Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for Lanterns Episode 1.

HBO’s Lanterns has finally arrived with a premiere that could have major ramifications for James Gunn‘s wider DCU. Before getting to that, however, the show’s first episode introduces viewers to the characters who will be leading this particular story — and, in terms of the genre, think neo-Western detective drama, only if said detectives had access to a green power ring that could conjure anything within the boundaries of their own imagination.

Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) is globally known as the Green Lantern when the series first introduces him, kicking around as the protector of Earth decades before Superman (David Corenswet) shows up, but by 2016, he’s fully aware of the fact that the Guardians of the Universe, who are in charge of the Green Lantern Corps, are teeing up his potential replacement. John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) is a relatively green (no pun intended) recruit with greater ambitions of wearing the ring himself one day, but his straight-laced demeanor clashes with Hal’s untraditional approach to training.

When the two are unexpectedly thrown into a murder investigation in Rushville, Nebraska — a town that Hal has a personal connection to — it leads them down a path to an even bigger and darker conspiracy with little in the way of reassuring answers. But if you thought that was the entirety of Lanterns‘ plot, think again. The final moments of the premiere jump ahead a decade to 2026, where John is summoned back to Rushville by local sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) and makes a shocking discovery there: Hal Jordan, dead by a single gunshot to the head.

Ahead of the Lanterns premiere, Collider had the opportunity to speak with several members of the show’s cast and creative team, including co-creators Damon Lindelof and Tom King. Below, the co-writers of Episode 1 reveal which comic book runs had the biggest influence on the show and where Lanterns sits in terms of the greater DCU continuity, and also share a message for fans who might be shocked and maybe even a little upset about Hal’s apparent demise.

COLLIDER: This is obviously rooted in a lot of comic book lore, but I think the show itself is telling a really interesting and unique story, and I was curious about whether there were any ways you wanted to intentionally embrace the comic inspirations for the viewers — whether that’s narrative choices, stylistic choices, anything along those lines?

DAMON LINDELOF: I’ll let you dive in because, normally, I’m the most comic booky person in the room, but I have this rare experience to not be.

TOM KING: It was always important to constantly be like, we’re not just making a cop show where they happen to wear rings. This is a show about Green Lanterns in a cop show, with me always going back to the source material and to the thousands of men and women who have made this material and love this material, and what they loved about it and what made it shine, from when Green Lantern’s first concept was created in 1942 to when Hal came on in the early ‘60s, to when John came along in the ‘70s, and then looking back at that stuff. So, you see it running through the whole thing.

John’s origin story is deeply tied to his first appearance by Neal Adams and Dennis O’Neil. I think Kyle [Chandler]’s sort of brilliant, bravura performance is very much tied to that Gil Kane, John Broome, Silver Age, 1960s optimism, but then bringing something new to it, something that only you can do on TV and be like, this is not just a comic book brought to life — this is a TV show that exists to be an incredible TV show.

Part of that’s just personal, working with Chris [Mundy] and Damon, who have grown up in this medium and know how this medium works, and know how, when you turn on a TV show, you’re inviting another family into your room, and they’re sitting on the couch with you, and making that essential to the heart of it, too.

Damon Lindelof and Tom King Explain Where ‘Lanterns’ Sits in the DCU’s Overall Timeline

“We had to accommodate and make sure that everything kind of fit together…”

Image via HBO

[Lanterns] exists in its own space, but there are ties to the greater DC universe here and there, and the show establishes that Hal has been the Green Lantern for a while when we’re first introduced to these characters. What were those conversations like with James [Gunn] about how this fits into the overall timeline that they’re creating?

LINDELOF: I’ll answer it, even though the story starts with Tom. James and Peter [Safran], when they first took over at DC, they brought together a brain trust of comics writers, television writers, film writers, people that they trusted, to kind of begin to iterate what their vision was, and the projects that would relate from that. But all of that was already happening after James had written the Superman script, in which Guy Gardner was Green Lantern. And so, I think in the body of that meeting, Tom first pitched True Detective with Green Lanterns — and, very specifically, Hal and John in some sort of a buddy cop, Training Day, “I’m showing you the ropes” kind of scenario. So, all of that predated me coming in.

But clearly, as soon as I heard it, my question was some version of, I think, yours, which is like, “Well, if Guy is the Green Lantern of Earth, then where is Hal? Why aren’t they talking about him?” And James was like, “What do you think? The sky’s the limit.” And we very quickly started iterating. “Well, Hal’s probably still alive, so maybe he’s retired. Or, wait a minute, is he alive? And what about John? Don’t we want John to be Earth’s Green Lantern? He’s so cool.”

So all of those conversations organically started to kind of come around the spirit of, “How do we understand that in the present day of the DCU, the one that Superman is kind of a backdoor pilot for?” And James really, when he and Peter took over, [was] saying, “We’re not doing origin stories, we’re going to hit the ground running. This is a fully baked world, and Clark and Lois are already a thing, and the Justice Gang, people know who Mister Terrific is and who Guy Gardner is and who Lex Luthor is. And then you have the Peacemaker universe, as well, which was kind of up and running. I think the second season of Peacemaker had already been largely written when we started — at least, you were telling me about it…

KING: Yeah, Creature Commandos, Peacemaker, and Superman.

LINDELOF: …when we were starting in the Lanterns room. So, we had to accommodate and make sure that everything kind of fit together, but I would also say that once James and Peter heard our pitch on how we were going to answer these questions, they were super-duper excited. And to some degree, under Chris’s leadership, we were siloed, but at the same time, DC was constantly reading all of our material, weighing in. Really, a positive creative partnership, but they kind of let us cook, as it related to who was going to end up with the ring at the end of our season.

‘Lanterns’ Co-Creators Want Fans To Keep Watching After Episode 1’s Brutal Cliffhanger

“I think we’re willing to absorb the boos from the audience in the first inning, as long as we still have a shot at winning the game.”

Image via HBO

To bring it back to the Hal of it all, I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring up the way the premiere ends, with a moment that I think is going to surprise some viewers. I know we can’t get into how everything is going to wrap up, but what I will ask is whether there’s any reassurance you can offer fans who might be confused, or maybe a little upset, by that particular story choice and how it’s going to play out throughout the season.

LINDELOF: Well, I’ve had no experience with the fans being upset with me or confused by anything that I’ve ever done, so that’ll be a first, and I’ll just have to kind of learn the ropes.

KING: I feel like you just admitted to not opening my emails.

LINDELOF: [Laughs] And you haven’t been through that either.

KING: No, no, no, never.

LINDELOF: In all seriousness, the first thing [is] that Tom and I looked at each other when we were even kicking around the idea of killing Hal, and we were like, “We can’t do that. Everyone’s going to hate us. It feels gimmicky.” But Mundy actually was like, “I don’t think that it does feel gimmicky. I think that it will actually infuse the entire story with a lot of emotionality, especially if the audience understands that John and Hal were not in a good place at the time that Hal died.” Traditionally, in comic books, my understanding is that these characters can’t die. But if we’re doing something that’s supposed to be grounded, maybe this is something that we have to do? Then we’re like, “Yeah, but we’re still going to get blamed for it!”

But we gradually started coming around to it. And I think because we were so reluctant to do it and because we’re fans, and at the same time, we get our turn to run with the baton of these amazing characters, but also just as fans, Hal means something to us, too. So, we basically started reframing the question in terms of, yes, on Sunday night, are we willing to acknowledge that a lot of people are going to be angry, that if we were watching this and not making it, that we would be saying, “I waited this long for another live-action version of Hal, having not gotten him since the Ryan Reynolds film, and then basically 50 minutes after getting me to fall in love with Kyle Chandler, you’re killing him off? Fuck you.”

I guess our feeling is, let’s see how you feel at the end of Episode 8, and if you still feel like it was exploitative or unnecessary, or that it wasn’t exactly what had to happen in order for this story to get told, then we deserve it. But I think we’re willing to absorb the boos from the audience in the first inning, as long as we still have a shot at winning the game.

KING: Yeah. And I’m with the audience here. Like, I love Hal. I adore that character.

LINDELOF: I love Hal, too!

KING: I adored writing him. I don’t know if you’ve met Kyle Chandler. He’s fairly charming.

LINDELOF: He’s very charming.

KING: He’s absolutely wonderful. And I was the guy who turned off the show after the Red Wedding and was like, “Never again!” And so, I have been there. I may have even yelled at the television over Lost once or twice.

LINDELOF: Reasonable.

KING: But yeah, this is a show that we’re trying to make as close to reality, and sometimes you lose the things you love, and sometimes the stakes are that high in reality, and they’re supposed to be that high in our show. So, as much as I love that and making a show that’s about the real world, that’s about our loves and our losses, we have to write about the losses. The love and the loss are both part of this story.

New episodes of Lanterns premiere Sundays on HBO and HBO Max.

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Lanterns

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Release Date

August 16, 2026

Network

HBO

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Hayden Panettiere, the beloved actress who entertained audiences across television and film for over three decades, has died at the age of 36. Over the course of her too-brief career, she played Heroes‘ “save the cheerleader, save the world” Claire Bennett and Kirby Reed in the Scream franchise, and voiced Kairi in the video game series Kingdom Hearts.

Born on August 21, 1989, Panettiere had her first on-screen acting role before she was a year old, in a Playskool TV ad. She landed her first major roles in soap operas, including One Life to Live and Guiding Light, and went on to appear on series like Ally McBeal, Malcolm in the Middle, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and films like Remember the Titans and Racing Stripes. She became a household name when she debuted as Claire Bennett on the superhero serial Heroes, becoming the show’s breakout character.

That fame translated into big-screen roles, including Bring It On: All Or Nothing, I Love You Beth Cooper, and the tomboyish Kirby Reed in the slasher sequel Scream 4, which became one of her most iconic roles. After Heroes‘ conclusion, she starred in the country music drama Nashville as rising star Juliette Barnes. She was also a noted voice actress, playing Princess Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life and lending her voice to the hit video game series Kingdom Hearts and the acclaimed horror game Until Dawn.

Panettiere took a lengthy hiatus from acting following the birth of her daughter, amid struggles with addiction and postpartum depression. In recent years, Panettiere reprised her role as Kirby in Scream and Scream VI. Her final screen role was the thriller Sleepwalker, which was released earlier this year.

Panettiere was a devoted activist for a number of causes, including environmentalism, preventing spousal abuse, and statehood for Washington D.C. Her representatives shared a statement following her death: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.” No cause of death has yet been given. Panettiere was predeceased by her brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, who died at age 28 in 2023, and is survived by her daughter. Collider extends our sympathies to Panettiere’s friends and family.

Ariana Grande made her Wicked fans’ dreams come true when she brought costar Cynthia Erivo onstage for her nearly-complete tour.

While in London for the Sunday, August 16, stop of her Eternal Sunshine Tour, Grande, 33, belted out the lyrics to Wicked’s “For Good” beside Erivo, 39, per fan footage.

Variety reported that Grande and Erivo, who starred in the films as Glinda and Elphaba, also sang “Happy Days.”

Grande is currently across the pond for the final shows of her successful Eternal Sunshine Tour, promoting her seventh studio album of the same name. The shows are set to conclude after 10 dates at London’s O2 Arena on September 1.

Related: Ariana Grande Credits Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo for Helping ‘Heal’ Her

Ariana Grande credits her Wicked costar Cynthia Erivo with helping her to “heal certain parts” of herself. Grande, 31, and Erivo, 37, spoke about their friendship in an interview with The New York Times that was published on Wednesday, November 6. “I feel really inspired by her fierce ability to be truthful and protect herself,” […]

Grande is preparing to take a step back from the public eye at the conclusion of her tour and amid ongoing concern for and scrutiny over her body size, weight and perceived health.

“Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour,” a rep for Grande told People in a statement earlier this month. “She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny.”

The message continued, “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

Due to her public hiatus, Grande is no longer appearing in the West End revival of Sunday in the Park With George, where she was starring opposite Wicked costar Jonathan Bailey. Grande, for her part, addressed the news while onstage in Chicago earlier this month.

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Related: Cynthia Erivo Addresses Protecting Ariana Grande From Fan at Premiere

Cynthia Erivo has spoken out after her quick defense of Ariana Grande during a fan encounter at the Singapore premiere of Wicked: For Good. “I wasn’t really thinking,” Erivo, 38, told Today on Thursday, November 20. “I just wanted to make sure my friend was safe.” While Erivo and Grande, 32, walked the red carpet […]

“Sometimes when a story comes out that’s not directly from me, things can get a little blown out of proportion, so I just wanted to speak to my fans directly tonight, because I love you so much,” she said. “The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing. It is something that I had decided, a plan I had quietly made a long time ago, and it’s a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place.”

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Grande debunked fan theories that “‘negativity’ was ruining things for me,” adding, “I want you to know that many things can be true at the same time. Boundaries can need to be set, human beings can need a break sometimes, and also, this can be and will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional career.”

She continued, “No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will be able to distort my reality or be more real to me or not as real to me than this love that we share and how it feels to make art with people that I love and respect. Absolutely nothing will change that.”

For Grande, her tour has been “the most healing, beautiful, corrective, magnificent, special experience of my life.”

Back in the day, sitcoms had a certain vibe. A je ne sais quoi that, even today, has a timeless element to it. Perhaps it was the situational storytelling week after week or the energy stemming from the live studio audience. Whatever it was, there’s a reason why classic sitcoms continue to be our go-to when we need a pick-me-up.

Many of the sitcoms of yore inspired many of the shows of today. Perhaps it was a leading lady who broke the mold of what a female comedian could be. Maybe it was proving the strength and unity of a solid ensemble cast. Or possibly it was creating a universe so farfetched that it opened up our imaginations to laugh. Whatever it may be, if you’re looking to do your sitcom history, these iconic classic sitcoms must be watched once in your life.

‘Three’s Company’ (1977–1984)

Image via ABC

Now, listen. You have to consider the times in which many of these shows were created before judging them through a completely modern lens. The premise of Three’s Company may be a tad unconventional and politically incorrect today, but in the late ’70s, when there was still a stigma regarding sexual liberation and sexuality in general, it made for a hilarious concept for a sitcom. The story followed three single roommates, Jack Tripper (John Ritter), Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt), and Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers), as they put up a ruse that Jack is gay, as the complex’s owners, Stanley and Helen Roper (Norman Fell and Audra Lindley), will only allow the three of them to stay on the belief that Jack was gay. In reality, he was a Lothario. Through hilarious hijinks and fantastical farces, when you heard the lyrics, “Come and knock on our door,” being sung, you instantly knew that comedy was indeed waiting for you.

Three’s Company may seem “tame” to today’s audience, but at the time, when many sitcoms were family-oriented, it was verging on adult content. Homosexuality was often used as a punchline, but being an out gay man was not as accepted and liberating as it is today. Additionally, when it came to the female characters, especially the trio of blondes, including Jenilee Harrison as Cindy Snow and Priscilla Barnes as Terri Alden after Somers’ departure from the series, the ditzy “dumb blonde” archetype reigned supreme.

With Ritter and DeWitt remaining with the series from start to finish, the other major casting change was when the Ropers departed for their own spin-off and were replaced by Don Knotts as the new building manager, Ralph Furley. There are essentially two iterations of Three’s Company, so if you’re looking to start somewhere, the series is best known for its time when Knotts and Ritter graced the screen together. If there’s one thing to take away from Three’s Company, it’s the exceptional physical comedy by Ritter. This was a generation of sitcoms where watching a man fling himself about was comedy gold. And Ritter made it look effortless.

‘The Facts of Life’ (1979–1988)

Image via NBC

Now, while we may not be here to talk about the all-time greatest sitcom theme songs, I assure you that if we were, The Facts of Life would be high atop the list. “You take the good. You take the bad. You take them both, and there you have the facts of life.” So profound, and so apropos to the show. Initially a spin-off of Diff’rent Strokes, The Facts of Life followed Charlotte Rae‘s Mrs. Edna Garrett as she became the housemother of Eastland School, an all-girls boarding school. Throughout the series, Mrs. Garrett would be on hand, giving her girls life advice as they grew up and dealt with every social and personal issue imaginable.

Now, once again, times were different. You may often hear of shows swapping out actors, characters, or stories following the filming of a pilot, but The Facts of Life went an entire season before shifting gears and shrinking the cast. Before the iconic quartet of Tootie (Kim Fields), Blair (Lisa Whelchel), Natalie (Mindy Cohn), and Jo (Nancy McKeon), The Facts of Life had a much larger ensemble cast, which included a young Molly Ringwald. Not only did it end up being the best decision for the series, but it also opened up the window for greater stories to be told. The care that the series took when it came to the complexity of challenging issues spoke to the generation watching. There was no topic The Facts of Life was unafraid to tackle. Because of its sentimentality towards social issues while celebrating adolescent friendship, The Facts of Life is necessary viewing.

‘The Jeffersons’ (1975–1985)

Image via CBS

It took quite some time before visibility and representation were “movin’ on up” toward the top of the television charts. Not since Amos ‘N’ Andy had television had a sitcom that featured Black actors in leading roles. A year after Good Times debuted came The Jeffersons. The sitcom was historic in the ’70s as it celebrated the portrayal of a successful African American family, something that, at that time, was uncommon on-screen. Using it as the basis for laughs, The Jeffersons followed Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) and her husband George (Sherman Hemsley), as they moved on up from Queens to Manhattan to a “deluxe apartment in the sky.” Along with their black maid Florence (Marla Gibbs), and their neighbors Tom and Helen Willis (Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker), the show was a non-stop laugh fest that changed television history in the process.

A spin-off of All in the Family, The Jeffersons evolved into a long-running classic sitcom all while touching on extremely topical stories ranging from interracial marriage, racism, and being transgender. The show was also one of many to repopularize old-style ethnic humor. Though marred by controversy during its ten-year run for its occasional dips and laps, falling into stereotypical tropes, The Jeffersons opened the door for future Black-led sitcoms, thanks to their willingness to be unconventional.

‘All in the Family’ (1971–1979)

Image via CBS

It’s no secret that Norman Lear was a genius when it came to creating everlasting sitcoms. Arguably, one of his greatest, if not the most successful, was All in the Family. Revolving around a working-class family, the series was one of the most influential for its use of tackling complex issues head-on, something unheard of on mainstream network television at that time. Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor) is an outspoken, narrow-minded, prejudiced “against everyone not like him” man who is married to the sweet and understanding Edith (Jean Stapleton), whom he treats dismissively. Their daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers), is a feminist, married to Michael (Rob Reiner), who emulates the counterculture of the ’60s. The series watches as the two couples clash through a battle of the generations.

Archie Bunker is a monumental character because he represented many viewers, while also becoming the representation of something other viewers couldn’t stand. By tackling things like racism and the Vietnam War through a comedic tone and multiple perspectives, it opened up the opportunity for viewers to have real-life conversations. When discussing historic television moments, many people point right to Sammy Davis Jr.’s appearance when he kisses Archie. The series was a cultural phenomenon. You can head to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and see Archie and Edith’s chairs on display. Of course, we simply cannot neglect the impact the series has had on modern television. Just look at the Family Guy theme. It references All in the Family!

‘Gilligan’s Island’ (1964–1967)

Image via CBS

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While most series on this list live in a realistic realm, Gilligan’s Island took viewers on a comedic journey to a place a bit more far-fetched. Gilligan’s Island tells the tale of seven castaways’ struggle to survive on an island when their boat is shipwrecked. With a company of clashing personalities, hilarious antics, and the plight of unsuccessful attempts at escape, Gilligan’s Island allowed you to sit right back and be glad you were not them!

So, who were the stranded seven? The show’s theme song told you straight away! You had Gilligan (Bob Denver), Captain Jonas Grumby the Skipper (Alan Hale Jr.), Thurston Howell (Jim Backus), a millionaire, and his wife, Lovey Howell (Natalie Schafer), Ginger Grant (Tina Louise), a movie star, the professor Roy Hinkley (Russell Johnson), and Mary Ann (Dawn Wells), who didn’t get a moniker in the lyrics, simply her name.

The series was known for its running gags of using everyday items in ridiculous manners, dream sequences, and a cavalcade of guest stars. The series eventually spawned board games, trading cards, pinball machines, and the never-ending debate between Ginger and Mary Ann. Even having solid ratings during its initial run, Gilligan’s Island has seen even more popularity during its run in syndication. Thanks, Nick at Nite and TV Land! Fun fact: the first season of Gilligan’s Island was originally filmed in black and white, only to be colorized for syndication. Another fun fact: During the rise of reality television, TBS attempted to mash up Gilligan’s Island with Survivor to create The Real Gilligan’s Island. The show watched as individuals competed on a remote island while portraying one of the archetypes of the original series. Shockingly, it did last for two seasons.

‘Cheers’ (1982–1993)

Image via NBC

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and that place is Cheers. As one of the most successful shows of the ’80s, the Boston-based sitcom showcased the nightly haunt of the barflies and employees of the titular bar. Spanning 11 seasons, Cheers was one of those shows built upon a solid ensemble cast. Featuring the likes of Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Perlman, George Wendt, John Ratzenberger, Kelsey Grammer, Woody Harrelson, and Kirstie Alley, among others, Cheers became the show in which you truly felt part of the gang.

Not only was it a ratings juggernaut, but it was also one of the most highly decorated sitcoms of its time. Though it was less likely to move the needle on topical themes, Cheers was one of those shows you watched for extraordinary characters with stories that were long-lasting. There was the will-they-won’t-they romance of Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long). You had best friends, Norm (Geroge Wendt) and Cliff (John Ratzenberger), reminding you why best friends rule. Carla (Rhea Perlman) hilariously battled with anyone who crossed her path. The list goes on, but it’s safe to say that Cheers was a well-crafted, character-driven series.

‘The Golden Girls’ (1985–1992)

Many sitcoms tend to focus on the same blueprint. Whether it be office-based shows or family-focused comedies, it was hard to break the mold when the formula was already working. Then came The Golden Girls. Not only was it a fully female-led series, it focused on women of a certain age. As one of the most beloved series of all time, The Golden Girls was groundbreaking, giving four established actresses yet another notch on their already strong resumes. Celebrating the “golden years” through humor, friendship, and cheesecake, The Golden Girls followed divorcee Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur), her retirement home-escapee Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty), and the widowed Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan) and Rose Nylund (Betty White).

Though many were devastated by the ending of the original series, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia did live on through a brief spin-off, The Golden Palace. Even adding the likes of Don Cheadle and Cheech Marin couldn’t give it more than a season of life. That being said, The Golden Palace is sometimes aired during the main show’s airing in syndication. Nevertheless, The Golden Girls has lived on through syndication, merchandise, and restaurant pop-ups. Turn on the TV at almost any hour, there will likely be one network playing an episode.

‘The Brady Bunch’ (1969–1974)

Image via ABC

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There is absolutely no other classic sitcom that has had such a stronghold quite like The Brady Bunch. Even as a family-focused sitcom, The Brady Bunch was quite unique as it celebrated the modern blended family. The Brady Bunch was the story of a lovely lady named Carol (Florence Henderson), who was bringing up three very lovely girls, Marcia (Maureen McCormick), Jan (Eve Plumb), and Cindy (Susan Olsen) and a man named Mike Brady (Robert Reed), who was busy with three boys of his own, Greg (Barry WIlliams), Peter (Christopher Knight), and Bobby (Mike Lookinland). Oh, and don’t forget the absolutely iconic housekeeper Alice (Ann B. Davis).

Through five seasons, a few spin-offs, reunion films, and some satirical theatrical films in the ’90s, The Brady Bunch has truly lived rent-free in our nostalgia. The series was known for some iconic quotes, memorable performances, and dreams of living life in the iconic Brady house, all while maintaining scandal-free and family-friendly entertainment. The series was groundbreaking for the time, which included the visual of Mike and Carol’s sleeping arrangement. Another show that has survived for generations through syndication, The Brady Bunch‘s impact on American pop culture is unfounded.

‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ (1970–1977)

Image via CBS

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They say that laughter is the best medicine. I can attest to that. A few years ago, I was suffering from a nerve issue in my back that prevented me from having full mobility to walk. During that year, I needed some mindless activity to help distract me from the pain, and I discovered The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Little did I know, I was in store for a binge-watch that I wish I could experience for the first time again. The Mary Tyler Moore Show is one of the greatest sitcoms ever written. Led by Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Richards, the series was a groundbreaking sitcom that gave a divorced, independent, working woman the power to be a central character on a show.

Following Mary’s time working at WJM alongside the likes of her boss, Lou Grant (Ed Asner), and her home life, featuring her upstairs neighbor, Rhoda Morgenstern (Valerie Harper) and landlady Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman), The Mary Tyler Moore Show was more than a workplace series; it was a revolution. The ensemble-driven series was expertly performed as they navigated through Mary’s life. The characters were so brilliant that three of them were even given their own spin-offs.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show truly changed television, as it was a liberating show that happened to be sophisticated and timely. The conversations that were had throughout its run were done so with humor and gravitas. It was a pioneering female-led series that continues to inspire other women in comedy. When I tell you this show is truly a laugh-out-loud sitcom, I mean it.

‘I Love Lucy’ (1951–1957)

Image via CBS

On October 15, 1951, television history was made when CBS debuted I Love Lucy. Groundbreaking may not be a strong enough term to express how I Love Lucy changed the entertainment industry. Lucille Ball was a star before she had the opportunity to prove to the network that they needed a show starring her and her husband, Desi Arnaz. Taking a chance on the pair, history was made. While there are incredible stories about the production of the series, the background behind the show was truly meant for film. If it weren’t for Ball, many of our favorite funny women today wouldn’t exist.

I Love Lucy followed Lucy and her bandleader husband, Ricky Ricardo, and their best friends, Fred and Ethel Mertz (William Frawley and Vivian Vance). Whether it was finding herself in hilarious situations or watching the husband and wife’s antics, I Love Lucy was non-stop comedy. But it was also pioneering. Ball was the first woman to appear pregnant on network television. It was one of the first series to be filmed in Los Angeles and to be filmed before a live studio audience. And many of its scenes have been replicated and paid homage to throughout history. The candy factory alone could top a list of the greatest sitcom moments. If you love sitcoms, you must start here.

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I Love Lucy

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Release Date

1951 – 1957-00-00

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Directors

William Asher, Marc Daniels

Writers

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Bob Carroll Jr., Madelyn Pugh, Bob Schiller, Jess Oppenheimer, Bob Weiskopf

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  Lucille Ball

  Lucy Ricardo

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As far as supernatural TV shows go, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the most beloved and well-known. Premiering in the late ’90s, the show brought powerful female protagonist Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) to the forefront of mainstream television and allowed her to take the reins of her own story. To this day, Buffy remains one of the most influential characters ever created. Her strength, style, and sense of humor blend to create an unforgettable heroine. While many shows have tried to replicate the lightning-in-a-bottle effect that Buffy the Vampire Slayer captured during its run, none have come quite as close as the supernatural Western series Wynonna Earp. In fact, if you find yourself missing Buffy and the rest of the Scooby Gang’s shenanigans, Wynonna Earp is your next ideal binge-watch.

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Wynonna Earp’ Follow Similar Plots

It’s easy to compare Buffy the Vampire Slayer to any supernatural series with a prominent female main character, but Wynonna Earp actually shares enough plot similarities with Buffy to make it a fitting modern-day companion piece. Buffy the Vampire Slayer follows Buffy, a teenage girl who is deemed “the chosen one,” or, more fittingly, “the Slayer.” It’s explained that in every generation, one girl is chosen by fate to battle demons, vampires, and other dark entities in an effort to keep the world safe from evil.

Wynonna Earp follows the titular Wynonna Earp (Melanie Scrofano), the great-great-granddaughter of the legendary Wyatt Earp. On her 27th birthday, she returns to her hometown and inherits a power that has been passed down through generations of Earps. Her role is to return revenants – the reincarnated outlaws killed by Wyatt Earp – to Hell. Accompanied by her sister and her great-great-grandfather’s immortal best friend, Doc Holliday, Wynonna attempts to keep the revenants from taking over the world.

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Wynonna Earp’ Have Similar Structures

Both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Wynonna Earp follow “monster-of-the-week” arcs, meaning each episode focuses on a different villain. However, there is usually a larger storyline that unfolds throughout each season before being wrapped up in the finale. This format is common in television, especially in supernatural shows. Popular series like Charmed, The X-Files, and Supernatural have all embraced the format, delivering eerie villains who appear for a single episode to wreak havoc on the main characters. Given that Buffy is the Slayer, this format was a no-brainer for the show, and Wynonna Earp adapts it just as well, introducing creative demons ready to be taken down all over again.

But don’t worry about needing to know the Wyatt Earp lore to understand and enjoy Wynonna Earp. Much like in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the setting is practically a character in itself, helping to fill in many of the narrative blanks. In Buffy, the town of Sunnydale sits on the Hellmouth, making it a hotspot for supernatural activity. This is a major plot point from the beginning to the end of the show, since there is quite literally no escaping it. Similarly, Wynonna Earp’s setting of Purgatory has a deep-rooted history that goes all the way back to Wynonna’s great-great-grandfather. Because of this, the show frequently reveals details about the past and explores Wynonna’s struggle with the feeling that her family’s legacy is haunting her, making the story accessible even to viewers who aren’t well versed in the history of Wyatt Earp.

‘Wynonna Earp’ Is the Modern-Day ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’

Image via Tubi

The shows’ biggest difference is the ages of their protagonists: Buffy is a teenager when her series begins, while Wynonna is already an adult. Despite this age gap, they share many of the same struggles and apprehensions. Throughout Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s run, Buffy struggles with her fate as the Slayer while still trying to find herself as a young woman and make the most of her youth. Meanwhile, despite being older than Buffy, Wynonna finds it difficult to accept the fate handed down to her by her ancestors. Both struggle to make personal sacrifices and accept their “chosen one” status, and throughout their respective series, they grapple with their roles before slowly learning to embrace them.

There is also the obvious difference in genres: Wynonna Earp is a supernatural Western, whereas Buffy the Vampire Slayer is more of a supernatural coming-of-age series with a much more comedic tone. But those differences are part of what makes the shows such great companion pieces. So, if you’re a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan who has been looking for a series that captures the same feeling, Wynonna Earp may be exactly what you’ve been craving.

Wynonna Earp is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

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Release Date

2016 – 2021-00-00

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Network

SyFy, Space, CTV Sci-Fi Channel

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Showrunner

emily andras

Directors

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Ron Murphy, April Mullen, Brett Sullivan, Grant Harvey, Peter Stebbings, Jem Garrard

Writers

Caitlin D. Fryers

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Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio is honoring his late friend and former Real World costar Tyler Duckworth after the reality TV star’s shocking death at age 44.

“You were more than a friend. More than a roommate. You were the brother I never had,” the MTV reality star wrote via Instagram on Sunday, August 14, along a video montage accompanied by Johnny playing guitar and singing a song for his late friend.

“Rest easy, Tyler,” the caption continued. “You’ll always be family. 147:3.”

Johnny’s “147:3” is seemingly a reference to the Christian Biblical passage from Psalm 147:3, which the NIV version reads, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Related: ‘The Challenge’ Stars React to Tyler Duckworth’s Death at Age 44

The Challenge family is honoring former contestant Tyler Duckworth after his death was confirmed by his family. “My son, Tyler, passed away earlier this week. Cause of death has yet to be determined,” Joni Duckworth wrote via Facebook on Thursday, August 13. “I will post on Facebook about services as soon as his dad and […]

A spokesperson for the Grand Forks Police Department confirmed to Us on Friday, August 14, that Duckworth was found dead in his apartment days earlier on Tuesday, August 11, after his downstairs neighbor complained of water coming through their ceiling.

The Challenge alum was seen just one day before his body was discovered in his apartment bathroom. Authorities report no signs of foul play or indicators Duckworth died under suspicious circumstances were initially located at the scene.

According to authorities, Duckworth’s cause of death is “pending the results of an autopsy.” A toxicology report will also be conducted, which can take between 10 and 12 weeks. The North Dakota State Forensic Examiner’s Office confirmed to Us that the case “will take at least 90 days for the full investigation to be completed.”

Days after Duckworth’s shocking death, his mother, Jodi Duckworth, broke her silence, telling People her son was her “Ty-Guy” who would “skip to school when he was little.”

“He has now gone to a better place where the hurts and challenges (pun intended) are no longer,” she added at the time. “Tyler found his passion in teaching, and he was good at it. I understand his students loved him. He taught world history. He loved history and geography, and as he had traveled the world over, I am sure he brought many insights to his students.”

Tyler made his MTV debut on The Real World: Key West in 2006 shortly after graduating from Tufts University. He went on to compete on six seasons of The Challenge, often alongside fellow star Johnny Bananas, which filmed all around the world.

“To all of Tyler’s friends and fans — God bless you for loving my Ty-Guy,” Jodi concluded.

Related: Celebrity Deaths of 2026: New York Yankees Icon Tommy John, More

Hollywood mourned the deaths of some of its most legendary stars in 2026. In June, legendary music executive Clive Davis also died at age 94 following a hospitalization for an upper respiratory infection. The following month, G.R.L. member Lauren Bennett died at age 37, while Bonnie Tyler died at 75. Emergency!‘s Randolph Mantooth and Police […]

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Jodi reiterated that a cause of death for her son has yet to be determined, before promising her fans that she would post updates as she receives them.

“Cause of death has yet to be determined,” she confirmed at the time. She later shared information about her son’s celebration of life.

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“Tyler’s funeral will be on Sat. August 22. It will be held at Augustana Lutheran Church located at 520 University Ave. in Grand Forks, ND. Visitation will be at 1:00, with the funeral taking place at 2:00,” she shared via Facebook. “After the service a reception will be held at the church. Those who choose to can join us to socialize at a restaurant/bar that will be determined. I want to thank everyone for their beautiful messages.”

In the wake of Tyler’s death, MTV shared a tribute to the longtime reality TV star.

“We are heartbroken by the loss of Tyler Duckworth, a beloved member of The Real World and The Challenge family,” MTV said in a statement via Instagram. “He will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are with Tyler’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time❤️.”

Since first debuting over 10 years ago, Stranger Things has been nothing short of an absolute game-changer for Netflix. The series may not have been the streamer’s first TV hit, but it was the first original title for Netflix that truly became a global phenomenon. It broke numerous records over the course of five seasons and has cemented itself as perhaps the most iconic show in Netflix’s history. Now, it’s breaking new ground with a release that many fans feared wouldn’t ever arrive.

This summer, Arrow Video released the complete Stranger Things series on Blu-ray and 4K UHD for the first time. For several years now, Netflix has avoided physical media almost entirely, save for a few exceptions. Even the titles that do manage to get some kind of physical release are usually movies, as TV moves further away from the box-set days of old. Well, now that we’ve seen what the Stranger Things complete series from Arrow looks like, it feels like a new standard has been set for streaming shows, and hopefully a lot of other titles will follow suit.

‘Stranger Things’ 4K Set Is a Must for Fans

Image courtesy of Arrow Video

If you’re not familiar with the folks over at Arrow Video, they are some of the very best around when it comes to physical media releases. Arrow is a name you can trust, much like Criterion or Kino Lorber. So when Arrow announced that it would be partnering with Netflix and the Duffer Brothers for a Stranger Things 4K release, it was music to the ears of fans.

What’s even better is Arrow and the Stranger Things team easily met expectations — and in some ways totally surpassed them. The discs themselves, as expected, look absolutely phenomenal. You may not know it if you’re not a big physical media person, but watching a 4K disc and streaming the same thing with a 4K subscription don’t often result in the same picture quality. Streaming compresses the images quite a bit, so even the 4K version doesn’t often look as great as it should. This Stranger Things 4K release shows you just how vast that difference can be.

Stranger Things is a show that utilizes a lot of darkness, and often brings in bolder neon lighting to create a sharp contrast. On Netflix, the darkness of Stranger Things can be overwhelming at times, and even a little difficult to see without the image being severely brightened up. When the bold and bright colors come in, the contrast gets fuzzy and loses quality. The 4K discs solve those problems and make Stranger Things look better than it ever has before.

So much of the first season of Stranger Things takes place in darkness, and it looks incredibly sharp on these discs. There’s also a great amount of detail and contrast that appears in Season 4’s iconic “Running Up that Hill” scene that you don’t really get when you watch it on streaming. It’s Eddie’s big guitar showdown at the end of the season, however, that really highlights just how much we were missing watching the show on streaming.

‘Stranger Things’ 4K Set

Image via Netflix

Arrow Video released Stranger Things on both 4K and Blu-ray formats, and each format got both a standard release and a limited edition box-set. There’s no difference in the picture or sound quality between the regular and limited editions, so if the show itself is the only thing you care about, the standard release is absolutely worth it.

The limited edition, however, goes above and beyond for collectors. In addition to its exclusive artwork and individual season slipcovers, the Stranger Things set comes in a sleek box that looks great on the shelf. Other odds and ends packed inside the box include an exclusive Hellfire Club dice, reversible posters, exclusive art cards, stickers, writings from the filmmakers, and more. It’s a treasure trove for fans, reminding us just how enjoyable these physical media releases can actually be.

Lots of Special Features

One of the other added benefits of getting physical formats for these shows is the ability to show off a lot of the behind-the-scenes content that isn’t on a platform like Netflix. All five seasons of Stranger Things have an entire disc dedicated to special features, giving us access to interviews, featurettes, and documentaries that take us deeper into the Upside Down than ever before. Watching the features, you can quite literally experience the cast growing up before your eyes.

This is the kind of release that TV fans have been begging to make a comeback, and Stranger Things is the kind of hit that will drive a lot of fans to buy copies. Fortunately, the set delivers in every possible way, setting a new standard for physical TV editions. Here’s to hoping more are on the way.

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Release Date

2016 – 2025-00-00

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Network

Netflix

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Directors

Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz

Writers

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Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock

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For Susie Evans, freezing her eggs was an especially emotional experience.

“When I started my injections, I knew I was going to vlog the process, but I was coming off of a really tough week,” Susie, 32, said in a Friday, August 14, YouTube video, introducing the footage from her procedure. “I was super emotional. My little sister was diagnosed with cancer last year, and earlier that week, she FaceTimed me [when] she had shaved her head from chemo.”

As the Bachelor Nation alum prepared to begin her fertility injections, she also internally faced persistent anxiety.

“I was battling with this anxiety of, ‘Am I a good enough sister? Am I a good enough daughter?’ [I was] feeling guilt for living so far away,” Susie said of settling in California away from her family’s native Virginia. “All of these overwhelming thoughts and feelings [were] creeping into my head. ‘What am I doing with my life? Should I be in L.A.? Am I doing the right thing? Am I ever going to find somebody here?’ I was just dealing with so much stuff.”

Related: Bachelor Nation’s Susie Evans Starts ‘Very Emotional’ Egg-Freezing Journey

Bachelor Nation alum Susie Evans is getting candid about her fertility journey as she prepares to freeze her eggs. “I officially started hormone injections in preparation for my egg retrieval in about two weeks,” Evans, 32, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, May 2, sharing footage of one of her pre-procedure injections. “Yesterday was very emotional […]

Despite the emotional toll, Susie still feels that she made the correct — and personal — decision to freeze her eggs.

“[For] someone like me who wants to be a mom [and] I dream of having a family someday, but I’m 32 going on 33 pretty soon,” she said. “That’s not to say that five years from now, I’m not going to have a totally natural, healthy pregnancy without having to use these eggs. You never know what’s in store for you, but the thing that I love about it is that it’s taking control of what you can, right now.”

Susie continued, “I know that my eggs are going to be the youngest, the healthiest, most pristine that they’ll ever be. So, why not get a batch of them put aside in case I need them in the future?”

Related: Celebrities Who’ve Opened Up About Freezing Their Eggs

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Over the years, celebrities have opened up about freezing their eggs — including medical and personal reasons for taking control of their fertility. “Doing ovarian reserve is important for me, because I’m fortunate enough to have that as an option,” Halsey said during an April 2018 The Doctors appearance, noting she made her choice after […]

Susie announced in May that she was beginning the process of freezing her eggs, which involved introducing an influx of hormones into the body to trigger the ovaries to release eggs.

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“I officially started hormone injections in preparation for my egg retrieval in about two weeks,” she captioned Instagram footage of the process. “Yesterday was very emotional for me starting the medication. I felt a combination of fear, sadness and immense gratitude for the science that makes this possible and for the opportunity to freeze my eggs.”

Susie noted that she decided to go through the egg-freezing journey because she’s “still figuring out the marriage and kids chapter” of her future.

“I look at the life I’ve built and the blessing of having the option to freeze my eggs and I feel incredibly grateful,” she stated at the time. “So without further ado, let’s get these eggs on ice, y’all!!!”

Social media users are reeling from the tragic, sudden loss of Hollywood staple Hayden Panettiere. The actress, best known for roles in classic productions like “Remember the Titans,” “Bring It On,” “Nashville,” and more, passed away at age 36. While the details surrounding her unfortunate passing remain unknown, her fans are honoring her life and legacy.

A representative for the beloved actress recently confirmed that the mother of one died at 36, according to The Blast.

“She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” the rep said.

Her father, Skip Panettiere, told ABC News that the family has requested privacy as they take time “to process this unimaginable loss.”

Hayden Panettiere’s Fans Have Flooded Her Last Instagram Post With Heartwarming Messages

Panettiere was last active on Instagram in July 2026, posting a picture of herself with director and podcaster Randall Slavin. The post now has over 5,000 comments, many in the last hour, featuring tributes to the late actress.

“This is the most shocking news. I remember seeing one of your first roles in Remember the Titans. Loved your work in Heroes as well. Rest easy and may god be with you, Hayden,” someone posted, while another wrote, “My stomach hurts. I’m trying to understand this. Like dude no.”

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Another user reflected on Panettiere’s extensive career, which began in the ’90s, praising her for essentially raising a generation of young adults. “I hope she’s at peace; she deserved so much better from this world,” they posted.

This is a developing story…

Elizabeth Olsen and husband Robbie Arnett don’t like to show off their romance — in fact, the couple have taken serious steps over the years to stay out of the public eye.

Speaking with Harper’s Bazaar in 2018, the WandaVision actress, who doesn’t have a social media presence, explained that when she did use the apps, she never felt comfortable with personal posts. “Every day I think I should delete it,” she told the outlet.”I find myself putting something private up there and I think, ‘This is stupid, why did I do that? I should delete it immediately.’”

Olsen stayed true to that idea when it came to her relationship with indie pop musician Arnett, as the pair have remained relatively quiet about the timeline of their romance since first meeting in 2017 while vacationing in Mexico.

Olsen reportedly moved pretty fast with the Milo Greene musician, as they were instantly taken with each other, taking their relationship public in August 2017.

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The couple waited a few months before going public with their partnership. In August that year, while speaking with radio show host Sway for his morning show, the Ingrid Goes West actress proudly stated, “My boyfriend’s in a cool band called Milo Greene!” When Sway asked, “Did you just shamelessly plug your boyfriend’s bang?” she replied, “Yes I did, because I really like ‘em and I really like him.”

Olsen and Arnett were officially engaged by July 2019, quietly tying the knot the next year.

Scroll down to relive the highlights of Olsen and Arnett’s romance: