“For guys like me, Las Vegas washes away your sins. It’s like a morality car wash.” 

If you immediately recognized that quote, you’re likely well versed in the hit movie, “Casino,” that turned Las Vegas into one of Hollywood’s most iconic characters. 

Did you know that “Casino” was filmed all around the city of Las Vegas? There were multiple real Vegas properties used to create the fictional Vegas empire depicted in the movie. 

From famous Strip landmarks to locations around the valley that helped bring the film’s vision of Sin City to life, The Blast has compiled a few well-known locations seen in the movie that you can still visit today. 

This story is part of our weekly series, The Vegas Files. Be sure to head over to The Blast’s social media pages to see a reel that highlights some of the locations in this story.

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Anyone who’s ever watched “Casino” can easily recognize the spot the opening car explosion scene was filmed. “Casino” turned Main Street Station into the backdrop for an explosive mob hit and one of the most memorable moments in the movie. The California Hotel & Casino can be spotted in the background.

In the scene, a car is rigged to explode, sending a shocking blast through Downtown Las Vegas. It perfectly captures the movie’s depiction of organized crime in Sin City. 

This filming location is still very much recognizable today. While there are slight changes to the doors of the casino, the outside still looks very much the same, so this is a great spot to re-enact the scene (without blowing anything up, of course) for an Instagram-worthy shot. 

Neon Lights, Late Nights, ‘Casino’ Vibes: The Peppermill

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Another well-known location that you can still visit is the Peppermill.

This is where Ace and Ginger have one of their iconic restaurant scenes.  It’s one of the best locations for a modern “Casino” visit because the Peppermill is still open for business and remains looking as it did in the film.

Located on the north end of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip, Peppermill is open 24 hours Thursday to Sunday, and from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Wednesday.

According to their website, “Our Fireside Lounge isn’t just where you sip a 64-ounce Scorpion cocktail (although that’s a rite of passage). It’s also where ‘Casino’ filmed it’s famous flame-lit scenes with De Niro and Sharon Stone.”

They have also had cameos in “Showgirls,” “CSI Las Vegas,” “The Cotton Club,” and many others.

Jean Dry Lake Is Another Recognizable Location In ‘Casino’

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“At night, you couldn’t see the desert that surrounds Las Vegas. But it’s in the desert where lots of the town’s problems are solved.”

Just outside of Vegas, about 30 minutes from the Strip, lies Jean Dry Lake. This desert location away from the hustle and bustle of Sin City has been seen in many films over time. 

Jean Dry Lake gives “Casino” one of its most cinematic Vegas backdrops. The desert landscape was used for scenes that needed to feel isolated and far removed from the neon lights of the Strip.

Other movies Jean Dry Lake makes a cameo include “The Hangover,” “Vegas Vacation,” “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” and many others.

Atomic Liquors: Where Nicky Got Brutal

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Atomic Liquors, located in Downtown Las Vegas, is still standing and a place any “Casino” fan can still visit.

This location was used for scenes involving Nicky, played by Joe Pesci. In one infamous scene, Nicky uses a pen to stab a man in the neck and then beats him up inside Atomic Liquors. A nearby garage was also used in the film. 

According to the bar’s website, Atomic Liquors is the city’s “first freestanding bar.” It opened in the 1950s and remains a Fremont Street institution. It’s also been featured in other films, such as “The Hangover.”

The Neon Museum Is Another Must Visit Spot On A ‘Casino’ Tour

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Another must visit Vegas location on any “Casino” tour is The Neon Museum, also located downtown. Long before it became one of the city’s most photo-worthy hotspots, the collection at The Neon Museum was part of the city’s incredible visual history. 

The movie features iconic signs and neon relics of ‘70s and ‘80s Las Vegas. Today, you can see these glowing pieces of Sin City’s history up close and personal, making The Neon Museum a must stop on a “Casino” locations tour. 

Also worth noting, a scene in the movie was filmed at the La Concha Motel, whose distinctive lobby was later preserved and relocated to become The Neon Museum’s Visitor Center. The lobby was used in the film for Ace and Ginger’s romantic scene.

College football player MicahJo Barnett died at age 20 after suffering a medical emergency during his school’s season opener.

William Jewell College announced on Saturday, August 29, that the running back suffered a medical episode on the sidelines during the first quarter of the team’s Division II game against Fort Lewis College at Greene Stadium in Liberty, Missouri.

The incident occurred at around 12.20 pm local time, mere moments after Barnett scored a touchdown with 5:15 left in the first quarter to give his team a 7-0 lead over Fort Lewis College.

Liberty Police Captain Nathan Mulch told The Athletic medical personnel were on standby just as they are for every William Jewell College football game. While the medical team tended to Barnett for several minutes on the sidelines, he was eventually transferred to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Related: Kentucky Football Player Nic Smith Died by Suicide at Age 20: Docs

University of Kentucky football player Nic Smith’s cause of death has been revealed after his body was found on campus earlier this month. According to a report by the Fayette County Coroner’s Office exclusively obtained by Us Weekly on Monday, June 15, Smith died by suicide. He was 20.   His body was found inside a […]

No cause has been announced at this time.

The football game was initially suspended and later cancelled outright following Barnett’s death. Students at William Jewell College held a vigil in Barnett’s honor on Saturday night.

“Our hearts are heavy, and we appreciate all of the support that we have received from the greater community … We join with the greater Liberty community … [to mourn] the passing of MicahJo Barnett,” university president Dr. Dave Van Horn said during a press conference on Saturday. “I want to say that we appreciate the response that we’ve received from the sheriff’s office, the police department, the EMS department, our school, the physician for the team … Everybody responded so quickly, so well.”

A separate statement from William Jewell College confirmed the athlete was a junior majoring in business administration.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with MicahJo’s family, our students, the Cardinal Football family, and the rest of our community during this time of loss,” the school’s statement read. “Students and staff are encouraged to connect with Counseling Services and/or the office of the Chaplain who are ready to provide support to those who need it.”

William Jewell confirmed that school officials will update students when funeral plans for Barnett are decided.

Shawn Jakubowski, the athletic director for William Jewell College’s opposing team Fort Lewis College, also offered his school’s “deepest condolences.”

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“Our hearts are with [MicahJo’s] family, friends, teammates, coaches and everyone at William Jewell during this incredibly difficult time,” Jakubowski wrote via X. “Fort Lewis counseling staff is reaching out to our football team to ensure our players have the support they need.”

Barnett grew up with six siblings in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. He led Liberty North High School — located in the same community as William Jewell College — to a state title during his senior year.

The late running back was also recently announced as a 2025-26 Academic All-Great Lakes Valley Conference honoree. He led the Cardinals in rushing last season despite only playing in five games due to injury, per The Athletic.

For a comic strip built around a remarkably small cast, Peanuts went through a surprising number of characters before Charles M. Schulz settled on the ensemble everyone knows today. Charlotte Braun was one of those early experiments — a loud, aggressively confident counterpart to Charlie Brown who arrived in November 1954 and disappeared just 10 appearances later. Her short tenure is barely a footnote in Peanuts history, but the way Schulz handled her exit is almost impossible to forget.

Charlotte’s disappearance was a result of a reader who wrote to the cartoonist complaining about the character, and Schulz decided to take the suggestion. Then he did something considerably more memorable than simply stopping the character’s appearances: he jokingly told the reader she would have to live with Charlotte’s “death” on her conscience and drew the character with an ax stuck in her head. The original letter, now preserved by the Library of Congress, remains one of the strangest pieces of Peanuts memorabilia around.

Charlotte Braun Was Supposed To Be Charlie Brown’s Opposite

Image via Peanuts

Charlotte’s introduction on November 30, 1954, made her purpose fairly obvious. Her name was a play on Charlie Brown’s, and she even introduced herself as “Good ol’ Charlotte Braun.” Where Charlie Brown was timid, anxious, and perpetually resigned to whatever indignity the universe had planned for him, however, Charlotte was loud.

The contrast gave Schulz an easy setup. Charlotte could walk into a conversation, overwhelm everyone with her volume, and leave Charlie Brown to deal with the aftermath. Several of her strips revolve around essentially the same joke: Charlotte speaks at an absurd volume, someone points it out, and Charlotte responds by insisting that she’s entitled to be heard. Sometimes the joke works, but often, it feels like Schulz is still trying to figure out what else she can do. Ultimately, Charlotte had a trait, but she didn’t have much of a character beyond it.

It is important to note that in Peanuts, even the most exaggerated personalities tend to have multiple angles. Lucy can be bossy, cruel, vulnerable, insecure, confident, and surprisingly perceptive depending on the situation; Linus has his blanket, but he’s also philosophical and anxious, imaginative and thoughtful. Even Charlie Brown’s defining misery is practically an entire personality engine. Charlotte, meanwhile, kept turning up the volume.

Charlotte Braun’s Biggest Problem Was That Lucy Already Worked Better

Image via CBS

There was also an unfortunate timing issue. Charlotte was introduced during the period when Schulz was still experimenting with the Peanuts cast, trying different personalities and seeing which ones generated enough material to justify keeping them around. The eventual ensemble wasn’t handed down fully formed.

Charlotte’s loud, bossy personality also pointed toward territory that another character would soon make much better use of. Lucy, who initially had a considerably different personality, developed into one of Peanuts’ defining characters as the strip evolved. Charlotte’s basic function — the loud girl who wasn’t particularly concerned with whether anyone liked her — looked much less necessary, which helps explain why Charlotte feels so thin in retrospect. She was occupying a role that Peanuts would eventually have a more versatile character fill.

Her final appearance came on February 1, 1955. After only 10 appearances, Charlotte was gone. Schulz didn’t give her a dramatic farewell or establish some elaborate reason she had moved away; she just stopped appearing. Schulz’s correspondence with one reader turned that otherwise forgettable disappearance into an unforgettable experience.

Charles Schulz Gave Charlotte Braun the Axe… Literally

Image via Peanuts Wiki

On January 5, 1955, Schulz responded to Elizabeth Swaim, the reader who had written to complain about Charlotte. He told Swaim that he would eventually discard the character, adding that any further appearances would only come from strips already completed or from someone writing in to say they liked her.

Schulz told Swaim that she and her friends would have “the death of an innocent child” on their conscience and asked whether they were prepared to accept that responsibility. At the bottom of the letter, he drew Charlotte with an ax embedded in her head. The Library of Congress catalogs the drawing, dated January 5, 1955, as “The ax,” and identifies Charlotte as an ill-fated Peanuts character.

It’s a wonderfully dark joke from a cartoonist whose work is often remembered primarily for its warmth. And it was very much a joke: Charlotte wasn’t literally murdered in a Peanuts storyline. Schulz was playing along with the idea that Swaim had demanded her removal and giving the reader an appropriately theatrical way to imagine what “discarding” a character meant. The letter resurfaced publicly decades later, when Swaim arranged to donate it to the Library of Congress in 2000, shortly after Schulz’s death. Swaim died three weeks later. According to her sister, the framed response had hung in Swaim’s bathroom — a pretty fitting place for one of the most bizarre pieces in Peanuts history.

Swaim apparently wasn’t the only reader who disliked Charlotte. Harry L. Katz, then curator of popular and applied graphic art at the Library of Congress, said other readers had also wanted her gone, criticizing the character for lacking the warmth and humor of the rest of the cast. So, while Schulz gave Swaim the credit — or the blame — for Charlotte’s demise, it’s unlikely that one letter alone determined the character’s fate. Schulz was already experimenting with his cast, and Charlotte hadn’t exactly established herself as essential.

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Peanuts

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Release Date

1965 – 2005

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Directors

Phil Roman

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Before Spider-Man: Brand New Day stole all box office headlines and broke countless records, the talk of Tinseltown was Christopher Nolan‘s ambitious adaptation of Homer‘s ancient Greek epic The Odyssey. Called an “unrivaled cinematic spectacle” in Joe Schmidt‘s review for Collider, The Odyssey has become a favorite for prizes at the 2027 Academy Awards, and has already earned almost $1.5 billion in global box office revenue after six weekends in theaters.

Key to the success of The Odyssey is its star-studded cast, led by Matt Damon as the King of Ithaca, and including Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal, Zendaya, and Robert Pattinson, with this one of the most impressive years in the latter’s career. Before The Odyssey, Pattinson starred alongside Zendaya in The Drama, one of the year’s most underrated movies. Before he leads his next big-screen project of the year, the intriguing A24 feature Primetime, the performance that changed his career forever is about to be available for free.

Nine years ago, Pattinson raced through the gritty streets of New York following a botched bank robbery in Josh Safdie and Benny Safdie‘s Good Time, described as a “heist movie on acid” by Josh Safdie. Pattinson stars as Connie Nikas, who bails his brother out of jail after the aforementioned robbery-gone-wrong, with the film also featuring Benny Safdie, Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight) as Corey, Buddy Duress (Heaven Knows What) as Ray, Taliah Webster as Crystal, Barkhad Abdi (Blade Runner 2049) as Dash, and Necro (The Super) as Caliph. Starting September 1, 2026, you can stream Good Time for free on Plex.

Robert Pattinson Will Return in One of the Year’s Biggest Movies

Zendaya and Pattinson’s third movie of the year, Dune: Part Three, is the final installment in Denis Villeneuve‘s acclaimed adaptation of Frank Herbert‘s Dune novels and is set to be one of the year’s biggest hits. Scheduled to be released on December 18, the same date as Avengers: Doomsday, the film will see Timothée Chalamet‘s Paul Atreides face the consequences of his power, two decades after seizing control of the Imperium.

Starting September 1, 2026, you can stream Good Time for free on Plex. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

August 11, 2017

Runtime

101minutes

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Director

Ben Safdie, Joshua Safdie

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Ah, the ’80s. The decade when the neon was popping, the hair was close to heaven, and we all wanted to “Walk Like an Egyptian” while wearing our parachute pants. It’s no question that the ’80s changed the pop culture landscape, and that included TV as well. From the rich people’s problems of Dallas to saccharine family sitcoms that always strive to teach us a lesson every week, TV in the 1980s was a sight to behold and offered everything to everyone in every genre.

What made TV in the ’80s standout from its decade peers were the iconic casts that brought their own flair to the small screen. Think about it? When was the last time you saw police detectives on TV wearing pastel-colored suit jackets? Only in the ’80s did you see this, and to celebrate the most iconic casts from this decade, let’s rank the best TV casts while rocking out to “Beat It.”

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‘Married…. with Children’ (1987–1997)

Image via FOX

In 1987, the fledgling Fox network took a lot of daring risks with its programming, with one in particular turning the sweet family sitcom trope of the decade upside down. That sitcom was called Married… with Children, which followed the Bundy family in a surreal satire that was an instant hit for the network.

The big reason for Married… with Children’s huge success lies with the hilarious cast. Ed O’Neill as the misanthropic, cynical patriarch Al Bundy may not fly in today’s pop culture landscape, but he changed the way we viewed TV dads with his sarcastic, sometimes cruel wit. Then we have Peggy (Katey Sagal), Al’s self-indulgent wife who was basically the female version of her husband. Rounding things out are their two kids, the promiscuous Kelley (Christina Applegate) and the antagonistic, socially inept Bud (David Faustino). Their next-door neighbor, Marcy Rhoades (Amanda Bearse), represented the typical sweet, wholesome conservative that was widely represented on ’80s television. When you think about it, the cast of Married…with Children was very much antagonistic to everything the ’80s stood for, and we loved it.

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‘Miami Vice’ (1984–1989)

Image via NBC

The Miami of the ’80s was well-known for its drug violence, which, for creator Anthony Yerkovic and producer Michael Mann, made for a perfect setting for a great TV show featuring well-dressed cops looking to take down the players funneling drugs onto the streets of Dade County. That show was Miami Vice, which premiered on NBC in 1984, and went on to become a pop culture phenomenon thanks to its two leads, James “Sonny” Crockett (Don Johnson) and Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas).

Crockett and Tubb had dynamic chemistry, playing off each other’s strengths as they worked to rid Miami of the drugs pouring into the city, and they completely changed how TV cops looked on the screen. There weren’t your Dragnet “just the facts, ma’am” cops. Crockett and Tubbs were made for the MTV generation, complete with name-brand suits, and ’80s coolness dripping from them on a weekly basis.

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‘Who’s the Boss?’ (1984–1992)

Image via ABC

Only in the ’80s would the central figure of a hilarious sitcom be a retired baseball player-turned-housekeeper. That was the premise for Who’s the Boss?, one of the best sitcoms of the decade thanks to its talented cast led by Tony Danza, who played Tony Micelli, a father who looks for a better life for him and his daughter, Samantha (Alyssa Milano). That better life leads them to an upscale suburb in Connecticut, where he works as a housekeeper for a divorced advertising executive, Angela Bower (Judith Light), who has a son, Jonathan (Danny Pinaturo), and a mother who seemingly has a date every week, Mona (Katherine Helmond).

The cast had great chemistry, especially between Danza and Light, who lit up the screen with their on-screen romance and personalities that play off each other well. Also, Mona was a real treat, with her sarcasm and personality that steals the screen every single time, and Samantha’s growth from a witty, tomboyish girl into a teenager dealing with the usual societal norms facing kids in the ’80s, made her one of the decade’s most relatable teen characters. Who’s the Boss?‘s cast is iconic, and the hilarious, heartfelt comedic moments are why it was one of the decade’s most popular shows.

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‘The A-Team’ (1983–1987)

Image via NBC

In the ’80s, everyone wanted to be like one of The A-Team, as they looked so cool on TV. The NBC action-adventure featured an ensemble cast of U.S. Army Special Force commandos who become soldiers for hire after escaping from a military prison. The characters of The A-Team were legendary, especially Bosco “B.A.” Baracus, played by Mr. T in a career-making role, creating some of the decade’s most iconic catchphrases.

We won’t forget about the rest of the cast, from John “Hannibal” Smith (George Peppard), who always had an unorthodox plan, but always worked, Temptleton Peck (Dirk Benedict), who gathered the team’s weaponry, and “H.M.” Murdock (Dwight Schultz), who always went along with the team’s plans. The cast made the cartoonish nature of The A-Team work like a charm, and we sincerely hope there are no plans to reboot it. A classic needs to stay a classic, if you know what I mean.

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‘Smurfs’ (1981–1989)

Image via NBC

I know some will find it hard to believe that the Smurfs are considered one of the best TV casts of the ’80s, but the Smurfs were one of the most popular animated sitcoms of the decade, and for good reason. The Smurfs are very well-known and quite diverse. You have Papa Smurf (Don Messick), the elder leader of the clan. Smurfette (Lucille Bliss), the only girl among the Smurf clan and is also one of the main protagonists, and many of the other Smurfs who brought this fanciful world to life.

Some may criticize why the Smurfs clan is on this list, and, trust me, I get it. However, you can’t argue that Smurfs have made an indelible mark on pop culture, with their iconic look and eclectic personalities that made each episode a treat to watch.

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‘Family Ties’ (1982–1989)

Image via NBC

The ’80s sitcom landscape was dominated by wholesome family comedies that always managed to solve problems in under a half-an-hour. The family sitcom wouldn’t have boomed in the Regan era without the Keating family of Family Ties, a sitcom that was sort of a mirror to what life was like in the ’80s.

Created by Gary David Goldberg, Family Ties tells the story of the Keatings, led by Steven (Michael Gross) and Elyse (Meredith Baxter), who were hippies in the ’60s and held liberal views, trying to raise children who held more conservative views, chief among them Alex P. Keating (Michael J. Fox), a staunch young Republican, and Mallory (Justine Bateman), a typical ’80s teenage girl who held more traditional and conservative views of womanhood than her mother. Jennifer (Tina Yothers), the youngest of the Keaton clan, was more liberal than her siblings, and watching the family navigate these differences while facing the traditional societal issues facing all families at the time made for must-watch TV.

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‘Cheers’ (1982–1993)

Image via NBC

You want to go where everybody knows your name, and Cheers was definitely that place. When you watch Cheers, you feel like you’re part of the bar’s regular clientele, and it was this feeling of relatability that made the sitcom and its characters one of the decade’s most iconic shows.

Who wouldn’t want to grab a beer with Norm (George Wendt) and Cliff (John Ratzenberger) while watching the budding romance between Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) behind the bar? All with Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman) serving up drinks and offering her cynical, wisecracking takes on life? Cheers was one of the best character-driven shows on network TV, and the characters remain iconic to this very day.

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‘The Golden Girls’ (1985–1992)

All the casts listed in this piece have carved out their spot in ’80s television lore, but there is one cast that triumphs over them all, The Golden Girls. First, you can’t talk about The Golden Girls without mentioning the iconic theme song (“Thank You For Being a Friend”), which is bopping in my head right now as I’m writing this.

Second, the cast is similarly iconic, revolving around four older single women who share a house in Miami and navigate their “golden years” together, led by the homeowner, the promiscuous southern belle Blanche (Rue McClanahan), and the wisecracking Dorthy (Beatrice Arthur), the humorous and wholesome Rose (Betty White), and the always sassy Sophia (Estelle Getty). These four women came together and made sitcom magic that is hard to replicate today.

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The Golden Girls

Release Date

1985 – 1992-00-00

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Showrunner

Susan Harris

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Directors

Susan Harris

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HBO’s Lanterns has recently premiered, with Aaron Pierre playing John Stewart and Kyle Chandler taking on the role of Hal Jordan. The series looks to reignite the Green Lantern franchise and play a pivotal part in James Gunn and Peter Safran‘s plans for the new DC Studios. Lanterns is also a major departure from what fans have come to expect, as John and Hal are drawn to the small town of Rushville, Nebraska, to investigate a murder mystery of cosmic proportions. But, as it happens, John Stewart actually isn’t the first role Pierre has played in the DC Universe.

What Is ‘Krypton’ About?

SYFY’s Krypton is set on the titular planet 200 years before Kal-El — aka Clark Kent, aka Superman — is born. The House of El has recently suffered a fall from grace, with Seg-El (Cameron Cuffe) eking out a living in Krypton’s lower-class slums after his grandfather Val-El (Ian McElhinney) was sentenced to imprisonment in the Phantom Zone. Seg is visited by a mysterious man named Adam Strange (Shaun Sipos), who tells him that his grandson Kal-El will grow into the greatest hero on Earth and that forces are working to erase Superman’s existence.

While fighting to keep his grandson alive, Seg learns that Val was sentenced because he learned that there was alien life headed for Krypton, and the corrupt ruling council worked to silence his findings. That alien life is none other than Brainiac (Blake Ritson), the malevolent artificial intelligence who collects information from planets and destroys them in the process; he, too, will become one of Superman’s greatest enemies. On top of that, Seg learns that he is meant to be betrothed to Nyssa-Vex (Wallis Day), the daughter of a high-ranking official on Krypton; however, he is still in love with Lyta (Georgina Campbell), a soldier in Krypton’s military guild.

Aaron Pierre Plays a Character With Major Ties to Superman Lore in ‘Krypton’

So, how exactly does Aaron Pierre fit into Krypton‘s narrative? He plays the soldier Dev-Em, who works with Lyta to fight the terrorist organization known as Black Zero. Complicating matters is the fact that Dev and Lyta used to be betrothed to each other, and while he still has feelings for her, she is wrestling with her own feelings for Seg-El. Matters take a turn for the worse when a mysterious stranger, played by Colin Salmon, appears; the stranger is none other than Dru-Zod, aka General Zod — one of Superman’s worst enemies. Zod reveals that he is the son of Seg and Lyta, further complicating matters between the two and Dev. When Zod becomes the new ruler of Krypton in Season 2, Dev joins a group of resistance fighters led by Lyta’s mother, Jayna (Ann Ogbomo).

Dev-Em has a unique backstory in DC Comics lore; he was one of the few Kryptonians who believed Jor-El’s warning that the planet was doomed for destruction and placed himself in suspended animation. When Krypton exploded, he was sent hurtling to Earth, where he met a young Clark Kent… and threw him into the Phantom Zone! Dev-Em would later become an ally of the Legion of Superheroes and helped them during the “Great Darkness Saga,” where they battled the New God Darkseid. Other versions usually paint Dev-Em as a criminal who was sentenced to the Phantom Zone, with Man of Steel reimagining him as one of General Zod’s fathers. Pierre’s take on the character, however, is rather nuanced and leads to some of Krypton‘s best moments.

Aaron Pierre Got To Show Off His Dramatic Chops During ‘Krypton’s Run

Image via SyFy

Krypton Season 2 is where Pierre’s Dev-Em truly gets his chance to shine. Working with the rebel cells, he finds himself pitted against Lyta, who seems to be willing to carry out any atrocity Zod asks of her (though in true comic book TV fashion, there’s a rather convoluted explanation for this.) Brainiac is also gaining a foothold in his attempts to leech Krypton of its knowledge, possessing various victims while also keeping Seg-El trapped in the Phantom Zone. This leads Dev-Em to make the decision to utilize Doomsday — the monster who will one day kill Superman — as a way to protect Krypton.

Season 2 is a great showcase for Pierre’s dramatic talents, as he paints Dev-Em as a man who will do anything it takes to protect Krypton. He lets Brainiac possess him to spare Lyta from death, and the machine winds up forcing him to try to kill Jayna, which results in Dev losing an arm. Despite Doomsday causing untold damage, Dev sees him as a trump card to keep order on Krypton, showcasing that, like Zod, he is capable of committing horrible acts to keep his planet alive. Pierre infuses Dev with the same kind of calculating fury he brings to Terry Richmond in Netflix’s Rebel Ridge, making what could have been a minor role so much more. Krypton was sadly canceled in 2019, meaning that the plot thread of Dev-Em weaponizing Doomsday never came to pass. Still, it’s worth a watch, both for its fresh take on the Superman mythos and how it proved Pierre could play a major role in the DC Universe.

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Krypton

Release Date

2018 – 2019-00-00

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Showrunner

David S. Goyer, Damian Kindler

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Harry Styles made a playful reference to his ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s recent wedding during his latest Madison Square Garden residency show.

“New York City — The Big Apple! The city that never sleeps,” Styles, 32, said while interacting with fans on Saturday, August 29, before teasing, “Madison Square Garden… home of the world champion New York Knicks and they also do weddings!”

His joke drew a huge response from the jam-packed crowd, which clearly seemed to delight the “American Girls” singer as he sported a cheeky grin.

Swift and her Kansas City Chiefs star beau, both 36, were recently in the same venue for a very special moment as they tied the knot at Madison Square Garden on July 2. The newlyweds even used MSG’s digital marquee to confirm that they were “JusT&T Married” during the ceremony.

Styles’ fiancée, Zoë Kravitz, was reportedly in attendance for her friend Swift’s wedding but the former One Direction star had to miss the ceremony because of his London concert residency commitments. (Styles had Together, Together concerts scheduled at Wembley Stadium on July 1 and July 3.)

Styles and Kravitz, 37, seemingly have wedding bells in their future as he popped the question in April after eight months of dating.

Lorel Diamonds jeweler Laura Taylor offered insight on Kravitz’s sparkling diamond engagement ring — which could be worth up to $600,000 — in an exclusive interview with Us in April.

“Zoë’s engagement ring appears to feature an elongated cushion-cut diamond, weighing around 5 to 6 carats, set in yellow gold with a smooth bezel-style setting,” Taylor theorized. “It appears to be very similar in size to the ring she previously wore from Channing Tatum, but with a slightly softer and less elongated shape.”

The jeweler added, “Despite being a similar size, the diamond appears noticeably brighter than her previous engagement ring, which can often be a sign of a very well-cut stone.”

Meanwhile, Kelce broke his silence about exchanging vows with Swift at MSG during the Kansas City Chiefs training camp on August 12.

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“It was a fun offseason, man,” the athlete quipped. “Wedding was the best night of my life. I appreciate everybody who came out and celebrated and had fun with us. That’s about all I really got from that night. It was a crazy night. It was full of a lot of celebration.”

As for the iconic venue, Kelce revealed, “MSG, man, I always told myself I’d go for a playoff game when the [New York] Knicks were rocking, and my wife went when I was stuck in minicamp. I didn’t get the opportunity to go then, so it’s kind of cool to get to live out my childhood dream of being in that venue, the mecca of all sports venues, being able to get married in there.”

“I can’t thank the owners of MSG [enough] for allowing us to get the opportunity to do that, knowing that we wanted a private event and everything,” Kelce added. “The A/C was cooking, baby. That was the best part.”

Generally speaking, mystery shows thrive on suspense, making audiences wait as long as possible before revealing the answers to their puzzling stories. Some shows push this to the absolute limit by drawing out their mysteries over multiple seasons, but others deliver equally thrilling experiences using just a single season. Unlike longer shows or even their big-screen counterparts, these single-season TV mysteries deliver contained yet satisfying experiences, leaving no loose ends (except for dramatic effect).

Obviously, that doesn’t mean every mystery show with a single-season story is automatically brilliant, but the fact remains that some of the greatest mystery TV masterpieces have delivered thoroughly thrilling journeys in just a few episodes, tickling the little grey cells with their complex puzzles and tight writing. Read on to discover our handpicked selection of some of the greatest single-season mystery TV masterpieces you can watch right now.

1

‘The Innocent’ (2021)

Image via Netflix

Directed by Oriol Paulo, The Innocent is a Spanish mystery-thriller miniseries adapted from Harlan Coben’s novel, revolving around Mateo, a man whose life is upended after he accidentally kills someone. Nine years later, as Matteo attempts to rebuild his life, a mysterious phone call forces him to revisit his dark past, leading to dangerous consequences. Goya Award-winning Spanish actor Mario Casas stars as Mateo, leading a cast that includes Alexandra Jiménez, Aura Garrido, José Coronado, and Anna Wagener.

The Innocent is a well-written, well-acted, and remarkably shot thriller series that keeps the viewer engrossed with suspended tension until the very end. Mario Casas is brilliant as the complicated protagonist, delivering an emotionally raw depiction of a troubled man. Despite its visual edginess, thematic intensity, and good acting, The Innocent is a very underrated Netflix series, but it is simply a must-watch for fans of complex, psychological thrillers.

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‘The Undoing’ (2020)

Image via HBO

Created by David E. Kelley and starring Nicole Kidman, The Undoing is a psychological mystery thriller series adapted from the Jean Hanff Korelitz novel You Should Have Known. The HBO original miniseries follows Grace Fraser, an elite New York therapist, whose seemingly perfect life unravels after her husband, reputed surgeon Dr. Jonathan Fraser, is arrested for murder, leading to shocking revelations. Kidman stars as Grace and Hugh Grant as Jonathan, with Noah Jupe, Lily Rabe, Édgar Ramírez, Donald Sutherland, and Noma Dumezweni in supporting roles.

The Undoing is a great example of how classic whodunit tropes can be spun into a modern murder mystery. The film’s gripping narrative explores complex psychosocial and psychosexual themes, elevated by the performances of Hugh Grant and Nicole Kidman as they own the screen with their fiery chemistry. Since its premiere, The Undoing has been critically acclaimed for its performances and thrilling narrative, earning Golden Globe Award nominations for both Kidman and Grant.

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‘The Night Of’ (2016)

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Created by Richard Price and Steven Zaillian, The Night Of is a crime mystery thriller miniseries based on the first season of Peter Moffat’s BBC show Criminal Justice. Riz Ahmed stars as Nasir “Naz” Khan, a New York City student who wakes up beside a dead woman after a drunken and drug-filled night. With no memory of the night before and evidence stacked against him, things look very bleak for Naz until a resolute lawyer, John Stone (John Turturro), takes his case. The series also features Michael Kenneth Williams, Poorna Jagannathan, Bill Camp, and Payman Maadi in supporting roles.

The Night Of is a perfectly crafted thriller miniseries, though often overlooked, which keeps the audience engaged throughout its eight episodes with its deep, character-driven storytelling. Despite beginning with a familiar premise, the miniseries delivers plenty of unexpected twists and edge-of-the-seat tension, elevated by the fantastic performances and on-screen chemistry of Ahmed and Turturro. On its HBO premiere, The Night Of garnered critical acclaim for the storytelling, cast performances, and direction, and it went on to win five Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Lead Actor for Riz Ahmed.

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‘The Outsider’ (2020)

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Based on the Stephen King novel and developed by Richard Price, The Outsider kicks off with the brutal murder of a young boy in the Cherokee City suburbs of Georgia. The child’s baseball coach (Jason Bateman) soon becomes the main suspect, but when troubled detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) begins investigating the case, he discovers contradictory evidence and bizarre clues, leading him to enlist the help of eccentric savant investigator, Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo). The series also features Bill Camp, Paddy Considine, Julianne Nicholson, and Yul Vaquez in key roles.

Spine-chilling and relentlessly dark, The Outsider perfectly balances supernatural horror, murder mystery, and psychological thriller elements to create a successful TV adaptation of Stephen King’s original work. Even though the HBO original miniseries feels like a slow burn, the story’s nerve-racking suspense holds the viewer’s attention throughout its 10 episodes. The Outsider has been widely acclaimed for its effective adaptation of the source material, the incredible production quality, and the excellent performances, especially those by Bateman, Mendelsohn, and Erivo.

5

‘Bodies’ (2023)

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Created by Paul Tomalin and based on Si Spencer’s DC Comics series, Bodies is a sci-fi mystery thriller miniseries that follows four London police officers across different timelines, between 1890 and 2053. After discovering the same dead body in the same location in the city in each of their respective time periods, the detectives find baffling clues that lead them to a mind-bending conspiracy that threatens all of history. Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Shira Haas, Amaka Okafor, and Kyle Soller star as the detectives, with Stephen Graham, Greta Scacchi, Tom Mothersdale, and Michael Jibson in other lead roles.

A thoroughly engaging sci-fi thriller series, Bodies is a must-watch for viewers who love genre-blending crime stories with a deeper meaning. The Netflix original miniseries features a healthy mix of time travel, alternate history, tech conspiracies, and murder mysteries, elevated by a well-paced narrative and great cinematography. While critically acclaimed for its high-concept storytelling and anchoring cast performances, Bodies remains an underrated miniseries masterpiece and a hidden gem of the genre.

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‘The Residence’ (2025)

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Created by Paul William Davies, The Residence is a mystery comedy drama inspired by journalist Kate Anderson Brower’s book, The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House. After the sudden death of the White House Chief Usher, A.B. Wynter, during a state dinner, renowned detective and avid birder Cordelia Cupp is called in to investigate, throwing the entire White House staff off their game as she uncovers internal politics and twisted interpersonal conflicts. Uzo Aduba stars as Cordelia Cupp and Giancarlo Esposito as A.B. Wynter, with Randall Park, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Susan Kelechi Watson, Edwina Findley, Ken Marino, and more in key roles.

The Residence is a simultaneously lighthearted and sophisticated murder mystery with a unique storytelling style, oddball characters, and intriguing plot twists that instantly appeal to genre fans. Centering on an idiosyncratic detective and following an assortment of fun characters, The Residence is quite comparable to television favorites like Elsbeth or Monk, but captures more in its much fewer episodes than those longer shows do across multiple seasons. On its premiere, the Netflix original miniseries was widely praised for its style, tone, and Uzo Aduba’s compelling portrayal of the idiosyncratic sleuth.

7

‘Inside Man’ (2022)

Image via BBC

A British thriller drama series developed by Steven Moffat, Inside Man follows Jefferson Grieff (Stanley Tucci), a criminology professor on death row with a penchant for solving mysteries, who is approached by Beth, a British crime journalist who is searching for her missing friend. Jefferson’s investigation intertwines with the story of an English vicar (David Tennant) and his increasingly desperate measures to protect his family. Dolly Wells, Lydia West, Dylan Baker, Kate Dickie, and Lyndsey Marshal star in other lead roles.

Inside Man is a precisely written and executed exploration of how ordinary people arrive at fateful decisions under extreme circumstances. Although the gripping performances by David Tennant and Stanley Tucci are the heart of the show, Dolly Wells’s nuanced performance is an unexpected highlight, adding to the layered and highly engaging narrative. Interesting and inventive in its storytelling, Inside Man successfully draws the audience into a tense mystery, keeping us completely engrossed throughout its four-episode story.

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‘Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?’ (2022)

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Directed by Hugh Laurie, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? is a British mystery miniseries adapted from Agatha Christie‘s 1934 novel, which centers on the mysterious death of a strange man on a Welsh golf course. When Bobby Jones hears the man’s titular final words, he sets out to investigate alongside his longtime friend, Lady Frances “Frankie” Derwent, chasing clues and evidence across the Welsh coast and the lofty echelons of British high society as they get pulled ever deeper into a convoluted conspiracy. Will Poulter and Lucy Boynton star as Bobby and Frankie, respectively, with Daniel Ings, Maeve Dermody, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Emma Thompson, and Alistair Petrie in key roles.

Among all four TV adaptations of Agatha Christie’s classic whodunit, the streaming adaptation of Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? is arguably the most charming. The three-part series is a witty, fun, and fast-paced caper with incredible period aesthetics and tone that Christie fans are sure to enjoy. On its premiere, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? garnered critical acclaim and sweeping praise for Poulter and Boynton’s performances, as well as the engaging narrative, earning the highly coveted 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?

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Release Date

2022 – 2022-00-00

Directors

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John Davies

Writers

Pat Sandys

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  Will Poulter

  Lady Frances Derwent

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  Jonathan Jules

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  Dr. Nicholson

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We live in a time when The Super Mario Bros. Movie and various colorful franchise installments have emerged as the dominant form of animation on the big screen. It seems like eons have passed since one of the most challenging animated movies ever made broke through the clutter and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The movie in question is currently streaming in the United States on Paramount+, but not for much longer. It marked a hotly anticipated reunion between star Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski, who were coming off three blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean movies. In many ways, the animated feature was a blank-check project, and true to form, they used the freedom to push the boundaries of the format.

The movie was inspired not by a children’s novel, but by Western classics such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, For a Few Dollars More, Once Upon a Time in the West, and Depp’s prior work such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. One of the most prominent influences on the film’s story was the classic noir film Chinatown, starring Jack Nicholson. Unlike Shark Tale, the DreamWorks movie that borrowed heavily from The Godfather, Depp and Verbinski’s film didn’t exactly target children as its primary audience. The risk paid off, with the movie not only winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, but also doubling its budget at the box office.

Here’s How Long You Have Left to Watch the Animated Hit on Paramount+

We’re talking, of course, about Rango. The movie features Depp as a chameleon who becomes the sheriff of a town named Dirt and finds himself in a conspiracy. Other voice actors in the film’s cast include Abigail Breslin, Isla Fisher, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, Ray Winstone, Harry Dean Stanton, and Timothy Olyphant. Produced on a reported budget of $135 million — virtually the same as the other Paramount and Nickelodeon animated offering of 2011, The Adventures of Tintin — the movie grossed nearly $250 million at the worldwide box office. It now holds a “Certified Fresh” 88% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Rango is a smart, giddily creative burst of beautifully animated entertainment, and Johnny Depp gives a colorful vocal performance as a household pet in an unfamiliar world.” You can watch the film on Paramount+ until September 1, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

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March 2, 2011

Runtime

107 minutes

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Director

Gore Verbinski

Producers

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Graham King, John B. Carls, Gore Verbinski

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