The following article contains spoilers.There is a question that we have been pondering for months: What makes a great redemption story? It’s a question that has been particularly vexing since our research began many months ago, and the answer was clearly right in front of us. A great redemption arc on television sticks the landing, where that character is totally redeemed from their past, deeply flawed era.

So, using this as a metric, we set out to find TV characters who entered their redemption era and came out better on the other side. These are the characters who recognized that they had huge red flags attached to them, and they made the changes needed to become better. These are the ones that we root for, and once you reach the end, dear reader, you will root for these characters as well.

10

Loki

‘Loki’ (2021–2023)

Image via Disney+

When we were first introduced to Loki (Tom Hiddleston), he was a powerful villain with a thirst for power, with a narcissistic sense of self to match. But when Loki made the transition to the small screen, he transformed from the villain that we originally saw him as, and into a character that showed a profound transformation that largely worked.

Loki was a character who was ripe for a redemption arc. He had all the qualities needed to make it happen in Loki. All that was needed was a writing staff who saw the potential in this transformation, and the end result was a character who went from being a narcissistic, unlikable villain to a powerful being that showed remorse and cared for others. When he destroyed the Temporal Loom, which he wanted to desperately control, he completed his arc from villain to hero, and we all stood and congratulated him for it.

9

Petra Solano

‘Jane the Virgin’ (2014–2019)

In the early seasons of The CW’s criminally underrated comedy-drama Jane the Virgin, no one could reasonably believe that Petra Solano (Yael Grobglas) could have a redemption arc that people actually believed in. She was the scheming, cheating wife of Rafael Solano (Justin Baldoni), and she was a character that audiences were meant to hate with a searing passion.

Then, something amazing happened. After the birth of her twin girls, Petra slowly shed her villainous persona and became a complex individual who was, dare we say it, more likable. This was thanks to her growth into motherhood, and Petra finding real love with JR (Rosario Dawson), which allowed Petra to finally open up and be more vulnerable, with her coming to the satisfying realization that, deep down, she actually is a good person.

8

Nathan Scott

‘One Tree Hill’ (2003–2012)

Image via The CW

There are traditional redemption arcs, and then there’s the redemption of One Tree Hill‘s Nathan Scott (James Lafferty). His transformation was so astounding that, toward the end of the series’ run, one could swear that they were watching an entirely different character. We were first introduced to Scott, who was the arrogant, cruel star of the Tree Hill Ravens’ basketball team.

There was really nothing to like about Scott early on, but in Season 1, he starts dating Haley James Scott (Bethany Joy Lenz), which softens Scott’s aggressive and selfish demeanor and begins his remarkable transformation. Along the way, we find out that Scott desperately wanted to be a better man than his father, and in the latter seasons, he successfully achieved this. He was a better father, a better husband, and, above all, a more mature, responsible person who developed empathy toward others rather than let apathy run his life. Nathan Scott was a redemption story that should be admired.

7

Theon Greyjoy

‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)

Image via HBO

You had to feel for Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), even though at the beginning of the acclaimed HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones, it may have been hard to do so. Greyjoy’s early arc was full of arrogance, but when he was captured after the seizure of Winterfell and broken to become “Reek,” the seeds of a character-defining redemption were set into motion.

Greyjoy managed to break the submissive “Reek” persona, and he became a character who died in honorable sacrifice. So while he ultimately died, leaving the world behind, trying to protect someone you care about represented a complete 180-degree change from the unlikable persona he once embodied. Viewers were initially not supposed to like or root for Theon, but we felt bad for him when he was relentlessly tortured, and we were able to honor him when he died trying to protect Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright). That reader is a classic tale of redemption, and it made us see his character in a completely different light.

6

Alexis and David Rose

‘Schitt’s Creek’ (2015–2020)

Image via CBC Television

We will admit, it was really fun watching Schitt’s Creek‘s David (Daniel Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) Rose in their shallow, entitled phase. After all, they grew up as socialites, unable to connect to the wider world that didn’t have nearly the same things nor were afforded the same lifestyle that they enjoyed. But it was also fun and quite rewarding to see David and Alexis grow out of that superficial persona and become more empathetic and independent of their parents.

For Alexis, this character-defining redemption arc meant overcoming toxic relationships and a lack of direction to find purpose and learn how to become her own person. For her brother, that meant getting past dramatic, guarded tendencies and embracing the fact that vulnerability can be a good thing. By embracing change, Alexis and David Rose became better people, completing a redemption arc that fans of Schitt’s Creek didn’t have much hope for in the beginning.

5

Chuck Bass

‘Gossip Girl’ (2007–2012)

Image via The CW

To this very day, fans of the iconic CW drama Gossip Girl debate the redemption arc of Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick). When we first met Chuck, he was a character that everyone despised. He displayed the persona that made everyone hate rich people. He was manipulative, arrogant, hedonistic, and there was no question once, ever, that Chuck was the main antagonist in Season 1.

But his love for Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), a character with her own set of flaws, became the driving force for Chuck to start evolving into a character that fans could actually feel empathy for instead of resentment. His relationship with Blair forced Chuck to look at himself in the mirror, confronting his toxic behavior and cold demeanor, and begin his maturation. Chuck’s redemption arc is unique in the fact that it isn’t a straight line from arrogant you-know-what to the picture of maturity. His redemption was indeed a “one step forward, three steps back” scenario (remember, this is the guy who traded his girlfriend for a hotel), and this is why his road to sensible character is still debated today. But, in the end, he did become a better person, and it was a process that, while slow, eventually redefined his character (and resulted in one of the best relationships in Gossip Girl).

4

Jin-Soo Kwon

‘Lost’ (2004–2010)

Image via ABC

One of ABC’s Lost’s best aspects was its “flashback” moments within its episodes. It was during these flashbacks (and flashforwards) that we were able to get a deeper glimpse into the characters who were marooned on a tropical island inhabited by polar bears (yes, we’re still not getting over this). One of those flashbacks centered on Jin-Soo Kwon (Daniel Dae Kim), who was abusive and controlling to his wife, Sun-Hwa Kwon (Yunjin Kim).

But, being stuck on a remote island with no help coming soon has a way of changing people, and we got to see Jin-Soo Kwon develop from that insecure, possessive husband who isolated his wife from the other survivors, and into a loving, selfless person who tried hard to communicate, helped the other survivors on the island, and, most importantly, worked to change his relationship with his wife, which was showcased in a tragically beautiful moment when he chose to die alongside her in a sunken submarine instead of leave her.

3

April Ludgate

‘Parks and Recreation’ (2009–2015)

Image via NBC Universal

Not all character-defining redemption arcs follow the traditional path of a terrible personality who matures into a respectable and well-liked person. Sometimes that redemption can result in the character becoming a “softer” version of themselves. Enter Parks and Recreation’s April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza), who we first met as an intern at the Pawnee Parks and Recreation department.

Ludgate was often described as “aggressively apathetic,” a person who didn’t have a care in the world for anyone, speaking in a deadpan manner, and was proud of the fact that she was difficult to have a relationship with. But that began to change thanks to Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), whose mentorship helped April channel her intensity into meaningful work. And, later, April’s relationship with Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt) allowed her to finally drop some of the walls she put up emotionally. While April still retained her edge, she became a character who realized that she can be a caring and responsible person without losing her sense of self.

2

Michael

‘The Good Place’ (2016–2020)

Image via NBC 

At the beginning of the NBC fantasy comedy The Good Place, Michael (Ted Danson) was not the person viewers initially thought he was. Michael was introduced as an angel and “architect” of the “Good Place.” However, toward the end of Season 1, we saw Michael’s true colors; he was a demon that tortured the show’s protagonist in a Bad Place that masqueraded as a Good Place.

Make no mistake, Michael was quite sadistic, a demon who relished torturing the show’s protagonists. We learn that this came about because Michael had a lack of understanding of human empathy, but as he teams up with the humans to protect himself from his boss, he begins to feel empathy and form a friendship with the human protagonists. In the end, Michael learns a lot about human experience, leading him to finally be able to be at peace.

1

Schmidt

‘New Girl’ (2011–2018)

Image via FOX

Shallow, selfish, and a perceived “ladies’ man,” there wasn’t a lot to like about New Girl‘s Schmidt (Max Greenfield). He was very obsessed with himself, and was a person who always cared about his status and how he looked. It was toxic, no doubt about it, but over the seasons, we began to see why Schmidt was the way he was, as it was born out of insecurity, and he began to further change when he began a romantic relationship with Cece Parekh (Hannah Simone).

Although fans debated his behavior during Season 3, where he was in a relationship with both Cece and Elizabeth (Merritt Wever), this moment allowed Schmidt to finally confront his toxic personality, and from there, he grew a genuine love for Cece and became a more caring and vulnerable person, one that fans grew to love by the time the show came to a close.

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New Girl

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Release Date

2011 – 2018

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Network

FOX

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Showrunner

Elizabeth Meriwether

Directors

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Trent O’Donnell, Jay Chandrasekhar, Max Winkler, Fred Goss, Jesse Peretz, Steve Welch, Lynn Shelton, Josh Greenbaum, Russ T. Alsobrook, Bill Purple, Christine Gernon, Lorene Scafaria, Michael Schultz, Peyton Reed, Tristram Shapeero, Eric Appel, Alec Berg, Jason Winer, Michael Spiller, Steve Pink, Alex Hardcastle, Andrew Fleming, Craig Zisk, Daniel Attias

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Ryan Reynolds had the support of his wife, Blake Lively, as his soccer team, Wrexham AFC, lost a grueling FA Cup match on Saturday, March 7.

The Deadpool actor, 49, shared a kiss and hugged Lively, 38, from a VIP box at Racecourse Ground in Wales. The couple were quite animated during the most dramatic moments in Wrexham’s clash with Chelsea and were joined by fellow Wrexham owner Rob McElhenney before their squad ultimately suffered a 4-2 loss.

Lively looked casually fashionable in a denim jacket over a striped top while her husband seemed to be equally comfy in a dark grey pullover.

Via his Instagram Story, Reynolds posted footage of himself and McElhenney, 48, giving Chelsea a respectful clap as a show of sportsmanship. McElhenney and Reynolds also shared a hug as they came to terms with Wrexham falling short of a quarterfinal placement in the FA Cup.

“Three years ago this week, we battled Maidenhead United to a draw. Today we pushed Chelsea to extra time,” Reynolds tweeted on Saturday. “So incredibly proud of Wrexham’s performance today.”

Lively later shared a selfie shot from the field at Racecourse Ground as she cuddled up to her longtime spouse. (Reynolds and Lively have been married since 2012 and share four children: James, born in December 2014, Inez, born in September 2016, Betty, born in October 2019, and Olin, born Feb 2023.)

“What. A. Game,” Lively beamed in the caption.

The couple have been seemingly lying low to start out the new year. Their latest major public outing was in November 2025 when Lively offered a sneak peek at their pre-Thanksgiving date night in New York City.

At the time, Lively joked that she was “putting [her] ‘night out hair’ to good use” for a romantic evening with Reynolds. They even posed in front of the Empire Hotel, which was a recurring filming location on her classic teen drama Gossip Girl.

“I spy the Empire Hotel iukuk [if you know, you know],” Lively joked via her Instagram Story.

Related: Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively Bring the PDA to Wrexham Weekend Game

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively seldom miss a chance to cheer on his Wrexham soccer team, and the Saturday, April 26, home game was no exception. “Let’s g⚽️ boys @wrexham_afc,” Lively, 37, wrote via Instagram Stories on Friday, April 25, smiling in a selfie with husband Reynolds, 48. In the snap, Lively wore a team-branded […]

In February, Lively and This Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni were both spotted entering the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in New York City for a settlement conference ahead of their upcoming trial. Lively arrived solo in a gray suit with a pink and white button-up and a striped green cardigan whereas Justin — who was dressed in a green coat with a pink scarf — was joined by his wife, Emily Baldoni.

Justin’s lawyer Bryan Freedman told Deadline later that day that settlement talks were “unsuccessful” but that there was “always a chance” of making a pretrial deal. Freedman added that he was “looking forward” to the two sides finally facing off in court later this year, should there be no pretrial settlement.

Lively filed suit against Baldoni for sexual harassment and retaliation in December 2024, claiming that his alleged behavior on the set of It Ends With Us had caused her “severe emotional distress.” (Baldoni has denied her accusations. He countersued for $400 million, but his claims were thrown out in June 2025.)

The trial is scheduled to begin on May 18. An original trial date was set for March 9 but Judge Lewis J. Liman delayed the case in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York because of conflicts with an unrelated criminal trial.

“[The other case is] as important as this case is … criminal trials take precedent,” Judge Liman announced from the bench in December.

Kim Kardashian is showing off her family’s four new puppies whether PETA likes it or not.

“Welcome to the fam,” Kardashian, 45, captioned an Instagram photo of her baby Pomeranians on Friday, March 6.

Two photos feature the adorable puppies — a pair with jet black coats, another with a cream coloring and a fourth with sable fur — snuggling up together on a couch. Several of Kardashian’s famous social media followers were overwhelmed by the cuteness on display.

“Omg. They’re so cute,” Vanessa Bryant replied, with close family friend Khadijah Haqq McCray adding: “They’re so cute, they almost don’t seem real!”

Kardashian originally shared both photos on Christmas Day when she revealed that she’d given each of her four children their own Pomeranian as a holiday gift. (Kardashian and her ex-husband Kanye West share four kids: North, 12, Saint, 10, Chicago, 8, and Psalm, 6.)

“Each kid got a puppy,” she announced via her Instagram Story on December 25, 2025.

The All’s Fair actress posted several videos of her kids playing with the Pomeranians on Christmas morning, including one clip of two of the puppies sharing a sweet kiss.

Not everyone was thrilled with the furry additions to the Kardashian family. Animal rights group PETA’s cofounder Ingrid Newkirk slammed Kardashian’s Christmas gift, insisting that “puppies are not plushies.”

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Related: Precious Pooches! See Kardashian-Jenner Kids Snuggling Their Sweet Pets

It’s been well-documented that the Kardashian-Jenner family loves animals, a trait that they’ve already passed down to their children. Kourtney Kardashian and Kim Kardashian gifted their daughters — Penelope and North, respectively — twin Pomeranian puppies in June 2017. Penelope — whom Kourtney shares with ex Scott Disick — chose to name her pup Honey […]

“It’s a damn shame that Kim missed the chance to be a spokesperson for shelter pups,” Newkirk, 76, told the Daily Mail in December. “Ignoring the homeless animal crisis is inexcusably callous.”

Newkirk demanded that Kardashian “call PETA or a local shelter the next time” she was looking for a pet.

“[She can] try to make some amends now by sending [her] kids to volunteer at a local shelter or paying for a local shelter adopt-a-thon,” Newark demanded.

Kardashian never directly responded to criticism from PETA.

In the meantime, Kardashian has been spotted on numerous outings with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton in the past few months. Us Weekly exclusively reported in February that Kardashian and Hamilton, 41, had “a few dates recently” but were keeping things “casual.”

“She has felt ready to put herself back out there recently,” a source told Us in early February. “Everyone around her wants her to be happy after everything she has gone through.”

That same month, Hamilton and Kardashian had their first major outing when they watched the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Us exclusively learned earlier this month that Kardashian and Hamilton have been spending more time together in recent weeks — including taking a trip to Arizona — because their busy schedules eased up.

“They both had a break in their schedules and decided to take another trip to spend more time together and really get to know each other,” an insider revealed. “It’s going well, and Kim has been genuinely enjoying her time with Lewis.”

The source insisted that Kardashian is “taking it slow” with Hamilton for now because he’s “the first person she’s been romantically involved with in a long time.” (Kardashian dated Pete Davidson from 2021 to 2022 and Odell Beckham Jr. from 2023 to 2024 following her 2021 divorce from West, 48.)

“Lewis is such a great guy and has really been courting her and treating her right. He’s been making all the plans and making sure she is taken care of,” a source told Us this month. “Everyone around her thinks it’s really sweet and what she deserves. Kim has had such a relaxed aura recently in all aspects of her life. Her mindset has totally changed. She’s not forcing anything, just letting it unfold naturally.”

Ari Fletcher is never afraid to make it clear that she’s not the one or the two! That’s the exact energy she had for Akademiks after footage surfaced of him saying she’s known for being involved with “everybody’s man.” Once Ari peeped Akademiks’ comments, she hit social media with a lil’ teaser about how she plans to handle him.

RELATED: Not Pressed?! Fans Think Ari Fletcher Just Clocked The Rumors About Her & Lil Baby (PHOTOS)

Ari Fletcher Claps Back At Akademiks For Speaking On Her Name

Roomies, do y’all remember those viral alleged rumors about Ari Fletcher and Lil Baby? There’s still no word on how those rumors started, but fans were shook when they thought Jayda Cheaves addressed the tea during the TikTok livestream. Even though the buzz about Ari and Baby popped off at the top of 026, folks are still talking about it — specifically Akademiks. He recalled the situation during a recent livestream saying that he doesn’t think the accusations about Ari are too farfetched. Throughout the stream, he continued to double down on his beliefs saying Ari is known for messing with everybody’s guy. “Ari is like community p***y.” Akademiks continued, “Everybody f*** Ari. I’m talking about the popping rappers. Half of Atlanta f*** Ari. This is just what it is.” 

Shortly after the clip of Akademiks started going viral, Ari Fletcher hopped on X (formerly Twitter) to respond. She told her followers to stay seated because she’s coming for his pockets.

“I want everybody to play very close attention to what I’m about to do to @Akademiks.I let yall play for way too long but you KEEP defaming my character. I’m taking it to hell. I hope that streaming money tucked bitch cause I’m coming!” 

Social Media Sticks Beside Ari

After The Shade Room posted the clip of Akademiks, the comment section crazy. A bunch of folks sided with Ari and said she should sue him for speaking on her name, while others said they’re tired of him always bashing women. Peep some of the reactions below.

Instagram user @therealfitnessqueen wrote, “These men are the real gossip girls.” 

Instagram user @straightouttachat wrote, “GET HIM!! Bankrupt him!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾” 

While Instagram user @the_baddiepreneur wrote, “As she should because clearly he ain’t learned his lesson about speaking on these women yet!” 

Then Instagram user @tattedkelli_ wrote, “She got him good legally. He didn’t say “allegedly” he’s just throwing stuff out negatively about her and no evidence to support his statements. She gone sue him.” 

Another Instagram user @daone_n_onliibri wrote, “Do he ever speak on sports the way he love talkign bout women? Serious question.” 

Instagram user @theyblovinnmee wrote, “He’s gonna be crying when she done with him & I can’t wait to laugh.” 

Then another Instagram user @medium.bell wrote, “Why he speaking on this girl like he was there in the bedroom it’s weird.” 

Finally, Instagram user @vashchats wrote, “Something about a man always speaking on a woman don’t sit right with me.” 

Ari Appears Unbothered Amid Ongoing Lil Baby Rumors

To this day, nobody has confirmed whether Ari Fletcher and Lil Baby actually had relations, and neither of them have publicly addressed the rumors. But after fans thought Jayda Cheaves hinted at it during a TikTok livestream, many believed Ari responded in her own subtle way. Around that time, Ari dropped photos on Instagram showing herself posing in a dramatic fur coat and white dress. She kept the caption short, writing, “My year.” 

RELATED: Unbreakable Bond! Ari Fletcher Appears To Show Off “Demario” Tattoo Alongside Sweet Message To Moneybagg Yo (PHOTO)

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Tees Celebrating Women Everywhere

Published
March 8, 2026
12:05 AM PST

Some moments are just too cute not to share, and Friday night belonged to Lala Baptiste and Jay Cinco. The couple gave fans a peek into their love-filled lives as they officially revealed the gender of their baby in a video that’s been making rounds across social media.

RELATED: Bundle Of Joy OTW! Jay Cinco And Lala Baptiste Reveal They’re Expecting Their First Child Together (PHOTOS) 

Lala Baptiste And Jay Cinco’s Gender Reveal Moment

The gender reveal clip is giving all the feels! Outside under the evening sky, Lala Baptiste and Jay Cinco were surrounded by friends and family holding up phone flashlights, setting the perfect glow for the big moment. Lala stunned in a salmon-colored dress with fur details. Meanwhile, Jay rocked an off-white sweater with slacks, keeping it cozy yet stylish. Adding to the festive vibes, a man dressed as Santa Claus joined the scene. Then came the moment everyone was waiting for — a woman handed Jay a reddish box, which he passed to Lala. As she carefully unwrapped it, the camera captured their priceless reactions when they spotted a pink ball inside — confirming a baby girl is on the way. Lala’s face immediately lit up with pure joy. And, Jay rushed to hug her as she sat down, both completely over the moon.

The gender reveal fun didn’t stop there. In another video posted to Lala Baptiste’s social media, she shared a clip of her and JayCinco doing the viral cake reveal. The couple sat side by side, champagne glasses in hand, as they sliced into the cake to reveal the color of the dough — pink or blue. The video caption teased, “It’s a…” accompanied by blue, pink, and happy tears emojis. As the video shifted from black-and-white to color, fans got the moment of truth: a bright pink cake confirming they’re expecting a baby girl.

Social Media Goes Wild Over The Moment

Fans immediately flooded the comments on The Shade Room Teens’ Instagram page after the reveal, and the excitement was unreal. Many fans said it only made sense that Lala Baptiste is having a baby girl. While others claimed JayCinco was born to be a “girl dad” and predicted she’ll have him wrapped around her finger.

One Instagram user @jusstniyy_ said, “I knew it was gone be a girl omggg Congratulationsss💞”

This Instagram user @lifeascarmen.__ commented, “Awww congratulations 😍😍”

And, Instagram user @kaalynndianee added, “Awwww I’m cryingggg so sweet 🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @niyyyyah_finstaaaa wrote, “Omggg yesss baby will be beautiful cinco is made to be a girl dad how gentle he is wit all the women in his life“

While Instagram user @thedivineflo shared, “He would make the BEST girl dad“

Finally, Instagram user @__msz.brown said, “That baby is gonna have her Dad wrapped around her little finger. Congrats ❤️”

Everything About Lala Baptiste’s Pregnancy Journey

RELATED: What’s Tea? Lala Baptiste Sparks Pregnancy Rumors During Greece Getaway With Jay Cinco (VIDEOS)