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Since the dawn of the new millennium, HBO has been synonymous with prestige cable television and raising the bar for episodic programming. Starting with The Sopranos and continuing strongly with Succession and The White Lotus, the network’s cultivation of talent and autonomy granted to showrunners has been a miracle for the industry. While HBO is frequently celebrated for their probing, groundbreaking dramatic shows that pushed television to cinematic heights, they are equally inventive with comedies, including identifying untapped stars and reinvigorating the careers of legends.

One of their crowning achievements during their 2000s golden run was the rollicking, raunchy comedy and showbiz satire, Entourage. Having amassed such a vast cultural legacy since debuting in 2004, it’s easy to forget that Doug Ellin‘s series was loosely based on the rise of Mark Wahlberg‘s career as a movie star and celebrity icon, an idea that the creator initially believed to be dead on arrival.

Doug Ellin Initially Thought ‘Entourage’ Was the “Worst Idea”

Entourage, executive produced by Wahlberg, follows the rise of movie star Vince Chase (Adrian Grenier) as he navigates the perilous industry known as Hollywood with the aid of his friend group, made up of his half-brother Johnny “Drama” Chase (Kevin Dillon), Turtle (Jerry Ferrara), and Eric Murphy (Kevin Connolly), as well as his brash, feisty agent, Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven). Running from 2004 to 2011 across eight seasons and 96 episodes, Entourage capitalized on its showbiz setting by deploying real-life stars in recurring roles and cameos, such as Bob Saget, Mandy Moore, James Cameron, Larry David, Tom Brady, and Wahlberg. The average episode consisted of working on film sets, negotiating with studios and executives with Ari, befriending VIP talent, debauchery, and a litany of financial and romantic woes.

In an interview with Complex in 2019, Doug Ellin recalled Wahlberg’s manager, Steven Levinson, pitching him the idea of what would become HBO’s hit comedy series in 2001. Broadly framing the concept as “a show about Mark and his friends,” Ellin thought, “That’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard.” Levinson, who told him that he would “figure it out,” let Ellin ruminate on this loose premise. The turning point came when the eventual showrunner realized that, if he infused his personal voice and memories with his friends and combined them with Wahlberg’s career trajectory, he had a promising idea in his hands. Still, getting greenlit for a pilot wasn’t easy. “I probably wrote 25 drafts before they even agreed to the script,” Ellin said.

HBO’s ‘Entourage’ Is a Product of Its Time That Still Endures Today

What began as a logline that its creator scoffed at became a signature show of the signature network. Much like its dramatic counterparts, Entourage took the single-camera sitcom to unprecedented heights, converging broad comedic setups with insider commentary on the movie industry and the celebrity lifestyle. Echoing Hollywood satires of the past, such as Singin’ in the Rain and The Player, the series is in conversation with the contemporary moment, capturing the lurid excess, vulgar rebellion, and go-for-broke mindset. This mindset is embedded within the in-house brand of humor throughout the series, which unfortunately relied too heavily on flagrant misogyny, homophobia, and low-hanging fruit humor that punched down at subjects.

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Perhaps the series would’ve benefited from condemning the dark cores of Vincent, Drama, and Ari and examining the forces that cause this breed of toxic masculinity that has grown exponentially on the Internet. While the series was never explicitly about his year-to-year career, it mirrored the spirit of Mark Wahlberg’s career, a rapper-turned-Oscar-nominated actor and now media mogul whose life is defined by personal highs and lows. Entourage wasn’t always pretty, but it usually won you over due to its charm and rollicking, provocative streak.

Regardless of its place in 2026, Entourage was an effective series that always entertained. Showbiz satires are niche genres, but HBO made this inaccessible world feel fresh and captivating to the casual viewer. Doug Ellin and his writers successfully translated Hollywood’s politicking and palace intrigue into relatable aspects of life in one’s 20s and 30s. Its portrayal of blind ambition, youthful naivety, toxic work environments, and loudmouth bosses made it resonate with its target demographic. Entourage lingers in the audience’s mind due to its demonstration of male friendship and bonding that is surprisingly tender when needed. Aided by the electric chemistry between the cast and the lived-in setting that allowed viewers to be privy to showbiz secrets, the HBO series, even with its lackluster 2015 feature film, still looms large over the channel’s catalog.

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With the seeming exception of The Simpsons, no TV series lasts forever. Some end unexpectedly, being cancelled due to low viewership or for no sense whatsoever, often ending on cliffhangers that go forever unresolved, like Mork & Mindy and Quantum Leap. Others are able to end on their own terms, with viewers aware of the series’ finale well ahead of airing, either sticking the landing (M*A*S*H), botching it royally (How I Met Your Mother), or wrapping up divisively (Seinfeld). Rarely do you see a series that ends on its own terms, with viewers being completely unaware that what they’re watching is, in fact, not a season finale but a series finale. In that rarefied air is the three-season horror masterpiece Penny Dreadful, which came to an end at the hands of its creator in 2016.

What Is ‘Penny Dreadful’ About?

Penny Dreadful aired for three seasons on Showtime, first premiering on May 11, 2014. The name is derived from “penny dreadfuls,” cheap 19th-century magazines with stories and illustrations both sensational and gruesome. The lurid magazines were popular in England, and the series borrows heavily from the Gothic fiction of the time. Penny Dreadful could be likened to Once Upon a Time, except instead of beloved fairy tale characters like Snow White and Prince Charming, the show features a who’s-who of characters from 19th century Gothic horror fiction, the likes of which include Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney), Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Shelley’s iconic duo of Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway) and his Creature (Rory Kinnear). There’s also Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett), a werewolf, whose real name, Ethan Lawrence Talbot, is a nod to the tortured protagonist of 1941’s The Wolf Man. An entire cast of classic characters, each given new life – sometimes literally – with engaging stories that both honored and challenged their rich history.

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But the series lives and dies by lead character Vanessa Ives, whose tragic arc, played out through a consistently powerful, scene-stealing portrayal from Eva Green, serves as the anchor for Penny Dreadful as a whole. Vanessa is introduced as an enigmatic medium, a woman of deep faith at odds with her own evil nature. Over the course of Penny Dreadful, Vanessa is possessed by the Devil himself, hunted by the evil Evelyn Poole (Helen McCrory) and her coven, and forced to embrace her own past as a witch.

Vanessa finds herself desired by both Lucifer and Dracula, each of whom seeks to use the powerful darkness within her, which she’s been fighting to suppress in spite of the prophecy that heralds her as the “Mother of Evil.” Finally, in Season 3’s “Ebb Tide,” exhausted from the constant battle within and without, Vanessa is coerced by Dracula into embracing who she really is, becoming the very being she was prophesied to be and sending the world into the darkness on the edge of the apocalypse.

‘Penny Dreadful’ Season 3 Ended on a Shocking Note for Fans

However, being the “Mother of Evil” isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be, and it all comes to a head in the Season 3 finale, “The Blessed Dark.” As a battle rages between Dracula and his “children” and Sir Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton) and his allies, Ethan slips away to find Vanessa in Dracula’s lair. It’s a truly heartrending moment for the two star-crossed lovers, as Vanessa, who has come to accept that she will only ever find peace and redemption, and stop the impending end of the world, implores Ethan to kill her; Ethan does so, freeing her to find peace and the faith she once held so strongly, as a final act of love.

The blackness is lifted, and Dracula, sensing her death, flees. Following her funeral, the Creature (Rory Kinnear) kneels, alone, at her grave, reciting a poem. Then a title card that simply reads “The End” comes on screen, bringing completion to the season — and, as it turns out, a completion to the series as a whole. Penny Dreadful, which for three seasons held a consistency of quality with a healthy balance of horror and drama, truly did live and die by Vanessa Ives, as creator/showrunner John Logan explained in a statement that was sent out after the series ending:

“I created Penny Dreadful to tell the story of a woman grappling with her faith, and with the demons inside her. For me, the character of Vanessa Ives is the heart of this series. From the beginning, I imagined her story would unfold over a three-season arc, ending with Vanessa finally – and triumphantly – finding peace as she returns to her faith.”

Despite a number of storylines left unresolved – Dracula’s fate, the abrupt ending of Dr. Jekyll’s (Shazad Latif) arc before ever exploring his alter-ego Lord Hyde, and the underutilization of Catriona Hartdegen (Perdita Weeks) – it’s hard to argue with Logan’s rationale. Many series, including the aforementioned Once Upon a Time, have tried, and failed, to carry on for another season or two after key characters have left, and a season without Vanessa would have been empty, existing only to sate the wishes of those who wanted closure. Masterpieces only remain masterpieces if they conclude before tarnishing their reputation, and Logan did what he needed to do to keep the legacy of Penny Dreadful untarnished, even if it came as a surprise to literally everyone.

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When Hillary Clinton appeared before the House Oversight Committee in a closed deposition, she denied having any connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. There was one alleged statement from the late billionaire, however, she didn’t take offense to — and it made everyone in the room laugh.

“Mr. Epstein is commenting and he quotes, ‘Hey, Hillary Clinton is much prettier in person,’” Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert said in a video of Clinton’s Thursday, February 26, deposition.

“I’m not going to object to that,” Clinton, 78, replied, shrugging her shoulders in a sheepish manner as the room laughed in response.

A legal representative of Clinton’s can be heard asking the congresswoman off camera, “Can we see the documents? We don’t think the document says that.” He then turned to Clinton and said, “Not that you’re not pretty.”

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Before sitting down with the House Oversight Committee and testifying about Jeffrey Epstein, former President Bill Clinton is speaking out about his intentions. “I’m here today for two reasons. The first is that I love my country. And America was built upon the idea that no person is above the law, even Presidents — especially […]

The interaction between the pair provided a moment of levity in an otherwise tense proceeding, with Clinton responding, “I’ll take it if I can get it.”

Despite making a few jokes while facing the committee in Chappaqua, New York, for six hours last week, Clinton maintained she did not have a relationship with Epstein after she and her husband, former president Bill Clinton’s names were found in some of the Epstein’s files.

The former first lady told the panel she had “no idea” about Epstein’s sex trafficking crimes prior to his arrest. Hillary also claimed she barely knew the man and never visited any of his properties.

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President Donald Trump, Woody Allen, former President Bill Clinton and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are all seen in newly released photos obtained from the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s estate. On Friday, December 12, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released 19 archival photos, of more than 95,000 total images, recovered from Epstein’s estate as part […]

Hillary noted that Epstein’s crimes are not a one-off and the victims should be the subject of everyone’s focus.

“If you are new to this issue, let me tell you: Jeffrey Epstein was a heinous individual, but he’s far from alone,” she said in her opening statement to the committee via The Independent. “This is not a one-off tabloid sensation or a political scandal. It’s a global scourge with an unimaginable human toll.”

In July 2019, Epstein was arrested on federal charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors. (He also pleaded guilty in 2008 of soliciting prostitution from a minor — a lesser charge as part of his “sweetheart” plea deal.) He pleaded not guilty to the charges but before the case could go to trial, Epstein died in a New York City jail at the age of 66. His death was later ruled a suicide.

While Epstein is no longer alive to speak about his alleged crimes, he is still continuing to make headlines thanks to the Justice Department’s long-awaited release of his Epstein Files as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

In recent months, several high-powered figures — including celebrities, politicians and royals —have been named in the documents.

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Documents that name dozens of public figures associated with accused sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been unsealed.  The first of what is expected to be multiple batches of documents were released in federal court in New York on Wednesday, January 3, following federal judge Loretta A. Preska’s December 18 ruling. The documents were initially filed […]

Bill, 79, and Hillary both met separately with the House Oversight Committee to deny their alleged connection to the late criminal.

“First, I had no idea of the crimes Epstein was committing,” Bill wrote in a statement via X on Friday, February 27, ahead of his closed deposition. “No matter how many photos you show me, I have two things that at the end of the day matter more than your interpretation of those 20-year-old photos: I know what I saw, and more importantly, what I didn’t see. I know what I did, and more importantly, what I didn’t do. I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong.”

He added that the committee might not like his answers, but he’s going to speak his truth. “That might be unsatisfying. But I’m not going to say something I’m not sure of,” Bill said. “Since I am under oath, I will not falsely state that I am looking forward to your questions. But I am ready to answer them to the best of my abilities, consistent with the facts as I know them.”

If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

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If the Paramount/Warner Bros. Discovery merger clears the final regulatory hurdles, this could mean significant changes for HBO Max subscribers in how they access the service. According to Paramount president David Ellison, integrating HBO Max and Paramount+ into a single direct-to-consumer service will give both companies access to the scale they need in an increasingly consolidated streaming marketplace.

For viewers, the real story isn’t the corporate maneuvering — it’s what happens when the apps on their home screen start to change. A unified service has the potential to reshape the everyday user experience while also raising bigger questions about whether HBO’s carefully protected brand identity can truly remain untouched inside a much larger ecosystem.

Your App and Library Could Get Bigger and More Bundled

Image via HBO Max

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The first and most tangible change would likely show up in the interface itself. Ellison has repeatedly emphasized plans to bring the two platforms together, but executives have been notably light on specifics about whether that means a full technical merger or a hub-style experience where brands live side by side.

Either way, the direction is clear: the combined service is being positioned as a scale play. Paramount leadership has pointed to the sheer volume of content across both companies — spanning blockbuster franchises, prestige dramas, network television, and sports — as the primary competitive advantage. For subscribers, that likely translates into a broader content library accessible through a more unified experience.

Consumer-wise, the shift could mean one bill, one app, and a new price structure. That kind of consolidation has become the default playbook across the streaming industry, where mergers and bundle experiments typically lead to recalibrated tiers and packaging. While no pricing changes have been announced, history suggests that price hikes, bundle tiers, and ad-plan shifts are typically what follow when platforms bulk up this aggressively.

There are also quieter but meaningful implications for how the service actually feels to use. A merged platform often brings algorithmic tweaks, navigation changes, and different content-surfacing priorities. Paramount executives have already highlighted the technical upside they expect from combining the services, which suggests the recommendation engine and overall UI could evolve alongside the expanded catalog.

Importantly, none of this appears imminent. The deal itself still faces regulatory review in the U.S. and Europe, and Paramount has indicated the broader transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026. Details about the streaming integration are likely to come closer to 2027, meaning subscribers shouldn’t expect their apps to suddenly transform overnight.

HBO’s Independence Is Being Promised — Not Guaranteed

Image via Paramount

If the first potential change is about how subscribers use the service, the second is more philosophical: What happens to HBO’s identity once it’s folded into a much larger streaming machine? Ellison has been emphatic on this point. He has repeatedly said that HBO will continue to “operate with independence” and that the premium brand should be allowed to keep doing what it does best. He has also publicly praised HBO and HBO Max content chief Casey Bloys, as well as the network’s recent creative momentum, as HBO’s reputation has always rested on a very specific programming strategy. Subscribers are paying for a curated sense of prestige, careful development cycles, and a quality bar that historically sits above the broader streaming field.

It is uncertain if creative insulation in practice would equate to structural independence on the page. Viewers will monitor theatrical windows for signs of tightening budgets, changes in release strategies, and any potential need to support a larger algorithm-driven ecosystem. Any change, no matter how small, to theatrical window timeframes or episode roll-out timing could be viewed over time as a philosophical change.

For the time being, Paramount has communicated to calm any anxieties. Paramount executives have positioned the newly merged company as a distribution extension, not as a creative transformation; this is evident in that the leadership of HBO will remain intact following the merger. That said, in the streaming era, brand identity is as much influenced by platforms as by assurances from Company Senior Leadership.

Podcaster Claudia Oshry isn’t impressed with one of the newest cast members of The Real Housewives of New York City.

“I have some, like, tea. I don’t know if tea is the right word for this,” Oshry, 31, shared via TikTok on Monday, March 2. “Of course I know my girl Erika Hammond — great casting. And then I saw the name Hailey Glassman. I could not put my finger on why her name sounded so familiar to me, so I went over to her Instagram.”

Bravo recently confirmed Sai De Silva, Erin Lichy, Jessel Taank and “friend of the cast” Carole Radziwill would be joining Glassman, 39, Hammond, 34 and Daisy Toye for season 16.

After looking at her DM messages, Oshry claimed that Glassman has been “a troll of mine, like, a deep internet troll since 2017.”

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The Housewives are heading back to the Big Apple for The Real Housewives of New York City season 16. Bravo announced the new season’s cast in March 2026, including three returning full-time cast members and three new faces, plus the long-awaited return of a former RHONY Housewife. “We’ll be there in a New York minute🍎 […]

“Omg your voice is so annoying,” the first alleged message Oshry claims to have received from Glassman read. “Like Janice from Friends.”

The harsh alleged messages only continued when Glassman commented on the podcast host’s weight.

“Skinny minnie, now. Looks great but you gotta own you’re on wegovy,” Glassman allegedly wrote. “You’re an influencer and you really should be honest on your platform about it. When you need any skin tightening since you def lost enough to need it, I’ll set you up with a great plastic surgeon in NYC.”

Later on in her TikTok, Oshry started to question if Bravo’s newest star may actually be a fan of hers after all.

“But I think she’s also a huge fan because she also has ‘mazel tov’ when I announced I was pregnant,” she shared. “My biggest hater and my biggest supporter.”

Oshry then shared a purported message from Glassman when she allegedly wished her a Happy Mother’s Day.

“I don’t know what barrel Bravo was scraping the bottom of when they cast this person,” Oshry shared, “but it’s giving Monica from Salt Lake City.”

Monica Garcia appeared on season 4 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and was accused of being part of a troll Instagram account called Reality Von Tease.

After seeing Oshry’s video on Instagram, Garcia, 42, commented, “Hey now! What did I ever do to you?? 😂.”

Us Weekly has reached out to Bravo for comment.

According to Instagram, Glassman — who was previously linked to Jon Gosselin — is a public relations professional based out of New York City and Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.

Bravo previously confirmed that season 16 begins filming this week, with past seasons available to stream anytime on Peacock.