Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for the House of the Dragon Season 3 finale.

HBO’s House of the Dragon has had a lot of ups and downs since its premiere. Season 1 was praised for bringing the franchise back to its political roots after Game of Thrones‘s abysmal final chapter, while Season 2 proved a bit more divisive. Because of that, as well as a very long wait for the newest and penultimate installment, Season 3 was fighting an uphill battle.

Thankfully, House of the Dragon Season 3 began with not one, not two, but three of some of the best episodes in the entire series. From the Battle of the Gullet to Rhaenyra’s (Emma D’Arcy) complicated claim of the Iron Throne, there are plenty of standout moments that have helped to make Season 3 one of the Game of Thrones franchise’s best. Now, the finale is finally here, but does it manage to stick the landing?

Aegon and Sunfyre’s Return Causes Chaos in King’s Landing

Rhaenyra’s woes have finally come to a head, as the realm is buzzing with the news that Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) still lives, as well as his dragon Sunfyre. This puts Rhaenyra’s entire claim to the Iron Throne at risk, and she emotionally confides in Daemon (Matt Smith) in the hopes of finding a solution. Even less helpful is Baela (Bethany Antonia), who is hounding Rhaenyra for an update on a rescue attempt for Corlys (Steve Toussaint), currently in the custody of Ormund Hightower (James Norton).

In a somewhat surprising move, Rhaenyra also orders the removal of Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) from her cabinet despite their secret romance. Before Mysaria is escorted out of the Red Keep, she crosses paths with Helaena (Phia Saban) and directly informs her that the queen is never going to let her leave King’s Landing. This proves to be one of the final straws in Rhaenyra and Helaena’s already rocky relationship, which is complicated further after Rhaenyra forces the guards to force-feed Helaena to end her hunger strike.

The schism with Helaena could also double as the moment that truly pushes Rhaenyra into Mad Queen territory, even though her next heir, Joffrey (Oscar Eskinazi), has been safely delivered to King’s Landing. After donning armor and chainmail, Rhaenyra insists on being escorted under guard to the sept in an effort to reassert her claim to the throne, but when the High Septon (Simon Chandler) once again refuses to anoint her as queen, Rhaenyra orders Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) to kill him. Shortly afterward, the new and much more ruthless queen addresses her subjects, revealing the truth of Aegon’s Prophecy and declaring herself “the Prince Who Was Promised.”

The Battle of Tumbleton Leads to Major Losses in the ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Finale

Image via HBO

As Daemon and other allies loyal to Rhaenyra gather at Tumbleton, Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) is inside the city’s walls celebrating as if it’s the end of the world. Ormund’s craven battle strategy, which also includes him putting literal children on the front lines as human shields, hasn’t gone unnoticed by Daeron (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Gwayne (Freddie Fox), who know they’re fighting a losing battle. The two hatch a plan to trade Corlys to Daemon for safe passage out of Tumbleton, but Corlys takes over the negotiations, trying to appeal to Daemon’s better nature and arguing for peace. Instead, the Sea Snake is handed over into Daemon’s custody while Gwayne flees.

Not much longer after, the Battle of Tumbleton officially begins, with Daemon throwing everything he has at the city while Ormund runs around looking for Ulf, who’s gotten so drunk that he’s sleeping through the event. Leading the charge is Ser Roderick Dustin (Tommy Flanagan), who is having the time of his life slaying Hightowers before Caraxes burns down the front gate. Eventually, Ormund finds Ulf and gives him quite the dressing down before ordering him to get on his dragon Silverwing and attack Rhaenyra’s army.

Meanwhile, Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew) has abandoned his post at King’s Landing to find his wife Kat (Ellora Torchia) in Tumbleton. Ulf stays true to his promise at first, burning a portion of the Blacks’ forces, but Ormund should’ve recognized that the dragonseed doesn’t respond well to negative feedback. After violently clashing with Ser Roderick on the battlements, Ormund looks up in horror as Ulf sets his sights not just on the Targaryen forces, but also the Hightowers, burning both men to a crisp. Unfortunately for Hugh, he’s too late to save his wife, cradling Kat’s lifeless body in his arms.

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Ends With Another Shocking Character Death

Two people who aren’t present at the Battle of Tumbleton are Aegon and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), but that’s for good reason. The two brothers finally reunite at Harrenhal, and understandably, Aegon is none too happy about seeing the kin who tried to kill him. Aegon has the upper hand now that Sunfyre has returned from the dead, and while it would bring the would-be king great joy to slay Aemond where he stands, Aegon instead proposes a truce between them to find Vhagar and remove Rhaenyra as queen for good. If Aemond is willing to help him regain the throne, Aegon declares, maybe he’ll finally be able to forgive his brother for attempting to kill him.

While Rhaenyra’s forces are technically victorious at Tumbleton, tragedy strikes at King’s Landing. Not willing to be a prisoner any longer, Helaena jumps from her bedroom window in a sequence eerily similar to Tommen Baratheon’s (Dean-Charles Chapman) demise in Game of Thrones. Traveling back from Harrenhal, Alicent (Olivia Cooke), who has largely taken a backseat in this episode, suddenly finds herself surrounded by blue butterflies, a heartbreaking omen, without realizing its connection to her daughter’s fate. Upon entering Helaena’s room, Rhaenyra discovers the tapestry her half-sister had been working on, which the Dreamer had not only stitched her own death into but also included an image of the queen herself, sitting on the Iron Throne, covered in blood.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is streaming now on HBO Max.

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Release Date

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August 21, 2022

Network

HBO

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Showrunner

George R.R. Martin

Directors

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Clare Kilner, Geeta Patel

Writers

Gabe Fonseca

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  Fabien Frankel

  Ser Criston Cole

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Pros & Cons

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• Tumbleton is another stunning battle in Westeros.
• Emma D’Arcy’s performance of Rhaenyra’s evolution into a mad queen continues to impress.
• There are plenty of interesting plot threads for the fourth and final season to follow.

• Alicent feels weirdly sidelined.
• The episode has some plot holes and inconsistencies.

Kelly Clarkson is getting candid about her body after a near-wardrobe malfunction onstage.

“There’s a lot of amazing things happening, uh oh, there’s my boobs,” Clarkson, 44, interrupted her speech during her Saturday, August 8, concert at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, while quickly pulling down her sheer crop top over her midsection.

Soothing fan concern over a potential nip slip, the singer added, “They’re too small, they won’t come out. You’re fine.”

Clarkson further quipped that her breasts “were perfect.”

“They’re not going anyway,” she stated, reassuring fans that nothing would pop out during the show. “They’re perfect. … I started talking about my boobs, [and] I got off track. I’m gonna be honest with you, somebody was like, ‘It’s the Lion’s Gate Portal. It’s 8-8, there’s so much energy out, don’t speak negatively.’ Right when I made a self-deprecating joke, I’m like, ‘Just kidding, universe, my boobs are awesome!’”

The Lion’s Gate Portal is an annual celestial event that occurs on August 8, signifying the alignment of the sun in Leo, the earth and the star Sirius. Many individuals often manifest their dreams during this time period.

“I got texts all last night, like, ‘Don’t gossip, don’t speak ill of anyone or yourself [to manifest] things out there that you want,’” Clarkson said on Saturday. “I was like, ‘You’re sure we’re doing this s*** everyday? I don’t know if it should just be tomorrow … or this should be a life thing?’ It’s in my head, so as soon as I [shared] self-deprecation, I was like, ‘Just kidding!’”

Related: Kelly Clarkson Reveals the Real Reason She’s Not Interested in Dating

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Kelly Clarkson is single — but reluctant to mingle. Clarkson, 43, spoke candidly about the dating game while on stage at the Colosseum at Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace over the weekend as part of her Studio Sessions residency. Taking a moment to chat with fans between performances of her greatest hits, the “Since U Been […]

Clarkson performed on Saturday as part of her limited Sin City residency.

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“I’m just surrounded by so much talent and just cool-ass people,” she gushed on Saturday. “I’m getting too old, [so] I have a no a**holes allowed policy.”

Clarkson quickly course-corrected, once again telling the “universe” that she didn’t mean for her unofficial “a**holes policy” to be a “negative” statement to take into the next celestial event.

“They’re just on a different path than I am,” she quipped, later opening up about navigating difficult relationships. “It’s a reality for a lot of us. We [weren’t] handed people that found worth in us, like, we deserved better, you know? That’s a tough thing to  grow up with, that’s a tough thing to overcome [and] that’s a tough thing to find healthy relationships when you’ve never been shown one. Those are all excuses; I learned that in therapy.”

Demi Moore and Bruce Willis’ daughter Tallulah Willis is officially a married woman.

Tallulah, 32, and her fiancé, Justin Acee, said “I do” during an intimate wedding ceremony held in Sun Valley, Idaho, on Saturday, August 8, according to Vogue.

Tallulah, who got engaged to Acee in December 2024, donned a bespoke Balenciaga bridal gown designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli on her special day.

“The best part of the dress is the magnitude. It’s the thing that’s getting me to my new husband,” Tallulah told Vogue during her dress fitting. “[Justin and I] made a decision at the very beginning of our relationship that we were going to choose each other every day. My biggest hope [for the dress] was that [it would be] something magical, but magical in a way that was unexpected, kind of like me.”

She continued, “I’ve worked very hard to be comfortable in my own skin, to be in something that there’s a strength in is profound for me. I’ve worked so hard in my life to be able to find that beauty every day. This is definitely a very special peak celebration moment of beauty.”

To find the perfect dress for the big day, Tallulah entrusted her mom’s longtime stylist, Brad Goreski.

“Being able to put together things that I like, and working together with Brad too on that, and walking in the room and seeing all of these things come to life, and then also knowing it was for me, was such a beautiful moment,” Tallulah recalled of the design process. “I’ll never forget that.”

As for Goreski, 48, the fashion maven told the outlet that Tallulah wanted a “whimsical and ethereal” gown. Piccioli’s atelier subsequently crafted a strapless, silk column dress with a draped train and a bow adorning the back of the skirt.

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Related: Tallulah Willis Makes Rare Comment on Mom Demi Moore’s Ex Ashton Kutcher

Tallulah Willis is shedding light on her relationship with mom Demi Moore’s ex-husband Ashton Kutcher. The conversation began when Willis, 31, weighed in after Gwyneth Paltrow shared an Instagram post with husband Brad Falchuk about navigating stepparenting. (Paltrow, 52, shares daughter Apple, 20, and son Moses, 19, with ex-husband Chris Martin, while Falchuk, 54, is […]

“[The bow] was something that Pierpaolo wanted,” Tallulah said. “He wanted it to be like a package that was being unwrapped.”

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In addition, the dress featured a strapless bodice that paid homage to the black Balenciaga frock that Moore, 63, wore to the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar party.

“It was [a] beautiful, black, super simple sheath, but it had that really sculptural Balenciaga [neckline],” Tallulah recalled of her mom’s ensemble from the March red carpet. “When I first tried on the original iteration [of my wedding dress], it was flat across [the neckline], and I just thought, wouldn’t it be so beautiful to have no necklace and nothing up here, but just the shape.”

Exes Moore and Bruce, who is currently battling frontotemporal dementia, also share daughters Rumer and Scout. The Die Hard actor also is the father of two younger daughters with his wife, Emma Heming Willis.

Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers for the House of the Dragon Season 3 finale.

House of the Dragon‘s story has been largely devoted to the brewing civil war within House Targaryen, but there’s another family of Valyrian noble blood that has been making their own moves behind the scenes. Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) may not have much he can leave his descendants after the brutal Battle of the Gullet, but he can offer the protection of his name. After his request for Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) to legitimize his sons, Alyn (Abubakar Salim) and Addam (Clinton Liberty) of Hull, is ultimately denied, Corlys steps down from his role as Hand, recommending Alyn in his place.

It’s a move that proves to be a bit of “culture shock” for the former sailor, as Salim tells Collider, but in the beginning, Alyn’s perspective does lead to some helpful change at King’s Landing — like the solution of cats to deal with the Red Keep’s pesky rat problem. Yet not even the actor himself could have expected where Alyn’s story was heading, culminating in the Season 3 finale, when Rhaenyra orders her Hand to kill the High Septon (Simon Chandler), an act that Salim refers to as “make-or-break” and hints could have major ramifications for Alyn’s position and his most important relationships, including Addam and Baela (Bethany Antonia).

COLLIDER: We’re going to get into the finale, but first, I wanted to ask what you enjoyed about filming the small council scenes this season. You have to keep such a straight face while there’s so much going on in those moments.

ABUBAKAR SALIM: Ridiculousness. The whole thing is hilarious, because that’s the first time I’ve ever been in those scenes. I’m so used to working on the dock and being outside, using my hands. Just sitting down and being in this room where all these heavyweights are going at each other, I feel a bit out of depth. The one thing I’d say that was a lot of fun was really just watching them all work. As an actor, you get a lot from watching so many people do their thing. I was just in awe most of the time. Trying to remember when to come in most of the time, which was pretty funny.

I know people are likely going to be buzzing about the High Septon scene. Before we talk about it from a character perspective, what was your reaction to reading it in the script?

SALIM: That’s a big move. It’s like killing the Pope. It’s kind of insane. It was really punchy. The fact that [Rhaenyra] uses Alyn, that was what really blew my mind. I remember talking with Ryan [Condal] about it and being like, “Sure, Rhaenyra might have her own ideas of what religion is and where she’s at, but I’m the common folk. You’re putting that in Alyn’s hands. You’re having him kill the priest.”

It was hard to actually figure out why Alyn would do it. There’s the moment, obviously, when Rhaenyra convinces him and says, “You’re of a higher power.” Rather than necessarily thinking, “Yeah, I am of a high power,” it’s more of a sense of, “No, this lady has gone loco, and she will kill me if I don’t do this.”

Abubakar Salim Discusses Alyn’s “Make-or-Break” Act in ‘House of the Dragon’s Season 3 Finale

“There is absolutely the feeling that this is all above his pay grade, way above his station.”

Image via HBO

In terms of Alyn’s overall dynamic with Rhaenyra, he takes his father’s place when Corlys decides to leave King’s Landing due to frustration and feeling like he’s been betrayed by Rhaenyra’s refusal to grant legitimacy to Addam and Alyn. Did you try to play any of the buildup to the High Septon scene as Alyn having doubts about Rhaenyra’s intentions, even if he’s not expressing them out loud?

SALIM: Absolutely. I think there’s a perspective that Alyn brings to this where he hasn’t come with a silver spoon, so there is a reality check here. There is absolutely the feeling that this is all above his pay grade, way above his station. For me, it was important to make sense of it. To jump from a sea boy to a councilman is massive. It’s like pulling a farmer out to be a politician. Sure, they’ll bring their own perspective and their own elements, and they might actually have more of a better understanding, to a degree, of what the people want. But it’s a culture shock because it’s a completely different language.

That’s something that I really wanted to try and capture and emulate: how it evolves and escalates quickly. That was quite difficult to wrap my head around, as an actor, but it’s at a time when everything is so tricky and on edge, so it makes sense for things to just happen.

Before that, Addam comes to Alyn and brings up Aegon’s reappearance and concerns about Rhaenyra’s state of mind. How much of Alyn is hearing him in that moment? It takes on a more ominous feeling in hindsight, knowing what happens with the Septon.

SALIM: Whereas Addam is very impulsive and just goes for it. Alyn’s just a bit more measured and patient. It makes me feel excited to see where it goes next season, because that’s such a big move. It’s such a huge move, and it’s a make-or-break for a lot of people, particularly for Alyn.

The conversation with Addam is an interesting one. It’s funny, though, because it is loaded with so many other elements and context that sometimes it’s hard for the brothers to even see through the weeds of one another. If the Baela element wasn’t actually a part of it all, there would’ve been a very different conversation, and it would’ve been a very measured one. Because there is just so much emotion going on, it’s made into a bigger thing.

Well, I was going to bring up the Baela of it all, because that hadn’t happened the last time we spoke about the show. Baela and Alyn’s story goes in a very specific direction in Fire & Blood, and the breadcrumbs are dropped this season leading up to the moment when the kiss happens. How did you and Bethany [Antonia] want to approach both the kiss and the deeper emotions at play beneath it?

SALIM: There are so many points of view in this show. To have a buildup of something that important and that powerful, it needs time. The obstacle that we had was that there’s so little time for the amount of story content that needs to be said and shared. When I was talking to Bethany about it, I remember we were also trying to wrap our heads around it. We knew it was coming.

The truth is, because of the time we’re in — of war, pain, grief — you could do anything. I remember my own grief of losing my dad, and the actions and the things that I did were almost like it wasn’t me, in a weird way, but then it was at the same time. There is so much emotion and grief emanating in the space, in the world itself. Alyn thought he had lost his father. [Corlys] comes back and gives Alyn a name. He’s then put into this new position. His brother is flying a death machine. Baela’s lost her betrothed. She’s just losing people left, right, and center. It isn’t just Jace; it’s Corlys’ wife [Rhaena] as well. She even lost her own mother.

I think that’s where it comes from. There is an element of almost seeing a kindred spirit in that. The one thing that I have always said, even after losing my dad, is that when you meet someone else who’s lost someone that they hold dearly, you’re on a different wavelength. You have a different connection and resonance with them because there is an element of understanding, of a level you’ve entered that no one else is at unless they’ve experienced something akin to it.

It doesn’t have to be a parent. It can be a pet. It can be a loved one. It can be a job. But there is something deep that has no explanation, which is why an action like Alyn kissing Baela made sense. That’s where we approached it. It was an element of real deep connection. We’re not human now; we’re animals, and we are hurting, and there is only each other that we have here. Alyn can’t talk to his brother, really, because he’s doing his own thing. His father is just difficult to even connect with. No way is he going to try and open himself up to Rhaenyra. Who else have we got here?

Addam does put feelers out, at one point, to see if Baela is interested in him. Where do you think Alyn would stand on his brother potentially being his romantic rival?

SALIM: It’s such a crazy time. Anything can happen. That’s why it’s so boggling and weird, and kind of left field. There is just no time to process anything. I don’t think even Alyn sees him as a rival. We’re all drinking the weird Kool-Aid, and it’s really affecting us all. We’re in war, and people say stupid things in war, or in pain, or in desperation. It isn’t even about him seeing him as a rival. It’s almost like, “What? Where did that come from?”

Abubakar Salim Discusses Alyn’s Reaction to a Potential Succession Conflict in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 4

“The people, the sailors, would rather follow him than Joffrey.”

Image via HBO

In the finale, Alyn publicly declares himself as Corlys’ heir. I spoke about it with Steve [Toussaint], and he said Corlys would be proud, because it’s something he wanted anyway. He mentioned something I hadn’t even considered, though, which is that Rhaenyra’s son Joffrey might still be in line to claim Driftmark. Where do you think Alyn’s instinct to publicly assert himself as Lord of the Tides stems from, and how is he going to deal with a potential succession conflict heading into Season 4?

SALIM: Alyn’s approach is very much led by his father’s mentality in regards to… I don’t know if you can recall, but in Season 2, Corlys essentially tells Alyn that he’s too hard. He’s too cold. That people, they don’t see him as friendly. I think there is something really important learned there, which is it’s about the people. It’s about what the people believe and what the people think and what they feel. They are the ones who elect the leader, no one else. When Alyn comes out with it and says, “This is what it is,” he knows as well as his father, as well as the people, know that this makes sense. This is who he is.

His instinct or his impulse to take a stand and be like, “This is my right,” in a way, is because he’s seen enough now. He’s been through enough. His father has given him his name even when he has nothing. That’s a very different fuel than it was beforehand. In regards to the element of succession, we’re not talking about a throne here. We’re talking about nothing. There’s nothing there anymore. So, you can have Driftmark, but are you going to do anything about it?

I think there is an element of confidence that Alyn has where he knows what he can do. The people, the sailors, would rather follow him than Joffrey. Really, truly, there is no value in Driftmark apart from the name. I don’t think that someone like Rhaenyra, or these people who are used to material value, are used to the idea of dragons, are really going to care for it. If they really did, it’s silly because there’s nothing there. So, I think that’s where the confidence comes from for Alyn. There’s no contest. There is no contest.

All three seasons of House of the Dragon are now streaming on HBO Max.

Some of the most beloved romance TV shows right now have been adapted from romance books, from Bridgerton, to Heated Rivalry, to Off Campus. Great romance books, especially when they’re part of an ongoing series, are the perfect foundation for television shows. They have complex and nuanced characters, unique settings that readers can get lost in, and well-developed main romances that fans can easily root for. As such, when these books become TV shows, their worlds feel more live-in, and their characters feel especially real.

Romance fans have already proven that they’ll show up for adaptations of their favorite books, and there are a number of upcoming TV adaptations for fans to look forward to. From books being adapted for the first time into TV shows, to existing series getting the next book adapted, to previously adapted series getting a new TV adaptation, these are romance books to read before their upcoming adaptations.

‘Pride and Prejudice’ (1813)

Image via T. Egerton/Whitehall

Jane Austen‘s timeless classic, Pride and Prejudice, has already been adapted a number of times, both in direct adaptations for television and film, as well as in modern movies inspired by the novel. It was previously adapted as a limited series in 1995 starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, and now, it will be adapted once again as a series coming to Netflix this fall. The iconic novel tells the story of Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bennet, a young woman living in England in the late 18th century. Lizzie never wants to marry unless it’s for love, even as she’s being pressured for financial reasons.

Then, of course, Lizzie meets Fitzwilliam Darcy, a wealthy man who makes a terrible first impression on her. The two initially can’t stand each other, but they keep crossing paths, and they start to change their minds about each other along the way. Pride and Prejudice is one of the greatest love stories of all time, and it will be exciting to see how the latest adaptation brings a new spin to the centuries-old story. The upcoming 2026 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice stars Emma Corrin as Lizzie and Jack Lowden as Darcy. It has yet to set an official release date, but Netflix released an official teaser for the series back in February.

‘Mile High’ (2023)

Image via Hodder

Mile High by Liz Tomforde is the first book in Tomforde’s massively popular Windy City series, and hockey romance fans should read the book before its upcoming television adaptation. Mile High follows the romance between notorious and widely-hated NHL player Evan Zanders and Stevie Shay, the new flight attendant for his team’s private plane. Stevie is wary of Zanders, based on both his reputation and his attitude, and he is no fonder of her.

Still, Zanders and Stevie start to get to know each other through frequent shared flights, and they slowly start to change their minds about each other. As announced by Deadline back in May, Amazon MGM Studios is developing the Windy City series, with Tomforde set to executive produce the show. Prime Video has previously had a great deal of success with romance series, including The Summer I Turned Pretty, Off Campus, and Every Year After. As such, Windy City is set to be the streamer’s next big hit, and romance fans should catch up on the books before the series’ eventual release.

‘Cleat Cute’ (2023)

Image via Griffin

Deadline also announced this past spring that Amazon MGM studios is developing Meryl Wilsner‘s sapphic soccer romance, Cleat Cute, into a TV series called Playing the Field. Cleat Cute tells the love story of two teammates who play for the U.S. Women’s National team: veteran Grace Henderson, and the up-and-coming Phoebe Matthews. Grace has been the team’s star player for a decade, but when she’s injured, Phoebe takes over her spot in her place.

Ahead of the World Cup, Grace and Phoebe start to develop feelings for each other, knowing that only one of them will ultimately be able to play in their position. Playing the Field will still focus primarily on Grace and Phoebe’s romance, but some changes have already been made ahead of the upcoming series. It is going to be an ensemble comedy centered on four teammates – including Grace and Phoebe, of course – who all play for New Orleans’ women’s soccer team, the fictional Crescent City.

‘Shatter Me’ (2011)

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Shatter Me is the first book in Tahereh Mafi‘s dystopian young adult series of the same name, and Variety announced back in June that Warner Bros. will be adapting the series as a television show. Shatter Me follows Juliette Ferrars, a teenage girl who’s been imprisoned in isolation for almost a year. Juliette never meant to hurt anyone, but her skin is lethal to anyone she touches. The outside world is ruled by a harsh regime called The Reestablishment, the ones responsible for punishing Juliette.

Everything changes for Juliette when she gets a cellmate: a former childhood classmate, Adam, who was always kind to her. Soon, Juliette and Adam are brought out of their cell. The Reestablishment, as led by the cruel and ambitious Aaron Warner, is interested in using her as a weapon. Despite all that is being offered to her, though, Juliette is against everything that The Reestablishment stands for. Shatter Me is a fast-paced and gripping dystopian series with a phenomenal central love triangle that spans multiple books. Romance fans will enjoy the high stakes of the setting, and how it plays a role in Juliette’s very complicated romantic feelings for her two respective love interests. For those who enjoy a great love triangle, Shatter Me is the perfect next read. Both love interests are well-written and complex, and there are valid reasons to root for each of these romances.

‘The Long Game’ (2022)

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Heated Rivalry exploded after its premiere last fall, and fans are champing at the bit for the hit hockey romance show’s next season. The series follows the years-long secret romance between rival NHL players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie). The first season of the show followed the events of Heated Rivalry, the first book about Shane and Ilya, and the second novel in Rachel Reid‘s Game Changers series. Season 2 is set to follow the events of The Long Game, the second book about Shane and Ilya, and the sixth book overall in the Game Changers series. Whereas Heated Rivalry is about the journey towards Shane and Ilya ultimately getting together and professing their love for each other, The Long Game is about what comes next.

The Long Game picks up a few years after the end of Heated Rivalry. Shane and Ilya are in a serious and deeply committed relationship, but they still have to keep it a secret from most of the rest of the world, even after Scott Hunter changed things for LGBTQ+ athletes in the NHL forever. After all, Shane and Ilya are still regularly and publicly competing against each other, even though Ilya now plays for the Ottawa Centaurs – and the two have a public friendship as co-founders of the Irina Foundation. The Long Game explores Shane and Ilya’s struggle to balance the growing seriousness of their relationship with their love for their careers. It also gives attention to both their mental health, as well as the toll that the secrecy takes on them and their relationships. Production is slated to start on Heated Rivalry soon, so for fans of the show who haven’t yet read The Long Game, now is the perfect time to catch up on the book.

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Heated Rivalry

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Release Date

November 28, 2025

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Network

Crave

Directors

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Jacob Tierney

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Cast

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  Connor Storrie

  Ilya Rozanov

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  Hudson Williams

  Shane Hollander

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The Wire isn’t just one of the greatest television shows of all time, but remains one of the most accurate. The series was created by David Simon, a former journalist who used his own experiences writing about crime, government, and education in Baltimore to create a complex story that addressed every level of infrastructure; the series earned praise from both sides of the political aisle, as both President Barack Obama and Senator John McCain admitted to being fans of the show during the 2008 Presidential election. Although many of the characters that appeared in The Wire were based on real people, a scene from the show’s third season has become a popular reference for political pundits and reporters.

In the Season 3 episode “Straight and True,” Stringer Bell (Idris Elba) organizes a conspiracy among the various drug kingpins in Baltimore to all buy from the same dealer, which would prevent further violence from breaking out in the midst of feuds. Although he cleverly manages to frame himself as a legitimate businessman, Stringer humorously questions a colleague if he’s “taking notes on a criminal fucking conspiracy,” and points out how ridiculous it would be to leave behind a paper trail. Although it’s a brief line intended to showcase the character’s intelligence, Stringer Bell’s advice has become increasingly relevant when applied to many recent political scandals.

What Is “The Stringer Bell Rule” on ‘The Wire’?

“The Stringer Bell Rule” was coined as a phrase used to describe the documentation of activity that could be subjected to legal review within a criminal case. Stringer understands that the proposition that he has made might be able to slide past the attention of Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) and the other cops as long as they don’t have hard proof that the kingpins were working together; it would otherwise be very challenging to find evidence that a secret handshake deal was carried out. Reporter Matthew Zeitlin made a reference to Stringer’s comments during the investigation of unethical and illegal practices by J.P. Morgan in 2013; after a spreadsheet that listed various alleged crimes was found amidst the ongoing scandal, Zeitlin joked that the company should have followed Stringer Bell’s theory and “not put it down in writing.”

Stringer’s references to criminal conspiracies were again brought up during the aftermath of the 2016 Presidential election, in which evidence was found that linked the campaign of President Donald Trump to attempts by Russian hackers to influence the results of the voting and perpetuate propaganda. After The Washington Reporter released an article that revealed that former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort during a meeting with Russian billionaires tied to the Kremlin merely two weeks ahead of the election, The New Republic reporter Alex Shepherd commented that “a lot of people close to Donald Trump seem to have put what they were doing in writing,” reflecting an ignorance of Stringer’s edict. The term “Stringer Bell Rule” was later coined in an article for The Atlantic, which expressed shock that Roger Stone’s arrest for obstruction of justice had relied on a hard paper trail from meeting notes.

Stringer Bell’s advice ironically does not save him in The Wire, as his leadership position is undermined when Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris) is released from prison and begins to initiate a war on the young kingpin Marlo Stanfield (Jamie Hector). While Stringer realizes that it is far easier to conduct criminal activity if it is done under the guise of professionalism, Avon is so intent on getting revenge on Marlon that he ignores this advice. Stringer is ultimately cut out of his position of authority for suggesting a more pragmatic approach, and is executed by Omar Little (Michael K. Williams) during the shocking penultimate episode of Season 3.

‘The Wire’ Influenced Real World Politics

Image via HBO

The Wire’s influence on both television and politics was not initially evident, as the series received surprisingly low ratings during its initial run on HBO, where it was often dwarfed in popularity by The Sopranos. Despite being ignored by the Primetime Emmy Awards in most categories (as it famously never received a nomination for Best Drama Series), The Wire only grew in complexity as it continued to air. Season 2 examined the fundamentals of the drug trade and its impact on the trading port. Season 3 showed how these events fueled political campaigns, Season 4 emphasized the importance of protecting children, and the fifth and final season served as an homage to Simon’s own experiences as a journalist. While the material was often quite technical, viewers who stuck with The Wire ended up being more informed about the nature of real-world issues.

The Wire also helped dismantle some common excuses for the lack of progress by revealing the complexities involved in the war on drugs. The series showed the barriers that many users, dealers, and victims faced when trying to be acclimated into society, as social stigmas and protective laws helped keep many communities segregated. Although it may have been easier to point a finger at one single villain that could be defeated, Simon explored how there were those within the government, organized crime, and law enforcement that served as an impediment to progress. This would become a theme that he would continue to explore within his other projects for HBO, including the brilliant biographical series Show Me A Hero with Oscar Isaac and the crime thriller We Own This City with Jon Bernthal.

Stringer Bell may be the most influential character on The Wire, as the acclaim that Elba earned for his performance helped him earn subsequent roles in many popular films and franchises. Stringer subverted expectations of what a drug kingpin looked like, as he was an educated, eloquent leader whose aura of professionalism somehow made him feel more terrifying. It’s a little ironic that Stringer was designed to be a more “realistic” antagonist, but that some of the real criminals to emerge within recent news cycles have proven to be far more over-the-top.

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Release Date

2002 – 2008-00-00

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Network

HBO

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Directors

Ernest R. Dickerson, Ed Bianchi, Steve Shill, Clark Johnson, Daniel Attias, Agnieszka Holland, Tim Van Patten, Alex Zakrzewski, Anthony Hemingway, Brad Anderson, Clement Virgo, Elodie Keene, Peter Medak, Rob Bailey, Seith Mann, Christine Moore, David Platt, Dominic West, Gloria Muzio, Jim McKay, Leslie Libman, Milcho Manchevski, Robert F. Colesberry, Thomas J. Wright

Writers

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Richard Price, Joy Lusco, Rafael Alvarez, Dennis Lehane, David Mills, William F. Zorzi, Kia Corthron

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The Real Housewives of Potomac star Karen Huger purposefully kept her circle small during her incarceration.

“Bravo stood by me when I went through a lot,” Karen, 63, told E! News on Tuesday, August 4, recalling her recent jail sentence. “I often credit the courage that I had from the training I had as a Housewife to make it through and to get sober and to be clean.”

According to Karen, executive producer Andy Cohen was on the shortlist of friends she was able to maintain contact with during her sentence.

“Andy was one of the few people that I allowed to talk to me inside while I was paying my dues, which I needed to do,” she revealed on Tuesday. “He was so lovely and so supportive. I adore him. I love him. I am so happy to be a part of his team and his family.”

Karen was arrested in 2024 for driving under the influence and was sentenced to two years in jail with one year suspended. The Bravo star was ultimately released in September 2025, six months before her scheduled release date.

Following her release, Karen returned to RHOP but declined to appear on the upcoming The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th.

“The offer was made. I thought for my sobriety, ‘Take it slow,’ because I was planning on coming back to [RHOP for] season 11,” Karen exclusively told Us on Tuesday at the UGT premiere in New York CIty. “I didn’t want to overdo it, so I’m here to cheer and support. I can’t wait to see it with you guys.”

Karen, best known as the “Grande Dame” of Potomac, stressed to Us that she wanted to ease back into the Bravoverse while focusing on her health.

“I’m very proud to be a part of this family, and I earned my place to be [in] it,” she explained. “The fact that they recognized me and supported my decision to just stay low for a minute and continue to heal was so, so loving and so supportive. I’m so grateful.”

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When RHOP picks up cameras for season 11, Karen hopes to further showcase her growth and progress.

“I’m so happy. I encourage anyone that’s struggling to face it and get the help they need, and walk through it. Come out on the other side. It’s wonderful,” she said of sobriety, noting that her castmates had her back. “They were so loving and supportive. You know, we’re messy, so come for me. I can handle it. That’s me. But when they understood my commitment to my sobriety, I think they got on board with it. I’d like to think so. Let’s watch it together. If they come for me, then I will address it at the reunion.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is revealing a new chapter in her private life as she continues to represent New York City’s 14th congressional district.

“Hey everyone, it’s been a minute since I’ve posted to stories, but I think it’s a good time to kind of dive back in again — it’s August recess and I think it’s good for you all to hear a little bit more from me directly,” the congresswoman, 36, said via her Instagram Stories on Saturday, August, 8, adding that she is “having some things happen” in her life that she wants to “share more” with her followers amid her “reflective mood.”

“I want to share with you all a decision that is very personal that I have made that has taken me time to consider, weigh and save up for,” she continued, “And it is of a sensitive matter and a personal matter and usually I keep my private life quite private, but I have made the decision to start freezing my eggs.”

Ocasio-Cortez, who was 29 when she was sworn into Congress after becoming the youngest woman elected to the House of Representatives in 2018, is currently engaged to her longtime partner Riley Roberts. The congresswoman admitted that her decision to freeze her eggs — one she plans to document for her social media followers — was due, in part, to near-constant speculation she will one-day be a frontrunner for the Democratic nominee for president.

Related: Julianne Hough Documents Egg-Freezing Journey: ‘Never Simple’

Julianne Hough is opening up about an incredibly personal process: she’s freezing her eggs. “I just want to take a moment to say thank you to Dr. Carolyn Alexander and the incredible team at SCRC. Navigating fertility is never simple, especially with endometriosis and my own personal timeline and hopes around having children… but with […]

“The media will run up and ask a question like, ‘Are you going to run for this? or, ‘Are you going to run for that?’ And it’s almost through this very two-dimensional craven understanding or ambitious understanding of power,” she explained. “When I think a lot of us actually approach these considerations or these decisions through the larger context of our lives as whole human beings and what is happening in our lives as whole human beings.”

Ocasio-Cortez — a common target of President Donald Trump and members of the Republican party — also acknowledged that “strangely” there is a “political risk” or potential “political tax” to her candidly sharing her egg-freezing journey.

“People don’t go down those rabbit holes and fixate on them for men in terms of their decision the way they do for women,” she added. “And I’m not here to, like, talk about what’s fair or unfair in this context — this is just the world that we live in today, and so I’m aware that just by me choosing to not keep this private there may be a consequence.”

She continued, “But you know what, I’m OK with that. This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life and if people want to make assumptions about my decision, let them make those assumptions – I feel empowered to make this choice. I think it’s a very privileged position that I’ve been able to be able to make. And it’s also a result of, I think, changes in technology that have also made it more financially accessible.”

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Related: Jennifer Aniston Reflects on 20-Year Journey to ‘Pursue’ Having Kids

Jennifer Aniston is shutting down the widespread “narrative” about why she hasn’t started a family throughout her years in the spotlight. The 56-year-old Friends alum addressed the speculation about her private life in a new interview with Harper’s Bazaar UK, published Wednesday, October 8. “They didn’t know my story, or what I’d been going through […]

The congresswoman went on to reveal that she took her “first shot this morning” and will have to take multiple injections as part of the egg-freezing process on Sunday, August 9, before her scheduled appearance on an ABC morning show.

“I’m going to be delivering an interview on national television and it’s in the morning and I have to take my shot because of the timing of it,” she said. “I’m gonna be taking my shots in the green room before my interview. And I want you all to see that because women can do anything, and I think it’s badass that I’m gonna be, you know, giving myself shots in the green room, get my glam on, roll out talk about international events, domestic policy, elections, pop out, live my life, do my thing.”

She continued, “If we want community we have to raise our hand and be community for each other, so that’s what we’re going to do.”

Former congressman Eric Swalwell had a reported fling with President Donald Trump adviser Stephen Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, when she was a 22-year-old intern working on Capitol Hill.

A Thursday, August 6, report published by Sources Say News, a popular Capitol Hill blog, revealed the alleged relationship between Swalwell, 45, and Katie, now 34.

According to the report, the pair engaged in a “sexual relationship” roughly a decade ago — before she married her husband, the current White House deputy chief of staff, at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., on February 16, 2020.

Stephen, who also serves as a homeland security advisor to Trump, 80, reportedly did not know about his wife’s previous relationship with Swalwell.

Katie seemingly confirmed the reported romance via X on Thursday, writing, “I was an intern working on Capitol Hill.” (Us has reached out to Katie, former congressman Swalwell and the White House for comment.)

Many politicians and pundits on both sides of the political aisle are pointing to the pair’s reported tryst as another example of the disgraced congressman’s illicit conduct while in office. Swalwell, a Democrat elected to represent California’s 14th Congressional District in 2023, ended his bid for California governor and subsequently resigned from office earlier this year after multiple women accused the former politician of sexual misconduct, including harassment, sexual assault and rape. (Swalwell has denied the allegations while admitting he engaged in extramarital relationships.)

“As someone who doesn’t normally believe all women, I believe her — and the many lined up behind her,” Katie wrote via X in April while sharing the then-congressman’s response to the allegations. “Eric Swalwell’s behavior was the worst kept secret on Capitol Hill. I’m positive she was not the only intern.”

Katie, for her part, went on to serve as the communications director for Vice President Mike Pence from 2020 to 2020 after previously serving as his press secretary. She later entered the world of political podcasting while welcoming four children with Stephen: daughter Mackenzie Jay and sons Jackson Grant, Hudson Monroe and Hawthorne Hayes.

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Related: What to Know About Eric Swalwell‘s Misconduct Scandal and Investigation

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 […]

Shortly after the April 25 shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Katie had to publicly defend her husband after photos appeared to show the adviser using his then-pregnant wife as a human shield during the chaos.

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“They could not give Stephen Miller a good news cycle if they tried,” Katie said during an April 27 appearance on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle. “They had to make me a target.”

She continued at the time, “To that I would say, Stephen did a phenomenal job and he was behind me and protecting not only me, but our baby.”

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

Elijah Wood and The Lord of the Rings cast recently reunited, proving you can always journey back to the Shire.

“The band’s all here,” Sean Astin wrote via Instagram on Saturday, August 8, snapping a selfie from a recent gathering with Wood, 45, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan.

Monaghan, 49, shared another image from the cast’s low-key reunion, revealing the group dined at La Royal in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

“Four Halflings. Three cocktails. Two desserts. ONE great night of conversation. More to come,” Monaghan teased of the evening. “#becurious shoutout to the couple [photobombing] in the back. Well played. Thank you @laroyal_cambridge.”

Related: ‘Lord of the Rings’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

Author J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy series The Lord of the Rings made its big screen debut in 2001 with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring — and the rest is history. Like Tolkien’s books, the early aughts film followed a hobbit named Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) as he embarks upon a journey […]

Wood, Astin, 55, Boyd, 57, and Monaghan starred in the big-screen adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic Lord of the Rings franchise. The first movie, which premiered in 2001, followed hobbit Frodo Baggins (Wood) on a journey to destroy the One Ring to help save Middle-earth from the evil powers of Dark Lord Sauron.

In the years since wrapping the LOTR series, Wood has largely stepped back from the limelight to enjoy a more private family life. (Wood and his longtime partner, Mette-Marie Kongsved, are parents of two.)

“We’re well out of toddlerville and they’ve entered kid-dom. It’s incredible,” Wood told The Times of London in a March profile, noting his children have yet to watch his LOTR work. “They have not, but only because I genuinely don’t think they’re old enough. I feel like it might be appropriate when they are 8.”

Wood previously revealed that he loved how “all-consuming” fatherhood had become.

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Related: ‘Lord of the Rings’ Cast’s Honest Quotes About Being Underpaid

Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett and Orlando Bloom are among the Lord of the Rings stars who have claimed they were underpaid on the billion-dollar franchise. Director Peter Jackson spared no expense on special effects for his adaptation of the hugely influential works of fantasy writer J. R. R. Tolkien — the trilogy reportedly had a […]

“The silver lining of the pandemic has been that it’s enabled me to enjoy fatherhood in a way I might not have done,” he told The Guardian in 2021. “My son was born seven or eight months before lockdown, so we’ve had this kind of unbelievable, uninterrupted family time that we’re probably never going to have again.”

Wood also recently stepped back into acting, joining Samara Weaving’s Ready or Not 2: Here I Come horror movie.

“I think of it as an action movie with comedic elements. Yes, it does have trappings of a horror. There are literally exploding bodies,” Wood noted to The Times earlier this year of his latest project. “But, the reason that horror never goes away is that, as a society, we always have something to be afraid of in real life, but horror is a safe way to experience fear because nothing’s actually going to happen. It’s cathartic.”