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27 Years Later, The Greatest Action Sci-Fi Movie’s Final Line Still Officially Defines the Genre
27 years ago, the sci-fi action classic The Matrix hit theaters, kickstarting not just a new franchise, but a new subgenre. The movie beautifully showcases the story of Thomas Anderson, aka Neo (Keanu Reeves), and his journey of self-discovery as he transforms from an idle, stagnant office worker and black-market hacker who is “unplugged” from a false simulation, into a freedom fighter for humanity. Over the course of the movie, Neo then evolves from a would-be freedom fighter into a savior who perhaps holds the key to liberating the human race from machine oppressors. Neo’s journey becomes complete in the movie’s final moments.
Neo Finally Becomes ‘The One’
In The Matrix, Neo learns that his life and reality are false. He and many other humans are harvested by an empire of sentient machines, who farm humans for their life-sustaining energy. Humans are plugged into a digital simulation called “the Matrix,” which keeps their minds active so they can continue generating energy. Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and his squad of freedom fighters, who are part of a larger military working to liberate humanity from the machines, free Neo from imprisonment. Morpheus also believes that Neo is a special, unique human called “The One,” who can rewrite the Matrix as he sees fit and is prophesied to end the war and save humanity.
Despite Neo doubting his divinity, he grows more confident in his abilities to fight back against the machines and their nefarious super-programs, the Agents, led by the cruel and diabolical Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving). At the end of the movie, Neo awakens to his true powers, becoming “The One,” granting him nearly unlimited “superpowers” within the Matrix simulation, essentially a type of computer “God Mode.” Neo’s new abilities allow him to destroy the Agent programs and see the entire code of the simulation.
‘The Matrix’ Ends on an Epic Note
With his newly awakened abilities, the Matrix is now Neo’s playground, where he can make the rules. During the ending, Neo makes a phone call, contacting the machine empire, mirroring Trinity’s (Carrie-Anne Moss) phone call being traced by the machines in the prologue. However, this time, Neo disables the tracer program, proving the machines no longer have the advantage. Neo delivers a warning to the machines that have enslaved humanity. He says, “I’m going to show them a world without you. A world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you.”
Next, Neo dons some radical sunglasses in full view of all the other unsuspecting humans, who are also imprisoned in the digital simulation. Then, Neo blasts off into the air, as his powers now grant him the ability to fly. Neo no longer needs to make an impossible super jump since he can now take to the skies at will. The score transitions to the aptly titled song, “Wake Up,” by Rage Against the Machine, leaving the movie on a rousing, exciting burst of energy. Neo’s final line and warning to the machines depict that the character has finally discovered his true identity and knows his true purpose, as he seeks to free the minds of the rest of humanity, much as Morpheus did for him.
Neo’s Awakening Is Also Humanity’s
The Matrix’s epic ending offers the perfect plot resolution. The movie utilizes the Matrix, a digitally created simulation, as a metaphor for individuals trapped in the doldrums of everyday life. Directors Lana and Lilly Wachowski craft an empowering story, showing how people can break free from the rut of their lives and awaken to their true selves, much like Neo and his allies. Most humans who broke free from the Matrix already felt like something was off—a truth about the world they couldn’t detect or truly see, but deep down, they knew something was wrong. Morpheus offers individuals the “red pill,” a chance to learn the harsh truth of the world and an opportunity to liberate enslaved humans from imprisonment at the hands of the machine empire.
Neo’s speech at the end presents a microcosm of the entire movie. It represents that humanity yearns to be freed from the shackles, boundaries, and restrictions that machines placed on their lives. Neo, with his newly discovered powers, will similarly empower and free more minds, revealing that the possibilities of reality are only limited by their imagination. The ending also highlights that the machine empire’s philosophy is restricted by their binary coding and rudimentary thinking, while Neo and humanity’s potential are limitless once their minds are liberated. The Matrix and Neo’s journey represent an awakening to your true self, and realizing that an individual’s singular potential is endless when you believe in the power of One. The movie’s final line and moments cement it as one of the greatest sci-fi action flicks of its era, marking a major moment for cinema. The Matrix presented moviegoers with the movie of the future for the future of the medium.
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Sharon Stone strolled through New York City in a deep brown dress that’s spot on for fall 2026. At 68-years-old, she’s still delivering the kind of effortless elegance that made her a style icon in the first place.
The look hit all the right notes for fall: rich chocolate brown, a curve-enhancing silhouette that highlighted her shape without squeezing and sleeves long enough to actually work for autumn weather in the city. You don’t need a stylist or a stylist’s budget to steal it. The Zesica Long Sleeve Wedding Guest Dress captures the same warm, wearable vibe for a fraction of what Stone’s designer number probably costs.
Get the Zesica Long Sleeve Wedding Guest Dress for $46 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
The Zesica Long Sleeve Wedding Guest Dress is the kind of dress that reads sophisticated without trying too hard, and it proves what plenty of us already know. Brown is having a serious moment, and it flatters skin tones in a way basic black sometimes doesn’t.
What makes this dress work is the body-flattering silhouette and comfy fabric. It shows off your shape in a slimming way, and most importantly, it doesn’t squeeze the tummy. In fact, Amazon shoppers confirm it gracefully skims over the midsection.
One five-star Amazon reviewer raved, “It snugs you in all the right places and the front flare helps hide belly pouch . . . used this for a fall wedding and got so many compliments!”
Pair the Zesica Long Sleeve Wedding Guest Dress with tall boots for a cool-weather brunch, dress it up with gold jewelry for a fall wedding or wear it with a matching trench coat for a chic monochromatic moment. It’s the kind of piece that quietly earns its spot in your closet and keeps showing up when you need it most.
Get the Zesica Long Sleeve Wedding Guest Dress for $46 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.
If you have a late summer or early fall wedding on your calendar, then you know the pains of finding the right dress to wear to the event. After all, the in-between season is one of the trickiest times to shop for a ceremony-coded outfit; summer dresses can feel too beachy, and full-on fall styles […]
In the golden age of television, few networks have shaped the medium with as much ambition and artistry as HBO. Known for pushing creative boundaries and elevating television to a cinematic level, HBO has been behind some of the most influential storytelling in modern entertainment, particularly when it comes to miniseries. These projects have consistently delivered powerful, self-contained narratives that leave a lasting impact.
From intimate character studies to sweeping historical epics, HBO’s miniseries have tackled subjects ranging from war and politics to identity, illness, and justice. What sets them apart is not just the quality of the writing or the caliber of the performances, but the network’s willingness to tell complex stories with nuance and depth. The most essential HBO miniseries of all time tells deeply human stories about people with emotional nuance and authenticity.
10
‘Tanner ’88’ (1988)
Tanner ’88 is a satirical political mockumentary that follows the fictional Democratic presidential campaign of former Michigan Congressman Jack Tanner (Michael Murphy), during the 1988 U.S. presidential primaries. The series combines scripted drama with real-life political events and figures. It cleverly blurs the lines between fiction and reality, featuring cameos from actual politicians and journalists.
Tanner ’88 is considered one of the most essential HBO miniseries of all time because it was groundbreaking in both form and content, setting a new standard for political satire and prestige television. On a technical level, the series pioneered the idea of combining real events with fictional ones. Tanner ’88 paved the way for later series like The West Wing, Veep, and The Thick of It, making it a cornerstone in the evolution of politically themed television drama and satire.
9
‘Olive Kitteridge’ (2014)
Olive Kitteridge is a four-part series based on Elizabeth Strout‘s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. The series stars Frances McDormand in the titular role. The story is set in a small coastal town in Maine, and spans 25 years. Olive, a sharp-tongued, emotionally closed-off schoolteacher, has to navigate her strained marriage, motherhood, and the day-to-day tragedies she and her family face.
Olive Kitteridge stands out as an essential HBO miniseries because of its deeply nuanced portrayal of a complex female protagonist. As a character-driven drama, the series offers an authentic portrayal of a woman struggling with mental illness, aging, grief, and the challenges of small-town life. Olive Kitteridge shines for its emotional honesty and refusal to simplify its characters, marking a milestone in HBO’s legacy of prestige TV.
8
‘The Night Of’ (2016)
The Night Of is a crime drama miniseries that explores the complexities of the U.S. criminal justice system through the story of Nasir “Naz” Khan (Riz Ahmed), a Pakistani-American college student in New York City. He is accused of murdering a young woman after a night of partying. As Naz is pulled deeper into the legal system, The Night Of delves into themes of racial profiling, institutional failure, and moral ambiguity.
The Night Of is considered one of the most essential HBO series of all time because it redefined the crime drama genre with its intense realism and moral nuance. Rather than focusing solely on solving a mystery, the series exposes the dehumanizing machinery of law enforcement, legal defense, incarceration, and media judgment. Rather than presenting easy answers to complex questions, the series allows viewers to consider broader themes that remain topical today.
7
‘From Earth to the Moon’ (1998)
From Earth to the Moon is a docuseries that chronicles the history of NASA’s Apollo program, from its inception in the early 1960s to the final moon mission in 1972. Produced by Tom Hanks following the success of Apollo 13, the 12-part series blends dramatized storytelling with historical accuracy, offering a comprehensive and humanized portrayal of the scientists, engineers, astronauts, and families behind the space race.
From Earth to the Moon is an essential HBO series because it captures one of humanity’s greatest achievements, the Apollo space program, with both technical precision and emotional depth. The series taps into HBO’s reputation for prestige television by blending documentary-like realism with compelling drama. From Earth to the Moon succeeds in showcasing the fact that there were many unsung heroes, including engineers, scientists, and families, who were behind the most iconic moments in spaceflight history.
6
‘The Corner’ (2000)
The Corner is set in a West Baltimore neighborhood ravaged by poverty and drug addiction, and introduces Gary McCullough (T. K. Carter) and his estranged wife Fran Boyd (Khandi Alexander). The two live with a substance use disorder, and their son DeAndre (Sean Nelson) also gets drawn into the drug trade. The Corner examines the all-too-real human cost of systemic neglect, addiction, and urban decay.
The Corner is one of the most essential HBO series of all time because it laid the groundwork for a new kind of socially conscious television. The series never sensationalizes the story it presents. Instead, it invites viewers to consider how systemic neglect by many institutions has consequences for ordinary people. Its semi-documentary style, use of real-life interviews, and emotionally grounded performances gave voice to people often ignored or vilified in mainstream media.
5
‘Generation Kill’ (2008)
Generation Kill is based on Evan Wright‘s (Lee Tergesen) experience being embedded with the U.S. Marine Corps’ 1st Reconnaissance Battalion during the early weeks of the Iraq War in 2003 as a journalist. The series offers a gritty and unfiltered look at modern warfare and how chaotic the Iraq War was from the early days. Generation Kill follows young Marines, completely unprepared for war, as they navigate the chaos and confusion of one of the most brutal wars in recent memory.
Generation Kill is another example of an HBO series that chronicles real events with authenticity without overdramatizing them. The series features realism and sociopolitical insight into the Iraq War, focusing not on grand battles or patriotic tropes, but on the confusion, bureaucracy, and absurdity that soldiers actually experience on the ground. By following real-life Marine Recon troops through the first chaotic weeks of the 2003 invasion, Generation Kill humanizes its characters without ever glorifying the war.
4
‘Chernobyl’ (2019)
Chernobyl is a series that chronicles the Chernobyl power plant explosion in 1986. The series follows the tragedy from the moment the plant explodes, and follows the consequences that ordinary people had to face in its aftermath. Chernobyl is told primarily from the perspective of nuclear physicist Valery Legasov (Jared Harris), who has to convince others of the fact that systemic failures ultimately led to the tragedy.
Chernobyl is such an essential HBO miniseries because it’s such a jarring analysis of a real historical event and the consequences that real people had to face. It takes a historical tragedy and turns it into a searing, universal drama about truth, power, and the human cost of lies. More than just a disaster story, Chernobyl becomes a chilling meditation on institutional denial, the suppression of scientific truth, and the courage required to confront corruption.
3
‘Mare of Easttown’ (2021)
Mare of Easttown is a crime drama that introduces Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet), a weary, small-town Pennsylvania detective who investigates a local murder while grappling with her own personal trauma. The series explores themes of grief, guilt, addiction, and resilience, all set against the backdrop of a working-class town where everyone knows each other and each other’s business. Mare of Easttown follows Mare as she also navigates her family’s particularly difficult circumstances.
Mare of Easttown is one of the most essential HBO miniseries of all time because it masterfully fuses crime drama with intimate, character-driven storytelling, elevating a murder mystery into a profound exploration of grief, trauma, and community. The series presents a deeply authentic portrayal of a working-class town and a flawed, resilient woman struggling to hold herself and her world together. The fact that Mare of Easttown presents such an intimate portrait of grief and loss makes it stand out.
2
‘Band of Brothers’ (2001)
Band of Brothers is a war drama that chronicles the true story of Easy Company, a unit of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division that saw action during World War II. The series follows the experiences of these Marines from their grueling training at Camp Toccoa to some of the most brutal battles of the European theater in World War II, including D-Day, Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge. Band of Brothers is mainly told from the perspective of Major Richard “Dick” Winters (Damian Lewis).
Band of Brothers is such an essential HBO miniseries because it set the standard for similar war dramas. The series doesn’t simply recount these events, but it highlights the courage displayed by those who lived through them. Each episode begins with interviews of surviving members of Easy Company, grounding the show in emotional and historical authenticity. Band of Brothers is instrumental in preserving the legacy of WWII veterans, making their stories more accessible to younger generations.
1
‘Angels in America’ (2003)
Angels in America is a two-part miniseries based on Tony Kushner‘s Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. The series is set in New York in the 1980s during the height of the AIDS crisis and the Reagan era. It weaves together the lives of several interconnected characters, including Prior Walter (Justin Kirk), a gay man diagnosed with AIDS who receives visions from an angel. The series also follows real-life historical figures, including Roy Cohn (Al Pacino).
Angels in America stands out because it tackles the AIDS epidemic at a time when many still avoided the subject on television, showing its human cost in raw, intimate detail. It’s the most essential HBO miniseries ever because it takes Kushner’s complex and theatrical project and adapts it without sacrificing any of the source material’s message. Angels in America asks urgent moral and spiritual questions about justice, progress, and what it means to be American in a time of crisis.
On paper, reuniting one of the most successful director-actor pairs of the 2010s to reboot a franchise that audiences were hungry to revisit seemed like a home run. However, the plan ended in disaster and changed how Hollywood makes and markets movies. It was the mid-2010s, and Melissa McCarthy was one of the biggest box-office draws in the business. She broke out with Bridesmaids, and then headlined a string of hits including The Heat and Spy. All three movies were directed by Paul Feig, and they grossed a combined total of around $1 billion worldwide. It made all the sense in the world to get the two together for a reboot of a long-running horror comedy franchise that had been hovering in limbo for years. The movie in question is currently streaming on Netflix, but not for much longer.
With McCarthy on board, the studio rounded up the film’s cast with comedy stars such as Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth in an against-type cameo. The film’s behind-the-camera team was spearheaded by Feig, who also wrote the screenplay with Katie Dippold; she would go on to win accolades for creating the Apple TV series Widow’s Bay. But things began to go off the rails immediately after the film’s first teaser was unveiled; it ended up becoming the most downvoted trailer in history on YouTube. The backlash continued, and eventually impacted the film’s performance at the box office. It was one of the earliest examples of review-bombing in the internet age, often motivated by misogyny or bias and targeted at fan-focused properties that prominently feature women and other minorities.
Here’s How Long You Have Left to Watch the Controversial Horror Comedy on Netflix
We’re talking, of course, about Ghostbusters: Answer the Call. Produced on a reported budget of $144 million, the film grossed $229 million at the worldwide box office. Despite the review-bombing, it actually received mostly positive reviews from critics. The movie is now sitting at a “Certified Fresh” 74% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Ghostbusters does an impressive job of standing on its own as a freewheeling, marvelously cast supernatural comedy — even if it can’t help but pale somewhat in comparison with the classic original.” Female-led reboots became risky propositions after the film’s release, and Sony opted to reboot the franchise with Ghostbusters: Afterlife instead. You can watch Feig’s film on Netflix until October 1, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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July 14, 2016
- Runtime
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117 minutes
- Director
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Paul Feig
- Writers
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Katie Dippold
- Producers
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Ivan Reitman, Joe Medjuck, Michele Imperato Stabile, Tom Pollock, Ali Bell, Amy Pascal
The Pokémon Trading Card Game’s 30th anniversary set has finally arrived, but its full card list still managed to contain one last surprise. 30th Celebration includes hundreds of cards honoring the TCG’s history, including returning favorites, new Illustration Rares, and a guaranteed Pikachu card in every booster pack. None of those cards, however, generated as much confusion as three bizarre Mew cards that Pokémon refused to acknowledge before release.
Images of the cards first circulated online months ago after reportedly appearing during a Whatnot livestream in June. Each card features Mew rendered in a different primary color, earning the set the unofficial “RGB Mew” nickname, but their unconventional artwork and complete absence from Pokémon’s pre-release marketing caused some collectors to dismiss them as elaborate fakes. Even after physical copies began appearing online, Pokémon kept the mystery alive by leaving the cards out of its initial public checklist.
Pokémon has now officially confirmed that all three RGB Mew cards are real by adding high-quality images of them to the complete 30th Celebration card gallery and Pokémon TCG Live. The red, green, and blue variants were created by Japanese artist YOSHIROTTEN, whose work frequently uses bold colors, digital distortion, and psychedelic imagery. Their official inclusion ends months of debate while confirming that Pokémon intentionally hid some of the anniversary set’s biggest chase cards until players began opening packs.
Pokémon’s Secret RGB Mew Cards Are Real
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Image via The Pokémon Company -
Image via The Pokémon Company -
Image via The Pokémon Company
The RGB Mew cards are pretty unusual because they were treated like actual secrets instead of being revealed through the normal promotional cycle. Pokémon typically publishes a set’s complete numbered checklist before release, allowing collectors to identify every Illustration Rare, Special Illustration Rare, and Hyper Rare they can potentially pull. These three cards were omitted from that process, turning what initially looked like a leak into a mystery that continued until 30th Celebration officially launched.
That secrecy has already sent the cards’ aftermarket prices into absurd territory. Now that the expansion has launched, individual sales listings have begun popping up, particularly on TCGPlayer, where sellers are seeking four figures. Those numbers should be treated cautiously while the market settles, especially as more packs are opened and additional copies enter circulation, but they demonstrate just how much attention Pokémon created by refusing to confirm the cards ahead of time.
Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration was released on September 16, 2026. The set is available exclusively through special products, including Elite Trainer Boxes, collection boxes, and other anniversary bundles.
- Release Date
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1997 – 2023-00-00
- Network
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
- Directors
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Shigeru Omachi, Koji Ogawa, Fumihiro Ueno, Hideki Hiroshima, Maki Kodaira, Makoto Ooga, Ayumi Moriyama, Keitaro Motonaga, Shigeru Ueda, Fumihiro Yoshimura, Minoru Ohara, Yoshitaka Makino, Kiyoshi Egami, Makoto Sokuza, Bjarne Heuser, Naoki Murata, Kenichi Nishida, Tomoe Makino, Masahiko Watanabe, Hiroaki Takagi, Tazumi Mukaiyama, Ryohei Horiuchi, Yoshihiro Oda, Hiromichi Matano
- Writers
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Junki Takegami, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hideki Sonoda, Yukiyoshi Ôhashi, Yuka Miyata, Takeshi Shudo, Shouji Yonemura, Shinzo Fujita, Michihiro Tsuchiya, Deko Akao, Reiko Yoshida, Aya Matsui, Junichi Fujisaku
- Franchise(s)
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Pokemon
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Rica Matsumoto
Satoshi (voice)
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Ikue Otani
Pikachu (voice)
In a time when most shows are available to watch on at least one streaming service, it’s always noteworthy when fans are purchasing a series in its entirety. Buying a series gives those who love the show the opportunity to rewatch it over and over, and it also allows new viewers to have full access for a binge-watch. In the last couple of weeks, a number of long-concluded comedy series have been on sale in their entirety in the Apple TV store. One such series is Happy Endings, a hilarious hangout sitcom that premiered on ABC in 2011 and was cancelled after just three seasons.
What Is ‘Happy Endings’ About?
Like any classic hangout sitcom, Happy Endings follows a close-knit group of friends who all live in a big city, with a focus on both their professional lives and their personal lives. Jane (Eliza Coupe) and Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.) are happily married, Dave (Zachary Knighton) and Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) are about to walk down the aisle after many years of dating, Penny (Casey Wilson) is desperately searching for the one in nearly every guy she meets, and Max (Adam Pally) is happily single and content with casual flings with the guys that he meets. They have all been friends for a very long time, and they hang out every single day. Then, on Dave and Alex’s wedding day, she leaves him at the altar to run off with a man whom she barely knows.
In the wake of Alex and Dave’s disastrous wedding in Happy Endings‘ pilot episode, the rest of their friends worry about what their breakup will do to their group. The six of them are more than a little codependent, have their own intricate rituals and shorthand amongst each other, and don’t have the easiest time fitting in with people outside of their group. Determined to keep the group together as much as they can, Jane, Brad, Penny, and Max try to maintain their friendships with both Dave and Alex. Meanwhile, Alex and Dave have to figure out how to be around each other now that they’re not a couple anymore, and how to let go of their lingering resentment towards one another. Naturally, none of the friends can stay away from each other despite the drama, and they remain an obsessive and dysfunctional friend group for the entirety of Happy Endings‘ three seasons.
15 Years Later, ‘Happy Endings’ Is a Timeless Cult Classic Sitcom
Sitcoms make for excellent shows to buy and to rewatch regularly, because they are perfect for a comfort watch. Happy Endings is as cozy and enjoyable as any great sitcom, but its unique sense of humor is what really makes it stand out. The show has sharp dialogue, and every episode is packed with so many jokes and bits that multiple rewatches are necessary just to pick up on them all. The main friend group is made up of six people who are genuinely obsessed with one another and are constantly involving themselves in every aspect of each other’s lives. They regularly have group insult pile-ons where they all pick one person as their collective target, and they have their own made-up holidays — like the annual “Spring Smackdown,” Brad and Jane’s yearly marital fight that the rest of the friends like to use for their own benefit.
Happy Endings‘ recent success on the Apple TV store charts proves how timeless the show is 15 years after it first aired. The characters are all very dynamic and delightfully flawed, and their banter with one another is absolutely hilarious. The show also has some of the funniest sitcom episodes of the last couple of decades. In one episode, the friends struggle to go out for a simple birthday dinner because they’ve made too many enemies and bad memories at the local restaurants. In another, a simple prank turns into a truly ruthless prank war with pretty much no line off-limits to cross. For TV fans looking for a show with strong characters that will make them laugh with every episode, Happy Endings makes for a fantastic watch, either for the first time or for the hundredth.
Happy Endings is available to stream on Hulu.
Bill Belichick once again had the support of his No. 1 cheerleader, girlfriend Jordon Hudson, at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill’s Saturday, September 19, football game.
Hudson, 25, was spotted arriving at Clemson’s stadium for the ACC matchup, per social media footage. Clearly rooting for the Tar Heels, the former cheerleader traded in her signature snakeskin outfits for a boss-like strapless jumpsuit, which matched the team’s pale blue logo.
Hudson completed her ensemble with white stilettos and a coordinating handbag and sunglasses. For glam, she styled her brunette tresses in long, loose waves.
Hudson and the UNC head coach, 74, have been together since 2021. In the midst of their controversial 49-year age difference, the pair have continually shown up for each other publicly and while defending their romance.
Not even a little drama will keep Jordon Hudson from supporting her boyfriend Bill Belichick’s football team. Hudson, 24, stepped out at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill’s Friday, October 17, football game in Berkeley, California, where she watched the matchup from the sidelines. Hudson brought her signature flair to the game, as well, […]
“Let’s take a deeper dive into the hot topic of the day: LOVE,” Hudson began a February 2025 post via Instagram. “‘What constitutes love?’ or, ‘What makes someone worthy of loving?’ are questions that require a deep analysis and could possibly enable one to understand the romances that they may not understand nor relate to.”
She continued, “Love does not look the same every time you see it. People and relationships, like everything else, are impermanent; even though love is eternal. Love is not to be judged. It is never OK to harass or abuse a person based upon who they love.”
Hudson has remained by the former Super Bowl champ’s side throughout his collegiate coaching career, sparking questions about her perceived involvement.
Jordon Hudson wasn’t just showing up as a supportive girlfriend — she was calling fashion plays for University of North Carolina’s game day at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Dressed in a sleek pale blue pitted tank top and statement-making snake-print flared pants, Hudson, 24, showed her team support in honor of her boyfriend, North Carolina Head […]
“When I took the job here, it was December, and at that time I was doing five TV shows, the radio show, I had a book coming out,” Belichick told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, September 16. “I had a lot of other things going on when I took the job. I sent an email when I got here and I said, ‘Can you please forward any requests to Jordon about my personal appearances so that I can work and coordinate them outside the university?’”
He added at the time, “Didn’t have anything to do with the university. Well, that was leaked as released as ‘Jordon’s involved in every single thing that I do and she’s copied on every email.’ That’s just a flat-out lie.”
Belichick has repeatedly stressed that Hudson is a successful businesswoman in her own right and has only lent a hand to his personal duties outside of UNC.
“I stay focused on football and, some of the other opportunities that come along, Jordon looks at those and can dig into them a little bit deeper,” he said on the “Pivot” podcast last year. “But really, what she does is help me spend my time on football, and that’s what’s important to me.”
Rep. Lauren Boebert is firing back over a House Ethics Committee complaint alleging that she had sex with three current and former staffers.
“Congresswoman Lauren Boebert rejects these allegations as utterly false and there is no truth to them whatsoever,” a spokesperson for Boebert, 39, told Us on Saturday, September 16. “This is nothing more than a politically motivated stunt designed to manipulate the ethics process, create headlines, smear her, and generate clickbait.”
The Colorado representative’s office spoke out following American Muckrakers’ David Wheeler submitting a sworn statement about her alleged misconduct with three staffers — two female and one male — to the House Committee on Ethics earlier this week, reports The Colorado Times Recorder. The complaint alleges that Boebert previously arranged a $200,000 hush money payment to prevent one staffer from filing their own ethics complaint.
“[These accusations] come from an activist who has long recycled sensational claims, including numerous baseless accusations previously fact-checked as false,” Boebert’s rep said.
Congressman Eric Swalwell is facing sexual assault allegations from multiple women, a Manhattan District Attorney’s investigation and calls from top Democrats to end his campaign for California governor. Four women — including a former staffer who claims the politician raped her — accused Swalwell in April 2026 of sexual misconduct and harassment. Swalwell has categorically […]
Wheeler and Boebert have had a long-running feud that dates back over four years and has involved multiple threats of legal action.
Us has reached out to Rep. Boebert’s office for comment.
The ethics complaint against Boebert could carry serious consequences as the House Code of Official Conduct strictly prohibits representatives from having intimate or sexual relationships with staff who work directly under them in their offices or on committees.
In September 2023, Boebert — an outspoken ally of President Donald Trump — publicly apologized over reports that she and a companion were thrown out of Denver’s Buell Theatre during a performance of Beetlejuice The Musical.
The prominent Republican politician initially denied accusations that she and her companion were vaping and groping one another during the performance — though she later conceded she’d acted inappropriately, in part, because of the trauma of her then-pending divorce from ex Jayson Boebert, per CPR News.
“The past few days have been difficult and humbling, and I’m truly sorry for the unwanted attention my Sunday evening in Denver has brought to the community,” she wrote at the time. “There’s no perfect blueprint for going through a public and difficult divorce, which over the past few months has made for a challenging personal time for me and my entire family.”
Her statement concluded, “I’ve tried to handle it with strength and grace as best I can, but I simply fell short of my values on Sunday. That’s unacceptable and I’m sorry.”
Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio is unable or unwilling to say if his daughter Emily Moreno’s ex-husband, Rep. Max Miller, should resign after Emily accused the Ohio congressman of domestic violence, including breaking their daughter’s — the senator’s granddaughter’s — collarbone. “I don’t know,” Moreno told political outlet NOTUS on Friday, July 31, when he […]
More recently, Boebert appeared to poke fun at former House colleagues Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-California) and Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) resigning due to separate sex scandals earlier this year.
“Like, I mean, why is everybody so horny here?” Boebert asked reporters on the steps of Capitol Hill in April.
Speaking to Nexstar D.C. correspondent Vinay Simlot, Boebert recommended that troubled colleagues should “go to church [and] find Jesus.”
Boebert has represented Colorado’s fourth district since January 2025, having previously served the state’s third congressional district.
Can MomTok survive the group’s latest social media squabbles?
“Doesn’t discount phone calls at 1 am, asking him to go on a podcast with you, inviting him over,” Miranda Hope said of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives costar Taylor Frankie Paul’s friendship with Chase McWhorter, the aspiring singer’s ex-husband. “If I did that with Dakota [Mortensen, your ex], I’d end up in a ditch somewhere. Once again, it’s about the principle.”
Miranda, 28, continued, “Trying to make it about jealousy is so laughable; I wouldn’t wait up for that apology call.”
Influencer Emma Ellis posted a TikTok video featuring Chase, prompting Hope to address the alleged hypocrisy via a meme that read, “Bitch, you on some weird s***.”
Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Miranda Hope McWhorter and Layla Taylor broke their silence after leaked footage showed their costar Taylor Frankie Paul throwing chairs at now-ex Dakota Mortensen during an argument in February 2023 that led to her arrest. Miranda, 27, and Layla, 25, condemned domestic violence in statements posted via Instagram Stories […]
Layla Taylor, who briefly dated Chase and his brother Mason McWhorter at separate times, also called out what she considered to be the “insane” double standard of the post.
Taylor, 32, for her part, also chimed in the comments, claiming the girls were just “jealous.”
“Their jealously [sic] is embarrassing at this point because I was talking about Emma aka my girl crush. I’ve mentioned that multiple times on her page,” Taylor wrote via Instagram comment on Friday, September 18, clarifying her initial message. “Maybe Miranda and Layla can call to privately apologize for THIS too.”
After Miranda responded to Taylor’s claims of jealousy, Layla, 25, denied the accusations in a separate comment.
“Jealous of the girl who only has 8 hours of supervised time with her kids?” Layla wrote. “Don’t wait up on the call, love.”
Taylor, who has not further responded to her costars’ messages, reportedly lost parenting time with her three children after allegedly failing multiple drug tests in the last 60 days. (Taylor shares daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 6, with ex-husband Tate Paul, as well as son Ever, 2, with Dakota, 33.)
TMZ reported on Wednesday, September 16, that Taylor was limited to eight hours of weekly parenting time after allegedly failing drug tests. (Us understands that juvenile court proceedings are strictly confidential and a court-ordered gag order remains in effect.)
“The fact that alleged information from these confidential proceedings is being disclosed publicly is yet another example of the continuing harassment and inappropriate conduct from the other side,” a source told Us at the time.
Taylor temporarily lost custody of Ever in March after resurfaced footage from her 2023 arrest was leaked. (Taylor was arrested for assault after she physically and verbally assaulted Dakota at the time, at one point throwing chairs at him in the presence of her daughter. She entered a guilty plea as part of a deal to dismiss additional child abuse accusations. She completed her mandatory three-year probation last month.)
After a court hearing this summer, a judge ruled to increase Taylor’s visitation rights with Ever and granted both the influencer and Dakota multiple protective orders. Tate, for his part, requested a restraining order against Taylor in July to change the terms of their divorce and custody arrangement. His motion was subsequently denied.
Taylor has denied the allegations as she continues to navigate both legal battles.
“I tried to have this sealed from the beginning. It wasn’t in protection of me, but honestly, just to keep it sealed for the children,” she claimed in a July social media video. “This was something I asked for and was denied from the beginning. I am an open book. I will give you the ugly and the pretty. If you know me, I don’t claim to be this ‘mother of the year.’ I have my faults.”
Taylor continued at the time, “I also have a right to stick up for myself, give context of my life. … I will admit I am a lot of things. I can confidently say that if you were to put my kids on a [witness] stand, they are choosing Mom and Mom’s house every time, I say that with full confidence because I love my children. They know that I love them.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
The 2000s saw many movies that capitalized on the success of The Matrix – in almost every genre there was an homage, or pastiche, of the popular sci-fi’s bullet time sequences, kung fu action, or futuristic aesthetic. One film, however, harnessed that momentum rather than copying it: 2003’s Underworld. Kate Beckinsale led the movie that would spark a franchise, which years later is now climbing the charts on Starz, where three volumes of the series are currently among the top 10 most-streamed films. So, is it simply imitation that made it a success? Far from it, because the movies and their lead changed the way we looked at women in action movies forever.
‘Underworld’ is a Gothic Action Spectacular
“The war had all but ground to a halt in the blink of an eye…”, so begins the opening monologue of Underworld, a movie that asks us to look beneath the city streets to find a centuries-long feud between mythical beings. Beckinsale plays Selene, a vampire assassin called a Death Dealer who hunts Lycans (a shortened form of lycanthrope, meaning werewolf) as part of a war between the two species that has raged for generations. She falls for a human named Michael (Scott Speedman) who possesses a secret that makes him a target for both sides. When he is bitten by a Lycan, however, she must question her loyalties and everything she has known.
Vampires and werewolves have been around almost as long as cinema itself, but Underworld promised something different: Rather than a lone Count Dracula in a castle or werewolf rampaging through the forest, these were vast, intricate societies that focused on each other rather than a human hero. The film was inspired by the success of The Matrix, with an underground society and ancient war that happens unbeknownst to humanity. However, it didn’t mimic the Wachowskis’ film, having its own horror edge and unique grittiness, led by a lead character who would bite her way into genre history.
Kate Beckinsale Stole the Show as Selene
When the first Underworld film premiered, English star Beckinsale was not known for action roles. In fact, she had spent much of her career in very different genres. Known for dramas such as The Last Days of Disco and Brokedown Palace, and wartime romance Pearl Harbor, she was viewed as a romantic lead, rather than a kick-ass heroine. That all changed with Selene, a hardened Lycan hunter who serves her leaders loyally, until she learns everything she was told was a lie. This turns her into a weapon driven by truth, rather than dogma — a soldier no longer following orders, and instead following what’s right.
In all three sequels, we chart her evolution from devotee to leader. Having had her worldview shattered, she allies with Michael, follows her heart, and unlocks her true potential as 2006’s Underworld: Evolution sees her become a stronger, more advanced version of herself following exposure to sacred blood. 2012’s Underworld: Awakening sees an emotional change, as she finds herself faced with motherhood and a world that has shifted toward something more dangerous. She reaches her final form in Underworld: Blood Wars (2016), as she ascends to the level of Elder Vampire, smashing the dynastic rituals of the past and becoming a leader by merit. Each chapter of Selene’s story sees her take things to the next level, with her 13-year tenure making its mark on the genre.
‘Underworld’ Spearheaded a New Generation of Female Action Heroes
At the time of Underworld’s release, there were few lead female action heroes. Selene was by no means the first, but Beckinsale’s performance ensured she stood out in a field often weighed down by tropes or thin narrative. Early 2000s female action heroes were often part of an ensemble, such as the original X-Men movie, or as a supporting character to the male lead, such as The Matrix’s Trinity.
Here, Selene was the focus – emotionally, and in terms of identity – in a way that redefined the way many audiences looked at female-led action movies. She would, of course, be preceded by 2002’s Resident Evil, and its unforgettable protagonist Alice (Milla Jovovich). The two characters mirrored each other in terms of grit, resourcefulness, and abilities, but whereas Alice adapted to the different scenarios she faced over six movies, Selene came to master her surroundings. The pair would make an unmatched impression in the next two decades, and prove that women could not just lead multi-million dollar franchises, they could make them legendary.
Selene has been gone from our screens for a decade, with rumors of one more appearance consistently circulating online. For now, however, the Underworld films stand as a remarkable fusion of horror and action, with a character that any franchise would kill to have as their lead.
- Release Date
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September 19, 2003
- Runtime
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122 Minutes
- Writers
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Danny McBride
Starting a thriller is the easy part. All it takes is one intriguing mystery or terrible decision, and the audience is hooked for a couple of episodes at the very least. The real challenge is holding onto that same tension. The longer a story runs, the more chances it has to overcomplicate things, or worse, lose all momentum.
The only shows that avoid that rut hold on to their central narrative while giving their characters room to evolve in every direction. This way, every new twist feels like it is moving the story somewhere rather than just buying more time for bad writing. Here are five such thriller series that stay in complete control of their stories and make the ending feel as exciting as everything that came before it.
1
‘Dark’ (2017–2020)
Dark is Netflix’s first-ever German original series, and it begins with the disappearance of a child in the small town of Winden. However, it doesn’t take long for that mystery to expand into something much bigger than the audience could have imagined. The search for this missing boy brings together four families into a mystery stretching across different generations of the town. The story also follows Jonas Kahnwald (Louis Hofmann), who is still struggling with his father Michael’s (Sebastian Rudolph) suicide. What’s interesting, though, is how all of these strange events in Winden lead to a wormhole hidden inside the town’s caves that allows people to travel through time.
Suddenly, Dark turns into a completely different show as characters begin traveling between different periods of Winden’s history, only to discover that events from decades ago are directly connected to whatever is happening in the present. The series keeps introducing different versions of the same characters and builds on its central mystery without ever losing control of it. Now, a show with this many timelines, characters, and convoluted stories could have easily fallen apart in the middle, but Dark manages to bring everything together in a finale that truly feels earned. Dark Season 1 is excellent at asking questions, but Seasons 2 and 3 prove that the writers actually know exactly how to answer them all.
2
‘Mr. Robot’ (2015–2019)
Mr. Robot is intriguing right from the start thanks to its incredibly compelling protagonist. The series follows socially isolated cybersecurity engineer Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), who secretly hacks people he believes deserve to be exposed. Hacking is Elliot’s way of understanding a world he otherwise feels disconnected from. However, his otherwise boring life takes a turn when the mysterious Mr. Robot (Christian Slater) recruits him into fsociety, a hacker group planning to bring down the enormously powerful E Corp and erase consumer debt.
The group actually succeeds in carrying out its attack, but soon enough, Elliot finds himself caught between E Corp and his own increasingly unreliable mind. Every episode throws a curveball at the audience as they realize they can’t always trust Elliot’s perspective. The show creates a constant sense of uncertainty between what’s real and what isn’t. The consequences keep shifting, and Mr. Robot keeps finding new sides of Elliot to explore, especially after the identity of Mr. Robot is revealed. By the time the series ends, it feels completely different from the hacker thriller it started as, but that gradual progression is what makes the protagonist’s downward spiral so intriguing to follow.
3
‘The Americans’ (2013–2018)
The Americans takes a familiar spy story and immediately makes it feel personal. The series, set during the Cold War, follows Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys), a seemingly ordinary married couple living with their two children outside Washington, D.C. The catch is that Elizabeth and Philip are actually Soviet KGB agents who have spent years pretending to be Americans. Their children have no idea who their parents really are, and neither do their neighbors. Their situation takes a dangerous turn when FBI counterintelligence agent Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich) moves in across the street, a man whose very job is to smoke out spies.
The Americans thrives on the contrast between the couple’s increasingly dangerous missions and their normal suburban life. Of course, balancing their two lives becomes harder as Elizabeth and Philip’s children grow older, their work starts affecting their marriage, and the lines between their identities begin to blur. The Americans is one of the very few spy shows that manages to stay consistently entertaining and emotionally mature throughout its run. The possibility of the Jennings family being exposed never completely disappears, which makes every episode feel urgent, not to mention that the final season leads to one of the greatest endings in modern thriller TV — one that forces the couple to finally face the cost of every lie and sacrifice they have made.
4
‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)
Breaking Bad begins with high school chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) finding out that he has cancer. Now, what could have turned into an extremely tragic story takes the exact opposite turn when Walter teams up with former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) and uses his chemistry skills to make meth. At first, Walter insists he is only doing it for money, so he knows that his family will not struggle after he is gone. The fascinating part is watching how quickly that excuse starts falling apart. The series takes its time turning Walter from an ordinary, frustrated man into someone far more dangerous, and that patience is a huge part of why the story works so well.
Every choice feels like it grows naturally from the one before it. Every time Walter gets away with something, he becomes a little bolder and pushes things even further. What really separates Breaking Bad from most thrillers, though, is how little it wastes. A seemingly minor object, conversation, or decision can return much later with enormous consequences, and the tension keeps building because the series remembers almost everything it sets up. By the time the final season arrives, the story gets to cash in on years of carefully planted choices, which is why Breaking Bad feels just as intentional at the finish as it did at the beginning.
5
‘The Night Of’ (2016)
The Night Of builds its central conflict using a borrowed taxi, a stranger in the back seat, and one impulsive night. The series follows college student Nasir “Naz” Khan (Riz Ahmed), who loses all control of his life when the woman he spent the night with is dead the next morning. To make things worse, Naz has almost no memory of what happened, and the evidence surrounding him doesn’t exactly paint him as innocent. The Night Of could easily have turned that setup into a conventional whodunit. Instead, it becomes something far more uncomfortable. The murder mystery still matters, but the series is just as interested in what happens after someone becomes a suspect.
Naz is pushed through interrogation rooms, court hearings, and eventually Rikers Island, where surviving means leaving the sheltered college student he once was. The only person on his side is his lawyer John Stone (John Turturro), who keeps pulling at loose threads in the case in the desperate hopes of proving Naz innocent. The Night Of doesn’t reveal whether or not Naz committed the crime, and that uncertainty hangs over all eight episodes. Nearly every character in the series has a theory, and the evidence keeps pointing in different directions. However, what makes The Night Of such a complete thriller is that it understands the case itself is only part of the damage. In the end, the viewers realize that watching Naz slowly change into someone he barely recognizes is the real story.
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