After a summer off, the start of the next network TV season is officially around the corner. Starting this week and going into next month, all of the hit network shows that took the last month will be getting ready to return. For the Fall lineup, procedurals, reality competition shows, and sitcoms alike will be starting their latest seasons, or premiering for the first time. Other hit shows won’t be returning yet, but they will be airing their new seasons as part of the Spring lineup for their respective networks.

It’s always tough to say goodbye to a beloved network TV show for the summer, especially for fans of intense procedural dramas that left off on game-changing cliffhangers. This new season of network TV will introduce new characters, pick back up with ongoing storylines, and shake things up with new storylines. These are 6 upcoming network TV shows, new and returning, that we are looking forward to – ranked by our hype.

6

‘9-1-1: Nashville’ Season 2

Premiere Date: October 15

Image via ABC

9-1-1‘s second spin-off, 9-1-1 Nashville, premiered with its first season on ABC last fall. The series follows the firefighters and paramedics of Station 113 in Nashville, as well as the complex dynamic that Captain Don Hart (Chris O’Donnell) has with his family and his ex, Dixie Bennings (LeAnn Rimes). Don has been married to his wife, Blythe (Jessica Capshaw), for a very long time, and they have a son named Ryan (Michael Provost) who also works at the firehouse. The series kicks off when Don meets Blue (Hunter McVey), his son with Dixie, for the first time.

Season 1 of 9-1-1: Nashville focused on extending the universe of 9-1-1 once again, this time to include Nashville and to introduce these new characters. The core group working at the 113 is made up of Don, Ryan, Blue, and firefighters Roxie Alba (Juani Feliz) and Taylor Thompson (Hailey Kilgore). Blythe’s sister-in-law, Cammie Raleigh (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), works as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. While each episode follows the weekly procedural model of the first responders taking calls and helping people, 9-1-1: Nashville also leans heavily on its family drama elements, particularly through the rivalry between Blythe and Dixie. Last season ended on an intense cliffhanger, and it will be exciting to see how the events of the Season 1 finale affect the coming season.

5

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 23

Premiere Date: October 15

Image via ABC

After over two decades, Grey’s Anatomy will once again be returning this fall for its twenty-third season. The end of Season 22 saw the exit of Dr. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) and Dr. Teddy Altman (Kim Raver), who decided to move to Paris as a family with their children after Teddy received a dream job offer. The other doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial, meanwhile, were forced to reevaluate their priorities at the end of last season in the wake of a major bridge collapse.

Most notably, 11 seasons after Derek’s (Patrick Dempsey) death, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) has decided that she is ready to remarry. The season ended with Meredith proposing to her longtime partner, Nick Marsh (Scott Speedman), who immediately accepted. After the events of last season, the rest of the doctors are sure to be in for some messy personal drama in Season 23, but it will be exciting to see Meredith take this next step in her relationship for the first time since Derek.

4

‘St. Denis Medical’ Season 3

Premiere Date: November 2

Image via NBC

NBC’s hilarious medical sitcom, St. Denis Medical, will be returning later this fall for its third season. The series follows the doctors, nurses, and other staff of the Emergency Department of St. Denis Medical Center in Oregon. While the series came in with a strong start when it premiered two years ago, Season 2 elevated St. Denis Medical to one of the best sitcoms of recent years. Last season was laugh-out-loud funny and deeply emotional, and it evolved the main character dynamics in compelling and surprising ways.

The Season 2 finale of St. Denis Medical saw everyone rallying around Dr. Ron Leonard (David Alan Grier) to support him through his heart surgery. As of the end of the season, Ron made it out of the surgery alright, but not without making a surprising confession while high on pain medication. Meanwhile, after two seasons of buildup, Serena (Kahyun Kim) and Matt (Mekki Leeper) are now officially a couple. As St. Denis Medical gets ready to return, we look forward to seeing how the show ups its hilarity from last season, as well as how the character dynamics continue to change in the coming season.

3

‘Line of Fire’ Season 1

Premiere Date: September 21

Image via NBC

NBC’s newest procedural drama, Line of Fire, premieres on the network this month. It follows the Hollingsworth family, all of whom work as law enforcement agents. At the helm of it all are Secret Service Agent Mike Hollingsworth (Peter Krause) and US Marshal Jane Hollingsworth (Hope Davis), a married couple with three adult children: Secret Service Agent Micah Hollingsworth (Tommy O’Brien), FBI Agent Claire Hollingsworth (Kat Cunning), and new Department of Justice analyst Russ Hollingsworth (Taylor Bloom).

The Hollingsworths often cross paths on the job. The series kicks off when they learn about a recent murder, and they receive insider information that one of them was actually the intended target. As it turns out, someone is killing government agents, and none of the Hollingsworths are safe. All they can do is just continue doing their jobs while staying vigilant, all while not truly knowing who they can and cannot trust.

2

‘Abbott Elementary’ Season 6

Premiere Date: October 7

Image via Disney/Gilles Mingasson

Abbott Elementary will officially be back next month for its sixth season, and we absolutely cannot wait for its return. Last season was absolutely hilarious, with iconic storylines like the one that saw the faculty, staff, and students of Abbott have to temporarily relocate to an abandoned mall due to damage to the school building. The season also saw the heartbreaking yet understandable breakup between Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams), but thankfully, they were able to work through it and get back together.

Season 6 of Abbott Elementary is in for a major shakeup after last season ended with the district announcing the upcoming shutdown of 20 schools. Abbott will be staying open, but they will have to take in a number of new students. Because of this change, Ava (Janelle James) has promoted Gregory to her Assistant Principal. Gregory now finally has a version of his dream job, and he’s thinking about proposing to Janine soon. The other teachers, however, will definitely struggle to adjust to having more students in their classes next season, and Abbott Elementary will no doubt utilize this change in funny and clever ways.

1

‘9-1-1’ Season 10

Premiere Date: October 15

With characters that we love dearly and the promise of an explosive multiple-episode opening emergency to kick off each new season, there is no upcoming season of network TV that we are more excited about than 9-1-1 Season 10. It’s already been announced that 9-1-1‘s tenth season will open with a volcano eruption, and that Eddie (Ryan Guzman) and Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) will finally get to share their first scene together this season.

Last season of 9-1-1 saw Chimney (Kenneth Choi) step up as Captain of the 118 in the wake of Bobby’s (Peter Krause) death. The 118 also welcomed Harry Grant (Elijah M. Cooper) to the firehouse after he realized that that was his dream. May Grant (Corinne Massiah) decided to become a nurse, which will give 9-1-1 the opportunity to spend more time at the hospital this coming season. Athena Grant (Angela Bassett), meanwhile, left her position as a sergeant to become a detective. In addition to all of these professional changes for so many main characters, Buck (Oliver Stark) made a major personal change by deciding to foster Theo (Lincoln and Theodore Sykes), his biological son and the son of his deceased friend.

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9-1-1

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Release Date

January 3, 2018

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Showrunner

Tim Minear

Directors

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Bradley Buecker, David Grossman, Brenna Malloy, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Jann Turner, Jennifer Lynch, Marita Grabiak, Sarah Boyd, John J. Gray, Barbara Brown, Robert M. Williams Jr., Kristen Reidel, Marcus Stokes, Tasha Smith, Millicent Shelton, Juan Carlos Coto, John Gray, Greg Sirota, Alonso Alvarez, James Wong, Kevin Hooks, Varda Bar-Kar, Shauna Duggins, Sharat Raju

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Nick Reiner’s attorneys are claiming he hasn’t received ‘even $5’ from his family trust as he awaits trial over the death of his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.

New legal documents filed this week and obtained by People show Nick’s attorneys responded to objections to their client, 32, accessing his family trust, the outlet reported on Friday, September 18.

Per People, Nick’s legal team responded to successor trustee Jodi Pais Montgomery and former trustee Paul R. Kanin in two separate replies filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, September 17.

“In the meantime, Nick still has not been able to access even $5 from his trust to buy basic subsistence items from the jail commissary,” Nick’s attorneys, Anita P. Wu and Geoffrey A. Neri, wrote in response to Montgomery.

In response to Kanin, Nick’s attorneys argued, “Nick has been unable to access money that is lawfully his own — to re-engage criminal defense counsel, or even for basic subsistence items from the jail commissary.”

According to an indictment obtained by Us on August 12, Nick is accused of the first-degree murders of his parents at their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025. Rob was 78, and Michele was 70.

Nick, who has struggled with addiction and mental health issues over the years, previously pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder by means of lying in wait after the indictment was unsealed.

Back in June, Nick first attempted to gain access to his share of a $1.5 million trust fund set up by his late parents.

At the time, Nick argued that he should have received half of that sum when he turned 30 in September 2023. (The trust was established by his parents upon his birth in 1993.)

In early August, however, lawyers for Nick’s previous and current trustee — Kanin and Montgomery — sought to block him from receiving any money from the trust due to California’s “Slayer Statute.”

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Related: Nick Reiner’s Former Attorney Says He’s ‘Entitled’ to Trust Fund

Nick Reiner‘s legal team appeared in court seeking access to a trust fund established by his late parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. “The main thing to take away from today’s hearing and moving forward is Nick Reiner is very much entitled to his own money, his own funds. That’s what this process is about,” […]

The “Slayer Statute” law states that “a person who feloniously and intentionally kills the decedent is not entitled” to any financial assets or property from the person or people they killed.

Nick’s legal team appeared in court on August 17 seeking access to the trust fund.

“The main thing to take away from today’s hearing and moving forward is Nick Reiner is very much entitled to his own money, his own funds. That’s what this process is about,” Nick’s former attorney Alan Jackson told Us and other reporters outside of court at the time. “He’s made a determination that he wants to be able to use his funds that are in his trust account to decide on his criminal counsel. When he is allowed to do that, he will then be able to defend himself in the way that the constitution indicates he should and can defend himself.”

A contest offering aspiring musicians the chance to open for Ed Sheeran has become another point of attention amid the controversy surrounding his Loop Tour. Guitar Center launched a competition for a chance to play at one of the singer’s concerts, but the opportunity has attracted more than just hopeful performers.

As backlash surrounding Sheeran’s tour continues, some people have found a different way to make their voices heard through the contest.

On September 14, Ed Sheeran’s tour promoter, Messina Touring Group, announced Macklemore’s removal from the Loop Tour following the rapper’s pro-Palestine remarks during a performance at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

That same day, Guitar Center launched a competition series, “Open for Legends,” allowing undiscovered musicians a chance to be the opening act for Sheeran’s show in Mexico City on December 11.

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Participants must be at least 18 years old and have a valid U.S. passport. Bands can have no more than five members, and prior experience performing in front of an audience is required. Those interested in the opportunity must submit a video featuring original music.

Apart from opening for Sheeran, the winner will also receive a $2,000 gift card, $15,000 in cash, covered round-trip travel and accommodations.

The Contest Has Recieved Many Spam Entries

The contest has been affected by the controversy surrounding Sheeran’s tour. According to reports, the competition has been flooded with spam entries, many uploading pro-Palestine videos and expressing their disapproval of Sheeran.

Political protest videos, memes, and non-musical clips were uploaded, prompting Guitar Center to scrub the site of content not related to the competition.

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One video titled “EDSHRANCOMPLICIT” featured a man flipping the bird to the camera. Another entry, meanwhile, uploaded a video with links to Palestine support organizations, as noted by Entertainment Weekly.

Guitar Center Addressed The Invalid Contest Entries

Days after the contest was launched, Guitar Center released a statement about the contest, explaining that “Open for Legends” was not launched as a result of Sheeran losing Macklemore as a supporting act. Instead, they had been developing it for months before it was announced.

They also addressed the bogus contest entries. “As with any open submission process, we received entries that were not legitimate applications to participate in the program. Those submissions will not be considered so that the opportunity can remain focused on musicians who are seeking to showcase their talent,” the statement read, per Rolling Stone.

Ed Sheeran’s Supporting Acts And Band Made A Stand

The remaining dates of Sheeran’s tour was left with no supporting acts and backing band after Macklemore was booted. As previously reported by The Blast, openers Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and Finneas announced their exits from the Loop Tour, each taking to social media to state their departure and express their support for Palestine.

Sheeran’s longtime collaborator and backing band, Beoga, also left the tour, sharing they supported Macklemore’s speech. “As founding members of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be,” the band noted.

The Loop Tour Will Reportedly Proceed With Ed Sheeran Performing Solo

Sheeran has since spoken out about the controversy, explaining that it wasn’t his decision to remove Macklemore from the tour, but the promoter’s.

“I have always used my platform and music to bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together and this won’t ever change,” he wrote, adding that fans who go to his concerts “do not expect a political forum.”

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The Loop Tour has 17 remaining dates, and according to reports, the performances will proceed without supporting acts. A source told TMZ that while plans have been constantly changing since the controversy, Sheeran performing solo is not a concern since he had already performed big venues in the past without a band.

Christopher Nolan’s Inception is a movie obsessed with time. Every tick of the clock is one step closer to disaster; seconds become minutes, become hours, become days, months, and years, as its characters descend through layers of dreams, and Hans Zimmer miraculously translated that concept into the music itself. One of the movie’s most ingenious tricks connects Zimmer’s thunderous score to Édith Piaf’s “Non, je ne regrette rien,” the song used to warn Nolan’s dreamers that their “kick” is approaching.

Recently, Zimmer has exclusively revealed to Collider that the Piaf song almost didn’t make it into Inception at all — and it was because Nolan had cast Marion Cotillard. Cotillard played Mal Cobb in Inception only a few years after winning the Academy Award for portraying Piaf herself in La Vie en Rose. Rather than just being a really cool sound that could be dropped into the score, it was actually a fundamental part of the story. “Chris and I — I don’t know who came up with it — but we both loved the Édith Piaf song. It was written in the script, and the slowing down of it was written in the script,” said Zimmer. “Everybody goes, ‘BRAAAM,’ which then became a sound effect in every trailer. But with us, it was a story point. It’s a very different thing to use that idea as a story point than just a way of getting from one non sequitur to the other in a trailer.” Then came Cotillard, and suddenly using Piaf presented Nolan and Zimmer with a strange problem. Zimmer explained:

“But the Édith Piaf song nearly didn’t make it because when Chris cast Marion Cotillard, we thought, ‘Hang on a second, she played Édith Piaf. Is this a bit odd?’ But I found a recording that sounded like it was from the ’40s, like the German army was marching up the Champs-Élysées. It was really dirty and crackly and mono, and it was really moody. We loved it. We had to send somebody from Warner Brothers to Paris to talk to the man in charge of the estate so that we could use it. He gave us permission, and then we found the real recording of the version I’d found on YouTube or somewhere, and it was this pristine, clean recording. So we had to go and mess it all up just to make it moody again.”

The decision certainly worked. Inception went on to earn $839.8 million worldwide, while the sound Zimmer and Nolan created became so influential that its enormous blasts were imitated across movie trailers for years afterward.

Hans Zimmer Is Returning to North America

Zimmer will revisit music from throughout his career when Hans Zimmer Live – The Next Level comes to North America in 2027. The all-new production features Zimmer himself alongside a 19-piece ensemble, with the composer promising something closer to a “rave” or “roller coaster” than a conventional orchestral concert. Following its hugely successful European run, the North American leg begins February 17 in Hartford and continues across the U.S. and Canada through April.

Hans Zimmer Live – The Next Level begins its North American run on February 17, 2027. Tickets go on general sale September 25 at 10 a.m. local time. Stay tuned at Collider for more.

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Release Date

July 16, 2010

Runtime

148 minutes

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Franchise(s)

Inception

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If there is one thing everyone can agree on, it is that nothing is perfect, especially with video games, as more gamers and opinions flood the community, which will hate even the best titles. Legendary games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time or modern classics such as God of War aren’t spared hate, criticism, or discourse, proving that there isn’t a single video game that everyone can say is perfect.

Despite that, some games can be considered to be universally beloved, and that is why this list will feature six video games since the 2000s that are universally beloved. Based on aspects such as gameplay, design, narrative, visuals, originality, influence, fan opinion, critical acclaim, and overall quality, these six titles are some of the few that many gamers can come together and appreciate, whether that be critically or emotionally.

6

‘The Last of Us’ (2013)

Image via Naughty Dog

The Last of Us is a great example of a beloved video game that received the exact opposite reaction when the sequel dropped, with many gamers upset with the story and how it handled some characters. At least they have the first game, which follows Joel, a veteran during the zombie apocalypse who must escort a girl across the country. When he learns that she may hold the cure to the outbreak, the mission to deliver her safely makes it more complicated, but will he be able to do it when he gets there?

The Last of Us is renowned for its narrative prestige that proved video games could bring that type of storytelling to games. The dynamics between Joel and Ellie were fantastic and a staple of the experience, making it even more painful when the sequel was released. The Last of Us is more than just a great story, however, as it also features engaging gameplay that brings out the best in the survival horror genre. Eerie, tense, and haunting, this game will have gamers on the edge of their seat, which is why almost everyone who has played it loved it. This is a video game narrative so good that there is even a TV show of it that is well received, proving the source material is just flawless.

5

‘Elden Ring’ (2022)

Image via Bandai Namco Entertainment

The 2020s still have a way to go, but the decade is already home to a plethora of modern hits, like FromSoftware’s magnum opus, Elden Ring. After the death of one of her sons, Queen Marika shatters the titular ring into many pieces, leaving her demigod children to claim them. As the Tarnished, players must travel the Lands Between and defeat the demigods to collect the shards, restore the ring, and become the Elden Lord.

Even though the 2020s are young, this decade has produced one of the most universally beloved video games in Elden Ring. Nothing else this decade has as much fan love to an overwhelming amount, proving why it won Game of the Year in 2022. Yes, it may be difficult, but it is because of that difficulty that fans adore it and the feeling they get when overcoming the obstacles. More than that, Elden Ring encourages exploration, rewarding it with lore, boss battles, and worthwhile items. Elden Ring is the most universally loved video game of the 2020s, but this acclaim has seeped into history as a whole to become a landmark of the industry.

4

‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ (2018)

Rockstar is one of the greatest game studios of all time, and while fans hope their next game will make this list in the future, for now their most beloved title is Red Dead Redemption 2. Arthur Morgan is a cowboy during the dying era of the Wild West, but when he learns of his tuberculosis diagnosis, he realizes he doesn’t have much time left. Dedicated to finding redemption, he sets out on one final adventure to find peace of heart before passing away.

There is a vocal part of the community that strongly believes Red Dead Redemption 2 deserved to win Game of the Year over God of War, and whether that is true or not, the fact that there are so many fans proves how beloved it is. The gameplay is good, but the main appeal of Red Dead Redemption 2 is the experience that allows gamers to immerse themselves in the world and role. Arthur is a captivating protagonist that players get to experience the story through, and the setting is just as engaging and complex, with so much detail packed into the Western frontier. Since it is Rockstar’s best video game ever, this title went above and beyond to deliver a gaming experience unlike anything else, showcasing why so many fans adore it.

3

‘Resident Evil 4’ (2005)

Image via Capcom

Being scared is usually a bad thing, but gamers can’t get enough of it, especially when it is done well. Resident Evil is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, and while the new game and movie are remarkable, nothing can beat Resident Evil 4. When the daughter of the president of the United States is captured in Spain by a cult, Leon S. Kennedy is assigned to bring her back safely. However, when the cult is infected by a parasite, Leon and Ashley must fight their way through zombie-like creatures to safety.

Changing an already beloved formula isn’t usually the recipe to be adored by fans, but Resident Evil 4 pulled it off miraculously. The innovative over-the-shoulder camera changed the game, literally, making it so much easier and more fluid to play. The inventory management system as well was a fun way to manage items and make every decision important. It made Resident Evil an action franchise, which did upset some fans, but it broke out into a whole new demographic. Resident Evil 4 is a blast from start to finish, and a video game that most fans agree is absolutely outstanding.

2

‘Super Mario Galaxy’ (2007)

Image via Nintendo

Nintendo is a company that doesn’t stop making amazing games, and their biggest franchise is Mario, of course, meaning he has plenty of beloved titles, including Super Mario Galaxy. Bowser disrupts the Mushroom Kingdom’s festival to kidnap Princess Peach, taking her far away into the depths of the galaxy. However, Mario, with the help of Rosalina, sets out on a planet-hopping adventure to bring her back, no matter how many Koopas he needs to stomp on or bosses he needs to take down.

There isn’t a single bad 3D Mario video game, but the most beloved is arguably Super Mario Galaxy, which strikes the perfect amount of nostalgia and great design. The spherical gravity is a one-of-a-kind mechanic that gives new life to the franchise, making it even more fresh and imaginative. The movement is fluid, and the platforming is some of the greatest of all time, only made better by the plenty of gimmicks. Super Mario Galaxy is one of the best Nintendo games ever, only improving with age to remain a staple of the company and gaming in general.

1

‘Portal 2’ (2011)

Image via Valve

Valve may have some shortcomings, but for the most part, they are a beloved gaming studio, best known for their platform, Steam. But they used to be one of the best game makers as well, releasing multiple beloved classics, like Portal 2. Set after the first game, Chell wakes up to the same facility, but this time it is run-down and abandoned. However, one robot companion helps her navigate the facility to escape, that is, until they accidentally wake up GLaDOS, who is itching for revenge after what players did to her in the first game.

Valve has other masterpieces such as Half-Life 2, but there is a bigger audience around Portal 2 that has made it one of the most beloved video games of all time. It is a 2010s video game masterpiece that used its innovative mechanic with the portal gun and expanded on it to create a much more definitive experience. Portal 2 is a masterclass of game design that inherently teaches the player without much instruction while still making the puzzles thought-provoking and stimulating. The game also boasts witty writing and a charming style that enhances the already intriguing narrative. In the end, Portal 2 is the complete package of game design and fun, a combo that the majority of gamers have to admit they love.

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Released

January 11, 2005

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language

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Engine

RE Engine

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Franchise

Resident Evil

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The Cosmere is a shared literary universe of fantasy literature created by acclaimed author Brandon Sanderson. The ongoing series debuted in 2005 with Elantris, Sanderson’s debut novel. The series currently consists of approximately 30 short stories, novellas, novels, and even a graphic novel. It’s super popular and is still ongoing, with the conclusion not expected for at least a few decades. Clearly, it’s quite a massive project that Sanderson has planned.

The basic premise is that each series or stand-alone takes place on its own planet, all within the same galaxy. Each planet has an intricate system of magic that has a heavy hand in the story. The magic exists due to incorporeal objects called “Shards,” leftover splinters of the dead god Adonalsium, who mysteriously shattered thousands of years ago. The series overlap with certain characters and concepts and feature a variety of settings. For example, some are steampunk, some are space-age fantasy, while others are more Medieval. One thing’s for sure: they’re all awesome. Alas, only a few can reign supreme. These are the best books in Sanderson’s Cosmere universe, ranked based on their overall strengths, legacy, and qualities.

10

‘Warbreaker’ (2009)

Image via Gollancz

Warbreaker is currently the only Cosmere work set on the planet Nalthis. The story follows Siri, a young princess of Idris who is betrothed to the God King Susebron of Hallandren, as a means of maintaining a shaky alliance between the two nations. Siri’s sister, Vivenna, travels to the capital of T’Telir to rescue her, while the god Lightsong the Bold struggles to find his place in the universe, treating his recent deification as a joke. Meanwhile, a sulky veteran is working behind the scenes, assassinating key political figures in the court of gods.

The magic system in this Medieval world is really interesting. Each person has what’s called a Breath, which looks like rainbow-hued gas. By convincing or stealing the Breath from others, people gain access to heightened abilities, such as perfect pitch and enhanced perception. However, Breath can also be used to bring fabric to life, where it can be used as a weapon, a tool, or a defence mechanism. The book is primarily a romance at heart, but it’s got a lot of political stuff in it, too. It’s a superb book and a must-read prequel if you want to read The Stormlight Archive series, which we’ll talk about later.

Image via Tor Fantasy

Mistborn is currently the longest series in the Cosmere, which consists of two short stories, one novella, and seven full-length novels. The first era of Mistborn is a trilogy (plus one novella and short story), and is a Medieval urban fantasy. The second era is four books (plus one short story) long, and is set hundreds of years later, in a more steampunk-y world. The Lost Metal is the conclusion to this second era, involving a secret plot to destroy the capital city of Elendel and start a war with the recently rediscovered Malwish people.

All of Mistborn is set on the planet Scadrial, a heavily industrialized world. There are three magic systems here: the first and most prominent is Allomancy, which involves users swallowing beads of various metals that grant temporary abilities, depending on what type of metal it is. For example, tin grants heightened senses, while pewter gives one extra strength and resilience. The book is a wonderful conclusion to a wonderful steampunk fantasy series, once again starring comedic cop duo Wax and Wayne. The stakes are lower than the original Mistborn era, but it’s still an awesome read.

8

‘The Well of Ascension’ (2007)

Image via Tor Fantasy

The Well of Ascension is the second book in the first era of Mistborn, and also arguably its best. The rest of the trilogy were some of Sanderson’s earliest published works, so the writing isn’t quite as refined. This one soars above in terms of story and excitement, however. It is set immediately following the first book, which is basically about an Ocean’s Eleven–style heist crew, only they plan on committing regicide and bringing down a tyrannical, planet-wide empire.

However, the stakes get monumentally higher in this second entry. It becomes clear that the Final Empire was just the beginning, and the very fate of Scadrial is slowly beginning to unravel. In the oppressive metropolis of Luthadel, professional thief Vin and noble heir Elend Venture must establish a new empire whilst putting a stop to the coming apocalypse. While it’s not a conclusion to the trilogy, it’s an excellent climax point, with espionage, wit, and plot twists galore.

7

‘Shadows for Silence: In the Forests of Hell’ (2013)

Image via Tor Fantasy

Shadows for Silence: In the Forests of Hell is currently the only story set in the world of Threnody, which has fallen under a shadow, causing ghost-like entities called Shades to prowl the forested world during the night. The shades seem to be the magic system of this world; there is nothing else mentioned. This novella stars Silence Montane, an innkeeper and secret bounty hunter who receives the contract of a lifetime.

During the night, she steps out into the woods with her teenage daughter, William Ann. There are three simple rules of being out in the woods at night: do not kindle fire, do not spill blood, and do not run. Any of these things will attract the Shades and will likely lead to swift death. This novella first appeared in a collection focused on dangerous women in fantasy, which George R. R. Martin also participated in. However, it was later published on its own, and republished in 2016’s anthology Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection. It’s an excellent piece of dark fantasy that’s short and sweet in all the right ways.

6

‘Yumi and the Nightmare Painter’ (2023)

Image via Tor Fantasy

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Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is the third of Sanderson’s secret projects written while in quarantine, a stand-alone novel set in the UTol system, inspired by East Asia. The story follows two magic users in vastly different worlds. First, there is Yumi, a priestess known as a yoki-hijo. She lives in an incredibly hot, Medieval world, where the Sun scorches the earth to the point that everyone needs platform shoes and the plants have evolved to float above the ground. Yumi’s job is to stack rocks to summon spirits known as hijo, who will grant wishes to ailing villagers.

On the other hand, there is a young man simply known as Painter. He lives in the cyberpunk-esque city of Kilahito, enveloped by a dome of shadow, which sometimes spawns dangerous nightmares. Using a canvas and some paint, Painter must magically turn the nightmares into something harmless before they prey on innocent people. Through cosmic circumstances, Yumi and Painter’s destinies become intertwined. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter is a fantastic one-off story about love, friendship, and the difficulties of fitting in, all set in two fascinating worlds.

5

‘The Bands of Mourning’ (2016)

Image via Tor Fantasy

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The Bands of Mourning is the third novel in the second era of Mistborn, and it is, in this author’s opinion, the best in the series. Once again starring cop duo Wax and Wayne, the story involves a quest to find the fabled Bands of Mourning, a relic left behind from the first era, which grants users special powers using a secondary magic system on Scadrial. Feruchemy is pretty complex, almost too complex to explain here, but know that it also involves the use of metal, much like Allomancy.

So many major revelations happen during this book, and for the first time, it takes the adventure far beyond the reaches of the Elendel Basin. By far, this one has the heaviest connection to the first era of Mistborn, as it involves temples lost to the ages, ancient history, hidden civilizations, and political gatherings. Featuring steampunk airships, new characters and cultures, and new mysteries, The Bands of Mourning is a solid ten out of ten.

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‘The Way of Kings’ (2010)

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The Way of Kings is the first book in The Stormlight Archive series. This series consists of novels that are always at least 1,000 pages long, so it’s quite the dedication. The setting is the planet Roshar, which is constantly plagued by hurricane-like tempests called highstorms. Plant life is almost non-existent, and any animal life has evolved to be crustaceous, so they can shelter in their shells.

Following the humans of Alethkar making contact with the indigenous race of crustaceous humanoids called the Parshendi, the Alethi king is assassinated, prompting a war between Alethkar and the Parshendi. In the midst of it all is a slave called Kaladin, a disgraced soldier who is used as arrow fodder on the battlefield. Each entry in Stormlight features flashback sequences, examining the lives of its principal characters, with this one focusing on Kaladin’s life. It’s a tragic, yet highly inspiring tale that starts slow at first, but gets highly engrossing by the end.

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‘Tress of the Emerald Sea’ (2022)

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Tress of the Emerald Sea is the first of Sanderson’s secret projects written during quarantine. The novel was inspired by The Princess Bride and is set on the distant world of Lumar, which doesn’t actually have any Shards, so there is no magic system. It is a vast and alien world closely orbited by 12 moons, which constantly drop spores onto the planet, thus making up the oceans in lieu of water. The spores produce drastic, often destructive effects when they come into contact with the liquid and can even be sailed upon thanks to gas jets hidden on the planet’s surface, which fluidize the many-colored seas.

Tress is an ordinary girl living in the Emerald Sea, who works as a window washer for the mayor, whose son, Charlie, she is dating. Unfortunately, Charlie disappears on a voyage with his father, causing Tress to leave the backwater town of Diggen’s Point to rescue him. This quest evolves into a thrilling pirate tale and a heartwarming tale of true love. The world is thoroughly interesting, the characters are memorable, and the book is written with a great sense of humor. It is one of the greatest fantasy stories ever, and it’s a phenomenal read for fairy tale fans.

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‘Oathbringer’ (2017)

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Oathbringer is the third entry in The Stormlight Archive and is by far the most cinematic novel of the entire Cosmere universe. The magic system of Roshar is more prominent in this book. It involves traumatized individuals developing spiritual bonds with spren, spirit-like entities. The type of spren one bonds with determines their abilities; to power their abilities, they must breathe in Stormlight, an ethereal essence gathered in gemstones from highstorms. The flashback sequences in this book focus on Dalinar Kholin, a seasoned Alethi general and highprince.

This book sees the war between humanity and the Parshendi escalate from a petty squabble over a deceased king to a huge struggle for survival, each species fighting against extinction. Multiple large-scale battles are fought, resulting in one of the most thrilling and satisfying climaxes in the entire series. It’s an awesome adventure and a crowning achievement in Sanderson’s extensive repertoire. Not one line is wasted, and not one page is boring.

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‘Words of Radiance’ (2014)

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Words of Radiance is the second entry in The Stormlight Archive, which features flashbacks from Shallan Davar, an aspiring young artist and student. While the three main plot threads in The Way of Kings are largely separate, they all start to come together in this one. This book really does feel like the calm before the storm, in every sense of the expression. Things seem normal at first, but by the end, armageddon is looming on the horizon.

This monster of a book, like the rest of the Stormlight series, is filled with profound moral wisdom, exceptional character development, and master-class worldbuilding that no one else could have done better. It’s got a little bit of humor, a little bit of romance, loads of action, political intrigue, feuding noble families, and an enormous cinematic battle sequence at the end to top it all off. This entire series is a must-read for fantasy fans. Words of Radiance easily stands as the best book in Sanderson’s universe, especially considering that it is his highest-rated book on Goodreads.

For those hoping to see more crossover between the neo-Western genre and post-apocalyptic survival flicks, head on over to Paramount+. Not only is the streamer the best outlet for modern horse operas these days, but its connection to Showtime means that it offers some additional content that would otherwise be difficult to find on digital platforms. The Neal McDonough-led feature Homestead is one such film that was just added to the streaming outlet, where it has found streaming success, trending at the #4 spot in the Top 10 Movies just this week — and fans have seemingly noticed.

‘Homestead’ Is the Beginning of A Larger Apocalyptic Narrative

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If you haven’t heard of Homestead, the Angel Studios-made feature — directed by Ben Smallbone — is based on the popular Black Autumn series of novels by Jeff Kirkham and Jason Ross. However, it doesn’t take too long before the film departs from the source material. Homestead takes place largely in the immediate aftermath of a nuclear disaster; like in the short-lived CBS series Jericho, Los Angeles has been annihilated by a nuclear attack followed by a cyber assault on the U.S. power grid. With states and towns cut off from one another, and unable to unite against a common enemy, folks from all walks of life fight tooth and nail to simply survive. It’s from this vantage point that Homestead begins, with Neal McDonough’s wealthy doomsday prepper (and homestead owner) Ian Ross fighting to secure his resources from the desperate onlookers in his Rocky Mountain hometown. While Ross and his wife, Jenna (Yellowstone star Dawn Olivieri), believe that it’s their God-given duty to help those they can, where they differ is in how much they ought to support the rest of the town before running out of resources for themselves.

This is where former Green Beret Jeff Ericksson (Bailey Chase of Longmire fame) comes in. Having been hired by Ross as the compound’s security enforcer, Jeff struggles to maintain the peace with those who would forcibly take his resources. It’s here that the main drama of Homestead presents itself, with conflicting opinions about how to proceed as everyone fights to survive in a world where the supply chain has crumbled, and the government has been seemingly wiped out almost overnight.

Homestead wrestles with these issues not just from a psychological or even a practical perspective, but from both a spiritual and philosophical one as well, bookended with plenty of action to keep the viewer engaged. As Angel Studios’ first real pivot into the world of complex character dramas and mainstream survival fare, the film aims to appeal not to faith-based audiences but mainstream ones as well. Naturally, the cast alone demands one’s attention.

‘Homestead’ Continues With a Streaming Series — Though Without Neal McDonough

Of course, where things get a bit strange is the way that Homestead ends. By the finale, viewers come to realize that this drama is less of a standalone survival thriller and more of a sales pitch for a long-form streaming series, Homestead: The Series. The first two episodes of the program — which sadly doesn’t star McDononough but maintains the rest of the cast — were released simultaneously with the film back in 2024 on Angel Studios’ own streaming platform. Eventually, the rest of the eight-episode season followed, and a second season has already been confirmed. To this end, Homestead doesn’t quite feel complete. It leaves you wanting more or wishing that the conclusion wasn’t so open-ended. In truth, it may have been better for Homestead to simply be billed as an extended pilot episode of the Homestead television series, not unlike how Yellowstone‘s first episode “Daybreak” was feature-length despite being an episode of television.

What offers some interesting ideas and a complex intersection between survival and faith ultimately falls a little flat since it’s only meant to be a pilot for a larger production. Still, if you can accept that going in, you may find that you enjoy Homestead for what it is (and will likely enjoy the continuation series as well), but if you’re looking for a one-and-done thriller that marries neo-Western aesthetics with the weight of nuclear war, there are better options out there. That said, you’ve got to give McDonough props, because his presence can elevate any project to its absolute best.

Homestead is available for streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime.

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Homestead

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Release Date

December 20, 2024

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Runtime

111 minutes

Director

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Ben Smallbone

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Eileen Davidson suffered a gruesome knee injury following a cold plunge accident.

“I sure won’t be making those moves anytime soon! Slipped getting out of a cold plunge and fractured my patella,” the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, 67, wrote via Instagram on Friday, September 18. “I’m gonna be down for the count for quite a few weeks recovering from surgery. Thanks to the EMTs and the great team at @losrobleshospital.”

Davidson’s post included a silly photo of her dancing at Kyle Richards’ party to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Real Housewives, before showing pictures of her injured kneecap. In a subsequent photo, Davidson’s leg appeared very swollen as she sat down. She also included a snap of her injured knee in a brace.

“How it’s going,” the Young and the Restless actress captioned the photos of her leg post-injury.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a patella fracture is a break in the kneecap, which is the bone that covers the knee joint. Some fractures require surgery to repair and the recovery process can be long.

Several of Davidson’s friends and loved ones wished her a speedy recovery including members of her Bravo and soap opera families.

“No! Get well soon ❤️,” Andy Cohen wrote in the comments section while Young and the Restless’ Lauralee Bell replied. “Oh no!! So sorry! Speedy recovery! ❤️ Heal well and in time knowing you you’ll get your groove back!”

RHOBH alum Camille Meyer also responded, “Oh no! Get well soon ❤️.”

Davidson starred on RHOBH season 5 through 7, which aired from 2014 to 2018. She later appeared as a guest star for seasons 8 and 10.

Prior to RHOBH, Davidson was best known for her starring role in The Young and the Restless. She made her debut on the soap opera in 1982 as Ashley Abbott. Davidson remained on the series until 1988. Following her exit, Davidson went on to be a series regular on Days of Our Lives, playing multiple characters on-and-off from 1993 to 2023.

Related: Former ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Stars: Where Are They Now?

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While some Real Housewives of Beverly Hills stars have been a part of the Bravo hit since season 1 — looking at you, Kyle Richards — others have proved that diamonds aren’t forever. The sixth installment in the Real Housewives franchise was announced in March 2010 and aired its first season seven months later. At the […]

After a decade-long hiatus from The Young and the Restless, Davidson returned to the daytime program in 1999 as a series regular. She has remained a staple on the soap since and earned a Daytime Emmy for her role in 2018.

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Davidson ultimately left RHOBH due to her busy schedule on both soap operas.

“After a lot of careful thought, I’ve decided because of my crazy schedules at The Young and The Restless, as well as Days of Our Lives, it’s best for me and my family if I step away from being a Housewife for now,” she told E! News in July 2017. “But you never know, I might be popping in from time to time just to see what the ladies are up to! Thanks for your love and support guys!!!”

Earlier this year, Davidson returned to the Housewives universe for a guest appearance on The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip season 5.

If you finished the Reacher Season 4 finale last week and thought, “Well, now what,” Amazon already had an answer loaded in the chamber. Neagley, the franchise’s first spin-off, dropped all eight episodes the same day its parent show’s finale aired, and within days, both series were #1 and #2 globally on Prime Video.

What Jack Reacher author Lee Child built on bookstore shelves, Prime Video has turned into a full-blown action empire with Alan Ritchson at the center. While most streamers are building universes out of spandex and even period-appropriate corsets, they’re betting big on blue-collar action heroes. Reacher and Neagley aren’t revolutionary or even prestige; they’re just consistent in their storytelling with a streaming home that’s smart in its release schedule. And all of that is by design.

‘Reacher’ Season 4 Pushes the Franchise Into Its Darkest Story Yet

The latest season of Prime Video’s streaming comfort food adapts Child’s Gone Tomorrow, and it’s a nastier story than what the show has done before. Ritchson’s Reacher witnesses a woman’s suicide on a Philadelphia subway and gets pulled into a conspiracy involving a missing USB drive, Indonesian black sites, and enemies embedded at the top of American politics. It’s heavier material. More paranoid. Definitely less “Reacher punches a guy through a wall” (though there’s still plenty of that).

And critics liked the shift. Season 4 pulled a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences seemed to give it a thumbs up too, with Nielsen reporting 1.2 billion minutes watched. That kind of trajectory this far into a show’s run is unusual for streaming, where most action shows peak in season one and coast to cancellation from there.

‘Reacher’s Best Supporting Player Is Leading Her Own Show

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Of course, Frances Neagley has been the best part of Reacher for a while now. Maria Sten played her across multiple seasons as Reacher’s most capable ally from the 110th Special Investigations Unit. She was the one person Reacher actually trusted to be smarter than him, and the show kept proving her right. A solo show was, frankly, overdue.

What’s smart about Neagley is that it doesn’t try to clone Reacher. Where Reacher wanders into town with nothing but a toothbrush and his fists, Neagley is settled. She’s a Chicago-based private investigator with actual resources, a phone she knows how to use, and people who pick up when she calls. The show opens with an old friend dying under suspicious circumstances, and the conspiracy Neagley uncovers from there is entirely original, not pulled from any Child novel. Nick Santora and Nicholas Wootton, who co-created the series and run it together, built the story specifically for Sten’s version of the character.

The supporting cast helps. Greyston Holt plays Detective Hudson Riley, Damon Herriman shows up as Lawrence Cole, Adeline Rudolph is Renee Birdwhistle, and Ritchson himself pops in as Reacher for a guest turn. All eight episodes dropped at once, which was a deliberate contrast to Reacher’s weekly rollout. Amazon wanted people to binge it in a weekend, and based on the chart performance, a lot of them did.

Image via Prime Video

Most streamers are careful about cannibalizing their own audiences. Disney+ spaces out its Marvel and Star Wars spin-offs so they don’t compete with each other. Netflix rarely has two shows from the same franchise charting at the same time. Amazon looked at that conventional wisdom and, well, ignored it, dropping the Reacher Season 4 finale and Neagley‘s first season on the same day — and betting that the audience finishing one would roll right into the other. It’s an old network television trick, where a hit procedural leads directly into its spin-off on the same night, except Amazon did it globally with a binge drop. Within hours, both shows were sitting at the top of Prime Video’s worldwide charts.

Neagley proves the world around Reacher is deep enough to support more than one show at a time without splitting the fanbase. If it earns a second season, and it should, Prime Video has something most streamers have been trying and failing to build: a franchise that can run multiple series simultaneously and have both of them chart. Child’s backlist has more than enough material to keep it all going. Amazon just has to keep doing exactly what it’s been doing, deploying the rare streaming strategy that sounds boring but works anyway.

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Release Date

September 16, 2026

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Prime Video

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  Greyston Holt

  Detective Hudson Riley

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  Maria Sten

  Frances Neagley

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