G Herbo‘s reaction to a fan snatching his microphone while he was performing is going viral.

RELATED: Ari Fletcher Shows Off Massive New Ring & Some Internet Users Can’t Stop Mentioning G Herbo & Taina Williams (VIDEOS)

G Herbo Reacts To Fan Snatching His Mic While He Was Performing

Over the weekend, an Instagram user with the handle @lil1dte took to the platform to share a clip from a recent G Herbo performance. The clip appeared to be set in a club and showed Herbo performing his hit single ‘Went Legit’ as he stood by fiancée, Taina Williams.

As he began rapping his first verse, an ecstatic fan standing behind him grabbed the mic, and Herb was visibly confused.

“ERBODY GOT DAT ONE POTNA WHO WISH DEY WAS THE ARTIST😂😂😂😂😂 @tjmoney_4l @nolimitherbo #MOBBRAISEDLIKESOSA👼,” the clip was captioned.

G Herbo’s Reaction To Fan Snatching His Mic While He Was Performing Is Going Viral

Social media users reacted to the fan who snatched G Herbo’s mic and to his hilarious reaction in TSR’s comment section.

The Rapper Recently Made Headlines Amid Another Video

As The Shade Room previously reported, G Herbo recently made headlines amid another video. Earlier this month, a clip surfaced of an AI-generated Herbo dancing to Grateful’s ‘Bad B****h Anthem.’ Ultimately, the clip had G Herbo, Sexyy Red, and internet users in tears.

RELATED: AI-Generated Clip Of G Herbo Dancing Has Sexyy Red & Other Internet Users Crackin’ UP (WATCH)

There are a lot of things I never expected to say about Pokémon, but “this might be the perfect replacement for Game of Thrones” was pretty high on the list. And yet, after getting a closer look at Aardman Animation and The Pokémon Company International’s upcoming stop-motion series, Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu, I’m convinced that anyone already missing A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms should probably start paying attention. No, Pokémon is not suddenly getting into bloody succession wars, political marriages, or the occasional beheading. What Pokémon Tales does have, however, is a deeply earnest knight wandering around with his much smaller companion, determined to prove himself while getting into increasingly ridiculous situations along the way. Sound familiar?

The comparison becomes even harder to ignore once you know what Aardman is actually doing with Sirfetch’d and Pichu. Sirfetch’d wants to become a “great knight,” while Pichu effectively serves as his squire. Together, they head out into the Galar region on an adventure built around that relationship, and suddenly Pokémon has its own very tiny, very adorable Dunk and Egg.

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Works Because Dunk and Egg Aren’t Typical Westeros Heroes

Image via HBO

The brilliance of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is that it takes a world we associate with enormous wars and even bigger personalities and looks at it from ground level. Dunk is a hedge knight trying very hard to live up to his idea of what a knight should be, even when reality keeps making that considerably more complicated. Egg, meanwhile, is the smaller and considerably more surprising half of the partnership. Their dynamic works because neither character is quite what the other expects, and because the series gets to explore Westeros through two people who are essentially wandering into one problem after another.

That is exactly what makes Sirfetch’d and Pichu such a promising pair. During a roundtable attended by Collider at Pokémon XP, the Aardman team described Sirfetch’d as a character who genuinely wants to become a great knight. Pichu is his squire, joining him on that journey despite being a considerably less obvious choice for a medieval fantasy sidekick. Put them together, and you have the same wonderfully lopsided silhouette that makes Dunk and Egg instantly charming: one proud aspiring knight and one tiny companion following him into whatever terrible idea comes next. Obviously, Sirfetch’d already looks the part. The Pokémon has always been designed around the image of a knight, carrying its enormous leek like a lance and using a bundle of leaves as a shield. But giving Sirfetch’d the actual ambition of becoming a great knight turns that visual joke into a character arc. He isn’t just knight-shaped, he has an idea of the hero he wants to become. And this is Aardman, which means things are going to go wrong.

Sirfetch’d and Pichu Could Be Pokémon’s Dunk and Egg

That last part may actually be the most important connection between the two shows. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms works because Dunk’s earnestness is allowed to be funny without making him a joke. He wants to do the right thing. He wants to be the kind of knight all those songs and stories promised existed. Unfortunately for him, Westeros has other plans. Sirfetch’d is perfect for that kind of story. Aardman’s best characters are often incredibly sincere people, chickens, sheep, or occasionally pieces of clay whose plans go spectacularly wrong, but even when the comedy becomes absurd, the characters themselves remain completely committed to whatever they are trying to accomplish. Give that storytelling sensibility to a Pokémon who has decided he is going to become a great knight, hand him a tiny Pichu squire, and send them across Galar. That’s a show.

Galar makes the comparison even better. The region already draws heavily from the United Kingdom, and Pokémon Sword and Shield filled it with castles, ruins, rolling countryside, ancient legends, and Pokémon that practically demand a fantasy story. Aardman isn’t trying to turn Pokémon into Westeros, but it doesn’t need to. The ingredients for a much sweeter version of the wandering-knight adventure were already sitting there. More importantly, Pokémon Tales appears willing to let the journey itself be the story. Sirfetch’d and Pichu don’t need to save the entire Pokémon world every seven minutes. They can meet strange Pokémon, stumble into local problems, misunderstand each other, fail spectacularly, and continue down the road. That’s part of what makes Dunk and Egg such a refreshing corner of George R.R. Martin‘s universe in the first place. There is also something inherently funny about both partnerships being built around a character who desperately wants to embody the romantic ideal of knighthood while traveling with a tiny companion who can completely disrupt that fantasy. Egg isn’t merely Dunk’s obedient little squire, and I have a feeling Pichu isn’t going to spend 21 episodes politely carrying Sirfetch’d’s metaphorical luggage either.

Pokémon Doesn’t Need Its Own ‘Game of Thrones,’ but This Is Even Better

Calling The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu a Game of Thrones replacement is obviously ridiculous on paper. One is part of a famously violent fantasy franchise about power, family, and political conflict. The other stars an adorable electric mouse and a duck carrying a leek. That’s exactly why I can’t stop thinking about it. What A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms proved is that the appeal of Westeros was never limited to dragons, battles, and people fighting over a chair. Sometimes all you need is a knight, a squire, a road ahead of them, and the promise that something is about to go terribly wrong. Pokémon apparently looked at that formula and accidentally found its own version. If the result gives us even half the warmth, comedy, and unlikely companionship that makes Dunk and Egg work, Pokémon fans have a real treat ahead.

Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu will debut exclusively on Disney+ in 2027 with 21 seven-minute episodes.

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Release Date

1997 – 2023-00-00

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Network

TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC

Directors

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Shigeru Omachi, Koji Ogawa, Fumihiro Ueno, Hideki Hiroshima, Maki Kodaira, Makoto Ooga, Ayumi Moriyama, Keitaro Motonaga, Shigeru Ueda, Fumihiro Yoshimura, Minoru Ohara, Yoshitaka Makino, Kiyoshi Egami, Makoto Sokuza, Bjarne Heuser, Naoki Murata, Kenichi Nishida, Tomoe Makino, Masahiko Watanabe, Hiroaki Takagi, Tazumi Mukaiyama, Ryohei Horiuchi, Yoshihiro Oda, Hiromichi Matano

Writers

Junki Takegami, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hideki Sonoda, Yukiyoshi Ôhashi, Yuka Miyata, Takeshi Shudo, Shouji Yonemura, Shinzo Fujita, Michihiro Tsuchiya, Deko Akao, Reiko Yoshida, Aya Matsui, Junichi Fujisaku

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Franchise(s)

Pokemon

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• 

  Rica Matsumoto

  Satoshi (voice)

• 

  Ikue Otani

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  Pikachu (voice)

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Days of Thunder actor Randy Quaid took aim at Anne Hathaway after she was cast alongside Tom Cruise in the film’s just-announced sequel.

“Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for Days of Thunder[‘s] NASCAR audience who are MAGA. The sexy older chick for Tom in this film needs to be Nicole [Kidman]. That’s the casting that would sell the idea,” Quaid, 75, wrote via X on Saturday, August 29.

A separate X post from the actor stated that “Anne isn’t sexy, because and if you haven’t noticed, she’s pregnant.” (Hathaway, 43, is expecting her third child with husband Adam Shulman.)

Quaid, who played racing team owner Tim Daland opposite real-life exes Cruise, 64, and Kidman, 59, in 1990’s Days of Thunder, also directed his criticism of the casting decision toward the Top Gun star himself. “We need Nicole back. Don’t be a p****, @TomCruise. You need the original girl. It’s not personal; it’s filmmaking,” the National Lampoon’s Vacation star wrote. (Cruise and Kidman finalized their divorce in 2001 after 10 years of marriage.)

Us has reached out to a representative for Hathaway for comment.

Related: Seth Rogen Says Anne Hathaway Quit ‘Knocked Up’ Over Graphic Birthing Scene

Seth Rogen revealed the real reason he believes Anne Hathaway‘s decision to drop out of his 2007 rom-com Knocked Up. “It was Anne Hathaway who quit the movie,” the Studio star, 44, said during a Wednesday, July 1, appearance on “The A24 Podcast” alongside his The Invite director and costar Olivia Wilde. Wilde, 42, asked […]

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Quaid, who has also appeared in Independence Day, Kingpin and Brokeback Mountain, further commented on the sequel’s extended lead time of almost two years. “It’s interesting because when we made the first one there was also a rush to get it out; editors slept in the cutting room on shifts. This is a weird thing, like they want it to come out and tank,” Quaid wrote. (The Days of Thunder sequel is slated for theatrical release in June 2028.)

The posts attracted a mixed response via X, with one social media user commenting, “Pregnant or not, Anne Hathaway is sexy as hell.” Another person wrote, “Anne Hathaway is the last person that should be in this movie.”

Quaid, who is the older brother of Dennis Quaid, took to X following Saturday’s announcement of a second Days of Thunder installment. Cruise, who is set to produce and star in the project with Jerry Bruckheimer reprising his producer role and Jonathan Levine directing, was seen in a video alongside Hathaway to mark the news.

“I think it’s on,” Cruise said into the camera via his Instagram video before introducing Hathaway into the mix. “Annie? It looks ‘on’ to me, don’t you think?”

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Dressed in a white cowboy hat and motorcycle jacket, Hathaway proceeded to wave to the camera before the pair stepped back to reveal a neon car with the script “Days of Thunder: Summer 2028” adorning one side.

“I’m going to have this baby and then we’re going to make this movie,” Hathaway said with a laugh.

“That’s a good idea,” Cruise responded. “You have the baby and then we’ll go make the movie.”

Congratulations are in order for Angela Yee, who is now engaged to her partner, a man who goes by the name “Meeks.”

RELATED: Angela Yee Reacts To Jess Hilarious Becoming New Co-Host Of ‘The Breakfast Club’ (WATCH)

Angela Yee Is Now Engaged

On Sunday, August 30, Meeks, who goes by @meeks_floyd on Instagram, took to the platform to share a reel featuring a carousel of photos. Furthermore, the photos showed him and Yee alongside a group of friends during an apparent trip to Saint Maarten. As the photos rolled, Meeks was seen getting down on one knee and proposing to Yee.

“Locked it in with my best friend @angelayee ♥️ ❤️  As individuals we’re great, together we’re unstoppable… Love You!!” he captioned the clip.

Check it out below.

Social Media Reacts

Social media users reacted to Angela Yee and Meeks Floyd being engaged in TSR’s comment section.

Before Angela Yee Was Engaged, She Faced The Loss Of Her Brother

As The Shade Room previously reported, Angela Yee made headlines in December 2025 after her brother suddenly passed away. At the time, she revealed that he was 51 years old and had experienced an aneurysm. Additionally, in the days leading up to his passing, Yee shared that he had experienced severe headaches.

“When you feel pain like that, and it feels out of the ordinary, it is important to see a doctor – You never know what could happen. It’s also not something I would’ve thought either. I’ve had headaches before, and I don’t get them a lot. I probably would’ve did what he did,” she said at the time.

RELATED: Prayers Up! Angela Yee Opens Up About Brother’s Sudden Death And Shares Wake-Up Call To Listeners (VIDEO)

Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for Lanterns Episode 3.

HBO’s Lanterns is in full swing after dropping quite a few twists that could have massive ramifications James Gunn‘s DCU. This week’s “OutKast,” though, rather than continuing to lean into the 2016 mystery in Rushville, Nebraska — or even what happens to Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) there ten years later — pivots in favor of exploring the origins of John Stewart (Aaron Pierre). While being interviewed by one of the mysterious Guardians of the Universe (Laura Linney), with the expectation of replacing Hal as Green Lantern, it’s even revealed that John’s own father, John Sr. (J. Alphonse Nicholson), was considered by the ring but failed the test when it was given to him. As it turns out, it’s not the first time a Stewart family member gets passed over in favor of Hal, and “OutKast” confirms why John might be carrying more than a little personal resentment toward the man he’s supposed to both learn from and supplant one day.

Ahead of premiere, Collider spoke with Lanterns writer and co-executive producer Vanessa Baden Kelly about some of the most pivotal scenes and themes in “OutKast,” including tackling its non-linear storytelling structure, the significance of that recurring bird imagery for John, why she drew comparisons between Lanterns‘ Stewart family dynamics and King Richard in the writers’ room, what that final exchange between John and Hal sets up heading into the show’s main storyline next week, and more.

COLLIDER: In approaching something that is very much a character spotlight for John Stewart, which aspects of his backstory did you know you wanted to make sure you included, and what did you feel you had more freedom to play with or change?

VANESSA BADEN KELLY: I’ll start by saying that by having Tom King and Damon Lindelof in the room, with Tom King offering so many Green Lantern books, those conversations are really robust because many of us were more casual Green Lantern fans. Some didn’t know anything about Green Lantern. So getting that in-time reaction to, “Oh, no, that doesn’t change. That is who John Stewart is,” was really important because sometimes things might feel up for grabs that aren’t up for grabs. You have to have people who have been reading the comics since the 1970s to be able to say, “No matter what, every iteration has that.”

So we knew, obviously, that he was always going to be a serviceman. We knew that we wanted to continue to make him an architect, because we felt like it was really important to show that he was this 360-degree human being — he could be this very precise Marine sniper while also simultaneously being this incredibly precise artist. We really thought it was very important to keep him from Detroit, because we felt like him growing up in a majority-Black city actually speaks a lot for the character and what he saw, what he grew up seeing, who his parents were, what he experienced.

Then after that, it kind of felt like, “Let’s just see.” So we would throw things at the wall and kind of see what stuck. Sometimes, Tom would be like, “Hey, that’s pretty good,” and other times he’d be like, “It’s just not going to happen. Sorry, that’s never going to work.” I think where we ended up with John was a place that all of us felt was both respectful to the canon while simultaneously being a fresh take and a more human, grounded version of who this character would be in a modern time. Tom seemed pretty pleased with that, and I felt like, for me, that was the barometer for where we should hit John’s backstory as it pertains to comic book fans.

There’s a really distinct non-linear structure in this episode. It’s set within the conceit of John’s interview with the Guardian, but it jumps around through formative experiences in his childhood, as well as his time as a sniper and his time at art school. Did that present a challenge in how the script came together, or was it fun to piece together how all those beats would line up?

KELLY: We knew that we… not even wanted, we had to show the backstory that we had crafted for John. It was not going to be done any justice if we just talked about it. You were going to have to see it. But a childhood spans a really long time, so we knew in some way we were going to have a backstory episode. We knew in some way we were going to have an episode that was entirely dedicated to how John got here, but we weren’t exactly sure how we were going to string all of it together.

First, we knew that we were going to show those parts of his childhood, and then we were working through what parts we felt were the most important, considering we had 30 years of childhood to cover. Then we had the idea to string those stories together using the bookends, and throughout, of Laura Linney interviewing him for this job, which also gave us the backstory of how he was not chosen by the ring, but instead was kind of chosen at birth and prepared for this. We were working through a lot of that.

Damon, Chris [Mundy], and I sat in what we call The Garage. It actually is a garage, but it’s like the back area of our writing room where we put everything on the board. We were just talking about how we felt like something needed to buoy the story, not necessarily just so there would be an action sequence, but something where we could just get into John’s internal in a way that didn’t feel like it was going to be a lot of exposition, but almost the inciting incident. What is the thing that just started this shit? And we came up with the idea of the sniper story, of Hal taking the opportunity for John to have one of the greatest feats of his Marine sniper career.

Once we had those three lines, braiding it became very easy, because you’re like, “How do they all line up? How do they all fit together?” And then we went back in and kind of reworked how and what Laura was talking to him about. Essentially, what’s under the Guardian’s questions, what she ultimately says at the end is, “Would you be comfortable replacing Hal Jordan?” But what she’s poking at prior is, “Do you respect him? Do you like him?” And she’s thinking in her mind that because Hal became the Green Lantern, that is the reason that John would be so willing, emotionally, to replace him. That was the creation of John as a trainee of the Green Lantern program from childhood, but really, John’s frustration happens as an adult when it’s like, “You keep doing this to us. Maybe the first time wasn’t your fault, but the second time is.”

‘Lanterns’ Writer Vanessa Baden Kelly Explains the Meaning Behind Bernadette’s Kitchen Speech

“What Bernadette was pointing out to them is, ‘You guys don’t take any care in learning the differences of the people that you’re asking for this.’”

Image via HBO

One thing this episode emphasizes is that the Green Lantern selection process has the potential to be traumatic for any prospective candidate, and the Guardians, as extraterrestrial beings, don’t really know how to handle it. There are a lot of great scenes between Jasmine [Cephas Jones] and Laura in this episode, and the one that really hit for me is the conversation after Laura’s character reveals herself in her true form, in the kitchen. I was curious about what you wanted to hammer home via that exchange, because Bernadette has to be the one to point out to the Guardian that asking a Black man in America if he’s afraid is a very different question than it would be for someone of a different race.

KELLY: The thing that I would always say in the room is that if the ring wasn’t sexist, Bernadette would have been chosen, because she really is just the most fearless of everybody. For me personally, as a writer, and I feel like most of the writers’ room would probably agree, this idea of willpower and overcoming fear is so different depending on where you stand. You can be terrified walking in your neighborhood every single day, and yet still you walk. And then somebody else can come in and have no fear whatsoever because they don’t know what your neighborhood is like. So the Green Lanterns, it’s not that they don’t have to be afraid; it’s that they have to have the ability to overcome fear, but that is a trauma thing. If I have seen somebody get robbed on the same block every week, it’s hard to overcome fear of that block because I have a different perspective on it than somebody new here.

What John Stewart represents and what he’s represented since he made his debut in the DCU in the ‘70s is an extraordinary bravery that I personally, and maybe biasedly, feel is more brave than any other Green Lantern, because every single thing in his world, both intergalactic and terrestrial, is fucking terrifying! It is terrifying, and he is able to overcome that fear and wield that ring.

So, what Bernadette was pointing out to them is, “You guys don’t take any care in learning the differences of the people that you’re asking for this. So, yes, you got a shit face for this job, and it’s clear you don’t like him, but here’s why you don’t like who you got — because you’re actually not picking the bravest people. You’re not picking the people with the sharpest moral compass or with the most valor. You’re picking the people dumb enough to not be scared.”

What me and my family are doing, what Black people are doing all over the nation, what people of color are doing all over this world are showing what fearlessness really looks like. It was really important for me to show her, tell Laura that, but it was also important for me for that to land on Laura. Laura doesn’t kick back. The Guardians don’t say, “You’re wrong. We know everything.” They’re just like, “We had no idea. Earth’s kind of a shitty planet that we don’t really pay that much attention to. Now that we know, let’s try to do things a little bit differently.” And so in some ways, these two women, as we do, come together and are just like, “Let’s try to correct what this program is inherently getting wrong.”

Bernadette is the one who really takes charge of what she refers to as “conditioning,” but in the same vein, John Sr. says he’s worried their son could grow up to hate them. It feels like subtle foreshadowing. What did you want to emphasize about John’s relationship with his parents, and by the time that he sits down for the interview, what did you want to come across about how he really feels about them, years removed from when this training began?

KELLY: You will see how their relationship plays out throughout his adult years, but one of the things that I would keep harkening back to in the room is the film King Richard. It was really interesting because I have an almost 11-year-old, and when that film came out, I thought it was a really beautiful tribute by two daughters to their father. Regardless of how I felt about anything, those daughters hold their father up here, and they believe that they would not have been where they were had it not been for him, and they made a film to highlight that. So many people, I would read, and especially in mom groups and mom chats and things of that nature, were just like, “There’s two superstar daughters, and we’re focusing on the dad? We’re focusing on the man?” And it was really interesting to me because I don’t know if it’s cultural, I don’t know if it’s socioeconomics, but there is a tradition, especially for Black folks, to really honor the things that are our parents, in quotations, “had to put us through” to be able to get to a certain place or a certain level of success in our lives.

As a millennial, as somebody who lives in the Instagram therapy space, obviously I’m not doing the exact same things that happened with me with my son, because we’ve learned and we’ve evolved, and we understand that there are things that probably were a little more dramatic than needed to be. But I do still recognize that the spaces that my son has been allotted because of my career or his dad’s career do require him to show up differently than his peers do. There are things that we have to discuss, and ways that we have to be, and rules that we have in our house that his peers think are too harsh. Putting that up against a John Stewart of the late ‘80s, early ‘90s, who’s just been born and his parents are still at that time, what I really wanted to press on was this idea that although what they did, I wouldn’t do, and I think many of us would not do, given where they were growing up, much like Richard Williams, given what they had seen, given this crazy traumatic event that they had just been through, they were like, “Even if my son hates me for doing what I’ve done to him, he will grow up to have a different outcome than I will, and he can go use all that money from that outcome to pay for therapy, because at least he’s not stuck on this block. At least he’s not stuck in these streets.”

And again, there’s a lot of other things he could have done. He could have been a barber and been just fine, but for them in that moment, given what had just happened, that’s what they deemed best. It’s not my job to really judge characters. That’s what those characters decided to do, and that’s what they did. We can judge them if we want to, but as a writer, I’m not going to judge them. In writing them and in the conceptualization of who they are and what that family was doing, we just wanted to present this idea, like Earl Woods, like Richard Williams, like Jalen Brunson’s dad, like all of these people who, in the beginning, did things that we would be like, “Are you fucking insane?” Did it work? And what about it worked? And how did that make them more exceptional than the people around them?

Vanessa Baden Kelly Discusses the Significance of ‘Lanterns’ Recurring Bird Theme for John Stewart

“That is incredibly powerful, which we see on Hal’s face in Episode 2, but we learn here that it’s powerful.”

Image via HBO

The bird imagery comes back as a sort of throughline in this episode. It starts with John’s parents telling him that birds are what the Guardians are using to track his progress, and later, his mom admits they lied about that. But it stands out even more in the wake of the previous episode, in which John uses the ring to create the bird and preserves the bird with sheer fortitude. How did you want to use that running current through the episode to give new dimension to what we saw last week?

KELLY: So in some ways, the bird of Santa Claus, right? We tell our kids, “You have to be really good because Santa is watching.” Or even any religious dogma. “You can’t do that because Jesus is watching.” It’s like that. Hal doesn’t have that growing up. None of the other Green Lanterns have that growing up. They just get to approach the world in whatever ways they were raised, and that’s what they do. But John subconsciously has always had to believe that whatever he’s doing is being watched, and he always has to be great, and he always has to be perfect, and there always has to be precision.

So in many ways, although it was kind of messed up, his parents having told him that lie and him having believed that birds were watching him everywhere he went is what made him the powerful Green Lantern that he is, because he has this ability to have his subconscious going at all times. It probably is also going to send him to therapy, but he has that there constantly. So, without a ring, in some cases being knocked out cold, he is able to keep in the back of his subconscious that there is a fucking job to do. That is incredibly powerful, which we see on Hal’s face in Episode 2, but we learn here that it’s powerful. That’s what they read up about. They learned how to train him to be a Green Lantern by learning how to keep the subconscious in control.

Where did the idea come from to set John’s interview in the abandoned mall? Did you consider any other locations before landing on that one?

KELLY: We did not consider any other locations, but we did talk a lot about where we thought it could be. For us, we were just trying to think of a place, and it’s going to sound so terrestrial and silly and easy, but we were just trying to think of a place where people could be coming and going, and it’s a little weird, but not crazy weird. However, nobody else would be there to see what was going on or to hear what was happening.

For me, I’m a huge shoe person, like I have a kajillion sneakers, and so I was like, “An old Foot Locker!” and it just kind of stuck. But really, it was just more of a function of the story. You see people skateboarding, teaching their kids to drive, doing all kinds of silly stuff around abandoned malls, and so it wouldn’t necessarily be the weirdest thing if you saw a car parked outside of an old mall, but there’s not going to be a ton of people in there wondering what this very strange group of people are doing in some back room.

‘Lanterns’ Episode 3 Officially Explains the Root of the Tension Between John Stewart and Hal Jordan

“For John, there’s a deep anger more than anything, and I think that anger is probably not just pointed at Hal, but at the entirety of it all.”

Image via HBO

John’s dishonorable discharge is directly tied to Hal intervening in the Gray Wolf mission, because the government needs a fall guy. How did you want that part of John’s backstory and any feelings that he might still have around it to play into the dynamic that we’re getting in 2016? Regardless of what John tells the Guardian, there’s no way that isn’t going to inform that relationship.

KELLY: I think the Guardians know that, as well, even though he’s not saying it. The thing about that mission is that John got hurt. John got abandoned. John was isolated. He’s always been isolated, but in a way that he’s never been isolated before. And he really had his John Sr. moment, which is, “I did everything fucking right, and he still swooped in.” On the one hand, you know your dad, and you understand that your dad’s great love for his family and his worry about what would happen to his family kept him out of the running for Green Lantern before. So now we’ve devised this plan to make sure that would never happen again, that nobody could steal this from you — and Hal did. He managed to do it, and it’s all because of his frivolous hubris. Like, “He just swoops in with no regard for anything else, but I have to be buttoned up. I can’t be with my brothers. I can’t go to school like everybody else does. I can’t do anything to get the job that you get to do mindlessly.”

For John, there’s a deep anger more than anything, and I think that anger is probably not just pointed at Hal, but at the entirety of it all. Like, “I lost so much to do what he’s never going to have to do. I’m mad at parents, I’m mad at systems,” but it’s all being pointed at Hal.

I think the scene we wrote for John and Bernadette in the bedroom, when she hands him the art school acceptance letter, is the first time that we hear John be like, “Fucking Hal Jordan.” It’s like the first time that he’s kind of letting out some of his own frustration. And I think one of the beautiful things in that is the way that Jasmine plays the other side of it, which is, “We’ve been being disappointed by the Guardians and Hal Jordan for so long that we are at the point where we’re a little flippant. We know it’s going to be you eventually, and when that time comes, we’ll lock back in. But right now, go be happy, because this motherfucker is going to do this until they say he doesn’t.” But John is just coming to the personal realization now. It’s no longer this tale of what happened to his father on the night when he was six months old. Now it’s a thing that has personally happened to him, and he’s like, “Fuck this noise.”

The very last scene of the episode does close the loop on the interview, but Hal is already at John’s parents’ house before he can tell them the good news. Their interaction in the driveway takes a very sharp turn because Hal just drops his facade and tells John he doesn’t need a sidekick or a backup. How did you want that exchange to set the tone for viewers heading into next week’s episode, back with the mystery in Rushville?

KELLY: When we pick up on the mystery in Rushville after Episode 3, the last thing that Hal will have just heard is that John Stewart is the biggest threat to him. And so the whole purpose of this episode is to explain how and why, and the most direct answer is that John is, in fact, Hal’s replacement, which we kind of already know at this point. What it sets up for us emotionally is that he’s Hal’s replacement who also doesn’t like him, and for very astute reasons.

Now, we’re returning to this kind of buddy-cop drama where we have a very deep understanding of why these two guys don’t necessarily care for each other. Hal is so vocal that we know why he doesn’t like John, but now we have how deeply ingrained John’s distaste for Hal is, and now we’re thrusting them back into this 48-hour mission where they have to trust each other completely, or basically an entire city will be wiped off the face of the earth. We now have this setup for how intense their distrust is, and we’re going to be asking the question: what do they do to build on it? That’s exactly what the episode is about. How do they fall in love when they actually don’t like each other? It’s very How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

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

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Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing like my go-to jeans-and-tee combo. But lately, I’ve been craving the kind of tops you’d spot in a cute boutique — think romantic ruffles, intricate embroidery, statement sleeves and pretty prints that make an outfit feel a little more special. They have so much more personality than a basic tee, while still being just as easy to wear.

That’s why I hunted down 17 boutique-looking tops that can make even your most-worn denim feel exciting again. There are polished blouses for work, boho picks for weekends, romantic florals for date night and statement styles for whenever your closet needs a little something extra. Even better, prices start at just $10.

17 Boutique-Style Tops That Make Jeans Look Instantly More Chic

1. Our Favorite: Nothing makes basic denim feel more special quite like this pink eyelet blouse. The intricate embroidery, puff sleeves and ruffled V-neck give it that pretty boutique look I’m after.

2. Compliment Magnet: This floral flutter-sleeve blouse is the kind of piece friends will ask you about. The bright pink print pops against blue jeans, while the ruffled shoulders make it look much more special than your average top.

3. Draped to Perfection: This ruched sleeve blouse has the kind of artful draping that makes a simple white top look instantly more sophisticated. Even better, it’s 71% off right now, dropping the price to just $20.

4. Ruffle Romance: Cascading flutter sleeves turn this mist-blue blouse into much more than another solid-colored top. I love how they add a little drama while still keeping the overall look soft and wearable.

5. Major Markdown: At 50% off, this embroidered V-neck blouse is one of those deals that deserves an immediate second look. The intricate eyelet design and romantic sleeves give it the charm of a much pricier boutique find.

Related: Lace Everything! These 17 Romantic Amazon Finds Are ‘What’s Hot’

Lace is officially ‘What’s Hot’ on Amazon, and one look at these fashion finds make it easy to see why. Romantic eyelet designs, delicate trims and intricate floral patterns are giving everyday pieces a prettier, more feminine feel. Better yet, the trend works just as well on breezy late-summer styles as it does on moodier […]

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6. Boho Babe: This crochet-trim blouse looks like something I’d expect to find tucked inside a trendy bohemian boutique. The floaty fit, textured fabric and delicate detailing make the soft pink shade even dreamier.

7. Preppy Pick: Consider this striped ruffle blouse your shortcut to looking polished without trying too hard. The pinstripes, puff sleeves and frilled collar give classic button-down energy a much prettier twist.

8. New Arrival: New on Amazon this month, this brown gingham button-down feels like a hidden gem worth discovering early. The ruffled trim puts a feminine spin on the quintessential fall print.

9. Romantic Find: Skip the statement print — texture gives this white boho blouse all the personality it needs. Delicate Swiss dots meet crochet lace and billowy sleeves for a look that feels soft, feminine and expensive.

10. Pretty Details: Zoom in on this embroidered blue blouse and it only gets better. Floral stitching, tonal covered buttons and softly gathered sleeves make the $30 price especially surprising.

11. Sweet Spot: Somewhere between romantic and polished sits this pink puff-sleeve blouse. Textured dots and dainty sleeve ruffles make it pretty enough for date night yet easy enough for everyday wear.

12. Closet Staple: Meet the flutter-sleeve blouse that can fill the gap between casual tees and dressy work tops. Its airy sleeves and subtle texture make it versatile without being boring.

13. Blushing Beauty: Pink-on-pink florals make this chiffon ruffle blouse impossible to overlook. The monochromatic print keeps all those cascading sleeves and romantic details feeling surprisingly sophisticated.

14. Figure Flatterer: Floaty on top and fitted at the waist, this pink chiffon blouse gives you the best of both worlds. The wide batwing sleeves skim the arms while the smocked hem creates pretty definition.

15. Statement Maker: Let this pink floral blouse be the loudest part of your outfit. The graphic blooms and sculpted puff sleeves bring enough visual interest that styling the rest is practically effortless.

16. Seasonal Switch: Summer silhouette, fall palette — this orange floral blouse gives you the best of both seasons. Short puff sleeves keep things breezy while the rusty print brings all the autumn vibes.

17. Retro Revival: Straight out of a ’70s boutique, this pink floral blouse makes a statement with its oversized blooms and groovy color palette. Puff sleeves and ruffled cuffs bring even more personality to the 40%-off find.

UsNow Summer Sale Alert: These Chic Fashion Finds are over 30% off – Plus Free Shipping

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Related: I’m in My Soft Girl Era — 13 Amazon Dresses I’m Wearing Into Fall

My fall wardrobe usually revolves arfound denim, knits and darker colors, but this year I’m taking a much prettier approach. I’m officially in my soft girl era, which means romantic florals, swishy skirts, feminine ruffles and dreamy shades of pink are staying firmly in rotation. Thankfully, Amazon is making it surprisingly easy to keep the […]

The best movies designed to thrill and horrify you tap into the most primal of fears, even if they’re fears you didn’t know you had. Fall accomplished exactly that in 2022, making us suffer as it stranded two climbers 2,000 feet above the ground on an abandoned television tower and then spent the rest of its runtime finding increasingly horrible ways to show us that if you thought the fall would be bad, staying up there might be worse. Now, the franchise is going considerably bigger — and, as part of Collider’s Fall Exclusive Preview, we can reveal a brand-new look at the sequel.

Fall 2: Deadpoint is directed by Peter Spierig and Michael Spierig, the creative minds behind the likes of Jigsaw, Daybreakers and Predestination, and this time, we’re moving from a giant tower in the desert to one big-ass mountain in Thailand. The sequel follows two climbers who become trapped thousands of feet above the ground during a dangerous climb, where sheer exposure and impossible odds transform their journey into a fight for survival. Fall 2: Deadpoint stars Harriet Slater (Outlander: Blood of My Blood) as Jax Hunter, Arsema Thomas (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story) as Luce and Tom Brittney (Grantchester) as Jon Platt.

Speaking exclusively with Collider about taking over the franchise, the Spierig Brothers explained that making the sequel bigger was never about making its central premise more complicated:

“For us, the key was to keep the survival story very simple at its core. You have characters who are trapped in an incredibly dangerous environment, and the audience immediately understands what they are trying to do and what is standing in their way. We wanted to make the world around them bigger, but without making the story itself unnecessarily complicated. The height, the isolation and the physical danger are still the heart of the movie. The challenge was finding a new situation that had that same simple, instantly understandable danger as the first film, but felt completely different.”

The different situation of which they speak was taking part on a plank walk high around the ground, which was inspired by the immensely dangerous Huashan Plank Walk in China. Our exclusive images, which have made us feel a bit weak at the knees and wobbly in the belly, glimpse at the precarious wooden pathway and the sheer rock face surrounding it, with seemingly very little separating the climbers from the enormous drop beneath them. Great stuff.

Moving the action to Thailand also meant the directors were able to change the visual identity that was first established in Fall, because rather than simply transplanting the same concept into another location, they were able to make it altogether more dramatic. They explained, “Thailand gave us an incredible opportunity to completely change the visual language of the film. We didn’t want to simply recreate the first movie in a different location. We wanted the environment to feel like a character in its own right.”

“It had to be different and not feel like a repeat of the first film. The plank walk was something we all immediately gravitated towards after Michael and I pitched a number of different ideas to the producers. It felt like it was in the spirit of the first film, but brought something completely different at the same time.”

The pair also revealed that they were already fans of Fall before becoming involved in the sequel. After pitching several potential directions for the follow-up, it was the plank walk that ultimately became the foundation of the movie. “Firstly, we were big fans of the first film, so we were excited to be part of the next chapter. We pitched a number of different ideas, but the one we all landed on was a plank walk inspired by the Huashan Plank Walk in China. It’s considered one of the most dangerous hikes in the world, and once we saw it, we knew we had the foundation for a really intense and cinematic story.”

How Did the Spierig Brothers Make ‘Fall 2’ Look So Terrifying?

For the original Fall, director Scott Mann used practical filmmaking and clever visual effects to create the illusion that its stars were genuinely stranded thousands of feet in the air. The Spierig Brothers wanted to retain that feeling of physical danger, and the sequel was filmed in a Thai rock quarry to provide real rock faces and textures while keeping the production at a manageable height.

“The goal was to shoot as much as we could practically. However, for logistical reasons, there was no way we could film at 4,000 feet, so we shot in a rock quarry in Thailand instead. That gave us the natural rock walls and textures we needed to make the film feel tactile and grounded. We also shot with almost no blue screen, which was really important to us. We wanted the actors out in the sun, exposed to the heat and harsh environment; that authenticity really helps sell the danger and realism of the film.”

That meant putting the actors into some genuinely uncomfortable situations. Although they weren’t actually suspended thousands of feet above the ground, the cast spent extensive periods harnessed roughly 40 feet in the air. “The shoot was tough, but for all the right reasons,” they explained. “The actors had to be harnessed for almost every scene on the plank walk, and they were elevated around 40 feet in the air for long periods of time, which often made communication difficult. But everyone worked incredibly hard and pushed through some very demanding days, and we think that commitment really comes across on screen.”

The directors also encouraged the cast to perform their own stunts where possible, something they believe gave the finished sequences considerably more material to work with.

“Any time the actors did their own stunts, it brought so much to the sequences and gave us a huge amount to work with in the editing room, so those days were always especially exciting.”

There is also a fundamental difference between creating fear through heights and the more conventional horror filmmaking the brothers employed on movies such as Jigsaw. Rather than concealing a monster or threat, Fall 2: Deadpoint can simply show audiences the drop.

“I think the big difference is that with traditional horror, you can often hide the threat and then reveal it,” said Spierig. “With heights, the audience can see the danger very clearly. There’s something very primal about looking down and imagining what would happen if you fell. For us, it was really important to put the audience into the characters’ perspective. We used a lot of point-of-view shots and cameras attached to the actors, so you get that almost GoPro-like feeling of actually being there with them. We also tried to shoot as much as possible for real. We were actually shooting on the side of a rock wall and avoided green screen completely wherever we could. Having the actors physically exposed to the height, the heat, the rain and the wind gives the performances a reality that you can hopefully feel as an audience member.”

The Spierig Brothers Wanted ‘Fall 2’ to Be Their Own Movie

Lionsgate

Mann remains heavily involved in the franchise as a writer and producer, with Jonathan Frank co-writing the screenplay. For the Spierig Brothers, taking over as directors meant finding a balance between retaining the brutally effective simplicity of Mann’s original and putting their own stamp on the sequel. The film is produced by James Harris, Mark Lane, Mann, David Haring and Christian Mercuri. They explained:

“We had a huge amount of respect for what Scott achieved with the first film. The simplicity of the concept and the way he created tension from the environment were things we absolutely wanted to preserve. At the same time, we didn’t want to simply copy the first movie. We wanted Fall 2 to feel like its own film and bring our own sensibility to it. We’ve always loved genre filmmaking, and we’re interested in taking a simple premise and pushing it as far as we can visually and physically. So we wanted to increase the scale and spectacle while still keeping the story very simple and character-driven.”

The pair ultimately want audiences to experience the same physical reaction that made the original such an effective exercise in anxiety, and believe the sequel has been designed specifically to benefit from being seen on the biggest screen possible:

“Hopefully audiences feel the same vertigo and fear they experienced watching the first film. We know a lot of movies say you need to see them in a theater but FALL 2: DEADPOINT really is designed as an immersive, vertigo-inducing ride that is heightened by the theatrical experience. So we hope audiences have a great time — and maybe decide not to climb a mountain anytime soon.”

‘Fall 3’ Is Already Part of the Plan

The filmmakers are also looking beyond Deadpoint. A third Fall movie has already been planned, although the Spierig Brothers stressed that they didn’t want the sequel to exist merely as connective tissue between franchise installments. Fall 2: Deadpoint has instead been designed to tell a complete story while leaving the concept open to further exploration. “It was very important to us that Fall 2 work as its own complete movie,” said the Spierigs.

“We didn’t want the audience to feel like they were watching a two-hour setup for another film. At the same time, because the world and the concept have the potential to continue, there are certainly opportunities to take things further,” they continued. “We were conscious of that, but we wanted to make sure the story we were telling in Fall 2 had its own beginning, middle and end. Hopefully, if audiences respond to the movie and want to see more, there’s a very interesting world to explore in a third film. But our priority was always to make Fall 2 satisfying on its own.”

Fall 2: Deadpoint opens exclusively in theaters on September 2, 2026.

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Release Date

September 2, 2026

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Runtime

97 Minutes

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  Juju Journey Brener

  Young Jax

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Beartooth singer Caleb Shomo came out of the closet as a gay man in May 2026 after previously giving the life update to family and friends the previous September. Now, in a new interview, the 33-year-old singer is speaking out about the hate he’s received since finding the courage to publicly embrace who he is. This comes after he and his wife of 14 years, Fleur Shomo, filed for divorce in July.

Shomo opened up during an August 2026 episode of “The Breakdown with Nath & Johnny” about his decision to publicly come out as gay, as well as the reaction from social media since the bold admission. He began, “I had already decided, like, I’m not gonna water myself down at all,” and noted that he’d informed family and friends before the Instagram coming-out post.

Shomo continued, “I’m going to just do what I wanna do. I’m gonna wear what I wanna wear. I’m gonna sing how I wanna sing. I’m gonna look how I wanna look and just enjoy being an artist that’s allowed to do that, and that has the freedom to do that.”

After that, the singer began to discuss the backlash he faced. According to him, “And that was met with a lot of opposition and a lot of … I mean, really, just a lot of homophobia, and a lot of people who really were not okay with me presenting that way at all, with what I was doing, any of it.”

Shomo continued the podcast appearance by discussing how the homophobia he’d faced impacted him. He recalled that at one point, he was “going through so much” that he decided to get “off the internet for a while.” Notably, his break from social media came before he revealed he was gay, but amid the speculation about his sexuality. The singer also shared that he found performing to be “tough” amid the backlash.

He explained, “I mean, a lot of the day I’d be spent in a really, really bad place and just trying to find enough energy and enough will to get myself warmed up and get on that stage and do my f-cking job.”

The Beartooth bandmate continued, “And it didn’t really change as we kept releasing more songs, and the very vocal opposition continued and still continues to. And, yeah, me coming out didn’t help that. And just being honest with people about who I am and what’s been going on.”

Caleb Released An Emotional Coming Out Statement

The Beartooth frontman publicly came out of the closet as gay on May 23, doing so by posting a lengthy statement on Instagram. He shared, “There’s been a lot of speculation surrounding my personal life as of late, and I feel compelled to set the record straight before it affects those I love any further. I am a proudly gay man.”

He then said, “This is something I’ve been unpacking and reckoning with in my life for quite some time now. It’s been difficult to navigate the feelings surrounding the subject and figure out what to do with this fact.” Elsewhere in the post, Shomo admitted to feeling “embarrassed” for being unable to embrace this part of his life for “so long.”

The “I Was Alive” singer added, “I spent a decade burying feelings with alcohol, and honestly, when I decided to put it down and focus on exploring why I felt this way for so long, it’s been a direct path to me reconciling with my sexuality in hopes that it will eventually lead me to experiencing self-love.”

Caleb And His Wife Jointly Filed For Divorce

Shomo and his wife, Fleur, jointly filed for divorce in July 2026 following his public statement. This came after her May 2026 statement in support of the singer and his decision to live openly. Fleur wrote on Instagram, “Not really sure how to start this cause does anything even need to be said? But I guess I’ll just dive right in.”

She continued, “The past few months have been a very disorienting and hurtful time to navigate. For both of us. But I will always want to love, protect, and support Caleb. I have cared more about his well-being over the years than anything else in the world.”

Beartooth Has A New Album Out

Beartooth released its new album, “Pure Ecstasy,” on August 28 after unveiling the lead single, “Free,” in February. Later, the band released the album’s title track alongside a new music video. The new album, from Fearless Records, includes 11 tracks.

Beartooth will be going on a world tour in support of the album, with the UK leg beginning in September. The U.S. leg of the tour begins in November with a stop in Boston.

The freedom for streamers is that there are fewer restrictions than on network television. That means the boundaries can be pushed further than you’d imagine. So when it comes to mature content, expect to see things you literally can’t see otherwise. So, that means violence, cursing, and sex are fair game. HBO and its streaming app HBO Max have made a name for themselves for their provocative programming.

If you’re looking for a bit of an escape for some steamy series, HBO Max has you covered. From young adults making their way through love and life to the bloodsucking adventures of just in the bayou, these adult series have certainly steamed up your screens through the years. These not-safe-for-work dramas and comedies also happen to be some of the best shows on television, so a double win!

1

‘Euphoria’ (2019-2026)

Image via HBO Max

There are many words that can be used to describe Euphoria. Groundbreaking is one; infuriating is another. But we stuck with the drama for its shocking storytelling. Created by Sam Levinson, Euphoria depicts a group of high school students who work their way through the strife of life. Centering on Rue Bennett (Zendaya), a 17-year-old fresh out of rehab and her new intense relationship with newcomer Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer), Euphoria opens up eyes to how young adults in modern times handle substance abuse, depression, trauma, and unhealthy coping mechanisms through the exploration of sexual orientations, body image, gender identity, and modern intimacy. Through a dangerous dance of social media, peer pressure, and family dysfunction, Euphoria certainly doesn’t skimp on salacious scenes.

Euphoria was a line-crossing take on modern teenage life that made it its mission to show how vast and scary young adult life is, and how teenage decisions can have adult consequences. If you wished you could leap through your screens and shake these kids, you’re not alone. If anything, it was a mark of its addictive nature. Euphoria went all in on intimacy, both woefully desired and provocatively intense. From Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney) on the carousel and Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) and Maddy Perez’s (Alexa Demie) volatile and charged dynamic to Rue and Jules’ intimacy contrasting that of Cal Jacobs (Eric Dane), the series shed a spotlight on the range of intimate connections. By incorporating raw, uninhibited intimacy and nudity, Euphoria packs a dramatic punch through its euphoric cinematography. Prudes steer clear!

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2

‘Girls’ (2012-2017)

Image via HBO

Some found it cringe, others saw it as the most millennial show possible, but if there’s one thing Girls had going for it, it got people chattering. Created and starring Lena Dunham, the Judd Apatow-produced series followed four young New York City women as they made their way through friendships, careers, and romantic relationships. Showing the good, the bad, and the ugly, Girls shows Hannah Horvath (Dunham), Marnie Michaels (Allison Williams), Jessa Johansson (Jemima Kirk), and Shoshanna Shapiro (Zosia Mamet) stumble their way through adulthood, facing financial stress, career roadblocks, and messy breakups. Refusing to depict adulthood as a glamorized city series, Girls presents an awkward, unfiltered, and deeply cringe celebration of friendship and poor choices. A touchstone of 2020s pop culture, Girls was unapologetically honest.

Through the trials and tribulations of post-graduate survival, every crisis, every victory, and every meaningful moment becomes an event. The razor-sharp, often satirical observational writing captured the specific anxieties, narcissistic tendencies, and comedic absurdities of millennials. As far as the steamy content is concerned, Girls did not sugarcoat the uncomfortable nature of sex. As a means of body positivity, Dunham’s Hannah frequently appears naked or in intimate situations to deconstruct ideas of femininity, self-image, and body ownership. Intimacy is presented as a way of circling vulnerability, miscommunication, and loneliness in their relationships. The cringy, unsexy moments of intimacy become the beacon of conversation for the series. From Hannah and Adam Sackler’s (Adam Driver) raw, unfiltered physical eccentricities to Jessa having sex with a stranger in a bathroom, Marnie and Charlie’s (Christopher Abbott) emotionally potent and deeply intimate sequence to Shoshanna and Ray’s (Alex Karpovsky) “stalley pickle” and “slimy vagina,” Girls brought the full spectrum of twenty-something passion in and around the bedroom.

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3

‘Heated Rivalry’ (2025-Present)

Image via Crave

We all felt the collective rush thanks to the highly addictive gay hockey series Heated Rivalry. Based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers book series, the Jacob Tierney-created sports romance depicts the secret romance between hockey stars Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie). Spanning nearly a decade, the narrative explores whether their deep connection can survive the intense pressure of professional sports, public scrutiny, and their fierce team rivalry. In addition to the primary couple, Heated Rivalry depicts a secondary couple —Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) and Kip Grady (Robbie G.K.)—who are more out in the open in a wholesome manner, in contrast to Shane and Ilya. Gaining popularity through a viral word-of-mouth campaign, the instant pop culture series became one of the most resounding emotionally rich dramas through its honest depiction of LGBTQ+ individuals in a hypermasculine industry.

A slow-burning story of yearning, connection, and intimacy, Heated Rivalry eventually depicted the tender moments after its slew of raunchy sex scenes. The connection between the two men was due to their shared attraction. The only way they could connect was through a high frequency of sexual encounters, which is why fans went wild about the steamy series. From laying the groundwork with the shower scene to the infamous tuna melt scene, these sexually intimate scenes were necessary for Shane and Ilya to have their tender moment together at the cottage. Throughout the six episodes of the season, there were quite a few hot and heavy moments, so if you’re coming to the show looking for on-ice action, be prepared. With Season 2 underway, expect more of the same thing, with new characters having their chance in steamy moments as well.

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Collider Exclusive · Game of Thrones Personality Quiz
Which Game of Thrones House Do You Belong To?
Stark · Lannister · Targaryen · Baratheon · Tyrell

Five great houses. Five completely different answers to the same question: how do you hold power in a world that will take it from you the moment you stop paying attention? Eight questions will determine where your loyalties — and your nature — truly lie.

🐺Stark

🦁Lannister

🐉Targaryen

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🦌Baratheon

🌹Tyrell

FIND YOUR HOUSE →

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01

Someone powerful is acting dishonourably and everyone knows it. What do you do?
In Westeros, the answer to this question has ended more than one great house.

ACall it out, openly and on the record. If honour means anything, it has to mean something when it’s costly.
BUse it. Information about someone else’s dishonour is leverage — and leverage is power.
CAct decisively to correct it — with or without the approval of those around me.
DChallenge them directly. Strength settles disputes more honestly than courtroom manoeuvring.
ENavigate carefully — build alliances, apply quiet pressure, and create a situation where the right outcome becomes inevitable.

NEXT QUESTION →

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02

What is the source of your power?
Every house endures because of something. What is it for yours?

AThe loyalty of people who trust me — earned over generations, not bought with gold.
BWealth, intelligence, and the willingness to use both without sentiment.
CA legacy so fearsome and a vision so total that opposition becomes unthinkable.
DPhysical strength, military force, and the respect that comes from being the kind of person nobody wants to fight.
ECharm, connection, and the ability to make powerful people feel that my success is also theirs.

NEXT QUESTION →

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03

Who do you truly fight for?
Strip away the banners and the words. The honest answer tells you everything.

AMy family and my people — those who depend on me and have kept faith with me through everything.
BMy family — the ones who share my blood, even when they exhaust me, even when they disappoint me.
CMy cause — a vision larger than any single person, including me.
DMyself, and those few who’ve proven themselves worth fighting beside.
EMy house — its name, its future, the position I intend to leave it in when I’m gone.

NEXT QUESTION →

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04

How do you deal with your enemies?
A house’s method reveals its character as clearly as its words ever could.

AHonestly — I face them directly, and I give quarter when it’s warranted.
BThoroughly — I don’t leave loose ends, and I don’t make the same enemy twice.
CDecisively — fire answers questions that diplomacy only delays.
DHead-on — I’d rather meet a threat on the battlefield than behind closed doors.
EElegantly — I prefer to make former enemies into allies, or at least into people who owe me something.

NEXT QUESTION →

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05

What kind of ruler do you believe in?
Westeros is full of answers to this question. Most of them end badly.

AA just one — someone who serves the realm rather than using it, who leads by example rather than fear.
BA capable one — someone smart enough to navigate the game, ruthless enough to win it, and realistic about what winning costs.
CA transformative one — someone who doesn’t just rule what exists but reshapes what’s possible.
DA strong one — someone whose authority is beyond question because the alternative is obviously worse.
EA wise one — someone who understands that the realm is fed by more than armies, and that a full stomach keeps more peace than a sharp sword.

NEXT QUESTION →

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06

You suffer a devastating loss. How does your house respond?
How a house handles defeat tells you more about it than how it handles victory.

AWe grieve, properly and together — and then we endure, because endurance is what we do.
BWe adapt. We reassess. And we ensure that whoever caused this loss comes to regret it completely.
CWe burn hotter. Setbacks don’t soften us — they clarify what needs to happen next.
DWe hit back. Grief and revenge are the same motion in our house.
EWe regroup quietly, rebuild our position, and return when we’re ready — on our terms, not theirs.

NEXT QUESTION →

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07

Which of these truths about Westeros do you most believe?
Every house has a philosophy. This is yours.

AThe lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. Nothing matters more than the people you protect.
BA Lannister always pays their debts — in gold or in kind. Reputation is built on consistency.
CI am the blood of the dragon. Some destinies are written before the person who carries them is born.
DOurs is the fury. When we move, we move completely — and we don’t stop until it’s done.
EGrowing strong means knowing when to bloom and when to wait. Patience is its own kind of power.

NEXT QUESTION →

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08

The Iron Throne is within reach. What do you do?
The answer reveals not just your ambition — but your character.

AClaim it only if the realm needs me to — and rule in a way that makes it worth having.
BEnsure someone who owes us sits in it. The power behind the throne is safer than the throne itself.
CTake it. It was always meant to be mine — I feel that in my bones and in my blood.
DSeize it — with both hands, without hesitation. Opportunity in Westeros does not wait to be asked.
EPosition my house to be indispensable to whoever sits there — influence outlasts any single reign.

REVEAL MY HOUSE →

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The Maester Has Spoken
Your House Is…

Your answers point to the great house whose words, values, and way of surviving in Westeros match your own. Bend the knee — or don’t. That’s very much up to you.

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Winterfell · The North

🐺 House Stark

Winter is Coming — and you have always known it. You prepare not out of fear but out of duty, because the people who depend on you deserve someone who takes the long view.

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• You lead with honour even when it costs you, because you understand that a reputation built on integrity is the only one worth having.
• Your loyalty to family and people runs deep — not as sentiment but as a code that doesn’t bend when things get difficult.
• The North endures because Starks endure — not by being the cleverest players in the game, but by being the kind of people others are willing to follow into the cold.
• You are that kind of person. The pack survives. The lone wolf dies. You already know which one you are.

Casterly Rock · The Westerlands

🦁 House Lannister

You understand the game — its rules, its exceptions, and exactly when the rules become the exception. You play it without illusions and without apology.

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• You are sharper than most people realise, and you have learned to use that gap to your advantage.
• A Lannister always pays their debts — and you always keep your word, because your word is an instrument of power, and instruments must be kept in working order.
• You love your family with a ferocity that sometimes blinds you, and you know it, and you do it anyway.
• The lion doesn’t concern itself with the opinion of sheep. Neither, in the end, do you.

Dragonstone · The Iron Throne

🐉 House Targaryen

You carry a sense of destiny that is difficult to explain and impossible to ignore — the feeling that you are not simply participating in the world but meant to reshape it.

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• You are capable of extraordinary things, and you know it, and that knowledge is both your greatest strength and your most dangerous quality.
• Fire and blood are not just words to you — they are a philosophy about what change requires and what it costs.
• The Targaryens at their best were transformative rulers who broke chains and defied the limits of what anyone thought possible.
• At your best, so are you. The dragon has three heads. You are one of them.

Storm’s End · The Stormlands

🦌 House Baratheon

You are a force — direct, powerful, and difficult to ignore when you enter a room or a conflict. You do not negotiate with challenges. You meet them.

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• Ours is the fury — and yours is a kind of intensity that commands attention, respect, and occasionally fear from those who underestimate what’s behind it.
• You value strength and straight dealing. You’d rather know where you stand in a fight than navigate a web of courtly whispers.
• The Baratheons built their house on the back of one of the greatest military victories in Westerosi history — and then struggled with what came after.
• The lesson of your house is that winning is not the end of the story. Governing is. You are learning that too.

Highgarden · The Reach

🌹 House Tyrell

You understand that power does not always announce itself — that sometimes it arrives with flowers, good wine, and a smile that doesn’t quite reach the eyes.

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• Growing strong is your house’s motto, and you live it: patiently, strategically, always investing in the relationships and resources that will matter most when it counts.
• You are charming by choice and calculating by nature — a combination that makes you one of the most effective players in any room you enter.
• The Tyrells fed King’s Landing and shaped its politics without ever sitting on the Iron Throne — and they were arguably more powerful for it.
• You know that the person who controls the food controls the kingdom. And you always know where the food is.

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4

‘Hung’ (2009-2011)

Image via HBO

It may seem shocking by today’s standards, but raunchy and steamy shows were truly not as prominent as they are today. When they did arrive, they were done properly and with purpose. Case in point, Hung. Created by Colette Burson and Dmitry Lipkin, the three-season erotic dramedy tells the story of Ray Drecker (Thomas Jane), a struggling former high school sports star turned middle-aged high school basketball coach in Detroit whose life falls apart after a fire damages his home and his wife leaves him. Desperate for cash, Ray resorts to prostitution upon determining he was exceptionally well-endowed. Arriving when the country was experiencing the economic anxiety of the recession, Hung focused on the unconventional relationships and personal reinvention of a man fighting mid-life depression.

With a proactive premise, Hung went full tilt. In a time when antiheroes were on the rise on the small screen, Jane continued the trend. His teacher took on an unlikely path, providing his brilliant storytelling. His unorthodox entry into sex work reflected the economic downturn that questioned American masculinity. Instead of solely relying on anatomical humor, the series treated its characters as fully formed individuals with severity and emotional weight. Hung may seem like a poignant topic by today’s standards, but before the normalcy of OnlyFans, Hung was quite edgy. The show captured the dark corners of suburbia with a distinct screwball-dark-comedy aesthetic. And yes, there was a lot of partial or full nudity, featuring intimate bedroom encounters between Ray and his clients. In doing so, it captured the intersection of sex, money, desire, and vulnerability. Don’t expect to see glamorous sex scenes, as the anxieties of reality bogged down the moments, making them brilliantly bittersweet. ​​​​​​​

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5

‘I Love LA’ (2025-Present)

In the latest in the string of hot new hangout comedies comes I Love LA, a comedy straight from Rachel Sennott. The series centers on Maia Simsbury (Sennott), an up-and-coming talent managerwhose life is upended when her chaotic former best friend and influencer, Tallulah Stiel (Odessa A’zion), unexpectedly re-enters it. Alongside a chaotic friend group, including clout-chasing stylist Charlie Cohen (Jordan Firstman), nepo-baby Alani Marcus (True Whitaker), and Maia’s low-key teacher boyfriend Dylan (Josh Hutcherson), I Love LA keys into the absurdities of trying to make it in Hollywood where internet-fueled status, social media anxiety, ego, and one TikTok can be the key to the kingdom.

I Love LA flourishes for its desire to lean into cringy millennial and Gen Z ambition. With only Dylan truly grounding the fame-obsessed dreamers, the friends rely on witty, razor-sharp dialogue where pop culture references reign supreme. I Love LA opens with a direct sex scene between Maia and Dylan, setting the tone for the steamy series. From there, the series showcases explicit sexual content, frank dialogue about sex, and frequent intimate scenes that are true to reality. The characters’ personal and professional lives frequently blur into messy romantic and sexual entanglements as the hedonistic influencer world is on full display. Fret not, Sennott carefully curated the nudity for narrative purposes rather than shock value. Though shocks do come naturally to the show. ​​​​​​​

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6

‘Industry’ (2020-Present)

Image via HBO

Now, for some steamy drama with accents, it’s the juicy financial thriller Industry. Set at the prestigious investment bank Pierpoint & Co in London, Industry revolves around young graduates competing for permanent positions. Diving deep into the intense, high-pressure world of international banking, trading, and corporate finance, Industry also taps into how professional lives seep into personal lives marked heavily by drug use, party culture, messy relationships, and personal vices. The fast-paced series created by former investment bankers Mickey Down and Konrad Kay captures the adrenaline-fueled rivalries, the dilapidated exhaustion, and sensory overload of twenty-somethings bouncing between high-stakes deals and late-night debauchery.

Though Industry swaps out real-world pedantry for catching the right vibe through the intense cultural ecosystem and psychological pressure, it does a striking job of reflecting as work and pleasure intertwine. The characters are richly ambitious and greatly flawed. Some even veer into ruthless antihero territory. And yet, you simply cannot look away. Industry explores the world of sex, kinks, and nudity not simply for titillation but to explore how, for some, power-plays, high-stress coping mechanisms, and raw greed are simply an extension from the trading floor and boardroom. They treat intimacy as a transaction or a means of asserting dominance. And it’s meant to be authentic to the world Industry depicts. There’s simply no way to pick the steamiest scenes because they’re all exceptionally visceral. If steamy shows you seek, Industry delivers.

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7

‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’ (2021-2025)

Image via HBO Max

Created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, the gone-too-soon The Sex Lives of College Girls follows four freshman—Kimberly Finkle (Pauline Chalamet), Bela Malhotra (Amrit Kaur), Whitney Chase (Alyah Chanelle Scott), and Leighton Murray (Reneé Rapp)— roommates at the fictional Essex College in Vermont who navigate newfound freedom, relationships, and self-discovery. Depicting the chaotic, hilarious, and stressful transition into unsupervised adulthood, The Sex Lives of College Girls focuses on a frank, messy exploration of modern dating, hookup culture, and sexual identity when the guardrails are off.

Through the depiction of the friendship of a mismatched quartet of roommates, their natural chemistry and quick, clever dialogue allowed for modern issues and heavy topics to be approached through honesty and earnestness. Rather than being approached through stereotypes, the young women are presented as messy, ambitious, and flawed. The messiness of college sexcapades lifted the series to its greatness. Through the eyes of the young women, the male-centric college tropes are gone in order for the candid conversations about explicit hookups and naked parties to resonate with female viewers. The physical intimacy isn’t just about the event; rather, it’s used as a way to further the character development in funny and realistic ways.

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8

‘True Blood’ (2008-2014)

Image via HBO

One of the most defining fantasy horror dramas of the 21st century was Alan Ball‘s magnificent True Blood. Based on the novel series by Charlaine Harris, True Blood dropped viewers into the small, fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, where the invention of a mass-produced fake blood product known as “Tru Blood” allows vampires to survive without hurting humans. As vampires come out into the open, they push for equal rights and integration. Centered on the love between telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), the pair are pulled into a dark and dangerous underworld where the revelation of other supernatural creatures emerges. A daring exploration of political power struggles between opposing factions, the moody Southern Gothic thriller gave everyone a lust for blood.

Through the guise of a soapy fantasy thriller, True Blood uses its story as an analogy for civil rights struggles, prejudice, and political polarization. Through a fictitious lens, the series mirrors real-world systemic hate and media sensationalism. The series excelled at mixing a murder mystery with camp, dark humor, and romance—the latter of which became a major draw for viewers. The humid, sultry locale served as the perfect backdrop for hot, heavy romance. With frequent nudity and intense romantic and lustful intertwining, True Blood emerged as the place to go for steamy vampire seduction. For a lore and mythology already tied to intimacy, True Blood didn’t hold back. Nor did the cast; some of whom emerged as the era’s sex symbols.

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true blood

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Release Date

2008 – 2014-00-00

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Network

HBO Max

Directors

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Daniel Minahan

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