There are so many Stephen King adaptations now that it’s easy for even the good ones to get lost in the shuffle. Between blockbuster films, miniseries, and streaming originals, King’s name has become almost its own genre. But while many adaptations focus on recreating his monsters or most famous plots, one series quietly succeeded by doing something much harder: understanding why his horror works in the first place.

When Castle Rock premiered on Hulu in 2018, it didn’t adapt a single novel. Instead, it built an original story using King’s fictional Maine setting and the mythology surrounding places like Shawshank Prison. What makes it stand out isn’t just its connections to King lore, but how effectively it captures the emotional and psychological horror that defines his best stories. Rather than relying on constant shocks or elaborate mythology, Castle Rock succeeds because it understands something many modern horror shows forget: the scariest thing in a King story usually isn’t the monster. It’s the damage people were already carrying before the monster arrived.

‘Castle Rock’ Makes Its Setting Feel Like the Real Villain

Image via Hulu

One of King’s greatest strengths has always been his ability to make a place feel alive, and not in a comforting way. Towns like Derry and Castle Rock feel infected by history, tragedy, and cycles of violence stretching back decades. From the moment Henry Deaver (André Holland) returns to his hometown after a mysterious inmate at Shawshank asks specifically for him, the show builds dread through atmosphere rather than spectacle. Nothing feels safe. Every location carries emotional weight, whether it’s Henry’s childhood home, the prison looming over the town, or streets filled with people who remember things he would rather forget.

What makes this approach effective is restraint. The series doesn’t rush to explain what’s wrong with Castle Rock. Instead, it allows unease to build through character interactions and small details. Conversations feel loaded with past conflicts, relationships feel strained by things left unsaid, and even before the supernatural elements fully emerge, the town already feels broken. Even Bill Skarsgård’s mysterious prisoner, known only as The Kid, isn’t treated like a traditional horror villain. He’s frightening, but the real tension comes from how his presence affects everyone else. As suspicion spreads, people begin acting in ways that suggest the town itself might be amplifying the worst parts of them. That’s King storytelling. Evil isn’t always an invading force; sometimes it feels like something a place has been quietly cultivating for years.

Related

Stephen King’s Supernatural Small-Town Series Is Finally Available To Watch for Free 10 Years Later

Rewatching this horror series feels like returning to a place you didn’t realize you missed.

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The Show’s Best Horror Comes From Emotional Trauma

What elevates Castle Rock above many horror shows is how grounded it keeps its characters. Everyone feels shaped by personal history rather than just plot mechanics. Henry’s return isn’t just about solving a mystery, it’s about confronting a childhood filled with suspicion and unanswered questions. Melanie Lynskey’s Molly Strand could have been a simple psychic trope, but the show instead frames her sensitivity as something exhausting and isolating. This focus on emotional realism gives the horror real weight. The characters are reacting through layers of grief, guilt, addiction, and fear they were already dealing with.

No episode demonstrates this better than Season 1’s standout installment, “The Queen,” centered on Sissy Spacek’s Ruth Deaver. Instead of relying on traditional horror structure, the episode places viewers inside Ruth’s fractured experience of dementia. Time shifts unpredictably, memories bleed into the present, and moments of clarity disappear without warning. The horror comes from watching someone struggle to trust their own mind. It’s a perfect example of what Castle Rock does differently. Instead of using trauma as backstory, it makes trauma part of the horror itself. The fear doesn’t just come from what might happen, but from what has already happened and how it continues to shape these people.

‘Castle Rock’ Proves Horror Doesn’t Need All the Answers

Image via Hulu

Another reason Castle Rock remains underrated is one of its biggest strengths: it refuses to overexplain its mysteries. Modern genre television often feels pressured to answer everything. Viewers expect detailed explanations of how every supernatural element works. But King’s best stories often leave room for interpretation, and Castle Rock follows that tradition. The show understands that not knowing is often more disturbing than certainty. This helps the series avoid a common trap where mystery eventually turns into exposition. Instead of building toward a clean explanation, Castle Rock builds toward emotional consequences. The question becomes less about what is happening and more about what it’s doing to the people involved.

That ambiguity helps the series linger after it ends. Rather than feeling like a puzzle solved, it feels like a story that continues beyond the final episode. That’s why Castle Rock remains one of the most interesting King television projects of the past decade. Not because it references his work, but because it understands his philosophy. His horror isn’t just about monsters: it’s about how fear reshapes people and how sometimes the most disturbing realization is that the darkness may have been there all along.

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Release Date

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2018 – 2019-00-00

Showrunner

Dustin Thomason

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Directors

Dustin Thomason

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Writers

Dustin Thomason

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If your skin isn’t quite giving ‘spring-ready’ yet, same! Winter has a way of leaving behind dryness, dullness and texture that just won’t smooth out, no matter how much lotion you layer on. The good news? A simple swap in your routine can make all the difference — and it starts with a quality body cream.

Enter Augustinus Bader’s Geranium Rose Body Cream, a multi-award-winning formula that takes your body care routine from basic to downright luxurious. Powered by the brand’s signature TFC8 (Trigger Factor Complex) technology, it helps support skin renewal over time for smoother, firmer, more radiant results. It also doesn’t hurt that the brand is backed by a bunch of celebrities, including Jennifer Aniston and Margot Robbie, who are longtime fans of its iconic Rich Cream.

Get The Geranium Rose Body Cream for $200 at Augustinus Bader!

Unlike your typical lotion, this formula doesn’t just sit on the surface, and you can feel a difference almost immediately. The rich, ultra-conditioning texture melts into skin, helping improve elasticity while visibly smoothing the look of cellulite and stretch marks over time. Instead of that temporary ‘just moisturized’ effect, you get a more refined, even-looking finish that actually lasts.

It’s also working overtime behind the scenes. The deeply hydrating formula locks in moisture for a plump, bounce-back feel while supporting a stronger, healthier-looking skin barrier with consistent use. Over time, skin feels softer, looks more supple and takes on that subtle, lit-from-within glow that doesn’t require layering on oils or shimmer.

And then there’s the sensorial element that makes this cream feel like more than just another step in your routine. The geranium and rose blend is fresh, soft, calming and just noticeable enough to feel elevated. It turns a quick post-shower step into something you actually look forward to, and layers beautifully with your favorite body oil or fragrance.

If you’re showing a little more skin this season (as in, swapping knits for breezy dresses, skirts and lighter layers), this rose body cream is the upgrade that makes everything look better. While it rings in at $200, the combination of visible results, celeb fanbase and that elevated, spa-like experience makes it feel like a worth-it splurge.

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Melissa Gilbert is breaking her silence regarding the multiple child sex abuse charges against her husband Timothy Busfield in an upcoming interview, where the long-time actress doubles down on her support for him following his January arrest.

Gilbert has maintained her husband’s innocence throughout his arrest, detainment, release pending trial, and ultimate indictment for allegedly abusing two minor boys while directing Fox’s “The Cleaning Lady.”

Melissa Gilbert Voices Unwavering Support For Husband Timothy Busfield In Upcoming ‘GMA’ Interview

On Monday, April 6, ABC will air Gilbert’s sit-down interview with George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning America,” but a first-look exclusive from PEOPLE shows the “Little House on the Prairie” star coming to husband Busfield’s defense.

“This has been the most traumatizing experience of our lives,” Gilbert tells Stephanopoulos before noting how Busfield’s arrest has forever changed their lives.

“Our life as we knew it is done,” she admits. “We are grieving what we had — all of our plans, all of our dreams, all of our ideas, all of our projects.”

“For Tim, it’s done,” Gilbert continues in the clip, as she stands firm in her defense of him. “He’s canceled. Even if he’s exonerated, he will always be that guy. [He’s] the last person in the world who would hurt a child. And believe me, if I thought for a second that Tim Busfield hurt a child, he’d have a lot more to worry about than prison.”

Gilbert is accompanied in the interview alongside Busfield’s attorney Larry Stein.

Gilbert Previously Addressed Her Supporters On Social Media In February 2026 Following Busfield’s Indictment

The actress marked her return to her company, Modern Prairie, with a video posted to Instagram on February 16, where she thanked her fans.

“As many of you know, I stepped away for a little while to focus on my family,” Gilbert said. “It was time I needed — time to be present, to tend to what matters most and to gather my strength in a season that has not been easy.”

“Family is everything to me, and during this incredibly difficult time, I leaned into that truth fully,” she continued before thanking her supporters.

“But something else carried me too: You did. This extraordinary community at Modern Prairie, you wrapped me in love. Even when I was quiet, I felt your prayers, I felt your encouragement, I felt your steady presence,” Gilbert continued.

She also stressed that returning to the company does not mean that she is taking her family’s legal troubles lightly.

“Coming back to work does not change my commitment or my resolve to the journey that lies ahead for my family — that remains steadfast, that remains my heart,” Gilbert said.

“But it is important for me to step back into this work. It strengthens my mindset, it gives me purpose, it reminds me of who I am beyond hard days,” she added.

The Actress Was One Of Multiple Celebrities Who Wrote Letter Of Support Prior To Busfield’s Jail Release

During the court proceedings to determine whether or not Busfield would be released from jail, Gilbert was visibly emotional as she sat alongside family members at the hearing.

Once the judge announced his decision to release Busfield from custody with restrictions, the actress was seen clasping her hands together and saying, “Thank you, God.”

Ahead of the hearing, Gilbert and some of Busfield’s former co-stars all wrote letters of support for him, with her written declaration pleading with the judge to protect him while in custody.

“I know Tim better and more intimately than anything in his life ever has,” Gilbert’s letter read, while emphasizing that he has the “strongest moral compass of any human I have ever known…He starts every day with kindness and compassion.”

“Please, please, take care of my sweet husband. As he is my protector, I am his, but I cannot protect him now, and I think that, more than anything else, is what is truly breaking my heart. I am relying on you to protect him for me,” she continued.

Timothy Busfield’s Trial Date Has Been Confirmed

According to PEOPLE, on March 11, via his criminal defense attorney Amber Fayerberg, it was confirmed that Timothy Busfield will formally stand trial beginning in May 2027. 

The court proceedings are reportedly set to last for three weeks and will be held in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, courtroom of Judge Joseph Montano.

Busfield has been out of jail since January pending trial, and is currently back home with his wife, actress Melissa Gilbert, who has publicly defended him since the allegations were revealed.

The ‘Thirtysomething’ Star Was Indicted On Multiple Felony Count In January 2026

Busfield was indicted by the Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child, which are all classified as third-degree felonies.

“As with all criminal proceedings, Mr. Busfield is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law,” Bregman said via statement following the indictment announcement. “This case will proceed through the judicial process and is expected to move forward to trial.”

“The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office remains committed to doing everything possible to protect children and ensure justice for victims across New Mexico,” the statement added.

Kody Brown continues to gather the curiosity of the Sister Wives fans, especially when it comes to his marriage with Robyn Brown, both on and off the TLC screen. But what really leaves fans scratching their heads are the people who continue to turn to him for his words of wisdom on marriage advice.

One of the latest questions asked of Kody is how he keeps his last Sister Wives marriage alive. Many fans chimed in to suggest he is more of an authority on killing a marriage, but this didn’t stop him from offering up advice.

Sister Wives: Kody Brown Holds Robyn Brown On High?

Just when Sister Wives fans think you have heard it all from Kody Brown regarding his marriage to Robyn Brown, another eyeopener comes from the man sporting ringlets. Meri Brown, Janelle Brown, and Christine Brown-Woolley seem wiped out of his history while he talks about Robyn as his one and only soul mate these days.

Kody goes as far as to share with fans that he prays to Robyn, and he has learned that marriage means he needs to “serve” the only wife he has left. But it doesn’t sound as if this means bringing Robyn breakfast in bed.

Instead, this Sister Wives husband makes the comparison of serving her much like he serves God. This is what Kody said as he gave insight into his marriage during one of his latest Cameo productions. He shared this little diddy as just one of his strategies after he was asked about marriage advice.

Kody Looks Into the Mirror: Strategy for a Good Marriage?

Kody claims his “90 years of marriage experience” like a badge of honor as he speaks into the camera. Apparently he adds up each year he spent with all four Sister Wives ladies to come up with that number.

The guy is only 57 years old, so he can’t claim a 90-year marriage. But instead he counts the years that each wife gave him in their individual marriages.

Kody also said that “through 30 years of life selection,” he ended up with who he calls “the best woman that I know in the world.” This leads to another habit that Kody shared.

Apparently, to pump himself after an argument, he looks in the mirror to repeat how he loves himself. This traditionally happens after a rift with Robyn or their kids.

So does standing in front of the mirror saying “I love you” to himself give him the fuel to swallow his anger and proceed about life in the Kody-Robyn household?

Sister Wives: Take Stock During Anniversaries

On their wedding anniversary each year, Kody and Robyn take stock in their marriage. They look for what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong. Then they project how to fix things going forward.

So, Kody and Robyn’s anniversary sounds more like a probe than a celebration, but that comes from Kody’s perspective. Robyn doesn’t weigh in on what her Sister Wives’ husband has to say. This Cameo was all Kody’s advice.

So, it now sounds like Kody Brown worships the only Sister Wives’ bride who is left today. Or at least this is what he said during the marriage advice he gave. He explains how he does this in order to keep his marriage alive. But again, people are buzzing online about Kody passing out advice on keeping a marriage strong. They find it hard to accept as good advice, considering his track record on his TLC series.

Head back to Soap Dirt for the latest buzz on Sister Wives.

By Jennifer Asencio
| Published 27 seconds ago

Recently, animator Barry Caldwell died, less than a week before the newest trailer for the live-action version of one of his many well-known projects: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. It is perhaps ironic that the trailer should so closely follow his death, as it is a reminder of his impact on our culture.

And boy, does the trailer have impact. Movies based on or around toy lines or video games tend to be transparent cash grabs and thus really horrible, with a few notable exceptions. Street Fighter leaned into its camp and both Silent Hill and Resident Evil managed to capture the survival horror of their settings quite well. Even the Sonic the Hedgehog movies embrace their cartoonishness to stand out as halfway decent adaptations. Meanwhile, repeated attempts to make a good Super Mario Brothers movie haven’t always won over fans, and the Jem movie, based on another Hasbro line, failed entirely by abandoning its source material.

Masters of the Universe appears as though it may not only join the ranks of the successful adaptations but potentially surpass them. The trailer shows us not only an Adam on a dreary Earth, but the consequences of both his exile and return. Sent away by his parents as Skeletor ravages Eternia, he works in an office but is a sci-fi nerd who is always conscious of his roots.

To top it off, he is the prince of the land he was sent away from, so his return has consequence to its people. Reunited with the Sword of Power, he is picked up by canon character Teela and brought back to an Eternia that has been ravaged and razed. His parents are prisoners, and it looks like his populace is a little skeptical of him. He knows that the weight of saving his planet rests on his shoulders. Is he ready to take on the challenge of defeating Skeletor and his evil minions?

Top-Tier Worldbuilding

The trailer treats us to magical transformations and really exciting fights with Adam in full He-Man form, answering that question rather quickly and giving us what we want to see in a He-Man movie: the titular hero fighting the terrifying sorcerer and his witchy sidekick, Evilyn in the fantasy setting it was written in, not here on Earth, which we see every time we open our eyes. This is augmented by the science fiction technology that was also a huge part of the fantasy setting, including space ships, laser guns, and mechanized weapons.

Even ravaged, Eternia looks awesome, with the CGI well-rendered and not cartoony, like an Avatar movie. We see all the sites: Castle Greyskull, the home of He-Man ally Sorceress, the lair of Skeletor, the sweeping capitol, and various vistas of Eternia’s mountains, plains, and forests. While there may be scenes on Earth, it feels like this is a story of Adam’s homecoming, and therefore it embraces Eternia as surely as Adam is its prince.

The characters are also largely spot-on. Cringer, Adam’s companion and steed whose alter ego is Battle Cat when the prince is He-Man, looks a lot better than he did in the original trailer, and makes a comical appearance in lieu of the MGM Lion in the production credit (MGM and Amazon produced the movie).

Teela looks exactly right, especially once she is in full costume with her hair swept up in her crown. Even Duncan Man-at-Arms, who is played by Idris Elba in a casting move that has caused some complaints, is in perfect costume, and Elba does justice to the grizzled warrior as he gives Adam advice about being a man.

A Trailer That Will Channel Your Inner Barbarian

The only one of the heroes from the cartoon that I haven’t seen in the trailers yet is the floating tiny wizard Orko, who as the comic relief of the show. Given how much attention has been given to the rest of the production, I suspect we may yet see him. After all, there are many special effects creatures in the trailer, including an alien Adam can’t identify. Even Sorceress appears, but you’ll only spot her if you’re “eagle-eyed” (hint, hint!).

Jared Leto is buried under a lot of makeup as Skeletor, giving the monstrous dictator a menacing look that is only more enticing in this new trailer. Unlike his cartoon counterpart or his portrayal by Frank Langella in the 1987 campy live action version with Dolph Lundgren, Jared Leto’s Skeletor is a frightening presence on the screen, his glowing red eyes evidence of his evil. Speaking of evil, Alison Brie as Evilyn is dressed to kill, even if she doesn’t quite look the part as much as Meg Foster did in 1987.

I went from being a bit unsure about the direction the movie was taking to being very excited about it because of this trailer. The other trailer made some hints that it was either embracing the “modern audience” or skewering it with the masculinity inherent in a character named “He-Man” (whose mundane identity’s name also means “man”), but with shots of He-Man in his full barbarian-style garb, it is clear that the movie isn’t shying away from its hero. It is actually starting to look like a real live-action version of the cartoon we grew up with in the 80s, and it looks like it’s not just a cynical artifact cashing in on nostalgia, but a truly great tribute to a memorable character and his world.

Masters of the Universe will be released in theaters on June 5, 2026. Take The Power and mark the date!

By Robert Scucci
| Published 1 hour ago

Have you ever watched Memento and thought to yourself, “I wish there was a crappier version of this film that makes no sense?” Well, your search is over, because 2014’s Before I Go to Sleep is streaming on Netflix. It’s billed as a psychological thriller, and technically it is, but it completely falls apart under scrutiny if you watch it for more than five seconds and have an IQ higher than the average goldfish.

It’s not the talent involved either. Before I Go to Sleep is adequately acted, and it looks fine. There are even some pretty neat flashback sequences. There’s nothing wrong with the cinematography, but the cast and crew alone can’t save a screenplay like this. You can’t act your way out of a premise so profoundly stupid that it requires four ibuprofen and a cool, dark room to recover from. The movie’s about amnesia, but unfortunately, I remember watching it, so I might as well talk about it.

Like Memento But Without The Drama, Mystery, Tension, Or Smart Hooks

Here’s the story that Before I Go to Sleep tries to tell. Christine Lucas (Nicole Kidman) has amnesia. Every day, her husband Ben (Colin Firth) gives her a 50 First Dates crash course on her identity, their relationship, her injury, and her memory loss. Meanwhile, another man named Mike Nasch (Mark Strong), who claims to be her psychologist, calls her daily to remind her that she’s keeping a record of her thoughts on a camera hidden in a shoebox in her closet. Every day, Christine wakes up, forgets what happened the day before, and repeats the cycle.

Christine has been living like this for 14 years. It’s only when the movie begins that all of this suddenly becomes a problem. She starts remembering her old friend Claire (Ann-Marie Duff), who gives her a crash course on what her life has been like since the accident. Through these increasingly preposterous encounters, Christine learns that she had a son with Ben. She also learns that Ben divorced her at some point, yet she’s still living with him. On top of that, Mike may not be entirely truthful, even though he’s the one who encouraged her to document everything in the first place. Smells like red herring to me. 

Falls Apart During The First Act

What’s most perplexing about Before I Go to Sleep is how long Christine has been living like this without any meaningful intervention. She has no recollection of anything before her accident each time she wakes up. She should never be left alone to her own devices because she has a severe cognitive disability. The friends she reconnects with are way too casual about everything, as if hearing from someone out of the blue years after their traumatic brain injury is totally normal.

I understand that someone like Claire may have had repeated encounters with Christine and is playing along to avoid upsetting her, but that’s not what’s being implied here. Everything is far too convenient, with all signs pointing to the fact that somebody is up to something, which we learn through Christine’s flashbacks. The problem is that these flashbacks aren’t reliable, and they’re clearly being influenced by manipulative sources.

If you’re wondering who the manipulative source is, try the one living with her who has clearly been controlling the narrative from the opening scene onward. I’d say spoiler alert, but if you’ve seen even a couple psychological thrillers, you’ll know exactly how this ends before the opening credits finish rolling.

Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, and Mark Strong do about as well as they can with what they’re given. But if I’m being honest, you’re better off huffing paint, watching 50 First Dates and Memento on two separate screens, and trying to piece them together every time you regain consciousness. It’s basically the same experience.

As of this writing, Before I Go to Sleep is streaming on Netflix.

By Jennifer Asencio
| Updated 45 seconds ago

The wait is over. After years of anticipation, Backrooms is finally here. The first trailer was dropped on March 31, 2026, and the surreal dimension audiences were introduced to in the amateur web series is finally coming into its own. The A24 production was directed by none other than Kane Pixels himself, Kane Parsons.

When Parsons filmed his masterpiece web series, he was a 17-year-old high school student with an experimental eye behind the camera. The Backrooms (Found Footage) follows a young filmmaker as he wanders into another dimension consisting of a labyrinth of rooms in a yellow-walled institutional setting. His work was noticed by Atomic Monster, the studio of horror great James Wan, director of The Conjuring movies and the Insidious franchise. Parsons still isn’t old enough to pop champagne at his movie’s premiere, but his maturity as a director is sure to excite fans of the web series.

Lost In Labyrinth

In the trailer for Backrooms, Chiwetel Ejiofor, known for playing Baron Mondo in the Doctor Strange movies, stars as Clark, an employee in a furniture showroom who one night finds a strange opening in the store’s basement. He passes through the opening and finds the very same dimension that is Parsons’s trademark, yellow walls and all. As he wanders around a little, strange events happen.

This makes him determined to study this strange alternate universe. He recruits some friends and gathers some camera gear, and the group begins its exploration. However, there is a young lady he speaks to that seems to be either a friend or a therapist, and when she stumbles upon the rooms without Clark’s knowledge, she may never come back.

At least, this is what I have gathered from watching the trailer. The script, written by Parsons and Will Soodik, has been kept under wraps since the movie was first announced. It appears to take place in the past (prior rumors said the 1990s), and IMDb doesn’t have a lot of information beyond the name of Ejiofor’s character and some production credits.

What we have been shown is exciting because it draws upon almost everything fans loved about the web series. It will feature found footage in the form of the explorations of Clark and his friends. The vast office complex that makes up the setting is adorned with surreal imagery like strangely stacked furniture and objects sunken into walls. Some of the characters show up in radiation gear. Somehow, between the yellow walls and the varying sizes of the rooms, passages, and hallways, the titular setting is both massive and claustrophobic at once, making it very unsettling.

A Deeply Unsettling Exploration

The whole movie seems to echo the trajectory of Parsons’s career so far: an eagerness to explore combined with an optimism for what Clark might find, while presenting a frightening and solitary menace for anyone who dares enter alone. Parsons began with that eagerness and is now getting to explore the world of cinema that he entered when he posted the original anthology on YouTube, with all the optimism of a kid who got his first directing contract before he even graduated high school.

If Backrooms maintains the tone set by Kane Pixels, it could draw new fans. If it manages to use the resources offered to Parsons by support from a professional studio, it could turn a teenager’s vision into the hottest new horror franchise. The trailer hints that it at least accomplishes the tone. Now to see if it can exceed expectations.

Get lost in Backrooms, in theaters on May 29, 2026.

Prime Video might be having its moment, but it definitely has its misses. The streaming platform introduced the world to the depravity that is The Boys and the all-around justice of Reacher. Certain shows have made an impression on critics, earning Emmys for titles like Fallout and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. But every so often, some shows just don’t bode well over time.

That isn’t to say they’ve grown increasingly unpopular. On the contrary, some have become ultimate fan favorites. Still, as these shows progress, they increasingly lack substance or simply rub people the wrong way. Whether it’s behind-the-scenes drama or reductive writing, these shows might not have stood the test of time. Without further ado, here are the Prime Video shows that have aged like milk.

‘Expats’ (2024)

Image via Prime Video

With a title like Expats, it’s not surprising that the miniseries portrays a particular social bubble in a foreign country. In a vaguely similar Lost in Translation fashion, Expats follows the lives of wealthy American expatriates living in Hong Kong. Albeit their luxurious apartments and exclusive social gatherings, these expats share an existential crisis, which evolves into a thriller-like tragedy involving the main character’s son. Although the show is about feeling like a fish out of water, it doesn’t bode well for its supporting characters—mainly the domestic workers—or for the aestheticization of Hong Kong’s real-life problems.

Domestic helpers make up a big aspect of the plot, but their stories exist only in relation to the expatriate families they work for. It fails to integrate challenges like Hong Kong’s problematic domestic worker system, which has long been imbued with inequality. It doesn’t help that the show was produced during the height of the protests surrounding the Hong Kong National Security Law, where 300 people were arrested, and 45 activists were sentenced. Its out-of-touchness comes from both inside and out.

‘Good Omens’ (2019–Present)

Image via Prime Video

First premiering in 2019, Good Omens won the hearts of audiences with its frenemy-led duo that’s as old as time: the demon Crowley (David Tennant) and the angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen), as they work together to stop Armageddon and track down the Antichrist. On top of all that, they have to beat the living lights out of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Because of its contemporary adaptation of religious references, Good Omens feels like a relatable show despite its grand divine interventions.

Good Omens was only one season short of concluding its story. However, allegations against its creator, Neil Gaiman, temporarily halted production in September 2024. The author was accused of “sexual misconduct by eight women,” to which Gaiman responded by claiming he was the victim of a “smear campaign.” A month later, he exited the project. In the aftermath, the usual six-episode order for Season 3 was drastically reduced to a single 90-minute episode, set for release in May 2026.

‘Swarm’ (2023)

Image via Prime Video

Stan culture takes a sinister turn in Swarm. A young woman, Dre (Dominique Fishback), spends her days obsessing over a Beyoncé-like pop star named Ni’jah (Nirine S. Brown) and her Beyhive-style fandom. Her fixation consumes her life, and her love for Ni’jah spirals into full-blown worship. Fandom culture becomes Dre’s vehicle for releasing her innate psychotic rage, shaped by a traumatic past that includes her foster sister. From attacking stans who criticize Ni’jah to breaking into her concert just to catch a glimpse of the pop star, Dre knows no limits.

The problem with Swarm lies in how Dre is written. While parasocial relationships can lead to dangerous obsession, the series reduces her to a one-dimensional figure, with violence overshadowing the trauma that drives her. This risks reinforcing the “violent Black woman” trope. Donald Glover‘s direction to play Dre “like an animal and less like a person” further strips her of nuance, distancing her from the grief of losing her foster sister—ultimately weakening the show’s exploration of fandom and trauma.

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ (2022–Present)

Image via Prime Video

Fans of The Lord of the Rings expected nothing but the best from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Set in the Second Age, the show is meant to explore the forging of the rings and the alliance between Elves and Men. However, putting aside the notorious review-bombing, the prequel series fails to deliver substantial storylines, attempting to cover every part of the lore while lacking depth in all of them.

There’s a noticeable imbalance between the arcs of Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo), or Sauron (Charlie Vickers) and Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), compared to characters like Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin) and Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova), who are given far less spotlight than they were in Season 1. Other behind-the-scenes issues Rings of Power has faced stem from its decision to cast non-white actors, which has rubbed some stubborn fans the wrong way due to accusations of “wokeness.” For a series whose Season 1 cost approximately $465 million in production fees alone, it has struggled to retain viewers.

‘Sausage Party: Foodtopia’ (2024–Present)

Image via Prime Video

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There can only be so many food puns. Sausage Party: Foodtopia takes place directly in the aftermath of the original 2016 film, Sausage Party. The main difference is that, in the film, these comically alive food characters question the purpose of their existence when they realize that humans are buying them for consumption, prompting the four main characters (or foods) to convince everyone at Shopwell’s supermarket to save themselves and get rid of the humans.

Season 1 of Foodtopia shows promise with an interesting premise: how does one rebuild society following the “demise” of the human race? With the food’s fragility (they can’t survive under rain or crows), they have to reconnect with a human willing to work with them. Season 1 manages this political questioning while keeping the comedy fresh. However, Season 2 shifts into outdated jokes, from the Will Smith Oscars slap to Oprah‘s giveaway. There’s only so much nostalgia this comedy can take.

‘Beast Games’ (2024–Present)

Image via Prime Video

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Nothing screams “concerning” more than a reality competition show inspired by Squid Game. Worse still, this isn’t the first time it’s been done. Back in 2023, Squid Game: The Challenge was under fire due to the conditions contestants were put under, with several requiring medical attention. Squid Game is meant to be fiction and fiction only, but YouTuber MrBeast, who is notoriously famous for his outlandish, algorithm-driven videos, decided to move forward with Beast Games.

The point of Squid Game is to highlight the dangers of capitalism and how the top one percent is responsible for the suffering of the working class. This critique becomes muddled with Beast Games, where the idea of winning money at any cost is aggressively celebrated. However, even before the show aired, five contestants filed a lawsuit against YouTube and Amazon. According to the lawsuit, contestants cited “dangerous circumstances and conditions as a condition of their employment.”

‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ (2022–2025)

One shouldn’t expect proper dating advice from a show like The Summer I Turned Pretty. The show begins with the tried-and-true foundation of nearly every romantic drama: the love triangle. Only this time, there are two brothers and their childhood best friend involved. With their summers spent at the Cape Cod-inspired Cousins Beach, The Summer I Turned Pretty becomes a show where dreamers escape into blissful salty air, white sandy beaches, and the promise of an unforgettable first kiss.

Throughout its three seasons, this love triangle becomes the core of The Summer I Turned Pretty. One way the show sustains that conflict is by introducing unnecessary drama the moment things seem calm. The problem is that many of these issues could be resolved with better communication and smaller egos. It may feel cute in Season 1, but by Season 3, the constant back-and-forth between the two brothers becomes repetitive and increasingly tiring to watch.

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The Summer I Turned Pretty

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Release Date

2022 – 2025-00-00

Network

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Prime Video

Directors

Erica Dunton, Jesse Peretz, Jeff Chan

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  Lola Tung

  Isabel ‘Belly’ Conklin

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  Christopher Briney

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  Conrad Fisher

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