Taylor Swift had her “something blue” on her wedding day, courtesy of New York City’s own and iconic Empire State Building.

“Her something blue 💙,” an X post from the official account for the skyscraper’s observation deck read on Friday, July, 3, sharing footage of the exterior lit up with blue LED lights.

The tweet presumably was in honor of Swift’s Friday wedding to Travis Kelce, which was held at Madison Square Garden blocks away from the Empire State Building.

While a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Swift and Kelce’s big day would have a “whimsical” wedding theme, the couple remained tight-lipped about their plans as did their relatives.

Related: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Wedding Will Be ‘Whimsical’: What Guests Know

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have a “whimsical” evening planned for friends and family when they reportedly tie the knot in New York City, a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. An insider says that the engaged couple have dreamt up a celebration inspired by fairytales, which have been a recurring theme in Swift’s music throughout […]

“I just wanna say to literally everybody — I know it usually comes from a good place, not always — but quit asking me and my mother-in-law about upcoming nuptials,” Travis’ sister-in-law, Kylie Kelce, lamented on an April episode of her “Not Gonna Lie” podcast. “Nobody’s f***ing telling you anything!”

She continued, “Keep f***ing asking. You know what my answer’s gonna be? ‘I know nothing, suck my ass.’ No, actually, I’m done with the answer ‘I know nothing.’ My new answer? ‘Suck my ass.’ I’m gonna get a headband with LED lights and it’s gonna say, ‘Suck my ass.’”

Kylie, 33, is married to Travis’ older brother, Jason Kelce. The entire Kelce crew — including the brothers’ parents and Jason’s four daughters — have all warmly embraced Swift since her relationship with Travis began in 2023.

“Taylor has really been integrated into the family,” a source exclusively told Us in 2024. “They have fully embraced her. It’s a whole new world and chapter for her.”

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Related: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Are Officially Married After 3 Years Together

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce officially got married in the wedding of the century. Swift and Kelce, both 36, said “I do” in a star-studded ceremony held at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Friday, July 3. Just after the pair exchanged vows, digital billboards outside the venue read, “JusT&T Married.” Kelce first tried […]

With Jason and Kylie’s young kids, Swift included them into her baking and sewing hobbies in addition to introducing them to her three pet cats.

“As soon as I got the kids around the cats, it was my goal to prove to them that they weren’t poisonous,” she told Jason, 38, on his and Travis’ “New Heights” podcast in August 2025, dispelling her then-future brother-in-law’s claims that cats were poisonous. “There’s no better way to prove that than to just hand them Benjamin, my ragdoll cat, who lets humans hold him like he’s a baby. My favorite thing ever is when Bennie will come up to me and just go, ‘I find Benjamin, I find him.’ And she’s just over there laying with him and petting him and holding him.”

Jason stood up next to Travis on Friday, serving as his best man while Swift enlisted brother Austin as Man of Honor.

Love Island USA‘s Zach Georgiou revealed that one of his biggest issues in the villa was waking up with “morning wood.”

During the Friday, July 3, episode of the hit Peacock series, Zach woke up and told the guys, “I’ve always got f**ing morning wood. I can’t get up.”

Carl Lee Schmidt tried to offer Zach some advice. “You have got to chop that wood down,” he noted.

Zach has previously often been seen hooking up with his partner Kayda Bosse. The couple reunited after Zach explored a romance with Alannah Keyser in Casa Amor.

Zach walked back into the villa alone after Alannah was removed from the show after facing backlash for a resurfaced video that allegedly showed her using a racial slur.

The video and other posts were not shared publicly until after Alannah’s appearance on the show and thus were not accessible during the vetting process.

“Hi everyone, I’m coming on here to address some things that have been circulated online. I do want to begin by addressing the video of me singing along to a Roddy Ricch song that contains a racial slur. I’m sorry to whoever has seen that video and has been offended by it. That was never my intention,” Alannah said in a Saturday, June 27, TikTok. “The video is from six years ago and that word is just not in my vocabulary anymore.”

She continued, “I’d also like to address the screenshots that have been going around online that have been falsified. What has been shared does not reflect the truth and it has never been in my character to discriminate against anybody’s skin color. I do want to say directly that I do not support racism or discrimination of any kind and I never have.”

Earlier this season, another contestant, Vasana Montgomery, was cut from the show after resurfaced social media posts showed her using a slur. Similar issues arose during season 7 last year, with Yulissa Escobar leaving days into the experience after clips of her using racial slurs on a podcast circulated online.

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Cierra Ortega also faced backlash for using a slur in her own resurfaced social media post. She was pulled from the villa and later issued an apology for her past actions.

New episodes of Love Island USA are released six days a week — except for Wednesdays — on Peacock.

Join Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv in our first-ever Love Island USA fantasy league! This is your chance to predict who you think will win Season 8 and rank the Islanders weekly based on how confident you are that they will survive the next elimination. You will be playing against our editors, get access to exclusive content and have the chance to win fun prizes. Sign up for free today!

Taylor Swift and her younger brother, Austin Swift, have a tight-knit bond.

While the siblings don’t constantly post about each other on social media, they have shared the rare tribute to each other over the years. Not to mention, Austin seems super supportive of Taylor’s relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Not only has Austin been photographed alongside Taylor during various Chiefs games in 2023, but he got Kelce a special Christmas gift in December 2023, and the NFL star couldn’t help but gush over it.

“He actually made me feel like a child because his gift to me was straight out of the bag,” Kelce gushed during his “New Heights” podcast in December 2023. “[He] handed me a VHS of my favorite football movie of all time … Little Giants.”

While Austin hasn’t commented publicly on his sister’s romantic relationships, he has explained what it has been like having such an influential sibling.

“As a brother and friend I couldn’t be more proud, as a lifelong fan I am thrilled beyond words, as a human being I am simply dumbfounded at this level of artistry and depth of insight into what it is to love and to lose and to simply exist,” he wrote on Instagram in December 2020. “Now please stop reading this and go listen to evermore by @taylorswift !!!!!”

Keep scrolling for an inside look into Austin and Taylor’s sibling relationship:

The Kanye West Battle

Taylor and Kanye West haven’t seen eye-to-eye in years, but when he released the song “Famous” in February 2016, Austin outwardly supported his sister.

“Getting a head start on some spring cleaning,” Austin captioned a video of himself throwing West’s Yeezy brand sneakers in the trash. “Here we go again.”

Birthday Tributes

Over the years, Austin has shared sweet birthday tributes dedicated to the “best sister.”

“I can’t believe you’ve been riding ponies, making music, playing with cats, and telling stories for almost three decades now,” he captioned an Instagram post from December 2016. “You’ve always been there for your family and friends no matter what and you’re always finding unique and beautiful ways to show us how much you care.”

His Best Friend

Taylor shared an Instagram post about the 2018 midterm elections in Tennessee. Austin was beaming with pride when his sister shared her beliefs.

“When you thought you couldn’t respect your best friend any more than you already do. And then you do,” he wrote at the time, sharing her original caption.

Her Producing Credit

Eagle-eyed fans speculated that Austin released a cover of Taylor’s “Look What You Made Me Do” under the moniker Jack Leopards & The Dolphin Club. Nils Sjöberg — Taylor’s pseudonym — was listed as a producer on the track, which was featured in a 2020 episode of Killing Eve.

The single art featured what appeared to be a photo of Austin as a child with his face covered. In the image, the youngster is wearing a Dolphin Club T-shirt. Of course, neither sibling has confirmed the fan theory.

Related: Taylor Swift Through the Years

Taylor Swift started writing songs about love and breakups in the early 2000s, but her talent was soon recognized by music executives who knew she was the real deal. From releasing her first record in 2006 to gracing stages all over the world this star has earned her place in the Hollywood A-list music scene. […]

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A Supportive Sibling

In 2022, Austin let it slip that he was on the team that helped created Taylor’s “I Bet You Think About Me” music video, which was directed by Blake Lively.

“I am so proud and thankful that we’ve been nominated for the ACM award for video of the year!” he wrote on Instagram of the song in February 2022.

The Travis Kelce Connection

Austin dressed up as Santa Claus during the Chiefs Christmas Day game in 2023 and earned Kelce’s respect.

“I respect a full commit,” the NFL star said on the “New Heights” podcast. “It was a full commit. He killed it.”

Lending Swifties a Helpful Hand

Austin swooped in to assist a fan in need at one of Taylor’s Indianapolis Eras Tour stops in November 2024. Per social media footage, a fan dressed as Kelce was seized by security while shouting his name and approaching the VIP area. The fan was instructed to take off their football helmet and did so as Austin came over.

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“Hey, let’s not put our hands on people,” Austin told security before complimenting the fan. “I’m sorry about that. It’s a really cool costume. … You guys enjoy the concert. Have a great night.”

Her Man of Honor

When Taylor married Travis Kelce in July 2026, she enlisted Austin as her Man of Honor in lieu of a traditional bridal party.  Travis, meanwhile, chose brother Jason Kelce as his Best Man.

“Her brother Austin Swift served as Taylor’s Man of Honor and Jason Kelce was Travis’ Best Man,” a press release read. “The ceremony joined both families together and was officiated by friend Adam Sandler.”

It’s nothing new or revolutionary for TV shows to base themselves on books, especially in this modern age of streaming. Heck, some of the most successful shows of all time, like Game of Thrones, are based on books. Since most of these shows have source material to fall back on, it’s easy to create something that is enjoyable and that keeps people coming back for more. Unfortunately, it’s even easier to muck everything up.

Indeed, there have been many TV series that have been based on books, but that do not give their sources any sort of boost in popularity—in fact, sometimes, it’s quite the opposite. It’s often very disappointing for fans of the books (naturally) when these shows come through and set fire to everything the fans loved, and it always leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths. These are the worst book-to-TV adaptations of all time, some of which were canceled quickly before they had the chance to do any more damage.

10

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ (2022–Present)

Image via Prime Video

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is an adaptation of several works by J. R. R. Tolkien, who penned an enormous universe consisting of thousands of years of history that collectively became known as Middle-earth. There have been several popular film adaptations over the years, so hopes were high when a new show coming out promised to delve into some of the more elaborate and fascinating parts of Middle-earth’s history that hadn’t gotten the chance to be filmed yet.

The Rings of Power was a resounding success with critics because it is technically impressive. The visuals are gorgeous, the action exciting, and the acting is very well done. However, for fantasy fans and for die-hard fans of Tolkien’s work, the show has proven to be a disaster. It destroys much of the lore that one of the greatest writers of all time crafted with such care, and deviates from the source material far too much for its own good. It’s not a terrible show by any means, but it is a major disappointment, especially for those who were expecting something on the level of Peter Jackson‘s acclaimed film trilogy.

9

‘Nancy Drew’ (2019–2023)

Image via The CW

The Nancy Drew series of YA mystery novels has been immensely popular and has seen a few TV adaptations in the nearly 100 years since they’ve been around. All the books claim to be written by Carolyn Keene, but this is actually a pseudonym that numerous different authors have adopted over the years. In any case, the recent incarnation of the series created by The CW is really bad in pretty much all respects.

The main problem with it was that it lacked any of the spirit that made the novels so popular in the first place. The eponymous character is generally known for her bubbly and optimistic demeanor, never backing down in the face of adversity. But in this show, everyone is super moody, and the show bears an overly dark tone, trying to appeal to audiences way beyond the books’ level of maturity. The cast is good, and the show is visually pleasing, but it was just too somber and depressing, and had no reason to last for four whole years.

8

‘Beauty & the Beast’ (2012–2016)

Image via The CW

There are so many adaptations of the original Beauty and the Beast fairytale that it’s impossible to count them all. But among the worst of them is the 2012 series from The CW, which inexplicably decided to go for a more murder mystery route rather than an expansion of the story itself. To its credit, it is a reboot of a 1987 CBS series, but this doesn’t help it at all. Not only does it have to live up to its predecessor, but to the original story, as well.

It did neither of those things. There was zero chemistry between its two main actors, who, in accordance with the story, are supposed to fall in love, and the mystery at its heart was just not that interesting or suspenseful. The series was able to pick itself up and dust itself off as it went on, but the first two seasons are one heck of a slog that’s nearly impossible to get through. Truth be told, while the later seasons are fine, they aren’t worth the agonizing effort of watching Season 1.

7

‘The Rook’ (2019)

Image via Starz

For all of the terrible TV shows that overstay their welcome, at least The Rook had the decency to remain a miniseries. Based on a 2012 novel, The Rook bears a rather interesting premise. Taking place in London, the supernatural drama thriller follows a woman named Myfanwy, who wakes up on the Millennium Bridge surrounded by dead bodies, completely unaware of how she got there or what killed all those people. Eventually, she discovers that she is a sleeper agent with a top-secret British intelligence service.

All of that sounds great, right? Unfortunately, the miniseries fell flat in terms of execution. It failed to make its promising storyline interesting, and deviated so far from the novel upon which it is based that it’s nearly unrecognizable. But perhaps worst of all, it’s just so bloody boring. It could have been a really exciting psychological thriller, but they get all the interesting stuff out of the way early and don’t really keep up their momentum.

6

’13 Reasons Why’ (2017–2020)

13 Reasons Why starts out promising. It opens up with a teenage girl’s death, with her leaving behind a series of tapes, each one listing a reason why she died. These tapes are found by her secret admirer, who, upon listening to them, learns that each of the 13 tapes names specific individuals, with the request being that the tapes be sent to those people so that they can understand their actions and the untimely death of their classmate.

The first season is actually pretty good and remains an intriguing, yet tragic tale of the darker side of adolescence. Unfortunately, the show seriously overstayed its welcome after that, moving far beyond the source material that the original novel provided due to its resounding success. Each subsequent season of the series is pretty terrible and ruined the greatness of the first season entirely. 13 Reasons Why is an example of a show that should have quit while it was ahead and stayed a miniseries rather than trampling all over what made it so popular in the first place.

5

‘The Walking Dead: World Beyond’ (2020–2021)

Image via AMC

The original run of The Walking Dead inspired a few spin-offs here and there, but none have been as truly terrible as The Walking Dead: World Beyond. All the shows are based on a series of comics-turned-graphic novels, and gained pretty positive reception, even though viewership kind of fell off towards the end. The show is pretty basic, with it being about a zombie apocalypse, albeit featuring a huge number of characters, with the spin-offs sort of extending the plotline.

Perhaps what made World Beyond so bad was that it brought nothing new to the table: no new interesting characters, no new developments in the zombie pandemic, no nothing. On top of that, it came out while the original series was still running, making the entire franchise feel overly crowded and hard to swallow. Maybe audiences just needed a break, but World Beyond offered little to reinvent the universe, and didn’t really do the comics any justice, either.

4

‘Supergirl’ (2015–2021)

Image via The CW

For all of its campy awfulness, it’s frankly a miracle that Supergirl lasted as long as it did. Supergirl was conceived as a part of the Arrowverse, which has most certainly seen its share of ups and downs over the years. To its credit, Supergirl‘s main cast are experienced and really give it their all during each of their performances. The problem isn’t the actors, it’s literally everything else. The script and dialogue were cringe-inducing, the “action” sequences are cheesy and awkward, but the worst part of it all is the show’s atrocious CGI. Oh man, that CGI.

From obvious green screens to unconvincing visual effects, Supergirl has some of the worst CGI ever seen on television. Clips of it even went viral online because of how horrid the CGI is, becoming the subject of mockery from fans and non-fans alike. Even though that’s the most glaring issue in the show, there’s a whole lot more about it that misses the mark by a mile. Even though it’s based on comic books rather than a novel, Supergirl most definitely counts as one of the worst book-to-TV adaptations ever.

3

‘Inhumans’ (2017)

Image via ABC

Inhumans is frequently cited as the worst ever drama series and the worst comic book-to-television adaptation, and it’s most certainly not hard to see why. It was such a travesty that it only lasted eight episodes before being canceled and swept under the rug. Unfortunately, people didn’t forget how atrocious the show was. Honestly, thank goodness this show isn’t part of the MCU, or it could’ve ruined the entirety of the franchise.

Critics were extremely harsh with their reviews, stating that Inhumans tries to do a lot of things, but remarkably, fails to do any of them… or at least, fails to do any of them well. Other critics were even more harsh, saying that calling it a train wreck is almost too generous, because, at least a train wreck, people can’t look away from, whereas Inhumans is so easy to turn off. It’s a mess, and it’s no surprise to anyone that this show was canceled so soon.

2

‘Are You There, Chelsea?’ (2012)

Image via NBC

In general, biographical sitcoms can work, especially biographical sitcoms based on comedians’ lives. Take a look at shows like Seinfeld or Everybody Hates Chris, for example. Both are based on the lives of their comedian creators, and are some of the greatest sitcoms ever conceived. So, when a sitcom was announced based on Chelsea Handler‘s memoir, there was no reason to expect the level of awful that it actually delivered.

The memoir is mostly a collection of humorous anecdotes from Handler’s life, many of them awkward or embarrassing. It’s not exactly high art, but it’s enjoyable and fairly relatable. The show, however, was nothing short of an atrocity. To say it wasn’t funny would be a huge understatement. It lacked every ounce of the dry wit that helped launch the memoir onto the bestseller list, and for all of its attempts, lacked anything original or even remotely humorous. Are You There, Chelsea? is one of the worst sitcoms of all time, and one of the worst adaptations of a book ever made. It’s no surprise to anyone at all that it only lasted one season.

1

‘Caillou’ (1997–2011)

Image via Télétoon

Ask any parent out there, and they’ll tell you no children’s show grinds their gears more than the critically-panned Caillou, an animated series about a four-year-old French-Canadian boy based on a series of picture books. Generally speaking, kids’ shows should be educational, and should present children with ways to deal with real-life situations while also helping them develop basic life skills like reading and writing.

Caillou offered none of that. The titular character is nothing but a whiny, spoiled brat who always gets his way by kicking and screaming or otherwise throwing some sort of tantrum. At no point does it present children with how to deal with negative emotions; instead, it spreads the message that they can get pretty much anything they want if they scream loud enough, so it’s no surprise that parents loathe this show with every fiber of their being. Heck, even non-parents can’t stand the little bald brat and his frequent meltdowns. There have been numerous attempts at a revival, but these have always been met with severe rebuttals from the public. Caillou is a terrible influence on kids, and pretty much everybody hates it, so there’s no doubt that it is, without question, the worst book-to-TV adaptation ever conceived.

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Caillou

Release Date

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1998 – 2018-00-00

Network

Treehouse TV

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Directors

Greg Bailey

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  Claudia-Laurie Corbeil

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  Caillou (French language version)

• 

  Violette Chauveau

  Mousseline / Clémentine (voice)

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• 

  Nathalie Coupal

  Doris (voice)

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• 

  Gilbert Lachance

  Boris / Rexy / Gilbert (voice)

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Matty Healy was worlds away from the action as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce tied the knot at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden.

The 1975 frontman, 37, was spotted grabbing lunch with his fiancée Gabbriette Bechtel in Los Angeles on Friday, July 3, according to photos published by TMZ.

Healy, who was linked to the Tortured Poets Department singer in 2023 shortly after her breakup from Joe Awlyn, was seen walking arm in arm with Bechtel on the same day Swift exchanged vows with Kelce on the opposite side of the country.

The British rocker and Swift were first linked when Swift attended several of his band’s shows in 2014. Healy revealed that he and Swift had “swapped phone numbers” at the time.

Related: Matty Healy’s Mom Confirms Gabbriette Bechtel Engagement: ‘I’m Thrilled’

Matty Healy’s mom, Denise Welch, has spoken — and confirmed that her son is engaged to Gabbriette Bechtel. “I woke up this morning to the fact that they put it on Instagram,” Welch, 65, shared on ITV’s Loose Women on Wednesday, June 12. “Instagram official! He’s got engaged to Gabriella Bechtel, Gabbriette she’s known as.” […]

“I mean, bloody hell, what am I going to do? Go out with Taylor Swift? She’s a sensation. I wouldn’t say no!” he said during a radio interview.

In 2016, Healy caused a stir when he claimed that it would be “emasculating” to date someone more famous than him, name-dropping Swift, in a 2016 interview with Q Magazine.

“It’s just interesting to me how interested the world is about Taylor Swift,” he said. “The reason I mention that is because if I had [properly] gone out with Taylor Swift, I would’ve been, ‘F***ing hell, I am not being Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.’ You know, ‘F***. That.’”

However, he backtracked the comments during an interview with Elle later that year, alleging his remarks were taken out of context. Healy insisted he was “not a misogynist” but could be “an idiot on occasion.”

He added, “I have said on countless occasions that I found her to be one of the most gracious, hard-working, creatively gifted and beautiful women that I have had the pleasure to meet. I personally have a lot of respect and admiration for her. Why would I not?”

Swift and Healy were linked again in May 2023, but both parties have remained tight-lipped about the exact timeline and nature of their romance. However, their split was confirmed the following month.

Related: Matty Healy Consoles Mom Denise Welch After Taylor Swift Comments

Matty Healy was spotted in the midst of an emotional conversation with his mom Denise Welch, just one week after she made headlines for slamming his ex, Taylor Swift. In a video filmed on Thursday, July 31 and published via TMZ the following day, the 1975 frontman could be seen appearing to console his mother […]

In July 2025, Healy’s mother, Denise Welch, weighed in on her son’s romance with Swift while appearing on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.

“Obviously on pain of death can I talk about that episode, but not being her mother-in-law is a role that I’m glad that I lost,” Welch, 68, said, earning gasps from the WWHL audience.

“Not that I have anything against her at all,” Welch quickly added. “It was just — it was tricky.

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After Swift, Healy moved on with Bechtel in September 2023. The pair got engaged in June 2024.

 During an appearance on “Tom’s Hirschsprung’s Podcast” in May, Welch confirmed that her son and Bechtel are set to tie the knot this month.

“Matty gets married in July, which we’re very excited about,” she said. “I’m very excited about that, that’s wonderful.”

Dolly Parton has a unique way of showing her gratitude for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s $2 million donation to her charity.

Parton’s Imagination Library was one of the recipients to share in the $26 million that Swift and Kelce gave away to various charity organizations ahead of their wedding on Friday, July 3.

To thank the couple for their generous gift, the “Jolene” singer, 80, shared an Instagram Reel message ahead of their nuptials on Friday.

“Taylor and Travis, it’s Dolly, and I was just told that you two were making a donation of $2 million to my Imagination Library,” Parton said in the video. “I’m blown away and overjoyed with that gratitude.”

Related: Rhode Island Governor Thanks Taylor and Travis for Food Bank Donation

UPDATE 7/3/2026 at 3:43 p.m. ET — Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee has joined a chorus of charities and celebrities thanking Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce for making $26 million in charitable donations across the country. On Friday, July 3, the politician, 75, shared a tweet where the Rhode Island Food Bank personally thanked the […]

She then joked, “Now, it’s evident that you have made giving back a key part of your lives, so hey, when you have your firstborn, can I have it? Because that is gonna be one special baby!”

The Imagination Library provides free books to children up to the age of five, intending to inspire a love of reading.

Parton ended the video message on a more serious note, thanking the newly married couple for helping with her philanthropy endeavors.

“You know the mission of the Dollywood Foundation is to dream more, care more, learn more and be more, and thank you again for your very generous gift. And, we’ll continue that mission even in bigger ways now with your money,” she said.

The Imagination Library also shared the video. The post’s caption doubled down on thanking Swift and Kelce.

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“We’re smiling extra big today!! @taylorswift and @killatrav, THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts! It means so much to all of us at Dolly’s Foundation to know that you share Dolly’s dream of inspiring a love of reading in children,” the caption read. “Because of your kindness, more children will experience the excitement of receiving a new book each month, more families will share bedtime stories together, and more little imaginations will be inspired to dream boldly.”

The caption concluded, “On behalf of our team, partners, and millions of children and families across the United States to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland, thank you.”

Swift and Kelce tied the knot in a star-studded ceremony held at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Friday, July 3. Just after the pair exchanged vows, digital billboards outside the venue read, “JusT&T Married.”

There’s nothing more satisfying than watching an epic movie. But what defines an epic? Characterized by length, scope, and subject, an epic tends to focus on a heroic figure’s legendary deeds upon a vast expanse. Often elevated by text, style, larger-than-life foes, and sweeping narratives, epic movies are feats meant for the brave.

With advancements in cinema in the 21st century, many filmmakers have told new kinds of epics. Some are original tales. Others tackle historical moments. Whether on Earth or in space, these epics have had a profound impact on movies and blockbusters in general. The films on this list are among the best of the last 25 years, changing how we consume epic thrillers.

13

‘Kingdom of Heaven’ (2005)

Image via 20th Century Studios

If there is one director who knows how to play in every genre imaginable, it’s Ridley Scott. Whether in science fiction masterpieces like Alien, comedies like Thelma & Louise, or war films like Black Hawk Down, Scott’s ability to craft expansive universes has made him one of the greatest directors of all time. Only a few years after he established the epic in the new millennium with Gladiator, Scott took audiences to medieval times for Kingdom of Heaven. The film follows Balian (Orlando Bloom), a French blacksmith who, after his wife’s suicide and children’s deaths, travels to the Holy Land seeking redemption, joining his father, Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson), there. Balian becomes a knight and leads the defense of Jerusalem against the Muslim leader Saladin (Ghassan Massoud) as the fragile peace between Christians and Muslims breaks down. Navigating religious conflict, political intrigue, and the search for a kingdom of conscience, Kingdom of Heaven was an epic that vowed to change perception.

Kingdom of Heaven is a story of honor, faith, the futility of holy wars, and the corruption of religious zeal. Scott presents the film through a nuanced lens of conflict, putting forth morality before religious dogma. The title, a reference to both the physical city of Jerusalem and the idea of a place where morality, tolerance, and justice exist, Kingdom of Heaven is Scott’s most daring film thematically. Scott’s prowess as a directorial visionary made the film an immersive experience through its spectacular battle sequences. Though it may not have been critically beloved, as epics go, Kingdom of Heaven achieved its mission. Though a post-9/11 lens may have affected the film’s execution, the scope and story still resonate as an epic.

12

‘Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World’ (2003)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Loosely based on Patrick O’Brian‘s Aubrey-Maturin novel series, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World was an extraordinary epic about the naval side of the Napoleonic Wars. Directed by Peter Weir, Captain “Lucky” Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) leads the HMS Surprise in a relentless, high-stakes chase to capture a superior French warship, the Acheron, across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Showcasing the intense, complex friendship between the traditional Captain Aubrey and the ship’s scholarly, intellectual surgeon, Dr. Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is an exploration of the conflict between duty and the Crown, personal ambition, and the responsibility of being a commander at sea.

The film’s selling point is Weir’s realistic portrayal of 19th-century naval life. By highlighting the brutality of war, the hardships of the crew, and the woes that come with leadership, the film is a remarkably textured and richly human portrait of life during the Napoleonic War that audiences may previously have not been familiar with. Following his star turn in Gladiator, Crowe continued his rise to Hollywood superstardom, as this film highlighted his rough charm and brazen ability to lead a wide-ranging project. The source material led to a wonderful blockbuster that earned numerous nominations.

11

‘Prometheus’ (2012)

Image via 20th Century Fox Licensing

To no one’s shock, we have another groundbreaking Ridley Scott entry to discuss. This time, we’re heading back to space with 2012’s science fiction horror thriller, Prometheus. The fifth installment of the Alien franchise, the prequel film explores the origins of humanity and the engineers who created them. The story follows the 2093 expedition of spaceship Prometheus as it follows a star map to Moon LV-233, discovered among the artifacts of several ancient Earth cultures. They search for humanity’s origins, only to discover on this distant world, a dark biological weapon aimed at Earth, leading to a fight for survival. With a brilliant ensemble cast including Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Charlize Theron, and Logan Marshall-Green, Prometheus reignited the Alien franchise for the 21st century.

Written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof, Prometheus expanded on the mythology and lore of the original film while using similar tones across different themes. With artificial intelligence becoming a prominent factor at the time of creation, the newfound elements made Prometheus’ central theme of creation and identity so profound. It was an ambitious project, but it paid dividends. Fassbender’s take on the android David was sensational, delivering the film’s strongest performance. Visually striking, with an aesthetic only Scott could create, the vivid exploration of space was exactly what the franchise needed. Had it not been for Prometheus, we would not have any of the projects that have come since.

10

‘Gangs of New York’ (2002)

Image via Miramax Films

If there is one epic working relationship that blossomed in the 21st century, it is that of Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio. The first that came to fruition was 2002’s Gangs of New York. A rich period piece, the historical epic explores the brutal gang wars in Manhattan’s Five Points district during the 1860s. Amsterdam Vallon (DiCaprio) is on a quest for revenge against Bill the Butcher (Daniel Day-Lewis) for killing his father. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War and draft riots, Gangs of New York is a visceral exploration of vengeance and belonging during the violent birth of modern America.

The road to creation took nearly two decades, but the final product was sensational. Though some felt the excessive violence was heightened for entertainment, Scorsese’s portrayal of the time was fairly realistic. Having two superstar actors go toe-to-toe proved to be an immense draw for the film. By highlighting the long-running Catholic-Protestant feud through an epic lens, Scorsese created a sprawling production with impressive production design. Though it may have fallen short of some of his other works before and after, Gangs of New York is still a modern masterpiece.

9

‘Dune: Part Two’ (2024)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

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By the end of this calendar year, we may have to swap Dune: Part Two out for its follow-up, but for now, the peak Dune film is its second chapter. Expanding upon the splendor of the first film, Denis Villeneuve‘s take on Frank Herbert‘s 1965 novel is remarkable. In Dune: Part Two, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) unites with the Fremen people of the desert planet Arrakis to wage war against House Harkonnen. Learning the Fremen ways on the road of revenge, Paul must grapple with a prophesied messianic role and visions of a devastating future holy war he might unleash. Through power, love, religious manipulation, and the inevitable rise in becoming a dark anti-hero, Dune: Part Two built upon its predecessor’s success into something even more epic.

Knowing that this part would be bookended with the setup and ultimate climax, Dune: Part Two was the right bridge for the overall narrative. Chalamet’s charismatic Paul was on full display, but the clues to his ultimate descent allowed for a nuanced performance. The entire ensemble, from Zendaya‘s Chani and Rebecca Ferguson‘s Lady Jessica to new players Florence Pugh‘s Princess Irulan and Austin Butler‘s Feyd-Rautha, made the film even stronger than the first. Visually extraordinary, the science fiction epic was a cinematic marvel. Where else can you see two of Hollywood’s biggest rising stars, Butler and Chalamet, engage in a fight sequence as they did here? If the first film was a glorious appetizer, Dune: Part Two was the delicious entrée.

8

‘King Kong’ (2005)

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A reboot of a beloved classic would be difficult to achieve without it being in the most capable of hands. Thankfully, Peter Jackson brought King Kong to life in the 2005 epic monster film. A remake of the 1933 film, the film follows the story of Carl Denham (Jack Black), an ambitious and unscrupulous filmmaker who tricks playwright Jack Driscoll (Adrian Brody), actress Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), and his hired ship crew into traveling to the mysterious Skull Island, where they encounter various prehistoric creatures and the legendary giant gorilla, King Kong. Capturing and bringing him back to New York City, Ann forms an integral bond that helps prove the simian is truly no monster.

Emphasizing the emotional depth of Kong’s relationship with Ann and the spectacle of Skull Island, this iteration of King Kong maintained the integrity of the original’s core narrative while becoming a visually breathtaking blockbuster. Jackson, who will be represented on this list again later, brought his prowess to the project to ensure the epic wasn’t just a remake to introduce a new generation to the character, as 1998’s Godzilla was. With advancements in special effects and a majestic approach to the story, Jackson’s remake was faithful to the original, while also bringing a new sense of wonderment to the iconic creature. Though Jackson may not have continued on the journey with Kong, thanks to him, the character lives on today.

7

‘Lincoln’ (2012)

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Bringing Abraham Lincoln’s life to the screen would be no easy feat, given that the 16th President of the United States has been the subject of many projects over the decades. Then Steven Spielberg adapted Tony Kushner‘s script, casting Daniel Day-Lewis in the titular role, and an epic historical biographical drama was born. In the 2012 film Lincoln, the final four months of Lincoln’s life are covered, focusing on President Lincoln’s efforts in January 1865 to abolish slavery and involuntary servitude by forcing the Thirteenth Amendment to be passed. Based on Doris Kearns Goodwin‘s Team of Rivals, Lincoln was a sweeping epic created by a team of cinematic masters.

For a methodical performer who has tackled an array of roles in his career, Day-Lewis’s transformative take on Lincoln allowed for a dignified take on an extraordinary man. A powerful and patient performance of a stellar script, Day-Lewis was once again at the top of his game. Through Spielberg’s realistic approach to the story, it became a triumphant portrait of an integral figure during a dark period. Though it may not have yielded any new revelations, Lincoln became a reliable biopic with just enough cinematic flair.

6

‘300’ (2006)

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There was an extraordinary desire for gladiator-inspired content after the success of Gladiator. Finding a new way into the genre was the key. Then Zack Snyder swooped in with a Dark Horse comic book, and audiences’ needs were satisfied. Based on the source material by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley, 300 took on a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae in the Greco-Persian War. Following King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) as he leads 300 Spartans into battle against Persian “God-King” Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his 300,000 soldiers. As the war rages on, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) attempts to rally support in Sparta for her husband. The fictionalized epic emphasizes the legendary aspect of the last stand through bravery, sacrifice, and defiance against tyranny.

Unlike Gladiator, 300 took on a markedly different tone, even in the color palette Snyder used. Extraordinarily graphic in nature, 300 did not minimize the amount of blood and violence. A film made for the movie theater, 300 didn’t aim to depict history with historical accuracy, opting for an entertaining retelling with buff bodies and quotable lines. Digitally enhanced yet never belligerently animated, 300 was a compelling blockbuster that made Snyder a power player in grandstanding. If you’re looking for historical accuracy, look away. But, like they said in Gladiator, “Are you not entertained?”

5

‘1917’ (2019)

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No matter what, cinephiles love a good war movie. The 21st century has been in no short supply. Of the many that have come out in the last 25 years, the pinnacle World War I film is Sam Mendes‘ 1917. Occurring after the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line during Operation Alberich, the film follows two British soldiers, Lance Corporals Will Schofield (George MacKay) and Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), on a perilous mission across enemy lines to deliver a message to halt an attack that would have cost 1,600 lives. Renowned for its immersive one-shot filmmaking, 1917 captured the intensity of war through a real-time mission that had never been depicted in war movies before.

One of the most visually remarkable war films, it earned the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects. 1917 is a hard-hitting technical achievement that puts the audience into the trenches. Though some war historians disapproved of the sanitized approach, the cinematic achievement elevated war cinema to new heights through the oft-overlooked chapter of World War I. The historical accuracy of the military tactics may have been exaggerated for entertainment, but nevertheless, 1917 brought the harsh reality of war.

4

‘Dunkirk’ (2017)

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Before 1917 wowed audiences with World War I, Dunkirk brought audiences the definitive World War II epic of the 21st century. Directed by Christopher Nolan, the film depicts the Dunkirk evacuation from the perspective of people on land, sea, and air. Through three parallel narratives, Dunkirk portrays the many individuals who participated in the operation as they helped save Western civilization. On land, it’s British soldier Tommy (Fionn Whitehead) who tries to reach safety via the beach. At sea, Dawson (Mark Rylance), a civilian, and his son, Peter (Tom Glynn-Carey), sail their boat to Dunkirk to help with the evacuation. In the air, Collins (Jack Lowden) and Farrier (Tom Hardy), Spitfire pilots, defend the beach from German planes. Considered one of the greatest war films ever made, Dunkirk is an emotionally satisfying epic that honors the reality of a pivotal moment in war.

Filled with chaos and horror, even though we know the outcome, Nolan does a miraculous job at making us ponder if things may turn out differently. Yet, his ability to maintain historical accuracy pleased both casual moviegoers and historians. Seamlessly interweaving multiple storylines, some careening together, Dunkirk‘s ability to provide emotional balance amid the harsh realities of the situation makes the war drama character-driven first, with history as its backdrop.

Crime fiction is an enduring part of cinematic history, and it’s responsible for some of the greatest films of all-time. As the world’s relationship within criminality evolved over the course of the 20th century, films began to take different perspectives on what type of stories they would tell. Initially, a pulpy crime thriller was just another form of escapist cinema, but the “New Hollywood” era utilized it to tell more complex stories about lived experiences.

Grittiness is a challenging term to define, as it doesn’t just mean that something is dark and violent. Rather, a “gritty” film should speak to some sort of societal truth that grounds the story in humanity because it offers something familiar. A reminder that these types of films aren’t escapist fantasies but thrillers that say something about the human condition is why they have been able to stand the test of time.

10

‘M’ (1931)

Image via Vereinigte Star-Film GmbH

M is one of the most foundational works of the German expressionist movement and outlined the paranoid, neo-noir genre in a way that would be highly influential within the next few decades of crime fiction. Although the term “serial killer” wouldn’t be coined for almost four decades, M featured a terrifying performance by Peter Lorre as a child murderer who is so dangerous that the mob and the cops work together to track him down.

M set precedents within the genre because it introduced the idea of comparative morality when it comes to forging bonds. Rarely in crime films are characters given the opportunity to ally themselves with those who share their same ethical standards; although the cops would have no other reason to work with the mob, they are forced to ally for the collective good of the community’s safety.

9

‘The Untouchables’ (1987)

Image via Paramount Pictures

The Untouchables was an electrifying adaptation of the classic television show of the same name that saw Brian De Palma making one of his most entertaining films ever. Although De Palma had made a number of thrillers and psychological horror films early on in his career, he was able to draw from history to show how the Chicago cop Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) and his ragtag group of law enforcement officers led the hunt to take down Al Capone (Robert De Niro).

Costner has rarely been better than he is as a desperate, morally upstanding defender of justice, but the film’s real scene-stealer was Sean Connery as a veteran Irish cop who decides to join his team. Although Connery was considered to be past his prime at this point in his career, his performance was so acclaimed that he ended up winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

8

‘Once Upon a Time in America’ (1984)

Image via Warner Bros.

Once Upon a Time in America was an ambitious drama about the futility of the American dream directed by the great Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone, who was best known for making “The Man With No Name” trilogy. Despite the fact that he was best known for making Westerns, Leone was able to make an elegiac epic about the journey of immigrants involved in mob conflicts throughout the 20th century, painting a damning portrayal of generational violence.

Once Upon a Time in America was what got Leone out of retirement after he had prematurely ended his career in the early ’70s, and sadly, the theatrically released film was marred by endless studio cuts. Thankfully, the director’s cut of Once Upon a Time in America, which ran for over four hours long, was eventually unveiled at festivals and given the praise that it deserved.

7

‘Point Blank’ (1967)

Image via MGM

Point Blank was a feat of formal innovation within the action genre that saw director John Boorman turning what could have been a trashy B-movie into an existentialist drama. The film stars the great action star Lee Marvin as a hitman who is abandoned and left for dead by his former allies, leading him on a quest for revenge as he tries to piece together his life.

Boorman uses eerie, slightly surrealist repetition techniques to tap into the madness of Marvin’s character, with some theories suggesting it is all part of an elaborate fantasy he had in the moments before his death. Point Blank had a significant influence on the career of Steven Soderbergh, who made his own homage to the film with his 1999 crime thriller The Limey, starring Terence Stamp in a role based on Marvin’s performance.

6

‘Dog Day Afternoon’ (1975)

Image via Warner Bros.

Dog Day Afternoon is the ultimate heist film because it explores the pressure and anxiety faced by a criminal as their plan falls apart and the grim reality of the situation becomes even clearer. Although Sidney Lumet has made many crime films that would be considered to be among the best of all-time, Dog Day Afternoon is significant because he was able to contain all of the tension within the single location of a bank.

Dog Day Afternoon featured one of the greatest performances ever from Al Pacino, who was able to show a surprising degree of levity and vulnerability, as the film functions as a sincere commentary on marginalization and class warfare. Although Dog Day Afternoon was an Oscar-nominated masterpiece that would seemingly be impossible to ever remake, this year saw a new Broadway version of the story with Jon Bernthal in the role that Pacino had played.

5

‘The Maltese Falcon’ (1941)

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The Maltese Falcon is the foremost entry in the hardboiled detective genre because it saw the introduction of Sam Spade, the definitive private eye character in fiction. The moody, intense atmosphere of the classic film noir movement of the 1940s required a protagonist who was world-weary and a bit cynical, and The Maltese Falcon perfectly cast Spade by getting Humphrey Bogart in what would become one of his most iconic roles.

The Maltese Falcon is the directorial debut of John Huston, a former actor who would go on to become one of the most respected filmmakers of the 20th century. Although Huston would go on to direct many epics and historical dramas, The Maltese Falcon succeeded by telling a confined story that felt like it existed in a real city, and that realism would become a cornerstone of the genre moving forward.

4

‘The French Connection’ (1971)

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The French Connection is one of the greatest films to ever win Best Picture at the Academy Awards and felt perfectly suited for an unusual point in American history in which the “war on drugs” had gone into full effect. Gene Hackman gave the most iconic performance of his career as Popeye Doyle, a committed detective who is determined to stop a French criminal (Fernando Ray) from bringing drugs into the United States.

Friedkin was a former documentary filmmaker who showed an unprecedented level of detail in exploring the investigative process of the cops, as The French Connection explored the mundanity of law enforcement in a way that cinema hadn’t seen before. The film is best known for its showstopping car chase, which put some of the cast and crew in real danger because of Friedkin’s insistence on making it as realistic as possible.

3

‘Se7en’ (1995)

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Se7en was the film that solidified David Fincher as the greatest director for serial killer films because he created one of the most disturbing and multifaceted examinations of a psychopathic mind. The film follows the detectives William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and David Mills (Brad Pitt) as they track down an enigmatic killer known only as “John Doe” (Kevin Spacey), who has been staging elaborate murders that are staged around the “Seven Deadly Sins” in the Bible.

Se7en explores the darkness that mankind must confront and ends with one of the most depressing conclusions in the history of the genre. Although Fincher would return to tell more serial killer stories in subsequent films and in his Netflix series Mindhunter, Se7en was such a transgressive work of experimentation within an established mystery genre that its influence on crime fiction cannot be overstated.

2

‘Goodfellas’ (1990)

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Goodfellas is hardly the first crime film that Martin Scorsese made, but it became his most famous and is remembered as one of the most defining classics of the ’90s. Goodfellas understood, better than any other gangster film, how alluring the life of a mobster could seem, and showed how the criminal Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) is lured into the dangerous lifestyle before it all falls apart, forcing him to betray his former allies.

Goodfellas is among Scorsese’s most entertaining films because he understood the ways in which gangsters talked and took efforts to explore the communities that emerged among their families. Scorsese’s use of music has rarely been better thanks to the numerous great needle drops. It’s a film stacked with great performances, including Joe Pesci in the scene-stealing role as Tommy DeVito, which won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

1

‘The Godfather’ (1972)

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The Godfather marked the beginning of the greatest story in cinematic history and changed the way that crime films were perceived forever. Although gangster films had previously been seen as works of trashy exploitation, Francis Ford Coppola elevated the acclaimed novel by Mario Puzo to tell a complex story about family, loyalty, and the American dream that had the richness of a Shakespeare play.

The Godfather has the single best ensemble of any film ever made, as there is an exorbitant amount of detail that each character has, making them each memorable and tragic in their own ways. Although the film’s story is not complete without The Godfather: Part II, the 1974 follow-up from Coppola that acted as both a prequel and a sequel, the original classic remains the perfect installment in the series and perhaps the best film ever made.

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The Godfather

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Release Date

March 24, 1972

Runtime

175 minutes

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Director

Francis Ford Coppola

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Writers

Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola

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Love Island USA‘s Parmida Keshani and Corbin Mims shut down the insinuation that they were in a shallow relationship.

During the Friday, July 3, episode of the hit Peacock show, each couple had to nominate two pairs who were not compatible. Kenzie Annis and Dylan Wrona questioned Parmida and Corbin’s connection after only hearing him praise his partner in a physical sense.

Kenzie specifically said Corbin and Parmida were in a “lustful relationship,” with Parmida saying, “I definitely disagree. From the outside, it might look that way to you because we are both very good looking and we both workout.”

Some of the other couples laughed as Corbin and Parmida continued to defend themselves.

“We know that about ourselves. So it might seem that way but we can get deep and serious too,” she continued. “You just haven’t seen that because you aren’t in our chats.”

Corbin’s return to the villa hasn’t been easy after finding a connection with Parmida in Casa Amor. Their recoupling initially sparked backlash when Kenzie publicly dragged him for not considering her when he went to explore his chemistry with other women.

Earlier in the week, Corbin revealed there were “red flags” he didn’t address with Kenzie. This inspired Corbin to explore his options — and he later told the guys he “hasn’t thought” of Kenzie at all.

Love Island USA originally premiered in the U.K. in 2002 before it expanded worldwide with various spinoffs, including Love Island USA on Peacock. The series follows a different group of singles every season who have to pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa.

The contestants — referred to as Islanders — live in isolation in a villa and are under constant video surveillance. They must be coupled up to remain on the show and stand a chance at receiving the $100,000 prize.

Season 8 escalated the sex that took place in the villa with multiple couples going all the way while sharing a bedroom in the villa. The drama escalated with Casa Amor when the new women discussed which guys they thought would pair off with them before returning to the villa.

They poked fun at Kenzie’s possible reaction to Parmida walking in with Corbin.

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“Kenzie just likes anyone who likes her,” Parmida said after the rest of the women made fun of how Kenzie spoke to Corbin.

New episodes of Love Island USA are released six days a week — except for Wednesdays — on Peacock.

Join Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv in our first-ever Love Island USA fantasy league! This is your chance to predict who you think will win Season 8 and rank the Islanders weekly based on how confident you are that they will survive the next elimination. You will be playing against our editors, get access to exclusive content and have the chance to win fun prizes. Sign up for free today!

Animation is a medium, not a genre, and it’s a medium perfectly suited for some of the most bonkers, wildly over-the-top TV shows that the small screen has ever seen. After all, the fact that animation throughout history has allowed creators almost infinite visual creativity has obviously resulted in several creators taking full advantage of that fact to deliver some truly wild shows.

Whether it’s an animated series for kids, like the aptly-titled Bonkers; or one that’s definitely not for kids, like Frisky Dingo, the most bonkers animated TV shows in history are proof of why cartoons are worthy of significantly more respect than they tend to get nowadays. What other medium could possibly be able to deliver experiences this delightfully wacky? Even though these shows have been forgotten over the years, they should all be considered essential viewing for fans of over-the-top television.

10

‘Bonkers’ (1993–1994)

Image via The Disney Channel

There are very few shows in the Disney Channel’s catalog more fittingly titled than Bonkers, a spin-off of Raw Toonage‘s short series He’s Bonkers. Heavily inspired by the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, this is just as bonkers an animated experience, telling the story of the titular out-of-work toon, who joins the Hollywood Police Department to help his partners catch animated criminals.

Virtually anyone who loves Roger Rabbit is pretty much guaranteed to love Bonkers just as much. Blending surreal slapstick with elements of the detective procedural genre in ways as kooky as they are entertaining, it’s one of the most irresistibly fun cartoons in the Disney Channel’s history. It has heart, it has some fantastic animation, and it has plenty of exquisite cartoonish world-building.

9

‘The Maxx’ (1995)

Image via MTV

MTV broke plenty of new ground in adult-oriented animated television during the ’90s. This included the creation of Oddities, a label for Eric Fogel‘s The Head and Sam Kieth‘s The Maxx. As great as the former is, it’s the latter that’s one of the best animated shows you’ve never heard of, based on Kieth’s own exceptional comic book series. It’s about The Maxx, a superhero trying to protect his friend from an omniscient serial killer both in the real world and in a subconscious fantasy world.

Disguising a profound, admirably mature psychological drama about trauma behind a gritty superhero narrative, The Maxx is one of the most criminally underrated animated superhero shows in history. That psychological depth that makes it feel like a deep dive into the human subconscious comes with an air of surrealism that makes it a must-see for all those who love head-scratchingly bizarre shows.

8

‘Mr. Pickles’ (2014–2019)

Image via Adult Swim

There are some shows whose bonkers nature becomes abundantly clear from the moment one hears their premise, and the Adult Swim forgotten classic Mr. Pickles is definitely one such show. It’s one of the best body horror and slasher shows that animation has ever produced, about a family who lives with a deviant Border Collie with a secret Satanic streak.

Thankfully, Mr. Pickles lives up to the wildness of its premise at every turn of each of its four seasons. It was always the intention for the show to combine the charm and nostalgia of a ’50s family sitcom with some of the most subversive shock humor, gore, and surreal absurdity imaginable, and for people who love that kind of thing, Mr. Pickles should hit the spot easily.

7

‘Sym-Bionic Titan’ (2010–2011)

Image via Cartoon Network

Even though it was created by Genndy Tartakovsky, one of the biggest names in the history of televisual animation, Sym-Bionic Titan has somehow still managed to slip under most animation fans’ radars as the years have passed since its cancellation. It’s one of those obscure animated shows that became cult classics, one that everyone who loves animation—regardless of whether they love Tartakovsky—should consider checking out. In it, three young aliens with the ability to form a giant robotic warrior try to blend into suburbia.

“Bonkers” is a word that would very fittingly describe a decent majority of Tartakovsky’s work across television and the big screen, but it applies to Sym-Bionic Titan with particular glee. Part mecha action extravaganza, part John Hughes-esque high school teen drama, it’s a genre-bending trip full of fast-paced animation and mature themes.

6

‘Frisky Dingo’ (2006–2008)

Image via Adult Swim

Those who love bonkers animation should already know that Adult Swim is typically the place to go when looking for one such show. But even by the network’s sky-high standards of hilarious absurdity, Frisky Dingo is particularly bizarre. Even the synopsis of this sci-fi farce is hard to explain, but in broad strokes, it’s all about a philandering billionaire playboy who moonlights as a superhero, as he faces his nemesis while balancing his business and his superhero life.

It’s one of the best animated series for adults, a gleeful deconstruction of the pre-MCU superhero genre that feels even timelier and more relevant today than it did back in the late 2000s. With its frantically paced, hilariously nonsensical plotlines, its absurd visuals, and its rapid-fire dialogue, it’s one of the most chaotic comedies that animation has ever produced for the small screen.

5

‘Turbo Teen’ (1984)

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From the moment one hears Turbo Teen‘s mere synopsis, it becomes abundantly clear why it’s one of the most bonkers cartoons of the 20th century: It’s all about a teen who gets into an accident and then gains the ability to transform into a crime-fighting sports car when it’s hot. It’s a genuinely wild premise to make a show out of, so (perhaps needless to say) the show failed to capture an audience.

Even still, its brief 13 episodes are worth watching today if only to admire how anyone could have come up with an animated show so bonkers. It’s a Knight Rider rip-off that almost borders on qualifying as kid-friendly body horror, and as if that weren’t enough reason for an animation fan’s morbid curiosity to be piqued, there’s also the writing so nonsensical that it’s practically surreal.

4

‘Freakazoid!’ (1995–1997)

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Executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, Freakazoid! is one of those forgotten cartoons that are still worth watching. It follows the adventures of Washington, D.C.’s brand-new defender, a geeky teenager who absorbs the entire cyberspace after a freak accident and gains superhuman cartoon powers. It’s the sort of premise that would feel right at home in even the wildest of Looney Tunes stories.

Clearly a response to the chaos and mayhem of the early rise of the Internet and the digital frontier during the mid-’90s, Freakazoid! is as surreal, absurd, manic, and eager to break the fourth wall as any fan of a character like Deadpool could possibly hope for an animated superhero show to be. Written like a stream of consciousness and full of meta humor, it’s the peak of what superhero comedies had to offer during the ’90s.

3

‘The Pirates of Dark Water’ (1991–1992)

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Produced by Hanna-Barbera, The Pirates of Dark Water is a dark fantasy swashbuckling adventure like no other. In it, a young man learns that he’s a prince, one with an urgent quest to save his world by finding 13 magical treasures. What ensues is one of the best forgotten fantasy shows of the ’90s, a highly ambitious serialized story with some of the most groundbreaking animation of any ’90s cartoon.

It was also a genre-bending and incredibly bonkers show, though, an unprecedented mixture of high fantasy, swashbuckling pirates, cosmic horror, and science fiction. The world of Mer is wonderfully surreal and full of over-the-top world-building, inhabited by a delectably odd ensemble of characters who never fail to get into all sorts of entertaining situations.

2

‘Megas XLR’ (2004–2005)

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The slacker genre, spanning both cinema and music, peaked around the mid- to late-’90s. Megas XLR is both an homage to and a parody of not just the slacker genre, but also the mecha genre. Its story follows two teenage slackers who find a mecha from the future that had been lying in a New Jersey junkyard for almost 60 years.

Megas XLR is one of those classic 2000s cartoons that is ready for a reboot, but for the moment, the original should be more than enough to satisfy fans of animated sci-fi and bonkers comedies. Also inspired by video games and heavy metal, Megas XLR feels like a delightful hotchpotch of styles, tones, and influences that always blend together in all the most enjoyably over-the-top ways.

1

‘Æon Flux‘ (1991–1995)

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Premiering on MTV’s experimental animation showcase Liquid Television, Æon Flux instantly cemented its place as one of the greatest experimental animated shows of the ’90s. Today, those lucky few who have actually seen it still tend to regard it as one of the best of all time. This avant-garde masterpiece follows a secret agent from an anarchic society who repeatedly infiltrates a heavily surveilled neighboring state.

It’s one of those sci-fi shows that gets better every episode, though it also gets more bonkers every episode. Created by Peter Chung as a very intentional subversion of every established rule of 1990s American television, Æon Flux has aged like fine wine. Visually surreal, psychologically tense, and masterfully genre-bending, it may be disorienting at times, but it’s also an undeniable masterpiece.