Related: These Lilly Pulitzer-Like Dresses Should Cost Hundreds, But Start at $8
Advertisement
Entertainment
13 Most Perfectly Directed Thriller Movies of All Time, Ranked
There’s something inherently entertaining when it comes to a thriller. With a large group of genres under the umbrella, audiences flock to films that keep them on the edge of their seats. Maybe it’s the story or the performances that keep you engaged, but a great thriller requires excellent direction.
Throughout, there have been extraordinary masterpieces, but among those, the films on this list are perfectly directed. From legendary visionaries to directors on the rise, they share an evocative power to make a lasting impact. With countless awards and inspiring new techniques in filmmaking, these directors helmed perfect films. For this list, we are keeping it to one film per director to share the wealth of praise! There are certainly many titles that could have found their place on this list, but these films are perfect.
1
‘Taxi Driver’ (1976)
Director: Martin Scorsese
There are certainly a plethora of titles that could be considered Martin Scorsese‘s greatest work. Though he’s been nominated for several Academy Awards for Best Director, winning only one, his most impactful work, which set him on the course of an influential director, came with Taxi Driver. Also jumpstarting his long-term collaboration with Robert De Niro, Taxi Driver tells the story of Travis Bickle, an isolated, mentally unstable Vietnam War vet. He works nights as a taxi driver, due to his insomnia, in a decaying, crime-ridden New York City. As he spirals due to loneliness and psychosis, Bickle turns to violence in an attempt to clean up the city. Centering on vigilante violence, Taxi Driver captures a man’s decline through a nightmarish dreamscape of isolation.
Scorsese’s film is not an easy one to watch. There are moments that are destined to make you uncomfortable. Yet, Scorsese prevents those moments from being grotesque. Instead, they serve to exemplify Bickle’s state of mind. Using pan-away shots, you start with an image of Bickle, then suddenly pull back to reveal he’s alone. It may be subtle, but it’s effective filmmaking. Then, by distorting reality through slow-motion and dream-like lighting, Scorsese forces the audience to see the world as Bickle envisions it. Taxi Driver is a deeply intimate character study that showcases how Scorsese doesn’t always need a grand ensemble to tell an effective narrative. Taxi Driver is an iconic film with an iconic character who established the ’70s in cinema. None of that could have been done without Scorsese.
2
‘Get Out (2017)
Director: Jordan Peele
If you told anyone in the early 2000s that MAD TV star Jordan Peele would become a horror filmmaker who effectively changed the genre, they would likely laugh. And then, in 2017, Get Out debuted, and Peele established himself as a brilliant director audiences flocked toward to see what he would craft next. It all stems back to the brilliance that is Get Out. A sensational dissertation on how the horrors of our world are the things out in the open, Get Out became the modern psychological-horror standard. Peele’s tale follows Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya), a Black photographer, as he visits his white girlfriend Rose Armitage’s (Allison Williams) parents, Missy and Dean (Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford), for the weekend. While there, he soon discovers, thanks to the weird behavior of the Black servants and awkward microaggressions, that the family lures Black people to their estate to transplant elderly white minds into their bodies, leaving victims in a paralyzing void known as the sunken place. Chris must get out before he’s next. A haunting, meticulously directed film, Peele’s social thriller relies on psychological discomfort rather than traditional horror tropes to create an effective masterpiece.
The horror of racism could have led to an overtly on-the-nose story that didn’t capture Peele’s mission. Instead, he holds a mirror up to society while amplifying the horror elements around it. Capturing the state of the world, Get Out had an essence of believability that made it scarily real. The anxiety of Black America is a profound theme, helped by putting the audience in Chris’s shoes. As the writer and director, Peele knew this film inside and out. He expertly fleshed out his universe by making it eerily real, so by the time the truth is revealed, there is a plausibility that psychological mind games might effectively be around us. In the end, the emotional payoff is satisfying and empowering, effectively wrapping up his directorial feature debut.
3
‘Uncut Gems’ (2019)
Director: Safdie Brothers
There have been many sibling duos who became legendary directors. In the 21st century, it was Josh and Benny Safdie who joined the extraordinary list. All it took was their crime thriller, Uncut Gems. The high-stakes film follows Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler), a charismatic, gambling-addicted New York City jeweler. Upon acquiring a rare Ethiopian opal, he must juggle mounting debts, angry loan sharks, and his complicated family life in a relentless, high-anxiety pursuit of the ultimate winning bet. With a precisely chaotic movie, the Safdies create an engaging yet stressful atmosphere that evokes the action of Howard’s journey.
The Safdies orchestrate a realistic pandemonium to effectively create the high-stakes adventure. From frenetic handheld cameras to overlapping dialogue, the controlled chaos leads to exposing Howard’s manic anxiety and addiction. Viewers are trapped on Howard’s thrill ride, only leaving when the deed is done. Working with cinematographer Darius Khondji, sound mixer Skip Lievsay, and Daniel Lopatin‘s synth score, the overlapping elements become harmonious while being erratic, heightening the heist. As far as acting is concerned, they pulled out a career-best out of comedian Sandler, proving he deserves to be taken seriously as a dramatic actor. Uncut Gems sparkles and shines thanks to the extraordinary work of the Safdies.
4
‘Parasite’ (2019)
Director: Bong Joon-Ho
For the longest time, foreign-language films seemed to be on the outskirts of mainstream cinema. Then, Bong Joon-Ho‘s Parasite arrived, and that separation ceased. A true masterpiece in direction, Parasite blends dark comedy with dark thriller elements to tell the story of the Kims, a poor family who infiltrate the wealthy household of the Parks by posing as unrelated, highly qualified servants. A scathing critique of modern capitalism through the lens of class conflict, inequality, and greed, Bong’s transition from witty scam comedy into suspenseful tragedy provided for an alluring film. Parasite‘s success as the first foreign-language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture relies on Bong’s sheer brilliance.
Easily Bong’s magnum opus, Parasite takes a simple premise and turns it on its head. Like the sleek home the Parks take over, Bong meticulously builds Parasite from the ground up, using the architectural blueprint to construct a sleek film. His ability to cast a stark contrast of class through every production element — costumes, set, color — leads to a seamless composition of his vision. With so many genres and themes to balance, Bong maintains an effective tone that makes Parasite a shapeshifting thriller. The natural progression of the story falls into place without question. Through subtle changes in atmosphere, through sound and lighting, the Parks’ journey becomes even more thrilling. Parasite is unapologetic, as Bong does not allow outside influence to shape the narrative of classism in society. Parasite might be presented from a Korean perspective, but Bong’s ability to make it largely universal allowed the film to be the mainstream hit that it is.
5
‘No Country For Old Men’ (2007)
Director: Joel and Ethan Coen
Very few directors know how to make an atmosphere a thrill in and of itself quite like Joel and Ethan Coen. With a brilliant resume behind them, they made their mark in the 2000s with their neo-Western crime thriller No Country for Old Men. Using Cormac McCarthy‘s 2005 novel as inspiration, the story follows a trio of men: Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a Vietnam War veteran and welder who stumbles upon a large sum of money in the desert; Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), a hitman who is sent to recover the money; and Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), a sheriff investigating the crime while battling a changing world he feels ill-equipped to handle. Set in the vast desert landscape of 1980 West Texas, the Coen brothers’ masterpiece is a story that isn’t about who ends up with the loot; it’s about the chase between the hunter and the hunted, a role each of the main characters adopts throughout the film.
A masterclass in visual storytelling, the Coens’ ability to build suspense through silence and ambient natural sounds heightens the tension, dropping viewers into a bleak, desolate landscape that mirrors the grim, philosophical approach to their story. No Country for Old Men showcases how capturing the precise atmosphere leads to a perfect movie. As far as characters go, the collaboration between the directors and their star brought out one of the 21st century’s most recognizable villains in Anton Chigurh. Lifted effortlessly from page to screen, just his gaze alone strikes immediate fear. No wonder Bardem earned an Oscar for his performance! As did the Coens. They have made cult classics and impressionable offbeat dark comedies, but nothing has ever been quite like their achievement with No Country for Old Men.
6
‘Eyes Wide Shut’ (1999)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
It’s safe to say that Stanley Kubrick can do extraordinary work in literally any genre of cinema. For his final project, Kubrick took Arthur Schnitzler’s novella, Dream Story, and brought it to modern times in the erotic psychological thriller, Eyes Wide Shut. The ’90s classic follows Dr. Bill Harford (Tom Cruise), who spirals into a night-long, surreal odyssey of sexual obsession and paranoia after his wife, Alice (Nicole Kidman), admits to nearly abandoning their family for a fantasy encounter. Blurring the line between the couple’s subconscious desires and their actual actions through a journey between reality and fantasy, Kubrick’s masterpiece is smartly crafted and profoundly executed.
What Kubrick does well is create a hauntingly surreal, slightly off dream. Hidden in plain sight, Kubrick creates a symbolic vocabulary through imagery, light, and color. The vibrancy and its transforming palette represent shifting emotional states, jealousy, and danger. As a brilliant psychological thriller that visually shows the emotional state, it is a masterful way to tell the story. Kubrick united top-tier performers to create such perfect chemistry, it bled off-screen as well! Eyes Wide Story is sexy and erotic, and it is thought-provoking and gripping. A film that was misunderstood at first, only to age like fine wine, Kubrick left the world, making his favorite film in his storied career. Eyes Wide Shut is truly like nothing he’s crafted before.
7
‘American Psycho’ (2000)
Director: Mary Harron
The premise of American Psycho sounds terrifying, but when director Mary Harron brought Bret Easton Ellis’ novel to life, the result was an exceptional black-comedy psychological thriller. The film follows Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), a wealthy 1980s New York City investment banker who hides his alternate life as a sadistic serial killer. The plot, centered on themes of materialism and alienation, tracks his descent into madness as he murders colleagues, including Paul Allen (Jared Leto), and strangers, while his superficial social circle remains oblivious. With a central character that has attempted to be replicated, but can only be referenced, American Psycho was an underdog film that became a classic overnight. Hatton took a sensational story and blew it up for the big screen. Balancing horrific violence with satirical comedy, she took the superficial 1980s and narcissism to critique the absurdity of the yuppie lifestyle and male vanity.
At its core, American Psycho is a slasher film about the most enigmatic serial killer. Perhaps the most shocking part about the film is the reaction to Patrick Bateman. Harron worked with Bale to find the rich nuances within Patrick that, for whatever reason, resonated with audiences, with some even idolizing him. As she told Letterboxd, she always saw the film as “a gay man’s satire on masculinity.” She notes how the idiosyncrasies of the character, like the meticulous rituals and obsession with image, are “men are prizing their extreme competition and their ‘elevating their prowess’ kind of thing.” She says, “There’s something very, very gay about the way they’re fetishizing looks and the gym.” Harron’s ability to give Bateman the room to deliver a precise, iconic performance as a narcissistic, detached psychopath made the film perfect. At the end of the day, American Psycho is a fantastic, bloody film.
8
‘The Manchurian Candidate’ (1962)
Director: John Frankenheimer
If there’s ever been a film that forces you to question everyone you once trusted, look no further than The Manchurian Candidate. Based on Richard Condon’s novel, John Frankenheimer brought to life the perfect Cold War neo-noir political thriller. The iconic film tells the story of an American Korean War platoon brainwashed by Communists. Sgt. Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) is programmed as a sleeper assassin tasked with killing a U.S. presidential candidate to aid a Communist conspiracy managed by his mother (Angela Lansbury). Major Bennett Marco (Frank Sinatra) is on a mission to uncover the plot by any means. A darkly satirical film, The Manchurian Candidate, highlights themes of paranoia, mental manipulation, and political corruption through Frankenheimer’s sharply edited narrative.
To expose the paranoia at the film’s root, Frankenheimer deploys a disorienting, rapid-cutting editing style. Sensational examples include the brainwashing scenes, which transition seamlessly between a communist lecture hall and a New Jersey garden party, making the surreal feel real. Lionel Lindon’s cinematography is enhanced by black-and-white shooting and unique camera angles that heighten the thriller’s sense of paranoia. Perhaps one of the underappreciated achievements of Frankenheimer in this film is his hand-picked ensemble. He pulled out standout performances from every actor, exposing how going against type can deliver perfect shocks. Seeing how he led Lansbury to an Oscar nomination in her deliciously manipulative mother role underscores how crucial the relationship between actor and director is. The Manchurian Candidate is a deeply focused film that was truly ahead of its time due to Frankenheimer’s pristine vision.
9
‘Se7en’ (1995)
Director: David Fincher
When a film forces you to question the contents of a box delivered at your feet, you know you’ve done something brilliant. Such was the case for David Fincher’s Se7en. The film follows disenchanted, nearly retired Detective Lieutenant William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and his newly transferred partner David Mills (Brad Pitt) as they try to stop a serial killer from committing a series of murders based on the seven deadly sins. A brutal and gruesome crime thriller, Se7en went beyond the typical police procedural to deliver something thought-provoking and intelligent through Fincher’s calculated control over tone, visual aesthetics, and the psychological manipulation of the audience through shock.
To capture the specific essence Fincher was searching for, he deliberately placed the film in an unnamed city, detached from time and space, creating a timeless, universal sense of dread. And nothing spells dread quite like persistent rain. Alongside cinematographer Darius Khondji, the duo used a “bleach bypass” chemical process on the film stock to deepen shadows and create a high-contrast, desaturated look. Further, the subtle use of color allows the eye to delve into the important details. For the story, the audience is well aware that the killer is playing with the seven deadly sins, and thus, we wait for each to be unleashed. It’s a slow burn built through tension during the investigation. By the time the climax culminates and John Doe (Kevin Spacey) drops his final twist, that slow-burning was more than worth it. Se7en is Fincher showing why perfectionism can lead to a sensation. Every single frame is curated, resulting in a stunning final product. A timeless classic, Se7en exemplifies Fincher at his finest.
10
‘Memento’ (2000)
Director: Christopher Nolan
If there is one director who has defined the 21st century thus far, it’s Christopher Nolan. Kicking off the new millennium, Nolan uses a short story by his brother, Jonathan Nolan, as inspiration for the exceptional psychological neo-noir thriller Memento. The film tackles the intriguing story of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man with anterograde amnesia, a condition that causes short-term memory loss and prevents him from forming new memories. Using an elaborate system of photographs, handwritten notes, and tattoos, Leonard attempts to uncover the perpetrator, simply known as “John G,” who killed his wife (Jorja Fox) and caused him to sustain the condition. A sharply intricate film in which black-and-white tells one story moving forward, while color tells the story moving backward, Memento’s alternating timelines collide to create an immersive, cerebral puzzle.
The chronological and reverse chronological storytelling could have been a risky flop, but because Nolan’s painstaking focus and subjective perspective are executed to perfection. The audience is forced to question everything as the timelines converge, leading to a psychological breakdown because they no longer have a trustworthy narrator. Memento is a film to watch multiple times because Nolan’s usage of subtle clues is precisely placed. This is a film that demands attention, and the more closely you watch, the richer the film becomes. At the core of the film, memory, identity, and perception shape every technical choice that leads to Leonard’s psyche. Nolan’s work has been lauded over the past two decades for films like Inception, The Dark Knight, and Oppenheimer, but Memento proved his brilliance.
Continue Reading
Television has become a great source of suspenseful, agonizing storytelling. Whereas movies only get a couple of hours to establish stakes, define characters, and deliver thrills, a TV show gets episode upon episode and season upon season to outline its characters’ desires and motivations, and to bring the weight of their decisions crashing down upon them.
The medium’s most stressful series span everything from slow-burning murder mysteries to callous immersions in the morality of organized crime, skewering and satirical spins on big business politics, dystopian futures of authoritarianism and abuse, and even farfetched fantasy realms where every misstep can result in a swift and unceremonious demise. They are as addictive as they are excruciating, gaining notoriety and universal acclaim not only for their heart-racing tension, but for their storytelling prowess, performances, and piercing drama as well.
10
‘Severance’ (2022–Present)
Severance is one of the defining series of the 2020s so far. It is also one of the most suspenseful. A cutting marriage of high-concept sci-fi and social commentary on the nature of the modern-day workplace, it revolves around a company where employees undergo a surgical procedure that sees their memories split between their professional experience and their personal lives. When Mark Scout (Adam Scott) has a bizarre encounter with a former colleague in the real world, he sets out to uncover the truth about his job.
Richly psychological, the series implements a cynical tone of unsettling normality serving as a veil to something far more sinister and corrupt. Its dystopian elements complement this intense mood brilliantly, as does the series’ puzzle-like plotting that makes every discovery feel shocking and fills every attempt to get closer to the truth with unpredictability and searing tension. Both of Severance’s seasons thus far have meticulously built up the suspense leading to their finales, while the series’ understanding of the stressful uncertainty of leaving questions unanswered has been a defining quality of its absorbing yet agonizing intensity.
9
‘The Bear’ (2022–2026)
A mixture of dark comedy, piercing character drama, and relentless realism when it comes to depicting the chaos of a kitchen workplace, The Bear conjures a frenzied and fast-paced atmosphere of desperate tension as it revolves around the tumultuous life of Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White). The series follows the award-winning chef as he returns to his hometown of Chicago to manage his late brother’s sandwich shop. While he is torn between his grief and the mounting responsibilities of operating a restaurant, Carmy strives to achieve his dream by transforming ‘The Beef’ into an acclaimed fine dining establishment.
Carmy’s complex and dysfunctional family environment makes for gripping and often heartbreaking drama, but The Bear finds its enchanting, stressful allure in its presentation of a professional kitchen. Characters shout over each other, unexpected disasters arise, and the constant clock of a streamline of orders immerses viewers in the brutality and bedlam of hospitality. Complimented by razor-sharp writing, exceptional performances, and its claustrophobic, documentary-style camera work, The Bear is a visceral plunge into an environment of anxiety and pressure that marks one of the most arresting yet taxing TV shows in recent years.
8
‘Succession’ (2018–2023)
While it is well-known for its satirical brilliance and its skewering of inherited wealth and corporate environments, Succession is also a frightfully frantic and stressful series when it wants to be. Revolving around the Roy family, it follows three siblings who battle to showcase their expertise and win the favor of their father as the aging patriarch contemplates stepping down as the head of Waystar RoyCo., a worldwide multimedia conglomerate that is worth billions.
Derived from William Shakespeare’s King Lear, Succession flaunts a dramatic intensity and narrative volatility that is entrancing to watch unfold. Every misstep results in damning humiliation, and every triumph is won through betrayal and manipulation. The acidic and vulgar wit of the dialogue only reinforces this sense of high-stakes stress, promoting an atmosphere of emotional abuse and constant tension that pushes the characters beyond their breaking points, and often drags viewers to similar boundaries. Its four-season run is a meticulously orchestrated train wreck of ambition and ego, and even though the characters are largely unsympathetic, audiences can’t help but be immersed in their world of business politics, where every mistake can be a career-ending, life-altering failure.
7
‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)
The greatest series of all time in the eyes of many, Breaking Bad combines the heart-racing allure of crime tension with a harrowing story of moral decay focused on the grim character arc of Walter White (Bryan Cranston). A suburban family man and high school science teacher, White applies his knowledge of chemistry to the cooking of methamphetamine when he is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. While his initial desire to amass some quick money for his family is grounded in humanity and goodwill, he soon develops a haunting obsession with power as he becomes embroiled in the drug trade.
While the series starts out with an underlying sense of wry, dark comedy, it very quickly evolves to be a brutally intense story of high-stakes violence and criminal ferocity anchored by White’s descent from a meek everyman to a lethal and cunning villain. Breaking Bad is a series where every action matters, and every action has consequences, a storytelling quality that makes audiences agonize over every decision characters make and every calamitous disaster that unfolds.
6
‘The Pitt’ (2025–Present)
A medical series that commits to relentless realism rather than character-driven melodrama, The Pitt is a ruthlessly frenetic immersion into the nature of healthcare work. Both seasons so far have used their 15-episode runs to explore the chaos of a 15-hour shift in the Pittsburgh Medical Trauma Center’s emergency room in real time, following the overworked and burned-out staff as they strive to save lives despite facing obstacles in the form of debilitating systemic bureaucracy, mounting emotional duress, and the limitations of their underfunded ER.
What few moments of respite the series does offer from its non-stop tension are used to delve into the frazzled and exhausted mindsets of the hospital workers, a subtle and humane focus that only adds to the intensity when they are then thrust into the operating room to save someone’s life. Also exploring such confronting themes as PTSD, suicidal ideation, socio-political tensions, and the untreated mental health crisis in modern America, The Pitt is a procession of stress and panic that brings one of the most demanding workplace environments in the world to the screen in a manner that is mentally, emotionally, and even physically draining.
5
‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)
.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=500&dpr=2)
With its epic scope covering every element of crime, corruption, and institutionalized rot across a city, The Wire is one of the most ambitious and awe-inspiring series ever made. However, the HBO masterpiece isn’t just an anxiety-fueled immersion into police procedures and organized crime, but an emotionally devastating exploration of morality and hopelessness in the most damned corners of American society. Operating as a visual novel, it explores the hierarchy of Baltimore’s drug trade while depicting police efforts to curtail organized crime, even as bureaucratic processes and political interference intercede with their operations.
Its storytelling is incredibly efficient and mentally demanding, while its grim realism conjures a penetrating urgency in its story and the litany of jaded and desperate characters it follows. Season 4’s emphasis on the city’s public school system and how youths become involved in gang violence is particularly harrowing, but the entire series’ endeavor to showcase real-world violence through a lens of humanity and understanding ensures every single episode is a masterpiece of intense crime drama.
4
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)
When it was operating at the peak of its powers, there was no more stress-inducing series in the history of television than Game of Thrones. Based on George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, the stunning HBO production transpires in the fantasy realms of Westeros and Essos as the most powerful families in the land engage in a ruthless war for power defined by political conniving and devastating betrayals.
The series quickly gained notoriety for its penchant for killing off main characters, creating an imposing sense of tension and terror as no one was ever safe, and, when beloved characters did meet their demise, it was typically bloody and brutal. It was exciting and even addictive when it was airing, creating a true cultural phenomenon as millions of viewers around the world agonized over who would die next and what deceitful and sinister plot might be enacted to change the course of the war. While its underwhelming final season did strip the series of much of its prestige and pressing intensity, Game of Thrones remains one of the most viscerally stressful shows television lovers have ever been treated to.
3
‘Oz’ (1997–2003)
Conjuring obscenely stressful viewing from its unflinching immersion in life in a maximum-security prison, Oz marks a raw and savage beginning to the modern era of prestige television drama that stands as HBO’s first-ever one-hour-long scripted drama. The six-season series doesn’t run with a progressive narrative as much as it delves into the atmosphere of despair and anxiety that emerges when the Oswald Maximum Security Correctional Facility integrates a vast array of inmates in an experimental new wing designed to encourage reform over punishment.
Between the simmering hostility of gangland violence, the inhuman and domineering brutality of masculinity and sadism, and even the disturbing amorality exhibited by many of the prisoners, Oz is a ferocious and unforgiving exploration of real-world evil. This relentless tone of fear and depravity is only bolstered by the series’ intense and immersive camera work, with its documentary-style rawness establishing a claustrophobic atmosphere of helplessness where no character is safe from the eruption of graphic violence that is always just around the corner.
2
‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ (2017–2025)
A dystopian drama laced with uncompromising political and social commentary concerning issues of misogyny, oppression, and totalitarianism, The Handmaid’s Tale is one of the most confronting and harrowing series television has ever seen. Based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name, it transpires in a grim future where the alarming rise of infertility rates has seen a fascist regime rise to power that forces fertile women to be enslaved and assigned as “handmaids” to the ruling elite. When June (Elisabeth Moss) is subjected to such a fate, she bides her time while dreaming of being reunited with her daughter.
The series has, if anything, become even more stress-inducing in the years since it premiered, with modern political trends, not only in America but around the world as well, teetering towards extremism, authoritarianism, and normalized bigotry. In addition to its disconcerting reflection of modern society, The Handmaid’s Tale also unnerves with its brutal violence, the constant theme of sexual assault, and its unyielding air of intense psychological tension. It exacts a monumental emotional toll on viewers, with many considering it to be too frightful to watch all the way through.
1
‘Chernobyl’ (2019)
Whereas many series need multiple seasons to conjure stress-inducing suspense, Chernobyl requires just five episodes to deliver a television triumph of excruciating tension. A perfect marriage of real historical drama, horrendous political deceit, and life-and-death stakes that affect millions of people, it documents the strenuous efforts to contain the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986 as ordinary people risk their lives to limit the fallout while the leaders of the Soviet Union strive to conceal the severity of the catastrophe from the world.
Its atmospheric intensity is petrifying, running with a facts-based emphasis on the countless operations that had to be conducted to prevent the incident from decimating the population of mainland Europe while grounding its air of terror in unflinching presentations of the effects of radiation poisoning. Whether it is depicting people being assigned jobs that will submit them to painful and inevitable deaths or exploring the political fallout as a trial is assembled to allocate blame as to who is responsible for the reactor meltdown, Chernobyl is a masterful miniseries that exudes horrifying, relentless, and unbearable tension from start to finish.
Influencers are growing their families in 2026.
Madeleine White Fedyk, Blair Fowler and Brittany Miller are some of the fan favorites who have announced that they’re expecting this year.
Madeleine has been candid about wanting to get pregnant after her July 2025 wedding to Andrew Fedyk. On January 17, she announced via social media that she’s expecting her first baby.
Kylie Katich ended the month of January with her own pregnancy reveal, confirming her family was expecting from three to four. Australian influencer Varuca Salt, meanwhile, kicked off March by revealing that her second baby is on the way. Later that month, Matt and Abby Howard announced they are expecting after suffering a 2025 pregnancy loss.
April began with influencers Shea Huber and Wabby Rose revealing themselves as the viral “pregnant lemon” and “pregnant potato” on TikTok, respectively. sMothered alum Cher Hubsher, for her part, announced that she is expecting baby No. 2. The next month, influencers Olivia and Lunden Stallings shared they are expecting their first baby.
Keep scrolling to see every influencer who has announced their pregnancy in 2026:
Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more!
It may be spring, but Meghan Markle proved that a chic black dress is always ‘in.’ But her maxi dress style is more than a polished outfit. It has tummy-hiding superpowers, and we found the look for just $23 on Amazon.
Markle made a surprise pop-up on MasterChef Australia, and while everyone watched for cooking tips, we couldn’t stop admiring her dress. She wore her dress with heels, however, it pairs equally well with sandals, flats and sneakers. Everyone needs a go-to black dress and this flattering maxi number is yours!
Get the BerryGo Button-Front Maxi Dress for $23 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
The BerryGo Button-Down Maxi Dress nails Markle’s vibe with a few smart upgrades. Instead of a fold-over design, it has a tie belt that defines your waist. From there, the fabric drapes loosely over everything below. As a bonus, the tiered A-line skirt makes you appear taller. The black shade, of course, handles the rest.
Take one trip to the Hamptons and it becomes clear: Lilly Pulitzer dresses are part of the rich mom summer uniform. If you want the look without the triple-digit price tag, these 17 Lilly Pulitzer-style dresses deliver the same billowy silhouettes, preppy details and eye-catching color palettes, yet start at just $8. You’ll look like […]
The details are just as dreamy as the A-lister’s pick. Long lantern sleeves and neat collar give this button-up dress the sophisticated silhouette Markle wears so well. The lightweight, wrinkle-resistant material is the cherry on top, meaning you can pull it out of a suitcase and still look put together.
Shoppers call this black dress classy, buttery-soft and functional. Plus, they love the roomy side pockets and overall fit. One happy shopper wrote, “This dress fits exactly as it should. It looks super cute. I wear it without the belt but it could be nice both ways. Good for plus-size women.”
Another Amazon reviewer shared, “Awesome fit — would be a great fit on many body types. Flattering and comfortable dress that I bought multiple colors in after wearing my first purchase to an event.”
If your closet has been begging for a dress to throw on without thinking and still get compliments, this is the one to snap up. Body lengthening, tummy-hiding and totally timeless, it’s an outfit you’ll wish you found earlier. A royal seal of approval is just a bonus.
Get the BerryGo Button-Front Maxi Dress for $23 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
Not what you’re looking for? Shop other chic dresses on Amazon and don’t forget to check out Amazon’s Daily Deals here!
Meghan Markle logged major kilometers in Australia, stopping at children’s hospitals and historical sights, so naturally, she relied on ultra-comfortable sneakers. But what the masses may not know is that her exact sneakers are actually an Amazon find! The comfy shoes in question are Saucony Cohesion 18 Sneakers. They’re equally plush and supportive, perfect for Australian […]
The Real Housewives of New Jersey alum Jennifer Fessler went cryptic on Mother’s Day 2026 amid swirling affair rumors.
“A lot that’s new but, most importantly, Happy Mother’s Day!” Fessler, 57, succinctly wrote via Threads on Sunday, May 10.
Jennifer has been married to her husband, Jeff Fessler, since 1999. The Fesslers share son Zachary and daughter Rachel, who each honored their mom on Sunday.
“Happy Mother’s Day @jennfessler!!!!” Zachary wrote via his Instagram Stories on Sunday. “Best to ever do it, I love you always.”
The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Jennifer Fessler shut down the speculation about her alleged relationship status with Summer House’s West Wilson. “In all seriousness, and while I can’t help but be a little flattered, it is not nice nor is it OK to post something categorically untrue and defamatory on social media,” Fessler, […]
Rachel shared her own social media tribute, writing, “Happy Mother’s Day to the most resilient woman I know.”
Jeff also publicly shared a Mother’s Day tribute to his wife of 24 years.
“Happy Mother’s Day to my Messy Fessy,” he wrote via his Instagram Stories on Sunday. “The kids and I will lay in bed and rage with you all day long if you want, but at least consider champagne and cake!”
Several hours earlier, Jennifer was accused of hooking up with Summer House star West Wilson. Both the RHONJ alum and Wilson, 57, vehemently denied the allegations.
“In all seriousness, and while I can’t help but be a little flattered, it is not nice nor is it OK to post something categorically untrue and defamatory on social media,” Jennifer wrote in a Saturday, May 9, statement. “Regardless of whatever rumors or apparent ‘evidence’ led you to that conclusion, that is the definition of libel.”
Jennifer Fessler’s 27th wedding anniversary tribute to her husband, Jeffrey Fessler, has resurfaced amid the rumors about her involvement with Summer House star West Wilson. “Happy 27,” Jenn, 57, wrote to her husband via Instagram on April 10. “You could sleep with West or Amanda and I’d still stay!” At that time, the Bravoverse had […]
She added, “If it were true, I would have no recourse. Because it’s a lie, this can get more complicated. Having said that, I hope we can rectify this. It’s enough now.”
Jennifer’s relationship with Wilson previously raised eyebrows in 2024, when she nicknamed him “Messy Wessy” in a now-viral livestream.
“I posted that really quickly. I should have thought that through,” she exclusively told Us Weekly at the time. “I feel terrible because my best friend who was there, she took it. There are times where I just think I’m so funny, and I just think everyone would think that I’m so funny. I didn’t realize at the time he was, like, America’s sweetheart. I didn’t get that I was sitting with the ‘It Boy’ of 2024. I’m calling him Wes, his name is West.”
Jennifer further apologized to Wilson for botching his name in the drunken video.
“I don’t know why I made fun of his name. There were people that were very offended,” she told Us. “I’m sorry. It’s a great name. I don’t know why I thought that was funny. In the moment, it was. But West Wilson is a very cool name. He’s a very cool guy.”
Entertainment
‘Spider-Man’ Director’s First Horror Movie in Over a Decade Is a #1 Late-Night Favorite
This year, the horror genre got a jump start with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Scream 7, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, and more films successfully scaring up fans in the theaters. It also saw the return of fan-favorite director Sam Raimi to the genre with Send Help — starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien — which blew fans’ minds.
The film marks Raimi’s first pure, original horror feature since Drag Me to Hell and his first R-rated horror film since The Gift. And he perfectly delivered a brilliant survival thriller that will make you laugh at the wrong moments. We follow Linda (McAdams) and her arrogant boss, Bradley (O’Brien), who, after a plane crash, are stranded on a deserted island. Things take a turn when the two turn their workplace power dynamic into a fight for survival and a twisted battle of wits. The movie became a commercial and critical success, gathering praise for Raimi’s vision and gross-out scenes. It has grossed $94 million worldwide against a $40 million budget and earned a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score from the critics. The movie is lauded for its visuals, unpredictable nature, and lead performances by McAdams and O’Brien.
‘Send Help’ Is Enchanting Global Audiences
Ever since its successful box office run, the feature has garnered fans’ attention on both PVOD and streaming. And now the R-rated feature has taken over a family-friendly streamer. Send Help is at the top of Disney+’s global top 10 list, as per Flixpatrol. It’s followed by The Devil Wears Prada, The Bear’s surprise drop, Gary, and a special look at Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu.
The fun and campy movie follows the Raimi playbook of fan favorites, like Evil Dead, Drag Me to Hell, and Army of Darkness. The over-the-top gore, interesting camera angles, and wide use of practical effects make viewers jump in their seats. Underneath all the cool visuals, the movie also brilliantly touches upon the themes of survival and what happens when we are pushed to extremes while examining the reversal of power dynamics through Linda and Bradley’s chemistry. So, whether you’re a Sam Raimi fan or a casual viewer who loves dark comedy and R-rated horror, Send Help is a quick and decent watch with compelling performances from Edyll Ismail, Dennis Haysbert, Xavier Samuel, Chris Pang, and more.
Send Help is streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
- Release Date
-
January 30, 2026
- Runtime
-
113 Minutes
- Director
-
Sam Raimi
- Writers
-
Damian Shannon, Mark Swift
Gerard Butler has given us some great action movies, from 300, Kandahar, and the Has Fallen franchise to the Greenland franchise; the actor shines while bringing out the best in his characters in the genre. Over the years, he has also given us some amazing characters, like Stoick in How to Train Your Dragon and Big Nick in Den of Thieves.
Writer-director Christian Gudegast’s intense 2018 heist feature follows a group of elite deputies in the LA County sheriff’s department, who have to stop a notorious crew of expert thieves from executing a robbery plan at the Federal Reserve Bank. A great cat-and-mouse chase story, it received mixed reviews but was a commercial hit, earning $80.5 million on a $30 million budget. In time, the 42% Rotten Tomatoes-rated movie was hailed as a cult classic, and its success was followed up with another mission for Nick in 2025.
The sequel, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, sees Big Nick travel to Europe to hunt down Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), who is now involved with the Panther mafia. The film, sadly, failed to repeat its predecessor’s success, grossing $58.4 million worldwide against a $40 million budget. Though it got a much better Rotten Tomatoes score: 62% from critics and 79% from audiences.
Box office success isn’t the only measure of a good movie, thanks to the streaming landscape today. A year later, the movie has found its audience, consistently appearing in PVOD and streaming top 10s. Currently, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is making waves on HBO Max’s top 10 global charts, as per FlixPatrol. At #4, the movie only stands next to Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie’s Wuthering Heights, Mortal Kombat, and The Emoji Movie. For fans who’d like to discover the action feature or revisit it, this seems to be a perfect time.
What Do We Know About ‘Den of Thieves 3’?
Irrespective of the sequel’s box office fate, a third movie in the franchise was announced with the return of Butler and Jackson Jr. While details are scarce, the movie will begin production sometime this year. Jackson Jr. previously teased Collider that while he hasn’t been told a “specific date,” he has begun preparation. He further teased about his character, “we gotta find a place for Donnie to go. The thing is, I can’t be in the States because of what happened in L.A. Now, I can’t be in Europe. So, we’re running out of spots, and the commander in chief is tripping right now. Stuff is wild, you know? So we gotta find a safe place for us to be able to film this movie. So, that’s all Christian Gudegast. As long as I look pretty, I’ll be okay.”
Check out Den of Thieves 2 on HBO Max. Stay tuned to Collider for more such updates.
- Release Date
-
January 10, 2025
- Runtime
-
144 minutes
- Director
-
Christian Gudegast
- Writers
-
Christian Gudegast, Paul T. Scheuring
Lorenzo Lamas and Heather Locklear’s blossoming romance clearly already has the approval of their blended family.
“Beautiful Heather, I adore you. The generous, loving, gracious energy you have makes you a very rare woman,” Lorenzo’s daughter Shayne Lamas wrote via Instagram on Sunday, May 10. “Watching your relationship with my dad genuinely makes me believe [that] one’s true love will be one’s lasting love.”
Lorenzo, 68, and Locklear, 64, confirmed last month that they were dating.
“I hope you know how appreciated and loved you are by myself and my children,” Shayne, one of Lorenzo’s six children, added on Sunday. “Sending you 🤍. Your daughter is so very lucky to have this day to share with you. Mines in heaven and I know she loves this for you both as well.”
Heather Locklear’s dating history includes some big names — and some major rockstars. Locklear’s first high-profile romance was with Tommy Lee. The pair met at a REO Speedwagon concert and tied the knot in 1986. Although the Melrose Place alum told People after their nuptials that she’d “only thought of getting married once” and had […]
Locklear, who shares 28-year-old daughter Ava with ex-husband Richie Sambora, was grateful for Shayne’s kind words.
“Beautiful soul, thank you and happy Mothers Day!” Locklear told Shayne, 40, in the comments section. “Your children are so wonderful which shows what a tremendous mom you are. Your dad is the same💘.”
Locklear also reposted Shayne’s upload to her Instagram Stories.
Ever since Locklear and Lorenzo made their public debut as a couple in April, they’ve sung each other’s praises.
“I’ve been through a lot of trial and error, and she is the most amazing woman that I think I’ve ever met,” he told Fox News Digital on April 29, gushing about the Melrose Place alum and citing his faith for keeping him grounded. “With Jesus Christ in your life, you can accomplish anything.”
He added at the time, “There’s no problem or event or anything that can compare to the strength that you feel when you know you’re following Christ… even in the darkest of times, we always have the Lord to lean on. I’ve always believed that. My mom believed that. She shared that with me as a kid, and it’s kind of how I try to live my life.”
Lorenzo and Locklear’s history goes way back, meeting on the set of a joint Playgirl photoshoot in the 1980s.
“I cannot believe that this was 43 years ago! Side note, speedos on request only,” he tweeted in December 2025.
Lorenzo and Locklear have not publicly shared how they reconnected decades later, which followed her broken engagement from Chris Heisser last year.
“Heather is single and she’s ready to date again,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2025, confirming the actress’ breakup. “She’s focusing on herself. She is sober and doing really well.”
James Charles is under fire after a now-deleted TikTok rant targeting a woman who allegedly reached out asking for financial help following the collapse of Spirit Airlines. The budget airline reportedly shut down operations last week, leaving roughly 17,000 employees without jobs. According to Charles, one former employee sent him a direct message that included a GoFundMe link and a request for donations after losing her position. Instead of quietly ignoring the message, the beauty influencer recorded a profanity-filled response mocking the woman and questioning why she was asking celebrities for help.
In the now-circulating clip, Charles sarcastically read the woman’s message aloud before launching into an aggressive rant. “I’m sure they do, sweetheart. I’m sure they do,” he said after reading that “any donations help.” “You know what else would help you? Getting another job. Yeah, try that,” Charles said.
Charles continued by accusing the woman of mass messaging influencers instead of applying for employment opportunities. “But you didn’t, ‘cause you’re a lazy piece of sh-t, and you’re entitled,” he said.
The influencer also appeared particularly upset that the woman allegedly did not follow him on social media. “You’re not a fan, you don’t even follow me,” Charles said. “And you think that I’m gonna send you money because you lost your job?!”
The video quickly spread across social media through screen recordings after it was deleted, sparking intense backlash online. Critics slammed Charles as “privileged,” “out of touch,” and “elitist,” especially given reports that the influencer has amassed a fortune worth millions.
“Just couldn’t help showing those true colors,” one user responded after someone else asked why he would post such a thing. “This is so wild lol why is he so pressed?? Ignore and move on!!!” another said.
A third chimed in, “Holy sh-t he is cruel af, I only watched 30 seconds but omg.” As someone else expressed, “Yeah, he has never applied for a job in his life if he thinks it takes 30 seconds.”
James Charles Later Issued Public Apology
Following the backlash, Charles returned to TikTok with a second video apologizing for his behavior and admitting the rant was inappropriate. “This video was f-cking stupid,” he said. “It was rude, it was obnoxious, it was privileged, and most importantly, it was completely f-cking unnecessary.”
Charles acknowledged that he could have simply ignored the message instead of publicly humiliating the woman online. “It was obnoxious, and I shamed her for asking for help in a situation where she was clearly really struggling,” he admitted. “This could have been her absolute last resort.”
The influencer also directly apologized to the woman involved and admitted the situation hurt many people who watched the clip circulate online. “I feel awful because that wasn’t my intention,” Charles said. “I’m super sorry, especially to the woman from Spirit Airlines.”
Spirit Airlines Shut Down Operations After Failed Financial Rescue Efforts
The controversy surrounding Charles’ comments comes just days after Spirit Airlines officially announced it was shutting down operations entirely. On May 2, the airline confirmed it would cancel all flights and cease operations “effective immediately” following failed restructuring efforts and ongoing financial struggles.
According to the company, rising fuel costs and an inability to secure additional funding ultimately pushed the airline past the point of recovery. “For more than 30 years, Spirit Airlines has played a pioneering role in making travel more accessible and bringing people together while driving affordability across the industry,” Spirit President and CEO Dave Davis said in a statement.
“Sustaining the business required hundreds of millions of additional dollars of liquidity that Spirit simply does not have and could not procure,” Davis added. “This is tremendously disappointing and not the outcome any of us wanted.”
Spirit Airlines Customers Scramble For Refunds After Sudden Shutdown
The company stated that customers who booked flights directly through Spirit using credit or debit cards would automatically receive refunds, though some transactions may take additional time to process. Meanwhile, travelers who purchased tickets through third-party services or travel agencies were instructed to contact those providers directly for reimbursement.
Spirit also confirmed that customers holding vouchers, loyalty points, or travel credits would need to file claims through the airline’s ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.
There were so many things that happened in the 2000s, and not all of them were particularly good, so how do you go about introducing such a decade? It’s one a lot (can’t say “most” on some parts of the internet) of people online remember, and there was also so much music released throughout it. Maybe it’s best just to focus on the music, and not all the other, you know, stuff.
But even just focusing on the music is a bit overwhelming. There were too many styles and genres that got popular, or just picked up attention in critical circles, and to try to crown just a few as the best is difficult. It’s not going to make people happy. One could devote a huge chunk of their life to listening to every album from the 2000s, and what that person picks as their favorites will still seem disagreeable to others. An attempt was made to single out the best albums of the 2000s here, or at least a few truly great ones from that not-too-far-back decade (and with a limit of one release per artist).
10
‘Kid A’ (2000)
Radiohead
Radiohead were there to make the 2000s get off to a bleak and uncertain start, with the release of Kid A, which can’t claim to have set the tone for the 21st century, given 2000 was the final year of the 20th century… but still, maybe it was just a little ahead of the curve. Kid A sounded futuristic at the time, especially compared to the previous Radiohead albums, all of them with more of a rock focus than Kid A.
Kid A was mostly electronica, or if it did count as rock, then it was art rock that really put the emphasis on the “art” part even more than OK Computer. Radiohead might’ve been a little too forward-thinking here, at least based on how some of the contemporary reviews expressed confusion about the album, but Kid A has now aged exceptionally well, and is usually a contender for the crown of “Best Radiohead Album,” whenever that discussion comes up.
9
‘Donuts’ (2006)
J Dilla
There’s a lot that’s been said (and, more recently, disputed) regarding the story behind J Dilla making Donuts, but whatever the case, it’s a beautiful and bittersweet album that did come out just three days after Dilla passed away at just 32. It’s made up of more than 30 tracks, but it’s not an especially long album, at under three-quarters of an hour, so lots of those tracks only last for about a minute or so.
They’re instrumental, with the voices heard being reworked samples, so it’s best defined as an instrumental hip-hop album, with songs you could maybe imagine being stretched out and then rapped over on a “regular” hip-hop album. But it would also be a shame to distract from what’s offered instrumentally here, because the music’s enough to create a unique experience, with it being a pretty easy album to fall into and feel immersed in.
8
‘Untrue’ (2007)
Burial
Speaking of immersive albums that are mostly instrumental and use samples memorably throughout, here’s Untrue by Burial, which is technically a dubstep album, but it doesn’t sound like the sort of music people usually think of when they hear the term “dubstep” (it’s really not Skrillex). Untrue feels like a concept album about, like, walking around by yourself, in the middle of the night, during winter, hearing signs of life (or maybe a party) in the distance, and trying to find the source of those sounds, but never getting there.
And then it feels like the music equivalent of giving up and being alone, but finding a sort of eerie beauty in the loneliness… while the feeling of isolation also manages to be soul-crushing. It conjures some very vivid feelings in ways that aren’t the easiest to summarize, and so it might well sound like something different to different people. Everyone should give it a shot, though, or at least anyone who doesn’t mind moody/eerie/slightly sad music every once in a while.
7
‘Discovery’ (2001)
Daft Punk
A different sort of electronic music entirely can be found on Discovery, which is usually the album people single out as Daft Punk’s best… unless they’d rather go with Random Access Memories. But that one was a decade-defining 2010s release, and so not really relevant, while Discovery was also decade-defining, but for the 2000s, and what do you know? That makes it very relevant.
“One More Time” to “Aerodynamic” to “Digital Love” to “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” feels almost like the duo showing off.
Look, Discovery earns its spot here for the opening run of tracks alone. “One More Time” to “Aerodynamic” to “Digital Love” to “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” feels almost like the duo showing off, but they really are phenomenal songs, so it’s like, eh, let ‘em show off. Maybe the center of the album sags a little energy-wise, but Discovery does thankfully conclude almost as well as it starts, thanks to “Face to Face” being the penultimate track, and the epic (not to mention fittingly named) “Too Long” being the closer.
Interstella5555: The 5tory of The 5ecret 5tar 5ystem
- Release Date
-
May 28, 2003
- Runtime
-
66 Minutes
- Director
-
Leiji Matsumoto, Daisuke Nishio, Hirotoshi Rissen, Kazuhisa Takenouchi
- Writers
-
Thomas Bangalter, Cédric Hervet, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo
Cast
-
-
-
Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo
-
6
‘Sound of Silver’ (2007)
LCD Soundsystem
The thing about LCD Soundsystem is that persistent embracing of being a little out of step with whatever is technically cool at any given time, but then taking heavy influence from things that used to be cool, and making those things cool again. And also not really caring about the “not being cool” thing, or at least addressing it in ways that are either funny or heartbreaking.
That’s more or less LCD Soundsystem. There’s some stuff from the 1970s and ‘80s chopped up and reworked, lots of angst, self-deprecating humor, brutally honest reflections on life and growing old, and really danceable music tying all that stuff together. Sound of Silver is perhaps the band’s most consistent (from what’s still a regrettably small discography… at the time of writing, it’s been nine years since their last studio album), and is also a perfect entry point if you’ve never heard anything by LCD Soundsystem before and feel curious.
5
‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’ (2001)
Wilco
If you’re into indie rock, you’ll probably like this Wilco album, but if you also like more old-fashioned sorts of rock, you’ll likely also find things to like here. It’s just a great rock album, is probably the easiest thing to say, though it is a pretty mellow kind of rock at times. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is also a rather sad album, but that’s to be expected when things kick off with a song named “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.”
Thankfully, it’s a beautiful and sometimes cathartic kind of sadness heard throughout, and also, there are songs here that lyrically go beyond more personal topics like love, loss, and loneliness. Some of the songs here are quite long, and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot also clocks in at over 50 minutes all up, but you never really come close to feeling any sort of length here, in a bad way. The whole thing unfolds seamlessly, and it’s more than earned its reputation as one of the first truly great albums of the 21st century.
4
‘Funeral’ (2004)
Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire’s downfall or downward spiral hasn’t been as publicized as what’s happened with the next artist mentioned in this ranking, but it’s been a bit sad to see the band that might well have been the greatest indie act of the 2000s and early 2010s implode. To focus on the good times, though, there is Funeral, which is a darkly funny title to give to your debut studio album, but it’s appropriate, because there’s a focus on death and dying at some points throughout the album.
Not a lot, though, because Funeral also has a high level of youthful energy that an aging band can’t help but not really recapture, after a certain point (though Neon Bible, The Suburbs, and the less-loved but overall dark horse Reflektor are also pretty great). It was an album that meant a lot and had people feeling a lot of things back in 2004, which was the perfect time for its sound and style, and there does still remain something oddly timeless about parts of it, more than two decades later.
3
‘The College Dropout’ (2004)
Kanye West
Maybe the mighty has fallen, or the mighty fell a while ago, but what was made during the period of mightiness still exists, and can even be enjoyed. Enter The College Dropout, and it’s not the only Kanye West album that features him being vulnerable at times, but it is pretty much the only one where he feels humble and down-to-earth, because increasing success post-2004 put him in something of a spiral, ego and controversy-wise. There’s a lot more that can be said, but that’s all that’s being said for now.
As for The College Dropout specifically, it’s an incredible album, and a perfect gateway into hip-hop as a genre. It comes close to being Kanye West’s best album overall, and there remains something special about it as a debut, owing to how it sounds (having so many perfect examples of sampling throughout sure helps a great deal, too).
2
‘Since I Left You’ (2000)
The Avalanches
So, The Avalanches are a bit of an odd act to try to explain. They’ve only made three studio albums to date, and for a while, it really felt like Since I Left You would be their only one (it took until 2016’s Wildflower for there to be a follow-up). It was this weird feeling, because The Avalanches had gifted the world one perfect – and also staggeringly unique – album, and one could understand struggling to follow it up, but there was still that desire for more Avalanches.
There has indeed been more from The Avalanches, but Since I Left You remains the best album of a great bunch. The title track here is worth the price of admission alone, and “Frontier Psychiatrist” also proves to be a highlight, while various other songs blend in interesting ways, making the album almost sound like one continuous piece of hour-long music. Oh, and it’s pretty much all done with an overwhelmingly large number of samples, too. This album really is something else.
1
‘Illinois’ (2005)
Sufjan Stevens
Throughout an eclectic career, Sufjan Stevens has released soul-crushing albums, almost aggressive experimental ones, and even one that was a concept album about the solar system. He’s done a bit of everything, and he keeps on finding new things to do. At one stage, he was apparently even more ambitious than he is now, since he expressed a desire to make 50 albums, with one for each State in the U.S.
It officially ended after two were finished, but both Michigan and Illinois were so good, most people can’t get angry at the project’s abandonment (it also helps that subsequent Stevens albums have been so fantastic in other ways). Illinois is his crowning achievement, though, and potentially the best concept album of the 21st century so far. You get all the sides of Sufjan Stevens here, a selection of some of his all-time best songs (like “Chicago,” “Come On! Feel the Illinoise!,” “Casimir Pulaski Day,” and “The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!”), and a list of tracks that flows phenomenally from one to the next for almost 75 minutes. It’s a beautiful album that sounds better every time you revisit it, and it already sounds like one of the best albums ever upon first listen. That’s how you know, pretty well, that it’s something incredibly special.
Who’s Your Perfect Classic Rock Band?
There are iconic TV shows through the decades, including controversial ones that remain topic of conversation today. But there are a few divisive shows from decades past that most people have long forgotten about. All these shows were bold in their approach. Some depicted topics that, at least at the time, were even considered risqué. Others were divisive for different reasons.
Each of these shows has made its mark on history one way or another, loved or hated by viewers and critics, some a little bit of both. From reality TV to teen dramas, sitcoms, and even a kids’ musical show, many of these series have long been forgotten. But at one point in time, they caused uproar, or at least some negative pushback.
10
‘Degrassi Junior High’ (1987–1989)
Long before shows like Beverly Hills, 90210 and Dawson’s Creek, there was a little Canadian teen drama called Degrassi Junior High that eventually became popular in the U.S. once it began airing on PBS. While shows like Euphoria have since pushed the envelope for what teen dramas can be, Degrassi Junior High was progressive for its time.
The series covers controversial topics like teen pregnancy, drug use, eating disorders, abuse, and more. This is par for the course today. But back in the late ’80s, the realism in the show caused a stir, some believing it was a little too real. But by and large, Degrassi Junior High is considered one of the forgotten but pioneering teen drama shows that showed relatable stories from real teenage actors. While many remember Degrassi: The Next Generation, a revival that aired from 2001 through 2015 and famously starred Drake, many of the younger generation who watched had never seen the show it was based on.
9
‘Bosom Buddies’ (1980–1982)
In one of Tom Hanks‘ earliest high-profile roles, he plays Kip Wilson in the sitcom Bosom Buddies, a man who convinces his friend Henry (Peter Scolari) to dress as a woman so they can live in the female-only Susan B. Anthony Hotel and take advantage of the cheap rent. It’s easy to see why this premise is frowned upon today, as many feel it makes a mockery of the LGBTQ+ community.
Of course, Bosom Buddies was meant to be a lighthearted comedy, not setting out to be offensive in any way. But since Hanks’ popularity exploded, and he has become an A-list movie actor, this role has fallen into the background of his career, not to mention sitcom history. The show had some recent attention with the tragic passing of Scolari in 2021. But it’s merely a blip on Hanks’ resume today.
8
‘Skins’ (2007–2013)
The British teen drama is not much different than others of its kind today, like Euphoria and 13 Reasons Why. But Skins was arguably a decade too soon, sparking controversy for its depiction of heavy topics among teens, including mental health conditions, depression, sexuality, and bullying. While fans love the realness and rawness of the show, some felt the mature themes and the graphic ways in which they were presented were too much for the younger audience the show was attracting.
One of the most divisive shows ever made, Skins ended up becoming a cult classic. Looking at it compared to other series today, the show clearly knew where the landscape was going. Skins spawned an American remake of the same name in 2011, but the heavy sexual content led to advertiser pushback, and the show only lasted a single season.
7
‘Dear White People’ (2017–2021)
A more recent show, Dear White People, attracted a massive following of fans who love its depiction of Black college students in an Ivy League school. The show touches on race from the opposite lens of what’s usually depicted on television, a welcome change that highlights the Black experience in modern-day culture.
However, some people felt that in doing so, Dear White People highlights discrimination against white people. But the comedy-drama is written to be provocative and serve as social commentary, and it does. The goal was met, sparking conversation with topics like white privilege and systemic racism intentionally presented in a satirical but also uncomfortable way.
6
‘Minipops’ (1983)
Anyone who grew up in the ’80s remembers the kids’ musical group Minipops, but you may have forgotten about the short-lived TV show. Airing in the U.K., the show features the young cast singing and performing modern-day pop songs and older classics, dressed to look like the original performers. It’s cute, fun, and energetic, but some viewers did not like that the pre-teens were sometimes singing lyrics with sexual innuendo. The adult costumes and heavy make-up didn’t sit right with some, either, some believing this could have negative psychological effects on children.
Of course, had we been able to predict shows like Toddlers and Tiaras, Minipops looks tame in comparison. A five-year-old singing the words “we make love” in the song “9 to 5,” for example, was cause for a stir. Today, you’ll find that many song covers sung by kids in groups like Minipops and others use altered, child-friendly lyrics to ensure appropriateness.
5
‘The Colbys’ (1985–1987)
The Colbys was arguably among the first series to prove that just because a show does amazingly well doesn’t mean a spinoff will. The primetime soap opera is a spinoff of Dynasty, one of the most iconic soap operas ever made. But it didn’t quite hit the same. The series has a fantastic cast that includes Charlton Heston, Barbara Stanwyck, and Ricardo Montalbán, and centers on the rival wealthy family. While die-hard fans of Dynasty loved it, the show just didn’t get the viewership it needed.
The biggest mistake The Colbys arguably made was serving as a copy of Dynasty with different characters and storylines that were far too similar. It didn’t stand on its own, though it had the potential to do so. Even the actors were divided on the show, with Stanwyck reportedly believing it was not working while Heston thought it had promise to continue. One thing we can agree on: the series had one of the most iconic TV plot twists of the ’80s with its series finale.
4
‘Joe Millionaire’ (2003)
As far as reality dating shows go, Joe Millionaire was by far one of the most bizarre. It was largely forgotten until it was brought back in 2022 for a third season. The show’s first season centers around Evan Marriott, a handsome man presented to potential suitors as a millionaire businessman. But he’s actually a working-class construction worker. As he goes through the process of dating all the women, he must pare it down to his one choice, then reveal the truth and see if she stays with him or not.
Some appreciated the premise that set out to hopefully show that love means more than money. But there’s no denying that deception isn’t really the way to go about proving that point. It made for great entertainment but didn’t really result in any meaningful moral lessons. Nonetheless, Joe Millionaire was the type of show you wanted to see through to the end to get to the explosive reveal.
3
‘The Tom Green Show’ (1994–2000)
Aside from an appearance on Celebrity Big Brother back in 2019 and starring in the Canadian comedy series The Trades, Tom Green hasn’t really been in the spotlight for some time. But once upon a time, his show, The Tom Green Show, was a big hit. Airing on MTV in the U.S. from 1999, the show presents the type of raunchy, risqué humor that people either love or hate.
Green hosts the show along with others, and it employs a sketch comedy style, usually involving stunts that poke fun at his parents or embarrass people (and himself) in public. Think surprising his parents in bed with a severed cow’s head. The shock comedy slant is similar to the series Jackass, which itself is one of those shows that’s an acquired taste. Green himself is considered an acquired taste, which is why the show was beloved by some, widely criticized by others.
2
‘Tiger King’ (2020–2021)
Tiger King, also known as Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, was the darling of the COVID-19 pandemic. It came out at the perfect time when people were stuck at home looking for ways to fill their time. Once you caught the first episode of this true crime docuseries, you were completely hooked and couldn’t look away. It tells the story of eccentric former zookeeper Joe Exotic, who gets into a dangerous war with rival big cat conservationist Carole Baskin. The story takes unbelievable twists and turns, the characters and their stories drawing you in such that you can’t believe it really happened.
Tiger King was beloved enough that the series led to a second and third season, and inspired a flood of memes online. But some organizations and individuals didn’t take kindly to the inaccuracies about wildlife conservation, the second and third seasons even spawning a lawsuit relating to the footage used. Nonetheless, Tiger King goes down in history as one of the most successful and talked-about Netflix docuseries that everyone has since forgotten about.
1
‘Iron Fist’ (2017–2018)
It seems like pretty much everything within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is, at the very least, memorable. But Iron Fist, also known as Marvel’s Iron Fist, is perhaps the most polarizing. The series, which shares continuity with the movies, was the fourth for Netflix and stars Finn Jones as the titular character, a martial arts expert with the special power of an iron fist.
Despite strong viewership numbers, Iron Fist got mostly negative reviews and was canceled after two seasons. After being removed from Netflix and with Disney now offering all Marvel series, the show has largely been forgotten. But the drastic difference in reception from critics versus audience, just a 20% Rotten Tomatoes critics score for Season 1 compared to 71% by fans, suggests the show remains one of the most divisive MCU titles.
Iron Fist
- Release Date
-
March 17, 2017
- Network
-
Disney Channel
- Showrunner
-
Scott Buck
- Directors
-
Scott Buck
Sports3 seconds ago
Marcus Rashford gets what he wants from Barcelona transfer as Man United handed ideal scenario
Tech1 minute ago
Which Fitbit should you buy?
News Videos2 minutes ago
The Big Nintendo ’25/’26 Fiscal Year Financial Report Video
NewsBeat2 months ago
Manchester United reach agreement with Casemiro over contract clause amid transfer speculation
Politics1 month ago
US brings back mandatory military draft registration
NewsBeat1 month ago
Steven Gerrard disagrees with Gary Neville over ‘shock’ Chelsea and Arsenal claim | Football
-
Crypto World3 days agoHarrisX Poll Found 52% of Registered Voters Support the CLARITY Act
-
Crypto World4 days agoUpbit adds B3 Korean won pair as Base token gains Korea access
-
Fashion2 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Marianne Dress
-
Tech6 days agoImage AI models now drive app growth, beating chatbot upgrades
-
NewsBeat4 days agoNCP car park operator enters administration putting 340 UK sites at risk of closure
-
Business2 days agoIgnore market noise, India’s long-term story intact, say D-Street bulls Ramesh Damani and Sunil Singhania
-
Politics2 days agoPolitics Home Article | Starmer Enters The Danger Zone
-
Entertainment7 days agoOlivia Wilde Reacts To Viral ‘Corpse’ Comparison
-
Sports7 days agoInter Milan Win Serie A Title After Victory Over Parma
-
Sports7 days ago2026 NHL playoff picks: Second-round predictions, series odds, Stanley Cup bracket
-
Crypto World6 days agoUAE Free Zone Deploys Blockchain IDs to Verify Registered Firms
-
Sports7 days agoEvery word of Arne Slot’s heated rant after Manchester United win vs Liverpool
-
Crypto World4 days agoBlackRock CEO Larry Fink Discusses a New Asset Class
-
Crypto World4 days agoRobinhood says Wall Street is building onchain
-
Sports7 days agoManchester United Return To Champions League After Dramatic Win Over Liverpool
-
Entertainment7 days agoKylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet Hold Hands in NYC Outing
-
Entertainment6 days ago
Serena Williams hits Met Gala in metallic dress after GLP-1 reveal
-
Fashion4 days agoThe Best Work Pants for Women in 2026
-
Entertainment7 days agoHBO’s Forgotten 3-Part Detective Series Has Quietly Become One of TV’s Funniest Crime Shows
-
Tech7 days agoThe best life advice I ever followed was deleting Instagram, and it soothed my frustrated soul
You must be logged in to post a comment Login