Whether you consider it an actual neo-Western or just a Western-inspired crime drama, there isn’t another show out there like Justified. The FX series was a fabulous take on an Old West-style lawman settled in modern times that followed Timothy Olyphant‘s U.S. Deputy Marshal Raylan Givens after he’s transferred from Miami back to his home state of Kentucky. While Graham Yost developed the series, he did so based on “Fire in the Hole” by novelist Elmore Leonard — and you may be surprised to learn just how close to the original material the pilot lands. That said, it was only after Justified moved beyond that initial tale that it grew into something truly spectacular.

‘Justified’ Begins by Directly Adapting Elmore Leonard’s “Fire in the Hole”

Justified begins as a one-to-one adaptation of Leonard’s “Fire in the Hole,” with the first episode lifting every scene (and many lines of dialogue) straight from the source material. Raylan Givens, Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins), and Ava Crowder (Joelle Carter) are all instantly recognizable from their page counterparts, as is Chief Deputy Art Mullen (Nick Searcy). From Boyd’s killing of Oklahoma skinhead Jared (Ryan O’Nan) to his final shootout with Raylan at Ava’s dining room table, it’s all there beat-for-beat. The pilot does embellish elements that Leonard could only reference (such as that opening shootout with Tommy Bucks), and de-ages the main characters by about a decade or so to account for its cast — Boyd, who is a Desert Storm vet on the show, was a Vietnam vet originally, for instance.

A clear respect for Leonard’s original material is certainly one of Justified‘s initial strengths, and the show set a high standard for how page-to-screen adaptations ought to be. Though the FX drama reinterprets the material quite respectfully, Justified elevates it further with high-quality writing and unparalleled performances that add some flesh to already strong bones. In many respects, it’s a rare example of a series that takes such dynamic source material and enhances it by pressing forward. Like all great adaptations, Justified makes Raylan, Boyd, and the rest its own — in fact, in Leonard’s tale, Boyd is shot dead by Raylan, a choice that Graham Yost and the writers rightly reversed to ensure Goggins’ longtime role in the series.

Justified later adapted the author’s other Raylan-centric novels in various capacities. Season 1’s “Fixer” is based in part on the novel Riding the Rap, while Season 3’s “Thick as Mud” pulls directly from the author’s final work, Raylan. The entire Season 1 Miami mafia plotline comes from Raylan’s first appearance in the 1993 novel Pronto, which had previously been adapted as a lesser-known made-for-TV movie. Later, Leonard’s City Primeval (which doesn’t actually feature Raylan Givens) was also the basis for the Justified: City Primeval revival series. But Justified only got better the further it strayed from the author’s work.

‘Justified’ Grew Into Its Own Masterpiece Over Six Impressive Seasons

While the show began as a literal adaptation of Leonard’s text, Justified found its own voice beyond the page. The Western-inspired drama expands quite significantly over the course of its six seasons, with each new overarching plot, character arc, and antagonist only heightening the drama. Olyphant and Goggins deliver standout performances as some of the most visceral and layered characters to be pulled from page to screen in recent years, offering audiences the very best of their respective careers. Due to the limited nature of “Fire in the Hole,” the author didn’t have the time to sufficiently expand the characters, but what’s left unanswered by Leonard is eventually filled in by the series, such as everything involving Winona (Natalie Zea).

Although Justified evolves from a direct adaptation up front to an “inspired by” type of show, it eventually comes back around to pay tribute to Leonard himself. The final moments between Boyd and Raylan in the series finale, “The Promise,” echo their concluding exchange in the author’s original “Fire in the Hole” story. “We dug coal together,” Boyd notes, words that resemble Raylan’s ending remarks about the outlaw on the page. Justified is a fast-paced and perfect neo-Western crime drama that pulls no punches, but it thrived because it was willing to build on Leonard’s original masterpiece rather than be completely defined by it.

We live in particularly exciting times, where Internet trends can become so expansive that they eventually breed entire literary genres. Surfacing on the social media site Tumblr somewhere around the mid-2010s, the dark academia aesthetic blew up in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to teenage bookworms stuck at home yearning for academic escapism. Inspired by elements of Gothic art, classic literature, and social culture at Oxbridge and Ivy League schools, dark academia has evolved from a simple aesthetic into a proper genre with tropes, conventions, and iconography all of its own. Later this month, anyone intrigued by dark academia will be treated to a deliciously twisted new entry into the genre.

The Mortons is not only the first adult novel by My Sister Rosa author Justine Larbalestier, but also her first time co-writing a book with her husband, Scott Westerfeld, of Uglies series and Leviathan trilogy fame. Together, they’ve crafted a morally ambiguous and wickedly dark mystery thriller with all the elements anyone could possibly want to see in a dark academia novel, and then some. It’s the sort of novel that would make for an amazing movie one day. But far from being all aesthetic, no substance, this delectably original and fast-paced story packs more than enough narrative meat on its bones. Twists, surprises, and moments of purely diabolical entertainment make this the sort of book that begs to be read with a bold, sophisticated cocktail at hand.

What Is ‘The Mortons’ About?

Image via Viking

The Mortons centers on the eponymous family, an old-money dynasty that raises all of their children to be ruthless killers. “Homicide is heritage,” reads the book’s chilling tagline, and very early on, one realizes that there’s no better encapsulation of the family’s history than that. The most important foundation of any dark academia novel worth its salt is the actual academic setting of its narrative, and The Mortons‘ is as instantly absorbing as they get. At Helshire College, “legacy” students from historied crime dynasties like the Mortons take off-the-catalog classes where they learn skills essential to their dark practices.

A student at Helshire is Jessica Morton, through whose perspective we discover that the family holds secrets even bleaker than their murderous, manipulative façade suggests. Like the best Mortons, she lacks any semblance of empathy in her heart. At age seven, she completed her mors curae, a Morton tradition where the family’s kids have to raise and protect a rabbit for a whole year and then slaughter it themselves. Whereas many kids give their rabbits silly names, like Mister Fluffernutter, Jessica named hers Rabbit. She has no need for creativity, warmth, or love in her life. Her journey of discovery (both of her family’s secrets and of her own self-identity) then becomes a question of whether someone who has been nurtured into cruelty can find compassion and redemption, or whether some brainwashings are effectively permanent.

‘The Mortons’ Wears Its Influences On Its Sleeve

The Mortons is exquisitely original and deliciously unique in how it depicts violence and cruelty with a razor-sharp sense of humor, but it’s also quite transparent about the giants on whose shoulders it stands. Influences from Donna Tartt‘s The Secret History, one of the best books of the ’90s and the biggest precursor of the dark academia literary genre, are abundantly evident. You also get plenty of the eccentric, deadpan humor that makes Wes Anderson special; the charmingly dark tone of The Addams Family and Wednesday; and the cutthroat, power-hungry family dynamics of The Sopranos. There are also plenty of elements here that leave no room for doubt that Larbalestier and Westerfeld are veterans of the YA genre, from the story’s lightning-fast pacing to Jessica’s coming-of-age story.

But though you can tell The Mortons was penned by two YA masters, it also demonstrates that they were more than ready to make their big splash in the adult novel space. The Mortons‘ Gothic tone and ice-cold depictions of violence aren’t just quirky gimmicks, but the very skeleton of a story that explores genuinely mature themes with a level of depth, grit, and even sexiness not often found in YA dark academia. Its protagonist may be young, but this novel earns its “adult” label through and through. At no point do Larbalestier and Westerfeld force any interpretation of Jessica’s arc or posit any judgment on whether she deserves to be redeemed or not. The charm of The Mortons lies not only in the constant shock of the many deadly, bloody twists thrown our protagonist’s way, but also in wondering just as much as she does if the things she’s done are too much to forgive.

In any other book, the answer would be an immediate yes. After all, the Mortons—Jessica most definitely included—are all cold-blooded killers whose currency is death, betrayal, money, and power for power’s sake. But Larbalestier and Westerfeld wear their influences on their sleeves with such effortless confidence that, from the very first chapter, where Jessica commits an act of murder that would make her instantly detestable in any other kind of story, it’s surprisingly easy to immerse oneself so deeply in her world that such a crime (though shocking) isn’t off-putting. There have been many great thriller books throughout the last 10 years, and The Mortons is one of the boldest in its worldbuilding.

There May Be Mortons for Days

Image via Viking

The Mortons is a real page-turner, blending the breakneck pacing of its authors’ YA instincts with a mystery thriller narrative as twisty as a rabbit’s innards. That makes it all the more delightful that the Mortons world may greatly expand in the future. Larbalestier and Westerfeld are reportedly already working on a companion novel set in the same engrossing world, and they even promise to write nothing but Mortons books for the rest of their careers if possible. The book certainly does end on a note that makes a sequel not only perfectly plausible, but also irresistibly tempting.

In these dark days when empathy is in such short supply, and loyalty is weaponized in favor of power and money, The Mortons feels like a far timelier novel than its wild premise may make it seem at first glance. It strikes the perfect balance between providing enough entertaining escapism to make it a worthy before-bedtime read, and a potent enough reflection of the real world to make its messaging hit even closer to home. It’s elegant, funny, sophisticated, and always goes in a darker direction whenever you think it’s gone as far as it could. As far as crime family sagas and dark academia stories go, it doesn’t get much more worthwhile than The Mortons.

Meghan Markle is soaking up the summer fun with her family.

The Duchess of Sussex, 44, took to Instagram on Thursday, July 23, to share several photos from her summer with husband Prince Harry and their kids, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lillibet, 5. In one snap, Meghan stood on a beach and faced the ocean while wearing a dark one-piece swimsuit with a low-back cut back, sneakers and her hair pulled into a ponytail underneath a white hat. She rested her hands on her hips as she watched a shirtless Harry, 41, play with their kids in the water.

The carousel also included black-and-white snaps of Harry and Meghan laughing together while enjoying a meal and the prince tossing their daughter into the air in a pool. In another photo, Meghan and Lilibet took a walk together, while a fourth snap showed Archie enjoying a sunset stroll.

In another photo, Meghan rested on her stomach on an outdoor lounge chair as she snuggled up with their dog.

“Summer Holiday ☀️,” she captioned the post.

Meghan and Harry tied the knot on May 19, 2018, at Windsor Castle’s St George’s Chapel in England. They welcomed Archie the following year. In 2020, the couple announced their decision to step back as senior members of the royal family before relocating to the U.S., where they welcomed Lilibet in 2021.

Meghan and Harry celebrated their daughter’s 5th birthday in June.

“Our dream girl,” Meghan captioned Instagram photos. “Happy 5th birthday, Lili 🤍.”

Meghan’s latest family photos come weeks after she and her family reunited with Harry’s estranged father, King Charles III, and stepmother, Queen Camilla, at the monarch’s Highgrove House for the first time in years.

Related: Meghan Markle Shares Rare Glimpses of Home Life With Prince Harry and Kids

Meghan Markle is celebrating the arrival of a new season with a rare look into her home life with Prince Harry and their children. Markle, 44, took to Instagram on Tuesday, June 9, to post a carousel of candid photos snapped throughout the couple’s idyllic home in Montecito, California. “Springing into summer 🌼,” the Duchess […]

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“The staff [at Highgrove] was dismissed before Harry and Meghan and the kids arrived,” a source exclusively told Us after the July 10 meeting. “Details were kept under wraps. They didn’t want anything to get out.”

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The insider added, “The king and queen wanted personal time with their grandchildren, and they wanted it to be lighthearted and positive. The point of the meeting was to spend time with them, and that was the only thing on the agenda.”

After the success of the visit, the insider said there is a chance Harry and Meghan could score an invitation to the royal family’s holiday celebrations.

“That idea has been floated as a possibility, so that [Prince] William and Kate [Middleton] and their kids could see them at the next visit,” the source shared. “There’s still a lot of hurt, and it’s going to take time to heal. Meetings can be reassuring, but they won’t change things too dramatically. The relationship between Harry and William will never be what it used to be.”

There are a number of streaming shows that require massive financial gambles, but 3 Body Problem is one of the most ambitious television productions of all-time. The novel of the same name by Chinese author Liu Cixin was inspired by his own experiences as an engineer and mathematician, and included a degree of complex theoretical physics that seemed to be “unadaptable.” While there is always a danger in an English-language adaptation of an international novel, especially one that is so tied to cultural history, 3 Body Problem was a brilliant series from Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who proved that they can do pretty much anything on television if given a complete story to work from. 3 Body Problem has the potential to rank among the greatest shows ever made by Netflix, but recent reports suggest there are some concerns about the performance of its next two seasons.

It’s no secret that Netflix has faced a decline in viewership for many of its returning shows, and the extended gaps between seasons has only exacerbated the churning of subscribers. 3 Body Problem was not greenlit for multiple seasons at once, and thus only began production on Season 2 after the initial batch of episodes was well-received; although Seasons 2 and 3 were shot simultaneously, the series isn’t expected to return until later this year at the earliest. Retaining audience attention is challenging no matter what, but it’s an even more difficult endeavor for a series like 3 Body Problem that requires viewers to pay close attention at all times; in an age of social clip farming and passive viewing, 3 Body Problem could run into a declining audience if Netflix doesn’t play its cards right.

‘3 Body Problem’ Requires Audience Commitment

Although Benioff and Weiss have had targets placed on their backs ever since the ending of Game of Thrones, it would be unfair to say that their task of adaptation has ever been simple. 3 Body Problem required a significant amount of new and expanded material to work in the television medium, with the most significant difference being the protagonist. The novels feature a central scientist named Wang whose interior monologue is expressed in intimate detail, but the series chose to split its focus between five lead characters, nicknamed “The Oxford Five,” who represent different aspects of his personality.

It was a brilliant choice that expanded the international cast, created more interesting social dynamics, and balanced the ensemble with unique and compelling actors. However, the density of the material means that the members of the “Oxford Five” have very complex backstories and emotional arcs that can’t be quickly summarized in a “Previously On.” Given that there has been a wait of over two years between seasons, Netflix needs to trust that viewers will either read recaps or rewatch Season 1 before the show returns, as they could otherwise be lost.

3 Body Problem is one of the rare shows that requires a binge drop, as it’s simply too complex to not be watched all at once to make sense of the multiple timelines and virtual realities. While the binge model has served Netflix well for several years, the streamer has attempted experimentation with different distribution methods to sustain the hype over an extended period of time, such as splitting a season into two halves. But, not only would this put up a barrier to the storytelling for 3 Body Problem, but interest might wane entirely because the show doesn’t have a fanbase on the level of Netflix’s other shows.

‘3 Body Problem’ Needs To Nail Its Ending

3 Body Problem can’t be turned around at this point, as the show is already gearing towards a finale and has set up what will be in its next two seasons. The “Wallfacer” project, which isn’t introduced until the second novel of the series, was included at the end of Season 1, which was otherwise based on the first book. While this means that Netflix can’t prematurely cancel the show that already has its ending in sight, it does put even more importance on the finale being satisfying. Many shows that end on a disappointing note end up with a tainted reputation, and new viewers are less likely to start a show if they have heard it does not have a satisfying ending. It’s just as important for Benioff and Weiss, who have the potential to be redeemed in the eyes of the public if 3 Body Problem is a successful adaptation that ends well.

Viewership isn’t a metric of critical success, as there are many great shows that didn’t get the audience they deserved. With that being said, the commercial success of 3 Body Problem is important because it may determine whether Netflix chooses to fund similarly ambitious genre content in the future. If 3 Body Problem proves that Netflix can adapt a nuanced novel in an intelligent way, drawing in both existing and new fans, it could lead to a new renaissance on the platform. However, that all hinges on how Season 2 and 3 turn out.

Top Chef star Eric Adjepong’s 7-year-old daughter, Lennox, was granted a protective order against him amid abuse claims.

According to court records viewed by Us on Thursday, July 23, Adjepong, 38, was ordered by a Maryland court to not abuse, contact and enter the residence where Lennox resides. Adjepong, who shares Lennox with ex Janelle Davis-Mack, was also ordered to stay away from his daughter’s school and child care providers as well as surrender his firearms.

The protective order was granted for one year.

The Washington Post reported that the judge ruled that “there is a preponderance of the evidence to believe” Adjepong physically abused his daughter. Adjepong will be allowed to see his daughter but only via supervised visits. He also must complete parenting classes and reunification therapy with Lennox.

Related: Chef Justin Sutherland Enters 30-Day Treatment Program After Arrest

UPDATE, Tuesday, July 16, at 5:45 p.m. ET: In a statement to Us Weekly, Justin Sutherland confirmed he has entered a 30-day treatment program with optimism and resilience. A rep for the chef added, “We are encouraged and looking forward to a new chapter.” Original story continues below: Celebrity chef Justin Sutherland has found himself in […]

Adjepong addressed the court’s ruling in a statement shared via social media on Thursday.

“The past several weeks have been among the most difficult of my life,” the lengthy Instagram statement began. “I have remained silent not because I lacked a response, but because I believe integrity is measured by how you conduct yourself when your character is being questioned.”

The chef continued, “Others can choose rhetoric. I will choose truth. Others can seek public opinion. I will continue to place my faith in God, honor the Court, and let my character speak for itself, as it always has throughout my life. My faith has taught me that truth does not need to be loud to endure. As a father, my responsibility has never changed. As a man, neither have my values.”

Adjepong added that his “foremost priority will always be” Lennox and he denied the abuse allegations.

“I dearly love her, and as her first line of defense, I am here to encourage and protect her, and would never weaponize or abuse her, full stop,” he wrote. “I will continue to protect her privacy, innocence and respect the legal process, and trust that truth, my character and time reveal what headlines cannot.”

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Related: Teen Mom’s Jenelle Evans Says She Has Full Custody of Daughter Post-Divorce

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Teen Mom 2 alum Jenelle Evans claims she has full custody of her and estranged husband David Eason’s daughter, Ensley. In a Wednesday, September 25, Instagram video, Evans, 32, explained why she hasn’t recently posted her 7-year-old daughter via her social media accounts. “[It’s] not really on purpose. I was still allowed to show her […]

The Food Network star’s statement ended with a message of gratitude for his legal team and to those who have remained by his side.

“To everyone who has prayed for me, encouraged me, and stood beside me through this season, thank you,” he shared. “I ask that you continue to keep my daughter and my family in your prayers.”

Adjepong rose to fame after competing on Top Chef: Kentucky season 16, where he was a finalist. He went on to participate in Top Chef: All-Stars L.A and additional Food Network shows including Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions. In 2022, Adjepong became Alex Guarnaschelli’s cohost on Alex vs. America for its fifth season.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Jen Affleck opened up about experiencing prenatal depression while expecting her fourth child with husband Zac Affleck.

“Prenatal depression came back this pregnancy. Only this time, it came back even heavier,” Jen, 27, wrote via Instagram on Thursday, July 23. “There were many days during my first trimester where my mind went to some really dark places. It scared me. And if you’ve ever experienced depression, you know how isolating it can feel. Add moving to a new state, being pregnant, and trying to show up for your kids, and some days felt impossible.”

Jen, who previously lived in Utah and relocated to California in April, shared that “people showed up” for her during the hard time.

“Friends, family, strangers… people who had no idea how much they were carrying me just by being there,” she wrote. “They reminded me that even when I couldn’t see the light, I wasn’t walking through the darkness alone.”

Jen added that she’s “trying to count her blessings” while going through depression. “I don’t believe depression is beautiful. It’s painful, confusing, and exhausting. But I do believe God can bring beauty from it,” she explained. “It has made me ask deeper questions. It has made me slow down. It has reminded me what really matters. It has taught me that strength sometimes looks like asking for help instead of pretending you’re OK.”

She continued that she’s “here to love deeply” and raise her children. “And if sharing my story helps even one person feel less alone, then every vulnerable conversation has been worth it,” she noted. If you’re quietly fighting a battle no one else can see, I’m so glad you’re still here. 🤍.”

This isn’t the first time Jen has been candid about experiencing mental health issues. In October 2025, she opened up to People about going through prenatal and postpartum depression.

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“I would tell that version of myself that it gets better and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You just keep holding on,” she said. “Everything will work out, and clearly it did because here I am on Dancing with the Stars.” (Jen and pro partner Jan Ravnik finished in ninth place on season 34 of the show.)

Jen announced via Instagram on June 18 that she’s expecting her fourth child. “Chapter Four. 🤍,” she captioned a number of photos of her baby bump.

The Afflecks already share daughter Nora, 4, son Luca, who turns 2 next week, and daughter Penelope, 12 months.

Doctor Who might be on indefinite hiatus right now, but if the timey-wimey history of the world’s longest-running sci-fi show has taught us anything, it’s that the Doctor always finds a way to regenerate. The flagship BBC franchise has survived for over 60 years because its primary characters can be seamlessly recast, a built-in narrative reset button used to reinvent the show without starting over. Since no iteration of the Doctor or a companion lasts long-term, exit stories are a mainstay of the series, delivering action-packed and emotionally charged episodes to mark the end of their journey.

As the first companion of the revival era, Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) completely redefined what it meant to travel alongside the Doctor, setting the bar as a fiercely loyal, utterly grounded, and tremendously brave co-lead. It’s only fitting that her departure led to the best two-part storyline in Doctor Who‘s 892-episode history, “Army of Ghosts” and “Doomsday,” unmatched in the scale of its universal existential stakes, and the finality in its devastating, intimate conclusion. An exit story is, by nature, epic; what makes this two-episode finale rise to greatness is that, much like the character of Rose herself, it’s shot through with heavy doses of humanity, humor, and heartbreak.

Rose Tyler Built the Foundation for a Modern ‘Doctor Who’ Companion

Image via BBC

In the classic era of Doctor Who, companions were students to the Doctor’s teacher. As mostly normal people with extraordinary skills but minimal personal history, they served as a relatable lens for the audience by asking questions of their deeply eccentric partner, and driving the plot in ways the alien Doctor could not. The 2005 revival made down-to-earth, working-class Rose Tyler not just a companion but a co-lead to the initially brooding, traumatized Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and placed heavy emphasis on her everyday life and family dynamics to give her depth. She still asked questions, but also took on the role of emotional anchor to help him heal from the Time War, and their bond grew from mentor-mentee to a partnership on equal footing.

The first farewell of the revival came quickly, as the Ninth Doctor departed spectacularly after just one season. The charming, goofy Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) was externally the complete opposite of his predecessor, but deep down still grappled with grief and loneliness. Fueled by real-life explosive on-screen chemistry and each character’s deep mutual need, another classic Doctor Who rule was scrapped with the addition of unspoken romantic tension to their relationship, which made the season they spent together feel charged with emotional realism. Rose built the foundation for modern companions with the Ninth Doctor; with the Tenth Doctor she became arguably the best companion of all time, challenging him to become more human and giving him something to fight for.

“Army of Ghosts” Starts Rose Tyler’s Exit From ‘Doctor Who’

The first of Rose’s two farewell episodes, “Army of Ghosts,” began in present-day London, where Rose and the Doctor drop by for a routine check-in with her mother, Jackie Tyler (Camille Coduri), reinforcing that, until the very end, despite the priority of the Doctor in her life, she still put tremendous weight on her family and those she left behind. They learn millions of ghosts have been appearing three times a day on a regular schedule, a phenomenon attributed to residual echoes of lost loved ones and accepted by humanity; Jackie, too, has embraced this through reuniting with her long-passed father, a bit of foreshadowing for what’s to come. After tracing the energy to the Torchwood Institute – home of Doctor Who’s best spin-off – it’s learned they’ve been conducting controlled openings into a temporal breach in the void between parallel universes, letting in the ghosts in “ghost shifts” and harboring a mysterious sphere that came through the breach as a source of unlimited energy, while unknowingly letting in a team of Cybermen, who have infiltrated the institute.

Rose’s ex-boyfriend, Mickey Smith (Noel Clarke), has also come through the breach; after traveling with Rose and the Doctor, he had decided to live permanently in the parallel universe as head of the Preachers, a human resistance group fighting the newly-invented Cybermen, and take care of his grandmother, who wasn’t alive in their world. Mickey’s return is one of the most satisfying moments of closure in the two-part finale, as the goofy, fearful kid who spent the better part of two seasons being wildly insecure is now a confident, assertive, seemingly happy adult, much like Rose had come into her own – but we’re only given a beat to consider this, as he tells her he was engaged in battle when the entire population of Cybermen mysteriously disappeared, and was following a lead that took him back to their world using a universe hopping device. It’s not long before we learn how they did it, as the team that infiltrated Torchwood force open the breach and the millions of ghosts on the ghost shift are revealed to be the millions of missing Cybermen, manifested all over the world and wreaking havoc.

“Doomsday” Makes ‘Doctor Who’ History and Doubles Down on Drama

Image via BBC

At this point, things are still feeling a bit like a standard exit finale in many ways; lots of action, character returns, and a primary enemy, but just before the end of the episode, it’s discovered the mysterious sphere wasn’t just a space object, but a ship built for the void between universes, holding a second enemy: four most powerful Daleks, the Cult of Skaro. “Doomsday” pulls the throttle back at full tilt, giving an unprecedented initial face-off between the Doctor’s two biggest enemies, who had until this point never met in battle. We also get the most legendary robot diss battle in Doctor Who‘s 63-year history, and maybe in the history of any sci-fi show ever, in the form of an exchange Mickey calls “Stephen Hawking meets the Speaking Clock” that sees both sides mercilessly hurl insults and lasers.

It’s all fun and games until Mickey accidentally touches the Genesis Ark, a prison ship built by the Time Lords during the Time War used to banish the entire Dalek race, and releases millions of Daleks into the world to join the melee with the Cybermen, and all the humans caught in between. Now there’s double the danger, but to double the intrigue, Mickey’s fellow Preacher, Jake (Andrew Hayden-Smith), uses a dimension-hopping device to take the Doctor to meet with Rose’s parallel universe dad, Pete Tyler (Shaun Dingwall), a successful millionaire who once had a hand in creating the Cybermen, but fought to take them down and lost his version of Rose’s mom in the process. Pete tells the Doctor he needs his help to seal the breach between parallel universes for good, or both universes risk being destroyed. When Pete, the Doctor, Mickey, and Jake return from the parallel universe, we’re given yet another satisfying moment when Jackie gets to see a lost loved one, and this time, he’s real. While it’s awkward for a moment, the chemistry is nearly instantaneous.

A Heartbreaking ‘Doctor Who’ Farewell to Rose Tyler

Image via BBC

The ongoing universe-ending calamity, now maxed out in terms of the stakes, shifts back into focus when the Doctor realizes, thanks to his spiffy 3D glasses, that everything that’s come out of the void is covered in “void stuff, and if he opens the breach and reverses it, the void will suck it back out of where it doesn’t belong. He sends everyone to the parallel universe to protect them, but the ever-loyal Rose returns to the Doctor’s side to help him. The plan works, but at the last second, Rose loses her grip and falls towards the void. Pete uses the dimension-hopping device to save her, but as the breach is now sealed, it means she’s trapped in the parallel universe forever, and separated from the Doctor for good.

It’s a heartbreaking moment of loss, and of desperation. Two people whose bond was infinite have now been torn apart with utter finality, unexpectedly and with absolutely no notice, which isn’t always the case in exit stories. A while later, we’re given a glimpse at the parallel universe, where the Tylers are reunited, Jackie and Pete in love, and Mickey still hanging around. It’s almost like we’ve started back at the beginning, but Rose still hasn’t had that closure of saying goodbye. A dream leads her to Bad Wolf Bay, where the Doctor has harnessed the power of a star to have one last exchange through the single remaining breach. They banter for a few minutes, but the dagger to the heart comes at the very end: Rose breaks down and tells him she loves him, but the connection cuts before he’s gathered himself enough to finish his reply.

It’s been a full 20 years since the “Army of Ghosts” and “Doomsday” two-part finale first premiered in July 2006, but there’s never been anything that’s come close to Rose Tyler’s final journey with the Tenth Doctor. The high-stakes, history-making spectacle that ends in an intimate moment that will always be a “what if?” remains the most compelling, hilarious, and heartbreaking story arc ever created in the Doctor Who ​​​​​​franchise. It’s a true testament to the duo being two of the all-time greatest characters brought to life on the small screen, as even after all these years, it still packs one hell of a punch to the gut.

Former NBA point guard Ty Lawson is defending himself after he was arrested for allegedly stealing a bottle of vodka and calling one of the arresting officers a “white bitch” in the process.

Lawson, 38, is accused of taking a $34 bottle of Tito’s vodka from a Castle Rock, Colorado liquor store and bringing it to a nearby restaurant on Thursday, July 16, according to legal documents obtained by TMZ. He was charged with theft of less than $300 and later released.

Lawson took to social media on Thursday, July 23, where he seemingly addressed the incident.

“Being black in America is tough,” he wrote via X. “Being lied [to] by a pasty face white woman wild… stay outta castle rock Colorado!!!!”

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UPDATE 5/7/26 at 5:00 p.m. — Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale has spoken out after the battery charge against her was dropped following a court hearing on Wednesday, May 6. A judge dismissed the misdemeanor charge nolle pros, meaning the prosecution decided it no longer wanted to pursue charges. “We are pleased that the State […]

He added in a subsequent post, “This the wildest and more racist shit I been thru.”

An arrest affidavit obtained by FOX31 revealed that the shop owner witnessed the alleged theft and saw Lawson taking a sip from the bottle outside of the store before relocating to a nearby restaurant, “where he took the bottle by the fire pit, then sat at the bar with the stolen bottle. The owner advised that the man was possibly drunk, as she said she witnessed him stumbling.”

The affidavit continued, “When officers arrived, they arrested the man, later identified as Tywon Lawson. Lawson faces a charge of theft less than $300, shoplifting. During the incident, Lawson’s friend, who was holding the Tito’s bottle, was also detained, but later released after officers determined he had no role in the shoplifting. The arresting officer noted that Lawson emanated the smell of an unknown alcoholic substance.”

When police confronted the former North Carolina Tar Heel at the restaurant, they say he became hostile, repeatedly calling an officer a “bitch” and “white bitch.” He also allegedly kicked the glass wall of his holding cell and spit on the floor.

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TMZ reports he later apologized to officers for his behavior.

Lawson, a former McDonald’s All-American, was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft, though he was immediately traded to the Denver Nuggets. He played eight seasons in the NBA, including six in Denver.

Before that, he was part of the University of North Carolina’s 2009 National Championship team, playing point guard for what is generally considered one of the best teams of college basketball’s modern era.

Last week marked the seventh time Lawson has been arrested. That includes his June 2008 arrest before his junior season in Chapel Hill. He pleaded guilty at the time to misdemeanor charges of driving after drinking and driving with a suspended license.

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Former University of Kansas basketball player Lagerald Vick has been charged with attempted first-degree murder in Tennessee following his Saturday, July 11, arrest. Vick, 29, was arrested for his alleged role in a July 4 incident that occurred in his Memphis home, in which the former NCAA player is accused of allegedly shooting a man […]

He was also arrested twice for DUI in 2015, once in Denver that January and another time in Los Angeles in July. He pleaded guilty to charges related to the first incident and a judge ordered him to attend rehab after the second.

In 2020, he was banned from the Chinese Basketball Association after posting on social media what the league deemed to be “inappropriate” comments “inconsistent with the social responsibilities and values.”

Lawson’s most recent arrest came in Madrid in 2022 when he was allegedly involved in two altercations at an airport restaurant, including one in which he reportedly threw a glass at another customer. Authorities then escorted him to a different flight.