Rather than find a true identity, it fell into the trap of trying to be the next BoJack Horseman. Sadly, the show’s devoted fans won’t get more time with Kevin and friends, as the series has been canceled.
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10
‘Elle’
Lexi Minetree in ElleImage via Prime Video
We love origin stories now more than ever. It’s often a surefire success because it builds on a popular IP, adding depth to an established world. But not every character easily translates to an origin tale. Unfortunately for Elle, it tried too hard to be part of the Legally Blonde universe and still seemed to be only using the character’s popularity as it forged its own identity. Retconning the character in a soulless tale, Elle takes viewers back to 1995 as the teenage years of Elle Woods (Lexi Minetree), from first loves to unexpected friendships, are explored. Originally living a luxurious, privileged life in Bel-Air, California, Elle’s world is upended when a family financial scandal forces them to relocate to moody, rain-soaked Seattle. Elle explores how her pretty-in-pink aura and perky demeanor clash with the grunge-heavy, cynical high school environment of her new city.
Of course, the draw is the connection to the original film. The eight-episode series is meant to operate as an origin story, showing the formative experiences that eventually molded Elle Woods into the confident and iconic character Reese Witherspoon made famous. Minetree shines as Elle, effortlessly capturing her essence, but the film establishes Elle as a ditz from the start. Elle shows her growth at 16. So what happened in between? Do we blame the sorority for dumbing her back down? Unfortunately, the story is droll. The nostalgia is full-blown, as are the teenage tropes, the latter of which is meant to capture the film’s camp. It falls flat. And yet, when the series falls into the dramatics, it becomes the antithesis of the mission. Legally Blonde is meant to be peppy and light. Elle certainly could have had a rough life that informed her future, but that’s not why we tuned in to it. Perhaps a movie musical of the Broadway show is what we should have thrived for instead.
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9
‘Scarpetta’
Nicole Kidman as Dr. Kay Scarpetta in ‘Scarpetta.’Image via Prime Video
It was inevitable that the iconic character from Patricia Cornwell‘s novels would be adapted. No one anticipated it would take as long as it did. Nevertheless, Dr. Kay Scarpetta had her moment in the spotlight in the all-star stuffed Scarpetta. The psychological thriller follows Dr. Kay Scarpetta (Nicole Kidman), a brilliant forensic pathologist. Journeying across two timelines — her present-day return to her hometown as a chief medical examiner dealing with a grisly serial murder and her early career in the late 1990s — Scarpetta does it all. She uses modern forensics to unmask a killer, but she must also contend with the heavy personal toll of her career and a haunting case from 28 years prior that could be her undoing. Adapting Cornwell’s best-selling series, Scarpetta blends intense family dynamics and speculative sci-fi elements into a soap opera-like dramatic thriller that was nothing short of polarizing.
The long wait for a Kay Scarpetta story had all the right elements attached, but it was vastly overshadowed by its big cast. And not just by name. Scarpetta doesn’t use flashbacks as a device; it’s a story in its own right. Therefore, in the span of eight episodes, two versions of each character must find the time to grow and evolve, with the past informing the present. Meant to be a multi-season series, there’s a lot left out for later. And it shows. Scarpetta compiled some great names — Kidman, Bobby Cannavale, Jamie Lee Curtis, Simon Baker, Ariana DeBose, Hunter Parrish, Rosy McEwan, Jacob Lumet Cannavale —who stretched their characters to their limits. Save for the father-son duo playing both iterations of Pete Marino, it felt as if it were two Scarpetta shows in one. And sadly, Curtis’ irritating and loud take on Dorothy Scarpetta may be proof that she can’t do it all. If you were seeking a traditional murder mystery, Scarpetta is anything but. It’s an absolutely gripping, addictive, and entertaining watch, but it could have been executed better.
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Collider Exclusive · TV Medicine Quiz Which Fictional Hospital Would You Work Best In? The Pitt · ER · Grey’s Anatomy · House · Scrubs
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Five hospitals. Five completely different ways medicine goes sideways on television — brutal, chaotic, romantic, brilliant, and ridiculous. Only one of them is the ward your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out exactly where you belong.
🚨The Pitt
🏥ER
💉Grey’s
🔬House
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🩺Scrubs
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01
A critical patient comes through the door. What’s your first instinct? Medicine under pressure reveals who you actually are.
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02
Why did you go into medicine in the first place? The honest answer says more about you than the one you’d give in an interview.
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03
What do you actually want from the people you work with? Who you want beside you under pressure is who you are.
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04
You lose a patient you fought hard to save. How do you carry it? Every doctor who’s worked a long shift has had to answer this question.
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05
How would your colleagues describe the way you work? Your reputation on the floor is usually more accurate than your self-image.
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06
How do you feel about hospital protocol and procedure? Every institution has rules. What you do with them is a choice.
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07
What does this job cost you personally? Nobody works in medicine without paying a price. What’s yours?
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08
At the end of a long shift, what keeps you coming back? The answer to this question is the most honest thing about you.
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Your Assignment Has Been Made You Belong In…
Your answers have pointed to one fictional hospital above all others. This is the ward your instincts, your temperament, and your particular brand of dysfunction were built for.
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Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center
The Pitt
You are built for the most unsparing version of emergency medicine television has ever shown — one that puts you inside a single fifteen-hour shift and doesn’t let you look away.
You need your work to be real, not romanticised — meaning over drama, honesty over aesthetics.
You find purpose inside the work itself, not in the chaos surrounding it.
You’ve made peace with the fact that this job takes from you constantly, and gives back in ways that are harder to name.
Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center demands exactly that kind of person — and you would not want to be anywhere else.
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County General Hospital, Chicago
ER
You are the person who keeps the whole floor running — not the most brilliant in the room, but possibly the most essential.
You show up, do the work, absorb the losses, and come back the next day without needing the job to be anything other than what it is.
You care about patients as individual human beings, not as cases to solve or dramas to live through.
You believe in the system even when it fails you — and you understand that emergency medicine is about holding the line just long enough.
ER is television about endurance. You have it.
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Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, Seattle
Grey’s Anatomy
You came to medicine with your whole self — your ambition, your emotions, your relationships, your history — and you have never quite managed to leave any of it at the door.
You feel things fully and form deep attachments to the people you work with.
Your personal and professional lives are permanently, chaotically entangled — and that entanglement drives both your greatest disasters and your most remarkable saves.
You understand that extraordinary medicine often happens at the intersection of clinical skill and profound human connection.
It’s messy at Grey Sloan. You would not have it any other way.
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Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, NJ
House
You are drawn to the problem above everything else — the symptom that doesn’t fit, the diagnosis hiding underneath the obvious one.
You’re not primarily motivated by the patient as a person — though you are capable of caring, even if you’d deny it.
You work best when the stakes are highest and the standard answer is wrong.
Princeton-Plainsboro exists to house one extraordinary, impossible mind — and everyone around that mind is there because they’re smart enough to keep up.
The only way forward here is to think harder than everyone else in the room. That is exactly what you do.
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Sacred Heart Hospital, California
Scrubs
You understand that medicine is tragic and absurd in almost equal measure — and that the only sane response is to hold both of those things at the same time.
You are warm, self-aware, and funnier than most people in your field.
You use humour to get through terrible moments — and at Sacred Heart, that’s not a flaw, it’s a survival strategy.
You lean on the people around you and let them lean back. The laughter and the grief are genuinely inseparable here.
Scrubs is a show about learning to become someone worthy of the job. You are still very much in the middle of that process — which is exactly right.
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8
’56 Days’
Avan Jogia as Oliver Kennedy and Dove Cameron as Ciara Wyse in ’56 Days.’Image via Prime Video
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Prime Video made 2026 the year of love, especially romances based on novels. But before we get to the romantic comedy and drama, we take a journey to the thrilling in 56 Days. Based on Catherine Ryan Howard‘s 2022 novel of the same name, 56 Days follows Ciara Wise (Dove Cameron) and Oliver Kennedy (Avan Jogia), a couple who quickly fall in love after a chance encounter. Alternating between two timelines, the primary story chronicles the intense trajectory of their romance in the past, and 56 days later, when detectives Lee Reardon (Karla Souza) and Karl Connolly (Dorian Crossmond Missick) investigate a brutally murdered corpse found in their apartment. Through a non-linear narrative, viewers are kept on their toes, guessing who the body is, who the culprit is, and why a turbulent history and dark, shared secrets come to light.
A slick, sexy, evocative thriller, 56 Days is a quick, bingeable erotic thriller. Rich in world- and character-building, the mystery grows darker as each clue is discovered. Filled with red herrings and diversions, 56 Days reminds us that trust is not a given but can certainly be earned. And toxic red flags? Everyone’s got them when they’re driven by motive. Cameron and Jogia do a sensational job building their characters with just enough intrigue that you’re willing to allow them to go to the depths that they do. 56 Days weaves in a subplot for the detectives that, unfortunately, didn’t get enough time to ruminate.56 Days is a soapy melodrama that eases its way into a juicy thriller where you may need to forgive the conclusion for how it’s executed.
7
‘It’s Not Like That’
Erinn Hayes sitting next to Scott Foley in ‘It’s Not Like That’.Image via Wonder Project
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Originally airing on Wonder Project before its official Prime Video debut, Ian Deitchman and Kristin Robinson’s drama It’s Not Like That follows a recently widowed pastor, Malcolm (Scott Foley), and a newly divorced mother, Lori (Erinn Hayes), as they navigate single parenthood. Set in Atlanta, the families used to do everything together. Now, Malcolm and Lori lean on one another as they navigate growing romantic feelings, often deflecting questions from others with the phrase, “It’s not like that.” In eight episodes, It’s Not Like That balanced their relationship while showcasing how their teenage children are trying to cope with divorce and the loss of a mother.
It’s Not Like That is a soft, family-oriented drama that depicts multigenerational family dynamics well. Rather than being overtly frothy in terms of romance, the series tackles grief, teen angst, and modern relationships through a thoughtful, faith-friendly lens without feeling too preachy. Though it does lean in that direction on occasion, so it’s not a series for everyone. Foley and Hayes are the heart and soul of the series. It’s Not Like That is reminiscent of classic nighttime network soaps. Sadly, It’s Not Like That is not a show you should get attached to, as it has already been quietly canceled after one season.
6
‘Steal’
Sophie Turner as Zara in ‘Steal.’Image via Prime Video
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Perhaps the most stressful crime thriller of 2026 is none other than Steal. Created by Sotiris Nikias, the British series follows an ordinary London office worker named Zara Dunne (Sophie Turner) whose routine workday at a pension fund is shattered when violent thieves storm in, forcing her and her best friend Luke Selborn (Archie Madekwe) to help execute a massive $4 billion heist. The fallout spirals into a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game. As Zara tries to survive and clear her name, a conflicted detective, DCI Rhys Covaci (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd), races against time to determine exactly who is behind the theft of citizens’ retirement funds. An unrelenting adrenaline rush where anything is possible, Steal proves that six episodes is the absolute perfect length for a single narrative crime drama.
Steal is a magnetic thriller that invites an addictive single-watch binge. Within the first video, you’re absolutely hooked thanks to the cinema-quality heist. It’s expertly executed, bringing a slick, taut, and tense scene to life. It’s masterfully acted and edited. From there, the aftermath is filled with exposition, conspiracies, and an ending that may feel a bit engineered. Regardless, Steal is led by a robust performance by Turner. Her compelling performance is balanced with ferocity and compassion, proving she’s a capable leading lady. The unsung hero in the ensemble is Fortune-Lloyd, who has the most fascinating character of all. His detective is anything but cookie-cutter. Covaci plays a recently relapsed gambling addict who has to balance his own deep financial problems with the secret agendas of the crime he is solving, allowing him an opportunity to play into the rich contrast. If you haven’t seen Steal, it’s an easy weekend must-watch.
5
‘Every Year After’
Sadie Soverall and Matt Cornett in Every Year After.Image via Prime Video
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One of the most beloved romantic dramas finally received the TV treatment in Every Year After. Developed by Amy B. Harris and Leila Gerstein, Every Year After adapts Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After. The story tells of Percy Fraser (Sadie Soverall) and Sam Florek’s (Matt Cornett) rollercoaster friends-to-lovers-to-exes relationship. Through flashbacks, it chronicles six pivotal summers and weeks in the lakeside town of Barry’s Bay, Ontario. In the present, 10 years later, Percy returns to Barry’s Bay and reunites with the Florek boys after the death of their mother, Sue (Elisha Cuthbert). Now, she must confront the people, memories, and painful mistakes she left behind. Every Year After explores first loves, grief, and the impact of our past choices. The series does a brilliant job of expanding and altering Fortune’s novel to fit an eight-episode arc, giving it even more color.
Fans of the book and newcomers to the series alike have found comfort in the romantic series. It is a fantastic depiction of growing up into adulthood and how young relationships can stay with you longer than expected. Percy and Sam are the central story of the season, but the narrative does a sublime job of growing the complementary characters, giving them their own arcs. In doing so, it richly explores the dynamics and trials of female friendships. The greatest change from page to screen was bringing Chantal (Aurora Perrineau) to Barry’s Bay. The series does a remarkable job of evoking nostalgia through the lakeside hamlet. Every Year After is a tender tale with emotional depth and charm that is destined to get better in Season 2, which will adapt Fortune’s follow-up novel, One Golden Summer.
4
‘Young Sherlock’
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There are very few literary sleuths who are more beloved than Sherlock Holmes. Giving him a fun, edgy origin story was inevitable. Fortunately, with Guy Ritchie on board, it was going to be something worth watching. Inspired by Andrew Lane‘s Young Sherlock Holmes book series, Young Sherlock reimagines the origins of the world’s most famous detective. Set in the 1870s, the show follows a disgraced and reckless 19-year-old Sherlock Holmes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) at Oxford University, who becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. To clear his name, he is thrust into a sprawling, international conspiracy that marks the beginning of his detective career. Establishing a unique bond between Sherlock and his future intellectual rival, James Moriarty (Dónal Finn), and the intricacies of the history of Holmes’ household, Young Sherlock is a globe-trotting thriller that uses heart and humor to succeed.
Young Sherlock flourishes thanks to the star-defining performance from Fiennes Tiffin. As the titular amateur sleuth, he’s brash but charismatic. He’s confident, but not conceded. Tiffin gives the character a new life, redefining the Sherlock we grew up with. Paired with a masterful performance from Finn, the duo brings a new style of buddy adventure to the screen. Finn is a scene-stealer with wit and panache. For fans of the original Sherlock tales, Finn brings new depth to an often one-dimensional future villain. Rather than a mystery-of-the-week style format, Young Sherlock is a character-driven joyride with one magnificent mystery to untangle. If you love the Holmes boys, you’ll adore the performance of Max Irons as Mycroft and Joseph Fiennes as Silas, the worst dad of the year. Young Sherlock is a beautifully shot, stylized series with Ritchie’s stamp all over it. It’s a refreshing mix of buddy-comedy, a mystery, and an action thriller rolled up into one. Season 2 is destined to be as exciting as the first.
3
‘Bait’
Image via Prime Video
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If you’re seeing this entry and aren’t familiar with it or only know about it via Riz Ahmed’s Emmy nomination, you’re about to learn of the most underrated series of the year: Bait. Created by Ahmed, Bait centers on Shah Latif (Ahmed), a struggling Pakistani-British actor from a working-class family in West London. After blowing a screen test for the role of James Bond, photographs of him leaving the audition leaked and went viral. Spanning over four chaotic, spiraling days as Shah grapples with sudden, manufactured notoriety, the series brilliantly breaks down the absurd pursuit of fame, the cultural and societal struggles, and how his potential career breakthrough spills heavily into his private life. Bait is a highly original, thought-provoking, and deeply personal project that resonates with its grander themes. Bait is a series that took a big risk and reaped a big reward, masterfully mocking the entertainment industry while sharply commenting on the British-South Asian immigrant experience, racism, and the burden of cultural representation in the industry.
With a character who is vulnerable, narcissistic, and deeply anxious, Shah is worth following. The series gives viewers the chance to watch Shah grapple with race, religion, and how he is perceived by the public versus his own community. In doing so, it provides insight into a story rarely celebrated. If you enjoy Ahmed, you’ll adore his performance. He’s sharp, yet scattered. You resonate with his plight. The ensemble of one-off and recurring characters sufficiently builds the world around him. From his ambitious entrepreneurial cousin, Zulfi (Guz Khan), and his clawing, overbearing yet endearing mother, Tahira (Sheeba Chaddha), to his ex-girlfriend Yasmin (Ritu Arya) and his opportunistic rival Raj Thakkar (Himesh Patel), the side characters vibrantly color in Shah’s world. From straightforward stories to surrealistic duos in which Sir Patrick Stewart voices a pig’s head, the vision never strays. With only six tightly compacted episodes, once you start, you will not stop until the final credits.
Kylie Jenner found a deeply personal way to remember her beloved grandmother, Mary Jo “MJ” Campbell, following her death at age 91.
The Kylie Cosmetics founder shared a glimpse inside a family memorial on Saturday, revealing that photographs from MJ’s life had been projected onto a large screen. The tribute included childhood memories, glamorous portraits and rare snapshots capturing the matriarch’s close relationship with the Kardashian-Jenner family.
Kylie’s tribute arrived days after Kris Jenner announced her mother’s death in an emotional post describing MJ as the “heart” of their famous family.
4Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / MEGA
Several of the projected photographs showed Kylie and her older sister, Kendall Jenner, during their childhood in the early 2000s. The sisters could be seen posing with their grandmother in coordinated outfits, offering fans a look at their bond years before Kylie and Kendall became internationally recognized stars.
Another striking black-and-white portrait showed MJ as a young woman modeling a halter-neck dress with a voluminous skirt. The glamorous photograph reflected MJ’s early experience as a model and her lifelong interest in fashion.
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Kylie shared the images through her Instagram Stories without adding a lengthy message, allowing the family memories to serve as her tribute.
Kris announced her mother’s passing on Thursday, July 16, with a collection of family photographs and a heartbreaking message. “Today, we said goodbye to my beautiful Mommy MJ. There are no words that could ever capture what she has meant to me or the heartbreak of having to say goodbye,” she began.
“My mom was the heart of our family. She taught me everything that truly matters… to love your family fiercely, to be kind, to show up for the people you love, and to never take a single moment together for granted,” Kris continued.
The momager credited MJ with teaching the family how to find happiness in small moments and confront life’s difficulties with faith and resilience. “Mom, thank you for every sacrifice you made, every piece of wisdom you shared, and every moment you loved us so completely,” she wrote. “I will miss our daily talks, your smile, your laughter…”
Kim also revealed how MJ influenced her as a businesswoman long before the Kardashian-Jenner family built its sprawling collection of companies. “You were the woman who showed me what it meant to be a hardworking businesswoman. You gave me my very first job at your store in San Diego and taught me lessons about work ethic, strength, and confidence that I’ve carried with me ever since,” she wrote.
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The SKIMS founder ended her tribute with a joke that reflected their playful relationship. “I know you are up in heaven, looking at all of our Instagram posts of you from your sneaky finsta account you would always use lol,” Kim added.
Mary Jo Campbell Became A Fan Favorite
MJ later became familiar to millions through her appearances on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” and the family’s subsequent reality projects.
Viewers came to know her through her dry humor, close relationship with Kris and candid conversations with her grandchildren. Despite the family’s fame, her appearances frequently centered on ordinary moments between several generations of women.
The Kardashian-Jenners celebrated MJ’s 91st birthday at The Ivy in Los Angeles in July 2025, complete with a floral cake and gold number candles.
Kylie also included her grandmother in a family Mother’s Day post shortly before her death, alongside Kris and Kim. “Our hearts are broken, but we find comfort knowing that love like yours never truly leaves us,” Kris wrote in her farewell.
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Kylie Jenner Shares A Kiss With Timothée Chalamet At World Cup Final
Shortly after sharing her emotional tribute to MJ, Kylie stepped out with Timothée Chalamet at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, July 19.
The couple arrived hand-in-hand at New York New Jersey Stadium, where Argentina faced Spain. Once inside their suite, Kylie and Chalamet were spotted sharing a kiss before turning their attention to the match between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal.
Chalamet was also given a special role in the event, walking onto the field before kickoff to deliver the official game ball. The “Marty Supreme” star had previously attended Spain’s 2-0 victory over France on July 14, where he was seen chatting with soccer legend David Beckham.
Calling The Sopranos the greatest television series ever made is a little like calling Citizen Kane the greatest film ever made. It’s the obvious choice, but that shouldn’t dissuade younger viewers from seeking either one out. Both The Sopranos and Citizen Kane have rightfully earned reputations as towering works of prestige entertainment with a significant influence on their respective mediums. But both also have a secret weapon up their sleeves: They’re really damn entertaining.
The Sopranos was often one of the funniest television shows, and its sense of humor became a defining characteristic of early prestige dramas. While The Godfather and Goodfellas were clear influences on the world that David Chase imagined, seeing the everyday inner workings of the mafia was unprecedented. Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) struggling to balance his criminal empire with suburban family life is the heart of the series’ drama. Still, it is also the source of some of its funniest moments.
The supporting cast and their banter also made the series feel remarkably lived-in. Many of The Sopranos’ most acclaimed episodes revolve around Tony, including Season 1’s “College,” Season 2’s “Funhouse,” and Season 5’s “The Test Dream.” Yet the show’s sprawling narrative also allowed supporting characters to take center stage without sacrificing quality. No episode proves that better than Season 3’s “Pine Barrens.” More than two decades after its HBO debut on May 6, 2001, it remains one of the funniest and most influential episodes The Sopranos ever aired.
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‘Pine Barrens’ Turns ‘The Sopranos’ Into a Perfect Comedy
Michael Imperioli and Tony Sirico as Christopher Moltisanti and Paulie Walnuts Gualtieri in The Sopranos episode “Pine Barrens,” superimposed into piles of snowImage by Nimesh Niyomal Perera
As Tony weighs a future with his fling Gloria Trillo (Annabella Sciorra), he dispatches his nephew Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) and right-hand man Paulie Gualtieri (Tony Sirico) to complete a transaction with Russian mobster Valery (Vitali Baganov). Christopher and Paulie, who are frequently at odds, initiate a seemingly lethal brawl with the eccentric Russian and plan to dump his body in the Pine Barrens. Unfortunately, Valery survives the attack and disappears into the freezing woods, forcing the pair into an increasingly desperate search.
The trek through the wilderness is miserable for them, but it becomes a hilarious worst-case scenario for the audience. Cut off from Tony by poor reception and increasingly convinced they are doomed, Christopher and Paulie spend the episode arguing, panicking, and making every possible bad decision. Their supposedly simple assignment quickly devolves into one of television’s greatest comedies of errors, allowing viewers to revel in their distress.
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Part of the episode’s inherent humor comes from pairing the two mobsters least equipped to work together. Both men are impulsive, but much of Paulie’s resentment stems from his refusal to accept that Christopher may one day lead the family. Christopher is not technically Tony’s nephew, but rather a distant cousin of Tony’s wife Carmela (Edie Falco). Nonetheless, the two are bound by blood, and Christopher remains Tony’s presumed successor. Paulie’s reverence for his boss frequently reaches absurd levels, causing him to compete with Christopher for Tony’s attention like a child fighting for the approval of a favorite parent.
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Collider Exclusive · Universe Personality Quiz Which Iconic Universe Do You Belong in the Most? Star Wars · Lord of the Rings · Harry Potter · Game of Thrones · Star Trek
Five legendary universes. Five completely different visions of what the world could be — or already was. One of them is the world your instincts, your values, and your particular way of existing were built for. Eight questions will tell you which one.
🚀Star Wars
💍Lord of the Rings
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🧙Harry Potter
👑Game of Thrones
🖖Star Trek
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01
What gives your life its deepest sense of meaning? Every universe is built around a different answer to this question.
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02
Which kind of world do you most want to inhabit? The environment shapes who you become. Choose carefully.
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03
How do you prefer your conflicts resolved? The shape of a world’s conflicts tells you everything about its soul.
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04
Who do you want beside you when things get difficult? Your ideal companions reveal the world you were made for.
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05
What is your relationship with power? How you seek, wield, or resist power is the map of who you are.
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06
How does your universe treat good and evil? A world’s moral architecture tells you more about it than any map.
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07
What role would you naturally fall into? Every universe has archetypes. Which one fits you without trying?
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08
What do you ultimately believe about the future? The answer to this is the clearest window into which universe already lives inside you.
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Your Universe Has Been Chosen You Belong In…
Your answers point to the iconic universe your values, your instincts, and your particular way of seeing the world were built for. This is where you would find your people — and your purpose.
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A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
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You believe in the cause — in the idea that freedom is worth fighting for even when the odds are impossible and the empire is vast.
You are drawn to the moral clarity of a universe where hope itself is a form of resistance.
You’d find your people in the Rebellion — a ragtag coalition of true believers held together by conviction more than resources.
Star Wars is fundamentally a story about ordinary people choosing to matter in an extraordinary conflict — and that is exactly your kind of story.
The Force may or may not be with you. But the will to use it for something larger than yourself certainly is.
Middle-earth
Lord of the Rings
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You understand, in the deepest part of yourself, that the journey matters as much as the destination — and that the world’s beauty is worth protecting even at great cost.
Middle-earth is a world of ancient wonder, deep friendship, and a darkness that only retreats when enough small acts of courage accumulate.
You would thrive here because you value the fellowship more than the glory — the road more than the arrival.
Tolkien’s universe rewards patience, loyalty, and the willingness to carry something heavy across a very long distance.
Those are not burdens to you. They are simply how you move through the world.
The Wizarding World
Harry Potter
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You believe that love, loyalty, and doing what’s right are not naive sentiments — they are the most powerful forces in any world, magical or otherwise.
The Wizarding World is a place of wonder hidden in plain sight, where learning is transformative and the bonds you form at school follow you into every battle.
You would flourish here because you take both the magic and the friendships seriously — and you understand that one without the other is incomplete.
Harry Potter’s universe ultimately rewards those who choose to stand for something even when standing is terrifying.
That choice — made quietly, without guarantee — is something you understand completely.
Westeros · The Known World
Game of Thrones
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You see the world clearly — its power structures, its hypocrisies, its brutal arithmetic — and you are not paralysed by that clarity. You use it.
Westeros is a world that rewards intelligence, adaptability, and the willingness to understand that every alliance is also a negotiation.
You would survive here — possibly thrive here — because you don’t confuse the world as it is with the world as you’d like it to be.
Game of Thrones is a story about what happens when the idealists and the realists collide. You are sharp enough to know which one lasts longer.
Winter always comes. You are already prepared.
The United Federation of Planets
Star Trek
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You believe the future is worth building — that curiosity, cooperation, and the expansion of understanding are not just ideals but the most practical path forward for any civilisation.
Star Trek is a universe where the questions matter as much as the answers, and where encountering something utterly alien is cause for wonder rather than fear.
You would belong here because you are fundamentally optimistic about what intelligence and decency can achieve — while being honest about how hard that achievement is.
The Federation is the universe’s most ambitious thought experiment: what if we actually got better?
You don’t just hope that’s possible. You think it’s the only thing worth working toward.
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Seeing these two selfish, paranoid man-children forced to rely on one another grows even funnier as they begin to recognize each other’s usefulness in their own unusual ways. It takes a hellish mission gone wrong for the two men to become too exhausted to continue blaming one another. Their induced madness is somehow the only thing capable of drawing out even a flicker of empathy.
This is also one of Gandolfini’s best comedic performances, even though Tony sits out most of the main action and simply barks orders from afar. His unusually upbeat mood, brought on by his affair with Gloria, quickly disappears when he learns of his henchmen’s incompetence, and no one could scream over the phone quite like Gandolfini. Tony’s breakdown into laughter when he sees the affable Bobby Baccalieri (Steve Schirripa) decked out in outdoor gear, spurred by a raunchy real-life prank designed to capture Gandolfini’s genuine reaction, remains one of the most authentic laughs in the entire series.
‘Pine Barrens’ Perfectly Captures What Made ‘The Sopranos’ Revolutionary
The brilliance of “Pine Barrens” is that Christopher and Paulie’s detour mirrors the larger narrative rhythm of the series, transforming what initially seems like a B-plot into the episode’s dominant storyline. The episode arrives near the end of Season 3, when nearly every character is under considerable pressure. Tony’s daughter Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) is locked in a conflict with her criminally inclined boyfriend Jackie Jr. (Jason Cerbone), Gloria’s erratic behavior threatens Tony’s decision-making, and Tony’s therapist Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) continues recovering from a traumatic assault. Yet, much like Christopher and Paulie’s supposedly simple mission, all of these intense storylines are temporarily derailed.
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That willingness to wander is exactly what made The Sopranos revolutionary. It refused to conform to the expectations of either episodic television or tightly serialized storytelling, allowing its narrative to unfold at a more natural pace. Some consequences did not become apparent for several seasons, while other storylines were left hanging without a clean resolution or the satisfaction of a definitive answer. None is more famous than the show’s lingering final shot. Like real life, The Sopranos allowed itself to be heartbreaking, hilarious, exhausting, and even irritating.
That approach occasionally produced storylines that divided audiences, including Vito Spatafore’s (Joseph R. Gannascoli) retreat to New Hampshire in the first half of Season 6 or the increasingly frustrating ramblings of Tony’s son A.J. (Robert Iler). At its best, however, it transformed a story as seemingly trivial as the one in “Pine Barrens” into something equally farcical and poignant. Much of the credit belongs to director and eventual Season 5 co-star Steve Buscemi, whose experience helming slice-of-life independent films like Trees Lounge and Animal Factory proved invaluable when balancing realism with situational comedy.
“Pine Barrens” does not end with Christopher and Paulie luring Valery into an intense final standoff, nor does it culminate in a haunting shot of him escaping into the distance. Instead, it concludes with a spare reprimand from Tony as he, Bobby, Christopher, and Paulie sit together during a car ride quieter than anything they encountered in the empty woods. Just a few episodes later, Christopher and Paulie are snapping at each other once again. That nobody learns anything from the ordeal somehow makes the episode even funnier. They survive one of the worst days of their lives, only to resume bickering as though nothing ever happened.
Tim Van Patten, John Patterson, Alan Taylor, Jack Bender, Steve Buscemi, Daniel Attias, David Chase, Andy Wolk, Danny Leiner, David Nutter, James Hayman, Lee Tamahori, Lorraine Senna, Matthew Penn, Mike Figgis, Nick Gomez, Peter Bogdanovich, Phil Abraham, Rodrigo García
According to the Tredyffrin Township Police Department, officers were dispatched to respond to a burglary at the 29-year-old NFL star’s Pennsylvania home on Saturday, July 18, shortly after 5:00 a.m. ET. According to authorities, the alleged suspects fled the area prior to the officers’ arrival.
“They were home, and fortunately, as you know, with any situation like this, our main concern is that the residents of that home at the time were unharmed, which they were,” Capt. Tyler Moyer told reporters, per ESPN. “They were fine afterwards, obviously unsettled as anyone would be.”
The Pennsylvania’s Chester County District Attorney’s Office also issued a public statement via social media in the wake of the incident, saying detectives are assisting the local police department with their ongoing investigation.
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“We are incredibly grateful that the Barkley family was not injured during this incident,” the District Attorney’s office said in the statement. “We are asking the public to help us identify those responsible by checking any home security cameras for suspicious activity in the area around 5:00 a.m. If you saw anything unusual or have video that may assist investigators, please contact the Tredyffrin Township Police Department immediately.
Saquon BarkleyGetty Images
A slew of high-profile athletes, including Kansas City Chiefs players Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, have been the targets of burglaries or attempted burglaries as of late, prompting the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to investigate whether the break-ins are “connected to a transnational crime ring such as one from South America,” per a November 2024 NBC News report.
At the time, local law enforcement sources told ABC News that the investigation cannot “discount a local person” being involved in the string of incidents either, noting that “it’s very easy” to predict when athletes will not be home due to their very public game and practice schedules.
Around the time both Kelce, 36, and Mahomes, 30, homes were targeted, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis also claimed his “prized possessions” were stolen from his home while he was playing in a game.
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Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. also reported in September that same year that people broke into his home while he was attending a Minnesota Vikings game.
Capt. Moyer told local Philadelphia media outlet WCAU-TV that local authorities are not ruling out a possible connection between the incident targeting Barkley’s home and the incidents involving other athletes.
“We will look at all angles of this because we know, obviously, it’s been all over the news in the past few years about different professional athletes’ homes getting burglarized,” he said.
The new series is written by Robert Kirkman, who created The Walking Dead and serves as COO of Image Comics. The series inspired a long-running television adaptation, which itself spawned numerous spin-offs. More recently, Kirkman wrote the comic book series Invincible, which has been adapted into a popular Prime Video animated series that has aired four seasons so far. Kirkman is working on the new comic book series with co-writer Joe Casey and artist Andy Kubert. Here’s the official synopsis, per Image Comics:
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“There is a secret war being waged across the world by two violent forces with superhuman abilities who blur the lines between good and evil. When Marilyn Howe’s search for her missing sister Alessandra puts her in the center of this conflict, she’ll learn that the power to save the world comes from unlocking your genetic code and giving up everything you thought you knew about yourself…if you survive the experience. Perfect for fans of INVINCIBLE and X-MEN, nothing can prepare you for the most violent and unpredictable superhero series of the year!”
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Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.
💊The Matrix
🔥Mad Max
🌧️Blade Runner
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🏜️Dune
🚀Star Wars
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01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
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02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
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03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
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04
How do you deal with authority you don’t trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
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05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
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06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
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07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.
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08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
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Your Fate Has Been Calculated You’d Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
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The Resistance, Zion
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
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You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.
The Wasteland
Mad Max
The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.
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You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
Los Angeles, 2049
Blade Runner
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
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You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.
Arrakis
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
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Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
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You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
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Here’s When You Can Get Your Hands on Robert Kirkman’s New Comic Book
The series is titled Terminal, and its first issue will be released on July 22. Meanwhile, Kirkman’s fans can also look forward to two new seasons of Invincible, which features the voice talent of J.K. Simmons, Steven Yeun, and Sandra Oh. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Championship boxer Hannah Rapp has died. She was 26.
“On Saturday, July 18, 2026, just before 10:00 a.m., deputies with the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the 2300 block of FM 150 in reference to a major crash involving a vehicle and a bicyclist,” a statement issued by the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office via their official Facebook page read in part, announcing the athlete’s untimely death.
“Initial reports indicated that a vehicle had struck a bicyclist, leaving an adult female lying in the roadway,” the statement continued. “First responders arrived on scene and provided emergency medical care before the victim was transported to a local hospital. Despite lifesaving efforts, she later passed away at the hospital.”
The Brazos County Sheriff’s Office then identified the woman as “26-year-old Hannah Rapp,” an exciting and promising boxer who ran track at Purdue University before relocating to College Station, Texas, where she became a professional athlete while also working as a full-time fire and life safety inspector at Texas A&M University.
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“During the course of the investigation, investigators learned that the driver of the vehicle, identified as 31-year-old Charles Medina, had passed two bicyclists traveling along FM 159,” the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office continued in the same statement. “After passing the bicyclists, Mr. Medina stopped his vehicle, reversed, and struck one of the cyclists.”’
Hannah Rapp/Instagram
The authorities continued, “At this time, investigators believe this was an isolated incident. The investigation remains active and ongoing as detectives continue to gather evidence and review all available information.”
According to the statement, Medina was arrested, “charged with manslaughter” and taken to the county’s detention center “without incident.”
“The Brazos County Sheriff’s Office extends his deepest condolences to the family and friends of Hannah Rapp during this difficult time,” the authorities concluded.
Prior to her death, Rapp — who was born in Indiana — boasted an impressive 8-0-1 boxing record before she lost a World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight title fight against Tiara Brown, who paid tribute to the late athlete on social media in the wake of her shocking death.
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“I will never let your name fade Hanna [sic],” Brown wrote via her Instagram Stories on Saturday, over a photo of the competitors hugging in the ring and a black-and-white photo of Rapp posing for the cameras with her fists up.
In a comment on a separate Instagram post also paying tribute to Rapp, Brown described the late athlete as “the best dance partner I have ever faced as a pro.”
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“When you asked for my autograph, it filled my heart because we were getting ready for war, yet she was still asking for my autograph,” Brown continued in the comment, per ESPN. “It made me smile, we fought a GREAT fight for the fans from the 1st bell to the last! It was my honor to share the ring with her.”
Mauricio Sulaimán, president of the WBC, also issued a statement acknowledging Rapp’s tragic passing, her contribution to the sport and the pain her friends, family and many fans must be in as a result of her death.
“The loss of Hannah Rapp leaves us heartbroken,” Sulaiman said in a written statement shared on the WBC’s website. “She was an exceptional boxer, but above all, an invaluable member of our boxing family. We join in the grief that overwhelms her loved ones, her team, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and supporting her throughout her brilliant career.”
The epic adaptation of Homer’s classic poem starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya and more is projected to top the box office this weekend and probably the rest of the summer.
If you have already watched the film and are craving more ancient history spectacle, or simply want to watch a good film, you’re in luck.
Watch With Us has curated a list of films you should watch if you like The Odyssey and can’t get enough of Hellenic heroism and sweaty men killing each other on the battlefield.
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‘Troy’ (2004) – YouTube
Brad Pitt in Troy.Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection
The most obvious pick on this list, Troy is also the most satisfying – especially for those looking for more traditional epic movie thrills. Brad Pitt stars as Achilles, Greece’s greatest warrior, who is called into battle when pretty-boy Paris (Orlando Bloom) romances the married Queen Helen (Diane Kruger) and takes her to his hometown, Troy. Troy is well defended by Hector (Eric Bana), Paris’ older brother and a warrior equal to Achilles, and the city’s walls, which are heavily fortified. The only way to penetrate Troy – and get Helen back – is for the Greeks to sneak in, and what better way to do that than by building a giant wooden horse to hide in?
Directed by Wolfgang Peterson, Troy is a loose adaptation of Homer’s The Iliad – think of it as a more action-packed prequel to The Odyssey. The film itself is less cerebral than Nolan’s film – it’s focused more on staging elaborate scenes of armies attacking each other on beaches and within Troy itself. Taking it as it is, Troy is great entertainment – a thrilling, old-school spectacle of brawn, testosterone and military glory. The all-star cast looks great, even when they’re covered in sweat, blood and tears, with Pitt’s Achilles outmogging everyone, even Helen. Odysseus (Sean Bean) appears as a supporting character, but he’s important – he’s the genius who comes up with the idea for the Trojan Horse, which turns the tide of the war.
‘The Return’ (2024) – Paramount+
Charlie Plummer (left, on steps), Ralph Fiennes (left), Juliette Binoche (center) in The Return.Bleecker Street Media / Courtesy Everett Collection
What happens after the Trojan War, when the remaining soldiers have to return home and grapple with everything they’ve done to survive? That’s what Nolan explores in his Odyssey, but he’s not the first to adapt the ancient text. Just two years ago, Uberto Pasolini released his version of the tale, The Return, which adapts the second part of the poem. As a result, Penelope (Juliette Binoche) is more of a lead character than Anne Hathaway is in The Odyssey, as she has to reconcile with her husband’s probable death and consider remarriage with a host of suitors. Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) is still alive, though, and he’s not too happy to find out his beloved wife has finally moved on from him.
Less an epic film and more of a domestic drama, The Return probes the psychology of its married couple as well as their son, Telemachus (Charlie Plummer), who gradually becomes affected by all the violence he sees when his father returns. Don’t expect Greek gods in The Return; Pasolini is interested in only the human drama between an estranged husband and wife who still love each other and a child who is ready to leave them behind for good.
‘Spartacus’ (1960) – Prime Video
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The Odyssey has been hailed as an intelligent epic by some critics, but Nolan isn’t the first to combine large-scale battle sequences with complex characterization and bravura filmmaking. Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus revolutionized the epic movie genre in 1960 and became that year’s top-grossing film, beating out other classics like Psycho, The Apartment and The Magnificent Seven.
Born in slavery and raised in chains, Roman citizen Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) has never known true freedom. When he’s sold to a gladiator trainer and commanded to fight to the death to entertain the Roman elite, something inside Spartacus snaps. He refuses, causing a rebellion that sees the city’s slaves wage war against their oppressors. But law and order must be preserved at all costs, and General Marcus Licinius Crassus (Laurence Olivier) is determined to quash the rebellion as quickly as it started — and consolidate his power in Rome in the process.
Spartacus is a strange hybrid of a traditional sword-and-sandal epic like 1953’s The Robe and 1956’s The Ten Commandments and a psychological character study like Kubrick’s Paths of Glory. The result is a one-of-a-kind epic, a spectacle that dazzles the eyes and engages your mind. Spartacus was nominated for six Academy Awards in 1961 and won four, including Best Supporting Actor for Peter Ustinov.
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Fitted dresses had their moment, but thankfully, the fashion world has moved on to options that are just as comfy as they are stylish. The latest dress trend is flowy, delicate and much more flattering than the form-fitting options of the past, and these 13 boutiquey ‘nightgown’ dresses nail the look. Even better, our favorites start at only $4!
Nightgown dresses are defined by their dainty, boutique-like details, lightweight fabrics and loose silhouettes, plus occasional ruffles, florals and other luxe-looking embellishments. Whether you’re searching for a chic dress for errands, baby showers, summer vacations and beyond, these comfy picks have you covered.
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13 Nightgown Dresses — From $4
1. Our Favorite: Made with 100% cotton fabric, this floral midi dress is as breathable as it is chic. The ruffle neckline makes it extra special.
2. Cute and Crisp: Channel East Coast vibes in a preppy striped dress. Frilly straps add cutesy flair.
3. Bestseller Alert: Thousands of reviewers rave about this lace-embellished midi dress, specifically the fit, feel and dressy-casual versatility.
4. Miss Polished: When you want to look exceptionally put-together, this flutter-sleeve mini is an easy choice. Add sandals and go!
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5. Boutique Vibes: Dreamy and luxe, this $15 tank dress looks straight out of a Hamptons boutique. The tulip print is optional, but it’s a must-have for Us!
If you think getting your Free People fix requires trudging to the mall, think again. Amazon is overflowing with the brand’s boho best, including dresses, tops, pants, jeans and everything in between. Better yet, the most stylish pieces start at just $12! These chic wardrobe staples make every outfit look quietly luxe, whether you’re running […]
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6. Gingham Print: Even Kate Middleton is wearing gingham print this summer. Nail the look with this nap-ready number.
7. Like Loungewear: If you live in loungewear, you’ll adore this stretchy maxi that “feels like wearing nothing at all,” per one shopper.
8. Expensive Aesthetic: People will assume you dropped hundreds on Nordstrom’s relaxed-fitting maxi. Lace, pleats and crochet are just a few highlights.
9. Yacht Wife: This easy, laid-back mini dress radiates nautical energy, thanks to the coastal stripes and classic knee length.
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10. English Countryside: Elizabeth Bennet, is that you? Decorated with lace and roses, this billowy midi dress is incredibly romantic.
11. Colors Galore: From solid colors to understated prints and bold designs, this stylish dress suits every mood and moment.
12. Detail Person: Flower-shaped buttons, pink roses, a sale tag! This scoop-neck midi should cost triple, but we’re not complaining.
13. Sexy Satin: Dress up this silky mini dress with sandals and a clutch, or down with slippers and a glass of wine. You’ll stun regardless.
I’m on the record as being a very big fan of Solo: A Star Wars Story. While I still think Lucasfilm made a mistake by firing Lord and Miller (like, can you imagine the Spider-Verse guys directing a movie set in that galaxy far, far away?!), this is a very solid standalone film. Talented actors bring familiar characters like Han Solo and Lando Calrissian to vivid life. Additionally, the film introduces a colorful assortment of new characters, including the beautiful Qi’ra and the scheming Dryden Vos. However, none of the newbies are quite as entertaining as L3-37, the droid voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
The movie presents her as a kind of love interest for Lando, with dialogue hinting at a sexual relationship between them. As disturbing as it is to ponder the scoundrel having a living (non)Fleshlight, that’s not the most disturbing thing about this character. Towards the end of Solo, this plucky droid is uploaded into the Millennium Falcon’s computer, meaning she is technically part of the entire Original Trilogy and Sequel Trilogy. This retroactively ruins The Empire Strikes Back, making Lando seem like a heartless monster while forcing us to question if L3-37 nearly got our favorite heroes killed.
Bringing A Third Into The Cockpit
The revelation that L3-37 was part of the Millennium Falcon’s computer retroactively makes many events in the Original Trilogy kind of weird, in retrospect. For example, she was technically part of the Battle of Yavin. Remember when Han Solo showed up at the last minute and nearly got Darth Vader killed? If the Sith Lord had actually bitten the dust, L3-37 would have gotten the assist! She was also in the Falcon when Lando Calrissian led the attack against the second Death Star. That means that she and Wedge Antilles are basically the only living things to have fought against both Death Stars, landing them a place in the galaxy’s history books.
While all of that is pretty cool, L3-37’s presence in the Millennium Falcon’s computer arguably makes the events of The Empire Strikes Back much, much weirder. For example, we see Lando make no real effort to check in on his old flame despite knowing she is still in there (before you finish typing the comment: yes, he checks in on her in a short story, but we never see it onscreen, and 99 percent of fans will never read that book). This, combined with his gambling the ship away in the first place, makes him seem like a monster that never really cared about her in the first place.
The Most Important Droid In The Galaxy?
Additionally, L3-37 being in the Falcon retroactively makes our heroes’ hyperspace issues in the second Star Wars movie problematic. There are some cute moments, of course: when C-3PO gripes about the computer having an “appalling dialect,” we now know that Lando’s old droid was basically cussing him out. That’s funny, but it also implies that L3-37 was effectively hindering repairs to the ship that were necessary to help Han Solo, Leia Organa, and Chewbacca escape the Empire. Everyone loves a droid with some attitude (just ask Star Wars fans who love Chopper!), but it’s hard to root for L3-37 when she’s clapping back so hard that it nearly gets our heroes killed.
At any rate, this snarky droid gets multiple chances to redeem herself. In addition to helping with the attack on the second Death Star, she was part of the attack on Exegol that freed the galaxy, once and for all, from Emperor Palpatine. In this sense, it’s fair to say that she helped save countless lives throughout the entire galaxy far, far away. Forget all the pilots, Jedi, smugglers, and soldiers that we see onscreen. At the end of the day, the greatest hero in Star Wars just happens to be Lando Calrissian’s former sex toy!
Adam Sandler may have been legally prepared to marry Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, but their wedding guests initially believed his appearance at the altar was part of a comedy routine.
Jonathan Thomas, CEO of American Century Investments, attended the couple’s July 3 ceremony at Madison Square Garden and revealed that approximately 1,000 guests burst out laughing when Sandler made his entrance.
The laughter quickly disappeared as the comedian delivered a surprisingly emotional ceremony that reportedly included jokes, songs, marriage advice, and nearly an hour of personal vows from the bride and groom.
5Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA
Thomas recalled the unexpected moment during an appearance on “The Compound and Friends” podcast. “Adam Sandler officiated it,” Thomas told hosts Sean Russo and Downtown Josh Brown. “He came down, everybody laughed and thought it was a joke at first.”
Sandler had reportedly become legally ordained so he could marry Swift and Kelce, whom he befriended while working with the NFL star on “Happy Gilmore 2.”
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Once guests realized he was serious, Sandler spoke for approximately 20 to 30 minutes. “He actually spoke for 20 or 30 minutes, vacillated between funny, very sincere, [and] sang a few things,” Thomas explained.
The “50 First Dates” actor also modified a traditional line from the wedding vows to acknowledge the couple’s enormous financial success. “In your typical vows, the officiator says, ‘For rich or for poor,’ and he said, ‘You’re not going to have to worry about that,’” Thomas recalled.
Swift’s net worth has been estimated at approximately $2 billion, while Kelce has accumulated millions through his NFL career, endorsements, media projects, and business investments.
Beneath the jokes, Sandler reportedly delivered a straightforward message about maintaining affection throughout the marriage. “Kiss each other every day, in the morning, at night, after dinner, just kiss often,” Thomas recalled the actor telling Swift and Kelce. The advice reflected the balance Sandler brought to the ceremony: enough humor to keep the massive crowd entertained, but enough sincerity to match the significance of the moment.
Sandler has long spoken warmly about both newlyweds. He previously described Kelce as “gentle,” “nice,” and “funny as hell” after casting the Kansas City Chiefs star in “Happy Gilmore 2.” The comedian has also admitted that Swift’s music holds special meaning for his family. His daughters, Sadie and Sunny, are longtime fans, and he once revealed that the singer’s song “The Best Day” made his wife and children emotional.
Although Sandler’s entrance produced laughter, Kelce’s handwritten vows reportedly had a very different effect on the room. “Travis went first with his vows,” Thomas said. “He probably spoke for 30 minutes, and I don’t want to violate his privacy, but I was crying, which I was trying to hold back.”
Thomas said Kelce made himself “unbelievably vulnerable” as he addressed Swift.
The financial executive initially attempted to hide his emotions before realizing that many of the football players around him were also crying. “I look around, and there’s all these 300-pound men from the football business crying as well, so I felt really comfortable to let go,” he recalled. “It was very, very powerful.”
Swift followed with vows Thomas described as “poetic.” “She also wrote her own vows,” he said. “She probably spoke for 30 minutes, and it was poetic. It was really well done.”
Thomas characterized the overall ceremony as “very solemn, very sincere, very emotional,” despite the laughter caused by Sandler’s arrival.
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Madison Square Garden Was Transformed For The Reception
Following the ceremony, guests entered an elaborate reception space that Thomas said looked nothing like the famous Manhattan arena. “You would never guess you’re in Madison Square Garden the way they did it,” he explained.
Guests reportedly walked through a massive castle structure before reaching an area containing games, expensive giveaways, and a performance stage.
Swift initially sang with Paul McCartney before performing alongside Stevie Nicks. Other musicians reportedly joined the stage as the night continued. “Everyone in the entertainment industry, they just popped up onstage and sang songs,” Thomas recalled.
The dance floor was equally star-studded, with Thomas and his wife finding themselves near McCartney, Brad Pitt, Cindy Crawford, and numerous other high-profile guests.
Thomas said the newlyweds appeared to design the second half of the celebration around their guests rather than treating the reception as a performance solely focused on themselves. “They went over the top to make sure everybody had a great time,” he said.
The wedding reportedly cost tens of millions of dollars and included luxury gifts for attendees, although the final price has not been publicly confirmed.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs‘ twin daughters, Jessie and D’Lila Combs, are launching a new business, and they have no fears. In a new interview, the 19-year-old entrepreneurs explained why now was the perfect time to launch their new fashion line and why they were unafraid of their father’s legal woes weighing them down.
While speaking with Entertainment Tonight, the twin girls, whom Diddy had with the late Kim Porter, said they weren’t concerned that their dad’s ongoing legal woes would harm their business ventures. “Not at all,” they said confidently.
But why are D’Lila and Jessie so confident that their new fashion line will succeed despite their father being behind bars after being found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution?
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“Because people fail to realize that just because he’s our dad doesn’t mean—like his press is his own press,” D’Lila said. “Our press is our own press. Like people fail to understand that we are also individuals. Like it’s separate. So, I don’t have any fear.”
Diddy’s Daughters Said They Weren’t Letting Any Of The Negative Headlines Stop Them From Pursuing Their Dreams
In October 2025, Diddy’s federal trial concluded with a judge sentencing him to 50 months in federal prison.
His trial took place in the Federal District Court in Manhattan, and while the jury acquitted him of major racketeering and sex trafficking charges, they found him guilty on the lesser counts of transporting people for prostitution.
Although hearing that their dad would be imprisoned for a little over four years was hard, Jessie said that the news surrounding him wasn’t going to stop them from reaching for the stars.
“I just feel like we’ve never like allowed any of that to stop us,” she said. “Like we have to keep going. And it’s honestly just made us push and work harder because you know we we’re not going to stop.”
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Where Do Jessie And D’Lila Stand With Diddy Today Despite His Imprisonment?
And even though Diddy has been tucked away at FCI Fort Dix since last fall, the twins shared that they continue to have a wonderful relationship with him.
“We definitely are very close and he gives the best advice,” Jessie said. “He’s always going to be there and he’s always going to tell us the right answers. He’s literally like never wrong. Like everything that like he has told us about this, it’s been so helpful.”
Jessie also shed a little light on how their dad has been behind bars, stating that he’s been “very focused” on being a good person and being there for his family.
The Rapper’s Children Spoke To The Court
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Diddy’s children shared a similar message during a 2025 court hearing, per The Blast. Justin Combs called the “Finna Get Loose” rapper his “superhero” while pleading with the judge to give him a “second chance.”
“I can truly sincerely say he’s changed for the better,” Justin continued. “Your honor, I believe my dad still has so much more to give the world, but even more importantly, so much more to give his children.”
Diddy’s other son, Quincy Combs, echoed his brother’s statement, telling the judge that his dad had learned “a major lesson” throughout his legal woes. He went on to say that the 56-year-old had been “transformed” and would do better moving forward.
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Why Are The Twins Starting Their Fashion Line Now?
According to a previous report from The Blast, Jessie and D’Lila’s streetwear line, 12TWINTY1, is officially available for purchase. The line, which features both men’s and women’s clothing, includes hoodies, tanks, oversized tees, and more.
In their latest interview, the teenagers revealed why now was the right time for them to launch their products after dreaming of this day for “many, many years.”
“Now is the time because we’re becoming adults. So now, yes, actually, now is the time because we’re 19-years-old. We’re not in high school anymore. We’re becoming young women. We’re becoming our own individuals,” D’Lila shared.
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