Reese Witherspoon turned the Nashville Film Festival red carpet into a family affair.

Witherspoon, 50, stepped out with her mother, Betty Reese, and lookalike kids Ava and Deacon Phillippe on Saturday, September 26, for the world premiere of Brother Save Us at the 57th Nashville Film Festival. (Witherspoon is also the mother of son Tennessee, 14, whom she shares with ex Jim Toth.)

The family was attending in celebration of the film, which stars Deacon, 22, as a farmer in a dystopian Midwest. In one image from Saturday, the mother-son duo placed their arms around each other while smiling for the camera.

Witherspoon opted for a strapless white corset top and black pants with black heels for the occasion, while Deacon donned a brown suit with a brown T-shirt. Ava, 27, selected a mini slip dress with diagonal stripes and Betty wore a black suit with a silk scarf around her neck.

Related: Reese Witherspoon Twins With Daughter Ava in ‘Merry’ Holiday Photo

While Reese Witherspoon has an expansive résumé, she touts parenthood as one of her greatest achievements. The Legally Blonde star first became a mother in September 1999, welcoming daughter Ava with then-husband Ryan Phillippe. The duo — who were married between 1999 and 2006 — then welcomed son Deacon in October 2003. Thank You! You […]

“So proud of you @deaconphillippee!!” Witherspoon wrote via her Instagram Story on Saturday, reposting images of the mother-son duo from the event.

Days before the occasion, Deacon opened up about feeling a connection to the project due to his relationship with brother Tennessee.

“I just remember feeling surprised that someone could write exactly how I feel about my little brother,” Deacon told Variety earlier this month. “That depth of love in a script is just something you rarely get to see.”

He also got candid about following in the acting footsteps of Witherspoon and his father, Ryan Phillippe, who were married from 1999 to 2007.

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Related: Reese Witherspoon’s Most Relatable Quotes About Kids Ava, Deacon, Tennessee

Reese Witherspoon became a mom at age 23 and has been making candid motherhood confessions ever since. The actress welcomed daughter Ava with her ex-husband, Ryan Phillippe, in 1999, and the little one became a big sister four years later when son Deacon arrived. Following the Cruel Intentions costars’ 2006 split, Witherspoon wed Jim Toth […]

“I acknowledge that I’m extremely lucky, but you know, at the same time, I hold myself to a standard,” Deacon said. “I’m not really looking to prove anything to anyone but myself to try to be the best version I can be, the best person I can be and work as hard as I can. A lot of people are going to assume things … All I can do is do my thing, and show that I want to work extremely, extremely hard.”

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Deacon, who is set to star in the upcoming rom-com Better Than the Movies, went on to reflect on his favorite movie in the genre involving his mother.

“I would say, Sweet Home Alabama,” he said. “It’s very weird to watch your parents act. It’s hard. I remember when I was a kid, I watched one of my dad’s first movies, White Squall, and I was crying because they were bullying him in the movie.”

He continued, “But as you get older, there’s something magical about watching your parents young and at your age. I’m always in awe of their careers and all that they’ve done. That’s why I’m always leaning on them for advice, which is another thing I’m blessed to have.”

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Lanterns Episode 7.

As Lanterns continues to pick up speed, the penultimate installment of the season is right on the cusp of discovering who killed Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and why. John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) is still on the case, aided by his trusty “Halogram,” with Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) seemingly unbothered by the death of his predecessor. It took seven episodes, but Lanterns finally delivers a glimpse of something most fans wanted from the beginning: two Green Lantern icons cooperating with one another to achieve a shared goal.

‘Lanterns’ Episode 7 Reveals the Truth About Hal Jordan’s Childhood

This penultimate episode begins in 1975 when a young Hal Jordan is being ridiculed by his coach because he wouldn’t give up the ball during a game. Martin, his father, comes in and his son tells him that he fought his whole team for the ball — because, of course, he did. But rather than ridicule his son, Martin commends the boy before getting into a fight with the coach, and before long, father and son are at a nearby airstrip sporting matching bruises. Martin gives his son a key attached to a chain, telling the boy that he will either succeed or fail in life. The key opens his safe, which contains things that will stay only between them.

Back in 2026, John tells the Halogram that Hal — whose body they’re standing over — was killed, and now John needs Hal’s voice to open the hidden safe that he and Kerry (Kelly Macdonald) found. But John is also a little distracted, calling his brother to wire some more money to Rushville so that he can pay off the waitress, Maggie (Hannah Christine Shetler). Things get more complicated for John when he takes the Halogram to the safe, as the ring’s backup of Hal’s consciousness refuses to proceed without speaking to the authorities, meaning Kerry. John refuses, telling him about Kerry and Hal’s relationship, which only leads the Halogram to put his foot down harder.

On the way to the sheriff’s department, John tries to shut the Halogram up by removing the ring from his finger, but the program remains. Halogram is quite impressed by the feat, revealing to John that none of the other Green Lanterns have been able to do that — in case you forgot the whole bird thing from earlier in the series, John can do things on autopilot that other Lanterns at their full power ring strength seemingly cannot. (This occurs eventually in the comics too, but not this early in his Lantern career.) Upon making it to Kerry’s office, a notice on the front door says that everyone is at the “hat ceremony” at the high school — where Kerry’s son Noah (Shea Pritchard) will seemingly pick his college trajectory. While there, the Halogram sees the Green Lantern beacon and the names scribbled on it, wondering why John (and seemingly everyone else) hates Hal so much.

‘Lanterns’ Episode 7 Further Explores Hal Jordan’s Secrets

Image via HBO

At the hat ceremony, John is confronted once more by Maggie, who continues to hold his time in Rushville the night of Hal’s death over him. While he assures her that the money is on the way, he parts with his watch in the meantime. As the ceremony commences, John watches from the sidelines as Noah reveals that he’s not making a decision today — at least not until he wins the big football game. Billy (Jason Ritter) confronts John in the gym, but Kerry gets between them, meeting John in the science lab. Of course, when she gets there, she’s blindsided by the Halogram. When the program asks who killed him, she claims that they don’t know. He then asks what Hal thought about John before his death, and the sheriff replies that for Hal, watching John succeed was like watching his favorite football team — which feels like a complete 180 from what we saw from Hal before.

After leaving Kerry, the Halogram tells John that he believes she killed Hal. John thinks the backup is being paranoid, but the AI insists on going to the vault now without the sheriff, wasting no more time. So, that’s exactly what they do. Once it’s open, they find only a backpack and a grocery bag — curious for a man who was once a Green Lantern. Inside the backpack is a gun, and inside the bag is a portal, not unlike the ones the Guardians used when recruiting John. The Halogram opens the door, which leads to another planet. After finding a safe location to place the portal (somewhere away from the storage unit), the Halogram and John go through it.

A giant structure hangs overhead, almost like a floating city of some kind, which is something John’s never seen before — but since the only way to figure out why Hal had this portal in the first place is to further explore this strange new world, that’s exactly what this unlikely pair does. In very Great Gatsby-like fashion, John eyes a green light far off in the distance, and as he nears it, he discovers an alien skull — and not just one. Halogram reveals that the world has been long abandoned and is now a graveyard. John recalls that when Antaan (Paul Ben-Victor) abducted him, he showed him the Manhunter’s destruction of this world.

Image via HBO

Walking to the edge of an enormous lake of some kind, John and Halogram hop in a boat and row toward the light. After a heart-to-heart about why John met with Hal the night he died, the would-be Green Lantern banishes the AI backup for the time being. But it isn’t long before he begins to hallucinate, seeing intense images of his father and countless apples bobbing in the water. John even sees his younger self, who reminds him that he never wanted to be a Lantern in the first place. On the brink of insanity, he eventually falls into the water and nearly drowns before the Halogram pulls him out. So, what’s the deal? Well, John believes that the gas the Manhunters used to eradicate everyone on this world is still in the air and the rain, messing with his mind.

After John recovers, the Halogram tells him that Hal’s father killed himself. While traditional interpretations of Hal’s mythos reveal that Martin Jordan died in a test-flight accident, that’s not what happened here in the DC Universe. So, when young Hal opened his father’s safe, it was full of cash, old photos, and a suicide note. He discovered that this pain persisted between generations, from his grandfather to his father to now him. “I’m not fearless because I’m brave,” Halogram tells John. “I’m fearless because I’m broken.” Although the pair wonder if Hal actually killed himself, that question will have to be answered in the next episode.

As the two arrive at the structure, a man holds a knife to Halogram’s throat. Of course, since he’s essentially a power ring construct, he disappears and fakes out the attacker, giving John just enough of an edge to overcome the mysterious alien infiltrator. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen), who presumes that he has finally met John Stewart. With only one episode left, there are still plenty of questions left to be answered. How did Hal actually die? How did Sinestro escape? Why can John do things other Lanterns can’t? Is Noah actually a Manhunter? Does Kerry, once again, know more than she’s saying? Could Hal come back from the dead? Hopefully, Lanterns will be able to stick the landing and tie up every loose end neatly.

The finale of Lanterns premieres next Sunday on HBo and HBO Max.

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Release Date

August 16, 2026

Network

HBO

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Directors

Alik Sakharov, James Hawes, Stephen Williams, Geeta Patel

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Writers

Damon Lindelof, Chris Mundy, Tom King, Vanessa Baden Kelly, Justin Britt-Gibson, Breannah Gibson

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Pros & Cons

• Halogram is inarguably the better version of Hal, so it’s great to get him for an entire episode.
• John being forced to come to terms with the entire trajectory of his life is much more interesting now than earlier in the series.
• The show finally embraces the alien aspect of Green Lantern lore.

• It feels like there’s still a lot of ground to cover before the season is over.
• Kerry is obviously hiding something again and it feels like the show has played this exact card before.

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Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for Lanterns Episode 7.

HBO’s Lanterns only has one more week left to go, and with its 2016 storyline officially wrapped up, the DCU series has jumped ahead by a decade, making quiet strides toward resolving a mystery that’s been hanging over the show from the beginning: who killed Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler)?

Despite being summoned back to Rushville by Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald), what John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) knows — and what the show ultimately reveals — is that Hal and John’s last conversation took place hours before Hal turned up dead on those bleachers. Before that, Hal had actually been trying to make amends for what happened in Rushville 10 years prior, even though the townspeople, including Kerry’s now-ex Billy Macon (Jason Ritter), still carry a lot of resentment towards the Green Lantern and everything that went down. While the show continues to creep closer to confirming the identity of Hal’s murderer, it does shine a spotlight on the fact that Rushville has been forever changed by the events of 2016.

Ahead of the Lanterns premiere, Collider had the opportunity to speak with several members of the cast and creative team, including Macdonald and Ritter. Over the course of the interview, which you can watch above or read below, the co-stars discuss playing several versions of Kerry and Billy over different points in time, Kerry’s emotional Episode 7 reunion scene with the Halogram, why Billy unwisely decides to pick a fight with John Stewart, and more.

COLLIDER: Kelly, the show is primarily set around two distinct timelines, but for Kerry, we do get a glimpse of what life was like for her before Rushville. I was wondering how learning about her history in Gotham and what she’s been through prior to ending up in Rushville helped you develop a stronger understanding of her character.

KELLY MACDONALD: I don’t have too much information aside from the fact that she’s from Gotham. There are people that want to kill her, and she makes… not a deal with the devil, but she signs her life over basically to Rushville and to being there and protecting it, and it ends up being her family. So, yeah, I think it is quite important.

It was really nice to actually film a slightly younger Kerry, and sort of see her, like, she’s a bit gothy. They gave me little bangs, and I got makeup. It was really fancy.

Jason, I feel like I’m not the only person that’s going to be thinking of Matlock when Billy first walks in. Your first official scene in Lanterns, that really funny courtroom scene, and the interaction that you and Kyle [Chandler] are having feels like a bit of a parallel. This is admittedly a less serious question, but which of those characters would you pick to represent you in a legal matter: Billy or Julian?

JASON RITTER: [Laughs] I would definitely pick Julian. Not anything against Billy, but I think Billy is kind of big-fish-in-a-little-pond syndrome, and so he knows the judges, he comes in, he makes deals. He’s not necessarily an expert of the law. So, yeah, I definitely would choose Julian — but maybe Julian with a mustache.

‘Lanterns’ Halogram Reunion Reminded Kelly Macdonald of Filming ‘Boardwalk Empire’

“It’s tricky because Hal Jordan’s still Hal Jordan…”

Image via HBO

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Fair enough. Kelly, we’ve obviously just been talking about Kerry’s past, but I really do love that we get to see the evolution of the character in both timelines, both in 2016 and then later in 2026. There’s been some estrangement, as well, between Hal and John, and how the ripple effects of that kind of still linger. How did you want to balance the external toughness that [Kerry] has to have as the sheriff of this town with some of the moments when we really see more vulnerability rise to the surface, especially while, in 2026, we see her grappling with the loss of Hal, too?

MACDONALD: I think from the get-go, when you meet Kerry, and certainly when Kerry meets Hal, they recognize in each other that there’s a lot of bravado masking something very vulnerable inside. The scripts, I think, are just lovely. The character arc, it’s so nice to have time. With a film, you’ve got such a short amount of time to get everything done, and it’s just so nice to spend time with the person and see them evolve, and that was the case here.

There’s a scene I’m thinking about [in Episode 7] specifically, as well, from you, where she finds herself confronted with that saved version of Hal from the ring, and it feels like you watch all of the emotions just going over your face in real time. I’m curious about how you prepared to film that scene, because it feels like we see a lot of emotion from her with very little dialogue.

MACDONALD: Thank you.

RITTER: I love that scene.

MACDONALD: I haven’t seen it, but I was there! I remember. It was funny because it makes me think about how I did an episode in Boardwalk Empire where my character’s having an affair with somebody, and then Nucky kills this character. They were keeping the actor in this box that my character’s meant to find. Like, I didn’t see him until I was on camera, so they would get the reaction of me seeing this actor all covered in blood and all deadified.

It’s tricky because Hal Jordan’s still Hal Jordan, but it’s working with somebody so professional and brilliant at their job as Kyle Chandler. He walked on, and just one look in his eyes, and he was not the person that’s got a history with Kerry, and so it just made it really easy. It was easy and emotional. The scripts allowed for all sorts of things to be going on in Kerry’s mind, because she’s feeling everything at once.

‘Lanterns’ Jason Ritter Reveals How the Last 10 Years Have Changed Billy Macon

“2026 is a very different time for Billy…”

Image via HBO

To continue along the story of the time jump, Jason, I feel like you can see the lingering effects that the incident in 2016 has had on the town. Specifically, there’s that moment between you and Aaron [Pierre], and it feels like a very different Billy Macon that we’re seeing versus the one that we met back in 2016. The huge action and obviously the devastation that takes place, too, in Rushville, what sort of impact does that have on the character, especially in terms of the resentment that we now see towards the Green Lanterns?

RITTER: There’s been a lot of death in the town. And even though they’ve gotten divorced, it’s always tough when your ex-partner starts dating a superhero, so I’ve heard. So I think definitely, like a lot of happy-go-lucky people, your life and your outlook is one thing when things are pretty much going your way, and I think sometimes those people have further to fall when they encounter disappointment or trauma or devastation in their life.

Billy has a lot of anger and feelings of powerlessness. 2026 is a very different time for Billy, and also a time of maybe some misplaced confidence in terms of his ability to start fights and finish them. [Laughs]

Also, your characters are linked, obviously not just because of the past relationship, but there’s a child in the mix, too. I was wondering how the two of you wanted to approach continuing that partnership, because obviously they’re no longer married by the time we pick up with them 10 years later, but it seems like they are still trying to co-parent this young man [Noah], who clearly has a bright future ahead of him — even though, when we see him, he hasn’t quite made that decision yet of where he’s heading to college.

RITTER: Yes. In this period of time, I feel like there was so much divorce. There was not a lot of divorce, and then there was a lot of divorce in the ‘80s and ‘90s and things, and not a lot of understanding how it affected children, and then a lot of those kids grew up. I think there’s been a new sort of trend in divorces where generally people are trying to protect their kids, and say, “This is the most important element. We have our things between us, but let’s at least both try to be there for this kid as much as possible.” So I think they’ve been able to be humble enough to put their own differences to the side.

MACDONALD: And focus on him.

RITTER: And focus on the kid. Although I’m sure Billy’s asked if Noah’s hung out with Hal Jordan and all that kind of stuff. “What’s he like? Is he really funny?” Anyway, so there’s some of that stuff. Nothing too devastating.

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

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Lanterns

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Release Date

August 16, 2026

Network

HBO

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Stockbridge Mayor Jayden Williams was reportedly removed from office following an investigation into his messages with an 18-year-old high school student and his spending on the city credit card.

Williams was the youngest mayor of Stockbridge. Now, he’s sitting down with The Shade Room’s Justin Carter on ‘TSR Investigates‘ to discuss the allegations, the private messages, and why he believes the investigation against him was politically motivated.

22-Year-Old Impeached Mayor Jayden Williams Speaks After Texts

According to Carter, the 18-year-old high school student that former Mayor Jayden Williams was communicating with was named RJ. Per Carter, the investigation into Williams revealed that their correspondence began in November 2025. At the time, RJ congratulated the mayor on winning the race and inquired about being his mentee.

Per Carter, the pair exchanged phone numbers, and “things quickly got flirty.” Specifically, the former allegedly asked RJ if he was gay or bi. In response, the teen explained that he’s bisexual, but added that he’s been “leaning towards men a lot recently.” As their interaction went on, the flirting continued, and the pair allegedly exchanged pictures and videos.

More On The Texts & City Card Scandals Exposed

According to Williams, he didn’t think anything of his interaction with the high schooler. But in December, he appeared to realize the interaction may be inappropriate, and they mutually ended things via text. Per Williams, their interaction “never went beyond text messages.”

But scroll above to watch as Jayden Williams opens up about their relationship. Additionally, he speaks about an occasion when they were together in person, and the teen allegedly tried to kiss him. Furthermore, Carter also questions Williams about his relationships with his mentees and if any were ever sexual. In addition, Williams opens up about why he believes his removal from office was politically motivated rather than sparked by his alleged illicit spending on the city’s credit card. Lastly, he also shares whether he intends to take legal action in response to his impeachment.

RELATED: Georgia Mom Says Sons Jailed After Neighbor Allegedly Fired Shots At Their Home | TSR Investigates

Presley Gerber’s ex-girlfriend Cameron Rorrison is remembering the late model for the kindness and compassion he showed others throughout his life. Rorrison, who dated Presley from 2018 until 2020, described him as an “angel” while reflecting on his ability to make everyone around him feel important. Her emotional tribute comes as other women previously linked to Presley share their own memories following his sudden death at age 27.

Cameron Rorrison Struggled To Find The Words

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Rorrison admitted that she had a “difficult time finding the words” as she attempted to honor Presley on social media. According to TMZ, she remembered him as someone with a “wide open heart” and praised his “inspiring compassion” and “incredible understanding.”

Rorrison also reflected on Presley’s ability to connect with people without valuing one person over another. “One of the most amazing things about him was his humanity and his unique way of making every person, no matter who, feel as brilliant and important as the next. An incredibly beautiful quality I have yet to see as honest and pure in another person since,” she wrote.

The former couple dated for approximately two years before separating in 2020. Although their romantic relationship ended years before his death, Rorrison made it clear she still valued the person Presley had been.

She ultimately described him as an “angel in this life.” “I hope you can feel the outpouring of love up there Pres,” Rorrison concluded.

Presley Gerber’s Other Exes Have Shared Tributes

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Rorrison is not the only former girlfriend who has spoken publicly about Presley since his death. Lexi Wood remembered him as “incredibly resilient” and said he “loved so deeply, so purely.” Wood and Presley were romantically linked in 2022.

Charlotte D’Alessio, who dated Presley beginning in 2018, also shared a deeply personal tribute after learning of his death. D’Alessio wrote that she was “very angry” about the loss and said Presley “deserved more time.”

Together, the tributes provide a more intimate picture of Presley beyond his public identity as the son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber. He was also the older brother of model and actress Kaia Gerber, who reportedly considered Presley her “best friend.”

Police Are Investigating A Suspected Overdose

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Presley died on September 20 at a rehabilitation facility in Santa Monica, California. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s online records, he was 27 at the time of his death. The Santa Monica Police Department released a statement the following day confirming that officers had responded to a report of a possible overdose.

“On September 20, 2026, at approximately 9:35 a.m., Santa Monica Police Department officers responded to a report of a possible overdose in the 1000 block of Berkeley Street. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male who was deceased,” they said.

“The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner has identified the individual as Presley Gerber, 27. SMPD detectives are investigating the death as a suspected overdose,” the police department added. “At this time, there is no indication of foul play. The official cause and manner of death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner.”

While police are investigating Presley’s death as a suspected overdose, that has not been confirmed as the official cause. The medical examiner will make the final determination after completing its investigation and any necessary testing.

Presley Gerber Entered Modeling As A Teenager

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Like his mother and younger sister, Presley started modeling at a young age. He signed with IMG Models at 15 and made his runway debut in a Moschino show in Los Angeles.

Presley later walked for Dolce & Gabbana in Milan and appeared in a Calvin Klein campaign. His arrival in the industry drew considerable attention because of his famous family, but Presley also struggled with the pressure and public scrutiny that came with that recognition.

Presley Gerber Was Open About His Personal Struggles

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Presley had also spoken publicly about experiencing depression and other mental health struggles. The model’s personal difficulties sometimes became public.

In 2019, he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence. He was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to complete a DUI program and two days of community service.

Cleopatra knew a thing or two about pampering, and milk + honey founder Alissa Bayer took note.

The spa founder, who has been opening locations across the U.S. since 2006, looked to the Egyptian queen when shaping the wellness destination’s concept and its expansive menu.

“I was inspired by the legends of Cleopatra bathing in milk and honey, ingredients long associated with beauty, from the lactic acid in milk to the humectant qualities of honey,” she tells ET.

The royal treatment carries through to every visit, too. The spaces offer everything from massages and facials to hair, nails, and medSPA services, making it easy to squeeze in a little self-care or settle in for a full spa day.

“It’s less about creating a one-stop shop and more about seeing an opportunity to create the kind of elevated, deeply caring experience I could not find anywhere else,” Bayer says.

“Our approach is rooted in helping people feel more grounded, confident, and connected to themselves. … Caring for your skin or getting your hair done may appear physical, but the way it makes you feel can reach much further,” she adds.

For a head-to-toe experience fit for a queen, the order matters.

“Begin with a manicure or pedicure because there is nothing quite like a hand or foot massage. From there, have a massage with body gua sha, followed by a lymphatic sculpting facial. I always recommend having the massage before the facial, so you are not lying face down afterward with freshly treated skin. Finish with a blowout so you leave feeling cared for from head to toe, and completely ready to reenter the world.”

The crowning touch? A body wrap for an extra dose of indulgence.

“There is something almost cocoon-like about having the body exfoliated, treated, and wrapped in warmth, especially when it is combined with massage. It engages all of the senses and allows you to surrender in a way that is difficult to describe until you experience it.”

But Bayer’s reigning philosophy isn’t about turning back the clock. Instead, she’s embracing an approach that celebrates every chapter.

“I am loving the shift from anti-aging to pro-aging. For me, that has meant embracing my gray hair rather than feeling like I need to cover it. I still want to care for myself and feel good, but I am less interested in trying to erase every sign of age. There is something beautiful about allowing yourself to evolve and feeling confident in the person you are becoming,” she explains.

“I think we will see much more beauty and wellness care designed around specific stages of a woman’s life. … I see treatments becoming more thoughtful and personalized around changes in the skin, hair, hormones, sleep, and nervous system. … There is beauty in every season of life, and our treatments should support that rather than erase it.”

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A great show should look different by Season 5. After all, the premise that hooked viewers in Season 1 can’t keep doing the work forever. There are only so many times before familiar conflicts start repeating themselves and characters begin running in circles. The best writers understand that reaching Season 5 should mean something has changed along the way. That can be in the form of character growth, changing relationships, and sometimes, even reworking the central conflict of the story.

That’s easier said than done, but thankfully, HBO has produced several shows that knew exactly what to do with the time they had. None of the five shows on this list ends as a longer version of what it was in Season 1. In fact, they evolve without losing what made them great in the first place, which is exactly why they are considered the greatest.

5

‘Insecure’ (2016–2021)

Image via HBO

Insecure is easily one of the most accurate and realistic depictions of adulthood on television. The HBO comedy begins with Issa Dee (Issa Rae) approaching 30, stuck in a job she hates, questioning her long-term relationship with Lawrence (Jay Ellis), and wondering whether everyone around her has life figured out better than she does. Her best friend Molly Carter (Yvonne Orji) appears far more successful on paper, but her dating life and tendency to overthink everything practically reveal a different kind of insecurity. Together, they spend five seasons stumbling through careers, relationships, friendships, and the uncomfortable realization that becoming the person one wants to be usually takes longer than expected.

The most grounded aspect of the show is how Issa doesn’t suddenly discover some bigger purpose after a eureka moment. Instead, the show simply lets time pass as she goes through life’s ebbs and flows. That isn’t to say she doesn’t experience growth — Insecure comes full circle at the end of its five-season run. It doesn’t tie everything up into a neat little bow, but makes the audience realize that perfection was never the point anyway.

4

‘Hacks’ (2021–2026)

Image via HBO Max

Hacks is technically a comedy, but this HBO series captures the full range of the human condition in completely unexpected ways. The show follows legendary Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), whose long-running residency is beginning to look increasingly outdated. On the other hand, Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) is a young comedy writer whose career collapses after an offensive joke leaves her practically unemployable. Deborah needs fresher material, and Ava needs a job, so their manager forces them together. Now, neither of the two ladies is particularly happy about this arrangement, especially since they are total opposites in terms of their approach to life and have a massive generational gap, which adds another layer of tension to the dynamic. However, the show follows the two as their relationship gradually starts changing.

Ava pushes Deborah to make her comedy more honest, while Deborah teaches Ava the ins and outs of an industry where women are rarely given their due respect. The clever part is that Hacks never lets either woman remain comfortably the mentor or student. Deborah and Ava keep butting heads, but they always find their way back to each other. Their conflicts keep Hacks from ever feeling stale, especially since they are always rooted in the characters’ individual journeys. Plenty of comedies can keep finding new situations for their characters, but Hacks found five seasons of new ways for its central relationship to evolve, without ever losing the friction that made putting these two women in the same room so hilarious in the first place.

3

‘Boardwalk Empire’ (2010–2014)

Image via HBO

Boardwalk Empire tracks one of the most fascinating periods in American history. The five-season epic begins in Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition, with political treasurer Enoch “Nucky” Thompson (Steve Buscemi) realizing almost immediately that banning alcohol is going to make the right people extremely rich. Nucky already controls much of the city through political connections and corruption, but bootlegging gives him a chance to expand far beyond New Jersey. His local operation soon connects him to gangsters, politicians, businessmen, and rival organizations across the country, and the stakes just keep expanding from there. Boardwalk Empire’s historical progression is what gives this story a sense of scale that becomes more impressive with every season.

Nucky initially looks like the man perfectly built for this new America, but it starts feeling like he is in way over his head when his protégé Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt) turns against him. Every time Nucky survives yet another rival, the show makes it clear that he cannot keep up with the changing criminal world around him forever. Boardwalk Empire Season 5 makes that shift impossible to ignore with a time jump. The show follows one man building an empire while simultaneously showing how history makes his version of power obsolete. Perfectly capturing a story like that across five seasons is no small feat.

2

‘Six Feet Under’ (2001–2005)

Image via HBO

Six Feet Under tells the audience exactly how every story eventually ends, and then spends five seasons proving how everything that came before it is what matters. The drama, created by Alan Ball, follows the Fisher family, who run a funeral home in Los Angeles. After patriarch Nathaniel Fisher Sr. (Richard Jenkins) dies suddenly, his sons Nate (Peter Krause) and David (Michael C. Hall) are left to run the family business alongside their mother Ruth (Frances Conroy) and younger sister Claire (Lauren Ambrose).

Now, one would assume that being surrounded by death every day has prepared the family to deal with it, but it turns out they are just as confused about life as the grieving families who give them business. That contradiction gives the show five seasons of material without requiring increasingly ridiculous stakes. Everyone in the Fisher family is dealing with the loss in their own way, but Nathaniel’s death also forces them to confront whether they are actually living the lives that they want to. By Season 5, the audience is so attached to these characters that the whole emotional ending in the final episode feels strangely beautiful instead of bleak.

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‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)

Image via HBO

The Wire might just be the best show ever created. The series begins with detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) pushing his department to investigate drug kingpin Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris) and his organization, but that first case quickly exposes how much bigger the problem really is. The show turns the city of Baltimore itself into the main character to show how crime is connected to practically every institution around it. McNulty and his team can spend months building a case against Avon, but their work is constantly shaped by higher-ups worried about statistics, appearances, and closing cases more than actually fixing the conditions that create them. Every breakthrough is complicated by police politics, budgets, and unimaginable bureaucracy. At the same time, the show follows Stringer Bell (Idris Elba), who is trying to make the drug trade function more like a legitimate business, while young dealers on the corners are treated as replaceable pieces in a system much larger than them.

Now, The Wire refuses to keep its critique of the system confined to narcotics. Season 2 shifts the focus to the city’s dying docks; Season 3 brings the focus back to the streets as City Hall begins shaping what the police are allowed to do; Season 4 covers the public schooling system, while Season 5 turns toward journalism. The interesting part is how all of these institutions are interconnected, even when the people inside them rarely see the full picture. That is also why characters who seem powerful in one part of the city can look completely powerless in another. More than two decades later, The Wire still feels like a timeless piece of television that somehow keeps becoming relevant all over again. If there is one HBO classic every serious television fan should experience at least once, this is it.

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The Wire

Release Date

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2002 – 2008-00-00

Network

HBO

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Directors

Ernest R. Dickerson, Ed Bianchi, Steve Shill, Clark Johnson, Daniel Attias, Agnieszka Holland, Tim Van Patten, Alex Zakrzewski, Anthony Hemingway, Brad Anderson, Clement Virgo, Elodie Keene, Peter Medak, Rob Bailey, Seith Mann, Christine Moore, David Platt, Dominic West, Gloria Muzio, Jim McKay, Leslie Libman, Milcho Manchevski, Robert F. Colesberry, Thomas J. Wright

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Nicole Scherzinger is carrying on with her Pussycat Dolls tour after enduring a gnarly injury.

“Nothing like boiling water falling on your leg an hour before your set — But the show must go on,” Scherzinger, 48, wrote via her Instagram Story on Sunday, September 27. “Thanks Düsseldorf for keeping me going. See you soon Amsterdam.”

Alongside the message, Scherzinger shared a gruesome image of her leg covered in blisters from the burn she sustained from the boiling water.

Scherzinger is currently traveling with Ashley Roberts and Kimberly Wyatt for the Pussycat Dolls’ latest world tour, PCD Forever, which began in June. Ahead of the tour’s inaugural show, most of the North American dates were canceled due to low ticket sales.

“When we announced the PCD FOREVER Tour, we hoped to bring the show to fans across the world,” the group wrote via Instagram in May. “After taking an honest look at the North American run, we’ve made the difficult and heartbreaking decision to cancel all but one of the North America dates.”

Us confirmed at the time that the OUTLOUD Music Festival at WeHo Pride in June would host the only North American Pussycat Dolls show in 2026.

“The LGBTQ+ community has shown us so much love and support throughout our career, and we’re honored to be part of a weekend rooted in joy, pride, music and chosen family,” the group shared. “Our UK and European dates are still moving forward as planned, and the response has been incredible, with several shows already sold out.”

After several of the tour dates were canceled, a source exclusively told Us in May that Scherzinger is “disappointed” by the limited interest in the tour.

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Related: Pussycat Dolls Perform With Busta Rhymes at 2026 AMAs After Canceled Tour

The Pussycat Dolls took the 2026 American Music Awards stage alongside iconic rapper Busta Rhymes after canceling the U.S. leg of their comeback tour. Nicole Scherzinger, Ashley Roberts and Kimberly Wyatt performed with Rhymes, 54, for a rendition of their 2005 hit “Don’t Cha” during the Monday, May 25, awards show at the MGM Grand […]

“She was really excited to get back out there with Ashley and Kimberly to celebrate a new era, but now she feels they didn’t get a chance to showcase what they can do,” the insider said. “They went from not touring for over 15 years to booking big arenas like Madison Square Garden with only one new song to back it. They overestimated the demand.”

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Earlier this month, Scherzinger was noticeably absent from the stage at the COS Torwar Arena while the others sang the hit track “Buttons” before later joining them in the performance. Her rep later explained the mishap in a statement.

“During a wardrobe change, there was an issue with Nicole’s in-ear pack, which meant an unexpected mid-show change was necessary,” the statement read. “Rather than the Dolls stopping the entire show and disappointing the fans, the decision was made to fully switch Nicole’s pack, and unfortunately, the change delayed her from joining the other Dolls in time.”

The statement added, “Nicole is devastated that the fans were let down in any way, and looks forward to coming back to Poland very soon to make it up to them.”