Shailene Woodley does not appear interested in publicly revisiting her failed engagement to Aaron Rodgers, even after the NFL star shared surprising new claims about their relationship.

When recently asked about her ex-fiancé’s comments, the actress responded in an unusual way without offering a specific explanation.

Shailene Woodley’s silence comes years after she spoke about the emotional toll that period of her life took on her, with Aaron Rodgers recently challenging the way their breakup has been portrayed.

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Woodley kept her reaction brief when she was approached about Rodgers while attending a pre-Emmys event in Los Angeles on September 13. A reporter asked the actress whether she had anything to say about her former fiancé’s recent remarks.

Her reaction came days after Rodgers discussed their relationship during an appearance on his Pittsburgh Steelers teammate, Cam Heyward’s “Not Just Football” podcast.

“I date Shailene, I propose, and she says yes,” Rodgers recalled, as reported by The Blast. He then claimed that only days later, Woodley told him, “I got to go f-ck this guy.”

Rodgers also disputed the idea that he caused Woodley’s emotional struggles. “Cause her story is, I ruined her life and gave her crazy depression because I left her,” he said. He also maintained that their later attempts to reconcile never worked out.

Rather than respond directly, Woodley simply laughed before turning around and walking away with a friend, according to TMZ. Her brief reaction offered no indication of whether she agreed with Rodgers’ version of events or not; however, it got some people talking online.

One comment on X about her response read, “A toxic narcissist always tries to create drama to suck people in. She is refusing to engage no matter how inflammatory his garbage is. This is what survivors are taught to do with people like him.”

Another wrote, “The only option when you are unexpectedly TORCHED by your ex. She had dogged him a while ago, so she probably assumed the dust settled.”

“Imagine getting followed around because Aaron Rodgers said some dumb shit on a podcast again,” a third noted.

The Actress Previously Said Their Relationship Left Her In A ‘Dark’ Place

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Although Woodley chose not to address Rodgers’ latest claims, she has previously been open about how difficult that chapter of her life became.

While filming “Three Women” between late 2021 and May 2022, Woodley said she was experiencing “the darkest, hardest time in my life.” Her personal struggles unfolded alongside the intense public interest surrounding her relationship with Rodgers.

“It was winter in New York, and my personal life was sh-tty, so it felt like a big pain bubble for eight months,” she previously recalled in an interview with Net-A-Porter. Acting became an outlet for those emotions, allowing her to channel some of what she was experiencing into her character.

Woodley later revealed to Outside Magazine that she experienced depression for about six months in 2022. She also admitted that discussing her romance with Rodgers “always makes me cry.”

Despite the painful ending, she did not dismiss the relationship entirely, simply noting that “it was not right. But it was beautiful.”

Aaron Rodgers Pushes Back Against The Narrative That He Was To Be Blamed

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Rodgers recently challenged what he believes has become an inaccurate version of his breakup with Woodley. During his podcast appearance, the quarterback disputed the idea that he ended the relationship and left the actress struggling emotionally.

According to Rodgers, Woodley had already decided she did not want to continue their engagement. He claimed she removed her ring months after his proposal and told him, “I don’t want to be with you.”

Rodgers also suggested that public accounts of his previous romances have unfairly portrayed him as responsible whenever things went wrong.

“There’s just a lot of narratives out there that are just not true,” he said, adding that outsiders do not know what happened privately. Woodley, meanwhile, has so far chosen laughter rather than a public rebuttal to his latest version of events.

Sources Said Their Relationship Was Never Meant To Happen

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Long before Rodgers publicly challenged the narrative surrounding their breakup, people close to the former couple suggested they were simply not well suited for each other.

A source told People in 2022 that Woodley and Rodgers “fell hard and fast,” but were “a mismatch from the start.”

Their romance developed during the pandemic, when they were able to focus heavily on each other without many of the demands of their usual lives.

Once those circumstances changed, their differences became harder to overlook. Another insider described them as “very different people with busy careers” who faced problems they could not overcome.

The pair also did not always share the same views. Sources said they had learned to “agree to disagree” on topics where their opinions differed. For those around the couple, their eventual split was not entirely surprising.

Beyond Relationship Drama, Shailene Woodley Goes All Out For Her First Emmy Win

Shailene Woodley steps out in style at the Emmys before winning Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for “Paradise.”

Variety On the Carpet sponsored by @thesocialmovie pic.twitter.com/xFFEQysr6V

— Variety (@Variety) September 15, 2026

While her past with Rodgers has suddenly returned to the headlines, Woodley has a major career achievement of her own to celebrate. The actress recently picked up the first Emmy Award of her career for her performance in Hulu’s “Paradise.”

Woodley won Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmys for playing Annie Clay. Her victory was particularly significant for the show, as she became its only winner despite “Paradise” receiving seven nominations during this year’s awards season.

She attended the Emmys in Balenciaga sequined trousers, a plunging periwinkle top, and opera gloves. Woodley completed the look with a $98,000 HOWL necklace made with colorful Venetian glass, gold, and diamonds.

The milestone comes nearly a decade after her previous Emmy appearance in 2017, when she was nominated for “Big Little Lies.” This time, Woodley arrived as an Emmy winner, giving her something much bigger to celebrate than the renewed attention surrounding a relationship that ended years ago.

Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski had a slow-burn romance before it fizzled out. 

The pair met in May 2015 while working together on the Off-Broadway play The Way We Get By. At the time, Seyfried was in a relationship with Justin Long. Sadoski, for his part, was married to Kimberly Hope. Seyfried and Sadoski’s connection was strictly platonic while they were in their respective relationships.

In October 2015, Sadoski split from Hope after eight years of marriage. Seyfried also ended her two-year relationship with Long that same year. The Mamma Mia! star and Sadoski reunited for the film The Last Word in early 2016, and Us confirmed that the pair were an item after the duo were spotted arriving together on set. 

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Seyfried and the Newsroom alum secretly tied the knot in March 2017 while the actress was nine months pregnant with their daughter, Nina, who arrived less than two weeks later. The pair announced the birth of their second baby, son Thomas Jr., in September 2020 in a statement via the organizations INARA and War Child.

Sadoski and Seyfried announced in September 2026 that they split after nine years of marriage.

Scroll down to see Seyfried and Sadoski’s relationship over the years:

Aaron Evans knows what it takes to survive deception on reality television, but he claims “Love Island USA” presented a tougher emotional challenge than “The Traitors UK.” Evans competed as a Faithful during the first season of “The Traitors UK” and ultimately won the game alongside Hannah Byczkowski and Meryl Williams. He later joined “Love Island USA” Season 6 before appearing in the spinoff “Love Island: Beyond the Villa.”

Now, ahead of “The Traitors: New Blood,” Evans is opening up about the differences between the shows, his biggest mistake inside the castle, and the drama he claims viewers never saw.

During an exclusive Q&A provided to The Blast by Casino Guru, Evans was asked which reality show was more emotionally difficult and where he found it harder to trust people. “I would have to say Love Island by far was more emotionally challenging, and harder to trust people for sure,” he revealed. “It just felt a lot more manipulative.”

He added, “On ‘The Traitors,’ you don’t have production in your ears telling you what to do and what conversations to have and trying to persuade you to do other things, whereas ‘Love Island’ is more of a mind game and they’re constantly on you to do certain things that you don’t really want to do.”

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Evans did not provide specific examples of what he was allegedly encouraged to do or identify any particular producers involved. His comments reflect his personal account of filming the two shows. “Love Island USA” producers have not publicly responded to the claims included in the interview.

Evans’ experience inside the villa included a turbulent relationship with Kaylor Martin, who later confronted him about his behavior during the show.

He Says Viewers Missed Most Of The ‘Beyond The Villa’ Drama

Evans reunited with several Season 6 Islanders for Peacock’s “Love Island: Beyond the Villa” in 2025. The spinoff followed the former Islanders as they navigated relationships, changing friendships and new opportunities in Los Angeles after leaving Fiji.

However, when asked if viewers failed to receive the full story about anything that happened, Evans did not hesitate. “Practically the whole show,” he said. “I think there was more stuff that was going on behind the scenes than was able to film.”

He continued, “And I think if they would have been able to capture everything that was going on, that show would have been completely different and people would have seen a completely different perspective. There was a lot more drama behind the scenes.”

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Evans did not explain what the off-camera drama involved, leaving questions about which relationships or conflicts may have looked different if additional footage had been captured. His comments suggest that the version of events presented on the show represented only a portion of what unfolded among the cast.

Aaron Evans Reveals Where He Stands With The Cast

Despite returning to film with his former castmates, Evans admitted that he is no longer particularly close to the group. “I think we’re all right, but I don’t really speak to any of them at all,” he said. His statement follows an emotional on-camera reunion with Martin during the “Beyond the Villa” premiere.

Evans and Martin met during “Love Island USA” Season 6 and developed one of the season’s most talked-about relationships. Their romance later fell apart following revelations about Evans’ interactions with Daniela Ortiz-Rivera during Casa Amor.

“Beyond the Villa” brought the former couple face-to-face again after Evans stepped away from public attention. Although Evans now says he and the cast are “all right,” his lack of regular contact indicates that many of the relationships formed through the franchise may not have continued once filming ended.

‘The Traitors’ Winner Reveals His Biggest Blind Spot

Before entering the “Love Island” universe, Evans became a fan favorite and winner on the inaugural season of “The Traitors UK.” He began the competition as a Faithful and maintained that status throughout the entire game. Looking back, Evans said his relationship with Traitor Amanda Lovett prevented him from recognizing one of the game’s biggest threats.

“One of the biggest ones I missed is probably just the whole Amanda lore. I used to nickname her Mother Amanda,” he said. “So, in my eyes, she could do no wrong. And if she would have told me she was a traitor, I’d have probably still believed that she was faithful.”

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He continued, “So, I think if I would have just looked at it more logically, I could have probably figured out the reason that I was there was because I was close to someone, and that person I think was Amanda. But in hindsight, either way, if I would have figured out it was her, I would have probably got booted sooner. So, I’m glad that I didn’t figure out, because otherwise I probably would have got murdered.”

Amanda’s maternal presence helped her remain undetected for much of the competition. Evans acknowledged that missing the clues may have ultimately protected him. If he had openly identified Amanda as a Traitor, she and her allies could have chosen to “murder” him before he reached the end.

His ADHD Became An Unexpected Advantage

Evans faced suspicion several times during his season, but his ability to defend himself and build relationships helped keep him in the competition. “I think the fact that I was good at defending myself, that was a big part. I think I ended up on the chopping board like 3 times over,” he said.

“And another part was, I think, just my ADHD,” he admitted. “It’s probably the worst part about me, but also the best part about me. I ended up being everyone’s friend from the get-go, and I think people just struggled to get rid of me. So, I think that probably separated me in the end, but it also got me thrown onto the chopping board quite a few times. So, I guess there’s swings and roundabouts to it.”

Evans ultimately survived until the final and shared the prize with his fellow Faithfuls after they eliminated the remaining Traitor, Wilfred Webster.

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Aaron Evans Warns ‘New Blood’ Contestants About One Mistake

“The Traitors: New Blood” premieres September 17 on NBC and introduces 22 civilian contestants competing for a prize of up to $250,000. Unlike the flagship American version, which has featured reality stars and other public figures, “New Blood” gives viewers a cast of people without established television personas.

Evans believes the new competitors could hurt their chances by becoming too vocal about their suspicions. “Probably the biggest mistake is going to be overconfidence and speaking too much, because if you’re right, then you’ve got a bigger target on your back from the traitors already,” he said. “But if you’re wrong, then everyone suspects you and they want to get you out anyway.”

He concluded, “So, I think just verbally talking too much and being overconfident will get you booted out trying to search one of the traitors, which is exactly what happened to Tom in our season.”

Tom Holland appeared to keep his disappointment under control after Zendaya lost at the 2026 Emmy Awards, according to a body language expert who analyzed the actor’s reaction. Zendaya was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her final performance as Rue Bennett in HBO’s “Euphoria.” However, the award ultimately went to “Pluribus” star Rhea Seehorn. Although Zendaya appeared gracious as Seehorn celebrated, expert Darren Stanton claims Holland displayed several subtle signs that he was privately frustrated by the result.

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Holland attended the September 14 ceremony to support Zendaya, marking a rare public award-show appearance for the longtime couple. After Seehorn’s name was announced, cameras captured the reactions of the other nominees and their guests. Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Stanton claimed Holland attempted to conceal his disappointment by displaying what the expert described as a “textbook social smile.”

“It’s a natural reaction from Tom Holland following Zendaya’s loss, with several key elements to pick up on here,” Stanton said. “Firstly, he is showing some outward leakage signals and a fake smile. You can see that the crows feet aren’t there and the whole face isn’t engaged. This is a textbook social smile. There is no emotion there and he’s secretly disappointed for Zendaya.”

Tom Holland’s Lips Allegedly Exposed What He Was Holding Back

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The body language expert also focused on Holland’s mouth, claiming the “Spider-Man” actor appeared to suppress an emotional response. “The second is lip suppression. This is essentially what people do when they want to say something or feel a certain way,” he said. “It’s an unconscious gesture when they have to stop the words coming out. Tom is almost holding his breath until the moment has passed. The more he’s trying to keep it in, the more he wants to get it out.”

Stanton did not suggest that Holland was angry with Seehorn or questioned her victory. Instead, his analysis focused on the possibility that Holland was disappointed for Zendaya after accompanying her to the ceremony and watching her compete for a third lead actress Emmy.

Holland has regularly supported Zendaya’s career while the pair has maintained a relatively private relationship away from premieres and promotional appearances.

Zendaya Was ‘Gracious’ Following Rhea Seehorn’s Victory

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While Stanton saw signs of concealed disappointment from Holland, he interpreted Zendaya’s reaction differently. The expert claimed the actress responded to her loss without displaying visible frustration or resentment.

“Looking at Rhea’s reaction to winning, she showed an immediate response when her name was read out. I don’t think she thought for a minute that she was going to win,” he said. “Her hands covering her mouth indicate the emotion of surprise. By contrast, Zendaya appeared humble and authentic after losing, and showed no signs of anger and seemed gracious. As a couple, Tom and Zendaya are very grounded and what you see is what you get with them.”

Zendaya competed against Seehorn, Carrie Coon, Chase Infiniti and Keri Russell in the category. Seehorn’s victory recognized her performance as Carol Sturka in “Pluribus.”

‘Euphoria’ Earned Zendaya Six Emmy Nominations

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The 2026 nomination marked Zendaya’s sixth overall Emmy nomination connected to “Euphoria,” including recognition for acting, producing, and music. She previously won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for playing Rue in 2020 and 2022.

Her first victory made her the youngest performer to win the category. Her second made her the first Black woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series twice. During her 2022 acceptance speech, Zendaya reflected on the impact “Euphoria” had on viewers who identified with Rue’s struggles.

“I want you to know that anyone who has loved a Rue, or feels like they are a Rue, I want you to know that I am so grateful for your stories,” she said. “Thank you to [series creator] Sam [Levinson] for sharing Rue with me, thank you for believing in me even in moments where I didn’t believe in myself.”

Although she did not take home a third trophy in 2026, the nomination marked one final recognition for her work as Rue following the show’s third and final season.

Zendaya And Tom Holland’s Marital Status Remains Confusing

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Holland’s appearance beside Zendaya also attracted attention because of continued uncertainty surrounding whether the couple has officially married. The actors confirmed their relationship in 2021 after years of speculation. Holland has since referred to Zendaya as “my wife,” including during a podcast appearance in July.

However, Zendaya’s longtime stylist, Law Roach, complicated the story while speaking during the Emmy Awards preshow. “Well, I actually lied, she wasn’t married. They actually haven’t had an official ceremony yet. It’s gonna happen after the Dune press tour,” Roach said, per PEOPLE, while walking back his earlier claim that the couple had already married.

When questioned again, Roach insisted, “No, the wedding hasn’t happened. I mean, she’s been his ‘wife’ for a really long time now, but it’s not official yet.”

Whatever their exact marital status may be, Holland’s attendance at the Emmys proved his continued support for Zendaya.

The Reacher television franchise is about to expand with the upcoming debut of its first-ever spin-off. In Neagley, Reacher alum Maria Sten takes center stage as the eponymous character, pursuing a new mystery with very personal ties to her background — and doing it without Alan Ritchson‘s Reacher by her side. Here’s everything you need to remember about Neagley and her previous appearances before her new show drops on Prime Video this week.

Frances Neagley Is Reacher’s Closest Ally

A former U.S. Army Master Sergeant, Frances Neagley served with Reacher in the Military Police’s 110th Special Investigations Unit. Although still mourning the tragic loss of his first protégé, Sergeant Dominique Kohl (Mariah Robinson), Reacher eventually took Neagley under his wing, and they formed a close bond, with Neagley learning from her superior officer at “the school of Reacher,” as she described it. Neagley makes her first appearance in Reacher Season 1, Episode 4, “In a Tree.” After the 110th Special Investigations Unit is disbanded, Neagley becomes a private investigator in her hometown of Chicago, Illinois.

During Reacher Season 1, Neagley’s assistance proves crucial in helping Reacher, Finlay, and Roscoe Conklin (Willa Fitzgerald) take down the Kliners and their counterfeiting operation. In Season 2, Reacher and Neagley reunite with the surviving members of the 110th, David O’Donnell (Shaun Sipos) and Karla Dixon (Serinda Swan), to topple the conspirators who murdered their former colleagues. Neagley returns in Season 3 as well, where she assists Reacher in exacting revenge against Francis Xavier Quinn (Brian Tee), the corrupt Army Intelligence operative who murdered Sgt. Kohl.

Neagley Is a Much More Complicated Character Than You Think

Because of their time together in the 110th, Reacher and Neagley have forged a close friendship, a fact that Reacher himself even acknowledges in the Season 2 finale. Neagley has proven to be an invaluable ally for Reacher, saving his life multiple times before the events of the flagship series, and they would both drop anything at a moment’s notice to come to each other’s aid.

Although Reacher and Neagley are both highly skilled investigators and hand-to-hand combatants, the characters are distinct. An expert at close-quarters combat, Neagley is an ace sniper, demonstrating her sharpshooter skills to Detective Oscar Finlay (Malcolm Goodwin) in the Season 1 finale, “Pie,” before dropping one of the series’ best lines after sniping two guards at the Kliner warehouse: “Put the biscuit in the basket.” In her leisure time, Neagley loves playing video games and strongly prefers sugary breakfast cereals, one of her favorite foods. While Reacher frequently pursues romance with various female allies throughout his series, Neagley interestingly remarks in Season 2 that she isn’t attracted to anyone.

Additionally, Neagley suffers from haphephobia, a condition that results in a serious aversion to touching or being touched by anyone. During Reacher Season 2, Detective Guy Russo (Domenic Lombardozzi) is fatally wounded while protecting a witness from gunmen working for Shane Langston (Robert Patrick), and Neagley pushes through her haphephobia to grasp Russo’s hand and console him as he dies, which remains one of the series’ most impactful moments.

Neagley Finally Gets the Spotlight in Her Own Series

Image via Prime Video

Although Neagley has primarily been Reacher’s chief ally throughout his own series, she’ll take the main spotlight in her new self-titled spin-off. In the first season of Neagley, the P.I. investigates the mysterious death of a childhood friend, who appears to have died by suicide. Neagley suspects foul play, leading her to investigate a potentially deadly conspiracy connected to the mysterious Echo Canyon Farm. Ritchson reprises his role as Reacher in Neagley, but only in a guest-starring capacity, as the series’ new allies for Neagley include Chicago PD Detective Hudson Riley (Greyston Holt), Renee (Adeline Rudolph), a colleague at Neagley’s investigative firm, and Keno (Jasper Jones), a young street hustler and con artist.

The most exciting aspect about Neagley is that series co-creator and executive producer Nick Santora, who also oversees the flagship series, plans to finally delve into the titular character’s backstory, something that even Neagley’s creator, author Lee Child, avoided when writing his Jack Reacher novels. As the author explained to The Wrap, “I didn’t want to go too deeply into what made her who she is. I felt that would burst the bubble somehow, so I shied away from it.” Santora revealed that the series will explore “why [Neagley] became who she is,” suggesting fans will finally get an answer for what caused Neagley’s intense haphephobia in the first place.

The new chapter of the Reacher saga debuts September 16 on Prime Video, with all eight episodes available at launch.

A tightly controlled narrative, focused storytelling, high-impact themes, and stunning visuals — these are all part of what makes a miniseries perfect. With the expansion of streaming networks through the 2010s and 2020s, fans have discovered some incredibly well-made miniseries that can be called perfect end-to-end. Not all of these shows were critical darlings or won any awards, but through their resonant storytelling and unique visual experience, each of them has delivered a truly elevated experience.

From socio-politically inclined shows that speak to our modern context to gorgeous and timeless works of visual art, modern miniseries are not simply striving for accolades, but for long-lasting, widespread impact on the genre, pop culture, and the industry as a whole. With that in mind, here’s our selection of miniseries that are all perfect from beginning to end.

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‘Over the Garden Wall’ (2014)

Image via Cartoon Network

An animated dark fantasy adventure miniseries created by Patrick McHale and based on his animated short film, Tome of the Unknown, Over the Garden Wall centers on half-brothers Greg and Wirt, voiced by Collin Dean and Elijah Wood, who get lost inside a strange forest called the Unknown. To find their way back home, they must go through the mysterious land, encountering fantastical creatures and strange occurrences. Other main characters are voiced by Melanie Lynskey, Christopher Lloyd, Jack Jones, and Samuel Ramey.

A hit Cartoon Network miniseries, Over the Garden Wall earned sweeping accolades when it premiered and easily ranks among the greatest miniseries of this century. The animated series puts a whimsical spin on the enchanted forest trope with 19th-century American folklore-inspired storytelling and a vintage animation style. Goofy, cozy, and endlessly imaginative, Over the Garden Wall is a wonderfully nostalgic and surprisingly deep series.

2

‘Chernobyl’ (2019)

Image via HBO

The best HBO miniseries of 2019, created and written by Craig Mazin and directed by Johan Renck, Chernobyl is a dramatized retelling of the real-life disaster at the titular nuclear plant in Ukraine in 1986, which devastated the entire town and impacted human lives and the environment for generations to come. Largely based on Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich’s book about the incident, the miniseries takes a candid look at the disaster, the events that led to the explosion, the key people involved, and the aftermath. The series stars Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Emily Watson, Paul Ritter, Jessie Buckley, and more as real-life people of the time.

Considered one of the greatest and most immersive TV dramatizations of a real historical event, Chernobyl is a masterclass in miniseries production. The show recreates the 1986 nuclear disaster in intense detail, unpacks complex concepts clearly, and delivers all that in a tight narrative through powerful performances, particularly by Harris and Skarsgård. Even though the show’s facts and fictions often overlap, Chernobyl succeeds in capturing the harrowing intensity and emotional gravity of a historical tragedy in the most vivid way.

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‘Devs’ (2020)

Image via FX

A haunting sci-fi thriller created by Alex Garland in his first TV project, Devs revolves around the employees of a highly secretive, experimental quantum computing company called Amaya, where a software engineer named Lily investigates the sudden death of her boyfriend, who was killed on his first day working on the titular project. Lily soon learns about the company’s secretive, elusive CEO, Forest, and the secrets behind his equally mysterious project that pose serious questions about human consciousness. Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Offerman, Allison Pill, Zach Grenier, and Carl Glusman play the main characters.

Deeply intellectual and thought-provoking, Devs is truly a one-of-a-kind sci-fi series that stands out with its distinct narrative style and an ambitious take on existentialism. Despite its short runtime, the show feels exhaustive and immersive with its enigmatic, trance-inducing visuals, mind-bending storytelling, and hypnotic performances. With a definitive beginning, middle, and end, where every plot point, symbol, and visual callback serves the core theme, Devs is as perfect as a sci-fi miniseries can get.

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‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ (2023)

Image via Netflix

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The fifth television series in Mike Flanagan’s prestigious horror catalog, The Fall of the House of Usher is an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story of the same name and also draws from his other poems and short stories. The series follows siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher, the corrupt and ruthless owners of a pharma company, whose dark past comes to haunt them when a mysterious woman named Verna resurfaces with deadly repercussions. The show features an ensemble cast that includes Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Mark Hamill, and more.

Often considered a relatively underrated gem among Flanagan’s works, The Fall of the House of Usher remarkably translates Poe’s Gothic horror classics into a 21st-century small-screen masterpiece. With its anthology-style character studies and diabolical depiction of unbridled hubris and poetic justice, the eight-part show feels like a slow descent into madness. The fantastic set designs, slow-burn tension, and the powerhouse performances by Gugino, Greenwood, and McDonnell make The Fall of the House of Usher perfect from the first through the final episode.

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‘Pluto’ (2023)

Image via Netflix

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A must-watch miniseries for Astro Boy fans, Pluto is an anime adaptation of the manga by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki that expands on Osamu Tezuka’s universe, featuring Atom and other advanced robots as they investigate the mysterious deaths of several high-profile robots and humans. When a robot detective named Gesicht investigates the murders, Atom becomes integral to his search for the truth, as he unravels a complex conspiracy that could completely upend the laws and policies that protect both robots and humans. Shinshū Fuji, Hiroki Yasumoto, Koichi Yamadera, Yoko Hikasa, and Minori Suzuki voice the main characters.

Pluto is an extraordinary show that turns a classic arc from an acclaimed children’s story into a deep, mature murder mystery. The show sits right at the intersection of hard sci-fi, futurism, evolution of AI, existential philosophy, and the human condition. Simultaneously a spectacular anime and a serious meditation on the fate of humanity, Pluto is thrilling and thought-provoking at every turn, and ranks among the best anime miniseries of all time.

6

‘Ripley’ (2024)

Image via Netflix

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Written, directed, and created by Steven Zaillian in his sophomore television project, Ripley is a neo-noir thriller adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s popular crime classic, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and revolves around the titular conman and his diabolical pursuits. Hired by a wealthy New York businessman to bring his prodigal son Dickie home from Italy, Tom worms his way into Dickie’s life, developing a dangerous obsession with his mark and setting off on a path of no return. Johnny Flynn, Dakota Fanning, Eliot Sumner, Margherita Buy, and Maurizio Lombardi play the main characters, with Andrew Scott leading the cast with a chilling personification of the titular grifter.

A cinematic masterpiece, Ripley is modern black-and-white cinematography done beautifully, and methodical storytelling done just right. The Hitchcockian tale of lust, greed, and betrayal plays out stylishly against the rich camera and light work that cleverly uses chiaroscuro effects and Giallo cinema motifs, doing every bit of justice to its source material. With its stunning visual experience and masterful performances, every episode of this Netflix original is a perfect treat for the eyes and mind.

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‘Adolescence’ (2025)

Image via Netflix

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A razor-sharp psychological drama that became a major conversation topic in media and politics, Netflix’s Adolescence tells the tragic story of Jamie, a 13-year-old boy who is arrested on suspicion of killing a fellow school student. When the investigation brings up further information about Jamie, it shocks everyone around him and devastates the entire family’s life, forcing his parents to face every parent’s worst nightmare. Stephen Graham co-created the show with Jack Thorne and stars as Jamie’s father, alongside Owen Cooper as Jamie, with Erin Doherty, Christine Tremarco, Ashley Walters, Faye Marsay, Mark Stanley, and more in key roles.

Adolescence is terrific in every aspect of its making — story, cinematography, acting, direction, and audience impact. While the fact that every episode is shot in a single, continuous, real-time shot is a cinematic delight, its visceral depiction of the hidden digital lives of modern teenagers strikes a deep cultural nerve. An emotionally charged story of the afflictions of adolescence, this Netflix four-part crime drama says so much more with less than many popular multi-season shows.

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‘Spider-Noir’ (2026)

Image via Prime Video

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Created by Oren Uziel and starring Nicolas Cage in his first television lead role, Prime Video’s Spider-Noir is loosely based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man Noir. The series completely reimagines Cage’s protagonist as an older, grizzled private detective living in New York City during the Great Depression, whose superhero identity is history. But when an enigmatic woman knocks at his door with a puzzling missing persons case, it forces Ben to reconnect with his past and get involved with the city’s most dangerous people. Li Jun Li, Lamorne Morris, Karen Rodriguez, Abraham Popoola, Jack Huston, and Brendan Gleeson play other main characters.

Spider-Noir is a perfect example of how hard-boiled detective fiction, superhero action, comic-book style and tone, and Hollywood noir can be cleverly blended into a satisfying, self-contained miniseries. The series trades massive cinematic universe setups and cosmic-level challenges for a vintage pulp fiction narrative, treating the superhero elements as an extension of classic noir tropes. Gritty, witty, and thrilling, every episode of Spider-Noir is a pure cinematic treat anchored by Cage’s unexpectedly refreshing reinvention of the fan-favorite superhero.

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Release Date

2026 – 2026-00-00

Network

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MGM+

Showrunner

Oren Uziel, Steve Lightfoot

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Directors

Harry Bradbeer

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While the world waits for Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey to arrive on digital, divisive action auteur Zack Snyder‘s 2006 fantasy epic 300 is currently burning up the charts on Paramount+. Despite decades of imitation and parody, the painterly comic book film remains a stirring watch to this day, especially as a sort of mission statement for the rest of Snyder’s career. And it’s no wonder that home audiences are returning to it.

Snyder’s 300 was a smash hit at the box office, earning some $456 million on a $65 million budget —a success that was no doubt fueled in large part by an iconic, Nine Inch Nails-scored trailer that lit up the burgeoning internet film bro scene, and juiced by the success of Sin City (which was also an adaptation of a Frank Miller graphic novel) the year before. The film also boasted a genuinely unique (for the time) look, as well as committed performances by Gerard Butler, Michael Fassbender, and Lena Headey. Love or hate its green screen-heavy, speed-ramped vision, it’s a film that will never go away — and it’s certainly a fun piece of counter-programming for The Odyssey.

‘300’ Etched Many New Careers In Marble

Image via Warner Bros. 

Snyder, a music video veteran, exploded on the genre film scene in 2004 with his spectacularly gritty and lively Dawn of the Dead remake, and 300 cemented his status as a low-brow Hollywood auteur — but he brought others along for the ride. Gerard Butler got his show-stopping, bellowing leading-man debut as Leonidas, with several of the bearded, muscle-bound hero’s line readings now part of cinema history. And right alongside him was a young Fassbender, whose screen presence and physique made for an explosive Hollywood debut, playing a spirited young soldier named Stelios.

Pre-300, Butler was mostly known for his turn in the titular role in Joel Schumacher‘s camp masterpiece adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera. But this part almost immediately catapulted him to action hero royalty; he was soon facing off against Jamie Foxx in the gory, outlandish F. Gary Gray thriller Law Abiding Citizen, then going on to headline so very many simple, sturdy studio action pictures like Olympus Has Fallen and Plane, to name just a couple. And Snyder’s longtime cinematographer, a fellow music video veteran named Larry Fong, helped sculpt the film’s singular look; he went on to oversee not just the look of Snyder’s next several films, but also blockbusters including Kong: Skull Island and The Tomorrow War.

‘300’ Is Still an Outlandish, Psychedelic Action Spectacle

Snyder’s visual style was never meant to appeal to everyone. Take a look at the Letterboxd ratings for his latest three films, all clearly auteurist projects, on which he served as his own director of photography. In 300, he had a wide, explicitly graphic novel-based canvas on which to paint his elaborate action tableaux — and, despite years of mockery, they’re still astonishing. Blood soars (and sometimes outright pauses) in the air as his airbrushed, roaring ubermenschen clash their shields, spears, and swords. His depiction of the invading Persian army is grotesque in an almost Clive Barker-esque fashion, with body piercings and wanton orgies shown as Satanic omens of societal collapse, which makes the Spartans eventual successful triumph over them all the more cathartic.

But Snyder has never been a fascistic filmmaker. In fact, his career, post-300, has had an explicitly anti-fascist tint to it, and he made it clear that 300 was intended satirically in a contemporaneous interview, when he invoked legendary Robocop director Paul Verhoeven. “If I was (Paul) Verhoeven, and I had made this movie, I probably would have won the fricking festival with it. Because everyone would be like, ‘Oh my God, it’s genius,” Snyder said.

That doesn’t stop the film (like even some of Snyder’s most maligned later releases) from being an outrageous, visceral thrill. Before we expected our superhero films to be shot largely in front of green screens and with flat lighting, to make post-production changes easier, something like 300 was the kind of weirdo blockbuster we’d get from time to time. And if you surrender yourself to it, this is the cackling, blood-soaked, postmodern mythological/historical (heavy quotes around both terms) film that may just satisfy before The Odyssey comes home.

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Release Date

March 7, 2007

Runtime

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117 minutes

Director

Zack Synder

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Writers

Kurt Johnstad

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Producers

Bernie Goldmann, Frank Miller, Gianni Nunnari, Jeffrey Silver, Scott Mednick, William Fay, Ben Waisbren, Craig J. Flores, Deborah Snyder

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Re-canonizing the Chuck Norris of the galaxy far, far away would likely mean printing money, but would or could Disney even dare? First introduced rather unassumingly to audiences with the 1995 Doom clone FPS Dark Forces, Kyle Katarn was the original canon mercenary hero who stole the first Death Star plans before Disney threw out the beloved Expanded Universe and retconned this entire chapter in Star Wars chronology.

A badass, infamously OP human man with the moral complexity and charm of Han Solo and the Force-sensitive wonder of Luke Skywalker, while very much being his own thing, Kyle’s status holds a mythic status amongst the fandom. As for this writer, I’m a lifelong Star Wars fan, and I’ve come to love him as my favorite character in the entire franchise, thanks in large part to his well-conceived, genuinely moving arc over several games and other media. Distinct points in Katarn’s journey, and even the supporting characters around him, would be—let’s say, charitably, echoed— in Disney Star Wars‘ rebellious Stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) and of course Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). One of these newer characters certainly proved to be far more interesting and fleshed-out than the other, but for many longtime Star Wars fans, there simply is no replacing Kyle Katarn. The following ranks every Kyle Katarn Star Wars game from worst to best.

5

‘Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith’ (1998)

Originally released on Microsoft Windows

Image via LUCASARTS

This Jedi Knight expansion pack is really only for completionists, and yet it’s an essential part of Kyle Katarn’s chronology. This is the moment where, as canon and not just an alternate ending like in Jedi Knight, Kyle truly falls to the dark side, for a finite amount of time. For a majority of Mysteries of the Sith, we actually play as the iconic Expanded Universe character Mara Jade (you know, George Lucas’ favorite).

A former protégé of Emperor Palpatine before defying his final orders, Jade serves as Kyle’s apprentice before eventually saving him from the pull of the dark side. It’s a satisfying ending to a game that’s uneven, occasionally brilliant. Highlights of Mysteries of the Sith include some well-appointed atmosphere and overall fun gameplay. The level design can be obnoxiously confusing at times though, and the difficulty spikes are… unfair.

4

‘Star Wars: Dark Forces’ (1995)

Originally released on PC and Macintosh

Image via LUCASARTS

At this point in the list, pretty early on, we’re dealing entirely with some of the greatest Star Wars games ever made. You might be expecting the OG to rank a little higher on this list, and while it’s easy to admire Dark Forces for its chronological significance, and even for its gameplay a bit, but this thing has aged undeniably. Even after a recent remaster on PS5, this early FPS is fairly inaccessible to the casual gamer. Cry “skill issue” all you want, but who couldn’t get lost multiple times in these maps? And it’s not a fun kind of lost.

There’s so much to admire and enjoy here, though. Kyle beats a dragon to death with his bare fists, and holds his own against Boba Fett. He also steals a portion of the Death Star plans in the opening mission. The central conspiracy concerning the Dark Troopers is interesting enough to propel the action, but frankly, Dark Forces is begging for a full-blown remake beyond a remaster. The same could be said for every game on this list, but it feels most urgent here.

3

‘Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy’ (2003)

Originally released on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and XBox

Image via LUCASARTS

A natural progression of the story from Kyle’s greatest outing, Jedi Academy actually offers minor gameplay upgrades over its immediate predecessor but can’t match the depth of its storytelling. Not that the story is bad; it’s fun, a little macabre and campy, ultimately satisfying, it’s just no match for the games where we truly feel Kyle Katarn’s struggle with anger, grief, the pull of the dark, and finally arriving in the light on his own terms. Kyle is actually a supporting character this time around, though present throughout and very much in top form. Players mold their own protagonist here, an Academy recruit named Jaden Korr. There’s a great deal of replayability to this title in particular, given the modifications you can make to your character, lightsaber fighting style, and even the order in which you complete many of the missions. Many will say this game has the best lightstaber combat in video game history, even in a post-Cal Kestis modern world, and Jedi Academy is just plain fun from start to finish.

2

‘Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II’ (1997)

Released on Microsoft Windows

Image via LUCASARTS

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The time is post-Battle of Yavin, and about a year before Return of the Jedi. The MacGuffin is the Valley of the Jedi. And Dark Forces II is a far superior game to its predecessor in every conceivable way. The live-action cutscenes are about as cheesy as can be, but honestly that adds to the charm, not to mention much-needed emotional connective tissue, even with the emotions a little cartoonish. Unlike its predecessor, Jedi Knight lives up to its title as a Jedi simulator. One of the defining features of this particular, influential and even historic title is the option to choose the path of the dark or light side of the Force. It’s a choice that you don’t explicitly make yourself, rather it’s based on choices you’ve made in response to temptations throughout the game up to the third act. This was incredibly advanced stuff for 1997, and the game is still a treat to play.

1

‘Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast’ (2002)

Originally released on Microsoft Windows

Though its gameplay has some rough edges, and some dated elements, from clunky blaster play to an infamous Nar Shadaa level literally nobody likes, Star Wars: Jedi Knight II – Jedi Outcast is a terrific action game, and something like a masterpiece from a storytelling perspective. This is the version of Kyle Katarn that is forever immortalized in the hearts of fans. Perhaps Jedi Outcast’s greatest claim to fame is lightsaber combat that truly set the bar, along with Force powers from the dark and the light at the same time. I’d argue the best thing about the game, though, is Katarn himself.

Building on emotional stakes first were first hinted at in Jedi Knight, Outcast gives Kyle one of the deepest and most satisfying arcs in Star Wars history, gaming or otherwise. For much of the game’s playtime, Kyle believes his trusted partner and lover, Jan Ors, to be murdered. He flirts once again with the pull of the dark side in his anger, and especially the “easier, more seductive” nature of that path, but none other than Luke Skywalker, in the best take on the character since 1983, helps pull him back to the light. Fighting back-to-back with Skywalker is one of the most pleasurable moments in any Star Wars game, and Jedi Outcast deserves its status as a franchise landmark nearly a quarter-century later.

This year is shaping up to be one of the best for Guy Ritchie‘s fans. The writer-director is finding major success on television after launching Young Sherlock on Prime Video earlier this year. The series was a success and was renewed for another season. Meanwhile, his hit Netflix crime thriller The Gentlemen, starring Theo James, has returned for a second season, and even though the long delay between seasons has dealt it a blow, it is still the second most-popular show on Netflix globally at the time of writing. And this week brings arguably one of his most popular shows ever.

Unlike The Gentlemen, this show is relatively on schedule, since the first season premiered last March. It stars Tom Hardy as Harry Da Souza, a fixer associated with one of London’s biggest crime families. The series features a stacked cast, including Pierce Brosnan (Conrad), Helen Mirren (Maeve), Paddy Considine (Kevin), Joanne Froggatt (Jan), and more. Titled MobLand, the show explores the complicated world of London’s criminal underworld, where loyalties are fragile and danger is always lurking.

MobLand doesn’t return for Season 2 until Friday, September 18, when a new episode debuts at 9 am ET, but fans aren’t waiting. With a little over a year having passed since the season finale, there is no better time to freshen up on what transpired before the show returns. That’s why MobLand has surged on Paramount+ over the last few days, currently ranked sixth by FlixPatrol at the time of writing. A surge like this is common before a show returns and suggests anticipation is high. Is it high enough to dethrone Taylor Sheridan‘s Lioness, which is currently dominating Paramount+ and is now trending on Prime Video? We’ll know on Friday.

What To Expect In ‘MobLand’ Season 2

If there is one thing MobLand Season 1 proved, it is that the Harrigan clan is crazy. They will lie, cheat, manipulate, and kill to have their way. But viewers had not seen just how unhinged some of them can be, and Season 2 peels back the layers. In the new season, selfishness threatens to undo the Harrigan empire as the fractures in their relationships strain unity. Can they come together to face a common threat? And what can Harry do to avoid going under with the rest of them? He must walk a tightrope to ensure everything sticks together. The MobLand Season 2 trailer teases an even crazier season that fans can’t miss.

Catch up with the first season on Paramount+ and don’t forget to watch the new episode on Friday, September 18 at 9 am ET, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

March 30, 2025

Network

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Paramount+

Directors

Daniel Syrkin

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• 
• 

  Pierce Brosnan

  Conrad Harrigan

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Erin Piacenti‘s family has raised over $1 million for her baby girl after she was fatally stabbed in New York City’s Times Square following her first day back to work from maternity leave.

Piacenti, 32, just finished her first day back to work as a vice president at the Bank of America when Pamela Cisneros fatally stabbed her in the abdomen. She died just five months after she and her husband, Frank Piacenti, welcomed their first child, a daughter, together.

Following her death, Erin’s loved ones set up a GoFundMe to help raise money for her daughter in the aftermath of the tragedy.

While the fundraiser had an initial goal of $750,000, the donations totaled up to more than $1.08 million as of Tuesday, September 15. Once the fundraiser met the original goal, the target amount was increased to $1.2 million.

Related: GoFundMe for Lindsay Clancy’s Parents Sets $3 Million Goal After Mistrial

A GoFundMe to support Lindsay Clancy’s parents, Michael Musgrove and Paula Musgrove, has increased its overall goal to $3 million — and continues to raise funds — after a Massachusetts judge declared a mistrial in the mother’s high-profile murder case. “I’ve decided to raise the goal of this fundraiser since this process has been extended, […]

Several major companies — including Bloomingdale’s, The Rockefeller Group and Major League Baseball — have donated to the fund, as well as supporters from across the country and around the world.

In the GoFundMe description, Erin’s family said that being a mother was her “lifelong ambition” and welcoming her daughter was the “greatest possible joy.”

“Erin’s life was defined not by the circumstances of her death, but instead by the way she lived. Erin was deeply devoted to her family and friends, exceptionally bright and accomplished, and was someone who brought warmth and energy to the people around her,” the page read.

Erin graduated from the University of Pennsylvania before she started her career as a buyer at Bloomingdale’s. She later graduated from Fordham University School of Law magna cum laude and worked at Davis Polk for several years before she joined the Bank of America.

“Erin’s career accomplishments, however, speak to only a small portion of who she was. To the people who knew and loved her, Erin was a thoughtful daughter and sister, a loyal friend, a devoted partner and companion in every aspect of Frank’s life, and, most recently, an incredibly loving mother,” the description continued.

“Erin and Frank celebrated their second wedding anniversary this summer, had just returned from a family road trip upon her passing, and were preparing to build a life together with their new daughter,” the page read. “That life changed incomprehensibly in an instant.”

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After Cisneros, 49, stabbed Erin, she attacked Tak Kam as he exited the subway. Kam, 68, was taken to Bellevue Hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

Officers with the New York City Police Department quickly intercepted Cisneros after the stabbings, and she was fatally shot when she refused to put the two knives she was holding down.

While Cisneros had no arrest record, authorities said she had known to the NYPD and she had a documented mental health history.